I am not drawn to arts and crafts, despite the fact that my mom is a whiz at that kind of thing. But today I found a project idea and the kids ran with it. They made these butterflies with very little help, and were quite proud of them. The third little girl is Paprika, who joins us once a week.

The quest for the family bike ride

In July the kids and I went to Sunriver with Amy, KC, Cassidy and Kadyn. The highlight of our trip was riding on the bike trails with Eli and Evie on their "tagalongs." I found it magical that I could finally do something AT MY OWN PACE with the kids. I could actually get some real exercise, unlike during some of our hiking trips, where we are either battling the constant stops for bugs Eli discovered along the way, or a fussy Evie whose "shoes are bugging her" or who "needs a water break" far too frequently.

So, I became determined to buy us two tagalong bikes for home. But let's make one thing clear here--if anything just pure fun is going to happen in our family, it's going to be because I initiate it. You all know Pat--wonderful man: brilliant, heady, loving. Fun and spontaneous? Not so much.... but he will go along wonderfully if he sees that I am determined to make it happen. And I was.

Long story short--I made a weekend road trip to Vancouver WA and back to Utah with bikes in tow. Now all we needed was a tune-up, and voila! We'd be ready to enjoy my dream of fun-filled family bike rides. After a lengthier than expected assembly process by a loving husband, we were ready for our adventure.

Our maiden voyage was a 2.5 hour trip around town with a packed picnic bag. I do think that Pat finally appreciated why I was determined to make this work--the shared family fun of exercise, the wind in our hair, and the ability to go as fast as we want make a delicious formula for fun in the summer/fall Utah sun. We plan to take an evening ride every day until the first snow.

Preschool!

In February of 2009 I arrived to the preschool 30 minutes early for "sign-up day" just in case it was the kind of thing where there would be hoards of parents battling for a spot much like they used to do when Cabbage Patch Kids first came out. And yet it wasn't because I desperately wanted Eli and Evie to go to preschool; I just wanted them to have the option to go if I felt they were ready in the upcoming September.

I strutted proudly back to my car knowing that they were Numbers 1 and 2. That meant that they would be going to preschool if over the next several months they showed signs of readiness. I felt like the good mom who is on top of it--going to slightly extreme measures to give them positive opportunities in life.

When September came, we went for it. I had everything I needed to feel comfortable--it was a co-op preschool, so I would be helping out a lot. I had a strong recommendation from a good friend who has good kids. And another mom had told me that she had four children, two who went to the well-reputed Montessori and two who went here, and she preferred it "hands down."

To make a long story short, we are in week two of preschool, and it is AWESOME. Evelyn is totally digging having girls to play with. Every day she is on the tire swing with three of her girlfriends giggling to beat the band. Eli sits next to the teacher for "circle time" ready to fill here intended pauses with the answers. And every day that I have come to get them they are playing happily, and separately.

This was always my hope with twins. That they would be close, but not dependent on each other. That they would grow independently and thrive because of their bond, and individually as well. I am seeing it happen.

There was no crying at the drop off. There was no being overwhelmed by all the kids. There was no crazy behavior after it started. I am happy to say....it is ALL good. And I haven't even mentioned the fact that I have some time to get things done 3 times a week!

Today was material for an Erma Bombeck column. As you all know I am terrible about getting family pictures done, and I do take some flack for it, so I decided to be a good daughter/friend/daughter-in-law and get some taken to give to everyone. This was a two-day ordeal of course, as we had to spend one day finding coordinating clothing that would look good on everyone. I planned to do this when my babysitter came, but she had to cancel ten minutes before she was supposed to be here.

That meant that we had to take the whole fam-damily shopping, a notion I have tried to avoid since the twins were born. Well, we did it and the day of pictures came. As Murphy would have it, we had a fussy kid of the female gender who for unknown reasons woke up cranky, fussy, teary, and all-around difficult. Then we realized on the way to the photo shoot that she had a fever.

In the end we did it, and got some good shots. I just had to wonder how many families have similar stories, and I am certain there is an abundance out there. Anyway, enjoy the photos.

Three year check-up

Well, I was a couple months late for the appointment, but I am very proud of my kids, who LOVED going to the doctor and answering all her questions. According to the doc, they are very healthy and smart. Which mother in the world doesn't love to hear that? Eli is around the 50th percentile for height and weight, and apparently Evie is a tall drink of water--75th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. I hate to admit that I was excited about that and my thoughts immediately went to volleyball.

