Faith's Field Day

So her Field Day was in a gym . . . you can tell by the smile on her face that she still had fun.

We're Going on a Mushroom Hunt . . .

We are going on a mushroom hunt, we know we won't find mushrooms . . .

I wish I hadn't started that chant, cause I can't get it out of my head now.

Grandma Deer and her babies.


Little Indian child, Jennie.

Andy, I know our secret is out when you see this picture. You would be like the only one in the world who could instantly ID this place.

The Tricked Truck

This is for you, Little Buddy. Pretty sweet, huh?

Baby Two Shoes

Jennie and Josie - 10 months old.
Jennie kept bending down to look at her new shoes.


Finally, they came.

I've been watching for the delivery man for what seems like forever. And finally they came.

Two very expensive pairs of baby Nike Shox. They look just like mine, and Missy's, and Joni's - since we all about have the same shoes.

And they are adorable.

It was so funny. Josie put hers on and she stood there . . . clapping. Yea!!!

Jennie acted like I put bricks on her feet. I took her outside and let her push her toy down the
sidewalk. You would have thought her legs didn't work. And then, suddenly, she started running behind that toy. I'm not kidding.

Josie got to push her walker down the sidewalk, too. She couldn't have gotten her tongue out any further if she tried. Where does she get that??

Anyway, I hope we get a few good weeks out of them, and it will all be worth it. Who am I kidding. Just watching them last night was worth it.

Dairy Queens

Josie got some of the slushie first, hence the smile on her face. Grace commented that Jennie must really like it because she sucked it down so fast . . .

This might be one of my favorite pictures. Jennie has her eyes on Faith, and Faith has her tongue out "helping" Jennie eat.

Missy, note the leotard . . . this was after gymnastics.

I Love Billy Joel

Jessie and I on the way to the pre-party, party.

The concert was awesome. Just awesome. I told Jess I paid to see him sing Innocent Man. Then he started singing Only the Good Die Young. And then River of Dreams . . .there isn't a bad song. And not a song I don't know every single lyric to. It was a very, very good time.

Curly Heads

I have their hair controlled in piggy tails so often, that I kind of forget how curly their hair actually is.

This picture was taken on Friday. We picked Faith up at school, and then went to the mall. A trip to the mall is always interesting. We get lots of questions and lots of stares, but this was the best so far . . .

"Do they all have the same father?"

And I said, "As far as I know."

That is still making me laugh.

And in the play area, there was a woman taking pictures of us. I am not joking. Her child was playing, and she was taking a pictures of me holding the twins. I had one on each knee. And it wasn't like she asked or anything. Cause that would have been weird? I don't know. All I know, is that there are playground pictures of us that I did not authorize.

And the constant . . ."you've got your hands full" comment. I want to tell them there's another one. One in school. But I often refrain, because then the look of admiration goes to pity.

And it's always so funny when people tell me they've enjoyed watching us. "Watching us? Oh, god, what did I do? Or worse yet - say?" I didn't know we were being watched.

Truthfully, I love the attention they get because people are so drawn to them. There is a natural curiosity about multiples. I can't imagine the attention higher multiples get. People are really nice, they really are. And everyone has a twin story to share. I don't think I'll ever get tired of hearing them.

There Were Two Little Girls, With Two Little Curls . . .

Jennifer
Josephine
Josie screaming . . .
Jennie screaming .. . .


Then the fun begins. They splash and stand, and I yell at one to sit down, and she'll splash down, and the other one will stand . . . .

During the course of taking these pictures, I thought surely I'd drop the camera in the water as I tried to wrestle them down.

It's the best time. It really is.

Rub-A-Dub - Part 1

I LOVE bath time. Probably even more than the twins. It's such a little production.

First they stand there, looking in, screaming for me to hurry. Often times they pee, then slid around, trying to maintain a good footing.

Then, then get mad while I clean up the pee.

Then they get in, turn right around, and try climbing out of the tub.

Then . . . see part 2.

Maternal Instincts

One minute, Jennie was playing so nicely with her crib, and the next minute it was taken over by an intruder. Jennie faced a similar fate as her mother - we turned around only find more babies than we ever dreamed possible - all awaiting care.

What makes me laugh about these pictures is that Josie knows she is being funny . . . Jennie is simply concerned about her new level of responsibility.

Baby Activities

I don't know why, but I love this picture of the girls playing at Grandma's house. They play so well.

