Backyard Summer Fun!

I'm genius, I tell you...genius. I just don't know why I haven't thought of this sooner.

All my kids LOVE to be outside. If one of the girls are crying, all we have to do is walk outside with them and they chill out. The problem is, or should I say was, our yard isn't baby proof. We have a deck, uneven ground, sticks, and a crazy three year old running around. Not very baby friendly.

Usually our backyard adventures only last about 20 minutes....pulling in the wagon and then into the sandbox. The newness of the sandbox has worn off, and I am constantly having to put one of the twins back into the big green turtle.


Today the boys wanted to play t-ball. I moved the girls highchairs outside into the shade and they were our little cheerleaders for a good 30 minutes. At halftime we decided we need to cool off with the water hose. Now for the genus part....drum roll please...I put about an inch or two of water in each of the babies highchair trays. They splashed and giggled for another half hour while we finished our game.

It was nice to have the girls safe and happy outside while I got to spend quality time with my older boys.

Date Night

It takes a LOT of work to keep the romance going having 4 young children. After a day of diaper duty, potty training, and answering "why? why? but why?" 50 jillion times the last thing I want to do is spend "quality time" with my man. Don't get me wrong, my bearded man is a total stud, but this mama can only be spread so thin.

We are so fortunate that we have family that will watch our children for FREE. We put the twins down for bed about 6:30...yeah, it's early but it works for us...I NEED my evenings free from babies. I'm ok with waking up at 6AM. After the girls go down we head out for a night on the town.

Thursday evening we went to see Speed the Plow at the Tulsa PAC, Liddy Doenges Theatre.

It was a FANTASTIC show with amazing performances. And the cool thing? Tickets were only $15! AND since it was at the Liddy Doenges Theatre...think Off Off Broadway....you can bring drinks into the theatre. I get to go to the theatre and watch a very clever, funny play and my hubby gets to have a beer. Everybody's happy.

If you get a chance, go check it out. I think today is the last showing, but keep a look out for upcoming shows by the Odeum Theatre Company...you won't be disappointed!

The point is MAKE TIME for each other...because there isn't any.

Graceful Clutz

I fell down the stair. You read right, stair.

Picture this: Walking down stairs, holding Maya, wearing flip flops. Ely is shampooing the tile floor at the bottom of the stairs. On the very bottom stair I loose my balance. I grab onto the baby gate, heard it crack under my weight, and decided to let go...those baby gates are expensive and didn't want to break it! As soon as my flip flop hits the wet tile, I slip. There is no stopping me. Somehow I twist around, doing the splits, protecting my clueless baby from the fall. I, on the other hand, bit it...HARD. I can't express to you how much pain I have been in this week. You would think I had been in a car accident. I have some muscle relaxers, but they just make me sleepy and who has time to relax with 4 kids?

A little white lie

Okay. Don't judge me...we all do in some way, shape, or form...sometimes lie to my kids. Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy...the usual. But tonight I lied for pure selfish reasons. I put them to bed an hour early and told them it was bedtime. It has been a long day! After they where tucked into bed I took a well deserved soak in some bath salts.

I don't know what I'm going to do when they learn how to tell time.

Popsicles for breakfast!

Its official...I am the coolest mom EVER. I served my kids popsicles for breakfast. The look on the boys faces when they sat up at the breakfast bar asking me to fix them some oatmeal and I said "No, how about popsicles?" Priceless.

No one freak out on me...anyone who knows me knows that my kids rarely eat sugary snacks...that's all I need, a kid hyped up on sugar. The night before I made some yummy healthy frozen snacks. Here's what I did:

Banana Butter Pops

In a food processor 3 bananas, a heaping spoon full of organic peanut butter, and about 3/4 cup of vanilla soy milk....blend and pour into popsicle trays, then freeze! Easy-schmeezy.

I adopted the recipe from a really cool website http://weelicious.com/ .....it's full of fast, fresh, kid-friendly recipes. I just used what I had in my kitchen...dee-lish!

No TV, No Problem!

