We made it!

The girls are 4!  They are both quite excited.  Ellie makes sure that she lets everyone know.  I have to say, things might be easier ?!?  There seems to be alot of arguing going on.  For example:

Ellie:  "If you don't give me that, I am not going to play with you anymore.  I won't be your sister anymore!"

Dani:  "I won't share my room with you anymore.  You will have to sleep by yourself.  I won't be your friend!"    Good tmes, then they are instantly best friends again.  It's amazing that they NEVER hold a grudge and they never seem to be mad for more than a minute.  I wish I could let things go that easily!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY to my beautiful girls!

                                                                          Danielle

                                                                     Elizabeth

  

                                                                     Ellie, Brayden and Dani

                                              Brayden; six and a half!  Happy half birthday Goo!

Birthdays galore!

                                                              

My baby girls turned 4 on March 14th!  It is hard to believe that 4 years have gone by. I was in tears the second I found out that I had two beautiful girls (Tears for many different reasons).  It has been an emotional, trying, exhilarating four years.  These girls have brought so much happiness into our lives, it still seems surreal to me. 

They have reached the landmark, 4 years!  Everyone says it is smooth sailing from here on out, at least until the teenage years.  I am waiting anxiously for that flip to switch.  As I type this, they are tearing through the house with their cousins.  Doors are slamming, voices are screaming and laughter is surrounding me (with occasional tears).  Here is to smooth sailing.........

Here is a little montage of the last 4 years.  I pick up their 4 year pics. next week and will post them then, I just couldn't hold myself back from memory lane with these little ones.   :)

  

Elizabeth Mackenzie ~ 1 year

Danielle Claire ~ 1 year

                                                                    Ellie Mack  ~ 2 years

                                                                    Claire Bear  ~ 2 years

                                                                  Dani Claire ~ 2.5 years

 Ellie Bella ~ 2.5 years

                                                                 Best Friends ~ 2.5 years

                                                             Ellie Beth ~ 3.5 years

Dani who yells!  ~ 3.5 years

Feeling it.

On Saturday, Kent, my SIL, Sarah and I went skiing at Mt. Spokane (Kelly didn't want to go).  My MIL was so kind and watched our kids for us.  It turned out to be a beautiful day on the mtn.  We all used our groupon tickets that we bought in the Fall and it included equipment rentals.  This was a huge treat for me because I have never used shaped skis.  That's right folks, my equipment is straight from 1990, or before, I can't really remember.  I am talking straight skis with little pointed tips.  The last time I skied (which was before the girls were born, 4 years ago) the lift operators actually laughed OUT LOUD and pointed at me.  They would look for me to return to the lift so they could point out my antique equipment.  It truly was mortifying.  Needless to say, I was super psyched to use modern day equipment! 

The skis were great but the boots were horrible.  I think I have permanent damage in my toes.  It truly was a great day that was full of fun memories and brought back lots of memories from when I was a kid.  I took the first fall and it was a doozy.  I caught an edge, crossed my skis, flipped head over skis (they didn't pop off) and was bent all crazy and things were in places where they weren't supposed to be.  It wasn't pretty and I am suffering today.  My neck is so sore, I could barely turn my head while driving.  When you have to refer to your toddlers to see if the road is clear to go, it's NOT a good thing.  I have definitely been feeling old lately, did I mention my babies are turning FOUR in a week?

And my oldest baby woke up like this today:


For some reason he had a hard time keeping his eyes open.  Doesn't he look goofy? He doesn't even look like my boy with that face.  He has a huge hole in his mouth, but it looks so much better than the tooth that has been dangling there for a month.  I am so glad it finally fell out!

The girls wanted to be in the pic. too.  Can't seem to get a decent picture of all of them.

When I was looking through our party decoration collection, I found this number six candle that we forgot to use for B.  He suggested we use it for his half  B-day (this boy is always thinking).  His half B-day was the next day so we made cupcakes and sang "Happy Half  B-day to you."  The kids thought it was hilarious.  We ate cupcakes and then headed to the YMCA for a family night swim.

TMI

Before you read ahead, let me give you fair warning: This may be too much information for most of you......

