Friends...

So, this morning started out a little hectic. Eric had to leave early for work and I was feeling the let down from a four day weekend with Eric around the whole time. So, after a melt down from Max, I got the girls fed and bathed and put down for a nap. Since they fell asleep so quickly, I decided to have some Max and me time.

Just then, our neighbor and friend Julie stopped by to invite Max for a walk with her son Lincoln (one of Max's favorite friends). So, here I am with an hour to myself and I wanted to take the time out to say some more thanks. I am thankful for friends who stop by, I am grateful for in-laws who come over just to bring dinner and hang out.

I thankful for friends (both ours and Max's) that come over with banana bread and company (and matching shirts). I am thankful that ours is a gospel that is hinged upon our relationship with not only our Heavenly Father, but with one another. To quote one of me and Eric's favorite shows, Walking Dead, "A new command I give unto you: Love one another, as I have loved you." (I mean, if we're going to be all technical, I suppose I should reference the Bible...but you get my point).

Thanksgiving Post

Since the girls are still so young, we didn't want to risk getting them sick, so we stayed home for Thanksgiving.

Eric holding Lia.

Our friends Charayye and keith & their kids came over. They are moving to Arizona soon and we're sad to be losing friends, but happy for them as this is a good move for their family!

Here is my Thanksgiving turkey. I thought it turned out pretty well.

Our friends who had to work the day before and after Thanksgiving came over and we had our own mini Thanksgiving. The food was great and we were so happy to have friends come over...but it doesn't quite feel like Thanksgiving without Linda's rolls!

The kiddo's eating candy before dinner!

Me, eating a turkey leg. My favorite part of this picture is Max dressed up as Buzz Lightyear in the corner. That kid is always dressed up as something!

Eric with a turkey wing.

The boys eating at their table.

The girls all dressed up.

By the end of the night we were all shot! This year, I'm thankful for my family: it was so wonderful having my mom here for a month to help with the girls and Jim & Julie watched Max for weeks and helped make the transition a smooth one for Max. I'm thankful for the girls, they continue to thrive and impress me. I love them so much and can't imagine life without them. I'm so thankful for Max and his kind heart and his sweet disposition. He wants nothing more out of life than to be around family and friends and sharing in the things he enjoys. I'm grateful for our home, to be in a more permanent situation in a ward that we love. I'm grateful for the partnership I have with Eric. It's been more hectic with the two girls, but I also feel like we have been working so well together and I'm grateful for a partner who cares and tries so hard!! I'm most grateful for the gospel because without this amazing focal point in my life, all the other things would seem a bit meaningless. So grateful for all of the blessings in my life and most grateful that the most important ones I get to keep for all eternity. Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving!

Where's my pump gun?!

Here's a picture of Max with Santa at the Holiday Home Fair we took my family to while they were here.

Eating breakfast at Denny's. It's fast becoming a tradition in our little family. Who'd a thought?!

A picture of my sweet girls. Lia on the left and Kiri on the right.

Eric begged me not to take this picture...but how could I resist?! Max, as predicted, has felt the loss of attention and the benefits of the all around plush life he once enjoyed as the only child. Through it all, though, he has managed to still have brilliant moments of tender kindness and a happy over all attitude.

For instance, the moment prior to this picture, one of the girls woke up and was hungry, to which Max responded by immediately jumping out of bed and grabbing my manual pump (which he calls his pump gun) and sat by our medical grade pump and yelled, "the girls are hungry, don't worry, Mommy, I will pump milk for them from my belly!" You gotta love this kid!!!!!

The Girls' 1 month birthday & mine

These are pictures of them their first week home and their second week home. What a difference a week makes!!! Here's Lia before and after.

Here's Kiri before and after. She's such a chunk!

So, my parents and brother and his family all came to visit the girls and celebrate my birthday. Here is a picture of the proud 'Gong-Gong." Kiri is on the right and Lia is on the left.

Since my birthday was on a Sunday I requested Thanksgiving dinner for my dinner. We had all of the fixings, including a 22lb turkey. MMMM!!!!! My brother got me so much baby stuff, clothes, a double stroller and a bouncer. Eric got me make-up and JUST DANCE 3 for our Wii...so, anyone feel the itch to dance, come on over (so long as you are not and have not been around anyone who has a cold or temperature in the last 5 days and are willing to get a retinal scan like I had to do at the airport in China during the Bird Flu scare.

Here's a picture of Max singing, "Happy Birthday" to me. I got the costume at Walmart the day after Halloween for $2.88. Best $2.88 I ever spent!! Much better than the money I spent on this new haircut Eric insisted on Max getting. The spiky look, we've decided, while cute...is trumped by his old baby Bieber sweep!!!

Here's a picture of my brother's adorable 7 month old, Parker. Parker is wearing Max's most recent hand me downs...and by that I mean his 18-24month clothes!!! He is so tall...and adorable!!!

I figured if I didn't post some better pictures, Kristina Hopper was going to have a cow. I took these just for you, Hopper!!!I like this picture of Lia and Kiri below because it shows their blue eyes. Neither Max or Parker had blue eyes to begin with. Here's hoping that they stay this color!

I love my girls. I also have to give a big shout out to my Kiri-girl. She was born with an umbilical cord half the size of her sister, and smaller in height and weight, but she just fights through, as of last week, they were both 6 lbs 6 oz. Then, a few days ago, Kiri had a temp of 100.3. I called our pediatrician and my cousin who is a Peds Dr in California. Both said that at 100.4 we'd have to go to the ER and get some blood work done and probably a spinal tap...but my Kiri girl just kept working through it and after two feedings, the fever broke and she never looked back. I could not ask for better babies than the three angels I have. Best birthday in years!!! :)

This is Halloween!!!

My family has been here helping us adjust to life with the twins and Max. My mother loves Dancing with the Stars and Max has learned to share his TV time. For their Halloween special they had all these children dancing to, "This is Halloween," and Max sang that song for the rest of the Halloween season!!! Here he is TrICk oR tReaTing!!! We live in a great neighborhood...we only hit up a few houses on each block and we got loaded with candy. We also realized that we are cheap-o's!!!

Here's Max before doing the downtown stroll on Halloween.

There was a haunted house in the fire station. Max was so brave and had so much fun!!

Max kept saying, "It's you, mummy."

At one of the local businesses, we ran into another Captain America...and Max kept inquiring as to who was the 'real' Captain America. Of course, Max is!

Soon, the other Captain America's siblings wanted in on the picture action! So cute!!!

We also had a super fun ward activity. Our new ward is so ridiculously fun and social...we haven't even hosted anything yet. It's awesome!!!

Our friends down the street put on their own scare house in their garage. They are so cool!!! We had such an amazingly fun Halloween and we are so grateful for family and fun!!!