Update!

What's going on around here, you ask? A lot more of the same 'ol stuff. And not a lot of pictures to show for it.  Back and forth to school, meals, naps, dishes, laundry, church, diapers, you know!

My new lens is STILL back ordered. Madeleine got ahold of my camera and broke my other lens for real. Now it will be spending the next few weeks in the shop.  Such a bummer.

The babies were picked to be extras for a TV show.  That kept us super busy for several weeks, but nothing for the last couple, so things have slowed down.  It was fun but the waiting takes over your life!

Spring break starts Monday. YEA!

Big girls are getting their tonsils out Wednesday. BOO!
Yep, both on the same day. Ripping that band-aid right off

These babies turned 6 months old. 

I cannot get enough of that baby boys smile.

He flashes it at EVERYONE he meets.

And Courtney...I love your stunned look.

This picture is so typical of our house. 

The girls cannot leave these babies alone.

And somehow a flashlight got involved.

The love to make a big deal out of all the holidays.

Aren't these Valentines just awesome?!

 We started the morning with red heart shaped pancakes.

Candy sent from Grandma.

And a great outfit for school!

Heart shaped pizza for dinner.

And we dipped strawberries ourselves!

Couldn't you just cover her in kisses and nibble those precious feet?

Watch out Bon Jovi!

This stinker somehow kicked herself out of her jammies.

Hmmmmm...

I ran over to a friends house to snap a few 7 month old pictures.

Oh, we just love them both so much!   



More better blogging to come!

Courtney Ann

Someone was in a fantastic mood this afternoon. 

I soaked up every single second of it. ♥

 I just made goo-goo, kissy faces at her the whole time and clicked away.

 

My new lens is backordered.  Can't wait for it to come! 

These turned out pretty good given this circumstances. 

And this house has the worst lighting EVER.  

But really...how can you go wrong with that sweet thing on the other side of the camera?!

Where We Are Right Now...

Noelle:  My first baby.  The one who made me a Mommy.  Oh, how I love her.  She is such a good, sweet girl.  Once in a blue moon she will throw me a curve ball, tell me "No!" and it is such a shock,  I hardly know how to handle myself.  Luckily, she is almost always obedient and I love being the one who gets to watch her grow.  Oh, and let us not forget what an amazing big sister she is.  Just this morning she was begging me not only to let her watch cartoons but to take her baby brother with her.  Warms my heart!  She and Madeleine are the best of friends, too.  Oh, they have their moments and know exactly how to drive each other crazy but even that can be pretty funny (and incredibly annoying!).

Disclaimer:  I am about to gloat. 

I do realize she is only in Kindergarten, but hey, the Kindergarten I went to and the one she goes to are two very different worlds.  We were able to attend her parent teacher conference this week.  When the teacher starts off, "I love Noelle!"  You know things are going well.  And then proceeds to tell you she is, "Leaps and bounds above where she needs to be."  Ya, there was no wiping that smile off my face.  Of course, I knew all of these things already but hearing it from someone who is actually qualified makes it that much better. 

She is still in ballet, she willingly goes and seems to have a good time but does not seem all that enthusiastic about it like she used to be.  A few new girls who are younger and never in ballet before were added to the class and I am wondering if that is holding her back a bit.  Maybe bored?  She wants to try soccer too, so we're looking into that.

Her two top teeth are loose, the right one is ready to pop right off, but she is not ready to have it yanked.  A few more days I think...

Lastly, she is just so pretty.  And her legs seemed to have grown at least 6 inches over the last few months.  We love you, Noellie Bellie Boo!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so awesome.  :)

Madeleine:  My second baby.  The one who turned us into a 'real' family.  The one who made my heart grow by such a proportion, I didn't know it was humanly possible. 

Such a stinker.  Such a trouble maker.  So dang funny.  And I mean funny.  And I am not the only one who thinks so, everyone tells me, "That kid is so funny!"  And you know one of the reasons why she's so funny?  She's always stating the obvious.  In her little smug way, of course, strutting around.  "Ya, that's an oven.  A black oven.  My Mommy has one, too.  She makes rolls.  And she makes cookies."  Toys and playing by herself are not for her.  So, she's stuck by my side allllllll day (unless she snuck off to make some mischief). If she's not busy stating the obvious or emptying a tube of something or other, she's begging for food.  She loves fruit.  Mandarin oranges.  Bananas.  Apples.  Pears.  Pineapple.  She'll take anything.  But forget tomatoes and broccoli.  "Those are deeeeeeeeegusting!" 

