THE SHAW FAMILY

Conversations from the road

2011-04-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

Today we were driving back from Target when Rage Against the Machine "Bulls on Parade" came on the radio. Me, being me, turned it up. LOUD. I love me some Rage and especially Bulls on Parade. This is the conversation that ensued.

Jillian: I don't like this.

Me: This song? You don't like this SONG?! Honey this is Rage Against the Machine. The song is called Bulls on Parade. Mommy LOVES this song.

Jillian: Well, I don't like it. At all.

Me: Well, what music do you like?

Jillian: I like Party in the USA. I like that a lot.

Me: So, you like Miley Cyrus and Party in the USA?

Jillian: Yes, I *love* smiley and Party in the USA.

Who is this child? I am pretty sure Jason is planning a musical intervention.

Spring has sprung

2011-04-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

The girls and I made our first trip (of the season) to the arboretum this afternoon. After last weeks hail storm, and days of cooler weather, the sky opened up to a deep beautiful blue and warmer winds blew on the horizon. Just lovely weather. And perfect for the arboretum!

Nuts I tell ya!

2011-02-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

My kids are crazy. Like hobo crazy. Today they have renamed our dogs. Crazy names too.

Bailey is now known as "Boulder". Now this works fine since he is a tank of a wiener. He is strong and fierce. He will literally shoulder his way in front of you just to get a nice rub down. He will knock you down for a treat. He is a Boulder.

Murphy is now known as "Jemsa". Sorry Murphy. Apparently you are the hippy dog. You tip toe through the house and dance to your own tune Jemsa. I am pretty sure the girls will be draping ribbons and beads on you by the end of the day.

Every time I call the dogs, the kids correct me now. "No mommy, that is Boulder, and that is Jemsa." Awesome hobo kids, Awesome.

Stuck indoors again....

2011-02-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

This winter has been cold. And windy. And snowy. Momma no likey. SO we have spent most of our time indoors. Some things I have learned over the winter months:

1) Either my kids are NUTS or I am. It's a toss up these days.

2) Never, ever turn your back on kids playing with Play Doh.

3) Streaming Netflix has saved my arse many days.

4) Snow ice cream is best with the heavy snow.

5) There are plenty of places to hide ponies, and down our pants is probably not the *best* place.

6) Making and decorating cookies will require a full 2 days. One day baking and decorating. The next day cleaning all the little sprinkles off the floor and around every crevice in the kitchen.

7) The Rainbow Brite movie has got to be the worst movie ever. I do believe it shares space at the #1 slot with the Care Bears.

This is how it all begins. Look how nicely they are playing together.

Uh-oh. Toddler Smackdown 2011 begins.

The fit ensues and the crying begins. This is my day folks. Rinse & repeat several times a day.

Snow ice cream!

I stuck!

Momma, can you help me zip my jammies? What in the world is that? Are those Ponies in your pants? Yes. Ohhhhh - kaaaay.

Murphy is cleaning Bailey once again. **Big sigh**

Even princess's get time out.

Cookie time!

Redneck Momma!

2011-02-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

I love watching people gingerly dust the snow off their car. Like they are polishing an exquisite bejeweled egg. Sorry peeps. This momma is redneck. And when it snows over a few inches, I bust out the broom. The broom is a little trick I picked up while we lived in Virginia. Those sweet little snow scrapers won't work for an SUV. That's like trying to use a toothpick. No mam. We need a broom - of significant size to brush the 7 inches of ice encrusted snow off this here vehicle.

Redneck Snow Removal

Tools of the trade

Voila! A clean car.

Playing in the snow

2011-02-01T09:32:00.000-08:00

Shortly after Grammy & Boot's visit, we got about 7-8 inches of snow. The girls were CLAMORING to go play in it. "Mommy, can we go outside and play? Can we? Can we?" Oye, I really have started to dislike being cold and this includes snow. I can never get warm. Ever. The ever present wind, fingers numb, teeth chattering cold. So I bundled them up like a couple of eskimo kids and away we went. Who says a mother never sacrifices for her children? I sacrificed my fingers and toes that day.

Jillian making a snow angel

Kate, who refuses to look at the camera these days. Every picture is a fight unless I catch her off guard. Sorry child, mommy likes to take pictures. Lots of pictures. So just work with me and smile. Pretty please?

Grammy and Boots visit

2011-02-01T09:24:00.000-08:00

This past month, Grammy and Boots flew up to Kansas for a visit. We spent the days chatting, gossiping, playing, relaxing and eating. That is ALWAYS a perfect combination! Luckily they left Kansas just a few days before we got 8 inches of snow. But that didn't matter too much, because they got several inches of snow and ice at their farm in Honey Grove. Family visits are the BEST!

New Years Eve

2011-02-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

This year one of my great friends Lindsey and her husband John hosted a New Years Eve party. Complete with yummy food, plenty of drink, and a room full of friends and laughter. I had such a wonderful time hanging out with the Hot Mess Express!

Miss Sloane is going to melt hearts everywhere. Poor Lindsey and John. :)

Nom, nom nom, get in my BELLY!

See what I mean about her breaking hearts? She looks at you with her bright blue eyes, bats her long lashes and POOF - you are putty in her hands.

Daddy and the girls reading a book.

Christmas

2011-02-01T07:37:00.000-08:00

This year we decided to embark on another "Tour de Texas" and spend Christmas with Jason's father and grandmother in Midland, TX. Yes folks, that is a 14 hour drive. Yes, f-o-u-r-t-e-e-n hours. Fourteen hours spent driving through Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Wind farms, cattle, oil derricks, and traffic. Jason and I, being the over-achievers we are, decided to do the drive in one day. Start early and keep going until we get there. It worked, until hour 13 hit. Here we are driving along, making great time and are about an hour outside of Midland. Then all the bells and whistles on the Durango's control panel go off. Really? WTH? So we pull over, grab the manual and start reading. Something the do with the catalytic converter. Great. It says, "If the light starts blinking you will need a tow truck." In other words, keep driving until the light blinks. Then you are sh*t out of luck, in the middle of nowhere on country roads. AWESOME. We decide to pull over, have some dinner, and rethink our strategy. Ok, what's the worse that can happen? Our car becomes completely inoperable and we get a hotel for the night and a rental car to continue in the morning. Not so bad. Things could be much worse. Always try to find the silver lining people. Always. So we decide to push forward until the car dies and we need a tow. Well, we made it into Midland and pulled into Pawpaws driveway with a big sigh of relief. No biggie. Tragedy averted. The car went to the dealership the following day for some repairs.

Then MY panic starts to set in. OMG. I still have a TON of Christmas shopping to do. It's a few days away and I don't have a car. Fantastic. So John generously lends me his sweet ass truck to go shopping. And by sweet ass, I mean this truck has every bell and whistle on it - the back up camera that displays in the review mirror, leather seats, and a gas pedal that responds with a thunderous roar with a tap of the foot. Now, my Durango isn't something to balk at with leather seats, DVD player, Infinity sound system, and a hemi. But his is sweet ass. Anyway, back to the story, I glide to wally and have a cart full of toys. I go to pay only to be told, "Your card has been denied." Really? WTH? Are you serious? So I make the walk of shame back to the Sweet A truck empty handed. A quick call to my bank later that night revealed that they shut down my card flagging theft. See, when you open your bank account in Kansas and suddenly charges start showing up in TX, it throws some big red flags. Thank you Bank of America for being so cautious and blocking my account, but see, we are a couple of days away from Christmas and unless I get some gifts for the kids NOW, there will be no Christmas. Awesome. So the next couple of days, I am scrambling getting gifts and wrapping them immediately. It all turned out well in the end, but not without some panic and stress. Isn't that what EVERY holiday entails?

