The Fog is Lifting

I'm all out of tears after my recent visit to the Fargo/Moorhead area. But I'm coming away hopeful, as the wonderful leaders and residents in the community appear to have found a way to outsmart Mother Nature, who seems to have a deep and nasty grudge against the area.

After being glued to the AM radio coverage I had live streaming round the clock, I felt I needed to get up to F/M and pitch in. It was consuming me, I wasn't able to concentrate on work, and in the big picture, they were desperate for help. I have plenty of vacation time, and frankly, rebuilding a website or sprucing up the TV Mass atmosphere could wait.

I sent out an email last Tuesday, inviting my colleagues to join me in the trek to the valley. To my dismay, I heard from a small handful of folks who mentioned they'd like to go, but they had meetings scheduled, etc. The rest didn't even acknowledge the email. Not even to say they'd say a prayer or anything. To say I was disappointed is an understatement to say the least. I work for the church, after all.

Wednesday afternoon, I tearily began to prepare for being out of the office, when one of my colleagues who had shown some interest stopped in to offer her support. As we talked a little bit, my tears spilled. Normally Little Miss Self Control, I was embarrassed and surprised at my inability to contain myself. My kind colleague gave me a tight hug and left. When she returned about 20 minutes later, she dropped a fat wad of cash on my desk. It was from her department. They asked if I would put the money toward whatever was needed most up there. I cried some more. About 10 minutes later, she walked in with another pile of dollars. And a few minutes after that, she arrived with even more. This kind soul went around to all the offices and rabble-roused enough to get folks to see that even some prayer would be helpful at that point.

The next morning, I used funds to buy granola bars, bags of nuts, and bottled waters. And then I stopped at Fleet Farm to buy some knee-high rubber boots, which proved to be the best investment of the year for me.

I left a beautiful sunny Saint Cloud and headed up I-94 early in the morning. About 75 miles outside of Moorhead, I hit an insta-blizzard. Traffic was about 40 mph the rest of the way in, with little visibility, except for a clear image of all the ice on the roads beneath me.

As I drove into Moorhead, I was glued to the news radio and quickly realized that I'd better stay on the Minnesota side. If I crossed into ND, I might not make it back out. I drove into the north end of the city - cars lined the sides of the roads for miles, meaning volunteers were all over the place. The driveable roadway was narrowing quickly as water was coming onto the road. The whipping wind and snow were certainly not helpful.

Each time I saw a large gathering of workers, I stopped and handed off boxes of granola bars. A few people mentioned that they were starving - hadn't daring to take a moment to look for something to eat. The Red Cross has been fantastic with supplying meals to the folks working on the main dike that's intended to save Fargo/Moorhead proper or in the FargoDome filling sandbags, but they haven't been able to be everywhere. In the development where I was working, many of the people in the area had been working through the night. Many had tears of appreciation and exhaustion in their eyes. I watched one couple in their 50s as they left their home, throwing in the towel as the water surpassed their sandbag wall and consumed their home. Absolutely heartbreaking.

I made my way to the house of a friend of mine. I'd never been there before, but I know I enjoyed her friendship when I was in the Mothers of Multiples club in Fargo. Like me, she has three little ones, twin toddler girls and a baby boy. She was evacuating the kids so she could get back and sandbag. I worked with her husband and her father-in-law to get their belongings up as high as possible. To get to her house, I had to wade through a driveway of knee-high ice and water. I had to walk slowly so the water didn't come over the top of my boots - there was about an inch clearance. As the water continued to rise, I decided I needed to leave to ensure I could get back home to pick up my kids. The road I left on was fully submerged and was closed by the authorities about 10 minutes after I left. Closer to Highway 10, I stopped and helped sandbag at the home of some strangers for about two hours, and then headed home. I wanted to get out of the blizzard before dark. On my way back, I saw numerous military convoys heading to Fargo.

My friends went to their in-laws' house in South Fargo after being asked to evacuate that night, only to be woken in the middle of the night to be evacuated from there, as well. Now that the first crest occurred - and much lower than predicted - we are celebrating! But the drama is not over, and this community is still dependent on those dikes holding all that water back.

I ask you to please spend as much free time as you have these upcoming days and weeks keeping these folks in your prayers. Also please remember to thank God for providing most of us with a safe, comfortable place. To those who have been praying already, thank you so much.

My sister and her family are still there, along with hundreds of our friends, relatives, colleagues and clients. All are physically safe as far as we know, but they are facing a lot of devastation via property loss, revenue loss, business loss, etc.

I hadn't realized that I consider F/M to be my hometown, but this confirmed it. In the town where I grew up, I know maybe a dozen people still, if that. Our family left over a decade ago and I really haven't spent any time there since. Fargo's where it's at folks. God bless the whole community.

Here are a couple of links to see some of the pictures. http://www.davearntson.com/ http://www.kfgo.com/Photos/index.html

Icky Diet Plan

Knowing that so many of those most dear to me are battling Mother Nature in Fargo right now has completely ruined my appetite. The last few days, nothing sounds good - not even ice cream. I have such an unsettled feeling that is just consuming me.

I feel completely helpless here - I'm too swamped at work to just leave right now - I am running a one-woman-shop to make a three-person-show go on. And yet, I really want to be in the thick of it, filling sandbags, feeding volunteers, praying together with those who are so scared right now.

May God be gentle on all those who are in the thick of it. And may the prayers from afar make a great difference in these coming days.

Please don't ask

Please don't ask my kids about the president. Don't even utter the words president, Barack, or Obama.

After we laid the kids down to bed tonight, and all was mostly quiet, DH came racing down the hallway to grab me from the living room. He was laughing hysterically and silently all at once. As we tiptoed down to Lillian's room, he explained breathlessly that she was talking to herself.

"Why is President Obama brown? Because Gramma Pamma pooped on him."

We obviously have some exposure issues and we need to spend a little more time outside of our almost completely caucasian community. I am shaking my head as I write this.

And the lepers lept about

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We only have what my dad describes as a "very wee bit" of Irish in us, but we still celebrate the holiday with the rest of the world. We all wore a bit o' green today and enjoyed some wonderful Irish Soda Bread, which I baked late last night for a potluck at work. I doubled the batch and brought a loaf to daycare and left one here for DH, too. It was a hit all the way around.

When I picked up the kids from daycare this afternoon, they bounded out the door and nearly knocked me over. They were bubbling and babbling about how the tiny little lepers came during lunch and left green hamhocks all over the house and the lepers are so tiny you can't see them and they do silly things and they are tiny and...

I nearly fell over laughing.

At supper, we talked about ice cream - the girls requested to have white ice cream in pine cones. And then Breanna said she wanted to have some "opie meal" (oatmeal) for breakfast tomorrow. I sometimes wonder about their speech dysfunction, but they're so funny, I'm going to cross my fingers this stage lasts for a while.

Here's my soda bread recipe if you're interested. It's one of my new favorites.

Irish Soda Bread (with a little Finnish Flair)

INGREDIENTS
4 c. all-purpose flour
4 T. white sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cardamom
1/2 t. salt
1 stick margarine, softened
1 c. buttermilk
1 egg
1 c. currants (or dried cranberries or raisins or apricots)
½ stick butter, melted
¼ c. buttermilk
a few pinches of sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, salt, and margarine.
3. Stir in 1 cup of buttermilk, egg, and dried fruit.
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly. Form dough into two rounds and place on opposite ends of a sprayed baking sheet.
5. In a small bowl, combine melted butter with 1/4 cup buttermilk; brush loaves with this mixture. Use a sharp knife to cut an 'X' into the top of the loaf. Sprinkle top with sugar.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. You may continue to brush the loaf with the butter mixture and sprinkle with sugar while it bakes.

Why I love my family

They're just plain fun to be around, and that pretty much sums it up. My kiddos hug and snuggle with each other, and with mom and dad, too. They try to tell jokes. They start repeating Spanish out of the blue. They pray - and it makes sense. The girls are compelled to swing their fresh haircuts, just like I do. And Grant has picked up some hilarious dance moves that make us all smile.

We took the kiddos to the Home Show at the Civic Center this weekend and had a great time. We're all quite social, so these kinds of things are fun. Today our outing was church, and then grocery shopping later in the day. Nothing was momentous, but it sure was fun.

After a low-key weekend at home like this, I am reminded of just how incredibly blessed I am...we all are.

