Ballet on the big stage

The dance school that Hassie Clare and Quinn attend is always doing fun little things to keep the kids interested and active. At the end of each semester they have a recital on a big stage at our local theater. About half way through the semester the teacher holds class at the theater to get the kids and parents familier with the set, backstage, etc. The girls were completly star struck because they knew that Dorothy (from The Wizard of Oz) was once on that stage. They even got to see the makeup room where Dorothy got dressed. It was like watching Elvis fans visit Graceland. When we walked into the dressing room they were motionless and speechless. They studied every inch of the room and then talked about it for days ... all because Dorothy was once in that room.

Here are some pics from the ballet and tap class on the big stage:

3 year old class (most of the girls have already turned 4)

I love this picture. They look so grown up changing out of their tap shoes and putting on their own ballet shoes!

Aunt Amy, Nana and PawPaw came to watch them on the big stage.

After class with their teacher Ms. Jill.

Fibs & Birthday

Hassie Clare: "Mom, how old are you?
Me: "21"
Hassie Clare: "Are you tellin a fib?"
Me: "Yes I am. I'm 25."
Hassie Clare: "Are you tellin a fib?"
Me: "Yes I am. I'm 32."
Hassie Clare: "Are you still tellin a fib cause tellin fibs aren't very nice?"
Me: "Yes I am honey. I'm sorry and you're right. I'm 36 today and I will not tell a fib about my age again."
Hassie Clare. "Okay sweetie. You work on that for me."

So there it is. I'm no longer lying about my age. I've always lied about my age, even when I was a teenager. It's always been a running joke with me and all my gal pals. Especially the younger ones. I've been friends with some of them for over 10 years and they don't know my real age.

The joke is over. I'm 36 years old today and proud of it ... not really.... but I'm getting there. I've lied so much about it over the years that it takes a little getting use too:) I started out lying about being older but somewhere around 25 I started lying about being younger. Come to think of it, my mom always lied about her age.  And I think she told me that no one ever knew her mom's real age. Maybe it's genetic and I can't help myself. Whatever the cause, I promise Hassie Clare, I will work on not lying about my age.

PS - Thank you for a great birthday. I loved my homemade cards. My fitness watch is awesome (I have to limit myself using it because my OCD kicks in. I love watching how many calories I burn just by folding clothes). My mother in law got me a "bad to the bone" hair dryer and my always favorite gift - a subscription to People magazine. I also love the movie and candle you guys picked out for me. Breakfast in bed was great! And dinner with friends topped off my birthday celebration. I'm a lucky girl and I thank God for that everyday. It feels spectacular to be exactly where I want to be in life as I turn a year older!

Enjoying our peaceful life while it lasts!

Not much has been going on in the Thurman household besides the usual stuff. Life is somewhat boring yet enjoyable. We even had the weekend off with no scheduled activities! Haven't had one of those in months.

Last weekend I enjoyed a visit from Aunt Karrie. She bravely went to play bunko with me on Friday night. Not surprisingly, she fit right in and had a great time. I love my bunko girls. When we get together, it is all about having fun and being girls. There are rarely petty quarrels or disputes - which is extremely rare when you get 12 crazy girls together. Everyone has each others back .... for the most part. You can "let your hair down" and not worry about being judged (it seems to be a monthly thing for me lately:).  The older we all get, the more we appreciate the time we have with our girlfriends ... at least that is how I feel. I have lots of pics from this night but none I can share on my blog:)!

The next day Aunt Karrie and I took the girls to the gym for some indoor swimming. I have no doubt that they will be swimming sometime this summer. They are like little fish! The coolest part of this outing for the girls was the group shower in the girls locker room afterwards.

Taylor took the girls on a few outings. Here are some pics (with the phone) from the past week:

 At the zoo (shockingly the zoo didn't keep them:)

 The Children's Museum - the bug exhibit (notice Quinn's eyes and the grip she has on HC's hand ... she is always on the look out for anything strange and creepy.)

 Tay Tay and the girls enjoying Spring Break.

I let the girls make their own pizza. Crust, sauce, cheese and turkey dots (the girls always ask for "dots" on their pizza.) They love cooking!

