Weekend Warrior

It was just the other night that I sat at the side of their bed and marveled at their size. Two boys who used to share a crib with lots of space to share, now sleep in a queen size bed with legs outstretched, just a foot or so from the end of the bed. Sometimes they split the bed horizontally with Dean stretched out across the head of the bed, laying across all pillows and Jack will sprawl at the foot of the bed. Other nights they share their bed like a married couple, legs intertwined, faces tilted toward each other. Some nights they spoon, the one on the outside with his arms wrapped around the other.
It was just Thursday night that I sat looking at my boys. Tom came in and wondered what I was doing. They're not babies anymore, I said.
Friday night Jack was running a fever. His breathing wasn't normal. Jack breathes silently, with little movement. I decided to sleep with him, in case he needed me. A short time after I laid down with him, he woke up coughing, scared. He sounded like a wounded seal. We've been through this before, he and I. I gathered him in my arms and carried him to the bathroom. Soon, the bathroom is steamy and I'm holding him, rocking back and forth, memories of this dance running through my mind. In times past I would take him outside and lay on the chaise, letting the cool night air soothe his lungs, whispering to him what he was like as a baby to soothe his mind. This option was unavailable to us because of the fires of the previous week. There was still too much smoke in the air. One of the reasons he was having this cough in the first place, I believe. After 30 minutes in the steamy bathroom, we went back to bed. His breathing was better, still not great. We fell asleep. I dreamt that I was being chased.
Two hours later he woke again, coughing, sounding worse than before. Mommy! His voice sounded cracked, hoarse. Again, we headed to the bathroom. This time I contemplated taking him outside. Maybe the air wasn't as bad as I thought? I didn't want to risk it. We stayed in the steamy bathroom for another 30 minutes but his breathing wasn't much better. I tried settling into the recliner thinking maybe if we were propped up he'd be able to breathe. It didn't help. I knew there was a bottle of prednisone (steroids) in the fridge. I've been cautioned by the doctor to not give it to him unless he's wheezing. I'm holding him in my arms, he's hot and he's wheezing. I lay him on the couch and go to the kitchen. Carefully, I read the instructions, afraid in my sleep deprived state I'm going to give him too much. I gave him the prednisone and tylenol for his fever. I pulled him into me, he rested his head against my chest.
So many nights we spent on the couch when they were babies, sleeping on our chests.
We fell asleep on the couch.
Today? He's all better.

Let the Games Begin!

Um Kelsi?
It's the daycare.
Jack has a fever of 100.1 and Dean just threw up.

Happy Friday.

Chicken Tagine

This recipe came to me by my friend Jeanne. She says that it's a favorite in her house and even the kids like it!
Thanks Jeanne! Miss you!


Chicken Tagine with Pine-nut Couscous (Sunset Magazine, March 2007)


Most people think of traditional Moroccan tagines as being long-simmered lamb dishes. When prepared with quick-cooking chicken thighs, they're actually relatively fast to make. Fragrant spices give this dish vibrant layers of flavor, and the cooked-down dried fruits create a silken richness. Prep and Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes.


2 tablespoons olive oil
6 bone-in chicken thighs (with skin)
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
2 small dried red chiles, such as arbol
1 teaspoon salt
15 dried apricots, halved
15 pitted prunes, halved
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
5 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs plus 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 cups couscous
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

1. Heat oil in a 6- to 8-qt. heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add half the chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn over and cook 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining chicken and set aside.

2. Drain all but 2 tbsp. oil from pot and reduce heat to medium. Add onion and sauté until golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, cardamom pods, chiles, and salt and stir to combine. Return chicken to pot and add apricots, prunes, 2 cups chicken broth, and parsley sprigs. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Take pot off heat and remove parsley sprigs and chiles. Remove skin from chicken.

3. In a covered medium saucepan, bring remaining 2 cups chicken broth to a boil. Turn off heat, stir in couscous, cover, and let sit 5 minutes. Uncover pan and fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in 2 tbsp. minced parsley, pine nuts, and lemon zest and toss to combine. Mound couscous on a platter. Top with chicken thighs and pour sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tbsp. parsley.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.


Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

CALORIES 793 (40% from fat); FAT 35g (sat 8.5g); PROTEIN 46g; CHOLESTEROL 124mg; SODIUM 1043mg; FIBER 6.2g; CARBOHYDRATE 75g

Sunset, MARCH 2007

More Pastusky Tales

At dinner last night, Dean informed us (me and Jack) that he heard from one of the kids at school that if you kill a pastusky bug that it will come back to life and kill people.

Jack was terrified. He didn't want to let on how scared he was but his eyes were big and round and he just looked at me with this worried expression.

Later that night, they were tucked into bed with the door open and my promise to check on them every 4, no 2, how 'bout 3 minutes. I went into the living room (which if you know my house is about 10 feet from their bedroom door) and fired up the TV. About 30 seconds later Jack comes over to the couch and in the smallest of voices tells me he's scared.

I told him he should be! The pastusky bug is known to be one of the most ferocious insects in all of blogland!!

Just kidding. I wrapped my arms around him and whispered that I needed to tell him something. Pastusky? No such thing. It doesn't exist.

But, don't let Dean find out about that, ok?

Sick Day

Jack is sick today so I'm staying home with him. He's acting fine but he had a fever that started last night and lasted throughout the night. Dean is staying home, too but he's not really sick. He was coughing a lot last night but that's probably partly due to the Santa Ana winds that are whooshing through the valley.
Even illness manifests differently in these guys. For instance, Jack just acts very tired and sluggish when he's sick. His cheeks flush slightly, his eyes darken and get glassy and he always complains that he has a headache. He loses his appetite (unless it's dessert) and just wants to lay down. Last night, he only had a few bites of rice and some butterscotch pudding. Of course, during the day he was fine. He helped Tom trim the rosemary bush and played football with me.
Dean, on the other hand, wilts the second he doesn't feel well. He can't hide it at all. Heat radiates off him, he falls apart at every little thing, and he cries a lot.

I'm hoping that Jack's fever stays away and Dean's cough doesn't get any worse so we can be back to our regular routine tomorrow.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Pastusky

Dean: Mom? Do you know what a pastusky bug is?
Me: Uh, no.
Dean: Well, the pastusky bug is a little bug and it goes in your thumb here (points to thumb) and it travels up your arm and your body into your brain (emphasis his) and you know what it does? It puts the think in your brain. An' then? After it puts the think in your brain, it goes back down your body and out of your thumb and it evacerates. It does! It just disappears!

Pizza Party

Dean's pizza had a pesto base (fresh basil, parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, garlic and olive oil) with three cheeses: fontina, mozzarella and parmesan and a sprinkle of dried oregano on top. Baked in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. It was delicious.


