Blocked!

It has been about a week since I've written anything... it's busy here at the Surry home. I have managed to pack quite a bit, though more awaits me. Much more. We have 21 days to go, then Moving Day! I am so very excited, I can't believe I am sitting still as I write this. What a whirlwind this has been; but a great, fantastic whirlwind. I don't mind packing...but un-packing is WAY more fun.
Aside from the packing, I have writers block...can't think of anything to write about. A week now, and haven't found an exciting topic, or any topic that would be of mild interest to anyone. Nothing new on the homefront; the boys are still only taking a few steps on their own. Most of me feels anxious...I want them to start walking already!! Walking, running, jumping...I am excited for it. But of course there is that smaller part of me that thinks "just ENJOY the fact they are still crawling!!! You nutty woman!!!" The only thing new really is the mimicking. They love to mimic Dad, and that can be trouble. The boys have this toy hammer, and Daddy used it to bop them on the head (NOT hard or anything, so don't think we beat them...) and now they use toys and anything else to bop themselves on the head! That is only one example of the copy-cat tricks.

Halloween is tomorrow!! I LOVE Halloween. I remember eating a rushed supper so we could take off trick-or-treating immediately after! I remember watching the Disney Halloween Special, with clips from spooky shows like the Headless Horseman, the witch from Snow White, etc. etc. My fave!! I enjoy carving pumpkins, roasting the seeds, and watching scary movies late into the night.

This year we are not taking our boys trick-or-treating, which means I'll be missing out on a lot of candy. Might have to just buy some for myself. But the boys are too small; I just know if we went everyone who opened the door to us would be thinking "what is she doing? those kids are too small to eat candy, obviously it's for HER!" Anyway, it's not as though the boys will understand what's going on; maybe next year.

Hard to believe we don't have snow yet...although the air is COLD today, so snow may be imminent.

Can you tell I'm blocked? I can't think of a thing to write. This small update will have to do for today's post, cuz it's all I got.

I was tagged by Chantal...so here it goes!! By the way, I really like these. They are fun and it's always nice to read about friends....

5 Years Ago ~
1. I was planning my wedding
2. I worked the deli counter at Sobeys!
3. Only dependants were 2 ferrets, Manson & Ginger
4. enjoyed carefree days!
5. Did some all-niter road trips to Abbotsford


Things on my list for Today ~
1. have a SHOWER!!!
2. get a few more boxes packed
3. give the boys a bath
4. fold laundry
5. go visit some friends


5 Snacks I Enjoy ~
1. Popcorn Twists
2. Caramilk Bar
3. All-Dressed Chips
4. Origional or Vanilla Frosted Mini-Wheats
5. Oatmeal Crispies


5 Things I would do if I was a Millionaire ~
1. pay off mortgage
2. put money away for boys
3. help special needs' children and their families
4. pay off car
5. buy some clothes


5 Places I have lived ~
1. Raymond, AB
2. Medicine Hat, AB
3. Calgary, AB
4. Edmonton, AB
5. Redwater, AB


5 Jobs I have had ~
1. housekeeping in a nursing home
2. A & W - cook
3. Money Mart - customer service rep
4. cucumber picker in a greenhouse
5. Second Cup giftshop - gift basket creator


Tag 5 people ~
1. Holly
2. Songbirdmama
3. Michelle
4. Anonymous #1
5. Anonymous #2

Just Monday

I can't think of anything great and inspiring to write, so this post falls back on my favorite little men.

David and JD are the greatest joy and biggest challenge of my life! Constantly I am re-evaluating myself and the way I handle situations.
I have my goals as a mother, and I have my goals as a wife. There are things I know I need to improve on, and other things I need to eliminate in my parenting style. This is such a big job! I am sure mothers everywhere have days where they feel inadequate and unprepared for the responsibility; I know I sure do. Then there are times when the happiness is so overwhelming that tears come to my eyes. These two extremes aren't always seperate from eachother; sometimes I feel those emotions moments apart.

