You give me fever!

Spring Fever…...I've attempted to write this blog no less than 5 times. Then the sun casts its' rays into my window BEGGING me to get outside with my boys and soak it up. I just can't say no. It's unheard of to have 70-80 degree weather in March. So I've been doing a lot of soaking....hence my absence. I've had great intentions though, please believe!! Then again I’m sure those of you who read my little piece of world are doing much of the same!

Funny little story to share. So for years now, approximately 2, I’ve though my children are not skilled enough to ride a bike…..WITH training wheels. On Sunday we get said bikes out and they STILL cannot ride them. Imagine our frustration, but now G and I were flying our out neighborhoods fearlessly on our bikes as kids. Surely our children inherited our bike riding skills. Well after some time of pushing their seats and getting frustrated we notice their tires are mighty flat. Raised the seats a bit, filled the tires with are and they were OFF. The boys started riding around like it was their job. Who knew, a little air in the tires, makes it a whole lot easier. Whoops! Oh and for style we went out and got them each a bell as well.

Had a little girls night out a week ago and it was great. Being a mom is the BEST and more rewarding thing I've ever decided to do. It's so easy to lose track of myself and to make time for my friends. So I'm trying to make a better effort to be a better friend and to enjoy some good old fashion girl time. Sure I miss my boys when I'm away but I'll never regret spending time with friend who mean the world to me as well. After suddenly losing someone very dear last year I was slapped in the face with the reminder of how precious life is and how unpredictable it is.

This blog is taking a turn, so I'm going to roll with it. Let me preface this with I have a few great girls that will likely each make their debut in posts in the near future.

This is my girl, she's always there for me and always offers an awesome story to laugh at or the best ear to listen. This girl is LEGIT, AMAZING....if you know her you agree. April and I have been friends since I was 15....and that's more than half my life...which is a lot.

As I'm sure you can tell April is a little person.....she has OI (Google it for the details). Often people tell me how amazing she is an how remarkable all her accomplishments are. She has her own condo, a great job, drives a car, etc. You see she's just like all of us. And although to most of us these things aren't all that remarkable the fact she does it all so effortlessly is pretty darn great. April doesn't think she's great though, to her she's just April and average like the rest of us. I'm constantly impressed that NOTHING ever holds her back, it's not even an option. April's mom had her at a very early age (17) and never gave up on her or her career. She's a successful nurse and has always done wonders for her family. April clearly inherited that from her mom! So Jeje, I know you'll read this eventually.....I love you. I think you're amazeballs and I'm pretty darn humbled that you call me one of your best friends. Man am I blessed!!

Ok side tracked...but for a great person.

This weekend was obviously St Patty's day. Took my boys to see some Irish Dances since we have a we bit of Irish in us, yes we do. They weren't too keen on watching a bunch of "girls" dance around stomping their feet but they liked the corned beef that came later. They were also impressed by all the other people who got the memo to wear green, what a coincidence!

Our lovely neighbor boy told the boys that if you leave the leprechaun a letter and chocolate he will leave you gold and candy. Well I'm glad I was warned but it sure wasn't much warning. I was armed with Starburst jelly beans and M&M's so we were set there....but the gold....yeah momma didn't make an ATM trip in time and the leprechaun doesn't take debit. So what's a mom to do? Yup stole a dollar from each of their piggy banks and pawned it off at "the leprechaun". THEY LOVED IT...and the fact that they were up at 5:10 am to share in their joy made the guilt of taking money out of their piggybank disappear pretty quickly. Leprechaun will be better prepared next year. Really what extra celebration is next? This celebrating St Patricks day with green toilet water and gold is all new to me. Anyone else?!

Top of the morning to you all, or something like that.

Now go soak up those rays please.

I got the moves like Jagger

I got moves people. Ok, might not be 100% accurate but in my little world it is. However my kids do have moves, it’s the Latin influence. They’ve got skills…..seriously!

