December and New Years

I love December because of the holiday spirit leading up to Christmas, Christmas eve and day, our anniversary, and new years eve! And all the snow that makes it feel extra Christmasy!

All of November and half of December were full of Carson's soccer games twice a week!

Christmas Pjs pic!

I ordered canvas pics of the twins for their room! So excited with how they turned out!

Making Christmas candy for a  Christmas sock party--girls night out

The twins turned 2 months on the 3rd

 Carson got invited to a Christmas party which included Santa and swimming! We also had our ward party on the 9th.

I took this pic of our backyard one evening after a big snowfall.

I love this pic of these two! Many days were spent watching snow fall while watching Christmas movies by the fire--yes, bliss!

 This was a very different Christmas for us. My uncle Brian passed away on December 8th and Julie (see 2 posts before) passed away on the 15th. So it was a very somewhat somber time, but we made the best of it. We headed to Utah on the 20th to spend the funeral and Christmas eve and day with Keith's family. We stayed with Keith's aunt and uncle.

The funeral was the day before Christmas eve. Christmas Eve we went out to Olive Garden for Denise's birthday. We also did some last minute shopping. Then we had a big Christmas Eve dinner, complete with the nativity story, opening gifts from his aunt and uncle, a pinata, Denise's birthday cheesecake and a Christmas movie.

Chillin on Christmas Eve

 Christmas Day we opened presents then went to church. After church we had a big dinner over at Keith's grandma's with all his cousins, aunts etc...and opened presents from his Grandma.

Keith and Aaron playing pie face-- aaron won.

Our little fam on Christmas day

Grandma and Grandpa Penrod with all their grandkids.

The day after Christmas we headed to Boise for New Years! We stayed with my sister Nikki and her family for a week.

Tyson, Brynlee and Brecka meeting Cole and Ayla for the first time.

Monday evening when we got there we had a birthday dinner for my sister Shae at Idaho Pizza Company. Tuesday we went sledding at my mom's. I was pretty bummed out I didn't get to see a lot of everyone because so many were sick!

Wednesday was our anniversary, we went to Chili's for lunch (my request) then took the kids to Chuck E Cheese (well only Carson played the games haha) and met my brother Jared and his four kids there. Thursday my sister Nikki and I did some shopping. Friday we went over to my brother Jared's for dinner and cake and ice cream for his 31st birthday. Saturday Keith took Carson to the Boise Aquarium and met a couple of my nieces there with their dad, later we had a big New Years Eve party at Nikki's house with lots of good food, games, laughs, just dance, and chatting. The twins kept us up till midnight so we rang in the New Year by feeding the twins! yay! lol. (We missed some of my sisters who were sick or had sick kids.) Sunday was church then we headed Idaho Falls and stayed the night at Misti and Marcus', then Monday we headed back to Casper, let's just say it was so good to see family but I don't want to do that drive with twins for a looooonnnnng time! 22+ hours roundtrip! ugh.

Celebrating 9 years!!

So happy Misti and Marcus and Kirk and Holly came from Idaho Falls for the party!

Brecka and I messin around on snapchat

Some of the gang on new years eve

dancin...

Counsins--Hailey, Katy, Emma, Carson, Tyson

Playing Speak Out

more pie face!

Andddd here's to 2017!!

November 2016

I'm a little behind on posting because of our Christmas/New Years vacation and my phone won't sync up with iphoto to upload my photos, grrr!! I'm ready to switch to an android! But...I finally figured it out, don't know why apple has to go and make everything complicated...anyway....on to November

To be honest November is a blur with all the sleepless nights, but I do remember--the twins turned 1 month on the 3rd, the twins' blessings on the 13th (Keith's sister Catherine and her family, my mom and dad and sister Misti came), my friend Whitney's 30th birthday dinner, Misti and my mom both coming to help me out for a bit, Thanksgiving with our friends the Radmall's and Barth's and decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving.

Keith's sister Catherine's daughter Claire with Carson.

Aunt Misti having lunch at school with Carson and his buddy

The kids chillin while I decorate for Christmas

I got us all matching inital stockings!

Lots of photo taking with these three

Whitney's 30th with girls from my ward

Julie

My sweet sister-in-law passed away on Thursday, December 15th from a brain tumor she had for 10 years. Words can't describe the heartbreak the Penrod family has felt over her loss. Julie was married to Aaron (Keith's older brother) and they have a 10 year old son Tennyson. Julie was so many things; kind, caring, genuine, funny, witty, sweet, and spiritual. Her facebook was flooded with literally hundreds of people expressing their grief over her passing. She touched so many lives. She was a part of my life for 9 1/2 years.

