Steppin Out Saturday - Nashville Zoo (yet again) and photo bombs

I know you guys are SHOCKED that we stepped out to the zoo...again. I promise I really haven't been in a while - it's been too hot! However, this Saturday was Ice Day at the zoo, which is supposed be all sorts of fun ice sculptures, activities, visits by Shrek and other characters, etc. So we thought we would check it out since Mimi was in town. Turns out, some of Nashville's finest also wanted to check it out too, so hopefully you will enjoy the photo bombs!

This was all pre-nap. Post nap, we did the usual pool thing at Old Natchez followed by pizza with friends at Nashville Pizza Co. Yum!

After waiting in line for so long, SOMEONE had to get their pic made with Shrek, lol! The babes were having none of it.

However, after some coaxing, Josh volunteered. Although, he looks absolutely petrified, lol.

Photobomb #1 - Girl in Pink is having NONE of Jules. "oooh, girl, you better watch yo step" Jules looks ready to pounce.

This cool cat is waiting on the machine to get done.

So is this precious munchkin.

Yummmmm! And also: eyelashes.

Mimi and the babes! Photobomb #2: WOW. Take a gander to the right. I have no words. This is not a good representation of Nashville, ya'll!! Promise!

Cuties.

P.S. so, apparently it was THIS trip in which my babes could walk around the zoo and didn't want to be "strolled". Who knew they were this old?  This was a good excuse to try out the bamboo as a photo backdrop :)

And seriously? I die.

Photobomb #3:  The ginger photobomb. OMG. Can we talk about her top? How about her middriff? Sandals? All of the above? And the fact she is probably under 8??? What?

Me and the babes looking at the flamingos. On Moi: One of my fave casual easy dresses from H and M. I have had it forever and I love it so very much. Hope you guys had an awesome weekend!

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Linking to Harpers Happenings, The Pleated Poppy, and Monday Mingle

Steppin Out Saturday - SUPER WHY!

Yes, I know this is almost a week late. Sometimes (lots of times) when I take lots of pictures its very intimidating. They all are just sitting in my camera going EDIT ME, EDIT ME!! So, it takes a while to sit down and do it. Anywho...

Saturday was a BIG first for us. We went to our first live show! My Mom sent me the Groupon link to their show in Knoxville at the historic Tennessee Theater. I didn't even know they had a live show, much less that they were coming to Knoxville. So, I decided to buy them and make a little trip out of it. The show was awesome. My babes love Super Why. (For those that don't know about it - its probably one of the most educational shows out there). We had such a good time...almost.

I will take this time to say how freaking $#@$%*( we were at the theater. The show was supposed to start at 3:30. We got in line at 3:15 - outside the theater is 100 degree weather - and did not get in until 4:15. They could not handle the amount of Groupon customers, something that they SHOULD have planned for ahead of time, and did not. There are some thing I can tolerate, but customer service is not one of them. There is just no excuse. We, along with BABIES and TODDLERS were OUTSIDE the theater, in 100 degree weather for an hour. NOT acceptable. The show didn't end up starting until about 10 til 4, but but the time we got through the door we missed 25 minutes of the show, along with others. And we even had VIP tickets!! Jake tried complaining, to no avail. He even called the big manager on Monday and he couldn't have cared less. It's very, very sad. The Tennessee Theater is one of those icons I grew up with that I am so proud of. But we just had a horrible experience there, and the lack of compassion was ridiculous.

Okay, off soap box and back to what is important - babes!

This is such a memorable moment for me, it really sucks the experience was so bad. Boo,



Me and the babes!
On Me: Top: Sweet T Boutique//Jeans: Lauren Conrad//Shoes: Charles David

She's such a cutie. I took more pictures of her than Josh. She was an angel while her brother was possssed by Satan. Understandable, given the heat though.

On Jules: Top: Etsy//Pants: Matilda Jane//Shoes: Stride Rite//Bunny: Home
On Josh: Top: Janie and Jack//Shorts: Masters//Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger
I wish I could get more of them side-by-side. They are were all matchy/matchy and super twinny - so cute!