As for the interests I am seeing grow at home, they have evolved, a little. Bugs are STILL Eli's passion, as is all of nature. He wakes up and wants to go see the flowers blooming on the cherry tree and says things like, "A bee just pollenated that flower!" He is also very into running and ridiing his bike now. I was amazed on our last hike when instead of stopping to observe every black speck (potential bug) along the path, he actually wanted to sprint all the way to the top. What a fun change that was, leaving Pat and Evie behind us to follow him eagerly running up the mountain.

And Evie still goes absolutely nuts over babies. A boy named Micah at swimming is her favorite, and she has a very loving, gentle way with him. She also is showing some athleticism as she has really taken to swimming. She can backstroke the entire length of the pool now, and she loves it. I'll try not to push her, but oh would it be fun to watch her play VB someday--especially if she is blessed with the height I was always hoping for.

Evie likes to "Move it Move it"

We went to the pediatrician's office yesterday because Evie had an ear infection. In the waiting room the end of Madagascar was playing, where the song "I like to move it, move it" was on. When we got home Evie started dancing and singing "I like to move it move it." This was probably the cutest thing I have ever witnessed in my life. I'll try to get her to do it on camera so I can post it here.

Things They Said

I am going to make a running list of things they've said, so I will remember them later:

December, 2009:

Eli:

(While Evie was fussing about something) "For crying out loud!"


Mom: Evie, do you remember being inside mommy?

Evie: Yes.

Mom: What was it like?

Evie: Kinda wet.

Mom: Was it warm or cold?

Evie: Warm.

Eli: I love everybody in this family to the moon and back, even myself.


September 2009:

Evelyn:

This tastes so yummy I can hardly even eat it!"

Eli:

(While looking for his missing fly) You stay here and look for him. I am going to go and eat a carrot."

Eli:



"Mommy, I'm really glad daddy married you."



"And speaking of Yuck, we just read about the Yucca Moth!"




April 2009:

Eli:

"This is a lovely song for children."

With great excitement and urgency in his voice: "Mom. Several Ants!"

"But maybe we could give the recipe to Miranda and then when she comes over we can make cherry cookies."

Remember when Veronica came over. She wasn't behaving properly.

Evie:

"I like babies and Eli likes bugs."

Evie: "The baby's a little bit coughing today, so she needs to go to the doctor."

Me: "Where is the doctor?"

Evie: "Salt Lake."

Eli:

July 2008:

"Mom, the black swing's available."

March 2009

"I am trying to fit these together, but I am not making very good progress." (Playing with leggos)

"I wasn't finished with my conversation" (Sharing a play phone with Evie)

"We don't necessarily need them"

"I was talking to Tiny Ma. She got stung by a centipede's leg."

"Peanut butter comes from peanuts."



Evie:

"We have to hurry, the monster's in the house. (Big grin) Oh, it's not a monster. It's just a hippo."

"The baby's sad. She fell on a rock."

"I like Craig-O. I like Grandma and Papa. I like all the people of the world. (pronounced "wode")

Leggo Creations

Utah's Springs are very unique. After a week of shorts and sandals, we are now experiencing a high of 39 degrees and a snowy wonderland. So today has been an inside day. The kids got creative with their Leggos and wanted to post their pictures on the blog. While Eli was working on his stingray, he said, "I am trying to put this together, but I am not making good progress!" Evie's creations are a tower, a "rocket machine" and a sailboat. Eli's is of course, a stingray. Thanks for indulging them!

Just an Update

I have been out of touch for a while, because, well, I have been super busy!! We added Craig-O to our family for he next four months, while he is in town working with Pat. It is interesting living side by side with someone who has so much freedom. Most evenings he is out doing yoga, exploring, or planning his next excursion. It is a juxtaposition of our predictable lives dictated by naps and bedtimes, and it encourages us to venture out a bit more. In fact, I went with Craig to experience Bikram yoga last night. It's a 90 minute sequence performed in a room kept purposely at 105 degrees! It was fantastic, believe it or not.

As for Pat, he plays his guitar every night after the kids go down, and he is making great progress learning his favorite songs. This is proving to be his new passion, as it matches his artistic, creative, and spiritual sides. He spent one evening crafting songs with his buddy John. I love to see him doing something he loves so much.

As for me, after days with the cuties, I am coaching clients or studying most evenings. I am busier than I've ever been, but I love what I am doing, so it energizes rather than exhausts me. It is exhilerating to help families reach new levels of peace in their family lives. I am finding that even the strongest of families benefit from the coaching process.

