The green guy!

The green guy, AKA the Philly Phanatic came to my school today! MeMom brought the kids over to see him! He did a few dances and acted out a story that one of the teachers read. It was a lot of fun!!

P.S. MeMom was very nice and took Morgan and RJ swimming for me... thank you MeMom!!

Finished Garden!

Pictures of the finished garden... without the mulch... mulch to come soon! If any one has a green thumb send prayers our way that this expensive landscaping lasts and doesn't die instantaneously!

And... check out our vegetable garden!

Tomatoes, Beans, Eggplant, Cucumber, Zucchini, and Lettace

Bye bye bottles, hello princess bed

Today was the first day that Morgan did not have a bottle ALL.DAY.LONG!! About a week ago Daddy and Morgan were looking on the computer and she decided she wanted a castle bed. I told her she had to have no bottles for 7 days... day 1 down... yikes! Didn't think she could get through one day, but one day down! (I better start looking for this castle bed...)


Aunt Jo, Uncle Sean, Claire and Zandi spent a wonderful day here today! We had a yard sale in the morning and we made a few bucks. Daddy worked four hours of over time, then came home. Everyone had a blast today!! Zandi and RJ both took almost three hour naps and Claire and Morgan played nicely together, although at times they each got a little out of control/silly with each other! That's what best friends are for!

Make-up... this is what it is used for!

RJ decided to help himself to Morgan's princess 'lipstick'

Morgan not so happy...

Kids Night!

Today was Grandmom's birthday. To celebrate we decided to take her and Dad L out to supper at our favorite restaurant... Red Robin! We forgot that Tuesdays were kids night! Perfect!! A great birthday celebration for Grandmom followed up by a free ice cream sundae! Mmm! The kids each got a free sundae with their meals and as you can see pictured below balloon creations and tattoos! Morgan got a butterfly balloon and RJ got an Elmo balloon. Morgan got what else but a Sleeping Beauty tattoo and RJ got an Elmo tattoo. A nice night out! Happy Birthday Grandmom!!

Rocks, Asphalt, Plastic, Concrete

What do all of these (Rocks, Asphalt, Plastic, Concrete) have in common? They were all found in our mulched flower beds. We did not do any landscaping last year, so this year was a big task! We had our work cut out for us! We found everything from chunks of plastic to little rocks to big rocks to concrete to even a big chunk (a good 2.5 foot by 2 foot) piece of asphalt buried 12-15 inches under the dirt. My goodness?! Couldn't the builders have hid their remains anywhere else but a flower bed where things are supposed to be planted?! We have enough trouble planting and keeping things alive, but yet another obstacle... substances that DO NOT GROW?! yiyiyi.

What a big rock, or so I thought...

Nice Asphalt! Pictures of the asphalt that I dug out all by myself while Daddy was working... pretty impressive... I also slipped just once and gave myself a disgusting bruise on my inner calf... at least I didn't break the skin...

The humongous hole after I sledge hammered all the asphalt out!!

While I was 'minding' the asphalt...

this is where I found Morgan and RJ the first time I checked on them....

and here is where I found them the second time I checked on them...

What my children can climb when I'm not specifically looking!!

The above mentioned all occurred yesterday before Nikki's party.

Today was a nice mother's day... Bob had to work so I went to church with the kiddos and then to my parents to visit with family and eat supper. Nice, relaxing day!

Bob got me a nice triple-picture frame of the kids! Very thoughtful! (All I asked for was a picture, so he went beyond!) He also got me a recordable card that had Morgan recorded saying "I love you Momma". If only the battery will never die on the card!!

Surprise Auntie Nikki! Happy 30th!! Uncle Bobby and Auntie Nikki's parents organized the whole party held at my parent's house (due to space limitations). Auntie Nikki was completely surprised! Yea!! She had a great time socializing with her friends and family!

I was happy because Morgan and RJ got to spend some quality time with Aunt Meggie and Uncle Andy. How cute... RJ wearing Uncle Andy's sunglasses! Little bug head!

Garden

Wow! We have a lot of work ahead of us! Bob bought tons of bushes! Now it is time to decide where to put everything!

"Pretty Costume"

"Pretty Costume Daddy." A Morgan quote as Daddy was dressed up for a board meeting where he was being honored. Pretty snazzy if you ask me!

Teach me how to crash!

Aunt Melanie came over for a visit today. Morgan used her sad puppy dog please to have Aunt Melanie fly her kite for her. (Momma said no very quickly!!)

