Kodachrome

I think Kellie may actually shoot with a Canon most days, but I just love saying Kodachrome and signing the song.

I wanted to share a sneak peak of some photos that we had made last month. I think the girls have grown since these were made. Like weeds, I'm telling you.

We met Kellie in 2005 when we were looking for a wedding photographer and it was love at first sight. She's drop dead gorgeous, but so sweet and fun. She also has two adorable kids and a rock star Hubby. If she weren't so nice, I probably wouldn't be her friend. She also does amazing work and I am impressed with every picture that she updates on her blog. And not just pictures of my family either.

Here's a link to our recent shoot. Now the hard part will be picking our favorites. I may be asking for a little photo-shopping around the eyes. Seriously ... I know they are supposed to add character, but do lines and wrinkles really have to add 10 years?

Fight for Preemies

November is Prematurity Awareness Month and as many of you know, there are too many premature births that happen every year. Hundreds of thousands of premature births happen every year.

From the day that we found out we were expecting twins, we also unfortunately learned a lot of scary statistics. Personally, we were warned against sharing our news of twins too soon, because often they don't survive the first few weeks of gestation, we also were searching in ultrasounds to make sure that both of our babies had their own individual "sac."

It was hard, because here you are over the moon with excitement, but also having to face reality. There were also many other conversations about premature delivery, NICU stays, birth defects, etc.

I did everything I could to have a healthy pregnancy - I started prenatal vitamins early, I had regular checkups and care during my pregnancy, I ate a healthy diet, exercised, and tried to take care of myself and the babies as best as I could.

Unfortunately, Maddy and Libby were born early ... at 33 weeks and 2 days. We spent a total of 17 days in the NICU (Libby) and 26 days (Maddy). We were very lucky that they were healthy, but just needed to gain weight and learn to eat. As crazy as it sounds for a full-term baby, preemies often don't have the strength to nurse or take a bottle. We met several families whose babies had been in the NICU for several months and who would require extensive care.

I will always be grateful to the March of Dimes and our local Family Support Network ... these organizations provide research and support that we needed. I often think about what would have happened if we didn't have the research and the knowledge that we have now. It's scary and I'm thankful.

Maddy ... all 3 pounds, 2 ounces of her.

Libby, 4 pounds, 9 ounces and on the CPAP in this photo.

Maddy, almost 17 months, checking out the leaves.

Libby, almost 17 months, finding the perfect leaf.

Eating & Crying

Ok, so another eating post, but this one not about me.

Maddy and Libby are now 16 almost 17-months-old and they still eat like football players. I constantly wonder if I'm giving them too much, too little, etc. Our Pediatrician basically said feed them until they aren't interested anymore. There are some days that I feel like I'm literally running out of food. Maddy has learned to sign "more", but she'll often sign it when she has a plate full of food. Hmmmm ...

We went to a friends house on Saturday for an "early Thanksgiving with friends" dinner. It's a great tradition that they started and we've probably been going for the last five years. They moved it to a Saturday which has really helped out with all of the families with young children.

We went on the early side of early, because we knew that we wouldn't be able to stay for any late-night festivities. So, as soon as the turkeys were ready, we made a plate of turkey, potato casserole, and homemade Mac & Cheese for Maddy and Libby. We were really early so the rest of the sides hadn't arrived yet. They ate about two platefuls each, drank some milk, and then were ready to go play. So I thought they were done.

Libby possibly eyeballing more food.

That is until a 2-year-old and 3-year-old were sitting at the same kid size table and Maddy and Libby proceeded to walk over and try to grab the food off these kids plates. Since they don't quite understand "No, it's not polite to steal food from strangers", I tried to keep them occupied (box of raisins, cups of milk, and toys) while Hubby ran to fix another plate for them. They both kept trying to go back to the plates of food while these other girls just sat in horror wondering why two mannerless babies were trying to eat their food.

Luckily, Hubby came back in with more turkey, Mac & Cheese, baked apples, potato casserole, and some kind of apricot fluff stuff. I can't remember if we tried a green veggie or not. They devoured that and all was OK.

My question is ... can children this young be obsessed with food? They are by no means overweight and according to the growth charts, they are either not on the chart (Maddy) or only in about the 25th percentile (Libby) for weight. They just really love their meal and snack times. What I sometimes worry about is that they sometimes seem to get mad when the meal is over even when they have shown us that they are no longer interested by playing with the food, dropping food on the floor, dropping their cup, etc.

I guess my gut tells me not to worry ... they are growing, they're good eaters, and it's all fine. It's just the screaming that can get to me when they have finished their meals and want more. I guess they'll learn that screaming isn't the way to get what you want ... even though it probably makes us run pretty fast right now. Who's teaching who here?

