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You’re so bad

Yesterday, I left my kids. My husband, too. Walked out the door, drove to the airport, got on a plane, and flew most of the way across the country. I ran away. And I’m glad I did. It was about a month and a half ago that I was nearly crawling out of my own skin [...]

Please Vote For Us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The girls are in a multiples Halloween photo contest @ http://multiplesandmore.blogspot.com/2009/10/announcement-multiples-and-more.html. They are #50 if you scroll down. Please send an email to multiplesphotocontest@gmail.com and say you would like to vote for #50 (the girls). You can only vote once per email address and you can only vote until November 8th. Then I believe they will have the top 20 on their website. I will post something if the girls make it to the top 20. Thank you!!!

Nov 6, Twin Boys Ultrasound - 14 Weeks 3 Days

Our twin boys the day we found out. 14 weeks and 3

Nov 6, 38 Weeks With Twins

This is me at 38 weeks - b/g Asher & Alexa

Nov 6, 25 Weeks Belly - Celebrating Halloween

this is my bump at 25 weeks carrying twin

Nov 6, Twin Ultrasound At 8 Weeks 2 Days

What a shock! Twins!!! I cried and cried the day I found out. My husband is thrilled. So are our 5

Nov 6, Lazy Days

Ellie & Kevin hanging out. TwoCute November 2009

My germs, your germs - our germs

I know when you're married, you're supposed to share things with your spouse. I like to think I'm a thoughtful and generous person...I have no problems sharing my things with Tim.

But I draw the line at some things, like.....sharing toothbrushes. Oh, yes he did.

We have those electric Sonic toothbrushes and he accidentally left his at a hotel awhile back when he was on a business trip. I got a new toothbrush for him to use until we could replace his Sonic. It was just a plain, old-fashioned toothbrush - nothing fancy but it gets the job done.

Yesterday, I noticed my toothbrush wasn't in its charger. I knew I had used it that morning and I knew I put it back in its proper place. I looked all over for it....I found it in Tim's charger. WTF?

I barged into his office and asked, "Did you use my toothbrush?"

He immediately replied, "What?"....you know, the way a man always does when he's thinking "oh, crap...I've been busted....quick, come up with a good excuse". But men can't think that fast because there brains and their penises work in tandem and blood can't rush down and then back up again as quickly as they'd like.

I shoved my toothbrush in his face and repeated, "Did you use my toothbrush?" He finally answered, "Yeah".

I asked, "Have you been using it all this time since yours was lost?" He nodded his head and said "Yeah", as if this wasn't a big deal.

Apparently, this was the day he had forgotten to put MY Sonic back in MY charger. Huge slip-up, wasn't it?

I let loose on him...."That is the most disgusting thing you could ever do....toothbrushes are not something ever to be shared!! I got you a toothbrush until we could replace your Sonic. Why couldn't you just use that?"

He said, "What's the big deal? I prefer an electric toothbrush and we still haven't replaced mine".

I could NOT believe that he didn't find this as disturbing as I did. HIS bacteria all over MY toothbrush....all this time....eeeewwww.

Then he said, "We share bacteria when we kiss. Is that really any different?"

I rolled my eyes and responded, "No, I guess not".

He asked, "So can I just keep using your toothbrush until I get another one?"

I said, "Uh, no....I still don't want you using mine". He asked, "And what about kissing?"

I said, "Well, I haven't figured out THAT one just yet. But, in the meantime, just stay the hell away from my toothbrush!! "

He couldn't just stop there, of course. Why? Because he's a man.

The smart-ass said, "So are you saying that your mouth is off limits....you know, for EVERYTHING?"

I stared him down and said, "YOU are SUCH a PIG!" and then I went into our bathroom and hid my toothbrush.

Ultrasound picture is this twins?

I went in for an ultrasound yesterday at a third party cheapo ultrasound place because my husband has been SWEARING that this is twins. Well sure

Mandy twins 4wks 5days

4wks 5 days gestational sacs average 8.5mm in length Please confirm if you think this is

8 weeks twins ultrasound image

Kristen twins are 8 weeks

And how old is he?

I was at my twin play group, we meet together to talk about the stress and share helpful tips and other things of the sort. I joined when my twins

silly twin question

We were in a Friendly's restaurant and the waitress came over. She immediately asked are they twins? When I said yes, she replied Oh, I thought they

Triple joy for new Kaitangata parents

Michelle Kelly, of Kaitangata New Zealand, holds triplets Olivia, Charlotte and Haylee at Dunedin Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit…

Nine babies die each week in Mississippi (WDAM-TV Hattiesburg)

TERRY, MS (WLBT) – Visit any neonatal intensive care and you’ll see how severe infant mortality is in Mississippi. So many infants are struggling to survive. And so many families are grieving their loss. Eight years ago this week Wendy Dykes lost her triplets.

Dealing with multiple pregnancies (AsiaOne)

Carrying one child may already be a challenge for most mothers. What more for those expecting twins, triplets?

PIAA Cross Country Championship – The Faust Triplets Compete (The Patriot-News)

The Hershey Parkview Course will be the running field for the competitive drama that promises to unfold Saturday at the PIAA Cross Country Championships.

New treatment improving burned triplets’ scars (MSNBC)

Chandra, Trae and Jordan Berns were just 17 months old when they suffered grievous burns in a fire. But today, at 22, they are undergoing a new laser treatment that is improving their scars and their mobility. “Our scars have gotten a lot smoother,” Trae said Friday.

Five years

Five years ago this morning, I got up and walked along the shore of Siesta Key with Jon. As we walked, we talked about what we hoped the rest of our life together would bring. Neither of us was nervous. After almost five years knowing each other, we were ready.

This morning, I got up and walked around our home getting our boys ready for school. As we ate breakfast, we talked about friends, weddings, and our anniversary. On that beach walk five years ago, I don't think we could have imagined our life would be this sweet.

Here's hoping the next 50 bring us as much joy as the last five.

The advice I would give to myself of five years ago? That will be a post over the weekend.

Happy anniversary my love, my best friend. Every day is better with you in my life.

Forum Friday: Traveling with Twins

A guest writes: "I have 5 month old twin boys and would like to visit family out of town. I would love advice from someone who has flown with twins. This would be a trip I'm making solo so I need to figure if it's manageable before attempting it. Does anyone know how airlines handle seating and such in this situation?"

With the holidays around the corner, many families with multiples are considering travel. While it's not easy, it can be done, especially with some careful planning and preparation. Please stop by the message forum and share your advice about traveling with twins. How do you negotiate airports and airplanes? Any tips or tricks that make travel easier?

More Resources:
• Get answers to frequently asked questions about traveling with twins.
• Discuss traveling with twins in the message forum.

Forum Friday: Traveling with Twins originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, November 6th, 2009 at 08:35:24.

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The Old Switcheroo

You remember how, just a few weeks ago, I talked about what a challenging phase Daniel was going through? I wrote about it on HDYDI, too, how I feel crappy to have times when I prefer one kid over the other. And, as predicted, they have now done the great twin personality switcheroo. This is not to [...]