Our little Boppie is incredibly affectionate.  Several times a day she begs me to stop what I am doing just for a hug and kiss.  She will gladly hop in your lap any time of day or night for some sweet snuggles.  I love it!

Although playing by herself is a rarity, the minute we are through the door after picking up her sister, they are off.  Playing...playing...playing.  Unless, of course, I give the go ahead for some TV...

Never to be out done whenever her big sister refers to school Madeleine talks about her preschool.  The slight problem with all these 'preschool statements' is that she does not go to preschool just yet.  I may have something in the works and she will be the happiest kid.

Most days you have me at what I think is my limit, but I am so glad you're mine.  You teach me to be a better person and for that I am forever thankful.  Oh, and thanks for all the laughs.

The Dilemma

Just put both babies down to sleep which unfortunately is not all that common.  And let me tell you, when they're both awake, I am otherwise useless. This is my constant dilemma:  what do I try and tackle first from my seemingly endless list of things I HAVE to do?  Work on laundry?  Vacuum?  Pick up messes?  Mop the floors?  Spend some one-on-one time with Madeleine?  Get dinner started?  Make phone calls?  Change the sheets? Ugh.  I could go on for days.....

OR

Do I lay down and take a well deserved break because I am ALWAYS exhausted?  If I do that then the rest of the day I feel so overwhelmed and just plain grumpy because my house is trashed.  And I have a million things I feel I need to do but can't get done because there are 5 other people that always need something from me. 

"Mama!"
"Whaaaaaaaah!"
"Mommy?"
"Whaaaaaaaaah!"
"Hey, sweetie?"

Can you tell I am having one of those days?  Or, um, weeks? 

Anyone have a personal assistant they want to lend me?  Hello?  Hell-ooooooo?!

And Aaron has agreed that keeping the office for his use only is a complete waste of space.  It's been two months since we came to this decision, but have we had the time to clear it out and sell the furniture?  Nope.  Having that play room will change me life!  Just have to get around to it...

While You Wait

I am working on some longer posts.  While you wait, check these out!

On Sunday someone had fun with their little doll stroller. 

I have a sneaking suspicion Daddy may have been an accomplice.

Hello to the most handsome boy in the whole wide world! ♥ 

I laid them down with some toys...it only lasted about 90 seconds.

And then they were...pissed.

Have you ever seen such a sad face?

This baby boy cries the biggest tears you have ever seen.

After some sweet talk from Mama...they were feeling a better. 

 But not too much...

Yes...Yes I do

“I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”

Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Roll Over

TWO post in a single day? 

Trying to get the babies to roll over on camera. 

Not successful, but suuuuuure cute!

You see those bird pictures sitting on the floor? 

They've been there for over a year. 

Just sitting.

I'm lame!

FYI: the red spots on Courtney's head and chest are called Hemangiomas.  They are little tumors caused by a collection of blood vessels.  They are harmless and our Pediatrician is confident they will have disappeared by themselves by the time she is two.

BONUS:

Someone loves dressing up!

An Introduction

Hello!  My name is Courtney Ann Jones.

A.K.A:  Cranky Courtney, The Crank, The Crankster, Courtney Girl

Why do they call me this, you ask? 

Well, I will just let this picture speak for itself...

I cry.  A lot.  But whatever.  It's just how I roll. 

Just hold me all the live long day (you'd better be standing up!)

and you won't hear a peep out of me unless I am really tired or hungry. 

But I do have my good moments,

a girl's gotta throw her Mama a bone once in a while.

I am just so cute! (And tiny compared to my other siblings.)

