Happy Saturday!

The boys went to the park while Mrs. Blonde had a Beauty by Crystal gig with YSL...



It's the warmest day we've had in almost 5 months. Glorious!!



Coming to "getchoo!"



Take a break



Big thanks to Grandpa and Uncle O for lending us almost 3 hours of their Saturday morning to help with some yard projects as we get the house ready to sell again. And, to Papa for helping Mr. Blonde with three electric updates in the evening! Love you, guys!

wordless wednesday

aftershock!

Last night about a half hour after Mr. Blonde and I had gone to bed he whispers, "Are you asleep?" And of course, I respond, "NO! My mind is racing!" So was his. Mainly of crazy logistics like finances, our house, my very infected tooth that needs to be pulled, timing of when the twins will be born, what it will be like to bring home twins after having two very easy pregnancies and two babies sleeping on perfect schedules??? And, the list could continue. I am still SO shocked today. I thought for the last 10 weeks I had one baby making me VERY sick and very tired. It is crazy to think (and see yesterday) of two swimming babies in my belly!

I could allow fear to creep in almost...

every....

waking....

second....

...but instead I realize what two precious gifts we have been given to grow inside of me. I have surrendered to the fact that I am not in control of finances or our home or physically making these lives. In fact, I'm in control of so very little. I thank God for that! I always did think I wanted 4 kids anyway!!

Today as I was starring at my ultrasound pictures of Baby A and Baby B I wept of pure excitement and overwhelming joy. As I spent some time journaling my thoughts and I found much comfort in this...

"Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous hand." -Isiah 41:10

As I read each sentence I thought, "YES you are with me, and YES you will strengthen me to be the best Mom for my family and YES you will help me with everything that comes my way." And I was extremely comforted.

This is an exciting time for our family! So many unknowns make things. But, we are very excited!

"Are there twins in your family?" we keep getting asked. YES! My dad's sisters, Aunt Debbie and Aunt Patty are twins. I have always known that there was a better chance for us than others. But that 3% chance was enough now wasn't it!?

Speaking of family - I am BEGGING my Mom to quit her job to be my (and the twins too) nanny! Anyone who sees her or knows her, please encourage her to QUIT her job!!! I NEED her!! We are very blessed to have great family and friends that are practically throwing themselves at us to help in every way possible. You guys are all amazing! But, yeah...drop my Momma some heavy hints please!!

Thank you for all of the encouragement through email, facebook, twitter and phone calls. Please keep the prayers coming. We need them! Anyone you know who has had multiples (Jenni, Jami, Jen) please send any support my way...I am clueless! And, I would REALLY like to talk to anyone who has had mutiples after they've already had children. I would love to pick your brain!

discovery

When have you been really surprised in life?


Really truly surprised?


Go on...think about it.


How about the first time you fell in love? Or, out of love?


When you were proposed to? Or, how insanely nervous you were when you did the proposing?


Or, when you found out you were going to be parents together?


When that first little bundle came to be...how surprised were you how deeply your heart fluttered when he/she first looked at you?


And, what about the time you found out you were going to have another baby?


Or, how surprised you were that you could love that second baby as much as the first one, but in a different way as different as the siblings are themselves?


God, those were beautiful surprises! Some of them continue to surprise us every day...


Take January 26th for instance. One month and one day after Christmas. We had our first suspicion when Mrs. Blonde didn't spill just one cup of coffee in 10 minutes time. But, two. Mr. Blonde picked up a couple tests and within two seconds POSITIVE jumped off the little stick. Wow! THREE! Really? Yes. Yes! We're going to have a third beautiful baby! We were thrilled. And, scared. And, got really practical all of a sudden...housing logistics, money, crib thoughts, money, name options, money, etc. We also thought about money a bit.

TODAY (March 1): A few ticks over 30 days since we found out. Ultrasound day! By 10:30amET we got the news we so desired...a happy-perfectly-growing-170bpm-heart-of-a-peanut growing inside Mrs. Blonde's belly! Life! Baby little nubs and baby little swimming...

Then...it happened....

A moment that will work to define the rest of our lives as a family. It...our little peanut...has a neighbor. The same size. The same movements. The same size little sac home as its little friend. We have two already. And, we're getting two more. By October 2nd or sooner we're doubling down. Plenty more to come...

