The day of decorating

Today Matthew, Kathryn, and Mike trekked out into the mud and the cold to get a tree. We decided not to take the boys this year as it would just be sheer chaos since they don't listen and just run the opposite directions at the sight of freedom. But once they got back, the boys were all about 'helping' out with the tree.

Zachary is totally into 'playing dead' now, so here he is, laying on the floor playing dead next to everyone else working on the tree.

See how helpful the boys are? Climbing on daddy while he's trying to make the tree stand up is super-helpful.

I love how they stand there staring as though evaluating the project.

Tonight Zachary decided to drag the wrapping paper around the house.

And here is the end result.

Bundle up!

Last Sunday we went to my parents' house in Molalla. While there, the snow started falling. We decided it was the perfect opportunity to get the boys outside! So we bundled up and tried to put stocking hats on the boys. Yeah right. My boys do not like hats. We tried to get some photos outside all wearing our dorky hats, compliments of grandpa, and here you can see the outcome.

Hats are nowhere to be found...

Tyler barely cuddles with me anymore, yet here he snuggles up with Daddy. What gives???

And Zachary playing with his beloved Elmo phone while watching the Hunting Channel. Yes, that's right....the Hunting Channel. Somehow Michael and my father ruled the remote and I saw more deer and elk shot in one afternoon that I could have ever imagined.

Are all children this way?

Seriously, are all children as mischevious as mine? Are they always this head-strong and determined? Do they always get into everything??? And I mean literally into everything?

But at least he's thinking ahead. See, if he gets into the drawer and stands up, then he can reach mommy's makeup and other items that are on the counter so that he doesn't get them. Very clever.

Last night we went to the Electric Parade in downtown Salem with the Baskett's. Although dry, it was so stinkin' cold! In the low 40's. The boys did very well considering how cold they had to be. Here's a photo of the boys in front of Mike's favorite float, the dump truck.

A Sheer Impossibility

I don't think that I am going to get Christmas cards out this year. If I do at least get cards out, there likely won't be a picture involved. I tried this last week to get a picture of all 4 kids together and looking at the camera, and its impossible. Literally impossible, I tell ya! Here are the 3 best examples of the many that I took in an attempt to get one, just one, decent one.

The time has come....

I have decided that it is time to reclaim my body. After 14 1/2 months of breastfeeding, I am done. I have weaned the boys to one feeding a day, but I just haven't been able to give up that morning feeding. Too precious. But, it is time. Monday, when the boys got up, Zachary got my Boppy out from under the bed and brought it to me and I thought hmmm, smart kid. But, although I am sad about quitting nursing and the realization that the boys are no longer my babies but my little toddlers, I am excited to reclaim my body. However, with this comes the realization that my body will never ever be close to what it was pre-pregnancy. But stretch marks and sagginess and all, its a beautiful reminder of the changes my body went through in order to grow my miracle baby boys.

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Here are a few cute photos. Yesterday Mike was putting up the Christmas lights outside and this chair looks right out the windows. Zachary laid his head down on the ottoman to watch Daddy decorate the house. Too cute.

And here are my little monsters 'sharing' the big chair

Party, Play, and.....Wienermobile???

We had a busy today! This morning we went to the Children's Christmas Party for Mike's work. It was so great. Tons of arts and crafts, lots of food, Santa, and gifts for each kid. It was so neat to see all of the children get their presents. Here is our photo with Santa. It was hard because we couldn't really put the boys down, so Mike and I are in it, which wasn't really the plan. But, nonetheless, here it is, in all its chaotic glory.

The boys got this really cool caterpillar that has 3 balls that roll around in it when you pull it along. They absolutely love it! They drug it all around the house.

And their other present was this great board that has little wheels on it that all spin and light up when the button is pushed. They had a ton of fun playing with that too.

And then it gets better. The Oscar Meyer Wienermobile was in town today. You would have thought that my husband had died and gone to Heaven. He actually took a matchbox car-size replica of the Wienermobile and had the box autographed by the 2 people who drive and ride around in the actual Weinermobile. They said that it was the first time that they'd been asked to sign anything. I have to say, I was pretty embarassed. But what the heck. How often do you get your photograph taken with a giant wiener on wheels???

Yes, we had to get a photograph with the license plate showing.

Not A Care In The World

I love this video. Just watching the boys splash away without a care in the world does good things for my soul.

Morning of Play

I decided it was time for some new photos! Babies at this age are so darned hard to photograph because they don't sit still long enough! But, I did my best and here are some shots.

Tyler's new favorite game is crawling between the couch and the wall.
Zach looks less than thrilled this morning
Tyler can now climb up on pretty much anything by himself, including the couches. So here he is showing off to me that he made it up on his own.

