Friday Five [ In Pictures ]

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No. 1 and Turtle at a Birthday party 

Disturbing the peace at the library 

My beloved black ceiling in my front room

Lake Days with Grandpa and Grammie 

Fleeting moments of sisterly love 

How is your summer going? I feel like it's going by too fast, that it's going to be gone before I know it. We're planning a fun weekend trip and I have a girls trip or two (one with the twins) which should be loads of fun. Summer mantra: I will have fun. I will have fun. :) 

Scenes from Our Week

We bought a new dishwasher almost two weeks ago. Our current appliances are probably original to the house, which is around 10 or 11 years old. They are older , black GE models. We blew it out and got a Bosch. They don't have a heating element. Obviously in accordance with Newton's Law, our microwave range broke seven days after our dishwasher purchase. You can see the empty space behind No. 1. 

I was able to help out with No. 1's Easter party at school this week. We did a short egg hunt on the play ground, some crafts and a snack. My child explained, "You should work harder hiding the eggs next time." She loves a challenge. 

We spent the afternoon at my Mom's on Saturday. A rare side by side shot of the twins. They are 17 months old. They are both cutting the top and bottom canine teeth and it's been about 10 days of hell. Cranky and clingy to the max. The only benefit of whatever they are going through is that they have been day sleeping a lot. 

I'm counting down the weeks until they come to level our yard and sod it. We had all those trees taken down and now it just dirt, some grass and ant hills. I hate all the ants. I'm terrified of one of the kids getting into a big mound. New mission:kill.all.the.ants. Here is No. 1 "cycling." 

I'm just trying to breath deep, eat cleaner and exercise more frequently these days. Ready for summer. Anyone else? 

Xoxo

The Housewife 

7/52

I love Project 52 posts in blog-land. I'm sure this is nothing I can keep up with and clearly I posted three pictures, not just one. 

I took my camera out, for the first time in a long time, a few weeks ago. #1 loves the big fancy camera and HAS to take pictures "on her own." You can see me in all my glory doing, I'm sure, what my husband thinks I do all day long. Leave it to kids to catch us doing those things. 

"Mommy, let me take your picture."

cheese

Mom's going to let you watch TV because you won't nap and some days are just harder than others.  Even though you yawned and it's 4:30 in the afternoon. You are so afraid you might miss something. 

I wish I had photoshop or something because after that damn Snow Leopard update bullshit I can't seem to get my iPhoto icons back on the computer. Lame. Love it when updates make things harder. I don't use the auto option on my DSLR. Just some everyday scenes. 

A Hairy Situation

On Monday's I drop #1 at preschool and then the twins take a music class 30 minutes later (at the same place). Well after music there is not a great amount of time to do anything so I drive the twins around until they fall asleep and wait until release time in the parking lot. While I was driving the twins around I saw the school was calling me. I thought, darn, #1 must be sick. However, it was the director. I thought, I must have made a mistake on my registration paperwork for next year. Not so much. They sent in the big guns because #1 crawled underneath a table and cut her hair. As in, they are telling me they think it can be "reconstructed" and won't have to be all cut off. Excuse me? I didn't overreact because, hell, kids do that. I was just in shock. So I promptly called one of my best friends and sobbed into the phone like someone had died. I'm pretty particular about #1's hair. Just that it is long and she has only had slight trims. And there was a huge lump in my throat until I could pick her up to see the damage for myself. 

So we found ourselves getting our first real, true, hair cut at the age of three yesterday. Luckily my step-mother's hair stylist was able to fit her in after my Dad's appointment. 

She did the damage on the left side and cut a big chunk up to her chin. Basically, I think she was trying to give herself "The Rachel" from the 90s. #1 explained to me, "I just wanted short hair." Since a 3 year old does not understand the concept of style nor unintended self mutilation of her mane, I get it. So we proceeded to get a good bit cut off. 

This one, is a fierce one. Determination will serve her well. When she's 20. I, on the other hand, simply dread having to teach her how to drive. 

In other words:

via

The Housewife

Housewife Photo Dump

how about a housewife photo dump because I cut my left index finger on a rotary blade? Check out some more pictures from our family session and this first one is an instagram I posted and tagged Henri Bendel and they totally re-grammed me! I was dying on Saturday. 2 seconds of minor fame. 