Jack's pizza was a marinara base (jar of Newman's own Garlic and Basil marinara) with three cheeses: fontina, mozzarella and parmesan with dried oregano sprinkled on top. Also baked in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes. It was also delicious.

Cauliflower Au Gratin and so much more

These recipes are courtesy of my brother, Chad. In my dream world we would live close enough to one another that we could collaborate on dinners together. He would be dancing around the kitchen, singing a goofy tune and taking long gulps from his Guinness - all the while effortlessly throwing together a delicious meal. I would be sitting back, taking notes.

one word: Cauliflower Au Gratin
simple, hearty vegetable side dish popular in southern France.

1 head of cauliflower.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups hot milk
4 ounces cubed Gruyere (or Swiss) cheese
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mornay Sauce:
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook slowly for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. The mixture should get foamy or frothy but not brown. Add the hot milk and whisk vigorously until smooth. Season and return to the heat and boil for about 1 minute over medium high heat. Remove from heat, add cheese and stir until incorporated completely. Makes about 2 1/4 cup.

Cauliflower:
Cut a head of cauliflower into florets. Steam until it falls apart, drain. Mash cauliflower in a casserole dish and sitr in Mornay Sauce. Sprinkle shredded parmesan and crisp under a broiler for 2-3 minutes.


two more words: Cazuela de Cabra
Warm tomato and goat cheese tappas dish (or appetizer) popular in Spain.

6 medium juicy tomatoes
1/3 c. dried basil - (or 1/4 c. fresh minced basil)
3/4 stick unsalted butter, cut into pats
8 oz plain white goat cheese, softened and mixed with 1/4 c. dried chervil
1 loaf crusty french bread, cut on the bias into 1/2 inch slices
1 small jar prepared pesto

Tomato basil beurre-blanc sauce:
Blanch tomatoes in a heavy sauce pan for about 1 minute (until skins become loose). Drain tomatoes and shock with ice, remove skins and return to heavy sauce pan
Add basil (if dried, wait if fresh) and cook over medium heat, about 10 minutes or until tomatoes have broken down - remove from heat (if you're using fresh basil, add it now). Wisk in pats of butter until it is all incorporated, and the sauce turns from reddish to pinkish.

Pesto toast:
Brush bread with pesto and flash under a broiler until crisp

Final prep:
Place cheese/herb blend in a mound in the middle a gratin, or shallow casserole dish. Pour tomato basil beurre-blanc sauce around the perimeter of the cheese mound (like a moat). Broil for 2 minutes, serve with pesto toast.

Rustic Mediterranean Chicken

Rustic Mediterranean Chicken Accompanied by Roasted Brussel Sprouts (serves 2)

Mediterranean Chicken

2 T. Olive Oil
2 Skinless/Boneless Chicken Breasts
Small Yellow Onion, coarsely chopped
1 Garlic clove, minced
½ C. White Wine
1 Can Diced Tomatoes
1 C. Chicken Broth
½ C. Pitted Kalamata Olives
1 T. Capers
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme


Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken breasts on both sides then remove and hold on a plate. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute or so. Lower the heat to med-low, add the white wine and scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the canned tomatoes, including juice followed by the chicken broth. Let reduce for 5 minutes then add the chicken breasts back into the pot. Let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add olives and capers, oregano and thyme. Simmer another 5 minutes. Sauce should be fragrant and thick.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

¼ C. Olive Oil
1 lb. Brussel Sprouts (with outer leaves removed)
6 Pearl Onions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet w/ aluminum foil.
Rinse brussel sprouts and pat dry. Spread the brussel sprouts and pearl onions on the cookie sheet, season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables. Toss with your hands until the vegetables are all well-coated with oil. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes.


Serve with Basmati rice, if desired.

If it's Sunday

It must be football.

Under Construction

Look for some additions (you might have noticed some already) to the blog! As part of my commitment to NaBloPoMo (which is nothing really, I just have to promise to post every single day for a month - p'shaw), I'm going to make a few changes to the blog. The overall color scheme and set up will stay but there will be some new features that will hopefully, help me get through NaBloPoMo without resorting to posts like this:

Today I got up and went to work.

You'll thank me later.

False Alarm?

When I picked up the boys yesterday, Dean was happily playing with the girls - B, her twin sister S and their friend E. When we were in the car and about to drive away, the twin girls were walking to their car with their dad. I lowered the windows so the boys could say goodbye and the girls waved back and yelled "We love you!".

Dean's ego has been saved.

And so it begins

When I got to daycare today Jack ignored me. I waved and he just turned around and kept playing with his friend. I turned toward the back corner of the backyard to find Dean. He was by himself on the treehouse. Suddenly, he climbed down and started running toward me. He flung himself into my arms and buried his face in my shoulder. He seemed upset. I asked him what was wrong. Well, he said, no one wants to play with me so I'm playing by myself.
Oh, that hurts. I didn't think I'd be dealing with this yet. Especially since he's a twin. I thought he'd be thrilled to get to play by himself! He went on to tell me that he wanted to tell B_____ something but she wasn't listening to him. I looked over at B_____ who was playing with her twin sister and another little girl. I tried to explain to him that sometimes the girls just want to play together and may not want to do what he's doing. He didn't care. He still felt slighted. Then he asked me to follow him all over the backyard to see this treehouse? And this one has curtains? And this has curtains, too? Look at this! You get the picture. Finally, I told him it was time to go but no, he wanted to show me one more thing. Off we go back to the treehouse where he was when I arrived. He showed me that he could climb up the ladder to get up to the treehouse but there's an opening in the "fence" that surrounds it and he could jump from there to the ground (it's only 4 feet high).
I gush about how impressed I am. He's so strong, etc. etc. He goes to E__ (one of the girls with B_____) and wants to know if she'll come with him to the treehouse so he can show her a trick. She just looks at him and walks towards B_____ and her twin sister. Dean turns to me, pride injured, and says accusingly, "See what I mean!". He stomps up the ladder to the treehouse and announces, "No on will play with me!".
I look at him and say, "I'm playing with you".
He looks at me and with a sheepish grin says, "Oh. Right."

NaBloPoMo

That's me committing to posting every single day in the month of November.

Every.Single.Day.

I promise you that by December you will be so sick of reading about what I ate for lunch that you'll be begging me to never do this again.

Swear.

Quote of the Day

From Dean to his Dad:

Do you know what "weirdo" means?

It's dough that is weird.

Goofy Boys

Oh the wailing

Last night Tom put the boys to bed. He readied their toothbrushes, read the books, did the requisite chatting, then said good-night.
Then the wailing started. Dean, over and over and over, "Daaaaaaddddeeeeeeee". Repeat. Again.
Next, Jack comes out complaining because Dean called him a name. I told him that Dean was just cranky (totally bipolar last night) and he should just ignore him. He goes back in the room and then he starts wailing, "Moooommmmmmmeeeeeee". Repeat. Again.
All together now. . .

