Monday madness

We were happy to see Ava and Harper this morning, and they were their Monday morning wild little selves-getting into everything they could as fast as they could. The house quickly looked like a tornado went through it! Twin tornadoes actually.
I took Rielee to school and it snowed the whole way there, with lots of slush on the road, too. When I got back, Papa had changed a messy diaper and had the girls in the tub.
We didn't think we were going to be able to take them outside at all today it was so rainy, but just as Harper brought me one of my shoes as a signal that she was ready to go, the rain let up, so we went out for a few minutes. They would walk along, then poke at the slushy snow, then walk a few more steps and do it again. Uncle Alan came outside and they were excited to see him, then he came inside and colored with them.

This picture cracks me up. I was trying to get a picture of Harper holding her baby and blanket since she was being such a good little "Mama" today and packing her baby everywhere. But just as I was taking the picture, Ava jumped right in front of me and smiled really big!

Wrestling, snow & volleyball

Saturday was Parker's wrestling tournament and it was a long one-started at 11 and ended at 7:30 p.m. He ended up with a 4th place medal, with some disappointment from losing his last match, but he did well, with lots of improvement over the season. Wow, we got 2 more inches of snow this morning, and still had about 5 inches left from before, so I called Rielee to see if she wanted to build a snow man. We ended up building 2.

Then we started on a snow fort, which turned into a snow house. Fortunately, Gabe came out to help finish it because my feet got cold and I had to go inside.

It ended up with a partial roof since the snow stopped and the rains started.

It was fun building though, and Rielee got a kick out of it!

In the afternoon, we went to watch Macee & Tierney play volleyball. They were playing in an 18's tournament in Longview (they are on the Cowlitz 16's Black team), we watched them play 2 matches in bracket play, the second one they lost to the Cowlitz 18's Black team, a tough loss since they beat them the last time they played.

More snow

All this snow is so pretty but it meant no twins again today, but I am glad they weren't on the icy roads. Parker wanted to go shopping again today, hoping he might find something to use his birthday coupon on.
As we were leaving Fred Meyer he saw a kid making a dog tag at the engraving machine, and decided he wanted to make one.

I wasn't sure what kind of product he was going to end up with, but actually it was pretty cool, and he was happy with it.

We then went to several stores at the mall, and he didn't find anything else he wanted until we were at back over at Prospector's, the "cheap" store as we call it. He bought a metal sign that had Uncle Sam on it, he was so excited with his purchase since he is getting a new bed this weekend and is re-doing his room. One coupon down, and he used another one for a Panda Bowl on the way home. A successful shopping trip.

Snow!

No school anywhere today. I got a 7:00 a.m. phone call from Parker requesting biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Auna showed up right after that, looking for someone to hang out with since her Mom and Will were sleeping in. So after they were fed, she and Parker headed out to play in the snow. Rielee watched some cartoons and then decided she was ready to go out, too. She asked me to take a "nice" picture of her and Auna on the swing so she could frame it.

After an hour or so of sledding and general snow fun, they all came in to warm up, dry their clothes and have some hot chocolate. We invited Jillian up to play, in this picture Rielee and Parker were wrestling and Rielee asked Jillian to help her, so Jillian was running the school bus up and down Parker's back.

Before Jillian left, she and Rielee had a ball playing out on the teeter-totter. After that round of outside play, Auna, Parker and Auna's friend Kayla came in for some lunch and a TV break. The big kids went out again to play but I kept Rielee in since she was coughing again.

Snow Day

It was a snow day for Rielee (though she probably would have stayed home anyway with her cough and cold) and a late start for the other kids. Ava and Harper were so happy to have them all around. Parker happened to sit down at the computer and was attacked by them, asking to play Starfall, he was happy to do it though.






This afternoon we took the girls outside. Papa made a little snowman, which promptly fell over, and then he showed them how to make snowballs and throw them at me, Auna and Uncle Alan. It was a short playtime since no one had gloves on.

Lexi and Luke

We had a full day today. Rielee stayed home from school again with her cold and bad cough. She didn't have a lot of energy but she did play with Play-doh with the the girls for quite awhile. Ava and Harper didn't really know what to do with it, but had fun just moving it from one container to another. I kept busy picking it up off the floor.

Kelly went to a Zumba class with a friend in Kelso in the evening, so she brought Lexi and Luke up to stay with us, too. Parker and Auna came over to visit with the kids and had dinner. Later, Lexi, Luke, Parker and I had fun watching Teen Jeopardy and playing along. Lexi beat us all badly.

Tried to get the kids to all pose for a picture, but Harper didn't feel like having her picture taken.

