the nursery

I've finally decided to post pictures of the nursery.  The nursery may never look like what I want to look like but i kind of feel like it's "now or never" as far as posting pictures goes.

So here it is! The nursery! Where two little darlings sleep and take their naps.

Recently the girls had to be separated (sad) in their beds because one would inevitably crowd out or corner the other one in their sleep.  We'd wake up to pitiful little cries of one of our girls calling out to us to rescue her.  After so many of those naps/nights we decided to take the plunge.  I was hoping they'd just learn to sleep together forever but alas, it was not meant to be.

And we haven't found a crib that is similar to the one we got earlier so we're putting to good use the pack n play!

Narnia inspired wardrobe

So the room is almost always a bit messy and definitely crowded now with the second crib up.

One of my favorite things about the nursery is the "art wall" where art from the girls' older cousins is on display! Thanks L, W, E, & A for your art.

notice the lamp post, another narnia themed piece

a love

I have tried to instill in my sweet babes a love for books! Coating 'em in sugar probably doesn't hurt!!

Hubs for hubs

Hubs got these yummy chocolate covered peanuts....

6 months!

 Finally!! A legitmate birthday! ha ha

Six months and going strong!

The doctor was so pleased with them at our last check-up.  Apparently they are in the 3-5 percentile for kiddos their age in height and weight but the doctor said they might always be petite since I'm petite. I didn't mention to my doctor that I come from a looong line of petite (and beautiful) women. :)

She said developmentally, though, they are right on target for their age.

Hooray!

 We celebrated the big 6 with solid foods.  We introduced bananas into their diet and the girls really loved it.  They are definitely loving solid foods and eat everything we've given them so far. 

 To celebrate her half birthday MB decided to "creep" or what is the beginning of crawling.  I thought it was pretty funny that I texted my parents and said, "Ooooo we've got a creeper"... then I felt the need to explain to them (and apparently you) that creeping is the wiggling or "army crawl" that happens before crawling.

See the picture above?  She's going for the yellow rattle at the top of the picture.

Closer....

Excuse me, sister!

 closer....

Got it!!!!

Seriously, I did not help her move. She wiggled her way up the blanket.

Happy Birthday bebes! 

I love you both!!

guess who?

 Guess who started sitting up better?

Guess who got brand new booster seats?

Guess who sits up like big girls in their booster seats?

 Guess who started solids?

Guess who loves their solids and can't get enough of them?

Looks like we got a couple of bowl lickers in the family! :) I started them this week on chocolate and chicken wings... 

just kidding.

i *gulp* took a step

 When I did the girls' nursery Hubs took one look and said, "How come their room is cooler than ours?"  And I had to agree.  I had barely touched our room while decorating the house but had spent time, effort, energy and money in all the other rooms. Seriously! I think it's because no one goes up there and we rarely spend time in our bedroom unless we're sleeping.  So it has become a hodge podge of furniture and items that have no other home except to be stacked, stored, and put in our room.

That is... until this year. I nominate 2012 to be the year of the master bedroom. And I second that motion.  All in favor, say "aye".

"Aye!"

Glad we could agree and come to that decision quickly!

(And yes, I did just do that all by myself. And no, I'm not crazy....)

;)

So here, is said room.  A blank canvas waiting to be splashed upon!

 See? Hodge podge... even the dreaded blue bookshelf is in my bedroom.  

(good memories of it being made? yes! does it work with anything else in my house? no!)

Random piles of rubbish and random pictures.  I have no room for all these treasured belongings but can't bear to see them on my dresser any longer.  

I. Need. Change.

Okay, so by now you might be wondering if I am already failing at my "word" for 2012, contentment.  But I say, no! Actually, changing my bedroom a bit and adding some homey touches here and there enables me to be more content because it is helping me make my home, a home. Instead of nagging Hubs for a new home to grow in, I am content with the one I have but am excited to spruce it up a bit.

So where am I at in the sprucing process?

Well, yesterday I did something for the very first time.  I bought paint.

And as soon as I did. I hated it.

Commitment-phobe? Yes! I've always struggled with commitment, except where it really, truly matters~ Hubs~ and then I have absolutely 100% no question about my love for him, but when it comes to things like colors and painting and decorating I can't help but question my sanity.

Especially when I had the paint chosen, mixed up, purchased and Hubs took one look and said, "Oh? Beige?!"

Beige? Seriously.  Of course Hubs would question beige because I have never ever in my whole life chosen beige.  And just saying that word sends shivers down my spine.  It's like eating plain toast for the rest of my life or living in a world of sepia tone forever. Beige?!? 

"I've changed my mind," said I to Hubs and he just laughed.

And I just paid for my beige paint.

Cue crying now.

I've never bought paint. I've never chosen my own paint. Except once when my parents let me at 711 Par Drive and I chose turqoise and purple paint to adorn my walls. I loved them and it made me so happy.  And when we sold the house my parents apologized and laughed it off to the buyers. I couldn't understand why not everyone would embrace turquoise and purple walls. 

Hello?!? It's turqiouse and purple!! What's not to love?

It's not like it's ....*shudder* beige.

Okay, I'll stop being dramatic.

To appease my need for color I'm going to do "splashes" of purple, blue and a little yellow. Like this....

Now here's the fun part.  I'm not actually painting my walls... because, I don't want to paint apartment walls just to paint them back to (even worse than beige) white when we leave.  

So I've got a plan... a fun plan.

Stay tuned for how I make white walls look cool without painting them and how I use "beige" to do it.

And by the way, Hubs, it's not beige.  It's called, "weekend in the country"...

so there!

one of those

Do you ever have "one of those day" where nothing seems to be going right and you wonder, as my good friend Sarah puts it, if you are starring in your very own Truman Show?

