The longest weekend EVER

This has been an exhausting weekend. We had a fall festival at Britt's school Friday night, the boys' birthday party on Saturday, then a Halloween party on Sunday.

First of all, I love how people always say...Hey we get an extra hour of sleep this weekend! Who are these people and could they teach my kids that?? For us, it was more like let's get up an hour earlier and then stay up an hour later b/c I can't adjust my bedtime due to my evening TV shows (PLUS let's only take an hour nap b/c my little angels always like to mess with me!)

Anyway....we had the boys birthday party this Saturday at the Little Gym. It was SOOO awesome. They do everything for you...I just brought a cake, goodie bags, fruit tray and a chick-fil-a nugget platter (hey it's not just about the kids!).

They did all of the organization, they knew when to move on to the next activity, they cut and served the cake, and they organized the gift opening and recorded each present. (Brittney had her 3rd AND 4th birthday party there so I knew it would be awesome.) PLUS everyone had a great time...kids and parents.

I don't have a lot of pictures yet b/c Ms. Judy snapped some throughout the event for me...she's awesome! Here's a few I managed to take. (I promise they had a GREAT time...it doesn't look like it from the picture below.)

THEN we had my niece stay the night and when we woke up at the crack of dawn, we headed over to the playground at Brittney's elementary school. The boys act like they OWN that place. They are little monkeys climbing up sliding down. They love the swings there....forget the fact that we have all of that in our backyard. Oh well.

THEN after a much needed nap, we went to the Little Gym (AGAIN) for their Halloween party! It was absolutely adorable. My camera started acting up there so I only got a few pics. That place was PACKED! My boys are so comfortable there now it's like a second home. They did so good even though I don't think they understood why everyone was dressed up. Cade only got scared once when an older kid came in dressed as SpiderMan. He had his entire face covered with a mask and Cade just clung to me as he was staring this kid down and trying to figure him out.It was an absolutely exhausting weekend, but so much fun! Bring on Halloween...........

Happy 2nd Birthday to My Babies!!

I can't believe that I'm the mother of twin 2 year old boys now. They're growing up so fast. It's been a wild ride but one that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Here's a little video I've put together in memory of their birthday. Enjoy this for Love Thursday..........

Update of Sorts

Yesterday was the boys' school day and the teacher sent home a cute little letter about their progress. I thought it was funny and wanted to share a few of the statements:

Cade loves to play with the cars, especially the cars that make noise. He also loves working on crafts in class but most of all he seems to love to sing. Cade sits on the carpet with all the other children and also tries to name the objects on the object cards. When we go outside Cade loves to play in the cars. He always looks for his grandmother at lunchtime.

Then there's Jace...

Jace loves to play with whatever his brother Cade is playing with. (I loved that one) Jace is good at peeling the backs off of foam stickers; he is also good at coloring a coloring sheet. Jace loves to sing and blow bubbles. Jace also sits on the carpet with all the other children and tries to name the objects on the object cards. He also looks for grandmother at lunch.

I think that's just adorable.

One more update....remember how I volunteered to be on the parent team for my daughter's cheer team a few weeks ago? Well, we had our first practice last night. Let me tell you...I am moving a little slower today. I didn't realize how out of shape I am. In high school I was on drill team and could practice a kick routine for hours at a time. But last night after kicking each leg ten times in order to "warm-up" our legs before we did JUMPS, I swear I was going to get a muscle cramp in my side. I wasn't the worse one though....there are a lot of big mamas out there. I felt sorry for one of the moms because while she was doing a front kick, her leg that was still on the ground gave out or else moved forward and she went flat out on her back. It was hilarious and everyone couldn't help but laugh...thankfully she was a good sport.

I did backbends, toe touches, cartwheels, roundoffs and forward flips. If we keep this up, I may actually get in shape!!! It's only once a week though, so it's not going to do that much for me.

Last update...........my babies turn TWO tomorrow. I just can't believe it. I've been working on a picture video to post tomorrow and it's brought me all sorts of emotions.

We're so blessed with our Grandparents!!!

We are very lucky to have my mom watching the boys during the day. Every once in awhile my dad stops by for dinner. These are some pictures of the boys enjoying the back of PawPaw's truck. They really liked it. It was a little scary at times when they wanted to tumble over the side, but nonetheless they liked it.

Then Grandpa Iser's birthday is TODAY and they came over for a visit on Sunday. I think Granny AND Grandpa enjoyed seeing the boys in full action mode. It was SO nice outside ... we actually had to put jackets on the boys. Brittney and her friend were busy doing flips on the swings.

We are SO lucky and SO thankful to have our parents nearby and we wouldn't have it ANY other way.