Everything went uphill from there. We spent the days chatting and cooking with Dovie and John. The evenings were spent wrapping gifts and watching movies. This is what holidays are for. Family. Simply put. I love spending holidays with family. Broken down car, denied card, and all. I love it. Because simply put, there is nothing that will stop us from having a great holiday with the ones we love. Nothing.

On Christmas Eve, as tradition reigns, we read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas'. The girls stared in wide-eyed wonder knowing that in just a few short hours, Santa would come. It was magical. They laid down to sleep when the bells on the front door started to ring. OHHHH Santa was coming soon, you better close your eyes! The next morning we waited until everyone was up and made the mad dash to see what Santa left behind. The girls were mesmerized and thrilled beyond belief. Later that afternoon, Jason's sister Shelly, her husband Scott, and Eli came to Midland for a visit. We had a wonderful turkey dinner and a night full of laughter.

I have to say, that I love the holidays. And what I love more, is spending them with family. *That* is what the holidays are all about. Being with your loved ones and sharing in the joys of your children.

Jillian and her stash of Lightening McQueen goodies. And of course, Tobio - aka Astro Boy.

Katelyn and her favorite gee gee geee GUITAR! I am rockin' out momma!

Sweet cousin Eli

Eli's new dog Pumpkin.

Here's how the conversation went. "Jillian, did you EAT DIRT?" "No mommy." "Why is there mud on your face?" "I ate some." "Ok, did it taste yummy." "No, dirt is yucky." Yes kiddo, dirt is yucky.

Katelyn and uncle Scott

What better way to spend a lazy day, then bowling! YAY for bowling!

Pawpaw helping Katelyn bowl.

Poor Eli caught a stomach bug the night before and spent his evening and morning puking. Poor guy got very little rest the night before and was tuckered out.

Santa

2011-02-01T07:09:00.000-08:00

This marks the first year the girls have taken a picture with Santa. I'll admit that I am a bit of a lazy mom. It's not that I don't like Santa. It's the thought of standing in line for a couple of hours with 2 screaming toddlers for a 10 second meeting with Santa. All the mayhem sends me into a panic. Plus, have you seen the movie Bad Santa? Scenes keep running through my mind of Santa guzzling Mad Dog and chain smoking on his break. Ugh. The whole scenario makes my stomach turn.

But this year is different. Very different. The girls are calmer and can follow directions. OK, who am I kidding here? They are about as calm as a 3 year old can be. The difference is that I can see a fit coming a mile away and can usually stop it by giving the mommy stink eye. You know what it looks like. Chances are you have either been on the receiving end or have given the mommy stink eye. The squinty "don't you even dare act like that in public" look. And let's face it, they follow directions when they want to. Not all the time. But, more often than not.

What's different about this year is that they are really INTO Christmas. It finally clicked. Their little minds comprehended that Santa was coming to our house to leave presents. With all the excitement over Christmas, how could I deny their first formal meeting of the big guy? Even if we had to wait an hour with 100 other screaming, coughing, sneezing petri dish kids. It was worth it. Every single second. Plus this Santa was the anti- Bad Santa. The girls didn't want to leave his lap. We had to remove them. Physically remove them. :)

Thanksgiving in Austin

2011-02-01T06:08:00.001-08:00

Ahhh Thanksgiving. My personal favorite holiday. Thanksgiving is full of family, food, good libations, and warm fuzzy feelings. I love to sit back in a house full of family and hear the laughter and smell my sister's yeast rolls cooking in the oven. Bliss! Pure Bliss.

So we packed up the car - dogs and all - and embarked on the 12 hour drive. Twelve hours in a Durango with 2 three year olds (potty trained, thank GOD!), 2 dogs, and my sweet husband who only got 2 hours of sleep the night before. It was an uneventful drive, and extremely long. But we finally made it to Austin safe and sound. Just the way we like it! We had a wonderful vacation and Thanksgiving!

It's a cousin sandwich! From the top is Ryland (Suzanne), Shellby & Lily (Glenda), and my two at the bottom.

Sweet Lily, Glenda's youngest!

Ahh the kissing cousins. They are inseparable when together. They fuss, laugh, cry, and share makeup. Just what teenage girls do. And did I mention that they are gorgeous? Avery Rogers (Suzanne) and Camden Howard (Glenda).

Spencer aka The NUT is Suzanne's youngest.

Here's the gang, minus Taylor. From the top (l-r) Avery, Camden, Shellby, Ryland, Spencer, Lily, Jillian, and Katelyn.

My sweet Jillian

Ryland climbing a tree

Mee Maw (Hand on the left) training her grandchildren to Hook em Horns.

Always the rebel of the group - Jillian - giving Mee Maw the Guns' up Texas Tech sign. Mee Maw gagged a little, but Jason was proud!

I do believe it took the girls less than 24 hours to find out that Aunt Suzie has the BEST cereal of all time AND a trampoline. SCORE!

Murphy and Bella are in a stand off with Bailey on the toy. He's a toy hog.

Halloween

2011-02-01T05:50:00.000-08:00

This year the girls chose their own costumes. First Jillian wanted to be Uniqua from the Backyardigans. Then she wanted to be Astro Boy. Katelyn wanted to be a mermaid princess. Fantastic. So here we are, strolling down the aisles at Wal-Mart and the kids fixated on the witch costumes. Then the pleading and whining began. "I wanna be a witch. Momma, can I be a witch??" "I thought you wanted to be Astro Boy?" "NO NO NO I want to be a witch like Katie." OK, so we picked out the witch costumes and I have to say, it was perfect. Well, perfect until they wanted to wear their costumes 24/7 in the weeks leading up to Halloween. After a few arguments and time-outs, we parked the costumes in a closet until Halloween arrived. The morning of Halloween, both of the girls were asking to go trick or treating at 7 am. Um yeah, I don't think the neighbors would appreciate that. At. All.

Katelyn

Jillian

This year we participated in our church's Trunk or Treat. It was a complete success. In fact, we ran out of candy (which was a LOT) about 1.5 hours into the party. Wow!

Yes, it's been that long

2011-02-01T05:40:00.000-08:00

How long has it been since I blogged. Forever and a day. The pictures have been piling up and the guilt has been setting in. Oh the guilt. Let's just add that to the mommy guilt. Here are some fall pictures so I can catch up. Trust me, this is just the beginning of many blogs for the next few days. :)

We spent a beautiful fall day at the Overland Park Arboretum - one of my favorite places of all time! Here is Jill walking through the children's park.

SNACK TIME!

I love fall pictures. Especially when the kids play in the leaves. It's camera gold!

We always pack up some bread to feed the fish. Here the girls are feeding the fishies!

Loves and kisses!

Honest Abe

2010-10-15T15:40:00.000-07:00

Toddlers have the knack for being honest. Brutally honest. Jillian takes the honesty to a whole new level. While getting ready this morning Jillian asked, "Momma what happened to your boobies? They fall down? Are they ouchie's?" Holy balls people. No baby, mommies boobies are ruined from feeding you and your sister. I looked like a milk cow for 6 months and felt like one too. Oh and you know what else is ruined? My self esteem. Awesome.

More flowers and butterflies!

2010-10-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

Here are some more shots of flowers and butterflies that I have taken recently. Many of them have been at the Overland Park Arboretum. Love the arboretum!

