Celery, Teeth and Poop!

What's up with the weird title, you ask?

Last night I made a vegetable soup for dinner that had lots of the boys' new favorite in it. Bryce started his prayer {very seriously}, by saying, "Dear Jesus, thank you fo da celery!" He LOVES celery!

Today, the boys had their first trip to the dentist. Jimmy needed to go for his 6-month checkup so we thought it would be a good time for the boys to get acclimated to the dentist chair. Thankfully and amazingly, they were perfect! They sat with me on the floor for quite awhile eating a snack and reading books while the hygienist got started with Jimmy. After about 20 minutes Drew started getting a little restless and was curious to see what the doctor lady (hygienist) was doing! So he climbed up onto the chair and layed on Jimmy's chest just inches from his mouth talking away to the hygienist. Thankfully, she loves kids and thought it was pretty cute!


I went with Drew into the adjacent room with another hygienist to begin his exam and cleaning. She was so awesome with him. She explained every instrument to him, moved the chair up and down and even let him pick his own toothpaste flavor. Drew thought it was all so fun & cool. His favorite instrument was the water pick and "Mr. Sucky!" He didn't want to let it out of his mouth because "it tickled!" I was so proud of him - he did so great!

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much of Bryce's exam and cleaning. I ran back and forth a few times between the rooms but he was doing just fine with his Daddy. Bryce did great too but I don't think he found it quite as cool as his brother. He was very serious and still!

It was a GREAT experience and thankfully, they all received good reports! I'm always so relieved when I leave a public setting like that with compliments like, "Your boys are so cute. They are so well behaved and pleasant!" I hope they are true compliments and not just what they tell all parents!

We enjoyed a nice lunch together and then I went on to get my hair cut. J took the boys home to get them down for a nap. I got a call soon after arriving at the salon...not a good sign! He had put the boys down and just a few minutes later heard Drew saying "Poop Daddy. Dew pooped." He went in to find Drew without his diaper on and a large poopy in his crib! Oh, J was not happy. He immediately picked him up and got him into the bathtub. Meanwhile, Bryce's curiosity got the best of him. He crawled out of his crib and into Drew's crib to check out "the mess!" Oh boy...poop everywhere and a very angry Daddy!

Thankfully, by the time I got home, Jimmy had both boys bathed, bedding changed AND sleeping. It worked out pretty good for me!

Way Back WHEN-esday!

Each week, Cheryl at Twinfatuation, hosts a "Way Back When-esday" spot. I decided to play along this week.

Dateline: November 2006

Bryce and Drew's age: 8 months

The boys loved (and still do!) to climb into small spaces, together. I guess they felt comfortable that way...after all, that's how they lived for 38 weeks in utero! This laundry basket was one of their favorites!

They Crack Me Up!

Daily, Bryce and Drew say things that absolutely crack me up. I have not been very faithful about writing them down, so here's a few of the most recent comments...

When I went to get Drew out of his crib today from his nap, I noticed that his diaper had fallen off (or he had taken it off!). I quietly commented to Drew about it because Bryce was still sleeping, or so I thought. Bryce very loudly says, "UH-OH SKETIOS! Dew, dats a no, no. No take off yow diaper!" Oh man, they have good ears!

For quite some time the boys have been noticing and commenting about anatomical differences between Daddy and Mommy - mainly about Mommy's boobies. Each day they like to comment on what color Mommy's boobies are - depending on the color shirt I'm wearing. They say, "Mommy, 2 boobies, blue. Gearls hab boobies. Boys hab nipples!"

The other day, Bryce squated down, pulled his shirt down over his knees so he had bumps in his shirt and said, "Yook, Bice has boobies yike Mommy!"

The boys are very aware of my recent back problems and are very concerned for me. They will often come up to me during the day and start rubbing and kissing my back. If they see my ice pack, they say,"Ohhhh...Mommy's back huwt."

When we pray, we barely get the words, "Dear Jesus" out and the boys are saying, "and pease be wif Nanas and Papas." They love their grandparents SO MUCH!

The other night Drew was struggling to fall asleep so I was rubbing his back and singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and he said, "No Mommy, Esus." It took me a minute to figure out that he wanted me to sing "Jesus Loves Me!"

They are so precious!

Family Food Faves

My new favorite snack...

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Mediterranean Bruschetta Party Crackers by Kashi

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Yumminess!

Simply cut peppers into a small dice and mix with cream cheese that has set at room temperature for awhile. Add your favorite seasonings...I add kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder. Mix well and top your crackers. The boys like it too! A great way to sneak in some veggies!
***This would be awesome with sun dried tomatoes too!***

Family Food Faves

Fast, simple & healthy... I think we'll be eating this one once a week!

Beefy Tex-Mex Stir Fry

recipe courtesy rachaelraymag.com
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 poblano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 pound ground beef (you can also use ground turkey or chicken)
1 tomato, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
Salt and pepper
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the poblano, onion and chili powder and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat, until the meat is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato and tortilla chips and season with salt and pepper. Portion onto plates and top with cheese.