I was feeling a bit frustrated working on something this week at work….so what do you do to lighten the mood, turn on the radio. To my delight “Single Ladies” is on. This makes this sister want to jump on top of her desk and bust a move. Why is that? I’m not single but man do I want to wave my hand around and let loose. Much to the disappointment of my co-workers I restrain myself. The desire is there though.

Perhaps we need to implement dance breaks much like smoke breaks. Actually come to think of it this is a grand idea. A short little 15 minute break a few times a day to bust a move. Think about it, many people do not get enough exercise right? This would evoke some activity in their lives. And let’s face it dancing makes people happy. Happy people are productive people. Come on, I am on to something here. Both healthy and happy employees, could you ask for much more?! I hope this comes to fruition some day. Turn it up!!

Tuesday night I checked out the local PTA (though it’s called something else now) meeting at the elementary school the boys will be attending in the Fall. At the registration meeting on Monday they invited new kindergarten families to join. Likely a ploy to get help but I’m all for being involved in my children’s educational “career”. Of course I was the only “new” person to attend. Honestly had it not been the night following kindergarten registration I’m not sure I would have gone, but I went!!

I felt old. No one there was “old” but being at a PTA meeting made me feel old. I couldn’t possibly have kids old enough to be going into elementary school. After all I’m still stuck jamming to Nelly in my minivan vehicle. But a mammogram one week and PTA meetings the next……hello new phase of my life?!

I’m pretty sure I’ll stick with it. I don’t want to be one of those parents who isn’t involved at all. I want to be there and soak it all up. After all I only get to do this once so I’m going to do it well!

Yup that's one of the boys dancing with our neighbor, only 2 kids dancing!! Garage party what?!

Working on convincing myself I am not getting old here. Going to download some new jams yo, if you see me with my iPod dancing along Main Street please stop and join me!!

If I could turn back time

This won't be the last time I say this as a parent I'm sure. It's days like today that I wish they were babies still. Here's the deal.....I've contemplated the whole would it be easier to have twins or a toddler and a baby scenarios? I have concluded that all and all I think having 2 children that are the same age is pretty darn ideal. You get a built in play buddy, sleepless nights all over at once, teething all at once, etc etc. HOWEVER, when it's comes to my babies going to kindergarten then it's horrible. Breaks this momma's heart. I want them to be little and innocent for a whole lot longer. This is when I wonder if having a little one at home still might soften the blow!? Unlikely right? I can't believe they are almost starting this next journey in their little lives.

Kindergarten registration is tomorrow and it's fairly safe to say I'm not ready. They are over the moon so excited. And I'm proud that we have raised confident little boys who aren't afraid to spread their wings but man does it ache a bit!!

Wish me a little luck. Goodness it's only registration. It's like the appetizer to the real deal. No biggie....I can munch on this for a bit.

Thanks for all the love regarding my previous post. I appreciate all of you who reached out to me to share your experiences with me and to share in my relief. And again to those who are fighting the fight or who will in the future please always remember to FIGHT LIKE A GIRL.....we're tougher than those boys ever will be, hee hee!!

The Lorax. Have you seen in yet? Did you know it was Dr Suess' birthday on Friday? You need to see this movie. If you don't have a child to take to the movie borrow one...legally of course. It's a really cute much with a really cute message. I enjoyed it as did my little guys. So check it out, that's my little movie review for you there.

Summing up the weekend would entail informing you all that I am enjoying posting this blog in my new recliner. New furniture, LOVE this. Now the no more eating on the furniture and no jumping on the furniture rules have been reinforced. Lets see how long this lasts. Oh and another weekend highlight Dairy Queens blizzard of the month is mint Oreo...this forced me to get one a bit ago. It was delish and as good as I hoped. Great weekend but they sure do fly by too fast.

My own kind of paradise

Loving me some Friday! The weather here is supposed to get pretty gross later today but it’s Friday so BRING IT ON. I’m going to be snuggled up on the couch with my boys for a Friday night movie and fresh made popcorn. Perfect way to spend a Friday these days. My how that’s changed in a decade.