Tatutina: personalized and crafty

I love personalized items for the boys. Especially practical things that make my life easier. Tatutina is out of Massachusetts and run by a Mom and Daughter team. I love it! Their mission is to bring unquie products into this world that reflect a happy and fun lifestyle.

The first thing that stood out to me was the bold colors. They really do make you smile! I received 2 crayon caddies for my little guys. They love them! It is so fun for them to organize and pick up of their crayons for their very own caddy. It's light weight with a cord handle and sturdy enough to be used by our two crazy little men. Ours has been dropped a few times already and held up like a champ.

Tautina has several great gifts and ideas for your kiddos. I have my eye on this very cool dinosaur stool next!

Get yours! Crayon Caddy Sports for just $20. Head over to Tatutina to check it out!

Thank you Tatutina for allowing me to review your amazing products. I received no payment for writing this review.

snow day!

On Monday we got some time at home with Mr. Blonde for a little fun in the snow!



LA pushing his little brother down the hill!



LA getting so excited he didn't even need his sled!



Oh, well!



Wee!



Boatboy walked over underneath this massive spruce to take a breather.



(Click on this one to see how huge a grin Boatboy has. So cute!)



Momma teaching the boys how to build a snowman.



LA reminding his brother who's bigger and stronger (at least for now).



Dadda and Time Out reminding LA it's not alright to pummel his brother over in the snow.



"Mush!"



Thirsty?

my favorite blue crew

The Colts might have let me down, but these three never do!
-Mr. Blonde

Pampers Dry Max diapers giveaway

You can try these NEW Pampers for FREE. They're Pampers driest ever diapers and they're 20% thinner!

Starting tomorrow, January 29th, you need to visit Pampers.com to receive a free 3-pack of Pampers NEW diaper-cruiser with Dry Max!

To celebrate the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, Pampers Diapers has partnered with Team USA to introduce new Pampers Swaddlers and Cruisers specially-branded Team USA diapers with the Dry Max technology. The babies of Team USA athletes will be equipped with the new product(s). Although these limited-edition Team USA diapers will not be for sale, some of the stock is being used for promotional purposes!

If this sample you get includes a Team USA diaper you win a year's supply of Pampers Cruisers Diapers with Dry Max. These will go fast, so head over to Pampers.com to get your FREE sample pack.

I am also doing a review and giveaway linked to this promo very soon. Stay tuned!

Berry messy!

Today I was making lunch and realized I was completely out of fruit. Then, I remembered I had frozen fruit in the freezer for smoothies. Note to self (and you): Never feed your children frozen fruit. It was out of control messy, but they LOVED it. LA and Boatboy ate the entire bag and wanted more. LA, of course did not get messy, but my little Boatboy sure knows how to get messy. At first I was like "This is going to be a disaster!" Then, it got so bad I just laughed out loud thinking "You're only a kid once."

This was a picture from the beginning. I forgot to take a picture when they were done because I was so distracted with the mess. We headed straight for the bath! Mr.Blonde would have died. Our eldest gets his cleanliness from his father. "Everything has its place," is his famous line. Don't get me wrong, I am blessed to have a very clean man. But messes like this make me laugh out loud because he would have been freaking out during lunch today...so this picture is for you Honey!!

Wordless BLUE Wednesday

Mrs. Blonde / LA / Mr. Blonde
Three years ago Superbowl Sunday

brotherly love hurts

Our oldest son, LA, is 3 1/2 now. His younger brother, Boatboy, is 19 months. The past 5 months have been my hardest yet as a Mom. I think it all really started when LA turned 3 and we gave his paci away and Boatboy started becoming very mobile. Those two world-wrecking things happened to him within a period of a month or so. He turned into a child we didn't even recognize. He was so unkind to his brother. He would push and say, "I don't like you brother!" So sad. I wanted to cry almost every time he said it! We had already introduced spanking into his life, but it was so seldom used. It turned into part of the daily routine when timeouts just didn't work. I thought I would never have a child that I would have to spank. I thought, "I am too good of a Mom to have a disobedient child." Oh, how wrong I was! I have been very humbled the last few months with not being in complete control. I have dug very deep for extreme patience and the ability to be very consistent. One thing that really kept me going when the boys were not getting along was knowing that relationships take time to form. God gifted me with these two boys to help form a relationship and to mold me more into the woman He created me to be...I am learning.

