Why my house is always a mess...

All I can say is, thank goodness for the return of new primetime television.  I was reaching my limit on House Hunters and The Nanny reruns.  I really do love both of those shows, but if I had to watch one more cute, filthy rich, 30-year-old couple search for a million-dollar vacation home in Nicaragua, I might puke.  (Spoiler alert:  She always wants luxury; he's always concerned about price.  They usually end up 'compromising' on the house she likes best.)

There are not a lot of new shows I am excited about this season, but I am very glad to see my old favorites...

(Photo credit http://www.gleeimages.com/)

The first two episodes of the second season of Glee have been pretty outstanding, in my opinion.  Glee is definitely a 'love-it-or-hate-it' show, and I am firmly in the love-it category.  Yes, it is absurd at times, but reliving all that high school angst is a fun hour-long escape from real life.  Last night's Britney/Brittany was hilarious, and I actually got a strange look from A & M for laughing out loud during their quiet time before bed.

(Photo credit:  wikipedia.org)



Grey's has been a favorite of mine for several years now.  The show has had its ups and downs, but I will freely admit that I cry at some point during every single episode.  Last season was a pretty good one, in my opinion, but I think this season is going to be even better. 

(Photo credit:  www.tvfanatic.com)

The addition of this beautiful piece of work, Dr. Jackson Avery, certainly won't hurt my opinion of the show.  Isn't he gorgeous??  And Sarah Drew is a favorite from the Everwood days, so I am interested to see what they do with her as well.

Some more recommendations, both old and new:



(Photo credit:  amazon.com)

The Big Bang Theory  (HILARIOUS!)

(Photo credit:  tv.com)

 

How I Met Your Mother

(Photo credit:  photobucket.com)

Parenthood

Sadly, there are a couple more shows in my weekly rotation, but these are my current favorites. 

Your turn...  What's on your must-see list this fall??

A Reminder

I did not have my best "mom" day on Saturday.  We had a good morning, but by the afternoon I was losing my patience with the girls way too quickly.  We went out for a quick shopping trip, and though they were pretty good, I got frustrated because they were both clinging to me instead of walking out with Jeremy so I could finish up and check out in peace.  We got home and Jeremy grilled us a couple of steaks for a late lunch.  A & M had eaten and had a nap, so they should have been ready to play either in the living room or kitchen while we ate.  Did that happen?  Of course not.  Even though we were completely in sight of both rooms, they stood beside our chairs and cried to be picked up the entire time we were eating.  I really lost my patience a couple of times...it was not pretty.  I told Jeremy I am going to call a teenager from our church who lives in the neighborhood to come watch the girls while we eat lunch together on Saturdays!

The moment passed, as they always do, and we got to finish eating (complete with little hands pulling on my shorts, but still).  A couple of hours later, as all was forgiven and I was rocking my girls before bed, I prayed that I would have a better attitude and more patience with my girls.  As they get bigger, I know they are going to demand lots of attention that will require much more patience on my part and sometimes they will need more than I can give in a single moment.  I prayed that they will forgive me for the times when there is just not enough of me to go around.  I was feeling a little broken when I put them to bed on Saturday night, and more than a little guilty.

Sunday morning, I was armed with a new attitude.  I was going to be patient and upbeat, knowing that all my girls really want is mama's attention.  I can certainly give plenty of that...even if it means my food has to get a little cold before I can shovel it in.

When I got to church, I heard some news that kind of put my whole attitude this weekend into perspective.  A young mother in my hometown died very suddenly the night before.  She was not sick; it just appears she may have had a heart attack during the night.  As I sat in church, my thoughts turned to her children.  How sad for them...they went to bed Friday night knowing their mom was just down the hall and they would see her in the morning...and they woke up to find that she was gone.  My heart just breaks for them.  And even though I know this mom is likely rejoicing in Heaven right now, my heart aches a little bit in thinking about all the things she will miss in her children's lives:  first days of school, birthdays, first dates, and weddings.  The list could go on and on.

