Foto Story Friday #94 Twins

It's my experience that twins are a funny breed. These two have been so fun to watch grow and change. They love to be with one another. They can finish what the other is thinking and they laugh for no reason. Twins just have a different connection than other siblings. This week, they attempted to do what so many twins have done before, switch places! That's right they wanted to trade places.... never mind that I have have boy/girl twins, the desire to trick everyone is still there! Scott dressed up in several different girl outfits and Em tried many of Scott's clothes on. They would come rushing down the stairs and announce that they were their twin. It was hilarious! :D I only captured them in these outfits, complete with shoes or boots as the case may be.

Hugs

and kisses

and silly poses!

I'm just not sure they could pull it off in the real world..... someone's hair is a little too short or the other's hair is a little too long!


Hosted by Cecily

Foto Story Friday #80-- Activities

Recent activities around here:
Savanna played some basketball............. lots of learning the basics and then 2 nights of intramurals.
We have been working on some puzzles.
This is the first one we finished and we are on to another.
Tuesday the twins had a Christmas program. Of course it would be too easy to put them, next to each other, they were separated by one little girl. Thankfully the teacher stepped in the middle.... well she might not appreciate this shot of her, but it effectively blocks the girl!
Last Thursday, Robby had his Christmas program. They did a great job and Robby was one of the few who could be heard and understood in his speaking part.
My oldest decided this year to go out for the wrestling team. He is having a good time learning all the basics and putting them into practice. Problem is, that his first home meet was the same night as Robby's concert :( I was not able to watch his 2 matches, I was VERY bummed. Troy and Grandpa both got to see them. This week he has his only other home meet and we will miss it...... Shantel also has her Christmas choir concert this week, same night as the wrestling meet :(
Why do they make me choose? This week we are choosing to not attend either (we are sending the kids and grandparents, as we have to be elsewhere.)

Hosted by Cecily and Honey Mommy

Foto Story Friday #70-- Missoula Children's Theater

A few weeks ago, The Missoula Children's Theater (MCT) was in town. All the local kids that were interested arrived at the high school for try-outs. This year thankfully we had a small number and everyone got a part. It is no fun when you get cut ----- trust me I've been there, done that. When I was in grade school, the MCT came to town every year and I would always try out. I once got the assistant manger part, I was SO excited! When practice was over, my big brother, Brandon, came to pick me up, because my parents were out of town. He was chewing gum and I really REALLY wanted some.... well, if you have a big brother or are a big brother, you can probably guess that he didn't just hand it over. He ran up the wall and placed it on the back of the basketball hoop and said: "If you can reach it, you can have it." Not wanting to let a challenge pass, I tried and tried to get that stick of gum. Brandon eventually had to lift me up to reach it. The trouble started here.... he let go of me thinking..... who knows what... I, of course, was not holding on to anything and came crashing down, landing strangely and broke my ankle. Guess what? If you have a broken ankle, you can't be in the play! That was the one and only time I ever got picked for a part in the play. Robby has also experienced the getting cut, so we were all happy when no one was cut this year. My kids have been much more fortunate and have all gotten the opportunity to be in one or more MCT productions. The girls didn't try out this year because they are in volleyball. Cody is too old now that he is in High School. So that left the 3 youngest to give it a whirl.
The play was Robinson Caruso. After 5 evenings and one day of intense rehearsals, they performed to a near full house.
Robby was a member of the Very Hairy Frownie Face Tribe. They were cute and Robby was SO loud! We had NO problem hearing him.
After many years of having a child in the play, I stayed and watched the try-outs. It was way fun to watch them saying lines and trying to be loud.... which they have no problem with at home! Scott and Em were chameleons and they were too cute up there on stage singing and dancing.

The little guys are always my favorite, cause they are almost always off step in their dancing or just plain doing their own thing and it makes me smile!


Hosted by Cecily and Angie

Foto Story Friday #37 Valentine's for Nana

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

We almost always go to the library on Tuesdays for story time. After story time there are activities such as: crafty Tuesday, kindergarten readiness and shared meal. The tuesday before Valentine's was crafty Tuesday and the kids got to make Valentines. The twins thought they could give theirs to Nana. After we finished, we dropped by to deliver them. She was SO happy to have them come by and give her the Valentines!

Weekly photo challenge--relationship

"This week's challenge is to photograph a relationship! Find something special between two or more peeps and capture it to the best of your abilities. It should be FUN!! Try to find that exact moment that it registers on their face how much they LOVE or HATE another person...show the times that they play well together or fight amongst each other. :) Any relationship that you want to share is just right!! Anyone out there want to play along? We want to see the relationships around YOU! Show us your best shots!!"

