If it weren't for the blankets...

If it weren't for these blankets with the girls' names embroidered on them, we would be mixing them up much more often. We try to keep each girl with her respective blanket at bedtime, so when Brian and I are too exhausted to tell them apart in the middle of the night, we just look at the blanket wrapped around each one!

just like their sister

I snapped this shot of the Bree & Betsy today. They are 7 days old.

The picture below was taken of Maggie when she was 9 days old. If I had delivered them all at the same time, I think they could have passed for triplets.

Announcing...

Bree & Betsy

Our little monkeys!

37 Weeks! Just 6 more days!

Here I am at 37 weeks pregnant. I wish Brian had taken more of a profile shot rather than slightly turned because I don't think this really captures the hugeness of my belly. Nonetheless, the idea is certainly there. It's very heavy, very uncomfortable, and VERY LARGE!

Just 6 more days until my scheduled c-section!

22 weeks, 3 days ---- 27 weeks, 5 days ---- 33 weeks, 3 days ---- 37 weeks, 0 days

Ben's 5th Birthday Party

Tonight, we celebrated Ben's 5th birthday (two weeks early). He chose to have a "pool party" at our neighborhood pool. He also decided to have the same kids to his party that Maggie had at her bowling party in April. This is a great group of kids, and they really seem to get along well as a group. We had pizza and lots of fresh fruit, and of course -- blue Kool Aid because Ben thought it looked like pool water.

Gram Linda helped Ben design these water-themed cupcakes for his party. (Sweedish fish on blue frosting.) Yesterday, when I asked him what kind of cake he wanted at his party, he told me "cupcakes, because you don't have to bother to cut them into pieces for everybody while we're at the pool."

(He is SO TOTALLY my child! Practical and sensible!)

We gave each kid a squirt gun and a pool noodle as a party favor. They had a ton of fun!

Ben, Nolan, Gaby, Kate, & Maggie

Neighborhood Camp-out 2010

Last night was once again time for our Annual Lakes at Hazel Dell neighborhood campout.
We look forward to this event every year. This is our fifth year to attend (I think), and it gets bigger and better each year!

There were tons of kids' games, and Ben and Maggie got lots of great prizes like suckers, plastic snakes, plastic bracelets, hand-stampers, tattoos, sticky-stretchy frogs, etc. Even though it was 87 degrees and insanely humid, they couldn't have had a better time!

They both had their faces painted. Then, the danced to the DJ, ran like crazy with their friends, and played in the tent. When it got dark, there were s'mores for everyone and a movie on "the big screen." All the kids looked so cute in their jammies watching the movie.

I managed to waddle on home at about 10:20pm, and Ben and Maggie were still going strong. Brian said the movie ended at 11:00, and this kids still didn't want to go to sleep. As he was getting everyone settled into the tent for the night, they both insisted that they weren't tired yet.

Brian called me at 7:00 this morning to come down to the field with the minivan to pick everyone up. Ben was EXHAUSTED! Face still half-covered in paint from the night before and a sore throat from sleeping outside, he was ready to come home! Maggie, on the other hand, was still enjoying her first camp-out. She was running around and playing with every neighbor she did or didn't recognize. I think Daddy was the most tired. Super-dad gets the award for Father Of The Year after camping out with the kids last night!

Memorial Day Weekend 2010

Happy Memorial Day, and Welcome Summer!
Ben and Maggie spent the weekend at Gram Linda's and Grandpa Hank's house
(so Mommy could continue her bed-rest).

Here is a chronicle of their weekend:

Friday evening: Grandpa Hank took them on their first fishing excursion. Ben caught the first fish of the evening. Gram Linda said that he was so excited, he nearly fell into the pond! He called me to tell me that fish are really slippery!

Saturday morning: Went to the park in Oldenburg. Ben calls it the "Easter Park" since we took them there before the ICA Alumni Easter Egg Hunt in April.
After the park, they went to the Batesville Public Library.

Then, Slip-n-Slide in the back yard.

Followed by some lawn maintenance. (BUSY DAY!)

