Look Mommy...a Wind-A-Mill!!!!!

All day long, as we drove across West Texas I heard over and over "LOOK MOMMY!!!! A WIND-A-MILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". The boys love seeing the big Electricty generating windmills (I am sure there is some technical name for them, but it escapes me right now). For more than 30 minutes today we were driving through windmill heaven... A Windmill Farm

Multiply that picture by those 30 minutes and you might get an idea of the number of thinks I got to hear their cries of delight at seeing yet another windmill (Sorry to all the people on the interstate with me while I was trying to take this picture....80 mph+ high speed winds+ me trying to take a picture out the passenger window= the drivers of I-20 thinking there was a crazy drunk Rhode Islander on their road).

As to why I was driving across West Texas with my three babies in the back seat...Stop by tomorrow for the tale of our Journy from the last month (as well as an explanation as to why I have not blogged for 2 months...beware pathetics excuses will abound ;)

Pirates and Plymouth Rock

As our move to a new home (location still unknown) seems to be moving closer and closer we are trying to get as many New Englandie activites fit in before we go. Today on a spur of the moment whim I decided that we needed to go to Plymouth Rock. It would have been just wrong for us to live 90 minutes away for 2 years and never go. So we loaded the kids up and headed out.

Now for those of you who don't know, when traveling with 3 kids you NEVER get there in the amount of time you have planned. We ended up spending almost 25 minutes...YES 25 MINUTES in New Bedford. Why you ask?? Was everyone hungry?? NO...Was there something wrong with the car?? No to that one as well... The reason we spent all that time there (in CVS parking lot) is because Clay had to use the potty. This may be too much information for some, so if you don't like potty talk, scroll down and continue reading about once we finally got to Plymouth...

Still with me?? Ok...maybe it's gross, but I keep a potty in the back of my station wagon. We are on the go (no pun intended) a lot and sepnd a lot of time at parks without bathrooms, and with two potty trainers I never know when we will have a potty emergency. So 15 minutes into the trip we had to stop. I got him on the potty (he won't use public toilet...so we could just walk into the CVS) and we sat and sat and sat....AND SAT waiting for him to finally finish...and then of course Caleb wouldn't be left out of the fun so he had to sit too!! He didn't take long (using his favorite potty line "s'not workin' momma") so we then got back on the road...but of course not before momma got a shot of Caleb hanging out in the back of the car :)

When we got to Plymouth we discovered the there was a festival and parking was hard to find. We have gone to Plymouth before, only to turn around because it was too busy...not this time..I was determined ...there was no turning around!! I perservered and we did eventually find a city parking lot with a spot open WOOHOO. When the boys saw the MayFlower II in the distance they got sooo excited!! The boys LOVE pirates...they have already decided they want to be pirates for Halloween and it is one of their most common make believe games at home. So when they saw a "real" pirate ship they got excited...really excited!! How could a momma say no?? She couldn't...I sent Joseph off with Addie for some ice cream and a bottle (respectively) and I headed onto the ship with the boys.

They had so much fun running around in the ship. When I showed them the pirate's beds (no I didn't try to explain the pilrims, we talked about pirates the WHOLE time) they were just TOO excited and had to sit in the beds themselves.
Ignore the looks on their faces...they were just annoyed because I made them pose for so many pictures here before I finally remembered to turn on the flash...they were indeed very excited when they first got on.

The boys are very well versed in pirate talk. They can often be heard running though the house yell "ARGH" (as I have mentioned before...but it happens so often it is worth mentioning again). Anyway, Caleb astounded me with a term I didn't even know he knew. As we were walking back out on to the deck from viewing the pirate beds there was a rope laying on the ground, Caleb grabbed hold of it with both his little hands and started dragging it yelling "HEAVE....HO.....HEAVE...HO" at the top of his lungs. This had everyone in our vicinity laughing hysterically. It was just about the cutest thing I have ever seen!.. and of course I couldn't get my stupid camera to work so sad...that's what a get for breaking my nice camera. So here is a picture of him admiring another rope (while Clay is fascinated with the tiny pirate ship is that water below (I think it was a pilgrims dingy if there is such a thing))and one of him and Clay working together to "HEAVE...HO" on a rope in at of the hands-on displays at the museum.

