Letting Go

One thing I have learned in my short stint as a mother is to roll with it and not be uptight. Not such an easy thing for me in some areas; I like my cupboards organized and when I reach in for something, I want to find it. I prefer toys to stay in certain areas, throw pillows to stay put, and my own timetable to be kept. Ha. That rarely, if EVER, happens in a household with kids. So I have learned to be more relaxed in certain areas. Not to say it's easy, ohhhhh no. It is far from easy. But I have learned to roll with it. When I find a toy truck in the vegetable crisper, when I reach for a mixing bowl and instead pull out a cake pan with a shoe in it... I am learning to roll with it.
One day is full of twists and turns, as it is for anyone. I don't think that in my entire existance I have experienced such twists and turns in a day, until I became a mother. I go from aggitation over my clean livingroom transforming to ultra-cluttered toy factory in under 5 minutes straight into elation at the sight of my sons sharing a toy and remembering to say "please" and "thankyou". I head from frustration at cheerios being scattered for the 6th - yes, SIXTH - time right to pure relief at realizing the apple juice has made it back to the fridge without a drop spilled. Oh yes, I am learning to roll with it. When JD asks me "what are you doing?".... even though I feel at the end of my rope if he were to ask me what I am doing one. more. time. .... I am still able to feel the wonder at how far they have come in two years. Growing so fast and speaking in sentences now, even if only Dad & I understand what they are saying.

Learning to roll with things as they happen has enabled me to enjoy the moments of joy that come so often during the day. Stressing over the inconsequential things causes one to miss those beautiful minutes. Tonight right in the middle of many 'freak out' moments that I am learning to roll with, that song "Live Like You Were Dyin'" came on the radio. I turned it up and to my suprise, the boys stopped mid-whirlwind to dance with me. The three of us danced the entire song in the kitchen, and my soul sang with joy. I realized if I had a timestamp and was living like I was dying, I would do exactly that - dance in the kitchen with my boys.
Perhaps to someone who has it all together and is calm, patient and was born with the ability to roll with it, this would all sound rather lame. I, however, don't have it all together, do not possess a natural calm and patience, and tend to get wound up if things do not go according to plan. I don't know how a 'professional' would define my mental makeup, but I have certain things that help the world around me to make sense and if they aren't in order then I unhinge alittle. Things like the silverware in the proper slots and stacked neatly. There could be dirty laundry all over the house, but if the freshly washed, neatly folded piles are tipped over I lose it. Just alittle. Things like that. Toddlers are perfect little engines for destroying laundry piles and shuffling silverware. All of this said, I am learning to roll with it, and am finding out that though it isn't easy, it is for sure well worth it. For in letting go of moments of frustration and anxiety, I have found and enjoy so many more moments of happiness.

This Time of Year

I am behind on so many posts that I won't even try to catch up. Instead, I'll take the easy way out and start from here. Today as I sit at my computer our pre-winter snow is melting, melting over the garden hose still out, the lawnmower still yet to be bled of gas and oil, the stroller though folded up still dripping with melting precipitation. I feel we were cheated out of fall, my most favorite time of year. Where are the deep azure skies? The golden leaves crunching under foot? The crisp, fresh need-a-sweater-but-not-a-coat air?? I hope with the snow gone and the temperature rising slightly, we may still have a chance at autumn.

After our wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and my husbands days off, we are back to a normal schedule today. I embrace the norm today. Normal routines are good. I enjoy having my husband at home on days off, which for us lucky people are 6 days in a row. With his schedule of 8 on, 6 off, we enjoy almost a full week of Daddy home. The boys love it, and so do I.

Yes, normal is good. The fall norm for us involves Dad's pool night every wednesday, when his team fight to rise to the top of their league. Good luck Dad!! We are behind you 100%. Also come a few birthdays - Auntie Shannon, Grandma Cindy and Great-Grandpa Dave have birthdays at the end of October. Then Grandma Haynes in November. Halloween, of course, one of my favorite nights of the year. Jon and I always carve pumpkins and watch scary movies together, but with our own little pumpkins getting older that particular tradition we'll have to alter. The boys will want to be in on the carving, and of course trick-or-treating! We have their costumes -- David will be a lion and JD will be a tiger.

I really love this time of year. So many fun things going on, and wonderful people to share them with.

Crazy Twins

I am sitting here at the computer, wanting to post on my blog because I'm long overdue, yet nothing is coming to mind. I am blank. These days leave me weary, bone-tired and braindead. When people were handing out advice while I was pregnant, why didn't someone warn me about days like this with toddlers? It seems more accurate to say 'summers' like this. The past 3 months have left me exhausted.

Before I get carried away in my complaining, I must say that I feel blessed. After all, I have two very healthy, very active little boys. I cannot believe how fast they learn, grow, and change. A couple of days ago I heard the first sentence uttered; it was JD talking to David, and he said "DD, doe to weevee, hit." Which translates in english to "David, go to the TV, hit". JD had a potato peeler in his hand, which he gave to David; David promptly walked down the hall and started smacking the TV with the peeler.

After that incident, I started paying more attention to their interaction and realized something about my boys: JD is bossy! He is often found ordering David around, to which orders David willingly complies. I have been blind; I had no idea this was going on until a couple of days ago!! Actually, I've noticed David listens to JD more than he listens to me. Or should I say, he is more obedient to JD than to me.
So the questions remain: how do I coax David out of his dependance on JD, and how do I help JD understand he needs to let David govern his own self?? On top of that, how do I get David to do what I say when JD is contradicting me? AHHHHHH!!!

Hopefully someone out there reading this post will have answers for me... I would appreciate anything you can give me!
I really am blessed though, I just need to remind myself of that more often sometimes. Even though I'm tired, I love those two little guys more than I thought was possible.