So, I’m not one for “New Years Resolutions” but I did make a mental note right around January 1st to go out at least once a month with my husband in 2012. Sounds easy enough right? Well as you all know life is busy and add to that he works every other weekend, complicates matters. Well I’m happy to report we are 1/6th of the way through 2012 and we’ve managed to make good on my little goal. We’ve enjoyed a date night of dinner and shopping and dinner, shopping and movie. See a trend? Mom needs some new clothes people, oh and love me some sushi so any excuse and I’ll take it. So if you’ve got some great date suggestions for me that are fun, that maybe you’ve done, pass them along. I’ll take any time I can get with my man but I’m open to suggestions. Maybe for March it could be a corned beef and cabbage date…..probably not, but it could be!

Image from the wonderful Angela who can be found here-http://greenpaint.smugmug.com/

My brain is all off track today. Lets back it up to the weather again. Because of the snow, I’m dreaming of Brazil. I WANT TO BE THERE. I miss my husband’s entire family (serious!), I miss the most fantastic food ever, I miss watching my boys soak it all up, I miss the beautiful weather and I miss the shopping.

I need a fix NOW. G’s brother is getting married in December and we’re hoping to be able to go. Right now the flight prices are the only thing holding us back. I’m hoping for a miracle here. We want to spend the holiday (Christmas, boys birthday, New Years) in Brazil for once. I can live without snow on Christmas for a year to be with them. And let’s be real, we rarely get snow this year anyway….bust.

My mother in law is a cook from a different world. I mean my family can cook but this woman does it up “Leave it to Beaver” style. She’s AMAZING. Everything that comes out of her kitchen knocks my socks off. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything come of out of a can. Who know you could cook without cans? She spends hours a day in the kitchen but you can taste the love when the food makes it to the table. I’m drooling now, great!

Happy Weekend Friends!!

My lovely lady lumps....check 'em out!!

If it ain't broke don't fix it right? Seems I've got a bit of an obsession lately with using lyrics in my post names. So I'm going to rock it once again tonight because it's fitting. Cleared that up!

It's been a week or so since I blogged. And honestly there has been a reason for it. I've been a bit pretty freaking stressed. Works busy, but when is it not so it really wasn't causing my stress. My health was. Seriously people, seriously, I've turned 30 and ever since I've experience "illness" that I've never had before. What gives? Turn 30 and your health gets all wacky......me no likey! Since I am being so honest here though I'm going to spill the beans. I found a lump in my chest. A dear family friend was recently diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28. Yup 28, that's just not fair. Due to her diagnosis I have been much more timely at doing my own self exam (like doing it at all to begin with to be honest). Well on Monday the doctor determined that she wasn't really "concerned" but that Wednesday I would take a trip to The Breast Clinic for a mammogram and ultrasound. Breast Clinic, that's about the most obvious name for a clinic I've ever heard. Well I've heard that mammograms suck and are painful so I wasn't really excited. And to be honest I was scared so I really didn't share because I didn't want to scare others.

I'm so happy to report that all went GREAT and that I am doing just fine in my lady lumps!! And I didn't spend the morning looking like this....(my best attempt at a painful face)!

I promise you it isn't that bad. And honestly the minor amount of discomfort involved outweighs making sure your health is in check. I sat in a room with woman much much older than myself that seemed so calm and relaxed, just reading their magazine like they were waiting for lunch to be ready. I was FREAKING out in my hospital duds. I was literally silently praying as I sat there. I prayed for my health, I prayed for all the women around me and I prayed for our friend Amy who is fighting the fight right now. They have all walked through the same doors as me and although we won't all walk out with the same results we know how to feels to go in there.

So I took a little break for a week because it would have been hard for me to ignore this was happening but I certainly wasn't prepared to blog about it. All is good in the hood now though!!