We then caught back up with Daddy and Addie and headed to THE ROCK. Which for those of you who have never been there is utterly unimpressive looking, albeit still neat to see (and added proof that Addie was indeed on the trip with us)

This may not see like a lot, but it took us almost 2 hours!!! (the occassionally tantrum and naigating crowds and the boys refusing to forget that I promised them ballons and hving to go hunt some down added a lot of time to all our pilgrim schenanigans. After finaly dragging to very worn out boys back to the car we headed back home, with only one potty break and they crashed nice and early...which is why I had the time to write this and add all the pretty pictures :)

This week in Pictures

Just a few pictures from the last week I thought you might enjoy :)

Here is my sweet little Addie playing with her puppy (she is sitting on her knees and bouncing around...I still can't get over how much she is moving)

Here's Clay, for some reason he insists on wearing is "race car" hat really tight under his nose like this...shortly after tightening it, he slams the visor down and "takes off "on his motorcycle :)

And last, but of course not least...Caleb...Wearing Mommy's shirt and growling like a bear...ummm...no I don't know why...but it sure was cute

Attack of the B-2 Bomber

Last night at about 12:20, I was feeling very relieved that It looked like Addie was finally going to have a good night (after two nights of being up every 20 minutes) She was snoring away peacefully in her bassinet. It looked like I was going to get some much needed sleep…and I drifted off…

12:45 am a scream pierces the night…not a little “having a nightmare” kind of scream that we hear every few nights…but a terrifying, something very, very bad is happening kind of scream. I bolt out of bed and run into the boys’ room. Clay is cowering in the corner at the head of his bed. In between screams he is shouting “IT’S GONNA EEEAAAATTTTT MEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!”.

It is nothing new for Clay to have nightmares; in fact he often isn’t even awake when he cries out at night. All you usually have to do is touch him and he calms down and falls back asleep. But this time he was very obviously awake and was pointing at something. As I get closer to his bed I realize he is pointing at the Matchbox B-2 Bomber* that he had insisted on sleeping with that night.

(Cuddly looking isn’t it)

I picked it up and said “Look baby..It’s just your ‘Spy Plane’. Do you want Mommy to put it on the floor or take it to the playroom? “

Clay responded, wiping tears from his face, “No it’s my spy plane.”

So I hand it back to him and he lies down and pulls his blanket back over him. So I head out of the room, just as I am on the verge of closing the door Caleb cries out (oh crap, I guess it was too much to hope that blood curdling scream hadn’t woken him up) and begs me to turn the light. I go over and turn it on. Clay starts crying that the light is too bright. *Sigh* This is a fight we have ALL the time. Which is one of the many reasons I wish they each had their own room. I go over to Clay and pull his covers up higher and promise him that I will come in and turn the light off as soon as Bubba is back asleep. Shockingly, he accepts this answer and closes his eyes.

I pat myself on the back a bit, having handled it all so quickly and head back to bed. As I open the door to our room it squeaks a tiny and I do mean tiny bit. The baby wakes up…see what happens when you don’t knock on wood. Yes, all that ruckus and it’s a tiny squeak that wakes her up. So I scoop her up from her bassinet and climb into bed hoping to get her back to sleep before she wakes up too much…And still hoping to get a decent amount of sleep.

About 10 minutes later Clay is screaming again, this time it’s “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy”. But as I have the baby I send Joseph in to the rescue. 9 times out of 10 Daddy would be allowed to solve the problem…not tonight though. Clay starts chanting “No I need Mommy, No I neeeeeeed Mommy”.

I sigh and climb out of bed, hand the baby to Joseph and head in to save the day.

“Mommy, it’s too scary, it’s toooo scary!” Clay cries out when he sees me.