Sunflower Fields

2010-10-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

I love these people - http://www.krisgrinter.blogspot.com/

I mean really. Only in Kansas will you meet someone that says, "Hey, we have a sunflower field that is beautiful. Come out and take pictures with your family. Just don't block the neighbor's driveway. And if you take a sunflower home, please leave $1 in the lockbox. We are on the honor system." Only in Kansas people, only in Kansas! Think about it. I would likely be greeted with a shotgun if I went walking through someone's pasture in Texas. Not here. Not at the Grinter's Farm! I love it and we look forward to it every year. So thank you Mr. & Mrs. Grinter for planting a piece of beauty and serenity here in Kansas. Thank you for letting everyone enjoy it. Thank you for sharing!

Sunflowers as far as the horizon.

Oh mighty grasshopper, what say you?

Miss Sloane!

Children of the corn, errr, I mean children of the sunflowers. Yeah. That's what I meant.

Sam is 100% boy. He has never met dirt that he didn't like. Here he is contemplating the finer points of farming.

Checking my ME MAIL

2010-10-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Yeah, that is what Kate calls it. This day she just happened to say, "Mom look, I am checking my me mail." She has quite the pronunciation problem. Here is a recent conversation we had while I was painting her toenails.

Me: Kate would you hand me the cotton balls.

Kate: Yeah, here are the cock and balls.

Me: WHAT?!

Kate: Cock and balls.

Me: ***swallowing my laughter while madly texting Jason with the conversation***

Really child? REALLY?!

Funky Mamma!

2010-10-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

We recently saw a performance of Funky Mamma. If you live in the KS area and haven't seen Funky Mamma sing and dance, you MUST! The kids love it, and you just might pick up a funky new dance move or two. You know, from those sweet dancing toddlers! After the concert, we headed over to ILan Park and had a lunch playdate. It was mostly play with a quick snack of lunch. Kids eat real fast when there is the promise of a jungle gym and climbing.

Jillian loves to use the finger while screaming "Watch this MOMMA!"

Yeah, I am pretty sure this was not one of my finer moments of parenting - watching my kid bounce up and down on the suspension bridge while my other kid is laying there bouncing and loving every moment. Awesome and completely not safe. *Children do not attempt this at home.

Yep, it's official

2010-10-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I think it is pretty safe to say that all toddlers are hobos. Here is some further proof. I think the pictures are pretty self explanatory.

Yeah, those are my gloves that I use when handling hot pans. Don't blame me if your next meal at my house smells like stinky feet.

Rain rain, go away!

2010-10-14T20:05:00.001-07:00

How adorable are these bumble bee umbrellas? I LOVE THEM! My kids love them even more. In fact, they would love to play with them ALL the time.

Goodbye Sweet Summer, Goodbye!

2010-10-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

WOW! It has been a long time since I blogged. A real long time. We eeked out the last remaining warmth of summer that was possible. We spent every last waking moment at the pool or the park. Here are some photos from those last days of summer.

Ahhh Sweet Sloane rocking the petal bikini. This is my best friend's daughter. Sloane is a sweet princess diva pants! The girls call her "Shwone" which is "Shaw-ese" for Sloane.

The babes of summer - Jillian in blue and Katelyn in white

Sweet Sam - Sloane's older brother and chief protector. He is the head pimp in charge of all the girls.

Yeah, I am *that* mom. The one that grabs her camera instead of assisting her toddler when she is screaming, "I stuck momma! I stuck!" We can just add this to the list of things they will be discussing with their psychologist later in life.

This summer Jillian got her first taste of Sprite. Let's say that she LOVES Sprite. A lot!

Late this summer we also went to Deanna Rose and met up with our friend Tricia and her 2 kids. This is sweet Eli!

This is Eli's sister, Katie. She keeps Eli in check and is the head boss in charge! But how can you not fall in love with that sweet red hair and that smile!

Sloane showing some team spirit!

Sam is the doorman to the tunnel of love. Watch out ladies!

Yep, Jill is not afraid to get dirty. In fact, it is a mission wherever we go. MUST FIND DIRT, PUDDLE, MUD and PLAY! In this case it was sand. And there was plenty to go around - in her shoes, in her hair, and even in her panties. Awesome.

Little Fortunes

2010-10-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

So we spent the day out at the Renaissance Fair today. Don't judge. It makes for FANTASTIC people watching. Do we dress up? No, no no no no. I am the person that hasn't worn a Halloween costume since 1987. I like to stand back and watch others enjoy the merriment. Anyways, after the fun and chaos of today, this mommy decided that Chinese take out for dinner was on the menu. Yay for no cooking! Booo because with all these antibiotics in my system, Chinese food sounds yucky. But, I ordered for Jason and the kids. Such a trooper! So the girls finally figured out what a fortune cookie is. We usually squirrel those away, where they sit on the counter for a week until I finally toss them. Well, the nausea hit and I was holding back the gags while Jillian eyed the little package of cookies. "OH MOMMY! WE GOT COOKIES!" Well, there goes my 'no blatant sugary treats before dinner' rule. So they just ate their cookies and mine. Here are their fortunes:

Jillian: You have an active mind and a keen imagination. Apply your ideas. Oh holy moly. THAT is Jill to a T! She is always imagining that she is Astro Boy or a turtle or something completely random and hilarious. She has such a vast and fantastic imagination. We will carry on 15 minute conversations on how she is a turtle, how she is green, and how she loves to eat grass, oh and strawberries. Hilarious! She either has a great imagination or she is completely crazy. I am pulling for the imagination. :)

Katelyn: You would do well to work as a team in the coming week. Ohhhh MY! This is my child that is ALWAYS helping me. She is my team mate. My little mini me and mini mommy! So bossy and busy. Just like mommy. Just yesterday, she helped me do laundry by sorting colors and helped me unload the groceries from Sam's Club. She is my BIG helper. Now if I can just teach her to do dishes and scrub toilets. My life would be GOLDEN!

Backyard Fun!

2010-08-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

Good Lord it has been hot here in Kansas. It's like Houston, but on steroids. Seriously. The past week it has been in the upper 90's with a heat index of about 104-108. Steamy as all get out. Miserable. Our AC is waving a white flag. Even the dogs grimace when they go outside. So what to do with the kiddos when it is too stinking hot to even drive to the pool? Turn on the hose and let them run crazy. Better yet, give them a couple of water guns and pray they actually spray you.

Jillian trying to ambush Jason, who had the water hose. You can guess who won this fight. :)

Katelyn retreating

Now they are going to tag team him. Watch out daddy!

Oy vey. Just don't drag that mess in the house. :)

Jillian blowing bubbles

Katie, do not eat the bubbles. Love, Mommy

My sweet Jill

My lovely Kate

CUH-RAZY!

2010-08-04T17:21:00.001-07:00

Jillian loves swimming goggles. It's a little odd, but she loves them. It all started when Aunt Suzy came for a visit. She pulled out some great goggles from her swim bag and tried them on Jillian. Jillian was sold. Each time we went to the pool she would ask for her "goo goo goggles". Aunt Suzy even left a couple of pairs for the girls to wear swimming. This is the craziness I deal with on a daily basis!

Mr. Stinky Feet

2010-08-04T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today we saw our first children's concert ~ Mr. Stinky Feet. He was playing a free concert in Overland Park and this momma likes free entertainment! The kids were fairly shy to begin with, even with their friends dancing. Jillian never quite warmed up to the concert. She kept asking, "Is it over? Can we go?" I think she was disappointed that I left the snacks and her drink in the car. She's a BIG snacker. Katelyn finally warmed up at the end and started dancing. Overall, not a bad outing. No fits, no screaming, no stomping (except to the songs). A huge thumbs up from this momma!

Poor Jillian, she inherited my dancing moves.

Miss Amelia dancing!

Miss Aubrey grooving to the music!

Miss Avery dancing!

