Nursery progress

Here are pictures as promised. We still need to to paint the other tree on the opposite corner where the other crib will go. Lori came over and this tree was done within just a couple of hours. She's amazing. I painted the leaves and bird, but she did the second coat which was good because she paints without streaks.. unlike myself!

I couldn't be happier with the tree silhouette. It is so much better than I imagined! I can't wait to get the other one done and the nursery finished. As soon as Scott pulls the crib mattresses out and on the cribs, I will put the bedding on and take another picture. THe cribs look great in there too, and Scott is in the process of brining of the beautiful new tall dresser.

By this time tomorrow we will officially be ready for babies!

31 Weeks

This week is spring break. Scott and I are busy preparing the nursery for the babies. We hadn't made a decision on bedding, so on Friday night I told Scott I wanted to go out and decide on crib bedding, and not come home until we had some. He asked if we would need to get a hotel. Ha ha funny guy!

Now he is busy painting the nursery and base boards. He is quite the perfectionist, which is great for me. It looks wonderful! My friend Lori is coming over to morrow to help paint the tree silhouettes, and then we will move in the furniture and put up the window treatments.

Kind of funny that we are so near the end and just now getting the room together. I think Emily's room was finished well before Christmas, and she wasn't due until April!

Other than that, spring break is just about being at home this year. I can't leave more than 30-45 minutes away, as per doctor instructions, which rules out a quick weekend get-away. Emily and I are cleaning out her closet, and having fun around here. Tomorrow she will have a fun time playing with Lori's two munchkins while we paint.

If all continues to go well I will be back at work next Monday. I hope to make it at least one more week, but hopefully 2-3 if possible. I am getting to the point where sleeping at night is difficult. I got up nine times to use the bathroom last night. If that continues either Scott or I will be moving to the guest room... he didn't mention it, but I'm certain I kept him up last night. No need for both of us to be sleep deprived. And other than being very big in the belly, I'm doing okay. Shortness of breath, and ultimate clumsiness have taken over, but that is to be expected. I have my next appt. this Thursday at 10 am and I can't wait to see the estimated weight for these two. We're guessing I am hauling over 7 lbs. of baby already.

I'm sure everybody has heard that Becky and Jay had their sweet baby girl last Thursday. I got to chat with Becky for a bit this afternoon, and it seriously grew my excitement for my two to be here. I so enjoyed talking with her about how the first week was going. Being pregnant at the same time was fun, even though we live so far apart, but I realized that having a newborn at the same time is so fabulous because we will get to relate to each other and give advice to each other via telephone calls. Then once Jenny and Katie have their babies, it will be even more fun!

Hope everybody has a great week! I will post nursery pics as soon as it is ready!

So cute!

Today was the last day before spring break. My kids were wired though still fun, but nevertheless, exhausting. When I came home I had a kid who hollered for a "snack and a drink please!" a dog whining to come inside, and a cat very audibly explaining that her food bowl was empty. Then the phone rang. All of this before I could even set my bag down.

Finally after appeasing all of those above, I went out to check the mail, and found a package from Jenny. So cute! My mood instantly improved.



Thanks Jenny. I can't wait to put them on the babies!

This story disturbs me

I saw this in the newspaper yesterday

Even though it is so disturbing, I hope it gets people to reflect on their relationship with their own neighbors. Scott and I have always had some great neighbors. Remember Bessie? She still lives all by herself on Floradora. I love Bessie. She was a great friend. And I loved that at 93 she is still fiesty enough to shoot her potato gun at cars that go down the road too fast. I hope whoever lives next to Bessie watches out for her.

I'm thankful for the friendship we have now with Sergeant Rick and Linda next door. (this is what Em calls them.) I appreciate that we look after each other, and know we can count on them for silly little stuff like collecting our mail and watching our house when we are out of town, and they can count on us for the same. I enjoy the weekend chats we have on their deck when I pop over to say hello while Emily is taking her nap. They are great people.

But there is a house across the street with a boy just a year older than Emily, and even though I've talked with the mom a couple of times, we really don't know much about them. I know she just had a baby three weeks ago. Seems like she and I would have much in common, however life sometimes prevents us from getting to know the very people who reside beside us. I think I will make a point to go over and say hello... maybe bring some cookies or something and congratulate their new baby.

**TUNA UPDATE** TUNA UPDATE** TUNA UPDATE**

The two cans of tuns have been returned to the store where they were paid for in full.
Thanks to everybody who was concerned.
I slept much better last night.

Emily's birthday party pics

Emily turned four on March 7th. It was a Saturday, and made for a perfect backyard birthday, complete with perfect weather, and a Backyardigans theme. Emily had five friends over. We ate pizza, jumped in the bounce house and trampoline, played in the sandbox, and hit the pinata.

Now this may make Emily and odd-ball, but she is the one four-year old I know who still takes a nap. The party ended at 1:30 (right when her nap begins) and she was already pulling blankets to go to sleep. Ahhhh yes. She was out like a light and slept hard!

It was a good day for Miss Emily Grace!

I stole two cans of tuna today

Today was grocery shopping day. Normally I go to three grocery stores to play the grocery game, but I knew there was no way that I could do three today. I planned on just two.

By the time I got done with the second store I was so tired. The check-out clerk was extremely slow, and it seemed like her slowness just perpetuated the feeling of being tired and sore.

When I finally got out to my car I could feel myself getting wheepy. This is what I do when I am over-tired. I loaded my groceries and pulled my purse off the top shelf of the shopping cart... and there laying under my purse were two cans of tuna.

I hadn't paid for the tuna. And the idea of returning to the store to wait in line with the super-slow check out clerk just wasn't an option.

I got in my car, so upset from being tired, and hating that I can't do what I normally do. I was also upset about being a thief. I vowed to return the tuna cans tomorrow on the way to Emily's dance class.

So there you have it. I'm a tuna thief.

What I am thinking about right now...

So far we have looked into cutting back our utility costs. I've been the coupon queen at the grocery store. And we eat out less. This is the next item up for thought in the Johnson household. Mind you, multiply everything by two!

30 Weeks

So I'm about 30 weeks right now. This is the scary picture update of my large belly! The babies move around constantly, and I imagine this will lesson as there is less room to move.