“What’s too scary baby?” I ask as I scoop him up and sit on the edge of his bed.

“The snakes on the floor!”

“There are snakes?” He nods. “Do you want Mommy to make them go away?” Another nod.

“Snakes.” I state very firmly. “You go away. You leave my Clay alone. You aren’t allowed to come back!” (This monster banishing trick usually works beautifully)

“Did the snakes go away?” Yet another nod. “Ok, lie back down and go to sleep. I love you”

“No, Mommy. Sleeeeep on the cooouuucccchhhhhhh!!!. It’s just too scary!!!” Uh-oh uncharted waters here…sleeping on the couch…all the mischief he can get into out there while everyone sleeps starts running through my head.

“Ummmm…how about you come sleep in Mommy and Daddy’s bed?” (Good-bye sleep)

“No Mommy…the couch.”

“Ummm…uhhh… let me go talk to Daddy. Stay in your bed.” I head back to our room and talk to Joseph. He is sitting up in the bed playing with Addie (Oh yes…GOODBYE SLEEP!). We finally decided to go ahead and let him try it in the hopes that we can all get back to sleep before that alarm goes off.

I head back into the boys’ room, gather up Clay and all his blankets and settle him on the couch (spy plane in hand) and head back to close the door to their room before climbing back into bed. But as I try to close the door, Caleb starts crying (and me just a bit too…ohh sleep…where are you?)

“What’s wrong baby?”

“Wanna go watch TV with Bubba”…ohhh crap…what did I just start.

“No, baby, Bubba isn’t watching TV, he is sleeping.”

“I wanna sleep there too!!!”

Thinking frantically…how do I get out of this…”Ummm…ummmm…Bubba is sleeping out there because it is dark, he doesn’t like the light on. Do you want to do sleep in the dark?”

“Not the dark mommy…the couch!”

“Well it’s dark by the couch, why don’t you stay in here with the light?”

“The light?” thinking hard, “Ok mommy”

WHAT!?!...it worked…WOW!!!!

“Ok, night-night bubs…I love you”

“Night Mommy.”

I head back to our room …again… And take the happy, smiling, giggly baby (at 1:30am…ohhh sleep…how I miss you) back from Joseph, who by the way is back asleep in 2.7 seconds…grrrrr…and settle back into bed a pray Addie falls asleep quickly.

Surprisingly, Clay slept soundly all night long and didn’t get into anything.

I just hope he doesn’t get the idea to make this a regular event.

*Why is Clay sleeping with a B-2 Bomber?? Because he wanted to sleep with the new fire truck they got at the store that day which makes very, very loud siren sounds. Yes..I broke my own rule and bought them a toy that makes noise..stupid…stupid. Anyway, I was finally able to get him to agree to the “Spy Plane” after 20 minutes of crying.

Firetruck People

[The sound of sirens passing our house, Caleb cups his hand over his ear as if to hear them better]

Me: What was that?

Caleb: A Firetruck [BIG grin on his face]

Me: and who is on the firetruck?

Caleb: People.

Me: (hehehe) What kind of people?

Caleb: [thinking hard] Firetruck people.

Me (hehehehe...firetruck people)...like firefighters??

Caleb: Yep.

Me: and what do firefighters do?

Caleb: They spray water from their hoses.



He smiles at me, decides the conversation is over and walks off.

Sometimes these boys just make me smile.

A night of Angry and Happy Monsters

4:45 AM Last night...

Caleb: Mommy a monster is in my room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me (very groggy): A monster?

Caleb: Yes! An ANGEE (angry) monster!!! The monster angee at ME!!!!!

Me:ummm...Why is that monster angry at you? (rubbing my eyes...still trying to figure out what is going on)

Caleb: Yes!

Me: What did the angry monster do?

Caleb: I run!

Me: You ran from the angry monster (head nod from Caleb) Are you ok now? ( I am starting to smile a bit at all this now)

Caleb: Yea momma...the happy monsters are under mommy's bed (said very matter of factly)

Me:( heeheehee...ok that was cute)...happy monsters??