No more babies in the house

It's hard to believe that Baby Grant is officially a toddler now. Honestly, he's been one for several months - he's been walking and eating tons of table food for ages, even grunting for meat, after all. And when I try to hold him and soothe him at night, I'm often fearful he'll leap right out of my arms and I won't be strong enough to hang on. The lunker is only two pounds lighter than Lillian, for pete's sake.

He's still our little honey, though, and I just can't get over how deeply in love with him I am. I still remember with such clarity the day I found out I was carrying a boy. I thought, how on earth could I have a penis in my uterus and how on earth would I handle dirt and noise and trucks and all the boy stuff that I really don't enjoy? How on earth will he be able to be heterosexual when I'm such a girly influence? And now I look back and wonder how I could have been such an idiot. Oh well.

We had a few lovely little birthday celebrations. On his actual birthday, Breanna was miserable with a cold, so we had a tea party/birthday party with just the five of us. We'd planned a birthday party for friends and family the following weekend, but by then, the other two kiddos picked up Breanna's cold, so we postponed another week. The real party was smallish, but nice nonetheless. My folks and my sister and niece came over, as well as our very-loved next-door neighbors.

Amidst all the colds and chaos, the girls have been making me question the logic of the English language, and I've realized that perhaps I wouldn't make such a great grammar teacher after all. Last Sunday, since Daddy wasn't feeling good, he and Grant stayed home from church. Once church was done, I called home and they were both napping, so I decided to take the girls out for lunch. They're social and they just go crazy for any kind of outing and that way we wouldn't bring our energy home and shake up the place.

We went a place called Pacific Wok - a very clean - very Americanized sushi/Asian grill. I figured the girls could eat stir fry - they love veggies and meat - and I'd seen pineapple skewers on the menu - perfect. Little did I know that each girl would dump her water out all over the table at different times. Little did I know that they'd refuse to eat the carrots, meat, rice, etc. etc. They only ate pea pods. Not even the pineapple. And then they started confusing themselves (and me) as we talked about pea pods and peeing in the potty. They sound very alike, after all.

Two women across the fairly empty restaurant were compelled to come over and let us know how entertaining we'd been. Lovely. And then came my favorite phrase, "I don't know how you do it. Glad it's you and not me." Had I not had two very impressionable young ladies with me at the moment, I might have considered going off about judging people and manners, etc. Instead I just replied with a very sweet smile, "Yeah, me too." And then I turned from her and busied myself with the twins. One the way home, they started asking about pushing buttons (to get someone upset) and pushing belly buttons (to get someone to laugh) and about eating buttons on shirts (to get an owie tummy). Too many buttons for my taste. Literally and figuratively.

Enough on that for now. Enjoy the photos. And have a fantastic, safe weekend.

Still Kickin'

In case you've been wondering, we're still alive. Busy as hell, and that's no understatement, but still here. The kids and DH are all sick with nasty colds. And very sleepless nights. We've even had to postpone Baby Grant's first birthday party. I'd hate to spread the wealth of ickiness.

Since my assistant quit a few weeks ago with no notice, I've been running a very big ship at work. Add to that that we've had weekends sprinkled with family visits, weddings, etc., and so it's been nuts.

It all equates to very little free time. I'll post more once I get my head on straight. And here we go again, someone just woke up with a cough and a cry. Gotta run.

A Family Weekend Ahead

We get to go to a Valentine's Day wedding this year. I know most of you are probably rolling your eyes, but the folks getting married come from a mighty fun family, so we're almost guaranteed a fun event. It's my third cousin - his mom and my dad have been close from the start. We've got a babysitter lined up to come back to the hotel with us so that once we get the kiddos to sleep, we can sneak back to the reception for some boogieing.

To add to the excitement, my sister and my new little niece are coming, and perhaps my brother-in-law, too. It's been a LONG time since I've seen them and I've been so very lonesome for them. I look forward to just being together, all of us. My folks will be there, too.

Then come Monday, some bank holiday (which particular one, I forget), my office is closed, as well as the bank that my sister-in-law works at. We're meeting at a waterpark in the Twin Cities for the day with each of our hubbies and three kids in tow. Should be fun!

Hooray for things to look forward to on the weekends. The stress of workweeks can sometime drain even me, but by figuring out little reasons to celebrate, everything comes into perspective. I am truly blessed with a wonderful family, some very terrific colleagues, a handful of amazing volunteers, and oodles of fantastic friends. The people you surround yourself with truly make all the difference. Have a great rest of your week, my friends! And enjoy counting your blessings!

Silly Lilly

Our Lillian has some cute little quirks, and some really funny moments, too. Her voice is the sweetest, softest, ittiest bittiest little girl voice in the world. When she does something like the following story, I can't help but just scoop her up and smother her with kisses.

On Friday afternoon, after returning to our house with my mom and our friend, Vivian, Lillian came in and saw DH's paper face mask that he'd been using while painting earlier in the day. She promptly strapped on top of her head and remarked that it was a party hat for Jesus' birthday party.

When we arrived home from daycare today, the girls were very interested in the rain and the puddles that showed up as a result. I had Grant with me and was already in the house when I looked over my shoulder and saw Lillian bend over, dunk her hand in a puddle, and do the sign of the cross, "Name ub da padda, da ton, holio holio pidit, amen."

Perhaps there's a future nun in the family. Or perhaps our conscious examples are paying off. Either way, our silly Lilly is just the sweetest little peanut you could find - for a two-year-old anyway.

Looking Forward

Tomorrow may seem like just another Friday, but something special will be happening in my life. Nothing huge or momentous, but special nonetheless.

My mom is coming to town and meeting with a very dear, very long-time friend, who is driving up from the Twin Cities. After some shopping and lunching, they're going to pick up my girls from daycare and take them on a field trip to Bounce Depot. And then we're all going to meet up at our house for dinner and a visit.

Like I said, nothing huge, but something to really look forward to nonetheless.

In the meantime, my assistant quit today, so instead of taking the day off and joining my mom and her friend in the daytime festivities, I'll be holding down the fort and making sure all my ducks are in a row as I make my game plan for moving ahead.

As I write this tonight, my sweet DH is painting the walls and ceilings in our basement. This is a milestone step for me, as it likely is for most homeowners and not builders. Soon, we'll get the trim up and the cabinets in and the flooring laid and then ta daa! We'll be able to finish moving into the other half of our house. I love being married to a man with an abundance of ambition and talent.

Have a fantastico weekend, my friends!

As it flies

Everything is flying these days - from staticky hair to helicopters overhead to shooting stars to the winter season. And it's all flying quickly, it seems.

I've been trying to find just 10 minutes to write for over a week now and here I finally sit. The bigger the twins become, the more they fight staying in bed. Last night, we had a battle of wills with Breanna and she ultimately won, not hitting the sack for good until after midnight. I sat watch outside her room. Just telling her to lay back down a dozen times wasn't working, nor was the threat of having to sleep in the crib, nor being placed in the crib, nor spankings, nor anything else. I think she just finally was ready to crash. When we have multiple nights like that in a row, there's no time for laundry, dishes, and other basic stuff, much less time to blog.

May this stage end quickly so I can get something done before midnight again.

After our flurry of doctor and dentist visits last month, the novelty has not worn off. Each week we hear several requests to go to the doctor or the dentist. And when the twins saw their pediatrician at church on Sunday, they literally squealed. On top of all that, each time they find something round, such as a suction cup, they "listen to the heart." Here's Lillian listening to her heart in the tub, using the froggie toy holder that suctions to the side of the tub.

Nothing too much is new with Grant except that he's walking all over the place and nearing a year. No, I still haven't figured out how we're going to celebrate. I have to get with the program ASAP. He's still the smiliest kid in the universe.

Amidst all the kid chaos, my DH has continued to work on finishing our basement. The wall guys textured today, so that's a good sign. He has some spiffy things in the hopper, I guess, and I'm really excited to see what creative things he does to make it "ours." I'm so ready to settle in I can taste it!

I can also taste the idea of accomplishing some stuff at work. I've had a ton of proposals out to my boss, our chancellor. But as you can imagine, with the Catholic church, everything moves sssssooooooooo slowly. On Friday, we talked for a bit and he acknowledged that I'm earning some trust as the young whippersnapper (not his real words, but words I have heard from our vice chancellor - ugh). I get to move ahead with a few changes that will impact the way I operate and I really hope to get a few more approved shortly. I have hope. And I have great colleagues who keep me grounded and lend me patience when my hope runs thin, so that helps a ton.