Nine Weird Things About ME ... meme

I started this blog to share stories about my family. I know I have some family and friends that sign on, but the majority of the people I've "met" through this blog are perfect strangers. It's strange that we all have SO much in common but yet lead such different lives in very different geographic locations.

So, I've been "tagged" to do this meme by 1girl2boys so my new friends, my new "peeps" can learn more about me! It's my first time! I'm honored!

Here goes:

1. I can NOT go to sleep before 11 p.m. It is RARE that this ever happens. I only require 6 hours of sleep (my dad and I just had a conversation about this tonight b/c he's a nightowl too)....(by the way my husband requires at least 8 hours of sleep.)

2. I'm also a morning person. I can't stand to sleep in....I feel like my day is wasted. Even though it's annoying that the boys get me up early, I like to get the day started. (my husband is again, the TOTAL opposite...loves to sleep in)

3. I do NOT like coffee or anything that has a coffee flavor at ALL. I don't even like to TRY fancy Starbuck drinks if it's going to leave a "coffee" taste in my mouth.

4. I LOVE to pick at zits, scabs and generally gross things. (i know....yuck!) When my kids have dried up crusty noses, watch out! I'm always picking! (again...yuck, I know!)

5. Even though I like to pick at gross things, I pass out when I see blood. (hey, you said "nine weird things about me")

6. On Friday evenings, I LOVE to read my People magazine. If it doesn't show up until Saturday afternoon I get MAD and start wondering if I'm up-to-date with my payments. (I know my life sounds SO exciting).

7. I DVR "Live with Regis and Kelly" EVERY day. I just like to watch the first 20 minutes when they have "coffee talk".

8. When I eat pancakes or waffles, I do not like the syrup on top of them. I prefer the "dipping' method so they don't get mushy. I'm a BIG texture person....

9. I miss the feeling of being pregnant. I know that I definitely don't want any more kids, but I absolutely LOVED being able to feel my kids kicking, moving and hiccupping when they were in utero. (don't worry honey, I don't WANT to be pregnant again, I just miss the 2nd trimester feeling).

So there you have it. I'm sure there's a LOT more things I've missed, but that's me in a nutshell.

I'm going to tag Jen@amazingtrips
, Laura @ thegrubbtriplets and Stephanie @ theguinntriplets. (What IS it with me and triplet blogs?) Now go and tag some other people.

Pictures of my BIG Boys

I have to show off my big boys....who will be TWO next Thursday the 26th. Oh my GOD!!

They had a photographer come out to the boys' school. So, we thought we'd try our luck in getting them to participate. Jace was screaming bloody murder just 10 seconds before these pictures were taken. I was even wiping tears away from his eyes right before she snapped them.

All in all, I think they turned out very good.
I would have some school portraits of Brittney if they hadn't LOST her pictures. They were quick to cash my check, but I don't have any pictures to show for it. Now she has to wait for retakes in November. That's just not good for someone like Ms. Thang...Brittney.

Love Thursday....Giving Daddy Kisses

Daddy went out of town this past weekend for rugby. We were up REALLY early anyway (I don't know what's up with these boys lately) so we were able to see daddy off with lots and lots of kisses.

It was really CUTE!

Don't Drink and Drive

I guess we need to lecture the boys a little bit more about the effects of drinking and driving.


Today, I finally witnessed Jace helping his brother out. Cade is not a very good driver. He runs into things constantly with his new car. They are just getting the hang of pushing the button and realizing that they have control. The steering is another issue. Jace is a little more coordinated in the driving department. Whenever Cade gets stuck, he starts yelling and Jace gets off of his car to come to his brother's rescue! What brotherly love!


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Pumpkin Patch - Revised

Whew....that fancy picture display jacked up my whole site. Here's an updated version of the same post:

We visited our local pumpkin patch today! The kids had a good time. It was definitely a LOT to take in. Jace normally doesn't do well when there's TOO much stimulation. So, he was a crazy man. He would NOT sit still for any pictures. All he wanted to do was push our wagon. Then he would get frustrated and start freaking out. He is going to be my handful. He's got a stubborn streak in him that could have NEVER come from me...it's got to be from Steve. ha ha.



Nana met us there...I'm glad she showed up because even though I had Brittney and her friend, Kamryn, the boys were a lot to keep up with.

Our train ride.....believe it or not. Everyone did GREAT while on it!

Again, they are fascinated with GOATS!!

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Tonight was wet and rainy. Whenever it rains, the boys immediately start swaying their heads side to side. Then they start bomping their heads with their hands. If you don't have an almost 2 year old in your house, you probably don't realize that this means you MUST sing the raining song. "It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring....he went to bed and he bumped his head (see how intelligent my kids are....ha ha) and he couldn't get up in the morning. "

(Cheetos leave the BEST fingerprints around the house)

Since we couldn't go outside when the rain started, we moved to our "indoor" trampoline.


