Fun with Twins

I guess this could have happened with any siblings, but it just made a good post title to say twins, and after all, that is what the girls are. :)

Poor Lauren has been coughing up a storm, so I have been giving her cough medicine, over the counter stuff, that most likely doesn't do anything, but maybe psychologically make her and I think it is doing something and help in a very small way that way. Anyhow, my poor sweet girl has been coughing a lot, and when she goes to bed it seems like it is NON-stop coughing.

We propped her head up more so that maybe it would help. She seems to sleep through the coughing though so at least that is good.

Last night though, just as we went to lay down she was coughing, coughing, coughing. I heard her over the monitor. I was had just made it upstairs to check on her and give her a drink and fix her pillows when she gagged and threw up... on HERself, HER pillow, BROOKE and BROOKE's pillow. Yum.

She is now awake. She is also upset that she threw up. I start to pick her up when she throws up again, this time all over the blankets that were covering her. I call for Bryan over the monitor. He comes up stairs. I get her out of bed and she throws up on the floor and all over her jammies (whatever wasn't covered the first time).

We get her stripped down and give her a drink. She stops coughing. Thankfully. I get her all washed up and in new jammies. She is feeling great. :) (she even said she felt great!) lol Bless her heart.

Bryan takes out the pukey blankets and we start to get Brooke up to change her. She wakes up after I have her jammies off and start to wash her arm. She is happy and smiling. It is after 11 PM but not much later than that. We get her changed. She is now wide awake with Lauren.

They are smiling, happy girls. Amazing. :) We fix their bed up and tuck them in. They went to bed easier this time then the original time we put them in that night and they were actually both in a good mood. ~ I can't even wake them up from naps because they cry and carry on and have such an attitude and fit that lasts until they go back to bed that night, it is unreal. So who knew that they would be okay with all this last night.

I also put some Vick's on Lauren's chest AND much to Bryan's second guessing on the bottom of Lauren's feet. He doesn't think there is any way that this would really help and/or work. BUT, she did cough a LOT less. I'm willing to try almost anything to make her feel better and be able to sleep more comfortably, especially if it's as simple as putting Vick's on the bottom of her feet.

Well I guess I should go start to motivate the troops. I am not feeling well at all this morning, my stomach is NOT happy, so it may take us more time to get going and get out of the house this morning than usual. Better start now then.

Trevor, Lauren & Brooke

December 2008

I also posted a few pictures on my priceless pictures blog.

I have to get over there and post some more.

I've been majorly slacking in the picture department.

SHOTS!!

I think before we went to the doctors office on Friday that we should have all had a round of shots... not even for dealing with getting three kids flu shots, but to deal with how freakin' cold the waiting room was. ugh. it was cold out but seriously it was almost as cold inside as it was out.

Anyway... finally the day had arrived... the HIGHLY anticipated day of getting shots. They day they cried about... cried because they had to wait for it to come. They WANTED shots, they couldn't wait... they all wanted to get them ASAP!!

So on the way to the doctors office... I was asking who was going to go first... they all wanted go first... so instead of having a fight when we got in there I said we would go in age order... oldest to youngest. That was easy, plus I knew that Brooke was going to cry and I wanted her to go last so that the other two would still go without a problem.

We got called in... Trevor manned up and got right on the table before even being asked to... we took one arm out... and he took the shot like a champ! Which I knew he would. He is totally awesome about it. Once he got 4 shots and a blood draw and just sat there like it was nothing at all. He's the man. He is. :) He only said Ow. that was it. Then he got his bandaid... shirt back on and he was done.

Lauren got up there... cheesin' and so happy to be sitting up on the table. :) We took her arm out and she got a little nervous but not too bad. Bryan went along side her to hold her a little bit incase she decided to move around... she did great. She did cry some afterwards but it was short lived... by the time the nurse put the bandaid on she was done crying. :) She was the woman! She did as good as she could have!! :) I'm sure when she is 5 she'll be as good as Trevor.