All in all, I feel very blessed. I'm living the most unglamorous life, but it is so very rewarding. Even if it means I'm always exhausted and looking whipped. And driving a green minivan. I really wouldn't trade much.

Some More 2-year-old Doozies

Now that all signs of humidity have departed, we're getting shocks all over the place. Each time the girls get shocks, they off-handedly comment, "Bug bite." And then they go on doing whatever they were doing.

I'd almost forgotton, but with all of our pronounciation focuses, we often get over-pronounciation from the twins. They were excitedly wishing everyone near them, "Happy ne-ude year."

And tonight, as we listened to a music CD that my folks gave Grant for Christmas, one on which the band uses Grant's name throughout the songs, some little kids chimed in on a few songs. Breanna talked about the monkey chips, and I didn't get it right away, but finally realized she was getting at "chipmunks." Sure enough, the next time the kids sang, they sounded an awful lot like monkey chips.

Some call this time the terrible two's, but really, when this kind of stuff is going on, who can't help but smile?

Knock it over

As the noisiness was getting louder and the naughtiness getting naughtier, Lillian declared, "Mana, knock it over." After a few more iterations, we realized she was telling Breanna to knock it off. The weekend was full of doozies like that. The twins are realizing the relationship between names and titles, and so I was called Rebecca Mommy a lot this weekend, as well. There were others that I meant to write down, but darn it - I've lost them - hopefully not forever. Since I'm not a baby book kind of gal, this is it. And I'm failing my kiddos in documentation. :(

All weekend long, Grant was walking all over the place, and now that he knows he gets a big reaction, he puts on quite a show. He is still the smiliest kid I've ever seen.

After naptime this afternoon, the girls and I went skating on the pond. It was beautiful out! Breanna was in heaven, laying down and picking up ice shards in her mouth and doing some belly flops into the snowbanks, where she could gobble fresh snow galore. Lillian just wanted to sit on mommy's hip while we would step, step, glide, step, step, glide. The shrill giggle she let loose when we started to spin was fantastic! This pond has been just wonderful! DH and Grant came down to say hi at the very end of our adventure.

It felt great to spend a weekend at home. Even though I traveled to a small writers conference in Fergus Falls for a few hours on Saturday, the main thing is that we didn't have to pack or unpack anything. While our Christmas decor is officially put way now, the snowmen are appropriately still keeping us company. Sounds like we might be seeing a blizzard come our way this week, so that's always kind of fun.

DH has really been going to town on finishing our basement. I was suprised to walk downstairs on Friday and see the fireplace in place - it's really cute. I can hardly wait until we can truly finish unpacking and get settled in already. I just keep reminding myself that I've made it this long, and the end is in sight. No need to freak out. Much, anyway.

By the way, here are some fun photos. Lillian was helping Papa 'tebe shave and Grant was enjoying his bon bon at my folks' place in the woods. The girls also LOVE to climb into the double sinks in our guest bathroom and play with their tiny dollies. The day this photo was taken they were in there for a full hour.

Good Report

Lillian and I are at home today after a quick little operation this morning. She did beautifully. I am so glad I was able to be with her as she went out and came back to.

When the dentist came out to give us the report, she said, "And we didn't even need to do the baby root canals." After she left, DH and I both realized that that was the first we'd even heard about that problem. So, Lillian now has a couple of stainless steel crowns on her bottom molars and everything else is sealed up tight.

I just painted her nails and we're going to enjoy the rest of the day with no other kids to share attention with. Breanna and Grant are at daycare. Let the snuggling begin!

Big Kids

Quick update on the kids after a great visit with our new pediatrician, who we learned is also a daddy and goes to our church, too. Everyone got marvellous reports, especially when he realized the girls are completely potty trained when they're awake.

Breanna - 35.5 inches tall and 31.5 pounds (50th percentile for height, 50th for weight)

Lillian - 34.5 inches tall and 28 pounds (30th percentile for height, 20th for weight)

Grant - 29.5 inches and 21 pounds, 5 ounces (90th percentile for height, 70th for weight)

Hooray for growing kids! Now let the tough appointments begin, starting tomorrow with Breanna at 9:00. Wish us luck!

P.S. While the friendly doctor did not sing the teapot song like Breanna predicted, he did indeed serenade us with a mini rendition of "no more monkeys jumping on the bed." And then he got the girls to help him feed the fish in his aquarium. It was seriously a great visit!

A New Year Begins

Happy 2009! I hope you're rested and rejuvinated after the holiday breaks. We kind of are. As rested as you can be with three under three in the house.

We sent off my dear cousin, Billy, on his big trip to California this past weekend. I bawled after he pulled out of our cul-de-sac after a lovely little visit, but I know that he'll find great things on his journeys.

We also spent some time sledding and skating at home, getting to know our neighbors a bit better. We had an impromptu cocoa and pizza party here Saturday afternoon, and two families came over to join us. What a nice group of people to live near!

Our kids are hilarious and busy as ever, talking more and more. Grant included. The twins are really getting into pictures, and this weekend, we discovered that they can't tell themselves apart in photos. At all. Like, less than 2% accuracy.

And every big-eyed smiling baby, even in the magazines, are all Baby Grant to them. Their pronunciations are still kind of goofy, so we often raise our eyebrows, and then crack up once we realize what they're getting at.

This past weekend, they referred to Dan's shirtless top as his "chest," because as he's explained to them, daddies don't have boobs. The twins don't say "ch" or "s" the greatest, so it sounded like "tits." What???? After about 8 or 9 attempts, and many dirty looks between DH and me, wondering what kinds of terrible language the other has been using in front of the kiddos, we finally realized "chest."

Tomorrow, we take all three kiddos in to a new family doctor for checkups; they're all overdue. We practiced doctor exams tonight, and that's when the girls told us that when they get to the doctor, he'll tell them, "no more monkeys jumping on the bed," (per Lillian) and that he'll sing us the little teapot song (per Breanna). Sounds way more fun than when I go in.

And then Tuesday, the first of many dental procedures will begin for Breanna and on Thursday, Lillian has her surgery. What a crazy week ahead! Please keep us in your prayers - for pain-free, non-traumatic events.

May your first full week into the new year be much less chaotic than ours.

Christmas Greetings!

As the holiday chaos is winding down I'm finally having a few moments of peace. We're home after most of our travels and everyone is in bed but me. I just finished up editing a magazine that I edit, and now I'm enjoying a cup of something warm and sweet that my hubby made for me before he hit the sack - perhaps it's a butterscotch or vanilla milk or something like that. Yum!

We've been mighty blessed with a great family and wonderful friends, so I really can't complain about much. I keep reminding myself that in the grand scheme, we are living in huge abundances. When I'm feeling stressed, though, I sometimes am tempted to let myself get into the "Why me?" syndrome that I so hate. Maybe if I just get it out there tonight, I can let it go and instead focus on how very blessed we are in so many bajillions of ways.

Amidst all the Christmas preparations, we learned that our twins didn't escape their TTTS and prematurity completely unscathed. After noticing some very beige molars as we brush their teeth with them each night, we took them into a pediatric dentist, who confirmed that that is not normal in 2 year olds who brush good every night and don't walk around sucking on sippy cups and lollipops.

They were diagnosed with hypoplastic teeth, which basically means that they did not form the top layer of enamel needed to protect teeth. Kids with this condition usually have big discolorations, very sensitive teeth, and extreme vulnerability to decay. Poor Lillian has it worse than Breanna, but both girls certainly have the condition. And wouldn't you know it, this is the first employer I've ever worked for who hasn't had a dental insurance option. Darn it anyway!

So, Miss Lillian is going in for surgery on January 8, where the doctors will give her at least one stainless steel crown, X-rays to find out how many cavities are there besides the four we can see with the naked eye, fill the cavities, and then seal every tooth surface of her mouth. I didn't get to be at Breanna's dentist visit and diagnosis due to a work thing, but it sounds like we will be able to get her mouth under control over the course of several dental visits, but no general anesthesia/surgery. Since their exams less than a month ago, I can see the visible difference in how much the discoloration is progressing on their back teeth. Thankfully, the front ones haven't been affected yet and we'll be able to stop it with the sealants.

I feel so bad for these kids. I just hope and pray they aren't uncomfortable or scarred for life. And I also really really hope that they aren't the in 60 percent of kids with the condition who have it in their permanent teeth, as well.

