Currently

Lots of things going on here. We have been sick, again! What a year it's been for that! But knock on wood we are on the mends and I think we may be finally getting better. We are packing, packing, and packing. Our move is a little bit off but I really want to start things off on the right foot in our new home so I'm using this time to go thru everything, organize and purge and clean. I'm deep cleaning everything. Thanks to Pinterest, I've been scrubbing pots, pans and baking sheets to make them sparkle like new!

I'm also day dreaming about how to decorate our new place. I'm so excited and a bit challenged but it all but I'm sure I'll figure it all out. My first priority is the girl's room. I hope to have that complete right away so they will feel at home.

The girls are loving all the boxes and have claimed a couple as theirs!

-Amy

Happy New Year

This poor blog...the last few months of 2012 were crazy and I didn't come here to really talk about it. It was just too much, and I'm glad I didn't share it. But I'm ready to embrace 2013 and look forward to many positive things happening to our family!

First...we are expecting. Yes, you read that right. Our family will be growing by one more! This summer we will welcome another bundle of joy into our lives. Once the shock wore off we realized how blessed we are to add to our family and are so happy about this newest addition.

Well that last bit of news (and some other stuff) has lead us to rethink our home. And we decided to move on. In the very near future we will be packing up and moving on. We began to pack up and it's bittersweet. I'm so excited about our new home, the extra space, backyard and that but will miss a lot about our current home. It's been a great home for us, but it's time to move on.

We've had some crazy stuff going on personally and we are handling it the best we can. It's been very stressful and I look forward to the end of it all (hopefully soon) in 2013.

I've made some resolutions and want to share. Mostly for me...so I can look back here and see what I've accomplished.

1. Become organized...I like to think that I am an organized person but I just can't seem to make it work to well in our current place. Since we are bursting at the seams. So I'm taking my time in packing and hope to move into our new place and start fresh and keep it up!
2. Refocus on my Etsy shop. I became very withdrawn from it...the 1st trimester of this pregnancy really hit me hard.
3. Make home Pre-Schooling for Emily and top priority, which is sometimes hard to do during the day but she loves it.
4. Cook meals at home 4-5 days a week (the rest will be leftover days). We have gotten away from this the past couple of months and we all miss it!
5. Focus on the positive things and try to forget the negative.

These were just on the top of my head but I want to make an "official list" and will share it soon!

-Amy

Difficult and Strengthening Day

Today was tough.

Nothing else I can do or say would sum it up better. But even in tough days I see the light. The Hubs and I pull together, put ours heads down and know tings will get better. And the girls....aw....they make EVERYTHING okay!

I try to keep things super positive here but sometimes I can't avoid it. Before anyone worries too much. Nothing life threatening is happening. Just a challenge, a hurdle...or whatever you want to call it.

Things will get better. I know that. But it may become difficult first. But we will overcome...God gave me this life because he knew I was strong enough for it. I need to remember this!!!

here is a way he shows me....

Emily and Abby are loving each other. Then Emily and I snuggle right before bed...she wrapped her arm around me and pulled me in close....ahhh...life is perfect again!!!

A Long Night

Poor Abby. She's teething again and was up from 10:30 to 12:30 and then every hour after that. She woke Emily up every time too! What a night!

She's been obviously sleepy all day and so has Emily....and I'm not going to lie, I am too.

So I'm hoping that these two will FINALLY take a nap. It's been a long day on top of a long night but that's okay. I just want Abby to be okay. She has the worse time with teething, the pain and awful diaper rash...she dreads diaper changes right now.

On a better note...here are some fun pictures from the week:

Yogurt faces! These girls will eat 32 ounces between them in one sitting! 

 Gottca

Painting

 After we paint, we bathe

Enjoying Popsicle...Abby's first. Helps with the teething.

Have a great weekend!