4tunate Halloween Photo Contest Top 5

Before you send me hate mail, unsubscribe to 4tunate, or egg my car, please know that I had a VERY DIFFICULT task of narrowing the 60+ entries down to a Top 5. If it’s any consolation, I made a photo montage, so everyone can admire the tremendous originality of your costumes and beauty of your children. Seriously, you are ALL one creative, adorable, sensational bunch of Trick or Treaters!

**** Here’s the Top 5: Vote For Your Favorite (Poll Located at the Bottom of the Post). One vote per person. Share with your family and friends! Voting Closes Wednesday, November 11, 2009. ****

________________________________________________________________________

PHOTO #1

Campbell the Pumpkin

Submitted by Micah

________________________________________________________________________

PHOTO #2

Will the Alligator

Submitted by Megan

________________________________________________________________

PHOTO #3

The 50’s Girls

Submitted by Kimberly

________________________________________________________________

PHOTO #4

“Pride and Joy”

Submitted by Michelle

________________________________________________________________

PHOTO #5

Little Bo Beep and Her Sheep

Submitted by Holly

________________________________________________________________

And now for the prize! So excited to be giving this away! I’d LOVE one of these for Christmas myself (Hint, Hint, Nudge, Nudge)!!! It’s a personalized “Kayla Charm Necklace” from Chocolate Silver Designs. Isn’t it just elegent and classic? (Swoon.) You should go check out all the great pieces they have at Chocolate Silver Designs. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with one (or seven) too!

And Here’s My 68 Favorites in Video Form:

Music by David Benoit “The Great Pumpkin Waltz”

skies, shoes, speed and snakes

although the BBQ is over at kennedy school, i have spent many hours at the school this week cleaning up, putting back and restoring things to their natural order. i am 'on site' a fair amount. however, where was i...

March of Dimes Fight For Preemies

The March of Dimes, in conjunction with Bloggers Unite is asking bloggers to put a badge on your blog this month for Prematurity Awareness Month… Do you know a baby that was born too soon, too small, unable to suck, unable to breathe on his own? Premature birth is a health crisis that jeopardizes the lives [...]

Elmer's Mythbusters: Weird World of Water Science Exploration Kit

The other night we had 2 out of the 5 kids sick, which means it was a mellow night of family TV watching upstairs in our bedroom. The show we all settled on viewing together? Mythbusters, it's a fascinating show on the Discovery Channel that everyone in our household of 7 can agree on.

We watched episodes that included experiments on opening vs. closing windows in a Hurricane, water on a kitchen grease fire, and a rather timely episode on balloon flight that was extra interesting to watch after the balloon boy saga in the news and the recent movie "Up".

However, I think we enjoyed watching the show all the more after having had the recent opportunity (provided by Team Mom) to try out one of the Mythbuster's themed Science Exploration Kits by Elmer's. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Weird World of Water via the included experiments in this Mythbusters Kit. My 11 year old son has even added some of the other kits to his Christmas list.

It was of no surprise to us to learn this Mythbusters' Weird World of Water kit was a winner of the FamilyFun Magazine 2009 T.O.Y. Award. This cool kit allowed us to do experiments that included launching a water propelled rocket. Go or no-go on launch, need I say more? While it took us a few tries to achieve lift-off, the final result was met with much laughter and excitement. The liquid rainbow and the whirlpool experiments were kid pleasers as well, making this kit a perfect holiday gift idea for boys or girls in the 8-14 range.

I also want to mention that I have learned over the years that much like the need to check toys for not included batteries, you need to check your science kits. As is the case with this kit, science kits often require the use of additional basic ingredients. This particular kit requires a few extra kitchen type ingredients such as tap water, vinegar, & baking soda. I'd suggest getting the large size vinegar bottle for multiple launches.

Pink Together's Inspiring Hope Gift Basket {Giveaway}

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month may have ended in October, but the need for awareness continues on all year round. With that in mind ... I wanted to introduce my readers to Pink Together, an online community on MySpace where those touched by breast cancer can connect and provide support, comfort, and encouragement to one another.

You can support breast cancer by simply supporting the brands that make Pink Together possible. General Mills has proudly turned the following brands pink to support the Susan G Komen for the Cure Fund: Cheerios® Cereal, Cheerios® Snack Mix, Chex® Select Mix, Total® Cereal, Cinnamon Toast Crunch® Cereal, Nature Valley® Granola Bars, Fiber One® Bars and Cereal, Progresso® Soup, Green Giant® Frozen Vegetables, Hamburger Helper® Skillet Meal Mixes, Pillsbury® Crescents and Sweet Rolls and Refrigerated Cookie Dough and Grands! Biscuits, Betty Crocker® Ready to Spread Frosting and Muffin Mixes and Warm Delights® Dessert Mixes, Cascadian Farm® Granola Bars and Cereal, and Yoplait® Yogurt.

Additionally, you might consider doing some shopping at ShopKomen.com, where 25 percent of the merchandise purchase price benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure® in the fight against breast cancer.

As a thank you for spreading the word about ways you can support breast cancer, MyBlogSpark & PinkTogether.com have teamed up to offer my readers a chance to win the Inspiring Hope gift basket that includes a sleeved travel mug, a running ribbon charm bracelet, a pink leather strap keychain, a pink cinch bag, and a set of inspirational note cards. I was sent one of these same gift baskets myself and I must tell you, the travel mug has come in super handy already!

Enter: To enter simply leave a comment below telling us about an inspiring woman in your life & don't forget to visit PinkTogether.com for additional inspiration.

Optional Additional Entries:
1 additional entry for following @andtwinsmake5 on twitter & tweet about this contest.
1 extra entry if you follow this blog.
1 extra entry if you subscribe to this blog's feed.
1 extra entry if you blog about this contest and link back to this post.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. A winner will be chosen via random.org. The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. This contest is open to USA only.

Ends on 11/25/09 @ 11:59PM CST.

Thanks for Entering and Good luck to everyone!

Interview with the experts - Part 2

With Halloween behind us now, the kids are already making plans for Christmas.

Let's see what the experts have to say about Christmas, from a kid's point of view.

What does Santa look like?
Cole: His skin is skin-colored and he has a red nose and a red jacket. He has white stuff on his jacket, which is fur from a giraffe. I think he wears a brown hat.
Bella: He wears a red hat and a red shirt. I'm pretty sure he has white pom-poms on his jacket. His mom made his clothes for him.

