March for Babies!!

We are gearing up for the 2014 March for Babies in Omaha! This year I am the Family Teams Committee Chair and am really enjoying being more involved! We have participated in Utah for the past two years, but are excited to be a part of the Omaha March! Please please PLEASE (too much?) consider donating to our team at: http://www.marchforbabies.org/team/greenquist!! Even $10 helps us get that much closer to our goal of $1500 this year!

The Omaha March for Babies is HUGE! They do it on the Riverfront trail (beautiful!) and there were over 5,000 walkers last year and close to 200 family teams! This year I was asked to help head the committee that assists the family teams. The family teams are the heart of the walk. All of the teams have a deep connection with March of Dimes, whether it be through prematurity, birth defects, or they have lost a baby. They all walk in honor of these wonderful babies! This year we want to reach even more families in the Omaha area that want to be a part of this wonderful family walk and to raise even more money for March of Dimes. The money that we raise goes towards research and local programs that promote healthy babies.

We walk in honor of Kendal and Lyla--they are and always will be our miracle. When most people imagine having children they do not imagine twins or having to leave a baby at the hospital after giving birth. I know I didn't think of those things when I thought of being pregnant and having a family. We were blessed with two babies, which is a miracle! And these two little miracles are such an example of strength, determination, and love. We are so grateful they were able to receive the medical attention they needed. March of Dimes has helped further the medicine so that more babies can survive and more pregnant women are aware of how to have a healthy pregnancy. Even though those 51 days that Kendal and Lyla were in the NICU were difficult and I so badly just wanted them home, I am so grateful that I got to bring them home. I am grateful that they have grown to be spunky, sassy, talented, intelligent, lovable, beautiful toddlers. Shall we take a look back at our journey?

Blog Pregnancy Announcement

Our Miracle

28 Weeks

Birth Story in Pictures

Birth Story in Words

5 Days Old!

NICU Stay

Welcome Home

March for Babies Year 1

March for Babies Year 2

Help us support an organization that has done so much for our family and every other baby that has been born! Let's help every future baby be born healthy and full term!

Doggy Birthday Party!

 The weekend that we moved to Omaha we had a birthday party for the girls! I was so excited to plan a birthday party, but quickly wished I had waited a week or more because it was kind of chaotic with moving in and getting ready for the party. It turned out perfect though and we had tons of family come to help us celebrate our two wonderful little girls. 

I decided to do a doggy theme  because the girls LOVE doggies and we love the book "If You Give a Dog a Donut" (it is by the same author that does If You Give a Mouse a Cookie) so I went with the book theme. I was able to find a few ideas online to make it cute and fun. 

We had cupcakes with mini donuts on top. We also had dog bone cookies and puppy chow. 

 The banner: the girls and I did some art projects to go along with different parts of the book--handprint apple trees, watercolor kites, sprinkle donut, baseball, and I drew a picture of the dog from the book.

I wrapped some boxes with paw print wrapping paper (from the $1 store!) for a cupcake stand.

We served lunch: hot dogs, potato salad, and fruit salad. 

Kendal was already worn out before they even started opening presents! She NEVER falls asleep on us anymore (who am I kidding--she hated sleeping on us as a baby too), but great-grandma has the magic touch.  

 Lyla had to pick up the slack and open most of the presents--I don't think she minded one bit!

 Picnic table and bubble lawn mower--perfect additions to our patio.

 Happy Birthday Kendal & Lyla!!

 Throughout the house we had pictures of the girls from birth until recent. I can't believe it has been two years--best two years of my life :)

Thank goodness for other people's ideas that I can find on the internet! 

Thank you to everyone that came to the party! We had so much fun and the girls were spoiled with presents and love. I've already started thinking about birthday #3--planning has to start months ahead!

We moved to Omaha!

 The day finally arrived for us to move to Omaha! We packed up the biggest truck they had to the brim, head to Rawlins, WY the first night, North Platte, NE the second night and then Omaha to move into our new place. We have been here a few weeks now and we LOVE it. We miss our friends in Provo, but we are grateful to be at this chapter in our lives. Leigh is on his 3rd week of work and he is enjoying it--a little overwhelming and he comes home exhausted, but he doesn't have to do anything after 5 which we all love!

Love this picture! One last play date with our BFF Aurelia.

 Our truck!

 In Rawlins we stayed at a fabulous Bed & Breakfast. We loved it. Before we left we went on a walk and we happened to be staying near the old Penitentiary which is now a tourist site. Seemed weird to check it out, but we actually enjoyed it.

 The Bed & Breakfast: cute, right?

Kendal & Lyla are 2!

I have full blown toddlers now. Their big personalities are even bigger, they are talking so much, understanding even more, and are best friends. 

We had a low key birthday-day with the girls. It was a Sunday so we spent the morning opening a couple presents and lounging around. Then we went to church and the girls had mini cupcakes as their birthday treat. We didn't want to do too much since we were moving a few days later.

Curious George! Or as they refer to him: "MONKEY!"

One of their many sleeping buddies now. Their beds are quickly filling up with friends that need to go "night night". 

I love these girls more than anything. They make me smile and laugh every day. I love hearing all the wonderful things they have to say, love all the kisses and hugs, but most of all I love how much they love each other. Hopefully 2 years old is just as, if not more, fun as being one.

March for Babies

 Last weekend we got to participate in March for Babies! We walked last year and had lots of fun so we were excited to be a part of it again. We had a goal to raise $700 this year and we did it!! Thank you to everyone that made donations and helped Team Kendal & Lyla. I, also, had the opportunity to be on a committee for our walk that helped organize, set up, and brainstorm ideas. I really enjoyed being apart of the walk even more and am looking forward to helping in the future in Omaha.

 The girls' BFF Aurelia and her mommy came on the walk with us!

Family Visit!

 We had lots of family visit for graduations: Mom, Dad, Grandma, Kirsten, Jonathan, and cousins! We had tons of fun and the girls loved being with everyone.

The pictures are a little backwards--

The last day everyone was here we celebrated the April and May birthday: Isabel, Kendal, Lyla, and Rubye. We had cake, ice cream, and presents at the park.

 Kendal enjoying her cake...her face just got more and more covered in food as the night went on.

Cousin Rubye opening her presents

A rare site: the girls sharing!

 

 Is she excited or what?

As I said...more and more food.

 Lyla got her share too

The girls got shopping carts that they LOVE. 

Earlier in the week we went to Temple Square and City Creek Mall

The girls loved the fountains at the mall

We ate at Firehouse Subs--free hats!

BYU Commencement

BYU Graduation!

Thanks for coming to visit!