Niven's Apple Farm

We had a great time at the UMOMC Fall party. We went to Niven's Apple Farm and the boys loved it. There were lots of activities, a really cool store, hayrides and lot and lots and lots of twins, triplets and even some QUINTS!

After 2 1/2 years....they are finally co-bedding

Well we never could co-bed the boys. For one reason or another. One was too small, or too sick, or too big. Whatever the reason we never did it. But we recently went to toddler beds. The initial transition was rough. Two days of no naps and late bed times. But after the first couple of days (and quite a few spankings) it got better and better. Now they go to bed when they are asked and stay in their beds. SO NICE! I've heard we actually had it very easy. I've heard weeks of no naps and up all night, etc. So I am really thankful that this transition was super easy for us.

So we went in to check no them the other night....it was about their third night in the toddler beds. I was out with my UMOMs group and on the phone with Creighton while he went to check on them. He whispered in the phone, "they're in the same bed!" I couldn't wait to get home and see for myself. It's so cute! I took this picture with flash in the dark at the risk of waking them just because I had to have the picture.

Spooktacular Time at the Redfearn Halloween Party

Our neighborhood Halloween Party was held today. So it was our trial run with the boys in their costumes. They looked so stinkin' cute. I could hardly stand it. I knew my kids were the cutest ones out there, but doesn't every mother feel that way about their own kids? They were yet another dynamic duo this year, Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story fame. Alex, being the "oldest" was Woody....the one who is the self-appointed leader. Then there's Buzz, and although Ben is really nothing like Buzz, it just seemed appropriate for him to don the spacesuit since he loves airplanes so much......I figure it's not much of a stretch for him to go from planes to the Space Station.......anyone else following this logic?

A guy in our neighborhood puts up a bunch of the blow-up decorations in our common area. He does it for the kids and our kids love them. So here they are in front of the Jack-o-lantern.

We go out in the afternoon sometimes and play, "Race To The....." and they have to race to the blow-up thing that I call out. "Race to the cat," "race to the pumpkin," "race to the skeleton on a motorcycle..........." Yes, you read that correctly!

As part of the festivities, the boys made a foam frame and a neighbor lady took pics. Then she ran into her house and printed them all on great photo paper. We had the frame and the pic before we left. How sweet! So here's one I snapped while she was taking pics, too.

Alex giving me the obligatory "cheese" so he could get back to his cupcake.

Ben looked so precious standing there waiting for us all to finish our cupcakes and "get up!!!" I had to take this shot.

Another activity was "decorating" their own pumpkins. They had all these really cool push in face pieces and each kid could make their own face on a small pumpkin. All of the mouths were gone by the time Ben got around to getting to that box, so his pumpkin is mouth-less. But didn't they turn out super cute?

A Gift From Our Neighbor

Our neighbor gave us this fantastic motorized ride-on tractor. His son is too big for it and he just gave it to us! The boys freakin' love it! The battery ran out today, so I've got to charge it. Maybe I'll wait a while to do that so the fighting over it will take a break.........

A Picnic At Furman

We had a blast with a few of our twin friends at Furman. We met up for a picnic on a beautiful sunny day. We played by the lake at the bell tower and then had a nice lunch. The kids had a blast hanging out with each other. It was amazing to me how we got all the kids to hold hands! The boys never want to hold my hand especially in a parking lot or crossing the street. I always feel like "that lady" who is dragging her kids because they don't want to hold her hand! UGH! But they willingly hold hands with their friends and that's alright by me as long as they all stay together!

Here they all are posing on a bench. It took FOREVER to get this pic. I mean.......FOREVER! And this is the best one....with Ben acting out. LOL!

Ahhhh, brotherly love.......ain't it beautiful?

I could photograph this little diva all day long. What a photogenic little chickie!

Run Zachary...get Parker!

Oh, at that Peyton. Calling the shots! What a sassy little chick. I just love her!

So, this little booger took the whole bag of Doritos over behind this "tree" and "hid" while she munched on them. How funny!

Another pic that was taking forever, so I gave up. I tried to get them all to sit on these steps, but it just didn't happen.

How sweet is this little pic?

Storytime at the Simpsonville Library

We've been enjoying story time at the library. It's a great break in our week and we go with Aunt Rosalind and Bowen. There is a story and some singing and dancing. Lots of little kids and it's really fun.