Funnies

1. This is a conversation between Jamie and Hassie Clare. Hassie Clare said "Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy." Finally Jamie replies "What it is it Hassie Clare?" Hassie Clare said "I love you sweetie pie." Jamie replied with "I love you too." Four seconds later. Hassie Clare says "Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy. Daddy." Finally Jamie says "Yes Hassie Clare?" She replies with "You don't say much ...... but I like you."                                 (Later I figured out that she got that line from the movie UP .... she is already a movie geek at 3)!
2. Quinn called Hassie Clare a Lobster Booty and then started laughing hysterically. Hassie Care started crying saying "I don't have pinchers on my arms. I have little girl fingers." This went one for 15 mins. They can add anything to the word booty and think it is funny! I discussed with them recently that a little soap in their mouth might help them remember not to call people names or say ugly words. Of course Hassie Clare wants to taste the soap to see if she likes it cause if it is not that bad it might be worth calling her sister a booty poopoo head.
3. The other day a Jehovah Witness came to the door. It was when we were all sick. The girls and I were curled up on the couch in our PJ's. I cracked the door and told them that we were sick and that we could not talk. If course they still tried to talk and asked me my name. I said "Heather." Hassie Clare was standing right beside me and she immediately chimed in with "Mommy your telling a fib. You're telling a fib and that is not nice. You name not Heather. That's a fib mommy." The whole time the JW men are just standing there staring at HC with a smile. Then they replied "Jesus forgives." I shut the door and locked it quickly.
4. Their cousin Josie lost a tooth. Last night at the dinner table I was explaining the process of how baby teeth fall out but grown up teeth take their place. Then I started describing how the tooth fairy works. Right off the bat I noticed Quinnie's eyes getting large. Within 30 seconds I could tell she was about to explode. By explode I mean have a mental breakdown. Quinnie does not like people dressed up as characters or stuffed animals that dance and sing. She is leery of EVERYTHING at all times. Both girls are petrified of their teeth falling out if they don't brush them. She immediately stopped eating her corn on a cob (her fav) and went and got her BB (blankie). After I calmed her down and told her it was all make believe and we wouldn't allow any of it to take place, even her baby teeth falling out, she started to calm down. She sat back up at the dinner table but wouldn't eat her corn cause she was afraid her teeth might fall out if she bit into anything. She will worry about this for months.  

To me there is no better humor then listening to a child.  I love the innocent way their minds work and the way they interpret life events. Jamie and I find ourselves laughing all the time at our kids.  I guess it is one of the many rewards for being a parent.

Chief Negotiator - HCT

I picked the girls up today from their 3 year old Mother's Day Out class. Their teacher uses a red, yellow and green apple that is displayed on the wall to discipline the children. They each have a worm cut out on a clothes pin with heir name on it. If they are good, their worm stays on the red apple. If they get in trouble, their worm gets moved to the yellow apple. If their behavior gets worse or they don't follow the rules again then they get moved to the green apple. It is a HUGE deal to a 3 year old. If their worm is not on the red apple at the end of the day then they don't get to pick from the teacher's treat jar (full of candy of course).
So, today Hassie Clare would/could not stop talking during nap time. After 10 warnings and repeatedly not listening to her teacher, her worm got moved to the yellow apple. No treat!

Here is the conversation between Hassie Clare and Quinn in the car on the way home:
Hassie Clare said "Quinnie Ray, can you share your Skittles with me?"
Quinn replied, "No Hassie Clare. You have a cold and I don't want your bugs."
Hassie Clare said "I not sick anymore and you are pose to share with your friends and sister."
I was curious as to how they would work this out so I just stayed quiet.
After a few negotiations, Quinn said "Here Hassie Clare, I'll give you just one red skittle cause I think you will like to taste it."
Hassie Clare replied, "How about 3 red Skittles? Member .... nice little girls share."
Quinn responded with "Has, next time you don't listen to the teacher I'll give you 3 Skittles."
Hassie Clare excitedly said, "Okay. That sounds like a good idea. Give me one more now and next time you give me 3 when I get in trouble. Hey Mommy, when do we go to school again?"

Without thinking, Quinn handed her another skittle. 

Tell me this ... there are 10 kids in the class. Seven of them are boys .... SEVEN BOYS! Yet the tiny little girl with the head full of long curly hair is usually the only one that gets in trouble. How is this possible? I'm really shocked she didn't attempt to negotiate her way back up to the red apple. I often refer to her as our family's chief negotiator.  When she negotiates things with me (which is 5+ times a day), I usually let her think she wins. Or maybe she really does win and tricking me was all part of her plan?????? Hopefully, someday these skills of hers will come in handy!

Daddy vs. 3 year old twins

Our sweet little Quinnie Ray.
I'm convinced her genetic makeup is 35% me and 65% her father. Before having children I assumed that having a child with similar personality traits as yourself would make parenting easier. My pre-parenting assumptions were way off. Quinn and Jamie are like oil and water. They are either lovey dovey and best friends OR butting heads over anything and everything. What it boils down to is that they are too much alike. Neither one of them will give in ... EVER! Neither one of them likes to be told what to do .... they only like to do things on their own terms. It is very frustrating for him because he feels like if he gives in to her on any level then that would mean he is not being a good father.  Sometimes it is hard to watch and other times I just sit back and giggle cause it is like watching 2 bulls lock horns.
When neither of them is being challenged, they are as close as close can be. They are both intelligent, serious, caring and have a heart the size of Texas.  She will be a better person because of her father and he will be a better person because of her. They just haven't realized it yet!

Everyone thinks she looks like me but when I look at her I only see Jamie.

Our tender hearted and funny Hassie Clare.

I would guess that her genetic makeup in 75% me and 25% her father. Physically she has her father's hair and complexion but she is a spitting imagine of her cousin Jack and her Aunt Karrie (my sister). Her personality is unique. Very unique.  My pre-parenting assumptions were way off on this also. Her and Jamie get along great. They rarely butt heads. He can hurt her feelings very easily but that is about all the drama there is between them ... outside of the normal 3 year old things. They are nothing alike yet they have so much in common.  She is curious about everything. How things work, what makes them work, why they work. It is fun to watch their relationship blossom.     