The Show!

They had such a good time. They did so good. I was worried!

Meeting "Pig" - Notice Jules' face on the left. Adorbs.

Princess Pea. They both got hugs.

Red Riding Hood.

Super Why!!! Jules is trying hard to do her arms like Super Why, lol.

Me and the babes with Princess Pea!

The Tacos

For some reason, when the babies were old enough to sleep with a blanket, we have called them "tacos". If we were smart people, we would have called them burritos, since they are clearly that. (Have you even seen a rolled up taco?)

I digress...Anywho, from the get go, we have referred to blankets as tacos. Such as,

"Are you ready for your taco?" "Do you want your taco?" "Taco time!".

This is referred to the time after baths or after swimming or before bed when the babies get all wrapped up and snuggly in either their bath towel or blankets. It's funny because I'm not sure they even know the word "blanket". They call them tacos, and we do too. It could be our blue taco or pink taco, etc.

Bed Time is "Taco Time!" and they get all wrapped up when they lie in their cribs :)

It's funny and precious, and our little thing we do around here.

Jules is her pink taco (not allowed to think vulgarly thanks)

Polka dot taco!

Steppin Out Saturday - Don't Break the Law

This weekend FLEW by - light at lightening speed. The weather was terrible, which didn't help either. It has rained for the past week. This weekend was another golf tournament for Jake, so he played golf during the days, and I met him on Friday just for a bit at Hillwood Country Club for some drinks and appetizers. Saturday night was the big dinner/dancing party there (he only came in second place, boo!) But he got rained out/delayed several times, so it was just a yucky weekend.

My Saturday was spent ALL DAY at the Williamson County traffic school learning about safe driving. It's as fun as it sounds, I promise. While very informative, I have now learned to not speed :)

Not a lot of pictures from this weekend unfortunately. We did look at a house and put an offer on it this morning (fingers crossed!!) We didn't really do anything fun with the kiddos due to rain and traffic school :( But here is a couple of pics of Jake and I at the party Saturday night.

Sunday I met my girlfriend to finally partake in the yumminess that was Magic Mike :)

Where is my summer going????? Stop time!

Dress: Alatr'd State//Necklace: Danielle Stevens//Cuff: Tory Burch (borrowed from my sis-in-law) :)

Linking up with Harpers Happenings, The Pleated Poppy and Monday Mingle

Raindrops are Falling...

I am a singer, so to speak. Music is a big part of my life, and also my babies'. We sing ALL the time. Our naptime/bedtime routine is two books, one snuggle song (one song while we rock/snuggle) then two songs once they are in their crib. We also sing a lot during the day too, of course. That's being said, I am always teaching them new songs.

Two of our raining songs we sing are "Raindrops keep falling on my head" and "It's raining it's pouring, the old man is snoring". They love them, and especially love to sing them when it's raining. (They also love to sing "Raindrops keep falling on my head" at bedtime because they get head tickles too)

They love the rain. They love jumping in puddles and love singing their rain songs and love, LOVE umbrellas, especially Josh. Don't really know what that's about but he is obsessed with umbrellas.

This week, since it's been raining so much we have had to get out my umbrella to use. And, for those that have toddler twins, I have been pretty perplexed on how to deal with toddlers, my purse, an umbrella, etc while raining.

Do I leave one toddler in the car while I carry the other one while holding the umbrella? Can't really do that unless we are at home only. Do I hold one and let the other one walk? Then who holds the umbrella? We are still all getting wet in this scenario. (I realize you normal moms probably don't think about stuff like this, but I do!) So, I do the only reasonable thing I can think of: Teach the babies to hold the umbrella TOGETHER, while I sacrifice myself to the rain.

Worth it, don't you think?

Flashback Friday - when they were littles

So, I have pretty much been a sappy mess this week, no thanks to this post about time going by so fast, or the fact that they are now two AND A HALF. So, I have been going down memory lane a lot.

