This Blog Will Be Temporarily Postponed Because...

I'M GOING BACK TO WORK!!!!!

That's right. You are reading the blog of Chapman Retreat's new 2nd grade teacher (for 12 weeks anyway). Long story short, I applied for an interim but the principal hadn't started interviewing yet. Then when I was going up there to volunteer Thursday I was planning on handing the principal my resume and letting her know that I had passed the online interview that she had told me I had to do. I had a quick thought slip into my head, "God if this is Your will let it happen today." Then I thought that was being a little unrealistic. Let me just tell you not to challenge God because I walked into the office at 9 and was hired and being introduced to the staff by 9:15, seriously! My head was spinning as I met the teacher, and she told me she was due the 21st. I was thinking of all the things I had to do in 3 short weeks. At 4 I get a call from her saying she is having bloodpressure problems and has to stop work. So, I spent Friday at school getting a crash course in the classroom, and I take over full time this Wednesday!

Now, I will try to answer your questions I know you are thinking:

Yes, rest assured I am FREAKING out!

My sister will be watching the babies most days with one of my BFF's Angie doing it when she can't.

Jon will have them from 3 on due to his new be at work by 5 am schedule.

How to teach is slowly coming back to me. She is giving me complete freedom in running it how I want and teaching the way I like which is both nice and a little daunting. Lots of calls to my other BFF Amy who is also going back to work 3 days a week are helping as we are trying to remind each other what we used to do!

Yes, my children will be eating LOTS of take-out!

And the #1 question: WHY?

Right now I don't have to go back to work financially (not that a little cushion wouldn't be a welcome blessing!), but I want to. I have really been missing teaching. Five years is a long time to not do something you really love. The last 2 years have been really draining and this seems a good way to get a piece of myself back since I define myself as a teacher to see if I've still got it!

Mostly, I've always dreamed of being a teacher at my kids' school. One of the hardest things to deal with when the twins were born was because of the age difference if I went back to work when they started kindergarten, Jackson would already be in middle school. With this interim, my class will connect to his! We will share a cubby room, and I can peak over and see him. Plus, we can go on all field trips together, and I'll be at recess with him. Then with Ashton being there, I'll get to see her in the hall, and she'll know I'm there. I feel like the 2 big kids have given up so much of me for the twins that I figured the twins could give me up for 12 weeks so I could have this experience with the big kids and get to spend time just the 3 of us before and after school.

Obviously, I'm feeling a little guilty since I feel like I have to justify this decision to the blogging world! I know it will be crazy hard so I would appreciate all your prayers. I have high expectations of myself and what a better teacher I will be now that I am a parent and how much I want to shower them with God's love and be a good witness. Because of that, I already want to work on lesson plans 24/7 and am trying to figure out how to balance that with this other 24/7 job of being a mom I have (not that a lot of my working mom readers don't already know the difficulty of this struggle), but I truly feel like God has ordained this decision as I could write an even longer post as I told you how many things He worked out and how many people have had things fall into line for this to even happen.

So, don't be expecting a lot of posting for a while (or 12 weeks) but boy should I have some material when I have time to share!!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

This is Jackson leaving for school last year and a sister who cried hysterically (probably because he was leaving her alone with those two crying babies!)... And this is how small those babies were at 5 days old...This is the 2 crying babies now crying because their brother and sister are leaving for school...
Wow, a year really does make a difference, but I'm stuck with the same problem-crying kids!

Wordless Wednesday War...

Yeah, I'm starting it. I found this in an old folder (2006) and couldn't resist!

First (Staggered) Day of Kindergarten...

I'm afraid that this actually happened on Wednesday, but I've had to work myself up to blogging about it. I know you are tired of me being sad, but I had no idea I would be so upset to send my 2nd child. I htought I'd already done it. I know they will survive and that I'd be fine. I am crushed. This is my baby girl and my constant shadow. What will my days be like without her?

OK, moving on. I am going to just recount the facts and leave the emotion for tomorrow when she starts full time.

If you know us, you know that on their birthdays they get cinammon rolls in the shape of their age, so I decided to do one in the shape of a K- not easy, but she loved it! We had to change our all-important first day outfit because she had PE, but don't worry she'll debut it tomorrow on her first full day.

If you have girls you know, it's all about the matching hairbow! An apple one, how perfect is that?
I was VERY brave if I do say so myself, and didn't show her my trepidation a bit.
Daddy went to work late because he obviously couldn't miss this.
Saying good-bye to big brother before he headed upstairs to 2nd grade. I feel so much better knowing he's there and will walk her to her classroom, and so does she.

