Friday night = Movie night

The kids LOVE the air mattress!  They wrestle, bounce, roll, etc...Bevo was enjoying lots of attention, too!  Oh, and their other favorite hobby - pushing baskets on the tile floor.

PARTY TIME

ALL FOR ONE & ONE FOR ALL!

we had a combined party for all the chaplin children - as we plan on doing as long as possible!

photo bouquets



a few gifts

I made my first homemade/decorated birthday cakes

braxton requested wall-e the robot.

cupcakes for the girls!

evie loved it (my sweet eater)

ayla loved to look at it

Renee & Ryan (sweet friends from Austin)

Natalie, Hannah, Tia

Marie & Jim (expecting twin girls)

Hunter & Uncle David

Evie & Aunt Pat (enjoying guacamole)

Step-dad Mike, Mom, Me, Tara

Me, Megan, Erin, Tara, Dad, Step-mom Nita

David, Momma C Betty, Mark, Poppa C Rick

opening gifts with dad

playing toy story train with uncle mark (his favorite gift & favorite guest)

It was SOO much fun - a HUGE thanks to everyone for coming & being incredibly generous to our little loveys!

twin toddlers?

the shock and excitement, nervousness and awe...

8 weeks.doctor cowan says, "your bambino looks great...silence as he continues sono...oh, wait (heart stops with anticipation of the worst). you've got twins!"

wHaT?

so it was. twins. identical twin girls.

thank you God for my double miracle.

pregnancy was non-eventful (thankfully). although most of my friends and family told me i was crazy to try and deliver twins in austin while living near dallas - i did it. i went full term for twins, 38 weeks 2 days.

labor began on braxton's birthday, november 2, 2009.

yes, i actually went into labor hours before my scheduled section!

i held off until 3am and then HAD to go to hospital. why was i enduring contractions when my c-section was scheduled at 7am? well, i really wanted cowan to deliver & was trying to wait until my check in time at 5:30am. instead we checked in at 3:30am and delivered at 4:56 and 4:57am - with cowan!!! (despite the nurses rudely implying he wouldn't come.)

this past year has been

a blessing. trying. fun. difficult. funny. experimental. trial. error. joyous. precious. tiring. emotional. full of love, tears and memories.



and now, i present my twin toddlers! 

(i am told they are toddlers at age 1, but they will always be babies to me)

 

AYLA MORGAN

EVIE ALOIS

EVIE, AYLA

 I LOVE YOU SWEET GIRLS. YOU MAKE MY HEART SMILE!

I AM THANKFUL THAT GOD CHOSE ME TO BE YOUR MOTHER.

birthday boy

friday.november 2.2007
a life changing day.
it's a good crazy story. (for another day)

my first child. braxton david chaplin. 12:09pm.

5#9oz.17in.

apnea.hip dysplasia.

10 day nicu stay.

monday.november12.2007

home with my family.

i'm a new 'stay at home' mother.

A LOT is learned.

newborn.infant.toddler.
three years pass.
wonderful little boy.

ten things i've learned about this birthday boy who has now blessed my life for 3 years.

10. he can be hard headed, stubborn, ornery

9.  he has an excellent memory
8.  he is inquisitive & he listens to everything that is said
7.  he is hilarious - great sense of humor
6.  he loves order, especially with his toys
5.  he is respectful (minus the outbursts on occasion)
4.  he is smart - for real
3.  he is an excellent sleeper
2.  he hasn't accepted Christ as his savior, yet, but he loves Jesus, likes to memorize scripture and sing worship songs
1. he is beautiful inside and out

good morning sleepy head. daddy wanted to see him before he left for work, so we had to wake him.

 'checking out' his gifts

 showing me his age & wearing his new pjs 

playing with mommy

birthday cake

this is one spectacular gift from God.

i love you tink, little man, boo, bubba!

shutterfly holiday cards!

Hey blogger friends - I know you are there! Check out (not yet - read this post first) this free offer for 50 holiday cards from none other than Shutterfly !
I have yet to create a holiday card with shutterfly, but I have made several photo books . Photo books are an excellent way to document events, people and/or things. My library includes books for each of the following: my wedding, honeymoon, son’s first year, and a memory book with pictures of a lost loved one. Shutterfly is outstanding source for my photo creations, and I am currently in the process of creating books for my son’s school art work and a relatives book for my 1 year old girls. Eventually, this blog will be transformed into a book!!! Due to my history with shutterfly and the fact that the quality was exceptional, delivery was quick and the price was competitive, I plan to order my Christmas cards from them this year.

I am looking forward to utilizing shutterfly’s new featured Christmas/Holiday cards . Our family has grown so much lately, and I can’t ever seem to narrow down the pictures I want to include. Their selection is amazing and design possibilities are endless.

I am not a fan of the impersonal card that includes only the generic holiday well wishes and the family’s name. I feel it should be more personal, so, here are my favorites.

The Top Ten

Seasons (I love this New Year’s card – for those of us that are too late for Christmas. That was me last year.)

AND, go check out the numerous story cards options! LoVe these.

For other fantastic gift options (for the 'hard to shop for' friends and family members):

calendars

wall art

Ok, now you can GO. SHOP. ENJOY.