Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Physical Thera...Wii?

My ex made it through surgery well and is now in rehab. One of the things they're using for therapy is the Wii Fit! I wonder if he'll be able to talk someone into getting him a Wii now...for therapy purpose only LOL. I guess it makes sense to use something more interactive than to just tell someone to lift their arm or leg or whatever or using machines that are just boring and don't motivate the patients at all.

I've got our 2 dogs living with me now. The boys are so excited that they're with us. I love these dogs to death, but it is so not fun walking them when the temperature is in the teens!

I want to wish everyone very Happy Holidays! I hope you and your families have a great time.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Broken Hip

My ex-husband called me yesterday morning to tell me that he'd fallen at work and had either broken or dislocated his hip. After getting to the hospital and having multiple x-rays and a CT scan, they determined that it was indeed broken. He lives about an hour away from here. His mom and stepdad went to the hospital as soon as they could after it happened. They stayed until about 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. They scheduled surgery for his hip for about 4:30 or 5:00 yesterday afternoon. His mom and stepdad had to go to his apartment and get his 2 dogs and bring them back here to the vet to board them. I guess after that, they didn't think they needed to go back. Maybe it's just me, but if either of my sons was having surgery, I'd be there waiting when he got out to make sure everything went okay. Since neither his mom nor his dad saw fit to be there, I arranged for my mom to pick my kids up from daycare and drove there when I got off work. It was really foggy and drizzly last night and I'm not the best night driver in the world anyway. I did make it there though. I just couldn't let him come out of surgery to an empty room. No one should have to be alone after surgery! He was really glad to see me when he got back to his room. I could see him lift his head up when they were bringing him back in and saw a visible sigh of relief when he saw I was there. He's probably going to be in the hospital at least through the weekend, and he'll more than likely still be in rehab on Christmas Day. What a way to spend Christmas. The boys are pretty worried about him too. They want to go see him. We'll either go see him tonight or tomorrow. I'm a little afraid that they'll hurt him accidentally just trying to hug him or touch him. I'll just have to drill into them that they have to be VERY careful with Daddy. His mom and stepdad are supposed to be going to Washington to spend Christmas with their other son and granddaughters. Again, maybe it's just me, but if I had a son in the hospital or rehab, I would cancel the trip and be there for him! Sorry for the rambling post...just had to get it all out!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

I'm the Bad One

The other night I had some company. My best friend came over with her daughter, one of her friends and his two kids. My boys had never met the other two kids. So, Twin B was making the introductions. He said "Hi. I'm Twin B and he's Twin A...I'm the bad one."!!! I laughed so hard. The other two kids just sort of stood there dumbfounded. They all ended up having fun and Twin B wasn't even bad! Those boys never cease to amaze me with the things that come out of their mouths.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Winter Musical






Yesterday my kids' school put on their winter musical. It was a multi-cultural theme. They sang Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hannukah and just plain winter songs. How they managed to put this together with 180+ squirming 4 and 5 year olds is beyond me. They did such a good job. My hat is off to the staff! I got these pics from our local newspaper's website. Twin A was on the very back row and can only be seen in the group picture. He's to the far left and is partially covered up by the person in front of him. Twin B is in the close up pics.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Chase

This morning we drove to school in the rain. The boys were chattering away when all of a sudden they seemed like they were commentating on a sporting event. I finally figured out that they were talking about the windshield wipers - those things on the front window were chasing each other!!! Just another toddlerism I wanted to share. It brought a smile to my face.

Friday, December 5, 2008

The Greatest Show on Earth

The boys went to their first circus last night, and they had a blast! When one of the characters pulled out the little bitty bicycle to ride, Twin A said he wanted one of those for Christmas. He also wanted one of the little weenie dogs that were in one of the acts. They were adorable. They both loved the tigers. Twin B wants to do clown tricks all the time now. I'm pretty sure they're plotting and planning to figure out how to get a high wire in their room so they can ride their bicycles on it! The only thing I didn't like was the elephant act. I just felt so bad for those poor elephants. They looked absolutely miserable. Overall, though, it was a good night and everyone had a great time!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Out of the mouths of babes

The other day one of my friends was having car trouble. I picked her child up from school and dropped her off at home. The boys and I went inside to say hi, and my friend was cooking dinner. Twin A asked me if we were going to eat there and I told him no. He said "Well, let's go then". I guess it's all about the food for him. When I didn't immediately head for the exit, he looked at me again with one hand on his hip and said while jerking his thumb in the direction of the door "Let's hit the road"! He looked and sounded like a grumpy old man LOL. If there's no grub, why are we sticking around?!? He did eat two helpings of dinner though, so I guess it really was time to hit the road!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

School Pics




Twin B is the first one, and Twin A is the second one. I can't believe how grown up they look in these pictures. I'm amazed how quickly time flies with these guys. I'm trying to enjoy every minute of it while they're still little. I'm sure in the blink of an eye they'll be adults.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Halloween Pics















Twin A was Thing 1. Twin B was Thing 2. We went to Boo at the Zoo for Halloween. Then we had another party Saturday night, so the boys got lots of Halloween booty!

Monday, November 3, 2008

Why didn't God make me a girl?

I had an interesting conversation with Twin B this morning. He wanted to know how come God didn't make him a girl and how come I wasn't a boy. He kept insisting that he wanted to be a girl. I finally told him if he was a girl he wouldn't have a "peenie". Then he said "I was just kidding. I want to be a boy!" Even at 4, they're evidently not willing to part with their most prized possession!

I have a few Halloween pics I'll get up soon. I hope everyone had a ghoulish night Friday!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fall Festival



The boys had a fall festival at school Friday night. Twin A is dressed up as Thing 1 and Twin B is Thing 2. Aren't they just precious?!? Several of the teachers this morning told me how cute they were. Their teacher e-mailed me this pic. My little cuties!!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Rendezvous 2008





Here are some pictures from Rendezvous this weekend. The last one is the boys on their tricycle at my parents' house. The boys also got to go see an air show with the Blue Angels at the Air Force Base this weekend with their dad. They had a very fun, busy weekend!

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Beds!!!