What matters the most at the end of the day is that these two little girls have a father that loves them. He just doesn't tell them he loves them he shows them. Every day. His girls call him their "Prince." They tell everyone that they want to marry him someday. I have a feeling they will always feel this way about their Daddy .. minus the teenage years:)

Swapping bugs

I wish the title of this post meant we have been outside on a nature walk, soaking up the beautiful sun, catching bugs and sharing them with each other.

But noooooooo.................... the girls have been sick for the past week. Hassie Clare and Quinn each had a different virus. So guess what happened this week? The are sick still / again with a new virus - they swapped bugs! 

 They have been locked in this house for 6 days (minus one quick trip to get ice cream and to Nana's house on Sat. night). They are at each others throat and ready to kill. Every little thing one of them does is setting the other one off and I can't say I blame them. So today I took them to ballet class and the grocery store. I felt slightly guilty because they are still sick (no fever in 12-24 hours). That mommy guilt was short lived because they are once again BFF'S and there is peace in our home .... for the time being!!!

20 Things About Mom

Dear Hassie Clare & Quinnie Ray,

I thought this would be a fun blog entry for you guys to read when you are all grown up. Many of these things you might already know about me and some of the things you might not want to know about me! I hope that I'm still around to elaborate on the stories but if I'm not, I'm sure your Dad or one of my siblings or friends will be able to fill you in!

These are random things in no particular order.

1.  I NEVER mix gold and silver jewelry together.
2. My first love was Rod Smith. We met when I was 16 and he was 21. He left for the Gulf War a year after we met and I didn't think I would be able to live without him. We dated for 2 years. It was a great first love! Somewhere in an orange Nike shoebox there are a ton of love letters from him. Read them. It was young, stupid puppy love but it felt real at the time.
3. I hate chicken fat. It grosses me out. When I make chicken, your dad cuts all the fat off for me so that I can still eat what I'm cooking. I'm picky about all red meat. It has to be lean and no grizzle!
4. I've had bangs since I was a freshman in college. I was at a party, in the woods, by some lake, in southern Alabama with a bunch of friends and my hair was hanging down in front of my face, loaded with hairspray and it caught on fire. Thus ... bangs were born!
5. I was a late bloomer. Started my period 2 months before my 17th birthday. I became a woman in more then 1 way that year (see #2).
6. I was engaged to another man before I met your Daddy. He was my college sweetheart. We dated for 5 or 6 years (throughout undergrad and grad school). He was a big ole football player and a few years ahead of me. We loved each other very much but we were not meant to be together as husband and wife. We had a lot of great times. I met him in a giant cow pasture, way out in the country during a benefit concert called Chick-N-Aide (or something like that). It was like Alabama's version of Woodstock. I'm friends with him and his wife.
7. Your nana (AKA my mom) is my very best friend and I'm scared every single day that I will lose her. Your Maema is everything I wanted a Mother In Law to be and exactly the kind of grandmother I wanted my kids to have.  
8. I can pop my ears. It makes a loud sound and freaks people out. I can also wiggle my ears - your Great Grandpa Jack taught me how on my 5th birthday during a trip to California.
9. When a person claims to be a "good Christian woman/man" it freaks me out. Don't tell me about it, show me!
10. I had cancer in my mid twenties. It was a bad, bad year but could have been so much worse. Obviously, cause I'm typing out this blog entry 8.5 years later!
11. I grew up in a cove, at the top of a big hill, in the middle of a neighborhood. There were at least 15 kids my age that lived near us. During the summer we would meet out in the street after breakfast and not go inside until the street lights came on that evening. We chased fire-flys, played hide-n-seek, built forts, played kickball, climbed trees, built and set up rat traps in the fields, swam in the ponds, climbed up on our roofs to watch the airplanes, walked to the little store that was a mile away, waited on the creepy ice cream man, played war (card game) for hours in a garage on rainy days. I could go on and on - my point is, I had a lot of fun growing up in Greenbrook!
12. Your Grandpa Fred is the sweetest, most kind man I've ever known. He rescued us when I was little. I will love him forever and always be thankful for him.
13. I've traveled all over the U.S. playing sports but I've never been outside North America and I don't have a huge desire to do so. I can't wait to take trips with you guys and your Dad. We talk about it all the time. I hope by the time you read this we have many great memories from our travels.  
14. The scar on my right knee is from a glass salad bowl being dropped on it when I was a kid, the scar on my left knee is from jumping off a fence and catching a nail, the scar under my right breast (formerly on the top of my chest) is from getting bit by a Pit Bull (It wasn't his fault. I scared him with my face being painted after getting home from a church carnival.) The scar on my eyebrow is from a girl scraping my face with her fingernail, through the volleyball net, during a match. The scars on the back of my thighs are ant bites (I feel out of a trialer onto an ant pile during a football party in college). See #11 for the giant scar on my abdomen. The rest of the little scars are all sports related.
15. There are few things in life that I regret but that doesn't mean that I didn't make mistakes along the way.
16. Being married to your dad and being your mother is more rewarding then anything I could have ever imagined.  I hope and pray every day that I'm doing a good job raising you. Regardless of the outcome, please know that I tried my best and always know that I have loved you unconditionally from the second of your existence.
17.  I married the right person, for the right reasons, at the right time in my life. I patiently waited to find him and I thank God for him everyday.
18. I think my best quality is loyalty and my greatest weakness is being naive (and food and spelling but that is neither here nor there).
19. I am envious of people that do not challenge their faith or belief in a higher being. I wish I had that comfort. I know without a shadow of a doubt that my God exist because I feel him in my heart but I can't seem to wrap my mind around anything organized when it comes to religion. But I play the part.
20. When I love and/or care about someone, that love and care lasts forever ... no matter what.

