Today We Are Three!!

It's hard to believe, I know, but our littlest people have turned three...already! I honestly have a lot of trouble remembering their first year of life due to the chaos that ensued when we brought them home. When I tried remembering what is was like when they were babies, I realized my brain pretty much blocked out that entire time. I can look at pictures of them as little ones, and that is how I recall some of our days spent together while they were babies. It does make me sad, but I have since started to make it mandatory for my brain to make a mental memory of things happening around us, and to try and live in the moment more than I did before! Our boys do require a lot of energy, like most boys. There is very little down time, and I mean VERY LITTLE!! Our boys have opened up many new doors for our family. I have been exposed to more disgusting behavior in three years than I ever imagined possible, and I know there is much more to come. I have watched them eat spiders, crunch grasshoppers with their bare feet, feed one another dirt, wipe their noses on my shirt, and many other things, but I want to eat later so I will try and forget those also! Matt and I have endured more screaming, more crying, more runny noses, more throwing up in beds, more diaper changes than we ever thought imaginable, but the crazy thing about being a parent is the fact that you wouldn't trade all of that in for anything else in the world! Temper tantrums can be tolerated because their is always a hug to follow! Those little arms wrapped around me are my favorite part of the day, not to mention the sloppy kisses...at times it's like kissing a slobbering dog! I also love when they sneeze directly into my face, good times! I am happy to have the opportunity to raise two little boys and to hopefully help them grow into caring, well adjusted young men. That may be a pipe dream considering they have to live with their dad! Honestly, he is enjoying them so much, they play with Lego's and race cars together, and do their best to annoy mommy! Happy Birthday to our little men! I can hardly wait to see what the next three years will bring, and of course all the years beyond! Love, mommy!

Fun With Baking

Okay, Okay, my boys were not the most helpful bakers this week. In fact, I think I only saw them when they were stealing bites of dough and dipping their fingers in chocolate! Same for Lexy and Addy! Apryl was my constant sidekick however! I wanted to start a tradition with my kiddos this year of having the first day of their Christmas break be a baking day. As usual, this looks great on paper, not quite the same in reality. I pictured all the kiddos bouncing around the kitchen, singing along with the Christmas music, happy as could be to be making sweets! *POP* goes Nikki's delusional bubble! Garhett and Brenden were happy to be around for about three minutes. They really wanted to be near when the stove was on or when we were trying to cool treats on the counter, never when I actually had something they could do. Alexys and Addysen were basically MIA the entire morning, they both said baking sounded fun and then disappeared. I think Lexy found the small print that mentioned "work" would be involved! Once Apryl and I finished with a few recipes we moved on to the sugar cookies. I have since learned that making two batches of dough is a lot of darn dough! I was ambitious when planning our baking day, and I wanted to have enough dough to make red, green and white. Well, that was exactly what happened! There was enough dough for an entire rainbow of colors! Alexys saw how much more hands on sugar cookies were and was happy to help. Even the boys and Addy came around for awhile! Rolling out dough for five kiddos is very involved to say the least. Along with the rolling comes cutting out the cookies, and then decorating them. This cookie project started out pretty well, but soon I could feel the tediousness of the situation and needed the baking to hurry up! Note to self: 20 mini cookie cutters means 400 extra cookies, and SO much more time consuming! Thankfully, I got smart and started only using the large cookie cutters. By the end of the sugar cookie making, there was multi-colored dough all over the kitchen, and I think Brenden ate his dinner in cookie dough! Seeing as how this parenting thing is pretty much trial and error, I have learned a few things NOT to do next year, and a few other things that can continue on in tradition!

Hair Cuts...

Recently it was time to give our boys their hair cuts. We have on several occasions now given them buzz cuts, great for summer. This particular time I gave Matt the razor ready to go with the clipper already attached. Unbeknownst to me, it was set to nearly make them bald! Once you begin a cut using a razor, it's pretty much set in stone...you have to finish it! Matt continued with the cuts, laughing the entire time. Fortunately for boys, a cut that short looks okay. Our little men rocked their buzz cuts, and they even liked running their hands on their heads. In fact I would find Addy rubbing her hands back and forth over their new hair. Now, just in time for the holidays we are approaching hair cut time once again. All I really want is to trim the hair around their little ears and keep it off their necks, all while keeping enough hair on top for me to style. (Although for my husbands sake, I will call it spiking!) I have enlisted the help of our family hair stylist--hair spiker--Aunt Debbie to assist me in getting what I want. It doesn't take me long to learn! Hopefully we will have some handsome looking fellows come Christmas day!

Begin the Countdown...

So, seeing as how it is already the 7th of December our countdown started a week ago. For our oldest two girls, the Christmas Countdown probably started after their birthdays! We put up our decorations and Christmas tree earlier than usual this year. Not too early though, it wasn't October or anything like that. I was excited to get Christmas started in our home. Our boys and Addy were beside themselves when they saw the finished product. Addy tells me every morning how much she loves the Christmas decorations, "these are awesome mommy." How can you not love that?? The entire atmosphere of our home was transformed with each decoration. There is a very warm and cozy feeling throughout the house. Our kiddos are like little elves singing Christmas songs and drinking hot chocolate. I couldn't imagine celebrating the holiday any other way. I also secretly love how much anticipation comes with the kiddos trying not to open the already wrapped presents. I can find our boys sitting right next to the tree just staring at the packages! They want so badly to touch them, and rip them open, but they have been very good at using self-control. Which is the only thing they control themselves for! They have left my decorations alone too, but daddy's football player ornaments were just too much temptation! When they saw those guys being hung on the tree the obsession began. Now, I can find my guys playing "dads" with the football guys. I have told them in many ways why they can not play "dads" with the ornaments, but it is not until one loses a hand or a leg that the boys understand! Poor Kurt Warner lost both hands, and Joe Namath and Steve Young both lost a leg. It looked like a miniature war zone. Thank goodness for super glue! I nursed all the players back to health and hung them back on the tree. Now, I must give some attention to Emmit Smith, his arm is dislocated...don't worry dad, I got this!

Sick Kiddo

It is probably the hardest thing to have to deal with...a sick kiddo. I hate it when my little people do not feel well, especially when there isn't a lot I can do to make them feel better. Poor Brenden has picked up whatever bug his sister Addy brought home. Fortunately for Addysen she was only sick for half a day. She started getting sick to her stomach during the morning and was back on her feet that afternoon. It gave me a little hope for the rest of our kiddos. Thinking that more than likely they would be passing this bug around as per usual, I felt only having to deal with it for a morning wasn't too terrible! That was not the case however for B-man. He is on his second full day of not feeling well. He has been sick to his stomach and running a fever. His baby blue eyes just look so sad, it breaks my heart every time he looks at me. He has perfected that puppy dog look! Moms also know their little one is not feeling well when they don't move from the couch. It takes a lot to keep an almost three year old off his feet for days at a time! Meanwhile, Garhett who is feeling well, just came and asked me to put his underwear on his head! I will take that as a good sign! Here's hoping we can get this darn bug out as soon as possible. Time to Lysol---EVERYTHING!!