Luckily, they both loved their trips to the dentist, and often shine a flashlight into one another's mouth to count teeth and "tickle" them with floss. Cross your fingers it stays this way.

This all means that the next few weeks are going to be a flurry - medical checkups (all three kiddos go in to a new doctor whose name I can't even remember on the 5th), dental procedures, Lilllian's surgery, and my continued quest to find contacts that I can see in. (I found some finally that stay in my eyes while I'm on the computer, but I can't see so clearly in them. Grrr. I go back on Monday for another re-check.) DH and I are both overdue for our own dental exams/cleanings, but honestly, who has time?

I hope to have some more energy tomorrow so I can blog about some of our funnier phrases/pronounciations around our house. Like me-geek (music). Those can cheer me up in a snap. As expensive as they are, I just love living with a house full of kids.

Christmas Tree Hunting Photos

We went hunting for a Christmas tree on Thanksgiving weekend when Uncle Russ was visiting.

The girls each found their own tree to take home (Breanna's tumbleweed and Lillian's stick). What a fun way to kick off into holiday fun!

At Home At Last

As we're settling into having two parents back in one house again, I think we're all finally starting to feel at home. I've been able to fall in love with my dear husband again and again each day as I remember just how much I enjoy spending time with him. The girls are finally tall enough to turn the bathroom light on and off when they go in to potty, and Grant is creaping laps around the living room/kitchen like nobody's business.

Lillian is becoming more talkative, and her pronounciations are hilarious. Sometimes it takes us a while to figure her out, but she's the most patient little girl. When we take wild guesses, she calmly says no and then tries again. Like "loobooboo" = living room. "Ment tuck" is cement truck. And "ninnehbadbad" is gingerbread man. There are many more that I have jotted down in various notepads, hoping I never forget that squeeky little voice.

Breanna has not slowed her chattiness now that Lillian can keep pace. That makes for lots of nonstop noise in our house. But it's mighty fun. The other night in the tub, Breanna pointed at herself and declared, "I'm Lillian." DH then asked Lillian who she is and she smiled shyly and said, "Me Breanna." They clearly have their daddy's humor. Let the games begin.

And while these crazy girls are getting sillier, Grant continues to grow huger (more huge?) by the day. He's in 18-month onesies and size 4 snow boots. All boy, he grunts and growls and hollers (all in fun) and lets us know he's full of testosterone. He's so incredibly strong, I'm often afraid he'll leap right out of my arms. He's taking a few steps at a time now, so his forehead is looking mighty lumpy and purple. But as rough and tough boyish as he is, he's still the sweetest, funniest baby I've ever met.

In fact, I told my mom just this weekend about a thought that keeps coming to mind. I'll bet that when Jesus was a baby, he was just like Grant. Always happy. Always sweet. And with those big, friendly eyes that seem to look into your soul and smother you with yummy kisses. You just can't help but be drawn in and fall in love each time you catch his eyes.

I couldn't imagine a more fulfilling life.

I often think I'm married to a 14-year-old

The poop humor that comes from my dear hubby is ridiculous and I don't know how to deal with it besides rolling my eyes and shaking my head. His latest trick is to tell the twins that mommy's pooping stinky poop each time I leave the room - regardless of where I am or what I am doing. Each time I return, the girls ask me about my stinky poop.

Our daycare lady thinks it's hilarious. I would like to poop on my DH. The fun never ends in our household.

Feeling Blurry

There's no other way to describe it right now. I'm swamped at work, busy at home each night, and battling with trying to find some contacts that work for my eyes. Add in a little long-distance in-law drama and I'm blurry.

It's not helpful that since getting Bell's Palsy 2.5 years ago, my right eye is going down hill. It still doesn't fully close when I blink -only when I sleep in the dark. The eyeball is changing shape and so now I have some major astigmatism. As I'm experiementing with contacts to find some that I can see with, I'm blinking the right one out all over the place. And tackling headaches as the side effect of the changes.

I'm going to call tomorrow to see if Lasik might be an option to explore. I wonder if you need a good blink for it to work. We'll see. In the meantime, I'm switching out to glasses before I fold up these last two loads of laundry for the night.

Have a restful weekend ahead, my friends!

Too Cute Even Late

I just came across this photo of the twins on Halloween night. Even though technically we've entered the Christmas season, there's still no snow outside, so I'm justifying posting this pic in December.

All They Want for Christmas

Wow - what a rush of the past couple weeks! Thanksgiving morning we learned that DH's sister in Idaho is expecting a baby. She'd been told she was infertile and her fiance had had the big V during his first marriage years ago, so needless to say, everyone is quite shocked, especially the parents. I'm excited to become an auntie again!

After Thanksgiving dinner down in the cities with my mom's sisters and their families, we headed up to my folks' house on Friday for the annual Lighting of the Luminaries Festival in Nisswa. Our girls loved it. Grant slept through the first hour and a half of it - cozy warm in the stroller. He was oblivious to his first horse-drawn carriage ride, but oh well.

When the girls met Santa for the first time, there were sparkles in their eyes as they gazed longingly at his basket of candy canes. He asked what they'd like for Christmas and they said, "Potty treats." Santa said, "What?" My mom whispered to the girls to just tell him they wanted baby dolls. It's clear what stage we're in at our house. Thankfully, our girls are great with the potty training - we even went into porta potties in the dark and they pottied like true champs.

We topped the evening with a couple pizzas outside and then back to my folks' place. The fellas sat in the hot tub while my mom and I bonded once the kids were all asleep.

Saturday we took DH's cousin, Uncle Russ from up north, out on a Christmas tree hunt. DH found a Christmas Tree Farm & Holiday Destination just 15 minutes out of town. The tree selection was fantastic, although the sand pickers were not the most appealing. It was so warm out we didn't wear our mittens and the girls had a great time playing peek-a-boo in the woods. Breanna found a tumbleweed for her tree and Lillian found an old stick. Merry Christmas!

The rest of the place was a theme full of settlers in full costume - we learned how to make rope, climbed hay bales, watched the guys throw tomahawks, ate real kettle corn, and enjoyed a big bonfire. When we returned home, my sister and her family arrived to help us put up the tree and decorate it. Uncle Russ's parents got a hotel room nearby (hooray for pools), so everyone went swimming after supper while I laid Grant down to sleep early after the long day outside. I then prepped for his baptism luncheon the next day.

Sunday morning we raced nonstop until we reached the church. DH called his sister, who we'd asked to be Grant's godmother. She was up in Wahpeton and had assumed we'd changed the date because we had only invited her once and not confirmed the date after that. So, she and her family hopped in the car in their blue jeans and raced to our church (a near-3-hour drive), arriving about 10 minutes after the baptism ended. Oh well, it worked out fine anyway. Uncle Russ was there as godfather and the service was really informal. We even sang "This Little Light of Mine." We had a big lunch of homemade pizzas and a nice afternoon of visiting, and then finally the evening was quiet.

DH and I relaxed in the recliner, shared a glass of wine, and marveled at how busy everything is still. Exhausted, we threw in a load of laundry and hit the sack by 10. Ahh, we made it. And now we're already in the heart of Christmas season. Hooray! Our girls are becoming dancing fools as we enjoy the holiday music. What fun!

A Saturday without a Schedule

Tomorrow, DH and the twins are heading to my folks' house. DH will leave the girls with Gramma Pamma and then he's going to spend the day trimming out my cousin's nearby cabin. Baby Grant and I will have the whole day to ourselves to bond and visit while I unpack.

What will be unpacked is up for debate - my practical and whimsical selves are dueling right now. While I really should be looking for the rest of the missing baby bottles before Grant grows out of them completely, as well as Breanna's pretty winter coat and my own hats and mittens and ice scrapers and forks and pantyhose and all the other stuff I could really use right about now, what I really want to do is bring in the boxes of Christmas stuff and get a headstart while the girls are out of my hair.

I'll give the report after I've had the day to enjoy. You have no idea how excited I am to brew up some coffee, turn on the tunes, fold some laundry, and just hang out with Baby Grant. He's super fun still - now standing on his own and growing braver and stronger by the moment. His looks are changing as the teeth come in, but he's cute as ever and still the smiliest kid in the universe. He's started scrunching up his nose so high I think it goes straight into his forehead. Off to bed I go so I can have lots of energy to enjoy the day!

Happy weekend!

He's Heee-eeere

My dear darling husband has finally finished up all of his far-away projects and moved in with our family officially today. What timing, as we celebrate our wedding anniversary, too!

