At the high school

Yesterday about an hour before I had a meeting, my babysitter texted me to say something had come up.  Instead of watching his own children so I could actually talk to the other adults about important things, Ryan had to stay at the high school.  The official job of bbq-ing hot dogs and hamburgers had been passed to him at the last minute.  I had my meeting right as Ryan was getting off work, so I was going to drop the twins off with him a couple minutes early, and then he'd make it home before Emma and Elizabeth got off the bus.  So I didn''t get to go to my meeting.

Instead I oversaw homework.  I made dinner for Emma, and then packed up all the kids (and a neighbor) in the car.  I dropped Emma and her neighbor friend off at Activity Days, and then took the rest of us off to the freshman orientation BBQ.  I got to help with the grilling.  And I managed to cook without singeing any arm hair, which is more than others might be able to say (coughRYANcough). :)

About 45 minutes later, I took the kids in the gymnasium to get some food of their own.  While we were standing in line, the lady in front of me asked if Elizabeth, Annie and Maddie were my sisters.  "No, they are my kids."

Elizabeth piped up with, "My sister Emma isn't here.  She's at church tonight.  She's 9 years old, and I am 7!"

The lady in front of me looked me up and down, and then looked at her incoming freshman daughter.  That look said, "You are not becoming a teenage mom like so many people around here."

I felt defensive.  So many things came to mind-  I am sufficiently old enough.  I was married a year and a half before my first child came along.  I finished 3+ years of college before that first child.  My husband is a teacher here (and has been for 8 years).  I know I still look young, but for Pete's sake, I am old enough!

So, of course, I didn't say anything.

Ginkgo Petrified Forest

We decided we needed to get out of the house today.  We drove to the Ginkgo Petrified Forest.  The girls hadn't been there yet, and they love to look at rocks and the like. 

Everyone liked the Interpretive Center.  Lots to look at, and a movie to watch too.  

After a picnic lunch, we checked out the rock petroglyphs.

And enjoyed a view of the Columbia River.

Then we drove over to the hiking trails. 

We only did about half of the trails, but 1.6 miles (half of which was uphill) was enough for the short legs (and those legs who pushed the tired legs uphill in the stroller).  We liked looking at the different kinds of petrified wood.  Ryan loves this kind of landscape.  He finds it pretty and interesting.  I find it brown and dull.

Afterwards we drove to a wind farm.

And that was our Memorial Day adventure.

How Thursdays Should Not Go

Insomnia struck again.  The more tired I get, the more likely it seems to plague me.  And I have been very tired.  I was horizontal in my bed for the required number of hours, but I was not exactly able to spring out of bed. 

When Ryan rolled out of bed to go to work, I said a little prayer- "Please, Lord, I need help today."

So when Maddie climbed in bed with me, I tried to be thankful for the opportunity for snuggle time.  You know, instead of maybe catching a few winks before having to get up.

I tried to be amused when Emma dyed the milk blue to be funny.  As a side note, Elizabeth and Maddie don't like blue oatmeal.  Also, by the time the kids were done with breakfast, we were out of milk. 

I even tried to be thankful that Elizabeth only required 3 reminders to put on her socks and shoes instead of the usual number.  This was after she spilled orange juice on the first pair I gave her.  And down the front of her shirt.

But when the car battery was dead again, well... the tears started coming.  Apparently I needed a morning walk with all of the kids more than I needed a working vehicle.  So I dragged the double stroller out of the shed and looked with despair at the clock which told me there was no time for me to eat breakfast.  We were going to be late as it was.

On the bright side, this was the first sunny morning this week.

It took us only about 20 minutes to walk to the elementary school.  Annie and Maddie wanted to walk most of the way back, so it was about a 30 minute return trip.

I called Ryan.  I said he couldn't come home today without a new battery for my minivan.  This is the outside of enough.  I had a dead battery yesterday too, but was able to flag down a running engine for a jump start.  Unfortunately our grand town, with two auto parts stores, doesn't have a battery for a 2006 Sedona.  They are having one shipped in from Seattle that should arrive tomorrow.  He took my threat to heart, however.  He's off to help someone with yard work after he's done at work, so he'll be late.

