A Walk in the Park

If I'm going to be nominated Mother of the Year there will have to be ice cream. Since I hope to actually win the nomination, I surprised them with frozen custard. And since I hope to accept the award as a size 4, I didn't have any. I know what you're thinking - "How has she not been translated yet?"We walked four blocks from the park to the Custard Cabin. No crowd on this Friday afternoon so Andrew got his pick of tables. He enjoyed following the ants on the ground as much as he did the custard.

Is this not the cutest Ted Drewe's moment?

Everyone ordered a chocolate/vanilla twist except for Katie. She's a purist. Chocolate, please. Why mess around with anything less than perfect?

She just gets cuter and cuter every day.

These two set a personal record for "time without quarreling" today. It took a massive playground structure and frozen custard, but we're all thinking it was totally worth it. Yeah Custard Cabin!

Park Pics

Climbing is just fun for kids. This jungle gym is awesome and even Jac showed no fear. We're like that at 2 years old, aren't we? Fearless.

Caroline & Andrew
Katie heading for the pole, Alex center and Andrew up the tunnel.

Alex pushing Jac in the swing; Katie flying high.

Katie in the back, Andrew's legs and Alex in front.

This quad-totter is really terrific. I thought it was just a balance beam until someone touched it and each piece moves in opposition to the next. Really fun to all be on it at the same time.

Summer Stuff

This morning I went visiting teaching and it was such a perfect day we visited outside in the garden. After that, I didn't want to be inside and have been wanting to be a better mom...so we had lunch and went to the park. I think taking your children to the park makes you a better mom. It also puts more space between your children thereby diminishing the arguments. Good math there.

Awesome 4-part Teeter Totter type contraption that we could all play on together...

Andrew pushing Jac on the swings. (Not pushing her down, not pushing her around. Or visa versa. Great math.)

Caroline is something on that fireman's pole. She swings around it like the Ice Capades, her curls flying out in a fan. Awesome.

These five are Katie going all the way across...just like an old fashioned cartoon - fan the pictures in your hands really fast and you can see what a great girl she is!

More park pics to come!

Jam 2010

I could hardly believe it when June arrived. You realize what June is don't you? Strawberry season! I called Bigelow's and ordered 2 flats. Picked them up last Tuesday and made our jam. These strawberries are ginormous! I put one here on the watermelon to give you some perspective. I ate that one and juice burst out everywhere. Never had that happen before with a strawberry. They had wonderful flavor too.

These 2 are my "hullers." Good workin' girls! Alex saved me literally hours of labor and I was so thankful. She's awesome. Jac is great at pulling off the stems and passing them on to Alex for hulling. Wonderful girls.

I made about 16 pints of jam and the last few were a triple berry. A friend told me about triple berry jam last year and I thought, "Hmmm. Wonder if that's any good?" OH MY GOSH! Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry and honey made our triple berry jam and I think I shall never go without it again. It is amazing. Alex and I were just talking about getting another flat...we love the strawberries!

Life Lessons

Around here most of us have shoes with buckles or velcro. Or we just slide. It's not on purpose, but it's turned out that way. It occurred to me recently that my girls don't know how to tie a bow yet. Some teacher I turned out to be.
I repented yesterday and gave each of them a good long ribbon and a "whooo-whooo." A whooo-whooo is our family name for an empty paper towel or toilet paper roll. After the paper is off they are best used to cry "whooo-whooo" through the neighborhood. Reveille sounds great when played on a whooo-whooo too. Anyway, here is what my girls learned to do!

They've been racing this morning to see who can tie the most bows. Here's the current score: Alex - 33, Caroline - "I'm not keeping track." Katie - 21

Revised statement from Caroline: "37, I think. Yes, 37."

Father's Day 2010

Our girls are good at planning things secretly and never letting the recipient know they were ever remembered. It's like they don't realize there needs to be a "reveal." For all the "ta-da!" that goes on around here, they cannot muster a "Happy Father's Day" to save their lives. They were so excited to sing in church to their father and they were sure that he'd forgotten they were doing it, since he's not been in Primary for nearly three weeks. Sunday morning Scott said, "Somebody is going to be sung to today..." Alex was devastated. "He remembered! It was going to be a surprise! Now it's ruined."

Scott was actually talking about the twins being sung to for their birthday, but the devastation was so emotionally taxing that he never got to explain that.

