Summer Cleaning

I don't spring clean. It's a nice thought - but spring is baseball season in my house and we really don't have time for anything else. I don't fall clean either. But I do clean prior to the start of a new school year - very similar to spring cleaning I guess. I start at one end of the house and work to the other throwing out, reorganizing, and cleaning everything. The goal is to not have to search for the pencil sharpener after school starts as it will have it's own little space, along with everything else.

I started last Sunday - as it will take me a few weeks to complete. 5 hours I spent on our pantry, laundry room and kitchen. 2 bags of trash later (because instead of throwing away the blender that made it's last milkshake before cracking - it was cleaned and put away) I called it quits for the day. The twins became fascinated after I had washed the outside of the fridge - amazing how new something looks without 1000 fingerprints. T1 actually helped clean the inside of the fridge and the outside of the dishwasher until he got bored. T2 would just walk by with stellar comments like "Is that what it looked like when we bought it?" "Wow Mommy, its just so...so clean!"

I was actually pretty proud of myself and all my hard work. I took the rest of the day off (other than the folding of the laundry) and played in the pool with the boys. The next morning, while fixing breakfast, T2 looked inside the fridge and said "Well it's not perfect, you missed a spot. And another spot right there."

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. ~Phyllis Diller, Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints, 1966

Before & After Twins

There are lots of before and afters -

• before college/after college
• before real world job/after real world job
• before marriage/after marriage
• before kids/after kids
• before twins/ after twins

Of all the lessons that we learn in before and after periods, one would think we wouldn't judge those around us too harshly. HA! We all go people watch and we all judge, even if just to ourselves. I used to judge - then I had twins.

BEFORE I had twins I wanted all matching baby furniture - the stoller and carseat and highchair all looked great as a coordinated set.
AFTER I had twins, I was happy to have the high chair that was left by a neighbor for the trash man.

BEFORE I had twins I thought kids in matching clothes was cute.
AFTER I had twins I wanted to be able to tell them apart - besides hand me downs don't come in matching sets.

BEFORE I had twins I imagined making a nice breakfast each morning from scratch for my family.
AFTER I had twins I was happy to get the cherrios into the bowl.

BEFORE I had twins I dispised people who let their children throw tantrums in public.
AFTER I had twins I realized the only way to stop tantrums in public is to just not take them in public.

BEFORE I had twins I knew I would take the time to make sure I looked well put together before venturing out in public.
AFTER I had twins I realized I was lucky if my clothes matched and didn't smell of puke.

Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be. ~Shel Silverstein

alligator in our toilet

My biggest fear is sitting going to the bathroom and sitting down on the toilet only to have something bite me on the butt. I always look first - just to make sure nothing is in there. I know it is a crazy fear, but one time I sat down and something did get me, it turned out to be a cricket that didn't like having the lights turned out, but all the same.


A few months ago the boys toilet started backing up. Oddly it wasn't all the time, just sometimes. I had the feeling something was in there. So one Saturday afternoon when the boys were at Pepaw's and Dear Hubby and I took the toilet apart. We took the tank off, and put the whole toilet in the tub. Then we ran a hose through the window and started flushing it out.

For starters, poop came out and of course since it was just the two of us, the poop jokes started. I told Dear Hubby he this was a "poopy job" and he replied that it was all because I am "full of poop." Of course then the "poop hit the fan" and the walls. We kept filling the toilet and plunging and trying to get pressure to remove all stop ups. We spent 30 minutes watching toilet paper and poop fly, but nothing else. Then we turned the toilet upside down and tried from a different direction, all the sudden I saw a little green head and squealed.

"It's an alligator"

No really, a toy alligator was in our toilet and causing all of our problems. Now how many people can say that?

"Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river." ~Cordell Hull

on your tombstone?

Epitaphs are interesting last pieces of sentiment. When in a cemetery I enjoy reading what is written on different tombstones. My Granny has one of those prepay plans where her whole funeral is already paid for. As my Grandfather passed 10 years ago, their tombstone is already set, but it includes her name, date of birth and epitaph. On one hand it is kind of morbid, everything but the date of her death being there. On the other, no one has to think about what to write when she dies.