With all my love,

Your Secret-less Mom

Guilty dog

The girls potty seat sits on top of the garbage can in the bathroom when they are not using it on the toliet. I'm not saying Ruby is guilty of getting in the trash BUT .......................

Taylor was still laughing hours later when I got home for work. Thankfully she captured a picture of Ruby girl with a dirty toliet ring around her neck. Ruby has been such a bad girl lately ... maybe she is going through the terrible 3's with her sisters!  

Valentine's Day 2010

My mom always made Valentine's Day so special for us when we were kids. She usually bought us a new outfit, a toy and candy for each of us. She would decorate the kitchen table so pretty and set everything out. She would get us Happy Meals or order pizza - which was a huge treat for us back in the day.


This year me and the girls sneaked up to the Mud Monkey pottery place one evening when Jamie had to work late. We made him a picture frame. The girls got to paint it and write their first initial to their name. They put their handprint on it and picked out all the colors. They LOVED it! I have a feeling we will be making a ton of homemade gifts for folks in the future.

The girls had a party at their Mother’s Day Out. We made their Valentine’s Day cards and candy for them to give their friends. Quinn was very excited about wearing a dress with hearts on the front and Hassie Clare was beyond excited about wearing her ruby red shoes her Maema sent her (cause they are just like Dorofee's shoes according to HC).

The morning before we left for school.

"Mom, it's 30 degrees out here and you put us in a shorty dress. HURRY UP!"

 

With Mrs. Pam - their teacher.

On "actual" Valentine's Day, Jamie and I decided to take the girls out shopping and out to lunch. Jamie and the girls LOVE LOVE LOVE to shop. They ask all the time to go shopping. We hit a few antique stores and then Target. We have not eaten out in 29 days so it was a huge treat! I finally have enough will power to resist temptation while on this diet. Anyway, the girls ate their weight in cheese dip at our fav Mexican resturant. Then we went to Nana's and PawPaw's to take them some Valentine goodies. We finished the night off with grocery shopping. Romantic - no. Fun - mostly. Productive - yes!

A Valentine's story

Eight years ago today (Valentine’s Day 2002) Jamie proposed to me. Here is our story:

We lived in a small one-bedroom apartment. We had been living together for 7 months (Mae – in separate bedrooms I SWEAR:). The day fell on a Thursday so we both were working … or I thought he was working. Later I found out he had taken the day off. Late in the afternoon he called and asked me to leave work on time and go home and put on something nice. He would not answer any of my 500 questions (those of you that know me will understand that statement).

When I arrived back to our apartment I assumed I would walk in to something romantic but the apartment was empty. There was a Valentine’s Day card on the counter that instructed me to get dressed and to pick up my next clue in our apartment mailbox at the main office. In my mind I was thinking, “What is this damn Yankee up too?”

The card in the mailbox was sweet and listed an address for me to go (I can’t remember where this one lead me). Long story short, this little scavenger hunt lead me to The Embassy Suites in Memphis, which I didn’t realize until I was pulling into the parking lot. There is a great restaurant in this hotel that is impossible to get reservations on Valentine's Day so I was super impressed. I went to the front desk, as instructed, and the clerk handed me my next envelope. All the while I was glancing around the atrium looking for my Valentine. I started walking towards the bar (assuming that is where I would find him) while I was opening up the envelope.

Much to my surprise, there was a room key in the envelope. I will admit my first thought was, “I can’t believe he spent all that money on a room, on a work night.” I had no idea how my life was going to change forever once I went into that room on the second floor.

The Embassy Suites rooms have a living area in the front with the bedroom in the back. I tried peeking in the front window but it was dark so I went ahead and opened the door. For the first time in my life, I was shocked beyond belief. The beauty of the room took my breath away. The room was covered in several arrangements of roses all over the room. There were tons of balloons and at least 3 dozen small tea lit candles. Standing in the middle of the room was Jamie, dressed in a tux and sweating bullets. He was shaking and crying. As I walked into the room he led me over to the table (which was lined with Peanut Butter Twix – my fav candy at the time), after giving me a great big bear hug. I sat down and he kneeled down on one knee. He said the sweetest, most sincere words I had ever heard. Then he asked me to marry him. We were both crying so hard I’m not sure what was said next. He pulled out a big, ole fat diamond ring and slid it on my finger. We did not take I single picture that night but it is forever etched in my memory.

