Cascade

On Tuesday we went up to Cascade to spend some time with Shane's parents. Shane's mom had her adrenal gland taken out and has had some complications in her recovery. We wanted to visit and help out but not be overwhelming with our additional crew. So we stayed at a family friends home and intermittently came over to visit and help with needed tasks. 

Shane helped peel logs for the apartment built above the garage as well as with some of the construction. He has been extended an invitation to use the apartment and so this is the second time we have taken up the Jame's on the invite. We stayed another time prior to having the twins for an anniversary weekend getaway.

Some great pics in front of Grandma and Grandpa Stevens house:

We also went hiking up in McCall, Id:

NICE-N-CHEESY

Trip to Idaho

Shane had about a week and a half off school and so we took advantage and went to Idaho to visit family and friends. The first 5 nights we stayed with our friends Brandon and Natalie Waltman. They are so amazing and always graciously open their home to us. We had a great time visiting, watching movies, eating and going swimming together. 

 We went to visit Lena, Isabelle and Christopher in Boise the first day we got there. Lena was heading out of town the same day to Hood River. We were sad to be traveling in opposite directions during the same time but excited to meet up for lunch.

This was the first time that we took Greyson and Bentley to the pool and they absolutely loved it. Brandon and Natalie's kids also love swimming so we stayed and played for quite a while although we didn't last as long with the babes.


On Saturday before the babies birthday, we went to an extended family reunion for a few hours. We were able to get some cute pics of the babes with grandma and grandpa Stevens.

BIRTHDAY FUN... part two (Idaho)

We were in Idaho on Greyson & Bentley's first birthday. We had a BBQ at our friend's Brandon and Natalie's house. They are the best!! Not only did we stay at their home but they let us host a b-day party too. It was fun to see friends and visit and share in Greyson and Bentley's first year.

 The second time around we decided it was better to hold them while everyone sang Happy Birthday.

 no tears by this guy...

 or this girl

 we brought them inside to try their cupcakes while everyone was mingling outside so there wasn't an audience and they seemed to enjoy themselves much more

 Bentley opening presents

 Greyson showing off his football

 super dad

 my friend Emily made the adorable onsies they are sporting

Bentley and Greyson are so cute in this pic

The babies enjoyed all the company and had so much fun playing in the back yard on the trampoline and running in the grass. Thanks everyone for spoiling the babes on their birthday!!!

Greyson and Bentley's first birthday!!!

Greyson and Bentley celebrated their first birthday in Oregon and Idaho!!! Before leaving on our trip to Idaho, my family wanted to celebrate in the twin-one-year-old-fun so we had a small birthday celebration at our apartment. Greyson and Bent were not big fans of their cupcakes or the singing... in fact they cried the entire time.

 My first very sad attempt at making decorative cupcakes!

 Greyson starting off strong and looking pretty happy

 Bentley joining in the fun

 Both are doing great

 Not so happy anymore

 Bentley, supporting her brother decided to join in

 Double sadness

 Greyson's coping skills weren't working out so well

 Taking a turn for the better... 

 maybe not for Greyson

 Starting to understand the benefits of having a birthday celebration

my super amazing crafting skills

Some of their recent talents (as of 13 months because I didn't document at 12):


Bentley started walking a little after 11 months (she took her first steps on Mother's day) and now she is cruising.


Greyson & Bentley are both climbing like crazy, which I imagine is going to get more and more interesting.


Greyson is reaching for door knobs but isn't able to grasp them yet.


Bentley's vocabulary: mama, dad, dada, all-done, thank-you, ut-oh, and she will copy words like dog, please, quack, etc. if I say them first


Greyson's vocabulary: mama, dad, dada, ut-oh, thank you and he just started saying all-done (needs a bit of prompting). Greyson mainly communicates through pointing and grunting (this may be gender specific). It is hilarious and about 50% effective or at least that is the percent that Shane and I can figure out. I'm not sure if that says something about Shane and I... not being able to decipher baby lingo.


They both still love being read to, especially anything with animal sounds. They have a few texture books which they really love. Greyson and Bentley love going to the park and have no fear going down the slide. They also love water and all water activities.


Their little personalities are developing more and more every day and they are so much fun to be around minus the intermittent 5:00am wakings that Bentley has been engaging in (thank you so much Bent for teaching me tolerance and self-control or heightening my awareness of the lack of tolerance and self-control I actually have). Maybe if I went to bed earlier I would be able to cope with these early morning wake-ups better. I feel like 5:00am is still the middle of the night.... I applaud those who get up that early because I just can't function....7:00am is when this mom can happily start her day.


This year has been such a blessing, with these two additions. I can't remember what we did with all our free time... oh yeah we slept, went camping, hiking, mountain biking and came and went as we pleased. Although raising twins is difficult it is equally or more so amazing. I guessed this year can be summed up by a comment that  I made to Shane on their birthday: "I feel like this is a huge milestone for us. We did it... we made it to their first birthday."

Ms. A's B-Day Party

Ms. A is my neice Amaris. Her birthday was on May 12th and she had a bunco party that I was able to help with at my sister's house the saturday prior to her birthday. Amaris and her friends enjoyed playing bunco and eating cake. Amaris was super excited about all of her birthday lute!! Amaris was inspired to have a bunco birthday party because she has attended her mom's dinner bunco party's on occasion and has always had so much fun.


The END result: (several) hyped up 6 year olds + unregulated intake of cookies and cake = successful birthday party!!!

Mother's Day

I had the best first "official" Mother's day. Shane did such a great job to make sure it was special and note that I was appreciated. For starters, he let me sleep in a bit before church while he made me french toast topped with raspberries. It was such a nice surprise to wake up to being that it is my fav. Some other highlights throughout the day were: Bentley taking her first three steps, a hand-made card coupled with a gift certificate to an Aveda salon by Shane, Greyson and Bentley, dinner, and a day free of laundry and mindless "picking-up" that is constantly needed with two babies walking/crawling around our apartment. I feel so loved and blessed to have such an awesome husband to make my day amazing as well as having the presence of these babes to gaze upon. I love my around the clock job most moments and always when I have one or both babes in my arms. I know that I am so fortunate to be a mom especially considering the work it took to conceive, carry and birth these sweet individuals. There isn't any accomplishment (along with marrying Shane.. of course) that I am more proud of in my life than bringing these guys into the world and being given the opportunity to be their mom.

Extended visit in Bend

Originally we came to Bend to visit for Easter weekend but we (the twins & I) decided to extend our trip for the week. Shane was able to get a ride back to Portland with my brothers and then back to Bend with a friend in his cohort, so it worked perfectly. While in Bend, the babes were spoiled up as usual by honey and tutkee. My mom is always so great about jumping in and helping wherever she can. I was able to go out on a girls night with two of my closest friends Abbey and Rebecca. Rebecca was visiting from Nampa, which worked out perfectly. Also, Shane and I got to go on a date which is always welcomed and needed. I love central oregon it is so beautiful. I had the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors by getting in some great trial runs and Shane was able to go mountain biking. One night I went to Delaney's (Abbey's daughter) t-ball  game, the pic below of her is a great depiction of Delaney's personality. I love that little girl. She is the greatest. It is so fun to have a relationship with a child version of Abbey. These two are so much alike.

 I am not sure what Bentley is doing but I thought that it was a cute pic of Greyson and Bentley sitting next to each other.