Yesterday afternoon, as I was changing a dirty diaper, I was overwhelmed with the knowledge that these days with my girls are such a gift.  I thanked God many times for allowing me to spend my time raising these girls:  caring for them, keeping them clean, nourishing their bodies and spirits.  When the things I want have to be put on hold, it's okay, because loving them is my most important job.  If there ever comes a time where I don't get to wake up in the morning, I don't want them to remember the days when I had to push them away to try and clean the kitchen or check my email.  I want them to remember the bedtime snuggles, the tickle monster, the chases through the backyard, and the millions of hugs and kisses.

Sometimes I just need a little reminder about what matters most in this life.

Getting Crafty

I have a slight obsession with pretty fabrics.  I can spend hours looking at fabrics, imagining all the things I could do with the beautiful patterns and textures.  And yet...I never do.  Problem #1 would be that I can't sew.  Not at all.  If Jeremy loses a button on a shirt, he fixes it himself and does it far better than I would.  We don't own a sewing machine, and although there have been a few fleeting moments when I imagined that I might learn to use one, I have no immediate plans to obtain one.

So, I have to limit myself to crafts that don't require sewing....which, when we're talking about fabrics, are relatively limited. 

Last week I managed to put together these shirts for the girls, and I was pretty pleased with how they turned out:

Suprisingly, they held up through the first washing, so I'm counting it as a success.  I used two different fabrics, printed out some letters to trace and cut out, then used iron-on-transfer paper to adhere everything to the shirt.  I used some FrayCheck glue around the edges, and voila!  Crafty, huh?

Next up:  Halloween shirts!  I am hoping to go hunt for fabric this weekend if I can get a few minutes hours out of the house.

Lady Luck

I am starting to think Jeremy and I need to make a trip over the Mississippi line to the casinos in Tunica while we are in Memphis next month... I have won prizes in THREE online giveaways in the past week!  I won the new Tinkerbell movie from the Multiples and More blog party, then I won a necklace from Lani's giveaways.  In addition to those, I won a free photography session from a college friend who has started her own business.  (I am ridiculously excited about letting the girls watch Tinkerbell, by the way.  Every time it comes on, they point to the tv and grin.)

If only my girls weren't suffering from their first ear infections, I might say this was my luckiest week ever.  The poor things had runny noses over the weekend, then have had a couple of rough days this week.  Yesterday, Mackenzie had a fever and just really was not herself at all, so we went to the doctor.  She has infection in both ears, and Addison has it in one.  They got a prescription for antibiotics and numbing drops, and after a battle with the pharmacy and the insurance company, we headed home for a night of suprisingly good rest for all of us.  (WHY is it so hard to understand that yes, my two children have the same birthdate...it's called TWINS, people!)  After spending the previous two nights holding Addison all night long, sleep was much needed.  Addison was well enough to go to school today, but Mackenzie stayed home to rest another day.  Addison was excited to get to school and gave her teacher "love", while Mackenzie was mad that she had to stay home.  Jeremy reported that she was carrying her lunchbox around the house this morning.  It makes me so happy that they love their school...even if it did lead to their first ear infections.  Seventeen and a half months without one was pretty good, I think.

In other kid news, Mackenzie has begun telling us when she is using the bathroom.  We have been teaching her to say "pee-pee" and "poo-poo" (yes, because it's funny...I never said we were mature), and she is catching on to the concept.  Twice on Sunday, she came over and said "poo-poo" just before filling her diaper.  Now, if we can get that warning to come more than five seconds before she starts doing the deed, we might be ready to talk about the potty.  Which, oh Lord, I really don't even want to think about right now.  Addison doesn't say the words, but she has definitely started letting us know also.  She will grab at her diaper and start toward her bedroom when she's wet.  I am in no rush to potty-train AT ALL, but I do find it encouraging that they are picking up on the concept and showing a little interest.  Has anyone had any luck with early training?  Actually, I would prefer an easy potty-training experience over an early one, hands down.