Well, the pictures suck, but here are the beds...FINALLY! My dad ended up getting new rails since the ones I paid big bucks for didn't work. At least one of them is unopened and can be sent back. The first one is Twin A's bed and the 2nd is Twin B's. I'm just so glad they don't have box springs and mattresses on the floor anymore. They really like their new "taller" beds anyway because now they can crawl under them. They'll probably spend more time under them than on them LOL!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

I have a 4-year old bully

I got a call from the school principal today that Twin B had broken a classmate's glasses and was putting his hands around peoples' necks. I don't know what to do with him. We have talks about how it's wrong to hit, kick, push, bite and choke our friends and he seems to understand. He'll do good for a day or two and then he'll be right back at it. I feel so bad for the boy whose glasses he broke. I asked the teacher to put a note for his parents with my name and number so I can offer to pay for the glasses, which I CAN'T afford. I just want to nip this bullying in the bud while he is still 4 years old so he won't be putting people in the hospital when he's 14 years old! I do find some comfort in the fact that my other child is as tenderhearted as he can be. I just don't understand how I can be raising them the same way and they're such different kids. Sigh...

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Sad about Sophie

After many tears, I've made the gut-wrenching decision to return Sophie to the Humane Society. I just can't get her housetrained. Almost every day she pees in the boys' room. I guess last night was the last straw. She peed all over Twin B's brand new comforter and it soaked clear down to his brand new mattress. I'm just heartbroken and feel like somehow I've failed since I can't get her housetrained. I'm sure the boys will bounce back much quicker than I will. My mom and dad are going to come get her tomorrow and take her back for me so I don't have to look into those sad eyes and tell her goodbye. Geez...I can't even type this post without boo-hooing! I sure am gonna miss that dog!

Friday, October 10, 2008

School Pics




The first pic is Twin B's class at school. He's the redhead in the front. The 2nd pic is Twin A's class at the pumpkin patch this week. He's in the middle row right in between the 2 teachers.

Best Friends and Worst Enemies

My boys are always telling each other "I'm not going to be your friend any more" whenever they hurt each others feelings. They'll even go so far as to say I'm not going to live by you when I get big. Today on the way to school though, I asked Twin B who a girl in his class was and he told me they played together. I told him that she said he was her best friend. He said "She can't be my best friend because Twin A is my best friend". It's things like this that make all the craziness worth it. My babies really do love each other! At least I know I'm doing something right.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Big Boy Beds

I was hoping to have nice pics of my boys' new beds to post today. When I thought I was pregnant with A BABY, I bought a really nice crib that converts into a toddler bed and then into a full size bed. At my 20 week ultrasound I got the shock of my life that I was having twins. I wasn't sending my really nice crib back, so I sucked it up and bought another one. Unfortunately no one told me when I purchased either crib that I would need a conversion kit with bed rails to convert them into full size beds. After months of hunting I finally found a store in Canada that would ship the rails to me. Of course I ordered the wrong color because I couldn't remember the name of the dang color I ordered 4 plus years ago! I'm not too concerned about that though. My ex came over last night to put the beds together for me. He volunteered to do it. After much cussing, sweating, and beer drinking he finally figured out why he couldn't get them together. By then it was time for the boys to go to bed so we threw one of the frames that he had put together onto the floor and put the mattress and box springs in it. I threw sheets and their new "big boy" comforter over the top and informed them they were sharing a bed tonight. That pretty much went over like a lead balloon, but they were still pretty stoked about the comforter, so they got in there together. He is supposed to be coming back over today to finish the job. I sure hope I have pics for you tomorrow!!!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Busy Busy Busy

I've had a lot going on at work for the past few months. A coworker has been going through a really bitter divorce and she just basically fell apart. She hasn't been able to do her job so that's left me and one other person to pick up all the slack. She went through a series of disciplinary actions and was eventually fired last week. It was really stressful. I was getting physically sick at my stomach and getting stress headaches every day. I really hate that with everything else going on in her life she lost her job. I truly hope she can make a fresh start and end up much better off than she was.

Things have been busy with the boys too. Pre-K has been a lot of fun. I love hearing about their days and what they did and who their new friends are. I'm having mattresses delivered tonight for their "big boy" beds. I'm so excited and so are they. Now, if I can just keep them from jumping on the bed LOL!

Sorry to everyone out there whose blogs I haven't commented on. I've kind of let everything go by the wayside since all the work stuff started happening. I'm just too drained by the time I get out of here to do much of anything. Hopefully things will be better for my mental health as well now! I'm going to try to start posting and commenting more. I miss my bloggin' buddies!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Heroes

I don't get a whole lot of time to watch TV these days unless it's Nickelodeon, Noggin or the Disney Channel! Heroes, however, is must see TV for me! I started watching the show from day one and I am a total addict now. If you haven't watched it before, tonight is a great time to start. It's on NBC (check your local listings LOL) and before the start of the new season, there will be a recap show.

If you watch Heroes, who is your favorite Hero and why? Mine is probably Peter since he can absorb the powers from everyone else, so he has it all. Plus, he's so nice to look at!

Who are your real life heroes?

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Religion/Spirituality and Morality

I know certain things are taboo to discuss in open company, and religion is certainly one of those things. I'm going to do it anyway! I struggle with what I believe in. I have big issues with organized religion in general because it seems like every denomination thinks if you're not a member of their church, you're going to hell. I believe you can still lead a good, moral life without religion. I grew up in a loosely Christian environment. My dad never went to church with us. I really think my mom just took me to church for the structure more than anything else. Once I got older and didn't want to go all the time, she didn't push it. I've never been a regular church goer since then. I really think our relationship with whatever higher power (if any) we believe in is personal and shouldn't depend on us showing up at a building every week to worship. I'm rambling...I know!

If you feel like sharing, I'm very interested in what other people feel and believe.