Here are some pictures of what has been going on at our house. Emily was sick with a stomach bug one evening, and the next week she decided her baby would be "sick." Too funny. We've been spending a lot of time outside (before the past week of constant rain) and Emily and her friend Joseph (or if you're Emily, "Jofus") were riding on his gator that Em loves. And then there is the one that I love of Scott and Emily making a paper-bag puppet. And if you're wondering who that stylish girl is in the shades, well, that is Roxy the Rockstar. I dunno, don't ask!

I have yet to post pictures of Emily's birthday pictures. I'll try to get on that. Scott has been busy working on National Boards that are due Tuesday, and he is booting me off the computer right now. Our internet has just been fixed this morning for the first time in a week, and for that we're grateful. Spring break is coming up the week after next, and I am still just really holding on to be able to work. THe babies are getting big. We still haven't painted the nursery, but the cribs are in. I just don't want to pressure Scott about that right now with his due date looming (march 31 for his National Boards) but we will get on that during the spring break.

Yep, that's just about it. Enjoying the constant rain this week has brought, and the 70's weather that has been oh so pleasant. And trying to sleep in between the 8-9 trips to the bathroom I take every night. So far, so good! :)

swollen

Today could be described as a very bad day. I won't go into the details, but let's just say that by the time I drove home today I was in tears. I was very, very down in the dumps after a frustrating and challenging long day.

But now I am at home. My sanctuary because my family is here. I am sitting on the couch typing during "Family Friday Movie Night." A scheduled event for each week that Emily looks forward to. Nothing fancy, but we eat our dinner in front of the movie of her choice. Tonight its Peter Pan. Again. And it is fine with us. She is sitting right beside me, cuddled under the blanket, head on my shoulder. Scott is on the other couch snoring softly. Seriously a wind-down time that is so needed at this time of the week.

I am so grateful for Emily. She amazes me with everything she does and says. This week she told me she didn't want to go to dance class any more. She said it would only be fun if there was a ball. I smiled. She plays in the backyard, and can name five or six different birds that fly in our yard. Her favorite is the "Carolina Bird." (or Carolina Wren.) She can't wait for her "babies" to get here. She doesn't call them "brother and sister" but rather calls them, "My baby boy" or "My baby girl." She helps Scott and me pick out things for them, and tells us about what she will do with them. And daily she asks me when will they be ready to come out. I can't wait to go on the tour of the maternity ward with Scott and Em this Tuesday.

For four years Emily has been the only child. She has not had to share Scott and me with anybody else. In less than eight weeks she will be the big sister to two new babies. I worry about how she will take this adjustment. One baby is enough for any child to need adjusting to, but two new babies at once has got to be more challenging. I'm sure Emily will do just fine, eventually. I just pray that she always knows how much Scott and I love her, and that it will never lessen no matter how many babies enter our family.

10 + 1 thoughts on the weekend.

1. Friday night we had dinner with some great friends at one of my favorite restaurants. The she-crab soup didn't disappoint, and it was great to catch up with friends.

2. Friday night after dinner Emily "got sick" all the way from her bedroom, down the hall, and into her bathroom. Which leads me to two thoughts: I will never confidently know when Em has the flu, and when she just needs to empty her stomach and start over. I'm glad we own a carpet shampooer.

3. Emily went to a friend's birthday party on Saturday. I had only met these parents once, and found them delightful. They were so mellow, and their beautiful home was very "lived in." I could tell the mom didn't run around and clean like a crazy person before the party, but rather enjoyed her Saturday morning with her kids. I need to learn to be more like this woman.

4. We took a trip to the outlet mall Saturday afternoon. Specifically we were looking for infant crib bedding at the Pottery Barn Kids outlet. What a bust that was. The only thing I found were two crib bumpers that would go perfectly with what I want to do in the nursery, but they were $129 each!?! Seriously, everything else in the entire place was cheaper than Target for bedding, but it wasn't what I wanted. On a better note, Emily make out like a champ at the Carters, Osh Kosh, Children's Place, and Stride Rite outlets. We got some great deals in those places.

5. I went to church with Emily by myself... something I rarely do. With national boards deadline quickly approaching, Scott got in a groove and decided to stay home to type in a quiet house. It was weird sitting by myself, and it make me realize how hard it is for so many moms to bring their kids to church without their husbands.

6. I played another round of the grocery game today. I will never get over the thrill of watching my grocery bill go from $142 to $68. Today was a great grocery shopping day.

7. Goodbye second trimester. It seems like the moment I hit week twelve I got over the being tired, and life returned a little toward normal. I've made it well beyond the "point of bedrest" with Emily's pregnancy, and am going strong. Other than the pneumonia I dealt with, I have had very few problems throughout my second trimester and I am grateful.

8. The third trimester: Let the discomfort begin. I sometimes have to remind myself that I am hauling around and growing two people. Both are already over 2.5 lbs, which is wonderful that they are so healthy, and growing at the same rate. My belly sometimes moves in earthquake-like waves that are extremely crazy to see.

9. Due date: I'm still teaching every day, and though my principal says he'll be thrilled if I make it to spring break (April 6) I plan on making it to at least May 1. So far we have no reason to think that I won't. We were thinking that maybe I could go to 38 weeks, which would put me at delivering around June 1. (I was shooting for this date because I would be able to make it to Emily's dance recital on May 29). But my doctor says that the babies would be over 8 lbs each by that point, and there is no way I would be able to carry them that big.. there would be no room. So looks like the c-section is scheduled for May 15.

10. Emily refers to the babies as her "little girl" or her "little boy." I love this. While we were shopping we picked out some onsies and things. She walked around Carters saying things like, "Oh how cute! This would be perfect for my little boy!" We got a onesie for each baby that says "I'm the little brother" and "I'm the little sister." Scott thought these would be perfect for them to come home in from the hospital. I love to hear Emily excited about her new siblings. She is so darling.

11. Now it is dinner time. After my exhausting grocery shopping trip that my nap didn't fully help to recover, I'm very thankful for the frozen lasagna I threw in the oven. The buzzer just went off. Yummy. Easy. Perfect.

Weather inspired taste buds

I've always had this thing with music that went with the seasons. I know I've talked about this before, and Heather probably remembers my fascination with Fat Boy Slim and summer. And Travis and Radiohead in winter.