Holiday Cheer

Thanksgiving was very nice, although it did come with a couple of small headaches...boys! Nothing we were not able to handle. Both of the boys were happy to help unload the buckets of Legos and to push a big black semi-truck all over grandma and grandpas house. They also loved the tinker toys, our guys renamed them trampolines! I guess in some sort of way they do resemble a trampoline. I am glad they didn't try and jump on them. When the boys played outside they both liked driving grandmas golf cart, not turned on of course, and grandpa was so helpful in showing them where the golf balls were kept! I was looking out the window watching our guys play with the golf balls, and I would see grandpa right there showing them how high they bounce on the concrete! Then there was Alexys who was not satisfied with bouncing one ball at time, so she bounced six or seven, making for an explosion of rock hard objects showering down on their heads. I kept seeing the little people practically running for their lives! Addysen was not feeling well, so she kinda kept to herself. She could be found climbing on the waterfall rocks, or just inside hanging out. No matter how bad she felt, she was still able to keep her sense of fashion alive. Addy graced us with her presence wearing a giant pink hat with pink fuzzy balls, a very mutli colored poncho that was way too big, and to top it all off, she has wearing stripped pants! "How do you like my outfit mommy?", nothing to do but tell her I loved it! Just a little white lie! Apes was busy helping build Lego cities and teaching the boys how to drive! I heard they left tire marks on the garage floor from turning the wheels over and over! It was nice to spend time with family we do not see often enough! Now, it's on to Christmas! Our house is decorated and our tree is up, we are officially ready for Santa!

To Grandmas House We Go

Today we leave town to visit Matt's grandparents and to subject them to our troops for three whole days! I should say his grandparents are the troopers for putting up with us!! Thankfully Grandpa Al has his hearing aid which he can control the volume on! I have always wanted to borrow it just to see if it would help me to tune out some of the noise! Maybe I will invest in some ear plugs! We are so spoiled with Grandma Phyl's home cooking. It is such a welcome break to having to cook each night. Just not having to think about what to make is a nice break. Our oldest girls have packed ingredients for three pies to bring with us, and that is what we get to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner. It is nice to make pies with grandma! Apryl asked, "should we bring the sugar and everything?" I said, "I'm pretty sure grandma will have the little ingredients, she has been making pies for quite a while." That is where Alexys chimed in with, "Yeah, like a hundred years or something." It is also nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and slow things down some. Buena Vista has beautiful mountain scenery and a lot of wildlife...in the front yard. City kiddos are overjoyed to see deer on the lawn in the morning rather than watching the garbage trucks drive up and down the street. Although, our boys do love garbage trucks! Every time we see grandpa he has a new nickname for everyone. Alexys has already been thinking of names for him too. She called him Grandpa Owl for years because she couldn't say Al. So, he has been calling her "noodle" ever since she was very little. I hope everyone has an enjoyable holiday with their loved ones like we will. We are going to miss all of the family we will not get to spend the day with, but we will be thinking about all of you!! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Love, the Morrison Family!

Big Talker

So, okay, yesterday I got my cast off, yay!! Not much celebrating is going on though. I was unaware of the stiffness and achy-ness that would accompany getting rid of my cast! It is hard to move my foot side to side, and walking is not super easy. All last week I talked myself up, telling my girls that I would be downstairs to check on their progress in the basement and playroom, now I can hardly make it down a step let alone 12! Let's not forget the unimaginable itchiness that comes with getting a cast off. It might be tolerable if it didn't hurt to scratch my leg and foot and ankle. I am happy to have the cast off in time for our travels this Thanksgiving week. Hey, that is something to be thankful for! Oh, I am also happy to have my leg looking less like Sasquatch once again. I hated not being able to shave, and my hubby could not for the life of him understand why that was so important to me. I guess he never will understand, seeing as how he has ultra hairy legs! It stinks feeling set back. I was so looking forward to my first shower without supervision in over six weeks, but I could hardly get in the shower without help. So, I was reduced to showering once again with my hubby holding on to me, and our boys opening and closing the bathroom door twenty times. They too want to see what mommy is up to. It was funny this morning when Apryl came in to check on me. She pulled my sock down just enough to see my incision and when she pulled the sock back on, a small cloud poofed from my sock. I can not keep enough lotion on my foot to keep it from shedding skin every where. These issues must only be a girl thing, because when my brother talked about getting his cast off, he thought these things were cool. I, on the other hand am counting the days until I can get a pedicure again!

Clean Up

Each day is another day to struggle with our kiddos to help around the house. For now, the boys think cleaning up is fun, somewhat. They will happily help out for about two minutes, then they are usually side-tracked by something shiny. Addysen, although still very young at the age of four, has already come to the conclusion that cleaning is just for mommies. As she put it, "I am not a mommy, so you (meaning me) have to pick up!". After all the arguments and "no's", I somehow manage to get the littlest in our family to pick up a few legos and maybe get lucky enough to have them put dirty laundry in the basket. My boys do enjoy helping with the laundry. Garhett likes to push the full basket of laundry down the stairs , and Brenden has started to enjoy sitting in the dryer. The task of doing laundry used to seem so daunting and monotonous, now, it is a new experience each day! Putting away groceries is another thing they are helpful with. Each boy has to thoroughly examine each item I purchased, and then beg to have one! "Please have grapes!", "please have cheese!" If I were to give them the food they wanted every time they asked, I might as well turn around and head back to the store. Then, they also love to test the durability of the chips as well as tomatoes and bread. When they hand me my loaf of bread that looked like a loaf of bread going in to the bag but now looks like a wadded up ball, I just try to smile and say thanks..not too sarcastically! Our oldest girls are another story entirely. They both understand that arguing will only result in MORE cleaning, so we are pretty good in that area. It's the act of actually cleaning that they kinda lack! They have been getting over on the basement and playroom lately since mom can not go down the stairs very easily. They are in for a big surprise come Monday, the cast is coming off!

Things They Like...

