Fun on the Couch

putting his feet on her . . .

I love this :)

So Much Going On . . .

I'm just now getting to writing a post about how awesome my birthday was. It was the best one I've ever had. I had an amazing dinner at Red Lobster...ultimate feast style topped with a Mango Strawberry Daiquiri. Nick's parents watched the kids and Nick and I had a really nice time getting out. Then...Nick arranged for family to go together on the most perfect gift for me. A gift card to Hershey Spa with my friend Carrie. It's something I've always dreamed of doing but it's so expensive, I'd never truly considered it. Nick was sooooooo excited to give it to me. I had to keep telling him to be quiet leading up to my birthday because he tends to NOT keep surprises. :) I'm sooooooo excited about this. I finally got it scheduled for December. This place is amazing and I can't wait to experience it. As if that was not enough. My parents are going to keep the kids and Nick is going to clean the house when I'm gone!!! Ummm....AMAZING gift. I also got some clothes, gift cards and money for clothes and the money for Red Lobster. All the things I love. :) I think about this trip to the spa every day....... CAN NOT WAIT!

The Spa at Hotel Hershey

Other things....I can't keep up with everything with Luke and Taylor. They are learning so many things. Luke is throwing, kicking, catching, rolling, bouncing and trying to dribble the ball. He spends his time doing that or reading books. He's really been talking gibberish a lot more. He's picking up a lot too though. We have the Go Dog Go book and he keeps wanting me to read it to him. He gets all animated saying....GO GO GO! He's been saying "Let's Pray" and he said "I love you" twice now. :) So cute. He loves hugs.....he gives me big bear hugs all the time. Miss Taylor has been trying to repeat a lot. After I was wiping her nose she kept saying "Boogie" hah. I woke up Saturday morning with Nick egging Taylor on to yell.......MOMMMMMMYYYYYYY.....over and over. It was cute to hear though. She's into acting like she's leaving putting her purse on her shoulder or grabbing her cell phone and saying "Bye...Byes" then she goes to the gate or door to get out. She doesn't understand why I don't let her go. Both are saying, "Juice" in the cutest way. One of the funniest things is to hear them both say "Baby" at the same time. Luke's is "BAY-BAY" all slow and low toned. Taylor is "BEE-BEE"...it's adorable to hear the contrast. They are singing....E-I-E-I-O still and loving it. They are getting really good at the actions for "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes". Luke says "Toes" the most adorable way...."TOW"....Taylor says..."One, Two, Three" and Luke just waits and says the "TOW"...so much they are picking up. I put on chap stick and they both insisted on having some too. They puckered and popped. They want to brush their hair and teeth.

A long with all this is a super fun thing.......TANTRUMS. Some days are really hard. I'm not gonna lie. Luke has been hitting Taylor less but I'm still trying to keep on him about it. When they don't get what they want......they go limp....throw themselves on the ground and scream. Fun times. Way backed up with pictures....

Speaking of pictures....I photographed our Youth Pastor's family. I'm super excited about it. It's something I really want to start doing along with my freelance design. I've always enjoyed photography and this could work with our schedule. I'm working on my skills...and hoping to do more in the future.

Click here to see the photography I did Sunday. Here's one of my favorite shots.

Rite Aid Tips Good thru Oct 31st

This is why I started shopping at Rite Aid.

Free Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion
4.99, 4.00 Rebate, use $1.00 off coupon from paper.

Free Kotex Pads
2.99, 2.00 Rebate, use $1.00 off coupon from paper

2 Free Packs of GE Light Bulbs
2.00 for 2, 2.00 Rebate

Free Colgate
On sale for 99 cents, use $1.00 coupons from paper. (I have 2)

Soft Soap Ensembles Kit
Buy one get refill for FREE, coupon from paper for 3.00 off refill. Should be around $3.99.

Always and Tampax
5.99, 2.00 Rebate, use $1.00 coupons from paper.
Note: You can only get one rebate with this one and the coupons are 1.00 off 2.

Trident Layers Gum
In ad coupon, buy 1 get one FREE

Fun Size and Snack Size Bagged Candy
Sale 2 for 4.88, use coupon from paper, FREE bag when you buy any 3 Hersheys, Reeses or Kit Kat.

If you sign up for their Wellness Program you can get 20% off of your purchases every day.

Somersaults

Taylor's a pro......Luke...not so much yet. lol

More Poop

Walk into the nursery to get babies up from nap and Taylor is standing, holding her hands up at me....poop all over both of them. I see no poop anywhere else? Where is it coming from???? I changed her and apparently she was carefully putting her hands down the back of her pants into her diaper. Nice. Looks like we've got a new problem. Least she didn't have it any where near her mouth this time. lol

Adorable Hat giveaway

Website here
Giveaway info here

Front Yard

Playing catch up with photos. This seems like a long time ago now. When it was warm. They were running from me and Luke ended up clocking his head on the front porch. What happened to fall anyhow? This was in September before all the kooties came. LT are really snotty. What the heck? Anyhow....enjoy the pics.

Amazed by the tree.

Ali was trying to herd Luke for me...maybe I should work with him to help me out...cuz I need it...boogers are getting fast.

I'm so glad Ali has decided to like LT. Wasn't so sure when they were little.

Ali didn't like her up at the fence when there were people out. He was right there.

Head injury. He tripped on the brick and hit his head on the porch...see why I have anxiety with them running about outside? Always something.

Monkey see...monkey do....Luke still does what she does.

Our home...the ever continuing project.

The Last 3 weeks

I'll spare you from the caked on snot pictures. Taylor was covered in it when she woke when this ICK started. I'd have to use a warm wash cloth and gently try to get it off so she could breathe through her nose. It started with the cold.....then Taylor's pink eye.