-Amy

What's Going On

Sorry for being so absent, lots of things are going on here. Some great, some just good and a couple I would rather not be dealing with (so I won't bother you with them)

I'm so grateful that the girls (knock on wood) are both healthy. Finally! It seems like one or both were sick during the month of October. Yikes!

The girls continue to play, entertain, laugh and enjoy each other. It's so, so, so much fun to witness. Abby is about to be 1. 1. WOW, she is almost 1. I can not believe it, I have so much to get together.

I've been so busy. My shop is really busy. I took on a large order (60 pairs of pants) on top of my Shop orders....and the extra money was a huge blessing but it really has been hard. My family has been very supportive and My Mom has been awesome (as normal), she's stopped by on a few occasions with Diet Cokes from Mc Donald's...my guilty pleasure...and even watched the girls to let me make runs to the post office. She then gave me hugs and told me to basically breathe. I realize that I bit off more than I could chew...well almost. But I've learned and now know better. I will keep these big orders for non-holiday times when I'm a bit slower.

I would have been able to fly thru the large order if I ignored the girls, but that would defeat the purpose of being home. So I get up early, work during naps, and stay up late to get it all done. But I'm BEYOND grateful for this HUGE, GINORMOUS blessing that has been handed to me. Nothing worth having is easy, and dreams don't come to those that don't push themselves.

I'm struggling with keeping my work/bedroom area separate and organized but as soon as I get caught up on my orders that will be the very next thing on my list.

Okay enough about me. The Hubs is working away from home right now and we miss him, but he will be home soon. So I'm taking advantages of the extra time to get some stuff done. Emily was hoping every noise she heard this evening was him coming home. So sweet. She loves her Daddy!

So there is our update, some info/pictures and the such. I have to end this with some things I'm thankful for.

Hubby's car broke down 2 days ago. He was on the interstate and I had to round everyone up to go get him and have the truck towed. But God was watching over us and had it happen in a safe spot, and near our friend who was able to fix it over night so it was ready for Hubby's work trip. This would have been a disaster had it happened far away from home!

I'm so thankful for my life, my Hubby, and kids. It's not always easy but that's okay. I'm strong enough for this life that was given to me!

I will be doing another post on Homemade Christmas but I really want to share my dear friend's new Etsy shop:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KHBPrintShop

She is adding stuff all the time and I love everything. I wish I had more walls that she could design pieces for!!!

A Family Photo

I don't think we have had a picture of all 4 of us since Abby's newborn photos. Someone is always left behind the camera but we have a new one. While at the pumpkin farm on Monday the Hayride Driver jumped in and offered to snap some pictures...so sweet!

I think I may have this one blown up and placed behind our couch. I have had a few adorable ones of just the girls and I but feel to guilty to make it our big photo minus the hubby.

The girls had so much fun...it was both cold and windy but they both tolerated it better than I did. This was the first time that Hubby could join in on the fun and he had fun. Honestly had fun!

He took full charge of picking out the family pumpkin and jumped right in later that night to carve it up. I love seeing him get into the holidays, even one as simple as Halloween!

And to finish this post up...my favorite picture of my baby Abby and me!

Love,

Amy

Sometimes you need some time

We are so blessed that my wonderful sister-in-law gives us her awesome hand-me downs from her little girl. My niece is just about 18 months older than Emily and she has some of the cutest clothes. But this also means that for a few days after we receive the bins (yes BINS!!) the girl's room is a mess.

But its all in good timing, since the seasons are changing and Emily and Abby have outgrown many of those items hanging in their closet. The funny thing is that both girls insist on "helping" me while I tear apart and reorganize the closet. Their way of helping is unfolding everything I just folded and making a huge pile to 

jump into. It's fun the first time for me but after 5 or 6 times I sometimes want to cry.

But a bag full of plastic balls and a crib will provide our girls with a bunch of fun! The girls are never in their cribs unless they are sleeping so they find this super fun!!

 This helped me out big time. I was able to get Abby's side of the closet done and about 50% of Emily's.

Oh yeah...check out our raspberry theif!!!