Next was Brooke... she was crying before even getting on the table. I knew this. She watched the other two get their shots... and she was already not happy and nervous. She didn't want to sit on the table. But we put her up there. She didn't want Daddy... she wanted Mommy... so I went. She still fussed. She didn't want her shirt off her arm. She did it anyway... she was fussing and crying before the shot and then after the shot she was really crying. Tears and all. She was mad too. She was tense and made a muscle when she got the shot so she bled... she was the only one to bleed. We got a bandaid and her shirt back on. She cried till we left the waiting room, which was longer than our appointment to give the papers to the receptionist that we got from the nurse who did the shots. But when we got in the truck they were all fine.

They survived. They all said it wasn't too bad, except Brooke who said... "it hurtsed" with a little sad voice. Then Lauren agreed with her that it "hurted really bad". Trevor told them that it wasn't that bad and it was already over with.

So today the girls have 3 year old check ups and I'm pretty sure they are going to be getting shots again. Oh what fun. But they aren't crying or anything yet... they know they will most likely get shots so they are prepared. Lauren will go first again so Brooke won't scare the pooh out of Lauren with her crying.

AND today Grandpa will be going with us... so maybe it will be all good. We'll see. They are anxious to go to the doctors still so that is good. They have been asking me all morning when is it time to go. lol And even Trevor wanted to stay home from school today to go to the doctors, even if he had to get a shot he still wanted to go with us.

I can totally understand him wanting to stay home and not miss out on something. Although really he won't be missing out on much... we are only going to the doctors and that is it. Nothing else. Not lunch not anything fun. He will have a much better time at school and have a LOT more fun there.

That's all for now. I'll let you all know how we make out today!!

xoxoxo

500!!

500! although the post before this one hardly counts as a post because of the amount of words in it... but since what is says is pretty serious, then I guess I'll count it. :)

I went shopping this morning. I got up at 3:35 AM and headed off to Wal-Mart for all the HOT sales. I've gone other years... and I have to say that this year... was HORRIBLE!! I mean a total mess!! wow. It was as if they had no idea that today was Black Friday.

We got there around 4 AM. ~ We being, Heather, Barb, Rachel & myself... and we had to wait in line, in the store, thankfully, b/c the line did end up going out of the store and onto the sidewalk, for an hour. The sales started at 5 AM and last year they let you in the store to walk around before that... this year... no such luck.

The hour went fast though, so that was good. But then the HELL began. Barb and I went off to the toys... Heather headed for the DVD's and clothes, and Rachel went to electronics... we had a plan and we were going to get everything on our lists!

YEAH right!!

the store was crazy. people were sort of nice, in a PUSHY way. they had NO idea what they had, they had NO idea how many they had... it was so unorganized and chaotic! they also didn't have everything that was advertised in the flyer... to which they replied, "if they didn't have it, they didn't have it and they weren't responsible for not having it." GREAT!

one of the things they had that I was trying to get, the one thing that was a BIG thing on my list for Trevor, because I knew he really wanted/loved it was the Batman Wayne Tech Mega Wings, for $30 ~ could NOT find it any where, I don't think they had it at all. Unless it was or IS still in the room that was full from 18 tractor trailer loads of stuff, that they had no idea what was in there.

oh well. I'm sure I'm more upset about it than he will be Christmas morning... when he doesn't even remember that he wanted it because there is so much other stuff.

They had stuff where they didn't even know where it was. In the HUNTING section we found Wii games and DVD's that were supposed to be by Electronics and the other DVD's that were by the food section... no one knew where they were... we found them by accident... but didn't care because we got our Wii Game. :)

I got the kids a bunch of board games, which I'm happy about... I think we will have a GREAT time playing them together! It will be good for them to have something to do that isn't TV or movie or whatever and something that we will do as a family. :)

We got:

• Memory
• Cooties
• Ants in The Pants
• Trouble
• Guess Who

and I can't remember if there is more or not... seems like there should be. But I know my parents also got them some...

