October Update

Hello friends!
We've almost successfully conquered two cases of croup, started two new jobs and managed to sort of get back into the swing of things. The babies are 6 months old today! Can't believe how time flies. Both Jaye and Lyla have rolled over (from each side) and they are eating solids twice a day. Jaye really likes anything I put in his mouth, especially chocolate milkshake, and Lyla pretty much only eats applesauce and pears. Jaye is the only one who has attempted a vegetable at this point. The twins are also teething, so that means drool EVERYWHERE. We have also begun daycare. I like the location and the people a lot, I just wish I could stay home with them. Every mom's dilemma, I guess. Well, Lyla and Jaye have both woken up, so that means I have to go! Hope you are enjoying this nice fall weather!

24 Day Trim Challenge-Day 6

I apologize for not posting. I have been crazy busy with school, and when I get home, there are babies to tend to. By the time they go down, mom is ready to sleep too. I have a little free time this morning, so I wanted to update you on my 24 Day Trim Challenge progress. So far, I am down over four pounds and some inches, but I haven't measured those yet. I can only tell by the way my pants fit. Has it been easy? No. I have wanted a Coke so bad I dream about them, but I am NOT about to waste the money I spent on Advocare on a 75 cent drink. The SPARK helps with caffeine, but it just isn't as delicious as an ice cold Coca-Cola. Mmmmmmm. Must. Stop. Thinking. About. Coke.

In all honesty, I do feel good. I wouldn't say that I am skipping around turning cartwheels, but I'm not miserable. I know I am tired because I have two four month olds, a house to clean and school work to do, but the SPARK always gives me enough energy and focus to last from about 2:00 til supper. I haven't felt up to making any of the cookbook recipes until today, and I am going to try out the slow cooker burrito chicken. I will serve it with black beans. Eating lunch during the school day has been a little iffy, simply because my hometown is not really conducive to healthy eating, and Wal-Mart is just not up to par with their fruit. I miss Publix in Birmingham.

Mainly, I have had tuna, turkey wraps (whole wheat), NUT-rition packs, almonds, kiwi, apples, bananas, fish and chicken. There are plenty of ways to add a little flavor without adding tons of sugar and calories. I am also getting a lot of low-carb stuff from Pinterest.

So, that's my update. For those of you checking on the babies and not my weight (ha!), they are fine. Growing like weeds actually. Jaye has been pretty fussy these past few days, and he didn't sleep the other night, so that was fun. Lyla is smiling one minute and poking that bottom lip out the next. How did my kids learn to pout so quickly? It was their dad, I am sure.

Hope you are all enjoying these last few weekends of summer! I am ready for football!

Roll Tide Roll!

Weight: 154.4 lbs.

24 Day Trim Challenge- Day 3

Well, Day 3 has been a long one. I got up early with the babies, went to school around 11 AM for parent orientation, and didn't get home until almost six. Then, a good friend and I went strolling around the park, where we almost had to break up a tangle between her dogs and three wanderers. There's a leash law folks!!!! I really don't need to get on my soapbox, but let me just say that when my dog beats up your dog, I'm not the one who is going to be in trouble. The Rivers keep their dogs on a leash.

Now, onto Day 3 information. Like I said before, it has been a long day. I was dead tired this morning because storms woke me up last night. However, I got up, drank my water, had my peaches and cream fiber drink and ate a good breakfast. I had my Spark a little earlier than normal today and it really did help me get through that first little bit of school. I also tried a SLAM! for the first time (strawberry blast) and it was decent, but I like the Spark better.

Just a few of the snacks I had today were:
caramel rice cakes (the individual bags)
Planters NUT-rition snack bag
Quaker Stila bar

I'm doing my best to keep my carbs under 30 grams and I have done pretty well so far. I have lost another pound, which brings my weight down to 155.4. Check back to see how my day goes tomorrow!

Weight: 155.4 lbs

24 Day Trim Challenge - Day 2

When I stepped on the scale this morning, I was in shock. I have already lost two pounds. I believe it was a ton of water weight, since I've been guzzling like crazy. With every meal or snack I drink at least 8 ounces. Surprisingly, I haven't spent all day in the bathroom. I mean, I am drinking a lot of water, so I do have to go, but it's not like you would think. My stomach has not cramped or been upset for the past two days.