***I tweaked it a little for the boys. In a separate skillet, I prepared it the same as above except I omitted the poblano pepper and I added some frozen corn.***

Craft Time

Until recently, getting both of my boys to sit for more than just a few minutes, at the same time, was nearly impossible...unless they were watching "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" or "Boz!" Simply trying to get them to sit to color was a hassle. Bryce is usually more patient. He will sit for 10 minutes or so playing with the crayons. He likes to dump them all out then re stack them back into the box or packaging. He likes things in order! Drew on the other hand, is higher-energy and not willing to sit for long at all. He would dump the crayons out all over the floor and eat them. So, coloring would only last a few minutes and then it was on to the next thing.

In the past 2 weeks they have shown more interest in coloring and doing more things with their hands. I thought it would be a good opportunity to introduce some new "crafty" type things. We've been playing with finger paints and play-doh and they LOVE IT!

So, each day we've been having "craft time."

Bryce and Drew love to help me in the kitchen so when I came across this recipe (see below) for homemade play dough, I knew they would enjoy it...and they did! Even though it's made with edible ingredients, I don't let them eat it. It sure smells good though!

Fruity Play Dough

Recipe courtesy of recipezaar.com
1 cup flour
1 package Kool-Aid (any flavor)
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup salt
3/4 cup boiling water (the original recipe called for one cup of boiling water, but it can make the dough to loose. Start with 3/4 cup and then add more if needed)
Mix all dry ingredients in bowl and then add oil. Pour boiling water in and mix thoroughly. Wrap in cellophane or air tight container and store in fridge. Play dough should last a few months.

I must confess, I am not a very creative person and thus are very "craft challenged" as well! I don't want my boys to suffer from my lack of talent, so I'm asking for YOUR help!

Please share your creative ideas that you have done with your kiddos, grandchildren, nieces/nephews, Sunday school class, etc that you think would be age appropriate for my boys (2 1/2 ish!) I would love to hear your ideas and add them to my craft repertoire!

14 Years Ago!

August 20, 1994 was such an awesome day! After 5+ years of dating Jimmy and I finally got married! It was so special to get married in the church I grew up in and to share our wonderful day with 500 family and friends!

{can you tell that it's in the early 90's?!}

I am so thankful that Jimmy is my husband. I cannot imagine going through life with anyone but him. He is simply amazing! I'm certainly glad that we were married for so long before the boys came along because we had such a strong foundation and relationship. Children definitely make things more challenging and stressful on a marriage! We just have to work harder than ever on our communication and finding time for one another.


We are looking so forward to getting away, ALONE, in a few weeks when Nana and Papa R come for a visit!

Happy 14th Anniversary Jimmy. I love you and I'm so thankful for you!

Click here to read a post about the things I love most about jimmy!

The Smile Award

Katie, at A & E, awarded me "The Smile Award!" How cool! I have never received a blog award and I have never met Katie "in person" before! She came across my blog a few months ago and has been reading it ever since. I, of course, have now become a loyal follower of her blog. Katie is so sweet, encouraging and uplifting. We share a major common thread - she is a mommy to adorable twin boys named Andrew and Ethan - about 20 months old. It's really fun to see her little guys growing up and doing a lot of the crazy things that my boys had done just a few months ago! Thanks for the award Katie - you are very thoughtful!

This is what Katie said about me.... "Karen at Doubly Blessed has the cutest twin boys. I came across her blog and have been addicted ever sense. I love seeing where my boys will be in a few months. Karen has the best posts about her "family food faves" I'm a horrible cook and she gives me the inspiration to get in the kitchen. I can tell Karen really loves her life and family. I look forward to getting to know Karen more and watch her precious boys grow up."

These are the rules:

1. The recipient must link back to the awards creator the babblings of mere

2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.

3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself

4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere.

5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.

6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.

7. You must thank your giver.

Characteristics for the Smile Award:

1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human)

2. Must love one another

3. Must make mistakes

4. Must learn from others

5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world

6. Must love life

7. Must love kids

Here are the 5 people I chose for "The Smile Award!"


1. My friend Leilanni has 2 blogs - Hemmed In (private) and Seeking the Morning (public.) She has been a special friend of mine for several years from our church in Ft. Worth. She started blogging a few years ago and inspired me to start as well. She has a precious 2 year old named Ellie who is just a few weeks older than my boys and is also 4 months pregnant! Leilanni is a very gifted writer. Her blogs are always very captivating and fun to read. She adores her husband, daughter and loves her family. She is strong in her faith and mature spiritually. She always inspires me to be a better person and to grow in my knowledge of the Bible.

2. Ginger at Reagan-Mackenzie is another dear friend of mine from our church in Ft. Worth. I met Ginger and Leilanni while attending The Hannah Ministry, a ministry to encourage women struggling with infertility. Ginger's 2 year old daughter Reagan is about a month older than my boys and she is pregnant with boy-girl twins! Ginger always has a smile on her face and an encouraging word to share. She loves God, her family and being a mom. She also inspired me to start blogging when she started hers. I'm looking forward to connecting Ginger with some of the awesome mom's of twins that I've met through blogging.