Miss Amelia is having her guitar signed by Mr. Stinky Feet!

WE ARE POTTY TRAINED!

2010-08-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

WOOT WOOT! We have done it! YAY! Both of the girls are potty trained and wearing big girl panties - even to bed! It wasn't the cleanest operation, and I am sure there will be some accidents in the future, but for this moment we will celebrate! We celebrated potty success with a streak through the back yard!

Swimming in Lawrence!

2010-08-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

You gotta love the Taylors. Not only do the kids get along like peas and carrots, but they are great people too! My kids even refer to Lindsey as Aunt Chinzey! I love them!

Sweet Sam navigating the pool

Miss Sloane playing in the water

Katie with her itsy bitsy polka dot bikini!

Sweet Jillian is always begging for a snack. Always.

Sam is getting snuggles and kisses from his mommy Lindsey!

One pony, two pony, one weave, two weave!

More Park Playtime with our cousins!

2010-08-02T11:29:00.000-07:00

I don't need to reiterate how hot it was the week Suzanne and her family visited. I think you can see the red faces and the sweat in the pictures. The day before, we left Deanna Rose fairly early in order to cool off at the pool. So we promised the kiddos we would take them to a park the next day. Had it cooled off any outside? Neh. About 45 minutes into the 'park experience' Jillian peed her pants. Awesome. I was secretly happy because sweating is not my thing. Sweating while working out is great. Sweating while trying to have fun is not great. So we started to pack up the kids to head home. Well, Katelyn wasn't ready to head home. In fact, she let the whole park and everyone within a 1 mile radius know that she was NOT HAPPY about going home. It was a full on throw-yourself-down-kick-and-scream fit. It was crazy. I am consoling one child for having a potty accident and pulling the other across the park while she is screaming, kicking, and hollering. Awe-some. I am pretty sure Philip was shuddering and having flashbacks to when Avery was a toddler. He was just glad it was me and not him. Hilarious. Not.

I see you Ryland!

It's Spidey Nut!

Ryland "Bieber" Rogers enjoying the sun!

Look mom - no hands! I am Spidey Man!

Deanna Rose with the Rogers!

2010-08-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Oh what a lovely day for Deanna Rose. I am being sarcastic. It was hot. Like 102-105 hot. Really stinking hot for Kansas. And the humidity. Ughhh. It felt like you were in the sauna at the gym. We were sweating like sinners in church. But, the kids enjoyed it and had a great time. Unfortunately we had to leave after only an hour because of the heat. Kids+heat = Really cranky kids. No matter how much water you push at your kids, they are still going to lose their sh*t in hot weather. It's like a guaranteed fit day.

Ryland pumping water

Even the pigs were trying to stay cool in the muddy water

Spencer and Kate petting the goats

Feeding the Koi fish

Ohhhh Spencer aka the NUT!

Ryland and Spencer

This is how the conversation went, "Jill don't stick your hand near the goose. It will bite you. Jill are you listening to me? Jill, DO NOT put your hands near the GOOSE!"

"WAHHHHHHH The goose BIT ME!" She's been goosed. Maybe next time she will listen to me. Or maybe not?!

Now this was a huge milestone for Katie to feed the baby goats. After the big "goat debacle of 2009" where a goat tried to eat her shirt, she wouldn't enter the pen without leaching onto me or screaming for me to pick her up. But with some gentle prodding and the encouragement of her cousins, she went right in to the goat pen and began feeding the goats. Way to go Katie!

Mom of the year moment for me. Instead of getting the goat off my child, I grab my camera and begin clicking away. Awesome mom!

Our Gigantic Zucchini

2010-08-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

Our garden went bonkers this year. I didn't realize how big the zucchini plants were going to get. Basically they got so big that we had to pull them. They were choking out the jalapenos and hindering the growth of the tomatoes. Plus they were producing zucchini's that looked like they were on steroids. The biggest one we pulled was 14 inches long and had an 11 inch circumference at the widest. HUGE. We got one lonely squash from this huge plant. Now that the garden has been cleaned out, the tomatoes and peppers are really taking off! I am pulling 5-6 tomatoes every 3 days. Apparently we found a great spot in the yard to garden!

3 Year Portraits

2010-08-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

While my sister Suzanne was here we headed over to the arboretum to get some portraits of the girls. It was hot outside. Like really stinking hot. We lasted about 45 minutes before we all started melting down. Why is it, that the one week my sister comes to visit our weather turns hades hot? Did I mention the heat index was around 104? Really hot. But, we had a great time at the arboretum and were able to get some great photos of the girls!

Katelyn

Jillian

Katelyn and Jillian

My nephew Ryland

Katelyn and Jillian with their new BFF Ryland

3rd Birthday Party

2010-08-02T09:25:00.001-07:00

This year the girls celebrated their 3rd Birthday at Little Monkey Business in Shawnee. Suzanne, Philip, Avery, Camden, Spencer, and Ryland drove in from Texas and spent the week here in Kansas. The girls actual birthday was on Sunday and we celebrated again with just close family and gifts! All of the kids had a wonderful time!

Ryland and Katie on the slide

Sam T. showing the girls his fly ride

Katie, Ryland, and Jillian sliding

Sloane T. even found a slide just for her!

Jillian

Hmmmm cupcakes!

Sweet little artist Ava

Sam showing the ladies how to eat a cupcake

Awesome Sam!

The Amelia's enjoying cupcakes

Mad Nut (Spencer). He wanted to play more.

Happy Nut

On Sunday, we decided to hit the town shopping. After lunch and a few hours at the mall we came home and opened gifts. It was a perfect and relaxed birthday!

Jillian was literally shaking with excitement when she opened her Woody doll!

Soo sleepy, but must play with Toy Story dolls!

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Girls!

2010-07-31T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe it's been 3 years! Three whole years! It seems just like yesterday, I was waddling around, holding my ginormous belly, and sweating non stop. Miserable. I would do it all over again and again - just to experience the joy and happiness you guys have brought to us.

Me at 27 weeks, just 2 weeks before I was put on bed rest.

Bringing you guys home from the hospital was a milestone. We had been there over a week and struggled to get you guys out of the NICU. You were healthy but oh so tiny. So itty bitty. It's amazing to look at you now and remember those first weeks.

My sweetest Jillian, you are such a sweet soul. You have the sweetest sing-song voice I have ever heard. Your hugs and kisses can change a bad mood instantly! I love to snuggle with you. You love to run. In fact, you never stop. You love to strap on your cape and run through the house yelling, "TO THE RESCUE!" You are by far, the most daring child I have ever known. There isn't a rock, fence, or jungle gym that you won't climb. This is difficult for me to watch because you inherited my clumsiness. You LOVE all sorts of animals. You were the first to jump in and feed the goats at Deanna Rose. You are kind and gentle. You have such a wild imagination. You love to play pretend - whether you are calling Aunt Suzie on your barbie phone or giving Mickey Mouse a bath at bathtime. Your Woody doll is a constant companion. You have all sorts of conversations with him. You would eat peanut butter and jelly for every meal if I let you. You aren't big on veggies or trying new foods, but you do love salad and tomatoes! You are hilarious and silly. I love you to infinity and beyond!

My sweetest Katelyn, you are such a bright star. You are a leader and love to take charge of every situation. You get the bossiness from me. :) You love to be the life of the party. Your favorite thing is to dress up and pretend to be a princess. The look on your face while seeing your reflection in the mirror is priceless. You exclaim, "Ohhhhh, I am so beautiful!" while holding your hands out to the side and doing twirls. Yes, my love you are indeed beautiful! You love to shop and look at clothes (God help me). If you see a dress you like, you scream "OHHHH MOMMY! IT'S BEAUTIFUL! I LUB IT!" You love your sister with a passion. If we separate you guys, you immediately become upset. You love your barbies, playing dollhouse, putting on makeup, playing ponies, wearing dresses, and loving on Bailey. That poor dog is so patient and secretly loves to play dress up! You love your daddy with a passion and will follow him anywhere. You love vegetables, even broccoli. You have no problem trying new foods. You are very aware of the house rules and are quick to let me know when Jill breaks one. I love you to pieces!