• Hungry Hungry Hippos
• Perfection
• Operation
• Sorry

I think. I'll have to check with my mom... I know that Trevor will LOVE Perfection and probably be really awesome at it... and I know he wants Operation... so if they didn't get it then we will. We bought him some big fancy Operation with different modes and stuff... BUT... it sucked! It was NOT fun and hard to figure out and we never even played it... the kids messed around with it and all but that was it... finally some of the pieces were missing and I just got sick of seeing it around, so I threw it out.

I also got the kids some movies... since I'm preaching that I rather have them play games and all that... I wanted to let you all know that I'm human and I do let them watch TV and movies... I pray for that quiet time... for my sanity, I NEED it! Only they don't really watch TV and movies that great... only sometimes. And, only Trevor really... the girls some, but it is hard for them to sit that long. :P

I got them the new Tinkerbell movie and also Wall E. So that is good.

Well today our goal is to clean the house and then decorate some, and then I'm going to try to work on cleaning up more down stairs... hopefully the guy will come soon to start working on our foundation and then we will be able to finish up the downstairs... which I really want, hope and pray will be done before Christmas... although it isn't looking too good. We'll see.

I'm trying to have faith...

Worth Noting

~ The wind is blowing and the rain is coming down. It is only hovering around 40 degrees... not what you would call paradise.

~ Inside though the fireplace is on and if you listen closely you can hear little girls talking softly to their toys and the tv. It is a great day!

~ Lauren is the play room playing with some of her dolls, brushing their hair and talking to them, and she also built a really cool Mr. Potato Head guy that I over heard her walking to school. :)

~ Brooke is in the living room watching tv and building a very long train of blocks and talking in Chinese with Kai-lan... which is utterly amazing to me.

~ And while my lil' princesses are playing peacefully I am getting to clean and organize in Trevor's room finally! So today is going really well. I'm hoping to be able to get something NOTICEABLE done today! :)

~ That's all from us for now...

Things to Remember...

Brooke & Lauren love to refer to each other as "my sister" when talking to anyone, except each other.

~

Trevor doesn't care if I go to the store with out him, while he is in school, because he knows I'm really busy and have to things without him sometimes. (his words) AND if I bring him home Skittles. :)

~

Trevor ~ "Kids at school and in my class don't all dress fancy, they just dress the best they can."

Mommy ~ "What makes you say that honey?"

Trevor ~ "Because I have a lot of clothes and some of the kids in my class don't. But that is okay.

Hey, maybe I can give them some of my clothes."

Mommy ~"That is so nice of you. You are such a good boy to want to share what you have with

your friends."

Trevor ~ "oh. they aren't my friends. they are only in my class so I have to talk to everyone."

Mommy ~ "oh. okay." :)

~

Lauren ~ "mommy when are you getting your voice back?"

Mommy ~ "I'm not sure honey. But I hope soon."

Brooke ~ "well who took your voice?"

Mommy ~ "no one took it honey it is just gone for now."

Lauren ~ "well you shouldn't loose it Mommy."

~

While packing the kids are sort of understanding about things going into boxes, "just for now" to go to the new house... but today the girls are asking me when we are going to bring the boxes back home. I'm not sure they totally get the moving thing just yet.

~

Trevor thinks we are going to always have two houses. Wouldn't that be nice?? Well, as long as I don't have to keep moving things back and forth and also don't have to clean both. ;)

that is all for now.

~

since every day I feel like I'm loosing more and more of my mind and mostly my memory I want to try to post about little things the kids do and say so I won't forget.

~

OH!! speaking of that... there is more...

~

Lauren has been singing up a storm... and the other day she was singing a song that went like this...

~

F U love your mom.

F U love your dad.

F U love your mom and dad.

F U you love your sister.

F U love your brother.

F U love your mom.

F U love your dad.

F U love your mom and dad.

~

and so on.

~

at first I wasn't quite sure I was hearing her correctly but she kept singing away and sure enough that is what it was sounding like. Although she was really meaning IF you love.... pretty funny!!

Aliens are here...