Saturday

Macee's club volleyball team was playing in Covington. They won their first 2 matches and we got there to see them lose to the #1 team in the tournament, darn it. We were happy to see Parker who said he was done throwing up and was on the road to feeling better.

Friday

No school in Vancouver today so we didn't have the girls. Parker was home sick with a nasty stomach flu though so he came over, but he only stayed until noon since they were leaving for Seattle to a volleyball tournament.

Alan's birthday picture

I made the girls "Happy Birthday Uncle Alan" signs and had them color and put stickers on them. We got them bathed and dressed and put bows in their hair, then sat them down to hold their signs and take a picture. First lesson, don't tell them they look pretty, because up goes the hand to the hair to take out the bow. Ok, bow back in, Ava smiling prettily, and Harper decides to wad her sign up in a ball...

Finally, bribed with pretzels, they sat in the recliner long enough to snap a picture, no smiles but hey, it is the thought that counts. I knew Uncle Alan would understand competely!

*After the picture, they stayed looking cute for about a half an hour. We put them in the high chairs and gave them some banana, which neither ate and Harper decided to rub in her hair. Makes pretty good mousse, her hair was sticking straight up.

Wednesday

Rielee didn't go to school today because she was coughing. She brought over her Elmo slippers for the twins to wear. Ava wore them around first, but then they both were happy to each wear one. The girls all took a bath together. Rielee tried to get them to swim on their tummies and showed them how to blow bubbles and go under water, but they weren't going for it. Rielee took a bunch of play food in the bathtub and they thought it was pretty fun to "cook" in the tub. They all suds up their hair for a picture but I couldn't get a good one of them.
The girls wouldn't go down for a nap until Rielee went home after noon and then Harper woke up too soon and was a little fussy the rest of the day.

End of basketball season

Charb met us in Kelso for Rocket's girls basketball game vs. LaCenter. Ava and Harper were happiest walking the hall since Kelso's bleachers aren't enclosed and they couldn't get down and play at all in the stands. They made it through the game though with lots of snacking and distractions from Rielee. Macee was upset after a tough loss and the seasons end, but still had a grin for me and a hug for her sister. She is a tough competitor and we love watching her play.

Valentines Day

We had such a special Valentines Day. We got cards and candy from all the kids. The twins are so darned cute on Mondays anyway, and this morning they were cracking me up. After not being here for a couple of days, they just go from one thing to the next as fast as they can, it is so comical. They were coloring this morning before they had breakfast...and I convinced them to give each other a little kiss. After their bath, I went to dress them and they had t-shirts to wear that said "I love Grandma" and "I love Grandpa" on them, so cute. Tried to get a picture of them both where the shirts showed but they weren't cooperating.

They hardly play with their blocks anymore, just the wagon. Harper climbed in it first today and Ava tried to pull her around. But then Ava wanted to get in for a ride and Harper got upset, so Papa put them both in it and gave them a ride together.

Uncle Alan came over to play this afternoon and they colored again with him for a long time. They spent a lot of time getting on and off the chairs, retrieving crayons and running around the table, not sure what that was all about.

After school, I gave Rielee this stuffed animal for Valentines Day, a unicorn, that she saw at the flower shop a couple of weeks ago (and said she really loved and wanted so badly), and to my surprise she had no memory of it, none. Just said, "oh, a unicorn..." too funny, after she begged for the silly thing.

PK & Riels

Parker and Rielee spent Saturday night with us. Rielee went to the boys basketball game with us while Parker was at a birthday party. They wanted the usual french toast and spuds for breakfast. Parker asked me to run him down to the mall so he could buy some stickers for his door. On the way home, he bought me a coffee at BK with one of his gift cards. Rielee was playing in the tub when we left and had just gotten out when we got back. The girl loves her bathes.

Big socks are fun

The twins have their "we're innocent, we weren't getting into anything, honest" look perfected already! Today I found them in our bedroom on the other side of our bed, they knew I was looking for them and they both had their hands on the bed, leaning up against it and were grinning at me, looking innocent as can be, I asked what they were doing and they both just grinned bigger. I didn't notice until hours later that the phone was off the hook, and that was what they had been up to.

Having a snack and watching the squirrel eat the suet cakes.

Harper wearing Papa's socks, something different that kept them entertained for quite awhile today.

Cow sighting

Since it was warmer, we let the girls play outside for much longer today. They just have so much fun exploring and wandering around, and were excited as always to see the cows by the fence. I sat down on the edge of the driveway to watch them play by the playfort, and it didn't take long before they were sitting on the driveway, too.

Papa mowed the lawn and took them for a ride on the mower. Ava wanted off early to get back to her rock hunting but Harper stayed on until he finally quit.
Later in the day, when it was time to get ready to go home, Papa sent them to find one of Harper's socks and then found them both under their table (both with their runny noses). The sock was actually under them.

