just a day..

C started school. We started adjusting to a new schedule. I have had to have a lot motivation to keep us on track with our time from wake up until 3. Kids all go down for bed now between 7-8 rather then the extended 730-9.

C comes home usually pretty happy now too. He's glad to be back with his toys, and our home. It's fun to watch that and think of the transition it must be in his mind...today I came back home after dropping him at school and the twins seemed bored...and like they wanted Caed to play with. after about 20 minutes. they warmed up and started playing together. I love seeing just the twins together, it's been a lot of fun to see their own interactions now too...

So today is just a day...and I may be seeing a spot in my day to add some blog posts. Lord knows there no shortage of things I think of blogging!

Part 2

I really find so little time for blogging these days that I can't believe I'd go back and catch up. Ha! This is the last pressured 'go back' I'll do! (why did I name that last blog part 1!)



I had the hardest time actually on the boat. To me a cruise is a wonderful way to see lots of places without having to do the driving/flying ourselves. I would love to try a cruise with others- friends and/or family. I couldn't help feeling an overwhelming sense on how indulgent it was. Especially in the beginning. All I could hear in my head was lines from the movie Wall-e. "Lunch, in a cup!" I relaxed a bit after the first meals, but frankly I would have been more comfortable cleaning my own room and serving myself at dinner then having it done for me. I was awkwardly grateful to all the staff and wanted Jon to tip everyone more!



We had lots of time to relax....

I was thinking a lot about how blessed I was to be there. There are lots of people who deserve as nice as a break and vacation as we had. I never dreamed that I would get to see and do the things we did.

And we got our picture taken with the Norwegian captain.

We really had a great time and I am so thankful for Jonathan and his commitment to our family, and us as a couple. It really was great for us to do the trip, and especially after the twins turned 1. It was a long year...and we made it!

Back in May...part 1

We went on our very first cruise! What fun to get away for a week! We are so thankful to Jon's parents for keeping all three boys for us! We did EVERYTHING we could do. I was up for lots of fun, and things outside my comfort zone! I didn't want to be tied to the ship or be fearful because I might not get this chance again!


The water is super blue in the middle of the ocean! Who knew!




Jon trying to let the ship loose: (these are some major ropes here, amazed by it)

I was just so in awe of some many things on the cruise. The ropes that tie up the ship were just one thing. they are incredible. I never did see us dock or leave, so I don't know how many people it took to do this, but it's incredible.

We had beautiful weather, and the seas were amazing. We even happened to see wild dolphins out in the middle of nowhere swimming past the ship.

In Cozumel we Zip Lined (me in this photo!)

We climbed the rock walls: (Jon is good at this, and me notsomuch although I kept trying as much as my arms would let me!)

Jon geared up:

Jon coming down:

living in DC

I love living in DC. The past couple of weeks we've really been getting out. I have been taking the metro with all three boys too! There are lots of upsides of the place.

The big downside is the transient nature of people living here. People tend to come here from other far off places to intern or work a job temporarily. Or they work a job, start a family and realize they want to be closer to home again with their family. Or they just move to the 'burbs. I generally don't mind that. I love getting to know people, keep in touch and know that one day when we want to travel to these really cool places they all live, we can go visit!

But sometimes it means that you feel like you want to get to know someone better and it just can't happen because of time. We (I) met a family last year that moved to DC for an internship at our church for the past year. It's time for them to move on. They have two boys and are really fun. Caed loved their oldest right away. I had anticipated not getting to know them because I knew they'd be leaving....I resisted. I tried to avoid wanting to be friends. I had twin babies, so it was easy to avoid with their busyness. But it was so much fun getting the boys together. Today as we had a last playdate for the kids, and all 5 were running around the grass and gravel of the National Mall, I realized that I really did like them! I was sad that I didn't get to know them better and have them over for a meal. We do have great friends in DC, I was just reminded how hard it still is to watch families leave regardless of how well you know them.

Today Amy was willing to corral the kids and enjoy the Air and Space Museum. I pray for the best for them, and we will stay in touch as they plant a church in Miami- but I shouldn't have waited this long to commit to getting to know them better. I know it's more then just us that will miss them too.

All 5 boys


C and A: (Caed actually wasn't feeling great today, so he wasn't so compliant with the smiling)

Running

Me, and the craziness of my home after returning from my first ever race (5K) this past April. Not glamorous:

Another thing that has been taking up my time is running. I am training to run a half marathon. I am trying to follow through on my goal of running the Paris marathon 2011, and so I thought a half marathon about a half year before it was a good goal.