Here is an oldie but oh so goodie of the babies doing sign language. Remember before when they couldn't talk??? Yeah, thats hard to think about now that I have a couple of chatterboxes on my hands. I also loved Jules' outfit. Funny how clothing also taking you back in time too, huh?




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The Post That Makes Me Bawl My Eyes Out

Every once in a while a post come along  by a fellow mommy blogger that puts into words everything you think, thought, and will think.  This post rocked me to my core, (and it obviously did to every other mom out there too, because her server shut down!) Its very hard to stay in the present with my kids, even though I know how important it is. I constantly look backwards and forwards to who they were and how fast it's gone, to where they are going. I feel guilty lately for putting on videos instead of talking to them. I feel guilty getting frustrated with them because let's be honest, they are two and toddlers and crazy and there are two of them  and OMG and I feel a little outnumbered at times.

And it's ok. We have all been there.

I get really sad at times when I can't remember things and it gets me all teary eyed. Maybe it's because I'm probably not having any more "babies", and now I have kiddos. I don't know. Other moms of twins told me it would happen, even though I didn't think it would. I remember so much of when they were little babies. And I remember a lot of when they were 1-2, but then I come across pictures like this:

And I can't remember ever using this thing, even though it was a part of our daily life for months and months. Did my babies really take a bath in the sink?? I digress..

I take a ton of pictures of them. Some people say too many, and they're probably right. But can you ever take too many pictures of your babies when they grow up at lightening speed right in front of you? And then I realized that I haven't been taking many pictures or videos of them this summer, and it makes me sad. (must get back on that)

I urge you all to read Baby Rabies' post. It is one of the most beautiful eloquent posts I have ever read. It's something that I could have written myself, and should have. Parenting is really, really hard. Freaking hard. It is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. And, also, the most rewarding, proud, amazing, fabulous, blow-your-mind miraculous thing I have ever done in my life.  It's just awesome.

Thank you, Jill,  for making us all proud to have the best job in the world.

You guys are two...AND A HALF

Dear Josh and Jules,

It seems this is how it has happened every time you guys have hit a new age. When you were around 9 months old, I started getting daily panic attacks, because it would hit me that you were close to one. I couldn't believe it. How is that possible? You were JUST BORN!!! Literally, I would be sad every day. Then all of a sudden you guys were 11 months, and we would just casually tell people "Oh, they're one!" And by the time you actually WERE one, we were already used to it.

Forward on to around 20  months, honestly your dad mentioned that "hey, they will be turning two in four months!" I think I went into a coma then too, because it honestly didn't even cross my mind that you were anywhere near the age of two. That just couldn't be, because you JUST turned one. Then, again, around 22-23 months we were already telling everyone that we met that you nuggets were two. And again, once you hit two, we were used to it.

Well, it has happened yet again! We have been telling everyone  that you guys were 2.5 for the past couple of months now. (And if you are thinking we meet a lot of strangers, you have to remember that you are twins, so strangers stop us on a daily basis. Add a mess of curls to that, and we are pretty popular) So, now that that magical age hit us on the 8th of July, we are so used to it now that its not so hard to accept. Which is good, because let's be honest - to think that you sweet things are 2 and a half years old makes me really, really sad.

But, on the flip side, it makes me really, really happy!!! I love, LOVE you guys right now! I can have actual conversations with both of you that make sense. It's like talking to teenagers sometimes, but still. You both make me belly laugh on a daily basis and you both are so much fun to have around. This age is priceless and I am obsessed with your giggles and your bursting personalities.

Thank you both so much for being born. You were definitely worth the wait.

Love,
Mommy

Steppin Out Saturday - Cheekwood and Movie Fun

Apologies for the late posting on what we did this weekend! It has been a crazy week. And by crazy, I mean lots of furniture moving around/rug buying and a new vacuum. Yay. Welcome to my blissful life, I know you are jealous!