#1 with my Henri Bendel Snow Globes 

my sweet Hadley

all photos c/o Abby Hennington








hope everyone is getting in the spirit this week! #1 is actually taking her December nap right now but of course the twins are being brats and cut their nap short especially for me. we also had our 2nd annual black friday trip to the pediatrician and #1 is recovering from an ear infection and blister in her ear.


be merry
the housewife

The Things You Do.....

We had our family photo session this past Saturday. It was okay. It was way more exhausting than I envisioned it to be with three kids, namely two that can't walk and one that enjoys eating grass, leaves and sticks. Also possibly exhausting because I ran 12 miles Saturday morning. Take your pick. I tried to chalk this up to #1 as an adventure. We were going to a cool place to play and let a nice lady take our picture. Enter a generally uncooperative #1 and she may or may not be in pictures. Photoshop is most definitely this photographers best friend. If she's not photo shopping #1 into the actual picture then she is spending hours editing the leaves and moss from Hadley's mouth in every.single.picture. We will always remember this Christmas card as the year we sweat our asses off in winter clothing while it was currently 86 degrees in North Georgia. In October. I didn't expect it to be 50 but I could have stood  some weather in the 70's with a nice fall breeze. I also laid down in the woods. (Was that the correct form of laid or did I make this creepy?) In the Single Gal's brand new J.Crew sweater she just bought. As in, I took the tags off of it before I wore it. Thank God nothing got on it that didn't brush off. Some out takes from our sweat session. 

11 months old today by the way!

Playing in the creek afterwards

Checking out the cows

Guess what I will be doing this Wednesday? 

My dear friend and I are taking our girls to see this. My friend did it last year and said her daughter loved it. #1 will be receiving a birthday present early, her Rapunzel princess dress, and we will be heading down to Phillips Arena. Lord help me, I hope the screaming is less than when I went to Barnes and Noble for a Stephanie Meyer book signing during the rage that was Twilight. I still love Twilight.....just not screaming teenagers. 

And now I have the rest of this week to have anxiety about #1's birthday party this Saturday. 

xoxo

The Housewife

Scenes from Our Week {housewife edition}

Let it be known that today is a highly celebrated day in our lives because College Football starts this weekend! I am fully prepared with matching Alabama outfits for the little people and picking up a new Southern Tide Alabama t-shirt for Turtle. We will be cheering for the Crimson and White on Saturday as well as catching the Georgia v. Clemson game. The great news is that it doesn't matter because there will be games on all.day.long.

Took everyone to the park on Tuesday and we had a "picnic" which #1 was super excited about.

#1 even made a little friend there that morning and they hugged before she left. 

The twins had their first experience on the swings. They both loved it and if you follow me on IG {housewifeblogr} you can see the video I took of Harper.

Bath time! The twins love it and they can't stand not being in the tub when there is water in it. They cry big tears when you take them out. 

XOXO

The Housewife

The SECOND First Day of Preschool

Drum roll please. I hate to admit that finishing this dress was still a scramble up until an hour before we needed to leave, but it is what it is, right? Namely, I had to make three attempts to sew the second button on due to several random thread tangling episodes. I'm just THAT good. Ughhhhh!

The other thing I'm really good at? Deleting pictures off my fancy camera. For some reason I still had all the pictures from last years beach trip on the camera and tons between the Holidays/Moving/etc and actually digging out my camera cord to upload them to the computer. So as #1 was playing I was looking at the camera and I had that "aha" moment where I remembered how you delete all images from the camera. Sadly, I had not done the second upload in which the "first day do-over" pictures also got deleted. I am so awesome. Grammie said the dress looked white but it's a green seersucker jumper, it's just hard to tell with the instagram filter I chose. The twins also have matching jumpers but that would require me being able to make a trip to Joann's to get buttons. That should happen Friday when #1 has her first full 3 hours at school.

I have to be honest the start of preschool has really put me in a funk this year. I feel good about certain things-- knowing what the hell the class project is for, #1 is very comfortable and not having any transitional issues, she has several of her old classmates and our room mom is the same awesome one as last year. Bless her! I guess it just signals the start of fall and I am already feeling overwhelmed. Vacation, #1's birthday party in Oct, twins birthday 3 weeks later, pumpkin patch, Thanksgiving, photo for Christmas cards (!?!)..........it just goes on an on. I know, y'all are like it's not even September don't throw us into Christmas card photos yet!! It just feels like so much. Maybe it's because in what we like to call "the twin fog" in this house, the holidays were just going through the motions (we made it, feed the babies, get the babies to sleep, open presents, eat lots of food, etc).

