The difference a year makes

Last Thanksgiving I was about 6 weeks pregnant and so miserable with morning sickness, I could barely eat. We had an ultrasound scheduled for the Monday after Thanksgiving and I remember my brother joking that it was going to be twins. I never would have dreamed in a million years that I was actually pregnant with twins! It's amazing to look around and see how much our life has changed in the last year. It has been a trying year, but worth every second.

Last Thanksgiving we were a family of three, this Thanksgiving we are a family of 5. Wow.

I have so much to be Thankful for this year.

I am thankful for my wonderful husband, who has proven over and over again how amazing he really is. He took such wonderful care of Isabel when I was sick, then on bed rest and then in hospital. He was there for me encouraging me every time I said I couldn't stand being pregnant anymore. He has been an awesome Daddy to the twins, helping so much more than I could ever expect. Countless times, he has gotten up with the babies to do night time feedings because I needed the rest, even though he had to work in the morning. He is simple an amazing man and I am lucky to have him.

I am thankful for the amazing big sister that Max and Lily have. Isabel has been an awesome big sister. She loves to help out, she loves giving them kisses, and she just loves being around them. I love that she genuinely loves them. She has adapted to the role of big sister amazingly well.

I am thankful for two healthy and happy babies. I cannot begin to say how thankful I am that my wonderful Lily and Max were born full term and healthy, especially after the PTL scares we had. When I was 32 weeks and 4cm dilated I thought there was no way I would ever make it to 38 weeks. I am thankful for every extra day my babies were able to stay cooking.

I am also thankful for my amazing family and friends, I cannot imagine where we would be without our families.

These are the most important things I am thankful for not only today, but everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

4 Months Old!

Max and Lily had their 4 month check up yesterday. It went well, everyone is healthy and growing. Shots were given, tears flowed but all is well. Lilian is up to 14lbs 15oz and Maxwell is 15lbs even. How about some pictures?!

First, big sister Isabel!

Baby A. Lilian Annalise.
Baby B. Maxwell Henderson.
I may be a bit biased but I think they are the cutest kids ever.

I'm back!! With babies and a craft!!

I'm back! So I've been kind of a slacker on the blogging front, but I have an excuse. I had twins! Max and Lily were born on July 3 at 38 weeks! After everything we went through I made it to 38 weeks, I couldn't believe it but I am so thankful they were healthy! Some day I will post an actual birth story but for today I have a craft!

This year I will be hosting Thanksgiving for the first time, I am pretty confident that I won't burn the turkey but my mom will be on stand-by with any questions I'm sure I will have. My biggest worry about hosting thanksgiving is keeping the kids entertained. My nephews are what we will call "energetic" and I have a brand new house, so activities to keep everyone calm and busy are a must.

First, I decided I was going to print out cute placemats for the kids table. Then, I realized they needed crayons to color this placemat with, so the idea of the Crayon Turkey was born. I think it came out really cute.

What you need:

• Crayons
• Styrofoam balls (I think mine were 4 inch balls, they came in packs of 2)
• Egg shaped styrofoam (for the turkey head)
• Foam paper
• Construction Paper
• Foam paint brush
• Brown acrylic paint
• Hot glue gun

First, paint all the styrofoam pieces brown. After I started painting the balls, I realized I needed to cut a slice off of the bottom so they wouldn't roll away. Learn from my mistake and cut the bottoms off first.

While you are waiting for the paint to dry, take the time to make up all the other pieces. On your construction paper draw a feather shape. I gave each turkey 4 feathers, 2 orange and 2 red. So for one turkey with 4 feathers cut out 8 feathers. I don't have pictures of the next step so I will explain it as well as I can. It is easy.

On one of your feathers, draw the veins. Next put some elmer's glue on one of the plain feathers, put a toothpick in the middle and then place the feather with the veins drawn on it on top. I put a staple in the bottom as well to help hold the toothpick in. Make sense?
Using your foam paper cut out the following pieces:

The beak.
The eyes. I used white paper and then put a dot in the center with a sharpy.
The gizard. (My husband said it isn't called a gizard, but that's what I call it)
After the paint is dry glue the head on the body using your hot glue gun. Make sure the head is centered and not too low or the turkey will tip over, trust me. Then, glue the eyes, beak and gizard on.

I glued each turkey onto a piece of foam paper, this helps it stand a little better. I also cut a piece of foam out for each turkey and wrote the kids names on it.

Stick the feathers in the turkey. Next, using the tip of a pen, poke a hole in the styrofoam directly in front of each feather, this will be for your crayon. Stick the sharp tip of the crayon in each hole.

That's all! Then look how adorable they turned out!!
I also made each one of the kids a coloring book. I just googled thanksgiving coloring pages. Printed them, poked holes in the sides and tied them together using grosgrain ribbon that I had lying around. Make sure to heat seal the ends of the ribbon or they will fray.

I'm so excited for Thanksgiving! Anyone else have any craft ideas to keep the kiddos busy over the holidays?