de-stress

During these final stressful and ultra-busy days before Christmas, these are the moments that take all the stress away:


check out those teeth on Anders at 7 months!! (It's like Twilight in there!*)
* inside joke for all you "Modern Family"** fans
** funniest show on television

My very fave de-stress moment is when they are both looking at me and smiling, but I couldn't capture that never-gets-old moment on camera, so the combination of the above pics will have to do.

being silly with silly bandz



Santa's comin' to town!!!!

There are very few things more joyful than seeing the spirit of Christmas through children's eyes and smiles..... Merry merry Christmas to all!!

time

Time is precious.
This is a quote we hear so many times throughout our lives. When we lose a loved one unexpectedly and all too quickly, those words somehow become almost tangible. One of my very favorite quotes -- almost a constant mantra in my head really -- is:
The most important thing you can spend on your children is time.

I would like to add "parents" to that as well.
The most important thing you can spend on your children, and parents, is time.

My Mr. Incredible lost his dad this past Thanksgiving Day. He lost his mom five years ago this December. Nuthin' like the death of a loved one to put the busy-ness of the holidays in perspective.

The picture above was taken on our wedding day. It is my very favorite picture of Jim's parents. I am beyond grateful that I was able to meet both of them and spend some -- although not enough -- time with them. I at least got to know them and understand what kind of parents raised the man I married. I hold parents in the highest regard -- even before I became one. I am so very sad to not be able to spend more time with them.

As to what happened...Jim's dad was supposed to fly out (from Wisconsin) to our home for the week of Thanksgiving. Instead, he went into the hospital for a bladder infection three days before his flight out here. He had bladder infections fairly regularly as he was run over by a tractor (he was a farmer) about 20 years ago which caused many physical complications -- bladder infections being one of them. It was so routine and nothing out of the ordinary for him to go to the hospital for such a thing, that, frankly, I didn't think much of it. However, this time was his last trip to the hospital. On Thanksgiving Day his body simply could not handle any more complications. Our much anticipated time with him for that holiday week never happened and he was never able to meet his new twin grandsons. (I was particularly looking forward to seeing him hold Anders as I have said since he was born that he looks just like his grandpa.)

So...there is a bit of a dark cloud over our home this holiday season. It has certainly slowed down our pace and priorities amid the holiday frenzy. I know I, for one, am focused more on spending time on the needs of my husband and children than on gifts......or anything else for that matter.

I hope you are able to spend plenty of time with your loved ones this holiday season. There is no more precious gift than that.

feeding and teething

Not much has been going on 'roun here, except a whole lotta eating....

They're wearing "Hungry Caterpillar" outfits. And these are two VERY hungry caterpillars!!



There has also been some teething goin' on....

See those cute lil teeth? This guy knows how to use them when he's nursing....OUCH!

They also can be verrrry messy as they try to get as much food in their mouths as quickly as possible.

They are now six months old and Anders is 21 lbs. and Niels is 19 lbs. 6 oz. I ain't kiddin' when I say they've been eating a lot....

boys 'n their toys

The only difference between men and boys is the cost of their toys.

To explain this pic...I was in the middle of preparing dinner, with the usual mayhem in the background, when I finally turned to notice my babes. This is what I saw -- with the older sibs jumping up and down and laughing and SO pleased with their work. The boys didn't seem to mind at all. They are two mellow babes....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

We had ourselves some random costumes this year -- due to a mom with a very random brain these days.... Basically, my mindset is: whatever is easiest to make it happen, do it that way!



The "ladybug princess" at her preschool party.

A Cuban friend gave her the dress, and she became the "ladybug princess"!


Our lil bat boy.


I loved the nose, but it kept falling off.


He loved the wings.


The token pic with our pup diva.

Daddy decided he wanted to buy some baby afros. Why, you ask? He thought they would be funny. Well, they were......




I then just had to buy one for daddy.

The 'fros are kinda hard to see with the black background.


Sugared teethies.


Sugared up kiddos with their loot.

fall moments

Welcome.


some punkins from our garden




the last of the summer blooms


view from our back window on a fall morn


our harvest



our joys

chalk people

I was in the middle of my daily frenzy when two of my fave lil people came inside and interrupted my frenziness to tell me they were "chalking each other" and to come and see. I'm so glad they love to tell me what they are doing because more often than not it is very much worth seeing. Mostly, I just love seeing how much fun they have together.



Note that Anna Clara is pink and has curly hair. Yes, that is what that blob is on the top of her head. Those are curls. And she's a girl, so she is pink. That's what they said anyway.


I love that they are holding hands and oh so happy.

homework

This is where my boys hang most of the time. They love their bouncy chairs! Anders almost always has his tongue out.

After school, my first grader always has homework...and I give a lil homework to my pre-schooler since she loves doing things her big bro does (and that way she stays out of her big bro's way as he does his).

One day my preschooler said:
"The babies never have homework!"

To which my first grader immediately responded:
"Yes they do. They have to not cry!"

All four do a very good job with their homework.