Everyone loves me to pieces regardless of what I do or how I act.

~~~~~~~~

Hello!  My name is Adam Everett Jones.

AKA:  Good Boy, Bubbas, The Bubs, Adam Boy

I am such a good baby. 

I smile, play with my feet, and make cute baby boy noises.

But, hey, just don't come between this boy and his milk!

That really gets me riled up and nothing else will do. 

I will also admit, there are times when I just really need some snuggles and

my Mama is always happy to give her boy what he needs. 

 My sister and I have been trying oatmeal and it's not too shabby!

I have been a little reluctant to eat (see previous conversation about milk)

but I am catching on.

 We love being twins and growing up together!!!

A converstion with a 3 year old.

While rubbing Madeleine's tummy and giving her kisses:

Mommy:  I love your tum-tum!

Madeleine:  I wuv you backy-back!

Mommy: I love your tum-tum!

Madeleine:  I wuv you army-arm!

Mommy: I love your tum-tum!

Madeleine:  I wuv you weggy-weg!

Mommy: I love your tum-tum!

Madeleine:  I wuv you forehead!

Mommy: I love your tum-tum!

Madeleine:  I wuv you water!

Mommy:  My water?

Madeleine: Yep!

And with that she was off to find something else more interesting.

I love this kid...for reals.

Month Five

Time is literally flying by! 

Five months has come and gone in a flash

it's so exciting and heartbreaking.

We really did have a great Winter Break. 

The girls played and got along for the most part

and we got out of the house most days.

Five days (including Christmas) was spent with our friends in

Santa Fe.  That trip will get it's own post.

While Noelle is at her ballet class, we usually walk the neighborhood.

This day these two love bugs snoozed in the stroller.

 This one ran ahead, stomped snow piles, and snacked on oranges.

While Noelle painted her little sissy's toenails...

This little sissy looked on and can't wait for the days

when she gets to join in on all the fun.

Our ward had a super fun Santa Activity!

Noelle and the babies were happy to sit on the Jolly Old Man's lap.

Noelle told him that she wanted A LOT of Littlest Pet Shop's under the tree. 

 Madeleine wanted nothing to do with him.

"I no care of I don't get a bike.  I don't wike him."

The girls had so much fun...

they never stopped moving!

Except for a little Pin the Nose on Reindeer...

Noelle helping a sister out...



Someone cut her hair. 

I went looking for her and peeked in

the office, there she was cutting away.

Oh.My.Gosh.  Please NO!

She assured me all was well because she

put a towel around her body to keep the hair off.

Luckily, shorter hair suits her well enough. 

We have several more cuts to get all the 'holes'

matched up.  No doubt, all scissors are out of reach.



Look at my little bath time helpers!

Bathing all four of them is a lot for this Mama.

Especially the babies.  The other one is always screaming mad.

So, I just put a washcloth on each of the girls laps,

and they held a baby while I lathered and rinsed them.

Not perfect, but it worked!

I finally decided going out and getting a real Christmas tree

wasn't going to happen so we dug out the old ghetto fake one in the garage.

I was the only one who had a problem with that thing, so I guess it was fine

The girls were so much fun, we loved every second of it!

Given the ugly tree, I kept all my pretty and special ornaments wrapped up.

This little stinker could not be trusted...

 

Mama stayed up late getting 26 stocking stuffers ready for Noelle's class.

Reindeer Feed

Caution!  May cause flight in reindeer!

 (bags are actually filled with this)

 Noelle's class party was a perfect definition of organized chaos.

26 kindergartners, parents, siblings, it's a lot!

I always leave there feeling like I need a Valium.

But Mrs. Berglund keeps it all together and am so glad she invites us.

Big sisters having fun and baby sister's expense. 

I am sure there is  A LOT of this in our future.

We had some cold afternoons and the park.

We have to burn all the energy off somehow!!

Noelle always plays, plays, and plays some more.



We didn't have gloves for this baby girl and she was not happy about it.

These two stayed snuggie and warm.

We finally got around to making Christmas Cookies.

Noelle begged for three solid days.

 

 Had fun at Wednesday half priced bowling. 

After Christmas it was finally some one's birthday!

YEA!!!!!

We kept things low key because she was getting a

big party in a couple weeks.

After a fun day playing at home and watching unlimited cartoons, 

Daddy came home early and we headed out to eat at Red Robin.

She loved them singing to her and eating her sundae.

Someone else had a her own love affair with Mac & Cheese...

Then we went home for cake.

Another child persuaded by Daddy to get a Costco cake.

She thought it was fantastic. 

 After a completely uneventful New Years weekend,

Daddy got to have Monday off, too!

After a yummy lunch at Chipotle (Yesssssssss!)

We went to the Zoo to renew our passes.

It was a great family day.

 And these two got cereal for the first time.

Big fat fail.  They hated it!

Just for a little bonus...

clean and smelling divine after a morning bath.