We have a big exercise ball and Zachary loves bouncing against it

Being Thankful

Since I have started this blog, I have used it primarily as a way to show pictures and share stories of the boys growing up to all of my friends whom I don't get to see very often. Other friends of mine who have blogs write so beautifully, so passionately and emotionally, and I so admire their thoughtfulness and gift with words. Me, on the other hand, not so much. I rarely get deep into any posts. I just don't have the brain power for it anymore! Or at least I don't by the time I sit down to write on my blog!

But since today is Thanksgiving, I wanted to take a minute to thank each of you. For if you are reading my blog, it is because you care about me and my family. You are a great friend and although I don't see you near enough, I appreciate you. You have all stood by me through the tough times, through the changing times, through my infertility, through my hormonal-ness (is that a word?) after the boys were born....and I thank you for it.

I have so much to be thankful for. A loving husband, 2 beautiful boys, Matthew and Kathryn, a home to raise my family in, family and friends....God is good.

Another Use for Toilet Paper

Who knew Costco toilet paper could be so entertaining?

All aboard!

My good friend Kim, whom I've known for 7 years now, is probably one of the craftiest people I know. I absolutely marvel at her abilities to make things! She is especially talented with wood. She made the boys the most beautiful wooden bears before they were born! And today the boys got quite a surprise in the mail: a package! And inside were two of the neatest toys I have ever seen. Animal trains that Kim made! Here is one of the trains:

The boys love them! They carried them and rolled them around all evening! While I was giving Tyler a bath tonight, I noticed that he had red marks on the back of his neck. Upon closer examination, I realized that they were rope burns from where he had carried the train around tonight dangled over his shoulders, causing the rope to rub on his neck. I think he loves the train!

I took these photos after I put the boys in their cribs and took the trains away from them for the night. I decided that the trains will go in the window sill at night and then down for play during the day. They match the woodwork in their room perfectly also!
Kim is a twin herself. She and Zach are the 'Twin B's' and I'm sure will have that special 'B' bond. Thank you Kim for such a wonderful gift!

John Deere Day

Diaper Dilemma

Today was Grandpa Miles' birthday! He returned from hunting today so we had him and Grandma over for dinner. Happy birthday Grandpa Miles! Above is a photo of grandpa half asleep in the chair after a long week of hunting, while Tyler plays with his presents.

Here are a couple more photos. Tonight Zachary wanted dad's water from the grown-up cup! I wish I had taken an after photo. Zach did get dad's water....all over his shirt! He was drenched afterwards!

Here is Tyler in the yellow blankie that has helped in the cause of so many bruises to his face.

And here is my diaper dilemma story. So, we're in the boys' room and I'm changing Zach to get him ready for bed. Tyler is playing in the room. Zachary has a nasty poopy diaper, which I am in the middle of changing. As I'm changing it, Tyler decides that this would be the perfect time to destroy his room! He literally pulls about 50 diapers out and proceeds to decorate the carpet. So what do I do? Do I leave the child with the poopy diaper and butt to stop the child trashing the room, knowing that if I do this, the poopy butt child will run around the room causing more chaos while I stop the other child? This is a daily dilemma for me having two little ones. I swear its like they plan all day long how to make messes when mom is tied up with the other child. I know I will offend all of you with singletons, but, my gosh, it is at times like these that I think having one child at a time would be SO EASY! (Yes, I know it's not really easy with one but with having two, it just seems like one would be a breeze). So here's some photos once I got the poopy child changed and grabbed the camera:

Tyler loves his mess

Yes, that is a diaper on his head

He is so proud of himself

I think Zach is just annoyed with the mess

But the good news is that he then decided that all of the diapers should go back in the diaper holder so here he is trying to clean up

Someone call Child Welfare!

I think someone is going to call Child Welfare and report me as an abusive mother. My children are covered in bruises!

Tyler has decided that the greatest game ever is to take his coveted yellow blankie and put it over his head so he looks like a ghost and run around the house, laughing the whole way. He absolutely loves it! Until he runs into things with his face, that is. I think he's managed to collide with every edge of every coffee table we own. His face is literally covered with bruises.

And Zachary: the poor kid sometimes lacks coordination and balance! He just gets going too fast and gets ahead of himself. Like just 5 minutes ago, he makes it almost all the way down the stairs, and when he saw the bottom, he just decided he was close enough, and missed the last step and had a run-in with the wall using his head.

So, I think someone will probably call me in here in the near future. Lucky for me I can at least say that they beat on each other instead of me doing it. ; )

Always into things

Tyler is my trouble-maker. He is very mischievous and is always into things. He's also figured out how to find something, mess around with it, wait until he gets his brother interested in it, and then manages to walk away before mommy catches them so Zachary always looks like the guilty party. I have a feeling this little man is gonna give me lots of headaches.

Today I was going through clothes that I had tucked away for winter in the boys' dresser. I had emptied out the side drawer and look who managed to take advantage of the situation:

He thought it was pretty fun to open, close, open, close the door until mom finally decided that she needed the space back.