Train Birthday

Summer is almost over and my favorite season is approaching. Also approaching is the boys' 2nd birthday! As I plan the party my mind drifts back 2 years, when I was in the hospital on bedrest. Sitting in my bed, looking out the window, I marked the passing days by the change in the color of leaves, then watching them fall, more and more falling each day.
While the time in bed was slow, the past 2 years have sped by. The boys talk more and more each day, which thrills us. They are growing so fast! For their party I am planning a train theme, which they love; 'choo choo train' is one of their favorite things. I shall attempt making a train engine cake, attached to a small sheet cake with their names, candles, and "happy birthday" on it, which will also be attached to a train caboose cake. I also plan to gather a collection of cardboard boxes of various sizes, which I will decorate to be a train for the backyard; I think the boys will love to play in it.
This is so much fun, planning birthdays. I only have a few more before they will have their own ideas for the party they want, and I plan to get the most enjoyment possible out of the experience. I can already imagine the look of excitement and thrill on their faces when they look outside and see a train, just their size, that they can play in!! I will have to capture that on camera for sure.
Bringing my ideas to fruit will be my focus for the next few weeks and I can't wait to get started. :)

Happy Anniversary Honey

Tomorrow I won't be around the computer, since it is the weekend of Grandpa Surry's big Birthday Bash, so I wanted to post this today. Tomorrow is our 5th Anniversary!!!! I can't believe it's been five years since that hot, mosquito-filled wonderful day my husband and I tied the knot.

~~ I had so much fun, really enjoying every minute of our day. I felt like a princess, which is how every bride should feel, and didn't want the day to end. We had a very small wedding, only about 45 people there, and it was perfect! I thought I had scanned more wedding photos, but I only have a couple... anyway here is a glance at the past :)

~~Congratulations honey! The last five years have flown by in a wink. Here's to many, many more wonderful years! Love you :)

*** The song you hear was our wedding song ***

Summer

Oh, to be young again. The past few days some of the youngsters in our neighborhood have been running/riding bikes around, hooting and hollering in some imaginary game they were playing. It is such a nice sound to me, and brings back memories of my childhood when I ran around, hooting and hollering.
~~~ I grew up in a small town and we lived on the very edge; behind our house we had a massive garden, an alley, and then fields. Boy did I love all the imaginary games we played in that tiny corner of the world!! I did have a huge imagination, too. I was a pioneer girl weeding the garden, a super-spy navigating the alley, a ranch girl taking care of the horses in the field; there was no end to the games my brothers and I (or just me) dreamed up. I remember clearly one summer my mom cut my hair just shy of shoulder-length, and I galloped around on an imaginary horse, pretending to be She-Ra. Actually, almost any time I left the house I was playing an imaginary game, even if I was only on a small errand of getting a few onions out of the garden for supper.
~~~ Those were the days. When you are young, summer lasts forever. I will never forget some things: summer swimming passes for the town pool, treats from Fast Eddies, riding bikes to Temple Hill and back, and Lions Park. So many wonderful, carefree times.

You Should Try This

I am on my way to being a size 6, girls. Ha, well maybe not a size six, my bone structure wouldn't allow that. I am on my way to a slimmer, healthier me though. I love it. No diet for me; I believe in everything in moderation, not deprivation. But I also really want to be fit, healthy, and feel good about myself. This is how I am doing it... one day at a time. It is so awesome!! I started out at 2 miles, 4 or 5 days a week; now I am at 3 miles, 5 days a week. It feels so good! I don't see physical results yet, that will take time. But I do FEEL results; I feel more strength in my muscles, a higher energy level, and on the days I do the workout, a better, more positive attitude. Also, I have less headaches; that may be due to the fact I have glasses now, but I think it is in part due to the walking. I feel better about myself already, and that feeling grows every day I do my workout, especially if I don't feel like doing it. If I don't feel like doing it and I push myself to do the workout.... it really feels amazing!!

Try it... it is incredible :)

Here We Go!

Well I bit the bullet and on wednesday will be meeting a potential babysitter. Yikes! I am so nervous, it's almost as if I am going for a job interview. Finding the right person to basically become a part of our family, someone we will trust to take good care of the boys is stressful. But oh, having a babysitter will be so great. Not only for evenings out, but also for help during the day... having someone to take the boys to the park so I can get the bathrooms done, or the basement organized, or whatever; it will rock! Ok now I'm talking myself into getting excited, and I don't even know if this person will work out.

Once we get this babysitter chosen, then comes the process again to find the substitute babysitter! Oh boy....

What To Do?

I don't know how other Moms do it. Seriously. I really feel like I need a break, just a few hours to myself where I don't have to worry about anything on the homefront. So tonight I was searching through babysitter ads on Kijiji, and though I started out hopeful the more ads I read, the tighter my throat got. My chest tightened up, my throat... just the thought of trusting my children to someone else almost gave me a panic attack. Which is kinda ridiculous; I myself babysat in my youth for multiple families, and really enjoyed it. But now I am starting to wonder how those parents could even leave the house! I know I need my own time, time just for me to regroup and decompress. But it is so hard to even think of leaving my boys with strangers. Maybe when they are older it will be easier; but I don't want to wait that long for my time. I am going to whine now and say that I really wish I had parents or in-laws close by who could give me a regular, much needed break. And by regular, not to scare anyone off, I mean once a month. I figure if I had 4 hours to myself once a month I wouldn't get to this point. So, parents and in-laws, are you considering this wonderful city for your new home? Or am I to just bite the bullet and hire a babysitter? Maybe it will get easier after the first time...

The Chair

I am living in the Land of Tiny Hooligans. How I got here? I'm not sure... one day I had these incredibly cute babies, and then I woke up. How I found time to fall asleep in the first place, I'm not even sure. Maybe they drugged me. These guys are crazy!! They are constantly pulling the mattress off JD's bed during nap time. I can't even fathom why. Because they can, I guess?? They climb up onto anything and everything. Sometimes they fall, sometimes they don't. Pretty much they bounce off the walls. Now, this may sound like complaining... but really it's not. It's my attempt at humorously relaying their antics. These little guys make me laugh every day with the silly things they do. It's hard to think of them a babies anymore. But once in awhile...