From the mouths of babes

2010-07-23T17:57:00.000-07:00

Earlier tonight the kids were in the basement watching Jason play guitar hero. I called downstairs, "Jillian, it's bath time. Come on upstairs." She replied, "Ohhh mom, but I am still rocking." AWESOME!

Then just a few moments ago I said, "Jillian, are you ready to go to bed?" She replied, "Oh, no thanks mommy." She was polite after all. :)

I can't quite quote Kate today. She stumped me when she yelled out the Sh*t word when listening to Boom Boom Pow in the car. Note to self: begin downloading the censored songs. Oh and if the song says "kick it" - toddlers will literally kick it. Yes, they will sit in their carseats and kick my seat. Good Times!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMELIA ALLEN!

2010-07-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

How sweet it is to be 3!

Kate, Jill, and Amelia playing rescue the mermaid.

FREEZE DANCE!

Get down with your bad self Jill! So sorry you inherited my mad dancing skills.

Heather and her daughter Amelia S. dancing

Jody and Amelia on the big slide

Another beautiful day at the arboretum

2010-07-22T11:25:00.001-07:00

Hi, my name is Jeannene Shaw and I have flower envy. Yes, I have flower envy. You see, I can't grow many things. I tend to either over water or dry out plants and flowers. It's a difficult balance with nature. I just can't get a grip on it. At. All. Now gardening vegetables is a different story. You should see the 14 inch zucchini we grew this year. GINORMOUS! But flowers are a different beast. A very different beast. That is why on beautiful days, you will find me wandering the arboretum with my camera and my screaming kids. Good times!

Oh Katie you have eyes as blue as the sky!

Sweet Jillian, your smile is more radiant than the sun!

Hey sweeties, you think you could smile for me? Please??? Yep, that's *not* what I was expecting.

El perro de turismo!

2010-07-22T11:21:00.000-07:00

Oh you poor dog. Here is Bailey doing his best impression of a tourist - complete with barbie camera. Watch out wiener, I just might buy you a fanny pack! Pretty sure he will need counseling one of these days when the terror twins get older.

Deanna Rose with Amelia!

2010-07-22T10:52:00.000-07:00

I am so far behind on blogging. Bad mommy. Really bad mommy. Life is hectic with 2 three year olds. I am sure you can imagine. If you can't, then bang your head on the wall and repeat. That should give you some insight.

So I will begin back as far as the pictures take me and try to catch up. Sit back folks, this will take a while. Seriously.

A few weeks ago the girls and I packed up our goods and headed out to Deanna Rose for a playdate with Amelia. Sweet Amelia. I conquered my fear of the sand pit and let the girls play in it. See, I have seriously strong feelings about the sand pit. How sanitary is it? All those kids with their grubby, dirty hands digging in the hot sand. It sends me into the weebie jeebie shivers. Not to mention animals. Do they keep cats out of it? Or do the neighborhood cats use it as their personal litter box? I don't know, which is why I never ever let my kids play in it. Except this one time. Yeah, I went crazy that day. :)

Amelia digging in the pit

Katelyn - as sweet as a flower

Amelia - the busy butterfly

Jillian, my lovely 'flutterby'

What? My kids fighting? NEVER. NEV-AH! Who am I kidding? Here's the beginning of a shoving argument when Kate wouldn't let Jillian off the bridge. Awesome kids, AWESOME! Way to show your teamwork and cooperation skills. Love, your sarcastic mom :)

Photo Mishap

2010-07-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah. You've been there. If you have kids, you have CERTAINLY been there. It's photo hell. It's when you dress the kids up, fill them up with yummy goldfish snacks, and have juice handy - all coaxing and pleading to please smile for the camera. Then it hits you. SLAM! There is not a darn thing in this world you can do to make your kids smile. Not a thing. Not even a piece of candy. Suddenly one child starts screaming. Not to be outdone by her sister, then the other starts screaming. All the while mommy is dripping in sweat and trying not to have an utter breakdown. The mosquitos start biting and the kids just scream louder. People stare and point. Other moms give you the well meaning "oh dear God that poor lady" look. Then you finally realize - OK game over. No pictures today. Carry on folks. Carry on. There will be another day.

It all started well with Jill

Then the lost looks began

Then the screaming ensued

Ohhhh Katie, I will put this in your room when you are a teenager and I will show your first boyfriend. Mommy's revenge. :)

Yep, the fits continued throughout the park. Good Times!

This is when mommy gave up. I said, 'screw the kid pictures, I am going to capture some photos of things that can't throw fits and scream.'

So they are not screaming here. They started feeding the fish and turtles.

Jillian doing her best impression of a frog we encountered.

Gardner Balloon Festival

2010-06-18T17:39:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, we decided to surprise the girls and take them to the Gardner Balloon Festival. They had made such great strides in potty training so we thought a little surprise was in order. They love balloons, but they didn't expect them to be so big! It was a joy to see their eyes light up and listen to the squeals of laughter and excitement. What a fantastic night and definitely a beautiful memory!

You poor dogs

2010-06-18T17:30:00.000-07:00

You just thought you were going to snuggle and sun yourself at the back door. Suckers. It's dress up time! Check out Katelyn trying to put Mr. Potato Head's eyes on Murphy. Poor Dogs.

Garden

2010-06-18T17:14:00.000-07:00

My garden is completely out of control. COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL! We have had so much rain the past 3 weeks that it has become a jungle. Think I am joking? Look at the pictures below. LOOK at how ginormous the zucchini plant is. It is HUGE. It is encroaching on the jalapenos and anaheims. Jason is squirming that his hot peppers are going to get overtaken. He just might be correct. We are going to have to trim up the zucchini and see if it helps. If not, we will have to pull it. Poor garden.

Tomato!

See the beastly zucchini plant in the middle of the garden. I didn't expect it to get so big.

Potty Training 201

2010-06-18T16:59:00.001-07:00

I am proud to say that Katelyn is fully potty trained. Shout it from the roof tops

KATELYN IS POTTY TRAINED!

This is AWESOME! She stays dry at night and nap time. She was the easy one. So why would I expect to get off so easily with Jillian? Silly mommy. I would say that Jillian is about 80% there. She poops and pees on the potty. BUT, she doesn't stay dry at night and during nap time. She is getting there. Slowly but surely. In fact, she has done so well today that I am attempting to let them wear big girl panties to bed instead of pull ups. I asked them both what they wanted to wear and I heard a resounding, "BIG GIRL PANTIES!"

Am I going to regret this? Likely. In fact, I would place a safe bet, that YES I am indeed going to regret this. I certainly hope they prove me wrong. :)

Yes, that is Katelyn looking at the funnies while on the toilet. CLASSY!

Jillian isn't thrilled. At all.

Wow I have a sassy one!

2010-06-18T16:49:00.001-07:00

I guess we all saw this coming. It's no big surprise. Kate is sassy. Not the "oh so cute sassy", but the "I can't believe that just came out of your mouth sassy." Oh dear Lord. So hear are some conversations we just had at bath time.

K: JILLIAN MAE MOVE OVER

K: Mom, I have bageries (bad allergies)

Me: Yes you do have bad allergies.

