Summer Adventures

We've had a fun summer so far. AND compared to last year, we've had a GREAT summer because I'm not pregnant, HOLLA!!

Gosh, I can't stress enough how much I despised my existence last summer. I did nothing, because it was too hot and I was too miserable to try. Yep. I'm that girl. The one who doesn't LOVE being pregnant! 

The best thing we did last summer was visit Matt's family in Illinois, and while it was bloody hot and I was 7 1/2 months pregnant, it was so great to see everyone and let Emma play with Gramma and Papa. 

Anyways, back to THIS summer. The one where I'm not pregnant...

We've played at the park lots, almost daily. We've swam in the swimming pool, ran through the sprinklers, and played with water balloons. We've fed animals at Wheeler Farm. We've had lots of friends over and cousin family time. We went camping! (Next post)

It's been so fun, and summer isn't over yet! 

I love our little family. I love our daily laughs. I love us. I'm a bit obsessed, but I'm entitled to since they are mine, right? 

Here's some pictures of our summer fun so far:

My little socialite daughter. She definitely has Matt's genes running through her, because she loves going up to random kids and making friends. She calls out to them, "hey kids!" or, "hey boy!" to get their attention. In this picture, there was a little boy that was driving a remote control car around, and she followed him around like a shadow.

Miss Charly chillin' in the shade.

Her face when we ask her to smile. It's to die for!

smile part 2

Sister Shenanigans. I am in love with these pictures. Charlotte picking her nose and Emma flashing her smile makes me so happy to be a Mom! This is what life is like most days!

We went to Wheeler Farm to feed the animals. It's a free family trip, and the duck food only costs 50 cents per bag. Emma loves it everytime we go!

I wish one day you will all be able to witness Charlotte's "looks". I'm telling you, she's trying to communicate through each look she gives. I will take a series of pictures right in a row, and get a different look with every shot. It makes me smile! She is my sweet Charly girl. 

Watching some cartoons in their Sunday best :)

It's always a good day when we go to Hot Dog on A Stick 

I cannot get enough of their lemonade!! Delish!!

My beautiful girls!

Emma loves it when Kami and Kadan come over for the day!

We love summer!!!

xoxo
The Twistles

Summer Friends!

Oh my gosh, this last week has been packed full of cousins and friends! It is so much fun, and makes me so happy to see Emma loving her cousins and friends. 

I LOVE SUMMER!

We have played in the sprinklers, played in the pool, played outside, played in the pool again, and played at birthday parties.

I LOVE SUMMER!

Last weekend we went to Olivia's birthday party, she turned 3 this year! It was at one of our favorite parks, West Jordan or also called The Veteran's Memorial Park. It has two playgrounds, one for toddler sizes, and another wood type one that has a castle and everything. 

We did get a little rained on, but overall it was a great time! Again, I love to see Emma playing with her cousins. It is so fun to watch her create memories and friendships with them!

I LOVE SUMMER!

Russ, trying to be stealthy

Got a smile!!

Sophia=freaking adorable.

Grandma Walker and Charlotte

Part of the party crew 

Cuddling with my Emma and taking pictures of my fam!!

we tried to get a picture with Grandma Walker... this was the best one we got!

"Ca-Ca" as Emma would say. You probably know her as Jessica

Sara and Charlotte! 

They look tough, huh? Don't let them fool you :)

Mom and Charlotte! Charly got passed around quite a bit :D

On Monday, Kami and Kadan came over to play while Anne went to class. I told them we would go play outside in the water after Emma's nap. All morning all I heard was, "is it time to go play outside yet?"

We did have one minor potato bug incident. In the morning before it got too hot, we went outside for a walk and collected potato bugs. LOTS of potato bugs. I mean, a tupperware bowl full of them. 

We brought them inside (first mistake) and I put them on the counter where I thought it would be out of reach for children (second mistake). 

The next thing I heard was Kami shouting, "uh-oh Rachel!!" pointing to the ground in the living room. I couldn't imagine anything that would be so emergent, so I looked over and said, "okay just one minute" and continued making lunch. When I walked over to see what was up (like 30 seconds later), I saw a tupperware bowl on its side in the living room. 

a tupperware bowl that looked a lot like the one full of potato bugs that was on my count... wait a minute! 

Uh-oh indeed. 

Potato bugs were fleeing in every direction. Small ones, medium ones, and the Gigantic ones. I think we got the majority of them, the vacuum hopefully got the rest. It was a sad, sad day in potato bug land. 

But, I still must say...

I LOVE SUMMER!!