Where does Santa live?
Cole: In the Earth with his elves
Bella: In the Earth where the elves live because they need supervision

What is Santa doing right this very minute?
Bella: Probably building toys and eating cookies
Cole: He's putting Bella on his bad list and he's watching the elves to see who's working the hardest on my toys

How does he keep track of what you want for Christmas?
Cole: We have to show him the flyers from the newspaper
Bella: Well, we see him in the mall and that's when we tell him what we want

How does Santa get to every single house in one night?
Cole: He flies on this really fast motorcycle. When the sun comes up, he has to go home. If he missed some houses, he'll just visit them again next year
Bella: He buys a flying car and the reindeers fly him in the air

Is the Grinch real?
Cole: No, he's just make-believe to scare children into behaving good
Bella: Yeah, he is real. He looks all green and old, like an alien grinch
Cole: If he's real, then how come we never see him in the mall with Santa?
Bella: Because they're not friends, that's why

Do most families have a special dinner on Christmas day?
Bella: Yes. We have cookies, actually gingerbread cookies, and macaroni and sushi
Cole: We have beef that's brown, but not burnt...it's just a little cooked. Just the way I like it

Does Santa bring gifts for parents?
Cole: No, because parents already have everything they need
Bella: Yes, if you call Santa and you tell him what you want, he'll bring it unless you make your kids go on time-out a lot, then he doesn't like you anymore and he won't bring you anything. Not even a new purse or hair scrunchies

Is it customary to leave food for Santa on Christmas eve?
Cole: Yeah, if you leave him cookies, he'll leave you more presents
Bella: Yeah, it's good manners to leave food for people who visit, even Santa. And you should leave carrots for his reindeers because he likes that and the carrots help the reindeers see so they don't crash Santa into the ground. That would ruin all the presents.

How does Santa know if you're good or bad?
Bella: The elves watch us on the monitor and they report it to Santa. If we're nice, they tell Santa. If we're mean, they better not tell him.
Cole: Because the elves watch you on the monitor. They watch you every single day for the rest of your life.

Have you ever been on the bad list?
Cole: Nope, never but I've only been alive for a couple years. Hopefully I'll never be on the bad list.
Bella: Never. Well, maybe. No, never. But I know someone who's been on the bad list.
Cole: Who?
Bella: Daddy....because he says bad words. The elves watch him too.

What would happen if you were still awake when Santa stops by on Christmas eve?
Bella: He'll say "oh no, I better leave. I don't want to give presents to you"
Cole: He'll say "oh no, you have to go back to your bed or I won't give you presents". Then I'll say, "Okay, I'll go back to bed and I promise I won't pee in it". That would make him very happy.

What are we celebrating at Christmas?
Bella: Uh, when Jesus was born when he was a baby. He was in a cradle and his mom rocked him to sleep. She was really nice and never yelled at him.
Cole: Jesus was born on Christmas so every year we make him a birthday cake. He doesn't eat it though because he never comes to our house. We eat the cake for him. I'm pretty sure that's okay with him.
Bella: Did you know that Jesus was born in a barn?
Cole: Yeah, under a bunch of stars and stuff.

Did you miss the original interview, Part 1? Read Interview with the Experts, the first part!

Still Going Bananas Over the Monkeys!

So here’s the “Pumpkin Day” Play by Play:

The morning started off with pumpkin photos sporting our $2 Old Navy Halloween Tees…(Clark, Henry, Brooks, Isaac)

(There’s more group shots over here….)

After some breakfast Clark and Henry went with Daddy to Lowes to buy some materials for the “float”…

Meanwhile, Brooks and Isaac helped Mama bake a pumpkin cake…

Daddy helped with the icing and sprinkles and we posed for yet ANOTHER picture…

After naptime it was finally time to get on the Monkey Suits and Load into the Bed…

Each monkey (Henry, Isaac, Brooks, Clark) behaved in a “tame” manner as we “jumped” from house to house singing “Trick or Treat” in unison…

We were so caught up in enjoying the evening that we forgot to take any video until it was getting dark….

All the jumping wore us out (Mama and Doctor included)…

And soon enough there were…

“4 Little Monkeys SLEEPING in Their Beds!

They Were Off to Slumber, All 4 Little Heads.

Mama Hugged the Doctor and the Doctor Said,

“Thank God for the Monkeys Sleeping in Their Beds!”

PS Stay tuned later today for the Top 5 4tunate Halloween Photo Contest Finalist! You’ll get to vote for your favorite entry!

The illness hits just keep coming

James may have strep. He was exposed at school and now he has a low fever and won’t eat. I’m taking him in for a swab tomorrow. Maybe I can sneak in a flu vax while I’m there.

Things you don’t want to hear from upstairs…

Why is there pee in the bathtub?

Untwinproofing the house

Over last Christmas break, we spent some time untwinproofing the house. Since then every month has seen more untwinproofing steps. Gone are all of the drawer locks except the lock on the knife drawer. Gone are all the gates except the gate at the bottom of the stairs, which is used to corral kids downstairs when friends come over.

It has been so much more fun to unbabyproof than it ever was to babyproof. And let me state for the record, Alex is the reason for 95% of our babyproofing. Nate rarely got into stuff except to climb on top of things. But Alex, that kid has a way of getting into things that you can barely imagine!

The things we have left are the items I think will be in the house for a long time to come:

* Doorknob covers on the doors that lead outside. We have these and half the adults who come over have a difficultly opening them.
* Permanent lock on the attic door. It is simply too dangerous to ever let the boys up there unattended.
* TV stand and dresser bolted to wall, with TV bolted to stand
* Window locks on their bedroom windows since we sleep on the second floor
* Outlet covers - these are on because we are entirely too lazy to go through the entire house and take them off

Additionally we had stopped using monitors but with cold and flu season here, we have turned them back on. Jon and I are extremely heavy sleepers. Without monitors we would have missed at least two episodes of middle of the night vomiting and Nate's 105 fever from last December (he was quietly whimpering rather than crying loudly).

What about everyone else?

PS. Both the exterminator and the chimney sweep who came to help with our hornet problem assured us it was extremely unlikely this would happen again. Now we need to figure out what/when to do something.

PPS. Phone Photo day will be tomorrow because Friday is a HUGE DAY. I'll give you a hint. It has been fun trying to explain Friday to the boys!

Twins of the Week: Julius and Julian

Photo reprinted with permission of JuliusJulian.

Meet this week's twins! Brothers Julius and Julian seem to be best buds, at least for the moment. The boys were three years old in this picture.
• Share your thoughts, opinions and advice in the comments section.
• More Worldless Wednesday Posts on About.com.
• Three-Year-Old Twins Photo Gallery
• Index of All Photo Galleries

Twins of the Week: Julius and Julian originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 01:32:48.

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Monkey Exhibit: Zoo Boo 2009

Our Monkey Madness actually began last weekend at the Indianapolis Zoo Boo. They host a great kickoff event and opportunity to get another wear out of the year’s Halloween Costumes.Our first attempt at going with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kristy was a wash (literally),but it was a good practice run and the Mexican grub afterwards more than made up for the lack of candy. Our second attempt with Gramma and Grampa was a hit! We didn’t go through the trouble of making the “bed float” for our visit, but a lot of other families picked up on our theme of “Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed”.

Hope you’re in the mood to “Monkey Around”, because there’s bound to be monkey overload on the ole blog this week!

Love the curly tails!

Not too shabby for a group shot with 4 two year olds!

Brooks Makes Monkeys Look so Innocent

Isaac Doing His Best Monkey Impression

The leaves on the trees were even better in person.

Who Needs Stroller Rental When You Bring These Wheels?

Checking Out our Fellow Jungle Friends: Elephants

Clark (left) and Brooks (right) Monkey Twins

Brooks Humoring Mama for One More Picture

Don’t forget it’s not too late to enter your monkey, princess, superhero, critter, etc. in 4tunate’s Halloween Photo Contest. We’ll be picking our top 5 favorite and posting them this Thursday, so send your entries to quatro_mama AT yahoo DOT com to be considered!