.... and they have taken over Brooke. She is so cranky and fussy today and any time I try to talk to her she just screams. I seriously cannot believe that three is worse than two for my kids. Both girls are acting out a lot more at three than they ever did during the terrible twos.

*

I should know this because of having Trevor first, but since I choose to only remember the good times and block out the temper tantrums, I do NOT ever remember him acting so defiant and being in a bad mood at the drop of a hat.

*

The mood swings with the girls really scare me, b/c I'm thinking this is what PMS will be when they are teens... and that alone scares the living daylights outta me. Can you imagine the three of us PMSing?? wow. Poor Bryan and Trevor.... and anyone else that may come in contact with us... LOL.

*

Well anyway my three little aliens are all quietly eating some cereal for breakfast so while they ae doing that I'm going to go sneak out the door, get in the truck, start it, slowly back out of the driveway and then hit the gas to get the hell outta here while they aren't paying attention get Trevor's clothes ready for school.

*

Hope you all have a great day. We are sure gonna try to have a good one here. Lot's more cleaning and packing going on today!! yay! yippee!!

Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, Ddddddduuuummmmmmmbbbb

I have heard a LOT of dumb things in my life! I have heard a LOT more dumb things since having a child. AND I have heard a LOT more dumb things since having twins!
People come up with the stupidest things to say, and I do mean STUPID!! (or maybe I'm just totally burnt out and bitchy ~ could be)
The other day at my dad's job the girls and I were in his office, and one of the stupid assholes that thinks he is comedian guys that works there, came in his office and saw the girls and said...

"Oh look it's Cate and Dupli-cate." and then literally LOL like it was the best joke he has ever heard.

and I only have ONE word to say...

DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NOT FUNNY! really. And, I was kind of surprised, b/c of all the STUPID and DUMB things I have heard in my life, even with children and twins and all, I haven't ever heard that one before... well I have but not said to me or Lauren & Brooke.

I thought it was dumb, stupid and annoying... but really any other time I just might have thought it was LAME... I'll admit I'm in a semi-shitty mood b/c of being tired, sort of stressed and having a million and seventeen things on my mind.

So that is all I have to say about that.

Making Progress

Bryan is making good progress. He has a lot ripped out of the lower level. He took down a partition wall that made it two rooms down stairs, and we are opening that up to be our master suite. AND I found out yesterday that I will have a walk-in closet!! yay!! I haven't ever lived any where that I had a walk-in closet so I'm petty excited about that. :)

There is still a ton of work, but thankfully it seems like we have some help to get things done. Bryan has some help to get stuff all ripped and torn out... from Chris and Kevin. My brother Ryan is going to help cut the hole in the concrete foundation for the egress window we need. And my dad said he would help put up new stuff when the time comes. Meaning sheetrock and all that. Plus my brother and dad are quite skilled at taping and spackling. Well actually my dad and both my brothers are quite skilled at anything to do with building and also mechanical too. We are pretty lucky that we have the resources right in our own family to do almost everything ourselves.

Today, Heather and I are going to go over to the house to clean. The upstairs pretty much just needs some good 'ole fashion elbow grease. Well, besides the kitchen and the bathroom, but for now we are going to work around those rooms and get some other things done... I'm going to take some pictures today while we are over there with Heather's camera so I can put them on the computer and post some here. :) So hopefully later today or tomorrow morning I will have some new pictures for you all to see. (JENN!!) ;)

On other news, we had Lauren & Brooke's birthday party yesterday and it was very nice. They got a LOT of presents and the kids had a LOT of fun playing together. AND all the kids got along really well. It was Trevor, Lauren, Brooke, Matthew, Julia, Walter, Brandon, Nick, Katelyn, Lacy, Alyssa, Shelby, Leland and Leah. Of course, Leland and Leah are way too little to play they were still there and they are still kids so it counted. :) It warmed up some so we weren't too cold... and if you were in the sun it was pretty nice. :)

I'll post some pictures from the party later too. I'm going to see what I can pack for now while the kids are happily and quietly playing.

Tootle Lu!

KEYS!