This post is getting me down already. I know y'all will miss the Single Gal since she is the entertaining one. She was able to text me some this morning because she had wi-fi but I stopped because it kept switching from iMessage to text. Did we tell you about the time she was stuck in Europe and how much her phone bill was from calling me distraught? Good story. So we will celebrate that I do terrible chalkboard art but I got the dress finished and the chalkboard done.

**Single Gal, if you're reading I've totally abandoned the laundry, emptying the dishwasher and other things to blog. So there.

I Need a Do Over

I should be doing a lot of other things instead of writing this post, but since I'm on the procrastination train might as well continue to the next train station. We had a great weekend. We overcommitted ourselves however, especially on Sunday. I tried to put the twins down for a nap so they would sleep and we would go to the 11am service, then straight to Turtle's cousin's for an afternoon cookout. Then we would leave that cookout, return home to lay the kids down and then go to a cookout to kick off our adult Sunday school and meet some new families at the church. Best.laid.plans.

Here's what really happened. The twins never really slept. We made it to church. Some poor early teen passed out in the middle of the Apostle's Creed which caused an odd ruckus making me think some people were actually having a fist fight in the middle of church. (Talked to the pastor and he seems to be okay....something about not feeling well, Alegra-D and not eating breakfast.). Picked up kids from nursery/Sunday school. #1 swears she does not need to go to the bathroom. Travel 15 minutes down the road and she announces she has tee-teed in her seat. Pull over to check-statement is a fact. Insert parent anger and frustration but there is no point in changing her into dry clothes to sit in the wet car seat. We try to continue to our destination when she says she has pooped. No freaking way Turtle and I are mumbling to ourselves. Pull over again, she has not but says she needs too. Find a Wendy's, change her and waste more time and no poop. Finally arrive at cousins and don't end up getting home until 3. The twins have barely slept in the car, I didn't bring enough food for them,  but hope sleep wins that battle. I leave for the grocery store and received call from Turtle I need to return home. Like immediately. Long story long, the twins didn't sleep and #1 pooped in her room. Yay for Sunday. Went to church at 6, didn't get home until 8.

I told you all that nonsense to explain I should be posting that "Pinterest" worthy picture of #1 from her first day of preschool with the dress that I made her holding this beautiful chalkboard stating it is her first day of preschool. You did see my picture, right? Yeah, the dress is not finished and I haven't attempted the chalkboard. So her "first day" picture can be tomorrow? I know y'all won't tell.

I need more coffee and a shower. Her first day is technically 45 minutes with me and a few other students and parents per planned gradual entry. Let's not even talk about the craft projects I am already behind on sending in for her.

We also have a big secret the Single Gal and I.........we are going to be Aunts in March! The Baby is having a baby. I can't wait to hold that squishy baby and then give him/her back.

Housewife Confessions

#1 has taken three naps in 7 days. The apocalypse must be coming. You've been warned. 

We had our parent fair for preschool last night. I thought it would be easier since I'm past my rookie season, but I'm not so sure. I miss last years teachers (clearly, I'm no better than a three year old myself).  This year there is a Christmas party and an Easter party to volunteer for. Good news is I am very aware of this "class project" business and have proactively volunteered to handle that in hopes I don't have to do anything for the auction basket. I hate soliciting. 

I drink way too much coffee and not nearly enough water. There, I said it. 

I really thought the twins would stop waking up at 5:30 by now. Sigh. I just hate to let them cry it out for fear they will wake #1 up even earlier than her normal 6:45 time. The twins do go back to sleep, they just get a bottle. BUT still. 

#1 has really excelled in her swim lessons this summer....like way beyond what I thought she could do. Bad news is she thinks she's Janet Evans. By that I mean if you don't have a firm grip on her or enough distance between the pool and her so you can over take her when she goes to jump in, you're in trouble. I almost had to go in after her yesterday, in my clothes no less because I had gotten her dressed and she was wearing shoes. Anyone's ability to swim in shoes is questionable. 

