I LOVE Blueberry Pancakes!

Mommy, I just wanted to let you know....I LOVE your blueberry pancakes! They are so yummy...(and really fun to get messy in.)

Soft Water Inquiry

We are looking into getting a water softner. We've been trying to tough it out thinking that maybe we can get by with the nasty, hard city water until we move, but we are thinking that having soft water could really help out the itchy twins and their terrible skin issues. Here are the questions that I have for those of you who may have a softner or know someone who does...

1. Brand names? Recommendations?
2. Cost?
3. Did you buy one or rent one?
4. Where did you buy/rent it from?
   
5. Do you also have a filter on top of the water softner?
6. Did you notice a difference?

If you have any input you feel would be beneficial you can comment or email. I appreciate any help.

I Have News Too!

Hi there! My mommy was really tired when she posted my sister's news about her new big bed, etc... Who can blame her? I am tired too because my big sis kept everybody up last night until about 3am. So, now that mommy is refreshed she can give a good update on what's going on in my pictures here. Above, you will see me standing behind one of our "walk along" toys. I'm trying really hard to walk with it, but I am really top heavy and fall down a lot!
Yesterday I fell on my head or bumped it into something about 4 times in an hour, but ramming my head into the door frame was the icing on the cake. Mom and dad called it a "goose-egg" but I think they are talking about that bump on my forehead above my left eye. It's bigger than it looks in the pictures, and now there is a cool blue and purple bruise there, but it hurt really bad. I even cried...
"Awwww, mom! Do you have to take a picture right now?"
This last picture doesn't even show how big it really got because my massive head continued to swell up, but I wouldn't hold still for anymore pictures...I've got places to crawl to and mischief to make...

P.S. If you want to know more about the pictures in my sister's recent update read on. She is a big girl now, that's what everybody keeps saying, so mommy and daddy went to get her a big bed yesterday. She got a cool Dora comforter and a snazzy bed rail. I can't wait until I get a big bed...

Joslynn likes to dance, and on Sunday she was being very silly and dancing like a maniac so mommy took some pictures of her showin' her moves.

My sister also likes to work out with mommy and daddy when they are in the workout room. She likes to walk on the treadmill, do pull ups or use the cool stretchy bands. She is pretty strong, but she better watch out in a month or so when I am able to chase after her...I'm not puttying up with any more of her bossiness.

Joslynn's News

Joslynn got a "big girl bed" with Dora on her comforter. She was a dancin' maniac and was working out with daddy. I'd write more but I am busy praying that tonight in the Dora bed goes better than last night...

My new bed

Under The Couch (Part 2)

It's been a while since I dug out all the junk from Under The Couch. When I was doing my super-cleaning yesterday here's what I found:

• 1 chew toy
• 1 Elmo magnet
• 1 Tupperware lid
• 1 play spoon
• 1 real spoon
• Magnetic letters: V, I & D
• 1 hot dog...thank God it was a play one
  
• 1 Cheerio...this one was real
  
• 3 potato chips...again, more play food
  
• 9 books

It's quite interesting what collects under there...

What I Accomplished Yesterday

I got a LOT done yesterday. It always feels good to share your accomplishments, my list is below. Why didn't I blog about it yesterday? That's the one thing I didn't do...

1. Got dressed and had breakfast
2. Changed diapers, fed kids, got them dressed and off to daycare
   
3. Exercised for an hour
4. Showered
5. Started first load of laundry
6. Cleaned out the frig
7. Loaded dishwasher and ran it
   
8. Picked up toys
9. Vacuumed entire upstairs including moving all furniture except for dressers and TV armoire.
10. Started second load of laundry
    
11. Shampooed all rugs in upstairs (my attempt to "de-Maynie" the house)
12. Started third load of laundry
13. Ate lunch
14. Scrubbed kitchen floor (on my hands and knees)
15. Scrubbed bathroom floor
    
16. Showered again
17. Started fourth load of laundry
18. Went to Walmart for more cream for one of the itchy twins.
19. Went to Cashwise for groceries
20. Unloaded groceries
21. Picked up kids at daycare
22. Played with kids
23. Ate supper
24. Bathed the itchy twins
25. Played with kids some more
    
26. Played volleyball
27. Showered
28. Went to bed
    

Two-Kid Day

People ask us all the time, "Are you going to have more kids?" or "Do you want more children?" or from pushy-er people, "When are you going to have more?" While these are questions that have complicated answers, today I had a simple one. Today is just a two-kid kind of day.

It started off with a 4:50am wakeup courtesy of our own rooster: Joslynn. I blogged earlier about the need for sleep, so this post should come as no big surprise. After doing some stuff around the house, I brought Jack to the Surgical Center for his ear tube surgery. Yes, that is both of our children now, within the course of a month. Four ears and $1100 (after insurance) later, we better not have any more ear issues!

All day long Joslynn was super whiny; throwing fits and crying for no reason seemed to be her calling card today. Jackson cries when Joslynn cries because maybe he wants to be like her, or maybe he is scared when she cries; either way, they are both crying, a lot.

Bath time was the icing on the cake. We have a specific bath regimen for the itchy twins (since I just returned from the dermatologist with the rooster yesterday). So, to give you some background on the bath situation: Joslynn is in the phase of hating bath time and cries and screams the whole time. Sounds like fun huh? Yeah, if you have any help on this one, we could use it. Some more background...Jackson has a hard time with #2 so he bears down and pushes and grunts really hard and his face turns red so you know when he is trying to go...

Okay, back to the original story. To save on time, I thought, 'let's put the kids in the tub together.' About 3 minutes into the bath, Jackson starts doing his "poop face." This is already after we had to clean out the tub once because he was messy when Josh took his clothes off and didn't realize that there was #2 on his toushy. So, I quickly grab the little guy and wonder, 'what do I do with him?' I'll set him on the potty chair. So I set the naked little man on the little potty chair where he does his business as Joslynn is screaming bloody murder. Fast forward another 15 minutes and Joslynn is still fighting the good fight whether it is physical or just crying because she doesn't want to have anything to do with bath time, brushing hair, putting on lotion, etc...

Play time after baths was okay, but Joslynn persisted to take each toy away from Jackson and/or cry for no apparent reason. Bedtime went fairly smooth...although she is crying in her crib for the second time already tonight; its 11:37pm.

Will she go back to sleep okay? Will she wake up her brother?....

I couldn't love anything on this planet more than I do my children and bless their sweet little hearts, but this is why today has been a two-kid kind of day. I don't know if we are going to have any more children or not, I guess only time will tell, but for now two is okay.