He chose The Embassy Suites because that is where I was staying with my girlfriends in St. Louis the night we met. We were in town for the Cubs v. Cardinals series. We had a “no boys allowed in the room” policy. So at the end of the night, when Jamie and I were not ready to part ways, we “broke” into the roof of The Embassy Suites and spent the rest of the night talking, watching the city, snuggling (remember this blog is for my daughters to read when they get older:) and watching the sun rise. It was a night I will never forget – even though I could not remember his name the next day! So me and my friends nicknamed him Rooftop (I found out much later that Jamie's friends nicknamed me Rooftop as well). Anyway, this is why The Embassy Suites is the place Jamie picked to propose marriage to me.

So after all the excitement of the engagement, he had reservations at the restaurant I mentioned. The food was fabulous – a man after my heart. We got our cheesecake dessert to go and took it back up to the room.

As I’m typing this, I keep looking at the beautiful engagement ring on my finger that he designed himself and all those amazing memories come flooding back to me. Someday one of my daughters or granddaughters will wear this ring. And I hope every time they put it on they feel the same magical, unconditional love that I do!

Jamie's 39th Birthday Pics

He is such an old man but good gracious I love him!
I did a blog entry on him on Jan. 14th titled "My Best Friend's Birthday" but here are the pictures that go with that entry. I wish I could figure out how to link them????

1st Snowman(s)

What a fun, unexpected snow day we had! We woke up Monday morning to 5 inches of fluffy, white snow that was absolutely beautiful (especially when you are not use to seeing snow). We had no idea it was coming - so the surprise element made it even more thrilling.

Our special angel friend Dana came over to play in the snow with us. We don't ever get to see her or spend time with her so that made the day even more special.

First of all, it took about an hour to convince Quinnie to come out and play in the snow. She didn't want to put her snowsuit on, or her hat, or a shirt, or her boots. Most of all she did not want to wear a heavy coat. She was not crazy about the idea of touching the snow, or getting cold, or getting wet. After some bribing and begging, she agreed to come out to make one snow angel and then she was coming back in. AGREED. A hour and a half later she was pouting as I dragged them back inside. Hassie Clare could not wait to get all her gear on and get down and dirty in the snow. She was grinning from ear to ear the entire time.

But I think Ruby was more excited then anyone. She thought every snowball or flake of snow was her toy. She ran, jumped and barked like she was a puppy!

The girls checking out the snow for the first time.

Love our camera - look at the snowball in mid air. Thanks for taking all the pics Dana!

 Our angel friend - Dana.

 TEAMWORK. Building their first snowman.

 Our best attempt at "sledding."

They could not get enough but I was BEAT! Look at Ruby's legs to see how deep the snow was.

 "Hasie Clare, we have to go inside because our hands and feet are getting too cold."

"I not cold mommy. I can't even feel my toes or fingers."

 Quinnie getting ready to bomb Has with a snow ball.

 Making snow cream and drinking hot cocoa after playing in the snow.

 Snuggling on the couch, watching a movie while waiting on mommy to fix their picnic lunch on the living room floor (HC was wrapped up in 3 blankets.)

After the girls went down for a nap, angel friend Dana and I worked on her budget and indulged in a few "snow day" cocktails.  

It was a great day. I got an unexpected day off from work, I had a great time playing in the snow with the girls and I got to catch up with an old friend. If only Jamie could have been home to play with us in the snow .... that would have made the day perfect!

I take it all back

I hit "Publish Post" about 2 hours ago on my previous entry and since then I have been reading someone else’s blog. This blog is about a man, a father that lost his 5-year-old little boy to cancer. It is horrible. I have a knot in my stomach that won't go away. I have a headache from crying.

All I can think about is my last post and how frustrated I have been the past few days. I'm such an idiot. Really and truly, I'm a bonfide dumb ass.

What a reality check!
I want to go wake them up from their nap so I can love on them. I want to hold them. I want to kiss and hug them. I want to feel their weight on me.

Because the bottom line is that my life can't exist without them. I have trouble breathing when I even think about it.

Thank you, God, for my two precious, healthy children!

Should I get their hearing checked?

Or at 3 and 1/2 does your hearing automatically go into selective hearing? My patience, tolerance and ability to stay calm have been tested numerous times over the past few weeks. I'm not suggesting that I passed these tests but rather that I have been tested ... too the max!

I don't want to be the mom that yells, screams or gets upset on a daily basis, let alone 5 times a day! They are 3 for God's sake. Am I not capable of handling two 3 year olds?

Maybe it is me and not them. With our recent schedule change, I find myself running around like a chicken with my head cut off, especially on Monday's and Tuesday's. Maybe it's the lack of food I'm eating while on this diet? Maybe it's the desperate need for a night out, maybe even an overnighter ... heck let's just make it a weekend get-a-way:)

Hassie Clare and Quinn have been extremely clingy to me. Almost unbearable. I secretly love it on most occasions but it is getting out of control and a bit overwhelming. They cry over EVERYTHING ... and I mean EVERYTHING! Quinn had a complete meltdown this morning over HC's knee touching her while we were snuggling in the rocker chair in their room. It almost seems like they compete to see who can smother me the quickest. I'm all for healthy competition (well any competition for that matter) but I would rather not be the game, prize or whatever you want to call it. And the whining is seriously OUT OF CONTROL! If I took them to a shrink, I think they would both be diagnosed with Hypochondria on the first visit. I’m serious. Within an hour last night both of them had a stomach ache, hurt knee, hurt finger, head was hurting, lulu had an infection, sore lips from being chapped – 1 hour folks! Maybe I should get the book “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.”

