Fall Happenings

I thought I would join in on what others have been doing and write about our Fall Happenings, or what others call Fall Currently...

What We've Been Up To:
Doing everything we can to soak up the last bits of summery weather before Fall really hits and the cooler weather starts (which is basically starting today). We have been going to Nevada Wolf Pack football games, Apple Hill, walks with the girls and pup after work and trying to sneak in a few weekly girls nights.

 The family that watches football together....

What I'm Loving:
Spending time with my family. The girls are becoming mobile now and are at very fun stage right now. They love being vocal, sitting in high chairs, going shopping (can sit in shopping carts now) and being on the move. Each day is pretty much fun right now (thought very busy).

What We're Eating {& Drinking}:
We have been kind of bad lately and ordering take out more and more. Time to get back on the cooking at home train. I have some new crock pot recipes I can't wait to try out and I have a ton of soups that I am dying to make again. Plus I have been eating everything pumpkin that I can while it is still available.

What I'm Wearing:
The comfiest sweaters. I finally broke out my Pearl and Monroe sweater and it is heaven. I have also broke out the riding boots and have been wearing them with everything. From dresses to jeans, I have it covered. I basically plan my outfits around wearing those boots.

Sweater

What I'm Working On:
Planning the girls first birthday party. I have a theme, ideas, a to do list, shopping list and now I just need to start buying things. Plus I am also working on Christmas planning. Trying to figure out what gifts we are getting the girls and which event they will get them at.

What I'm Watching & Reading:
Watching: Fargo season 2, American Horror Story (though it is pretty bloody and crazy this season), The Affair, Scream Queens (can't decide if I like it or not), Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy (not loving this season, but so dedicated to the show). And I am mostly reading blogs.

What I'm Excited About:
The holiday season and sharing it with my girls. I have been dreaming about this time for a long time. I have always wanted to show my children my family traditions surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas and now the time is here. Plus we get to see so many of our family members around this time and the girls will finally get to meet some of them. I can't wait to put up a Christmas tree and see how the girls react. I can't wait to see the twinkle in their eyes over the lights on the tree. Get ready for photo overload this holiday season.

What I'm Doing This Weekend:
We don't have much planned. But since it is Halloween, we are taking the girls to a local trick or treating deal at the Automobile Museum. It is more for the fun of showing the girls what is to come and showing off their cute costumes. We plan to hand out candy Saturday night and hopefully build our first fire of the season. Then it is making some yummy dinners this weekend and staying in. Couldn't ask for a better weekend ahead.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:
Well next month is November which means Thanksgiving with my in-laws and family. And Christmas tree cutting with my family. We have our last home football game which means last tailgate of the season. And it is a good one. A huge chili cook-off. We never participate in it, but we bring corn bread and other yummy things. I love tasting all the chili's and enjoying the cold games.

And there you have my latest installment of Fall Happenings.

Party Planning

I can't believe I am saying this, but it is time to start planning my daughters' first birthday party. In two short months (and two days) they will be turning ONE. Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday I was holding them in the NICU praying that they would get healthy and come home with us. Now they are on the move, squealing all the time, getting into everything, hugging and becoming little people.

I want their first birthday to be special, even if they don't remember it. I want to celebrate them because they are my everything.

I am going with a more traditional theme of Winter Onederland. Yes I know a lot of people have done it, but it is just so cute. Plus my girls were born right in the heart of Winter and right between Christmas and New Year's.

I have been on Etsy all morning getting ideas of things I can do myself and things I will leave to the pros. Like their outfits. There is no way I am trying to make those. But I can make gift bags, signs and banners.

I have been having so much fun picking things out. And I am starting now so I can spread the cost over two months rather than all at once. Plus we have Christmas and Birthday gifts to start buying.

Here is my inspiration board for the girls' first birthday:

 images

As for gifts, we have a few things in mind, but are open to suggestions. So please send them my way.

Hope you all have a good Tuesday. I need to get back to party planning.

Weekending

Another weekend in the books. And it was a pretty good one. Busy, but good.

Friday I worked late to make up some time from my biopsy I had Wednesday. Then it was off to the pediatrician to get the girls their booster shots. They had a flu shot a month ago and they had to go in for their follow up booster. They cried, but it was over quickly.

After shots, we had a late (but small) lunch. Then it was off for a little walk with Walter and we got ourselves ready for family photos. We went to Rancho San Rafael park so we could capture the feel of Fall (so many trees are still so green here) and the little teaser we got is so stinking cute. I can't wait to see them all. We went home to change and then headed to dinner.