They attempted, unfortunately the wind kept coming and going... so for Aunt Melanie that was a lot of allowing the kite to fly, letting out more string, giving it to Morgan to hold, kite crashing, then winding the string up again... REPEAT! What a fun game!! Glad it was Aunt Melanie and not me!!

Act 1 - Scene 2

I haven't blogged about it because A) I have been preoccupied with the strike, and B) Since Morgan just had the surgery a couple months ago, I knew there was not too much to worry about! (Although I have to admit I didn't sleep too well last night... just Momma nerves I suppose)

This morning RJ got TUBES. 6:30am arrival time. Ugh. Daddy did not take off work so I took both Morgan and RJ to the Doylestown Surgical Center. Grandmom met us there to watch Morgan in the waiting room while I took care of RJ.

(Gotta love the feet cross!)

RJ got into his cute little gown (same one as Morgan had, I just forgot my camera with her) and then we waited patiently... attempted to wait patiently... for almost an hour! Bummer we had to wait that long, but guess it is protocol... or if the doctor/anesthesiologist doesn't show up on time... Anywho... RJ drank the little bit of 'juice' quick and easily and within five minutes looked sleepy. That was my cue to slip away before he noticed I was gone. About 2o minutes later (a little longer with him that Morgan) Dr. Nesi came out and said the surgery went smoothly. He explained that a liquid thicker than honey drained out from his ears! YUCK!! He also commented that RJ should be a changed little guy! Five minutes later a nurse came out to get me. RJ had woken up immediately and was crying and squirming hysterically. Even when I held him he did not settle down for almost 20 minutes! Nonstop screaming and forcefully moving, trying to get out of my arms. Finally he exhausted himself and he fell asleep for 4o minutes when the nurse asked me to wake him up. (The nurses assured me that 1/2 kids sleep off the anesthesia , and the other half cry/scream hysterically because they feel weird and don't know why.) After he woke up we gave him some apple juice. After a few minutes of keeping it down the nurse took off his back monitors and I got him dressed to leave.

We came home and are all watching some Clifford and WordWorld on PBS. Soon lunch and early nap for everyone... even me I think if I can get the house cleaned up quickly!

DAY 6 STRIKE/LAST DAY OF STRIKE

Last day of our strike... what a yucky day this morning! I walked in the rain for my two hours and then came over to the Y to take the kiddos swimming. One good thing about the strike, got to see Morgan swim two weeks in a row and take RJ in the late morning versus after supper making it a late night returning home!

Morgan now jumps in all by herself and goes under!!
Then she swims back to the side!
Go Morgan!!

After swimming we came home and that is when I found out that today was our last day of striking. The kitchen was a disaster, literally looked like a tornado went through! The kiddos went down for naps and so did I! After I took a short nap I was mentally able to clean up the kitchen!

Clean kitchen to start back to work. Need to organize the rest of the house and then I am set for the week!

Baseball!

(Picture from last year, no new updated Phillies pictures... YET)

So excited that Baseball season is here! Morgan still cheers running around the house shouting at the top of her lungs, "Go Phillies! Score Phillies! Go Phillies!" She is also pounding her arms up in the air!

Morgan is talking about really wanting to go see a Phillies game with Momma and Daddy. I can't wait to take her for her first live Phillies game! Seeing the big green field, all the seats and spectators, the players out on the field, and most important the excitement of cheering and chanting to cheer the best baseball team in the world! (No prejudice here!) I even have a glove for her to take with her to catch her first fly ball!!

Question is: Should we take RJ (and his new mitt) with us or not? Leave a comment, RJ or NO RJ... that is the question!

GO PHILLIES!

Day 5

Unfortunately still striking, day 5...

Here were my young picketers with me!

After picketing for two hours we headed to the bank, to the vet to pick up some meds for Nickel, then finally home and again the kiddos played outside for several hours, including eating lunch outside at their picnic table! After several hours of playing with EVERYTHING in the garage it was nap time for the kiddos and down time for me!

Still Striking

Day 4. We are still striking. Personally I want closure. I hope that both sides are able to compromise. I know our side is trying hard to cooperate without throwing in the towel. I can not speak for their side except to say that we are still striking. Yes, I DO want a little bit more money... but I don't think I am a greedy person. I know that I work hard, am always doing work at home (IEPs, calling parents, lesson plans, etc), and buy lots of things for my classroom with my own money. I know I should not do things at home or buy things with my own money, but I love my job and want to make my kiddos happy when they see me, and if I don't do work at home I would fall behind and that is not a good thing... Let's just pray for this issue to get resolved sooner rather than later!

