One day left

And then come the results....yikes!  For the record, we both felt like puking today.  I even missed the exit to pick up the kids and found myself wandering up Hwy 65.  But if he doesn't pass, we have enough food in our house to last for months. Today I had a personal best--82% savings at Savemart.  I spent 80 on my groceries and came away with 15 dollars towards my next shopping trip, .10/gallon discount on my gas and a free movie ticket--and a pile and I mean pile of food!  I have no more room in my cupboards or freezer after this last month.  My pantry that used to be semi walk in is now covered from wall to wall and I have enough cake mix and frosting for all five kid's next ten birthdays....

Mother's Day, Mall, Metal Mulitia, Meal Swapping and Me!

We celebrated Mother's Day one day early (it's more fun that way so you can actually go out and do things!) Originally, we were planning on going to Tahoe for the afternoon, taking the kids to the lake, getting dinner on the way home.  However, with five children sometimes the afternoon comes and you realize this means taking them on a long trip that involves coming home late with little to no naps.  Instead, we went to the mall so I could get a new dress and they could play, then to dinner.  We were home by 6:30 (as we eat with the old people at 4:30) and kids were in bed by 8!  The day had a few nice surprises...

We pulled up to the Galleria only to see lines and lines of traffic with NO parking.  We finally realized that the Metal Mulitia was in town and took over a section of the parking lot.  We parked across E. Roseville Pkwy from the mall and walked over just in time to see this:

and this...

The kids were mesmerized

And of course, I am the coolest mom ever who takes her kids to see motorcycles on Mother's Day right?  Just tattoo my arm and call me Big Bertha!

Don't I look angelic in this picture, like a big beaming ray of sunshine down on my large brood?  Or maybe it was the sun and a camera phone:)  Either way, we had a great time both watching the show and at the mall.  I got a new dress.  Now I just need some tan legs!  

At the end of the day (and a nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory), we headed home.  Nathan was so pooped he let me carry him and he cuddled with me the entire walk to the car.  Emma held my hand the entire day, and when she wasn't Bailey actually held mine too.  Not by force or anything, just because my big almost 4th grader wanted to.  

In regards to the meal swapping section of the title, I must document our choices.  Emma just doesn't eat, so Bailey finished off her chicken after his mini burgers were too small.  Nathan's pasta did not come in the form he liked, so he traded meals with the twins.  Well, they didn't like the pasta either so Addison ate off of Ben's burrito and Kate ate my salmon(for real!).  I wasn't too fond of the salmon so I ate some of the kids french fries and some of the unwanted pasta.  As long as it all gets eaten, right?

For the Record

I feel like I need to catch up (for myself and purposes of blog printing, really).  This will be a random post chock full of info with little pictures.  Let's see, who is first?

Emma is person of the week this week at school.  She gets to bring items for the Me Museum.  We found her choices a bit funny, but totally Emma.

We have: The top cover of Monopoly (yup, not the game, just the lid), her ballet medal from over two years ago (just to remind us that she really loves ballet and is a bit miffed she doesn't do it anymore!), a plastic Easter egg, her wallet, a hair scrunchie, the skirt of a build a bear, her ballet book, a sequined scarf, a jean purse, an empty chocolate rabbit box (yes, trash and why she has it?!), and my old baby blanket.  To round it all out, the black thing is a vacuum attachment.  Um, ok.  Because she loves to vacuum? I don't quite understand that one.  But she took great care in picking these things out so they must all be special.  Ben did the cooking project in her class today, so it was extra fun for her to have daddy there. She also has been eating oatmeal every morning to "give her enough energy to be person of the week." quote from Emma.

Bailey- Nothing much for him except the kid eats like a 400 pound man and has no fat on him.  Plus he appears to be sprouting as tall as a giant.

Nathan- We really need to get his obsession of riding his stick horse around on video.  He gallops on it everywhere!  Thank goodness the rain is over because Nathan needs his outdoor time.  I could see him living as a mountain man quite easily.

Kate- We might have a walker on our hands.  The past few days she has been doing the walk until you fall, get right up, walk until you fall thing around the house.  She loves to climb as well.  HEr hair is getting curlier and curlier in the back just like Emma's was. 

Addison- She has been trying to walk a lot more as well.  Mostly when she can hold one of my hands.  But as with most everything else, once Kate gets up and going, she figures she has to do it to.  Her poor clogged tear duct is still bad and the doctor won't do anything about it yet.  So, she looks like she is crying all the time, but she's a pretty content little girl.  Her most favorite thing lately (well, person to be correct) is Tammy at the gym daycare.  She jumps over the front desk if she is working up there the second we walk in, and clings to her for dear life when I go to pick her up.  Of course, Tammy loves that Addy loves to be with her so much and enjoys all the hugs as well. 

7 days until Bar results...yikes.  I'm really trying not to think about it for my own sanity.  It's almost like being 9 months pregnant, over your due date and you have to wait until the doctor will either induce you or the baby decides to come out.  So, we are trying to fill up our time doing fun things as a family to not think about the giant belly. 

Popcorn Popping

Excuse the screaming, but Nathan's rendition of Popcorn Popping is pretty cute.

Rumpus in the Rainforest

Last Thursday, Emma performed in her school play as a Shaman.  The video is having trouble loading, but here are some pictures!

This picture was courtesy of another parent.  Love the dramatics!

Our little shaman.  This outfit has a whole new meaning to me after watching Avatar!

Who knows what Kate was thinking in this picture.  However, you should notice the fingers in her mouth.  Both girls are getting in four molars...Ouch!

We had a great time watching Emma. After the play was a different story, but Emma did pass out on the way home which probably explains the screaming fit she had after the play.  Theater is so draining, of course.  And when you come home with only a quarter of your lunch eaten, well you are bound to have some emotional issues (We are working on helping Emma understand that chatting through your entire lunch does not make for a good habit!)

Maybe some duct tape?!

I know I should never have cut off the straps, but it was a moment of passion...Passionate about hating taking apart the high chairs to clean them and not getting it back right.  Kate and Addy taunt me daily:)

Maybe I'll just get a soft landing mat for underneath to avoid any head injuries.

Four Minutes Apart

For my children's lit class, I have to write a children's book.  So I decided it would be fun to write a little book for twins.  I still have to put the pictures together and get it down into a book, but this is the story I came up with.  It's called Four Minutes Apart


Addison and Kate
Twins ready to arrive
Their family excited
For a task of this size

Tumbling in just before nine
Ready to start
They were finally born,
Four minutes apart

A little too early
They needed some help
From doctors and nurses
That could get them well.

They grew and they grew
Finally ready to depart
Home from the hospital
Two weeks apart.

These two little girls
Were quite often found
Snuggled close together
Without even a sound

They learned to roll
Even sit happily at the park
And were often found crawling
One pace apart.

They grew bigger and bigger

They walked and they ran

Kate and Addison had adventures

As only twins can.


Then they turned 5
And it was their day
Kindergarten was here
They were ready to play.

But the class looked so big
As they stepped to the side.
They wanted their mommy
Kate was teary and Addison cried.

Then they held hands
As school was about to start
And walked to their class
Ten fingers apart.