Caleb: yea...so I sleep in mommy's bed (notice it was not a question, he was just letting me know...with a huge smile on his face)

Me: (see what I get for thinking it was funny) *sigh*... You can sleep in mommy's bed if you sleep.

Caleb: ok mommy...(mmmhmmmI believe that)


He climbed into bed with us, wiggled around and talked and kicked, woke the baby (who was in her normal sleeping spot...my arms). Finally about 5:15 I just gave up and got up with him so that Joseph could get a little bit of sleep. I put the baby is the swing, turned on Miss Spider, wrapped a quilt around me and the boy and tried to get a tiny bit more sleep (wishful thinking).

Now I feel like a zombie and Caleb is bright eyed and bushy-tailed...it's gonna be a LONG day!!

Life Lessons by Caleb

Today I took the kids on a cross island search for an allusive clamp for our bed. When we moved into our house the movers lost the clamps for one side of the bed and now eighteen months later it has really started to bug me. So I loaded up the kids and we headed out. Turns out the part simply doesn't not exist on the island...but the only way to discover this was to drive around the island for 2 hours dragging the kids into I can't remember how many store (ok it was 3...but it sounds so much more harrowing the other way). Don't tell me I could have just called....that thought finally popped into my head as we left the 3rd store...sigh...mommy brain strikes again

Anyway, the whole time the boys were absolutely wonderful. They stayed close to me in the stores and talked quietly (ok..not quiet per se...but it was nice) I wasn't really listening to everything they were saying, but at one point I tuned in to hear Caleb passing on some advice to his baby sister.

I looked back, he was leaned toward Addie holding her foot, and I hear these words.."Addie, poop in diaper?? Poop in diaper and take diaper off...mommy angry"

Ahhh, yes...Truer words have never been spoken...Yes Addie, if you do indeed poop in your diaper and then take that diaper off, Mommy will be very angry.

I think Caleb chose to pass on this advice because it is something he and his brother had to learn the hard way. There is a 6 month period around their second birthday that for the most part I work to suppress. It included many many incidents of entering their nursery to a scene similar to the one in Daddy Day Care where Eddie Murphy looks around in horror at the bathroom. Hands... crib rails...bedding...pillows...hair...arms...legs...and yes once even mouth....suppress suppress suppress...hang on I need a moment


Ok...[breathing deeply...long slow exhale] the memory is sufficiently hidden in the back of my mind where it should remain. I can only hope that Addie took this little life lesson from Caleb seriously and chooses never to test it herself.

Time flies...

Wow the two weeks really got away from me. I was planning to write on here every day (and then realistically doing it every other day) Turns out that is a bit too much even. Oh well.

What a crazy two weeks we have had around here. Joseph was out of town on business. I never know before had how well that is going to go. The last time he was out of town me and all three babies what a horrible chest cold. I was literally convinced I would not survive the week. This time things went really well. A lot seems to have to do with how well I prepare before Joseph leaves...grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry and most importantly getting the dishes all done and put away. Dishes are the bane of my existence. I hate washing dishes more than anything in this world. It's a good thing I am not a spy...all they would have to do to get me to talk would be to lock me in a room full of dishes and tell me to start washing. When we moved into our currant house I thought we would survive without a dish washer, Joseph promised to wash the dishes every night and I believed him (I know it was silly and the logical part of my brain knew it wasn't true...but I went with it). We were also just a family of 4 then and had no idea that beautiful Addie would be joining our family. Now it seems to be a never ending battle trying to keep up with them.

Hmmm...I lost track of what I was writing about....Ahhh yes...why I didn’t write for two weeks. So yeah...Joseph went out of town and I was remarkably well prepared. I even bought dinners I could prepare in 10 minutes or less so I wasn't forced to make the decision of leaving the boys in the living room while I cook so that the living room gets destroyed or bringing them into the kitchen with me to have them "help" make dinner (eye twitching commences at just the thought of it).