K: Mom, be quiet!

Me: Katelyn Harper, are you sassying me?

K: (insert sly smile)

Me: You don't talk to mommy like that. That is naughty and not nice.

K: (insert big sighs, mumbling, and eye rolling)

God help me. She is just like me.

Crown Center

2010-05-29T09:18:00.000-07:00

This past week was Ava's 3rd Birthday! We decided to get together for lunch and to let the kids run through the fountains at Crown Center. The kids enjoyed lunch and ice cream at the Crayola Cafe. The staff was wonderful and provided little party hats for our impromptu party! It was a wonderful day spent with wonderful people whom I am lucky to have as friends. :)

Sweet Ava on her 3rd Birthday!

Katelyn running through the fountains

For the first 20 minutes, Jillian chose to stay in the stroller and throw a fit. Good times.

Sweet Aubrey running through the fountains

Yep, Jill's still throwing a fit and being cantankerous. She was something else, indeed.

Oh yeah, this was a long lasting fit. She rarely throws a fit. BUT, when she does, she throws a good one. Sort of like making up for lost time. GT's my friends, GT's!

OH! Looky there! Senorita Cranky Pants decided it was time to play. I guess the fit didn't work. :)

Jillian finally enjoying herself

Little known fact about Kansas City - It is known as the city of fountains and has over 200 fountains. The city is dotted with them. It's quite lovely!

Perro Diablo!

2010-05-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

This week I let the dogs out back to run in the yard while I cleaned. Bailey went nuts barking and acting crazy. This isn't unusual. At all. Five minutes later, he was still wigging out so I went to investigate. He had cornered a rather large box turtle along the fence line. Here is my dog, snarling like a dog straight from the portals of hell at this poor turtle hiding in his shell. Fantastic. I suppose he can now add "Turtle Chaser" to his resume. Albeit, it wasn't much of a chase. More like a 'hide in your shell' until this perro diablo quits barking. The girls and I released the turtle in the front yard for him to find his way back to the neighborhood creek.

Bailey was so exhausted afterwards. He walked inside and literally collapsed on the carpet to take a nap. Turtle chasing is serious business. Real serious!

Potty Training 101

2010-05-27T09:27:00.000-07:00

God help me. Please HELP ME! Potty training a toddler can be challenging. Potty training TWO toddlers is challenging and MESSY. Earlier this week Kate declared that she wanted to wear BIG girl panties. Sweet! I am excited, but that just blew a hole in this weeks activities. Now we have to stay home for a few days and potty train. That means mommy will be cleaning pee off the floor and bribing my sweet children with Dora and Princess stickers to sit on the potty. Here is how the week has gone.

Day one of potty training. I have decided to use the naked baby technique. Great. My kids are running around my house, naked and peeing everywhere. Jesus help me. I had planned on cleaning and mopping today. That isn't going to happen. I need a margarita for lunch. Make that two margaritas. By 11 am we are completely out of cotton training panties and I am currently rummaging through the house for spare towels. I have already texted Jason to bring me some tequila STAT when he gets off work. After lunch, the day gets better. The girls are both celebrating success! Mommy is making a complete fool of herself by making up a tee tee & poo poo song and dancing. It's the small things that make life sweet. By the end of the day I have handed out 11 stickers for peeing on the potty! That is triumphant considering we were having NO potty action beforehand.

Day two of potty training. I let the girls run around naked all morning. We had only one accident. Mommy dances! We have a playdate in a public place. Oh balls. I am NOT ready for my kids to wear panties in public. They are not ready to wear panties in public. I slip a diaper on them with strict instructions that they are only for accidents. This is the slippery slope of potty training. This is where many fail and never return. We get home from our playdate and strip the clothes again. Nothing is cuter than toddler butt. Seriously. I can't help but peak and laugh at my kids running around the house naked. It's hilarious! And this new found freedom has them on a silly streak!

We are on day three of potty training today. So far, so good. No major accidents. I have been chasing Jillian around the house trying to coax her with Dora stickers to poop in the potty. For some reason - pooping in the potty is a HUGE deal for toddlers. She keeps asking for a 'big girl pany' which means one thing - poop. Oh hells no. You are not pooping in a cotton panty. I have caught her hiding a couple of times and given her stern warnings. Please God, I don't want to pick up poop from the carpet. Please!

Summer is HERE!

2010-05-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh summer. The sweet smell of summer. Achhhho! Ahhh summer, the allergies. The runny noses, swollen eyes, and sneezing. It sure does beat winter's vomit comet flu! Hands DOWN! When I think of summer I can feel the sun on my skin and smell the coconutty goodness of suntan lotion. I hear the birds singing and kids playing all up and down the street. Dogs are barking and bugs are buzzing. My garden is growing and all is well with the world.

I LOVE SUMMER!

This year Jason and I planted a garden. We planted tomatoes, peppers, and squash. The squash is blooming beautiful yellow flowers. We have one crazy tomato plant which is 3x the size of the others. Plus we have a couple of poblano and anaheim peppers coming out! Now if I can just keep those stinking bunnies from eating everything!

Here is one of the silly bunnies that live in our neighborhood.

More Arboretum Fun

2010-05-27T08:40:00.001-07:00

Last weekend the girls and I went out for an afternoon at the Arboretum. After several days of continuous rain, we desperately needed to get out of the house!

OK, this picture cracks me up! There was a man behind me photographing a hawk's nest. I think he started moving around for a better angle which COMPLETELY upset Jillian. Hilarious!

Sharing snacks!

How sweet is this? Some sweet ladies were having tea at the Arboretum. They had quite the set up, complete with china, silver, and linens! Besties enjoying the outdoors!

Deanna Rose with the Taylors

2010-05-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we packed up the kids and hauled our goods for a picnic lunch at Deanna Rose. The kids had a great time - up until Jillian fell off a swing and got a nose & mouth full of mulch. The scrapes were nothing major. At least nothing that a popsicle couldn't fix. :) On the way home, Jillian started showing signs of an allergic reaction. The same reaction that sent us to the ER last summer. Mystery solved Scooby! It was the sunblock. Darn you Coppertone kids! We were close enough to home that I was able to give her some Benadryl before the reaction got too bad. Poor babes.

Yes, I do believe it is toddler love with Kate and Sam!

Jillian taking her puppy for a walk.

Sweet Sloane!

Yes, I will admit it. I have garden envy. Everything blooms so beautifully at Deanna Rose.

The girls were so exhausted at this point. Jillian was eating her popsicle with her eyes half closed.

Arboretum

2010-05-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite spots in Kansas City is the Overland Park Arboretum. Simply put, it is beautiful. Absolutely stunning!

Turtles sunning themselves

Sweet Jillian running around

Miss Katelyn striking a pose

How sweet is this? Kate and Jill are holding Suzanne's hand and walking around. I was blessed with wonderful friends!

Everyone needs a hug. Even statues!

Poor Bailey

2010-05-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

I say that with true sarcasm. He isn't poor at all. You can tell by his belly that he is indeed fed well and loved much. Lately the girls have been dressing him up with all sorts of flair. Whether it is a necklace, bows or a headband. He patiently sits still and let's them gussy him up. Poor guy. He's gonna have an identity crisis soon. I think that he secretly loves all this attention from his little 'puppies'.

Waiting for Daddy

2010-05-22T07:56:00.000-07:00

Every single day Katelyn wants to watch for daddy to come home from work. Every. Single. Day. She usually sits by the door and watches the neighborhood. As soon as daddy's car is in sight she yells, "DADDY'S HOME! Ohhhhhh DADDY!" It's cute. Very cute.

LOOK A COWBOY!