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This video is kind of dark because I'm doing it with my camera. It doesn't flash or anything so I guess it's just the natural light.

Let me just tell you that propping the pillows up like this is a fabulous way for my little guys to burn off some energy. It keeps them very entertained!!!

Cade ALWAYS sits up on the top of the cushions and does a COMPLETE back flip. He would NOT participate tonight at all. (Of course he wouldn't because I had a camera out). Jace attempted one in the video but he can't do it quite as well as Cade.

Love Thursday Part 3

This is my big girl Brittney stealing a kiss from Cadie Poo a.k.a. Turkey Butt #1.

I'm going to brag on her again. She's SUCH a good helper and a WONDERFUL big sister. I don't know what I'd do without her.

Growing UP

It's surreal to realize that these are my last babies. Steve and I only wanted one more child after Brittney. But after years of trying (thinking WE were in control), God gave us one more (and a little bonus).

I have made "mental" notes along the way to try and remember things that they were doing at certain ages. I have those traditional first year calendars with the stickers that read "sat up by myself" or "first tooth". Nothing compares to this blogging thing though. I mean I kept a small journal with Brittney and I totally treasure it, but I can track EVERYTHING now! I love it!

I remember when the boys took their last bottle and I thought to myself..."I never have to make another bottle in my life...NEVER". But on the other hand I remember thinking..."I never have to make another bottle in my life....my babies are growing up.....AAHHH". It's all so bittersweet!

For example, when Jace and Cade started going to mother's day out in May they were miserable. They cried/screamed for the better part of the morning. I remember the first day that my mom and I took them. They were ALL smiles strolling over to the school but the minute they realized that we were leaving, it hit the fan. I left and went directly to work and my mom went to run a few errands but was going to stay close to the house. By the time I got to my office (a mere 15 minutes from the house) I had already received a call from the school saying that Cade was screaming and was inconsolable. We had opted NOT to include their "binkies" or "loveys" for fear of other kids' germs on them. Boy did I wish we hadn't done that. They were so desperate, they were going to send someone over to my house (right down the street) to get a binky.

This is the BEFORE going to school picture. (Unfortunately I don' t have an AFTER)

Needlesstosay, when my mom picked them up after a couple of hours Jace had fallen asleep in the corner of the room on a mat. Cade was laying down with his head on Jace...half asleep too! She said they looked ROUGH and absolutely pathetic. They started crying the MINUTE they saw her with the whole pouty lips and big crocodile tear thing.




Let's fast forward to the present now.............. a mere 5 months later.........

My BIG boys get excited when you mention school and their teacher's names. They actually have FUN and rarely have tears when Nana drops them off (unless they're having a bad day in general). They get to do crafts, they have music time and they learn a letter and color every week. I've even noticed that Cade will start singing the melodies to certain nursery rhymes and they will even do motions to the words! What a nice change of pace. They're officially on their way to growing up. I like it, but then again I don't!!!!!! I can't believe they'll be 2 on the 26th................

Busy Week, Busy Weekend.....

Time just moves so fast these days. I'm finding more and more that I try to maximize every minute there is in the day. There are days that I look back on what I've done and realize that if I didn't have kids it wouldn't have been NEAR that much. That can be a good thing but also a bad thing. It's actually exhausting and I decided to take a mental break from it all this past week.

Friday night Steve and I went out like real married adult people! We got tickets to see John Mayer and Sheryl Crow. Some friends of ours (which we met on our Christmas family cruise last year) were coming into town also for the show. These friends were on their honeymoon when we met them. I'm not really sure WHY they hung around us and WHY they still want to keep in touch with us. I mean they are newly married, no kids, and Krista just turned 25 and Shane just turned 27!!!! Steve and I are both 35 and have been married for almost 14 years!!!!!!!! They are REALLY REALLY neat people and continue to contact us even though they're in another city. I guess we're just more awesome than we realize ourselves........ha ha!

Seriously though, I had to gag at one point in the evening. During the concert we had a different seating area than our friends. So Shane came over to chat during a song change. After a few minutes he said that he had to get back to his wife because she likes for him to "snuggle" her during the John Mayer songs. Steve and I looked at each other and just immediately started sticking our fingers down our throats. I mean, we show affection and everything but it's just not the same as "newlywed" affection I guess. As much as I'm making fun, they are really cute together!!!

Anyway, we had a great time with them and their friends that came along too. It was weird for Steve and I to think of where we were at the age of 25. We had just purchased our first home and were struggling to make ends meet with Steve trying to finish up his bachelor's degree. He was only substitute teaching on the days he didn't have any classes. I really wouldn't want to go back. We've come so far and learned so much.