It still amazes me how much boys are born BOYS, and girls are born GIRLS. What I mean by that is the way that our boys take naturally to boyish things and same for our girls. Already our little guys have determined their favorite colors, which are green and blue. That is quite a change of pace from what their sisters loved...PINK! Except for Addy whose favorite color is purple. No one else can like purple just for the record, I think Addy owns it! She is very defensive when someone else declares they also like that color, "NO! Purple is MY favorite color!" she will shout. At the library on Saturday, Garhett was so set upon finding a race car book while Addysen was in desperate need of yet another princess book. Both of them were so cute when they went to the librarian to ask for help. "Garhett wants race car book.", he said to the librarian. Alexys came home with 'Little House on the Prairie', another girlie book. Brenden was happy with his tractor book and also his book from the movie 'Cars'. Neither of them bothered with books about fuzzy things or frilly things. Commercials also show how much different they are from their sisters. They only stop to watch the ones with race tracks or Lego's, deeming all others with ponies or dolls for Addy. Also, after dressing up as football players for Halloween, it took me three days to convince them they needed to take the eye black off! Now, don't get me wrong, our boys have been dressed up in one of their sisters dresses a time or two, and they like to occasionally play "house" with Addysen, but those time are getting further and further apart. They are no longer liking to be in their sisters clothing and would prefer to wear a football helmet or hiking boots all day, other articles of clothing optional. Our boys would rather throw the babies down the stairs over putting it down for a nap or having to feed it, and every time they want to play superheros, Addysen always calls herself the Fairy Super Hero! It is neat to see our kiddos natural progression into boyhood and or girlhood. Had we never had boys, I would have missed so much!

Numbers Ahoy...

This morning I had to drive the girls to school, usually Matt takes them. It has honestly been a while since I had to get everyone ready in the morning to get to school on time. We are fortunate that Apryl and Alexys are very good about getting ready. Lunches and clothes for school are ready the night before, and there is NO hassle getting them moving in the morning. Like I said, we are lucky. Anyway, the girls and I always liked listening to the 'Mind Bender' on the radio station, and we were able to get in on the guessing again this morning. It was actually a lot of fun. It amazes me how much of a conversation this contest can spark up in my SUV. The ride to school seems to fly by while the girls are trying to think of answers to the question, they come up with some rational thoughts, and then there are the completely out in left field ideas! Those are what usually start them laughing. What I was happiest about was not having to listen to something our little people want to hear or watch. It was such a change of pace, I think having a few moments of non-little people music or movie time in the car set a new tone for my entire morning. I know that may sound rather dramatic, but until you have listened to "Numbers Ahoy" for the 500th time, you can't possibly know what I am talking about. I am appreciative for the movie giving our littlest children a love for numbers and math, but a mother can only hear the same movie over and over so much. I have never SEEN the movie, but I know every word. With our car having a DVD player our kiddos can watch movies, but mom can only listen to the movies. There are times when Matt and I are in the car with the kiddos and the movie comes on and I start to sing along, and when I realize what I am doing I see Matt looking at me like I have lost my mind. If only he knew what it is like to be surrounded by pre-school entertainment all day! I just learned how to use Pandora, which is internet radio. Since I now have a phone that has internet I can listen to music I like while the kiddos watch their "movie", it is so nice. The apps I put on my phone are another story. Apryl keeps telling everyone I have "old lady" apps! Wow, she was also the one who told me people born in 70's are really old. If anyone wants to help me kick her butt give me a call!

Missing Someone!

Monday Matt and I dropped our oldest daughter off at school and helped her carry her luggage inside. It was such a weird feeling to leave her and know that I would not be picking her up later that day! I am so glad that Matt and I are close with our children, but man, it is hard to say goodbye! I know that she is going to have an amazing time while she away at Outdoor Lab, but I missed her before she even started packing! Every child that is lucky enough to have the experience of Outdoor Lab remembers it forever! Matt and I were brought back to our 6th grade trips and reminisced about our cabin mates, and camp leaders. During the summer while we were raising money to send Apryl, everyone who gave her a donation told a story of their own trip or their children's trips to Outdoor Lab. I understand how important this trip was to her and never would I take that away from her! I tried so hard not to let her see me cry, I did not want to send her away feeling sad. When I gave her a hug she was barely touching me. I could sense that a little affection was going to send her into a fit of tears, so I had to shove her away quickly and with my pretend smile, wave and watch her walk into the school! Two days later, I am feeling more calm and I know she is loving her time with her friends! I can remember Outdoor Lab like it was yesterday, it was super fun! My own memories of what I got to do while there is helping me immensely! All of our kiddos deserve to experience this wonderful program! Having said that, is it Friday yet??

Halloween Fun!

Halloween is fun for all ages! Matt and I had a lot of fun on Saturday night with our friends and family! Everyone took part and dressed up, and helped us drink our alcohol and eat our food. It honestly didn't take that much arm twisting! I was lucky to only have a slight headache the next day accompanied by a little fatigue. That was rectified with Tylenol and a nap! I did hear from others they were not as fortunate. Halloween of course continued through yesterday when it became time for the kiddos to celebrate! We were without one kiddo however. Apryl left yesterday morning for Outdoor Lab School and missed trick-or-treating, but with the haul the other four kiddos brought home, I'm certain there will still be plenty of candy when she gets home Friday! More about Outdoor Lab tomorrow! We were blessed again this year with weather that was very cooperative! 70 degrees during the day led to 50's for trick-or-treating. That is about the best weather we could ask for in Denver! All the kiddos get to wear their costumes without coats over the top, and they red have noses because of make-up, not cold air! Our littlest two were enamored at the idea of our neighbors willingly hading them candy! All four had so much fun and were very good while walking around our neighborhood and Grandmas. Addy and Alexys have huge bags full of candy, and the boys buckets ended up being too small so they started using their helmets for the over flow! When did hading out full sized candy bars become the trend? I missed that memo! Our boys have full sized Snickers, Milky Way, Skittles, Starburst, Butterfingers, and those are just what I can remember! People were very generous! We did have a few comments about Garhett wearing Dolphins gear, but our recent "victory" over the Fish helped a little! The worst thing about Halloween is having all that candy at your disposal. I had three peanut butter cups for breakfast!

Snow, Snow and more Snow

Even though my hubby is probably going to disagree with everything I am about to write, I will do it anyway! I happen to love this weather, at least for the moment, as any type of weather for too long can become dreary. The first big snow storm of the season is fun, especially if you get to stay home, and I happen to be that fortunate! Grandma is generously picking up the oldest two from school, and since they have a half day I have a lot of fun plans ready for their arrival! Baking cookies and carving pumpkins and drinking apple cider, these are just some of the reasons I love snowy days. I love to climb under the covers with my kiddos and cuddle up to watch movies and eat popcorn. I enjoy how things seem to slow down for a bit as if the snow is a barrier to the rest of the world. I love how neat the trees and houses look with the coating of fresh snow. I also love the feeling of the holidays approaching. It is fun to watch the boys and Addy explore the outdoors as if the snow has transported them to another world. Then we have the pleasure of watching Apryl throw snowballs at Lexys head (because that is always the funniest spot to hit someone with a snowball) and then Alexys attack and body slam Apryl in a snow drift! I like to watch Matt shovel the wet, heavy snow while I am in the warm house! I make sure to write words of encouragement on the foggy window! I am so thoughtful! I really love the drivers who have probably lived here all their lives act as if they have never encountered snow before! That is always a mystery to me, I understand the car with the California license plates in the ditch, but the natives?? Drive carefully, and quit thinking four wheel drive works on ice! Can you feel the love?

