Bastrop Park

Feeding the ducks at the park:
Mimi says this is how hot it was... even the squirrel was pooped!

Capital of TX Zoo

The kids visited the Capital of TX Zoo while staying in Bastrop. Here are some cute pictures from their day.

On our way in our new monkey caps:
What are these strange creatures?
Funny looking llamas:
A PIG... kinda looks like our brother, Nick!

Mowing with Papa

The kids really enjoyed "helping" Papa mow the lawn!

Hanging out at Mimi & Papa's

Nick & Gigi watching TV together:

Snuggling on the sofa in our new Mexico blankets from Gigi:

Fun in Bastrop

The kids had a great time at Mimi & Papa's house in Bastrop. They went swimming, they went to the zoo and to the park, they "helped" Papa mow the lawn, they fed the wild turkeys and enjoyed spending time out in the country. They were anxious to get home, but once back in their bedroom, they wanted to go back to Mimi & Papa's home! Go figure! Here are some of my favorite pictures from the week...

Nicholas wanted to wear big brother's swim goggles:

I LOVE this picture of Sydney hugging Nick on their picnic:

My Incredible Hulk:

Rosy Centerpiece

As someone who has a very hard time keeping plants & flowers alive, I am VERY proud when I have something to show for my efforts. This is definitely worth showing...

I'm hoping they will help sell my house! Wishful thinking...

June 15!!

I cannot believe it is already June 15! This month is half over!

First of all, thank you, Rachel, for your reassuring comment on my last post. Although it was pretty traumatic at the time, Sydney will now proudly tell you all about her allergy test. The doctor tested her for the 8 main food allergens and included a separate test for egg whites and egg yolks. The scale runs from 0 to 4, with 0 being no allergen present and 4 being a severe allergy present. Sydney tested negative on all main food allergens, but scored a 2 reaction to egg whites and a 3 reaction to egg yolks. So, although it's not severe, she definitely does have an allergy to eggs. And, thankfully, it only seems to be direct contact with eggs... scrambled, fried, etc. She can eat foods that have eggs baked in, such as cakes, cookies, breads, etc. Apparently, the property of the egg changes when it's cooked in a product. Good to know! So, we will go back in 6 months to re-evaluate the severity of this food allergy. (I'm going to make her Daddy take her next time. That was torture hearing my little girl cry for a good 15 minutes & not being able to hold or comfort her.) Hopefully, it will go away with time.

Well, today was the big day... our house was listed on the market! WHEW! After about 2 solid weeks of hard work, sweat & several curse words, I'm sure, we have finished all the necessary repairs to make our old 1962 home shine! Sammy & his friends installed wood laminate flooring in our bedroom & the hallway. We had the carpet & tile professionally cleaned. We repainted our bedroom, three living room walls & the entire ceiling running through our kitchen and both living room areas. Sammy repainted the exterior trim. A good friend of mine sealed & painted over nail holes in the walls. And, we have cleaned this place like it has never been cleaned before! I think it looks great & I really hope we get some interested buyers SOON! Because, it is HARD keeping it neat & clean with 3 small children. This is definitely not going to be fun... but, I sure hope it will be worth it in the long run. Here are some pictures:



The kiddos spent a week at Mimi & Papa's house while Sammy & I were working on our home. I've got some cute pictures to share that I'll post in a later entry.

Enjoy your June 15th!

One down... one to go!

We got one sinus infection down... one allergy test to go!

Nicholas had been running quite a high fever last weekend for 4 days straight. So, first thing Monday morning, we went to the doctor. Thank goodness for antibiotics. Sinus infection defeated!

Tomorrow, Sydney will have her allergy testing done. From what I've heard, this is definitely NOT going to be fun. Sydney is supposed to be still for 10-15 minutes while they prick her back about 50 times and wait for the reaction to appear. HELLO... 10-15 minutes of stillness for a 4 year old?!?! After getting poked in the back that many times?!?! I just don't see how it's going to work. She won't be able to scratch any itch that may arise on her back. That's just plain torture, in my opinion. I remember when I had the chicken pox in grade school & my mom constantly reminded me not to scratch. It was an impossible request. Hopefully, it won't be as bad as I'm imagining, though.

Sydney asked me tonight, "Am I getting a shot?" I told her that she wasn't, which is the truth, but I'm not sure what she'll think when they start pricking her back. I hope she doesn't think I deceived her.

If you have a moment after reading this, we'd sure appreciate a prayer!

Have a great Friday!

This day stinks!

As I thought about my day today, two things stand out in my memory:
* Refried Beans
* Nick's Bad Breath

We had tostadas for dinner tonight, so I opened a can of refried beans to warm up on the stove. First of all, whenever I open a can of refried beans, I always feel like I'm opening a can of dog food. And, then when it "slides" out of the can, it looks like I'm preparing dog food for my family to eat. YUK!! And, finally, as it warms up on the stove, it smells like I'm heating up dog food for dinner! That stuff stinks, no matter how you prepare it! But... it sure does taste good on a tostada!

