MUCH BETTER!

Little Miss Elliot's bot-bot is MUCH better! What finally worked??? A prescription of Diflucan and straight Neosporin. Although both kids are still having runny diapers from time to time, we are not having the painful diaper rash anymore...PRAISE HIM! Both kiddos are just on the verge of cutting both front teeth so we will probably have 4 new teeth by the end of the week...good times! Hopefully they will come through quickly and pain free...hahaha! I will try to get some pics but they barely let us feel them so I am not sure how we will get them to open up and smile for us.

We have started brushing their teeth at night during bedtime and they are doing very well with that. Good thing being that I have to go to the dentist on Thursday and their presence has been requested at my appointment. We will have to be sure and tell Dr. Becky about how well they are doing with the teeth brushing! Here are some pics from this weekend.

Elliot has learned and new tricks and Keaton has found a new place to watch cartoons (see below). Also, we took the kids to the park on Saturday and they LOVED it! Especially the big twisty slide that we took them down. Hopefully they will love parks and not climb to the top and get scared to go down. Didn't those kids always bug you growing up? Maybe its just me but go down the slide already! And does anyone watch "Jon & Kate Plus 8"? Is she really mean to poor Jon or is it just me? Poor guy, if 8 kids screaming isn't enough, Kate decides to yell at him to kill a fly...while he is trying to feed 8 kids by himself. Pick up a fly swatter and go to work lady!

Oh well, I digress. More updates this week on the tooth watch! Have a great Monday everyone.

Elliot's new friend...

I seriously found Keaton sitting like this Sunday morning before church watching cartoons!

Site meter/Stat Counter

I mentioned a couple of post ago about setting up a site meter. Although there is a thing out there called site meter, I actually use Stat Counter. Sorry, got the names a little confused. Not sure the difference but so far I have been happy with Stat Counter.

If you want to set one up for you blog, all you have to do is go to HERE and click on the register tab. It only takes a minute to set up an account and then you are off.

Once you get signed on, you can click on the graph icon to pull up your real-time stats and visitor reports. This will show you not only a map of where people are checking you out from, but it will also show if they are new/unique to your blog, if they are returning visitors, or if they came to you through someone else's blog. It is really neat, especially when you see you get a hit from somewhere really cool like Australia & Sweden! Come on my Italian/Swiss/ British friends...where you at?

Anyway, thank you Emily for reminding me that I never posted how to set this up! Hope this helps yall out there that want to get started checking out your stats. Enjoy and let us know where all you are getting hits from!

We've tried it all...

Butt Paste, Nystaten Cream, Desitin, Neosporan, Monistat Cream, Powder, Baking Soda, air drying while taking naps, sensitive wipes, no wipes, washcloths, mild soap...and finally this...

NOTHING WORKS!

We finally had to take little Miss Elliot to the Dr. yesterday because her diaper rash is so bad that she was having open sores on her hiney. I can only imagine what it must feel like. She will cry to the point of losing her breathe if anything that stings touches it. She has had a rough few days but hopefully with her new prescription and some more neosporan (as this is the only thing that doesn't seem to burn) we will move on to tomorrow and hope that it will look better in the morning!

And no, Keaton has never had even a hint of a red hiney! Wouldn't that be the case...MEN! (But I guess he is making up for it with reflux...BTW...we are going on 3 weeks without having to wear a bib!!! Guess God blessed me with one less month of the dreaded reflux!)

If anyone out there has had this problem and knows something that works without any pain...please feel free to share. We'll keep you posted and let yall know if we find what works! Until then, enjoy your pain free hineys!

Random Things

Do you have a Sitemeter set up for you blog? If not, you really should set one up. You never know what interesting things you might find.

For example, recently I have had hits on my blog from Sweden, Australia & off the coast of Africa! How cool is that? Not sure who you are out there but thanks for stopping by. I love the international hits!

So I never finished telling yall about the book I just read. It is called "Angels & Demons" by Dan Brown. It is the prequel to the "DaVinci Code" if any of you read that book. I have to say that Ryan & I both liked this one better! It is set in Rome and is so colorful in it description of the layout of Rome and Vatican City. If you have ever been there, it takes you right back. You can almost smell the bus exhaust and city sewer rising up from the streets! Like the "DaVinci Code", this book is not for the faint at heart at times. This one could even be a little more graphic but not too over the edge. I loved it and love Dan Brown's style of leaving you hanging at the end of EVERY chapter. It makes it impossible to put the book down! Anyway, highly recommend this one!