The past few nights they have been waking up scared in the night. So I have enjoyed a few moments lately when they still seem like babies, rocking in our chair. I nearly had Daddy take the chair out of their room; nighttime feedings have been over for a long, long time and it just seems to clutter the room. Plus I figured Dad could use it as an ultra-comfy place to sit while watching UFC. But then something happened; we entered the stage of waking at night scared. For some reason these two won't go back to sleep in our bed (which may or may not be lucky for us), so rocking in the chair it is. I get to snuggle, smell their hair, squeeze them, sing to them, kiss their cheeks, dry their tears, and rock the scaries away. I love every minute of it, even though it means I don't get to snuggle into bed and drift off myself.


So even though our days are filled with me chasing them, them laughing and running away; me putting back together everything they take apart; them constantly putting their feet on the table at mealtime and climbing on everything in sight..... once in awhile nighttime is a treasure.

Rush Job

I have to make this quick, because I'm starting this new thing where I manage my time better. Nap time for the boys used to be my time on the computer. An hour or two of luxuriously free time, which I would gladly spend sitting on my kishter surfing the giant nothingness. Well now, I have given myself a half-hour for surfing, a half-hour for my workout, 15 minutes for post-workout shower, and the remaining 45 minutes (if I'm lucky, that is) for tidy-up from the pre-nap twinado.
So...recap... Father's Day. I found a recipe on the net for handprint clay and made it. It didn't work out well; the clay was too hard to really imprint on, and the boys didn't want to stick their hands in it. WHAT??!?! How could the boys not want to stick their hands in something wierd and sort of gooey?? They are boys, after all. So I compromised, stuck the clay in the microwave and worked it some more, then had the boys place their feet in. Then I used a toothpick to carve their names and the date, then baked the suckers. The recipe promised it would harden as it cooled, which it didn't, so the result was a play-doughey kind of mess with the boys feet in it. I gave the two supposed-to-be-smooth-discs to my husband for Fathers Day. They look like the boys actually made them out of play-dough. But whatever; we didn't get their hand/feet prints at birth so I still think this was a cool gift. Daddy says he likes them, and I will believe him. :)

~~~ We took the boys to the zoo last saturday, and had a great time. The zoo has a train ride, which the boys loved since they are crazy about trains. We saw an elephant, some arctic wolves, tigers, monkeys, a red panda, a camel, and other animals the boys have never seen before. At the Llama enclosure, David and JD tried to climb under the bar fence, and they fit perfectly... luckily we grabbed them first. Sadly we didn't take any pictures... on the next trip for sure we will document it with photographs.

Lovely Day

Awww...what a beautiful day today. Around the neighborhood I can hear people enjoying their Saturday. Some are laying gravel aside their garage, kids are laughing as they zip by on their bikes, and someone has a radio going. I mentioned to my husband a couple of nights ago that sometimes the various sounds around the neighborhood make me think of campsites, and the similar sounds. He looked at me like I was crazy and admitted he did not see any similarities at all. Oh well, I guess great minds don't always think alike.


I have big plans for our yard. Stuffed somewhere in my head are visions of a river-stone path, flower bed, those 5 ft fir trees along the fence, and a patio set. I love that I have these plans, and I love that it doesn't need to be done tomorrow...if that makes sense. I love that the yard is ours and over the seasons we can gradually build on it to match the vision in our minds. On a day like today, with the hot sun and cloudless sky watching, I love that I can sit outside and visualize and listen to the neighborhood likewise enjoying this wonderful Saturday until my skin blisters red. Well, maybe not that long; there IS skin cancer and painful burns to worry about, after all. But you get the idea.

Thank You Stranger

This morning I rounded up the boys and we strolled outside for a walk on the nearby trail. I really love that we have a walking trail 25 - 30 steps from our front door! It's wonderful. Anyhow, this morning I ventured out with my boys on said trail, and came across a stranger. A woman was simultaniously walking her dog, swinging a contraption that launches a tennis ball out for a dog to chase after, and pushing a stroller. Now, I realize every situation is different and if I only had one boy, or if my boys were on bikes or something, I might be able to also walk my dog while taking my boys out. Putting boys who don't always listen together with a dog who never listens is a recipe for disaster, not to mention perfect conditions for my public meltdown.

* * *

I constantly feel guilty for not taking Diesel out; poor puppy wants to run so bad! I save his walk for after the boys go to bed. Well, after the boys go to bed I have a house to tidy, I am exhausted, and Diesels walk gets pushed away. So I am in awe of any woman who manages to get her kids out of the house and also take the dog for a walk.


As I watched incredulously (gee I hope my face wasn't nakedly showing my awe) this woman further floored me. She didn't ask the Usual 3... the Usual 3 questions any parent of multiples gets asked nearly every time they leave the house. What she DID ask me was "how old were they when they learned to walk?"
I answered this woman and as we chatted, I realized how much I miss talking to adults. I mean, really talking to adults, not just saying "yes, they are twins; no, the smaller one is the older one; (etc,etc)" . I was able to REALLY visit with another mom about kids and which stages they learn what, etc. It was AWESOME!!! She was so nice and eager for her little guy to walk (he walks along furniture and is just starting to venture out the first few steps without holding on).

So Thank You, whoever you are. I thoroughly enjoyed our chitchatting today, and thanks to your example, I feel more ready to bring my dog next time. You made an impact on my life today, and don't even know.

* * *

A Fence, Two Diapers, and a Happy Mom

YAY!!! The neighbors are putting their (our) fence up tomorrow. Now when I take the boys outside, I won't have to worry about the colorful wagon, tricycle, and sandbox (not to mention an assortment of other fun-looking toys) luring my sons over into the next yard.

Any time we are outside, be it playing in the yard or on a walk, the boys try to touch everything. I want to encourage that healthy curiosity with this new world they are learning about, while teaching them boundaries, and not permitting them to touch strangers' things. The item that attracts them the most is vehicles. They love cars, vans, especially big trucks. Every parked car they see, they rush over to touch, bang on, and scratch.

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Today David and JD were helping me .... more than they ever have before. I needed a couple of diapers and sent David for them; he actually came back with two diapers and handed them to me!! There were several incidents like this today, and it was wonderful. WONDERFUL!! Proof that they do listen, they do hear me, and they do understand. Since they do their best to ignore every reprimand and continue whatever it is I've asked them to stop, I was beginning to wonder if they understand english and if they could actually hear me. Today was a great day marking a new step in our parent/child relationship. I am not invisible! Hurray!!