I think alot of women in the world, because of their own choices, are greatly missing out on the beautiful role we have in life. Women are wonderful, powerful, and necessary in the traditional family; we have everything it takes to fill the role. I believe this about women: women have the necessary gentleness, peacefulness and strength required to mother children; women have the kindness, loving nature, and support to provide to our husbands; women have the intelligence, practicality and power to influence the world. I have learned this from my mother and the example she is to me. I grew up watching a mother who loved and supported and stood beside her husband through whatever the world threw at them, a mother who was tender and loving, teaching, creative, and disciplinary to her children, and a mother who helped and cared for others in need.

Do we have all it takes to be powerful women, wives and mothers? Yes we do. Do we improve and use these skills every opportunity we get? Probably not. I know I don't. I look at my sons and know it is my duty to do the best I can, using the resources I have been given. Sometimes the stress from that alone can cause me to want to curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep!! But I know we are women because we can handle that mantle of responsibility. I am going to try harder! If we women try harder to fulfill our responsibility in this life, imagine what wonderful things could happen!!!

(oh, look at that...I guess I did have something to say after all. I never really know until I start typing.)

Terrorizing Leons

Yesterday we checked out a couple of furniture stores. It was a tiring escapade to the Brick; we didn't grab a cart and were carrying the boys around the store! These two get HEAVY after about 5 minutes, and we were there for about 45. As we drove to Leons, we both said "lets get a cart this time!!".
Walking into the store we didn't see carts, but we found a better solution waiting for us. They have these things that I can only describe as a tiny wheelbarrow; a large handle like a wheelbarrow and the 'bucket' part is a little seat for a toddler! The strangest thing I have ever seen as far as strollers go. We snagged two and put the boys in. They LOVED it!! We didn't make it 10 steps before the first loud ~ and I mean LOUD ~ squeal erupted! In such a massive cavernous building, the echoes were embarrassing. David and JD laughed, hooted and hollered, and jabbered back and forth. They were L*O*U*D !!!
Part of me was thrilled at the blatant joy my boys were expressing, and the other part of me wanted to hide amongst the sofas. Actually, it was quite hilarious and my husband and I occassionally found ourselves racing to make the boys squeal louder! Most of the time, though, we apologized to the few patrons and staff for the incredibly audible chatter between our little men.
It was so much fun though; and I loved that my boys enjoyed themselves that much during what would otherwise be a dreadfully dull experience for them. When we return to purchase things for our home, I know we will have tons of fun! Though the staff might dread our return, I look forward to it. I will bring the camera too!

My Husband Rocks! Fridays

I saw this on another blog, and love the idea. It's fantastic!! It's all about focusing on the little, great things our spouse does instead of keeping track of the things they don't do. I believe in the greatness of marriage, and I love being married. It may not always be easy, or perfect, or the stuff dreams are made of, but concentrating on the good stuff and building up our spouses can make marriage wonderful.

Today my husband rocks because he plays with our boys. While getting bottles ready for bedtime, I could hear laughter coming from the livingroom! The boys were in peals of laughter and my husband was smack in the middle of it. That warms my heart, hearing the three of them play together, and it makes my day. Even though my hubby might be tired from a long day at work, he always makes time at the end of it to play with the boys. I love him for it.

It never fails if I need a moment to myself after a long day, my husband is there and steps in to take care of the boys. When those moments come where I need to back off and cool it, he is right there to carry on where I left off. He really is my partner, my friend, my confidant; he is my right hand. I really don't think I could've made it through the past year without him by my side!! Thus: my husband ROCKS!!!!

If you want to see where I got this from, check out Webbmania in my bloglist...it's great!!