That Monday the library was having story time. The boys had a great time the last time we went, so I decided to venture out again. The first time I packed a picnic lunch and we picnicked at the playground adjacent to the library. This time I decided I would get some books for the boys. Somehow we have lived here for 18 months and I never managed to get a library card. The boys are really tired of the books we have. It was time to get one. The books at story time really didn't engage them this time and they were very fidgety. I should have taken that as a sign and gone to the park instead. But silly be decided to plow forward with my original play because the boys were excited about getting "pirate books, argh" (because you aren't allowed to mention anything pirate in this house without following it with "argh"...they are so cute).

They remained relatively well behaved while I got my new card, especially considering how fidgety they were after the stories and we headed to the children's section. Now perhaps I am just spoiled by the Colorado Springs Library system, but I was not prepared for the library here. I did not come prepared with a list of books to get (as I will from now on) I just figured I would let the boys play in the little storybook houses that are in the kids section while I searched for a few pirate books (argh) and they we would head out. Well I search for the stupid computers where you do book searches for almost 5 minutes before I gave up and asked someone for help (I didn't want to look like an idiot who couldn't find the computer right under her nose). Turns out there was only one....YES 1!!!! computer to do the searches on and it's not even inside the kid’s area. The boys were having fun so I did a quick search and went to write down what I found.....and you know what...no handy little paper squares and mini pencils to conveniently aide me in jotting the search info down. So I tried to count of my trusty sleep deprived brain to remember titles and authors. The first time I tried too hard and forgot all 4 books I was going to look for before I even got to the book shelves. The second time I was very proud of myself and picked one book to remember, but I wasn't paying attention to what the computer said and ended up with a chapter book (not gonna would with 3 three years olds) So then I tried just wandering the shelves looking for pirate books (argh) . The poor boys were tired of the library at this point, Caleb was starting to yell and run around and Clay (wiley little kid that he is) wandered behind the librarians desk. and the librarian returned him to me just as I started to panic. She took pity on me (I think she saw my eye starting to twitch) and she found several really cute pirate books (argh) and we headed to check them out. AT this point Caleb gets it into his head that he was supposed to get candy from the library. I don't know where he got this idea, perhaps since he is potty training and gets candy all the time for that he simply thought that the world was now supplying him with candy ad time he tries something new. He keeps asking in a none too quiet voice "where is my library candy...I want library candy...no mommy we can't go...I NEED LIBRARY CAAANNNDDDYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!" I take him by the hand and he does that move that I know you all love where he goes completely floppy so I end up having to drag him out of the library ( with Clay holding my other hand completely confused as to why is brother is channeling Linda Blair). It my calmest sweetest voice I keep telling him "the library only has books...why don't we go home to get candy." this takes 8 or 9 times of me repeating it before he decides to at least start walking on his own, although he is still trying for his "library candy". The bribery eventually works we get home and crash. I read them a few of the book and they fall asleep (THANK YOU GOD) and I try to remind myself that Joseph is only gone for a week.

The rest of that week was filled with just enjoying able. There were of course bright spots including the time that Caleb didn't want to wear his shirt with a crab n it because he was scared the crab would bite him and Clay's new game where he pretends he is a paper boy, where he throws toys across the room as hard as he can while yelling "NEEEEWWWSSS PAPER BOOOOY!!!!". It really is cute to see, but it doesn't leave much room for the brain waves it takes to type something on here. When Joseph got home I then threw myself into planning a garage sale...because my new quest for sanity is the belief that less stuff=a less hectic house...We shall see on that one, but we did have a very successful sale I sold 2/3 of what I brought out of the house and I am having another one in 2 weeks which will hopefully leave our attic empty and all out closets organized.

I really do need to write more often though. I know there was a lot of other stuff that happened but I simply can’t remember that far in the past (or I am just blocking the memories) Either way I am going to make a new goal of 3 posts a week…so we’ll see how that goes. Wish me luck!!

Say What??