I'm making new house rules tonight in the hopes of keeping me from going bonkers. Here is a quick run down:
1) no more tattle telling unless danger is involved
2) if you are not able to listen or act like a human, you will go lay down in your bed until you regroup
3) if you misbehave you will go straight to time out - no more second chances
4) if you are asked to do something or stop doing something then I expect you to listen the first time. If not = time out!
5) Don’t complain about something hurting unless you need to go to the doctor or hospital.

I'll come up with more .... just give me some time!

With best regards,
Sergeant Mommy Thurman

PS – So I wrote this blog entry this morning while on hold and making calls at work. When I came back into the office after lunch, I realized I had not posted the entry. While at lunch, the girls were adorable. The most precious things I’ve ever seen. They shared everything, complimented each other, thanked me for a good lunch, helped me clean up, laid down for nap without any problems and didn’t complain or whine about one thing!

So I’ve learned yet another mommy lesson – If I expect 3 year olds not to whine or have tantrums, then the same rules should apply to their 35 year old mother!

Bedtime routine

· You pick out Jammies (usually a nightgown with an animal or princess on it)
· Go potty
· Brush teeth (Quinnie - electric Little Mermaid toothbrush, HC electric Cinderella toothbrush)
· Story time (depends on how late it is and how tired we are)
· Prayers - "Now I lay me ..." while we kneel in a circle holding hands. Then you say "God bless______." And each of you say the names of everyone you love.
· Touch the beloved chandelier hanging in your room (we've been doing this before bed since you were about 8 months old)
· Rock A Bye Baby song while holding each of you like a baby (about twice a year you let you Daddy do it. You tell him frequently that he can do Rock Bye Baby tonight but when the time comes you always tell him "you just did it the early day" or "maybe next time Daddy."
· Mommy has to be the one to cover you up.
· Daddy is usually running around trying to find all the babies, books, stuffed animals, etc. that you are requesting to sleep with.
· Love On Me session - it consists of at least one minute of Mommy snuggling with you in your bed and whispering sweet nothin’s in your ear and kissing you all over your face. I usually "taste" Hassie Clare's freckle on her neck (I tell her it tastes like chocalate). Quinnie likes to play with my hair and tell me how much she loves me. Then Daddy steps in and gives you hugs and kisses.
· We turn the chandelier on dim and the Tinkerbell nightlight on.
· As we walk to the door you both always squeal "one more hug and kiss."
· After that last hug and kiss we exchange bedtime sayings. A favorite is "dream of bed bugs tonight."
· We turn the fan in the bathroom on for white noise and we call it a night.

I wish it ended here but usually one of you will call us back in because your toes are cold or your blanket isn't covering you up the right way or you have a booger or there is a funny shadow on the wall. We have implemented a little reward system to keep us from making 38 trips back and forth into your bedroom. You start the night out with 2 gummy princess vitamins. Every time you call us into your room for something silly, we take the vitamin away. In the morning, you get to eat whatever vitamins you have left. This system totally works for us and it is making your Daddy a little less crazy.

You guys are such creatures of habit. There is no altering and forgetting any part of our bedtime routine. The entire process usually takes about 30 mins. I realize that someday soon you will start omitting steps to our routine. And eventually it will consist of one little hug and kiss (if I'm lucky) and a “good night.” In the meantime, I will cherish all the hugs and kisses, the snuggling and cuddling and the “love on me” sessions. I can’t think of any other way I would want to end my day!

Shopping for Schools

Jamie and I took the morning off work to visit schools for the girls. I feel like an imposter. Like I'm pretending to be the mom of a kid that is old enough to go to school. I just doesn't seem possible. Kind of made me sick to my stomach. The only thing keeping me from crying is that Pre-K is optional.


We have narrowed our choices down to 3 schools:

1. The Catholic school in our area, Pre-K thru 8th grade

2. The Southern Baptist School in our area, Pre-K thru 12th grade

3. The Public Elementary school in our district, K thru 5th

All of them seem to be good schools. Open enrollment is next month for the private schools so we have to decide quickly. It is a bit overwhelming making this decision. We will be losing our nanny at the end of the summer. So basically we will need to hire a new nanny OR enroll them in a full time Pre-K with after school care.

Jamie seemed drawn toward the Southern Baptist school (SHOCKER cause Jamie is the complete opposite of Southern Baptist). They have a fantastic academic program. The school has a ton to offer. Jamie and I would have to struggle for the high tuition rates. But education is very important to us so I'm trying to take money out of the decision. They have about 1200 students Pre-K thru 12th grade. Amazing school and I was shocked at how much I liked everything they have to offer. But I still can't get past the Southern Baptist teachings.

I was drawn to the Catholic school. About 300 students Pre-K thru 8th grade. I went to a Catholic school and I loved, loved, loved it. Today was open house so an 8th grader from the Beta Club gave us a tour. Everything was familiar to me so I'm sure there was comfort there. Spirituality and religion is a big teaching at this school. They are not horribly focused on tests, mainly learning and understanding. I like this because I think it will pay off in the long run.