We enjoyed an overpriced dinner and a nice bottle of wine at a neighborhood wine bar tonight, hurrying to not make our sitter stay too long. As we reflected on the past few years we've been together, we both agreed that we're the busiest people we know. We also agreed that we hope that changes a little once we get settled in to a true family setting full time now.

I'm very excited to note that I love my husband more today than yesterday, and yesterday more than the prior day. The fireworks aren't always blasting in excitement, but the comfort and respect continue to grow. I am so very thankful to have found such a terrific spouse. And now we really get to "live" finally and find our version of normal. I can only imagine how much better things will be as we slow down a bit.

Wanna hang out in Sabin on Saturday night?

My baby sister turns 30 on November 13, which means we have a great reason to celebrate. Her husband has lined up an old-time country band to come out to the Crow Bar in Sabin on Saturday night.

If you're looking for a reason to get out without having to get dressed up, swing by and say hello. DH and I will be there, and the kiddos will be at least for an hour or two until we whisk them off to the sitter. My mom will be there, too, as well as hopefully lots of other friends and family, and probably some hillbilly strangers, too. The beer will be flowing, along with most likely lots of laughs.

If you haven't been to the Crow Bar in a while, don't despair. You might be excited to know that it isn't nearly so gross now that smoking is not allowed. It's still not someplace where you'd opt for anything with an open toe, but at least you can see where you sit now (whether that's good or bad is still up for debate). So grab your favorite grubby jeans, remind yourself how yummy beer tastes, and come out for some fun.

We're in town one night only and are looking to live it up! (My cell phone number is still the same, so feel free to call, too.)

Grant Stand

Just a quick post here tonight as it's after midnight and I need to work tomorrow morning. But I'm so blown away by young Master Grant that I just had to share. He's been pulling himself up on stuff like crazy, but this weekend, he's let go and actually stood on his own a few times.

The baby gate is officially in place now and his poor little noggin has a few purple spots, but he's still all smiles.

I pulled out a box from the garage labeled Dollies, and Lillian has become quite the little mommy ever since. We've named the lavendar baby Lilac and the pink one Polly. They each have nuks and when they cry, Lillian picks them up to rock them and then shoves those nuks in as hard as she can. We still have more dollies in boxes within the box, but I figure we don't need to pull them all out at once.

We watched our lone goot (goose) play peek-a-boo from the bank of our pond throughout the weekend. Each time the goot bent down to eat some grass, he would disappear from our view. And then pop up, peek-a-boo style. The girls roared with laughter. DH started talking about having a goot dinner, being the bow-hunting addict that he is.

This afternoon he turned a new leaf. He commented that he wouldn't be able to kill the goot because it had become like a pet to our kids. (Yes!) Plus, he kind of enjoyed watching how close up to the house the goot kept coming. Plus, he feels bad for the goot because he/she probably lost it's mate (they mate for life, after all, he explained).

There's hope yet for this man who grew up in a house with the philospophy that animals are meant to be eaten and not brought into the house unless dead. Not that I'm suggesting the goot come inside, but at least this is progress toward a mentality shift for our die-hard hunter. A new day has dawned.

The Perfect Ending

Two awesome weekends in a row - how lucky are we? Halloween was super fun. My furry mouse and puppy went trick-or-treating with my hubby and my dad, along with the rest of our cul-de-sac kids and parents. My mom and Baby Grant and I stayed home, marvelling at Grant's good spirits, considering his 5 new teeth this past week. We only had two trick-or-treaters who
were non-cul-de-sac kids, so of course, we have waaaaay more candy than we'd figured we'd have. (Sneak in a suble hooray here!)

We stayed up for a while visiting, and then early Saturday morning, my mom and I road-tripped to Albertville to a giganto outlet mall. We shopped for 11 hours, with only one .5-hour deli break at around 2. I scored huge on career clothes and clothes for Grant. (We have no hand-me-downs for him, so I'm always scrounging, it seems). I also jump-started my holiday shopping. We wrapped up the night with an authentic Mexican meal, including a margarita. It was a relaxing, wonderful day to bond with my mamacita. We never seem to get time together without the kids, and this was a great time to just visit.

Sunday, we all went to church and enjoyed the service. My folks left town from there, and our family of five came home and played outside for quite some time. It was gorgeous out, and I think the kids and DH didn't come in for lunch until around 2. That's when my cousin, Unc'a Billy showed up. He and DH worked on some building project in the basement with the windows and door open, while the kids and I did our thing upstairs. Even though Lillian and Grant didn't nap in the afternoon, I still had some time to fold some laundry. I gave up on napping them and then took them to the grocery store, with Breanna still sound asleep in her crib. Lillian chatted non-stop, perhaps as much as my sister. It was shocking and wonderful all at once. Twin-free, Lilli is quite the talker!

We came home and I immediately began supper prep, and the meal turned out fantastic! We had pepper-jelly-and-dijon marinated chicken and red peppers on the grill, along with balsamic asparagus and garlic bread and the best dessert I've had in ages. Here's the recipe in case you'd like to try it. Everyone here went crazy for it.

Grilled Pineapple
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup cinnamon/sugar
1 fresh pineapple

Cut the pineapple into rings or wedges and then soak them in the coconut milk for a few minutes. Let some of the milk drip off and then dredge each piece through the cinnamon/sugar. Grill on low until tender.

So simple, but so delictable. Next time, I might try topping the slices with toasted coconut. I read a review of the recipe that said this is great served warm over vanilla ice cream. I might try that too.

I love ending a weekend with a highlight like this!

As Fall Falls Into Place

I'm digging this season. Today's near-70s temps didn't hurt. We're still spending lots of time outside and still not worrying about whether anyone's feet are freezing.

On Saturday, we went to a marathon/parade in which almost everyone there was in costume. My kids included. We all had a blast at the festivities!

Here are sneak peeks to this year's Halloween costumes. Breanna is the mouse and Lilli is the puppy. Grant is the jack'o'lantern, which is quite appropriate, considering he grew four top teeth this week and another one below, for a grand total of 8 teeth now.

Have a great Halloween weekend!

Moons Everywhere

The moon reflects so beautifully off our pond. Our bedtime routine now includes turning off the lights for the last couple minutes and cuddling as the twins and I stare out our living room window.

While at the window, we talk about the moon, about vehicle lights that go by (calling them all garbage trucks), about the far-away stars, and about the airplanes. My kids have the most perceptive vision - they even notice satellites.

While we don't have the book, the girls head off to bed after saying, "Goodnight, Moon," and then blowing kisses toward it. Guess what will be my next purchase?

Now that we know the moon so well, we're seeing the moon appear in other areas of our life. Like in the egg carton. Or the little bottle inserts that keep Grant's milk from spilling when we take bottles to go. Or inside our Oreos. Lillian gently picks up her Oreo moon and cradles it in her hand for as long as I let her - I have to threaten to take it away if she doesn't eat it.

From moon-gazing, we then go to the cribs, where we now say the "Bless us, O Lord," meal prayer, followed by the "Now I lay me" prayer. It's the greatest thing in the world to be a part of. No matter how worn out I get.

Home Sweet Home

My DH is on his way home, and I think he remembered to bring a hammer with him. Since he's been working in Fargo, his tools all stay there. That means I still feel like a renter, with nothing on my walls and no drapes in my bedroom. I need to start settling in and get some pictures up on walls - with all the chaos, I need something that feels like home.

And he's coming home finally after being gone all week! I can't wait! Yay for getting my helper back. And my hugger back, too.

I win.

I win the un-popularity contest this week. I was the most-hated person in my office today. Most likely I'll retain that title for a while.

When Bishop offered me this job, one of the last questions he posed during the interview was how thick my skin is. I reassured him it's pretty tough, but not inpenetrable. He smiled gently and said I'd have some struggles to clean up before I could make any real progress. Over the past week, the clarity to that conversation has rung out loudly.

I've been struggling with sleep issues since last week, when I realized I need to be a tough boss for the good of my employer. It's so very draining.

I'm keeping everything as professional as possible, and am praying for peace , as well as some business solutions as we face continued belt tightening and higher expectations. I'm praying for guidance to find the most effective ways to serve in this communications ministry.

I can't believe it's only Wednesday. With DH in Fargo most of this week, I'm fried physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I can hardly wait til he returns tomorrow night and can hold me in a long, tight hug.