I am starting a weekly series. Every Wednesday I will feature a few of those cute sayings the boys have. Some of them will be current ones some will be ones from the past. I am tired tonight after a very tired after a long day with Joseph out of town so I am going to just to 2 quick quotes that are current favorites of the boys:


First a Caleb gem... [Pointing at his fingers] “Mommy…one booboo…two booboo…three booboo...two booboo…lots of booboos I need dodo-pop (soda pop) fix da booboos.”
I need to first explain that I have a bit [cough cough don’t notice the HUGE understatement] of a diet coke addiction. I got better while I was pregnant with Addie and since she is nursing I have switch to caffeine free, but there is still a lot around. I try not to give it to the boys too much, but I am not good at telling them no. For some reason Caleb decided that a drink of dodo pop makes his booboos better similar to a kiss from momma or a band aid. After having a drink he will often follow up with... ”thank you momma...booboos all gone.”


Clay can often be seen running in circles in the living room while doing robot arms “I am roooo-dot” nope that’s not a typo...rodot…how freaking cute is that. Oh I just want to squeeze him thinking about it.


That’s all for tonight I am gonna go to bed.


ohhh...If you have any favorites from the past or present let me know and I'll feature them. I know there is stuff out here I have forgotten, hopefully others with remember.

Mattress Mayhem and the BIG BAD WOLF

My two beautiful angels used to be the best sleepers a mother could ever hope for. They would go to bed at 7:45, walk right to their beds, give you a big hug, lay down close their eyes and go to sleep. Yes, it was that simple. They would sleep until about 8:00 in the morning. Right after lunch they would again walk right to their beds, lay down and nap for anywhere from 2 1/2 -4 (YES 4!!!!) hours. It was amazing, it was wonderful...and I bragged one to many times.

Starting about the time the princess was born things headed down hill. And in the last 2 months getting them to sleep at all is a pipe dream. They rarely nap, they fall asleep late and they wake up early. See what you get for patting your self on the back over what an amazing job you are doing....You have all been warned, Pride goeth before the fall.

Let me give you a few examples of the creative ways that Caleb has been trying to negotiate his way out of nap time. Before I begun I need to explain that Caleb loves the Big Bad Wolf....yes, the huffin' puffin' , house blowing, piggy eating, Big Bad Wolf. I don't know where the infatuation started, but he spends a significant portion of his day talking about, or pretending to be, the Big Bad Wolf. He will walk up to kids at the park with his hands held up like "scary claws" in front of his face at yell (yes YELL) "ERRRRRRR...I the WOLFFFF...I blow your house down" followed by blowing at the child. Needless to say that kid hightails it out of there and Caleb has no idea why (we have been working on this and he is getting better about asking them to play wolf first).

So that explained...on to his nap time antics. At nap time I will hear him leave the room and close the door behind him and the start to tiptoe (because tiptoeing makes you invisible of course) out to the living room. When I catch him with my amazing invisible kid sensing eyes. I ask him what he is doing....his answer...get ready for it...

"Shhhhhh Momma, the big bad wolf is sleeping"
"The big bad wolf is sleeping?"I ask. He nods. "Where is the big bad wolf sleeping?"
"In my bed." he responds matter of factly. "Shhh momma, can't go in there, have to play, big bad wolf in my bed."

Hmmmm...excellent try my son, but not going to work on this momma. So I have to head into his room and in no uncertain terms tell that big bad wolf to get out of his bed and let Caleb nap. I tell that wolf if he comes back he is going to be in trouble. We turn and watch that wolf walk out of the room and I put Caleb back in his bed and he lays down. Score one for Mom. I am feeling oh so clever. That works for a few days and when he realizing the old wolfy isn't getting him out of nap he decides that it is time for more drastic measures...and it' time to call on the bubba's help.