So. I go in, they scramble to me as I climb onto the bed, each trying to get as close to me as possible and if full body contact isn't an option, any body part will do. There are arms wrapped around my torse, legs wrapped around mine, heads buried into my chest. I don't know where one child ends and the other begins.

Why are you so upset, I ask? Dean answers first. "I'm sad because I just don't know why things have to change? Why does the moon have to come up every night? I just want it to be daytime". Whoa - where to start? I tell him that night time is when his body rests so it can keep growing big and strong. Sleeping allows his brain to rest and grow so he'll be smart and kind. I tell him that change is a wonderful thing and that each day is another opportunity for him to grow, to learn, and have fun and that he should enjoy every single day.

Then Jack starts crying. What's wrong, I say? He tells me, "I just don't want anyone to ever die." Ohhhhkaaaay. Another doozy. I tell him as gently as possible, "Everyone dies. Dying is a part of life and there's nothing we can do to change it. The best thing we can do is enjoy every moment of our lives, cherish our time with our loved ones, and have fun with our friends."

We fell asleep. Jack with his head nuzzled against my chest, his arms around my waist, our legs intertwined and Dean spooning him with his head tucked into the back of Jack's neck, his arm resting across Jack's body with his hand lying on my hip.

Oh, I love them so much it hurts.

Evening Conversation

Dean: Um, Jack?
Jack: Yes?
Dean: Well, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Jack: A dad!

A Happy Birthday

Today is my birthday and I just got this email from my mom.

Dear Kelsi,
Wow, it's harder to believe that you're 38 than it is to believe that I'm 58! I mean, how could I have a 38 year old child?

It seems like only yesterday that we were walking through Eastland Mall, you a blue eyed, curly blond haired little toddler and I overheard a woman behind me say "Oh, I always wanted a curly blond haired baby. All of mine were bald." I just looked down at your little head bobbing up and down as you were doing your best to keep up - you were "too big" for me to carry - or so you thought and I thought, yeah, I really am lucky - but I'd be just as proud of a bald headed one!

Was it really 35 years ago when I told you to put on your raincoat before we went somewhere? For whatever reason you hated that little clear raincoat with pink raindrops and matching hat. You asked "Why". I said because it's raining outside. You ran to the door and because the rain had just stopped you said "It ain't raining outside". To which I replied "It isn't raining outside" in an effort to correct this bad habit you had picked up. You then countered with "Oh, you was just kiddin'?" I know you've heard this a million times but I love the story!

Watching you and Jeff Redick duke it out in the sand box when you were 5 while his mom and I watched from the kitchen window. Then, just as suddenly, threw your arms around one another's shoulders and walked off - whatever you got angry about over as suddenly as it started.

Then, later on watching as you competed in gymnastics and diving with determination etched on your face. Wearing your Jordache designer jeans with pride when all the other girls were wearing Gloria Vanderbilt. All the while understanding deep in your heart that I couldn't afford to give you what the others had - blazing your own trail all the while.

And the day you left for CA. Oh, the day you left. I felt like my heart ceased to beat. I couldn't breathe. But yet, I knew, or felt like I had, anyway, prepared you to go your own way.

And now here you are, a confident, self-assured mother of the cutest twins I have ever seen. Respected at your place of employment, by Tom, your friends, neighbors.

I am so very proud of you. I just can't believe that I have a 38 year old daughter. Where has the time gone? CHERISH EVERY DAY.

Happy Birthday.

I love you.

Mom

Thanks Mom. I love you, too.

More from the Archives

March 23, 2005:

Dear Jack,
Have I mentioned how devoted you are to helping me? Last night I was washing my hands and you pulled the towel off the counter and had it draped across your hands, just waiting for me to finish. As soon as I turned the water off, you said, "here Momma, dry". On laundry day you gleefully sort the clothes into piles and help me put them in the laundry basket. Then you trek out to the laundry room with me and throw the clothes into the washer. You wouldn't dream of making me carry the empty laundry basket - you hold one end and I take the other. You march us right into the bedroom and put the next load in the basket. I guess this helpfulness is a byproduct of your thoughtfulness. I feel like we're partners sometimes. Just you and me, tackling the dirty house and dirty clothes. It's a wonderful character trait - I'll try not to exploit it!

I love you.

Love,
Momma

March 22, 2005:

Dear Dean,
Your new favorite movie is "The Lion King". We've watched it almost every night for the last week. When I can't sleep in the middle of the night, I hear "Circle of Life" cycle through my brain. Daddy and I went out to dinner on Saturday night and I was able to make 2 references to the movie through the regular course of conversation. Anyway, you love the movie and it captures your attention completely. But, you are afraid of the hyenas. As soon as the first hyena scene comes on, you curl your body into mine and twist your face into my chest. I ask you if you want me to turn it off but you say, "NO". It's gotten to the point now that you anticipate the scene coming and start grabbing for my hand to pull my arm around you more tightly. It gives me such a warm feeling to know that you feel safer in my arms. I hope I will always be able to make you feel safe.

I love you.

Love
Momma

Another from the Archives

A note I wrote to Jack on March 9, 2005:

Dear Jack,

You are such a thoughtful boy. Whenever you get something for yourself, whether it be your milk or juice or a cracker, you always bring one for Dean. Every morning, the first thing you want is a breakfast bar. So, we go into the kitchen and open the cabinet where we keep them, I hand the box to you and you pull one out. Then you look at me and say "Dean-na?" and pull one out for him. Then you go to Dean and say, "here Dean-na!" and give it to him. It's so charming, but what makes it even more charming is the way you say Dean's name. Well, this morning we went into the kitchen to get your breakfast bar, you pulled one out for yourself and Dean, then we went into the bedroom where Dean was getting his clothes on and you said, "here Dean!". That's the first time you said his name without the "na" on the end. You're growing up so fast. Slow down, love.

I love you so much.

Momma

From the Archives

A note that I wrote to Dean on February 17, 2005:

Dear Dean,

The other night I was sitting on the couch and you were very intently placing stickers on my face. There were a few on my cheeks but most ended up in the same place, time after time, on my forehead. You had a very concentrated look on your face with just a hint of a smile. It took great focus to peel each sticker off the paper and place it on my face. I started laughing and you stopped working at the sticker you were trying to remove and looked up at me and said, "dis funny?" with the sweetest look on your face as if you had no idea this was a funny thing. I said, "yes, this is funny" and you started laughing - then put another sticker on my forehead.

You are such a sweet boy.

