Ten on Tuesday

{1}

Every December deserves a new Christmas album.

My pick this year:

Google

{2}

We interrupt this Tuesday for Cohen's first visit to minor care. Thankfully this injury was resolved with glue rather than stitches.

Did I not tell you just yesterday this kiddo was a climber?

Another punch in our minor care punchcard; I'm halfway to my free latte from the hospital cafeteria.

{3}

Every year I am floored by the cost of Christmas cards.

I'm curious. What do you budget for cards (plus postage) each year?

{4}

As Cohen's vocabulary has blossomed, we have referred to Jack as the strong, silent twin.

Then out of the blue he throws a three syllable word at us.

Uncle Dru would be proud.

{6}

What we really do when the boys get too rowdy.

{7}

How is this for holiday eatin'?

A big shout out to my friend Jennifer who gave me this fun (and delicious) idea.

{8}

Hugging because they love each other or because the Seahawks got another win?

Maybe a little of both.

{9}
Our little singer at his daycare Christmas program:

{detailed post to come}

{10}

This Week's Blessing:

The precious enthusiasm of a child at Christmas.

Its magical.

Its contagious.

For the Love of Reading

pin

We began reading to Kendry at an early age.  Over time this made it easy to establish a bedtime reading routine – some of our most cherished, quiet moments with our little man.

We still read at least one story before tucking Kendry in for the night, and lately he has started reading some to us. Fortunately, he has moved on from the Dr. Seuss obsession he had at age 2. In fact, he prefers a nice variety these days - from chapter books like Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing to his early reader Bible, and pretty much anything by Mo Willems. Last month he demanded we check out a geography book about Yemen.

Like I said, variety.  And variety means our couch isn't "eating" many books these days.

I would love to tell you I read to the littles in their first 6-8 months of life, but honestly…and it pains me to admit this…I really don’t know where the time went those 6-8 months. 

Or where my memory went, for that matter.  Although I very clearly remember this stage:

By the way, if you called me during that 6-8 month stretch and I still haven't returned your call, please don't be offended. Rest assured you are not the only one.

Much to my chagrin, up until their 16 month mark the twins' only interest in books was yanking them off the shelf - a very sore point for this OCD mama. After too many times stacking the books back up on the shelf nicely (spines out, of course), I finally threw in the towel. Totally not worth the stress.

FYI: any mommy blogger who displays pictures of her 5 and under kiddo's bookshelves looking all neat and tidy is lying.  Lying!

Ideal:

Reality:

Before punishing myself too much over the littles' lack of love for the written word, I came to two realizations.

Point #1:  In order to effectively read a book to a toddler one must first get the toddler to sit still. As in, stay in one place for more than two seconds.

Bwaa ha haa haaa!

Point #2:  In a situation with two toddlers, one must hold the book with a vice-like grip to keep Toddler A from turning pages whilst Toddler B tries to yank the book away.  Although technically, in keeping with proper multiples referencing, it would be actually be Toddler A (aka Jack) yanking the book away from Toddler B (aka Cohen).

On a side note, whoever thought up board books?  GENIUS!  Just try to rip pages out of those suckers.  It cannot be done!  Well, except the time a two-year-old Kendry was left unchaperoned in his bed with an open-the-flap board book.

Oh the massacre…  

Anyhow, after months of pondering this difference in our children, and praying that Jack and Cohen would soon appreciate books as Mommy and Daddy (and big brother) do, God has answered our prayers, in excess. 

The personality on this biting, climbing, shrieking little fella' is deserving of its own post - and its own parenting book.  For now, just know that if the house goes quiet with Cohen around you should investigate immediately.  He either has his nose in a book or his hand in a toilet.

While still early in his speech development, Cohen prides himself on stating "The End" at every last page. His current favorite is Hand Hand Finger Thumb by, you guessed it, Dr. Seuss. Each time he finds this book on the shelf he comes pleading for story time.

Then again, and again.

"Millions of fingers, millions of thumbs, millions of monkeys drumming on drums..."

I'm not ashamed to admit another Dr. Seuss book has found itself eaten by our couch in recent months.  A parent can only take so much.

Jack's favorite book?  Whatever Cohen is currently reading.

Ten on Tuesday {October}

Ten Highlights of the Tenth Month

{1}

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins!

{2}

Experiencing freedom from the stroller on our walks:

Albeit a limited freedom.

Wide open spaces + 1 adult + 2 quick toddlers = unbelievable chaos

I'll be darned if those twins don't scheme ahead of time to run in two different directions as once.

Do you hear laughing?