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Loneliness

I have been divorced for a year and a half and separated for over 2 years. In all of that time I have enjoyed being by myself...well, sort of...myself and the boys. All of a sudden I have this overwhelming sense of loneliness. I'm not really prone to bouts of depression and I rarely cry. Tonight I had myself a good cry and just had a big ol' pity party for myself. I have always been a very independent person. I'm not sure what to make of my current situation. I haven't even wanted to date in the 2 years since my separation. I'm still not sure where all of this came from. Am I missing companionship? Am I sad to see my little boys growing up (they just started Pre-K)? What's going on with me? Why all of a sudden after 2 years am I lonely? Is this an extremely delayed reaction to the divorce? I hope I snap out of this soon. It's not a good feeling...

Thursday, August 28, 2008

To all the Good Knights

Yesterday, Twin B was so upset because Twin A told him Christmas wasn't coming anymore. I assured him that it was. He happily ran off saying "Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas to all the Good Knights"! I tried to tell him that I thought Santa was saying "Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night", but he wasn't buying that. He just kept repeating his version. Stuff like that just really tickles me!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

We made it through the first week!

The guys did really well in school this week I think. Twin B was more apprehensive than Twin A, but that was to be expected. He cried every day except for one when I dropped them off. They both seem to like their teachers. I enjoy hearing about their day in the afternoons when I pick them up from daycare. They feel like such big boys now that they're four and going to big boy school. I, on the other hand, am a little sad that my little men are growing up too fast. I look at baby pictures and it's hard to believe they were ever so small. I guess I've made it through the first of many growing up milestones. I look forward to watching them grow and learn, but it also makes me a little sad.

Tonight at dinner Twin B wrapped his hands around my arm and laid his head against me and said "Mommy, you're the best mommy in the world". I could have cried! I treasure moments like this because I know they won't last forever. For now, though, I'm still the neatest person in their world.

So, what milestones have you and/or your kiddos reached lately?

Monday, August 18, 2008

First Day of Pre-K




Today is the boys' first day of Pre-K. The drop-off went about as expected. Twin A (on the left in the first 2 pics and on the right in the last) did fine. He was a little nervous but not clingy and no tears. Twin B on the other hand was in hysterics by the time I left. Poor little guy. I dropped Twin B off first and as we were leaving his room, Twin A said "Mama, I'm not going to cry"! I hope they both have a great day and tomorrow won't be so hard.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Random Stuff

First and foremost, we had an absolutely wonderful time at the Backyardigans Live!!! We were on the 2nd row and the kids were just mesmerized.

I have found a creative use for bandaids. I'm sure I'm not the first one, but I felt rather superior when I discovered it. The post office tried to deliver a piece of mail yesterday and left one of those slips behind. I called to arrange for redelivery so I wouldn't have to drive out and pick it up. So I filled out the slip and signed it in all the appropriate places. Then I couldn't find any tape to stick it to the door. That's when I spied a bandaid. Twin B wanted to know if I was hurt. He didn't understand why I was using a bandaid as tape. I guess necessity really is the mother of invention!

I have started giving the dog ultimatums (or is that ultimata?). Geez Louise. I guess I'm so used to dealing with my kids by saying if you don't do so and so by the time I count to three then you don't get dessert or you have to go to time out, etc.! Last night Sophie kept trying to play with some little stuffed Backyardigans beanie babies we got at the show. After about the fourth or fifth time I got onto her, I said if you don't quit chewing on them, you're going to have to leave the room. I must have had the same look on my face as everyone else did in the room. I could hardly believe it even as it was coming out of my mouth. Since when do dogs (or kids for that matter) actually understand what we're saying to them?!? Of course she blew me off just like the kids usually do!

The boys got CDs as a party favor at a birthday party a few weeks ago. It's mostly children's music. There is one song on there by Jack Johnson called Banana Pancakes. Twin A LOVES that song. He's always telling me to put on the banana song. Twin B wanted to know who that guy singing was, so I told him that his name was Jack Johnson. The song got to the part about banana pancakes, and Twin B starts cracking up. He said "Jack's Johnson just said banana pan-a-cakes"! Once again I was struggling to keep the car on the road!!!

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Pirate Party











We had a wonderful 4th birthday party. We got to see lots of the Museum of Discovery on our quest for buried pirate treasure! All the kids seemed to have a good time. I abolutely LOVED how the pirate cupcake cake turned out. It was definitely a memorable party. Today, Twin A was asking if we could go back to his pirate party!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

More Vocabulary Lessons

Here are a few more cute mispronunciations and/or ways of saying things:

moten control = remote control
My voice talks funny (strep throat/swollen tonsils)
currful = careful
Anything that happened in the past was last weekend
marks = markers
puh-ay-no = piano
lippies = lipstick/chap stick
My Twin A has such a country twang. When he sings Jingle Bells, it sounds like Jingle bales (like hay!)

Just a few of the things that make me smile! Do your kids have cute mispronunciations or made up words they like to use?

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY BOYS!!!





Here are some pics of the first few weeks - the first time I got to hold the boys at the same time and the day they got to come home. Twin A was born at 8:25 a.m. 4 years ago today weighing in at 3 pounds 13 ounces and 16 1/4 inches long. Twin B was born at 8:26 a.m. 4 years ago today weighing in at 3 pounds 4 ounces and 16 inches long. After spending 6 weeks in the NICU they finally got to come home!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Artwork





I absolutely love these photos. Check out CeCe's Photography and Alyse's blog for more of her wonderful photographs. I just love her pics. I wish I lived closer so I could have her do portraits of my kids. Oh, well, I'll have to settle for what I can find online!

Monday, July 28, 2008

I don't know how to close my eyes

I thought I'd heard every excuse in the book to stall going down for a nap or for bedtime...I need a drink, I need my special blankie, I need more stuffed animals, I need to give the dog a kiss, I need to use the potty, I need more extra kisses (I always give them kisses in their hands in case they wake up and need one), I need to tell you something, I want another light on or off, I want to push the button (on the cd player with their lullaby cd), etc. Last night Twin B came up with a new one for me. When I told him to close his eyes, he told me he didn't know how to close his eyes. He said it in THAT voice too, like I've known this forever and how could I possibly ask him to do that! There's something new and different every day with these guys, and I love it!

So, what do your kids do to put off going to sleep? This one ought to be very interesting!

