Bye, Bye Summer... You were Good To Me

To celebrate summer's final days, we spent a few days together exploring the aquarium in Long Beach, swimming at a hotel pool (to my kids, this is the equivalent of a winning the lottery), and then we headed to Lake Arrowhead with Sandhya's amazing family (my TMC bff).... ahhh Summer days, so sweet, so necessary.... the rest I needed to prepare me for the working days ahead! We came, we saw, we suntanned....we got a little cranky with our husbands for not taking the freeway exits we suggested, but overall.... we loved every minute of our beautiful state! We couldn't help but marvel at the fact that here we could be enjoying the beach in one city and then within just a few hours drive, enjoying the hills and lakes of the San Bernadino mountains! It was a great send off to summer.... now perhaps, I'd better stop blogging, and start thinking about that new class I'm teaching... you know that one that starts Monday?

Twinsies Turn 5!

The day the doctor looked at my ultrasound, and said, "Now you know there are two in there, right?" was a day that I truly will never forget. I started to cry, and my sweet or crazy husband (it depends on how you view life I suppose) exclaimed, "TWINS?.... AWESOME!" I looked up at the doctor and tried to explain that I wasn't crying because I was disappointed, I was just so utterly caught off guard. As I endured a truly unbearable last few weeks of the pregnancy, and then survived the blur of their births and the year and a half that followed, I kept thinking to myself, someday they'll be five, and this will be easier....

Well, that day has come folks, and is it easier? Certainly in ways, no more days of hand washing (I had no dishwasher then) 16 bottles a day, no more days of buying diapers in bulk, and no more aching muscles from hoisting two car seats into my shopping cart (and then wondering where in the world am I going to put the groceries). The twins are indeed 5 now. Saturday was their birthday and after a weekend previous of celebrating with my parents (and visiting Build-A-Bear) we celebrated again with cupcakes made by Sandhya at a lovely cabin by Lake Arrowhead.

So now they walk, they talk, they're potty-trained and are ready to begin five day a week "transitional Kindergarten," so I guess in some ways I'm in the clear. I mean two beautiful twin girls with 14, maybe 18 years of school ahead of them, could it be any harder than the 5 years now behind me? Let me consider the possibilities....... on second thought, forget that idea. I'm going to try and just enjoy this moment.

Happy Birthday to You, Miss Noelle, you always keep me guessing, and I have a feeling you'll have the ability to charm diplomats and blue collar workers alike. Charisma is a gift, and I hope you use yours wisely. And Happy Birthday to You, Miss Maylin, you may be quiet, but I know that mind of yours is always thinking, contemplating, creating new pretty pictures and outfits for your bears. Someday, you can decorate my house, but I have to warn you it may be difficult to find pink upholstery in most stores. In gist, I love you both very much!

Uncle D Got Married!

Yesterday was the big day, Uncle D married the lovely Andrea Carnahan, Dan was a handsome groomsman, Ava gave a charming speech, and I, well, I got to buy a new dress, and enjoy a dinner out in Malibu celebrating the occasion with my friends. God is so good!

Campin' Out

When things get a little slow around here, Dad gets great ideas. First of all due to a serious lack of storage, he became inspired to create a whole wall of built ins and a desk that opens up for Lorelei. It's so awesome! We now have a place for all the little Barbie shoes, plastic animals, and toy purses we've been accumulating over the past few years!

Secondly, he set up the tent in the backyard, and the girls (well the 3 older ones) were brave enough to sleep in there until 4am when someone woke up cold and then they all ran in to our room and crashed into our bed.... With all three of them trying to wedge their legs and arms and chins in between Dan & I, I found myself teetering precariously on the very edge of the mattress for the remaining hours of the night. Needless to say, I just made an appointment with a chiropractor.