And as for the kiddos, they are doing just great. We have swimming lessons twice a week, a couple hit or miss play dates, and spend a lot of time outside, at the library, and going to the gym from time to time.

Whenever they play, Evie gives her baby dolls swimming lessons. She is a great little nurturer. The other day when we went to the gym she brought a little stuffed animal, just in case there was a baby to share with.

And Eli's time is mostly spent on bug hunts. He finds interesting bugs wherever he goes, and if you ask him how he's able to find them so well, he'll reveal his secret: he eats his carrots to make his eyes work well. Sometimes he'll even ask for a carrot before he goes searching.

That's what's been going on here. We look forward to our visit home at the end of the month, as well as a grown-up vacation in Costa Rica!!

Growing up fast

Evie looked so grown up today, so I snapped a picture of her.

Eli's Ronald McDonald look

I love this picture. He had just woken up from a great nap and was in the cheeriest mood.

Sick Day!

Poor Mr. Cutes. He got the flu and is spending the day on the couch. It also happened to come on the ONE day I have a babysitter scheduled and when the sun is shining beautifully! Oh well, that's just how it goes sometimes. I do cherish not having to juggle schedules to be home with my boy, and it's very sweet to take good care of the ones you love. Instead of some time to myself, I just treated myself to an (extremely large) handful of chocolate eggs.

The Magic 3's?

So far age three is the age of "no worries." Eli and Evelyn are much more able to spend time playing by themselves or with each other and have developed nice long attention spans. I occasionally have to help break up a squabble, but they understand fairness now, and comply. If little fits happen, they are short-lived. I really put in my time disciplining and training from 18 months to 2.5 years. Is it possible that I am now living the reward of that time spent? I hope so.

Little Swimmers

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Fun was had by all! The kids danced freely, played follow the leader to "We are the dinosaurs, marching marching," and dug for treasure in cribs filled with balloons. As for the adults, well, there was wine, lasagne, and conversation. What a wonderful evening!! Oh, and by the way, thanks to Craig for the pictures--I was too busy leading the dinosaurs to take pictures!!

Evie and Paprika Sing a Duo

Swim Lessons

The kids have been taking swim lessons since this summer, and this week they both jumped off the diving board! Evie was a little nervous. She squatted down low and reluctantly rolled forward until she had no choice but to jump in. Eli on the other hand, ran to the diving board,(he knows this is not allowed, but just could not contain himself) then jumped as high as he could and splashed loudly, feet first, right into the water.

I never would have predicted this event back in June when I first started their lessons. Eli had everyone in the pool staring to see who was torturing him into those deafening screams he belted out--for the entire lesson! It was a wonder I even took him back for the second lesson.

Note to Self

I recently noticed that whenever one of the kids goes through a more challenging phase than normal, there is always some circumstance that plays into the change. A couple of weeks ago I had a challenging week with Eli--he was really pulling out the stops to manipulate and control me. I wracked my brain to figure out why he would be acting this way, and on my list was the fact that after having eleven straight days of his dad being with us, Pat not only went back to work but worked both weekend days as well, leaving Eli with twelve consecutive days of no daddy, except for the evening hours.

I also know that it is nearly impossible for kids this age to express what is bothering them verbally, so we have to read it in their actions. Sure enough, after having a regular weekend with Pat home, Eli was back to being himself again.

I promise myself to remember the next time a difficult phase hits to look closely and I'll probably find some circumstance that is contributing. This may not help the situation at all, but hopefully it will save me the anguish of wondering why, despite all my efforts, my children are all of a sudden acting like "those children."

Just Playing Around

A Little Gratitude

There is so much to say about our holiday visit home that I'll only summarize. The crazy weather causing us to be snowed in, Pat giving up on his flights and driving fifteen hours without stopping to eat just to get to his family, and mainly, the delightful love and hospitality that our loved ones blessed us with each day. I swear, the meaning of life has got to have something to do with true love and friendship, because I have found few experiences that feel as spiritual as spending quality time with the people I love. We are so fortunate to have the families and friends that we do. We loved being with you and we swear that if we ever move home, we will not take your daily presence for granted.

Three Weeks Away

Well, after three weeks of holiday bliss with our loved ones, we returned home today. I have been away from my computer with all my favorite websites marked and your email addresses that automatically pop up for me without my remembering them. Therefore, I have been pretty out of touch and have not updated anything about our Christmas visit. For now, I am going to post a few pictures and promise more later, because we are still acclimating back to life in Salt Lake City. Just wanted you to know.....