Have you ever seen those weight limits on baby swings?  This is why.  Common sense tells you not to do this but some lessons are best learned first hand.  For a minute I thought we were gonna have to call the Fire Department.  LOL.

 

This weekend was wonderful!  I had 4 days!  I bit off some projects.  I have found myself doing many lately, and more maintenance type stuff.  Last year when we paid someone to lay pine straw, I watched them closely.  I didn't see a single thing they did that I couldn't do myself, with some minor modifications.  First, I turned my mini-van into a truck-and-trailer, by removing the two backseats, and cruising to Lowe's just three times for loads of pine straw.  Then, I had my husband use gravity to minimize my work by rolling each of the 90 bales down the hill as I caught them.  Then, I went to town spreading, shaking each of the 90 bales until my yard looked like this. 

I don't have a camera lens wide enough to capture the whole bit here, but I'll tell you, I'm AWESOME!  Cha-ching.  Saved $300.  Not a bad "payment" for a few hours work.  I think I surprised Dan with my abilities too.  He didn't spread a single bale!

My four year old said to me tonight, from the backseat:
"Mom, when I turn 17, and get my Driver's Licence, I want to get a CONVERTIBLE!!"
Oh my gosh, this has started WAY WAAAAAAY earlier than I had planned for.  Lord be with me!

Last weekend my precious Lil' Darlin' turned two!!!  The night before her birthday I just held on to her tight, knowing that was the last time I'd rock my one year old.

 

I love you so much Danslen Jane.  No matter how old you are, you'll always by my baby!

We were playing outside today when Daniley's motorcycle ran out of battery.  About half an hour later, she's gone for awhile.  I go downstairs to find this:

 She has pulled the motorcycle back outside (it's not light either), found a rope, tied the rope to it, and is proceeding to TOW her motorcycle with her bike.  The kid can tie a better knot than me.  I am amazed to see how she has put all this together.  So I inquire, "What is all this?" 

 "Mom, it's the 'Bike Pullin' 3000.' "  I swear on my life that is what she said.

 

Oops

 

She's 4.  I'm scared.

LOL

This last weekend I did something amazing:  I went to the beach--No kids.  No husband.  Just me and a girlfriend.  We stayed just 3 nights but it was the perfect amount of time to relax, miss the kids and hubs a little, and not have to put sunscreen on anybody but myself!!  I didn't have to fix sippy cups, wipe butts, kiss boo-boos, break up fights, or administer spankings.  How delightful.  ;-)  I should do this at least once a year!!
The weather was perfect, not hot, not cold, and all sun!  Of course it's too cold to swim, but if the kids aren't there that is not a problem.  I'm perfectly happy beached on the shoreline. 

Dan and the girls kept the house running.  To my surprise, everyone was still alive when I returned.  Dan sent me a picture of the girls playing in the rain.  I sure did miss them.  I love them, AND their Dad, soooooo very much.  I was glad to get back home to them Sunday.

This weekend is Danslen's 2nd birthday.  She's so precious.  I wish I could hit the freeze button on my life right now.  She is talking like crazy.  She actually talks better than Daniley did at that age.  (If you have ever heard Daniley you know she talks a LOT and she isn't intimidated by big words.)  Danslen fell down the other day and after she got happy she came to me and said, "I go hotzpital."  I thought that was pretty darn good reasoning for a 1-year old.  And I didn't even know she knew that word.  :-)
I've said this since Danslen was 2 weeks old--she is going to be the one to give me gray hair.  It's funny how you can tell so early.  She is a bit more sneaky than Daniley.  She is the one that will color the walls--she's already had her way with the couch and the carpet.  ;-)

Happy Easter Everybunny!!

Ha, what a cheesey phrase.  :-D
Today we went to church and spent the day with family.  It was a lovely Easter. Here are a few pictures.  I sewed their dresses.  I love having girls.  God really knew what he was doing when he gave me two of them.  I pray for really good son-in-laws....we might need some muscle around here when we are old.  :-D

 We tried an egg technique that I saw on Pinterest.  It was a flop.  However, I know a couple of things I may have done wrong.  So perhaps I'll give it a go next year.  The eggs were ugly but still tasty.  Can't wait for breakfast in the morning!

 

I am sad that I did not get a picture of all 3 girls together looking at the camera.

What an opportunity missed.  :-(

 

And finally......
The Disney pictures.