Which monkey shot is your personal favorite?

Peek-a-boo! I understand you.

At 16 months of age, our twin sons have begun to demonstrate that they understand the older kids and adults around them. Better still, each of the boys are doing a great job of making us understand them back.

While they aren't talking to us much, they love to grab our finger and lead us to places. For example, they'll bring you to the backdoor to indicate they want to go out and play. They bring us to the garage door to suggest they are ready for a car ride. They lead us to the "sippy cup cabinet" and point as way of asking for drinks and to the "snack cabinet" to indicate hunger.

Declan, one of the twins, is quite good at repeating a lot of words. He says ball, mama, dada, JC, baba, and a few others. Both twins can go get objects we ask them to get too. Upon request, they will bring us a football, truck, or even their binky or drink.

One of Cormac's only words is "Lulu" our dog's name. He says it perfect everytime he sees any dog. A dogs (in person and on TV is a "Lulu" to Cormac) and he simply adores the true "Lulu" following her around constantly.

The twins have also developed a non verbal communication system with each other. It seems to require little more than a glance at times. One looks at the other and off they both go to cause mischief typically. A couple giggles usually give their trouble away if nothing else does.

Jenerations Baby Hair Gel & Shampoo

The twins have been trying out some new new hair products sent by Jenerations Baby. We've put their shampoo and the hair gel to the test recently and are quite pleased with the results. The scent is mild and their hair is left looking great.

Jenerations Baby products are created by mother of 2 who has been a hairstylist/salon owner for over 14 years. This Mommy was inspired by her own children to create a line of hair and body care products that moms would feel safe using on their children.

Their products are made with the finest natural and organic ingredients. Jenerations baby® prides themselves on being up-to-date on the latest scientific research, spending numerous hours investigating the safety and efficacy of each and every ingredient put into all products. It is for this reason, that jenerations baby® products never contain any sulfates, parabens, or harsh chemicals of any kind.

In addition, they never use any lavender or tea tree oils in their products. I was actually unaware until Jenerations Baby contacted me that these ingredients have been linked to disrupting healthy hormone levels in children. I found this article by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences indeed confirmed their concerns about these ingredients.

Fall cleaning

With the cold weather finally hitting Raleigh, we decided it was time to check out our fireplace to make sure there are no hornets, like last year. Last week one night after the kids went to bed, Jon and I decided to open the flue to check it out. This year we were mentally and physically prepared for battle.

Jon opened the flue and a huge ball of hibernating hornets dropped out into the fireplace. Jon closed the flue while I grabbed the Dyson. We sucked up the hornets and pitched them in the trash.

I may never get my dream of a fire in the fireplace on Christmas Eve.

Anyone want a box of fire logs?

What's your preference....

.... Bella with blonde hair?

....or Bella with red hair?

Personally, I prefer Bella as a red-head. It seems to fit her personality better....seems more natural.

'Course it could just be the horns that truly make her own this look.

greenbacks and green art - gone to great homes

the halloween bbq is over. it was a massive success. people were really happy with their purchases, the evening went smoothly and we raised a shedload of money. the stairclimb is over. we let hong chi know we are a...

Not Hungry

October is done, which means that the October Shredheads Challenge is complete. I have to say, I’m pretty proud of myself! With pretty much only a single exception, I stuck to my plan of doing the Shred 3x/week, and going to the gym 2x/week. I did pretty well on my food/Points, too.** The end result [...]

Lessons learned....Halloween past and present

Halloween 2009 has come and gone. It sucks that it goes by so quickly. Kinda like your wedding day. So much planning goes into just that ONE day and within a matter of hours, the wondrous event of your life is over....and then you're left saying to your handsome new husband, "Um....so what are we supposed to do now? Make babies or something?"

So yeah, Halloween 2009 is officially over. But as always, it was good times.

Of course, Tim and I learn quite a few lessons along the way and throughout the years. Thought I'd share them....

1) The classic "before" picture...where no one wants to stand still and pose for a picture, especially little Buzz Lightyear who has to be wrestled into the picture by a Power Ranger.

There is no way around the "before" picture...it's a necessary evil. Mainly because the the grandparents will hold it over your head for years, how they were denied pictures of "their babies" on Halloween.

And then you'll get the privilege of hearing about it every SINGLE FREAKIN HALLOWEEN for the rest of your life....and it'll probably be the very last thing they say to you as they lay on their death bed. It'll go something like this, "Mom, I just want you to know that I love you"...."Yeah, well, I'm still pissed off at you for not taking pictures of the kids on Halloween 2007", and then she flatlines.

2) You will never win. The one year you don't bother bringing a stroller or a wagon along with you while trick-or-treating, that will be the year they all complain how tired their legs are. It'll be non-stop whining the entire time. But the one year you remember to bring everything but the kitchen sink along with you, they will absolutely refuse to have anything to do with it.

3) You must bring "back-up candy buckets" when trick-or-treating. Because after they have about 6 small pieces of candy in their buckets, they'll start complaining "my bucket's too heavy". Unless you want to listen to that for an entire 2 hours, bring back-up buckets.

But be forewarned, if you have children 2 years old and younger, they will believe that you are STEALING their candy every time you dump their candy into the back-up bucket. And they will cry violently, as if you just told them that Elmo had a stroke and didn't survive. This will most definitely slow down the process of trick-or-treating, resulting in the older kids complaining. So, you're pretty much screwed either way.

Keep in mind....you will end up with more candy than you know what to do with. One look at this picture and the kids' dentist will be jumping up and down with excitement because we will have finally helped her purchase the Bentley Coupe she's been eyeing for the last year. Truly, a dentist's dream come true, right here....

4) There will always be one kid in the crowd who will stand there forever at the door, staring at the huge candy bowl full of chocolate bars, and crying, "Do you have any lollipops? I want a lollipop. Can you go get me a lollipop?" And, of course, it's always one of MY kids.

5) When their eyes start glowing in the dark, that's when it's pretty much time to call it quits...."Okay, guys, let's wrap it up....we gotta get home before your horns start poking out of your heads and you all turn back into demons".

6) Lastly, no Halloween is ever complete until each child falls down and skins their knee. I was panicking Saturday night when we were maybe 10 feet from our house and one of the kids hadn't fallen yet. Right then, he fell....signaling that Halloween 2009 was officially over.

Once home, Candy-Fest 2009 began....followed by an enormous sugar rush....and ending promptly with a sugar coma.

Candy-Fest 2009 continues well into the next day. However, the little sugar fiends start slowing down when you tell them, "What?! You didn't know?! With each piece of candy that you eat, another one of your brain cells die and you shrink an inch in height".

Just another little white lie to add to the list....

Yet more proof my boys are growing up

The neighborhood party had bobbing for apples as one of the games for the kids. Once we explained to Nate and Alex the concept of the game, it was nearly impossible to drag them away from the buckets. They stuck their faces in over and over, completely drenching their costumes and never once getting an apple. (pic from a neighbor)

I stood there marveling at what little boys they have turned into, dunking their entire faces into the buckets and laughing. Jon and I renamed this game to "bobbing for swine flu" because in hindsight, this was a ludicrously bad idea for a party game.