I squeezed my little dudes a little harder tonight and reminded myself just how blessed I am.

We can now return to our "normal broadcasting" and hopefully get back to more fun topics together.

Before I go. I have to say that I just love the bathroom at our local Children's Museum. Do you ever take your kiddos to a public bathroom and have to go at the same time as them? Well being a good parent you let them go first all while doing the pee dance yourself. Torture I tell you. Well the museum has an adult and kiddy size toilet in the same stall. GENIUS, shear genius....so much so that I had to take a picture to share. I hope this catches on nationally.

Seems appropriate not to sign off, ha. Peace lovers, thanks for all your prayers and support....and obviously patience while I was MIA!

I love you forever, I'll like you for always....

Dear Caleb, How is it possible that you are already 5 years old? You and Ayden are growing up too fast. I wish I could freeze time right now but I know so many parents who wish they could do the same but haven’t figured out how exactly to accomplish that. You are my baby. I tell you that and you remind me that you’re not a baby. And really you aren’t my baby just because you are younger than Ayden but I like to say it to you anyway. Someone has to be the “baby” so you have be given that privilege. You were our little surprise. You were our Baby “B”……nothing we planned for but more than we could have ever imagined. When daddy and I found out we were having 2 babies we were shocked. Daddy was so happy and excited that he was going to have 2 little babies to love and hug. I was a little nervous because I didn’t know if I could love you both the way I knew I could love one. Thanks to God I have more than enough love in my heart for you and Ayden and I couldn’t be more happy that you are a part of our family.

You are your brothers opposite or maybe he is your opposite. Either way. I love it, you complement one another. You are so easy going and always have been. You were never the baby that demanded much attention but you always let us know you were there. You can sometimes fall into Ayden shadow because he is so dominant but you don’t seem to mind and you handle the role very well. Most twins have this dynamic and the two of your are no exception There are also times when you take charge and lead your brother. When you have an idea in your head it is impossible to change your mind. Never lose that. When you know that something is right and that there is a better way to accomplish something don’t ever be afraid to speak up and let your voice be heard. One thing about you and your brother I simply don’t understand is that he’s left handed and your right handed so why do you insist in sitting on the same chair at the table some nights with your dominant hands both hitting one another? Why not switch sides so you don’t have to be constantly bumping into each other? Oh well, one of those things I will never understand. You are ridiculously smart. People tell me this all the time. I try not to brag about it but in my heart, and in daddy’s heart, we are so proud of your intelligence. You taught yourself to read before you were 4. You blew us away. One day we were driving in the car and we drove passed a gas station and you said “Look it’s Speedway.” Speedway what? How did you learn how to read so easily? It just amazes me. The best part about your talent is that you share it with anyone willing to listen. I love watching you read to your brother. I love when you read to anyone in our family. I particularly love when I come to school and see a friend snuggled up next to you reading. So far school has come very naturally to you….I pray that this continues for many many years. You love learning and you are great at it.

You are not the social butterfly of our family, Ayden has taken that role on…..however you are a great friend. You are not one of those people who believes in having all the friends in the world. You enjoy having a few great friends. When you talk about your friends you light up. You love to tell about their lives and about your interactions with them. I love that you have these bonds. I completely agree with you-It’s not about the quantity of friends you have it’s about the quality. Always remember that. You have a smile that could light up the world. When you show your real Caleb smile you make the room smile. When you really give a good belly laugh it’s infectious. The thing that seems to make you laugh the most is Ayden. Frequently daddy and I have no idea what is so funny but Ayden will have you cracking up and we just smile with tears in our eyes. I am amazed by the bond that two people can share so effortlessly. If only everyone in the world could have someone as special to them as you are to Ayden and he is to you.