3. Sara at Emma and Luke is a friend of the family. Her mom and my mom have been super close friends since kindergarten! Even though our families didn't spend much time together growing up, we have always heard about one another because of our mom's closeness. Now that we are both bloggers, we have been able to keep up with each other's lives. She has two adorable children, Emma - 4 1/2 and Luke - almost 2. Sara has a zest for life. She is very sweet-natured & caring and always has an encouraging/sweet word to share. She loves her family, and her kids.

4. I have never met Jennifer at Hughes Twins in person, but I have enjoyed reading her blog for the past few months. She has darling 2 year old twin boys names Austin and Aiden and is pregnant with her 3rd baby! I love being connected with other mom's of multiples. It's fun to bounce ideas off one another and to hear what other crazy twin boys are doing! Jennifer's boys remind me a lot of Bryce and Drew. I wish that we lived closer so we could have play dates...it would certainly be wild and crazy! Jennifer also takes amazing photos and is so good about posting frequently on her blog.

5. I have never met Leslie at Twice Blessed in person, but I have enjoyed reading her blog over the past few months. She has beautiful 3 year old identical twin girls named Grace and Catherine. She has a real gift for writing. Her blogs are always fun to read. She writes about real life with twins in a very entertaining way. She loves her girls but is never afraid to share the frustrations and reality of a stay at home mom with 3 year old twins!

Thankful Thursday

Jimmy has been out of town all week and I have been suffering with bulging discs in my lower back. I can hardly walk or bend over. I have been in excruciating pain (off and on) and have gone to my chiropractor every day this week for Decompression Therapy.

It could have been a disastrous week, but amazingly, it has gone very smoothly. The boys have been almost perfect. They are sleeping well. They are obeying Mommy. They are eating well. And, when we go to the chiropractor, they sit quietly in the room with me just eating their snacks and playing with their toys.

Thank you Lord. I am so THANKFUL!

Wordless Wednesday - "Say Cheese!"

Kentucky Memories

Entertaining 3 two year olds and a 10 year old = a fun, active and very busy vacation!

The kids had lots of fun playing in Uncle Eric and Aunt Donna's backyard. They have an awesome play yard & bounce house.

We ran the garden hose down the slide to make a water slide into the kiddie pool. Bryce and Logan liked it the most.

Too bad Logan was just a little too big for the pool!

Cooling off with the hose... Logan, thank you for being so good with the boys!

Drew spraying Jordyn...smart girl, huh?!

Aren't "the triplets" cute?

Grandma was so happy having her grandbabies together again. Isn't it crazy that they were born about 48 hours apart?

We chilled out one day at the water park at Ft. Knox. It was perfect for all the little ones.


We also had fun playing games and eating pizza at Mr. Gatti's (kind of like Chuck E Cheeses.) I shutter to think how much money was dropped into those silly machines...it was pretty entertaining though, I have to admit!

"The triplets" got along really well and had tons of fun together. The only mishap involved a black dry erase pen, a sneaky little boy, 2 walls and some carpet!

They loved to sit at the table and color on their dry erase boards...it kept them occupied for quite awhile, until Drew slipped into the other room and left some beautiful artwork for his Uncle Eric and Aunt Donna! Thank goodness for magic erase sponges, understanding family and Donna's plan to repaint! Jimmy and I were horrified, of course!

Once again, the boys did awesome traveling. I cannot sing enough praises for DVD players in cars!

24+ hours in the car + 4 days of traveling, + 2 hotel stays+ lots of summer road construction+ hot, humid weather, + Mommy's bad back = tired parents but also lots of fun, special, family memories that we wouldn't trade for anything!

Bye Bye Uncle Eric

We arrived home safely from our road trip to Kentucky and are so thankful that we got to spend time with my brother, sister-in-law, 2 nieces and my Mom. We had a wonderful time with all of them and are especially glad that we made the effort to see my brother. He had to fly back to Saudi Arabia today for at least 6 more months, if not longer. It breaks my heart that he will miss another huge chunk of time with his girls. Jordyn, who is 2 days older than my boys, just started really reconnecting with Eric the last week he was home. Now, he'll have to leave her again. Logan, his 10 year old step-daughter is just starting 5th grade. At least he got to share in her first day of school while we were there. Thankfully, they have a web cam and get to see each other a couple times a week. But, it's still not the same as being together in person.

I love the video below of Eric with the 3 toddlers playing in the bounce house - I call them "the triplets!"




Bryce and Drew had a blast playing with their Uncle Eric. He's just a big kid! Eric, thank you for loving your nephews like you do!


Eric, we are all so proud of you. Thank you for serving our country and for the sacrifices that you and your family are making. We love you and will miss you. We will continue to pray for safety for you and your girls and that your time In Saudi will pass quickly.

More pics from Kentucky to come...