Love,
Momma

School

The boys will enter kindergarten this time next year. Last year at this time I thought "thank goodness I don't have to worry about school yet". Well, now is the time to start thinking about school for next year. I've talked to the daycare owner at length about this issue and her advice was to research my neighborhood school. Go visit, go to the open houses, etc. Private school is out of the question due to the cost. After school care is obviously a factor since I work until 5:00 every day. It was all a little overwhelming. On the one hand, I am grateful that the boys will be starting school together - this little twin team. Even if they're in separate classes, they'll still see each other before and after school and at lunchtime. They're less likely to be picked on since they'll protect each other. On the other hand, the thought of these two little boys in a sea of other, older kids just scares the crap out of me. It is so easy for them to become lost. I have a year to get used to the idea. In the meantime, I did a lot of research on www.greatschools.net. It turns out that my neighborhood school is ranked 8 out of 10 and is one of the best elementary schools in my area. That's good news! This particular school also participates in an after school enrichment program in which kids can get extra help with reading, math and science or be involved in sports and recreation activities, arts and crafts, and music and drama. It also provides a safe place for children after school is over until their parents can pick them up. An added bonus is that my neighbor's daughter is one of the teachers there and has been since her own children attended. I am beginning to feel a lot better about this and even a little excited for this next milestone. I called the school today and found out that they will have an open house in August '08 for incoming students so we'll be able to see the school, meet the teachers and administrators, maybe some of the other parents, etc. The boys are always asking me when are they going to kindergarten? What is their school like? What does it look like? Several of their friends from daycare have started kindergarten so they're very curious. They also expect that they'll reunite with their friends when they start school, not realizing that they're all attending different schools and will be in different classes. I've told them that they're so lucky to have this year to be the "big" kids at the daycare and that their teachers are going to be spending extra special time with them this year to get them ready for school next year. This will be good - to have them in a public school, to have them close to their home in their neighborhood, to know that they'll have opportunities to explore creative and physical activities - I feel a lot better.

The Long Weekend

I have so much to tell you! I really wanted to have pictures to go with this post but I was too tired to upload the photos and besides, it's so unbelievably hot here right now. It's just sick. But the weekend - it was delightful! Other than the wretched heat and burned up television - delightful.

Friday the boys came to work with me. First we visited the cereal bar where they ate bowls of cocoa puffs - food I would never allow them to eat at home. Then, they each took a cup of lucky charms, or charmies as Jack calls them, back to my office. Along the way, we stopped in the coffee lounge (aka Caffeine Patch) to pick up a couple of bananas - which I ended up putting back later because, really, fruit? Puh-leeeze. There's cocoa puffs! And charmies! Then, I found a tv w/ dvd/video player and wheeled it into my office. The boys and I ambled down to the library and grabbed a couple of movies, came back to my office and they curled up on my couch to watch. Is it any wonder they love coming to work with me? We stayed until after lunch and then, since I had wrung out all patience and quiet from them, we headed over to Colleen's house. We spent the afternoon visiting while the kids played, then hit the pool in the late afternoon. Jack was swimming really well and even Dean tried swimming in the jacuzzi.

Saturday was World Food Day #2 with Peter and Julian. This is something Peter and I want to do on a regular basis - we pick a cuisine from another part of the world, pore over cookbooks to decide on our menu, do the shopping and all the cooking together, enjoy our meal together with Julian, Tom and the boys. Our cuisine this time was "Tapas". We had grilled pork brochettes marinated in a turkish spice blend with lemon zest and juice, olive oil, parsley, and garlic, broiled dover sole presented with a drizzle of fried garlic, chicken tenders served with a sauce of plums, raisins, apricots, hazelnuts, pine nuts, and walnuts, mixed bean salad (fava, green, and peas) served cold with a dressing of olive oil, garlic, and mint, and potatoes mashed with heavy cream, camembert cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Dessert was 3 different flavors of sorbet - mango, coconut and chocolate. It was AMAZING! So delicious, fairly healthy (except for the heavy cream and cheese) and surprisingly simple. We are researching cuisines for World Food Day #3.

Sunday we headed back to Colleen's house for an afternoon of swimming and eating. Again, Jack was doing amazingly well in the pool. He's becoming more adventurous. Dean is perfectly content to float around in his swim vest. There were so many people there that we felt it was safer to have Dean in a vest and besides, he's so much happier that way. When Dean is ready to swim, he'll do it. But right now, he just doesn't care and all I want is for him to be safe and to enjoy himself.

We had no plans on Monday. I was in the middle of finishing up the work I had started on my closet (love to purge!) and Tom was cleaning. Suddenly, there was a high-pitched whine coming from the living room. Tom asked me where the sound was coming from then lunged for the power strip into which our television was plugged. The sound ceased. Then the odor hit me. Not a good odor. Tom took the television outside to test it. Sure enough, that was the culprit. We turned on fans and opened windows and doors. Did I mention it was nearly 100 degrees? Ugh. As if on cue, Colleen called to see if we wanted to come over to help eat her leftovers and swim in the pool. Thank you! So, we did. We left windows and the back door open, fans blowing and the air filter at full blast, and left. When we got home last night the smell was gone and the house was only 97 degrees. Yeah. Anyway, at Colleen's, Jack was swimming from the steps to me and back again. I told him I wanted him to start doing that so he would get used to getting back to a safe place. That way, if he ever falls in he knows that he needs to look for the steps or the side. It was really great to see him getting more confident. Even swimming completely underwater and diving his head down far so he can get deeper in the water.

Finally, we got home last night with just enough time for the boys to have baths and go to bed. It's safe to say they were absolutely exhausted from the weekend. For the first time in weeks , Dean stayed in his own bed all night long. As for me, I couldn't keep my eyes open past 9:30.

Anyone got a spare TV?

Ramblings

I owe you more, I know. I understand the disappointment that comes with clicking on your favorite URL only to find there is no new post. You re-read old ones, just so you can maybe see some old photos or have a quick chuckle over a forgotten anecdote. But it isn't the same.

It's hard to come up with new material sometimes, though. I mean, the guys provide it pretty regularly but it's not as if I have a computer at my fingertips. Some of the best dialogue comes from a conversation in the car but I often lose track of the thread by the time I get in front of a computer, usually after dinner has been made, dishes cleaned, teeth brushed and stories read.

Lately, they've been a bit mean to one another. The tiniest bit of provocation can turn them into venom-spewing, foot stomping scowly faces. Before you know it, all I hear is "you're mean" then "no, you're mean" and on and on and on. I guess I knew that this was all part of having kids. I recall fighting with my brother and my mom became so fed up with us. I understand how she felt now. It's all so childish. Yes, I realize the irony of that sentence - they are, after all, children.