Sunday, after church, Grandpa Hank took them for a wagon ride. (I love how you can only see Maggie's arms and legs in this first picture!) Ben told me they drove the wagon to the back yard and "picked up logs." Grandpa can always think of a hundred projects for kids to do in the yard.

Sunday afternoon, Daddy drove the Batesville to pick them up. They had been digging worms in anticipation of his arrival. So, they HAD to go fishing again. Grandma says that Ben is "HOOKED." Ben caught another large fish. I really wish I had been there to see the excitement.


And today...

Well, it was supposed to rain all day, but it ended up being just beautiful outside, so Daddy took the kids to our neighborhood pool. I can't remember a Memorial Day weekend in the past when it was actually warm enough to get in the pool! I couldn't stay at home ANOTHER MINUTE, so I got in the minivan and drove to the pool to join them. It was such a great afternoon!

Here is Maggie, showing off her hula skirt as we were leaving the pool. She does the funniest walk when she's wearing this thing. She sways her hips from side to side. Guess she learned that by watching one of her favorie movies, "Aloha, Scooby Doo!"

And, as I sit typing this, it is POURING rain outside. Perfect timing. Guess we won't have to water the petunias tonight. What a great way to open the summer!

Ben's Pre-School Graduation

Our little man "graduated" from pre-school last night. Cracked me up that they even had little caps and gowns for them to wear. The ceremony was really more of a spring performance since his school doesn't do any of those during the year. All the kids wore beach attire, and his class sang five songs with a beach theme. Then, we watched a slide show with pictures of the kids through their years at Goddard. Finally, the kids paraded up to the front in their caps and gowns to receive their "diplomas" from their teacher. Ben enjoyed being in the spotlight for once. He actually sang the songs and did all the motions - something totally new for our kid!

Yep, I put on a bathing suit!

22 weeks, 3 days ---- 27 weeks, 5 days ---- 33 weeks, 3 days
(I find it really humorours how my belly is back-lit from the window in this photo.)

I actually put on a bathing suit to go to the splash park with the kids today. Didn't do much more than sit on a lawn chair and observe, but it was so nice to get out of the house. It's so tough to watch your kids to fun things with other people. So, as much as I hate to see myself in a bathing suit, I still want to remember the size of this belly! (Ben put his head on my belly tonight, and one of the girls kicked him in the ear. Hy thought it was hysterical!)

Saturday Morning Baseball

I was so excited to be able to attend Ben's Little League game on Saturday morning. Of course, I had to waddle about a mile from the car to the field, but it was totally worth it. So cute! They don't keep score, and each kid gets to bat at every "inning."

Ben's favorite part: he got to be "pitcher's helper" in the second inning.

"Baby is SICK!"

Maggie came to our room this morning carrying this trash can with her baby doll's head hanging in it. She said, "Baby is real real sick. She's been frowing up all night!"

Goodness sake! The kid had one episode of a stomach virus this past winter, and she must have been totally scarred for life by the vomiting she did. Baby seems to get sick quite often!

Our Picky Eaters

Several people have asked me to make a list of things our kids like to eat. I have to warn you... they're incredibly picky!

We try to keep things as plain as possible. Chicken breasts or pork loin (or chops) in a marinade works great because we can just pop it in the oven or on the grill. We also really like the rotisserie chicken from Costco. The kids love rice and noodles, especially things like Rice-a-Roni. They won't eat spaghetti sauce or lasagna (bummer!).

Brian and I love salads, asparagus, musrooms, bell peppers, onions, etc. The kids may not eat them, but we keep trying!

Foods the Kids Will Eat:

Meats: baked turkey, roasted pork, rotisserie chicken, chicken breasts, ham, baked or grilled fish (especially salmon).
Fruits: cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, apples, applesauce, grapes, bananas, mandarin oranges
Veggies: broccoli, green beans, carrots (raw), corn (on the cob)
Side Dishes: rice, noodles, rolls or biscuits, mac & cheese, baked beans

Thank you, in advance, to everyone bringing us meals during this time around the birth of the twins. We can't tell you how much we appreciate it!

29 Weeks, 6 Days

Here I am at 29 weeks, 6 days into this pregnancy. So many weeks to go, and already, Maggie can sit on top of my "baby bump" with room to spare!