You are a great child and a pleasure to raise. You are a really good listener and often follow directions the first time we ask (could you share some of that with Ayden ). When given instructions on how to do something you like to do it exactly as you were told. You are a very literal person. We used to say if we told you it was raining cats and dogs you’d probably look outside and laugh and tell us it wasn’t. You are much to wise beyond your years. You remind us all the time that it’s almost time for you to go to Kindergarten. You are ready to see what it’s like. You and Ayden are both becoming more and more comfortable being individuals but never too distant from one another. As you continue to grow and make your way to elementary school I hope you stay as close as ever. I hope you always protect one another. I know you are ready for the next step but I don’t think daddy and I are quite yet. Please always let people know who you are and don’t be afraid to speak up. You have such wisdom to share….let the world hear it. I look forward to continuing to watch you grow and mature. I look forward to always being in the crowd cheering you on. I am so proud of everything you have done and everything you will do. I love you Cay-dubs!!

Love, Mommy

A piece of me

Dear Ayden- You turned 5 a month and a half ago and I’m finally going to write you a letter, as I have been intending to for some time now. You are my first born. Ok it was only be 2 minutes but someone has to be first right? You take the role very seriously. Even so, you are still very tender hearted to your brother in allowing him to “trump” you with the card that he’s bigger. I think being bigger to him must mean that he is actually older. Regardless you have 2 minutes on him, we both know it and that’s all that matters. When I was pregnant with you and Caleb I prayed night and day that I would have a long term and successful pregnancy and that you would both be healthy. When you were born it was all a blur but somewhere in there your dad told me that they were calling specialists in to listen to your chest because you had labored breathing. My first scare as a parent and you weren’t even 5 minutes old. Turned out everything was just fine. When I got to finally see you and hold you I was so amazed at how handsome you were. You looked just like your daddy and snuggled right up next to me instantly.

You’ve remained that great cuddle bug for the last 5 years. You are such a sweet boy who really loves to be close to me and daddy. If there is any chance that we will carry you to bed at night or sing you a lullaby you soak it right up. Just today on the way to school you told me “Mommy I don’t want to grow up and go to college. I want to live with you forever.” I told you that when you go to college you might meet the girl you want to marry and then you will have a family together. You replied “Well can I have your car then?” Sure buddy I’ll let you have the minivan and I’ll get some fun small car to drive daddy and I. Deal?!

You are the humor in our house. You are always so silly and keep us laughing daily. I figure you’ll likely be the “class clown” who either the girls can’t stand or who they swoon over. I’m going to go for the latter since you do have that Latin influence in your blood. You always know how to lighten a mood with a joke or some silly antic to make us all laugh. And you LOVE to talk. I can’t imagine where you inherited that gene but man do you give me a run for my money. You are always being reminded in school to raise your hand and to give others a chance to talk. Looking back at some of my old report cards they say much of the same. People like us keep the conversation rolling so there doesn’t have to be awkward silence; don’t ever lose that skill it’s a good one to have.

You love to eat, man do you love to eat. I frequently have nightmares about my grocery bill in about 8 years when you and your brother are teenagers. Scary. But you really do love anything. There are very few things you won’t eat. You love anything from sushi to anything Brazilian. I love your adventure and the fact you will at least try new food, can you please share a bit of that with your brother?! You are a FANTASTIC brother. The love you have for Caleb melts my heart and makes me so proud to be your mom. You’re always willing to play what he wants to play just because you want to be near him. You beg us to sleep in his bed with him because you want to keep him company. You are always watching out for Caleb. You would never let anyone do anything to hurt him. Sure you argue from time to time but in all reality it’s very little. I believe it’s because of the unique and incredible bond you have from being twins. Whatever it is thank you for loving him as much as you do. You’re both so blessed to have one another.

The last 5 years are a whirlwind, it’s all flown by too quickly. I genuinely hope the next 5 years go by more slowly, though I doubt they will. I want to soak up every last morsel of your childhood. I want to take you places and watch the light in your eyes when you see something for the first time. I want you to do great things. Try your hardest at school and be the best you that you can be. I will always be proud of you and I feel so blessed to watch you grow up. I love you Ayd-A-Boo!

Love, Mommy