I'm mildly starting to stress out about #1's birthday party. I have my "theme" (if you will) but need to pull the trigger on an invitation, invite list, menu, decor, etc.  Someone please plan the kids activities so they are not bored. Thanks. 

XOXO

The Housewife 

Instagram Dump

The sweetest girl from Twitter who follows me made the girls these precious hats. This photo was prompted by our friend E who said her office was having a "Crazy Hat Day." There are some cute out takes from this photo shoot. 

We are in the pulling up on everything stage. They like looking out the windows. 

This is a demonstration of Single Gal's babysitting at the lake house. 

Here is a glimpse of our 2.5 nano seconds of togetherness time before #1 melts down about her baby sisters. Ignore the tile choices of the previous owners of this house. 

#1 grabbed this hat out of my closet the other morning before we went swimming with some friends. I took her to the pool four times last week. No naps any of those days. Yesterday was day 15 without a nap.......maybe today brings more promise? Doubtful. 

What is all this? Tell them to stop. They are growing up too fast. 

9 months stats: 

Harper- 20 lbs 7 oz  and 27.5 inches long

Hadley- 16 lbs 7 oz  and 26 7/8ths inches long (leading 10 percentile respectively)

although she is 25% in height. boom. 

I think the only thing I've been up to is running #1 to swim lessons, sometimes swimming with some friends, praying for afternoon naps and vacation to be here soon. Turtle said I could go with the girls this weekend to Savannah and while one of our shorter trips it was great girl time. I soaked in just sitting on the beach in the sun and drinking Bud Light Lime because we all know my family beach vacation is simply a "working vacation" with better views and more people to help me. It's still super fun though. Pre-school starts in a few weeks so we've been getting that information in the mail and all the prep that entails. I am trying to sew some dresses for the girls to wear to the beach and just getting them cut to get to my friend for monogramming is proving to be equal to walking on the moon. Sheesh. 

Duty Calls......

xoxo- The Housewife

{ you can find me on instagram @housewifeblogr } 

No Napping Crazies.

I bet you think this post is about two tiny people who won't nap. WRONG. #1 has basically been on a nap strike for 20-something days and let me tell you......she still needs a nap. This is my excuse for a lack of blog posts although I'm sure you like the Single Gal's exciting life way better than mine. In this house we basically need a lot of patience and Jesus. From 4 in the afternoon to 6 in the evening we are ripe with meltdowns and cries for Daddy. So while Jesus is always around sometimes my patience appears to have runaway to a far off land. This is the deal. #1 has been potty trained for at least 6 months but when I put her down for a nap (we are still in pull-ups for nap/nighttime) or her "quiet time" as we now term it, she basically poops and therefor won't nap. Every.damn.day. I have even gone back in 10 minutes after leaving to change her, put her back in bed and she still finds a way to poop some more. I cannot even explain the rage living inside my head. RAGE.

I don't really see it as a serious regression because she has no problems in public or when she is with a grandparent. This golden behavior is only reserved for nap time. I will also be the first to tell you that "quiet time" is bullshit. It is not relaxing and it is not a mental break. It's how much can I get done before she starts kicking her door with her feet or pulls her monitor camera down onto her head.  Better yet, the time I have no idea what she was doing and after her screams find her with the bridge of her nose scraped up and bleeding. She used to nap every 5 or 6 days so I had resigned myself that was fine but after so many days she needs a nap. Pediatricians will tell you that you cannot force the to sleep. This is quite obvious A, and B doesn't make me feel any better! It wouldn't be a huge deal if she could go without totally breaking down but 8/10 times that is not the case.

So no, I do not want to hear people who say, "Oh. My 4 yr old still takes a nap and I'm worried about kindergarten next year." Really??? You poor thing. How will your 5 year old deal with no nap? I say these mean things out of the jealousy in my heart. I want to put a sign on #1's back when we go out in  public that says, "Please excuse our behavior. One of us no longer naps. This is why there is screaming and kicking. It is not my fault. "

I should end this with the fact that she really is a smart and funny kid. She is totally smart because she knows to poop in her pull-up every stupid day. She retains so much. Grammie got her a Tinkerbell DVD for the car and one day #1 kept talking about "Biddia" and she found some jar she was playing with. I haven't watched the DVD (I know, super parenting) but I did figure out "Biddia" was probably a fairy. So we would ask her why Biddia was in the jar and she would say Daddy put her in there. Well I did watch part of the video and she was also talking about Lizzie, who is a girl. Lizzie's Dad put Vidyia in the jar and Tinkerbell has to save her. Who knew? At least "playing" and talking about Biddia gets us distracted from our tantrums. Sheesh.

