you know you have two four year olds when...

+you find yourself alone, in the car, singing along to the sesame street cd for a good 10 minutes before realizing, oh yeah, eject, silly.

+you turn on the tv & your brain is programmed to automatically push 256. nickjr, please.

+you cut your food in tiny pieces.

+you add a y to everything. you want some juice-y? you want me to hold-y
wold-y you? ok. i went too far.

+instead of looking at sales for yourself, you are scouring the toddler rack like a maniac.

+you are standing in line at 3 in the morning waiting for toys-r-us to open.
yeah, i didn't do that one. not that brave.

+when you have guests over, you walk around the house flushing toilets, just to make sure all the kids in the pool went down. if you know what i mean. wink.

+you enjoy buying rugs, to cover all the nice little stains on your carpet, that no matter how hard you try to clean, will somehow return the very next day.

+even though you promise you would never do this, you buy those darn sparkly christmas walmart shirts. and you know what, you actually want one for yourself. (k, don't buy me one. i lied.) cause when those babies of yours are happy, you are happy. & if wearing that walmart shirt makes them smile, then gosh-darnit, let 'em!

[i know the light up dora shoes are next. hold me.]

random picture alert: (because every good post needs one)

ellie & her newest cousin, hudson, on thanksgiving.



the other night we heard some rumbling
& found audrey snuggled in bed with her sister.
these are the moments, my friends.


i love these 4 year olds of mine. they make my heart go pitter patter. & santa just might bring them those light up shoes. shooot. (i'm kidding. don't you dare send them a pair. ha.)

favorites.

[a shallow post about my favorite beauty things. in rainbow colors.]
[for the computer specials, you can scroll your mouse over the words for links :)]

favorite make-up: bare minerals. you either love it or hate it. i love it.
favorite blush: today? benefit's posie tint or tarte's flush cheek stain with a lil' shimmer of smashbox prism on top (works on your lips too!)
favorite mascara: benefit's bad gal lash
favorite deoderant? well, if you must know: dove ultimate. this months flavor: revive!
favorite toothpaste? so glad you asked! crest scope outlast with long lasting mint! YAY!
favorite face wash: i'm a proactiv girl all the way.
favorite underwear? granny panny. this girl has an empire of gap body, full bottom, hipster underoos. too far? more than you ever wanted to know? just tryin' to help a sister out. sorry, dad.
favorite perfume: clean
favorite bodywash: softsoap, sweet honeysuckle & orange peel. run, don't walk. you need this. trust me.
favorite lotion: kiss my face, peaches & cream. mmmm!

am i missing anything?

oh yeah, ellie, before she gets beautiful in the morning. KIDDING! geesh.

so there you have it.
everything you've ever wanted to know, right?  :)
too bad i'm not oprah & i can't give you one of each.
wouldn't that be great?
i can do her crazzzzy scream though.

to youu! and youuuu! and youuuuuuuuuu-uu-uuu!

man, i'm gonna miss her.

what are your favorite beauty products? i love reading blog posts about products people like!
come on. do tell.

10 things.

1. i'm obsessed with trader joe's flat bread. a little olive oil+parmesan. broil for a min or two. the perfect snack.
2. i think putting up christmas decorations to christmas music is my favorite day of the whole year.
3. i have the shopping bug. bad. i'm trying so hard to stay away from all the online goodness this year. i think i'm okay to just cruise the sites, but man! do they know how to market to a girl like me! shame on them. ha.
4. tim rented GROWN UPS last night. i liked it. adam sandler doesn't hafta try to be funny. he just is. and i think it's cool that they all accepted each other's differences in the end. i'm a sap.
5. a+e are currently fighting over a snow globe that has a picture of me+my sister in it from the 1980's. don't you wish you could see that picture.
6. nickjr has been on all day long. the girls have only left my bed for lunch+dinner. and to fight over the random snow globe. i should be ashamed to admit that, but hey.
7. last night we went to a pizza place and i left a+e in their walmart sweats + bright pink heart slippers. no shame. something has happened to me. does it come with age? or have i just lived in the IE too long? wait, don't answer that.
8. um, i got nothin. still thinkin' about that last one.
9. i think i'll go make us ice cream cones. rocky road.
10. whenever i need a good, ugly laugh, i watch this:

(you'll wanna turn off my new christmas music for this one!)



a farting preacher! you're welcome.
happy sunday, friends!