Papa's best time

Papa says his favorite time of day is first thing in the morning when we first bring the girls in the house. They are sleepy and cuddly and like to be held for a half hour or so until they wake up. I love it, too.

On our wandering walk today, we ended up going down the shop driveway where Ava was thrilled to find some big rocks. She found so many she couldn't carry them all, so I showed her where her pockets were and we loaded them up. Way behind Ava you can see Harper headed in the opposite direction.

I went along when we took them home so we could stop at Target on the way home. Papa wanted to look for some window shades for the car since the sun shines in the girls' eyes on the way home, yesterday it was so bright they both put their blankets over their heads. Hopefully the ones we bought will solve that problem.

Harper wanted to put a diaper on Big Dog yesterday. This morning Papa took it off before the girls got here, but Harper noticed right away and wanted it back on. Ava hugging diapered Big Dog.

This was Harper's reaction to coming in the house after playing outside today, fortunately, they both keep their little tantrums very short.

I took Parker and Auna to James' game this afternoon. I asked them to sit together so I could take a picture of them, this is what I got...such cooperation!

Harpers "tough guy" look

We took 3 walks today so the girls got lots of time outside. On our first walk, they started out at the playfort, then Harper found the basketball and threw it so it rolled down the driveway to the house. Then they saw the steps and had great fun going up and down. It is so much fun to watch them toddling around, but it is a challenge for me to try to keep up with them and keep them from falling or trying to go through the brush (Ava the Adventurer, I call her)or fall off a bank! And today they protested going back in the house with little screaming fits, every time.

Okay, so this is Harper's "tough guy" look. Something she started doing this weekend while playing with Dad. She was having too much fun with Auna today to look too terribly tough though.

After school, I took Parker and Auna to town so Parker could spend some of his birthday money. He bought a couple of games for his DS and a new belt. Then later we went to the girl's basketball game, which they won and now will play their first district game Friday night. Macee and Tierney both played really well.

Happy travelers

We didn't have the girls yesterday since they had their 18 month check-up in the morning. We planned on taking them back early so we could get to Ilwaco in time for Macee's game, so Kelly decided to take the day off. Probably just as well since they got 3 shots. Harper weighed 22.6 lbs. and Ava 22.8. Harper measured an inch taller than Ava, but Kelly said Ava was freaking out when they were measuring her so her measurement was probably inaccurate. Both girls were healthy and the dr. was impressed with their progress. It started to rain when we were outside today, so Papa took the girls under a tree to stay dry.

We have much happier little travelers these days since they get to face forward. Papa said he gets this type of smile whenever he looks back at them to see how they are doing.

The girls lost their game and now must beat Montesano on Monday in CR to stay in the playoffs.

The boys also lost and are in the same situation but have to beat Forks in FORKS on Tues., yikes, we won't be going to that game.

Baking lesson

Papa decided to bake me a cake today, except he was having to do it one-handed since Ava wanted to watch. Harper also wanted up to see except she was nervous about the mixer noise.
After Papa poured the batter in the pan, Harper really got into helping me lick the bowl and was very good at the "1-finger" dipping method. But Ava tried to dip with her whole hand, then she wouldn't try tasting any of them, instead she put some in Harper's hair, in her own hair and then wiped her hand on her shirt!
It was a very short baking lesson.
Parker had a wrestling match in CR tonight and won 2 out of 3 matches. He really seems to enjoy wrestling.

Parker is 11

I caught Macee giving Parker a birthday hug tonight! Parker just wanted a small birthday party and he asked for ribs and curly fries for dinner, a chocolate cake and Reese's and birthday cake ice cream.

Earlier today:

Every walk these days includes a stop in Alan's driveway where Harper inspects some rocks. She studies them in several different places and doesn't put any in her mouth.

Playing in the Pack N' Play, they have always played in it with Auna, but have wanted in it this week when she isn't here. Basically they stand up while we entertain them and then plop down and roll around giggling when something strikes them as funny.

They are cracking up in this picture when Papa said "ver-r-ry interesting" in a silly voice.

Earlier starts

Our first day of the new carseat transfers was pretty funny. Harper was awake, Ava half-awake, so they sat on the couch for awhile watching cartoons and trying to wake up. It didn't take long though, before they were up, happy and running all over the place, The right arm up stretch...

and by 7:30 they had played with every single toy they have. By 8:30 they had eaten breakfast and were back to bed for a long nap.

We went outside for a walk in the afternoon and they spotted the cows over in the field. It was a very wet walk through the tall grass to get over there. They were very excited to see the cows and mooed and mooed at them.