Recap

The past 5 days have been interesting for us...and I thought I would share some of the happenings with all of you bloggers out there.
On Saturday our boys each took their first unassisted steps! Such an amazing sight to see; the hesitant first steps accompanied by the excited smile on their faces... not much can top that. We've been working with them ever since to branch out more than a few steps and will keep working at it. They love to walk and it won't be long until they get the hang of it.
Sunday found me cooking Thanksgiving dinner for our little family. Since we usually visit relatives for holidays, I don't have much practice at cooking the full meal on my own. This time around everything actually worked out (miracle), even the turkey gravy. It was awesome!! Only one thing didn't turn out - the Yorkshire puddings. But as they were still edible, I count the whole meal as a success. We had a turkey breast & thigh roast, potatoes & gravy, cauliflower & cheese sauce, mixed vegetables, Yorkshire puddings and 2 kinds of pie - lemon and chocolate mousse. I realize I have written more content on this dinner than on my boys' first steps, but this was quite a feat for me and I am proud of the meal I was able to give my husband. (He comes from a family of cooks - the food they serve is always amazing)
On Tuesday we saw 3 more houses, making the total of homes we have viewed 8. We found one! Tuesday was a very tense day with placing an offer, counter-offers, negotiations and all of that exciting stuff. At the end of the day, we had signed papers stating that subject to financing and an inspection, the house would be ours on Nov. 21st. Hurray!!!! It is a beautiful 2 storey home and my husband and I love it. We finally have some roots, a home of our own. The feeling is incredible!! One I won't forget ever.
Today I find myself drained of emotional energy after such an exhilerating few days; I have much to do now, and am simply sitting back, soaking it all in, and preparing myself for the next step : packing and moving with toddler twins and a dog underfoot!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Thoughts

~~~ Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! I am thankful for many things in my life, and would like to share them with you. First and foremost, I am thankful for God and the presence He has in my life. It is wonderful to know that He knows who I am and shares my trials and joys with me. ~ I am thankful for my husband and for the partner that he is. He accepts me for who I am, loves me, and takes on the world with me. I love him so much! ~ I am so thankful for my little boys, for who they are and all they teach me. I am grateful to have them in our family. ~ I am thankful for our extended families; I love each and every one of them and this journey wouldn't be the same or as complete if any one of them weren't in our family. Every member brings a uniqueness and is an essential part of this unit. I love them all. ~ I am also very grateful for my dog, Diesel; he may just be a dog but I love him so much. He reminds me to slow down and take a moment to play; he loves me unconditionally even when I don't have time for him; he is ALWAYS here for me. He is a great family pet, good to my boys, and I couldn't picture our little family without him. ~ I am thankful that my husband works hard for us and provides a roof over our heads, food and clothes, and comforts that we take for granted. ~ I am thankful to live in Canada; I love this nation of ours and love the freedoms we enjoy every day. This is indeed a beautiful country and I love it all, mountains and prairies. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. ~ I am thankful for my friends; near and far, you enrich my life and I love you all. You are all amazing and individual, I love you for who you are and everything you are.

I wish everyone (even you State-side Canadians) a very happy Thanksgiving and hope you can get the warm fuzzies too as you think of all you are thankful for! :)

Pet Names

I know my posts are always about my babies, but what can I say; the boys are my favorite topic of conversation these days. Also I started this blog so the people in our lives who can't see the boys on a regular basis can keep up to date on their progress and see a few pictures at the same time.
It's also a place to record my thoughts, no matter how silly they may seem. Take the other day for example; I said something to David and suddenly realized how many pet names I have for the boys and for the objects and happenings around us. When did I get this bad? Was it gradual, or was I an instant freakshow mama? I have so many names for the babies and use all of them. Here are some of the names on my list:
*Sweet Pea
*Baby-Boo
*Boo
*Snuggle-Bunny-Boo
*Snuggleupagus
*Honey-Pie
*Sweetie-Pie
*Baby-bye
*Boo-Ba-Loo
*Sugar-Plum and Sugar-Plummy-Plum

If that wasn't bad enough, I have pet names for other stuff, such as:

*juice is Juicy, never just juice
*bedtime is Beddy-bye
*crib is Cribbie
*nap is Nappy-pie
*snack is Snack-a-roo

I don't know where I got this from; I'm pretty sure my mom never used pet names like this. My husband occasionally shakes his head when I utter some of these, and smiles to himself. On the inside I know he is thinking "you're such a freak!"
haha