I took Morgan and RJ with me in the stroller today while I picketed. I had no other choice. They did a great job! I forgot to take a picture! IF (hope we are not), but IF we are still striking tomorrow I will have the kiddos with me again and will remember to take a picture! It was cute... Morgan had a little sign hanging around her neck!

On Strike...

Check out the ABC Link... (you will have to copy and paste it to a new browser)

With a good eye you can see me walking at two different times! My13 seconds of fame!

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7393330

Garden

We have officially decided to create a garden this year! First we had to decide where to put the garden. How big should the garden be? What should be plant? We have been talking about what seeds we are going to buy versus what plants we are going to buy. As we have been talking about creating a garden Morgan has been getting excited to help us!

Morgan said she wanted to plant watermelon and strawberries.

Then she asked me what I wanted to plant.

I responded tomatoes.

Morgan said, "Ok, Momma. Daddy, what do you want to plant?"

Daddy answered corn.

Morgan said, "Daddy you can't plant corn, corn doesn't have seeds."

Daddy, "Oh, I want to plant eggplant and cucumbers.

Morgan asked, "Momma, does eggplant have seeds?"

Yes Morgan.

"Ok Daddy, you can plant cucumber and eggplant because they both have seeds."

I am getting excited to start our garden! I am hoping some of the veggies/fruits we plant will grow and overall save us some money!

Daddy is doing the hard part this weekend. He is going to start rototilling and adding organic 'stuff' to the soil. I can't wait to see it when I get home from class!

Literally!

I love the literal interpretation stage of kids! It makes me realize how much we learn as we grow! Our English language is amazing and I love hearing Morgan and her friends 'correct' me or question me when I make a 'mistake'. Two recent situations made me smile when hearing the literal response!

Situation 1: Marlaina, the 4 year old neighbor was over playing in the sand box with Morgan and RJ. RJ couldn't have a shovel so he started complaining by whining and screaming. I said to RJ, "That stinks Bubba! I know you can't have the shovel. Sand play stinks sometimes when you need to share!" Marlaina commented, "The sand stinks? Really?" and as she commented she took a shovel full of sand and smelled it!

Situation 2: RJ spilled his cereal on the kitchen floor and I commented, "Oh brother." Morgan who was standing next to me said, "What did you say Momma?" I said, "Oh brother, RJ spilled his cereal." Morgan answered, "I'm not brother, I'm Morgan and I'm RJ's sister."

Sleeping Beauty

Characteristics that must be followed to be Aurora-Briar Rose-Sleeping Beauty-Morgan!

1. Wear flow-y dresses
2. Spin in circles to let dress flow out
3. No pants allowed
4. Only use princess cup for water
5. RJ is your prince
6. Hair down, princesses never pull their hair up!
7. Only use purple for or spoon while eating
8. Wear red sparkly shoes whenever possible
9. Wear tiara and necklaces while dancing
10. Always putting on more princess shiny lip gloss

Spur of the moment...

Spur of the moment we met up with Uncle Cameron, Deklan, and AJ at the park for a fun-filled windy visit! The wind didn't seem to bother the kiddos at all! Morgan and Deklan ran around together, went on the swings together, and went up and down the jungle gyms and slides a million times! RJ tried to tag along with the 'big kids' (Morgan and Deklan big kids? Oh my!) and AJ was content to be pushed on a swing for the entire two hours we were there! It was so nice! For the majority of the time we were the only ones there! It was so nice!

After the park we headed to Wendy's for lunch (Deklan choose it so he could get a frosty!). As we were walking in a 40-something woman asked me you have a two sets of twins so close together? God bless you! Wow... what to say to that? I reassured her, no, they are two separate families! After lunch if I had two sets of twins that close in age I think I may have a full head of gray hair, if I had any hair left!!

RJ fell asleep on the 15 minute ride home and Morgan couldn't stop chatting about what she had done with "her friend" Deklan! RJ transitioned right to his bed without even an eye opening! Morgan said she would take a nap but instead read books in her crib and played for over two hours before I got her up.

We went to the local fire house's annual steak and potato supper. It was good as always. Daddy dropped us off at home and went to work. We played outside for a little while then came in and went to bed!

Long, but fun day!

A couple videos of the kiddos!

RJ investigating and climbing...

Deklan and Morgan

AJ swinging!