No August Pics!

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've updated this blog. And when I went to look at the pictures we had for August........there was nothing! I can't believe it. Well, when I went back and looked at 2007 and 2008 there were very few pictures for August in those years, as well. What is it about August that makes me think it's ok not to photograph my kids?

Well, there were a few pics. But seriously, only like 6. This is one of Alex during one of his therapy sessions. Miss Kathleen put some tape on the floor and had him jump over it. Alex, on the other hand, wanted to put the tape on his face. He thought it was war-paint.

We also took the boys out for ice cream one night. We got them their own cups and they freakin' loved it! Yesterday, we took them to Bruster's and they got the "baby cone" and it was a FLIPPIN' MESS! But so stinkin' cute when they had it all over their face and dripping down their hands. LOL! Anyway these are from Baskin Robbins.

Anyway, here are some pics we snapped since I updated in July, which by the way, seems like it was YESTERDAY! Where is this year going?

When we were in Wyoming, Maria and Tyler fed the boys spaghetti. I kept saying, "we can try but they won't eat it." Sure enough, they made a big, fat liar out of me. They loved it. So when I got home I decided I would try spaghetti on them here in SC. They ate it and LOVED it again. I guess it took Aunt Ria and Uncle Tywer giving it to them for them to realize they liked it. They got it all over their faces and it was so cute I had to take pics.

Jack and Mary Ann invite us to the lake every couple of weeks and the boys always love seeing Grandma (Gam-ma) and Grandpa (Gan-pah). Here they are all in a very intense conversation about which head gear they would use in a death match between the Super Friends and the Sesame Street characters. Or maybe Alex is just singing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. I can't really remember.

Clearly, it was the headgear conversation and Alex went with silver mixing bowl as his head cover of choice.

Ben thought that was freakin' hilarious, as he chose the bare-head approach.

After the death match conversation, there was some time for some brotherly love pics. I just love it when they hug on each other. It's so sweet!

Chillin' In Wyoming

In the middle of July Alex, Ben my little sister, Jessica and I all got on the big airplane and flew out to Denver, CO. Then we drove to Cheyenne, WY to visit with our other sister, Maria, for a week. It was so much fun! We had a blast and the cousins loved playing together.

Maria and Tyler, TJ and Elizabeth live on F.E. Warren AFB. They have a little playground down the street from their house. It was walking distance. We went there one afternoon while Maria was at work. Of course, Alex and Ben love being "ou-side" and swinging on the "wheeeee." They also discovered that you can throw rocks and it's a whole load of fun to do around your 1 year old cousin!!!

One day we went to Ft. Collins and went to Jumpin'. It's a Monkey Joes/Pump It Up kind of place. It was a lot of fun. Before that we ate at Red Robinnnnnn, YUM! It's one of Maria's fave places and of course who can resist, bottomless french fries? Or, "hots" as the boys call them. I guess because whenever I give them french fries, I always say , "these are hot!"

The kids really enjoyed getting their wiggles out. And there was a day camp group there that just fell in love with the boys...all three of them. They kept calling them by their name and helping them down the slides and stuff. I guess that's one advantage/disadvantage to your kids wearing a t-shirt with their names embroidered on the front!!!

From the looks of some of these pictures it looks like not just the boys were having fun!!! Aunt Jessica is so great. She got up in those bouncy castles and jumped like a little kid. I took a turn on the slide, too. Where is Aunt Maria?

One afternoon we let the kids play in the backyard. Maria got out the water table. You know how kids love to splash, right? Well the boys went berserk for this toy. They were soaked when they came in! But the great thing is we just dumped them all in the tub together.

The next big event was going to the Thunderbirds landing at the Air Force Reserve base where Tyler works. We were there during Frontier Days which is a huge outdoor rodeo that they have in Cheyenne. It's turned into this enormous week long festival and there are all kinds of events, concerts, free breakfasts, and evidently and AIR SHOW! I love an air show!!! We got to see a sample of what was coming up in the air show when they landed. We even got to meet the Thunderbird team. There was a girl pilot and she was lovin' the boys. She jumped out of line to come up and shake their hand. It was so cute!

On our last afternoon there, we went outside and took some great pictures. It was a beautiful afternoon and we got some great shots.