...the past six months, in a nutshell

When I sit down and look at the past six months, things go a bit pear shaped. Then, guilt sets in. I've noticed I haven't taken as much video of Whitney and Lauren's antics as much as I used to. I still take a million more photos than I probably need to, but they're all done with my phone, rather than my good camera. I'm dictating their milestones less...

But, after the pear rounds out, I'm noticing that I'm spending more time *with* them, than *on* them. If that makes sense. Now that they're older, I'm wanting to expose them to everything. They sit and wait patiently for lunch/dinner when we go out to eat, we go to the parks, train shows, playdates. They like the daycare at my gym (which is a bonus since my new-found love of running is about all I get to myself these days) and are so excited to read our 2 books every night before bed.

They're so much fun to watch and listen to. Lauren has become a storyteller. Not a fibber, but actual, made up stories. She loves to dance and sing - a real entertainer. Whitney loves puzzles and drawing and combing her dolls hair. They both love fingernail polish, dresses and ponytails. Don't get me wrong, they have their sibling rivalries. I probably break up at LEAST a half dozen fights every day. I get frustrated, annoyed, upset and angry. They've called me on it too, which is totally humbling.

The past size months have brought a third birthday, preschool, potty-training and more. They're so "big" now and I'm so proud of the individuals they've become.

"It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it, myself."  ~Joyce Maynard



Helping Daddy with their birthday cake: Lauren wanted yellow, Whitney wanted blue...


Eating soup at Benihana for Mommy's birthday....


Adorable puppy we saw in Mt. Adams...


Butterfly show!!


Beating the heat!


Granny had new kittens for us to play with over Labor Day weekend...



Our first pony rides at the Blueberry Festival!


For the love of ice cream...


At Iron's Fruit Farm, petting the goats!


Accident's happen...




First day of school!!


Carving pumpkins with Gpa Clidence. Scouping "guts!"

Mushroom hunting in Indiana

Every spring, daddy looks forward to mushroom hunting. This year, we went with! Our cousins, Jacob, Kate and Andrew were there with Uncle David and we had the MOST fun!

Headed out to the woods...


Looking for Morels...


Not quite, but close!


These look funny!


WOW! This is fun!


Andrew found two really big ones!


We found a lot in the first hour...


Then daddy took us fishing. We'd been waiting all day!






Mommy thought we'd better put lifejackets on...




After a long, sunny, fun-filled day, we headed home. We can't wait to have more Spring/Summer fun! 


WCMoTaM Club: Annual Tag Sale!

Since Lauren and Whitney were born, I'd been wanting to join a multiples club. I hadn't really found any that met frequently and/or had much to offer. A fellow twin mom told me about the West Chester Mothers of Twins and More Club. West Chester isn't close to me, in fact, it's about 40 minutes away. But I knew that Jennifer wouldn't steer me wrong (when you meet a mother of multiples, there's an instant friendship), and I'd been to their tag sales before.

The WCMoTaM Club has SO much to offer. Fund raisers, pot-lucks, moms-night-out, babies-day-out, etc. Not to mention the two Tag Sales they have per year (spring and fall). Unfortunately, they have weekly meetings on Tuesday nights and with Scott's schedule, I don't get to attend. Fortunately, they send out a weekly newsletter so I'm not left behind!

This year I thought I'd participate in the Tag Sale and not just shop it. Plus, when you're a member, you can shop the pre-sale (not open to the public) on Friday night! SCORE! Besides, I knew I needed (not necessarily *wanted*) to get rid of a lot of baby stuff that was cluttering up an already cluttered basement. The sale was a LOT of work. To sell, you have to volunteer for a specific job/duty pertaining to the sale. I signed up for set up and tear down. The sale gets set up on Friday evening and gets torn down on Saturday afternoon. It doesn't seem like a lot of time, but there are SO many moms and families selling SO much, that it's almost madness!

To make a long(er) story short, after taking about a month to sort by season, wash, separate by size and tag three years worth of clothes, shoes, hats, socks, toys, bottles... and scheduling Scott's parents to come down for the weekend so I could actually participate in the sale ... I was ready to go. The sale was another success for the club and I made over $330! It was hard to see things go, but it was good for me to let go a bit, too. I probably kept a lot more than I should have, but I can't get rid of their first PJs, or the outfits we brought them home in, or the onsies they learned to crawl in, or.... 



The first onesie's they wore. I didn't get rid of these...




My sale items ready to go...


I actually cried when I hung these up on the rack and walked away...


Shoes they were now, compared to 3 years ago...


PJs: then and now...


"When you have brought up kids, there are memories you store directly in your tear ducts." 
~Robert Brault

Homemade Valentine's cards

Last year we made daddy Valentine's cupcakes. This year we made our very own cards. Daddy said they were the best gift he could ever get! Hallmark has nothing on us.


Time for Tea!

Lauren and Whitney were invited to their first tea party, by their good friend Evelyn. The theme: Valentine's Day. "Wear your favorite party dress."

The girls picked out the dresses themselves -- I was both pleased and surprised at their choice, since I'd never been so girly. Daddy got them ready and I was seriously in awe at how beautiful (and girly) they looked, ready for their very first tea party.


Evelyn's mommy had things decorated so precious...with REAL China!




The "tea" was apple juice, but still, very good.




Snacks included grapes, strawberries, pink marshmallows, heart-shaped cookies, sandwiches and brownies.



Evelyn in her beautiful royal-blue dress...



Making Valentine's boxes...



Exchanging Valentine's...






Sugar and spice and everything nice
that's what little girls are made of.

Sunshine and rainbows and ribbons for hair bows
that's what little girls are made of.

Tea parties, laces and baby doll faces
that's what little girls are made of.