Eating cake

and thinking 'bout running. Or lack thereof.

Something is wrong with that picture.

It has been waaaay to long since my last run and I have no one to blame but myself. Coming up on an entire month. Ugh. I told myself I wasn't going to "fall off the wagon", but here I sit.

Looking up old race times, shoveling cake in my mouth, and feeling a bit blah.

Not that this is an excuse, but I do need to find some cold weather gear for running. Somehow, I don't think my beloved Nike tempo track shorts are going to keep me warm this winter.

Anyone have any favorite winter gear that they'd like to share? Maybe some new winter running tights would inspire me ...

I finally did it.

I got sucked in to the Vampire books. I picked up New Moon at the airport on our way to NYC and finished it on our return trip home. I could have read the entire thing in one sitting, but since I was in NYC, I did want to get out and explore and not sit in a hotel room and read about vampires.

On my trip to Vegas, I picked up New Moon on the way home and have put a big dent into it. I will probably finish it this weekend. Good thing, because I have a date with two of my oldest friends to see the movie on opening weekend.

For those of you who are in the know ... will it matter if I didn't see the Twilight movie, but have read the book? Have you already read the entire series ... are there four total in print? Totally different than the Harry Potter series, but I think they are both a must read for tweens, teens, and adults alike.

So far, I think they are great. The dialogue is easy to read and as a friend from my book club summed it up, Edward was exactly how you wanted all the boys in High School to be. Ok, maybe not be a vampire, but I guess that's beside the point.

I may need to go back to lists

I promise I'm really back, but I just haven't gotten back to blogging.

So, here's my P list for the week ...

1. Packing and unpacking. Did I tell y'all that I got home on Wednesday night, unpacked, did a load of laundry, repacked, and got on another flight the next morning? You also know that I hadn't gone anywhere in about 6 months and it was a crazy feeling to be on opposite sides of the US in the same week.

2. PJ's have been my uniform for the week so far. I did shower yesterday, but it just seemed like too much effort to get dressed until I absolutely had to.

3. Poopin'. No idea what my parents and Hubby fed Maddy and Libby when I was gone, but really? Can they really go this many times in a day? Aside from all that, it's great to be home. It was hard to be away from my girls. I'm convinced that they grew 3 inches and learned about 10 new "tricks" while I was gone. Maddy deliberately signed "more" twice tonight, Libby now makes a "baby tiger" noise that is a sweet growl, they both practically run now, and I'm in love with all the kisses they now "blow."

4. Pretending. Still pretending that I'm in NYC and enjoying the rush of the city. It was such a great experience ... watching the marathon, getting an on-course kiss from Hubby when he ran by, walking in Central Park, losing myself in art museums, sleeping in, window shopping, great late-night dinners, Wicked, "secret" burgers, wonderful city views, seeing Jimmy Fallon, and trying to fit in and not look like a total tourist. I'm sure all I had to do is open my mouth and it was evident that I wasn't from around there. I did have someone guess me from Georgia and I still don't know how I feel about that.

5. And a few photos from New York.

Hubby post-race.

The neon sign for the "secret" burger joint.
Awesome burgers, but not really a secret.

I loved this tree in Central Park.

Near Rockefeller Center.

Hubby and I in front of the skating rink at Rockefeller Center. I love that whoever took this picture didn't tell us that we are blocking the HUGE statue behind us.

What happens ...

When you take 3 cases of a 24 hourish stomach bug the week of your trip,
combine them with a trip to NYC,
a Hubby running his first full marathon,
and a wife/Mom/blogger/part-time employee who has to leave again for another adventure in the morning?

You get this lackluster, sorry excuse for a blog post, post.

I am literally washing clothes, catching up on a little work, printing itineraries, and heading out again tomorrow.

I will hopefully catch up next week with photos and descriptions of all the big events. Minus the stomach bug(s), I promise.

Trapped

I'm trapped under a sea of slipcovers and will be back next week.

Pretty pool view and throw pillows optional.

Cheerio!

Wanted

Wanted: One magic 8 ball with the ability to predict the future (or at least answer a few questions), calm nerves, list winning lottery numbers, estimate the time of when the next nap will end, and tell me exactly how many itty-bitty boxes of Hot Tamales will equal a mouth full of cavities and a fat ass.

16 months

I know I say this every month, but seriously ... where does the time go?

Maddy and Libby, 16-months.

Note that Maddy is holding her socks in her hand, because (gasp), we really wouldn't want to put them on our feet or anything silly like that. It looks like they are trying to figure out what in the hell these little orange things are.

When photo shoots go bad.