I have some posts I really want to write and a DIY I did for the twins room to post as well. Maybe one day.

The Housewife

*please ignore any typos as this was an iPad post.

Summer is Ending

I got out the camera the other day and managed to get some pictures.

She has grown so much and will officially be two in a few days.

We love our chalk...........

and we love to roll around in it.....

we like to draw ghosts

must stand close to mommy when dad comes by with the lawn mower

hi

Y'all have a great weekend. 

The Housewife

See the Beauty

I follow the Styleberry blog on Facebook as well as in our reading links and she linked up to this Huffington Post article by Allison Tate. As mothers, how many of us are always behind the camera instead of in front of it? I really enjoy taking pictures but to be honest I'm hardly ever in any pictures with my daughter. My husband on the other hand is in about 4 million of them. Why is that? I'm sure part of it is me and the other is that men just don't think about and I never push it. I never say, "Here, please take some pictures of me with her."  I'm especially feeling the way Allison did in the article because I'm pregnant. I don't see the happiness in my daughters face in the photo. All I can see is my chubby arms, that my hair doesn't look good, that my face is much fuller than normal and plagued by terrible melasme (aka pregnancy mask) no matter how many times a day I put sunscreen on my face.  #1's birthday party is this weekend....as in tomorrow. (Let's not even talk about how much Turtle and I need to accomplish before 11 am.)

Do I want her to look back on her 2nd birthday and not have any family pictures from Saturday? I'm sure I won't like any of them. They will always be at "the wrong angle" or the most "unflattering." Her first birthday was fine.......I was in marathon shape and actually got up super early with The Single Gal to get my 20 miles in before her party that afternoon. This year I'm almost 33 weeks pregnant. Every time I go into a store I can feel people staring at me. More than likely it's because they are afraid I will just go into spontaneous labor as due to my size I look "full term".........because that's such a realistic occurrence. To just go into active labor in the middle of Barnes and Noble when you walked in just fine (usually it's men who appear afraid of this scenario).

The thing is, #1 doesn't know the "f" word- as in FAT. When she looks at a picture of us she sees "MOMMY"! And when she's older I'm sure she will still feel the same way. I dread the day when she no longer sees herself and begins to be critical of her appearance because of what she thinks she should look like. I'm sure those years are very far off but I'm sure they will come. How can we expect our children to be any different when at our current ages we still fight the same fight?

I vow this weekend that I will be in pictures with my daughter. In a few weeks time it will no longer be the three of us but the five of us. It's my last pregnancy...I will love my belly and the rest of my body.

The Housewife

Vacation Recap

We had a great time on our vacation. I had not been to the "30A" area in almost 11 years I think and it's just so peaceful- at least in September. My lovely sister-in-law always works incredibly hard to find us the "perfect" house to rent amid all the objections and requests testing her sanity between 9 people or more each year. You saw the Single Gal's post on the Death of A Kindle so that was definitely not the highlight of my trip. I have an iPad but I don't consider that beach/pool friendly. On top of that, since we are Prime members with Amazon I can "borrow" books from their library but you can only read them on an actual Kindle and not on the iPad Kindle app. This resulted in me having to purchase one of the books I was not finished reading via the app. However, I randomly ordered three books and brought those in my suitcase so I did have other option while outside. I mean, the commercial is right- pixel ink is the shit when you are outside instead of that glaring iPad. Our house had a pool so when #1 was napping I could just take the monitor outside and still get some sunshine. 

Frozen Yogurt Trip

Sunday was a rainy day and Monday was partially rainy but other than that we had fantastic weather. #1 ate like a horse while we were gone, woke up everyday at 6 am and wanted her breakfast and took naps everyday. That is the beauty of vacation. Even though it is a strange place you can exhaust them in many ways so usually the naps are guaranteed. I had lots of volunteers to help out with #1 and it was really nice to have Turtle around 24/7 too. They had a blast on the beach every morning.