2010-05-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

Oh dear Lord. Jillian has taken notes from Kate's "Let's Say Inappropriate Things" book. In the parking lot of the local grocery store Jillian yells out, "LOOK MOMMY - A COWBOY! I SEE A COWBOY!" I turn around, and there is this sweet old man wearing a fedora. Cowboy - No. Big pimping grandpa in his white fedora - YES! Luckily this sweet old man is also hard of hearing.

Imagination!

2010-05-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

Jillian has the greatest imagination! She loves pretend play. Loves, loves, loves! During bath time last week she even bathed her imaginary friend - "Stand up Mickey so I can wash your legs, etc." Too adorable! One of her favorite games is running from Swiper. Both of the girls will tear through the house saying "Hurry Kate, Hurry Jill - HERE COMES SWIPER!" I love just sitting on the outskirts and watching her imagine and pretend play.

So the other day, the girls and I trekked down the block to retrieve the mail. Jillian insisted on wearing her belt and tucking her baby into it. All along the way, she talked to her baby, "Hold on baby we are crossing the street. OH NO! Baby fell! There you go baby!" I am sure we were a sight to see. :)

Katelyn is the princess of the house. Lately all she wants to wear is a dress. "I wear princess dress today!" Oh and God forbid you put a pair of shorts or pants on her. It's a trip to fit city. A trip you will never forget. She loves to dance and sing. It doesn't matter whether you are in the living room or in the backyard, she wants you to sing so she can dance. If you have heard me sing, then you understand why this is challenging for me.

And just to top of the cute factor - a few snuggles together!

A Mommy Moment

2010-05-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

Oh my GAWD! I have become my mom! I would have shuddered at the thought as a pre-teen, even more mortified as a teen.

But why not? She is the woman that shapes her children. Molds them into the people they are today. She is your shoulder to cry on, your best cheerleader when days are rough, and the toughest fighter to protect you. She has taught me right from wrong, even when I didn't listen to her. She taught me to respect others. She showed me compassion and willingness to view the world from a different perspective. She taught me friendship and how to nurture and care for it. But most of all she taught me love. To love someone without conditions. To love without end. To love someone with warts and all because this is the way God made us. Who are we to judge? Just show them love and kindness will be rewarded. I cannot say enough great things about my mother. She is loving and kind, smart and sweet. A perfect combination for a true mother. I owe you the world mom. I love you endlessly and always will.

Why would I EVER NOT want to be like that? I fully accept it as an adult. I am my mom. I can shout it from the rooftops - I AM MY MOM! No shuddering, no jerking with shame. Just excitement filled with courage - knowing she is the one who shaped me to be the woman and mom I am today. Thank you Betty Lou - I love you!

Oh and mom, you gave me a great sense of humor. I can't wait for the day when I tell my teenage girls, "One day you will be just LIKE ME!" I will roll with laughter at the puking and gagging sounds they make. Because in the end, they will be the adult that I shape them to be. And hopefully they will thank me.

What you TALKIN' ABOUT WILLIS?!

2010-05-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh. My mouth has finally failed me. My kids are repeating my words. I knew this was going to happen. I KNEW THIS! Why didn't I heed the warnings?! There have certainly been warning signs - Katelyn screwing up her face in anger and screaming, "HUSH BAILEY!" to the dogs and Jillian mimicking my private moments, down to scrubbing my feet with the Ped Egg and putting deodorant on. They watch my every move. How terrifying. Well, now they repeat everything. I am mortified. Pretty sure my mom is laughing and rolling by now. She knew "one of these days you will have a kid that is twice as bad as you are!" Folks, there is truth in the saying. I wouldn't consider my children 'bad', but challenging - yes indeed. Have your moment laughing mom. You deserve it after putting up with me.

Earlier this morning, I was reprimanding Katelyn for playing with her cereal and not eating it. She boldly turned around to me and hollered, "Shut IT MOMMY!" Oh holy terror. Oh holy smokes. My kid just told me to "SHUT IT". Fantastic. See, when the dogs are endlessly barking, Jason and I have been known to say "SHUT IT MURPHY." Oh Holy Batman and Robin, my kids are now telling ME to shut it.

The next person to curse or say inappropriate things around my little heathens, err angels, gets a time out in the corner. Myself included. :(

Oh what a beautiful day!

2010-05-05T17:49:00.000-07:00

The sun was out, the wind was blowing, and the sonic cups were filled. What more could mommy, errr kids, ask for with a perfect playdate?

Sweet Jillian enjoying the swings

Sassy Katelyn flying!

Hmmmm Sonic grape slushes! These are far and few between because of the sugar. Toddlers + lots of sugar = a margarita mommy.

The girls were playing a 'lock in' game with the climbing rope. They have such imaginations. I am pretty sure Swiper swiped the key. Oh and thank you Dora for teaching my kids Spanish. I get endless giggles when Katelyn yells, "Help me Jillian, Aye yuu yuu may!" Or when Jillian says, "Down mommy, Abahoe"! Thank you Dora for the broken English/Spanish. Jason will have to fix this mess with his Spanish skills. Yeah, he has mad skills!

Katelyn being adventurous! And for once, not narrating every single step she made. :)

I am telling you, Jillian never stops. Ever. You put her in an open space with toys and she is everywhere at once. She is my little energizer bunny. Boundless energy and brazen curiosity!

Here is sweet Maddie. The girls used to take Gymboree together and now we all meet once a week for a playdate. All of the gals get along so well and can't wait to see their friends!

Ahhh, Katelyn's quiet moment. I must cherish these moments since they are far and few between.

Jillian and Katelyn serving Maddie some wood chips a'la mode. Yum YUM!

Sweet little Aubrey with her lovely curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The girls call her Aubee and adore her! And yes, she is yummy!

Can it get any cuter? Need a kleenex yet? Here is Aubrey giving Maddie a push on the swings. They grow up so quickly. Next thing you know, Aubrey is going to be driving Maddie and the girls to parties. God help us all! :)

Break it up sisters. The older they get, the more physical their arguments become. Challenging, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

I did mention earlier that Jillian NEVER stops, right?! She doesn't walk anymore. She runs. She has such a zest for life! I could take a few lessons from her.

A quiet moment searching for snacks. Yep, those are MY kids. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. :)

Deanna Rose, Oh how I love thee!

2010-05-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Kansas City Metro area and haven't been to Deanna Rose - YOU MUST! Especially if you have kids. Trust me. This is the gem of Overland Park. Oh and the gem will cost you $3 a person Friday-Sunday. But Monday-Thursday are free. Mamma likes that! It's the perfect place for a playdate. Perfect. Pure bliss for busy and curious toddlers.

Jillian (l) and Katelyn (r) sliding together. GASP! They aren't fighting!

Jillian, Maddie and Amelia petting the baby calf.

Jillian, aka the Goat Whisperer. She loves on the goats and whispers sweet nothings.

Yes folks, this is the beginning of the end for Katelyn and the goats. She is no goat whisperer. They kept nibbling at her skirt. Now she is too freaked out to even enter the corral without being glued to my legs or in my arms. Reason # 137 that my child will be talking to her therapist about me.

Just a couple of more inches and they will reach the pedals. God help us all. :)

Sweet Sam, the girls first boyfriend is chillaxin' and scoping out the toddler scene.

This is Kate's "I am about to scream and holler" look. I know it well. And while it is adorable, it can still send shivers down my spine.

How cute is this little one? This is Sam's sweet sister Sloane. Absolutely precious!

Must have snacks before the toddlers have a nuclear meltdown.

Spring at the parks

2010-05-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

Lately we have spent LOTS of time at the park. LOTS of time. It's a quick and easy way to get outside and let the kids blow off steam.

