Week at a Glimpse | Favorite Perfume

I like these little Pacifica perfumes!

The lilac is my favorite.

I have a sweet little memory about that lilac perfume.  

When we were in the hospital labor/delivery room I had a moment where I remembered a little 

tidbit from the birth class we attended about how the babies would connect with me right away 

after they were born and all those first moments would be so important.  

The first time I held them and the first time they smelled their mama 

would be so critical and would help bond us together.  

Its so interesting for me to look back on now, and I'm tempted to tease myself about it, 

but at the same time I just remember how hard everything was for me 

that day and so I want to give myself grace.  

Regardless of the reason, I remembered the smell conversation from birth class and I felt sort of icky

and very tired and I got it in my mind that I wanted to smell good for the babies when I first met them.  

I knew it was too silly a thought to say out loud, so i kept it to myself but next time I was up and I went  to my overnight bag and got out that lilac perfume that was packed and quietly sprayed it on.

Even though I know that this wasn't the smell that they were talking about in birth class, it was one of those odd things from that day that happened that I can't logically explain.  

But it happened nonetheless.

And I smelled like lilacs the first time I held our sweeties.

Week at a Glimpse | Textures

Vintage Papers - A Christmas Mantle Vignette

We've been handling discarded paperbacks and an old hymnal today as I 

prepare decorations for our Christmas mantle.

I have chosen vintage papers as my featured texture to share.

In honor of my Mom's 44th year of work and retirement this past Friday many of her 

dear friends and family gave her an unforgettable going away party.  

My aunt and uncle from Chicago even made the ten hour 

round trip drive to be there for her special day.

 She was given four large themed gift baskets recognizing things that she loves: 

music, gardening, cooking and sewing.  

With the music basket, she was given a wreath made of pages from an old hymnal and as she described it, the wheels of my mind started turning and today I made one similar to the one that she was given. 

Karin suggested that I add in some paperback book trees, which I did, and so my mantle is underway.

I typically lean toward a brimming display on the mantle so I'll 

probably add some things over the course of the next few days.  

Cliff added in the wooden scottie dog puzzle that reminds us of our dear old Christy dog.

We still miss you, little pup.

The twins would like to share their texture of the day - Apples!

Cliff shared the apple he was eating over lunch with them and they both loved it!

Each received their own wedge of unpeeled, fresh, raw apple.  

We turned Mr. Muffin's apple peel side up so that he could go at it with his 2 bottom teeth.

Ruby, who has 6 teeth, as of today, was able to chomp on her own fairly well. 

I used this tutorial from Kayla Aimee for the Paperback Christmas Trees.
I used this tutorial from Mitzi's Collectibles for the Hymnal Wreath.
This Rolled Paper Christmas Tree is next on my craft list, but I'd have to buy the
cone shaped form and leaving the house is rare so we'll take the
"Wait and see approach" on that one... maybe I could make the cone out of cardboard?
I bet Cliff could figure it out for me!

Week at a Glimpse | Favorite Spot

I've selected the babies' nursery as a favorite spot in my home to share. 

Cliff worked tirelessly on the nursery as he completely transformed this room from a spare bedroom that also served as my craft room into a warm and welcoming place for twin infants to come home to.

He painted, put up a wood trim around the window for the first time, added a hefty chair rail and wainscoting as well as trim around the door. 

He also added a wall mounted space heater as this is the coolest room in the house.

This room has been a blessing as we have spent countless hours here with the babies.

Here is a video of the babies sleeping in the nursery when they were 7 weeks old:

This next video shows the babies waking up from a nap together when they were 21 weeks old:

All of the following photos were taken in the nursery:

The nursery has had various furniture move in and out over the last 9 months...

one swing, two swings, bassinets, cradles, a crib, a changing table, a love seat.

We'll be moving a second crib in soon as the babies are too big to share one anymore.

This is the nursery as captured today.

The vintage folk animal art is from cliff's childhood room.

The birth stats subway art was something I made for them.

The photos displayed were taken by Emily Weaver Brown.

The quilt on the back of the love seat was one of two that Virginia made us.

The refinishing on the changing table was a gift from Ellen.

The multi-colored lawn party string lights were chased down in Anchorage by Auntie Jenn.

The babies shown are a gift from God.

Week at a Glimpse | Words

Here's a photo challenge for the week, join in if you'd like!

Here are some of the words I encountered this morning:

From Left to Right

1. Magnet from my first Mother's Day card from Cupcake & Mr. Muffin

2. Eggs for Breakfast Burritos

3. Ammens - our baby powder of choice

4. Murchie's Hot Chocolate from Holly

5. Words of LIFE, "Heaven and Earth will pass away but my words will never pass away." Mt. 24:35

6. Dollar General's store brand lotion - as compared to Gold Bond medicated lotion.  I'm sold.

7. Ugandan Peanut Soup from the freezer for dinner

8. Pride and Prejudice board book from Yvonne

9. The Symphony turn dial

10. Ruby's jammies - we love these Paul Frank jams from Holly

11. Dr. Bronner's magic soap - if ever there were weirder words, I haven't seen them! But I like the soap.

12. Baby vitamins.  They are dark and stinky and I am mad at them after scrubbing them out of my brother's new carpet for close to an hour at 5 am this past week.  It did eventually come clean though!

13. Leather tag on the babies' journal bag from Andy

14. Thinking of Julia today.

15. Magazines

16. Rosie's tag

17. Medela bottle (from Marnie) holding mother's milk.  I fill, feed from and wash 10-15 of these bottles each day for the twins.

18. Handsoap - honeysuckle scent gets the thumbs up!

19. Metal sign hand forged by my cousin John Francis on my great grandpa's anvil - a wedding gift. 

20. A to-do list that will apparently roll over into tomorrow.

21. Spoon rest

22. Pretty notecards from Mary Todd

23. Jennifer's Pack n Play case

24. Crock Pot that held the Ugandan Peanut soup. Recipe found here. We added chicken and served it over rice. Just threw frozen chicken breasts right in the crock pot with the frozen soup this morning.

25. The Taku - We arrived home last night from the babies' first overnight boat trip on "The common man's cruise ship!"