I am also doing the Beth Moore study "A Women's Heart" this semester. It is great so far. Have any of you out there done this one before? Thoughts? I will have more on this later I am sure!

Also, I have been tagged again by my college friends Kim! (Check out her blog to the right! She is also a mother of twins and has just started a great blog. I love how the internet brings us all back together again!) This one if kind of fun and will take you back (and make me remember) what has been going on the past few years on this very day! So hang in there...here we go:

1. What were you doing 10 years ago? September 1997

It was my last semester of college and I was SO ready to graduate. Most of my friends had already graduated and moved on so I was ready to get out in the world and start making money too! I was dating Ryan and we were having a blast together!

2. What were you doing 5 years ago? September 2002

I think we had moved here and were living with Ryan's parents. I was looking for a job and we were starting to look for houses. I think. Was that 2002? I can't even remember...is that sad or what? This is why I have my husband around who has the craziest memory of anyone I know!

3. What were you going 1 year ago? September 2006

This one is easy! I was BIG and PREGNANT! I was starting to enter those final days of the uncomfortable stage and starting my "can't go to sleep until after 2am" phase. I remember having really bad joint pains during September and trying to stay somewhat active to keep me moving. We went to a high school football game and I remember everyone looking at me like "She shouldn't even be here more or less walking up those bleachers!". I was starting to get really excited about the kids arrival. Cheryl threw us a great shower in September as well and we got so many essentials! I was such a great memory of my pregnancy!

4. What did you do yesterday?

Woke and a toted the kids along to spin class. I wasn't feeling great yesterday so after lunch we all took a good 2 hour nap! After that, went to Wal-Mart and then spent the evening together while Ryan went to a high school football game. Got in bed and caught up on some magazines and feel asleep at the start of the 10:00 news!

5. Snacks I enjoy:

These next few seem a little random but...frozen snickers, the new nuts that only have almonds, macadamia nuts & cashews, a good coke and Andy's strawberry concrete.

6. Things I would do with $100 million dollars:

Hire a house cleaner!, put away for kids college, pay off house and build a new one, pay off our parents houses, by new clothes that fit (I am finding that after losing weight this summer, none of my pants fit anymore!), go eat at Mr. B's, and of course get season tickets to all Razorback & Cardinal games!

7. Locations I would run to:

Florence, Paris, London, Rome, Cinque Terre, Capri, Santorini, Chicago, NYC, Hawaii, Fresno (to see my bro, sis-in-law & nieces) Mauritius...I could go on for days with this one!

8. Bad habit I have:

Not keeping in better contact with friends and not remembering anyone's birthdays or anniversaries!

9. Things I like to do:

Get outside with the kids, camp at Lake Ouachita, go to the beach, cooking with Ryan...trying new recipes, catch up with friends, watch movies, take baths & naps!

10. Biggest joy of the moment:

Watching my kids grow before my eyes and seeing my husband so happy with his new job!

Ok, thanks for bearing with me if you are even still with me. I do enjoy reading others answers so here you go...Leslie L, Tesney & Emmy...you're it!

11 months update...

Yes, I am a day late on this but that's what you get sometimes. Wednesdays are now hectic for us as we have my bible study on Wednesday mornings and our community group on Wednesday nights. I know that doesn't sound like much for most of you but trust me, when you throw two kids into the mix...its all work!

So yesterday the twins hit the 11 month mark and we simply cannot believe it. I know I always say that but truly, this year has flown by for us. Thank goodness it is this time this year and not last year as I was about to be blessed with "the rash" this time last year! I think we all remember that misery! But, we are not itching today and all is well at the Halford house.

Thought I would just update you all on some of the kids milestones. I honestly can't believe they aren't walking yet but every day they get more and more steady on their feet and brave so it shouldn't be long...stay tuned!

Let's start with Miss Elliot (we are trying to teach Keaton that ladies always go first):

• 
  
• Can call the HOGS...we are probably most proud of this accomplishment right now!


• LOVES to sing and dance. Seems to most like the Razorback fight song, worship music and Fergalicious (nice combo huh?)