LA and Boatboy are very different and it is exciting for me to figure how they each need to be loved differently. LA and I could sit and read 20 (no exaggeration) books together, do crafts and just hang out. Boatboy sits through maybe 2 pages of a book. He loves to dance, sing very loud, do puzzles, chase, talk to complete strangers and be super goofy! They are such beautiful and unique gifts to me. I want to be a Mom that embraces the differences and supports them. The thing is, sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing! I pray every day that God would show me how each of my children need to be loved. I am also very thankful each day I am still able to receive such selfless love from parents. I hope to love my children the way they have always loved me!

Just prior to Christmas-time, a light came on for LA and he started enjoying his brother. At first I was thinking, "Wow! We are having a great day!" Then, the next day was good. And, the next day. After a lot of work, prayer, a VERY supportive and involved hubby and a 5'o clock glass of wine or beer a few days a week - I have finally seen the fruits of brotherly love! LA loves to teach and include Boatboy in almost everything he does these days. And, Boatboy loves to laugh and bother his older brother with everything. I love watching them grow and learn together.

It is a reminder to me of how much God loves me.

And believe me when I say we still have our bad days...but those bad days are nothing compared to the recent valley we muttled through. I would love to hear any of your fun boy stories!

Embedded below is a video that reminds me that the fun we have together will sometimes have its pains. :)

Go COLTS!

[Editor's Note: 1/18/10] - No, we did not go the Baltimore game. This photo was taken on 12/27/09 when we lost to the New York Jets. I guess we'll get to rectify that come this Sunday!

Skin MD sheilding lotion giveaway

Happy New Year! Yes, I know it's half way through January and I'm just getting that out to you. I know it's been a long time since the last post when several friends and family are writing to see "if you're alright." Makes me feel loved! It has been a nice break to just be with my family, recap our past year and set goals for 2010. We had an amazing, but challenging past year. We are excited for 2010! I feel very blessed to have this blog to share our family with yours. And to be able to review and giveaway so many amazing products. I love trying out new products and giving great products away! I have some great stuff coming up!

To kick off 2010...Skin MD shielding lotion
You all know I heart anything natutral and organic. When contacted to review a moisturizer that is over 90% all natural with all food-grade ingredients AND on the FDA's most safe list I was pretty excited. There are no fragrances, parabens and colorants. Making it hypoallergenic.

I found the shielding lotion to be quite unique. Most artificial moisturizers only add moisture to the surface of the skin, but do little to repair the skin's natural barrier. Skin MD breaks the dry skin cycle by bonding to the outer layer of skin, strengthening skins natural barrier against toxins that dry your skin, while locking in the skin's natural oils. It makes a great base for makeup with its protective abilities alone but it is also light weight, fast absorbing and non greasy.

I have very dry skin (especially in these Indiana winters) and I always fell like I need more moisture in my moisturizer. So this product made a GREAT day moisturizer/make-up primer. I feel my skin is protected while wearing my shielding lotion.

This is a very safe moisturizer for the great price of $25.

Win a bottle:
Skin MD is giving away one bottle of shielding lotion to a lucky Blondes, Poop & Mascara reader. Please leave me comment telling one thing you like about this moisturizer and why you need it.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog publicly through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Follow @mrsblonde1 on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway like so "Hey! @mrsblonde1 is giving away a bottle of all-natural @Skinmdnatural shielding lotion. Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/ybalw38 Please RT."
5. Follow @Skinmdnatural on Twitter.
6. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
7. Tell 4 friends via email and cc me.
8. Blog about this contest and leave the link in your comment.

I will select a winner Wednesday, January 20. Thanks for entering!

ELEVEN kids shoes winter collection GIVEAWAY

I love to dress my little LA (oldest son - 3.5-yr-old) in Eleven shoes! I'm excited as always to share with you their new line. The Winter Collection. They have designed yet another amazing line for boys and girls.

Eleven shoes are very functional. I love a pair of shoes that can be dressed up with a sweater or worn with a t-shirt. Their shoes are made of all soft leather and very durable soles for superior traction. The soles are super cushioned and easy to slip on and off with velcro or zipper closures. Eleven shoes are available in sizes 9-3. Perfect for children ages 3-8.