They planned his Father's Day dinner, but were so engrossed in the secret menu that they never told him it was for him especially. It's a good thing we had a few tangible gifts.

The obligatory shirts since he won't shop for himself and hates it when I do...

And the Kenwood KDC-MP345U CD Receiver for his car. His "great on gas mileage" Honda has a terrific aftermarket stereo in it sans face plate. Difficult to use with no buttons, so we're taking it out and installing the new Kenwood. (Insert endorsement here: I love Crutchfield! I got on the website looking for a radio and after a couple of minutes thought "I have no idea what I'm doing." So I called them. Faster than greased lightning I had the perfect car stereo purchased and on it's way to Scott. They have great products and amazing customer service. For all your electronics needs, call Crutchfield.) When the Honda dies, the Kenwood will come out of it.

Scott is a terrific father, great provider and his children love him. So does their mom. Happy Father's Day, Scott!

First Day of Summer

Because every day in "morning meeting" we mention the season, we have been waiting a long time for summer. And because winter lasts well into spring around here, it seems like a really long wait. We were excited for the official start of summer and decided to celebrate by visiting a local farmer's market. This particular market is new and this particular part of the country doesn't get produce until the end of July, but we had high hopes. We were also using this as a math lesson and each child would spend $1 on their choice of fruit or vegetable.

Our celebratory event had to be moved to the grocery store across the street as there were no fruits or vegetables to be found. It was more like a flea market. A couple of ladies had garden plants, but that's as close as we got to the farming concept. Still, a nice afternoon out. At the grocery store, Katie bought 3 kiwi for $1, which she enjoyed. Alex bought 2 apricots for just less than her $1. She didn't appreciate their flavor at all, but Mom enjoyed them very much. Caroline bought 1 plum for about 47 cents. Of this experience Caroline said, "I didn't like it so I threw it in the trash."

We're looking for all new ways to waste 3 dollars again for autumnal equinox. Submit your ideas here...

Feet

Caroline to Katie: "What are you doing with your feet on the counter? I would never put my feet on the counter."

Katie to Caroline: "That's because your feet are disgusting."

Twin Birthdays!

June 16th is such a great day to have two birthdays! We began the day with star-shaped sticky notes with fun messages from Mom stuck on their beds. At least Mom thought they were fun. The girls all thought it was weird. (Mom=Weird) Cartoons before breakfast lets you know that it was a day off from everything normal. When they finally got hungry, Mom began fulfilling the Birthday Plan as ordered by Birthday Twins Caroline & Katie. These girls are planners! and they had the entire day organized down to the very last white chocolate chip.

Breakfast: McScotts (toast, eggs and bacon made into yummy sandwich...named after its creator, Daddy.)

Lunch: Classic PB&J with fruit and friends

Dinner: Chicken Fajitas with guacamole & chips

Cake: Round, with a pattern of strawberry, strawberry, blueberry on top surrounding a circle of white chocolate chips in the center. Originally a chocolate cake, Mom asked that we have white instead to go with the fruit of choice. They agreed.

Activity: A day at the beach!

Party: at night with Daddy and presents

Twin 1, aka "CareBear," arrived at 5:58 AM on June 16th, 2004 in Marietta, Georgia. A creative girl who can be found most any time with a crayon in hand. Loves sweets, movie time and getting up early. "I'm hungry," is the battle cry from CareBear. She's always hungry.

Twin 2, aka "Katie," arrived at 5:59 AM on June 16th, 2004 in Marietta, Georgia. She will say the answer to the question before you will. Every time. And 99.8% of the time, she's right. She's logical and methodical. Likes to read, play with babies and help. She is a peacemaker and she loves sleeping.

Present Time! Present Time! Open your presents and see what's inside!

Happy Birthday Caroline & Katie!

We love you and hope all your birthday wishes come true.

Still not over me yet

It is clear that when you marry your girlfriend of NINE years in the governor's mansion of your old girlfriend's home state, officiated by the governor of your old girlfriend's home state, you are not over your old girlfriend. Nine years. I have been married and out of his life for nine years. Sadly, once I was out of the picture he picked up the first bimbo to spill wine on his suit. And then it took another nine years to get the courage to marry her - in my house. Harrison, sweetie. You have to let go. If your third marriage is going to work, you have to give it all you've got. I'm gone. Forget me. Go and be happy. Good luck, baby.