Twirls 'n Curls

Yes, everything in my house talks - even our guinea pig is noisy!! My girls have wonderful imaginations and magically transformed into pillow people minutes before our family pillow fight, so of course I took a pic. Here are a few things we like to do as a family, in no particular order: 1.  We eat every meal, 3 times a day together.  This is enough excitement, if you have small children you know this. 2.  Family movie night - Disney, Muppets, and Man vs Wild are the current faves 3.  Jumping on the trampoline together. 4.  Going on walks to get ice cream now that it's warmer :) 5.  Starting last week, pillow fights!  So much fun...so few brain cells to lose. 6.  Reading books and patiently enduring through Linsey reading to us. 7.  Wrestling (aka tickling Daddy) 8.  Thinking up reasons to stay up after bedtime (this really is a collaborative effort, I think they're plotting behind our backs...)

We have passed on these words of wisdom to our posterity in the past 24 hours or so...we make house calls if you would like us to help teach your children as well! "Don't lick other people, even if you're pretending to be a dog.  That's just gross." "No, honey, you're not the only person in the world who can stand on one foot. Good job though!" "Don't lay down on the bathroom floor, especially at the store!" "Don't touch anyone's bottom but your own!" "Don't eat out of the garbage, yuck!!" "No fishing in the toilet!"  (I think all 3 have heard this one!) Do you have any sagely wisdom you'd care to share?? I know you have stories too!!

Flashback-- 3 months ago, we vacationed with Tom's grandma and threw a whole loaf of bread to the ducks at a pond near her house. The girls loved it and have taken to feeding the pigeons outside Costco with their hot dog buns when we eat lunch there. We live in the high desert, you take what you can get, right? Present time-- It's our usual routine for Linsey to watch Natalie for a few minutes while I get Hannah down for her afternoon nap. This time, I couldn't believe how quiet they were being, especially since Linsey kinda had that "whatever" attitude about it. I walked into the kitchen to see Nattie frantically crawling across the floor to gobble up pieces of bread. I thought she had dumped the garbage when I saw another piece fly through the air and Nattie scramble to get it. Then I saw Linsey on top of the counter, throwing the bread with obvious flair and satisfaction. I asked incredulously, "Linsey, what are you doing?" "I...

"It was a acsninent," Hannah cried as she piddled on the bed. "It was a acsninent!" She supplied after bopping Linsey in the head. "But it was a acsninent!" I ignored as I cleaned marker off the wall. "Was it a acsninent?" Hannah asked when I tripped on Nattie in the hall. Accident or no, Hannah knows she's way too cute, With bright blue eyes and curly hair, and a killer smile to boot! At times, I can't decide whether to laugh or to cry And then her voice, 'I love you soooo much, Mommy!' sends all my stress goodbye. While there's monsters on the floor and kids to snuggle on my bed, Who cares about all those looming questions floating in my head? I love this age, where most 'acsninents' can be cleaned with broom and mop, And I pray each day, as we work and play, may our love and laughter never stop.

It's a fruit, it's an egg - it's a FlaMANGO!! (Hannah's words) The girls made up this silly game where they were mama flamango birds and the mangoes were their eggs. This worked great until they got a little rough with one of the "babies" and smashed it, so we ate it, er..him :) Other Hannah-isms: "Help me! This shirt is right-side in!" "I'm the garbage-ma'am, the pizza ma'am, etc..." "Drinks don't live on the piano. They live on the table! And food don't live in the living room, it lives in the kitchen!" (important life lessons I've been instilling) Happy Monday!!

Hannah has become Linsey's shadow, doing everything she does and repeating everything she says. She also lets Linsey do whatever she wants to do to her, hence the face paint :) Linsey enjoys her new role as teacher, I think...Here's the scoop from our house lately "No, Hannah, we're not allowed to talk about noises and things that come out of our bottoms." (smiles sweetly at me) "Right, Mom?" "B-E-D spells bed, Hannah. Mom just said it's time for you to go to BED!" "I know you don't like getting your hair brushed, but sometimes beauty hurts!" And, looking out for each other, as always... "Mo-om, do you want me to hold the baby so you can spank Hannah? Remember, you said you were going to!"

Natalie cruising outside her ride Now that I have three very mobile creatures around me all day, I find myself doing less housework and more playing. Strangely enough, the house stays cleaner this way. It's either that, or tying them all three to different chairs while I work. Playing is definitely more fun! Natalie just turned 9 months, she's been pulling up on everything for about 6 weeks now and is starting to stand briefly on her own. I'll be glad when she does start walking, because I'm hopeful that she won't be so enamored with every small object the girls leave on the floor and try to eat it - maybe she'll settle for the remote or something :)

Linsey got her first black eye last week, somehow she "hit her face on the spring of the trampoline" - I'm pretty sure somehow the spring pinched her eyelid, she was so swollen and red for days! Then about 3 days ago she woke up and looked in the mirror, then exclaimed, "Mom! I think my eye is turning rainbow - YYYYEEEESSSS!! How's that for optimism? Must be my genes :) Handy quotes from today: H: "I'm not a big girl." Liz: "What are you then?" H: "A bad one!" Is that a product of bad parenting, or just confession?? Not sure, but I really don't call any of them bad girls, I promise!! L: "When I grow up, I'm going to be queen of my house and make all the rules! Then I'll rule over my kids." (Should I tell her it's really not all that? NAH!!) We are all a bit under the weather this weekend, but it was a great weekend anyway. And life goes on anyway, does that happen to you too? We had a wonde...