I was thrilled to receive the Josef in size 10. We are on our 3rd pair of Eleven shoes and LOVE them even more. I chose the Josef for our winter casual shoes. They are a vintage-inspired navy and gray trainer all about comfort and style.

Buy a pair: Go get your very own Eleven shoes. Buy two pair right now and receive FREE shipping!

(LA is wearing his Josef shoes with Dadda and Boatboy in front of lovely Christmas tree adorned atop our very COOL minivan!)

Win a pair: Eleven is giving one Blondes, Poop & Mascara reader a pair of shoes. Your choice. Leave me a comment on which pair you like most and for whom.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog publicly through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Follow @mrsblonde1 on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway like so "Hey! @mrsblonde1 is giving away a pair of @ElevenShoes to all those who enter here: http://tinyurl.com/y9kbvyy Please RT"
5. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
6. Tell 4 friends via email and cc me.
7. Blog about this contest and leave the link in your comment.
8. Follow @ElevenShoes on Twitter.
9. Join Eleven's mailing list.

I will select a random winner on Monday, January 4.

there's just something magical about bounceparks

...isn't there? And, yes, Mrs. Blonde took the boys down the slide too. re: All the BPM boys photo here.

Merry Christmas!

UPrinting custom postcard giveaway

Quickly on the tail of having received our Christmas cards, I got the good word that I get to host ANOTHER UPrinting custom postcard giveaway! In exchange for writing this review, I get another 100 for myself as well. This time, they will be thank you cards for all my lovely Beauty by Crystal clients!

UPrinting printed our Christmas cards. Four color over four color glossy postcards with whatever we wanted on them. Their handy online templates are great for even the novice designer.

UPrinting is a quality printing company with great ethics. My favorite thing about the company is their ecological consciousness through FSC certification, SFI certification, use of recycled papers and soy ink! Their web interface is easy to follow too!

UPrinting is giving away 100 postcards to one lucky winner. I would love to hear what you will use the postcards for if you win.

Win them: One Blondes, Poop & Mascara readers will receive 100 postcards.
Size: 4x6; Paper: 14pt glossy cardstock; Printing: Full color both sides
Shipping: As the winner, you will need to cover shipping charges on your own this time.

Extra Entries:
1. Follow my blog publicly through Google's easy reader tool.
2. Subscribe to my blog via email (and except the confirmation email).
3. Follow @mrsblonde1 on Twitter
4. Tweet about this giveaway like so "Another great giveaway! @mrsblonde1 is giving away a custom @UPrinting postcard giveaway. Enter here: http://tinyurl.com/y945rry Please RT."
5. Grab my button and post it to your cyber space.
6. Tell 4 friends via email and cc me.
7. Blog about this contest and leave the link in your comment.
8. Follow @UPrinting on Twitter.

I will select a winner January 2. Thanks for entering!

LA sees his new room (pics and video)

NOTE: The payoff for this post involves a 2min video which means you should be using broadband while reading this for the full effect.

We have been wanting to paint LA's room for years. Literally. We just never did because we were moving. Now..we're not moving. At least for now. So, the first order of business on Mr. Blonde's Christmas vacation was getting LA a proper toddler room aesthetic.



his old room was the inherited guest bedroom turned playroom



two coats of hi-end primer and the red wall was covered



the first blue wall done



Mrs. Blonde working the orange stripe at 1am this morning

While the room still isn't done, Mr. Blonde captured video of LA seeing it for the first time earlier this afternoon. His reaction was well worth the work and wait...



...his favorite color is orange in case you couldn't tell.

Fashionthropic eco-friendly organic tee's holiday offer

Order $35 or more and get a FREE $10 GIFT CARD before the end of the year and receive a FREE $10 skreened gift card with your purchase. Visit fashionthropic.org to shop now.

There is never a minimum order and you can customize any design with tons of style and color options.

Fashionthropic partners with Skreened using new technology to print soft, durable, full color prints directly onto garments. It's an efficient printing process that allows printing of as few as one item cost effectively. In addition to our technology, we only print onto garments that have been manufactured in verified work conditions that do not exploit workers. Ethical and stylish lineup of apparel comes from American Apparel in Los Angeles.

on the 3rd day of Christmas...

my true love gave to me...three blonde boys bouncing down a very large indoor blow up slide!