Mischief

This is what we have been up to. I've been making it a point to try to get out of the house as much as possible because too many hours at home often lead to such antics. Lots of play dates and trips to the library, the park, and the indoor mall playground.

Evie is walking all over the house now. It sure is cute to see her appear around a corner walking upright. Rosie finally seems more interested in walking so she may not be too far behind her sister.

As for crafting, I made a little magnetic/bulletin board to de-clutter my refrigerator but it only took about an hour so I'm looking into some more ideas. Thinking about painting the dining room and making Halloween costumes for my girls.

Pictures

Went to salt lake AGAIN for my 10 year high school reunion. I was totally dreading it and had decided it was going to be painfully awkward. One of my best friends from high school was a senior class officer so I basically only went to give her some support. But it was actually a pretty fun evening. It was healthy for me and helped to change some of my opinions about certain people and just about high school in general. I would recommend going. Didn't take any pics though. 10 years sure went by fast!

Stayed for a few days to hang out with friends and fam. Had a great time seeing some of my favorite moms. Went to the zoo with cousins and to the local yogurt shop 4 times in like five days...yikes. The pictures taken were on my moms camera but I forgot to get them-- and it's probably not worth it to try to explain to my mom how to email them. :)

My dear BYU roomie and another best friend Jen made the drive back to CO with me. I loved having 8 hours to just talk and catch up in the car and to have her here for a few days. She's wonderful. Saw two movies in one weekend and it was pretty incredible. Planet of the Apes with Ben and The Help with Jen. Only 1 pic-- I need to start pulling out my camera! (there's a uni-cycler in the background that Jen had the major hots for).
I have been terrible about taking pictures lately but I do have some cute, cute pics from my little brothers wedding to post. And some darling family pictures back from Katherine Wallin who is a fabulous photographer is Salt Lake. Oh my girls....they just kill me.

Now I'm looking for a fun craft to get busy with...

Dodged a bullet

This weekend was our ward camp out up at Pickle Gulch. We debated all week whether or not we were going because Ben was nervous about camping with two babies eager to crawl but nowhere to really do it--and the whole sleeping thing. I talked to a bunch of moms about it and some said it wouldn't be too bad and others acted like we were crazy to even consider it. I love camping. I love being up in the mountains and sitting by a fire. We didn't go at all last summer because, well... let's see- Ben was in CO, me hugely preggo, early babies, NICU, moving, etc. So we haven't been for two years. I really, really just wanted to give it a go and pestered Ben about it all week. But then we ended up not being able to locate our tent so it was decided that we would go up right after work on Friday and stay for the evening but drive home to sleep. Compromise.

I didn't take a lot of pics but we had such a good time up there. We went on a good walk, roasted marshmallows and hot dogs, sang camp fire songs, chatted with friends. We brought up a pack n play and the girls were angels. They loved watching the fire from a distance. I'm also the Activity Days leader in my ward so I have fourteen 8-11 year old girls who always want to hold and play with Rosie and Evie...so that made it pretty easy. I kept thinking the whole time how much I wished we were staying the night. But with no tent, there would be no more convincing or pestering. So around 10pm we loaded some sleepy babies into the car and drove home.

And I'm VERY glad we did. Rosie had a moderate diaper rash that day due to some weird stomach bug but we were staying right on top of it. She did just fine and Evie had been totally clear that day and evening. Friday night however, it hit her with a vengeance. It woke her up twice in the night (which was weird) with the worst fits I have ever seen her have. She was inconsolable. I think her tummy was bothering her, she was overly tired from all her camping fun, and her bottom was literally on fire with a diaper rash from hell. It seriously took at least a good 20 minutes to calm her down-- both bouncing and rocking her while Ben sang a made-up song about how cute she is to the tune of 3 Blind Mice. I have never seen her so upset or for so long and it was a little scary. Poor, poor sweet baby.

Around 2:30 am, after the first episode when Evie was finally back to sleep, we laid in bed and Ben asked me if I still wished we had braved the night in the forest. Oh man...I can't imagine. I get a pit in my stomach imagining us fumbling in a pitch black tent, trying to change diapers and quiet an out of control baby, surrounded by a million sleeping families with little kids...only for it to happen again a couple hours later. The worst baby night we have had in my memory could have been so, so much worse. I'm so thankful for our missing tent because even though Ben is a bit of a worrier-- he's also a bit of a softy when it comes to me getting my way. Boo me.

Happy to say that night was by far the worst of it...after lots of rest, air time, and about a million diaper changes-- Eve is feeling much better.

Sadie Layne

My sister in-law Cindy had her first baby this morning. Sadie Layne Jewkes. 5 lbs, 13 oz. Isn't she dear? I have been reminiscing about my time in the hospital all day and how wonderful it was. I'm so happy for them but also kinda jealous that it's not me. :) Ben gets annoyed when I say stuff like that and reminds me I have TWO babies to take care of. I know, I know...but still.