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A Love/Hate Relationship

I love so many things about spring and summer. There are also things I cannot stand about these seasons, which is why fall is my very favorite time of year. My list is as follows, in no particular order.....

~I absolutely LOVE the smell of freshly cut grass, and I love the feel of it too, on my bare feet

~I do not like, indeed I hate grasshoppers and mosquitoes

~I love the smell of BBQ, especially if it is my BBQ creating that tantalizing smell

~I really enjoy warm summer rain...the kind where the clouds aren't entirely looming and suffocating, when you see a touch of sun rays and wonder how it can rain and be sunny at the same time....

~I do not like incredibly hot, sticky and slick, hard-to-breathe, pavement-hurts-my-feet-through-my-flipflops heatwaves.

~I love the smell of night air in the summer...you know the smell...

~I enjoy the warm spots in the lake (not to be confused with the warm spots in the pool - heehee), those spots that are such a nice break from the cold water everywhere else

~I love the flowers, and when the trees come alive with green buds in springtime

~I do not care for the end of a neighbors' party when, for some reason, their friends like to linger on the front lawn and by cars to hoot, holler, and yell for all to hear...I get very, very grumbly when this happens

~I love frosty's, slurpees, screamers, creamsicles, extreme creamsicles, and all other delicious cold ice-creamy treats

~I do not like bugs. Any bugs, any crawly things...don't like 'em.

~I like the smell of freshly-oiled dirt roads...I grew up on a dirt road and learned to love the smell

~I love that I can take my boys outside!!! It's nice to be out of the house after a long winter being cooped up.

There is my list...if I have forgotten any, and I very well could have, it's because I am in a rush. But basically, that is my love/hate list for summer.

I just realized this is my first post not about family, after I changed my blog to a family-oriented read. But I can switch it up now and then; unless the blogging police knock on my door....

Thick as Thieves

Oh, I love my sweet little boys. They are brothers thru and thru. JD is the younger twin, by 12 minutes, yet he clearly views himself as the protector for his older brother David. I have seen it time and time again. As the days pass and they get older, that protectiveness has only grown with them.

When it is time for a meal, JD gets into his high chair and then points enthusiastically to Davids chair, saying "Brada", which I can only think would mean "brother". As I slide his table-tray into place, he motions again to David, wanting to make sure I do not forget to do the same for his brother. He does the same when I put their plates/bowls down... I switch it up so JD isn't always first, but it doesn't matter. He always looks out for his brother.

I understand this, while cute and adorable now, may be a problem later when they reach school-age; teachers are on the lookout for twins to see if they blossom on their own or if one is always the more passive twin. I know I need to watch out for that, and I try real hard to treat them equal and have one-on-one time with each of them. But David is a strong boy. He lets JD take care of him, but also lets him know if he doesn't want the cushion. So I'm not too worried...I do have to watch them and coax their own seperate personalities forth. But I also need to let them be brothers and keep that closeness.

It sometimes brings a tear to my eye though, watching JD care for his brother. When they hug and play together nicely, my heart swells with joy. The doctors tried to tell my husband and I that fraternal twins are just like normal siblings, no closer than sibs born a year or two apart. "they are just regular babies who happen to be born minutes apart" they said. They warned us to not expect the closeness of identical twins. But I say the doctors were wrong. I see it on a daily basis, how close my boys are. They are tight buddies and share private jokes and tender moments. They talk even though I don't have a clue what they are saying, but they seem to know exactly what the other is communicating.

Having twins may be double the work; having more than one child is alot of work. But it is also double the joy and happiness.

A Few Minutes Grabbed

WOW, what is wrong with me??? I swear I just posted the other day, but I looked and it was a couple of weeks ago. I don't know where time goes! One day turns into another, and then another, and before I can blink my boys are another month older. It's creeping me out how fast the days fly!! We had an opthalmologist appointment for JD the other day (seriously the other day, it was Wednesday) and when asked how old he is, my reply was 18 months. Guess what ??? He isn't 18 months, the boys are 20 months!! Where is my head?

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For those curious types, JD has astigmatism in both eyes and will most likely need glasses by preschool. We are to return to the eye doctor and have his eyes tested when he is 3. The reason we went ? His left eye tears for no reason quite often... sometimes every couple of days, but sometimes a couple of times a day. Anyway, the doctor said it wasn't a blocked duct, or we would see mucus too. Hmmmmmmm.


Other than that, the boys appear to be thriving. They are so energetic... JD loves to wrestle, even if David doesn't want to...he will just piledrive him and steamroller over him. When I lay on the couch, JD loves to jump on me. David likes to wrestle too, and has fun with his brother (most of the time). David loves to rake the grass...when we are outside he snags a rake or any tool he can find and gets right to work. It's so adorable. He is like that inside too...enjoys sweeping and wiping the floor with a towel. My sweet little guys.

The guys love to be outside, of course, and I am looking so forward to Grandpa Surry's birthday when we get to go to the lake again. The boys will LOVE it!!!! Last year they didn't know what to think of the lake but this year they will have a blast. I'm going to buy them waterwings.

My youngest brother is engaged now...I don't know any details (and because I'm a girl, it's killing me to not know how he did it, what the ring looks like, etc) but his fiance is a great girl and I am excited to have her in our family. I am so happy for them!! Yay James and Nola!!!!!

I think that's it for news for now...at least that's all I can think of. I have a floor upstairs that needs my fairly immediate attention, so I'm going to sign off now. One final thing to say : I MISS TAIYA'S THOUGHTS..... WHEN, OH WHEN CAN I READ MORE OF HER BLOG?????????? heeheehee.... said by the master procrastinator....

Grandpa's 70th Birthday!

My family...Mom, Dad, me & my four brothers


My Dad in the middle, his brother & sister

Dad blowing out seventy candles!!

My little family!

Dad and all his grandchildren :) Except for one...my 1yr old nephew. He wasn't feeling very well. My two boys, three of my brothers' four kids, and my brand new nephew...only a few weeks old!

Back again! I just can't seem to find time to post on my blog lately. Funny, I always grab a few moments to check FB... hmmm...