Joseph, one of the teachers at the daycare, told me last week that he can tell a lot about a kid by what happens when that child is absent. So, for example, when Dean is not there, kids don't get hurt as often. When Jack's not there, Joseph doesn't have anyone to help him clean. I don't want to give Dean a bad rep. He's absolutely committed to whatever he's doing and when his activity is threatened, he is protective. Sometimes with his teeth. Joseph explained that his teeth are his best defense, particularly against someone like James who outweighs him by 30 pounds. And in a way, he went on to say, it is brilliant in its simplicity. I like that Joseph respects his ingenuity, even when condemning his action. Dean has one more year to figure out how to manage his temper before starting kindergarten. I don't think he'll receive the same pass once he's in public school.

Grandma's Memories

Could I add what I remember about your midwestern vacation?

Not only picnicking in the park, the playgrounds, swimming/floating the "Cattail Crick" at the Tropicanoe Cove. Watching Jack and Dean enjoy digging holes in the sand and filling them with water both at Tropicanoe Cove and Indiana Beach. One digging, the other filling then they would without speaking switch roles as if in some silent agreement working on their architectural masterpiece. Visiting the petting zoo, digging for dinosaur bones in the archeology pit. Watching them joyously run from ride to ride at Indiana Beach while their mother and I sat on benches totally enjoying their carefree abandon. Getting to see the cousins (Jack, Dean, Miles and Charlie) play together at their Uncle Chad and Aunt Jenny's house. Even the occasional fussing couldn't dim my joy. Uncle Chad and Aunt Jenny had such fun things planned like tie-dying t-shirts, a visit to the petting zoo, swimming, great food. And who knew that a hammock could occupy Jack, Dean and Miles for the better part of 2 hours. I loved (and at the same time it broke my heart) to watch little 1 year old Charlie doing his best to keep up with his older cousins and big brother. He never got frustrated...he just kept forging ahead, eyes bright and shiny with a big grin pasted across his face.

I also remember fun rides on the cow cart, going as fast as it could up and down the hills on the 1/2 mile out to the main highway from our house. Jack and Dean with their hands up in the air like they were riding the Cornball Express at Indiana Beach! Stopping along the way so they could catch lightening bugs on those warm, endless summer nights so typical of Indiana. Blowing bubbles on the driveway with Jack asking his mom if he could take his clothes off - she said yes and he did. So free, hopping on and off the tricycles, riding through the paths around the woods. Jack with his work ethic, begging me to let him use the leaf blower. You kiddin' me? Here you go, kid, here's the on/off switch and you can start on the front porch. He would blow until the battery ran down. Luckily Grandma had a spare all charged so he could continue with his "fun".

Fourth of July Celebration on Slayter Hill at Purdue. While I sang with the Freedom Singers I could watch you all on the hill tumbling around like puppies, playing, waving flags, meeting up with Kelsi's step-brother and his fiancee and their combined clan. The boys meeting cousin Tyler and his friend Tucker for the first time. Watching fireworks. Having so much fun with T&T and vice versa.

What about the fabled "toy closet". Two pairs of brown eyes filled with wonder as Grandma opened the door that before had only lived in their imagination. Sitting at the table in the basement kitchen busily creating masterpieces that now hang on my refrigerator. Jack standing on a chair mastering the arcade game of "Ms. PacMan". Both staring at wonder at the juke box and I'm sure thinking to themselves, why does Grandma have something like that when mommy has a thing smaller than a cell phone that plays more music?

The Wright Family Reunion where close and distant relation came together. Jack and Dean having fun in the pool with their mom, Uncle Chad, Aunt Jenny, Miles and Charlie along with a bunch of other cousins. What about the water balloon fights back at home after the reunion with Tyler and Tucker? We must have gone through more than 100 water balloons.

Most of all I remember the night before you left. Kelsi came upstairs to report that the boys were tucked in but awake. While Kelsi and Bernie played Euchre with Uncle Dave and Aunt Teri I went downstairs to the bedroom. Jack had fallen asleep but Dean was awake. I laid down beside Dean and while Jack slept peacefully and with Dean's funny little "tree frog" fingers intertwined with mine, telling me he was sad to leave we recounted the entire two weeks. Dean's pipey little voice adding details long forgotten by me. We talked until we fell asleep. I'm not sure who dropped off first but the next thing I knew Kelsi was gently touching my shoulder to wake me.

I had fun - I sure hope you did.

Love, Mom (aka Grandma)

A Special Hug

Jack: Mom? Where were me and Dean when you and Daddy got married?
Me: Well, you weren't born yet.
Jack: But where were we?
Me: Do you want to have children someday?
Jack: Yes.
Me: Where do you think your children are?
Jack: Nowhere?
Me: Well, I think they're in your heart. You want to have children and that desire lives in your heart. So, you and Dean were in our hearts.
Jack: Oh.

Jack: Well, then how did you make us?
Me: Uhhhhhhhh . . . . . .
Jack: Did you and daddy give each other a special hug?
Me: Yep. We gave each other a special hug.

Two-Oh-Six

My cholesterol is down to 206 from 271!!!

Without medication!!

I'm so happy!

You can tell because I've used multiple explanation points!

Seriously!

Growing Up

On getting older . . .

Dean: Soon I'm going to learn so much. I'm going to learn how to drive. And you know what? I'm going to try really hard not to lose my driver's license. I am. I'm going to keep it in my wallet with my dollars and my money and my cards. And, I'm going to get married and have kids. But I'm going to be sad because I won't get to see you.

Me: Well, maybe you will live close to me and we'll get to see each other. Maybe we can have lunch together or you can come over for dinner.

Dean: Yeah, we can have lunch together! I'm going to take my kids to school in the morning on Fridays.

Me: Who is going to take them the other days?

Dean: The babysitter.

Me: I'll take them if I can.

Dean: Yeah! Maybe you can be their babysitter! I'm going to have a boy and a girl and I'm going to name them Fireboy and . . . um, BEN!

Me: Fireboy and Ben? I thought you were going to have a boy and a girl?

Dean: I am.

Me: Then what's the girl's name?

Dean: Ben.

Me: Oh.

Every Day

Our morning routine is fairly static. The boys get up, dress themselves and have breakfast while I shower and get ready for work and Tom checks the stock market. Then, when it's time to leave, Tom walks them out to the car, buckles their seatbelts and kisses them goodbye. He stands in the front yard as I pull out of the driveway and we always stop in the street before going on. Jack is always on the right side of the back seat and I always have his window down so the following exchange can occur:

Jack: Goodbye!
Daddy: Goodbye!
Jack: Have a good day!
Daddy: Ok, you too!
Jack: I love you!
Daddy: I love you, too!
Jack: I love you so much!
Daddy: I love you so much, too!
Jack: I love you every day!!

You get the point. While Dean is plotting world domination with his transformer, Jack is exclaiming to Daddy and our entire neighborhood the depth of his love.