Loving

I live in NC, so typically we have pretty mild winters. I say "typically" because I don't want to jinx us and we'll have some freak Halloween snow storm. This also means you may need a coat to go from your house to the car, but if you're like me, as soon as the car is warm, you're shedding the coat at the stop light. We are lucky that we don't have to always bundle up in multiple layers and wear heavy coats all winter long.

I found this jacket at Lands End. It's weather resistant, will keep you warm without being super bulky, but the cutest thing they don't even show you on the website. On the inside, they have made big pockets that are bright argyle. It was an unexpected surprise on what is a pretty "basic" jacket. Practical and cute.

I also picked up a pair of these pants in black. I'm debating if I should have bought the camel, but you always need black. I've been wondering about how they fit, so I'll give you my full report later. From trying them on, I liked them. A good fit and a bit of stretch, so that normally equals love in my book.

That is all.

Another P List

I promise, the last one this week.

P is for potatoes. If you have any new potatoes in your house, try this recipe. Oh my gosh, I made these last night and they were delicious. I would have taken photos, but when The Pioneer Woman already has such gorgeous photos, what's the point? The flavors are wonderful together and they had the perfect amount of crispy and soft. So good.

P is for pushin'. I haven't done any running since the Oct. 3 and I've been feeling a bit guilty. The break has been nice, but I'm starting to itch to get back to a regular running routine. I decided to go out this afternoon and push the girls in the stroller. Ugh. Hardest 3.5 miles ever and I always forget all the hills in my neighborhood. And did I mention that I'm pushing 60+ pounds?

P is for pumpkins. We still don't have any. Hopefully we can make it back to the church pumpkin patch later this week or I'm just going to have to pick up a couple. I really want the girls to go and experience it for themselves.

P is for paint. Still need to pick out a blue paint color for our entry. One day. Along with hanging pictures, installing shelves in Maddy and Libby's room, and hanging a new painting in their room. One day.

Today's P List

Purging: 3 trash bags of Hubby's clothes that are now ready to go to my Junior League's thrift store.

Pumpkin Picking: Maddy and Libby weren't so sure, it was almost naptime, and it was freezing. We left pumpkin-less and will hopefully go back later this week.

PF Chang's: Where I'm eating dinner with my running girls to use our 15% coupon cards that we all received for running in the Virginia Beach Half marathon.

Pantless: How Maddy enjoys spending her days. She continually steps on the hem of her pants until she can take them off. Future streaker? Let's hope not.

Pain in the ass: Experiencing my second burst blood vessel in my right eye in the past couple of weeks. I can actually feel them in my eye and that not only worries me and also bugs me.

Photos: Having some family photos made this coming week. We had to reschedule this week because of rain, but hoping to get some good family photos and one for our Christmas cards.

Praying: Many things, and also for a friend back in TN whose son, William (Liam) is having heart surgery on Monday. He's a twin, a preemie, and the Dr's are hopeful that all will go well.

Mantra

I have something that I really don't want to do this week. It's nothing awful, but it just scares me a little. But, it's something I need to do. And aren't those the things in life that you're supposed to do? The ones that scare you a little.

So, I keep repeating my little mantra and I'll keep repeating it until Wednesday at 10:30.

Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it.

Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it

Put on your big girl panties, and deal with it.

You get the idea.

Ugh. But why does feigning an illness sound so much easier?

Horns and a halo

I promise this is not a statement about their personalities. It's October ... are you busting out the pumpkins and Halloween decor?

Operation Uniform

Since I stood in my bathtub yesterday and snapped a few photos, I've decided to go ahead and open up this project today. So without fanfare and any notice, here goes ...

I see this project taking shape with the universal theme of giving women ways to not wear sweatpants all day long and how to look more pulled together and polished in a few outfits that may become part of your "uniform."

Just like how when you see the kids going to private school in their navy polo and khaki shorts ... they always look nice and they didn't have to think much about what to wear that morning. Hopefully this will be the same way. Women across the world can finally open their closet, grab a few items, and look great! (I have to laugh here, because I don't have that many readers, but bear with me!)

I would also say, when you link to your post, let us know what you would like advice about ... are you trying to perfect an outfit to wear to your a college roomie's wedding, do you need to pick out a power suit to ask your boss for a raise, do you need a go-to outfit other than black pants and a pink sweater? So, grab your camera and start snapping your outfits, then post it to your blog, and link to it here!

I thought you might get sick of the same pose ... so I sat down for a few. And, I may have to dig out a full length mirror. I get too distracted looking at bath tub toys, or whether or not I have soap scum to concentrate on the photo!

I am wearing:
Gap blue jean jacket, circa ???. This has been one of my staples pieces for year. Every Fall I pull it out and wear it through Spring.
White Ann Taylor loft tee
Gap khaki/greenish pants
Target metallic flats
Target big chunky necklace from a few years ago. (See, I listened to you last week!)