I think today Bryan is going to meet up with our realtor and we are going to get KEYS to our new house!! yay!! I'm really hoping that things work out like I'm thinking and planning they will and we can get in there tonight to check things out and figure out where we are going to start with GUTTING the lower floor of the house and replacing it all and also where we are going to start with cleaning!! The upstairs pretty much just needs to be cleaned... REALLY REALLY REALLY well, it isn't that it is really dirty... just sitting for a while and could stand to be scrubbed down good. Also we are going to paint the kids bedrooms upstairs, so I think it is good to start with a nice clean surface.

Also, Saturday we are having Lauren's & Brooke's Third Birthday Parties!! :) wow!! I can't believe they are going to be THREE! They are so amazing!! :) I can't wait to share their special birth story on their birthday, which is Monday. I did the Baby Meme that I stole from Jenn @ My Kids Are My World... (check her out on my side bar, there is a badge there for her that will take you to her!) and I'm going to tweak it some to do the Baby Meme for when I was pregnant with Lauren and Brooke!! :)

Here is a little glimpse of how they started out...

B. W. B.

Blogging While Buzzed. :)
~
~yeah. this is pretty good. I had two beers with dinner and I'm feeling pretty comfortable. Beer does me in worse than liquor, can't really explain it... but it just does. Not that I'm feeling truly tipsy, but I'm nicely buzzed. And it sure is lovely.
~
Bryan has the kiddos outside on the trampoline to burn off some extra energy I get to sit here and relax some, then it will be bath time and brushing teeth then off to bed, then I plan on chillaxing some more.
~
Life is grand! I think I just need to buy some more beer!! :)
~
On a more serious note, although I'm pretty damn serious that Life is GRAND and that I'm buzzed and that I want to buy more beer... this is even MORE serious.
~
Brookie vomited today. :( I felt horrible too... she had some milk and an ice-pop and a rice krispie treat and some cereal and some other things and it was just horrible... and before that she had juice that aggravated her belly. Here I had thought we were in the clear since yesterday everyone was good. I guess I was wrong. I just hope that no one at my parents house gets it... we were over there all day long... the girls and my niece even took a bath together and Brookie was really affectionate with my parents, giving lots of hugs and kisses.... GREAT. right? I just am keeping my fingers crossed... and have already apologized for bringing the possibility of a stomach bug to their house.
~
She is doing really good this afternoon and tonight... so maybe she is already over it... I hope. I also hope that Lauren doesn't get it... but that is kind of a given... they are always together and always sharing everything and hugging and kissing and in each others faces... so it is sort of like a shot in the dark to think that Lauren won't get it... but I can still hope for the best.
~
On another note... today my friends Kathy & Louie's three son's, yeah triplets, are FIVE!! Holy crap!! FIVE!! I can't believe it. I can remember getting the call at work to say she had them, I was pretty pregnant with Trevor and dying for him to get here... her boys were early... but they were healthy and little fighters from the beginning and did great. they are amazing little boys now... and I have to make a point to get together with them and the kids... soon. Trevor is going to be FIVE in 11 days.
~
Tomorrow is Bryan's birthday... I have nothing for him. :( I feel like such an asshat... but there isn't much I can do for him with zero dollars... I will just have to make it up to him when I get some money... we'll see. I do have some things that the kids made for him and tomorrow I will have the girls make him some more stuff while he is at work and when Trevor gets home from school we can make some more things for this paper mache box we made him and also I'm going to have T help me make him a cinnamon bread he loves... more than cake Bryan will love the cinnamon bread and Trevor will love to help me make it... I also really wanted to go out to dinner but I'm not sure if that will happen or not... most likely not... but we'll see.
~
I must be focusing too much on typing and making this make sense, b/c my buzz is quickly diminishing so I'm going to go relax in front of the tv before the kids are back inside...
~
toodles...

xoxoxoxox

Holding hands

Brooke & Lauren were outside playing... I was in their room cleaning and organizing... I could see them right out the windows and I could hear them... then all of a sudden the chatter was quiet... I looked out and couldn't see them.

