B-Crew Bake Off!

Last week was pretty overwhelming for us.  We were incredibly busy, we had a sick-kiddo half the time, we are re-decorating the downstairs space, and the pool turned colors on us.  One new pump, an automatic pool cleaner, a LOT of shock-it and a bit of clarifier, and we are back to swim suitability.  On the upside, the back fence is completed! (goodbye peeper neighbors)!  So the weekend was my sanctuary from this all to active week.  And, to be honest, This weekend was awesome! 

We have had a break from the scorching heat (yes I believe all temperatures over 83 to be scorching) so we were able to check one of out bucket list items off the list!  We launched the first annual B-Crew Bake-Off!  It was a hit!  The rules were, you could pick any dessert item to make, and the winner would get an extra special prize! 

As soon as the rules were set, Alex was googeling away at his computer, while Jaydyn went literally for the drawing board, sketching out his masterpiece!  Noah, gave me a wink, and the all to familiar 'Double-gun s-NAP'!

Seen here......

Yes, he is adorable!

Noah went with a "Oregon Duck Cake" we decided on yellow cake with green frosting.  The girls were set, chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting and they get to decorate!  Jaydyn had created a brownie cake in his mind, and Alex decided on dirt cake, with a twist!  Usually we use gummy worms in the dirt cake, but Alex requested a switch to Sour Patch Kids.  Hmm.....Who will the winner be!

So I totally warned him, that dirt cake is tedious.  It's not hard, but there are a lot of steps, it's pretty messy, but the pay off is amazing!

Check out that technique!  BTW, he's totes wearing daddy's superman t-shirt.  Alex was not about to ruin any of his own clothes.  I think he got this from me.....

Noah donned his U of O tee while decorating his Duck cake.  We are a bit fanatical about our home town team! 

Whipping up our first batter, all by ourselves.  They continue to remind me that they are "5 years old now momma!"  I am less than thrilled that my babies are not babies any longer, but I welcome this new chapter....or at least that's what I keep telling myself.

The Final Masterpiece!  Jaydyn's brownie cake extraordinaire!  It's almost to pretty to eat.

So I think he got a little sprinkle happy, but you get the picture!

JackLynn's Cheerful-Cherry cupcakes!

Izobel can't keep her tong in her mouth, and away from the cupcakes!  These are her rainbow bright cupcakes!

Alex's sour patch kids graveyard. 

This was supposed to be my sample plate, but it was just to much.  I was only able to take a bite out of each, but the winner was not so cut and dry.  Everything tasted Delicious!  My personal favorite had to be Alex's sour patch graveyard.  The flavor of those sour patch kids combined with the cookie in the dirt cake was just super!  Jaydyn's Brownie Cake extraordinaire was a close second, all that sweetness was just what mommy needed!

This was a really awesome activity to do with the kids, because we were able to alter it to fit each kid.  Alex was able to do everything on his own, while the girls needed assistance measuring and reading the box.  Noah and Jaydyn needed assistance with the oven.  It helped them build confidence and I'm showing boys that they can bake and be in the kitchen just as easily and well as any girls!

It was nice to be able to check another activity off out Summer Bucket List. I can't wait to see what we get to do next!!

DIY Jewelry Day!

So I have a confession to make.  This is one that I kinda keep to myself, but there are a few people that know.  I have a celebrity crush!  My celebrity crush is Tori Spelling!  OK, so it may not have been the kind of crush that you were thinking about.  I think she is wonderful!  I have loved Tori since 90210, through all of her lifetime movies {some I still watch whenever I can} and now she has her own reality show!  I will totally admit that because of my crazy and busy schedule I have not kept up with my girl Tori like I had before!  I think that last episode I say of her reality show "Home Sweet Hollywood" was when Stella was just a baby!  So I was shocked to see her face gracing the shelves of........Michael's?!?!?  And in the form of DIY Jewelry?! AMAZING!!!!

The feathers are not hers, but her line is so incredibly user friendly, and customizable.  I am so incredibly in love with this copper leaf necklace.  It's beyond amazing, and I get so many compliments on it!

This one is my absolute favorite!  I love it so much!  I am planning on sprucing this one up just a bit, and running some teal ribbon through the copper chain, just to give it a little something extra!

I don't have to do anything to this one, it's completely me in every way.  This one has quickly become one of my go-to's! 

This came with a set of two, but I only made one into an earring.  I'll only wear one of these, as an accent, because two would be to much with my super short Blondie locks to support.

I thought this was a super fun way to spend the afternoon while my children were sentenced to a term of room cleaning.  I only spend about 30 minuets, but it was a quiet time in the middle of the day to spend with myself drinking my tea, and crafting.  Moments like these don't happen often for this busy momma, so I will take them when I can get them!

Nuts for Nails!

"I believe in manicures.  I believe in overdressing.  I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick.  I believe in pink.  I believe happy girls are the pretties girls.  I believe that tomorrow is another day, and....I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

I simply adore Audrey, and Hollywood's "Golden Age".  And cue Asteroid Galaxy Tour's  "Golden Age" now! Ah, I'm getting sidetracked before I got started again! You'll have to excuse me, I took an extra long weekend with the kids and Chris so I've been lounging around, and may or may not have had a tad to much wine tonight.  I may have said this before, but I am a big Pinterest fan!  Recently I have given in to those pins.....those pins that are nail art!

I consider myself a reasonably crafty lady.  I love crafting, and seeing other people's creations inspire me to no end.  I have never felt comfortable experimenting with nail art.  I love polishes, and wearing bold colors and have tried those press on polish designs that have flooded the market.  I wish that i had the time to get manicures all the time, but I don't see that happening any time soon.  I don't want to go through summer with boring ol' one dimensional plain Jane's!  I want "SPECTACULAR NAILS"!