And my comfort food correlates with the weather. Give me a rainy day, and I'll prepare you an awesome pot roast and mashed potatoes.

But this past two weeks are weather has been all over the map. We had a "snow" day one weekend, only for Emily's birthday party to be beautiful and 82 the next. Now we're back this weekend to the cold and rain. I put some stew meat on in the crock pot on Thursday thinking it would be cold and rainy, and it was still warm and pretty. Well shoot. I can't eat a stew when it is 80 outside?!? That is just crazy talk!

And now today it is very cold, and all I keep thinking about is the she-crab soup that I will order when we go to Copper River Grill with friends tonight. Seriously, it was the promise of this soup that got me through the bitter-cold day.

When did I become such a weather-inspired eater? Its not like we're talking about summer vs. winter vegetables.

Connections

Tonight during dinner Scott was telling me about something that happened in his classroom. When there was a lull in our conversation Emily randomly asked, "Why do we have a throat?" So we exchange glances, and proceed to explain that a throat is for carrying food to our belly and air to our lungs.

Scott and I continue our previous conversation and again there is a lull. Again Emily speaks, continuing where she left off with her previous question, "well... because I swallowed a yellow jewel the other day. I keep looking in the toilet, but its not there." Scott and I question her, and say something about not putting things in our mouths, choking, etc. Then we thought the conversation was over.

Then after dinner Emily looks at me and says, "Maybe I should check my lungs?"

It is then that I realize she is super concerned that if the yellow jewel wasn't found in the toilet (which I'm impressed she understands that connection to her belly) then it must be in her throat, since Scott and I told her job of the throat is to carry to the belly and to the lungs.

Too funny. Very insightful, yet hilarious. I love toddlers. When they explain themselves they make total sense!

Birthday Girl!

Our baby turns FOUR today! Where did the time go? She amazes us with the things she says and wonders. Scott and I delight in her personality... she is such an individual! Our biggest blessing! We're so thankful for her and the joy she brings us!




There is nobody quite like Emily Grace!

Back at school today

I was finally able to return to school today. I was nervous that I would be exhausted by lunch time. But I found that my kids really helped pull me along. They are so full of energy and life, that it is hard not to be taken by their contagiousness.

One of the things on my "to-do" list today was to pick out a picture book to read at our school's Barnes and Noble night tonight. I'm signed up to read during the 6:15 slot, and I really hadn't thought much about what I would pick. Before dismissing them for a bathroom break I asked them if they would think about their favorite picture book read alouds, and meet me back on the rug with one if they can.

Every single kid came to the carpet with a book.

I was a little surprised, and at first I must admit I was afraid they just grabbed a book with little thought. But I was so wrong. My kids really thought about it, and were so excited at the idea of remembering the journeys we'd taken together with those books. As each kid gradually made their way to the carpet, the others would remember that book, and comment, and always with a smile.

We went around the circle and shared each one, and the kids told why they chose the specific book. Eventually we very naturally decided on a group of about six that were some of our favorites. It only seemed right to scrap what I had planned, and to read.

So there I sat with my "pretzel legs" on the floor. Surrounded by my kids, and so pregnant I didn't know how I would get up. And I read each of those stories. After each one we talked and laughed and shared about why it was such a favorite.

Eventually we finished up, and we realized we were late for library. Like ten minutes to library. The kids love to go and exchange their books and our Media Center specialists is killer awesome. But it struck me as so special that these guys were so engaged with me reading and talking with them, that time didn't matter. They didn't notice, and neither did I.

I couldn't have picked a better, impromptu, way to re-connect with my kids after being out almost a week. It was fun.

Sulfamethoxazole

Turns out third time may be the charm! Today is such a better day after starting my third antibiotic yesterday. I still can't breathe in deep without a coughing fit, but I feel much better. Emily has a mild fever, and Scott is taking her in to the doctor this afternoon for what we suspect is either a sinus infection or ear infection. Some antibiotics and she should be fine.

Since she was up a lot last night, Scott stayed home from work today to take care of us. That was great, because I haven't even been able to take care of myself really, and Emily really needed somebody to take care of her too. Scott make sure everybody got their medicines, fluids, and warm blankets before we were adequately comforted for naps. Then he got busy picking up and cleaning the house. Boy am I thankful!


On a funny note, I was catching some news on T.V. this afternoon, and scrolling along the bottom was this headline: "Megan McCain blames presidential campaign for her diminishing love life." Apparently there is a story on this on cnn.com

I will go check it out... I'm bored and it sounds amusing!

Weekend Reflections

We had a "snow day" today, so the work week doesn't really begin until tomorrow. Here are my reflections from a weird weekend...

- Mom being sick is good for dad and his daughter. Scott and Emily were pretty much on their own all weekend since I was in bed. This allowed Dad to take care of the mundane tasks that I normally do. Some highlights were the obvious jungle adventure (previous post) and the "matching tattoo" of a caterpillar on Emily's right upper shoulder. Oh, and I can't forget the peaut butter, jelley AND banana sandwich he let Emily make by herself.

- Being allergic to penicillin is not cool. I began my third antibiotic today in hopes that it will clear up my sinus/repiratory/ear infection before I have to be admitted to the hospital to treat me for pneumonia. It would help if I could take a heartly dose of penicillin.

-Seeing the growing babies never gets old. I love ultrasounds, and since we're having twins, every visit promises an ultrasound. I love it! Right now both the baby boy and baby girl are reasuring 2 lbs. This is bigger than an average singleton baby.


- I would hate to be a weather forecastor. We were told by several news sources (Including the national weather service)to expect up to 5+ inches of snow. The schools all canceled school for Monday, only for us not to even get a single flake.

- The Neti Pot is my friend. So gross, but works so well.

- Starburst jellybeans are the best stuff every! And the babies both love sweet sugar. I ate a handful and they started moving like crazy. Scott could see my tummy rumbling around and he thought it was quite weird. The were really moving and kicking.


- I really hope to get to school Thursday.
Pray that the meds keep me well!

What makes a sick mom smile

Today hasn't been the best day. I spent most of the day in bed, and it has just been in the past couple of hours that I have finally (though quickly) started to feel better.

That said, I wanted to share one of my highlights of today that came right in the middle of feeling the worst.