It has been fun....but it sure is time consuming! I do long runs on Saturday mornings (I leave the house about 5:45) and shorter runs during the week, a combination of road running and treadmill at the gym. A road run for me is only 2 miles though since I do it after Jon gets home, and the twins and Caed are manageable for him. It really is a sacrifice on the part of my family for this. I am hoping that somehow we make it through the 7 months after this for the Paris marathon.

I sometimes debate the wisdom is doing it next year, since it's been a hard few months for our family for the half marathon, but I think it's best to just keep going. I am proud of myself for keeping it up. I wish I was faster, but I'll take what I can get.

I am learning so much about running too, it's a lot of fun. I find that I am really enjoying it (besides the bit of a wall I've hit the last two weeks) and want to just keep doing it because my body can do it. Although I probably can have better posture/form, it's not like swimming where I've got to be taught certain strokes, or bike riding where I've got to own a bike, it's more accessible then that and I like that. I recently finished the book Born to Run. Loved it. But I love that style of writing anyway.

I am still figuring out my preferences as far as carrying water, when to wait to eat, listening to music (which is at a bit of a negotiating stage right now. My ipod isn't working, and I've been listening to Pandora on my phone with headphones. I have an arm band for the ipod, but for now I am sticking my phone in the tiny pocket in my running shorts, which gets the phone wet from my sweating!) do I carry some energy things with me for the longer runs, and talking while running when I'm with friends.

I was supposed to run 12 miles last Saturday but was in a bit of a funk, and ended up only running/ walking 6. This weekend it's back down to 10. I'll go with that, and get 12 the following weekend. That's the farthest this training plan has us go.

So here's to a little more time come a month, but only briefly, because I'll need to train to run 26.2 miles soon enough!

May

Back in May, Caed "graduated" from his little preschool! The program is run for 2 + 3's as to not interfere with many children moving to schools at 4. (it's easier to get into a school you want to get into at 3+4 rather then waiting until kindergarten) Myself and 3 other mom's started the school 2 years ago, and it's going strong! We are so thankful for a place to have our kids at and where we can be involved. Unfortunately since there is demand on the space, we are limited to meeting only 2 mornings a week. (we meet at our church's coffeehouses' basement, where they currently hold 5 services a weekend) I am going to stay involved this year that I have no kids there, and we'll be back once the twins are 2! Yay!

Next year Caed is going to a charter school nearby. It has a Spanish and French immersion program. You pick the language. We picked french (of course!) and I am looking forward to getting involved in this new community....Here's my sweet boy, getting so big! We are so proud at how much he's grown and learned! Thanks in part to his sweet teacher, we're so happy she's there! (we didn't have a teacher the first year, and this year we do, and will keep her!)

guess I haen't posted in awhile..

Man...i have wanted to post in the last month and a half...I have many excuses why I'm not documenting a single thing.

1) some guilt that I have over non organized photos on my machine and the photos I owe people on our shard machine downstairs have kept me away...

2)Twins are down to one nap, leaving valuable bogging time to nothing. I barely have time to get the stuff done during the one afternoon nap from everyone.

3) Twins are both walking!

4) I have been training for a half marathon in September. This is HARD WORK. I do my long runs Saturday mornings, at the crack of dawn, leaving my tired in the evenings. But proud of the fact that I am training. (thanks to sisters for some motivation to actually do this!)

5) I have three kids

6) it's hot out, but despite that I get the kids out as much as possible.

7) I like to read other people's interesting blogs through my google reader then come over to my blog and pretend I've got some interesting documenting going on.

8) some more guilt over not blogging people's birthdays, anniversaries, milestones...

9) I can't blog from my pre. I need an app that lets me blog from my phone.

10) I will be back...I got those photos organized, and I'll be burning two discs soon. I have to.

a day at the arboretum

One day my friend and I decided to take the kids and meet their friends at the National Arboretum. It's beautiful there, and there were going to be kiddos and bikes and picnicking...

To say getting C to pedal is a test of patience is an understatement.

To say that it required composure of the greatest kind would not reach far enough.....

We made it. I can't remember how we made it from the parking lot to the columns, but we did, and that's all that matters now. I refuse to take the trike out since, until I get a new pole to help push him along. Something happened to our other one and I think it had to do with the construction and the cleaning up, and the guy who wasn't so careful with the throwing out. grrr. Anyway. We had a lovely time. The day was beautiful. The twins did mostly okay but "lunching" on a blanket is fruitless. I always try, but they do better when strapped into their car seats.