Friday, July 25, 2008

RIP Randy Pausch

An inspiration to so many has succumbed to pancreatic cancer.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/25/last-lecture-professor-randy-pausch-dies-at-47/?hp

May his family find peace.

TGIF

This has been a really long week for me. I'm so glad it's Friday. The boys are going to a classmate's birthday party tomorrow at one of the inflatable jump places. They'll have lots of fun and hopefully take a really good nap when we get home! I'm busy getting ready for their birthday party on the 2nd. It's going to be at the Museum of Discovery and it has a pirate theme. The kids will be given a treasure map and will get to look for the hidden treasure in the museum. They'll also get to make some pirate crafts (eye patches, hats, swords, etc.) and they'll get a visit from a live animal. It sounds really fun. The best part is that I don't have to clean up when it's over!!!

I'm also trying to get ready for school. They start Pre-K on August 18th. So far, I have bought back packs and a few uniform items. They don't have a really strict uniform, but they have to wear khaki or navy shorts or pants, and polo-type shirts in red, yellow or light blue. Of course, there are also a butt load of supplies to buy. I'm actually excited about the uniforms since that will make dressing so much easier in the mornings.

What's keeping you guys busy this summer and what big plans do you have for the weekend?

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Privates for Sale?

This morning while I was getting the boys dressed, Twin B took off his underwear and Sophie started licking him. Gross, but okay, that's what dogs do. Twin B covered himself up and said "No, Sophie. That's my peenie!" She got that sad look in her eyes and sort of cowed down. Then he said "It's okay, Sophie. We'll get you a peenie." I tried my best not to roll on the floor laughing.

Anyone know where I can buy a spare private part for my dog?!?

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Swimming








My best friend and her daughter came over last night to come swimming with the boys and me. We had a lot of fun. Twin B went away from the steps and let his floaties do their work for the first time ever!!! Twin A is well on his way too...he's just not quite ready to let go of the wall yet.
So...what are you doing to beat the heat this summer?

Thursday, July 10, 2008

CrockPotting Again!

I found another great recipe here. It's for Crockpot Bacon & Cheese chicken. I'm so confident my family will love it that I'm posting about it before we eat it! How can you go wrong with cheese, bacon & ranch dressing? Check out the recipe at the Year of CrockPotting website. This is a great site with many great sounding recipes!

What are you cooking?

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Groceries

With the price of fuel constantly on the rise, it seems like the price of everything else is on the rise as a result. Between daycare, putting gas in the car and buying groceries, it seems like I don't have much money left over for anything else. I recently discovered a way to save on groceries. Angel Food Ministries offers a box of groceries for $30 (more than half off what you would pay at the grocery store). It's a non-profit, non-denominational organization. There is no income limit, so anyone can use this service. There are also extras that you can order in addition to the $30 box of food. I think this is a wonderful service and I wish I'd heard about it sooner. It says it will feed a family of 4 for a week, but looking at the menu for July, it looks like it will feed the boys and I for much longer than that.

What price-saving tips have you been using to offset the rising cost of fuel lately?

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Backyardigans Live


The Backyardigans Live! Tale of the Mighty Knights is coming here the week after the boys' birthday. They've never been to any of the live shows like this. I just got tickets for all of us to go. That will be their birthday present from me. I hope they love it!
How old were your kids the first time you took them to a movie or a live show?

Friday, June 27, 2008

Bath Time


Twin A on the left and Twin B on the right. Aren't they precious?!?

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Princess

The boys have been watching the first Harry Potter movie lately. The other day when we were taking Sophie for a walk they both picked up sticks that they called their wands. Twin A pointed his wand at me and told me he turned me into a beautiful princess. I said "Thank you. What was I before"? He said "You were just mommy, but you were still beautiful". He went on to tell me that even though I was now a beautiful princess, I was NOT Princess Fiona! Oh, well, at least I'm still beautiful LOL!

What wonderful things have your kids done for you lately?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Great Recipe

The count is now Vegetables/Mommy - 2!!! I found this recipe online and prepared it last night and cooked all day in the crockpot today. It is wonderful. I fix a taco soup recipe with ground beef that's a lot like this, but this one is with chicken. For anyone who likes Mexican, I highly recommend it. I highly recommend it even if you don't like Mexican!

Slow-Cooker Chicken Pozole

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
29- ounce can hominy (I used 2 of the smaller cans)
15- ounce can white beans, drained and rinsed (I used Great Northern Beans)
15- ounce can white corn, drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2- 14 1/2 ounce cans Rotel tomatoes (or just diced tomatoes if you don't like too much spice)
2- 14 1/2 ounce cans chicken broth
1/2 envelope taco seasoning mix, more or less to taste
1 large onion, chopped
Sour cream, to garnish
Chopped green onions, to garnish
Shredded Monterey jack cheese, to garnish
Corn chips, to garnish

Mix all ingredients except garnishes in slow cooker and cook eight hours on low/medium. Just before serving, remove chicken, cut into small, bite-size pieces and return to slow cooker. Serve with garnishes as desired.

I put in FROZEN chicken breasts and actually cooked it on low for about 10 hours.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Vegetables/Mommy - 1; Kids - 0

Okay, it's really more like Vegetables/Mommy - 1; Kids - a million! Tonight though I wasn't giving in. Dinner consisted of meatloaf, apples and a broccoli, cauliflower, carrot blend. Sounds really good to me. The kids thought it sounded good too until the vegetables hit the plate. I know it's an age old struggle trying to get kids to eat their veggies. Tonight I guess I pulled out all the stops. No cartoons, movies or any kind of TV until you eat your veggies. That didn't work. No dessert until you eat your veggies. That didn't work. We will sit here until it's bedtime if you don't eat your veggies. That didn't work. You may have a piece of gum if you eat your veggies. Both boys are now happily chewing gum. So, how do you get your kids to eat their veggies?

There's poop on the floor!

That's what one of the boys said to my mom yesterday while we were at my mom and dad's house. Why don't we listen to our kids? They're closer to the floor and probably have better eyesight than we do! My mom said "It's not poop. See, it's a rai...OH, IT IS POOP"! Twin B goes running from the room shouting "G-Dad, Gigi just put her finger in poop"! My kids have gotten really good at spotting poop on the floor anyway since we have a new dog. She's not quite housetrained yet.