I don't want a tombstone, I'm going to be cremated when I die. But if I did have a tombstone, I've got a few epitaphs already picked out. (If you want to read some famous ones - wikipedia has a great list, or leave a comment telling me one of your own)

• my turn is over


• loving wife, mother, & housekeeper


• I said no


• don't worry, I will haunt you all


• Night, Night


• spending eternity in time out

"That's All Folks!" epitaph of Mel Blanc

Question of the Week - Favorite Recipe

What is your favorite recipe to make with/for your family?



The question of the week sponsored by Multiples and More - when I read it I laughed at myself. My first thought was not of my favorite dish to make for my family (which happens to be spinach & ham quiche because I can get the kids to eat spinach) instead it was of the twins FAVORITE meal. Poor Man Surprise.
The recipe actually came from my hubby, the one and only he knew how to make before we were married. While it is not the most nutritious meal in the world, it can be made in 5 minutes or less, for about $0.20 per person, and the twins request it at least once a week (I have a once a week limit). Without further ado - POOR MAN SURPRISE

• 2 packages of chicken flavored ramen noodles - cooked and drained
• 2 slices of cheese
• 3 hot dogs or bologna cut into bite size pieces (yes raw)
• 2 large heaping spoonfuls of butter

Stir all ingredients together until well mixed and serve. Two packages feeds 7 year olds twins and a 2 year old, but no one else. Hubby has to make his own since he adds texas pete.

not sure about this

I love the bond between my children. The twins have their own special bond, and then they love their little brother too. T2 loves Little Man as much as T1 does, but T1 has a special knack for younger children. He knows how to play with them, and lately he has learned he can teach them too.

It started innocently enough (doesn't it always?). T1 taught Bradley to give hugs when asked. Which is pretty neat, I always asked for kisses, but never hugs, I guess because I was already hugging them. We are all big huggers in our house, and T1 taught Little Man to do the same. But the day T1 figured out he taught Little Man something, well that must have been when the light switch went on.

I came home the other day to a nice loving home, I walked into the kitchen to set down my purse and had a 2 year old point his finger at me and say "Don't you dare!"

What? I am now being bossed by a 2 year old, as if coworkers and a hubby and 7 year olds are not enough. I was a little shocked, until T1 explained it to me. "Mommy, I taught him that!"

I'm not so sure about this.

When the student is ready, the master appears. ~Buddhist Proverb

I Could go to Jail for...

Lately, there have been some controversial Mom's being arrested for things like making their children walk home after fighting. While I generally believe in our justice system, and generally believe that people are only arrested when they've actually done something wrong, every once in a while I see something occur in my house and I think to myself,

I Could go to Jail for...

• forgetting to record that I bought $200.00 worth of groceries with 3 boys hyped up on free bakery cookies (writing bad checks)
• Bradley playing in the dryer (child endangerment - although I did immediately -after a quick photo -put a stop to it - all in a span of taking the clothes out and getting ready to put a new load in)
• watching Tyler trip over a toy and break his leg - at 1 1/2 years old. (child neglect)
• all the screaming that may or may not occur in our house (emotional abuse)
• our escape artist getting outside even though we have nifty childproof handles and locks (child neglect, endangerment)
• the mess that never ends (unsuitable living conditions)
• the dead animals (surely fall under unsuitable living conditions)

No matter how calmly you try to referee, parenting will eventually produce bizarre behavior, and I’m not talking about the kids. Their behavior is always normal. ~ Bill Cosby

Question of the Week

What is the biggest lesson that you have learned in your multiples' first year of life?




Just one lesson - I'm not even sure that is possible. Patience was a huge lesson, I thought I didn't have any before having the twins. Sleep was also a big lesson, such as how much you can survive without before collapsing. But really the biggest lesson was probably instinct.

There is no manual on being a parent or having kids. While you are pregnant, especially with more than one your first time out, fears overcome you. How will I know what they need? How to care for them? Will I be able to tell them apart? How will I feed them both at the same time?
But once they are here in your arms, instinct just kicks in. Yes there are moments when you have no clue what to do, but a lot more times that you think, you will know what needs to be done. The best part of having children is that you grow with them. When they are born, you only have to worry about their VERY basic needs. You don't have to teach them anything the first few weeks, allow them to teach you. And then as they grow, you will grow and the rest is... well not in the bag, but not what I feared at all.