 

Saturday we went to breakfast and then got ready to go to the tailgate and football game. We forgot the girls' headphones and were so worried how they would do at the game, but their grandparents saved the day and picked them up for them. Little Miss Sutton was so tired and fighting her nap that she cried a bunch the first half of the game. My mom and I missed part of the first half, but then we got her to go to sleep and all was better. The girls watched the second half and cheered us on to a win. It was a much needed win by the Pack.

 The girls in their game day onesies

After the game, we headed home to hang out for a bit and then it was off to dinner. After our long day, we didn't feel like hitting the grocery store and cooking. Too much effort.

Sunday we got up bright and early to head to breakfast so we could head to our favorite place, Apple Hill.

Daddy and his girls

We headed to Apple Hill (late), but had a great day. It was just soooo busy. The girls slept in between stops, so we didn't get to get their cutesy photos like I hoped. Plus Sutton had a blowout on the drive over (about 2 hour drive) so she wasn't in her Osh Kosh skirt overall like her sister anymore. I sadly didn't get any photos of the ladies, but I am sure some of my family did. Total mom fail there.

We went to Grandpa's Cellar for some pie and apple cinnamon sauce. Then we headed to O'Hallorans Ranch for some apples and the pumpkin patch. Next we headed to Boa Vista Orchards where we bought some apples, nuts and honey sticks. We usually try some wines there, but it was too packed to carry a baby around that area. Finally, we headed to High Hill Ranch for the famous delicious apple donuts. We bought said donuts and went into the fudge shop, but you couldn't even move around in there. I wanted to get some fudge (like we do every year) but it was too pack and way to hot in there. We looked around at all the crafts and almost bought a few things, but they didn't have the right ornaments or stockings for the girls. Too bad. Next year.

Crumb Apple Donut

We ended our adventure at a little pizza place in Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe Pizza Company. The girls sat in their high chairs entertaining everyone and we all enjoyed some pizza and catching up. We got home pretty late (8:45 pm) and we changed the girls and put them to bed and crashed out early ourselves.

It was a great weekend. A fast weekend though. Luckily, we have a four day work week (hello Nevada Day, Friday) and Halloween festivities this weekend.

Hope you all had a good weekend!

Fall Friday

It's Friday and I have an exciting weekend ahead. Lots of my favorite things crammed into one weekend. Couldn't ask for a better time.

Today I am linking up with Karli from September Farm.

One. I got myself a pretty new iPhone 6s. My old phone just hasn't been working right. Especially after downloading the new software updates. It has been slow, freezes and doesn't get all my text messages. I wasn't getting group texts, some regular texts and my texts were coming in as emails (@icloud.com). When I got my pretty new Rose Gold iPhone 6s, all sorts of texts came flooding in. Sorry friends if you texted me and I never got back to you.

Two. We have family photos today. The girls grandparents bought them tons of new Fall clothes so I washed those and picked out the cutest outfits for them. And R and I paired our clothing kind of match the girls. Basically we will look put together, but not all matchy-matchy. I can't wait to get these done. We haven't had any since the girls' 5 month photos. Get ready for Christmas cards!

Three. It's Apple Hill weekend. Sunday to be exact. My favorite Fall weekend is finally here. And this time we get to share it with our baby girls (who are just shy of 10 months!). We will be picking apples, eating apple pie, grabbing apple donuts (my favorite), drinking apple beer and wine, picking pumpkins and perusing all the crafts. I can't wait!

Left Center Right

Four. Football. It is homecoming for the Wolf Pack and the forecast is calling for 70 degrees which will be perfect for the 1 pm start. The Pack isn't doing that well, but we need to support them, especially during homecoming week. We will have the girls with us this weekend and are hoping they do just as well as they did the last game they went to.

Five. The girls got their ears pierced Monday. We have been going back and forth on this for months whether we wanted to get them done or not. But we decided it was a good time to get them. Plus the piercer told us it is better to get them done before they turn one or wait until they are five. Before one means they won't play with them and after five means they can take care of them and won't rip them out. People often confuse our girls or call them boys (even when they have bows or pink on) and we hope this will help. Plus they look so cute with their new earrings. I am dying over their cuteness. 

Sutton went first. I sat down in the chair and put her on my lap. They marked her ears and then pierced them at the same time. She was fine until they pierced them. Then she cried for about 10 minutes (so sad) and then was happy again. Sutton got an aquamarine color. Avery went second and she did the same. But she only cried for about two minutes after the piercing. Avery got purple or amethyst. The girls did so well and got lots of cuddles after. We have to clean their earrings and ears three times a day which is pretty easy. We just use a q-tip with the solution they gave us and put it on the front of the ears and back. 