OK, I feel like this was a challenge just for me, I try to avoid the whole take a picture of people.... well, not really I just hate to convince them to "act natural". Nature sits still and waits patiently while I try to figure out just how I want the picture to look, people don't!

This is just who Scott is and just exactly how they all react to him. At the time this was taken, I was trying out my new camera and I just wanted to get a good shot of the kids. I got one where they were all facing the camera, but this one is my favorite.
Today I made these Thing 1 & Things 2 halloween costumes. I thought it might be fun to drag up the pumpkin and try for a few shots of them being natural.... these were the best, they were mostly being silly.
Then we traded the pumpkin for the exercise ball and they did their best to balance!
They might fight and be big pills but these two have a bond ... a twin bond ... that I hope they never loose!

For my how-to on these costumes, click here!

What kinda fruit are you? and Scottisims {Emmaisims too}

You Are a Banana

You are mellow, easy going, and a total softie on the inside. People find it really easy to get along with you. You suit most tastes. And while you're very sweet, you're not boring or ordinary. You have an attraction to the exotic, and you could show up anywhere... doing almost anything! You are spirited, energetic, and a total kick to be around. You're also quite funny. Your sense of humor is on the goofy side, and it fits you well.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

It's been awhile since I did Scottisims, June was crazy and I'm still trying to catch up-- I know, I know it's almost August, but hey life happens! :)  Without any further adieu .... Scott and Emmisims:

5/15/08

Scott:  "Feel my legs. They're hot, kinda sweaty hot, yeah!"

5/16/08

EmmaLece:  "Isn't he just SO cute?  I just love to pet him & kiss him!"

Scott:  "I don't like that, Emmy.  He doesn't like kisses and hugs."

EmmaLece:  ''Well, mine likes kisses from boys!'

They were talking about their imaginary pets.

5/17/08

Em:  "Hi, mom, we're playing dominoes.  I'm building a rocket ramp.  That's even cooler, ..... yeah cooler!"

5/20/08

Scott:  "Do you spell spider:  e-f-g-p-s-k?"

Mom:  "S-p-i-d-e-r is how you spell spider."

Scott:  "Yeah, well, I don't know HOW to spell!"

5/26/08

We were in the car headed to K-mart and I said we were going to the store.

Em:  "The Albertsons?"

Mom:  "No, another store."

Em:  "There's more than ONE store?  Cool!"

I guess we spend a lot of time at Albertsons!  

5/30/08

Em:  "Mom, how do you spell cup?"

Mom:  "C-u-p"

Em:  It says: S-o-l-o."

At this point I stop what I'm doing and take a peek at what she is looking at.  It is a plastic cup on the counter.  She is reading me the letters she sees.

Mom:  "That is the brand name of the cup."

Em:  "Oh .... what's the brand name of me?"

Mom:  "I guess that would be Keiser."

Em:  "Cool."

6/6/08

Scott:  "Mom. Mom. Mooooooommmm."

Mom:  "Yes?"

Sang to me by Scott:  "I sure want some breakfast!  I sure want some breakfast! I sure want some breakfast! "

6/20/08

Scott comes to sit by me and informs me in his whinny voice:  "I just want to eat food ALL the day!  That's what I'm talking about!"

I promise I fed him and it was still an hour till lunch!  Growing boys and their endless appetites! 

7/5/08

Scott:  "Mom, Robby just catched a mop {moth}!  Yeah, he knows how!"  He was highly impressed with his brother's mop-catching abilities!  We practice catch-and-release. ... except for spiders, which get SMASHED beyond recognition!

7/16/08

Em:  "OK, I've got a list with me, in case we need something else.  Just in case."  We were headed to the grocery store and I'd toldher first I needed to write my list.

After returning from the store....

Scott:  "Can I have P-d-s?"

I have NO idea what this is, all I can guess is that since we sometimes spell things out, he was trying to spell something to eat.  When Savanna asked him what that was, she said it was candy.

7/22/08

Scott:  "Emmy saw a bug.  Now I need-a-shoe-to-kill-it! {Said in such a rush that it sounded like:  I need to shoot and kill it!}  He got the shoe and raced upstairs to kill it..... SMACK SMACK SMACK!

Em:  "One more time."  SMACK SMACK

Scott in his singy voice:  "I killed the bugs, I killllllllllled the bugs!  Mom, there were 3 bugs and I killed them with my Lightening McQueen shoe!"

7/23/08

Scott:  "Is it tomorrow?"

Mom:  "Yesterday, today was tomorrow."