Oh, and hey!  Now that y'all guessed Jeremy and I are going to Memphis in a couple of weeks, I need restaurant recommendations.  I have the Rendevous on my list, but what else do I need to check out while I'm there?  After all, food is the most important part of any vacation, at least in my book.  I've seen Memphis barbecue mentioned on the Food Network, so we will probably find at least one restaurant along those lines.  Other than that, I'm pretty clueless about Memphis.  I have only been to there once before, despite having an aunt who lived in a nearby suburb, and all I remember is the pyramid and the zoo.  Help me out!

Some things...

Do you know someone who has been affected by leukemia or lymphoma?  Do you know someone who has lost their life to some form of cancer? 

Chances are, you do. 

I am terrified of one of my parents getting cancer.  I am scared that Jeremy or I will have to face it ourselves at some point.  I hate that it's so prevalent; it almost seems inevitable that someone in our immediate family will have it eventually.

What can we do about it?  Well, for starters, we can go support Lani in her effort to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Every little bit helps provide more research to aid in the fight against cancer.

Lani is hosting the Blog for a Cure Blog Party, with tons of great giveaways.  The best part?  You can enter them ALL for a simple donation of $1.00.  Yes, that's ONE dollar.  If you choose to donate more, you get extra entries to use in your favorite giveaways. 

We can all spare a dollar to support an awesome blogger in her efforts to fight cancer, right?  Head on over here for more details and how to donate.

The second thing going on right now is the End of Summer Blog Party going on at Multiples and More.  Click over here for MORE great giveaways, and a link to other bloggers hosting giveaways this week.  Who doesn't love free stuff?? 

And if you're a mom of multiples and you aren't involved in Multiples and More, what are you waiting for?!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

Okay, so really I will be leaving in a Ford Expedition, but now that song is stuck in my head (specifically, the version from Armageddon, in case you were wondering), so now it's my title.

Jeremy and I will soon be taking our first trip alone since Addison and Mackenzie were born.  It will actually be a work trip for Jeremy, but I am tagging along for a relaxing getaway.  I plan to sleep until at least 9:00 each morning, eat many uninterrupted meals, and lay around reading books all day.  My, how my idea of a good time has changed!

So where are we going? 

Since I am driving there, it's obviously within a few hours of north Alabama.

Here are a few more clues...

 



Your turn!  Can you guess where we are going?

R U 4 Real?

I have always taken a little bit of pride in the fact that I am pretty good with grammar and spelling.  I may not always use correct grammar here, as on the blog I tend to write more like I talk...which is not always grammatically correct.  I often use words like stinkin' and y'all, and I rather enjoy an overabundant use of ellipses (...), in case you haven't noticed.  Sometimes, I even use CAPITAL LETTERS in inappropriate ways.

I bet you never even knew that you were reading the words of the 1992 C___ Elementary School Spelling Bee winner, did you?  True story.

Now you're probably all intimidated and mentally critiquing your own writing, wondering what I'm picking on in your blog posts, right?  (I mean, a fourth-grade spelling bee champ is pretty impressive, no?  It's not?)  Well, don't worry, because I'm pretty sure none of you are committing my biggest pet peeve of all...

TEXT SPEAK

You know what I'm talking about....
R U there?
Y did u do that?
C U L8R

It really makes me want to throw something.  Or throw up, one or the other.  Now, I can imagine there might be a time and place for text speak...in an actual text message, for instance.  However, with the advent of full-keyboard phones, smart phones that practically text for you, and the like, I can't find nearly as much justification for not just typing out a word.  Personally, I have never been a fan of the use of abbreviations for short words (most notably 'u' and 'r'), even in texting.  How much harder is it to type TWO extra letters and make a real word??

Anyway, like I said, I can deal with it in actual text messages.  Whatever, it's not really a big deal.  What I CANNOT and REFUSE to deal with are COLLEGE STUDENTS using text speak in answering test questions and communicating with an instructor (namely, me, in case you couldn't guess).

No, I am totally not kidding. 

It's bad enough that they sometimes use little smileys : ) and LOL when emailing me, but those I can get past, as long as it's not too often.  There are no good ways to convey emotion or joking in email without the use of those little helpers, so I deal with that. 