That said, 19 more children died last week in the US because of H1N1. There have been just four less flu deaths so far this year than the entire 2006-2007 flu season... and we haven't even hit seasonal flu season yet. So please, if your child exhibits any flu-like symptoms, KEEP THEM HOME. Your kid may weather H1N1 fine but you could be putting other children in serious danger of hospitalization or death.

If you want to educate yourself on the facts of H1N1, the CDC has an amazing website they update every week with stats in a report they call Flu View. Here is the website, here is the latest Flu View. Here is a quote from this week's Flu View, with particular wording I have never seen before in my four years of tracking Flu View (my bolding):

"The proportion of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza (P&I) was above the epidemic threshold."

Five Little Monkeys Jumping On The Bed

5 Little MONKEYS (Boys) Jumping On the Bed,

One Fell Off and Bumped His Head.

(Mama’s Holding a Stuffed Monkey with a Bandaged Head)

MAMA (Mama) Called the DOCTOR (Daddy) and The Doctor Said,

“NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!!!!”

I have some “monkey business” to complete or else “I’ll go bananas”! But don’t worry, I won’t “monkey around” too long, and I’ll have some more pictures and stories to share!

Until then, hope you enjoy our family Halloween Costume for 2009 and don’t forget to send me your entry for our little contest this week! (I’ve been getting some super cute entries and can’t wait to see more!)

Halloween

We started the Halloween festivities on Tuesday night when the boys participated in their first pumpkin carving with Dusty aka Green Daddy. Cleaning out the pumpkin: From Halloween 09 Then they had to decide what kind of face to make: From Halloween 09 Drawing the face to cut out: From Halloween 09 Helping Daddy carve: From Halloween 09 Very serious business: From Halloween 09 Finished product: From [...]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma 10/27/09!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Grandma!!!!! We hope you had a great day!!!! We owe you a dinner.

30 Days of Giving

Are you ready to be inspired?

Are you ready to be challenged?

Are you ready to be creative?

Are you ready to give of yourself more?

Alyssa, from Keeping The Kingdom First, is creating a 30 Day Challenge that starts TODAY. I know what’s on the tip of your tongue. “Times are tight. We just don’t have the extra cash to give right now.” Dually noted! (We’re currently unemployed, remember?) However, you just might be missing something amazing if you pass this up. Besides, there’s sooooo much more we can give that doesn’t come in the form of a credit card or dollar bill.

Time. Encouragement. Talent. Heart. Conversation. Service.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galations 6:9

What a great way to commence the Thanksgiving season this November and to prepare our hearts for the upcoming holidays! Giving has a way of showing us how blessed we truly are!There’s going to be plenty of ideas and avenues that you can jump on board with during The 30 Day Giving Challenge. Grab a journal and let’s get GIVING! RSVP at Keeping The Kingdom First if you are joining us and to get more details in this awesome effort!

Blessings to All!

The boys' fourth Halloween

This Halloween was amazing as I had hoped it would be. A day care party, a fun neighborhood party (I brought mummy dogs, yum!), and two little boys excited to go trick-or-treating. They told us when they wanted to go home and had just as much fun handing out candy. This year we got record numbers of trick-or-treaters since we decorated the outside. And it was 75 so we were all dressed in shorts. All in all, it was another Halloween that is going to be hard to top.

My new focus in photography is less shots with more thought going into each shot in effort to find my sweet spot. Find my sweet spot I did:

And let's not forget my other sweetie:

I do not want the boys to look back at these holidays and see pictures only of them together. On Alex's fourth Halloween, he was a little scared of spooky stuff but incredibly enthusiastic, and was always the first to say thank you for the candy.

On Nate's fourth Halloween, he was outgoing with everyone, displayed immense excitement for everything related to Halloween, and pouted incredibly when it was all over.

This was truly a Halloween I will always remember, these sweet boys so excited over something as simple as candy.

Our Third First Halloween

My kids may be rapidly creeping up on 2½, but this year felt like our first real Halloween. Year One was a nightmare. Not yet three months old, I remember it being one of those hellish, screamy newborn days. Traffic was awful and M was super late coming home from work. I couldn’t calm the babies [...]

Halloween Costumes, Have I impressed my character biases onto my kids?

I have a new topic for you in the Mom Guilt arena; Halloween Costumes. No, I’m not going to suggest you should make your own, anyone who has kids knows that’s a laughable suggestion, much less if you have multiples....

What to do after Trick or Treating?

Need a plan for what to do with your worn out kids after the trick or treating ends today? I'm planning to grab a couple $1.00 Redbox Movies as possible entertainment while the kids sort, trade, and munch on candy. Did you know you can even reserve the ones you want online?

Redbox TOP KIDS & FAMILY RENTALS for 10/19 to 10/25

Monsters vs. Aliens
Imagine That
Hannah Montana: The Movie
Aussie & Ted's Great Adventure
Race to Witch Mountain
Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins
Casper - Scare School
Battle for Terra
Dora the Explorer: Dora Saves the Crystal Kingdom
Sid the Science Kid: Change Happens

What Will You Do With All that Halloween Candy?

One fun thing about having twins or multiples at Halloween ... double the candy! But while collecting the treats is fun, dealing with the sugary aftermath can be tricky. It's just too tempting -- especially for kids -- to eat the sweet stuff at a stomach-churning pace. Parents have to give some thought to how they'll manage the candy madness, and perhaps even plan some alternatives in advance.

So, how do you handle the Halloween candy? Leave a comment and share your strategies.

In the meantime, submit your photos from Halloween 2009. Were your twins a gruesome twosome? Or a darling duo? Did they wear the same costumes, sport a coordinated theme, or take a completely unique approach? Please follow the guidelines on the submission form when sending your pictures, being sure to include all the required information and the release statement. I look forward to receiving them and including them in the Halloween Photo Gallery. Don't forget to share your candy control strategies! Leave a comment and vote in the poll.

What Will You Do With All that Halloween Candy? originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 09:50:49.

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What every wife should know about her husband...

It's a well-known fact that Tim has made it clear he has no interest in reading my blog. When asked why not, he responded, "I don't have time...and plus I don't really want to read about all the embarrassing things you write about me".

I said, "I do NOT write embarrassing things about you....okay, well maybe one or two things". He rolled his eyes.

To make things fair, I offered to let him do a guest post. He had no idea what to write about. I said, "Well, what would you want every woman to know about her husband...if you think most women complain about their husbands in their blog, why not do some complaining of your own?"

His eyes lit up...there was a sparkle there that I haven't seen in years....probably since our wedding day. He said, "Okay, let's do this..."

So this, my friends, is what Tim thinks every wife should know about her husband:

1) Since when is it required for me to have a response to everything you say? You're simply making a statement. If you say, "I'm so tired today", that really doesn't need a response, does it? But then you stare at me with eyes wide open as if I just committed the crime of the century, with your hands on your hips and saying, "Well? Are you gonna ignore what I just said?"

2) When I'm in the bathroom for those 20 glorious moments of peace and quiet, I'm not actually going to the bathroom. Surprise! I'm pretty much just sitting there finishing a crossword puzzle in your People Magazine, while I listen to you yell from downstairs, "Geez, how long does it take you to crap and has anyone seen my People magazine?"