We had a great weekend. The kids went swimming and we had a "picnic" on my mom and dad's back patio. Twin A was overheard several times telling Twin B that it was a wonderful day at the beach. I just love this age - they're so imaginative.

So, how was your weekend? Anyone stick their finger in poop?!? Have a great week.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Send me Recipes!!!

I need recipes! I haven't been cooking much lately...maybe a little longer than that. The kids and I aren't eating well, and I really don't want to get them stuck on bad habits at their young age. So, here's your challenge: send me your favorite recipes or your old stand-by recipes. I'm really going to make an effort to start cooking several dishes on the weekends and freezing them to eat during the week. One of my friends does once-a-month cooking, so I'm trying to ease myself into that for my little family of 3. Now...flood me with comments with your faves!

Book Roast

I just found out about a blog called Book Roast. Being an avid reader, this sounds great to me. Check it out...

(From Book Roast) We slice and serve one author a day for fun and prizes and a good, old fashioned roasting. First, we whet your appetite with a short excerpt from the author's book, followed by three questions loosely related to the passage. Some questions are silly, others are straightforward and the rest are plain crunchy. For dessert, the author picks the winner who answers the most questions correctly – or the most creatively. We like spice, but some authors prefer things sweet, which makes Book Roast deliciously unpredictable.The prize: a free copy of the author's book (and an occasional surprise!) Each contest runs 9am - 9pm Eastern Time (U.S.) Best of all, authors will pop into the blog throughout the day to answer questions, share a laugh and toss out some insider tidbits.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

The Night Visitor

Last night (actually early this morning) I awoke to the sound of someone coming out of my sons' room. I heard the little body come into my room and climb up in my rocker recliner. I still didn't know who it was at this point. I finally figured out when he coughed that it was Twin B. He never said a word to me, and he didn't try to get in my bed. Actually I don't think it's my bed anymore anyway. Sophie has taken it over and I have a very tiny space in which she allows me to sleep. As Spy Scribbler pointed out, I'm such a sucker! Yes, in 3 short days, the dog already rules the roost!!! So, Twin B comes into my room about 12:30 a.m., never says a word, and crawls up in my rocker recliner and goes to sleep. I'd wake up periodically and hear him shifting or something. At 2:10 a.m. he got up and went back to his room, again without saying a word. I don't know if he was just missing me and wanted to be close or what, but I thought it was really sweet.

This morning when I went outside with Sophie for her walk we spotted a rabbit in our courtyard. I thought she was going to rip my arm off trying to get that rabbit! When she finally got done thoroughly inspecting the area where the rabbit had been, I thought we were ready to get down to business. I'll be darned if that dang rabbit wasn't right around the next corner we turned. It took me twice as long as usual to get her to do her business this morning because she thought the whole point of being out there today was to GET THAT RABBIT!!! I'm glad I'm finally at work and I can relax!

Monday, June 9, 2008

Sophie





Sophie is the newest addition to our family. The ex-husband finally came and picked up his dogs and I thought I was free! Well, Twin B had other things in mind. He cried and cried and kept calling Trixie's name. So we all load up in the car and go to the Humane Society which is conveniently open until 8:00 p.m. on Friday nights. Twin B picked this dog and Twin A picked the name Sophie. I'm not sure Zippy (the cat) is too thrilled with the decision, but the boys sure are! Sophie just wants to play with Zippy so badly and Zippy just wants to be left alone. I figure it will work itself out in a couple of weeks. I really love dogs. I would have a zillion of them if I could. Now I'm ready to move into a house with a fenced in yard. Then maybe we could get Sophie a companion doggie so she'd leave poor Zippy alone.

Monday, June 2, 2008

Gone to the Dogs

The days following my day from HELL (see post below) have been much better. All that happened that day was just so unexpected, I panicked! I now have a harness that fits for both dogs. I have convinced my kids to stay inside most of the time while I walk the dogs so that I'm not trying to keep up with 2 3-year olds and 2 terrier dogs who are prone to running away. One of them got out yesterday while we were out the door to go swimming. Luckily she ran down a path that was a dead end so I was able to get her. Now that I'm not so stressed about having them in my place, I'm actually kind of enjoying it. The kids are glad they're there too. I think we'll all miss them when they're gone...well, everyone except for the cat. He has been displaced the most. The dogs have taken over his feeding area while his food has been placed on the counter so the dogs won't eat it. They've taken over his bed at night too. I don't see him around much. The dogs and cat don't fight, but they're definitely not best friends either! I'm so glad the weekend went smoother than expected.

What unexpected hurdle or surprise have you dealt with lately? And how was your weekend? I hope everyone has a great week.

Friday, May 30, 2008

The Day from HELL

Yesterday started out just like any other day. At 9:51 a.m. my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number, but I could tell from the prefix it was from the city I lived in until I got divorced. I answered the phone and it is the city animal services. They tell me they've got my dogs. Well, the dogs stayed with my ex when I moved. I asked how they even knew they were my dogs and they said a neighbor told them. I got off the phone with animal services and call my ex. He has no idea how the dogs got out of the house. He didn't even leave them outside for the day. I then call my old next door neighbor to see if she is the one that gave animal control my phone number. She was. She said she woke up and there were police, a locksmith and a moving van outside my ex's house. I guess the ex should have paid his mortgage! So I call him back and tell him what's going on. Isn't it sad that I'm the one who figures out WTF is going on and he has no clue? Just one of the many reasons for the divorce. Needless to say, he is temporarily homeless. He's staying with his mother until he can move into an apartment. Now the 2 dogs who I love dearly and have missed so much are staying with me until the ex can get into his apartment. It has not been the most pleasant of experiences. One of the harnesses for the dogs is too small, so I can only walk one of them at a time. While I was walking one, the other one pooped inside and stepped in it, tracking it all over the carpet. Argggggh!!! At least my cat and the dogs seemed to be getting along fine. I just can't wait to see what I'll find when I get home from work today. So, how was your day?