I remember the first time I met Julie was at Tennyson's baby shower in SLC. Keith and I weren't even dating yet, but just good friends who had gone down to SLC with his sister and another friend for the weekend. She was so sweet and genuine the first time I met her, she always was. She had a way of making you feel special, always remembering the last conversation you had even if it was months ago and following up with questions like "how is this person in your family doing?" she would always remember their names and what was going on in their lives, I was impressed, especially since there are so many people in my immediate family. She truly cared about how you were doing and what was going on in your life, she also always greeted you with a hug and didn't leave without giving a hug.

We bonded over marrying boys from the East and being from the West and silly things we did that East Coasters didn't--like putting butter on our pancakes. She and I both shared a love for sweets, she sure had a sweet tooth. Our sons are best friends, so it's hard for me to see that Tennyson won't have his mom with him on this earth anymore. Carson absolutely loves Tennyson and they have so much fun together. I have so many great memories with Julie, a lot of Christmases were spent with the Penrod family--five to be exact, and Julie would always write the most perfect poem summing up everyone's year, they always rhymed, they were always funny, and she wrote them in like 10 minutes. She sure was witty and would always have something funny to say, I'm really going to miss her. Till we meet again. Love you Julie.

Just wanted to add one more thing--I'll never forget back in March when we called our families to tell them we were expecting twins. Julie's reaction is one I will never forget, and always treasure, it still makes me cry to this day. When we called Julie and told her the news, she cried, she was so happy for us, genuinely happy because she knew of my struggle with infertility, she knew of my miscarriage and even though she knew she would never be able to physically give birth to anymore children in this life because of her condition, she was still so happy for me and Keith and our little family. It's one of my most favorite things about Julie, she cared so much for others and was always truly happy for them.

This is my favorite picture of all us Penrod girls

 Kathleen (Brandon's wife) Catherine, Me, Julie, Krista

Hard to believe this picture was taken just three years ago and we've added five more grandkids and had to say goodbye to Julie.

Wish us luck!

As of Saturday it is now just Keith and me here to take care of Carson and the twins. Our help (Keith's parents) had to leave back to NJ for a family emergency. Saturday morning Keith drove them down to the Denver airport (8 hours roundtrip) and I was home to take care of the twins by myself. The morning was rough (it always is) but somehow I made it through to 4:00 when he got home. Keith and I are ready for this twin adventure (we think)! It's been crazy and exhilarating at the same time, there's really nothing like it, we love those two little ones. Twins certainly keep our hands full, I vaguely remember what just having one baby was like, but they sure do make us so happy. We'll get it figured out, we'll get the hang of things, they'll start sleeping through the night eventually--oh hey, the other night Cole slept six hours in a row for me!

Today I didn't eat till 1:00 pm (most days it's 3:00 pm), drink any water till 4:00 pm, brush my teeth till 2:30 pm or get my cleaning done till 8:00 pm...I think that's what we call twin life.

Ayla has a feisty little personality and sure lets you know when she's hungry. Cole has the most chill personality and seems ok with his sister running the show, he's started to be the better sleeper of the two, Ayla sure keeps us on our toes at night.

Here are some pictures from our October....which was mostly full of sleepless nights, lots of cuddles, my birthday, pumpkin carving, caramel apples, lots and lots of homemade donuts and apple cider, Halloween movies, Halloween parties, trick or treating and eating way too much candy ;)

tryin to get a family pic

Took this pic and sent it to Keith after he had left for the airport and it was my first day alone with the twins. I was feeding Cole and then Ayla started fussing.

My birthday ice cream cake. Last year in my 20s! Keith took me out to Eggington's for breakfast, shopping, then we took Carson out to the movies for my birthday celebrations on the 8th, on the 9th (sunday) we had a nice dinner with his parents, cake, baby snuggles and skyping family.

My MIL and I took Carson to a pick out a pumpkin to carve.

He was excited about the reindeer basket Grandma bought him

With Grandma at their second Dr. appt

Candy bar caramel apples!

Keith's dad went on a donut making spree because I mentioned that I wanted to make homemade donuts for Halloween. He made baked pumpkin donuts one day and chocolate cake donuts the next! I ate wayyyy too many! 

Carson and his friend Carter holding the twins.

Bath ready

Carson was so proud of "Sam"

These three....

 princess and the frog for Halloween

Baby Update

Thought I'd do a little update on the twins....

Ayla and Cole continue to eat and sleep all day. At their appointment last Tuesday, Ayla weighed 6 lb 8 oz and Cole weighed 5 lb 3 oz, although Cole isn't even on the charts yet because he is so tiny. Ayla is definitely my eater and is bigger than little man by over a pound. Cole is just the tiniest little thing you ever did see, he is still so light compared to Ayla. They're both in newborn clothes still, although Cole fits into preemie stuff still also.