Emily and Scott went on a "safari" this morning. Emily put animals all throughout the downstairs, and then asked her daddy to wear his "safari hat" before taking him downstairs with flashlights.

I don't know if she has been watching too much Jeff Corwin or what, but this cracked me up. Scott and Emily walked through the entire downstairs on tip-toes, excitedly pointing their flashlights on each beast they stumbled upon. Scott came to get me and told me I couldn't miss the cuteness going on downstairs. So I wearily made it down there and wasn't disappointed.

What a duo!

If anything, mommy being sick makes for some quality daddy/Emily time. Right now they are out grabbing a bite to eat together, and picking up a "yada" (Pinata) for Emily's birthday party this Saturday. I'm thankful they are having a good day together.

Weekend Outlook

Its 3:30ish on Friday and I am sitting at the computer with my PJs on. Emily is at my feet and has just pulled her socks off to pick out the "toe-jam" from between her toes. I had to leave halfway through the school day today because I'm still pretty sick with a sinus infection that has only gotten worse. I had a brief appt with my doctor who prescribed me a new antibiotic and then I went to pick up Emily just before nap time. After two hours asleep snuggling with her, and the promise of a more powerful med, I am hopeful to be back to my regular self soon. My family and students deserve better, that's all I can say.

And other than that, we have just a lot of to-do things this weekend. I was hoping for Scott to be able mow the lawn tomorrow morning, but it looks like that won't happen with the crazy weather.

It is 78 out right now, with the high reaching 70 again tomorrow. We're projected to get almost 3 inches of rain tonight and tomorrow, but then... what?!? That rain Sunday night will switch over to snow and some forecasters are calling for over an inch after the temp drops to the forties. That is a lot of the Midlands, and will surely shut the schools down Monday. That isn't even the mention of the slight chance of severe tornadic weather that we may have Saturday.

What a weird forecast. Should make it interesting!

25 weeks

I'll be 25 weeks tomorrow. At my last appt. the baby girl was laying face down across the bottom, and the baby boy was literally standing on her bum, with his head shoving my stomach and esophagus and diaphragm up too high, making it very hard to breathe, no less eat. I am learning to eat smaller portions almost constantly throughout the day, which is hard for somebody like me who gets going and forgets to slow down. And I feel full a lot. Probably because there is getting to be literally no empty space in there! Scott is getting used to my small appetite at meal time, which is also not like me!

Normally I get lots of low kicks, which is so much fun since I didn't ever really feel kicks with Emily. The low kicks send me running to the ladies room, but I still delight in each one! Just today I started feeling kicks really high, which means somebody probably turned. I can't wait to return to the doctor on 3/2 to see who it is!

So far the entire pregnancy has gone really well. Great in fact when you consider I was on bed rest with Emily. On the 3/2 appt. we will talk about possibly pushing my due date back from 5/15 to 5/28 because of everything going so well. I am thrilled! :)

I'm starting my own list!

I don't know about you, but I am sick of the constant chatter about the economic downfall. Now I don't disagree that these are extremely rough times that are touching everybody, its just the "over-talk" is getting on my nerves. But sometimes I get annoyed when the person being interviewed on the Today Show, the financial analyst on CNN, and the writer for Real Simple all have the same message. You've heard it before, but here it is again... the tips to survive a tough economy. (Hold on, this may change your life)

1. Don't buy on credit
2. Cut back. Use less shampoo, less toilet paper, etc.
3. Car pool to work
4. Pay-off any debt
5. Brown bag to work
and my personal favorite...
6. Make your morning cup 'O joe at home, and skip the $4 coffee bar

Phew. Thank goodness I heard that valuable message on all three venues. I don't know what I would have done w/o it. My finances are saved!

But in all actuality I thought it would be fun to start a new list of things that we see where the price is actually going down.
I'll start:

1. Behr Paint at Home Depot- Old Price $22 New Price $16
2. Gallon of milk at Publix- Old Price $4.09 New Price $3.19
3.Gas- Varying up to $3.89/gallon Current price $1.79/gallon

What am I sick with?

For the last couple weeks schools in our have reported very high amounts of absences and children being sent home sick. Schools have reported numbers of absences in the hundreds, varying from whopping cough outbreaks at one school, to flu at another.

In my class we have had what I have jokingly referred to as the T.B. outbreak. More kids have this awful cough than not. They don't run fevers, or have any other symptoms... just a horrendous cough that lasts for more than a couple weeks. One child in my class has been on antibiotics since mid January, with no sign of kicking the cough. Of course they still come to school because they aren't really "sick" and can't miss weeks of school for a cough... so around and around it goes.

On Friday a student was out sick with flu. By Friday at 2 pm, the remaining three who sit at her group were sent home with flu. Also, Friday afternoon my good friend Meesh called to warn me that after five days of being told her son doesn't have strep, the doctor's office called with news that the longer strep test came back positive. She warned me because her son was hanging out at our house earlier this week.

So I ask you... what could this be that I have this morning? I didn't feel so hot by last night, and right now am so congested that my head is pounding, my throat killing me, and my stomach churning in a not so good way. I couldn't sleep past 5:20 (on a Sunday!) which is a total bummer. My fever is just around 100.

Any guesses?
I'm off to see what meds I can take while pregnant, and then to lysol the entire house.
Hope your family stays well! :)

Lesson #1 in parenting twins...

Don't ever do this!

This sweet girl

Tonight I was laying in Emily's bed with her and eventually the conversation turned to her being a big sister. She gave me a list of all the things she wanted to teach "her baby sister and her baby brother."

Here are the highlights:

* How to plant seeds in the vegetable garden
* How to be on the potty train (you get her meaning, I'm sure! :)
* How to speak Spanish
* How to not jump on the bed
* How to recycle
* How to read books w/o tearing the pictures
* How to start the C.D. player
* How to feed Ethel

I couldn't have thought of a more well-rounded list myself!

Tugging

Today in class I wrote the date, and beside it I wrote "Grandma Sharon's Birthday." Of course I explained to the kids about Grandma Sharon. I explained that my grandfather passed away a few years back, and they have the same birthday, so I imagine it must be a bitter-sweet day for her.