Yep, that would be my neighbors watching me reign in chase my toddlers.

{3}

Owies all around.

Kendry stepped on a nail that went through his sole like a knife through butta'.

Cohen was playing in the pantry and dropped a can on his big toe. It is likely he will lose the nail.

Jack face-planted on parking lot asphalt, resulting in a bloody nose and skinned forehead.

Fortunately, none of these incidents resulted in a visit to the ER.  But can you see why my ER punchcard idea isn't so farfetched?

{4}

Preparing for 2015:

I let out a tiny squeal of delight when this calendar filler arrived.

It is possible I’m too attached to my planner.

{5}

 Acquisition of this:

I'm told it will soon be a DIY smoker for meats and cheeses.

{6}

 Learning how to tie!

Next up: whistling.

{7}

 Hosting our annual harvest party, which got rained out.

Ahh well, such is October.

{8}

 Stopping to admire the beauty of our Creator and His purpose behind each season - even if fall is my favorite.

{9}

Watching lots of good (and not so good) football.

Come on, 'Hawks, pull it together already.

{10}

This Month's Blessing:

Brotherly love.

Or is it brotherly wrestling?

Sometimes its hard to tell.

A Half-Marathon Weekend

On Saturday, September 27th, I completed my 3rd half marathon - the Happy Girls Run held in Spokane.  First and foremost, this was an awesome race.  I felt like I was in great shape, the course was difficult but beautiful, and it was amazing to run with so many women.  Secondly, this race kinda kicked my butt.  It was a tough course, with nearly the entire first half on rocky trails.  I had hoped to PR with a sub 1:51:00, but that just didn't happen.  I also came away with a foot injury.

All smiles before the race:

Looking a wee bit exhausted at the finish:

My race groupies:

The weather seriously challenged my packing strategy for our weekend.  As you can see, Kendry had to wear Daddy's coat in order to stay warm.  Fortunately, it was great running weather.

All along we had planned to spend the entire race weekend in Spokane, a short two hour drive from home. Justin's sister lives there and we intended to crash at their place. However, four days before the race our niece came down with fever that eventually developed into hand, mouth and foot. Yeesh!  For those who aren't aware, the twins came down with hand, mouth and foot - one baby right after the other - in August.  It was quite possibly our most brutal parenting week ever.  Needless to say, we were more than willing to make alternate arrangements for the race weekend in order to avoid hand, mouth and foot.  We ended up booking a hotel room for the weekend.  With a five year old and two babies still sleeping in cribs, it was quite an adventure, but we made it work.

Off we go!

With my race completed on Saturday morning, we strolled down to Riverfront Park in the afternoon.

 

In hindsight, walking probably wasn't the best choice for my injured foot, but its not like we were going to stay cooped up in the hotel room.

Before heading home on Sunday we hit up Trader Joe's and Manito Park. 

All that playground time paved the way for this on the drive home:

It was a fun weekend away.  While I didn't PR, I did finish under two hours with an official time of 1:59:37.1.  Out of 591 women, I placed 43rd.  

The babies did not get hand, mouth and foot.  Yeah, baby!  

And I came away with a cool new tee.

This race could be a fun yearly tradition.  Any volunteers to join me?

Happy running! 

(particularly if its hand, mouth and foot that you're running from)

Ten on Tuesday

{1}

Happy Fall, ya'll!

{2}

Looks like I'm not the only one excited that fall has arrived.

He assured me there were enough leaves for a jumping pile.

I counted thirty-three.

But this mama capitalized his proud moment (and the overcast day) and suggested he play in the leaves for the camera.

I even caught a real smile or two.

{3}

Today was a bit of a wildlife day.

Kendry found a slug.

The twins made a beeline across the road to introduce themselves to the neighbor's pitbulls.

I redirected by giving them their first up-close-and-personal with a horse a few houses down.

Kendry and I discovered a recently deceased snake on our road.

I met a black widow on our front stoop.

{4}

As a mother of boys, there are times you must dial down your fear of spiders.

This was not one of those times.

On a positive note, I created my own dance move in the front yard today. I call it "spider killer". 

Except I didn't actually kill the spider. I maimed her a bit with my broom before flinging her into front yard. 

She's coming back for me, I know it.

{5}

I miss Alaska and its tiny spiders.

{6}

Fun at the fair:

{7}

Gotta hurry and finish up this post cuz I have a date with these fellas tonight:

{8}

Jack the Seahawk
(kinda long but pretty cute)

{9}

The only non-Seahawk jersey we allow in this home:

{10}

This Week's Blessing:

Family.

God has blessed us beyond measure. May we never take it for granted.