I was pleasantly surprised with our local public elementary school. The school itself was really nice. They have the best playgrounds I have ever seen. They have a computer system in some of their classes that was bad to the bone. I have to admit I was impressed. What shocked me was that they have over 900 students in K-5th grade.

I'm just not ready to ship them off all day. It would be different if I didn't work from home and if I needed 50+ hours of childcare a week. Being able to work from home and having them here 70% of the time is ideal for me. This set-up is as close as it gets to being a stay at home mom. Decisions, decisions! Jamie and I will talk about it tonight, preferably in the hot tub with lots o’ wine.

Dorofee

Hassie Clare has asked us to call her Dorofee for about 3 months now ... I think ... maybe a little longer. She LOVES Dorothy off The Wizard of Oz. She puts on her blue and white checkered, dress up Dorothy dress EVERY day (it is about 2 sizes too small). It does get annoying when you ask her if she did something and she replies, "No, Dorofee did it." We just roll with it because after all ... it is Hassie Clare. We try to embrace her unique personality and encourage dynamic imaginations. I'll remind her daily that she is not actually Dorofee and that she is our little girl Hassie Clare who likes to pretend she is Dorofee. She usually replies with, "Okay Glenda .... but still call me Dorofee." Ya know ... Glenda the good witch from W of O.

I've gotten on to her a few times when we are out in public and someone asks her name and she says "Dorofee." Like after church a few weeks ago when the head Pastor came up to us in the parking lot and he asked Hassie Clare what her name was.

For some reason, I just thought she did this at home or when she is with me. Imagine my surprise this morning when her teacher at Mother's Day Out mentioned how mad Hassie Clare gets when they don't call her Dorofee. Her teacher said the boys in the class are always saying "Do we really have to call her Dorofee?" I think I turned 2 shades of red during this conversation.

I've said it before ... this little girl is going to be something spectacular someday. I envision her protesting on the White House steps and being part of some right-wing liberalist cause or on stage singing, dancing or acting.

Every morning since the girls started ballet and tap, Hassie Clare asks me if she gets to go on stage today.

She is so eclectic and free spirited. I admire and love this about her. I also have a feeling that it won't be the first time her actions makes me blush!

Old Video Montage - Sesame Street Live

Once again ... an old video montage from that short lived addiction. I'm thinking about picking up this old habit again because I'm really enjoying watching the old footage. I'll have to sqeeze it into my free time (I'm saying this with sarcasm).

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Old Video Montage - Arkansas Special Olympics 08

Again ... this one is from my 48 hour video montage addiction!
This is my younger sister Amy at the Arkansas Special Olympics. This was also my first overnight trip with the girls by myself. They were 23 months old. We had a GREAT weekend!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Old Video Montage - playdate @ The Little Gym

About a year and half ago I became a video montage addict for about 48 hours. I think the girls had just turned 2 in this one. They look so tiny ... especially in those giant tutu's Tay Tay made them!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

What's going through my head today?

This morning a storm passed over us about 6:30am. For some reason, Hassie Clare had been awake in her bed since about 3am. The storm was the perfect opportunity for her to call us in there because she was scared. For the record, neither one of them has ever been afraid of thunder, lightening or rain - in fact we all love it normally.

Jamie went over to comfort her before he left for work. The thunder was fierce ... I'll give her that. So Jamie says "There is nothing to be afraid of sweetie it is just God bowling." Hassie Clare said in her most frantic, scared voice, "God is bowling? Why is he awake so early? It's night night time so he should be asleep." Jamie responded with "God is always awake." Hassie Clare still crying and scared said "Does he bowl all the time when he is awake?" At this point I'm listening over the monitor and dying laughing so I missed the rest of the conversation. It was one of those endless conversations. We have so many of those lately? I guess it will only get worse and more fun as they get older. Needless to say, I ended up with 2 little snuggle bunnies in my bed and I loved every second of it!

The girls started a ballet and tap class a few weeks ago. I love watching them in the dance studio with the other 3-year-old girls twirling around and watching themselves in the mirror. They really seem to enjoy the class. I am still in a little shocked over the sticker price of this class (for 6 months about $850 total - that includes recital stuff). I guess I better get use to forking out money for all of their extra-curricular activities. The "free" Chik-Fila indoor play area and the local library "free" story time can only keep them occupied for so long!

They have traded in all of their princess dresses for leotards and tutu's (they still break out the princess dresses every so often). If we are at the house, it is guaranteed that one or both of them will have one on at all times. Maema loaded them up with every style imaginable. Some with Tutu's, some without, some sleeveless, some long sleeves, removable skirts, removable tutu’s, some with designs, some are plain. Quinnie calls her leotards and tutus a tatoo. It cracks me up so I haven't corrected her. TayTay made the girls the most adorable ballerina bags to take to class. I can't believe I haven’t taken pictures of them at class or in the gear .... I'll work on that at next weeks class.

Let's see .... what else:

The girls and I got Jamie a Wii for his birthday. I just laughed out loud thinking of the girls reading this in 20 years and going "A Wii .... that is such a dinosaur!" Kind of like I do about the original Atari.