We had a half-day today, and didn't have our normal Related Arts at 8:30, which allowed me more time in morning meeting with the kids. I ended up telling them stories about Grandma. Stories about her getting angry at my grandpa in the early 80's and buying herself a brand new blue cadillac.... only to order plates that say to this day, "NOT LEWS." (My grandpa's name was Lew.) I told them about how she thought it was hysterical how much I loved chicken drumsticks as a kid, and so one year for Easter she filled my basket with chicken legs, all with bows tied around them. And I told them about how she put a mouse trap in the candy dish so Mindy would get a surprise when she reached in without asking.

My kids were mesmerized. They laughed and laughed, and begged for more. We ended up calling my grandma on the phone, and singing to her "happy birthday." I hope she liked it. The kids also told her all the stories I'd shared with them. She laughed.

But what was so cool was the way that conversation inspired another conversation about legacy. The kids began to recall all sorts of memories from their family, and were very anxious to jot them down in their writing notebook so they could recall the stories of their past. We talked about the different ways people share their family legacy and they were so excited.

This is why I just love my job. The personal and the professional have always been a clouded line for me as I weave myself into my classroom and connect with my kids and they to me.

I guess that is why I am having such a hard time turning in my letter resignation. Scott and I decided it was obvious that with twins I stay home, and I am totally excited about this... don't get me wrong. But so much of who I am is wrapped around what I love doing for a job. It is such a part of my identity, and even though I wouldn't change anything about staying at home, it will surely be hard for me.

Amazing days with kids like today just remind me of what I will have waiting for me when I do return to teaching.

Was my hair really that blonde!?!

Don't you just love old pictures? I was cleaning out the spare bedroom and I came across this beauty. Its one of those that when you post it on facebook you're not sure if your friends will be angry if you tag them! :)

It is so beautiful today. The windows are open, I've done some gardening, and I think I may sit out in the sunshine to catch up on my Bible study.

Hope everybody is having a wonderful Saturday!

Boy and Girl

I can't wrap my mind around having both a boy and a girl at the same time. I can't tell you how thrilled I am! And what's so fun about knowing the genders is that now when I am totally being kicked and punched, I know who to blame it on. I don't have to refer to him or her as it, but rather can say, "Man that little boy is kicking now!" And normally it is always the boy. Always on the right, always much more active than his sister. Always causing me to run down the hall to the bathroom.

And I enjoy every minute of it.

During the ultrasound the technician couldn't even get all the measurements of the little girl. The boy was kicking so hard and frequent that the girl would literally dart to the left, only to be pulled back to the right. It looked on the screen like she was attached to some sort of fetal rubber band. It was so awesome to see. I can't imagine the closeness that these two will share.

Of course because I get to have another ultrasound to get those final measurements that weren't able to be taken . Darn! :)

Scott and I have thought of many names, and have come close to deciding, but would love input. Suggestions?

The daily Emily quote x2

Scott needed a snack to bring for a meeting tomorrow, so I baked some cookies. As I was arranging the last few on the plate, I asked Emily to tell Daddy to taste the cookies and tell me if they taste alright.
Her response? "Mommy, does Daddy ever think your chocolate chip cookies don't taste alright?" Said complete with hand on her hip and everything.

Later tonight Scott and Emily were playing and his knee accidently bumped Emily's forehead. I'm sure it hurt, and she did cry. Scott and I were concerned that it would swell. We put the Nemo ice pack on her head, and then muffled through the tears she gets this one-sided grin and says, "You know what would really help me feel better? Some cartoons!"

Seriously, I'm glad my kid doesn't lack in the personality department. She is a lot of fun! :)

Next on the baby to-do list

Now that we know the babies are one boy and one girl, we need to get going with nursery plans. Scott's office is the bigger of the two available bedrooms, so that means we nee to consolidate the office and spare room, leaving his office open for the nursery.

Today's plans include:
cleaning out the downstairs closet and upstairs linen closet
clearing out the spare bedroom closet into the above closets
moving Scott's office closet into the spare room, leaving the office closet empty for baby things
moving the huge office book case into our bedroom
choosing a color to paint the spare bedroom before the computer desk takes up residence there

Seriously, all we wanted to do today was get the office closet cleaned out so baby things could be put in there. But so much has to be done first. Doesn't it seem like a domino effect?

Anyhow, hope everybody's Saturday plans are more interesting than ours! :)
Oh, and here are some pictures of the finished bathroom. The room isn't very large, so taking pictures was a little difficult, but you get the idea. The giraffe gave us some trouble, as the yellow was showing blue through the paint. But Lori is awesome, and she fixed it perfect. I couldn't be more thrilled at how it all turned out, and of course Emily is so happy that she finally has a giraffe on her wall!

Too Excited For Sleep!!

Scott and I both took today off work because we have a dr. appt. at 9:30. Remember that 20 wk. ultrasound that was canceled due to "all that snow" that turned out to be merely a dusting of snow powder? Well today is when it was rescheduled, and seriously I couldn't be more excited! I woke Scott up many time last night, and finally he said, "I know you can't sleep, but could you make sure that I get to sleep?"

Oops!

Anyhow, I'm sure that if the babies cooperate we will be posting this afternoon about what their gender. Scott and I talked last night, and we really aren't pulling for anything specific... just two healthy babies. How could we ask for more? But even so, I can't wait to find out no matter what the combination or not.

Have a great Monday!

Overhead at Restaurant

Saturday night Scott and I were out on a date to celebrate out fifth wedding anniversary. (yay us!) We went to this wonderful restaurant that was very cozy and had great atmosphere and food.

After the check was paid and we stood to put on our coats, I overheard a comment from a table of four women that made me stop dead in my tracks. I don't know what proceeded the comment, but all I heard this older woman say was, "I haven't gone back to that salon since I had my pubes waxed!"

I had to turn my head to keep from showing my grin. After I closed my mouth and contained myself, I shared the comment to Scott who apparently missed it. And once I was safe in the parking lot, I laughed my tail off.

What has been the most random, weird, or obnoxious comment you have overheard in public?

Snow!

There was literally just a dusting, but still enough for schools to cancel, and Emily to be thrilled! Scott combined all the snow he could to build her a snowman that stood about a foot tall. After about a half hour, I went back inside for voluntary hot cocoa duty while they continued to play. Emily thought jumping on the snow covered trampoline was the coolest thing ever!