So we had a GREAT time at my Dad's suprise 70th birthday party! It was awesome. He thought it was a dinner with my brother and his family, but walked in the door to find his sister & brother-in-law, all of his grandkids, all of his kids and some friends. Later his brother & sister-in-law came, and my Mom's twin sister & her husband. It was so cool. That was what I was going for when planning this; I wanted him to just walk in to the room and see his entire family...which doesn't happen very often. Actually, I don't remember the last time my Dad had his entire family in one room. So it worked out great.

We kept it simple with pizza and cake, and had a great time visiting with everyone. I haven't seen my aunts and uncles for a very long, long time so it was wonderful.

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As for new things with the boys.... JD can open doors now, which makes things very fun :) Both David and JD can open the fridge now too...and that makes things interesting. Yesterday I caught them in the fridge and shooed them out, only to find David had an apple. I tried to grab it but he took off running, and while he ran he snagged a bite of the apple. I usually peel and slice apples for them but decided to see how he would do eating a whole one. JD wanted an apple too, so I gave him one. They did very well.... although only ate half their apples. They did choke up alittle on the peel, so I will continue peeling their snack. *****************

They have continued repeating what we say, but now it is actually audible! So exciting!! I had them coloring the other day, and I would name the color of crayon they had. JD repeated me, saying "yellow" !!! He said the word perfectly!! If we try to get them to say words again, they won't do it. But so far the boys say a handful of words with near perfect pronounciation. It is amazing to hear!!

I'm Back

I have been MIA for a couple of weeks. To make up for it, here is a peek at what I've been up to! On Easter Sunday, I celebrated my birthday with my husband, my two boys, and Grandpa & Grandma Surry. We enjoyed a turkey dinner... delicious! And of course birthday cake.

A friend and I took our kids to our local indoor amusement park. Children under 2 & 1/2 get to ride for free, as do their guardians. We had a blast! Us on the carosel, and here we are taking a popcorn break. Yum yum!!! The boys and their little buddy really had a great time.

We travelled to see my husband's mom, a short but nice trip. This is Grandma Cindy, my husband, and grandma's dogs, Suki and Leroy.

David was very attached to his cousin, Taiya. He followed her everywhere; they were buddies. I'm sure when we see her this summer it will be more of the same! David glued to her hip, holding her hand, running around with her.... it was sooooo cute. She has a certain magic with kids. The Christmas before last she had a similar shadow in Julian, another cousin from Grandma Terry's side of the family. Go Taiya! I look forward to this summer at the lake when we will see everyone again.



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So there it is, we've been busy. I also tucked a couple of trips to the park in there somewhere. With the beautiful spring weather, we are getting outside more and more, and the boys love it. The other day we went for a walk around the block...the boys cried and screamed when we brought them inside! They love the outdoors.

We have alot of plans for the spring/summer, and I look forward to sharing more pictures with everyone! Coming up shortly, a trip to see my family, then possibly some fishing with Grandpa Ron, and a camping trip in June. LOve it!!

My Dad, The Jokester

April Fools Day is a great day. This particular one was void of jokes and pranks. But every year I think of my Dad. He loves April Fools Day! While I was growing up, not a year went by without my father playing multiple pranks on all of his children. The most common one (and the one I fell for almost every time) was calling us to the phone, stating that one of our friends had called. Doesn't sound like much, unless you had to run in from the far reaches of the garden!! Or pause on doing your hair, or any task that a young girl would gladly trade for talking on the phone. I chuckle as I write this, for I have very fond memories of running to the phone all excited, only to find no one on the line. Yes, he loves April Fools Day. I wonder if he still plays pranks on my mom... and if they laugh together over it.

He didn't always leave the pranks for April Fools Day. I remember a birthday of mine (I think it was my 12th), early EARLY in the morning my Dad picked me up out of bed and carried me out the front door, setting me on the porch. I was half asleep still and had no clue what was going on.... then a minute later someone snapped a picture of me! Yup, my parents have a picture of me on my birthday, sitting on the porch in my pj's with a seriously confuzed look on my face. I love it!! It's one of my favorite snapshots.

I miss my family so much, and can't wait until next month when I get to see them. We are having a birthday party for my Dad and maybe, just maybe someone will play a prank on him. I know he will love it!
I love you, Dad :)

Boys Will Be Boys...?

Today this handsome boy brought his dresser down, with him under it. Luckily I am faster than I look and raced up the stairs in record time. He didn't get hurt, though I'm sure he was pretty scared. Scared enough to stop climbing on his dresser? We will see. My thoughts are....probably not. The ironic thing is I had just finished reorganizing their furniture to (hopefully) make it safer in their room. Not even 5 minutes later...

The other day they managed to work the pin (or bolt, whatever it is) out of their lowest door hinge. Today they (no doubt both boys were involved, even though JD was the only one 'caught' in the act) drop their drawers, so to speak... what will it be next time? Should I be scared? I say, Bring It On Boys!! Mom always wins. I woke up today deciding to leave the defeated attitude alone. And by golly, I will!

Real Life

The past few days have been...interesting, I guess you could say. That is putting a positive spin on it, the days have been long and stressful. The kind of day that leaves you feeling completely inadequate, clueless, and unsure if you even have the will to carry on..... does this ring any bells, women of the world? I say women instead of mothers because I don't want to imply that only mothers have rough days. Everyone has days now and then that cut them off at the knees, bringing them down to the very edge of their sanity.



The last few days haven't been quite THAT bad, but near it. The boys test and test me; they test me to the point of breaking. Just when I feel I might shatter into a million pieces, they do something cute or funny and I laugh my head off, hugging them to bits. That is the thing about children, they have the ability to revive us in an instant. Which is a pretty great ability, after they have taken everything I have to give! :)



Even with this said, I must also say how exciting these days are. It is so amazing to watch my babies develop their personalities and preferences. I still, as I have said before, find it fascinating to watch them interact. Sometimes they share, sometimes whatever possession they currently have is of too high a value to give away. When they want to wear their shoes, often one will bring the others' shoes to him. I find them so often giving and considerate of eachother, and equally as often I find them bickering and possessive. I love to watch them together and learn with them. And when they have pushed me to my limits, and then beyond to outer limits I wasn't even aware I had, they come to me for a snuggle and I remember how rewarding this job is. Nothing ventured, nothing gained; nothing worthwhile ever came easy, and all that..... I'm living it. Living and loving it. :)