Now that the boys are a year, I am going to try and wean myself off this silly talk. They have known and responded to their names for a long time now, so I don't think the silly names confuze them; I just think it's time for me to STOP. :D

Shopping

Today I packed up the boys and set off for a shopping trip at Safeway. For an hour before leaving the boys cried nonstop!! I don't know if they were tired, feeling yucky, or just didn't feel like facing the women today. Yup, my little men are woman magnets!! Usually older women, but women just the same. When the boys were tiny infants, we would get stopped about 10 - 15 times in one store by people. There were inquisitive types, who asked a million questions about twins. There were also comment droppers, who tell us everything from "I hope you realize how lucky you are to have twins," to "two for the price of one, hey?" (to which I reply "nope, it's definately the price of two") .

Now that the boys are older, it's the sweet old ladies that stop us and coo and talk to the boys. They are a mix of the inquisitives and the droppers, and all tell me what beautiful boys these two are. Today the majority comment was "my goodness your boys are patient shoppers!!" I, myself, was suprised at how calm and happy they were. When these ladies told me that I would think 'you should have seen them BEFORE the trip!'

It's funny how babies attract attention, and the ladies love my little men!

A day in the life..

My Little David...2 weeks old and 1 yr old

My baby JD at 2 weeks and 1 yr
I alway post about my boys and how they've changed over the year. It's because I am in such shock!! I remember what it felt like to snuggle both tiny babies at once and just being so in love with them. I cannot believe how wonderful they are and how big they are getting! I'm sure it's only days away from their first unassisted steps... and I don't know if I'm ready, but it will happen whether I am ready or not. They have grown so much!! So fast!! I find myself wondering what they will be like, how their personalities will develop, and just how it will be once they can talk and walk.
We have new neighbors beside us; there are two little boys, 3 & almost 2, and I get dizzy watching them. The oldest talks nonstop, and it's hilarious! I can't even imagine my boys talking nonstop, or running around everywhere!! I still remember the pre-crawling days, when they just sat there. How things change. These two are amazing little guys and constantly suprise me with all they know. I used to keep thinking.."oh the next step will be so much easier..." It would be easier if they could hold their own bottles, it would be easier if they could crawl... well those days are gone. I know it won't be easier when they can walk and talk!! Actually, I am pretty scared. How will I keep track of them while shopping? They won't be content to sit in the cart like they are now. How will I stop them from saying alarming things in front of/to strangers at Walmart?? They are sponges and absorb everything. I just know they will say something eventually...you experienced mothers know all about it...when they say something really loud that causes you to turn beet red and want to hide amongst the clothes rack, or stand back and ask "where is this child's mother?" . I used to tell myself "I won't be embarrassed of my kids..." "My kids will be well behaved in public places because I'll teach them to be that way.."
Well now I am pretty sure I was naive in thinking those things. More than naive, ridiculous!! I always have been a dreamer.
Folks, very VERY soon my guys will be walking and talking and I am SCARED OUT OF MY MIND!!!! How on earth do you do it? Any tips? I feel like it's been a cake walk until now, and I fear the days to come!

Insert Screw Here

Until yesterday, my husband has put together all of the assembly-required toys for the kids. Until yesterday, I had no idea how lucky I was that he took upon himself the role of toy-assembly-super-hero.
David and JD's auntie sent them a birthday present a few days ago; after a few days of my husband being too tired after a long day of work to assemble it, I decided to give it a try. How hard can it be, right? Well I will tell you. I opened the box and the first thing I see is a bag of screws. SCREWS!! It's a kids toy! So I pull out the screws and hunt down a screwdriver, which turned out to be very handy from the last time a toy had to be assembled, and set to work. Out came piece after piece of plastic parts, which when completed should somehow resemble a Little Tykes Garage. After a gazillion pieces I finally found the bottom of the box, and there to my DELIGHT (after realizing how many pieces there actually were) was a booklet containing the assembly directions! Horray! For someone mechanically challanged as I am, that is a very good item to find. One might say a necessary item. I sure would. Alright, so I have my screws, screwdriver, pieces and directions...I'm set. And pumped. I feel so super-hero-ish, and ready to put together my first EVER toy. I open the directions and immediately furrow my brow. The step-by-step directions are in 12 - I repeat, 12 - languages!! Even though English is at the top, I challange ANYONE to look at an 11-page instruction manual where every step is written in 12 languages, and see if they don't get confuzed!!