Still Taylor even when she's sick.

Then Luke and I got pink eye. I'll spare you from my gross pictures.

ICK.

He has his moments too...see his bottom molars coming in here?

Then came Luke's ear infection.
Then Taylor's ear infection
Then high fevers for Luke...and miserable nights for us all.
And now this post viral rash and coughing.

It covers his body. The doctor called to check up on him today and I'm supposed to call in every day to report how he is. No fever so far.....he's just cranky...he slept well last night. He woke once coughing and Taylor twice.......much better then before. Lord......heal these babies up!

I just put them to nap and said...now I pray you two nap for me.....Taylor crossed her hands then Luke did and Taylor said..."Let's Pray" so I did.....then they both repeated....."MAY MEN" Cute.

Poor Luke

Seriously......can we get a break?

Luke broke out in what they say is a post viral rash. It's all over his body and is even inside his ears. He's miserable and the doctor said he'll be miserable for about 3 days. He still have fluid behind his ears so if there's any sign of pain, fluid coming out or fever he wants to put him on something stronger. If he gets a fever again or if the rash worsens...they want him in again. He had a chest xray today and thankfully that was clear. That was NOT fun. It was past nap and lunch and they confined him in this contraption that he was too big for with his arms squeezed up in the air. He was SCREAMING. Taylor seems much better today. She coughed a lot last night but I'm hoping she has a better night tonight. Luke is coughing a lot. Praying he sleeps.

Thankfully...Nick's mom was able to watch Taylor during all this. I'm so glad because it was enough to take care of Luke with all the waiting, xrays and fussiness. :(

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Sickness Continued + All 4 Molars for Luke

I understand now how hard it is for a mommy to watch a sick baby. Luke got really miserable yesterday. Crying, whiny and wanting held constantly. He had a fever even being on Motrin. I was concerned and called the doc on call. We did get it down to 101 by taking clothes off and wiping him down with a washcloth. The doc said if it gets to 105 or 6 to call him back or if he's still hanging onto the fever by Monday to bring him in again. Thank goodness for applesauce. It's the biggest hot right now with both Luke and Taylor. Nick and I prayed over Luke last night...I was concerned his fever would get worse over night. After the Motrin was up in Luke's system, we gave him Tylenol and he got MUCH better. It brought his fever down. Wondering if it works better for him. Both Luke and Taylor were up a lot last night again. I was up probably a total of 10 times between them. I'd go in, they'd be crying and standing....I'd calm them down, check for fever, give them more Tylenol if it was time and lay them back down. I noticed today that Luke is getting ALL FOUR MOLARS at once! No wonder the poor guy is miserable. I'm exhausted. So ready for them to feel better. I miss church. I'm so glad they are better fever wise today. Thank you Lord. Taylor is blowing snot bubbles today which is yummy....but I'd much rather than then the fevers. I also noticed the injection area from her shots is red and swollen. I'll call the doc about that Monday if it doesn't look better. I don't think there's anything they or I can do for that. We'll see. Praying things improve from here on out. :)

Still Sick...But Still Precious

Took LT back to the docs today after another sleepless night and fevers. Turns out Taylor now also has an ear infection so she's on antibiotic. She'll be happy about this because she was NOT happy about Luke getting the yummy pink stuff and not her. One day when I was giving it to him she was "MOOOOOORRRROOOORRRRRRREEEE" ing and PEEEEEEEEEEZZZZING and when she didn't get any she threw herself to the floor screaming. So she's excited she gets some now too. {sigh} ((Lord have mercy)) Anyhow...Luke's pink eye hasn't cleared up with the antibiotic so now he's also getting eye drops. You'd seriously think you're trying to kill them, they way they act about them. I also picked up some Motrin which the doc said should knock them out for 6-8hrs. Can I get an AMEN? Mommy seriously needs sleep. It's been a LONG 2-1/2 weeks.

On a lighter note......how adorable is it that Taylor has her hands crossed tonight when I walk in the dining room with dinner and she says, "LET'S PRAY!"

In a book they have it says......"When you pray God will listen" and their is a picture of a girl and dolls praying. Luke and Taylor were looking at the book on their own without me reading it aloud (kinda sharing for a second) and when they got to that page, I saw out of the corner of my eye that they dropped the book...and looked at each other, I look over and they both had their hands folded to pray and had big cheesy smiles on their faces.

I also glanced over yesterday and saw Luke laying his head on Taylor's belly and her petting his hair. {Then he started to hit her, she screamed...but it was cute for a few seconds}

+ Ear infection

No wonder Luke screamed all night. He also has an ear infection. Boys been hugging on me all day and WON'T nap. :(

Pink Eye is winning :( 6 outta 8 eyes...

For 2 weeks LT have had a cold...1 week ago Taylor got pink eye in both eyes, noticed it at the docs for their vaccines and flu shot. Now Luke and I have pink eye, Luke's cold is worse...no sleep last night. Praying this ick gets outta this house soon ad that Nick doesn't get it. He has the flu/cold with us but he certainly doesn't need the pink eye.....put Luke to bed...spending some one on one with my girl and covered in laundry. Taking them back to the doc this afternoon and hoping the doc will just call something in for me without seeing me. exhausted.

Typical

This is a typical scene around here when Daddy gets home.

Somersaults ...

...for everyone

Ticklish boy

Couch

Loving on his sissy.

They LOVE sitting on the couch.

Luke's always gotta touch her with his feet. She'll love that as she gets older. lol

Teaching them to get down safely and hopefully w/o injury. They loved this game. Gave us a workout. Up, down, up, down.

She clapped for herself every time. lol