I love you every day.

Photos

Vacation Redux

Finally, I'm sitting down to write about our midwestern vacation. Sorry folks - it's not that I didn't want to write about it. Just been nutty.
First of all, the boys were total angels on the plane. I got to do sudoku puzzles the whole way and they slept through most of it. Once on the ground, grandma presented each of them with a shrek buddy and with that, the boys were smitten. Mom brought me a beautiful red rose, a really sweet gesture that I'm not sure I fully appreciated at the time. Thanks mom - that was very thoughtful.
The next several days followed with a flurry of activity from visiting my grandparents to swimming at the Cove to having a water fight at Indiana Beach, aka the Redneck Riviera. Then the boys and I drove to Chicago to visit with Eddie and Elizabeth. The boys had their first subway ride and first trolley ride - our transportation to Navy Pier and the Children's Museum. Following the museum, we took a cab back to the apartment to meet up with Elizabeth and then on to Greek town for dinner. The boys fell asleep 5 minutes after leaving the restaurant and stayed asleep even through a car seat transfer. I said my goodbyes and headed to Chad and Jenny's.
We spent several days with Chad and Jenny, Miles and Charlie. Despite a bad headache on day 3, we had a good time with lots of euchre, beer, and play time - not necessarily in that order. The boys and I took off again and headed south to Papi's house. It didn't take long for the boys to explore the tree house that dad built oh, 14 years ago. There were missing ladder rungs and a precarious suspension bridge which the boys didn't mind at all. I, on the other hand, had to remind myself to breathe with my heart lodged firmly in my throat! Dad pushed them on the tire swing high enough so they could touch the tree branches with their feet. Me with the heart in the throat! Finally, I determined it would be better if I just went in the house where I couldn't see them flying through the air. They also loved bouncing on the trampoline which, surprisingly, didn't bother me at all. After a few days and lots of ice cream, we headed back to grandma's house. Again, we went to the cove and the petting zoo, rode the rides and the train at the park. All too soon it was time to come home. We missed Tom and were ready to be back in our own beds but we were sad to leave.
And now, we've been home for over a month. In that time we've taken another mini-vacation when our niece Meghan visited from Pennsylvania. We traveled up to Santa Cruz and spent 2 days driving back down the coast - stopping in Monterey to go to the aquarium, Cambria to sleep and see the sea lions (or are they seals? we can't tell the difference), Carpenteria to eat and frolic in the surf.
We're back to our routine, boys are happy to be back to daycare and every now and then I wake up in the middle of the night trying to work through some space problem at work. This time however, I haven't given up the sudoku puzzles. I have my book sitting next to the couch and once in a while I pull it out to do a few. I've even managed to successfully complete some 3-star ones.
It's nice sitting here reliving our vacation.
Think I'll go have a beer.

Night before

It's 10:00pm and the boys are still awake. They've been in bed for an hour but they're so excited that they can't go to sleep.
You might be wondering how I can be posting on the blog. Shouldn't I be furiously packing? Nope. I packed all our clothes and toiletries on Wednesday and shipped it Thursday. All I have left is to pack the carryon and that's almost done. The boys each filled their backpacks with toys and books, clothes are set out for tomorrow, coffee is set to go off at 5:30. We're ready!

Dinner Conversation

Me: I'm so lucky to be daddy's girl.
Dean: friend (raising his eyebrows) Daddy's girlfriend.
Me: Do you have any girlfriends?
Dean: Uh, yeah.
Me: Who?
Dean: About a hundred.
Me: You have a hundred girlfriends??!
Dean: (nods) I do. They're at my office. And when I go there, we all go to sleep together and they use a hundred pillows!

What? She posted?

um. hi.
We've been busy here at der Twin Haus. Not so busy with the posts though, eh? And this is just a little tease because soon, very soon, I'll be on vacation mode and I don't expect to be posting much then either. 'Course, what do you care, right? You're going to get the twintales LIVE and in PERSON!!
Just a couple of warnings before we descend upon you midwesterners.

1. Don't get between Jack and his ice cream. Or cookies. Or cake. Or fudge. Or anything that has an excessive amount of sugar. Seriously.
2. Don't get between Dean and his transformer. Or batman. Or anything he wants. That kid can hold a grudge.

But really, they are so excited about our trip. The famed "toy closet" at Grandma's house, the promise of trips to the park, the pool, picnics, playing with their cousins - all tantalizing little carrots that I'm dangling over their heads to ensure good behavior on the plane.
Shameless!

I'm pretty excited, too.

Whee!!!

To the races . . .

Jack and Dean race to their teachers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7xuu7gN7bA

Dean jumps in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERktkcy-d-I

Jack jumps in:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LinsU3XSmv4

Amazing

Overheard Conversation

Dean: Um, Jack? Have you seen Shrek the Third?
Jack: No.
Dean: Me either.


Subtle guys. Real subtle.

Quick Swim Update and more

No pictures to show today because, well I was so dang excited by what I saw that I couldn't bear to step away for the brief moment to grab the camera from my purse. Jack actually stood on the bottom step, put his face in the water, pushed off and kicked his legs until he reached the instructor about 8 feet away. Dean is no longer afraid to put his face in the water. The instructor is still working on getting his legs straight out behind him but he is opening his eyes under water and is much more comfortable with getting his head wet. Amazing.

In dog-related news, I've been taking Tikka for an hour-long walk or run every day since Monday of last week and she's doing very well on the leash. We've seen all kinds of animals on our walks - bunnies, ducks, blue herons, squirrels, dogs, geese - you get the idea. Well, today we saw a fox. Now, you people know where I live, right? A fox!!! It was cool.

What a difference . . .

From this















To this:


Yup, that's Dean with his face in the water and his arms straight ahead reaching for the stairs. You might ask him what his favorite part about swimming lessons is. The answer? Putting his face in the water. No kidding.


And, here is Jack reaching out with long arms and legs. Tonight there was nothing but smiles and giggles.