Love and Prayers

David in a squeeze with Grandma Cindy, one year ago. Easter was in March last year, and our family took a trip with Grandma Cindy to visit Great-Grandma Wilma in Oklahoma City.

JD just laying around. A year ago these two were still babies! Now they are little boys, tearing up the place. :)

I wanted to put these pictures up because last Easter was a great trip, a wonderful time I will hold in my memory forever. I have been thinking about my mother-in-law and all the wonderful memories we have with her. The other day we found out she has a tough battle ahead of her with cancer. I am having a hard time writing about this; I have read other blogs that openly report sickness and plead for prayers.... I just can't help but feel that posting on this would be a breach of privacy. Another reason I have hesitated (and still hesitate) writing on this is because it sort of feels like once I get it out there, it would mean there is no hope. That I have given up hope. But I assure you, I haven't. There have been many advances in medicine over the years and we have not given up.

Our trip last year was great, and I pray that we have many, many more wonderful times with Grandma Cindy.

Big Boys!

Today is the second day of big-boy beds, and it is very exciting. I am trying really hard to not let the stress get to me! The boys didn't take a nap yesterday because they were playing around; we went in over and over to put them back in bed. But last night, because of the lack of nap, they went to bed after only one intervention. We did hear a 'THUMP' last night around 10 pm, and Daddy went up. Sure enough, JD was on the floor, still mostly asleep, and he just looked up at Dad. Daddy put him back in bed, and JD fell right back to sleep, no crying or anything. Luckily we had blankets and their crib-surround padding on the floor!
Today they managed to settle down eventually and had a small nap, and now..... well I haven't heard anything yet, so either they are being very, very quiet or they are asleep. Woo Hoo!!! I am so excited for my little guys to be in real beds. Even if it is only the front rail of their cribs taken off to make a 'day bed'. It's still a big-boy bed!
They will use the day-beds until they are too big, then we will transform the cribs again into full-size beds. I know we have a long road ahead of us before they go to bed and stay in bed, a loooooooonnnggg road. But it's still exciting just the same.

My guys are growing up!! hehehe

Weight Update

The boys had an appointment today, just a checkup with the doctor. They are doing really well, the doc said we have two very healthy boys. JD weighs 30 lbs, 10 oz., and David weighs 25 lbs, 12 oz. These two have always had a five pound difference, enough for people to comment when they stop us. "They're twins? But one is bigger than the other!!"

David has a thing about elevators. He cries every time we are in one! On the ride up (and then down) to the Dr. office, he cried and cried. I'm not sure what it is; perhaps the confined space, or maybe the movement. Or both.


Today the boys tried mango for the first time. David liked it; he ate piece after piece. JD ate a few pieces, but I think he could take it or leave it. They also had celery for the first time (raw, not chopped and cooked). It was interesting... David liked it, he chewed it up. JD tried it, but didn't like the hardness of it (or maybe saw how long David had to chew it) and decided to ditch the celery.


I am on my second assignment for my course, and liking it ALOT!! I love writing and this course is great. It teaches not only researching pieces, plotting stories, etc., but also how to approach editors and publishers, how to sell the work.


The boys are hanging out with Dad, now that he is on days off. They love having him around! Of course I still can't wait for spring (today was so warm!) when the whole family can go on outings to the park, zoo, etc.

~ Family ~

Today my thoughts are with far-away family. One province over ~ might as well be a light-year away ~ and wishing I could be with them.



If I could say anything, face to face, this is what I would lovingly impart :


~to my dear M.I.L. - Don't worry, try to be as calm and relaxed as possible...hard as that will be; know that we are all thinking and praying for you!! Fingers and toes are crossed, as well as prayers, that this is nothing serious and the other can be delt with swiftly and permanently.



Big Hugs to everyone over there!!! I miss you all! It would be just fantastic if travel was FREE and even quicker than it is now. If it was free, I would surely be there with you, lending my support and enjoying your company.



It really would be awesome if there was this, I don't know, tube or something. The attendant would strap people in, and then WHOOSH!! Down the tube you'd go, at an incredible rate of speed, slowing seconds before the destination of choice. Of course it would be free, and anyone could see their loved ones any time, easy as pie!!

More of My Sweet Life

These are more pictures from the other day.


David is trying hard to grab the camera!

These two were walking toward me and I was trying to coax a smile from JD before they got too close. Finally I had to snap the picture with no smile, because they were almost on me (I am actually backed into a corner). It was all very Children of the Corn.

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The boys and I are sick! It's all sore throats, coughs, sneezes and chills with us. Today is worse than yesterday, which leads me to be hopeful that tomorrow will be better than today. While I want nothing more than to crawl into bed and sleep this off, David and JD are the same boys as always. They just have a level or two less of usual energy, which is still about a hundred levels more than my current energy.

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My sweeties are really into books now, specifically being read to, and request the same books over and over and over. I am going slowly crazy! I can't read these books anymore! I am tempted to put them up on a high shelf when the boys aren't looking, just to give myself a break. Not for good....only for the afternoon! I really love that they enjoy reading. It feels wonderful to have that closeness while they sit on my lap as I read. I just hold them, smell their hair and kiss their heads (and of course, read). It really recharges me for when they yet AGAIN pull all the frying pans and cookie sheets out of the bottom drawer of the oven. Or when they decide to evacuate every one of my glass mixing bowls out of the cupboard and onto the floor, producing a racket that would annoy a saint.

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It also recharges me for when it's time to put the boys to bed. JD and David are starting to really protest bedtime. I didn't realize how many ways there are for a toddler to twist and contort their body, all in the name of getting out of diaper change/pj time. They are escape artists! I try hard to see the funny side of it all, the cute side, and not get taken over by my temper. It's like their icing on the cake; at the end of a busy, crazy day, their last hurrah is to drain every drop of any remaining energy in Mom.