Theron didn't venture too far. He didn't like getting far from the blanket.


Aldan's hair is extremely light and with the nice wind blowing...it ended up looking like George McFly from Back to the Future. Ha. Didn't know I could pull that out of my memory.

Here are the columns...and we can go play in them any time we want. We are lucky! (next time I'll park at the lot right behind them and walk the kids across...may save the whole day that way.)

And we went before they filled this fountain...it was filled with nasty water which the kids stayed out of, until they didn't. Now this fountain is all pretty and clean. too bad we were a little early.

I might as well

just keep going with the old posts...not even sure if I posted Easter at all, and I'm not willing to go back and check and risk never actually posting some of these memories.


After Aldan and Theron's birthday party on Saturday, Sunday was Easter! I didn't have enough time to plan through the two celebrations and our good friends invited us over.


We had a yummy brunch, the twins napped through, and C and A had an Easter egg hunt in the yard. It was so sweet watching them look together, I hope some of these things are memories that C keeps for a good while.

They made over a pound of bacon, and we ate it all! Yummy!

We are so happy to have the opportunity to celebrate these times with friends, who are generous in opening their home up to our family of 5!

There isn't anything C wouldn't do to spend time time with A. He wakes up most mornings asking to play with her. And although most days we don't have a plan with her, it usually comes around to that...

I love A and how kind and generous she is to my son. She loves to play similarly to him, and she'll even get him wrestling, and it's usually C who wants to stop first! The thing is A is so sweet, and girly...you'd never guess it running into her on the street. What a good match for C. I remember one of my first conversations with her mom at our mom's group through our church. I told her an easier way to get to the group from where she lived. Their family lived closer to me then some of the other families, and so I was excited to connect. But we were both hesitant at the time. It wasn't instantaneous. But it's awesome to see how it's all fit so nicely. Now they are expecting another, and I can't wait to meet the new babe at all! So lucky to get to share life with them!

We like to party!

Back in March when the twins turned one, we had I think 3 parties for them. One with Jon's parents, one with my family who came to visit (and get sick! :)), and one with their "friends"! Whew!

All the parties were so much fun, and I felt really excited too! It was certainly the best way to celebrate getting through that first year! I still can't believe we have twins! Aldan and Theron are such characters....all these boys will keep us busy for the rest of our lives! I think it's fun that they get to celebrate turning another year older with each other, how fun to have a partner in life like that for the rest of your life!

So for the party with their friends (read, Caed's friends with younger siblings :)) My family helped me prepare the details. My mom and sisters had been here the week earlier and were heading home be back for Easter- so it was great to have their help. I wouldn't have been able to have the nice finishing touches if it weren't for them, and what's a themed party without finishing touches?! It turned out to be the perfect day for celebrating and grilling outside too! What a blessing, because all those kids would not have fit inside our house!!

So it was a Monkey theme, Martha Stewart has some good ideas for the theme, and I went with some of my own.

The goodie bags- brown bags filled with a monkey washcloth, soap, barrel of monkeys key chain (not suitable for little kids at all), banana & banana cookies. Kik did the outside of the bag nice and simple- so glad to have had her input, I was starting on a much more complex design that would not have turned out so nicely!

My mom spent a decent amount of time putting these adorable cups together. She cut out and glued all these pieces onto the brown cups! Aren't they adorable? It looked like an army of monkeys when put together. And actually, I think they were a bit too cute. People didn't end up drinking out of them because you didn't want to ruin them of course!

My first ever attempt at a cake design other then rectangle! Did you know you could bake in a Pyrex bowl? I can't believe this thing turned out half as good as it did...I had low expectations.

and here are the birthday boys....we love you Aldan and Theron!

So at their birthday Aldan and Theron were not walking...Aldan was closest, and luckily Theron made it to crawling before his 1st birthday!

And their stats at 1-

Aldan: 25 lbs 13oz 31 1/4"

Theron: 26lbs 14.5oz 31 1/4"

two pounds difference and same length...now that's fluctuated of course, and when we were in the ER (yes...pneumonia two weeks ago) Aldan weighed more then Theron. So you just can't tell at this point...

I'll be playing a little catch up with more up to date things...man it's amazing how when the twins go down for only one nap a day it takes away the extra free time to blog!