Where nothing seems to be going right, in fact, all the little things about your day which usually flow without a thought, suddenly come unglued and fall at your feet begging for your attention? The kind of day where you hope that you open your newspaper or homepage and read that the latest news headline is screaming about how raw cookie dough is actually a major link to fighting cancer. and losing weight. and fighting evil. And the only way to achieve all of those is by eating unheard of amounts of it. All I need is permission, spoon is ready & poised!

And yes, I said raw cookie dough.  It's about time I let you see my weaknesses and flaws.

Friends, its been "one of those days"... and I came on my computer hoping to read about raw cookie dough and instead I am blogging about the hilarity of days gone wrong.  Laundry line fell and dragged all my clean white diapers in the dark, not clean, mud. Boo.  My daughters are extra needy and want to be held. Yay but hard to clean up mud soiled laundry when holding or shall I correctly say "juggling" two little bebes!  Then Hubs comes home, walks past the plant in the hall and announces, "You've got aphids!" Seriously!?! Who has time for aphids?  Dinner has to be on the table at some point in the next 12 hours... perferrably the earlier part of those 12 hours. Diapers need to be changed. Laundry needs to be rewashed and then folded! Oh, and that's if I can get a free washer or dryer... and now I have aphids that need killing.  Ohhhh those aphids won't know the fury I will unleash on them.

But instead of complaining (I consider the above purely story telling... if I were to go on, then I could be accused of complaining) I am choosing to be thankful.

51. I have laundry.  I have multiple loads of multiple outfits for my hubs, bebes and I.  We have closets (too) full of clothes and for that I am very thankful.  I am thankful for clothes that keep us warm and decent. :)
52. My plants.  They breath life into my house and I can't help but smile whenever I water them and tend to them.  They truly do brighten up my home and I love having plants indoors.
53. A random cooking magazine arrived at my door with easy to make meals and yummy looking dishes.  Perhaps we might try one tonight.  Apparently Hubs was chosen as a "target audience" to test out this new magazine.  Don't mind if we do!
54. For $20 I received a coffee mug which enables me to "free" coffee the month of January.  Granted it was $20 but I'm pretty sure I'll be exceeding that above and beyond.
55. Good books from good friends about imaginary faraway places that I can get "caught up in". I love reading!

Do you ever have "one of those day" and what do you do when you have them?

one word (a copycat)

 I read this blog written beautifully by my friend A and I can not get her thoughts and the "challenge" out of my head. I have been inspired and challenged to focus on one word for the year!

So I chose "content" or "contentment"... it's my hope and prayer that I will exit 2012 more content than I entered it. :)  My life is so blessed and I am feeling so thankful to God for the last six months.  They were hard months, the hardest I have had in my life, but they were not without reason.  In the midst of these months I realized that I would often "escape" by dreaming of a different circumstance.

A great verse on my bedroom mirror to remind me of my theme for the year!

I love to daydream and plan for the future.  This is a gift and a blessing, a quality I love about myself but it can also be a huge endurance when I am unable (or unwilling) to live in the here and now.

I daydream, for example, of having a house with a yard that my girls can play in.  Now this is not a bad daydream or even an ungodly desire but what is bad is when I become angry with or complain to Hubs about our little home. Sure, it feels tight and even more so with two little ones. Sure, we can hardly imagine having crawlers or walkers in the rooms. And sure, we have literally no idea where we will put our second crib when the day comes....

but those are not good reasons to become discontented.  I have a house. A beautiful house within a wonderful complex.  We came home from the holidays to four brand new windows and new faucets that our maintanence guy put in for us. :)  What a guy! And how great that he did it while we were gone so we didn't have to make arrangements for the girls to go elsewhere to nap.  Way to go Patio Gardens!

Anyway, my theme for the year is "contentment" and I am excited to read through the scriptures with my word in the back of my mind.  I'm excited for where God is going to lead and what He is going to do.  I feel like 2012 is going to be a year of changes!! (not that 2011 wasn't?!?! ha ha)

and on my bathroom mirror

What is your one word?

ing & pictures

 Thanking God for this past year and for strengthening me to walk the path that was laid before me.  I pray that I may be found faithful when all is said and done. 

Cooking Chinese hot pot tonight for the second time in Denver. Hubs told me, "It makes my heart smile..." to see my brothers embrace a dish that he himself loves so much.  We also got my brother hooked on kimchee. Yum! Yum!

 Deciding whether or not I want to do "official" New Years Resolutions?

Feeling my heart is full and overflowing after this Christmas season with la familia.

Listening to the chaos that is my niece and nephew in the next room (W is "speaking" Spanish) and 

thinking that the girls will be so lonely when it's just the 3 (4) of us back at home again.  They've been surrounded by children and not just children but lovelies who want to include them in all the games, hold them constantly and share toys with them. 

Daydreaming about changing around my house a bit and planning on decluttering when I get home.  I just have to decide if I want to save the boxes (emphases on the pural) for a garage sale or just drop them off at a thrift store. Hmmm??? But I am very excited to make some changes and prepare our home for little crawlers.  They're not quite there ...yet. But before I know it they'll be moving like crazy!!

And now for your viewing pleasure... our "Schwang Olympics" team pictures... I just luh-ve these! Some of us got the memo to have "warrior faces" and some of us did not!!

 Team Yellow was pretty fierce if I do say so myself!!!

 Team Red was a tough competitor! Leni Daye's face makes me laugh! What a sweetie!

 Team Green (minus a team member) was a force to be reckoning with!

 

 Team Blue ... well, they were pretty darn cute!

Team Black was ferocious and definitely gave us a run for our money!!

I love my family. We're pretty crazy!