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Spidermen

Here is another picture of my super heroes. That's Twin A in the black Spiderman costume and Twin B in the red one. Notice how they've got their hands positioned to let their webs out! I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Jungle Love

This morning while I was getting ready for work the boys were watching tv. A commercial for Bindi the Jungle Girl (the crocodile hunter's daughter) came on. Twin A said "I want to go in there and hug that jungle girl". Twin B pointed out that he couldn't get in there to which Twin A replied "I'll do like Blues Clues" and he wiggled his legs like Steve does and pretended to "skidoo" into the tv to hug that jungle girl. Too cute! What cute priceless moments have you had with your kiddos lately?

Bat Kids





Twin A in the first pic & Twin B in the second one in their Batman pjs

Friday, May 16, 2008

Doggy Eyes

On the way to school this morning we drove past a lady walking her dog. It was one of those dogs whose tails curls up over its back. We got past it and Twin B says in a tone of complete awe "Twin A, that dog has an eye on its bottom"! I probably almost wrecked the car I was laughing so hard. I then tried through the tears and laughter to explain that it was not an eye and explain what it was actually used for. My Friday started out with a good laugh! How about you?

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Character Names

I'm reading a book right now by a local author. I recognize a lot of the names of the characters. The main character's love interest has the same first name as the author's wife. Several of the political types have the same last names as political figures in the state. I'm just wondering how writers come up with the names for their characters. Enlighten me! What's the big secret? I know you must have to come up with lots of names for your many books, so how do you pick them out? I know how hard it was just to find names I liked for my children!

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Tea Time

I missed it. Maybe I should have called this post "The Worst Mom Ever"! At least that's how I feel. When I was putting the boys to bed tonight, one of them asked me how come I couldn't come for tea today. I got an invitation yesterday afternoon when I picked them up to attend a tea party at 8:30 this morning. Well, I couldn't take off work on such short notice. If I'd gotten the invitation earlier in the week I could have planned for it, so I partially blame the daycare. I told them I couldn't get off work. Of course the next question was "Why"? I explained as best I could that my boss wouldn't let me off work with such short notice. They told me everyone else's mom was there. I told them how sorry I was that I missed it. Twin A said "But we were going to serve you". Obviously this was a Mother's Day affair. I felt like THE WORST MOM EVER for missing it, but I've already been warned about how much time I take off from work (even though all of it has been when my children or I am sick), so I just couldn't call and say I was going to be late. I apologized over and over. I kept telling them how sorry I was I missed their tea party. Finally Twin B (not the one who's usually so compassionate) said "We were just joking, Mommy". God love him! And Twin A said "We'll serve you at our next feast". Tonight was the first time in a long time that I cried. It cut me to the bone that everyone else had their mom there. My poor kids were left to serve each other I guess. I'm going to talk to the teachers tomorrow and ask for a little more advance notice for the next such event. It won't make me feel any better about not being there today. I just cannot express how much it really hurts my heart. They were so innocent when they asked me why I wasn't there. I just couldn't explain adequately why I wasn't. I really, really wish I had been there. If only I could turn back time.

On a happier note, the other day we were driving home in the rain and Twin B told me that Cowboy Labor had shot a hole in the sky and that's why it was raining!

So what have your kids or other kids made you feel happy or sad about this week?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL if I'm not back before Sunday!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Breakfast in Bed

It's not quite Mother's Day yet, but I got an early surprise this morning. I bought some orange cranberry muffins the other day at the store. This morning when I woke up, the boys were standing by my bed with a muffin for me. They said "Here, Mommy, this is your pie". What a great way to start my day. I love my little guys. Now I wonder what mischief they'll have in store for me on Mother's Day! What plans do you have for the big day?

Monday, May 5, 2008

Do NOT put that in the toilet!

My kids are just shy of four years old. Over the weekend we had our first incident of putting toys in the toilet. Twin B put a rubber ball in there that was the perfect size to get sort of wedged in the hole. Every time I reached for it, it would go further back and just out out of reach. I was finally able to wedge it out though and Mommy saved the day...or at least a costly visit from the plumber! I'm sure this is the first of many things to be stuck in my toilet. What kinds of interesting things have you had in your potties?

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

BIG Deal

I made a really big deal with Twin A the other day. We didn't spit and shake or anything, but it's binding nonetheless. He has had issues with constipation since he was an infant, so potty training has been harder for him. I think the issue now isn't so much constipation as it is "stool refusal". I've been sitting him down every day and just having him sit there until he goes. That went really well for a while and then he fell back into wetting and pooping in his underwear. Nothing I did seemed to work to get him to stop. Well, the other day while getting the mail I was distributing the mail (i.e. junk mail and catalogs) to the boys. One of the catalogs Twin A got has this huge go-kart that's about $350.00. He REALLY liked it and went on and on about it most of the night. A light bulb suddenly went off in my head...instead of punishing and begging him to sit on the potty, why don't I try offering him a potential reward? I've done the reward thing before, just never on such a grand scale! I told him if he could keep from peeing or pooping in his underwear between now and his birthday (end of July), I'd buy him that go-kart. So far, so good! I almost wish I hadn't made the deal now. If I get that for Twin A, I might just have to tell Twin B that we've instituted a new policy regarding birthday presents. We'll celebrate a birthday for each boy every other year, and yours is next year LOL!

Any great advice out there for potty training and/or gift-giving for 2?

Monday, April 21, 2008

Men in Hats

The other day on the way home there was a crew of men wearing hard hats. It looked like they were digging down to a gas line or something. I'm not really sure. Twin B asked what all the Bobs were doing. I said "Bobs"? He said "Yeah, Bob the Builder". I guess anyone in a hard hat is now Bob the Builder! I just thought it was a really cute moment.