In the meantime, I guess I'll finish up documenting my HR meeting notes, then clean up the kids' mess from supper, clean up the bathroom after the splash-fest, get to my glass of wine that I poured three hours ago, and then hopefully just crash for a few hours in a row. If you have any extra energy vibes, please send them my way this week. I'm always happy to reciprocate when I have an abundance.

More B'oken

I tell ya, if it's not messing stuff, it's wrecking stuff.

Tonight, in only the few moments it took me to race into my bedroom, shut the door, strip, toss on jeans and a blouse, grab socks and earrings, and race back out the kitchen, my darling Lillian had climbed on top of the island, grabbed the near-full canister of Grant's formula, removed the lid, and dumped it all overboard. She then hopped down, barefooted, and played with the "snow." When I realized what she'd done, I kind of freaked out and yelled. Loudly!

She simply looked up, smiled, and said "b'oken milk." She then scooped some up and explored the feeling of it pouring through her fingers. As I stood her up and put her into the sink to wash her feet, in came Breanna. Into the sink she had to go, too.

Once they were cleaned up, I deposited them onto the couch, where they needed to sit until I'd finished sweeping and vacuuming all the powder. From the couch, that's where someone broke the lamp. Both blame each other.

I tell you. Some days. If only I. Grrr. I'm so frustrated I can't even write my frustration in full sentences any more.

Karma gods, if you're doing this as a payback for some of my childhood antics, ok, I call uncle. I get it. Now stop it.

The Never-ending Marathon

I can't stop yawning, and neither can the rest of my family. We traveled to my sweet sister's house on Friday, where the kids stayed up late and we grownups stayed up waaaay later. Early the next morning, we prepped to go to Papa Russ' funeral, where we spent several hours visiting with his family. Then we raced out of town, eating on the run, off to a family friend's wedding in my hometown on Little Falls.

Lillian refused to nap, but somehow was able to strategically remove her tights without being unbuckled. Breanna slept for about 45 minutes (thank goodness) and Grant slept most of the trip once I fed him over the back seat. All of us girls quickly changed clothes in the van and then we raced into the church. We arrived at the wedding about 10 seconds before the gorgeous bride went down the aisle.

These poor kids spent about 3 hours in churches and 3 hours in car seats all in one day. I can't believe they didn't kill themselves or us. Thankfully, after all the confinement, we went dancing. Breanna showed her moves at random moments, and I'm afraid she's a young Elaine. Cute as can be, though!

Once at the wedding dance, both girls wanted to be held - right next to the dance floor, so we could "go dancing." But what they called going dancing was actually just watching everyone else dance. I tried over and over to set them down (they are SO heavy!) and twirl them or something, but they just got peeved. If I danced with them in my arms and twirled myself, they hollered because I'd blocked their view. Their favorites to watch were the polka-ers. Especially the pretty grandma in the red satin shirt. She reminded me of a cartoon on speed - and indeed was great entertainment. She was strangely hopped up, but seriously, a very talented dancer.

The girls made it til about 10, when we finally put them out of their misery and went back to our hotel. We took our dear friend, Uncle Clif, with us, and he seemed to be in awe with how non-stop our family is. The next morning, up at 7:15, we enjoyed the hotel breakfast and were at the pool's door when it opened at 8. My mom joined us and had a blast with all of us. Even Grant swam floated around, and we all enjoyed the 2-hour swim, indulging in some hot tub (hob up) time. (Not to worry, Grant only poked his toes in the hob up.)

After we finally packed up and left the hotel, we went to Perkins, where I ran into my best friend from my senior year of high school after having not seen her since my college graduation day over a decade ago. She's expecting child number 7 and looked nearly the same. Wow! Talk about a flashback.

From there, we raced home and took the girls to a birthday party for our neighbor, Ellie, who turned 8. We were all so exhausted that we fed the kids at 5, skipped baths, and had them in bed by 6:30. And then I went to work, editing the little magazine that I work on each month for a few hours. When I climbed into bed at 11, I was beat. And then the night began. Every hour, one of the kids took their turn wailing. I blame myself for letting their schedules get so out of whack. But, oh, the exhaustion.

Will we ever slow down and just catch up on rest, now that Grant is usually sleeping through the night? Gaaaaah!

Finally Family Pictures

We finally went in for "real" family photos today. Grant had his baby photos done (at nearly 8 months - yes, I know I suck). The girls had their 2-year photos (5 months into their second birthday). And we took a real family photo. I still hate my face, and am reminded of it mostly whenever I see pictures. :( Thankfully, I don't often remember my minor disfigurement throughout the day until I speak with groups of 100+ (which is not all that often).

I'll scan in a proof or two tomorrow perhaps - the kids did great. We went in a few days later than we should have though, because now that Grant is crawling (since Monday!), he was hard to contain. It was fun and nearly as stressful as getting out of the house in the morning.

Anthropology Experiment

We separated the twins for the first time on Friday night. Lillian gleefully went home with Gramma Pamma for an overnight visit. Breanna stayed home and bawled, asking, "Where'd Lilli go?" every 15 minutes.

We did our best to give Breanna a great night with lots and lots of one-on-one attention. She got to eat at the big table in a big chair - no high chair. She got to eat whatever she wanted (which happened to be lots of gomatos - tomatoes and logurt - yogurt). And then we went to Bounce Depot and jumped on all the inflatable stuff for over an hour. We took turns with her, going up and down slides, climbing, jumping, and tossing balloons in a "jumpoline." It wore all of us out (even Grant - who took many trips down slides courtesy of Daddy and Mommy's laps).

When we came home, we sang "I'm a little tea-pot" a few hundred times and did "This little piggy" a few more hundred times before we called Lilli and the girls got to talk on the phone a little bit, which was pretty darned cute.

Bedtime seemed to be the hardest for poor Breanna, so she and Daddy laid down in the big bed in Breanna's room and snuggled until they both fell asleep. When I went in a couple hours later after I'd cleaned the house and finished three loads of laundry (!), Breanna was upside down, on top of the covers, near the foot of the bed. I gently delivered her to her bed and the shooed DH out so he'd get into our bed.

The next morning, we had special chocolate chip waffles and kiwi and sips of Mommy's creamy coffee, and then packed up for a daytrip to Moorhead, where Lilli would be waiting for us with Gramma Pamma and Papa 'tebe. My sister and brother-in-law baptized their daughter up there, and we enjoyed being a part of their special day. As soon as we arrived at the church, I kind of hoped our girls would race to each other and embrace in a big hug. But naah, instead, Lilli hopped into my arms and Breanna into Gramma's and that was that. They didn't even say hi to each other.

While we were in the church, our former daycare grandma, Becky, left a frantic message on my voicemail. She was calling to postpone our dinner plans because she'd just received a call from the ER - her husband had collapsed at Menards. He had the car there, so she was waiting for her sister to arrive to pick her up and take her to the hospital. It turned out Papa Russ had a massive stroke and then passed away yesterday morning. I am so incredibly sad for poor Grandma Becky.

We'd been getting the girls all geared up to see her and Papa on Saturday, so they have really been talking about the two of them. I told them that Grandma Becky is sad and crying and that we'd go see her in a few days. Lillian said we should bring her a tubba bear. Breanna blew kisses out the side kitchen window and told me we should hug and kiss Grandma Becky. Their sweetness brought on my own tears. Knowing that Grandma Becky and Papa Russ were truly best friends, I am grieving so very deeply for her. Just imagining her heartbreak makes my stomach ache.

Please keep the family in your prayers. They lost a sweetheart of a guy and the hardest worker I've ever known.

As the Cashmere Coats

The temperature drops and the cashmere appears - today it's warming my arms and torso in the form of a beautiful gray coat. Soft, warm, smooth, and simply wonderful. I'm so happy the heat is gone!

Yesterday I drove with four other women to Arrowwood Resort near Alexandria, MN, to speak at a clergy conference. The trees could not have been more vibrant. The only thing missing was some spiced apple cider.

I surprised DH by arriving home before dinner time - and he seemed glad to have the respite. The kids, while adorable, are oh-so-exhausting. They've been chasing the "geet" (geese) off our lawn - those darn critters want to eat the grass seed that hasn't yet grown in green. I've heard that Breanna got quite close to actually catching one. : ) They love seeing them take off and land.

I hope to get in on some of that action when I return home after work today. I'll first gently remove my beloved blazer and throw on a sweatshirt so that as the girls climb up me, I can toss everything into the wash. When it comes to being around them, it's not about just the washability of their clothes, but mine as well.