Back in Business

Now that the narcotic haze has worn off, and I can focus once again, my boys are in for it! Okay, they can probably out run me still, so they will be in for it once I catch them! I had never experienced being so lightheaded and just out of it before. It was hard for me to gather my thoughts, and with all the noise at our home I am a professional at tuning out noise in order in think. So, I knew it was something else. Even despite the fact that I hadn't taken any medication for a few days I was still dizzy. But, now, I am thinking clearly again! Also, I can help around the house more, but I am keeping that one to myself for a while longer in order to have my girls continue sweeping, swiffering and help me clean my room! I have caught our boys just about to do something sneaky a couple of times, and they are genuinely surprised to see me standing there looking at them. They got used to the mommy who couldn't walk very well or too fast. I am throwing them a curve ball by still having a cast but being able to walk on it. Now, their game plans have to change. I'm sure they are calling audibles already in order to shake things up a little. That is what I have come to expect from our two most adaptable children. There is no doubt that they won't have a revised plan of attack by this evening! I am up for the challenge, at least until about 6 or 7 o'clock! So, bring it little dudes!

My Tormentors

I have officially been on my own with our little people for three days now, and in typical fashion my boys have adapted rather quickly. Both of them have analyzed their new mommy and have prepared themselves to take full advantage of my immobility. Just this morning as I was attempting to put laundry away, one of the boys was pulling my pants down from behind me! Of course it took me a minute to turn around to see who it was and when I did, he was already long gone! They are strategically placing things of mine as far away as possible, then when I need to retrieve said item, they make a break for the snacks! They are throwing small things at my head all the while knowing I am probably not going to pursue them. Both boys run away laughing it up! I have become a joke to them. They found a weakness and have no qualms exposing it for all it is worth. Garhett even asked me today if I wanted to jump on the trampoline with them and I swear he was being sarcastic! They don't know it, but I see the sideways glances they give each other when they are being devilish! I am not out of tricks in my bag either, these little guys had better beware!! Now that I can not keep up with them physically, I have to resort to mind games, and bribery works really well too!

On the Mend

Now that I am almost a week out of surgery I am ready to be doing my normal routine again! I do not like being on so many medications, I feel like there are a few days I just can't remember. People will say, "you sound better than you did yesterday." and I am thinking, "I talked to you yesterday??". I was in a fair amount of pain so the meds were necessary, it's just hard missing out on everyday life. On top of my regular medication I was really sick to my stomach, so my doctor prescribed an anti-nausea med which only made the drowsiness worse. I swear I can only remember about ten minutes of Sunday! I guess the anti-nausea medication works because it puts you to sleep and I am less likely to feel sick while I am sleeping! Knowing myself like I do, I will probably over-do things before I am ready to be doing them. I am simply done with being banished to my bedroom! There really aren't that many great shows on tv. It was fun to listen to Matt play kick ball with the little people in the kitchen of all places this morning! What is surprising is how easily the rest of the family is okay to live with dirt on the walls and cupboards, not sweeping each day, and baskets of laundry waiting to be folded. Had I known this a long time ago, I would have only done half of what I used to do! As long as they are having fun, oh, and their little tummies are full! Those are the most important things.

Taking It Easy...

I always remember as a kid life slowing down a bit when fall arrived. It seemed like school kept me from being really busy and playing all day long. I wonder if my kiddos think the same thing? However, as the parent, life seems to be busier than ever during the fall season. With the older kiddos in school, our days are filled with activities. I keep waiting for a weekend when we can stay home and just relax. I don't know how so many families, including ours, get to a point where we have to schedule time to be at home! I keep trying to get ready for Halloween and my plans always change, and of course what I need to get done winds up get pushed to another day. As of now we only have two kiddos in school, I can only imagine what it is going to be like with all five going to school. Apryl has Outdoor Lab in a couple of weeks, and the prep to get her ready to leave is incredible. I do not remember going to all this trouble when I went--maybe because I was the kiddo then! She came home with a list of things she needs to pack, and I swear, she will be taking enough stuff for four people! At least the 6th graders have ample time to gather everything needed. I did have to convince Apryl that her boots with the pom-poms on them were not what was meant when they said she would need hiking boots! Also, she was upset when I let her know that her stylish messenger bag was not going to be a sufficient backpack and she would have to borrow the one we use for family hikes and such. Coordinating field trips and permission slips and signing folders and planners, arranging sleepovers and times for the kiddos to hang out with their friends is tiring at best. I can not understand why more parents do not look forward to vacations and half days. I feel like those days are a break for me also. At least October is a birthday-less month for us. September takes it out of me as far as birthdays and anniversary's are concerned. There are only a few weeks left before we start shopping for Christmas! After Halloween everything turns into Holiday fever and it's on! Thankfully for now, if we must be busy at least the weather is pleasant enough to make being outside worth it! No cabin fever...yet! If anyone wants to find us this weekend we will be AT HOME!!!

Obsess Much?

Just this morning I was talking with Matt and giving him the run down on how my mornings work. In a few days I am going to have to hand over the reigns to my hubby, completely, and I can only think about all the little things I feel he needs to know. I think of running this house and our family as my job, a job I am blessed to have, but still my job. So, since Matt is not home as much, he should be in training as he would be with any job. It was only 8:15 and I had already made our bed and our boys' beds. I had also started folding laundry. I was pointing out to Matt that I don't have the luxury of staying in bed until 9 or 9:30 just because I don't work outside of the home. It's not that Matt doesn't think I work hard, that is not the issue. I know my husband feels I work just as hard as he does, I am only trying to prepare him for what it is like to stay at home full time, and also have a patient to take care of. I guess I think he forgets about all the little intricacies that go on at home aside from dishes and laundry. Yes, he can clearly see when the floor needs to be swept and when the laundry basket is full. But there is SO much more! Planning dinner menus for one, that can take me an entire afternoon just thinking of what to cook. Not to mention my grocery lists. Picking up children from school is not that complicated, but when they get home there is more to do than have a snack. Homework, cleaning bedrooms, signing folders, listening to them talk about their day--which for Alexys can take a while. When I was talking to my mom about my concerns, she basically told me I was being irrational and do have more faith in my husband. "He is a big boy." she said. I agree with her 100% my inability to let go of the control is the biggest part of this issue. I like things done in a particular manner and having someone do my jobs differently is hard to watch. I guess I will take advice from my boys, "daddy can do it!", and try to relax a little!