What She Wore Wednesday

There's something about Elizabeth's style that just sets her apart.

Crash

We went to check on the kids before bedtime....

.... and neither girl was in her bed.

Twin-isms

The twins have entered a good stage in their verbal development.  They say some very funny things.  I'm just trying to write some of these down so I can remember.

Annie- "You go put pants on.  No go out in you jammies."  (My jeans were in the dryer, but the rest of me was "put together." While I waited, and got the twins ready to go.)

Annie- "You hold me on the toilet.  My bum bum is slippery."

Maddie- "Jesus wants me for a sunBEEP!"  (I think she meant "Sunbeam.")

Annie- "Don't kiss me.  Makes me sneeze.  And toot."  (I kid you not.  That's what she told me yesterday morning.)

Both- "Nebber, Ebber" (I think this means, "Never, Ever.")

Both- "You wuin my wife." (I can thank some movies for this precious saying.  Besides, I'm not doing my job properly if I'm not ruining their life.)

Both- "My pee is comin'."  (Every time we have a trip to the bathroom...)

Both- "Cheese Touch!"  (We saw the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie at someone's house, and the kids all picked the "Cheese Touch" up.  I've been touched by the Cheese Touch so often, I must smell really bad.)

Both- "Nuffing."  (This is a sure signal that something is up.  They will walk by me with their hands behind their back, and try to convince me they aren't trying to sneak something to their room.)

The Never Ending Battle

I should make a sign like this of my own.

I got the ironing board out awhile ago, and Annie asked, "What's that, Mommy?" 

(I think I only use the iron for sewing projects.  If an article of clothing doesn't un-wrinkle itself in the dryer, then we don't buy it.)

What She Wore Wednesday

Yep, I left the house with Annie looking like that.  We turned heads.  I'm not really sure where Annie found the Christmas ribbon, but it makes a flamboyant headband.

Another story about twins

Today I attended a meeting at a local elementary school.  It was at an awkward time, so I had to bring the twins with me.  I brought books and coloring supplies and hoped for the best.  While I was waiting for the meeting to even begin (and everyone to show up), I had Annie on my lap, and Maddie was sitting on friend Tiffany's lap. 

Someone was trying to be helpful and found a box of Lego's and dolls and brought them into the conference room.  Annie and Maddie scooted off our laps to explore the new toys.

The lady sitting next to me looked at Annie and Maddie, and then turned to Tiffany and me and said, "Wow, they look a lot alike.  They look like they could be sisters."

I said, "They are."

"Really?  I thought one was yours and the other wasn't."

"Yep.  They're mine.  And they are twins."

I can see how it would be easy to be confused.

It's "Pinteresting"

Is anyone else obsessed with Pinterest?  I am. 

I have to say I use the recipes more than anything else.  I love me some good food.  These are some of my favorites:

 Roasted Stacked Veggie Enchiladas: pinned here

Roasted Smashed Potatoes: pinned here

 Coconut Chicken: pinned here

 Mexican Chocolate Chip Cookies: pinned here

 Better than take-out Orange Chicken: pinned here.  Side note- I don't fry up my chicken like that.  I just cut up chicken breasts and cook them like I would for stir fry.  Ryan LOVES this recipe.

Cinnamon Bun Bread: pinned here.

This is by no means a complete list. 

I also found a way to make my own microwaveable popcorn on Pinterest and it's pinned here.  If you own a brown paper lunch sack, popcorn seeds and a microwave, you are in business.

What She Wore Wednesday

Disclaimer:  I just want to mention that I do dress my children.  Seriously.  Unfortunately the pants never make it past the first trip to the bathroom. 

Anyway.

I like mocking people who just know they are cute and stylish enough to show off to the blogging world.  They can't beat my kids though.

Annie and Maddie are rocking their "Grandpa Camp" shirts.  Annie kidnapped a pair of my heels (Target), and Maddie made off with my boots (ebay) and a pair of nylons.