I am also not following the cookbook just yet, but I know enough about lean proteins, veggies and fruits that I am fitting 2-3 snacks in per day, and all are under 30 grams of carbs a piece. Tonight, we had tilapia in a serving size of fat free Zesty Italian, green beans (frozen, not canned) and for dessert I had 2 kiwi. It was enough that I am not hungry, and also pretty tasty.

I did have a bit of a headache this morning at work; however, as soon as I drank my Spark, I felt refreshed and ready to go. I made it from 2:30-7:00 without a snack or meal, and I fit in 3 miles of walking.

I am being honest with you folks, I feel great. I have enough energy to get me through work, and my Spark helps me get through that afternoon lull. What I like about Advocare is that you can buy the products separately. For example, maybe you don't need to lose weight, but you need a push during the day. Well, you could buy you a pack of Spark a part from the 24 Day Challenge kit.

Today's flavor of Spark was cherry. I liked it, but mandarin orange still is at the top of my list.

Weight: 156.4

On a family note, the babies SCREAMED from about the time we finished our walk until about 15 minutes ago. Parenthood is hard y'all! Anyone got suggestions on soothing babies to sleep? I think Erick and I are losing our touch!

24 Day Trim Challenge - Day 1

Let me say this first. I do NOT like diet fads. I don't even really like diets. However, after gaining 60 pounds with twins, I realize that something must be done. Lately, I will tell my husband, "Babe, don't let me have a Coke this week." Then, I sneak one in somehow during the day. It's pathetic, I know. I'm just not motivated, or at least I haven't been until now. School is starting back and I literally fit into three dresses. That's it. No pants, skirts, or Bermuda shorts will work their way onto my body, no matter how  hard I try. Now, please don't think that I have been sitting around all day being lazy. I have taken two classes for grad school, worked on raising two babies, cleaned house, gotten a classroom ready, exercised, and ran around like a chicken with my head cut off for about 4 months now. I'm exhausted and stressed, so I know this weight isn't going to come off without me really committing to something.

Enter Advocare's 24 Day Trim Challenge. My friend Jane gained weight during her pregnancy (like all moms do) and was not only able to lose it, but keep it off following Advocare's program. She's not the only one. A church member uses Advocare's energy drink, Spark, during the day to keep her going. She also uses Advocare's vitamins. Jane sent me a sample of Spark to try in the mail, and I'll be honest, it wasn't my favorite flavor. However, it did allow me to keep my focus for the remainder of the day.

Now, please don't think that this energy drink is a Monster, Red Bull or 5 Hour Energy. It is simply a mix of vitamins and amino acids. I Googled long and hard to find something to back up my original skepticism, and literally the only negative things I could find were about the price of the products. Actually, one man said he was mad because the products weren't "magic." Well, duh. Nothing is magic. Advocare acknowledges that you have to exercise and eat right in order for their products to work. The difference is that these supplements are not bad for you. I trust Jane and my church friend, so I am trying this challenge. I will keep you posted about my progress.

Oh, before I go, today was the first day of the "cleanse" phases. I expected a nasty fiber drink, but was pleasantly surprised with the "peaches n' cream" version, and I haven't been in the bathroom all day. I really appreciate that the schedule is planned for me, so I don't have to try to figure out what to eat or when to eat it.

Phew! I know that's a lot of info to take in, but I am so excited! Check back tomorrow to see how Day 2 went, and let me know if I can give you any more information on Advocare's products!

Starting weight: 158.4 lbs
Goal: 144 lbs.

*I am NOT an Advocare employee, just an independent distributor, and also a momma trying to lose some weight!

Updated Photos

Today, Erick and I took 4 month pictures of the twins! I can't believe how time flies. Already, Jaye is rolling over and Lyla is "talking" to us like crazy. They tried cereal for the first time tonight. Not much of it stayed in their mouth, but it will get easier with time. We bought new strollers to make the walk from our house to Papa and YaYa's easier. Life is good in the Rivers' household and I am pretty sure it will stay that way. Nothing beats being home with family.

Frames

Shortly after we moved into our new home, my husband and I received these frames in the mail. How cute are they???? I wanted to show them off because my cousins did such a great job picking them out, and the babies featured aren't too bad either.

The frames are made by Mpressions, and the link is below. Hope you are having a fabulous Tuesday!

Mpressions

Growing Family

We've finally made it to our new home. We've actually been here over a month, but it's taken me a while to get things settled and have time to sit and write. The babies have grown so much since April. I plan on putting their four month photos up soon, but here's a few collages for now. I made these using the TurboCollage app for our Mac. Hope you all are doing well!

Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

Turn your favorite photos into a photo book at Shutterfly.com.

Life With Babies

What a crazy three weeks it has been! On Saturday, April 7, I told my husband that I was having contractions and we quickly began getting ready to make the trip to the hospital. After the hour and a half drive, we arrived at Methodist Germantown Hospital in Memphis, TN. I was placed in a labor and delivery room, and called my parents so they could be on standby. Seventeen hours after arriving at the hospital, and a little over twenty-four hours after the first contractions, we were told that a vaginal delivery would not be possible, and we got ready for a C-section. On April 8, at 11:24 AM, Jaye Andrew Rivers arrived, and two minutes later Lyla Marie Rivers entered the world as well. We had to spend a week in the NICU because of some breathing issues, but we have been home two weeks now. Life is difficult, but good. I never knew I could be this tired!

Roll Tide Babies!

We received the cutest gifts from Erick's cousin and her husband last week. I love it when fans from another team (in this case Tennessee) buy me something crimson and white! This hat and helmet were purchased from Simply Adorable Crafts on Etsy.

33 Weeks...

Phew! It's been a crazy month. I've had people in and out helping me clean, we've purchased a snazzy new grill, some wonderful church friends threw me a baby shower and I have almost finished the nursery. I know a few folks wanted to see some pictures, so I'm posting my cute baby shower cake and photos of all the presents I received. God is so good!

Isn't it sweet? A local lady made it and not only was it cute, it was delicious! I'm a sucker for strawberry cake! I also got a BOATLOAD (is that one word or two?) gifts.

I really had no idea that we would receive all the things we did, and Erick and I continue to get gifts in the mail and at church every week. I told him that these babies were going to be super spoiled, and that he and I might as well forget about Christmas gifts in the future. It'll be all about the twins. I apologize to my sister in advance, just in case she feels the side effects of all this! Ha!

I'll be 33 weeks pregnant tomorrow. It's funny how quickly the time has flown by. I appreciate the small, quiet moments with my hubby more and more, but I am so excited for the future. At the last doctor's visit, I had actually gained inches, instead of continuing to efface. I was a teeny bit frustrated, because I am ready, but God's timing is perfect. I want these babies to come out healthy, happy and ready to come straight home.

I hope everyone is enjoying this fabulous weather. It's currently 76 and sunny in my neck of the woods. If you haven't already, get outside and get ready for spring!

 

Sweet Gifts

I love love love getting gifts in the mail. The two that came today are absolutely precious. I have many more I plan on putting up soon. We've been busy here at the house, but I haven't forgotten my blog! Just trying to get things done before the twins decide to make an appearance.

My baby shower is this weekend, so I'll be posting pics of my cake and my gifts. See you then!

Pottery Barn Kid's Sale

Pottery Barn Kids is having a sale. Had I not already purchased a diaper bag, I may have gotten this Petunia Pickle Bottom backpack. Apparently, they're some of the best around.

There are also lots of wallpapers, decals, bedding sets, etc. on sale. Check it out!

New Diaper Bag!

I got a new diaper bag today! WOO HOO! I am super excited because: 1) It's houndstooth--Roll Tide! 2) It's a Kalencom, and I've heard rave reviews. My little refund check from the University is serving me (and the twins) well. The style is called Jackie O' and it was the only one left on Amazon. I've heard they're discontinued, but you might could check Ebay, or even just Google it.

My one little issue is that this one isn't laminated. I guess they just didn't do it for this style???? Anyway, I feel like this will suit Jaye and Lyla just fine, and I get to show my Alabama spirit every time I go out. My babies are meant to be Bama fans!

3D Pictures

Here are two of the best 3D pictures we got yesterday. Little Lyla was not cooperating, so you won't be seeing here until she decides to greet the world in a few weeks. These pictures are of Jaye. We cannot wait to meet him!

I have two very active babies, so things look a little distorted. At one point during the ultrasound, Jaye yawned, and I think it was the sweetest thing I've ever seen.











We had our ultrasounds done at 4D Sneak Peek in Jackson, TN. The lady who helped us had twin girls of her own. She and I were able to relate and chat about all things baby. She worked really hard to get a good pic of Lyla, but all we got were some knees and elbows. Once we get our CD in the mail, I will upload those. There's not a whole lot of room in my belly and throughout the ultrasound, Lyla had her rear end up in the air with her legs over her face. I cannot even imagine how that would be comfortable. Jaye took up most of the room (typical boy) and was stretched all the way out. Lyla said, "Well, take this!" Her bottom was right in his face the whole time. If you are interested in getting a 3D or 4D ultrasound, I recommend this company. We were treated well, the ultrasound gel was warm and the table was comfortable. Stay tuned for the video (if we can get it uploaded)!