Thinking that they were under the swing set and I just couldn't see them or hear them or that maybe they were in the play camper, I went out onto the porch to call to them. Not in any panic what-so-ever. It was less than a minute ago that I saw them climbing up the slide.

I go and I'm standing on the porch and before I call them, I see them. They are walking in the high grass behind the swing set... they are headed for the horse pasture. UGH!

I yell to them, "Girls, what are you doing?" And they keep on walking. I say a little louder as I'm heading off the porch... "Lauren & Brooke, where are you going?" They turn around... and I'm almost to the swing set by then, I say to them, "where are you going?? you cannot be down here, there is prickers and branches and you are in the high grass where there are ticks and all kinds of bugs. Come on get back over here now." They are coming back now... I help them both out of the high grass, avoiding the branches with their nasty prickers.

I stop them, as they are walking up the house to tell them, they they cannot go by the horses. One, there is prickers and bugs in the high grass... you are going to get hurt.
Two, there is electric fencing around the horse pasture you will get hurt really really badly if you touch it.
Three, the horses don't know you if you go by them they may try to bite or kick you and you would get hurt really badly then too.
Forth, I have told you a bunch of times that you cannot go over there. You have to listen to Mommy... I have rules to keep you safe.

So then Brooke says... "Well, we wanted to see the horses." And I said I understand that but you can't just go over there... and you definitely cannot go by yourselves.

Lauren pipes up and says "Well, I was holding Brookie's hand. And we wanted to see the horses."

It was like... duh, mom! We were together and we were holding hands gosh!! What is the problem??


I love toddler reasoning... some days at least. lol

Growin' Up... Potty!

36,000 minutes or
600 hours or
25 days & nights or
3 full weeks!! ~ no matter how you look at it Lauren and Brooke both have been potty trained FULLY since June 15th ! They have NOT worn a pamper one time. Not even for nap or bed time. Although we have had some bed wetting accidents, we are getting past that too. Brooke says it rained in her bed, and is usually really angry to be "soaking wet"!! She refuses to agree that she wet the bed. It is pretty funny to hear her tell you all about how it rained in her bed from her window. :) Lauren didn't start off doing so well at night, but now is becoming a little pro. :) It seems that they are just so tired from long play days and doing a lot of running around that they are just exhausted and then sleep so deeply and soundly that they don't know they are wetting. It's okay. We don't get mad or upset, we just wash more bedding. :)

This morning I was watching tv while everyone was sleeping and I saw a commercial for Luvs... and I thought... "Wow. I don't ever need to buy diapers again." What a revelation. It is amazing for the last 4 3/4 yrs I have had to buy and change diapers. I probably have bought them for a lot longer than that b/c I tried to stock up on a bunch while I was pregnant with Trevor.

So it has been almost one MONTH that the girls have been out of diapers. I think it could have been a lot sooner, but I was slightly lazy busy and didn't always try to work with them on potty training.

We haven't had a day time accident in so long... I sometimes forget that they have only been out of diapers for less than a month... but then at the same time I can't believe it has been that long either. So I can now add to my mom record that I have had all three of my children fully potty trained before they were three years old. :) GO ME!! Trevor started in the summer too, but it took us a little bit longer... but I also had two infant babies to take care of as well, and Brooke & Lauren were dreams, I think b/c they had an older sibling to follow.

So that is that... we are potty trained!!

Weekend In Pictures...

The first few pictures are from yesterday afternoon at the races. The first race of the season. They just finished the track the other day... and although there was another race going on at another track about an hour away they had a pretty good turn out. :)

Bryan and Trevor went off in the morning to watch Kevin (Bryan's brother) and Chris (good friend) and Jerry (another good friend) race. The girls and I stayed home b/c it was raining some and we weren't down w/ getting all wet and MUDDY! :) Okay... well maybe the girls were, but I wasn't and I really didn't want wet, muddy kids.