3) Despite what you think, I cannot read your mind. When I offer to go to the store to pick up a few things and I ask you, "Is there anything else you would like me to pick up?" and you say, "No, not really", don't get pissed off at me when I arrive home with the exact things I set out to buy, while you scream, "I can't believe you didn't get me my favorite ice cream!" Did I NOT ask you if you wanted anything from the store? Case closed.

4) I'm a man and it comes naturally for me to want to solve problems. It is downright painful for me to stand there for 10 minutes listening to you rant and rave about how horrible something is, without giving you advice or telling you what you should do. If you don't want my advice or opinion, just say that up front.....so I can be sure to tune you out while you complain.

5) On the other hand, don't ask for my opinion if you're just going to argue with me ABOUT my opinion. Does this sound familiar:

Helene: How do I look in this outfit?
Me: You look fine.
Helene: Fine? I look like a lard-ass.
Me: If you think you look like a lard-ass, then why did you bother to ask me?
Helene: Oh, so you DO think I look like a lard-ass?
Me: (silence)

5) Let's address the "invisible to-do list". When you ask, "Can you take out the garbage please?", we both know you expect more than that. You expect me to empty every single waste-basket in the entire house and then walk it all outside to the trash can. And then somewhere in there, I'm supposed to remember to run the dishwasher and feed the cat, make sure the kids brush their teeth before bed, figure out ways to reduce my carbon footprint and ensure that Siberian tigers never go extinct.

6) If you put as much effort into our sex life as you do into your blog, we would both be much happier. Or at least, I would be.

Approaching

This is going to be a rather random post. But lately I’ve been aware of being 36.5, going to turn 37 in April. I loved turning 30, was really excited and all about “claiming” it. Honestly I partied like crazy and broke myself trying to prove to myself that I could and [...]

More Pictures

http://www.stacieturnerphotography.com/2009/my-kidlets/

Forum Friday: Twin Sleds

kerriinidaho is looking for a twin sled so that she can get outside and enjoy the winter weather with her 14-month-old twin sons. She writes: "I'm looking to purchase an infant sled for twins. My guys are 14-mos old and we'd love to get outside for some winter activity. I'm not looking for a tobaggon, because I'd like to pull them for distances without them falling off or konking heads. I've been looking online without success - I find makers but no distributors - and nothing on ebay. Anyone find one recently that could be bought and shipped?"

Stop by the message forum to find out what she discovered. It would make a great holiday gift for twins!

Forum Friday: Twin Sleds originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 01:43:54.

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An Existential Photo Crisis

I blame my stepmom. A few weeks ago, she started asking me to send her a photo of our family so that she could start working on her holiday card (she usually includes pics of me and my siblings and our families). Of course, we have virtually zero pictures of all four of us together. There [...]

Who is this child? She cannot be mine!

“Can I have your broccoli, Mama? Because I ate all my broccoli…”

Fiona’s Halloween Costume

She’s a “Blue Moo” girl, after her favorite song on the most recent Sandra Boynton album. We went out for malts today so I could shoot her in her costume in a 50’s-esque diner.

Too Old to Trick or Treat

In my city, Halloween trick-or-treating is limited to kids twelve and younger. Really, it's a city code. I checked it out after my twins protested when I denied their Halloween plans to trick or treat with friends. Sec. 23-3. Prohibited trick or treat activities.: If any person over the age of twelve (12) years shall engage in the activity commonly known as "trick or treat" or any other activity of similar character or nature under any name whatsoever, he shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

Whether I agree with that age limit or not, it is the law in our city, so we're going to abide by it. Everyone, eventually, has to give up trick or treating. It can be a bittersweet moment, another sign of kids growing up. So, what do you do when your twins or multiples are too old to trick or treat?

One of the benefits of being a multiple is that you're not alone. Misery loves company. Encourage them to make plans with their also-too-old peers. Plan a Halloween party as a fun alternative. Or, find ways for them to enjoy the other side of trick or treating. Maybe they'd enjoy being the one to distribute candy. They can accompany younger siblings, neighbors or friends on their trick or treat rounds. Or, put ambitious multiples to work designing and decorating a spooky scene to greet neighborhood trick or treaters. Rent an age-appropriate scary movie. About.com's Guide to Tweens provides this list of Family Friendly Halloween Movies.

All good things do come to an end, including the fun of Halloween trick or treating. But it can still be a enjoyable holiday for older twins and multiples. With a little bit of planning -- and an extra stash of candy set aside for them -- the transition will be less "tricky."

Too Old to Trick or Treat originally appeared on About.com Twins & Multiples on Thursday, October 29th, 2009 at 12:28:36.

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why volunteer?

a while ago tertia blogged on WHY SHE VOLUNTEERS. this got me thinking. as a stay at home mum who is rarely at home, i volunteer a lot. often i am asked, oftener than not, i volunteer to volunteer. why?...

Braces Update

Every now and then someone stumbles across this blog when searching about adult braces. This happened last week and it’s prompted me to do an update. I’m now a year and a half into wearing my braces with a predicted two year committment going into this. My bite has completely changes, formally [...]

A twin’s struggle to be ‘One and the Same’

Abigail Pogrebin, author of “One and the Same,” and her identical twin sister, Robin Pogrebin, discuss the unique relationship between twins on the Today Show last week (October 22nd, 2009). In her new book, “One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I’ve Learned About Everyone’s Struggle to Be Singular,” author and [...]

take me home

when i was 15 or so i fell in love with phil collins' "no jacket required". i liked all the songs, but it wasn't until i saw the video for the last song on the album, take me home, that...

The kids and the idea of a new baby

Evie knows that mommy is going to have a baby, and is excited about it. I think. Christopher has no idea what we are talking about, and I don't think he cares either. He just glances at me or my belly and then continues whatever he is doing.

Evie on the other hand copies everything I do. So of coarse there is a baby in her belly to. The other day I ran to the bathroom and said "I am going to vomit!" Later she ran to the kitchen, because she thought that was where I went. She also said, "I am going to vomit!" She does know what vomit is. I told her no mommy vomits in the toilet not the trash can, and then I flush it away. So she went into the bathroom, and made vomit noises then flushed the toilet. When she came out she said "I vomited!" I just said "OH!" Not wanting to give it to much attention. I don't want to discourage or encourage the behavior.

She also told my husband the other day during her bath that she wants a sister, and we should name her princess Leia! I thought this was funny since she has only heard that name a couple of times. Then today she told me she had a sister in her tummy! I again just said, "Oh."

miserable momma

This week has been hell. I started feeling a little nauseous Monday, and it slowly got worse as the week progressed. Today I woke up at 6:00 am just so I could run to the bathroom and vomit! That was great. Then I felt horrible all day long. I am so tired. I am not getting any thing done. Our house looks horrible. I haven't had dishes piled up like this in years. My poor husband and kids have to deal with cranky impatient sick mommy all day. It is awful. I cried today and told my husband I can't do this. His smart ass asked if I wanted an abortion. I replied no I just wanted someone else to be miserable for 9 months not me! Like him! I seriously don't know how I am going to get through this. I know things are going to get worse before they get better. I think it's a girl, because my daughter made me this sick, but my son didn't.