Which leads me to the second stinky item of the day... Nick's breath! My poor son does not have halitosis, but instead he has a sinus infection. I have brushed & brushed his tiny little teeth, the roof of his mouth & his tongue, all to no avail. So, at our doctor visit this morning, I asked why his breath smelled so terrible and the doc explained that it's due to the infection. Once we get that under control, his bad breath will disappear. Thank goodness! I was about ready to teach him to gargle mouthwash!

Hopefully, tomorrow will smell better around here!

My kids are finally paying off...

I'm going to post a couple of e-mails that I sent out to some girlfriends yesterday about a money making opportunity. I figured I should document this for my kids when they get older & they may (or may not) get a chuckle out of it when they read it.

First E-mail:

"Hey girls! Just wanted to pass along a quick & easy money making opportunity. Sydney & I were leaving Collin Creek mall yesterday, when a lady from an office inside the mall stopped me & asked if I would be interested in letting Sydney take part in a research study. They want 2 kids at a time & she wanted to know if I could wait until she could "snag" another parent & kid from the mall, but I was in a hurry. Anyway, I mentioned that Sydney has a twin brother, so we made an appointment for 11:00 tomorrow morning to participate in this study. And here's the best part... they pay $20 per child for about 15 minutes of your time! I believe it's a toy study, however I'm not positive about that. And, I think they are looking for specific ages only, but I'm not sure exactly what ages they prefer. (Sherry, I would think Hannah would definitely be a good candidate since she & the twins are only 2 weeks apart.)

Anyway, a quick & easy way to make $20! Here's the info:

C&C Market Research
Collin Creek Mall
972-423-7660

Sandy Dunn Collier
Office Manager"

And, sadly, here is the second e-mail I sent out:

"Okay, so it's definitely NOT a toy study! I mistook their writing of the word "pay" for "toy". (If you go & see the sign out front, you'll understand.) They are testing a new, childproof cigarette lighter!! HA! I was a bit hesitant at first, but they let the moms watch through a one-way mirror and it's all very safe. Basically, they want to make sure that kids cannot activate this lighter. Samuel thought it was a gun (which I guess isn't much better), so he was having fun! Sydney, bless her heart, was just clueless. She couldn't have cared less about the whole study!

Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know that it is NOT a toy study!! :)"

This is how low I've stooped to earn a little extra money... letting my kids play with cigarette lighters to see if they are really safe or not! Can we all say "White Trash"?!?!

Britney, Britney, Britney

Okay, so I'm sure most everyone has heard about Britney's latest mishap with baby Sean Preston. While I believe that Britney has been irresponsible with him in the past (driving with him in her lap on a freeway & facing his car seat forward before it is safe to do so), I don't think we should crucify her for the stumble in New York. What mother has not lost their balance or tripped with their baby in their arms? I've done it several times, unfortunately. And, if you say you haven't done it, I don't believe that for a second. And, on top of that, what PREGNANT mother hasn't lost their balance or stumbled... especially while holding another baby in their arms?

I just think that the media is making such a bigger deal out of her "stumble" than should be made! Has nobody else ever tripped before? Unfortunately, she just happened to be carrying her son. It's scary, but not an event which should be filed under "irresponsible parenting".

I feel sorry that her every move as a parent is scrutinized by the public and caught on film by the media. If my every move was documented on film, I'm sure my parenting skills would be in question, too. Thank goodness I can make my mistakes in private, learn from them and grow into being a better mom!

What the heck?!?!

Yesterday, I went grocery shopping right before I had to pick up the twins from school. So, I had several grocery bags in the back of the van. After we pulled into the driveway at home, Sydney unbuckled and turned around to look behind the backseat. She saw all the sacks and asked me, "What the heck is that?" I was totally caught off-guard because she has never said this before and of course, I'd rather not hear that coming out of my 4-year old's mouth. So, after a moment of shock, I explained to her that we shouldn't talk that way because it sounds a bit rude. Then, I asked her where she heard that word and without missing a beat, she announced, "Mimi"!

Thanks, Mom!! :)

Actually, after retelling this story to Sammy, he asked me, "Don't you say that a lot?" Ummmm... yeah, I guess I do! Reminds me of one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies:

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."
- Ralphie in A Christmas Story

TRIPOD

Here is another video that Sammy & I both think is absolutely hysterical! Probably because it hits VERY close to home! Enjoy...

TRIPOD

Muffins with Mom

Yesterday morning, I got to eat breakfast with Samuel at his school. They invited all mothers to attend "Muffins with Mom". I had such a great time & really enjoyed spending some one-on-one time with just Samuel. (Sydney was home asleep because her medication makes her very sleepy.) It was great to sit & talk with other mothers in his class and to watch him interact with his school friends. And, it was really nice to sit down with him for a relaxing breakfast. I rarely get to do that with my kids since I'm usually running around the kitchen doing other things while they eat. I need to spend more time relaxing with my kids and enjoying the simple things, like sharing breakfast together.