• Can say "mama", "dada", and what we think is "bubba". She is also making lots of consonant sounds and pretty much has her vowel sounds down. When she is really concentrating on something she says..."Ohhhhh, Ohhhh"


• Can take a few steps if she tries!


• Stands on her own. She can also do this while shaking a toy or again, calling those HOGS.


• LOVES anything blueberry (right now their favorite is nutrigrain blueberry waffles by Eggo), cheese, cheese & more cheese, noodles, french fries, any fruit, little green peas, carrots, gnocchi (yes, they had this the other night and LOVED it!), cheerios, puffs, yogurt, graham crackers and of course ice cream and popsicles.


• Loves to laugh at her brother...she thinks he is hilarious when he tries to take things from her. Hopefully she will always find this act humorous!


• Has started blowing on our arms and legs to make (sorry mom...) fart noises! She thinks she is so funny doing this!

And for Keaton...

• Pulling up and starting to let go.


• Has taken a step but doesn't seem that interested right now.


• Still LOVES to watch sports. I honestly think he is glad that it is football season again!


• LOVES to sing and dance as well. Mostly like the Razorback band CD, the song "Two Little Dinkie Birds" and digs him some Kanye!


• LOVES LOVES LOVES Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.


• Starting to realize he can pull out Elliot's bows and barrettes.


• Loves all the same foods as Elliot but seems to like yogurt a little more. Also, they love fried okra and sweet tea!


• Can play alone so well and seems to love going to bible class.


• Can still melt his momma's heart with his sweet smile.


• Loves to jump in his bed to make sissy laugh and has continually turns off the fan. Guess he's cold?

Well that is about it. I don't have updated weights as our scale still doesn't weight them correctly. I guess they are still not heavy enough. We are probably going to be getting them new carseats for their birthday. If anyone has any favorite, forward facing carseats...please share! We are hoping that one day they will weigh 20lbs so we can turn them around. Maybe the will be close enough and the Dr. will let us next month! Momma would be so happy!

Here are some more shots from yesterdays photo op.

Pass on 3rd down???

This seems to be the biggest phrase thrown around these woods this week. If you aren't a HOG fan and didn't watch the game, you didn't miss much. Although parts were exciting,for a moment we thought a comeback was in our future, we were wrong and should have known that nothing has changed for the Hogs and road games.

Congrats Tesney, Clayton & Wendy! Yall got us back this year. Next year, back to our house!

Pregame with our Papa Curly!

Keaton in his new D-Mac jersey...

Elliot in her cheerleader outfit...

We had a great time getting back with the fam and watching the game. All the cousins new babies were there (we have had 6 born in the last year...within 6 months of each other). Here are some pics of the kids with their cousins! What a blast we have on our hands these upcoming holidays! I see some pushing and shoving ahead in future Easters with all those boys around. GGs gold money eggs will one day be the hunted prize once again!

Hope you football weekend had a better turn out than ours. Now that we are back home and hopefully somewhat settled for a couple of weeks, I should be a better blogger. I have several things I can't wait to share with you all about my fall bible study and a book I just finished (yes, a whole book I read in less than two weeks...it must have been dang good huh?).


See you all tomorrow for our 11 month update. Can you believe it?


This is how I found Keaton sleeping in his swing the other day, he turned and started watching tv in this postion as well. My little yogi!

Keaton's new way to get off of Grammy's fireplace...

Linny & I took Keaton & baby Liam for a walk...they both love to cover their heads with their matching blankets!

The oldest of the bunch...cousin Landon.

Preston pretending to be one of the babies...he actually fell asleep in the stroller!

Keaton loves sleeping with his Grammy...

Go Hogs Beat Bama!

The kids wanted me to show yall their unending love for the Razorback fight song. Also, Elliot has started to learn to call the hogs but of course wouldn't perform when I got the camera out. More for another post!

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Here is how the rest of our night went...(Oh yeah, it is suppose to be getting down into the 40s this weekend...Fall here we come!!!)

I am so cute and sweet in my long sleeve pjs!

Me too...just standin' here watchin' the sun set from the playroom window.

Ok, she's not looking....how we gonna bust out of here sis?

You help me up and I will catch you when you jump.

Here we go...one, two, three...

OH NO SIS....WE'RE BUSTED!

It was totally his idea momma!

BTW, you should really clean this window seal we are licking!

I think I just licked up a bug!