Jennie on the "Tra - bahmp-oline." I know, Mark, you know how to pronounce that. But what about Two Horses and a Killer??? Yikes. That was a rough game.


Josie was using Jennie as a brace to stand up. She was ready for some bouncing!

Papa's Girls

Jennie, Grandpa and Josie


You know, Dad, some day you'll forget about the apple slices and strawberries. And you won't remember being put in your place, but you'll never forget the smile on Josie's face while chasing "moo cows" in the field. Wait . . . you won't about apples. Who am I kidding?

I put this picture up because I know it will make Mark laugh.

Our Happy Day

It's kind of a long story. It started at lunch when Grace was acting a bit too much like me, and Dad got mad at her. So this ride was threatened not to happen. And that made me sad. But Dad, busting through his stubbornness, decided not to deny us this simple pleasure.

It was Josie and Jennie's first time on the 4-wheeler. I about couldn't breathe when Dad pulled away with three of my four daughters hanging on for dear life. But nevertheless, twins are instinctively farm girls. They loved it.

We saw a lot of baby calves. Including one still wet from being born. And a mama cow, very close to giving birth.

I told Shane that's my idea of the perfect outing. Thank you, Dad, for not denying me that happiness. Even though Grace was right.

The Splinter from Hell

I miss the days of standing in Menards, trying visualize a project, while the kids are running loose in the isles. I miss being asked my opinion and then having it not count in the end. I miss hauling a suburban load of supplies back to Billy's, only to have to haul it back and exchange it for the right stuff. That was really fun. It really was.

Getting the supplies for the banister reminded me of this, and made me miss those old times. Poor Mom had to take one for the team, despite almost fainting from pain. Yet she still took the kids for treats, only to have most of it spilled on the floor. Sigh. I hate it that most of our projects are done.

But didn't they do a good job?

I spent several nights not sleeping because the banister was out. I was an open shot to the level below. I just knew someone would fall. I made make-shift barriers out of suitcases and laundry baskets. No one died.

The finished product is awesome.

Science Center Field Trip

On Thursday, I took the day off and went with Grace on her class trip to the Science Center. She was so excited. So incredibly excited. And it was a joy to be with her.

It WAS NOT easy . . . but we did it!
My group on TV forecasting the weather.

In the Star Theater. They were so darn cute.

Learning to tell time . . .

Sleeping Babies

The swing had to come down. It was sad for me. The babies aren't babies.

It would have been even cuter if she had been sucking on her big toe. (This is Jennie, by the way.)

Josie got very full, and decided she couldn't wait for her bed.

Hey Christopher!! You Hearin' My Tunes?

First of all, I expect you to call me when you open up my blog and hear my sweet music. Then I expect you to tell me how cool I am, and I'll learn you all my secrets - that actually I stole from someone else. K? K.

Last night I took Grace to get her hair cut and she and Faith beat me into the suburban. They like to do this so that they can set the iPod to their favorite songs. This is hilarious to me, and slightly disturbing. First of all, the four year old knows how to run the thing. Her father still fumbles with it. And second, their song choices are simply too funny. So on my playlist to the left, I included a few of their favorite songs. And mine. I bet you can't tell who's is who's.

I was thinking last night after we talked, that the whole playlist thing is reminiscent of a glorified mixed tape. I remember when I got my first "stereo" I was mixed tape crazed. It had a turn table, double tape decks and a radio. You'd either have to play the tape in one deck and record in the other, or patiently wait for the song to play on the radio and quick hit record. It was typical to get DJ commentary - or at least bits and pieces of it - on the mixed tape. If I could wait for the "Top Ten at Ten", I felt like I hit the jackpot. Any memory of this, or am I a dork? Remember, I was in like the 7th grade.

Anyway, my iPod does good things for me. You should see how I title my playlists. It's almost ridiculous.

Ohhhhhh! But Grace does good things for me, too. She told me the other night that "Fergalicious" reminds her of me. Ahem. "How so?" I asked? "That part that says, 'Up at the gym just working on my fitness.'" Whew.

Anyway, call me and tell me I'm cool now.

Always Reminds Me of Shane

I run into this quote now every once in awhile, and it always reminds me of Shane. In fact, I think about this quote every year on his birthday when he tells me he is surprised he made it "this long."

This is the basically the speech I hear every time I press him for an explanation on why he does the things he does.

I don't know why I ask anymore. I've pretty much got it. He's getting sideways.