Action Shots

Fluffy White Cloud

I recently began a meditation class that is offered through my company. Every Friday, I go into a conference room with 20 of my coworkers and we learn about meditation with a 10 minute meditation in the beginning and 10 minutes at the end. It is enormously helpful to me - the one who internalizes all stress until my body breaks out into hives. My teacher stopped me one day and told me how much better I look, so much more relaxed. It has been wonderful.
On Mother's Day, Dean woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He was grumpy and out of sorts all day. After lunch, we laid down to take a nap. I got Jack down without a problem and then worked on Dean. He was so angry, there was no reason - he was just mad. He wouldn't lie still, he just couldn't calm himself down. So, when I was at the brink of frustration I remembered how much better I feel when I meditate and could I apply that in this situation? I hugged him and asked him to lie down with me so I could hold him. I whispered to him, quietly, to close his eyes and feel me hold him tight. I spoke softly that with his eyes closed I wanted him to imagine he could see a big, white fluffy cloud as it floated against a beautiful blue sky. I continued whispering to him about the cloud that it was the softest cloud he ever felt and that he could almost touch it if he thought about it hard enough. I told him to imagine that he could sit in it and then lay in it and feel it's softness all around his body. I quietly told him that this cloud was the most beautiful white color and that it loved him.
He was snoring within 5 minutes.
Later, when he awoke, I took him with me to the grocery store. He mentioned that he didn't take a very long nap. I said that it wasn't that long but it was a good nap. What were you thinking about as you fell asleep? - I asked. He smiled and said a white cloud. I asked him if it helped him to calm down and he replied, yes, it helped him to stop being so angry.
Yes, it helped him to stop being so angry.
Indeed.

Hip Hollywood Night

Saturday night we got a babysitter and went out for an early anniversary present. Well, that wasn't how it was planned but Tom toasted me at the restaurant and we realized that we probably won't be out again together before our anniversary and I'll be in Indy during the actual date. So, we went to our favorite sushi restaurant and had our favorite things - spicy tuna on crispy rice cake to start followed by seared albacore. Mmmmm - Eddie? Jealous?
Then we tried a few new things - spicy tuna roll with seared albacore on top with a tower of fried onions. Spicy shrimp on a rice cake - too sweet. Salmon sushi and yellowtail sushi - my mouth is watering as I type. We remembered that we have been going to this restaurant for over 10 years and it has really changed in that time. Not the food, but the customers. It was not even 6:00 and the place was packed. I looked around and there were a lot more 'hip' twenty somethings than I remember seeing before. They even have valet parking now.
Anyway, from there we went to Pinkberry. It's a frozen yogurt place that originated in Westwood (i think?) and was so hip that there were hour long lines just to get a cup. I recently discovered that there was one in the Valley so we went there for dessert.
Not my thing. Too tart. I was expecting more of a TCBY type of thing but it's nothing like that. The best part of it was the oreo cookie pieces that I put on top.
After our dessert, we went to a play in Hollywood that our friend Mark directed and his wife was playing the lead. We haven't been to an off-broadway play in a really long time and I forgot how small the stage is and how close the audience is to the stage. But, it was a great play - really well written and well acted. Clever, sad, funny, sweet. After the show, we chatted with our friends for a bit then drove home - past the long lines waiting to get into the coolest club, past the drunks stumbling along the street, past the new buildings, stores and restaurants that we'll probably never step into - home to suburbia.

Swimtastic

Day 3 of swim lessons was a much different experience for our Dean. He did not like the going underwater part - not one little bit. Between him and another kid, there was much crying and screaming. So much that his teacher told him at the end of the lesson that he was going to need to leave his screaming voice at home the next day because it really hurts her head.
She said it in the same quiet, matter-of-fact tone of voice that she says everything.
Day 4 was better with some crying but little screaming.
Day 5 there might have been a yelp but by the end of the class he was putting his head in without being prompted and even tried to open his eyes a couple of times.
Jack loves it. He skips to the jumping towel and his legs kick up when he jumps in.
It is amazing to watch them get over their fear. Their teacher told them that this experience would teach them not just to swim but that they could be afraid of something and conquer that fear. It's going to be great for their confidence.
Last night in the tub I was able to pour 2 cups of water on the top of Dean's head without a fight. It has always been a monumental pain in the tush to wash that kid's hair but not anymore.
I can't wait to see what happens tonight!

Swimmingly

That's what Jack looks like after he puts his face in the water. Soon he might even do it with his "windows" (eyes) open.















Dean is obviously delighted.
They both put their faces in the water. They both went under water. Neither was very happy about the under water part. Jack doesn't mind getting his face wet and will put his face in the water even when told he doesn't have to. Dean doesn't like getting his face wet at all but is being remarkably calm about it.
The teachers are incredible - soothing and calm but firm.
Tonight is lesson 3. I can't wait!

Some Rad Moves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5Lo9wY5lME

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLd4PIyC33U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dotdeN7CMSM

Bees and Blossoms

Ever hear of the Build A Bear Workshop? It's a place where you can pick your own teddy bear (or stuffed dog, horse, cow, etc.), stuff it and then choose clothes to go along with it. You get to name it and even get a birth certificate when you leave. Dean chose a cow, named it "Mooch" and picked out a nice bumblebee costume for him. One night, when he was supposed to be putting on his pajamas, Tom wandered in to find that he was trying to put on Mooch's costume. Despite Tom's insistence that it wouldn't fit, Dean persisted. Well, what do you know - it fits!


Look what grew in our Peach tree!! Jack climbed up there so I could get a picture. Well, actually Jack climbed up there because he loves to climb things and he looked so cute surrounded by the blossoms so I made him perch there until I could get a picture.

Hiking

Coming soon . . . new video of the boys practicing their "rad moves".

Seriously.

Reflections

Dear Jack and Dean,

I woke up a couple nights ago and couldn't fall back asleep. I went out and read for a bit, finally felt a little sleepy, and went back into bed. Guilt strikes at the strangest times -- most often at night when my world is calm and peaceful; the dichotomy of the dark, still night against my racing mind. Uncomfortable memories invade; times when I spoke too harshly or lost my patience over something trivial. Instead of pushing away the pain, I invite it in and go further back in my memory to when you were infants and I was an overwhelmed new mother.

It wasn't what I expected when I was pregnant.

It wasn't what I expected when I would visit you in the NICU those first few days and weeks. When you were too tiny to even touch because the stimulation was too much.

It wasn't what I expected when I brought you home with the monitors and medication.

When I was in the hosital visualizing what it would be like to have my two infant sons at home with me, I didn't see monitors attached to your chests or small vials of medications waiting in the refrigerator. I never imagined you being premature.

I find it interesting that these emotions come up two weeks before Mother's Day. A reminder that we're all human and that no matter how hard we try, we'll make mistakes and it's ok. The realization that the same feelings of inadequacy that I felt, the same overwhelming pressure to be perfect is universal to all Moms ( and probably Dads too but I'll let them fend for themselves).

Having you has changed me in ways I never could have imagined.

Watching you learn and grow, seeing your personalities develop, is a gift I didn't expect.

I love you.