He just stared at me like I was speaking German or Celtic or some other foreign language and repeated:  "Is it tomorrow?  Tomorrow I get to fill up my squirt gun, is it tomorrow?" 

 

Happy 4th birthday Scott and EmmaLece

A little over 4 years ago, I went in for an ultrasound and it was a good thing I was lying down!  The tech asked, "Why did you come in?"

"To check the date."

After a few more minutes she says, "Are you measuring big?

"I don't know, but I feel big."

"That's cause you're having twins!"

Those were my first glimpses of my twins.  I was justified, I'd been telling Troy that I felt bigger than the last time I was pregnant, he told me I'd had 3 kids already I wasn't going to be as small!  He was cruising for a bruising!  I went to Wendy's house as she was sitting for me and we giggled and hopped around excitedly.  Troy always guesses what we're having and is always right. A fact that makes me a little bit annoyed!  This time he guessed a girl and I guessed a boy.  I called him to tell him I was back from the Dr. and he wanted to know if he was right once again.  I responded with, "Yes and so was I."  He didn't believe me.  He was sure I was pulling his leg.  I told him he could ask Wendy.  He said, "You'd lie and she'd swear by it!"  So I replied with, "I have pictures."  He hung up on me!  He was out delivering oil about 70 miles away and he can't really remember that drive back to town.  He called me when he arrived back at the office, where I went to meet him and show him the ultrasound pictures.  I think the poor man was in shock for a week!  He wasn't too excited about having one more and now it was two!  

The next time we got pictures of the twins they were womb boxing!    
Because we live in a rural area with a small hospital, we were told I would have a C-section and not be given the chance to try a vaginal delivery.  I really wanted to deliver naturally if I could, so my Dr. hooked me up with a specialists in Billings.  We went down for our first visit with him and got these cool pix of the babies.

It was decided that I would stay in Billings at the Ronald McDonald House until delivery because of the long distance.  The Dr. did say he could just send the plane up for me when I went into labor..... I felt better staying across the street.  I stayed 2 weeks there.  Troy stayed the first few days then went back home.  Savanna hitched a ride to Billings with Wendy who was headed to WY to visit her grandma.  Troy came back down on the 7th for our scheduled induction on the 8th.  I had been feeling a lot of contractions all the 7th, but this is normal for me. I have Braxton-Hicks for 6 months!  

So we got all rested and headed to the hospital around 9 am.  I was actually in labor when we arrived and I didn't need to be induced after all.  {I was induced with Shantel and Savanna}.  The rest of the kids came down with Grandma and Grandpa.  Wendy and the girls were also there. 

Ever wonder just how one's tummy looks when two are growing together?

 

So we did two announcements, couldn't decide which pictures I liked best.
Eight hours after checking in we had two bundles of joy..... screaming babies.  I was so tired after having Scott that I really wanted a nap but the Dr. didn't think that was a good idea!  I think they would have been like 2 mins apart but EmmaLece was determined to be born hand first and the Dr. was determined that she wouldn't be and kept pushing her back in!  In the end, she won and presented her fist first!  I nursed these little monkeys for 15 1/2 months!  

Today they are 4!  What a fast 4 years this has been!

Scottisims

4/8/08
Scott: "Emily Rose, Little MissE, Orissa... I don't knw WHAT the baby's name is!" Said with the most exasperated 'what have you people done to me' look you could ever imagine.
4/14/08
Scott:
Needing help to snap and zip calls for me from the bathroom. When I get there, his eyes are shut tight and he's got a huge Kool-aid grin. "I don't want to to show you my eyes, cause I'm hiding from Emmy!" All the while Em is downstairs watching TV and has no clue She's supposed to be looking for him!
4/22/08
Today we took the 4wheelers to the dealership an hour away for their first oil change/tune up. We took this opportunity to get a little shopping done and had lunch. We went back to the dealership figuring they would be nearly done, but they weren't. After purchasing riding gloves, a new visor for Troy's helmet and a kids helmet, we wandered around the shop checking out the other machines ... 4wheelers and motor cycles. Scott found a 4wheeler just his size. It is a cute little white 50cc. He hopped right on and rocked it back and forth. He turned to me and said, "I need to try this one outside!" He really tried hard to convince his dad that he NEEDED it. EmmaLece went straight for the dirt bikes. She jumped on a cute blue 50cc dirt bike and also tried her charm on her dad with this statement: "I REALLY need that little blue one, Dad!" Alas, they were both disappointed and had to come home without new toys.
4/28/08
Scott to EmmaLece: "You and me stick together!"
5/5/08
I overheard Scott talking to Emmy while I was making lunch. He was standing in front of the fridge looking at something he had just hung there. "This is when Grandpa was a huge turtle." Huh?! What?! So,I look and see that he is looking at this:
Grandma and Grandpa sent this post card from Hawaii Aug 27, 2007. Grandma has written on the back that Grandpa went swimming with the big turtles in the ocean, and I guess that Scott figured that to swim with Sea Turtles, you must be one! The conversation that followed was:
Em: "Where is Grandpa? In the tummy?"
Scott: "No, Grandpa IS the turtle!"
I was dieing! When I got control of my laughter and could once again compose a coherent sentence, I did my best to explain that Grandpa has NEVER been a turtle, but he has gone swimming with them in the ocean. I'm not sure I convinced him of this fact, I'm pretty positive that he is certain that his Grandpa used to be a turtle! Silly boy!
5-13-08
Scott: "I was playing with those mean girls. Yeah cause they kicked Emmy"