I will spare you the gory details, suffice it to say I felt more on top of the world with each step completed. I was stuck here and there, but every time I figured it out and plugged along to the next one. I snapped pieces together, inserted screws and drove them home, I was a MACHINE!! Two and a half hours later, I was sitting in the middle of the livingroom floor, exhaused (yes, EXHAUSTED!) and triumphant. Though I don't see myself applying for a job in Santa's workshop, I am very proud of the job I did. When completed, it actually looked like a parking garage! And I didn't even have any pieces left over, causing me to have to take it all apart to see where I went wrong. It looks good! I showed the boys how to work it; car in elevator-goes up-then races down spiral ramp. They loved it!!
My husband arrived home from work and seemed suprised that I had assembled the toy. I don't blame him; I am still suprised myself!! Then he gets on the floor to try it out...and when the elevator won't work right, he says to me..."Did you put this together right??"
:) :) :) :) :) Uh, seriously?? WHO KNOWS!!! But I did it!

By the way, they love the garage Auntie!!!

Seven

This is 7 random facts or secrets about me, as seen on Just Because. Now let's see if I can recall any...

1. I have no idea what a tag is, or how to do it. I don't know much about computers at all, and the fact I am able to create a blog is a small victory for me.

2. I really love Doo-Wop music...always have. I don't think anyone knows that about me...it's not that I am embarrassed or anything, it just doesn't come up in everyday conversation. "hey, heard any good doo-wop lately?"

3. I only feel old when my body is sore. Other than that, I still feel like I'm in my early 20's. Is that wierd? I know time is passing, but I don't feel it passing for me...

4. I hate the circus. When I was small I learned about shame at the circus. We went with my aunt and uncle, and I overheard them arguing about money and the fact my parents didn't send us along with enough. I felt total and complete shame for the very first time in my life. Now that I am an adult with kids of my own, I can imagine how frustrating it would have been to take 3 extra kids along to the circus (or any expensive kid attraction) with not enough money. Especially when kids want what all the other kids have. But back then it was horrible to hear them fighting and knowing the cause.
This may or may not also have been the start of my fear of clowns; I don't remember what happened that gave me this phobia, but it surely could have been a circus-related experience.

5. One of my most favorite memories ever is of my parents whenever we would go camping. Late at night, all of us tucked in to our blankets or sleeping bags in the trailer or camper, I would lie awake and hear my parents quietly whispering...my dad would whisper something and my mom would giggle like crazy. My dad would whisper something else, and they would both giggle. I have no idea what they were talking about, but I loved hearing those sounds.

6. I have a love affair- with caramel. I love it. Can't get enough of it. Yummy.

7. I let fear hold me back from so many things. There is me, with dreams and passions to pursue, and there is a giant black ball shackled to my ankle with the letters F E A R plastered to it. And I don't understand people who say they want to go for something and then actually go for it. It's foreign to me.

Well that's it-7. You might have already known those things about me, or not... hope it was good reading anyway.

Success!

Today I went to the mom & tot playgroup! Okay, so I kind of cheated and went with my neighbor, but still...I left my comfort zone and actually initiated conversation with other moms. I can see myself becoming friends with a couple of the mothers because I opened my mouth and left my shy side at home. It was great! I had fun, was able to get out of the house for a few hours, and the boys were around alot of other kids. David and JD kept to themselves for the most part...which tells me I really need to do this more and on a regular basis. They did interact with other children at times though and it was so sweet to see! JD at one point was completely taken with this one boy; I don't know what it was that interested him but he stayed with this tot for a few minutes. At first it was just staring, then he put his little arms around for a hug; I started to get worried when JD began patting the boys head...gentle at first, then harder. Finally I broke it up when JD put his hands on the little guys shoulders and started shaking him! Now should this worry me? I have no idea. But if I get out and socialize the boys then they will learn how to behave around other kids. There were about...oh maybe 15 kids there, maybe 20. It was loud! David started to cry when a few of the kids were running around screaming. Poor baby! He cries at loud noises, and with the kids zipping around him he must have been so overwhelmed! He will get used to it though. I am confident that after a few more visits to the playgroup my boys will start to enjoy it and want to go every week.
Now I feel great; I feel like Superwoman! A feeling of accomplishment, like I overcame obsticles and did what was best for my boys, not what was easiest for me. Now I can take on ANYTHING!!