Ethel was not amused at all by the ground. She let me know as much with several loud meows.

Bathroom painting

Today my friend Lori and I began painting the bathroom. Previously it had a Hello Kitty theme, with plain white walls. Needless to say it was time for a change. We decided to go with a jungle theme. I bought a a great shower curtain, and Lori is going to show me how to use an overhead to project a picture of the giraffe and a tree from the shower curtain on to the wall to trace and paint.

This evening we got the top part finished. It is sky blue, and the bottom half will be green. Lori hand-drew grass blades that look awesome. We cut in with the blue on top, and will get the bottom green paint on tomorrow.

The weather man calls for snow tomorrow, and the mere threat has already closed both Scott and my school districts. I am thrilled to have another day at home, especially since Lori and I are in the middle of the project, but I am bummed as well because my doc's office called and they cancelled my appt. tomorrow because of the weather. This was the appt. we were waiting for so that we could find out the gender of the babies. I think if I have to wait too much longer it may kill me! What did women do before ultra-sounds?!? We are so spoiled with modern convenience!

Oh, by the way, this is what the downstairs looked like when we finished painting. Emily was thrilled to have Lori's little one, Sarah, over to play with. I think they had fun, don't you? :)

I love home

This evening Scott's school had a family movie night. Sounds fun, but I seriously just wanted a night at home after every previous night this week we had something going on.

Probably remembering my sluggishness, Scott offered to take Emily and give me some quiet time at home by myself. My time at home by myself is so little. I could've spent this precious time cleaning out closets, organizing the attic, or doing laundry, but instead, this is how I chose to spend the evening:

First, I had a lovely dinner of Ramen noodles and fresh kiwi (not together...). Yum!
I talked with my mom on the phone.
Then I followed my dinner with some wonderful rocky road while I watched Jeopardy.
I then soaked in the bath tub for so long I had to re-fill the water twice to keep it warm.
And now after my brief blog, I plan on laying in bed to read as much of the third vampire book as I can before my need for sleep outweighs my need to read more about Edward.

I love relaxing in my home. I am grateful for this evening! :)

Sunday evening

The house looks like we run a day-care center instead of having one 3 year-old. We had a full out rodeo in the living room complete with "cowgirl music" (country), dress up clothes, and stuffed horses. There are toy instruments strewn about the play room, along with dollies, my little ponies, and tinker toys. Emily has even constructed a make-shift "barn" out of blankets and toddler chairs.

Scott and I are relaxing and trying to read our books during the playful chaos that is Emily playing. I have chicken thawed out for dinner which I planned to fix with potatoes and fresh steamed green beans.... But the box of Mac and Cheese sounds more like it tonight.

The cleaning has been relatively accomplished earlier this weekend, and though there is a couple of loads of laundry yet to be started I can't help but thinking, "isn't there always?" Of course we will have toys to clean up and rooms to put back together, but I love this evening. The t.v. is off and we are just with each other, watching Em play and relaxing. What a perfect way to end the weekend!

Hope your Sunday evening was fabulous too, even if it was full of nothingness like ours!

Gran Torino

Scott and I went on a date last night as an early celebration of his birthday. We saw this movie and absolutely loved it.

At first I was a little disappointed when he picked this flick because I really wanted the see the Benjamin Button movie. But now I am so glad we saw this instead. Definitely the best movie I've seen in a long time. Clint Eastwood was awesome!

Trying to save some $

So I have already posted a few times about the grocery game thing. Now Scott and I are out to find the best deal for home internet and phone service. Right now we have a "bundle service" for our home phone, internet, and cable. But it is still too high in our opinion.

We have thought about getting rid of our home phone line all together, and going straight to our cell phone for all calls. But that makes me nervous about going over minutes. (I can spend up to an hour Sat. morning talking with Mom) We have thought about going to a digital phone service, and/or we've thought about getting rid of cable.

All things to think about. There are so many different options out there, bundle packages available, etc. I was wondering if anybody else has researched this and if so which carrier did you choose for your own service?

Lots 'o Movement

Today I was totally tired and totally ready for the weekend. But one thing that kept me on my toes all day was the baby movement. I hesitate to call it kicking because I'm not sure they're actually kicks, but nevertheless I was in tune all day with the moving babies. Very cool. Certainly makes the day fun!

Now if I could just figure out what they both are.....
Pregnancy is a lesson in the virtue of patience, and we all know that is the virtue I lack the most!

Double take

Mindy, Mom and I saw this while leaving the Valley Plaza just before Christmas. Mindy suggested that maybe they were representative of the one spouse on the driver's side, and the other on the passenger's side.

Emily-isms

The kid cracks me up. That is all there is to it. Here is a little to share with you:

Everybody knows about my recent obsession with saving money at the grocery store. Apparently Emily has caught on to this too. A couple days ago she asked me if I could watch her baby while she went to the market. Then she pretended that her baby asked her something. She responded, "What baby what did you want?" (silence) "Oh I'm sorry. That is not on the list, it is not on sale, and I don't have a coupon."

Then this evening she asked me for a quarter for the candy machine. I told her no, and specifically told her NOT to ask her daddy. Well, he walked up, and she directly asked him for a quarter. I told her she was guaranteed a spank when we got to the car. So I walked her out and swatted her bottom. Not too hard, and not without a ton of clothing padding her little tush. She turned around, gave a big sigh of relief and rambled, "Oh, that was a great spank. I don't mean I liked the spank, but it wasn't the worst, and it wasn't very hard. It was juuuussttt right!"

What am I supposed to do but laugh? She certainly isn't a boring child, that is for sure!

Em's Big Break

I was watching DVRed episode of CSI from last week, and while I was forwarding through the commercials this came on and caught my attention. Meesh's hubby is the promo guy for a local station, and he needed Emily to ham it up a bit for a T.V. commercial advertising a local website for moms. I have been meaning to post it to the blog for a couple of weeks, but kept forgetting until this afternoon when I saw it again.

Kind of weird to see your kid on T.V. when you are watching CSI. :) Scott keeps waiting for the phone to ring and somebody to discover her hidden television talent, but sadly that has yet to happen! :)

Random post-Christmas thoughts

1. How do I change my lay-out without losing all the comments to previous posts?

2. I'm thankful for friends who can show up to a meal, play-date, or whatever after not seeing us for months and start off right were we left off last time.

