finally

So I have had some computer issuses so I have been a slacker with keeping this updated. Well Paul greaduated from basic training from Ft Jackson South Carolina on Oct 30th. I went to his graduation and it was great to get to see him after 12 weeks. He was very excited to get out of their though and on to better things. Paul is now at Ft Eustis, Virginia for Advanced Individual Training (AIT). There he is learning about helicopter mechanics, Blackhawks to be specific. He is doing very well, he is the fourth in his class. He has so far been doing book work and learning about safety and the basics of the helicopter, but next week he starts in on the fun actually working on a black hawk. As much as he is excited to get out of the class room he is even more excited to come home for Christmas. He gets 2 weeks off to relax and enjoy his boys.

That is about it for Paul so lets move to the twins. They are growing so big! They are starting to repeat all the noises people make. They have 2 words so far ball, which sounds more like "ba", and dog, which sounds more like doo. They love to climb and gogo unless their favorite movie is on-Veggietales. They both have 12 teeth, which come ion handy now that they discovered candy at halloween and think they can consume anything that comes in a wrapper. I have discovered that my llchildren are fearless though, they have mastered the big twrilly slide on their own. They also love the tramp, they just haven't quite grasped where the edges are. This makes me think I may have some unexpected trips to the doctor in my future.

Aubree's deployment

Aubree left for Fort Sill Oklahoma with her unit, the 285th, on Monday October 5th. She will be there till November then she will go to Iraq whre she will transport troops and supplies. Aubree is the crew chief and the door gunner on a Black Hawk helicopter. She has been training very hard for this day for a year now. She is very excited, but is a very nrevous excitment. I am very gratiful for her servous and glad that she has given me a preview to all that Paul will have to go through. Paul's parents never thought they would have to kids on active duty at the same time.

Paul will graduate on October 30th, I can't wait to see him. He is glad that it is almost over, he has been sick of and on most of the time he has been at basic. That is to be expected when you have that many people together and very little sleep. Last week they ha some shocking news at Fort Jackson- a solider died of the swine flu. It was someone who wasn't in Pauls Battalion so he never had any contact with that person.

The boys have begun to run and climb. They are moving machines. I have mostly got my house baby proof, but when we go other places they are really hard to keep track of. they have to know what is every bag and on every self. They are learning to pick toys up and put them back in their buckets, but then they imediately dump the bucket back out. The boys got some more time to see a black hawk at Aubree's farwell ceremony they love all the buttons.

1/2 way through basic!!

Paul is half way though, only 6 weeks left. I am very excited to see him again. I am the only one going to Pauls graduaiton so he won't see the boys until Christmas, and I don't think that he will recognize them. I barely recogonize them day after day.

Aubree had a Family Guard day so the twins got their first look at a black hawk (what Paul is going to work on). They loved being able to climb on it, but whatSpencer liked the best was the tracktor with a scope. I know it has a different name. But it was a crazy day because there were bigs crowds of people and they boys wanted to do all the walking themselves (or should I say run all by themselves now). Both the boys are becoming so independent they also want to be pushed up to the table instead of having trays put on their high chairs. They are fully little boys now instead of babies I don't know where the time went.

Update on Paul

I finally have Paul's address Pvt Ayers Ronald Paul
Alpha Company
3rd BN, 34th INF. REGT.
2nd Platoon House of Pain
Ft. Jackson, SC 29207
You can send him pictures and letters to this address. I also have a graduation date - Oct 30th then he will go straight to AIT in VA. Paul has now been at basic training for 3 weeks. He keeps saying that he hates it, but loves it at the same time. Meaning hating the yelling and being away from home-but loving being physically fit. He tries to keep his chin up by thinking that he has only gotten pink eye while some of the other soliders have gotten worse injuries like torn ACL's and sprains. He can't wait for it to over that is for sure.

He loves being sent pictures and letters no matter how long or short. Please send him anything if you have time it will really help.

The twins are walking machines now. They are starting to test out going faster, but they haven't figured out how to slow down so they are falling alot. Because of all this falling they are constantly getting bruised and bumped. Especially Stevie who has gotten a black eye for each week his daddy has been in basic training. Stevie's latest black eye we had to go to the Insta care because it came with a nice gash. He didn't need stitches though only super glue. Though all these injuries have been an easy way to tell the boys apart as they get looking more and more alike.