I mean, back then we didn't have the same dining entertainment we have now.......

(Why is it so wrong that I think this is hilarious? Why is it so wrong that I showed my child HOW to do this to a tortilla?.... I guess motherhood makes you a bit insane.)

Steve wouldn't have the best football watching buddy EVER........

Dinners at NaNa's house wouldn't be as entertaining...............

and shopping wouldn't be as fun!!!!!!! NOT!

I don't know what I'd do without all of my little blessings!

Peek-A-Boo

Well, we're all feeling better around here. (knock on wood!!)

This evening after the boys bath, Jace and Cade found a new hiding spot in the bathroom....the linen closet (or whatever it's called).

Where did Jace go?

There he is!!!

I didn't think they would like actually being closed up in there, but Jace didn't mind. However, Cade just wanted to be the one to FIND his brother. I just knew there was going to be a finger smashing incident, but I stopped the action before it got ugly.

I've noticed that they are starting to REALLY play together. They will tackle on the trampoline, chase each other around the kitchen island and hide in the clothes in OUR closet.

You know, I think there is a lot going on with these little boys in my house at this age. BUT, I'm starting to get worried about what the chaos is going to be like when they get older.

I've mentioned before that Brittney is in competitive cheerleading. Tonight she comes home from practice with a sign-up sheet for a Parent Team that will perform in February at their National Competition. Of course I'll be attending the event anyway and of COURSE Brittney is DYING for me participate (probably just to get a good laugh). So I say, what the heck...SURE, I can do a cartwheel and a round-off still. SIGN ME UP!!! (I'm going to have to start training for this thing!)

THEN, every week Brittney brings home a "Tuesday" folder. So as I'm going through it this evening, there's a form to fill out to volunteer for their fall festival later in the month. I think...no big deal, I'll sign up and work a shift at the class booth. Then Steve tells me that I had a message from the night before to call her room mother (I ended up deleting it before I even listened to it b/c I thought it was another message). So, I return the call and end up volunteering to cook a main dish for the "teacher's appreciation" lunch on Thursday AND volunteering to bring a cake for the cake walk at the fall festival. Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to spend my days helping out Brittney's school and class room but I work full-time (and end up bringing work home), I hardly EVER cook for my own family and my life is highly chaotic. I know I sound like a horrible person, but it's just the plain truth.

Somehow, in just a few short hours this evening my schedule got really booked up!!! What in the world will it be like when I have THREE kids doing THREE different activities???? Oh my, I need to lay down.

One on One Time

We've all been sick around here. OK...maybe just me, Jace and Cade. It all started innocently enough. Jace got a runny nose 2 weeks ago. I, of course, tried to deny that he had it. I started giving him over the counter meds but no luck there. Cade got the same nose stuff a few days later.

I don't know what it is about ALL of my kids. They NEVER just get a runny nose. It ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS turns into something else....either an ear infection, bronchitits, or sinusitis. We ALWAYS end up at the doctor. It never fails. AND it seems that we go through this cycle every 6 to 8 weeks. I don't think they've been well for more than 3 months at a time since they were born. All I can say about this is that Brittney did the same thing the first 2 years of her life and now she's NOT like this. Hopefully they're getting it all out of their little systems now and building up their resistance for later in life. I don't know....I'm just trying to find something positive out of it.

ANYway....since the boys have been sick, their schedules have been a bit off. Today Jace took a really early nap and Cade wasn't ready to go to sleep yet. So, Cade and I took a bath together. I've NEVER taken a bath with just Cade. Matter of fact, I've only taken a bath with the boys one time EVER. Sad isn't it? It was really neat to see how special he thought he was with my undivided attention and all. So when I was ready to get out, he wasn't. So I got dressed while he played in the bathtub all by himself. Except for when he was a newborn and we bathed them separately, Cade's NEVER taken a bath by himself. Weird, huh?

Then it was Cade's turn to take a nap. I had to run to the store for just a few things and I decided what a great time to spend a little time with Jace. So, we went into our Target shopping center and I saw the Petco. I couldn't resist. You should have seen his little face. He walked in like such a big boy. He LOVED being able to walk around and look at all the hamsters (YUCK!), birds and bunnies. Oh how he loved the bunnies! When he saw the hamsters sleeping he even said "nigh nigh". Too cute!!! Then we made our way to Target. He was so cute there too. Whenever anyone would make eye contact with him he would say "HI!". I've never seen him so social.

It was really neat to see how different they were when they were separated from the other. It reminded me of what little individuals they actually are. They did, however, have a hard time passing up the room when they KNEW the other was in there sleeping. We had a few close calls of waking up the other.

Good news is that we're all on the road to recovery now.