Out in Seaside

I'm not sure why I'm about to post this next picture because at 31 weeks pregnant with twins its very hard to get a flattering angle but here is a family picture. My eyes look too squinty and I know I probably shouldn't be wearing anything with a horizontal stripe at this stage.

In other news I had a check up yesterday at the doctor. It went okay.......I narrowly escaped bed rest at least until my next appointment Tuesday. Baby A's amniotic fluid went from 11 to 9.1 so they are a little concerned about that. Glad I made it on vacation. I was told to decrease my activities and drink loads of water. I was hoping to get a prenatal massage on Friday but they require a note from your doctor and I didn't even ask since I figured it was probably not on their radar with the possibility of bed rest. Bummer. Babies are still head down so unless something changes we will proceed forward with a vaginal delivery plan. Yes, I just wrote that. Vaginal.

I still have some work to do on #1's birthday party planning and I start going to the doctor every Tuesday and Friday next week until I deliver. Also, trying to debate on whether or not I'm sewing #1's Halloween costume. She saw the Pottery Barn Kids catalogue and wants to be a cupcake. But it's a $59 cupcake and I feel sure between myself and my mother-in-law we can create a suitable solution for something she will wear for only a few hours.

Oh- and hopefully major nursery progress this weekend too.

The Housewife

Checking In

I find 4 day work weeks super hectic and I don't know about you guys but I am straight exhausted from Labor Day.  I kinda felt like it was the perfect amount of busy paired with the perfect amount of relaxation and that small portion of work I had to do on Saturday.  But for some reason I am SO tired.  The bright side -- tomorrow is already hump day.  Boom. 

I grabbed a few Instagrams from this weekend -- none of which are probably very good or adorable, but here you go. 

Don't worry, we had lots of beers as well as the opportunity to drink water from this
cute jug for Friday happy hour in Roswell.
Don't even play. 

Hai there. Busted out the monogrammed koozie for a fun day on the lake. 

#1 wanted to help walk Hogie so we went up to see the horses and cows
at the front of the 'Hood.

I also reunited with Elise {post-beautiful baby C!} and we had a fabulous brunch at The Tavern and perused lots of great sales at Phipps Plaza.  I resisted a lot of stuff but did grab another Elsa blouse {see prior Monday Obsessions}. Its green and oh so beautiful.  If only someone would drop a new pair of Kendra Scott earrings in my lap. Preferably these -- 

Kendra Scott Danielle Earrings in Blue Goldstone

Thank goodness for resisting sales because my car saga continues! Ugh.  Had a couple cranking/starting issues so I had the battery tested on the way home from work today and yep -- it was done for.  Goodbye to $130.  Guess it's a good thing I have no appetite these days. 

{A few other things}

Adoring my Essie Watermelon for my manicure this week.  Hard times call for pretty, colored nails. 

I may have some overrated anxiety about running into 3 Putt.  Maybe warranted. Maybe not.  But it's there.  I am not sure why.  

I am reading {Outlander by Diana Gabaldon} and I am three-hundred-thousand-percent obsessed, y'all.  I have many sleepless nights ahead this week. It's good.  It has men with red hair.  Humor me. 

I don't want to read any more tweets ever about another fashion week ever. Sars. 

Only 2 weeks until vacay!!!

*******

Hope you are all enjoying the short week! 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Labor Day

I hope everyone is still having a fantastic Labor Day weekend. The Housewife household has been laying low except for our random trip to Costco for a significantly large television for the living room. It was time and let it be known we did make it through opening weekend of college football on the smaller televisions. Turtle wanted one of those "smart" televisions........and it's so smart we are still trying to get sound to come out of it. But hey.......you can use the internet on it if you want to and it has silent 3D. I think we just lack proper upgraded cables to accomplish this.

Helping Dad wash the car

Found a lizard stuck in a solo cup (pardon the terrible humidity fogging my lens)

After much debate we convinced her to free the little beast

Labor Day is also significant as today marks 10 weeks or less until the twins arrive (if I make it to 38 weeks which we are hoping to). Sleep is a little harder because I have to keep switching sides depending on if Baby B is jammed in my rib causing it to ache or my sciatica/hips are hurting on the left side. It's not unbearable. I don't think it's due to the size of my stomach but more that there is double everything in there right now.

The Housewife