I like this outfit. After taking my photo, I realized that these pants are too big. Normally that would make me happy, but they are big in all the wrong places. I need to find good fitting pants that I can put on with anything. I've been looking at these from Lands End. They are the new modern fit and they can be hemmed to any length. I've had good luck with their sweaters, but I've never ordered pants. Anyone who has bought these before?

Any pants that you love and can't live without? I have loved a few in the past, but I've ended up having issues with many of them ... this pair that I'm wearing being one of them.

So post and link away. I'll keep this up for 2 days, so grab your cameras and share!

Runnin'

Maddy and Libby have been doing their fair share of races lately and all for a good cause. My wonderful running buddies volunteered to help me push them at each race. When you have 60+ pounds to push, you'll take all the help you can get and I definitely needed their help.

Luckily, both races coincided with what is normally Maddy and Libby's morning nap time (when they still take it), so they both zonked out for a while and were happy the entire time. And if you are in the market for a jog stroller, go BOB or go home. I won't say pushing them on hilly courses is easy, but this stroller definitely makes it so much manageable.

With Jules and MM before the Miles for Matthew 10k started.
Can you tell it's almost nap time?

With ET after the Women's Only 5K.

Coming in at the finish of the Women's Only 5k to benefit local mammogram scholarships.
You may not be able to see it, but that was up a hill
and just before that was an even bigger hill.

Did you know?

That Target has a line of "Fit Solutions" dresses, tops, and jeans from Merona. Leave it to Target to figure out something this ingenious.

I was in today to pick up diapers (shocking) and came across a cute, black v-neck dress. If you follow the link, I tried on the dress that is on the second row, short sleeved dress. It looked like it would be one of those perfect LBD's that could be dressed up or down. I thought it would be a perfect addition to the "uniform" project.

Well, I wish someone would have warned me about the girdle inside the dress. Let's just say I laughed out loud trying to get the dress on, situated, and pulled into position. But, I have to say that it actually worked. I could barely move my legs more than a foot apart, but I looked sucked in without any lumps and bumps.

I didn't purchase it today, but it's definitely something that I may consider. And for $24.99, what's not to love? I will be posting this week about the uniform project, trying to figure out how the link gadgets work, etc. Stay tuned and get your outfits ready!

Fashion critique

Thanks so much for the comments. It's funny, because I thought about putting on a different colored tee under the sweater, but just opted for the white because I saw it hanging in my closet. I will definitely try out a color the next time. And the v-neck/elongate rule ... I usually remember this one!

I think I'll definitely try to make this a weekly installment and hopefully I can post some current clothes and also some new purchases and tips on how to make a good "uniform."

I am such a creature of habit and typically stick to the classics which can sometimes read a bit boring. I like the idea of trying out some necklaces and incorporating a few new pieces that can be used for multiple outfits. I should probably buy this necklace which truly is one of those items that you go "why didn't I think of this!?" My friends started a company and are selling these through their website. I also love the colors in this one. I think either of these are similar to what everyone was talking about, plus I think they are also sturdy enough to withstand two 15-month-olds.

So, if I made this a weekly installment, would anyone else want to play and show us what you're wearing? Maybe we can all share some good ideas, cute shoes, deals and coupons, our new "faves", etc. Any takers out there to post their fashion adventures for the world to see?

Uniform Attempt: Day One

So, I have to post this photo with a few disclaimers.

Yes, I am standing in our bathtub. It's the only full length mirror in the house and yes, I will admit to standing in the tub in heels and a party dress to make sure that everything was in check.

Yes, Hubby ... you will think I am crazy for standing in the tub and taking photos of myself. But, you married me so you probably already know about all of my "quirks."

Yes, there are mirrors all around the tub. Installed by the previous owners. Not what I would have picked, but it does add a lot of light to our bathroom and Maddy and Libby love laughing at themselves in the mirror when they are in the tub. Plus, they also love placing little hand prints all over the mirrors.

So, luckily, all of the items were in my closet, still fit, and work for my uniform attempt.

I am wearing:

Old Navy white cardigan from last year.
White tank from Target, I believe.
My beloved Joe's Jeans.
Pewter flats from Target.
My usual jewelry - wedding rings, Tiffany bracelet, watch, and pearl stud earrings. No necklace because the girls love to pull on them.

This will definitely be good for working from home, running errands, and I would even do this for dinner with Hubby, or a casual outing with friends. The shoes will likely get kicked off, but that's OK because then Maddy and Libby will have two new toys.

A few self-criticizing notes ... these jeans are a little long to wear with flats, the cardi really doesn't do much to define my waist and I wish it were a tad longer, but all in all, this is definitely better than staying in running clothes all day.