Jillian shows NO fear. At. All. She is dizzying to watch - running from one piece of equipment to another. She can slide and swing for hours. She loves to climb - God help me. Jillian is also very reluctant to leave. Reluctance is the nice way of saying it's 'Fit City' when we leave. She is usually kicking and screaming. Yes, I am *that* mom dragging my screaming toddler from the park.

Katelyn, as ahem outspoken as she is, is quite timid around the slides and new children. She is a creature of habit and loves her playgroup friends. Although, her outspoken side does show through when she sees another child being mean. "NO, you be NICE." Thanks Kate for those pearls of wisdom. She still needs lots of encouragement to try new slides and swings. But that is perfect for me - because alas I am a mom. I deal in encouragement, discipline, and poop. Yeah the joys of toddlers!

Painting at Little Monkey Bizness!

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

2010-04-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

My kids are all bruised and scraped up. I blame myself or rather my part in their genetics. I am not graceful. Far from it. At any given time, I have UMB's all over. UMB - Unidentified Mommy Bruise. I have no idea how I get them. They just show up. It's like the great mystery of the missing socks. Likely it will never be solved.

As I am writing this blog, I am chicken pecking with only 9 fingers. This Wednesday I was cutting onions for our Boca Burgers. Yes, we eat Boca Burgers and I love them. While chopping, I feel a sharp pang. Hmmm. Yeah, the tip of my pointer finger on my left hand is gone. Fantastic. I toss the onion. I do damage control. Is finger nail still there? Yes. Did I hit an artery? No. Is it bleeding badly? Yes, very badly. I wrap up my gimp finger and wait for Jason to come home from work. He finishes dinner for me and takes a look at my poor pointer. "Yeah, you have got to go in. Tonight." This is the man that will only go to the dr. if he is holding his eyeball. Sinus infection? Rub some dirt on it. Fever? Rub some dirt on it. He's tough. So when he says that I need to go in, I take his advice. I head on over to the after hours care. The nurse takes the wrap off my finger and immediately scrambles out of the room to fetch the doctor. The doctor comes in and asks for a tourniquet to slow the bleeding. The nurse scrambles for anything and only comes up with a rubber band. Ghetto tourniquet, but it will do the job in a pinch. I am patiently sitting there, not freaking out, not even wincing at the pain. Yet. Ok, after much discussion the doctor decides to cauterize the vessels to stop the bleeding. Fun. Cauterize, as in burn? Yes. Oh Good Times. At this point, I am rethinking that I *should* have had that margarita with dinner. He opts for the digi-block which numbs the whole finger rather than just the tip. He gives me fair warning. "I am not going to lie or sugar coat this. It's gonna hurt. Real bad." Fantastic. The needle goes in and the nurse grasps my hand and tells me to breathe. Then it hits. Like fire in my veins. If there were such a thing as vampires biting, I figure this is what it would feel like. I yell. "Holy *!#! balls!" Pure silence. Chuckles and giggles come from the 2 doctors and a nurse. This night just keeps getting better. So the doctor begins cauterizing the veins and I opt to watch. "What are you doing, you ok?" "I can watch right? I mean, you just stuck me with 3 needles and put liquid fire in me. I am numb. It's ok to watch right? It's kind of fascinating to watch and not feel." At this point, he probably thinks I am nuts. Outright nuts. He finishes his business and gets the bleeding to stop. He writes me a script for tylenol with codeine just in case. He gives me the usual, "Don't fill it unless you really need it" speech. As soon as he leaves the room the nurse says, "honey, you better go get that filled TONIGHT because as soon as this digi-block wears off you are gonna want the codeine." Sure enough. I wanted the codeine. Something to take the throbbing away. So here I am, 2 days later with my finger still wrapped up and pecking at the computer keyboard. Good times.

Miss Manners

2010-04-23T16:48:00.000-07:00

We have been working on manners lately. Pffft, manners and a 2 year old?? ARE YOU CRAZY? These are the kids that have giggle fits when someone burps or toots. You would think I was raising 2 5-year old boys instead of 2 soon to be 3-year olds. Potty humor is hilarious. Bodily functions are even more hilarious. Good times. We have been working on "Please" and "Thank you" along with the occasional "Excuse me". It's taken some time to break them of the giggle fits when they toot, but we have finally gotten to "excuse me". I find myself endlessly talking about what is proper and what isn't. Who am I kidding? They are 2 - not 12. This leads me into a few situations where they have used proper manners, but the situation fell short on being anything proper at all.

Like the time we were at the book store. Both of the girls were in the stroller. God Bless the Mountain Buggy Urban Double. The bookstore aisles are narrow and a man was blocking our progress. Kate begins with a quiet, "Move guy." Apparently he didn't hear or chose to ignore. Good luck dude. Rule #1 - You don't ignore a 2 year old. Ever. So Jill pipes in, "MOVE GUY." Still nothing. Then Kate hollers, "EXCUSE ME MOVE GUY!" Shudder shudder shudder. He moves. I shudder some more and refuse to make eye contact while mumbling a small apology. Fantastic.

Then later last week we met the Taylor's at Deanna Rose Park for a playdate. Normally, when people are waiting to use the swings, the parent limits their child's swing time. It's common courtesy. "Sorry kiddo, but there are 5 other kids wanting to swing so you can swing for 5 minutes and then it is someone else's turn." Well, apparently this other mom didn't get the memo on swing etiquette. So I am pushing Kate when she turns around and tells the other kid, "Hey, you get off swings. It's Jill's turn. JILL'S TURN. YOU OFF!" I think the other mother got the hint. She quickly suggested the slides to her child.

OK, so today is the last example of manners. We are at the grocery store waiting in line. Kate is holding my hand and Jill is sitting patiently in the cart. Kate walks up to the woman in front of us and pokes her butt. Yeah, my two year old just grabbed your as*. What'cha gonna do about it? I just shake my head and explain to Kate that you can't just touch anyone. Especially on their bum. Luckily the young lady completely understood and we had a good laugh about it.

Have you noticed a theme to these stories? Yeah, they all star Kate. Why? She is the sassiest kid I have ever been around. Oh and she has the attitude and mouth to back it up. I wonder where she gets *THAT* from?

Overland Park Arboretum

2010-04-22T10:34:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full swing. YAY! The trees are blooming, the ground is sprouting with flowers, and the grass has finally turned green. This is also why I haven't posted in a while. The kids and I have been trying to spend every waking moment outdoors enjoying the sun and weather. We finally have a rain day - just in time for me to catch up on the blog.

The pollen this year has been abundant to put it mildly. People that have never experienced allergies are suddenly sneezing, wheezing, and snotting. Including my sweet heathens. Kate has especially been affected. She has been sneezing and her voice has become extremely hoarse. Of course, that doesn't keep her from narrating the entire day. And by entire day, I mean she will give you a play by plan announcement of every activity. "Mommy, I am going to find Jill. Mommy, what's that? Mommy, I stomp like this. Mommy I go slide. Mommy, I go swing. Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy." You get the idea. It's charming the first few times - not so much the remaining million times. Luckily the pollen has left Jillian unscathed for the most part. Just a few sneezes here and there, but nothing alarming.

Nope, that's not snow in April. That would be pollen and stuff from a neighbor's cottonwood tree.

We took an early trip to the Arboretum to see the early blooms. Lovely!

The tree in front of our house EXPLODED with flowers last week.

The sickies

2010-03-03T07:02:00.000-08:00

WOOT WOOT! The girls are finally healthy! YAY! Am I excited? Uh yeah. You try spending 2 weeks at home with 2 sick toddlers. Cuh-razy!