Toothbrushes and grumpiness!

I don't mind waking up to take little ones to the potty at all hours of the morning ..... well not when compared to the alternative, sheets to wash or listening to screaming because I won't hurry and get in the bathroom. What I do mind, is little feet and whining at 5:50 AM because "I don't like my toothbrush! I want my blue one back!" Why can't he just like his new white one? I never knew 3 year old boys couldn't use white toothbrushes and that it would cause such trauma as to wake him up and cause crying over toothbrush colors! The big kids got up and got going for school, when Shantel peeked in to inform us: "We're up and Scott is scared." My reply, "He's not scared, he just hates his toothbrush!"EmmaLece got up happy, but that only lasted ... about 5 mins! She's been cranky and mean all morning and it's not quite 9! No one can jump on the trampoline, 'cept her, no one can sit in the already occupied chair, 'cept her, no one can read the books, 'cept her!

And now to my grumpiness! Have you ever had something that you just love? you know like a great camera that you couldn't find anything wrong with? and then to have that same something out of the blue, just go on the fritz?! Well 2 years ago I spent a fairly good amount of money {$549.99} on a camera and photo printer, about 3 weeks ago the said camera just started to turn itself on and off! That's right, we're sitting down to breakfast, when Robby says, "Mom, your camera is being weird!" Sure enough, I soon hear the camera turn on and the lens opens and yup it is in the off position, when I go take a look! Thinking it's the batteries, I get new ones. I think that has solved it, when about 6 days later it starts all over! I try different types of batteries all to no avail! if the batteries are in the camera, it is turning itself on and off til they die! Since I can't afford a new camera, I'm forced to take pictures in a most un-enjoyable way ... I have to put the batteries in reset the date and time take the pictures and hope to turn it off and get the batteries out before it turns back on! AARRGGH! Of course the warranty was only for 1 year! I sent an email bemoaning my troubles.....They are sorry that I'm have troubles, did I check the FAQ? the troubleshooting section?

Post 100!

Well, this is my 100th post {could have been here sooner but for my computer troubles!} I know that most people list 100 things about themselves.... but I'm not sure I could create 100 things.........Maybe I'll do 100 things abt me when I get to 200 {gives me a few days to try and think them up! :D}

I've had a request for a post on our 'old school' desks... here goes:

Well, I wish I had some wonderful story about how they came out of some one-room school house in the country, but the truth is I have NO idea about their history. One of the desks... the green chair one, I think... came from a co-worker of Troy's. The desk that is the favored hiding place came from our friends, Mike and Vicki {I don't know where they got it}. The other two came from our neighbor's garage sale. I was looking out the bedroom window and saw they were having a garage sale in the alley.... and they had desks! I was SO excited to see them so that we could have 4. All of the big kids could have their own place to do homework! yeah yeah! :D If I could have done back flips, I would have! I tols Troy I just wanted to see what they wanted for the desks.... {he came with, guess he didn't trust my 'just lookin'!} . They only wanted $5! So for $10 I got two more cool 'Old School' desks, that have been so much fun for Scott and EmmaLece. Each of the older children have a desk that they do homework at nightly.I do wish that they all had the wood tops {if I find another with the wooden top, I'm getting it! :D} We keep the color books and art supplies inside ... well that is the idea, but mostly they are arranged nicely {hahahehe} on the floor around the desks.

Savanna is a little miffed at EmmaLece who removed her homework to the floor while she was asking for assistance and climbed inside HER desk.

Robby wanted to see how well he could fit in the desk..... lookin a little big, huh?
This is kinda long, but you might like to watch and hear the twins creating tents....... {please excuse Robby's yelling}.
Just lying around!