Yep

December kicked my ass. I am still recovering. I'll update soon.

Holiday Program Videos

Holiday Program

Enjoy the Oompa Loompa Twinado look. It only comes out for special occasions.

Dear Santa

Since the boys can't write very well yet, Tim took down what they wanted their notes to Santa to say (they did write their names on the note, though). Here is what they told him:

Dear Santa,
Hi, I'm Adam Jette. For Christmas I want a police station geotrax and I want the grey train and the sheriff. And I want a real doggie and kitty cat. I would like a yellow airplane for geotraxs.

Dear Santa,
My name is Patrick Jette. For Christmas I would really like a fire house with a fire helicopter. Also a fire dog and a police dog, a fire car and a fire truck, a fire motorcycle, and a police motorcycle and police truck. Also, if you have time, I would like Lightening and Mader geotrax with the train and sheriff.

My Herbivore

My boys are obsessed with their Dinosaur Train PBS program. I actually like this show because it has a scientific bent to it. Because of it PJ told me he is a herbivore.

Last night the boys were sent to bed and Tim made a lovely rib dinner for us adults. Well, as usual someone had to go potty and the twinado was let out of their room. From the top of the stairs PJ sniffs the air and says:
PJ: What's that smell? It is disgusting. Is that dead animals?
Daddy (laughing): yes
PJ: Is that pig? Disgusting.

Then he stormed off to bed.

Birthday Wishes

AJ: Mommy I want an IPhone for my birthday
Mommy: Who are you going to call?
AJ: nobody, I don't know any one's number, but I like the other stuff on it.

When I grow up

AJ found a new calling. He no longer wants to be a police officer, but now wants to be a geologist! He told me he loves rocks and that he has been collecting rocks at school. He was wondering what rocks are made of and how can he break rocks open to see if there is anything inside. I told him that those are wonderful questions and that he can even get a job when he grows up testing his hypotheses. (He learned the word hypothesis from his favorite show, Dinosaur Train- "It's an idea you can test!") He was very excited that he can grow up and be around rocks all day long. We even looked at rocks online and talked about fossils and gemstones. AJ couldn't wait to get to school to show his Daddy his collection.

(PJ still wants to be a surgery doctor)

Zoo Fun

We had a lovely time at the zoo this weekend. We rode the sky tram that we used to be too scared of in the past. The boys liked it so much we took it back down! Then we met our friends Jessica, Will and baby Lucas. The 3 boys had so much energy that us poor mommies were wiped out by the end of the day. Jess was so tired she didn't even fight back when a helicopter parent got up in our grill.

Work Advice from 4 year olds

Monday has turned out to be a very bad day work wise. Just a whole mess of work related junk. I told the boys that I needed a hug and kiss, which they immediately gave me. (gotta love my sweetie boys).

Then they asked me why I was sad and I told them that my bosses were mad because my team and I were not good listeners. AJ told me not to worry and just say I am sorry and tell my bosses that I will be a better listener tomorrow. Then I asked about what I should do with my team to make them better listeners. P said I need to give them something to make them listen. He said, "Maybe you should just give them some money. Not a lot, but just a little so we don't run out."

Get to sleep part 2

See- I got a pic of them in the guest room. Tim took over the duties last night at 4:30 am. And yes, they did the wire hanger sculpture in the closest all by themselves.

Get back to Sleep?

Sometimes the boys like to crawl into bed with us. This is usually at a decent wake up hour and it is fun to snuggle a little before we get out of bed. The hard part is when they wake up too early and you still need to get back to bed. Last night AJ woke up at 3:30 and wouldn't get back to bed because he would rather just turn the light on and play. So I grabbed him before he woke up the P with the light and took him into the guest room to sleep with me.
UGH- AJ is the worst when you need to get back to sleep. He snores, grinds his teeth and will try to force you to give him more room by either kicking you or throwing his leg over your body. Needless to say I did get to work before the sun came up (and day light savings is over!) No wonder P likes to sleep in the top bunk- alone.

For My Birthday

The boys are getting very excited for their birthday. They remind us, their teachers, their friends and even acquaintances of the month, date, and day of the week it will be on.
This morning AJ asked his daddy: "I want to have a dog for my birthday" and Tim promptly said no. Then AJ said, "Well, then I want to have cousins for my birthday." I guess Jenny, Ric or Chris better get to work!

Happy Halloween

We had a great time trick or treating this year. My mom even made it down for the event (Grammy). We left Grammy alone with the boys to carve pumpkins while Tim and I went furniture shopping. (Yes- we really want finally have furniture in that living room). Well, when we got home we found Grammy in serious pain. Apparently, she missed a step on the way to the composter and had fallen outside and twisted her ankle and knee. The boys said they couldn't help her or give her a hug because their hands were all slimy from cleaning out the pumpkins. Her poor ankle was swollen and black and blue and she had to stay home with Tim and pass out candy. Luckily, Steve and Debbie came over to help me with the boys in the neighborhood. We sure had fun (with our sparkling wine in travel containers)and the boys made out like bandits with the amount of candy they collected.

More Spontaneous Songs

As you know my boys have a tendency to break out into song while they are playing.  Check out their latest number.

Happy Fall(ing)

It is enevitable.  When you have had 2 sick kids and a job in this economy where productivity/ cost cutting is emphasized it is easy to get run down.  So I am sick and I hate it.  Too bad that I have a million deliverables and a twinado to watch and other numerous errands.  Can't I get a waiver for colds/flus for hardship reasons? I think if it is only October, it is going to be a rough winter.

A moms gotta do...

Is it wrong that I am going to leave spilled pasta shells on the floor overnight because they are easier to sweep up in the morning?

P wouldn't eat his turkey dog tonight. A dead animal free day for him! 

Go Veggie!

Last night, I made the children their typical working parent meal (fish sticks, veggies- previously frozen, banana, and they got tator tots because Tim wanted them with his Veggie burger).  PJ was eating his food and asked if the fish was dead. When I said yes, he spit out his fish stick and sweetly said, "Please, Mommy, stop feeding me dead animals."  He told me he did not want to eat dead animals anymore, lunch was the last time. He requested that no dead animals be packed for his lunch tomorrow too. (By the way- AJ ate P's fish sticks)
I did pack leftover fish sticks for AJ and made a special cheese sandwich (we have a no nuts policy at school).   I guess PJ is going to be eating a lot of eggs since he is not too in love with beans and rice or tofu. I am going to have to do some kid friendly recipe research ASAP. 
I think I better learn to shut my mouth better or else I think P will turn vegan when he asks me where his eggs come from.  Or maybe I should just pony up for free range eggs?

Music Video Critics

When I pick up the boys, I switch off the NPR and turn on the music channels. The boys usually latch on to certain songs that are currently in pop music rotation. They have been obsessed with anything from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry's Hot and Cold, and Green Day's 21 Guns. They are trying to learn all the words and I think it is hilarious when they start busting out the song on their own. (Although I wonder what must their teachers must think when they start busting out some of the songs in their repertoire like Flight of the Conchords' Business Time.)
Because they are obsessed with these songs, I sometimes like to play the videos for them on You-Tube. They make me play Lady Gaga’s over and over. When we played the Green Day video they were disappointed. They asked where Lady Gaga was and I told them she wasn’t in this one. They told me that the video would be much better if she was in it.

Square Foot Update

Halloween Preview

Guess who is who.

They won't even watch Star Wars or Spiderman because the movies are too scary.