Here is photographic evidence (sorry they are kind of blurry. The girls never sit still anymore.)

Hope you have a good weekend! 

Cancer Screening

Yesterday I got off work early to have three moles biopsied. I am very adamant about getting your moles checked. My friend had a huge chunk cut out of her leg after they found a mole to be cancerous. They caught it very early, but now she has this huge chunk missing from the back of her leg just under her knee. It was at that time that I decided I needed to get my moles checked regularly.

I used to go to the tanning booths (so bad, don't do it) with her and now I regret that. So I always make a yearly appointment and pray that everything is ok.

When I had my yearly physical with my family doctor, he was concerned with a mole on my stomach. He said it looked odd and he wanted me to have it checked out again even though I had my moles checked in February after having the girls. So I went to my dermatologist a few weeks ago.

We have been watching the one on my back for a few years now and they wanted to "shave" it off to have it looked at. It hasn't changed that much, but enough in color. Then there is a raised one on my stomach that is new within the last year and they wanted to "shave" that one off too. And then the big one that is also on my stomach just under my bra line that they cut out. This one has grown by 2 mm in 6 months. It has also changed color (to a dark brown/black). I have internal and external stitches on this one now, and we await the results of all three of them.

Praying and hoping that they are benign and just changed that much from pregnancy. That can happen, but better to be safe than sorry.

So here is your PSA: get your moles checked out. Yearly. And more often if you notice that they have changed. You should check your own moles every three months. These are the things to look out for.

ABCDEs via American Academy of Dermatology

• Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half
• Border: The border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred, or irregular
• Color: The mole has different colors or it has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white, or red
• Diameter: The diameter of the mole is larger than the eraser of a pencil
• Evolving: The mole appears different from others and/or changing in size, color, shape

So please get yourself checked out.

And hopefully I get good news by Monday.

A Day In the Life Of

A day in the life of the Butler family.

Our days are crazy, hectic, but so much fun. I thought I would give you all a glimpse into our daily lives. This is a typical Sunday in our house.

5:20 am - I wake up and prep the girls bottles (6 oz of forumla). After the bottles are prepped, I clean up the counters. At this time, my husband gets the girls from their cribs, brings them into our room (in their rock n plays) and waits for me.
5:25 am - My husband and I feed the girls in our room, in the dark and try to keep them as sleepy as possible.
5:35 am - The girls are done eating and are back in their cribs off to sleepy land again. And momma is in the kitchen cleaning the bottles.
5:45 am - We are back in bed and try to sleep for awhile longer.
8:00 am - We get up and start to get the girls ready for the day. We change their diapers, change their clothes and bring them to the living room. I will usually shower and start to get ready while my husband hangs with the girls and watches some pre-game ESPN.
9:00 am - I prep the girls bottles (6 oz of formula) and we feed them.
9:20 am - Clean the bottles.
9:30 am - I take over watching the girls and my husband showers. I also put the girls in their car seats and get everything ready to leave the house.
9:40 am - We head out the door for breakfast because this house doesn't have time to cook breakfast (and I hate cooking it). The girls love being in high chairs now, so it is a toss up between that or sleeping in their carseats.
10:30 am - We head home to feed the girls some puree or we feed it to them at breakfast if we have errands to run.
11:00 am - The girls will take a nap if they didn't nap at breakfast. We take this opportunity to prepare our grocery list, do some laundry, clean up anything we can and spend some time in our backyard with the monitor next to us.
12 - 12:30 pm - The girls wake up and need some diaper changes. We do some sitting up, tummy time, blowing raspberries, play mat time and singing songs while their milk is heating up.
12:30 pm - We feed the girls (6 oz of formula).
12:45 pm - I clean the bottles and we play with the girls. They really love toys now, so it's lots of education toys, teething toys and playing peek a boo.
2:15 pm - It's time for the girls second feeding of puree for the day. At this feeding, we put them in their highchairs and give them some puffs (sweet potato is their favorite) while we get their food ready. We feed them and clean them up after.
2:35 pm - The girls are getting tired so we put them down for another nap and I take the opportunity to go to the grocery story. Freedom at last!
3:30 - 4:00 pm - The girls wake up, get their diapers changed and hang out while we put the groceries away. 
4:00 pm - It is time to feed the girls again (6 oz formula).
4:20 pm - I clean the bottles after some cuddle time and the girls go back to playing.
5:15 pm - I start cooking dinner. We bring the girls into the dining room to sit on their playmate or in their jumpers. They watch us cook dinner and babble to each other. Sunday nights I usually make something that can simmer (like spaghetti) for awhile, so we can eat after the girls go to bed.
6:00 pm - I prep the girls bottles while my husband preps the bath for the girls. He has to get their towels, wash cloths, runs the water, takes their clothes off and gets them ready for the bath.
6:10 pm - We bathe the girls. They love their bath time now. They splash and love getting their hair washed. Total game changer that the girls can sit up in the bath now together.
6:30 pm - Bath time is over, so we take the girls out and start their nighttime routine. We dry the babies off, put on new diapers, put on lotion, cleaned their ears and put on a onesie. I will heat up their formula a bit at this time and put their bath stuff in the laundry along with any other things that didn't get cleaned earlier.
6:45 pm - Feed the girls 7 oz of formula.
7:00 pm - The girls are done eating and they are rubbing their eyes. It is bedtime. We bring them into their room, turn on their light/sound machine (set the timer on it), put the babies in their Zipadee Zip Slumber Sacks, give them lots of kisses and snuggles, put their Wubbanubs in, rub their bellies, turn on their humidifier and leave the room. The girls usually go right to sleep, but occasionally one will fuss 10 minutes later where we go put their pacis back in and head back out of the room.
7:15 pm - I clean the bottles and prep the bottles for daycare the next day. I also finish dinner up, so we can have a peaceful dinner together. My husband will change the laundry over (if it is done) and take the pup for a walk if we hadn't given him one earlier in the day.
7:45 pm - My husband is back from taking the pup for a walk and it is time to eat. We will usually enjoy a glass of wine or scotch after dinner and watch some tv. We also catch up on adult talk and enjoy the peace and quiet.
10:00 pm or so we head to bed because we are exhausted.