3. Watching my mom and dad with Emily the past few evenings while they bathe her, watch a movie with her, or share a popcycle makes me grateful that they take time to make every moment count when we're together.

4. We should have brought another suitcase.

5. I'm not looking forward to getting home and taking down all the holiday decorations.

6. Emily really could care less about Santa...and the lack of his name being said this season is just fine with me.

7. New Year's Eve red-eye flights are perfect for our family. Give me a 10:50 p.m. departure with a 4 hr 18 min. direct travel time, and I will give you a family who can sleep on a plane.

8. I miss my quiet time in my recliner at home each morning.

9. Hopefully Dakota wasn't a pain to Meesh all week. I'm grateful to her for watching my pscho, but loving, dog.

10. I think I have narrowed down my favorite restaurants in CA that we don't have in SC. Here they are in no apparent order: Elephant Bar, Mauricio's, Wool Growers, Chicken Pie Shop, Di Ciccos, and any place that serves tri-tip.

11. How in the world did I stay here a week without asking my dad to bbq (or grill even) a tri-tip?

12. The boy down the street who was always the pesky little brother to our neighborhood full of girls is now engaged. I can't tell you how old that makes me feel.

13. Thank you Lord for keeping us all healthy this week when my dad came down with the flu.

14. I hate when my dad is sick. There is something just wrong and unnatural about him being ill.

15. I'm thankful to have four days home before we all return to school. And I'm thankful for my parents' washer and dryer and the clean clothes that can go straight from the suitcases to the closet when we get home.

Breakfast Monday anyone?

Scott and I will be making a quick trip up to Fresno. I wish I could say that we would love to go out tonight, but I am afraid that if we set that up I may have to un-comit by involuntarily falling asleep at 7 p.m.

So breakfast Monday morning may be a better choice. I know Emily would love to see her "treasure-hunting crew" and dance partner friends so she would appreciate a meal with whoever is available. I'm thinking 9ish?

I have no idea where the best place is to go. Possibly Chicken Pie or the Kountry Kitchen?

I have a few numbers, but not many on my cell, so respond back if you are interested.

Boy am I thankful for this guy!

Last night we both had staff Christmas parties. We only made it to one, but I felt like I could barely make it up the stairs when we got home. The last day of school before break always wears me out! This year proved no different.

Well, the plan was to come home and get some laundry on and begin packing. There was no way I could do that, so I headed straight for bed, thinking about how early I would have to get up in the morning to get it all done.

When I woke this morning, not only was nearly every load finished, but Scott had cleaned the kitchen, unloaded all the gifts and other things from my car, charged the DVD player, got out the suitcases and began packing. The fridge was cleaned out, the dishes all clean, and all I had to do was finish the bit of laundry that was left, and throw my stuff in a suitcase.

And now that we have had a semi-leisurely morning, the packing is just about done, and we are not just on time, but early. And as I type this I begin to hear the sounds of the vacuum running downstairs.

I'm a happy lady! :)

It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...

Er... actually it's not. Our high today is 78!

Huh?

And we slept with our windows open last night. In December!
What happened to the bitter cold we had just a few weeks ago?

Three more days!?!

Every school has those couple of teachers who say things like, "Is it Friday yet?" or have a "how many days until summer" count down displayed on the board by the second week in October. I find these teachers annoying.

But I must admit that this week I find myself anxiously awaiting Friday's arrival and all the freedom it brings.

I need a break. It was hard to work when I was pregnant with Emily... or more like inconvenient. But being pregnant with twins, and already having a toddler is much harder. You can't just come home and take a nap when you feel like it.

I consider my job an important one, and therefore try my best every day. But the past few weeks I have felt inadequate in more ways than one. I felt like I haven't been a good teacher, wife, or mother the past few weeks... as I have done a mediocre job in every area, but not great.

I'm sick of feeling mediocre.

Maybe it is the perfectionist in me, but I need a break from school I think mostly so that I can concentrate on being a wonderful mom and wife. Not being a teacher for a few weeks may be the way to gain back that confidence, at least in those two areas.

Okay Becky and other money savers...

I went to the grocery store Thursday morning when I was home with a sick Emily. I grabbed "just the things we needed" and checked out at just $100. Seriously!?!

Now a few months ago that would have been a typical shopping trip, but after playing the grocery game the past few months I now know how much more I could have purchased if I was smarter and used my coupons.

So this morning I clipped my coupons and plan on heading out to my three stores just after church. I intend to end up with far more bags of groceries than my Thursday trip, but far less in my total cost.

I will let you know how it goes.

Did you go yesterday, or are you going today? Let me know how you do! :)

-Malisa

Christmas

I can't wait to until we get to my parents house for Christmas. My dad just started this new schedule where he works fourteen straight days, and then gets seven days off in a row. He managed to start the fourteen so that his seven days just happen to be the week we are there. I couldn't be more thrilled! And since Mindy is a full-time nursing student, her work schedule is sporadic around her classes. She will be also be home the entire week.

But one thing that happens every year when we visit is many friends and family members (not my parents so much, but other out-layers) try to persuade us in to moving back. So this year I want to be one up on everybody and list my top five reasons why we love to call South Carolina home right now.

1. The forrest is just beyond our back fence. Deer, wild turkeys, oppossums, raccoons, and all of God's beauty we get to see every day.

2. Have I ever told anybody that I love my job? :)

3. Scott's support with professionals at his school site and the university. We couldn't have asked for anything better.

4. I'm not worried about Emily going to school and being subjected to sight sound and spelling cards as a Kindergartner. Pedagogy is everything

5. Having four definite seasons is sure nice!

6. People are kind in the South. Not that they aren't in other places in our nation. But people just care about others in a way that makes this place unique.

7. The final reason is that flying in to visit family, or having family fly in to visit us makes those visits so special. And when you look forward to seeing your loved ones as much as we do it makes every moment a blessing that isn't taken for granted.

Update

Several things to update on:

1. First of all, Emily is still sick with a high fever. That "ear infection" I was so confident about turned out to not exist. Probably some viral thing which stinks because we have to wait it out rather than medicate. And everybody knows how I feel about waiting for anything!