Hula Loopin'

I'm not sure whether to brag or hide - while at the neighbors' across the street this afternoon, their three-year-old came up to me with her hula hoop and asked me to do it. Without a second thought, I grabbed it and hula-ed about 15 swivels. She jumped up and down with glee. Breanna yelled, "Good job, Mommy." Lilly squeeled and shouted, "Again, Mommy. More hula loop!" I was a rockstar!

Then the neighbor dad half chuckled / half snickered and asked where I get my moves. Goll - why do grownups always have to wreck my superhero moments? They're so few these days.

We played some more and chalked caterpillars on the asphalt and then finally came in for supper. Grant, whose appetite is bigger than mine, I think, ate chicken lo mein noodles and carrots and broccoli (not pureed), as well as sweet potatoes and oatmeal, three saltines, a whole fruit cup of mixed fruits, and then 6 ounces of formula. At this rate, by the time he hits junior high, our grocery bill will be higher than our house payment.

A couple of other funny moments of the day: while at Sam's Club (the only place with double carts so I can take all three kiddos), the girls saw a monster display for Halloween. It was a 6-foot monster whose face comes off as he talks all creepy. They called him a tubba bear and wanted to hug him.

And, they also saw the trampoline display hanging from the ceiling. Broken jump. Breanna told me that, "Uncle Kory pick (fix) the jumpoline." And then as we got into the frozen foods section, they saw an old man in a cowboy hat (probably around 70 years old) and Lillian said it was Uncle Kory. Apparently they miss my brother-in-law.

As we approached the flower display by the checkout, they talked about getting flowers for Grandma Becky, our past daycare lady. They remembered that we picked up a bouquet for her for her birthday in February. Talk about memories!

At bedtime, Lillian tried on a ladybug costume with antennas and quickly exclaimed, "wiggle wiggle." She loved the feeling of the bouncing antennas. The girls then climbed into Lilli's crib and Breanna grabbed the chinese jumprope and tried to hula loop with it. It was hilarious!

So obviously, I have such an exciting life that I feel compelled to share it with you. If you know my kids, perhaps it's entertaining to envision all this. If not, sorry to bore you. It's one of those things where I just need to write and I don't have anything profitable in the writing department this week (hooray!).

On an exciting note (not exciting for me, but perhaps for the fellas), my hubby shot an antelope with his bow on Friday and a deer on Thursday somewhere out in North Dakota. He'll return tomorrow with his "meat." Ick. But at least hunting is now done with and I get my helper back.

On a Lighter Note

After my last post, I learned that DH's best friend just received divorce papers - that's another one on the list this week. We're just speechless and sad. My heart goes out to them all.

So in effort to distract my oft-too-serious nature, I'm uploading more recent photos of my cute and silly kids. Even though I'm pretty sure we've officially declared the twos to be terrible after the most recent week, I do get some big kicks from my smiley kiddos.

The one of the girls in their denim cowgirl outfits shows them in their most typical state - barefooted and eating go-matos like apples.

The pics of the girls in their jammies shows how I caught them sneaking into Grant's crib. And then miss Lillian - she's growing up so much and she looks so big in her silky nightie. Is it just me or do their eyes seem huge? Time is flying and we're having fun!

Thanking a Spouse

I once heard that to make a marriage work well, each spouse should put forth 100% effort toward pleasing his/her mate above all else. At first when I heard that, I rolled my eyes. Someone would get gypped - what a sucker. As I discussed my pessimistic viewpoint with whomever started the conversation (sleep deprivation removed the sharpness of my memory long ago), I was asked to think about the grandness of both giving 100% for one another - always putting the other's needs first.

Sure, as soon as one begins to put himself first, the balance is upset and someone gets gypped. But how about making that your aim in your marriage - both agreeing to try it? My DH and I talked about this very topic tonight on the phone as we made some compromises due to our hectic scheduling these days. Neither of us is enjoying the constant running, but we're kind of stuck for right now. I'm relieved that we can openly talk (often on the phone, boo hoo) about why we're determined to support each other and not let circumstance damage our marriage. I'm so thankful to be married to the nicest guy I've ever known - he's even nicer than my dad, who's pretty darn sweet as he is.

All around us, marriages are in trouble - one after another. Family. Friends. Colleagues. Hunting buddies. Knitting sisters. This week alone, we've learned of two marriages on the rocks that are mighty close to home. I can only pray that they figure out how to get back on track before too much damage is done.

Talk about a reality check. I am so very thankful for my own great fortune in finding my Darling Husband/Awesome Daddy. I am also very prayerful right now. Our loved ones are hurting and it's not something DH or I can fix for them. Do me a favor and go kiss your spouse and tell him/her your favorite things about your marriage tonight. And then say a prayer in appreciation.

Plant Disasters

After an exhausting past few days of some special personal and work events, I brought the kids home from daycare tonight hoping for an easy evening. Grandma Barb, our daycare sweetheart, told me about the wonderful day everyone had, including the 3-hour naps. Silly me, I was an optimist.

During our 'toup (soup) dinner tonight, Breanna simply could not resist splashing in her bowl. No matter how many times I instructed her not to. And Lillian simply had to spoon broth onto her arms. Repeatedly. Both soon reverted to their earlier childhood and found it fun to drop food over the side of their highchairs. Mean Mommy took away the trays and left the girls to sit in strapped-in splendor while she rushed Baby Grant off to the tub. He was wearing more supper than he ate.

While I was bathing Grant, the girls had a screaming contest to see who was loudest and could hold their scream the longest. And then came the quiet. By the time I raced back to the kitchen, I saw that Breanna had scooted her highchair over to my favorite plant and pretty much demolished it. There are about three twigs left and perhaps a leaf or two. Dirt everywhere.

I yelled so loud my throat still hurts. I startled poor Grant, who joined in on the noise. When I asked Breanna why she ruined Mommy's plant, she said, "Breanna naughty. Funny naughty." And she laughed and laughed. For the first time, I actually considered a bare butt spank. Luckily, I'm too exhausted. Both girls went into the tub and then into bed. And they prayed so beautifully that I'm grateful I didn't spank her - the guilt would have killed me as I watched her fold her hands and say the entire "Now I lay me" prayer.

So, I've come downstairs to avoid the dirt and soup. It will suck to clean up because of the wetness and the noodles - they never sweep well. I suppose, enough procrastinating. Up I go to scrub, and then straight to bed. I'm single parenting tonight and I just need to crash. Sweet dreams.

Gramma Pamma

My girls are totally obsessed with my mother, a.k.a. Gramma Pamma. Each day, they ask where she is. They see cars they think are hers. They look for her outside the window. They tell me on the way to daycare each morning that we're going to Gramma Pamma's house.

This weekend, they were in their glory. We celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday with some family and nurses and residents at the Memory Care home in Brainerd. Everyone was in great spirits and the children brought a lot of life into those walls.

From there, Gramma Pamma drove my van and let me drive her sports car to Unc'a Billy's house, where Daddy and Papa 'tebe were replacing windows. We spent the rest of the day and evening with Gramma Pamma, playing and laughing a lot. When we left at bedtime, all the kids crashed right away, and thankfully, I did not.

When we arrived at our house safe and sound near 10:00, Breanna woke up and immediately asked where Gramma Pamma went. When I said she was at her house, she asked why. Question after question, she finally asked if Gramma Pamma went night night at her house with her pillow and blanket and bunny, to which I replied yes indeed. She then showed me the baseball-sized stone she'd brought home from my folks' house. Gramma Pamma's rock.

Then she looked up and discovered the little lights in the night sky. It was the most beautiful night we've seen in ages and so we sat on the front step (Lilli and Grant were still in the van, sound asleep). We followed an airplane with our fingers and Breanna asked if it was Gramma Pamma's airplane. Then we just snuggled in and watched the stars. It was one of the most peaceful moments I've experienced in a while. I'm warm and smiley just remembering it. To make the night an ultimate, Grant didn't get up until 7:00 this morning, meaning he slept 11 hours straight. Yes!! Now let's see what tonight brings. It's midnight and he's been sleeping since about 8:15.

Motherhood rocks.

Splendorific

Last night I had an awesome networking opportunity - I rubbed elbows with about 500 of Mlps./St. Paul's richest Catholics. I went to the preview of the Vatican Splendors exhibit at the MN History Center, along with the top donors to the Archdiocese's Foundation. While I was extremely tempted to invite my husband as my "And Guest," I decided to be a little more politically savvy. I instead invited a fellow communications director at a nearby university. We were by far much younger and much poorer than nearly everyone else in attendence, but it still was neat.