My 23rd Birthday

The boys are getting really good at walking, as long as they stay focused they can walk for over 5 min. Their walk is even begining to look a little more like a walk instead of a akward stumble. Spencer and Steven both have a new game - they love to climb into boxes (or large pots) and get aomeone to push them around. Spencer also thinks he is funny that everytime I go to take his picture he puts his face up towards the ceiling. Their Aunt Telisha has a new bassett hound puppy who thinks that the twins are her puppy playmates. She is constantly nipping at them and trying to get them and follows them everywhere. Even into the bath!

For My birthday Amber took me on ADVENTURE try things new day! We had lunch at a thai resturant had a very interesting salad and an amazing drink. Then before that we went and had my hair cut and styled. I went really crazy and finally did the mommy thing and cut 8in off my hair!! I love it, but it is still strange to see me in the mirror and realiaze I don't have long hair anymore.

Paul has left

Paul left last Monday for basic training. He will be at Fort Jackson, South Carolina for ten weeks (only 9 left now). Then I will be able to see him at his boot camp graduation sometime in October. Then he will head start to Fort Eustis, Virginia for AIT for his Helicopter Mechanic training. He will then be there till Christmas break when he gets 2 weeks home before having to head back to Fort Eustis for about 8 weeks. Then by the end of Feb he will be home with hopefully an amazing job.

So the twins can now walk acroos the room. Though they still only walk when they want to to walk- it is not a constant quite yet. ONe of the things thatI am happy about is that Spencer's hair is long enough you can brush it to the side, though it is still kinda thin. It is fun because they are getting to where they understand simple things you ask them -like "get down" or "give that to mom". They both are also trying to imitate sounds they hear so it won't be long before they have their first words.

First Birthday Parties

The boys are now one year old. They are both 30in tall and in size18 month clothes already. Stevie weighs 21.6 lbs and Spence weighs 22.4. So we can still tell them apart by their weight difference. They had 2 birthday parties. One a little early at Paul's family reunion so the twins great grandma from Moscow, Idaho could be there and see the twins for the first time.

They got some fun toys their favorites being play phone, and anything that makes noise. Their other party was at my family cabin in Woodland. They had fun being cowboys and playing in the tall grass with Toby. It was fun to see the boys get into their cakes. At their first party Spencer loved the cake and made a huge mess . Steven didn't want to even touch it. The more we tried to have him taste it the more he got upset, when I tried to pick Steve up he stomped in the cake which he thought was more fun then playting with his hands. At their next party Stevie was the one who loved the cake and spence didn't want much to do with it. Though they both were not happy with their daddies help, when he put their faces in the cake.

Zoo adventures

So the twins had their first trip to the zoo and the animals loved them. I was amazed at how many animals came right up to the glass when we let the boys look in. Though the animals might have alos been more willing to come to the glass because it was a raining day and not alot of people go to the zoo in the rain.

I am so amazed at how different the boys personalities are. One more difference we learned at the zoo, when we went on the carousel, is that Spencer is more of the dare devil like his dad. While Steve is like his mom and doesn't like "scary rides".

Ithink that the boys enjoyed the zoo because they had their cousins Trinity and Ben to show them what to do, and what to get excited about.

So we have had a busy month, we have had are fist family vacation. Our first vaction was to Capitol Reef National Park for a family reunion. The drive down was alittle long for the twins to be thier car seats but they had a buddy. The boys had fun getting lots of attention from all the family, and swimming in the pool. The boys got to go sight seeing in their stroller






The boys favorite stop was the nature center they got to be rangers, and the was more stuffed animals then they had ever seen.

Paul has a new ship date

The twins are very much boys - they love to wrestle, bite, knock things (and each other) down, and make messes especially during dinner. We used to think that Spencer was the bigger bully, but Steve has begun to learn to just sit there while his brother takes his toys. Though no matter how mean they seem to each other, or how hurt they get 5 min later they end up laughing and jabbering to each other.