Here is our awesome teacher, and answer to my fervent prayer in the flesh!
Now, it did get rough as they read "The Kissing Hand" and they had to give us a kiss on our palm to take with us. We all got a little teary. Her sweet little eyes welled up with tears, but she was so brave!

However, while on the walking trail leaving I lost it and cried like a baby. Of course, Jon laughed and took my picture, but it was ugly so I'm keeping it to myself. Then I handed him the little bag of Kleenexes with the sad kindergarten poem on it. He only made it through two lines and...

I'm not sure if you can see the glint in his eyes from the tears he started crying. He didn't make fun of me any more!

When we got home I cried again when I saw a bowl of goldfish because she asks me to get her goldfish like 30 times a day, and I can't imagine my day without that.
Now, those 2 cries were bad, but then I opened the closet to see the floor covered with Little Ponies. You see, often when the babies sleep she and I play "Ponyland" in the closet. The thought of not getting to do that sent me full on into the UGLY cry. I still can't bear to pick them up! I had one more period of the ugly cry about an hour later while sweet Wesley looked at me with concern all over his face, and Will laughed at me!

What will tomorrow hold? I have lots of plans to stay busy so maybe I'll be ok. She's excited, and that is really all that matters. I can be brave!

Will and Wesley's Cake Review, Part 2...

Wesley: Well, Will here we are again giving another review on cake. I mean do these people want us to weigh 1000 pounds when we grow up or what?

Will: I know. When they put that cake down in front of me I was like seriously? We're going to do this again?

Wesley: I could tell by all those people looking at us that this was a big deal, so I tried to put on a good show. Of course, mine was red instead of green this time so at least that part was different. I think I liked the green better, but the red matched my outfit and made me look like a funny clown!
Will: I got blue again, but it tasted kind of funny each time. I didn't let that slow me down. Every time I took a bite I made this really funny face, but that didn't stop me...
Will: I persevered and gave cake a chance, and I just have one thing to say: CAKE ROCKS!!!!!!!!!

Wesley: All this partying plus pulling your hair, stealing your cake and hearing you scream "cake rocks" wore me out. I'm glad I have another year to gear up for the next round of cake!

Birthday Loot...

Seriously? Is there such a thing as being too well loved? What will poor Santa have left to bring?

Worship Care Score...

Today I think Mrs. Angela gave me the "sweet spot" in worship care. I got my favorite class, no potty training, fun to play with and no fighting. Which means I got to hold Cami, play peek-a-boo with Eliza, and be told "up" when Ella Kate wanted to be held. It was the sweet spot indeed!

7 Things...

I was tagged by Ashley...

7 things I want to do before I die:
1) Write a book
2) Teach college
3) Take Jon to Ireland
4) Watch my children be baptised and married to Christian spouses
5) Have a cabin with hunting land and a scrapbooking room
6) Build my dream house next to my Grandmother's
7) Scrapbook my family's heritage photos

7 things I can do:
1) Make my kids laugh
2) Carry twins to term!
3) Just about anything with two babies at one time
4) Love 4 kids with all my heart
5) Fix dozens of Little Ponies' hair
6) Say tongue twisters
7) Fight (play fight anyway where the other person isn't allowed to really hurt me!)

7 things I cannot do:
1) Anything athletic
2) Get Jon and Jackson to hurry
3) Keep my house clean
4) Stay current on blog, picture developing, or scrapbooking
5) Remain patient at kids' bedtime
6) See the floor of my van
7) Find enough hours in my day

7 things that attract me to my husband:
1) his goofy sense of humor
2) his integrity
3) he's the GREATEST dad (I always tell the kids the greates gift I gave them was their dad)
4) he has been my best friend since I was 13
5) his family
6) his being a Christian
7) his servant's heart

7 things I say most often
1) hurry up
2) your Playstation is about to be in time-out
3) you can't have any more goldfish until you eat your breakfast/lunch/dinner
4) seriously
5) are you getting off on time
6) don't cry, mommy's hurrying
7) Luke Skywalker (the dog) get out

7 peple I tag:
1) Jon
2) J-Rae
3) Betty
4) Kyla
5) Sonja
6) Heather
7) Jen (when she gets her new blog this week!)

Dear Wesley,

You make my heart happy in so many ways. I love this picture of us because we look so happy together. How cute is it that you are holding your jaw crooked so we can see all your teeth. Right now we are sitting across from one another eating our breakfast, looking at you I felt the need to share with the world the way you bless my world every day. To think one year ago I was mad at you because you flipped causing me to have to schedule a c-section, but then you flipped back and I sat up all night begging you to stay put (even threatening you). You came into this world way too easily, and you definately earn the distinction of being the easiest of my 4 babies to care for.