However, here is an excerpt from an email I received from a student last semester (name of student and college withheld, obviously...)

i was wondering about my chapter 6 test i turned n it hasnt been graded n didnt know if it was counted or not. thank u.

Yes, I am totally serious.  For your enjoyment, please note the run-on sentence, with a complete lack of punctuation or capitalization, and of course, the use of text speak.  This is not the first and certainly won't be the last email I have received with similar grammar (if you can call it that).  Seriously??  You know they got away with this to an extent in high school if they think it's okay to use phrasing like that in college.  Am I right?  I know I sound like an uptight old geezer, but what are these kids thinking??

I realize that this informal, abbreviated form of communication is partly because of our reliance on email in today's world.  These kids grew up using it, and probably have no idea how to actually draft a formal letter of any kind.  (Even if they learned it in school, I doubt they have ever actually used it.  I shudder to think at some resumes and cover letters being submitted for jobs now.)  Email is a less-formal means of communication, certainly, but some people just take it too far.

And don't even get me started on the five-word, incomplete-sentence, punctuation-free answers I get to essay questions.  I've used up my rant quota for today....that one will have to wait.

Maybe 2moro.

You lost me at the couch

You had me at 'hello'...

You complete me...

Show me the MONEY!

Quick...name that movie!

Back in high school, Jerry Maguire was my go-to romantic movie.  I remember many a nights on the couch, thinking about what it might be like to have a guy like that one day.  My friend E and I watched it over and over, quoting lines in conversation, and dreaming of finding that guy who would look at us and say, "You complete me". 

Then Tom Cruise jumped on a couch and ruined it all.  I just couldn't get the same enjoyment out of the movie after I realized the star was a quack. 

In retrospect, it's a little hard to figure out why I thought this movie was so romantic anyway...other than the quotable lines, I mean.  Dorothy (Renee Zellweger...LOVE her!) loves Jerry Maguire for some reason we really don't see...she hardly knows him.  He willingly accepts her help and company with his new business venture, but doesn't really seem to reciprocate her feelings.  He marries her to stop her from leaving, but it still doesn't feel like he's totally in the relationship.  In fact, watching it a few years after high school, Jerry Maguire seemed like a bit of jerk... I must have missed that the first time around.  It's not until he thinks he is losing Dorothy (and that CUTE kid) that he pulls out all the stops and finally seems to actually want a relationship.  That's where those cute cheesey lines come in.

Here it is fourteen or so years after that movie came out, and thank goodness I can honestly say that I found a guy much better than that arrogant Jerry Maguire!  He may not be the most romantic soul on earth...we don't recite poetry or make dramatic confessions of our undying love.  But really, who needs that anyway?? 

(Although I do believe there may be a long-lost love note from our college years containing the phrase "You complete me"...and no, it wasn't from me!  I'm sure Jeremy would deny it now.  He's way too cool for all that cheesey stuff.)  ; )

Crash

....and that pretty much sums up our week so far.

The combination of school, one nap a day, and the occasional later bedtime is kicking our butts, big time.  Several nights in the past week one of the girls has fallen asleep in my lap while having their pre-bedtime milk... which has virtually never happened before.  And, well, you see how they look on other afternoons.

Just when I was starting to enjoy the flexibility that came with a slightly later bedtime, it looks like they might need to go to bed earlier again, at least on school nights.  It just goes to show that you can't count on any regularity for too long with toddlers, I guess.  I have loosened up a little on activities and such that keep us out past the old 7:00 bedtime.  Our church played in a softball league this summer, and the girls and I went to several games.  They had a blast running around and watching all the people, and some nights we were able to stay out until after 8:00.  I wouldn't have believed it before, but guess what?  We all survived just fine!