25 days of thanks: the motherload.

so i totally stunk at giving thanks for 25 days straight.
even though i might have given thanks in my head.
just didn't write it down.
so shoot me.

today, i am thankful for life.
for health.

for my tim, who works harder & dreams bigger than any person i know.

for my audrey, who loves life. loves her sister. loves to announce her farts. & makes me laugh harder than most. who tells me randomly everyday how much she loves me. & then asks for more candy.

for my ellie, who can light up any room. who brings joy. hence her middle name. who loves people. & loves to laugh through her nose. who loves to pick out her outfit every morning, while telling me one ponytail, or two. she promises she's gonna marry mason. yup.

for the gift of twin sisters. i never dreamed of having twins. & i was scared to death when i found out God picked me to raise a pair. but, oh man, the gift of sisters is an amazing one. they have each other forever. an insta-friend for life. being able to watch their unbreakable bond is truly an indescribable thing.

for my townhouse. & the fact that we're still standing after 4 years here. still barely paying our ridiculous mortgage. & still loving every minute of our cozy 3 story home sweet home.

for my family & friends. God has blessed me with the best. friends old & new. near & far. a quirky, sometimes dysfunctional family that loves the Lord. grandparents & great grandparents that love a+e to the moon. i am so thankful for my life-line.

for my karis. you deserve your own line this year :) you have kept me on the ground. listened way more than you should have. helped me laugh my way through it all. i heart you & am so blessed by you. & even though i've been replaced by your sewing machine, ruby, i thought this might just win you back? maybe? i told you you'd make a post! awkward huuuug!

for all the trials, joys, & pains that has come with this year. because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. ROMANS 5:3-4

and most of all, i'm thankful for my Jesus. He's given me more mercy & grace than i deserve. He makes life worth it. all of it. every drop.

CHEERS! happy thanksgiving, friends! i am thankful for you. & you. & you. xo.

ice skating adventures + a giveaway winner.

and the winner of the christmas card giveaway is:
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oh, the anticipation! heh.
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#11
[chosen by random.org, but tim x'd out of the page before i could save the picture. you'll just hafta trust me on this one. wink.]
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[phil + bri]
bri, pic out your favorite card & email me with your pics (whenever you're ready, of course) at tankandtink@gmail.com. we'll talk christmas cards, baby! YAY! CONGRATS! and a HUGE thank you to all who entered & help spread the word!

[and now, dundunduuuun, onto the video!
i present to you, my favorite, a+e on mini ice skates! oh, yes.
last year, a lot of wet tooshies. this year, we got walkers. oh, double yes.
& today, on this 22nd-ish day of thankfulness, i'm thankful for that. (cheap, i know.)]

i lost track of what day, but i'm still thankful.

:)

today i'm thankful for
homemade spaghetti simmering on the stove.
tim making it home early enough for dinner.
new t+t business.
a day with my audge podge (she has a cold & had to miss school today. boo. but man, did we have a good time. shh, don't tell ellie.)

waking up to find an ellie passed out in my bed.

silly memories with my crew.

late night in-n-out runs (and a few sprinkle donuts. say what?)

sunsets that stretch for days.

christmas pajama parites.

tim holding me tight last night & calling me his shnook.
(he hasn't called me that in forever)
free gifts in my sephora bag.

and, that the turkey dinner of the year is in my very near future. amen.

hearts.

i heart this baby room. i think it's absolute perfection. i saw the wallpaper once before, fell in loooove, & then forgot about it. thanks to chelsea, i fell in love all over again. swoon. anyone know where you can find the wallpaper in the us?

right now it's a tie between turqs+yellows or pinks+golds for a&e's room makeover. what do you think? i'm torn.

i heart this vintage baby blue typewriter. it's only 55 bucks, too. score! tim? are you listening?

i heart our little city's veteran's day parade. when the marching band came by, i cried. i love when people come together in unity. i love marching bands. i love the old man that stood every time a veteran walked by. & i love the mini horse that was decked out in flags.

i heart my girls. all of a sudden, they seem so old to me. & even though i miss them as babies, i'm so proud to see the girls they're becoming. they're my constant companions, the smile on my face, & today, i'm thankful for them.

what are you hearting these days?

psst! sweet christmas card giveaway still going on a few posts down!