Family Picture 2011

Thank you Brent and Sarah @ hatchphotography.blogspot.com

A few items to review....

So for a while now I have been wanting to offer reviews of the daily items that make my life easier. Maybe it will be helpful to you. Maybe not. Either way, it's my blog. So here goes...

The Little People School Bus. My parents got this for the twins' first birthday. They LOVE it. In fact, they fight over it about 5 times every day. Someone ends up crying for at least 30 seconds each time. Usually Carter. But still, I'm glad they like it.

This little popper toy is my new favorite toy for the boys. Sure, it makes noise. But not so much noise that I want to throw it out the window of a very tall building. And it is Lance's new best friend! Last night he was trying to take it up the stairs to bed with him. It was so cute. He'd make it up about 10 stairs before losing his grip. The popper would slide back to the bottom of the stairs, and he'd crawl back down and try again. Over and over again. I would have helped, but it was just so cute to see how attached he is to it! Very fun and it makes me happy.

Hulu - two thumbs way, way up. (I never said I would only mention toys!)

Deoderant (obviously)

Elastic hair bands.

Everyone remember that freaky lady from My Big Fat Greek Wedding? That's pretty much me. It just has so many uses. And it makes things so shiny. I use Lysol bleach cleaning spray to sanitize my kitchen counters, but it leaves a filmy coating on my tile counter. So using Windex afterward gives it a nice shine :)

Does anyone else hate using all those little plastic bags in the produce section of the grocery store? I always feel so wasteful using so many bags that are just going to end up recycled or in a landfill. Well, I saw a little news clip the other day on how to be less wasteful. The lady suggested using small, mesh laundry bags to keep your produce in. Brilliant! Just put the bags in your purse before going to the grocery store and voila! Love it.

Well, it's almost my bed time. I will add some more another day. Aloha.

Girl Time

What a great week. Thursday I got together with some gals in my neighborhood and we had a fun lunch. The kids were all running around wild and we sat for hours catching up and talking. Then tonight, some of the "dental wives" met up at Applebee's for dinner and again had a chance to catch up and swap stories of dental widowhood. Sometimes I forget how much I need girl time. I love my husband. I hope we all love and cherish our husbands. My sweet husband does his best to listen to me rattle on and makes an effort to contribute to what he sees as a meaningless conversation. And oh how I love and appreciate him for it. But I also have such a need for close girl friends to be able to talk to. Someone who can talk just as much and just as long as me without breaking a sweat or "running out of words" as my Bradley likes to call it. Ahhh. I feel like all my words have been cooped up inside of me for the past couple of weeks. It might take some more girl time to get it all out. Lunch, anyone?

Church

Church on Sunday with twins can be rough sometimes. I can't wait for nursery. Only 5 months to go! Of course, lately it seems like every week we go with two fully clothed boys, and leave with at least one naked. At least this week they were wearing sweaters, so when Lance "messed" his clothes, his sweater was still clean and I could put that back on him. I got some weird looks over the little boy running around church with no pants on.

This one is of Carter the week before...

Backyard

Our backyard no longer looks like a gravel pit. Yay! Thank you Bradley.

Carter

Dear Carter,

Just because your tray is empty and all of the food is gone, doesn't mean you're done with dinner. I see that nice pile of food on the floor under your chair. Try again.

Love, Mom

Today. Whew! Today.

So on Saturday Brad asked me to call around and get price quotes on how much different places would charge to balance our tires. He wanted me to do that Saturday morning so that he could take the car in before going back to school on Monday. "Oh Bradley," I thought, "sweet, silly Bradley. I can just take it sometime next week. Sure, with both of the boys. I'm a pro. Piece of cake." Why can't I just admit that Bradley knows EVERYTHING, and I should never question him? Which brings me to today - and balancing the tires.

Fact: While Walmart may have the cheaper service price, your bill is going to be a lot more than anywhere else.

I think they're smart to always tell you that it will take an hour to an hour and a half. No sweat, right? I'll just browse until they're done. Well, the boys weren't too happy about that arrangement, and they haven't let me forget it ALL DAY LONG. Not to mention that while I was there, I "browsed" my way into deciding that it was finally time to hang some curtains in our stairway windows. I'm sure the creepy neighbors watch us walk up and down the stairs at night. Sure of it. So I bought the curtains, and the curtain rods, and the chocolate chips to eat while I work. And I worked up such an appetite just planning it that I had to stop for a snack at the Wally-McDonald's that they have so conveniently placed there. And on my way I found some clearance pajamas for the boys.... and on it goes... for an hour and a half.

Moral of the story: don't get your tires balanced at Walmart unless you have at least a little willpower.