But I love it all.

Early Easter ???

The Easter Bunny is here... early and setting up camp in our neighborhood! There are actually two and they motor around the yards and alleys searching for... I don't know what they are searching for. Places to hide the Easter treats??? I think they hang out under our porch sometimes too. Maybe or maybe not specifically to tease my dog and drive his senses crazy.

Snapshots

Hug hug!! I love it when they hug eachother and snuggle alittle. When they were tiny, they used to hold hands.


More hugs...

David with a smile for the camera, as usual.

JD managed to wrangle the broom away from his brother and now is getting set to sweep.

My constant companion, my shadow, the means by which I trip more times than I can count, my dog, DIESEL!!! I love you Diesel!

Finally uploaded more pictures. Actually I haven't taken as many lately.... bad mama! I'll have to keep up with them. Today I picked up some more scrapbooking stuff that was on sale, so I will have to make use of it!

We've been busy having fun the past few days. Daddy is home on days off, which are ALWAYS more fun!!!! David and JD love to play with Dad, and usually ask for him first thing in the morning. :D

So Happy!

Ahhhh...my bed is calling me. But I wanted to sit here and write first. Life just seems so sweet right now. There are ups and downs, of course... but at this minute my heart is full. I love my husband, that good, strong, wonderful man I married. I couldn't ask for a better partner in this life. And I love my boys! I just feel like if I dwell on this emotion any longer my heart will burst.
Tonight we had dinner with a friend of mine, my roommate while I was in the hospital on bed rest before the twins were born. She had her twin boys 2 days after mine were born. It was interesting watching the boys play together; shy at first (although JD just marched right in and started playing with their toys) and then gradually playing around eachother. Right before we left they finally were playing together, all 4, running around and hollering. It was fun to watch them! I was proud of my boys, proud of the stage they are at and the sweet little men they are.

I am just so happy :D ..... Couldn't ask for more!

Funeral Trip

On Valentine's Day my grandma died, and is now with my grandpa after 30 years of being apart. Yesterday was her funeral, and I drove down with my boys and my brother. It was so nice to see my family and extended family! The funeral was nice too, what I could hear of it.

The church that hosted the funeral had a little room at the back of the chapel, just a walled-in corner really, that was the nursery. There were windows looking into the chapel and it wasn't soundproof, so I could still hear the service, and there were toys. I have to say Thank Goodness for this nursery!! After a couple of hours strapped into car seats, my boys were out for blood and I was able to let them loose to play.

Among the toys was a life-size doll, the same size as my boys. She was sitting on the floor, against the wall, and JD sat down next to her. He held out a toy car to her, and insistently kept holding it out, looking at her, then at me, just wondering why she wouldn't take the toy he was offering!! I had to smile at his attempt at sharing, and tapped the doll, telling him it was not a real girl but a toy. He didn't understand, and after a minute of trying to play with her and getting no response, he got bored and got up, heading off to the toy shelf. My little sweet JD, trying to be nice....

After the service there was a luncheon in the adjoining hall. I did have more help from my parents and brothers, but I was seriously missing my husband in looking after both boys. JD made a few daring escapes by crawling under tables and heading for the buffet. There was a wooden pamphlet stand near where we were seated, and David was content on pulling out pamphlet after pamphlet. Most hit the floor, but he did distribute some of them to his uncles and grandparents. This particular stand had slots and then thin wooden 'bars' to contain the pamphlets, and JD saw a loose one and pulled it out, nail and all!! I fixed it, only to find David had witnessed this and began shaking the other wooden bars to see if they too would pop off. It was cute and all, but I was going slowly crazy....especially when I looked around and saw my cousins' kids, some around the same age as my boys, all sitting nicely and generally not being destructive to the premisis.

I have so many great memories of my Grandma, and I am happy that she is with Grandpa again. One of the things my Grandma and I have in common is...... we both have twins!

Bath, Books and Beyond

There is a four letter word that I won't say around my boys, unless I really mean it. That word is ~ BATH. As soon as this word is mentioned, David and JD rush to the bathroom door (which I have to keep closed due to situations involving tiny hands and the toilet) and bang on the door. I really have to be careful, and only say that word if I intend on giving them a bath at that minute! Otherwise it's a whole dramatic situation involving alot of attempted misdirection on my part and alot of blatant disregard for the misdirection on their part.
One day while the boys were playing, I accidentally started singing that bath song that Ernie (Sesame Street) used to sing....you know, that "rubber duckie, you're the one! You make bathtime so much fun..." song ??? Well I started singing that and the boys of course raced to the bathroom door and proceeded to bang on the door... not a good situation and there was crying involved. They are tough little boys too!! When they bang on the door it sounds like there is a sledgehammer doing the work!

Another thing I cannot joke about, can only say if it's true, is "Daddy's home!". If I say this and he isn't actually home (sometimes the neighbors car sounds like ours), they will go excitedly looking for Daddy and be terribly disappointed if he doesn't turn up. It's a whole dramatic scene. They love it when Dad is home and JD is starting to cry when Dad leaves the house. The other day, Daddy when into the washroom and shut the door, and David burst into tears!
It is so cute how much they love Daddy. Of course they still love Mommy, when it's snack time or if one has a toy stolen by the other one. :) This actually works out great because I have time now. I started a course called "Writing for Children and Teenagers", and when my hubby is on days off I have time to work on it during the day. With the boys so independant (more or less) now, I have much more time than I used to. It's so nice! I can work on my course, read, or clean (though that takes more finesse, since the boys love to help).... I just have more freedom to get things done. Since they love to play with Daddy I use that to my advantage too!

On the downside of this independance....they can get into much more stuff. The boys can open the oven door (thank goodness it has a lock for when I'm baking). JD was hanging on the handle one day, with David beside him, and BANG!! The door came down on top of both their heads. They can also open the dishwasher too... and have figured out that pushing the buttons produces results. David stopped a load of dishes from getting washed by pushing the pause button.
While I have more time to get things done, I also seem to have less time because I have to follow them around when the boys are in their investigative moods.

It's all fun though and I love this stage they are in. What a great age!! Just out of babydom but not yet into the Terrible Twos. Love it!