So for the last, oh I don't know, four or five days he has decided to wage nap time war on the mattresses in the room. My mistake here is that Joseph an I still have them sleeping in their cribs that are converted into toddler beds. Those mattresses weigh almost nothing, which makes them fair play for mischief making. It all started with Caleb pulling Clay's mattress off Clay's bed in order to cage him under his bed. No, Caleb didn't force Clay under the bed, Clay often prefers to sleep under the bed rather than on it (one of the many things I have stopped asking why about). This of course pisses Clay off and he starts screaming and Momma comes in and breaks it all up, sending everyone back to their own beds. At some point Clay realized if he helped Caleb he wouldn't get trapped. So now they work together (a phenomenon that is the bane of all twins momma's existence...two minds can do infinite more mischief than one) to get both mattresses, all the sheets, and all the bedding into a big "we're not napping" pile in the middle of the room that they then climb and jump all over. This is often done so quietly that I foolishly think they have fallen asleep until the crash that comes from the inevitable fall off the pile. They even once turned a mattress on it's side and pushed against the door in an attempt to keep momma out.

(Eye beginning to twitch) So as you can see. I have learned my lesson about tempting the fates with bragging. (Hands folded together) So...please please please let my kids sleep again.

Oh and by the way..Happy 5 Month Birthday Addie. Please always stay such a perfect angel (knock knock knock on wood)

under the influence of twins

If you had asked me 5 years ago where I would be I would probably have answered married to the man of my dreams and a baby or 2 ...well be careful what you wish for!!! Fast forward five years and what do you have, I am a stay at home mom to my 3 wonderful children, 3 year old identical twins Caleb and Clay (collectively known as "the bubbas") and our new baby girl Adelaide Rose. I am married to Joseph, a wonderful husband and the best father any 3 kids could ask for. We are living across the country from our Rocky Mountain roots in Newport, RI.

Time flies so fast and it is so easy to forget all the crazy wonderful and sometimes baffling things that the boys (and now Addie) do. Hopefully this blog will help me slow down occasionally and remember those times.

Readers beware, life lived under the influence of twins is a nonstop roller coaster (or to be more accurate ...2 roller coasters rarely headed in the same direction). So enjoy the tales of the good the bad and the...hang on I have to run, I hear giggling and the toilet flushing...

Three Little Monkeys

Meet the Kiddos:

Caleb,the oldest. My sweet, sensitive, silly, precocious, stubborn and occasionally grumpy little boy. He is always ready with a cuddle whenever you need, and his smile can brighten any one's day.


(for some reason this pic uploaded sideways, he is enjoying a ride in his sister's car seat)


Clay, the middle child, 8 minutes younger than Caleb. He is funny, loving, clever, sneaky and just as precocious as his brother. And as you can see from the picture he is one very cool dude




And last but not least baby Adelaide, better know as Addie, or Addie Lou . My beautiful little girl, so sweet and calm just what we needed to balance out the boys.




They are the beginning, middle, and end of my day. They are the reason I get up every day (and not just because Caleb has his fingers under his bedroom door chanting " mommy mommy mommy" for as long as it takes for me to get there). They are the source of more headaches then I can count, as well as being the reason my stomach often hurts because I can stop giggling.

Ahh kids....Can't live with them...go to jail for selling them on ebay.

Tonight while I was making dinner, Joseph had all three kids outside in the backyard with him (ahhh bliss...cooking alone). The door suddenly open and a wailing mess of preschool emerged into the kitchen ...Clay had been sent inside. It took me several minutes to get him to stop crying. I never did get the whole story as to why he was in trouble, but as his cloths were soaking wet I would wager that he either turned on the faucet or took a quick dip in the bird bath.

Once he had calmed down he decided he wanted to help me with dinner, i.e. stand on a chair in the middle of the kitchen in the most inconvenient location possible. I was stirring the rice when the following conversation occurred.

Clay: Careful Momma!! It's hot!!

Me: Yes it is, but mommy is being very careful.

Clay: Momma....It's hot like a ball-cane-OOO...

Me: Like a volcano? (he nods) then mommy had better be extra careful, that's super hot.

Clay: Watch out Momma...it will blow ..Blow...BLOW (miming an explosion with his hands)

Me: (unsuppressed giggles) I'll be careful...thank you baby.

Whatever would I do without that advice???