It seems crazy now that I worried so much because you didn't seem as social as your brother at first because now you are the biggest flirt when we are out in public. For the first year you were definately much easier to care for than your high maintenance brother, but I have decided you are going to be difficult on odd years and Will on even because you are such a handful right now! Just now I had to stop typing to go disengage your hand from pulling Will's hair. When I first fussed at you as I saw you going for his hair, he leaned his head toward you and laughed. Even as I had to pull your hand from his hair he laughed, this time. Usually these days, if I hear him crying it is because you are pulling his hair, poking his face, or have stolen his toy.



Sadly, I'm afraid you are quite the little (or big bully), but you're so darn cute about it. If I fuss at you or say no you laugh like I have told you the funniest joke ever and pull that much harder. Jackson fussed at you for pulling Will's hair the other day and called you a bad boy. We all froze as you said "A bad boooooy". It doesn't bode well that your first sentence is, "I bad boy!" Still, it's hard not to laugh because you can get away with so much since you possess one of the cutest smiles I've ever seen!



I think it's no secret to those of us who watched you grow from the smaller baby to being 3 pounds heavier than your brother that you like to eat. A lot of your bullying involves you stealing food from your brother. (Oh my goodness, Will is holding his head toward you again and you are pulling his hair and laughing. Another word you are good at saying is "Uh uh" and often just verbally discipline yourself!) I can't count how many times I've seen you take a bottle away from him, but the other day I saw you take it to a new level. You were drinking from a bottle that only had a couple of ounces in it, and I had just given Will a new, full bottle. I watched you crawl over to where he was eating, pluck the new bottle from his mouth, replace it with your almost empty bottle and help yourself to the full one. That's pretty devious for a 1 year old!



Your new favorite game also says a lot about your personality. While Will prefers peek-a-boo, you like the make-a-loud-noise-and-scare-people game. You will yell and laugh as long as we'll keep pretending to be scared. Your yell and your laugh are both in your really deep voice (compared to your brother anyway) that .



Well, my love I just wanted to jot down some things I love about you at this age because I know you will change before I know it. I hope you'll outgrom the bullying because I can feel the readers thinking about pulling their kids out of being in class with you! However, please don't ever change your sweet curly hair that I can't get enough, those beautiful smiles and the belly shaking laughter you have and cause. No matter how big you continue to grow, in my heart you are forever my baby boy.

Wordless Wednesday...

And Her Teacher Is...

Yes, after much anguish and trying my best to make Kyla spill some insider info (which didn't work by the way- that woman is like Fort Knox) I had to wait until 6:00 tonight to find out who Ashton's teacher was. You could probably hear my sigh of relief and squeal of joy at your house because I got my long time friend, co-teacher and Bunco buddy Marie Fox. I had requested her two years ago for Jackson but didn't end up in her class, so it is long over due. Of course, I have the amazing gift of going to a school where all the teachers are amazing so my fretting was more because I was excited to find out so I could picture Ashton in her room. I'm sure I will be singing her praises all year long, but for those of you who don't know her, Marie is one of those people who you know is doing what God made her to do by teaching kindergarten. The highest compliment I ever heard her recieve, which carries a lot of weight in my book, was when I had kids in fourth grade who begged me to let them go visit Ms. Fox five years after they had her. I remember several of them writing about her in their journal and what a great teacher she was, so I trust that my baby is in the right hands. Besides the placement of my children has been covered in prayer almost daily this year. God put Ashton somewhere that she would get loved on and I would feel comforted. Plus, He put Jackson in a class that has live animals (guinea pigs) so he couldn't be happier! Praise Jesus!

It's Mean But Oh So Funny...

Since Jon has a blog too we often fight over who gets to post what. We both wanted this video, but since it was kind of mean I let him have it. You see, I like to pretend that I am above torturing my children for laughs, but let's be honest here: someone was obviously holding the camera and saying, "Get Wesley".

So, enjoy some good laughs. As Ashton reviewed it "Hee Hee, Daddy's mean, hee hee."

When Frogs Attack

70 Reasons I Loved W&W's First Birthday Party...

1. I loved we were able to have it at Grandmother's house which is just perfect for a party and has way more seating than our house would have.

2. I loved that the rain cleared up and the weather was perfect.

3. I loved that my husband learned his lesson and anchored the water slide, so we didn't have a repeat of the last accident.


