Big tees and baby zs

Remember when I had "mommy syndrome" because my mom left me for a month with three kids (not counting my dad) to take care of, and I wore a shirt with black bean stains on it just because I was so frustrated after a long day and didn't give a care? I'm pretty sure I posted about it back in September, maybe here. Anyway, at that time my dad looked at me and decided against saying anything--wise, wise man-and NOW I am back at that place. I won't complain per say, but I will detail how my last few days have been in a short little nutshell. Who am I kidding? We all know I don't do short.
Their nicknames are Zay and Zap, and they are five month old twins. They are absolutely too chunky, cuddly, and adorable, and although one is a pound heavier, they look so much alike that it takes a second to tell them apart unless they're sitting side-by-side. If you read my September post (I keep referring to,) you know ManMan, the adorable little human that has recently learned how to open doors; his mom told Zay and Zaps mom about us, and she decided she wanted us to babysit her twins. This week has been the first time we have had them for three full days straight. Ironically they're teething so diarrhea is in the books and everything is x2! Today my mom was here, but yesterday and the day before she was too busy to help so I had to form some sort of routine. A friend wanted to webcam me then kept complaining because I kept getting up to take care of the babies. My answer: "I told you I had kids!" My favorite time of day? NAPTIME!!!
Tuesday I wore a huge tshirt (I actually have a collection now,) and then got spit up on and had to change it, yesterday was the same, and so was today. I'm sure their parents wonder if I own anything else to cover my top half. The twins are a delight, but I'm beginning to think that one is a sympathetic crier :-/ As much as I would love to expound upon all of this, I must quickly hand out pats-on-the-back to every mother of twins that I know and don't know. You are amazing. I mean that. Now, unless "my" twins stop having reflux soon, or stop being babies maybe (since they're about to go through the messy baby food stage,) I will need to go wash my big tee collection so that I can have them ready to wear next week :-)

Elisabeth Arona

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Me (left) and my younger sister Sarah

Don't ask me why my hair looks like it's not black in this picture, but Merry Christmas to you all :-)

Elisabeth Arona

Sharing while sitting in traffic

Today was grocery shopping day. The road that leads to the Walmart I shop at is always packed. There are two lanes going each way, and it's ridiculous. The store is two or three miles away, and yet, it takes about 15 minutes to get there! As usual, I was intermittently singing Christmas songs, listening to my little sister yap in the backseat, and yelling at the driver in front of me (bad habit.) Monnie (little sister) told me that the guy in the car over waved at her. I smiled because it was an elderly man, and he had a dog in the passenger seat. Next thing I know he pulls even with my window and motions for me to roll mine down. I do, and he calls over "Jesus loves you!" Me: "Awwww, He loves you too!"
I'm the type of person that would've started a conversation with the guy right there in our cars at the red light, but he rolled his window back up after that with a smile on his face. I wanted to tell him I was a Christian, and how much I appreciated that, but he may have read it in my huge smile...the one that stayed on my face the entire ride to the store. This is why I love Christmas season. I thought, then revised it: This is why I love the South. Then revised it again to: This is why I love Christians!
For unbelievers/non-Christians, oftentimes Christmas is their happy place. It's the time of year that they must be happy, say Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone, leave extra big tips, think of others before themselves, and generally be a nice/nicer person. They get in "the spirit" of Christmas. As a Christian, all year round should be my "happy place". I have Christ in me so I'm already in the Spirit! Each of the things that Christmas is about, it's only about because of Jesus! I know, I know, you're saying "Wow, real deep thought Elisabeth!" but to me, it was a deep thought. All of this because of an elderly man with a dog, that decided he was gonna share his joy, the thing that makes him smile. He didn't know if I was a Christian or if I was an Atheist and would say "I don't believe in God old man, keep your religion to yourself!" He just went for it. I love that.
So here is what I have to say to you with a big smile: Jesus loves you! If you don't love him back, and need to hear all the great things about Him (as if His birth/Christmas isn't impressive enough) let me know...my email address is right here on my blog.

Merry Christmas!

Elisabeth Arona

Tempting Tuesday-Portfolio

Do you know what? I would like to grab a bunch of my girlfriends and go out to eat (I love doing that)...I would like for all of us to dress fabulously and get our hair done beautifully and have a personal photographer taking pictures of us the whole time. We would have the greatest time and pretend that we had paparazzi following us. I would LOVE for every girl to be wearing outfits I made myself and I could fill my portfolio with a bunch of awesome pictures...*sigh* It's a very tempting thought, one I may even act on eventually...

What tempts you?

Ahhhhhh...

Has it been almost a week since I posted? Yeah, it really has. Let me assure you that I am alive and well...unfortunately health is something that we can never be too comfortable with. For instance, my mom's sister had a blood clot removed from her brain after having a headache that wouldn't go away for days, and is still in ICU. This is only one case-another family member also announced a serious health problem this week. It's a very scary thing to face unknowns in life.
Humans are resilient, we're some of God's only creations that understand circumstances around us to a great extent and yet still have the ability to bounce back. So, life goes on, and we may be burdened in our spirit, and worried, but we laugh, tease, and smile in the midst of it all. My sister has come to visit with her husband and my niece-y (who made her debut on my blog two months ago or so.) I'm SO so glad to see them, and am just trying to focus on them being here.
I put up a new item in my etsy shop also (go check it out) and even though I need to revamp my shop and take all new pictures I'm still smiling because at least I put something up, right?

Expect some recipes this coming week!

Elisabeth Arona