National Infertility Awareness Week

This week in National Infertility Awareness week. Did you know that 1 in 8 couples, of childbearing age, is diagnosed with infertility? Brian and I were/are one of those couples. It is one of the hardest things we have dealt with in our marriage. We went through 6 IUI's and 5 IVF's before we were blessed with the girls. And you know we were also blessed with Brian and Lillian on our 3rd IVF attempt but sadly they were born too soon.

  Going through infertility was heartbreaking. With every announcement of someone being pregnant my heart broke. With every birth I would smile while holding back tears. Every month I would pray that this was the month for us. Only to be heartbroken when aunt Flo would visit. I'm know how very lucky we are to have the girls. I know some many wonderful couples out there who are still struggling to make their dreams of having a family come true.

For more info on Infertility visit:

http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/about-resolve.html

School Vacation!!

The girls were on vacation this week and we have been busy!! Luckily we have some awesome weather here in Maine this week. So we took advantage of it and did a bunch of stuff!! We started our vacation by having a playdate with Bert and Grace. The girls love playing with their cousins. And it gave me a chance to catch up with my niece Holly. I enjoy talking with her so much! And I love watching our kids play together. Saturday Brian and I took the girls to the circus. I'm pretty sure they liked it. It was hard to read them during the show. I will say that the show was LONG. Too long if you ask me. We ended up leaving before it was over. Charlotte kept asking if it was time to go home. So we watched the elephants and headed out. I have to be honest, I'm not a fan of the circus. But the girls can say they went. I think they like the light up toys we bought more then the show! Sunday we headed over to Fort Williams for the afternoon. We love it over there. It is beautiful there. We walked the trails and then played at the playground. The girls made friends while we were there. It was so much fun watching them. And of coarse we stopped for ice cream after. Monday we went to Tractor Day at Pineland. We went with some of my friends from the moms group I joined a while ago. We had so much fun! I didn't know if the girls would be into the tractor but they loved them!! We also saw cows and chickens. It was really fun. Then we headed over to my friend Kristen's house for a picnic/playdate. She has a 3 year old daughter Vivian. The 3 girls get along so well!! And I enjoy Kristens company. We have a lot in common. She loves Disney just as much as I do :) Tuesday we ended up at Kristens again. She also have a 10 year old stepdaughter who is really good with kids. So the 4 girls played while K and I talked Disney and other things. Wednesday was a down day. I needed to read a book for the book club I am in. We hung around in our jammies and watched movies. Thursday we went to Range Pond with Jen, Jenn, Larissa and their kids. The girls were brave and went into the water. It was a little on the cold side. Both the water and the air but the girls didn't seem to care. I'm loving the age that they are at. They went back and forth between the water and the playground and I didn't need to really help them with much. I could kind of relax and enjoy the adult company. Friday we had to drive to Augusta to get a copy of our marriage certificate. We never received one when we got married and Brian need to show proof that we are married. I kept thinking driving up there what is something got messed up and it was never filed?? But it was :) After that we met Kristen, Jen, Vivian, Maddy, Ben and Thomas at the Gray Animal Farm. We had a great time! The weather was perfect. The explored the woods, looked at the animals, played in the dirt and had some ice cream. We had a great week! I think we are all a little exhausted but it was well worth it!! Here are some photos of our adventures:

Hello My Friend, Hello...

Sorry I haven't posted in over a month. Such is the life of a mom!! I'm not even sure where to begin. I guess I will talk about Easter. I have always loved Easter. I can remember being little and being so excited about the Easter Bunny coming!! I would wake up early to see if he left me anything. And of coarse to see if there was any chocolate. I have this one memory of getting a peanut butter bunny one year. I promptly ate it. I don't even think it was 6 a.m. The girls were so excited! They were up bright and early to see what the Easter Bunny brought them! I have to admit... we went a little overboard this year. I wanted to get them Leap Pads. So we just got them and gave them as Easter Bunny gifts. Oh well!! And they love them!! Big hit! Then we got all dressed up and went to auntie Pam's house for dinner and an egg hunt. We had a great time! It's always a good time when the whole family gets together. Here are some photos from the day.