They remind me more and more of Paul each day. Though speaking of Paul his sprained ankle has finally healed and he finally has a new ship date August 10th. We are very excited for Paul to go. We are going to miss him, but he is going to be trained to do something amazing. We are very proud that Paul is a solider in the U.S. Army and are very excited to see him do something he loves. He joined the National Guard to provide for his family and have a career he can be proud of. The 6 months Paul will be gone will seem like nothing compared to the 18months that his sister Aubree will be Iraq. She leaves October 3.

2 new friends

The twins now have 2 new friends- A boy cousin named Ronan Ayers Pryor born on April 23 2009. They also have a girl cousin named Hazel Snow Christensen born May 1 2009.

The boys are getting big - the both have four teeth and Stevie has two more coming in. They are both about 20 lbs. They can both stand for about 10 seconds on their own. The most exciting part is that the are getting more hair!!!! The more hair they get the more you can tell how red it is. They are really good at opening unlocked cupboards and taking everything out, though they have yet to learn ho to put it back.

The boys also got to go swimming for the first time- they loved it. Spencer thinks that being splashed in the face is hilarious. Steven just loves being half naked.

This past weekend they got to hang out with their cousin Dallas they had tons of fun playing- throwing balls, making fun noises, and sharing bottles.

Hanging with daddy

Now that it is FINALLY spring Paul and I are loving playing with the boys outside and just letting them hang out with us as we spruce up the yard.

I swear the boys teleport from one spot to another, I turn my back and they are across the room (or up the stairs). They are getting better at moving along furniture and they have almost figured out how to push their trucks with out tipping them over.

Easter!!

The boys loved Easter. It was the first time we have let the boys explore on the grass. They loved the new exciting touch and TASTE of the grass. We tried to get a nice Easter pictuer of the boys together but they both wouldn't sit still long enough. I am amazed at how fast they can go, I turn around for a second and they are acrooss the room. What makes it more crazy is that the boys can now go up stairs, but they haven't quite mastered going down. So the only way I get anything down is to put gates everywhere. No matter how much I have the boys corralled in I find myself cleaning constantly.

Naked anyone

The boys are now using sippy cups and eating lots soild food, their new favorite is graham crackers. Eating solid foods I am not sure if they find the new tastes more exciting, or if its the new textures to mash. With all the solid food they are both gaining lots of weight and getting to look more and more alike every day. Though each of them has their own unique personality trade marks. Spencer loves to just hang out with his tounge sticky out. Stevie will go to anyone while Spence likes to hang out with his mom. Also Stevie is more of a jabber-jaw while Spence likes to yell to remind you that he is still there.

They boys latest phase is that they like to be naked. Whether it is just in there diapers or completely naked they become happier the instant their clothes are off. So putting on their clothes has become quite the challenge - especially when they are tired or hungry. They have just grwon out of there baby bath so now the twins get to have a bath together in the big boy tub. They love it - though no matter how many toys I put in the bath they both always seem to want the same one.

Mommy moments

So in the last week I have had many mommy moments. Moments when all there is to say is yep I am a mom. For example when I was leaving work I reached in my purse for my keys and pulled out baby keys, then had to rifle through a blanket and 2 binkis before I found my car keys. Next would be when I was grocery shopping and I was just humming along, and I realized tha I was humming the song for the boys toy. And finally when I was asked what my dream vaction was a I replied a nap.






Well let me tell you about what the darling twins have been up to to make me this way. Spencer has become quite the escape artist. He has learned to go up stairs, so there is no corralling him in now. He has evened learned how to get out of the fence we putin our living room to keep them in one spot. Though as adventuous as Spencer is if his mommy walks in the room he wants my full attention. Stevie on the other hand as long as he has a toy is is quite happy to play and sometimes I think Stevie likes strangers more then me because they are new and interesting.

The twins are just gettinf biger and bigger, They are begining to eat solid foods - they have explored the world of peaches and pears, as well as bread and green beans. Stevie I think enjoys the new flavors while Spence enjoys the new texture when he mashes his food. They are both determined that they can feed themselves with a spoon, but that is more of a messy game at the moment then actually productive right now.