Summer Fun!

I cannot believe how fast the weeks are flying by! Today, I'm lucky enough to have some help with the boys - a relative of mine has twin girls who live just a few blocks away and they came to play with the boys, giving me some time to craft and blog!

This past weekend we went to another wedding. I was so excited when we got the invitation - it was cream with black text and had a bright orange ribbon tied around it. I knew I had to make a coordinating card for the couple and this is what I came up with...

I used the Tissue Paper Technique that was featured in one of Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday challenges a few weeks ago. I L-O-V-E this technique and have used it on several projects since.

A few days ago, my friend Katie and I took our boys for a walk. Her little guy is almost a year old already and next summer when we go for walks, she will be needing a double stroller as well!

I snapped this picture of the boys yesterday while they were sitting in their Bumbo chairs. I love how it looks like Ashton is telling Ezra a great story. He's actually just yawning though!

It's beautiful here today! Looking and feeling like summer, I sure hope it lasts through the weekend so we can enjoy the outdoors on the long holiday weekend!

Enjoy the day!

~Anika

Celebrate!

We had a very busy weekend...2 weddings and a graduation party! I managed to find time to make cards for each event, too! Here's the first one I have to share...

The smudge by the sentiment is from my camera lens. I guess I'd rather have it there instead of on the card itself, but it's still irritating me! I used the In Bloom impression plate on the Aqua Mist layer and wrapped the Vintage Cream card in Jute Button Twine. I am in love with this color combo!

And here is the family at my cousin Jeri's wedding! (Congrats Jeri & Seth!)

The boys were wonderful the entire day! Yes, they are usually good babies, but they were exceptionally good during the whole celebration! They slept through the ceremony, sat contently in their car seats while we at supper, and even tolerated being passed around until 11:00PM while we chatted with family and did a little dancing!

Enjoy the day!

~Anika

*All supplies are Papertrey Ink.

7 weeks!

I will get around to posting cards again, but these days anything that I make is a last minute project that I give away before I have a chance to take a photo of it. You'd think I was a new mom to twins or something! ;)

Our boys are already 7 weeks old! They have each gained over 2 lbs already - that means when I carry them both in their car seats I'm lifting more than 45 lbs. I am going to have some major muscles! We are adjusting pretty well to life with children. I actually don't think things could go much smoother than they are! The days are flying by way to quickly so I am holding on to every moment knowing that September 1st will be here before I know it and I will have to go back to work.

The dryer just beeped at me (I hear that sound a lot these days!) so I best be going. I will leave you with a few pictures of the boys...

Ezra at 6 weeks - 9lbs, 12oz

Ashton at 6 weeks - 9lbs, 10oz

Trying out their sunglasses from Grandma Roxie!

Enjoy the day!

~Anika

Our Family

All together at home after what seemed like the fastest - yet longest - week of my life!

The twins are here!

Our twins arrived on April 14th - two sweet little boys!

L: Ashton Jay, 7lbs 3oz, 20 inches long R: Ezra Steven, 7lbs 13oz, 20.5 inches long.

I'll post more pictures and details once we are home.

~Anika

Less than 24 hours!

With less than 24 hours until we get to meet our babies, I am attempting to finish packing and cleaning, but Andrew told me to take it easy today, so I'm mostly just lounging around, watching TV, and watching my belly wiggle all over the place! I'm going to miss that. I'm going to miss my belly and being pregnant. I'm not going to miss my swollen feet, ankles, and legs!

I managed to do a little something crafty yesterday. (That REALLY made my feet swell!)

We will be filling these containers with mini cookies for the the OB and Radiology departments as a thank you for taking such good care of us over the past nine months. Having always been a rather healthy person, my weekly ultrasounds and appointments over the past 7 weeks have made me feel like I should just bring my pillow and jammies with and live in the waiting room! The last container of cookies is for the hospital nurses...might as well suck up a bit to ensure good care from them during our stay - not that I'm at all worried about that! I also have paper cut to size with scor-tape already on the back so I can write a little thank you to attach to the lid before delivering them - I want to wait to write them so I can include the babies names.

Here's a close up of one.

And before I go, one last belly picture. This was taken last Thursday when I was 37 weeks along and the babies estimated weighted were 7lbs 6oz and 7lbs 5oz! It will be interesting to see how accurate they were.

Hope you have a fabulous Wednesday!

~Anika

I made it!!

Since the beginning of this twin pregnancy journey, my goal was to work until April 1st - as long as I wasn't harming the babies or myself in doing so. Well, the weeks kept passing by, I kept working, and at 4:00 yesterday, I met my goal!! 36w1d, ZERO complications! I am still in disbelief that I have made it this far and that in 12 days (or less) these babies will be born!

A few weeks ago, we had maternity pictures taken and they turned out great! Here's a peek at one of my favorites.

This is my 35w picture.

We are feeling pretty ready, the nursery has come together and I *think* we have everything we need for them to come home.

Still on the hunt for the perfect bookshelf to put that lamp on.

We are also looking for a tiny side table to put next to the rocker, but it's certainly not a big deal if we don't find something before they are born. (The marks on the wall behind the cribs are reflections from the branch decal, a few of the leaves are mirrored.)

I am looking forward to a week and a half of relaxing. I was hoping to make a bunch of Thank You cards to have on hand during my time off before they come, but sitting at my craft table wrecks havoc on my swollen feet, ankles and legs so we'll see if I can manage to get any done.

Hope you are having a fabulous Saturday. Thanks for stopping by!

~Anika