Caught in the Act

Our boys are certainly setting new standards for how patient I have to be. These little stinkers manage to figure out ways to overcome the obstacles I have purposely set for them!! For a long time now I have put the kiddos snacks in the "snack cupboard". Very clever name, I know. This was a low cupboard accessible for the girls to make their lunches and have an after school snack. Recently it became the boys' dream come true. They silently watched as I would put groceries away, or their sisters would make lunches, and the two of them stored that information in their brains for a time when it would be more useful! As soon as one of the boys noticed I was busy, usually when I had to go downstairs to do the laundry or check the mail, they would run to the cupboard and grab whatever they could carry. Next, they run to their bedroom and hide in the corner, I have found them cuddled up in a closet trying to hide the granola bars...the entire box mind you! After trying to explain to a couple of two year old little boys why they can not help themselves to snacks, I quickly realized I was not getting through to them! Okay, that realization came after they ate about 30 fruit snack packets, enjoyed parade candy from last years parade and squished all of the Twinkies! In my defense, my nanny was off that day! :) Thinking I could figure out a way to keep them from acting like they won the jackpot every time I left the room, I brilliantly put the snack foods in a cupboard they simply would not be able to reach! I tried to make sure they did not see me moving the snacks, but their sisters were not as good at keeping the treasure hidden. It only took a day or two for the boys to devise a plan. As I again headed downstairs to do laundry, I heard chairs starting to move in the kitchen. I thought to myself that maybe they are just playing at the table or even using the chairs to sit...not quite! When I came upstairs I found them both standing on my counter with their little hands full of goodies! The picture above is their mugshot. They must think it takes me hours to put laundry in a basket and bring it upstairs, because I stood and watched them for a few minutes and they were not afraid of being caught in the least. They were showing each other what they were finding, and both boys were laughing and having a great time. All I did was clear my throat and the party was OVER! They both turned and sat down real fast, then I took their picture!

Daddy Can Do It!

You would think with all the time I spend with my boys they would notice that I am not just a silly old girl. They would see that I am cool and can hang with the boys too! No, they only see me as mom. Whenever one of our boys needs something they consider physical to be done, they always ask daddy. Even if Matt is not home, they would rather wait than ask mommy. It is also interesting to hear them talk about their dad as if he is a superhero of some sort. Garhett had a balloon get stuck very high up in a tree and he was so certain that his dad was going to be able to reach it for him. He asked for two days, because he just knew daddy could do it! When I tried explaining to him why that was not going to happen, he simply said, "Daddy needs a ladder." Right, because we have a ladder just like the ones on a firetruck in our garage. Not long ago the boys were watching an airplane and asked Matt to grab it for them. I was sitting with them, and they never even bothered to ask if I could reach it for them! I know that I can't for obvious reasons, but why does their dad have such a better shot at grabbing an airplane? When Matt let them know it was too high, they both actually looked surprised and said, "too high??". At the park Brenden found a small boulder he wanted to try moving. Of course he was not strong enough to move it. His only option in his mind was to get his dad to move it. He kept telling me, "Daddy move the big rock." All the while I was rolling my eyes and thinking, "what the hell?". It is Matts' turn to shine I guess. I don't know if our girls were this enamored of me, but it has to feel good. Having two little people that think you are the strongest and bravest person is quite a compliment seeing as how they also love DJ Lance from Yo Gabba Gabba! At Matt's baseball game I stopped to show the kiddos a bunny. Brenden and Garhett without hesitation wanted to chase the poor bunny. Bunny proved too fast for my guys. Simultaneously, they both decided that daddy could catch the bunny later. Hello?? I was standing there with them, they never even looked in my direction to see if I might have wanted to chase the bunny down! I am chopped liver!

Karate Legend in the Making

Our Alexys is now nine years old! The first thing she said when she woke up this morning was, "It's my Birthday!!" Even though she usually wakes up in a Birthday-like mood, today she was happier than ever to be alive. At school, her class is having a party for their good behavior and are celebrating with an 80's and pizza party party. Both things right up Lexys alley. School is also having a half day, which is another of her favorite things! Lexy will get to finish her day by eating dinner at her favorite restaurant, influenced only a little by her father, BW3. Wings and beer...what more could a nine year old ask for?? Maybe she will settle for a soda! In the short nine years Alexys has been a part of our family, she has managed to make quite a reputation for herself. She is LOUD and silly and entertaining, but most of all she is caring and kind and very sensitive to other peoples feelings. Lexy always knows when someone needs a little kinder attention, and gives her heart to anyone she sees fit. She loves nature and being outdoors. She would love to grow up and be a forest ranger, only if there were not so much dirt is what she has told me! Alexys has found a new passion for Karate. Karate has helped to reign her in a little bit, but anyone will be hard pressed to take all of the fire from that girl. She just seems a little more focused and aware of others around her, even more disciplined. I love every little quirk and nuance about her! Happy Birthday to our little Chubbs!! Okay, our no longer Chubbs, Alexys!

Funny Guys!

Our littlest family members are developing quite the personalities. While they are obviously a lot alike, due to that identical twin thing, there are moments when you know they are also very much individuals. Their favorite thing to talk about lately are their favorite colors. What I find interesting is that Garhetts favorite color is blue and Brendens favorite color is green! I guess this means they are sick of their signature colors I picked out for them when they came home from the hospital. Also, they are always talking about who in our family is a boy or a girl. While Matt and I were lying in bed with the boys Garhett says, "Daddy is a boy, and Garhett is a boy." I asked him if mommy was a boy and his answer was, "no, mommy is a princess."!! Oh man, that made my day!! I thought, "you just bought yourself another year on the planet, buddy!" What a sweet talker, girls better look out!! Garhett also has a habit of "mothering" his brother. He will call him Brenden Tyler with a very stern voice, and he is always telling him to be careful because he could hurt himself. Brenden likes to watch for garbage trucks each morning, he will run to the living room to either look out the window or sit on the porch and wave at the garbage men. He is rambunctious and full of energy, I seriously doubt he has thought of his mommy as a princess. Maybe the evil queen.

Proud Moments

For parents nothing feels better than when our children succeed. It is wonderful to see them accomplish something they put a lot of effort into.

These moments are the ones that out-weigh all of the bad days and the arguments. Even though there seem to be less of the really high highs, there are just enough to keep you going and wanting more! Matt and I were so super proud of Apryl last weekend at the Arvada Harvest Festival Spelling Bee! Our oldest took third place out of sixty other kiddos! Apryl and I devoted a fair amount of time to practicing spelling the weeks preceding the Bee. We would spell while I was cooking or playing on the computer. We spelled in the car and at the grocery store. Any time we could find a spare moment we were practicing! Going into the the contest Apryl was very nervous, but she never doubted herself. I unfortunately had to miss the contest due to a couple of sick boys, but I had frequent updates! As nervous as I was for her from home, I can only imagine how her dad was feeling. When I got the update that said she had made it to the finals I was so excited! I did tear up, which is typical! Upon learning she took third place, I was elated! Apryl has always been a hard worker in school, and has made school an important priority. Her hard work paid off for her that afternoon! When she arrived at home she was on cloud nine! Apryl felt so good about herself and I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Four Already!