Along with staying up later, A & M are sleeping a little later in the mornings fairly often.  Which is great, especially on Saturdays.  The only thing is that it has sort of thrown our morning routine a little out of sorts.  The girls used to get up and go into the playroom to hang out while I took a shower and got ready for work.  Well....it hasn't exactly been working that way lately.  They have gotten a LOT more clingy in the mornings, and Mackenzie especially wants me to hold her (nearly impossible to do while applying makeup).  After several tearful and whiny mornings last week, I broke down and put a tv in our bedroom, hoping they would sit and watch Mickey Mouse while I got ready in our bathroom where they can see me.  It has helped a little (I couldn't hear the screaming over the hair dryer this morning, which is an improvement), and I'm hoping they will settle into a good routine again soon.  Jeremy is great about getting up to help me, but I know it's hard on him since he doesn't get home from work until 2:00 a.m.

Any ideas?  How do you manage to get ready (or get anything done?) in the mornings? 

Whew, can I complain about anything else in this post?  If you're still reading, I'm sorry for the lack of interesting reading today.  : )  We actually had a pretty great long weekend for Labor Day, with busy days to keep our busy girls happy.  I've had kind of a topsy-turvy week at work, but I'm getting sorted out, so maybe I'll be back on my game soon.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

It's that time of year again...

Do you know what this Saturday is??  If you live in the South and have ANY kind of awareness of the sports world, I am sure you know that it is the first weekend of COLLEGE FOOTBALL!

From now until the end of the year, 99% of the conversations among men in the South (and plenty of women too) will revolve around NCAA football.  They will talk about their teams and favorite players...who is looking good.... who is turning out to be a big disappointment... and so on.  In our house, the conversation mostly revolves around these two teams:

I will be cheering for the top team, and trying to teach A & M to say 'Roll Tide'.  I think they will eventually catch on...I mean, who wouldn't want to cheer for the 2009 National Champions??  Jeremy, bless his poor little lost soul, will be cheering for the bottom team and will try (unsuccessfully, I hope) to entice the girls to say 'War Eagle'.

Team rivalries aside, there is something about September and football season that makes me want to pull out my jeans and boots and leaves me longing for a pot of soup simmering on the counter.  Sounds great, right?  Did I mention it's STILL 95 DEGREES here?  That puts a bit of a damper on the jeans and hot soups.  (I guess I could do the boots with my shorts, but I might get a few looks!)

Jeremy and I were so excited at this time last year.  Watching football all day was something we could do pretty easily while taking care of two babies.  After working weekends for several years, Jeremy truly appreciates the luxury of being home to watch his team play.  Here are our littlest fans on the first Saturday of football season last year:

For a little comparison, here they are in a similar position the other night...

Will you be watching any games this weekend?  What teams will you be pulling for? 

Next up:  football food...yumm!! 

MDO Update

I think they look particularly different from one another in this picture...what do you think?

FYI:  Addison is on the left; Mackenzie on the right.

These big girls are doing GREAT at Mother's Day Out.  During the second week, they still cried at drop-off, but my mom would listen outside the door and assured me that they stopped very quickly.  They started eating a better lunch and taking longer naps after just a few days.  By the second week, both girls were napping on their mats (HOW do they get five one-year-olds to just lay down in the floor and nap??) for about and hour and a half each day.  One day, Addison fell asleep before lunch and slept until it was almost time to go! 

They are so proud to carry their little lunchboxes to and from school each day.  They brought home little coloring sheets one day...which immediately went on the refrigerator, of course.  When we talk about "school" at night, you can really tell they are listening, especially when I mention their classmates' names.  I just love that my girls are already making little friends that will probably be in their classes all through school.

The big news this week is that there was NO CRYING yesterday or today when my mom dropped them off.  I am SO proud of my little-bitty girls!  They also didn't cry in the nursery on Sunday, so I'm hoping we are rounding a corner on the separation anxiety...

We have been hanging out at the softball fields a good bit in the past couple of weeks, and I have noticed a particular change in Addison.  She will gladly play with the girls from our church and other people she is familiar with.  While Mackenzie will play, she also looks up for me and grabs my hand every few minutes.  Addison is getting much more comfortable playing with other people, and I'm taking that as a good sign.