....and I am a Mommy

Do you know what I miss sometimes?  Having a conversation with another adult (but here's the kicker) uninterrupted.  Talking on the phone uninterrupted. Talking to Ryan uninterrupted.  Talking to other moms uninterrupted.  I can barely get through a 90 second phone conversation without someone needing something.

Recently I tried to take all 4 kids with me to hang out with another mom while Dad was away.  It was kind of comical.  I was up, and down, and up, and helping in the bathroom, and mopping up a spill, and keeping the kids out of trouble, back to the bathroom, getting a drink, taking care of a fridge water dispenser puddle on the floor (I will never have a water dispenser in my refrigerator)....  Talking to my friend?  Not so much. 

Last night for Family Home Evening, Ryan took a rototiller to prepare a garden belonging to newer family in our ward (and his entourage came too).  Between trying to keep the kids from quarreling, throwing sand, knocking down someone else's sand castle, keep someone else from filling in the hole that was being dug, making sure shovels and buckets were shared, keeping sand from getting in long hair (failed that one miserably)- I can't carry on much of a conversation.  When we got home Ryan asked if I had a nice chat.  Um, yeah, sure.  I'm sure she thinks I am uninteresting and without the skills to carry on a conversation.

My college friend came by today for a couple of hours with her two little girls.  She lives in California, so I don't see her often.  It was wonderful to see her.  She is one of those friends that you can just pick up where you left off and have a great time.  Obviously things have changed since we were both single females in college.  But the relationship is already established, and it was easy to fall back into our old groove, even with the interruptions.  This is a good thing, especially after how I felt last night.  As I watched Charity drive away, I thought to myself, "I really should call her more often."  But as Annie started running away down the street after the car, and Maddie was picking all the flowers off the plants (she knows she isn't supposed to), I remembered- I am still stuck in the same place I was.  Interruptions are my life right now.

Helpers

Annie and Maddie love to help.  They love to use the vacuum.  They love to fight over whose turn it is to use the vacuum.  They love to scream and yell and whine while the other is using the vacuum.

If I vacuum, it takes me about a minute to clean the whole rug.  When the twins have their turn, it takes about 10 minutes between "taking turns" and their haphazard method.  Not to mention they are a little short, so most of the time the front end of the vacuum (you know, that actually suctions up the crumbs and fuzzies) doesn't in fact touch the floor.

Seeds and Plants and Flowers, Oh My

I took Annie and Maddie on another "field trip" today.  This time to the greenhouse at the high school.  I was kind of excited about going.  From last Saturday to yesterday, Ryan was quite busy at a local Livestock Show and not home much.  Starting tomorrow is the FFA Plant Sale.  We have not seen Ryan much, and so getting to spent 40 minutes with him was a treat.  Even if we had to share him with others.

 The kids got to handle seeds and soil, and (hopefully) started two pea plants.

Ryan and his students are in a flurry of activity getting ready for tomorrow.  The greenhouse is full of plants on every surface- hanging, on tables, and the floor.  There isn't a lot of room for customers.  So Ryan thought they would try something new this year- outside his classroom and in the parking lot. 

The flowers are everywhere! 

For you locals- the Plant Sale is:

Friday, May 4th, 9 am until 6:30 pm
&
Saturday, May 5th, 9 am until 5 pm.

Visiting

Last week we had a couple of visitors.  My mother-in-law Kim was taking her mom on a trip to see three of the four kids.  They stopped at our house after seeing Caitlin and Brynne.  Kim and Great-Grandma Skip only stayed a couple of hours, so I kept Emma and Elizabeth home from the first half of school on Friday.  I figured letting the girls see their great-grandma from California had precedence.  Ryan also managed to come home for a little over an hour during that time.  The high school had 23 teachers going to a conference, so a substitute was out of the question.  But the principal ok'ed Ryan leaving for his plan period and lunch.

As you can tell, Ryan was really out numbered on the male to female ratio.  It was a nice (albeit short) visit and lunch.