Then we wake up the next day at 4:45 am and start it all over again! But I wouldn't change it for the world.

Weekending

Another weekend passed and another Monday here. Why does Saturday and Sunday go by SO fast, but Monday through Friday drags by so slow.

Anyways, we had a pretty good weekend and it was quite lazy. Just what we needed. It was gloomy all weekend and really felt like Fall is here.

Friday. After work I ran a few errands, sans babies, and then met up with R and the babies for some lunch. Around 5 pm I headed out to grab myself some soup from my favorite little soup shop since I was going to be with the girls all evening while R was playing in his playoff softball tournament. He had up to two games that night, so I settled down with my soup and Fargo (season 1) after the babies went to sleep. Hubby's team lost, so he grabbed himself dinner and came home.

Saturday. We went to brunch and by the time we got home, someone had a blowout in their pants. And it was bad. So bad that when I took her pants off to change her (didn't know it was as bad as it was since she had thick fleece pants on) it dragged down her legs and on her feet. So gross. Needless to say, I didn't think a wipe down was good enough. So we stripped the babies down and put them in the bath.

 Morning snuggles with daddy, Avery and Walter Roo

Sutton playing in her crib with mommy

Side note: we have started putting the babies in the big bath together with toys and they love it. They can move more, play with each other and don't meltdown while the other one is in the bath. Game changer on bath time.

After baths and feedings, the girls were tired and went down for a long nap. R watched the Pack play Wyoming on the internet (ESPN 3) and I binged watched more Fargo. So addicting.

One thing that would have made this even better...a nice fire and a glass of wine (ok two things).

Avery loves Saturday football

That evening we headed out to sushi (been craving it for months) with the ladies in tow. They did so well and soaked up all the attention everyone was giving them. They love being in highchairs.

Sutton was squealing at her sister the entire time

Sweet Avery loving highchair time

Sunday. We were all feeling under the weather. The girls didn't sleep well, R was still fighting his cold and had back muscle spasms going on and I was on little to no sleep with a pulled muscle in my chest. So we lazied around all day and it was just what my little family needed. I did head out for some bagels and coffee around 10:30 and managed to shower later in the day. We all napped, watched football and played. The girls' grandparents came over after the Niner game for a little visit. The girls got a bunch of new clothes and lots of grandparent cuddles. We order in pizza and watched the Colts/Pats game. Ugh. Such an awful game. 

 

 I had to include these cute shots of the girls yesterday morning. Side note: it is getting harder to get pictures of the girls sitting still because they are on the move and want whatever is in our hands at all times.

After putting the girls to bed, the grandparents left and I finished Season 1 of Fargo. So good. Loved it so much and can't believe I was able to binge watch an entire season this weekend....even with the girls. Though not in front of the girls. 

Roo left with the grandparents and is happy to keep his grandpa company today while he is on the mend from surgery. He may even stay over one more night because comfort is the best for healing.

How was your weekend?