We've had a fun couple of days, and we are looking forward to more in the next couple weeks!! 

xoxo
The Twistles

Gerald the Gallbladder

Gerald the Gallbladder is no more. His havoc wreaking days inside Matt's abdomen are over. Gerald, I can't say that I'll miss you, or the pain you've caused my loving husband!

Matt went in for surgery today. Just your average gallbladder removal that is done all the time by many surgeons around the world. But for me, it wasn't just a surgery that most of Americans have. It was my best friend going in for surgery. It was the girl's Daddy. It was me being worried and nervous that everything would be alright. It was waiting in the waiting room anticipating the good news that he was okay. It was the slight chance that something could go wrong. It wasn't just a surgery for me. 

I know that many friends and family prayed for him-- for us, that everything would go well. I have often wondered if my prayers for others are felt by them. I have heard people mention that they could feel people praying for them while they were going through trying times, and always wondered how you could actually feel a prayer being said on your behalf. 

Today, I can say with a surety, that I have felt your love and prayers for us today. I am overwhelmed to tears, because I can literally feel all of your prayers for Matt and I and our family. I feel it through the Holy Ghost, that warm and comforting feeling of unyielding love. I know that many prayers have been offered for us today, and that is such an amazing thing. Thank you for your love, your support, and prayers. This may have seemed like a little thing, but for us, it was huge. Big or small, God listens. 

 I know that God hears and answers prayers. He wants to send us angels, and feelings of comfort administered through the Holy Ghost. He is real. He loves us, more than we could possibly comprehend. I know it because I feel it so strongly within my being. 

Matt is now in the recovery room, doing great and waking up from anesthesia. Saying that I am grateful that he's okay is an understatement. I never want to imagine going through this life without him. He is my rock, my hero, and my best friend. Going through this surgery with him, has deepened my love and appreciation for this wonderful man. 

We will be leaving the hospital soon, to go home and let Matt recover. He has the Xbox hooked up in our bedroom, so he should be happily entertained between sleeping and recovering. 

Here's to a happy gallbladder-less future for Matty!! 

Love you all

xoxo
The Twistles

Music Is What Life Sounds Like

I heard a song today that brought me back to 2009 and the memories of that time started to flood into my mind. It inspired in me thoughts about music that I feel I need to write down somewhere. 

I always thought it would be so cool if my life had a soundtrack, like in the opening credits of the newest movie. When I would walk around, I would imagine the perfect song to play in the background of my life. The sun shining, the loud bass pounding, a strong and happy beat drumming as I embarked on a new adventure. I still love watching movies for that reason, because the songs bring life into a fictional story.

I absolutely love music. It is my lifeline. It has helped me in the toughest of times and has enlightened my mind in the best of times. I feel the beat in body, and love to listen to lyrics that inspire. 

I also love how one song instantly takes you to the moment in time when it was most meaningful and memorable. It's like a personal time portal, where you can venture into the past and fully recollect how you felt, what that moment smelled like, and what was happening in that part of life. 

For me, the songs that instantly bring me back, are the songs of 2009. They are my soundtrack, and in them I find happiness and amazing memories.

In early 2009, I was finalizing my divorce, moving out into a downtown apartment, and discovering life again. My loving friend Susie was my rock, even though we lived in different states. She could not have visited at a more important time in my life. After leaving my house during Christmas she sent me a text that to this day I have not forgotten: "you are stronger than you know". A few weeks later, I received a mixed CD from her that included some Beatles songs on it. To this day, "Blackbird" and "With a Little Help From My Friends" takes me back to that point in time and reminds me that I really was stronger than I knew.

My love for Ingrid Michaelson also came from that CD, with her song "Be Ok" 

I started dating the love of my life in 2009. He introduced a new world of music to me, and also rekindled my love for music that had been lost in the shuffle of my past. I have always had a love for the "oldies". My parents listened to a lot of it and it was around while I grew up. Matty also loved this music, and had a lot of it on hand that we listened to often. Artists like Tom Pettey, The Beatles, The Mamas and The Papas were all brought back to life for me. "Learning to Fly" by Tom Pettey was most significant to me.

"Well I started out down a dirty road
Started out all alone
And the sun went down as I crossed the hill
And the town lit up, the world got still

[Chorus:]
I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings..."

One band that Matty introduced me to is Portishead. The song called "Sour Times" brings me back to our courtship, and every time I hear it, the chorus rings true "Cause nobody loves me, it's true... Not like you do"

I can't imagine a world without music, it just doesn't make sense! What soundtracks do you have in your memory of life? 

xoxo

Rachel