There is a little buzz in the air on the days it is someones birthday,
the entire house is in a celebratory mood. Addy was up around seven, Matt and I were already awake with the boys, and I couldn't wait to tell her Happy Birthday. She came and sat on our bed with us and I got to tell her a little bit about the day she joined our family. Addy's birth did not come drama free. Well, for the most part everything went pretty smooth. There was an hour or so out of the sixteen hours we were in labor, that stand out more than any of the others. I made mention to my nurse that something didn't feel right, you know--down there, and when she checked, she most definitely agreed. That is when they turned my bed upside down and started getting ready to go to the operating room for an emergency c-section. I have never had so many nurses and doctors in my room before. Long story short, Addy ended up not needing a c-section thanks to the quick actions my doctor took and we resumed our regular labor. She was born a few hours later, and had to be taken right away to the NICU. I told her about the first time I saw her little face. I had to be wheeled into the NICU, and I saw her in the incubator with this tent-like contraption over her head. Addysen was not maintaining her oxygen level and needed help breathing. I was able to hold her, however I had to have an oxygen tube taped to my gown. Unfortunately, I only held her for a few minutes, I was really out of it still and she needed to be back under the tent. Needless to say, that little lady bounced back pretty fast and was able to come with me on time!! Addysen has been mommy's Boomba ever since. She was with me everyday during my pregnancy with boys. It was strange how much of a comfort she was, even though she was still so little. She made me have to get up in the morning, and go out to the park. Going from a small baby to a vibrant, smart, and cutie pie four year old makes my head spin! I am so lucky to have her in my life, she teaches me things I never knew I wanted to know! The planets for example! So, in honor of our little Boomba, raise your glasses---of milk, and toast to her Happy Birthday!! I love you Addysen!

Some People...

I read a story in the paper recently about a group of people trying to get an ordinance passed that pertains to noise. Yes, there are already noise ordinances in place, but this one has something a little different on its agenda. These people are proposing that there should be a fine for the parents of toddlers and older children if the kiddos are outside being too loud. How on earth do these people expect parents to regulate the noise level of their children when they are outside in their OWN yard?? If these little ones are like mine, then they are probably outside only while the sun is up, so there are no violations according to the time of day. How stuffy and uptight can people be in regards to children playing? I am thankful that my kiddos are not the only little ones in our neighborhood, and that even if they were, our neighbors are very tolerant of toddlers! I am not saying that everyone should love children and just fall all over them, but they are going to be hard pressed to find a neighborhood that is without juveniles! I can imagine the tensions that has arisen from homeowners getting a knock on their door and upon answering they hear, "could you keep your children quiet, they are playing too loudly!". I have seen how offended people get when they have a complaint about their dog being too loud, now they want to start going after our children? It is hard enough to get the kiddos outdoors now a days as it is, we do not need to add to the parents struggle by asking them to keep their kids quiet while they are out playing. That is exactly what outside is for, to be loud and rowdy and somewhat obnoxious!! It's not often that my kiddos go outside for a cup of tea and to read the morning paper, they are going outside to jump on the trampoline and to run and to ride their cars up and down the sidewalk! If we take away their "outside voices" we will be taking away a piece of the parents sanity! Trust me, it is all we can do to teach them the difference between an indoor voice and and outdoor voice. On numerous occasions I have deemed toys and voice levels for "outdoor" use ONLY!! To the people who have nothing better to do with their time than to pick on children, I say, MOVE! Go to a retirement community or somewhere else there is little life left in the residents. Listening to my kiddos play is like music to my ears, most of the time, and if you don't like it...TO BAD!!

Great Minds Think...Alike??

I have noticed that my girls and I, even Addy, have the tendency to think along the same lines. When I am listening to my girls talk about their day, or a show they watched, I can almost predict what they are going to say. It is scarier when I have a thought in my head and one of the girls says it first. I know Addysen is only going on four, but she and I think alike quite often. It makes me wonder if she is really smart or if I am a little on the slow side?? Don't answer that!! You would think I would be used to this thinking alike phenomenon seeing as how my own mother and I even cook the same dinners on the same nights without having talked about it first. I can't even begin to recall how many times I have picked up the phone to call her and she is already on the other end! My mom and I can finish each others sentences, and there are times when we don't have to use complete sentences to know what the other is trying to communicate. That is something that drives my hubby crazy. He will always say, "what the hell are you two talking about??". Another way I am close with my girls, like I am close with my mom is when we are partners during a game. My best memories of Pictionary are with my mom as my partner, and we are beating the pants off Matt and his partner!! Inevitably, he accuses us of cheating! "You can't just draw and line and know it's Machu Picchu!", he would say. These scenarios are becoming more and more familiar as my girls get older. Apryl, Lexy and I just laugh and laugh at all the inside jokes we have. When I am partners with one of the girls, it is so funny to guess a drawing simply from a straight line. There is a reason my kiddos were given to me, and why I was given to my mom, probably because no one else could understand us better! Our spouses unfortunately just have to learn to deal with it!!

Good Riddance!!

Two days ago a few members of my family and myself witnessed a vicious dog attack. This took place directly in front of our house, where our children play on a very regular basis. In fact, the kiddos had just been outside moments before, but mom made them come inside to shower! Thank goodness!! Unfortunately, Alexys saw a good portion of the attack from the beginning. I ran into the living room because of the screams that we were hearing, and quickly ushered Lexy into the kitchen after seeing what was happening. I was in complete shock, considering this is the same dog that attacked another dog three weeks ago resulting in the other dog losing it's leg!! This incident has stuck with me since it occurred, I can not stop thinking how lucky we were that it was not one of our precious children. You would think with the paper trail this dog has, even before the first attack, that our city would want to get a handle on the situation. It feels as if people are waiting for a better reason to remove the dog, and that reason had better not be one of my kiddos!! There have been more times than I can count when I have been out walking with my kiddos and that dog charges at the window and scratches and barks and growls, all while trying to get out! This is so difficult for me to comes to terms with being the animal lover that I am, but having this dog among my children and other neighborhood children is worth the efforts to get rid of it! It was hard enough to explain to Alexys what happened when she asked if the little dog died, it broke my heart to tell her the truth. I can only imagine what it would have been like to have to explain to her what happened had it been one of her siblings!