A few years ago I was disgusted with the organization of my wrapping paper so I designed myself a rolling cart and had Dan build it for me for Christmas.  It holds 18-24 rolls.  Ok, so it's time to admit I do have SOME of the hoarding tendencies that run in my family.  I have this problem with WRAPPING PAPER and I can't seem to quit buying it.  EVERY Christmas I can't wait to see the new designs Hobby Lobby will be carrying.  They always have paper in their Christmas Collection that will do for birthdays and weddings too.  Then there's some that I find at yard sales for a quarter.  I turn away 90% of it, but every once in a while I'll find something I just "have" to have.  Last year I found some REVERSIBLE.  WHAT?  Didn't even know you could buy that.  It's frogs on one side and fish on the other.  Yeh, so I have a problem. 

This Friday I had this great idea to organize the rest of it in a space that was otherwise useless:  IN THE RAFTERS.  So now when I go in I have my rolling cart, and on the other side is the rest of the collection, all nice and tidy for me to see all at once.  I told Dan I had a project and I wanted it completed by weekend's end.  He delivered!!   

If you like the idea, go ahead and borrow it.  I didn't file a patent this time.  :-D

I haven't forgotten the address of the blog.  I've been scootin.
Two weeks ago it was Disney.  The whole week!  It was fun.  We came home with both kids and all our stuff (nothing lost) and a good bit of our money so I call it a success.  I may or may not post pictures.  First of all there are about 500.  Second of all, by the time I get around to it there will probably be more exciting things in our life.  I don't know though, perhaps I won't be able to resist.  After Disney I decided to take a trip to the beach.  Yes, Alabama, Florida, Alabama, Florida. We took Pawpaw and Deb who had not seen the condo, so that was fun.  I look forward to getting back to camping at the beach though.  That's my favorite.  And one way or another, I WILL get to the beach on my motorcycle.  I WILL.  That is all.

Happy 9th anniversary to my favorite husband!!  Love you bunches!!
Now we get to watch my favorite movie...our wedding video.  (I know he'll be thrilled!)  And, I think Daniley might really enjoy watching so she might get in on the viewing too.  Actually I heard her a few minutes ago ask Dan (again...) if he'd marry her.  His answer hasn't changed.  NO WAY!!

Bentley's First Sleepover!!!
First we had lunch and went straight for a nap.  We had a parade earlier in the day so I figured a nap would promote survival for us all.  Then we moved right on to playing beauty shop.  (This very awesome monkey hair dryer doesn't get hot enough for the kids to burn themselves.  It's awesome!).

Then we played dress up for our night out to Chick-Fil-A.  Daniley told everyone she had 6 twins, Jackie and Nikki, Danslen and Bentley, and James and Eli. 

 We told secrets....

 Then we headed up to play.  Bentley hit the ground running!  Danson and Brooke....be careful talking about Daniley being wild.  Signs indicate you've got your own hands full.  She acts just like Daniley did at 17 months.  HAHA!

 Her first trip down the slide...she came down laughing.  Happy Happy Happy.
Let me take a moment to give Daniley a little thumbs up here.  She was ecstatic to have her little cousin Bentley over the spend the night and she was taking such great care of her in the play area.  Daniley doesn't normally get labeled as "Little Mommy" but tonight she was, in full force.

 Then we drank...and shared...

 and laughed.....

 and played....

 And then, finally, FINALLY, we went down for a little rest right in the middle of the play area.  No worries.  Only 15 seconds.  LOL.

 We went home, and hung out, had some goldfish...

 And shared some more....

 And then lights were out!!  When they weren't on me, and weren't on each other, this is how they were.  That Bentley is a snuggler and I know her mother would be very very jealous if she knew how much she snuggled me last night.

 Bed and  Breakfast in the mountains...table for two.

 Come back soon Bentley!!!!!!!!!!!!

COWBOY DAY, Columbiana, Alabama
Each year we're in the cowboy parade.  It was butt cold, I ain't gonna lie.  But real cowgirls (and Indians) don't wuss out partner.  So we layered up and hit the road. 

Happy "ValenStines" Day, as Daniley calls it.
Dan and I have this little thing called a JOB, so we had to do presents at 5:00am!  It made for an easy morning of getting the girls out of bed though.  Here they are opening their presents....I made them John Deere outfits to ride Pawpaw's gator.  They both loved them.

A couple of weeks ago I took the girls to Pump It Up.  It's been a while since we've done that.  Both had a good time.  Lil' Darlin' wasn't too scared but she's not quiiiiite big enough to crawl up by herself.  So, I went down with her.  I wore my cotton jersey pants Honey and GPaw gave me for Christmas.  I might as well have waxed by butt because I FLEW down the slide.  And, I snapped a picture of myself (I know, talent.) and even though I look happy I was scared enough to pee my pants.  LOL.