In-Flight Photography

A few snapshots of how we fly, because we get asked all the time, "How do you do it?"  The answer: be prepared.  I would have made a good Boy Scout.  (You'll notice they're not in chronological order, but I'd rather ask your forgiveness than fight with Blogger.) 

Banana breakfast over the left wing. 

Studying airplanes while taxi-ing

More airplane books!

Tray tables - love them for the snacks and cars!  But not for kicking.

In flight magazine: M pointed to Fergie's coat asking, "Woof?  Woof?"

My future astronaut!  Stretching our legs at MSP's play area before the flight

Keebie and a moomie, our last trick.  I mean, pacifier and a movie.

Basically, have food, toys, books, DVD players with a full charge, pacifiers, in-flight magazines and, if you're really lucky, a very helpful flight attendant who fills your sippy cups with apple juice before food service when you ask kindly, and you should have a smooth flight. 

Bookworms

Cousin S, Aunt M, our little M, Grandma and Grandpa K with N, and cousin E on the floor at the Grace A Dow Memorial Library in Midland this weekend.  What a FANTASTIC kid's section they have!  Midland Mommy friends, you should know that you are blessed with a state-of-the-art children's library.  I haven't seen anything like it around here!  I remember studying there from time to time in college, but I never spent much time perusing the kids' section - wow.  The boy cousins had a lot of fun reading, playing puppets, trains, toys, and roaming the aisles.  I even taught my nephew how to use the "card catalog" (it's the little sign taped to the screen of the computer!) to find his Scaredy Squirrel books.  Project Bookworm appears to be working. 

Gymnastic Geniuses!

That someday has come.  Auntie L won lots of gymnastics awards - all-state-all-around-champion 2001 & 2003- in her golden years and was ecstatic upon reading our previous post.  She immediately discovered that her local gymnastics center has a preschool open gym time, too, and it just so happened to be TODAY! 

We packed up the boys and took cousin E along for another workout.  The fellas "got" it a little better this time and LOVED running down on the tumble track (apparently, it is NOT called a sproingy thingy - who knew?).

Effervescent N plays peek a boo!

Mmmmph!  M works on pull ups

A spirited game of Crush Your Brother By Octagon

"Whoa, cuz!"  E liked being a "big brother" to his cousins today

M got "shir-shee" so took a drink of "wawa"

Tumble Track Racers: N wins!

Auntie L jumps into the "pit" to show them how it's done!

My boys have had so much fun "doing" gymnastics this week!  I see now how it's the perfect preschool winter activity - not only do the boys enjoy themselves, but I get quite the workout as well.  Lessons may well be in their future. 

Tumbly Toddler Twins

Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew...taking my twin toddlers to a gymnastics center for open gym time, for example...with a bunch of other twin parents!
Then, my tumbly toddlers won't smile for the camera, even though I'm pretty sure they're having fun.  You'll notice my friends' kids love to smile for my camera! 
Fortunately, my Knight in Shining Armor comes to my rescue.  Can you "spot" him?
A fun, crazy time was had by all (I think) and I got my workout in!  We might even do it again someday.

Twin friends O and W sharing a tramp...M crawling across it!

M ignores his mama, but buddy A smiles for me

Mr. A is having a grand time...M again, crawling away!

Here are N and M bouncing across the 4 tramps...we'll work on turn-taking in the future.

N ignores mama again, but his friends smile for me!

Daddy to the rescue!

and into the foam cubes! 

N LOVED sproinging down the bouncy thing... 

Come on G, this is fun!

Four Bouncing Baby Boys

N looking like a real gymnast - full of chalk!

Leavin' On a Jet Plane

Tonight's the first flight we're taking the boys on since THANKSGIVING!  That's probably some kind of record for us.  I'd like to say I'm totally prepared, but the truth is, we have a gymnastics playdate this morning, so I've got to wake, dress, feed, and pack them for that before I even get started on our Michigan packing.  I used to be so...organized.

Ah, well.  Just wanted to say hi and let you know that I should have some good photos for you of tumbling, flying, and playing with the families - next week. 

I've spent several naps working on what we're calling New House Adventure and we've got a couple leads so I'll call that progress.  It's slower-going than I'd like, but I do know that patience is not my strong suit.  That must be why God gave me twins.  Hm...I think I just figured something out. 

Cavemen

That's what we've been!  We just heard on the news that this weekend's snowstorm is a Minnesota February record - so we've been creative with indoors activities the last couple of days.  N, especially, loves being a caveman.  He dumps out all the toys in the 30 gallon tote, lines himself up, and tips it back over onto himself.  This game became especially  fun when I gave him a flashlight!

Last night we were snowed in, so Daddy taught the guys how to make forts.  They thought this was totally hilarious and spent an hour crawling in and out, lining their vehicles up on the chairs.

That's M giving us his big boy face.  I think he was saying "ham!"  He learned it when I fed him a ham and cheese sandwich the other day. "Ham-ham-ham-ham-ham-cheee-"

I definitely have some ham and cheese on my hands with these little cavemen! 

Grocery Getters

Had I known our trip to Cub would result in a blog post, I'd have taken my camera, too, but this is from October, when N's hair was just beginning to come in!  I had to show you the adorable cart that we use at the store - the guys love it!

So we started in the produce section, where Mr. Apple, as we called him, informed us that kids get a free apple every time they come in.  I knew about the cookies, but the apple...maybe they would eat them here?  They're not always crazy about them at home, even though they ask all the time.  I could always fall back on the cookie.  I took a bite out of each one to get them started.

About 15 mintues into the trip, both boys are behaving well and N is going to town on his apple.  What brand is that garlic bread coupon? I wonder....and reach for my coupons.  EGADS!  The coupon file is in the van!  This is not 55 cents here, people.  No, my coupons today were going to total $20.69, so I had to go back out and get them.

The Customer Service lady volunteered to babysit, but I declined, even though I've been shopping there for years and really like the people.  So I left my groceries with her, loaded the guys into their coats and an empty cart, which M loved because he tried to surf in the back while I repeated, "Sit down on your bottom," the whole time I was trying to hurry - because it's cold and windy again here - but not run - because M is squatting in the back of the cart while N struggles to keep holding on to his apple during the entire exchange.  I'm guessing this is where M lost his because it was never seen again.

Back in, back to shopping.  N is still mowing the apple, M is repeating, "Ap-po? Ap-po?" like, Where's my apple?  or Is that an apple?  Why are we buying so many apples?  Because everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING is either an apple or a cookie to him.  But I did get him to say "avacado" when I put one in the cart.

The rest of the trip went without a hitch.  I've been avoiding grocery shopping with them at all costs just because...well, it's a hassle.  But once you're actually in the store,strapped into the cart, apples in hands, it's not so bad.  And I like it when people say, "Twins?  They're so cute!" I reply, "Yes, they're good boys, " because I want them to hear me say it over and over again. 

As I identify each item for them AGAIN while I'm unloading the cart, I noticed N push the last chunk of apple in his mouth.  His sweatshirt is soaked with apple juice and he's giving me his humongous smile.

He just ate the ENTIRE apple...core and all.