4D Ultraounds

Our 4D ultrasound is today and I am super excited. My husband has been looking forward to this for weeks, and I honestly didn't care, but now that it's here, I can't wait! I debated on whether or not we should spend the money, especially since I am not working right now. Thankfully, the University of Cincinnati (where I attend grad school) came through, and sent us a refund check.

I'm 26 weeks tomorrow, so the girl was a little unsure of how our pictures would turn out, which makes me nervous. However, these could very well be our first and last kiddos, and you don't get a do-over on things like this. If there is a next time, we'll know if the expense was worth it. If you live in Western TN, and are interested in getting a 4D, I suggest 4D Sneak Peek in Jackson. The price was pretty reasonable, but still more than a regular ultrasound. Check back later for pics!

Have any of you had a 3D or 4D? Was it worth it?

Pick Me Up Love!

Inspired by a post from Angie Mizzel, I thought I'd share this nugget of JOY with you to start your day off right. If you aren't smiling at the end of the video, or even shedding a tear, I feel sorry for you.

Hug someone today!

A Cool Mist...

Look what I got in the mail today!

Owl Cool Mist Humidifier

It's my new humidifier and isn't it sweet?!? I don't know if anyone else is currently preggers, but if you are, or if you plan on being that way soon, hear this : YOUR NOSE WILL CEASE TO FUNCTION.

It's true. I can't breathe. I can't smell. All I can do is blow. And blow. And blow. It never stops, and it's almost like the minute my body realizes there is a narrow passage open in my nostril, it fights to close it. I told my fabulous OBGYN about my predicament and he suggested getting one of these babies. Now, I know he didn't mean this one exactly, but it was so cute I couldn't resist. And, the babies will need it in a few months, so it wasn't like I went out my way to spend money on something that would only be used for a short time.

Crane makes all kinds of fun creatures. My grandmother has an elephant. She's a young at heart :) I got mine on Amazon, but you can check anywhere and find one for a decent price. I'll let y'all know if it worked or not tomorrow.

Night y'all!

Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

First, I want to make it clear that I snagged this from Pinterest and made it my own. Look at the original recipe first. She actually knows what she's doing. I do not. I just piddle until I get something that looks decent, and this actually turned out tasting pretty good too.

First, preheat the oven to 350.
Line 10 muffin cups.

Start your crust:

1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole crackers)
2 1/2 tbsp butter melted
2 tbsp brown sugar

I used a big ol' Ziploc bag to crumble up my graham crackers, then mixed in the brown sugar. Next, I poured the melted butter in my baggie so that it could all mesh real nicely together. Then, I got out a spoon and pressed the crust mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner. It ended up being about a tbsp and a pinch per liner of crust.

For the cheesecake:

1/2-3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp. sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Put your cream cheese, sugar and sour cream in the mixer and blend it til it's smooth. I did not do this like the girl on the website said, and it turned out a little lumpy. So make sure you follow her steps! After everything is nice and smooth, beat in your egg and vanilla.

Now, the original recipe called for 1 cup chocolate chips, but I wasn't sure if that would be too chocolate-y for me or not, so I cut down and I am glad I did. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of the crust in each liner. Start by putting 1 tbsp of cheesecake batter into each liner, on top of the chocolate chips. You're going to have a bunch left over, so just keep portioning it out until it looks good to you, or at least evenly divided. After your cups are full, sprinkle a few more chocolate chips on top of each cheesecake.

Set your pan in the oven for 25 minutes, but CHECK IT A LOT. My edges browned and my crust was a little hard. It also cracked on top, but filled itself in after I let it cool.

After you remove it from the oven, let your cheesecakes sit for about 10 minutes, then remove each one and place it on a wire cooling rack (leave them in the liners!). Once they are completely cooled, stick them in the fridge until they are chilled, and hooray! Instant dessert.

Note: My husband did not like the chocolate chips. He said the chocolate crust made it sweet enough. Leave them out if you like. I plan on trying a strawberry swirl next.

Here is the link for the original recipe. Hers look a good bit prettier than mine, but hey, I did it!

Original Recipe

Freebies

I love, love, love this blog. Click on the link under the picture to see this and even more freebies they have!