By the time Bryan and Trevor got to the track the rain stopped and it all worked out great. They stayed there until about a quarter to one, then came home and we all went to a park near our house for a family BBQ and to celebrate Bryan's aunt and uncles wedding anniversary and his aunts birthday. :) It was nice for everyone to get together. We don't usually see that side of Bryan's family too often. It was fun. :)

Then after the BBQ we went back to the races to see how everyone made out. When we got there Chris was just lining up to get to the gate next. So we got to watch his last moto. Kevin broke something on his 4-wheeler, so he didn't race after that and Jerry decided not to do his last moto either. This is Jerry's first year racing a bike... he used to race quads. But it was a nice time.

Then we went to grab a bite to eat, we decided to just have Burger King (Trevor's pick) since it was quicker than Pizza Hut or something b/c we were all tired and the kids had little to no naps.

We got home the kids played outside some then they all came in and got showered up and ready for bed... Brooke & Lauren were in bed by 8:20 PM or so and Trevor wasn't too far behind. :)

~I guess I should have put this first... but since the pictures are backwards anyway... it doesn't much matter... after the picture of Zoe (the dog) are pictures from Saturday when the kids and I and Heather went to my friend Kathy & Louie's sons' (triplets) graduation from pre-k. It was a very nice ceremony and then afterwards we all went back to their house and hung out... the kids played then we ate then they played more then we went home. It was a great day. It was nice that Heather was able to go with me, I could not have done it without her help. Bryan was on call and decided to go into work for some over time and to get some things done at work that just never seem to get caught up on... so if she didn't go it with me I might not have gone at all.

Then later Saturday night Heather, Chris & Nick came over to hang out... Trevor was happy to get to play with Nick and we were happy to visit with Heather and Chris... it seems like FOREVER since we got to see them. :) Heather and I took the kids for ice cream... it was fun, although they were all being silly and wild and it ended in Lauren falling off the picnic table and bumping her little noggin two times, but thankfully she was okay... OH and Nick got hit in the head two times with the truck door... both times were by accident... and thankfully he was okay too. When we came home, we put the girls to bed, and the boys were playing nicely... and Heather and I settled down to watch Fool's Gold and eat some chicken nuggets and fries that we got... we both dozed off before the movie was over... and then they all went home. But it was a great visit. :)

So that was our weekend... long but really good and full of fun!! :)

CCC #1 Heads Up!

OhMommy from over @ Classy Chaos

had this new photography tip and challenge!!

Since I'm always taking pictures and

extremely interested in improving my skills

and getting new ideas for pictures,

I took here challenge. :)



CLASSY CHAOS CHALLENGE # 1 (CCC#1)
Think outside of the box. The summer light is perfect for taking pictures of heads. Yes. Take a picture of a head. Go ahead. Teeheee... there is virtually no shadows when taking pictures of heads. You do not have to worry about lightening or poses, just snap away

After 414 pictures this is what I got....

Feelin' Froggy!

Memorial Day 2008

Make a Smilebox photobook

Tuesday...

Yep. Today is Tuesday! I'm not sure what or why I'm on here typing... I honestly think it is to avoid from getting up and doing anything else... although I really need to get a bunch done, and was on a good roll till now.

***********************

Trevor is off at school today... meaning he stayed home yesterday... we all over slept and it felt sooooo good I don't even feel guilty. Plus, like my mom said, we must have all needed it. :) So yesterday we all just hung out and I got some things done around the house and we all had a pretty pleasant day. :)

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Bryan had a fishing accident on Sunday, where he thinks (is pretty sure) he broke his thumb... so yesterday after a long and boring day at work he went to Urgent Care, and waited for almost a life time... got an x-ray and found out that they *THINK* there is a bone chip in his joint...but they aren't sure, it could be that or it could be broken... so they are sending him to the orthopedic doctors on Wednesday... They are so knowledgeable there at UC it is unreal, you seriously wonder why they aren't working in a "REAL" hospital since they are such geniuses.

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These are also the doctors that gave me the wrong dose to give Lauren of eye drops that were burning her eyes making them totally blood shot and all swollen and purple around them... Oh. It was a mistake on the RX sheet. Assholes!!