The conversation there and back wasn't nearly as entertaining had I been with DH, but it was still nice. We compared baby notes - his first son was born this summer. And we discussed lots of ways our two entities can collaborate resources.

The exhibit was wonderful. It was multi-sensory, complete with just the right ancient sounds - you could even smell the age in some of the more porous materials. Seventy percent of the artifacts have never been shown outside this exhibit - not at the Vatican or anywhere. That alone made my heart pump a little faster.

The wine was mighty nice, as well, but nothing ever could top the apple crisp at the end of the line. It came with cinnamon whipped cream and was simply divine.

I look forward to taking DH to the museum when we can go at our own pace - in much more comfortable shoes, without the hobknobbing aspect. I also thought of several other folks who would really enjoy it - my folks, the Jeffreys, Uncle Cliffy...

If you get a chance to go, do it. It's not a stuffy musuem experience in the least and the emotion it stirs is pretty powerful. I'm so thankful to have had the break in my icky schedule to do it.

Buckets of Giggles

As I gracefully single parented tonight, we had what some might call a disaster in our bathroom. I prefer to think of it as help with cleaning.

I was burping Grant in the hallway, where it was a little darker than the bright and giggly bathroom during bath time, where he'd been trying to fall asleep, exhausted from growing another tooth over the weekend. His tilly tisters were having fun pouring pishies (plastic fish) of bubble water over each other's head. All the sudden, the noise level went up about 20 decibles.

Huge splashes!

Uproarious laughter!

Little girl snorts!

Startled crying from Baby Grant!

Those crazy twins had grabbed the hair-rinsing bucket and were pouring bathwater onto the floor faster than you can imagine. All over the clean jammies I had laid out for them. And the dry diapers for the night. And the hoodie towels. And my pretty new slippers. In the few seconds it took for me lay Grant down in his crib, turn on his mobile, and race back in to the waterworks, every inch of bathroom floor was puddled. And the girls were laughing so hard they were out of breath and crying.

How can you yell when they're having so much fun? I tried really hard to have a stern face, but my goodness, their laughter was infectious! I thought about spankings, but honestly, they'd have been too slippery anyway. I just had to shake my head and herd the dripping girls into their bedroom to prepare for bedtime.

All I have to say is that at least it wasn't toilet water.

Breanna the Italian?

Our little multicultural family is keeping the laughter alive. Breanna has added an "eeuh" sound after all her nouns.

"Hi, Mommia."

"Big lellow school bus truckia."

"Silly green froggia (pronounced poggia)."

Now if the twins start crossing speech patterns, we might get really comical. Stay tuned.

le French Lilli & her Tilly Tister

My little Lillian has begun speaking with a French accent this week. Everything starts with le or la, and then has the accent. It's adorable, although I have no idea where it's coming from.

She and her silly sister (pronounced tilly tister in our house) are really getting into jokes, now, so we sure have a lot of laughter and eye rolls. When the underground sprinkler guys were setting up this morning and we were loading into the van, Breanna called out with purpose, "Good night, girls," to the installers (three men). Then she giggled and said, "Noooo, good morning, guys." It's non stop!

Baby Grant has been just as smiley as ever, and he tasted his first honey teriyaki pork chop last night. I think he fell in love with it. He's getting bigger each day and eating more than I imagine can fit into his strong little body - and he's even sleeping for 6-7 hours in a row from time to time. But when he wakes up from a long stretch like that, look out - he's absolutely famished and very loud about it.

We've all had the luxury of having Daddy home a whole bunch lately and it's been fantastic. I'd forgotten how much I love being flirted with, and now that we actually have a little time to breathe, our flirtation is back. He's promised to only have one overnight trip to Fargo each week from now on, and that, I can handle. Plus, he's on the ball with vacuuming. Way more than I am. And I so greatly appreciate it.

I still haven't unpacked any boxes at all in September and all three garage stalls are still full and I still haven't found half my suits, but oh well. We'll get there. I only have two more weeks of heavy-duty wrap-up of my large freelance committment, which happens from 8 - midnight after the kiddos are in bed each night. Come October, I don't know what I'll do with all that free time.

Oh yeah. The garage. Perhaps I'll find my missing pots and pans.

Those Calls

Don't you just love those phone calls that take you out of your chaotic life and calm you? I had a voicemail from a dear friend in California yesterday morning that really made me smile. Then last night, I heard from another dear friend, this one in Wisconsin. We traded stories of potty training, work, money, spouses, faith, etc. After months of no contact, we picked right up and talk about refreshing!

I reflected this morning on my way in to work about all the places I have these kinds of friends. I think the furthest is California, or perhaps Florida. And then a smattering all across the middle.

Cheers to the technology that enables us to stay in touch - even in unconventional ways. Hooray for emails! Blogs, too! Simple as they are, text messages are great, as well. Thank you nerd pioneers. And thank you, my pals, for keeping in touch. You help me feel much less lonely as I continue to parent solo in a new community. Please come visit in person when you can. I do have a spare bed set up (although sheets and a mattress pad might be a challenge).

Jump Hoppers

What a fun evening of chasing jump hoppers across our driveway! Breanna followed them with each jump, which was a delight until she landed on one. She picked up the smushed grasshopper and looked at it quizzically, questioning, "No jump?" She then handed it to me and asked me to fix it. Good thing I could distract her with a poggie (frog) that came hopping to the rescue, landing right on Lillian's shoe. Thankfully, the giggles were gleeful and no one screamed.

Now that the weather has finally given us a break, I've been much more apt to get outside with the kiddos. We ate our supper on the front porch this evening in 66-degree sunshine. The start of the sunset was just too beautiful to watch from the dining room.

Here are a couple recent photos from a morning visit to a local rose garden. My kiddos were subjects in a photo shoot for the upcoming Respect Life campaign. The silly photographer (who is actually a reporter and not a photographer), tried to get the kids to pose, with comments such as, "Now hold the flower in your right hand and turn to look over your shoulder," or "Put your hand on her shoulder and then give her a kiss on the cheek." Silly gal obviously doesn't have kids, or any experience photographing two-year-olds, anyway. We still came up with some cute shots, though. The girls particularly enjoy the granite fountains that had a smooth, wet edge at the perfect splash height.

Still Whirling, But Smiling

I found the trick to travel sanity, thanks for some forced creativity for a weekend roadtrip to close up the cabin. My cousin and her 1-year-old daughter joined my kiddos and me for the smashed-into-one-little-green-van trip, so we put Breanna in the back back with Baby Grant and Lillian and Baby Chloe in the middle, with us big girls in the front to hop back to pop in nuks and dole out snacks and toys.

I didn't even consider suicide once. For real. We had a great weekend with lots of close conversation and plenty of bonding. The kiddos all were good, and even those who were teething were really fun to be around. My sister and her new baby were there, too, so we enjoyed a lot of mommy talk. It's hard to believe that I have the big kids - and they're only 2!

After we returned home Sunday night, I got the kids off to bed and then realized that I had a couple hours of free time until DH returned from his fruitless antelope-hunting trip. I got laundry going and then curled up with a cookbook. Aah, the glory. For 15 minutes anyway, until Grant woke up and insisted on being held the rest of the night while his new teeth tried to work their way out.

Labor Day was spent just hanging out and doing the 10 million loads of laundry we'd all created. The girls are getting into joining us for praying, so we practiced the sign of the cross quite a bit, along with the "Now I lay me" prayer. We also worked on colors and counting (got up to 10 - holy crap!) and we did our animal noises, too. We all know now that antelopes say "wee wee." Breanna has become close friends with Grant's "tubba bear," which sounds sometimes like "taco bar." Both girls continue to talk about all the "lucky" things, such as poop and buggies and snot bubbles. Lucky indeed.

Although DH technically moved in with us full time for real, he's leaving tomorrow morning to go back and work in Fargo for a few days. He still hasn't lined up a place to stay - brave man thinks he can just "crash" somewhere. I wonder if he realizes everyone he knows now has families and isn't really into the bachelor lifestyle any more. These jobs are dragging out forever, it seems. One day when we're all together all week long, I'll finally get in to get my highlights done again. Until then, I'll continue my progression toward looking like Brittany Spears. Yikes. Trailer city, here I come.