Imaginary Friends and Family

Twin B informed my dad and I that he didn't really live here...he lived with Jack, Cowboy Labor, Bad Cowboy Labor and Johnny John because they're his family. Jack has been around a good while now, but all I really know about him is that he lives in the garden. Cowboy Labor and Bad Cowboy Labor are very new. Last week, Twin B told me that his horse had gone to visit Cowboy Labor because he'd been sick. He was feeling much better now, but he was still just a tiny bit sick. I don't know anything about Bad Cowboy Labor...he must be Cowboy Labor's evil twin LOL! I don't know anything about Johnny John either. At least he doesn't consider Lasha his family. Lasha hung around a little too long for me. I kept kicking him out of the house and he kept coming back! Lasha was really bad. He was always shooting and killing people and doing just generally bad things. I'm glad Twin B doesn't associate with him anymore. The last eviction must have taken!

On a side note, for those of you interested in what the boys may have gotten into this weekend. It was actually pretty tame. Only one thing happened. I was still asleep at some ungodly early hour of the morning when I hear a crash and the unmistakable sound of glass breaking. I got a hanging votive candle holder at a silent auction a few weeks ago for my mom for Mother's Day. Well, Twin B broke one of the holders. Sorry, mom, no present this year!!!

Friday, April 18, 2008

Rain and Royalty

A couple of cute things happened after school and work today. We went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. When we got to the kids' department, the boys saw some kid-sized umbrellas. Twin B said he wanted a bru-ella. I just love his word pronunciation! So, Twin B got a Sponge Bob bru-ella while Twin A got a Spider Man bru-ella.

Later, after we'd been home awhile, Twin B gave me one of those beaded Mardi Gras type necklaces. He said it was for me and he wanted me to put it on. Well, it would only go as far as my forehead, so he said it could be my crown. How precious! Then Twin A asked me if I was a queen, so I told him that yes, indeed, I was a queen...I was Queen Mommy!

Girly Stuff for Boys?

Yesterday when I woke up I could hear the boys making some kind of noise in their room. I asked what they were doing and Twin B answered that he was putting on his makeup and he'd be right there. WHAT?!? He came in my room with the prettiest lipstick ALL OVER his face. Luckily I have found that Johnson & Johnson baby wipes are wonderful makeup removers. Twin A must have decided he didn't need any at least on him. I'm not sure who the culprit was, but one of them "colored" all over the toilet and vanity in the downstairs 1/2 bath. I got to clean all that up last night when I got home. Twin B also had lipstick all over his prized Batman pajamas. I told him I'd wash them, but if the lipstick didn't come out we'd have to throw them away. Fast forward to this morning. Nothing went awry while I was in the shower. Then I was getting ready and I see Twin B in the mirror hunkered down in between the foot of my bed and a chair. I go out to see what he's doing and he's got DARK RED finger nail polish. He's liberally painted his arms and legs. Twin A saunters in to show me his handiwork as well. I spent a good deal of time with the nail polish remover. Ya know, it just doesn't remove as well from the non-fingernail area! My mom's solution? Get everything up where they can't reach it. I swear they have hidden stilts or something. There are things in their closet that I can't even reach, but they manage to get them down. We had an episode with cleaning supplies last week in which they bleached some brand new shorts. After that I put the cleaning supplies up so high I can barely reach them and made them throw away their brand new bleach spotted shorts. One of my co-workers eagerly awaits each morning's story. She's already told me she can't wait until Monday to hear about what all they get into over the 2 days of the weekend. Maybe if I buy lock boxes to put everything in...

Monday, April 14, 2008

My Great Post

Something so cute happened on the way home from school and work today that I mentally reminded myself to blog about it. Then Twin B got in trouble and I completely forgot what the cute, sweet post was even about. I stopped by Wendy's on the way home and got kids meals for the boys. Their theme for toys right now is Sports Illustrated. The toys were these kind of little bean bag toys with sort of a wind sock tail. You can hold the tail and swing the ball around. Knowing how aggressive Twin B is, before I handed him the ball I said "Twin B, if you hit Twin A with this EVEN once, it's going in the trash". Twin B: "Okay". I said again "Twin B, if you hit Twin A EVEN once with this ball, it's going in the trash. Do you understand me"? Twin B: "Yes, Mommy". Me: "Tell me". Twin B: "If I hit Twin A, this goes to the trash". So, I gave him the ball and gave Twin A his. Well, in no time they were swinging them around and I see Twin B hit Twin A with the ball. I told him to go throw it in the trash. He immediately goes into full blown crazy crying tantrum mode. I finally got him near the trash and reminded him of our deal. I said "What did I tell you would happen if you hit Twin A EVEN once"? Twin B: "It goes in the trash. I won't hit him again". I told him he wouldn't hit him again because the ball would be in the trash. He cried so much and so hard he made himself throw up and he wet his pants. I felt like the worst mom ever. I'm trying to take a proactive approach like I did tonight by telling him the consequences of his actions beforehand instead of trying to deal with the aftermath. I know I did the right thing but I sure felt rotten. Luckily 3 year olds (at least mine) don't hold grudges too long. It wasn't long before he said he wanted to hold me, which in his language means he wants ME to hold HIM. At least all was forgiven before long. I'm just at my wits' end about how aggressive and bully-ish he is and I want to nip it in the bud before he turns into a big kid bully instead of a 3 year old bully. Any great advice out there from more seasoned moms?

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

This was the view from outside my office building this morning. Who knew there were waterfalls in Arkansas?!?

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Bad Weather

Last week we had some really bad weather across the state. Here in Little Rock I think there were at least 6 tornadoes that touched down. Between flooding and tornado damage, about half of the 75 counties in Arkansas have been declared disaster areas.