Trouble Makers

Last week was one heck of a week as far as our boys were concerned. They managed to find entirely new levels of chaos and trouble. Aside from ascending the shed, they started flushing objects down the toilet. Last week we lost two pairs of underwear and a spoon in the toilet, and that was what I caught them flushing! Brenden thought he would give art a try and used a not so popular medium to decorate his wall with. I am not sure how he managed to get poop seven feet up the wall, but I didn't really take the time to figure it out either. Garhett, who was still asleep while all that was going on, had poop in his hair and on his shirt when he woke up. That was the only time I felt sorry for G-man last week! I know there were a few visits to our neighbor in order to get toys and a hat back. Thankfully he still laughs and makes a joke about it. Our bushes in the back yard look like Christmas trees after the boys have thrown their cups, undies, numerous toys, trash and whatever they can find in to them. It is a daily struggle to keep the two of them from throwing things down the stairs or over the gate. Both boys love throwing things up to the ceiling, and they have no discretion as to what they throw. That is until the object comes back down and hits them in the face or on top of the head. I have never had to talk so much in my life. I play the repeater game by myself all day long because ultimately they are not really listening. Now, both boys are only allowing mommy to do things for them. They scream, "NO, mommy do it!!" no matter what it is I need done or who it is helping me. Not even Daddy can help. It is exhausting, especially when 8:00 p.m. rolls around, I am warn out! Lately putting the boys to bed is such a pain. Both of them think they are staying at some five star resort. They have a list of demands they feel I need to full fill before they can settle down. I am not one to give in to the demands, but I still have to check in on them because they are wailing as loud as possible. "Need water mom", or "read another book mom", "pee-pee coming mom", the list goes on and on and on and on!!

A Better View

I may have missed a few days of writing, but trust me my boys have not skipped a beat! It was only a couple of days ago that they put their climbing skills to the test. I made the ultimate mistake of thinking they could play nicely, well I mean play safely outside for a minute or two while I ran inside to grab something. Now looking back I can not honestly even remember what it was that I needed to get so badly from inside the house. While I was in the living room Addy came inside and said to me, "Mom, the boys are on my playhouse!". I thought that meant the boys were on the little jungle gym in the back yard, they are on that quite often, and I felt that was okay so I disregarded her warning. She was not relenting however. Addysen kept insisting the boys were on her playhouse and that I might want to check things out. For a moment I felt like Addy was Lassie trying to get a message to me by way of barking, because obviously I was not listening to her very well. So, like any mom would do I send another child to go see what is going on! Lexy then goes outside to see what her brothers are up to and I hear some concern in her voice or maybe that was panic. What brainiac decision do I come up with next you wonder?? "Apryl, could you please see what Lexy is shouting about outside?" That was when I hear from Apryl, "Umm, mom, I'm gonna need your help!". I open the door to the back deck and walk over to the steps, and what do I see? My boys on top of the SHED! That is a little bit different from PLAYHOUSE!! My reaction time was slowed initially by the interpretation from Addysen, I have to blame someone! No, of course she is not to blame. When I saw what was going on I froze and did not get any closer to the boys. Each time I got closer to them they both thought what they were doing was funnier and funnier, and all I wanted was to get them down! Apryl was already at the shed trying to coax them over to her and they were making a joke out her! I used my stern mommy voice to capture their attention, and finally they both looked right at me. I said, "you both go over to Apryl right now!!". That did the trick. There was no arguing, or more playing around on the roof, they went straight to Apryl and she was able to help them down. After we got back inside, I had to put the guys down for a nap, I couldn't take any more! My brain was exhausted after running scenario after scenario of what could have happened. Thankfully a little guardian was watching over them better than their mother!!

Addy stuff

Last night as I was playing around on the computer the kiddos were busy playing downstairs with me. I could hear our littlest people having fun and laughing with each other which is a welcome break from all the arguing that can take place on a daily basis. From my seat at our desk I could see the three of them climbing in and out of the cupboard underneath the sink in the bathroom. Addy kept telling them they had to hide from the ghost. As soon as she got the boys situated inside, she shut the doors and stood outside holding the doors shut! It would take a couple of minutes for the boys to realize she wasn't coming back in, then I could hear them trying to open the doors. More than once I had to persuade her to let her brothers out...who am I kidding, it took more than once! Then, she decides they are going to play a new game. Addy says, "lets go to Mexicat!", "it's like Mexico, but where cats live." I can not even imagine where she came up with that! Later that evening we were watching Americas Got Talent, which all the kiddos seem to enjoy. Addysen was more judgemental than the actual judges on the show! "That guy sucks!" she said to me. I asked her to find a better word than sucks and says, "that guy is fat!" It was late, and I didn't want to hear her better word for fat!

Back to the Grind

After being away from home and everything that goes with that, it is sometimes nice to return to the old routines. We went camping for a few days, and from there went to Grandmas house. We had our usual melt-downs and pouting episodes, but all that is to be expected with three toddlers. Especially three toddlers who all want to be independent and have three different ideas of how things should be done! I absolutely can not make everyone happy all of the time, and my kiddos have proven me right. Just when one is settled and content for the moment, that is then the other one's cue to began screaming as though he is being tortured. All that aside, we were able to come home with some pretty awesome memories, and stories we can tell for a few years to come, which is the most important part! I like that everyone joined in the hunt for Sasquatch during our ride to grandmas house, which ended up carrying on throughout the trip. Our girls got to do some bonding with their grandpa while they were targeting shooting. It is amazing how much they enjoy shooting a gun, it is also amazing how much attention they pay to their grandpa while he explains how to safely use a gun. Before they can shoot, they have a mini gun safety class, never a bad idea! Apryl loves to help grandma in the kitchen, and together they made some pretty delicious food, or as Lexy would say, "grub". We got to hang out together at the park and eat cheeseburgers. The boys liked sliding and swinging, that is until Garhett threw up! He has motion sickness sometimes, poor thing! Then all seven of us and grandma, lied in the grass and made pictures out of the clouds! It was the first time that our entire family just sat and enjoyed not going 100 mph in such a long time! I don't know what made the boys want to relax with the rest of us, but I do not care either! Those moments are wonderful! Now, I have a house to attend to and of course the laundry is calling my name~BOO!!

Short and Sweet

This is going to be more of an update than a story. Since I can only type with one hand please ignore the typos!! Also, it takes two hands to spellcheck, so get over it if you notice a misspelled word! :) Now, with the disclaimers out of the way, summer seems to be moving right along. We are getting ready to go camping again this weekend. I am looking forward to the cooler temperatures, especially at night. Our poor boys are so sweaty at night, and keeping a fan in their room is not always an option. After camping is over we plan to invade their grandmothers house for a few days, a new place for the little monkeys to wreak havoc!