So, we have been officially without a television for a month now...by choice. Honestly, I don't miss it at all! When we moved into our new home we decided not to install cable. We watched WAY TO MUCH! We wanted more out of our lives then the drama on the screen.

The boys use watch cartoons for several hours every morning...now after breakfast we PLAY! Not to diss educational kid shows, heck they taught my boys their ABC's. Plus when I was pregnant with the twins I don't think I could have survived without the babysitter...I mean, tv. I use to watch soaps during lunch...now we just talk and I try to teach my boys table manners...Gavin's got a long way...he's messy!!

It's sad, really, when one of the first things you think about on Tuesday is, "Oh, American Idol is on tonight! Yeah!"

My four year old, Zander, was giving me updates about the latest Tulsa driveby's. Enough was enough.

Instead of tv, our evenings now consist of each other...playing games, baths, reading books. After the kids go to bed my husband and I have our time. We can read, blog, meditate, talk, reconnect...this is OUR TIME!

The coolest thing about not having a tv? MY ATTITUDE! It's amazing, the effect of stopping the polution you feed yourself daily...the affairs, the murders, the gossip. It's unhealthy to compare yourself to the unrealistic images of women in the media. Having had 4 children, lets just say my body just isn't what it use to be! Not to mention, all the drama...gone. All around I'd say I'm a more positive person...ask my husbands and kids.

Also, I've noticed the boys using there imaginations more and playing TOGETHER! Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now...

Anatomy 101

Zander is such a help around the house and with the babies. I sometimes forget that he's only four years old. Today we were sitting on the couch each holding a twin, giving them a bottle before nap time. He started to pull her dress down inspecting her chest.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Looking at her boobs," he informed me. "Her nipples look like mine. When she grows up they'll be big like yours, right?" Then he added, "I think Maya's gonna be fat when she grows up. She's getting pretty heavy."

Mayfest & Blue Dome Art Festival

This past weekend me and the fam enjoyed the beautiful weather at Tulsa's Mayfest and Blue Dome Arts Festival. This was the first year we brought the kids...and you would think we were one of the attractions with as much attention we got! We really are sight to see...

We bought some AMAZING art from a local artist named Shanna Teague-Bishop. Check her work out at http://shannateague.tripod.com/

We borrowed my dad's camera and pretended we were pros. Most of the pics turned out great...I really want to take a photograghy class...and buy a better camera.

Me & my red headed boy, Gavin...he couldn't get enough of those portapotty's!

Zander, waiting for dad outside of Arnies...such a little man.

Aloha!

We had an AWESOME luau for the girls this past weekend. Thursday is their "offical" birthday, so I'll write them a more special note then...but wanted to thank all the family for coming over and celebrating with us. We had a GREAT time! This year has flown by. I remember being terrified when I found out I was having twins, but it really hasn't been that bad. Don't get me wrong, I have daily struggles, but I think that is true with any mother...whether she has only one child or four.

Anyway, back to the luau. It was great. Ely grilled veggies, chicken, & shrimp kabobs...we also had grilled pineapple...YUMMY! My grandma made an incredble coconut cake from scratch. It was so much fun planning a party in our new home. Hopefully the first of many!

The girls had a great time at their luau. Maya was a little more reserved and Camille loved being the center of attention...but what else is new?

Maya felt most comfortable in my lap.

Camille, on the other hand, was hamming in up and putting on quite a show!

Maya, not sure what to do...

Camille having a ball!

I'm a slacker, I know

I have been TERRIBLE about blogging lately. I've been super busy (imagine that w/ 4 kids, a husband, a new house...and 2 birthdays this month). Plus I still can't find my camera from the move. Part of the fun of blogging is sharing new pics with your friends and family...sorry folks...here's an oldie but goodie...

wow...how they've grown...Can you beleive that the twins will be turning ONE this month?! This year has seriously flown by.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! So nice to spend the day with my beautiful family. Ely had Zander draw a picture of his family for me (per my request). I wish I could scan it and post it on here...to funny. It had me, him, Gavin, a monster, and Uncle Zac...no Daddy or the babies :)