Free Invitation Printables

It's a Sad Way to Wake Up

After a crazy night here in Tennessee, waking up to hear of damage back in my home state of Alabama makes me sad. The weather is no joke folks. We can't control it, but God gave us enough sense to be prepared. Even though I wasn't at home last April, I know now to have tennis shoes, a driver's license or some form of valid ID, a little cash, and some first aid supplies on my person when that siren goes off. My husband doesn't even roll his eyes at me when I say "Have you got your tennis shoes and socks?" He just goes back and gets them. He certainly didn't hesitate to put them on last night when we heard a loud whirring noise and watched our friend nearly get pulled out of the door when she opened it. We don't take chances here, so despite there being no siren, seven of us made our way in the pouring rain and strong wind down to the Orchard's storm shelter. What proceeded to follow was lots of laughter, discussion of how we would get out if we were trapped, and a 4-year-old being so scared he had to "go to bafroom" every five minutes (in a bucket). Nothing happened, and chances are it probably was just some straight line winds, but you never know. My motto has, is and always will be "better safe than sorry" when it comes to weather. Stay safe and be prepared y'all!

Church

I miss going. I miss seeing people other than my husband. No offense babe. Looking forward to this afternoon though, since some sweet friends are bringing me some chicken alfredo (YUM!) and some company. On another note, we may have some severe weather today, so if you're a praying person, pray for no storm development. Have a great morning and go to church!

Hungry...

Did you ever stop to think about how bedrest and boring both start with the letter "b"? I assure you that it is no coincidence. I really should be spending my time catching up on all my lesson plans and grad school work, but I can only type TLW so many times before I want to scratch my eyes out. What do I do with all this free time? So glad you asked. Just to name a few, I:

pin a lot of recipes and dream about good food
throw my husband's green croc down our hallway for the dogs to chase
blow my nose about every 3 seconds (pregnancy congestion)
watch Law & Order SVU on Netflix (who knew that Alex got shot? not me! sorry if I spoiled it...)
turn the heat off, then on, then back off
type a lesson plan or do some homework
think about all the things I could be doing in a vertical position

Repeat that cycle every hour or so and you've got the gist of my day. I know, I know, it will all be worth it when these babies get here. I don't doubt that for a minute. I'm just super duper bored right now. If the Cheesecake Factory was within driving distance, I'm pretty sure I could be satisfied for at least a day or two :)

What about you ladies? Have any of you ever been on bedrest? Did you spend every minute thinking about the food you wanted but couldn't have?

Oops

Okay, so apparently my pregnancy hormones are in overdrive, because last night when we went to bed I could have sworn it was about 90 million degrees in our house. So...I turned on the air conditioning...in January...bad idea. When I woke up this morning, we had to chip our dogs out of the ice blocks in their cages so they could go outside and warm up. Next time, I'll just sleep without the covers :)

Shoes Pic

My sweet friend Kaley took this picture for Erick and I. We LOVE it. I'm putting it on my blog for the world to see and appreciate her fantastic work!

Hello

Hello fellow bloggers and just readers of blogs! Let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Holly, I'm 27, and I live with my sweet husband and two crazy dogs in West TN. I'm originally from the great state of Alabama, which I miss dearly. My mom, dad, sister and all the grandparents are lucky enough to reside there now. Nothing against TN mind you, but home is home.

You may ask yourself, why is this person writing a blog? Well, let me explain. My husband and I married in June of 2010, and last August we discovered we were pregnant. When I discussed with my doctor about the stomach pains I was having, he said, "You know, you could be carrying multiples." I laughed out loud, shook my head and walked out the door $20 poorer (stinkin' copays!). Six weeks later, while waiting for our first ultrasound, the nice lady said, "Oh here's one fetus, and here's the other." My husband squeaked out "TWO?" and she laughed at us, then helped me scrape Erick's jaw off the floor.

Now, here I am 5 months later, only 25 weeks pregnant and confined to my bed/couch. So, since I basically have all day to write maternity leave lesson plans and do grad school work, I figured I'd squeeze in something fun to pass the time. A blog. That way all my friends and family in good ole' Alabama and around these parts can keep up with me, since they won't be seeing me til little Jaye Andrew and Lyla Marie make their grand appearance.

If anyone else out there is a mom of multiples, loves Australian Shepherds or just wants to comment/read, feel free.

Oh, and one more thing, ROLL TIDE ROLL!