No More Thoughts

I have decided to change my blog a little; it will be from now on only family stuff. Not that it was a forum for diverse topics previously....but the stress of trying to come up with interesting things to say was getting to me. Maybe you could tell by my ever-increasing MIA periods. I read so many interesting blogs, and wish I could create something as fascinating. But the fact remains that the main reason I started this was for my family, all of whom don't regularly see us, to keep up with the boys' progress and pictures. So since I'm having such a hard time posting interesting thoughts from the deep recesses of my mind, I shall stick to what I enjoy best, which is talking about my family.
Anyone who knows me or even just stumbles upon this blog is still welcome to read, and even follow. If they choose! It might not be interesting (if it ever was) to those not eager to hear of my boys.


Okay, enough of this rambling. Today seemed to be a very hectic day ~ and we didn't do anything! I should have bundled the boys up and dragged them outside to enjoy the sunshine, but alas I shrank from that exhertion. We stayed indoors all day.
David is almost running. He motors around the house at a fast pace....the sort of pace that's more than walking but not quite coordinated enough to be considered jogging.... at any rate, he is getting fast and more sure of his footing every day. So is JD. The down side of this is they don't look where they are going, and we've had more than a few head-crashing-into-table episodes. Luckily, none that resulted in stitches, let alone a mere cut. They have pretty thick heads!

They are trying harder each day to repeat words/phrases we say. Among them are Peek-a-boo, bye-bye, Diesel Enough! . I didn't realize they were doing this until just the other day because the sounds that come out don't really resemble what I say.... it took me awhile to clue in that that was indeed what they were doing. Copying Mom. It is so cute!

I guess that's it for now...it's past my bed time, he he he

Enjoy the new family-focused blog, I know I will!

Lil' Helpers

I am learning all sorts of things these days. For instance, letting go. When I clean I like to do things specifically my way. I always sweep the same way, always prepare dishes for the dishwasher the same way. Very methodical procedures with me.

The letting go comes in here; now my boys want to 'help' me clean. If they see me sweeping, they come for the broom and dustpan. Often fighting over the two, David will end up with the broom and JD follows with the pan, ready to collect the dust and dog hair David has 'swept' around. Now one might think, how great, they are learning to help clean! And indeed, on the outside I am smiling and cheering them on, coaxing them to continue until the whole floor has been 'swept'.

On the inside, however, I am FREAKING OUT!!!! This is my internal dialogue with myself while they are sweeping: 'no, DON'T spread it around!!! Don't you DARE touch that pile of dog hair, it's gross. Use the broom! USE THE BROOM!! You missed a corner....actually you missed that whole section of floor. Wait, DON'T SPREAD IT AROUND!! SWEEP! SWEEP!!!!!!'

I really can't handle them doing this; I am getting a crash course in letting things go. Not sweating the small stuff. Seriously, the floor can be swept after they go down for their nap, and I want them to learn about cleaning the house. But it's hard for me! The first time they helped it was awful, until I decided to just let them at it. Second time was okay, and every time it gets easier for me.

Today I had a breakthrough..... I didn't freak out inside while they swept. One small step toward a personal victory! But I did resweep after they lost interest. I had to.

Steps and Play-dough

We have been having so much fun lately, the boys and I. They are learning how to work the stairs, and are doing quite well.

I made play-dough last week and the kids loved it! Suprisingly, no one tried to eat it the first time. The second time, they tasted the salty dough, and didn't like it.

The boys haven't figured out exactly how to create with the play-dough, but have fun squishing it!

Since these two have learned how to navigate stairs, it has opened up a whole new level of freedom. Not only for them, but now I am not 'stuck' downstairs, or upstairs, wherever they happen to be playing. If I have to run upstairs for something, I don't have to worry... besides, they usually follow me. It adds another floor to our hide 'n seek game too! I really think the boys love the freedom to explore a greater surface area.

The other day I brought the vacuum downstairs, and David saw it. It's new, so they haven't really seen it before.... anyway, David looked at it and then disappeared. I thought, strange, there's NO WAY he would not be curious about a new appliance. A minute later, he reappeared with JD!!!!!!! I couldn't believe it! JD was around the corner and I didn't hear any babbling, no verbal communication of any kind! So it leaves me to wonder, how did David send the message to 'come here, there's something new to play with' ??????? It was so adorable, I almost cried. But laughed instead.

These two just keep suprising me and filling me with joy. I love them so much!!!

Now that we are into February, I am very excited about spring around the corner. Okay, around a BIG corner, but still.....I am looking forward to it!! The boys will love playing outside and discovering new territory. We won't be stuck inside all the time, which will be wonderful!

Same Old Stuff

Yesterday I received a forward in my inbox; the questionnaire kind that we all receive many versions of. In this one, there was the typical question ~ what scares you the most? ~ to which I usually answer 'clowns'. Clowns do terrify me, for reasons unknown to me at this time (and will probably remain unknown until I move on from this life and it all becomes clear). Unless maybe I undergo hypnosis and the story comes out that way. I don't know.

For some reason, while clowns do terrify me, I answered this question with 'my kids not living long, fulfilling, happy lives'. I sat at the screen and wondered where that came from. Then I realized that while the thought of a clown in my personal space causes me to hyperventilate and a cold sweat to come over my body, my eyes searching for a way to escape.... I am totally terrified of my kids not living long, full lives. What mother/parent isn't??? As I look at my beautiful sons with wonder, adoration and love, the possibility that they may not doesn't even cross my mind. Or so I thought.

I then thought ahead to all that awaits my boys. First day of school. First best friend. First fall off the bike. Then skip ahead to all the other firsts that come later on in their lives. Oh, I love these boys so much!! I don't know how to do this. Then I realize this is another fear of mine; not knowing how to parent older boys and deal with all the world will throw at them. This scares me. I guess I'll take it day by day, like I do now. What else can I do? Day by day it is then.

After pondering this for a bit, I realized something important. I am over-thinking this. I over-think alot of stuff, and worry in circles until I am certain they are coming for me. For now I will keep the terror of clowns, and everything else that strikes fear in me. The list isn't long, but it is interesting. At least to me. I won't dwell on the future, just do my very best today. That's all I can do. That, and be thankful for everything I have.