New B log . . . .

Hi Everyone,

Ok. Since I'm new with the whole private blog thing, I'm not sure how to add everyone. So, I am making the new blog public - - at least for a while until I figure it out.

Check it out -- -- durtschifamily.blogspot.com

Melissa

Moved to Colorado . . . . Check out our new BLOG

Hello all!

WE did it! We moved. Whew!

I actually have internet . . . at home. Wow!

I don't have a baby in my arms . . . . Crazy!

I actually found time to download and then subsequently upload all my pictures and videos . . . Never!

Anyway, since we moved . . . I thought it would be a good time to update my blog. I moved it to a new blogspot at durtschifamily.blogspot.com

If you would like to follow us or view the blog, please leave a comment here and I will add you to our "safe" list. If you are on my google contacts, you might have already received an invite. We are going private with the blog because I will be posting pictures and names with the girls.

WE love you all!

David, Melissa, Kimmy, and Abby

Talking to Mommy!

Ok, maybe cooing is more accurate. At any rate it is fun now that they know who Mommy and Daddy are.

They're SMILING!

I have to say that this stage of life is better for me than newborn stage. I like the fact that they are interacting with us now. Here are some shots that were caught while they were both happy. :) Abby is on the left and Kimmy on the right. Notice that the blanket in the back has frogs. Of course! :) The one below is Kimmy. She was certainly performing this day.

Rolling Over at 5 Weeks?!

Date: March 3, 2010
Whether on accident or not, it is true. Both Kimberly and Abigail are pushing themselves from their tummy to their back. Although Abigail was the first to officially roll to her back, Kimberly was not far behind the next morning.

Mommy and Daddy are going to have their hands full! Here is a video of Abby - - Kimmy was happily passed out at the time.

Sisterly Love!

This was most adorable. The girls had just been throwing the biggest tantrums! They were not happy. Mommy laid them down on the floor to have her hands free to get bottles. Not even a minute later they were cooing at each other and looking over at each other. It was really cute. It was like, "Oh, sissy, you're here too?! . . . . I love you."

Grandma Hymas Playing Dress-up with Abby

While Grandma Hymas was here visiting, she couldn't resist playing dress-up with the girls. She has told me numerous times about her waking me up in the middle of the night to try on clothes that she had just finished making. Yes. The woman woke a sleeping child in the middle of the night for a fashion show. :) She says I would just wake up, smile, play dress-up, and then fall right back to sleep. Nice. I don't know if I would have that much courage with twins!

She got so excited that she could buy "little" clothes, that she went on a shopping trip. Yeah! She picked up a couple of things for the girls - all pink, of course. Here is Grandma trying things on Abby who is not happy one little bit.

They're here!

Kimberly Dayle Durtschi (5lbs. 12oz - 17.5 inches) and Abigail LaNae Durtschi (5 lbs. 6oz - 18 inches) arrived at 8:45 and 8:47am (respectively) January 22, 2010 via c-section.



Mother and daughters are doing REALLY well. The girls have gained at least 2 pounds each in their first 3 weeks of life.

Mom and Dad are trying to grab a little sleep. We have to admit it is a lot more difficult than people imagine with twins. It isn't just double the amount of time. It is a lot more than that. The girls like to tag team us, even at only 3 weeks old. :)

They are sleeping well - - about 4 hours at a time. However, they like to stay up and have Daddy and Mommy bonding time at night. :)

There are lots of stories to tell, but for now I leave you with pictures of our little angels. I am going to grab a few winks before the little darlings get back up for more fun with Mommy. We love you all!

Double the PINK, double the FRILLS!

So with all that has happened with school beginning and all . . . I have just been overwhelmed. I am sad that I haven't had time to keep up on my blog. I think that is the story of my life. I have so many things going that I get run down. I need to take some time for me and keep this updated and my scrapbook updated. Whew!

Well, that is really not going to happen, as we are expecting TWINS in February. I will deliver before that, because full term for twins is 35 weeks, which comes the beginning of January.

Oh well, I will fill my time with two adorable IDENTICAL TWIN GIRLS. Yep. We are expecting identicals. Crazy!

We love you all and love seeing your blogs and keeping up on your lives. Hopefully I can get better at this. :)

Disneyland January 2009

David's Birthday

March 17th
Better late than never!

NEWS!!

Ok. I have to put a disclaimer on this post. Many of you might have wondered - "Why has Melissa stopped blogging?" Well, I thought it was just because of the end of school. So many things to get done and I didn't have time to sit down and update the blog and work on scrapbooking pages. Also, I had a trip to Washington, DC right after school got out. Then, the next week - - Youth Conference. So, who has time to blog. This week, I have been EXHAUSTED. It is actually a miracle that I am sitting in front of the computer typing this cause the last 2 days, I have been flat on my back.

Why all the tiredness? Yes. I'm pregnant. 7weeks along. This little one - - only 1/4 inch so far has completly wiped me OUT! I go from a nap, to trying to muster the energy to get up and clean, to crying because I have to sit down again after 20 minutes. For all of you who know me . . . that is really hard for me - - I think I am superwoman sometimes and try to accomplish everything. I am used to pushing my body and it being able to handle everything I throw at it. Well, not now!

Through this whole thing - - I have to say my husband, David, has been a SAINT! He has catered to my every need. He's been adorable, encouraging, empathetic, and downright sweet. I am not sure I could get through it without him. He's been very understanding. I love him so much!

My mom keeps reminding me that after 2 1/2 - 3 months I will feel better. All I can say, is I'm certainly glad I have a break from teaching right now. Not sure how I would have done while teaching school too. Probably had a nervous breakdown every evening I got home. Whew!