I feel nauseous no matter what I do. I get super thirsty then feel sick for drinking to much water. I feel like I am on fire, or freezing cold. I feel tired, and just yucky. I have no energy. My breasts ache like hell. Plus, I must be sleeping differently because my neck aches. I toss and turn all night, and feel like I haven't slept at all. I wake up throughout the night with my stomach burning.

When its not the pregnancy keeping me up the kids are taking turns waking me up through the night. Evie is potty trained (mostly) she wakes up once or twice a night and goes potty. Of coarse she wakes me up to! Christopher wakes up, and drinks from his bottle or plays with my hair. Then I wake up if hubby is tossing and turning or just getting up. I am suck a light sleeper I think I need my own room, one that is freezing cold because I get hot the most at night!

I know I will get through this I have no choice. I just have to take one day at a time, and just ignore the dirty dishes. I'll get to them when I get to them. I also am buying more quick and easy foods, because I can't guarantee I will be up to cooking when it's time to cook!

meeting the mouse

we have begun laying plans for the kids to meet the mouse. believe it or not, disneyland has been open for four years and we still haven't been. there were various reasons for this...but the time has come for us...

TwiceToddler "B" Sick Last Night

Around 3:15 AM, my little princess, Twin "B", was coughing and hacking away. Then, she threw up. I was still in my sleepy mode and thought she has threw up water. When I went to get a wet towel and water, I found she had thrown up food, well, it was red.

My sweetie pie, she was crying and did not feel well. The throw up was on our sheets and my right PJs sleeve. I told her, "this is good, this means you are getting better and getting rid of all the phlem in your lungs."

Twin "B" has no fever or is warm, she has been coughing, off and on, for a month now. Oh, and I have also stopped giving her any milk because the milk causes the coughing to continue.

Mommy and Daddy and Twin "A" just pray for her to heal and get better soon. I mean, we are heading into the long, cold and oh so boring winter months ahead. I would rather Twin "B" be healed now, so as to not remain sick going into the winter months.

God Bless

Padawan Learners

As soon as the boys found out that I had a green light-saber, all they want to do at my house now is play with it. It’s best to start them in light-saber training early, right? And some videos:

Book Review: Abigail Pogrebin's "One and the Same"

Abigail Pogrebin's latest book "One and the Same" details a unique perspective of the phenomenon of twins with sometimes painful honesty and scary insight. As a mother of three year old twins, I find most of my decisions limited to...

Parent’s Choice Infant Formula only $5

I’ve been out of the deal loop for a couple weeks as my daughter had surgery, but is now recovering at home. It is a bit ironic that I recently wrote about breast milk vs. infant formula, and how I did not breastfed my twin daughters. I wished store brand formula which is now sold [...]

Mushrooms!

The past month or so we’ve been getting a lot of rain, so I’ve constantly had mushrooms sprouting around the back yard. One morning after breakfast the boys wanted to go outside and it was relatively dry so we went out in the back yard, and there were mushrooms everywhere! The boys were [...]

Top 10 Blogs for Mother of Premature Babies

Premature babies, often called “preemies”, are babies that are born before the pregnancy reaches full term of 38 to 42 weeks. Several factors can contribute to a premature birth, including the lifestyle of the mother throughout the pregnancy. Cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, poor diet, inadequate weight gain, poor prenatal care and physical stress can all attribute [...]

From Bats to Batman ...... a Halloween Evolution

Last Halloween, my boys were 3 and 10 months, and for Halloween, they each wanted to be an animal - a tiger and a bat. We cruised the Halloween superstores, and found the right styles and the right sizes, and...

vomit in the car!

I didn't think anything of Christopher having a sucker in the car after lunch today. He has had suckers tons of times before with no problems, but this sucker must have been cracked or he bit into it just right. He choked on the piece that broke off in his mouth and began vomiting. I happened to be at a stop sign so just slammed the car into park and hopped in to the back.

First I made sure the piece was out, and thankfully it came out with the vomit. However, there was so much vomit we couldn't just go home. I had to take all his clothes off. There was still lots of vomit on the car seat. I did my best to get it all together in his clothes, but there was so so so much. It was horrible.

Fast day

Today went by to fast. I think. We had so much going on today that it wore us all out, and we didn't even finish everything. I think my problem is that I want to do too many things in a day. It is just not possible to be two places at once, but I haven't mastered time management enough yet. Which I really need to with another baby on the way. I am working on being able to make a daily schedule, like in school! So when the bell rings I know what comes next no matter what. I'd love to be that organized.

Evie had preschool today, but at first she didn't want to go. I know it was because she was tired this morning. She didn't go to sleep until around 11 last night. I caught her crawling out of the bedroom! I guess she thought if she crawled I wouldn't see her. It wasn't a baby type crawl either, but more like a commando low crawl (she meant business)! She didn't escape though.

Christopher has behavioral therapy this morning to. So I had to hurry and get the house clean, or clean enough for other people to come in! It went well. He was being silly. This was the first time I have ever seen him act shy. He hid behind our couch! Then he refused to talk to her for most of the time. Oh, well! This was the first visit, and it was more of an interview anyways to see what he needs.

My sister came by to. Which was nice because I got to visit with my nephew, he's 6 months and really starting to develop his own personality. He gets freaked out by Christopher, who is very loud at times. We spent most of the day visiting. I had wanted to take the kids to see Toy Story, but Christopher took a late nap. Which means he slept to late for us to go. That just meant we got to visit more, and save money!

I am completely exhausted so I didn't get much done today. I'm tired because I didn't get any sleep last night. That's my own fault. I stayed up to late online! Sometimes that is the only way I get time to myself. It's a trade off. I'm hoping to go to bed soon! Keep your fingers crossed!

Other than that I just get sore aches every now and then. Some abdominal cramping, and occasional breast tenderness. I am going to have my doctor send me for an ultrasound though. Because whenever I sneeze or cough I get a sharp stabbing pain in my left pelvic region.

Ouch

I am just not having a good day. I woke up later than I wanted to, and I was exhausted. The kids were asleep so I hoped into the shower. Only to have Christopher come in crying. He was fine when I asked him if he needed a shower, but it was hard to shower since he wouldn't let go of my leg! I got ready for work, it took longer than normal since I felt nauseous this morning. I ate some cheese though, and went to work 45 minutes late. The kids didn't seem to mind me leaving, which was good and bad!

After work Christopher had his Occupational therapy, but this was the first visit so all she did was interview me. The house was a mess since daddy was in charge this morning! Oh, well. I did my best to clean the living room before she arrived. Then we left and ran some errands. We checked out a house it was cute, but right next to a railroad track! No way!

When we got home I sat down, and like a wave I felt horrible pain throughout my breast. It was awful like they had just ran a marathon! I sat there and told hubby, "Oh, man my boobs hurt!" He joked and said, "Got milk!" I didn't find it funny! How can you laugh at anything when your breasts feel like they were beat up. I lasted a while and finally I can relax! Plus, now the kids are asleep!

