Merry Christmas & Happy 2014!

What a whirlwind this last month has been! The holidays are always filled with so much to do...Decorating and putting lights up on the house, parties to attend, Christmas cards to be made and sent out, shopping for gifts and making sure all are wrapped and under the tree...after all of that, who has time for anything else?

I would say that even as busy and as hectic as the holidays were for us, they were also very wonderful. December started off with a horrible ice storm (icemegeddon) that shut down almost everything for at least one day...schools closed for a few more. Most people complained about how nuts they were going while being stuck inside all day but I thought it was wonderful! I had my hubby home from work and we had three full days of quality family time. The boys seemed to love their first ice storm too!

The boys had their 15 month well visit and while they got an A+ on their report cards, It was a little rough on momma. Eric wasn't able to go with us to the appt so I went solo. Normally that's not a huge deal for me as I've done it many times before...this time however, both boys got 4 shots, OUCH...and the appt was right in the middle of their nap, Double OUCH! Needless to say, next time they have a well visit with shots...Eric to be there. lol!

Christian
25 lbs 10 oz  &  31.8 Inches

Caleb
24 lbs 6 oz  &  32 Inches

Christmas was much more fun this year with the boys. We had our first twin cookie decorating party! I'm pretty sure the mommas decorated while the babies enjoyed the sweets...even so, it was a huge success! On Christmas morning we cooked a special breakfast and then let them open a few gifts before the rest of the family came over for lunch. It took them a little while to figure out how to open a gift and once they did they still only wanted to play with the wrapping and tissue paper. Maybe next year they will be a little easier.

Cookie Decorating with Twin Friends

 

My dear sweet friend Susan came into town from Arizona with her daughter Faith. The 5 of us had so much fun! Two young mommas, in a mini van filled with three babies...If you would have asked us 8 years ago what our lives would look like in a few years...we def would NOT have pictured this.

We ended the year by celebrating with a few of our closest friends. Steak & game night at the Lupton's! Kelly decided it would be cute for the girls to wear matching footed Pj's...our babies wear them so why not us?! LOL! I can honestly say that I'm a little glad 2013 is over and done with...mostly because the first full year of having twin babies was so so hard! Yet...it has been the most rewarding thing Eric and I have ever done. I cannot wait to see what this next year holds for our little family. All I know is that I am truly blessed.



CHEERS!



Fall Photo Dump

 

 

Happy 1st Birthday Christian & Caleb!

I made it! WE made it! One whole year of having twins down...and guess what? No one died! It really has been the hardest year of our life. But, with all of those hard times came some of the most amazing moments I have ever encountered. God has blessed me beyond words. I am so lucky to get the chance to be the mom of Christian & Caleb. Watching them grow up this past year has been a complete joy. They are my precious little miracles that fill me with such happiness.



Christian
23 lbs 7 oz & 18.5 inches

Caleb
22 lbs 6 oz & 18 inches

 

Open Heart Surgery and George W!

So...my mom had open heart surgery. She has had some issues for a few years with one of the valves and her doctor has always told her that down the road she would eventually need to have it replaced. We all thought, ok, down the road...that's like 5 years, maybe 10, right?  I guess we were wrong because when came back from our trip to Hot Springs she started to not feel so well and decided to go the doctor. She left with the news that her heart was not doing well and she would need to have surgery immediately. As in...she saw the doctor on a Thursday and by Monday she was admitted with the surgery being early Tuesday morning. None of us were prepared for this...but then again how do you really prepare for a loved one having major surgery that could possibly kill them? Prayer...That's what we did. That's what I did, pretty much all day everyday I prayed as much as I could. I was not ready to have my mom leave me...I kept thinking about how I wanted her to watch my boys grow up and how I wanted them to have a grandma, (something I did not have growing up) but most of all I needed her. The thought of living my life without being able to call her when I needed something or to just chat killed me. So, I prayed.

The day of her surgery came and it was almost the longest day of my life (the first longest day was waiting for the call from our fertility doctor to tell us if we were pregnant of not). After 4 very long hours my dad finally called to tell me that the surgery was over, everything went very well and that she was in ICU recovering. Thank the LORD!

That night, once the hubs got home from work I went to see her. I was anxious, scared and a little excited as well. Excited not just to see my mom and how well she was doing but excited because earlier in the day I had heard that former President George W. was having heart surgery at the same hospital that very morning. I joked to my friends about how I was going to hunt his room down, go in and give him a Texas size get well hug. For those who know me, I have always had a slight obsession with W. He has always proven to be such a wonderful family man, what he stands for morally and faith wise just really make me like him. Not to mention he is the cutest old guy...aside from my dad. Anyway...I arrived at the hospital anxious to see my mom. As my dad and I walked to her room I asked if he had run into Bush yet. His response was of course, no...but he was able to see secret service agents and that W's room was right down the hall from my moms. This just excited me beyond belief. I saw them for myself, just standing there...protecting his room. It was so cool!

What I wasn't prepared for and what I still can't believe happened was that I did in fact get to meet George W. Not only did I meet him but I was able to introduce him to my mom, dad, and brother. He was walking around a few hours after his surgery and decided to stop on in for a chat. It was the neatest experience! Oh, and did I mention that I got to hug him??? He was the one to give ME a giant Texas size hug...and he kissed my mom on the forehead. It is a day I will never forget...He really is such a sweet and kind man...Funny too! I later found out from my mom that each time he had to walk the floors he stopped by her room for a chat. When he checked out the next day he even stopped in to say goodbye to his "Pastor Friend"

What was a really hard and stressful time for my whole family became such a great story, one we will definitely NEVER forget!

Hot Springs

We took a family vacation to Hot Springs, Arkansas this week and it was so much fun! I was a little nervous about the car ride there with the boys but they did great! We rented out a cabin on Lake Ouachita...spent time on a pontoon boat, cooked burgers on the grill, went shopping in town and played lots of games. It was a really great family trip, I was kind of sad that it was so short...I definitely could have used more days on the lake while Grammy and Grandpa watched the boys for us. :)

4th of July!

Happy 4th from the Cassidy's!