Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Love, Sarah and Sydney

5 Months Old!!!

I can’t believe my little sweeties are 5 months old. They are so precious to me and our time together is going by so fast. I have not gotten a good picture of them together but I will post a few of them. They have really started to notice each other and they laugh at each other all day.

They are loving trying new foods, but are still really messy eaters. I think they spit out more than they eat.

They can sit with help for a few seconds and love to watch Princess and Gameboy play.

These pictures did not turn out well. See Sarah…she’s pinching Sydney in the arm. The next few are of them crying.

Sweet Sarah

This is still her favorite toy!!

Sydney Anne

She loves to suck these two fingers.

5 months is a great age! Lots of smiles and laughs, sleeping through most nights, and not moving around when you set them down to play. Thank you Lord for these precious babies!!

Making a change

Bye bye donuts, fried foods, french fries, anything Paula Deen, crawfish fettuccine, and so many other things I love.  It’s proven that I don’t make changes in my bad habits too easily, so I joined a cool free online weight loss tool.  It’s similar to Fly Lady because it sends me lots of e-mails.  It’s found at www.sparkpeople.com.  It has some great tips for making changes to your lifestyle and it’s a great way to keep track of what you are eating.  I making all these changes for several reasons.  My sweetie has high cholesterol and blood pressure and the thought of raising these sweet children alone MOTIVATES me.  I love him so much and want to grow old together.  Doc says we need to make some changes to avoid heart disease.   I still eat as though I am eating for 3 and my body still looks pregnant.  I am not sure my stomach will ever be the same, but I want to be healthy.  So here goes.  I will update you periodically on our progress. 

On this journey, we have discovered some pretty good foods.  Turkey burgers are really tasty and I love eating more fruit.  If I keep eating veggies, they will start to taste good soon right???  A lady at my sweeties office said that we would fall in love all over again on this journey.  So every time we are eating healthy we joke about falling in love again.  I have never been successful at weight loss before and I am hoping this change sticks. 

My poor children hate the change, but I am praying they too get healthier.  Princess was grumbling about the whole pasta and ground turkey spaghetti.  I was not so understanding of her complaints and felt terrible when they turned out to be a severe allergic reaction to our dinner.    We have had her allergy tested and are anxiously awaiting the results.  I am hoping she allergic to something we can easily avoid so this doesn’t happen again.  It was so scary and I am so thankful she is okay. 

I know change is hard, and I am relying on Him to help us. 

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,  for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT)

You (God) satisfy me more than the richest of foods. Psalm 63:5 (NLT)

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

On this journey, I have discovered that I eat when I am stressed and I need to turn to God for comfort not food.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29 (NLT)

Happy Monday!!

The evolving roles of motherhood

I used to work full time.  Then I worked part time.  Then I worked from home some and in the office some.  So please note that I am not judging working moms or stay at home moms.  I understand that you have to do what works for you.  For me, I am finding that what works is constantly changing.  I used to love going to the office.  I liked having a paycheck, making a difference, talking to other adults, eating OUT everyday, and dressing nice.  However, I missed my kids.  I hated dropping them off at daycare and watching them cry.   So when my son was born, I tried to work part time and from home.  My princess went to school part time and I was with her part time.  I found this arrangement was crazy for me.  Every time I passed the office in our home, I remembered some work that I needed to complete, and while working I thought about the laundry and dishes in the sink.   I always felt like whatever I did was not good enough.  I was so overwhelmed. The day the blinds fell on Gameboy’s head while I was on a conference call, I realized I was trying to do everything , but nothing well.  I thought I could have it all, but turns out I couldn’t.  

Five years ago, I quit my job to be a stay at home mom.  I was lonely at first, but quickly adjusted to my new role.  People I used to work with often asked me what I did all day.  I used to get offended by this comment.  I definitely did not have time for bon bons.  As I was adjusting to my new role, I often wondered what my job description would look like.  

Mom-  CEO of the household.  The whole deal.

The nurse, doctor , teacher, cook , baker , housekeeper, guardian, story teller, advice giver, childcare provider, laundry maid, snack maker, prayer warrior, unconditional love giver, need I go on.. Ohhh for the love of a mother.  

A quick internet search found this funny job description for a mother.

POSITION:
Mother, Mom, Mama, Mommy, Ma
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT &  PROMOTION:
Virtually none. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.
BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you play your cards right

(This has been provided by a wonderful new mother named Anne Waehner.  Keep up the good work all you new and old Moms out there!) 

Well for me, with the birth of the twins, I feel like my on-the job- training has reached a whole new level.  Things are out of whack again, as I look around my messy house.  So as I write this, I am going to calm down and tackle one thing at a time.  Tomorrow I plan on sharing some of my new training around health.   I have become the family’s dietician “aka Food Nazi”, as a result of my sweeties latest trip to the dr.  Never a dull moment in the Swan house.

Way to Geaux Saints!!!!

WHO DAT!!!!  I am so excited for the Saints.  My sweetie is a die hard fan.  He was born and bred in New Orleans and grew up cheering on the Saints.  He was so nervous watching the game and I loved watching his reaction to the win.  We enjoyed some good food with his family, and my favorite was the cream cheese king cake.  Thanks Nanny.  Now I am off to order some championship gear…people from the Big Easy love their gear.

Please pray for our family.  We have all been sick and I am ready for this cold bug to leave our house. 

Who do they look like? Part 2

Here’s another high quality photo of me. :)   When Princess was born, I thought she was a good combination of David and I. But really she looks like my sweetie and Sydney.  Here are a few more pictures of her as a baby.                      Princess                                                     Sydney

      

Here’s a picture of me at my favorite birthday ever.  I was turning 8 and it was a Miss Piggy dress up tea party. Here’s Princess age 8.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s another picture of my sweetie.  Who do you think Gameboy looks like?                                                        

 

   Gameboy top left and bottom.  Sarah top right.

I think Sarah looks a lot like him.  Here’s Daddy at age 6.

and Gameboy with both summer and winter hair age 5/6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for letting me walk down memory lane.  I just love how God created us unique and special.  I am so thankful for my family. 

Revelation 4:11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

Who do they look like? Part 1

It has been really fun to watch the babies grow.  They change so much and fast.  One day the are quiet and the next they babble all day long.  I am so thankful to stay home and watch them grow.  I was doing some cleaning and found these old pictures.  Look at my sweetie at 4 months old.

I think Sydney is a blue eyed version of him.   Here’s me I am not sure how old I am.I think Sarah looks a lot like me.       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think?  Stay tuned for more old pictures.  Tomorrow I’ll show you Princess and Gameboy.  I love going down memory lane.