Momma

2 Restaurants, 2nd Birthday, 2 Sets of Twins, Basketball's Greatest

We made plans to meet the Sullivan's at the CPK in Encino to celebrate the Princess' 2nd birthday. We got to the restaurant, sat at our table for 10 and ordered drinks. After 20 minutes, no Sullivans and my phone rang.
They asked - Where were we?
We said - We're at the CPK in Encino at our table.
They replied - Well, we're sitting at our table at the CPK in Encino.
We said - No way. What's your cross street?
They said - Reseda.
We said - That's Tarzana.
They said - Oops.
We said - We'll be right there.
And we got back in the car and drove the 3 miles to the CPK in Tarzana.
We sat at our table of 10 (6 kids under 6) and ordered. Then, Dad Sullivan asked Tom if he saw John Wooden and gestured to where Mr. Wooden was sitting.
Tom's eyes flashed and he and Dad Sullivan started talking excitedly.
I asked the obvious question - who's John Wooden.
Much excitement and gesticulating followed - he's the winningest basketball coach ever. He's one of basketball's greatest. Maybe THE greatest. He's written books on leadership and has coached UCLA to more basketball champions than any other coach.
Oh.
As we were waiting for our dessert, Mr. Wooden and his wife rose from their table to leave but before they did so, they came to our table to chat. With 2 sets of twins we generally get some attention when we're together. Dad Sullivan pointed at me and told Mr. Wooden that my family has land out near Purdue and that most of my family went to college there. He smiled and said that was nice. He mostly wanted to talk about the kids - the 2 sets of twins and the lone girl. Then, they said goodbye and made their way to the door. Once they were near the front desk, Tom noticed that they had left their togo container on their table. He sprinted to the table and rushed to the door to catch them, calling out Mr. Wooden! Then, he caught up to them and handed the bag to them and walked back to our table.
Jack asked - Daddy, why'd you run?
Tom replied - Well, he was getting away!

And we laughed and laughed.

Snippets

There's so much and so little going on right now. So much that it's hard to find the time to write regularly (duh, as Dean would say). So little because lately it's the littlest things that have Tom and I keeled over with laughter. Take, for instance, the conversation that took place the other night at dinner. We were talking about how good yogurt is and Tom even went so far as to say it was a special treat. I mentioned that I never got to eat yogurt when I was a little girl at which time Dean looked over at me, patted me on the shoulder and said, "You will Mom. You will."
Or, I could tell you about the other day when we were saying goodbye to some new friends we had made. Another set of twins, boy-girl in this case, and the girl had taken quite a liking to our Dean. As Dean was about to get in the car, she ran up to us to say goodbye. She walked past Jack to Dean, gave him a hug then began to walk away. Jack looked after her and said, "HeLLLoooooo?"
Sometimes, Tom can't even look at me because he's trying to hold it together and, to be honest I don't try to hide my amusement most of the time. It's hard for me to not laugh out loud when Dean is channeling Spongebob. He's got his laugh down pat and has memorized most of the funny lines and will often spout Spongebobisms. When you factor in that he weighs 27 pounds dripping wet and looks like an elf, it's hard to not giggle.
Jack is . . . well, Jack is like a nursery rhyme. I'm thinking of the one in particular - the one about the little girl who had a little curl. It goes like this:

There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good
she was very, very good.
But when she was bad she was horrid.

That's Jack. He loves to help. He wants to help clean, and will often clean up all the toys in the living room without being asked. He loves to put the groceries away. He loves to go to the grocery store with me and will beg for the most expensive pasta sauce and pasta that they have because it will taste so good, so good Mom. He loves mushrooms and freshly grated parmesan cheese, the stinkier the better. He wants to eat oatmeal for breakfast every day, not the quaker instant kind but the old fashioned steel cut oats that could pass for wallpaper paste once cooked. He's getting so big, as he's quick to remind me, and he can run so fast. He desperately wants to be 4 1/2 and, I imagine that once he finally reaches that milestone that he'll question me daily if he's 5 yet. But, don't cross him because then he will shout, "YOU'RE NOT NICE, ___". You can fill in the blank. It's usually me, or Dean or Tom. Now I can almost see my mom nodding as she reads this paragraph because I imagine it reminds her a bit of someone she once knew. The script is somewhat different. If I remember correctly, I used to say, "I'm not going to be your friend". All I'm saying is the kid comes by it honestly.

Yee Haw

The boys rode horses for the first time last weekend. We went up to our friend Tony's house to test his electric fence. He just finished installing it last week and he wanted to test it out before we left Tikka there. Oh. Hadn't I mentioned that? Tony lives on 7 acres out in the boonies. He has an old German Shepherd and has been wanting another dog but hasn't had time to look. Well, Tikka has proven to be too much German Shepherd Dog for us and so we talked to Tony about adopting her. He met her for the first time a month ago and thought she was cool. But, he also lives near a busy road and wants to make sure the electric fence works and that Tikka obeys. We're keeping Tikka for another 6 weeks until Tony is on hiatus and has time to work with her. So, we went to his place last weekend to test the fence. It didn't work and he has to figure out where the break is. He has a couple of old horses so he threw saddles on them and led them around the pasture with the boys on the back. Jack was not a fan but Dean liked it. He even yelled "Yee Haw" a couple times.

Golden

Dean: Golden doesn't like tails.
Me: Who's Golden?

Dean points to his stuffed giraffe.

Tom: You named your giraffe Golden?
Dean: Yeah, that's his name. But his nickname is 69.

Meet the Robinsons

We went to see the new Disney Animated movie "Meet the Robinsons" last night. Opening weekend is next weekend but we always have family screenings at work the weekend before it opens. One of the park walkaround characters was there to freak out the kids as we waited in line. In this case they used the Bowler Hat Guy who is the menacing character in the film. Dean was FREAKED out. He did not like the BHG. And, once the movie started, he still didn't like the BHG. Scared the crap out of him. Every time the BHG came on the screen he would moan into Tom's chest "I want to go hooooooome". Anyway, BHG redeems himself and as we streamed out of the theater Dean waved at the BHG. That's pretty big progress. Jack would wave at him but wouldn't go near him.
The movie is really fun and you should all go see it. On opening weekend. Twice.
If you're looking for my credit, you will have to stay for a long time. The cleaning crew will probably come into the theater and wonder what on earth you're still doing there. Ignore them. They know nothing. My credit falls under "Production Resources" category. There are only 3 of us in that category and my name is on the righthand side of the screen. Don't blink. You will have to watch all the production credits, music credits, and technology credits.
It's ok. You can do it. Just because my name is way at the bottom doesn't mean I'm not important. After all, I do come before the "Production Babies" category!!

xoxo

In Charge

Jack: Well, I'm in charge of Dean 'cos I'm a little bit bigger.
Dean: Who am I in charge of? (italics signify whining)
Jack: Well, you can be in charge of Mommy.
Dean: Who is Mommy in charge of?
Jack: Oh. Mommy's in charge of Daddy.

That's right my little pets. Mommy's in charge of Daddy.

Bwahahahahahahahahaha

Pictures

Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words then hopefully these will make up for my silence over the last month! Sheesh, does time fly!

More later . . . really, I promise.