I had antibiotics a couple weeks ago, and thought it gave me a yeast infection. So I bought an over the counter treatment to help. It was on the safe list, but it didn't help at all. It made me worse. It's slightly embarrassing so I won't go into details, but it sounds like a Bacterial infection according to this online doctor. I am talking to a Gynecologist online at justanswer.com.

Thankfully I only have to pay him $18, and not the $75 I'd have to pay at the emergency room. Which is were I am headed if I don't figure something out. Still I am not sure what I think about their website and services. At least it gives me piece of mind for the time being. I'll still call my doctor tomorrow. The information from the online doctor will at least help me know what to say to my doctor's office. Hopefully that will help out my cause here. I can't have some type of infection for 3 weeks, with no answers.

I am so mad at my doctor whose office said he can't see me for 3 weeks. I am also mad at the doctor's office because when I called the first question they asked me was what insurance do I have. Hello, you're not only interested in money! What happened to caring about your patients??? We live in a messed up world.

The Three Amigos!!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween PJ Pics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cryo-Cell supports Breast Cancer Awareness

I know some of our preemie and multiple moms preserve stem cells from their newborn’s umbilical cord blood, as it may have potential use for someday fighting against a dreaded disease. Making the decision to bank your baby’s cord blood takes thoughtful consideration. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cryo-Cell International, Inc is donating $50 to the [...]

Weds NEP Meeting: How To Teach Your Babies To Tell You, "Put Me To Bed!"

Ahhh...I bet title of this blog post drew you in, but I'll get to that later... Ok, let's face it, it's not uncommon for twins to experience speech delays. I know my first-born daughter, Naomi, was chatting up a storm...

Fun with Food!

My 3.5 year old twins and I are out and about all the time and like most toddlers, they LOVE to snack! I never leave the house without all their favorites: berries, cheese, carrots, yogurt, crackers, cut up fruit, raisins,...

TwiceToddlers Mommy Loves iHerb!

These days, people are looking for natural health products. These natural health products are easily accessible through supplements or liquid form. This company, iHerb, has been in business since 1997 in the Southern California San Gabriel Valley. The iHerb company actually has a 48,000 square foot warehouse where all their products are shipped from.

My sister introduced me to iHerb in 2002 and I have been purchasing my supplements from them ever since. The products I purchase on a regular basis are Bach's Essential Flower Oil Impatiens, Enzymatic Therapy Acid Free Digestive Formula, Source Naturals Alka Balance and Now Foods Super Colostrum supplements.

The Bach's Essential Flower Oil Impatiens is one I recommend for any Mom of especially small children. If you are looking to increase your patients, one or two drops of impatiens in a cup, glass or bottle of water will work wonders.

So, when you decide to order some new supplements online, this is the best company to order your supplements from. I have a widget on the right side of my blog.

Stay Safe and Healthy, Purchase iHerb Supplements.

TwiceToddlers and High Heels

Oh goodness, my twins love "pretend play" high heels. Twin "A", in particular, loves prancing around the house and outdoor in her high heels. Twin "A" puts on her tiara, tutu and heels. She looks just adorable and calls herself a "princes".

Twin "B", on the other hand, does not like wearing her tiara, but does slip into her tutu and high heels.

Both my twins begin their day in their high heels and then move to their tutu. The funny thing is, I only purchased these items for them, they have decided to play with them, on their own.

And oh,they are just adorable wearing these pretend play items.

TwiceToddlers and Sharing Day

Last week, at preschool, my twins began sharing something from home. Each week, my twins learn a new letter of the alphabet. Last week, Friday, they learned the letter "B". So, that Friday, they had to bring something for sharing and all I could find around our home was their Baby Doll or Teddy "Bear". So, I told them to share their Baby Doll. They loved sharing their Baby Doll and love their sharing day.

Today, they shared something with the letter "G". So, my DH and I searched and searched for something around the home which began with this letter. We could think of nothing, them Mommy (me), looked online for "objects that begin with "G"". I found several in fact. The one I used was "glove". We actually have two different gloves in our home, dress up gloves in fact.

Twin "A" took the pink princess gloves and Twin "B" took the blue Cinderella gloves. Oh, my twins had a great time sharing their gloves with their teachers and friends.

TwiceToddlers and Their New Musical Instruments

So, Daddy goes to Costco one day and sees this cute Instrument Set. He purchases it, brings it home and the set sits in our utility room for a week. We had not given it to our twins yet. This is because we already know they would fight over it. They fight over everything.

Alright, so now we are in the new week, beginning at Sunday. After church, Daddy took Twin "B" to Costco to get us some AAA batteries and happened to stop by the toy aisle. While in the toy aisle, Daddy picked up another Instrument Set. Daddy said because they were a good price, we could afford to have two sets.

While Daddy and Twin "B" were at Costco, Twin "A" and Mommy went to get some lunch at Wendy's. That is all we did, nothing real special, just pick up lunch for the twins.

When Daddy and Twin "B" arrived back at home, Twin "B" was holding the new Instrument Set so I went to the garage and retrieved the other New Instrument Set, never opened.

After their nap, or rest, Mommy and Daddy opened the Instrument Sets and ever since then, they have been going crazy with the drum, maracas and other instruments I can not name right now.

I do like these toys 1) because they are real instruments and 2) hopefully it will take them away from the TV.

God Bless instruments for children...

New Beds and Rooms - Part 3

This weekend was the first time the kids have been in spearate rooms. Little Man's room was finally finished and he moved in. We're rapidly trying to finish the beds for the girls. They are still sleeping on new mattresses on the floor. Photos will be posted soon.

New Beds and Rooms - Part 2

This is a slow process. We're almost finished with the bunk beds for the girls. Their room has been painted, but not all the furniture is in place and the decorations aren't up yet. We've just started painting Little Man's room. It was sad when we were taking the cribs/toddler beds apart.

Photos Added

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New Beds and Rooms

We are working on getting the kids in different rooms. Little Man will stay in the same room. Squeaky and Blondie will be moving to a new room. They'll have bunk beds that we'll initially use as separate twin beds. Little Man will be getting a new bed too. We're working on painting the bunk beds now. Then it will be time to paint the bedrooms and get them decorated. It should be an

Yo Gabba Gabba

While we were at the beach, we ran across the show Yo Gabba Gabba on Nick Jr. The kids love it. We couldn't think of seeing a show like this before. The characters do silly, simple songs about keeping your hands to yourself and eating different foods. Silly, simple and teaches good lessons? You can't go wrong with a show like that.

Long haul

I was recently profiled in MacLeans Magazine (a Canadian news magazine) as an advocate for “sedating” kids on long haul flights. The article was based on this post where, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I listed “sedating the children” as one of my top 10 recommendations for international travel with kids. Sigh. I was referring, in that post, to [...] Related posts:

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Being a writer – especially a new one – can sometimes feel as isolating as, well, being a stay-at-home mom. Put the two together it’s easy to understand why social networking sites for moms, writers and mom-writers are so popular. I’m not a huge fan of social networking. I’ve given up on twitter and my facebook [...] No related posts. Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

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There's Nothing Smart About Taking a Kid with Epilepsy to See Fireworks

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Good Influence

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