Disneyland 2009

Disneyland 2009! Yeah. This was back in January. Trying to make up for lost time, well lost scrapbooking. Between school, a trip to Washington, Youth Conference, and some NEWS - - - I was tired!!! Well, to tell the truth - I still am. But now I can catch up!

Melissa turns 30!

Savannah and Christina come for a visit!

WICKED

Ok. If anyone reading this blog has not been able to see WICKED yet. Wow! It is fantastic! David gave me tickets to the LA showing for Christmas. It was the best performance I honestly have ever seen! If you get the chance to go, pay the money and enjoy. Ok. Not the prices in Salt Lake! Last time I checked they were going for around $200. CRAZY! If they are under $100 - just pay it and you will not regret it! At least I didn't.

Malibu Beach

Ok. So for all of you that keep reminding me that I haven't updated my blog. Here goes. I have now successfully learned a new program. Well, the basics. It is a scrapbooking program that my mother gave me a year ago for my birthday. The only problem, I am not a PC user. I am an educator and we only have Macs. Well, I gave it back to her, hoping that they had a Mac version. No such luck. The copy of the program sat at my mom's house for a year. She never got around to downloading it to her computer.

Just a month ago, I realized - - wait a second - - I just married a PC user. So . . . I decided to try to merge the worlds of Mac and PC. I am now successfully using the program after a few VERY HELPFUL instructions from my sister, Christina. Hope you enjoy it!

Disneyland Fantasy Parade

David's Blog - Christmas Time

So, here are David's answers to the questions that were posed to me early. Check out an earlier blog for my answers.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
I'm going to have to agree with my lovely wife. When I've got time wrap it, otherwise bag it.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
I only remember having a tree from the box although I've been told I was a participant in chopping down a tree and bringing it home. I must have been like 2.

3. When do you put up the tree?
I've helped put up the tree but never actually done it. On my mission we had a green lamp that was our tree. It was there when I got there and it was there when I left.

4. When do you take down the tree?
Um… it was there when I got there and it was there when I left.

5. Do you like eggnog?
I like it. Although straight it's a bit thick.

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
I was a child? How odd…. Um… That's a tough one. I don't remember what I got nearly as well as what I gave. My favroate gift I gave has a funny story. I went to my brother and asked him if I could have 5 dollars to buy his gift. He was understandably shocked. You want money from me to buy me a gift? Isn't that a little backwards? "But" I explained "you'll really like it. And I'm putting in 10$ of my own. I just need a little extra to get both." In the end he loaned me the money and I bought for him 2 Calvin and Hobbs books.

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Right now my wife, I have a couple of idea that have transformed into presents but… well lets just say that I hope she likes them.

8. Easiest person to buy for?
Jared my nephew, I know he wants a bionical. I hope I can find one he doesn't already have.

9. Do you have a nativity scene?
Nope? Maybe? I don't know. Does my wife's count as mine?

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Talking to people who aren't there by written form?? You can do that?!?

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
1 hyphenated word. Fruit-Cake.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Are we saying movies that we really like or just that make us happy because they remind us of Christmas /shrug either way here's a list

1. Scrooge

2. Nightmare Before Christmas

3. While You Were Sleeping

4 White Christmas


13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Depends on the year, This year I'm still in the middle of it and it's the 16^thof DEC.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Leftover turkey sandwich, made with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, cheese, on toast.

16. Lights on the tree?
Colored or white? Do I have to pick? I like both. I think the white is more elegant but the colored reminds me of the tree I grew up with. It's a more happy tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?
God Rest ye merry gentlemen. Carol of the bells. Anything with good harmony and not too much vibrato or overly dramatic vocals.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Home. I have cookies. Really good ones. Although I am excited about Disneyland!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
No. Santa had to outsource after he picked up Asia, I lost track about the time of Pablo the reindeer.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Don't care.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?
What my wife said. She's a smart one.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?
It used to be for me the music. I worked in retail and the Christmas Music would start about October before Halloween. 3 Soul sucking months later, it would finally be over and we could go back to the normal mind numbing stuff. 10 hour days with 2 hours of music that cycled through? Let's just say if I ever meet the boy who saw mommy kissing Santa Claus that there may be a rather unfortunate incident. Most of the scars have healed now though. Hmmmm. I'm going to go with the mercantilism of Christmas. (I know I was a part of it at one point all the more reason)

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I really like crystal. Oooooh Rainbows through crystal

24. What do you want for Christmas this year?
I want an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle! Oh wait… I'd likely shoot my eye out. I've got what I most wanted.

25. Who is most likely to respond to this?
Nobody. I'm sending it to my wife to get blogged and no one else. I'm selfish or lazy or something.

Wedding Pictures!

Okay. So I went to my sister's-in-law, Amy's, blog and stole a couple of photos from her blog to share here. Many of you are dying to see pictures from the wedding. Unfortunately, the photographer has all rights to his - - so I can't post those - - but I can borrow from family. Here they are.

David and Melissa at the luncheon
(day of the wedding).

At the reception.
David got tired of holding his eyes open. :)

David and I getting in a little extra dancing practice before the reception.











My new sisters! From left - - Amy, Becky, Elisabeth, and Sarah (front). Wow! I am lucky! They are wonderful and I am so blessed to be a part of their family. They have accepted me in with open arms. It is really fun to have more sisters.

Actually, it is funny - - I inherited 4 new sisters (5 with Caroline - Steven's wife) and one new brother - (2 with Cameron - Elisabeth's husband) AND David inherited the same amount - except opposite from my side. 4 brothers, 5 with my brother-in-law, 1 sister (2 with my sister-in-law). Funny!