The Evolution of Dance

This is way too funny! Personally, it hits close to home when I see all the late 80's dances that I tried to imitate in middle school. I laughed so hard I couldn't catch my breath...

The Evolution of Dance

(I just watched it again to make sure the link I provided worked & laughed even harder! The part where I just about lose it is when he starts dancing to "Ice Ice Baby" and "Can't Touch This". Those songs bring back SO many memories of 7th & 8th grade! So, so funny!!)

Egg Allergy

We found out, quite by accident, that Sydney must be allergic to egg yolks. It seems that she can tolerate egg whites just fine, but not the yolks. (Well, this is our best guess so far, since she hasn't had an official allergy test.) However, this would explain her allergic reaction to her 4 year immunizations last month. Apparently, one of the MMR vaccinations contain egg products. Flu shots also contain egg products. Which makes me wonder whether it would be better to chance getting the flu next season or go through another few days of fighting off welps and splotchy skin ??

This first picture is a pretty tame version of the reaction on her face. This afternoon, her entire face was red and swollen. The redness and irritation comes and goes in waves until the egg product is completely out of her system. We're hoping that will be soon.


This second picture just shows how it has affected her arms and chest. Her entire body is covered with red splotchy patches. I told her she looks like a Dalmatian with red spots. It's so sad to see her in this condition. I know she's okay, but it just looks painful.


However, she is definitely milking this for all it's worth! She slept in bed with us last night & is in our bed again tonight. She knows her Mommy can't say "no" to her right now!

And, we are hoping this is not a very sensitive allergy. As of now, she seems to do fine with cakes, cookies, bread and anything else that is made with eggs. I guess we'll just take it one day at a time and see how she progresses...

Garage Sale Time

Time for another garage sale. I absolutely HATE setting up garage/yard sales, but I am so thankful for the rewards of having it when it's all said & done. A cleaner garage... a home with less junk... and a little extra cash in my pocket.

We are having our sale this Saturday and I CANNOT wait for it to be over already! Wish me luck...

Crazy Twins & Snoozing Siblings

I'm attaching a couple of my favorite pictures that we've taken over the last couple of weeks.

This first one was taken at the end of April. The kids attended a Stephen Fite concert at school and were told to dress as crazy & colorful as possible. So, this is what they picked out.

Samuel was in Heaven! If he had his way, he would dress crazy every day of the week! In fact, on one of our mother/son dates, we went to Target & I told him he could pick out one prize. He said he wanted some green bubble gum. So, on the way to the candy/gum aisle, I made a quick detour through the shoe department. While we were there, he found these yellow rainboots and just had to have them! Lucky for me, they were on clearance for $3 and change! How could I tell him no?!


This second picture was taken last week. Nicholas fell asleep on the sofa during his "quiet" time and Sydney decided to crawl up next to him and snuggle. (Our kids are BIG on snuggling! We love to snuggle!) Eventually, she fell asleep also. I love this picture not only because of how sweet they look together, but mostly because it reminds me of the days when the twins were infants and would fall asleep snuggled next to each other. We would swaddle them and lay them as close as possible so they would feel the other's presence, just like they did in the womb. They would sleep this way on the sofa, in our papasan, in their bassinet and eventually, in their crib... until they outgrew sleeping together and needed their own, individual space. So, when I saw this picture, it reminded me of those first few days and months of Sydney's and Samuel's lives and brought back a flood of memories and emotions. They are all three growing up way too fast!

Say What?!?

Here's one for you, Mom...

This evening, Sydney was helping me cook dinner & was standing on a chair next to the counter. I was leaning on the counter, waiting for the rice on the stove to start boiling. While I was leaning there, Sydney was playing with the tops of my hands that were scrunched up on the countertop. (The veins were very noticeable in this position.) Finally, she looked at me and asked, "Are you a grandma?" HUH?!?!

(The women on my side of the family tend to have very veiny hands, especially as they get older! Looks like I'm following in their footsteps...)

Little Copycat

Nicholas is such a funny kid! He imitates what everyone says & does. Lately, anytime he falls (which is a LOT), he immediately announces, "I okay!" It's the funniest thing because previously, when we would hear him fall, we would always call out to him, "Are you okay?" So, now he beats us to the punch!

He also picked up on a bad habit of Sydney's. (Actually, Sydney got this from her Mommy, so I really can't be too hard on her.) Anytime Sydney sees a bug, ANY bug, she screams and yells "bug"! And, she runs away from wherever the bug is. (She's very afraid of bugs!) Nicholas has this routine down pat! When he sees a bug or even a piece of dirt (which I'm afraid he sees more than he should in our home!), he screams this little high-pitched squeal, yells "bug" and starts running in place. Not away from the bug (or dirt), just running in place right beside it! He puts on quite a show!

Thankfully, most of what he imitates is still very innocent. However, I know the day is coming when I'm going to be kicking myself when I watch him do something that I shouldn't have done myself in the first place!