Rosie and Evie were rushed off to the NICU right after they were born so I didn't get to hold them until later that afternoon, but I didn't mind at all. I had been so nervous about everything leading up until their birth that I was so overcome with relief that it had gone well and that both girls were big and relatively healthy. Ben had been away in Colorado and I was so happy to have him with me. The next few days were spent rocking new tiny babies in the NICU, visiting with friends and family, watching Say Yes to the Dress while pumping, and sleeping better than I had slept in months. Every morning felt like Christmas because we were so excited to go see our babies. We would wake up and rush through a hospital breakfast of french toast and then Ben would wheel me down to the NICU to see the girls.

Once Ben had to go back to CO and I got released from the hospital and the girls had to stay-- things got really hard...but those few days were so perfect and precious. I haven't gotten to talk to Cindy yet but from what I've heard of her morning of throwing up multiple times from the anesthesia and the struggles of learning to breast feed, it doesn't sound quite so blissful. Many of my friends have told me of their hospital stays and that they are a little stressful and exhausting. I was pretty lucky to have my beautiful babies here safe and sound and get a few days to rest up and not have to do much else.

Chris, Cindy's husband, came and stayed with us last week so he could take the bar exam for law school. They are planning on moving out here from Virginia in a couple months and I'm so excited to have some family close by and to meet sweet Sadie. More girl cousins so close in age!
In other exciting news, my little Evie took her first steps this weekend! She has only done a few at a time but it has been really fun. What a big girl.
Neither of these videos are very good because both Clover and Rose want equal time in the limelight.

A grand time

Had a great time in Salt Lake. Best visit yet because I wasn't stressed about what I did or who I saw or worried about when I had to leave. Just enjoyed it for what it was. Had a great time with my sisters. Went to the park and to the Church History Museum with Erin where my mom volunteers . Went on walks and to see Harry Potter with Alex with butter beer, licorice wands, and golden snitches. We all went and got our nails done.

King Jakey's wedding was very tiring but so beautiful and perfect. It was so nice to spend some time with him and his new darling little wife. They had about a bazillion showers and were around a lot late at night for some good talks. I can't believe he is married and we'll have no more family weddings for many, many years. Unless one of us splits up says my mom...nice. We spent a lot of time watching old family videos and talking about memories of putting on plays together, going on trips, fighting, etc. We had a pretty marvelous childhood and it seems so weird that everyone is seemingly all grown up...but not really.

Saw lots of wonderful friends. Got to spend an entire day just hanging out with a couple of my college roommates and a million crazy kids. Met friends in the park and for dinner and for BBQs. Went to the zoo with my relatives and cute cousins. Met up with my sisters fam at the drive-in with Ben's little brother. Just had a grand time.

I plan to spend my July's in Salt Lake every year.

Beach Babies

Last week we met my family at Newport Beach. We go every year and stay right by the pier in a grubby, too small, kinda stinky beach condo. It's kinda like beach camping but we have been going my entire life and it's pretty great. I figured it would be a little crazy with the girls and there were certainly some screaming, sandy, rough moments-- but all in all it was one of the best years yet. Rosie and Evie loved the beach! They loved eating, crawling, and playing in the sand and were in love with the ocean. Watching the waves, crawling on the shore, splashing in the water, and swimming with mom and dad. True... it was a giant production to get them ready and drag them down there every day and an even bigger production to get them home about an hour later and de-sanded and down for nap while they were imploding---but worth it.

Ben didn't stay the entire week (blasted work) and things got a lot harder when I didn't have his hands to help. Three 1 year olds and one 2 1/2 year old (and a stomach bug) in close quarters meant someone was crying at almost any given moment. All the screaming cousins put a little damper on the trip for those expecting the same relatively quiet, relaxing trip of previous years--and I certainly don't blame them for getting annoyed. For better or for worse, that's the new normal for family time. Kids make things hard. Kids make things complicated. Kids make things noisy. But I reaqlly loved having them there. I did miss all the long hours of laying on the beach soaking up sun...but I wouldn't trade that for hearing Evie making whooping and delighted screeching sounds everytime a wave crashed at her feet. Kids make things fun.

Now I'm in SLC for a couple weeks because my little bro gets married next Thursday. I haven't been here since April and I think a longer stretch did me good. I'm feeling better. I FINALLY feel like I've figured out how to be gone and how to visit. I love being with my family and Salt Lake is so gorgeous it takes my breath away-- but I feel like I'm in a healthier place. Thus far I have had zero anxiety about the trip and squeezing in enough "fun" thing with as many people as possible. I'm thrilled to be here but I'm just taking it as it comes and not worrying about it. I miss Ben. I even miss Colorado a little...and that feels good.