This morning we (the three children and I) headed out at the crack of dawn to get my labs done.  Every few months (it seems) I have to get blood drawn to make sure everything in me is working properly (at least, the parts of me that a blood test can read) because of my diabetes.  I have to fast in order for the tests to work properly.  Just the idea of not being able to eat makes me a little edgy.  Last time my blood sugar was running low, but I was determined to have my labs done that day, and didn't want to mess up the results.  As soon as I got into the lab room the phlebotomy lady gave me an orange juice, apparently when it's that close to the blood draw it's ok to drink.....anywho, not my favorite thing to do.

We waited patiently for 20 minutes then I got called back.  Today the phlebotomy lady was very friendly, not always the case.  We chatted, she drew blood and told me the Dr. also wanted a urine sample.  Perfect!  That makes so much sense, since I have not eaten or drank a drop in the last 12+ hours.  Whatever, ALL of us traipse back to the bathroom with lots of shouting and questioning surrounding me. 

MOM, what are you doing with that cup?  Are we done yet?  Was that owies?  Where is the bathroom?

We manage to get into the bathroom and Brayden instantly starts giggling.  This kid's memory is amazing, he knew exactly what was happening next and he thought it was hilarious!  So much so, that he started laughing harder and harder and louder and louder. 

"MOM is going to tinkle in that little cup!  Hahahahahaha"

Girls:  "What?  Why?  Why are you tinkling in that cup?  I  have to go potty!!  Why are all these other cups  full of tinkles?   (after opening the handy, dandy secret cupboard).

I don't know about you, but tinkling in a small cup is not my greatest talent.  It brings back HORRIBLE memories of when I was pregnant with the girls, as big around as I am tall and trying to balance, hold a cup and tinkle, without making a gigantic mess.....This reminds me, I think pregnant ladies should be given a BUCKET, especially ladies pregnant with twins!

I have digressed......eventually with much concentration and anxiety I was able to tinkle in my little cup with a full-on audience.  What am I going to do in a few years when all of these little  people are in school full time?  Tinkle by myself?  What a crazy idea.

40 before I'm 40

7/26/13  Sweet!  I just updated my list, it's looking good!  I am hoping in five short years my goals will be met. 

I  just updated my list, I only have about 10 more things to do in the next 6 years!  I think I need to add more, I need some ideas! 


~Edited part~
Just checked out my list and to my surprise I got to check THREE things off!  I/we have painted the inside of our house, we are getting new carpet next week and the girls are in a dance class!  YIPPEE!  The next thing I want to accomplish is teaching the kids how to ski!  Saving up the bucks so we can head to the mountain!  Let me know if you have any tips on how to teach three small children to ski.  I am assuming we will most likely resort to lessons, this may save all of us some tears!  I will let you  know how it goes.

I need to add to my list, the years are ticking away and I still only have 29 items.....

I am frustrated, I am so technically challenged.  I am trying to make my list a link on my page that I can click on and look at periodically....I can't figure it out!  Please help.  I was editing it, and apparently I have to re-post it AGAIN so I don't lose it, so sorry. 

The exciting thing is I got to check off "Take a cooking class!"  I bought a Groupon and it was great!  Kent and I got two date nights during the week and got some great recipes too.  Soon I will be able to check off a girls weekend, hopefully a family camping trip (does the backyard count?) and for SURE an Alaskan cruise!!!  Kent and I were offered a FREE Alaskan cruise!  It leaves from Seattle, so we don't even have to pay for airfare.  We couldn't pass it up, the only bummer is, they don't have cabins big enough for our five person family.  Brayden has already been on two cruises with us, so we are taking the girls on this adventure.  Brayden is going to spend the week with my parents!  THANK YOU!  We do have to pay for the girls to join us, but it was a very good rate that we had to take advantage of.  It still seems too good to be true.  I feel like I am jinxing us, we are supposed to leave July 9, which happens to be two weeks before my sprint tri.  I think I am sabotaging myself!  Oh well, maybe I will actually be motivated to work out on this vacation.....I will finish the tri, it just may not be pretty! 