We are all booked!!

I'm so excited! Yesterday I booked our Disney vacation and today I bought our plane tickets! You read that right folks. PLANE tickets!! For the past 8 years we have driven to Disney. My husband has a fear of flying. And to be honest when the girls were smaller it was easier to drive. I could over pack to my hearts content. But now that they are older (and will be in kindergarden) I think it's time we fly. I know it's going to be hard for hubby but he will be ok.

We are staying at the Boardwalk. We love it there. I love the "feel" of that resort. It's so relaxing. We will be there for 9 days. We are arriving on the girls birthday which will be so fun! I plan on booking dinner with the Princesses that night. The girls are super excited! They keep asking if it's their birthday. We have to wait 7 more months for that... But it will be so worth it once we are there!

Of coarse we are sick... it's school vacation!!

This has been a very long week. Before vacation started the girls had runny noses. But that was it. No coughs. So I really didn't think anything of it. Come Monday they were both a hot mess. And me too... Bad coughs, runny noses. It hasn't been pretty. We did manage one playdate with my friend Angie and her twin girls, Eliza and Bella. and we visited my mom. But that was it. We are all on the mend now. And tomorrow the girls go back to school :)

p.s. I don't have any pictures to post:( I didn't feel taking any this week...

Time always slips away...

So many times I have thought, "I need to blog today". And before I know it I am getting ready for bed. Without blogging. Most nights when the girls go to bed I pass out on the couch. Or we are watching something that requires my attention (Downton Abbey). Let me think about what we have been up to...

The transition from cribs to big girl beds has been pretty smooth. I have found that Charlotte can adapt to anything pretty easily. Maggie has a harder time. But she's doing better. The first couple of nights she got up a couple times. We used to have a blow up bed in our room for her but we have taken it down. She needs to get used to sleeping in her bed. A couple of times I have woken up to find her snuggled up to my feet :/ but she goes right back in her bed. They love having a room to play in. And love having most of their toys out of the living room, the den and the dining room :)

Last year I joined a local moms group. I wasn't very active in it until recently. I am so happy that I have met these ladies! I have been going out quite a bit lately. And having tons of fun. It's nice to go out and be "Debbie" instead of mom all the time. I'm realizing how important it is for me to get out and have some fun. Brian and I are going out on a date in a couple weeks for the first time in years. We are going to try and do this more often.

We are getting ready to book our next trip to Disney. The girls are super excited! They ask just about everyday if we are going to Disney... We are going to arrive on their birthday and eat with the Princesses. I can't wait!! I still need to blog about our last trip.

The girls have both been sick. And they decided to share with me. Of coarse it's school vacation week. Hopefully they will give me a break today and let me rest!!

And now for some pictures :) We went to a Pirate birthday party this past weekend. Here are the girls sporting their pirate gear:

They are FINALLY in big girl beds!!

Was I the only mom with 4 year olds still in cribs? We have been talking about moving the girls out of their cribs for a year now. They have been able to climb out of them for a long time. They never did it at night though... Well except Maggie. Because little miss Maggie still comes in our room at night. We bought them blow up beds a couple years ago for when we go on vacation. I got the bright idea to have one set up for her in our room. Instead of her kicking hubby out of bed... It works out fine. She comes in and gets right in her bed. We call it her "little bed".

We finally bit the bullet this past weekend. We ended up buying bunk bed instead of using the conversion kit that came with their cribs. The room they are in is on the small side (our whole house is on the small side). I have to admit, I'm not crazy about the idea of bunk beds. Mostly cause I can't really reach Charlotte (she is on the top bunk). I have to buy a step stool to keep in their room. But on the other hand the bunk beds fit so well in that room that I like them at the same time. Charlotte and Maggie LOVE them! The first night Charlotte kept saying "I'm climbing the bean stalk"!!

Now that the cribs are gone there is nothing in the house that screams "baby". No more bottles. Or diapers. Or pull ups. Or cribs... It make me sad. My little babies are babies anymore. They are big girls. Although they will always be my babies <3








ps... I took some other pictures of their beds but my camera kept giving me an error message. I have to send it in to be repaired :(