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Brooke & Lauren are playing nicely in their play kitchen together... they are making all sorts of things, right now Lauren is saying that she is making eggs, and Brooke just told her that she is making dinner. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it or not... but I have been really strict with following through with "threats" that I make to them... I have a hard time being consistent and following through with discipline and so things have been really crazy here lately... I am realizing my mistakes and trying to make things better. So I have been slightly obsessed with time outs... not that I'm giving them for un-necessary reasons but that I'm following through.... I give one warning, and I specifically say, "Please stop doing that... or you are going to go in time out." Then once they do it again, they go in time out... I set the timer on the stove and they have to sit there... I put the girl in for 2 or 3 mins, b/c they are 2 1/2 and then I put Trevor in for 4 or 5 mins since he is 4 1/2. They all seem to dislike time-out greatly so it is working rather well... I just have to remember to stick to my guns, pick and choose my battles and don't let up when things start to get better... keep following through.

This is one of the reasons that they all listen and ultimately respect Bryan more than me, because if he says something then he does it... no questions asked... end of discussion.... period! I always feel bad and try to reason and talk and all that... but really children that are these ages can't understand reason... and talking is just wasting my breath. Time-out is the way to go it gives us all a break from one another too, when we are having a "rough time"....

for example just now

Brooke had a Winnie The Pooh phone, she was playing very nicely with it... Lauren started touching the buttons on it to annoy Brooke, I told her she had to stop touching Brooke's phone, and that she could go get the other W. T. P phone (that is exactly the same) and if she didn't stop bothering Brooke that she would have to go to time-out... Well then she tried taking the phone from Brooke... she I gently took her hand and walked her time-out...

of course the entire time she was saying "No. I don't want to go time-out."

BUT... she went and she sat there and now the timer just went off and she is still sitting waiting for me to come get her... it is finally working!! yay!!

**** As I was getting up,

she said (still sitting there) "Can I get up now Mommy?"

and I said "yes"

Then I walked over to her and told her she needed to tell Brooke sorry for taking her toy away and also that she cannot take toys from other kids. And I told her she did a good job listening to me in time-out.

She ran right into their bedroom and said "sorry Brookie for taking your toy."

Brooke said "okay, you can have my phone."

then Lauren came out and said " Brookie is a good girl, she is sharing with me."

They are playing again nice as could be. :) 2 points for Mommy!!

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So anyway... I have some things I have to do today in the house and then I also have some things to get ready for this weekend... we are going camping. I'm excited and the kids are over excited... almost every day they ask me when we are going camping and if today is the day we are going. :) The girls can't possibly remember what camping is, but I'm sure Trevor remembers it some, and they will all love it since they think they should live outside rain, snow, sleet or sunshine. :)

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Also, my friend Tanya called me on Sunday that she did great... and was feeling pretty well. I also spoke to her yesterday and she was doing good, just a little bit tired... so thank you all for you well wishes, thoughts and prayers! :)

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I have some pictures in my camera that I would love to get into the computer and put up on here, so we'll see about that later... it just takes so long for blogger to upload pics it is unreal.

Have a great day all... toodles!

Wow...

Wow it has been a week since I posted?? How did that happen?? I meant to be back sooner, but I guess it just didn't happen... we have finally had nice weather here again so we have been outside enjoying every minute of it... here are some pics for Wordless Wednesday... enjoy!

Foggy Day

Brooke & Lauren call this a marshmellow tree...

only they don't really say marshmellow they have their own word for it. :)

My girls! <3
Lauren, lookin' pretty cute!
Lauren @ Family Fun & Games!
Bryan taking Trevor, Lauren & Brooke

down the slide @ Family Fun & Games!

Trevor playing in Web City. Brooke after coming down the BIG slide!

Trevor's first tree climbing adventure!

I'm sure he will be doing a LOT of this... he loved it! My Monster drinkin' dog... too bad Monster wouldn't

pay me & Zoe for advertisement!! :)