Stormy Weather

Yes our family has been experiencing some turbulent weather recently. Thanks to mother nature I am now not the only mother that irritates my kiddos! I get everyone ready to go outside and play and literally ten seconds go by and here comes the rain. My boys barely have time to go down the slide sometimes. We have been venturing out doors pretty early in the morning in order to have some time outside. Now don't get me wrong, I am loving the cooler temperatures and I have always loved a good thunderstorm, but keeping my little ones cooped up indoors is less fun than a sunburn! Despite all the rain, we still manage to spend a pretty decent amount of time out in the backyard. One problem is that everything is soaking wet and the other would be the new mud spots created by where the kiddos run and play! When the boys come in from playing they are pretty muddy sometimes, and when they are not wearing any clothes...well you get the picture, mud EVERYWHERE! I am lucky to keep clothes on the boys when they want to play in the front yard, forget about the backyard! As you can clearly see in the picture, they are only wearing their undies to play in the gutter. I am sure this phase will pass, Addy likes wearing clothes now and we all know how much she loved being naked. With last nights torrential downpour over, not to mention the insane lightning show that accompanied the rain, it seems we might be getting back to drier and warmer weather, so we can take the wild bunch back to the pool!

To the Library

With the rainy weather comes new ways to entertain the troops. We ventured out last Friday and went to the library. I know most associate the library with quiet, but our library has an entire section designated just for the kiddos! They have strategically placed the children's part of the library downstairs away from anyone who may actually want to try and read while they are there. We arrived at the library a few minutes before they opened and with my kiddos banging on the window and racing their cars up and down the windows, I think the staff was ready for us to leave before we even went in! Getting to the library and going in is always easy. My bunch all love to read and look at books. Apryl gets to go upstairs on her own and check out books that are more suitable for her age while Lexy can go on her own also but mom can still see her since her books are near the children's area. The rest of the group has to stay with mom and find books that they might be interested in for a couple of weeks. That is a challenge since not much can capture a two year olds attention for longer than thirty seconds. This particular trip I ended up picking out books for the boys because they were a little preoccupied with the computer games. Even though the games are educational, I had wanted to expose the boys to the library, not a computer. They are already familiar with computers and in some regards probably more than their mother! This is where the break down in communication began! As soon as I dared to utter, "it's time to go," I was in trouble! Immediately following I was met with total opposition from both boys. This included melt downs numbers one through thirty five as I attempted to check out our library books. Then I had shoes thrown at me or at least in my direction with a lot of screaming, all of which is happening in the middle of the library where everyone has to walk in order to enter or leave the library. So, I swat one of the boys on his bottom, I am now a villain in the eyes of every bystander, who was just moments ago wondering why their mother doesn't do something about their behavior! Swatting, spanking, whatever you want to call it, is not my first choice of discipline, and I can guarantee my little man didn't even realize he had been smacked on the butt because I still had to practically drag him out the door! Ugghh...so much for wanting to help facilitate a love of books in my kiddos, I think it can wait!

No, No, and NO!!

Today I am starting something new, I am trying my best not to have the word "no" be the only thing my boys hear from me. It feels lately like all I do is discipline. Who wants to be around someone that seems grouchy and only says "no" and "stop doing that!"? I know the importance of having rules and boundaries for our kiddos, but sometimes I feel overwhelmed with the task of chasing around three toddlers. I do not want my little ones to grow up and only have memories of mommy yelling and staring them down. That will only lead to some sort of therapy I will end up having to pay for! Everything single thing we do as a family comes with a pile of rules and restrictions, or so it seems since we were gifted our twins! I talk so much throughout the our day that I am surprised I don't lose my voice more often. I always have to repeat myself, it does not matter what I am saying, and I usually repeat the sentences four or five times. Our boys need CONSTANT supervision, which is a complete 180 from what I had become accustomed to. The girls are able to keep their damn hands off things while the boys can hardly wait to touch something that is off limits. I wonder how much of this defiance comes from them being boys or is it that their are TWO of them? If one little man is sitting and behaving himself, leave it to the other to act like a maniac! I think it is only fair for moms to be allotted one or two melt-downs a day. After seeing my guys throw a fit, kicking and screaming, they are usually pretty calm afterwards so maybe there is something to temper tantrums. It would be priceless to see my kiddos faces when they are watching their mother writhing on the floor, screaming at the top of my lungs. That would probably buy me a few minutes of alone time, "leave mom alone, I think she is going crazy!"

Fireworks of our Own...

Yesterday was another Fourth of July for the books! We took our gang to a BBQ hosted by our aunt and uncle, the same place we look forward to going to each year. Yes, it was a little warm out and every time I moved my face turned bright red, but it was well worth it! All five kiddos look forward to jumping on the trampoline more than anything else. Never mind the delicious food or the company, they can hear that trampoline calling their names from our house! They were jumping and running and laughing and giggling from the moment we arrived to the moment we left to start walking to the soccer fields. Apryl and Lexy are even going to get to KEEP the trampoline! I think a delivery is in the works for this week or next. Our guys jumped so much that Brenden fell asleep in my lap before the fireworks began! Garhett managed to stay awake for a little while longer, but soon he too was laying his head down. Also, they stayed in the same undies the entire day!! Yay, mini victory for mom and dad!! I actually have to revise that last statement, they did not have an accident while we were out, however they did not stay in their underwear all afternoon. While some intense volleyball was taking place, a streaker went running on by through the middle of the action. Once Garhett saw that his brother was naked, he felt he had no other option but to join him. It was an act of futility to get those boys to keep their undies on. Then it became a game that was only fun for the boys, I had had enough of the wiener brigade! Eventually, after retrieving their underwear and several other items from over the fence, the boys gave in and wore the underwear...for a while! I did get them to get fully dressed before we left to watch the firework show and that was an accomplishment! We had a great time listening to Garhett take ownership of every firework he saw, "that one is Garhetts!", and Addy only wanted the purple ones. Arvada put on an amazing show, and each year there is something a little different which is really great! The only problem is trying to explain to my little ones why there are not fireworks tonight!

Rockies Game

Matt and I took our oldest ladies to the Rockies game last night, and we had an awesome time. Aside from the famous players out on the field, Matt and I were sitting next to a couple of celebrities as well!! Yes, if you look closely at the picture on the left, that is Apryl and Alexys on the big screen! I was able to time my picture taking abilities perfectly and snap a photo as they were jumping around acting like clowns. We stayed for the entire thirteen inning game, and I guess the camera guy ran out of other idiots to put up on the jumbo tron. It's either that or he was tired of them screaming at him. Either way, they were totally excited and have been talking about their 15 seconds of fame most of the morning. In fact, Alexys said that was her favorite part of the night. Never mind the amazing win. I think they also really enjoyed getting to hang out with mom and dad. Who am I kidding? They liked their dippin-dots more than their mom and dad! All in all, we each had a really nice night and the awesome seats didn't hurt either because I could actually see most of what was going on! Oh, I also appreciated the MVP parking pass, I know some of you can relate to that! I am not to fond of the hike that comes with going to some these Denver venues, but we had across the street parking last night, and it was wonderful!