They also had their first photo shoot last Thursday, I was so worried they wouldn't behave for the photographer since they were past the two week mark of when they prefer to photograph newborns, but they both did great! It was a five hour photo shoot and the photographer was so patient and easy going with the twins. Today, is my original due date and they are already three weeks old! I remember when I found out we were having twins on St. Patty's day and my doctor told me my due date, I remember thinking-- October 24th?! That's soooooo far away! Now we're here! Time really does fly, I'm trying to soak in this newborn stage even though nights are rough. If these two littles are our last I want to enjoy this time now. Carson will already be six in January, SIX?!!! Where in the world did those six years go? Can I have them back?

A preview of their pics
photocred: Soul Smile Images by Christina

A

C

Grandma with the twins

I believe they were a week old in this pic

Two bugs in a rug

Little Cole

Ayla girl

This guy loves being a big BRO.

The Twins: A Birth Story

Keith's parents arrived late Saturday, October 1st. We spent Sunday, the 2nd watching conference and taking it easy. I noticed that I had "dropped" Saturday night and was wondering how long it would be until the twins came. For dinner on Sunday we had a spicy curry dish, which I laugh about because Brandon (Keith's brother) claims Carson came when he did because he fed us spicy sausages the night before. So it was either the spicy curry dish, the long walk around the neighborhood that Sunday night, or the twins were just ready to come, either way, just after 2:00 am I started having contractions (which is exactly when I started having contractions with Carson), at first they were nine minutes apart and then quickly changed to five minutes a part. I told Keith we'd better head to the hospital. We quickly packed our things and let Keith's mom know we were headed to the hospital so she could get Carson off for school in the morning. I had contractions all the way to the hospital (about 15 minutes away), and we quickly made our way up to labor and delivery. It was around 3:00 am when they checked me into an exam room. The nurse took her sweet little time, hooking me up to monitors to hear the heartbeats, asking me questions, typing away on the computer, all while I'm laying on the bed in pain wondering when she was going to check me.

Around 3:45ish she finally checks me and says she can't find the water but feels a head. Well.....okay...what else? She leaves the room and brings back my doctor who was on call and already at the hospital delivering two more babies. My doctor brings in the ultrasound machine to see if both babies are head down, all while I'm still wondering when I'm getting my epidural. I ask my doctor and he says I'm at a 9. UHHHHH...I did not want to hear that! I keep asking the nurse if I can have an epidural and she tells me they called the anesthesiologist but he's at his house. "How far away does he live?" I asked. She replied that she wasn't sure. I still kept asking if I could have an epidural even though I already knew the answer, I just wanted some hope, my doctor said I might be able to have a spinal something. They wheeled me into the OR ( you have to deliver in the OR with twins in case you have to have a c-section) and then moved me to the operating table.

I immediately felt Ayla coming, she was pushing on me so hard and it was the most painful thing in the world. I was definitely not myself and would scream and keep saying "I can't do this, I can't do this," my doctor would then reply to me, "yes, you can! I believe you can do it!" Keith was over in the corner where they asked him to stand and I asked "Can I have my husband?" The doctor motioned for him to come over and I squeezed his hand as hard as I could through every contraction. Three pushes and Ayla was out. I remember thinking, if I was only having one I would be done. The first thing everyone said was "look at that hair!" I wanted to see her so bad so I looked over but couldn't see a thing with all the nurses that were in the room. I was also still in pain and wanted Cole to come out so the pain could be over so I was focusing on that too. Cole took a little while to get ready, but eight minutes later and another three pushes later he was out too. I was done! I immediately didn't feel anymore pain, it was incredible! I was still in shock that I just gave birth to twins without an epidural! The nurses kept telling me I was a rockstar for not having an epidural with twins. Haha. My doctor was very encouraging and said I did a great job. I apologized for being weird and loud and not myself, he said I did great and that most people were more intense than me and say "bad words," Haha I got a kick out of that.

They took me into recovery where Keith and I were able to hold the two littles. It was so surreal that they were once inside me and now they were in our arms, TWO OF THEM!! We were on cloud nine, I was so happy they were finally here but also so glad labor was over with! Keith went back to help get Carson off to school and bring his parents to the hospital. We spent the day cuddling the two babes and chatting. I got sleep here and there. On Tuesday we continued to work on feeding them and getting the nursing down. We were discharged around 5:30 pm and I was so glad they were both healthy enough to come home!

We've been home a week now and it has been just incredible. Still getting used to the sleepless nights, but surprisingly during the day I haven't been as tired as I was with Carson, maybe it's because I know what to expect this time around, or maybe I'm just so excited that they're here. We feel so incredibly blessed to have these twins and be a family of five now. Carson absolutely loves both of them. We have an incredible ward that's been so generous and thoughtful. My heart is full, truly full.

October 3rd, 2016
Ayla Cheyenne Penrod-- 4:10 am, 5 lb 7 oz, 19 in
Cole Jacob Penrod-- 4:18 am, 4 lb 11 oz, 18 in

After I was moved to the recovery room I looked out the window and there was a rainbow.....made me tear up a bit....my rainbow babies.