That's the latest here, it hasn't really sunk in yet!  BTW, we were offered the free trip from Park West, an art dealer from which we "invested" in some of their art.

The Phillips Family: 40 before I'm 40What are some things I want to do in the next 8 and a half years, before I'm 40? YIKES! Maybe if I write them down I will accomplish at least some of them. I am going to give it a go and add to it as things come up:


It has been one year since I wrote this list.  Sadly, only a few of them have been completed.  But I do realize that some of these things are ongoing, lifelong goals.  I have a lot of traveling that needs to get done in the next 7 years!


1. Be more patient with my children. (I'm pretty confident that this will be a LIFE goal)

2. Take a cruise with Kent and ALL the kids. :)  ~happening in 2 months!

3. Get all of the kids into swimming lessons.

4. Teach Brayden to snow ski, and then the girls too.

5. Complete a sprint triathlon. Done 2 times!

6. Take a sewing class.   (Thanks for the reminder Megs!)

7. Take a cooking class with Kent.


8. Go to Europe with Kent.

9. Scrapbook at least the girls' first year of life.

10. Do a canopy tour in Costa Rica. DONE

11. Visit the East coast, especially New York City.

12. Volunteer in each child's classroom.

13. Become healthier with my diabetes. A1C = 6.5  Done 6.2!

14. Take a vacation to Lake Chelan.

15. Go camping as a family.  Such great memories made!

16. Learn how to crochet or knit (I'm not sure which is which).

17. Go to a natural hot springs.

18. Take a long girls weekend somewhere, ANYWHERE!  (happening in July!!!)   So fun!


19. Take a nice getaway for our 10th wedding anniversary.

20. Expand my practice as the kids get older.  It's growing and growing, feeling fortunate!

21. Get a will. Done!

22.  Have the girls take a dance class.

23.  Paint the inside of our house.

24.  Get new carpet.

25.  Build a new deck.  (Have Kent build a new deck.)   Thanks Babe!

26.  Take an Alaskan cruise.

27.  Hire a house cleaning service.  :)  Loving it!

28.  Start an IRA account.  (Newly added).

29.  Complete a bike race (25-50 mile) with Kent.  By myself, not with Kent yet though....


*The list will grow as I grow older and think of more things that need to be completed or experienced. *
What are some of your goals and/or wants?

Less than a month.....

Ever since I gave birth to my twin girls I have been asking EVERY mom of twins, "When does it get easier?"  Most of these mom responded with laughter, (knowing that it never gets easy, just different) but the ones that took my question seriously all responded, "When they turn 4." 

Guess what?  My life is about to change....my babies are going to be 4 on March 14.  Less than a month!  This day can't come soon enough.  I don't know what is going on with my children, but it has been a rough couple of weeks.  I think it's the Winter blahs, and the being cooped up inside for months and months.  I know all of my friends seem to be struggling with their children too. 

My countdown has started.....we are going to party like rock stars for their 4th birthday!  I have no plans yet, but it will be awesome!  Good luck to all of you surviving these last few weeks of Winter, Spring is almost here, and my job is going to get easier!

P.S.  I will keep you posted and let you know what a breeze my life has become within the next month or so!  :)

Willy Wonka

My MIL, Sandy, was so sweet and bought all of us tickets to go see the Children's Theatre production of "Willy Wonka."  Unfortunately, my SIL, Shelby, fell on the mountain last week and BROKE her knee cap!  Sandy is in Oregon helping take care of her and her family.  I hope you're recovering quickly Shelby!

Here is a horrible pic. of the six munchkins.  Brayden, Keegan, Owen, Ally, Dani and Ellie.


So, Kent, Sarah, Grandma Vanna, the six kids and I went to the show.  It was fabulous!  The kids were enthralled through practically all of the 2+ hour production!  My favorite part was when Veruca Salt made her appearance (she's the spoiled, rich girl).  She stole the show and had quite the attitude.  After her monologue Brayden looked over at me and said, quite loudly, "WOW, that girl is more naughty than Dani!"

We missed you Sandy, thanks for the special, Sunday afternoon treat!