Here's where pinterest comes in.  If you are a "pinner" then you are welcome to check out my nailsNailsNAILS!!! board or follow me!  I listed some of my favorites!

These beautiful nails I found over at thebeautydepartment.com I love her tutorial, and it seems simple enough....now I just have to find that perfect blue color!

How hot are these, ultra-feminine nails!  I love the pink with the white glitter SO PRETTY!  Nicole over at Nail Polish Wars put these together, and I am really excited to try this out!

I really love this technique, I'm not sure where this pic is from, I found it on Pinterest, but the link was broken.  If it's yours please e-mail me your link and I direct all credit where it's due!  I am really excited to see what combo's I can come up with!

 

These look absolutely amazing to me!  The amazing gals over at Hey, Nice Nails! have put together an amazing photo tutorial!  After reading through it myself, there were a few points that I needed to see done, so I was able to find a video put on YouTube.com uploaded by SimpleLittlePleasures of an amazing neon water marble nail video here.   

WOW!  I cannot wait to try this!  The Nail Buff always creates amazing designs and I am really excited to give this one a try!!  I think it may take some time but could really be worth it! 

Well these are my inspirations as I take on the new adventure that is Nail Art!  What do you think?  Is it worth it to do your Mani at home compared to paying $30+ to have it done somewhere else?  Who knows, maybe I'll start a new trend.....Mani Mondays!

My Little Ladybugs

Today my twins are 5!  Yes, 5 years ago today I delivered (via C-section) my beautiful and amazing ladies.  These two were determined from the start.  Noah was only 5 months old when I became preggo again.  I was scared at the thought of having 4 (I assumed it was only one baby) children.  Wondering what that would mean for us financially, would I really have enough energy for all these kids?

I really should have known that this was just a tad to big to be a singleton baby.  I just assumed it was because I had just delivered a baby! We went in for our first ultrasound of the pregnancy, expecting to hear a more accurate due date.  The ultrasound technician had not turned my screen on yet, and I was looking at Chris (I always get a tad sentimental during these first few months) I saw his face go blank, white instantly.  Then, before I had a chance to move even he says "You have got to be kidding me!" My first thought was, 'yup he saw a penis' then switched to 'no, he wouldn't say that', instantly blurting out "IT'S TWINS!"  Sure enough right then she switched on my screen, and I saw two perfectly round little circles on the screen, 2 perfect beautiful little heads.  I instantly started to cry.  I spent the next few days in a haze, recounting my story but not really believing it myself.  Then I gave myself a few good cries (about a week's worth) put on my big girl panties, and started getting down with the pink and purple. 

After nearly 2 months in the hospital on 24-hour bed rest, I brought two healthy little girls into the world, with the help of some of the best doctors and in the area.  We had a lot to worry about with this pregnancy, and the health of myself and the girls.  But here they are absolutely perfect. 

After the girls were delivered, I had a surgery of my own to take care of, so I was not able to be with them right after delivery.  The first time they wheeled me (laying in my bed hooked to tubes and everything) in to the NICU, so I could hold them.  Up until this point the girls had not been in the same bed, this was the first time they were together after delivery.  Cuddled onto my chest JackLynn reached over to Izobel grabbing her hand, and there we stayed for as long as they let me. We were bonded from that moment, it was instant and I have not felt something that strong before.

Having twins has been such an awesome experience, one coupled with fear, anxiety, excitement, love, anger, emotions, tears, fits, cuddles, and everything in between.  They are so much alike, mostly in the things they like to do, and the outfits they like to wear.  Izobel was dressed in pink from the moment I was allowed to dress her, and JackLynn donned purple from the start. In reality, I could not tell them apart unless I knew what color they were wearing, and I painted their toe nails different colors.  Still to this day, I find myself naturally drawn to pink for Izzy and purple for Jack.  Of course, mani/pedi's still included.  Personality is where the differences llie.  Izobel is 1/2 princess 1/2 tom boy, playing basketball in her Bell ball gown, or bringing barbies to make mud pies.  She is a mamma's girl, and has been from the beginning, she is also very stubborn like her momma too.  JackLynn is extremely polite, shy and soft spoken at first.  Once she gets to know she will not shut her mouth {she talks as much as I do!}. She is extremely feminine, her current obsession is weddings and getting married one day.  Not being married, because that disgusts her, the wedding itself and the "awesome party after!" is where her heat lies.  {sounds like a mini party planner in the midst} She likes to argue {can't imagine where she got that either} and does not back down easily if she feels she is right, or has been wronged.  We call her the debate queen. 

When I found out I was expecting twins I read everything I could get my hands on.  I was a research and google junkie.  Cooped up in the hospital on bed rest leaves you little entertainment options.  I thought I needed to make sure I got everything right, and what to combine, and what to individualize.  I realized recently, and very few things that I "researched" actually made it into out every day lives.  Every year the girls each get a birthday cake with candles on each.  We do not combine birthday gifts, or Christmas/ Hanukkah gifts {unless it does not make sense to have two}.  I realized that I just figured it out on my own.  I am more focused on creating relationships with these amazing little people.  Whether it's groceries shopping or shoe shopping, running errands or running to the park the three of us are almost always together.  I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would be like without them. 

Next year we enter Kindergarten.  The reality of growing up has come to slap me in the face.  This is the year that I have feared above all others.  These are my babies, and I was not prepared for the difficulty of letting go of the toddler phase.  We have had some of the most amazing morning "circle times" our, our craft afternoons and creations have made us laugh and made us proud.  I hope that the memories that we have made will help them through this next phase of life.  I hope that the separation isn't to difficult for them {because it will be hell for me} and that I have instilled enough confidence.  I know I am very excited to see how their independence level rises! 

Happy Birthday JackLynn and Izobel!

Love,

Mom