Low-key Weekend

We enjoyed our very low key weekend just hanging out around the house and getting some things done....As you can see above, David is trying to instill his love of soccer in Elise at a very young age. This is the ONE sport that I refuse to watch with him (I just can't handle 90 minutes for 1 goal- if/when my children are playing that will be a whole other story) and so I think he is hoping to recruit her to watch with him!

We had a great time at Camille's first birthday party Saturday afternoon, but other than that we just stayed in...I got some much needed laundry, ironing, and sewing (I know, I'm old!) done and we just spent time together as a family....

David made cookies today and, as you can see below, they were a hit with all of the kids!







Hope you all enjoyed your weekends as well!
Love, Nicole

The Greatest Show on Earth....

My parents took Elise to the circus in New Orleans last night! Above you can see Elise and "G" getting ready to go enjoy the show!!

Watching the trapeze artists...

Having so much fun! I wish I could have been there to see her expressions as she watched everything and took it all in. My Mom and Dad said she absolutely loved it, and when they asked her what her favorite was she basically listed everything they had seen.

I am trying to get more out of her today, but she knows how badly I want to know and so she won't tell me anything! I have a feeling later, when it is her idea, she probably will be going on and on....Can't wait to hear...

I remember my parents taking us when we were little so it is pretty neat to have them take her. My Dad said he remembers carrying me home like it was yesterday, and yesterday he was carrying his granddaughter home....What a great memory!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Love, Nicole

*I think David did a great job with the music. I am loving it. That was a nice surprise!!

The Music You Hear is Not in Your Head

If you haven't already heard the Jeff Healey Band kicking up Angel Eyes, you will in a second. I added a music feature to the blog for people who may want to read with some background noise. It is located at the far bottom of the page if you want to scroll to another song. Angel Eyes is a song that I have always loved and felt very appropriate for how I feel about Nicole. We danced to it at our wedding. Yes, it was prominenly featured in the american movie classic Roadhouse, but that only adds to the romance, right? I put about 15 songs on the list. Some are Elise and my songs, like Jack Johnson's better together, which she and i played every day for 3 months when she would look at photos of herself on the computer. she loved the music and Jack's relaxing voice.
A few others on there are by Colin Hay (one of my recent favorite singers and writers), Nick Drake (you will recognize who he is when you hear Northern Sky), and Coldplay (obviously a great band and well written songs like Green Eyes, again a song more about me and Nic). I also put some songs about being parents or spouses that in some way sum up random feelings I have about our Nic and the kids (Cinderella, Stay, There Goes My Life, In My Daughters Eyes). Two are admittedly stolen from the blog Bring the Rain, including the title song to that blog as well as All That I Can Say. There is nothing I can say to properly explain the inspiration you will get from reading about the strength and faith of the family on that blog. A few others are just songs we like, like Gravity by John Mayer (me), Waiting For My Real Life to Begin (me), and Prayer for Time (Nic).
If it is totally annoying let me know.

Weekend Recap

As I mentioned in my earlier post, Elise had two birthday parties this weekend! The girl gets invited to more functions than I do! Saturday morning we celebrated Lilly Kate's 3rd birthday. They are friends from mother's day out and also do soccertots together. The party was adorable. It was a safari theme, and Lilly Kate's parents did a great job of creating an actual "safari"- complete with balloon animals and animal sounds- for the kids. They also had a HUGE blow up jumper, which is always a success. Many of the girls, though, were obsessed with Lilly's Barbie jeep. For about the first two hours, things went very smoothly...everyone was sharing well and taking turns driving....

Elise and Ella on a "jungle cruise"...

Jill, Lilly's Mom, even had toilet paper rolls made into binoculars that they got to decorate and then use to look at the animals...Above you can see Elise birdwatching...

After the two hours of sharing, the heat, fatigue, and crash from the sugar high (I REALLY am not making excuses for what you about to see, but I swear my child is not usually like this---you'll see) started to kick in. I am not exactly sure what set her off, but Elise totally collapsed! All we know is that one minute Elise and Amelia were sharing perfectly fine and the next minute they were both crying...Luckily Nikki, Amelia's Mom (AND professional photographer) was there to capture them in all of their glory....

Above they are in their side by side time outs. All we could do was laugh, because really, what is the alternative....Let's just say we headed home shortly after this!!

Sunday we went to a pool party to celebrate another classmate, Harrison's, 3rd birthday as well! I went alone with Elise and so I wasn't able to take pictures because I was watching her in the pool. It was another great party! Luckily, all of us Mom's get along great, so I don't mind carting Elise around to all of her social events. It is lots of fun....(well, for the most part!)

In Lila and Bennett's world, they have been loving playing with the play kitchen. Elise really does a great job of sharing with them.....Here they are cooking dinner last night! HA!

Their most favorite toys right now are these adorable cloth balls they got for their birthday. As usual, I found them on Etsy, my favorite source, and they play with them constantly...I love how they are cute to look at as well! I am telling you, it is the simple things that make them happy!

My Dancing Machine

I was playing around with the kids before bed tonight (with my camera out, of course), and my goal was actually to catch Lila taking a few steps. I know that Aunt Mo would especially like to see. Well, I had gymnastics on in the background and Lila heard the music and, as usual, started her dancing. Luckily, I caught a little on video. This just makes me smile, and I hope it makes ya'll smile too!

I'll try to catch a fun video of Bennett soon as well, as he is also quite entertaining these days!

Elise, my little social butterfly, had TWO birthday parties this weekend. One at which she was on her best behavior, and one where....well, let's just say it wasn't my proudest moment as a Mom! Luckily, my fabulous photographer friend caught it all with her camera and so I will be posting those pics in the near future. We have decided that these pics will definitely be wedding video material! (Hopefully not for another 25 or 30 years though!)

David and I had a great time Saturday night having dinner with the Mothers of Multiples group. The group has been a great support system, as well as a great resource, from which to gather all kinds of info on the whole new world of twins! I have also met some really great friends!

Hope you all enjoyed your weekends as well.

Counting my blessings,

Nicole