Yesterday when I picked up the boys it was raining and it started to thunder. Twin A wanted to know if the volcanoes were coming! I told him we didn't have volcanoes here. Twin B quickly corrected him and asked if the tornadoes were coming. I told him I thought they left last week. They were still a little apprehensive about the thunder. When I was a little girl when it thundered people used to say it was God bowling, so I told the boys maybe God was bowling and that's what they were hearing. Twin B mulled this over for a minute and then he said "No, I don't think God's a bowling guy"!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

April Fools

Well, I managed to make it through April Fools Day without being fooled! How about you? My kids are really too young to know what April Fools Day is. There are a few tv shows they watch at night before going to bed, but yesterday the station their shows are on was doing a "scrambled" day. They mixed up their programming. My kids couldn't understand why. I tried to explain why their show wasn't coming on - that it was April Fools Day and the station was mixing things up. They'd just say "okay, when's our show coming on"? Luckily, I have Comcast and the show they wanted to see is on On Demand so I just found one and played it for them.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Super Heroes

This weekend I bought the boys some pajamas. One of the sets is Batman pjs, and it has a CAPE!!! Oh my goodness, you would have thought those boys had just won a million dollars. They kept asking me if it was for them and thanking me for getting them a Batman costume. Now that it's been washed, I'm sure they'll be wearing these pjs from now until they fall apart or grow out of them! I'll have to get a pic to post of my little super heroes.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Wardrobe Malfunction

I think Twin A woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. He didn't want to wear the shirt I picked out, but he couldn't find another shirt he wanted to wear. He didn't want to wear the pants I picked out, but he couldn't find another pair of pants he wanted to wear. At least we didn't fight over underwear or shoes! Sometimes it's really a chore getting him dressed. It's a horrible way to start the day. He doesn't just say "I don't want to wear that" and leave it at that. He feels like to really get the message to sink in he needs to scream and whine and pitch a huge fit. It's like trying to wrestle an octopus to get him dressed when he's like this. After I finally got done getting him dressed, I felt like I should get back in the shower! Twin B and I have been battling the stomach bug for the past week, so maybe Twin A was feeling left out and thought pitching a fit would get him the attention he so rightly deserved. Here's hoping for a better morning tomorrow!

Update...he also didn't want to wear the pjs I picked out tonight :(
Usually he picks out his own, but tonight I just grabbed some of the new ones he loved the first time he wore them. Please, please let tomorrow start off and end up better than today!

Friday, March 14, 2008

And it will be my life...

On the way home from school and work today the topic came around to babies. The boys wanted to know if I used to be a baby. I explained that I was indeed once a baby and that everyone comes into this world as a baby. They both allowed as how they wanted their own "real" baby. Since mommy isn't having another baby any time soon, I told them one day maybe their wives would have babies. Twin A asked "And it will be mine"? And I said "Yes, it will be yours". And he said "And it will be my life". My heart absolutely melted. I hope he still feels that way about babies when he's a man.
You Are Bud Light
You're not fussy when it comes to beer. If someone hands it to you, you'll drink it.
In fact, you don't understand beer snobbery at all. It all tastes the same once you're drunk!
You're an enthusiastic drinker, and you can often be found at your neighborhood bar.
You're pretty good at holding your liquor too - you've had lots of experience.



How fitting...Bud Light is usually my beer of choice!

Survivor and some random thoughts

I hated to see Jonathan go out the way he did, but I'm glad he's okay and the infection in his leg didn't get into his blood. On the other hand, I can't say I'm sorry to see Chet go. How has he made it this long in the first place? I really hate that it looks like Cirie is secretly running the show. She's so devious and gets people to do what she wants them to do without them even realizing it.

On the non-Survivor front...Twin A received his first haircut from Twin B a few weeks ago. I haven't taken him to get it cut yet, but there are several spots that are pretty close to the scalp. I asked Twin B why he did it and he could only say he just did it. I asked Twin A why he let Twin B do it and he didn't have an answer either. Kids!

The other day, since it's not dark anymore when we get home, we went for a walk. Something in Twin A's hair (besides the funky haircut) caught my eye. He was the lucky recipient of bird poop on the head! At least he didn't freak out about it. I wiped what I could off with a leaf and got the rest out with shampoo later.

This weekend Twin B told me he wants to visit the newest Wal-Mart Supercenter in the area. Am I raising a 3-year old BOY? That kid loves Kroger & Wal-Mart! I hope he still loves it when he's able to drive so I can send him to the store with my grocery list.

Any random thoughts or observations you'd like to add?

Monday, March 3, 2008

Supermom?

Today I felt a little bit like Clark Kent/Superman. It was raining cats and dogs today. When we got in the car after picking up the boys from school, I took off my glasses to wipe the water off of them. Twin B says "You're not our mommy without your glasses". I put the glasses back on, and he said "Now you're our mommy". I asked him who I was without my glasses, and he said I looked like a school friend's mom. I said "Well, thank you, friend's mom is very pretty". Twin A says "You are too, mommy"! I sure do love my little guys!!!

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Naked at School

That's the oldest dream in the book, right? Well I had my own little version of it here the other night. I belong to a twins club and we have garage sales twice a year. The spring sale is coming up next weekend. The boys were watching TV in my room the other night, so I decided to get some of their summer clothes that they had outgrown and put them in the storage bin for the garage sale. Twin A asked me what I was doing. I told him I was going to sell their old clothes at the twins club garage sale. A few minutes later I looked at him and he had this crestfallen look on his face and his lower lip was quivering. I asked him what was wrong and he said "Mommy, I don't want to go to school naked tomorrow." Bless his heart. I said no, no, no, honey. I'm not getting rid of ALL of your clothes. Come here and I'll show you. We had to go in his closet to assure him that he still had clothes and wouldn't have to go to school naked! I guess I'll have to be a little more careful the next time I weed out old clothes!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Too Close to Home

You always think those things will never happen to you or they'll never happen in your town. There is a relatively small university in my town. Today there was a shooting there. One student was shot and is in critical condition. So far the shooters have not been caught. I used to work at this university and my best friend still does. The shooting occured within a matter of 10-20 feet from the building she works in. Thank God she was inside when it happened. Has anyone else had any of these too close to home or too close for comfort happenings?

Monday, February 25, 2008

New Career Path?

On the way home from work & school today, we saw a school bus. Twin A said he would ride in one some day. He said he wanted me to ride with him, but I told him I didn't ride in the school bus. He suggested that I should become a school bus driver. So, have your kids, friends or a misguided guidance counselor offered you any interesting career advice?

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Girls Night Out


That's me on the left and my best friend on the right. We went out for a few hours last night and had a girls night out. It was so nice to go out with adults only! Nights like these keep me sane enough to deal with my twin tornadoes for the rest of the time.