4. I loved that so many people pitched in and helped get everything done.


5. As I was running around crazy trying to get everything done I had no shortage of people to love on and keep up with the birthday boys including my dad's girlfriend Kim who helped out a lot.6. I love having a true friend like poor Craig who stepped up and helped Jon man the hot grill even though he was going out to eat afterward so didn't even partake of his hard work.
7. I love that it's funny that my mom and her sister Joan look about as alike as the birthday boys :)

8. I love this picture. This scene had me cracking up: Ashton and her posse. You would've thought that it was Ashton's party because most of her best friends in the world were there. I wish I had a video of this moment when they all came walking along in a mob like a scene out of a gang movie! Too funny!
9. I love that even though Will has been a little scared of Granda lately he had his picute mad ewith him though he's keeping his eye on him!
10. I loved hanging out with my sweet friends (though I was sad I didn't get pictures of all of them) like Kyla here who knew who my daughter got for kindergarten and didn't tell me. Did I mention that already?
11. I loved Ashton got to hang out with her cousin Logan who got bested by a scooter earlier in the week. They are almost clsoe enough in age to be twins.
12. I loved Wesley wanted to get his hands on this talking baseball bat, but didn't really enjoy tearing into the packages like I thought he would.

13. I loved that everyone thought enough of our twins being individuals that they wrapped their gifts seperately or apologized for not. Who didn't? Their own parents didn't even think about it! Of course, I know this will be much more important when they are a little older.

14. I love that whenever Will is excited or trying hard the tongue comes out.

15. I loved they obviously liked the garage Jon and I got them since they couldn't even take their eyes off of it even for their picture.
16. I loved having my super organized sister there to organize the gifts, cards and fold the tissue paper, seriously. She has a problem but comes in handy :)

17. I love my favorite niece Addie, everything about her. She makes me smile.
18. I loved Eliza being there so when she married one of the twins one day it will be a sweet story to tell at their wedding.
19. I loved letting the boys get as messy as they want especially outside.

20. I loved that I finally have photographic evidence of how often Wesley pulls Will's hair. You see that red icing on Will's hair? Only Wesley had red on his hands. Wow, I feel like I should be on CSI.
21. I love that Wesley is complaining about something, and Will could care less.
22. I loved this face and that it matched his shirt so nicely.
23. I love this close up. Again, I have photographic evidence that Wesley also steals Will's food, notice the blue!
24. I loved the shirts Donnie made them. Wesleys's said, "I'm 1 too." We thought about it too late, but wish she'd made Jon and I shirts that said "I survived and I survived too."

25. I loved this naughty look because he figured out how to stand up.

26. I also loved AJ's paniced look when I was taking pictures of him climbing instead of being ready to catch him!
27. I really loved this family picture though you can see us trying ot hold them at a distance, though we still ended up covered in icing ourselves.
28. I loved that Jon twisted Wesley's hair to give him Bozo hair to match his Bozo face.
29. Even though this picture doesn't show it, I loved how Will giggled and smiled his evil smile when we took him in to show everyone. He looks so cute when he's being so naughty.
30. I loved that even though Grandmother just got out of the hospital with her hip replacemnt, since we were at her house we were able to bring the messy ones on and let her see the madness.

31. I loved that Will tried to kiss Grandmother and laughed and laughed at getting her messy.
32. I loved Donnie's blue mustache from a Will kiss.
33. I loved my idea of just rinsing the kids in the baby pool instead of leaving the party to give a bath.
34. I love Jordan being there because he and Jackson are like "peas and carrots" to quote Forrest Gump!
35. I love this beautiful face which always has a smile on it. My sweet nephew Justin.

36. I loved Ashton's cousin Alexis being there. Pretty girls.
37. I loved having all my aunts but one sick one there.
38. I loved the Cooks being at our kids' birthday party since he has been coming to Jon's birthday parties since they became friends at age 8.
39. I loved having my Mawmaw there.
40. I loved my sister Heather and her family being there to love on my babies.

41. I loved having my Mommy there!
42. I love this picture of 2 boys happy to be with their Nana and Pop.
43. I love the boys getting some Floyd love!
44. I loved that even Uncle David and Aunt J-Rae got some love as the day wound down.
OK, I'm done. Jon said he wouldn't even read 70 reasons so I'll stop now.

Why 70? Because, believe it or not, we had 70 people there to help us celebrate! Yes, 70! That number absolutely overwhelms me with how blessed we are and how many people there are that love my children!

I honestly have many more reasons to love their party, but I have one big regret. The reason we invited so many people is that we wanted to have a big blow out to thank everyone who has helped us make it through the past 1 year and 9 months. Only through the grace of God and the help of our many loved ones did we survive the pregnancy and challenges of twins. I had my speech all ready to thank everyone for their love and support and things were so busy and crazy wrangling those two through cake and presents (what else is new?) that I totally forgot.

So, to everyone who brought us a meal, drove my children somewhere, gave us diapers and formula coupons, babysat, or prayed for us: thank you. Rarely does a day go by that I don't think of your kindnesses and thank God for all of you.

So, there is our crazy party wrap up- just like everything twice as crazy and definately twice as fun!