So, anyway, I decided to punish my children by taking them out in 110 degree heat this weekend! No, really, I clearly did - it has been HOT here!! I have been dying to take the kiddos to Cheekwood Botanical Gardens this summer. One, because its so beautiful and there are flowers and trees everywhere. Two, because they have had an exhibit opened that I have wanted to show the kids. Treehouses: Great Works of Literature - "Treehouses focuses on great works of literature with whimsical and traditional Treehouses in the landscape at Cheekwood. "

In a sense, its a bunch of cool, different treehouses scattered across the gardens for the kiddos to climb on. It would have been super fun, had it not been for the heat. I tried to get there right when it opened, and we packed a picnic lunch, but it was still pretty hot. The good news? Where there are flowers there are sprinklers! So, they also got to have some water play and went home naked. Ahhh, the joys of being a babe in the summertime :)

The Conch House Treehouse
"His ordinary voice sounded like a whisper after the harsh note of the conch. He laid the conch against his lips, took a deep breath and blew once more. The note boomed again: and then at his firmer pressure, the note, fluking up an octave, became a strident blare more penetrating than before." -- William Golding, Lord of the Flies, 1954
Also, Jules is a rockstar

The Jolly Roger
“One green light squinting over Kidd's Creek, which is near the mouth of the pirate river, marked where the brig, the Jolly Roger, lay, low in the water; a rakish-looking craft foul to the hull…She was the cannibal of the seas, and scarce needed that watchful eye, for she floated immune in the horror of her name.” – J.M. Barrie, Peter and Wendy, 1911
Also, a slide manaic on the Up and Down Again House from A Hobbit's Tale

Posing and saying "CHEESE" with her apple. HeHe.
On Jules: Dress: Old Navy//Shoes: TJ Maxx//Monogrammed Bow: Consigned

The Rainbow Fish - the scales were CD's!
"The Rainbow Fish shared his scales left and right, and the more he gave away, the more delighted he became. When the water around him filled with glimmering scales, he at last felt at home among the other fish." – Marcus Pfister, The Rainbow Fish, 1992
Also, Josh running as.fast.as.he.can

Picnic Time!

"Hmmm, this looks fun! Wonder what happens if I do this right here" - Josh
On Josh: Top: Janie and Jack//Shorts: Gap//Shoes: Tommy Hilfiger

Taking a break.

Ocean of Notions. This was 100% on water via a bridge!
“He looked into the water and saw that it was made up of a thousand thousand thousand and one different currents, each one a different colour, weaving in and out of one another like a liquid tapestry of breathtaking complexity; and Iff explained that these were the Streams of Story, that each coloured strand represented and contained a single tale.” -- Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories, 1991

Also, Mom and my sister Leslie came in town. Leslie has moved back to Knoxville from Dallas to take a job as a buyer for Altar'd State boutiques. (Super cute stuff - for those local, there is one at the Avenues in Murfreesboro) So, Saturday afternoon we went and did some shopping. I bought a couple of dresses, a top, and some candles. Highly recommend their cute clothes!

Me and Les!
On Moi: Shirt: Atlar'd State :)//Shorts: HandM//Shoes: Aldo//Accessories: Mapel Boutique

Later, Les, Jake and I went to finally see Rock of Ages. For those that keep up, I am obsessed with musicals. We saw Rock of Ages in November on Broadway and I fell in love. It is fun, fun fun. Nothing to get moved by or inspired by. Just great fun. And the movie was no exception. I highly recommend. Russel Brand is hysterical, and Tom Cruise rocks. Sorry :)



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Random shots of cuteness

Oh ya know...just a casual Sunday and the babes were looking extra cute and in good moods. And, I really haven't been using my DSLR a lot lately, so I thought why not stage an impromptu photo shoot.

I mean, aren't they the most cutest ever???? (tis' ok. You can say yes. I already know it)

oh, and p.s. Jules is in wedges. I die. Again. And if you really want to curl up in a ball in the corner and  cry, go check out their 18m pics. Jules is wearing the same Matilda Jane dress and all of a sudden I have teenagers. sniff. sniff.

On Jules: Dress: Matilda Jane//Shoes: Consigned
On Josh: Shirt:Gap//Shorts: Crazy 8//Shoes: Timberlands.
Handholding: Gift from God

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