2. The Babies! I went to the doctor Tuesday and since she couldn't tell the difference between the two heart beats on the fetal monitor, she decided I needed an ultra-sound. Darn! :) I asked the tech if she could tell what they were, but one was literally placing the little hands over itself, and the other she thought could be a boy, but then she thought it was a girl. She finally said that it is a little more obvious if it is a boy, so that makes me think it is a girl. I would love to have one of each, for no other reason than I think it is only fair that Scott should have to take somebody to a public restroom ! Being patient about this is so hard! (see above!)

3. Since last Saturday's restaurant cuss storm we have found a better restaurant that serves my favorite craved food: Spicy chicken wings! So that is that. No more going to the cuss barn for dinner with Emily.

4. Headaches-- man do they stink! Maybe this is God trying to teach me empathy for Scott when he gets migraines. I am learning to control them better with chiropractic care, and when all else fails my doc gave me a wonderful sedative/pain reliever called fioraset. I'm not ever too keen on pills, but these are a life-saver!

5. We leave for California 12/21. We can't wait! Emily keeps talking about sitting on her Papa's lap to watch a movie and eat popcorn. Personally, I can't wait for the food! Scott and I have a mental list of all the great restaurants that we don't have here, and I can't wait to go to a few of those!

** Looks like we should make it to Fresno at least over night. We're hoping to see Paul and Mary of course, but maybe we can get together with friends too! It may be a Monday though if anybody's up to it.

Sick Day

I got a call at work this afternoon that Emily was running a fever and not feeling well. Apparently after the first hour of preschool she decided she couldn't do it any more, and sat in a corner and whimpered. She was fine this morning, but something is making her feel awful!

The funny part is that when I got her home I put her directly in bed, where she wanted to go. She laid down and said that her top was not comfy because the hood was making a "bump on her back." When I took it off I suggested she just sleep w/o a shirt. Well, that was blasphemous apparently, because Emily got really frustrated with me. She said, "Mommy, that just wouldn't be cozy!" and then she burst in to tears!

Poor girl. Probably just an ear infection. Easy to fix, yet extremely painful. I'm glad we are getting this taken care of before the air plane ride to CA. Doesn't it seem like this happens every year before Christmas?

Dr. appt. at 2:30... I'll let you know what he says.

P.S. Em's pediatrician is one of her favorite people she knows. He isn't in today, and so she will have to see another doc in the practice. When I explained this to her, she was quite ticked.

Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Frustration

Don't you hate it when you can't get your pajamas on?

My 3 year-old doesn't cuss, thanks!

Last Saturday night Scott and I took Emily to the Bethlehem Experience at a local church. Basically it is a drive-through of scenes from the night Jesus was born, complete with volunteers dressed up and preforming the jobs of the time. Before we went to this event, we decided to eat at a restaurant right across the street.

This restaurant is a family place, and Saturday proved no different. There were many families with children, I'm guessing many of which had the same idea about eating there before going to the church event across the street. But what also was going on this same night was the Florida vs. Alabama SEC championship game.

There is a bar in this restaurant that had many couples sitting around it watching the game. No problem, right? Well, this one drunk guy starts yelling "You suck" every time Tim Tebow is shown on the screen. (which was a lot of times, obviously.) That was annoying to me because this cute little Tebow character is such a sweet boy, or so it seems to me, and regardless of that, he obviously doesn't suck, and won the Heisman as a sophomore to prove otherwise. But whatever. Crazy Alabama fan, right? Well then it wasn't just him. Another guy who obviously was rooting for Florida began yelling things like, "get the little b*&O&rd! Rip is head off!" THen there was a "bad call," as defined by the other man who yelled, "What the F*&%!" and "Holy ____!"

So I guess we didn't know what to do. We were really annoyed at the jerks who obviously had no respect for the dozens of children in the establishment, and the manager who I felt let the "you suck" comments continue, which allowed the further cussing to escalate. But the large bar in this place with the huge TVs were obviously in place so that these guys could watch their game and drink their beer.

Well, as we walked out I just politely let the manager know that we would surely think twice about coming back on a Saturday, because we weren't sure what environment we would get... this night being so different from the other Saturday nights we had been there.

I guess what I am wondering now is if restaurants that are toted as "Family Restaurants" have different rules that apply when major games like that are on? Should we have been more aware of the situation before we went in, by connecting the large bar and TVs to potential drunk jerks with foul mouths? Or should they have been told by the management to be quiet in order to preserve the peace of the "family restaurant?"

Arkansas Trip

We drove all the way to Arkansas for Thanksgiving. My grandparents moved there from California, and we have never been there. They just finished a major re-model of their house, so we wanted to go and see their spot before the twins get here. With gas being so low, and Emily being an awesome traveler, how could we pass it up?
We stopped in Birmingham on the way there for the night, and stopped in Nashville on the way home. We took different routes so that I could see more of the country since I have never driven cross-country like Scott has.
Here are some highlights...

Emily with my grandpa in Arkansas riding on the tractor

Emily and I in front of the Mississippi

Emily at the Grand Opryland Hotel in Nashville

Scott and Emily on the river that goes through the hotel

Emily and I in front of the Smoky Mountains in N.C.

*I can't figure out how to get the pictures in order with the captions... but I bet you can figure out what goes with what! :)

Time to whine

I'm at home today from school. I have had headaches for the past week that get so bad that all I can do is lay around in bed from about six or seven on. This morning I woke up with another headache, and called in a sub so I can get some tests done at my doctor. I'm praying it isn't gestational diabetes or high blood pressure. I have tried all sorts of things, but they haven't worked. And I feel horrible for missing another day of work.

Nothing is done around the house except for what Scott has done. I feel like such a whiner, and those who know me well know that the one thing I can't stand is whining! So what does that say about me? :) I'm miserable to say the least.

I have all sorts of things that I need to catch up on at home while I wait for the appt, but there is no way they will get done. I think I am going to lay in bed and watch the Today show and hope the throbbing goes away soon.

We have some great Thanksgiving pictures but I will have to post them later.

Family Pictures

I'm sure we will use one of these for our Christmas card, so don't be surprised when you see it again! My friend Mona did a great job this afternoon getting Emily to settle down so she could take some great pictures. We were at the Irmo town park.