I'm on day 5 of my Nutrisystem plan. Feeling great. I'm starting to embrace and enjoy the hunger pangs instead of wanting to eat Ruby. I'm looking forward to my first weigh-in on Friday morning. It seems it would be hard to eat every 3 hours, high fiber and under 1200 calories a day. But this plan is simple to follow for me. I feel like my mental state is in the right place and I'm on a mission! Lord be with me.

Yesterday Jamie took a half-day to be with the girls. He picked them up at 2 and they got home at 7:30 - exhausted and super dirty. They spent the afternoon shopping at electronic stores, visiting with Nana and PawPaw and eating at Chic-Fila. He let them pick out a new movie at Best Buy (Maema they got Mulan so scratch that one off your list). They have such a good time on father - daughter days. They are lucky to have a dad that loves taking them places and hanging out with them. He is always high on life after one of their outings.

After lunch today I told the girls to pick up all of their tools and put them back in the tool box (they were using tools to operate on their baby dolls). Hassie Clare looked at me and said "I'll get back with you on that."

Quinn and Hassie Clare speak well for their age. I've heard that twins usually speak well from an early age. They both say their r's, ch's, etc. All of the sudden, Quinn has decided to stop saying her r's. I think she is mimicking baby talk but I'm sure. It is driving me CRAZY!

Most of the time when I sit down to blog I have no idea what I'm going to blog about. Today's blog is about everything that has gone through my mind in the past 20 mins as I typed this out. Welcome to my mind ... it's busy, slightly compulsive and very, very boring.

Playing hookie on MLK Day!

Even though I work from home, I rarely get time off during the week to spend time with the girls (trust me, I'm not complaining. I get to see them all day, just in short periods of time and I get to snuggle with them every morning when they wake up). So .... on MLK day I decided to call it quits a few hours early and me and the girls headed to the zoo. I love our little outings. On the drive there I got to thinking about how hard it was to take them out when they were babies.

Our first mommy/daughter outing was to Macy's when they were about 10 weeks old. They were still on apnea monitors and I had them in their car seat on the double stadium-seating stroller. HC weighed about 5.5 pounds and Quinnie weighed 7 pounds. They were still wearing preemie size clothes and I dressed them in these cute little dresses their Aunt Jodie got them. I kept the entire stroller covered with blankets so no one would sneeze on them, cough on them or touch them. I was a rookie mom! I had no idea that women (especially older women) have no problem pulling blankets back and reaching in to touch your baby. After shopping for over an hour I found a family room near the kid section (never knew they had those before becoming a mom). I changed them, nursed them, hooked all their wires back up and bundled them back up in their stroller. It took me almost an hour. After unloading them from the car once we go back to the house, I remember being exhausted and wondering when the day would come when it would be easy to take them on outings.
Anyway, we had a fun, uneventful afternoon at the zoo. We are so lucky to live close to such an awesome zoo. We spend about $100 a year for a membership and we go 20+ times a year. The girls never get tired of going. Tay Tay (our nanny) takes them any chance she gets when the weather is nice.
I had a million things I could have done yesterday in those few hours I had off work. To be honest, I forgot all about the laundry, my closet that looks like a mall threw up in it, the fridge that needs cleaning, the dog that needs a bath, etc. We laughed and laughed and laughed. My only regret is not taking the stroller. Their little legs got tired quickly.
I sent pics to Jamie throughout our outing to let him know we were thinking of him and wishing he was with us. My phone takes HORRIBLE pics but you get the picture - no pun intended.

I went to the zoo with twin 3 year old little girls but came home with a tiger and a panda. I wonder if they will listen better?

Healthy Habits

With the start of the New Year, a majority of Americans have declared to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise more or all of the above. I'm one of them .... but my reasoning is slightly different. Sure I want to shed a bunch of weight and look smokin' hot as I approach middle age. However, my goal is much larger then anything of that nature.

Jamie and I have always said we wanted to lead our kids by example. We want to teach them balance. I feel that healthy living is a balance. Unfortunately, when it comes to balance, Jamie and I bring out the worst in each other. We blow it out, live life to the fullest, grab a hold of anything that makes us happy or that tastes good. It has been a fun ride but I'm afraid that journey has to end!

Sooner or later Hassie Clare and Quinn are going to figure out that mom and dad aren't eating all the fruits and veggies that we make them eat. They are going to figure out that we make them a healthy meal for dinner and then we make a "run for the boarder" after they go to bed. Or that we serve them one single scoop of ice cream for dessert on special occasions and then we make ourselves 2 or 3 scoops with hot fudge and nuts. They will eventually notice and start following in our footsteps.

Why would we not set a better example for them? I hope that I can teach them to have good body image no matter how tall, short, fat, thin they are … as long as they are healthy. We have one chance to raise these two precious little girls. This is something that we can actually control. We don't talk about being fat, skinny or the horrible D word (diet). We talk about how fruits and vegetables make our skin and hair pretty, makes us grow up strong and most importantly to Hassie Clare is that they make our poo poo's soft! This is all fine and dandy but Jamie and I have to practice what we preach because they WILL figure it out someday.

So ... to jumpstart my new eating lifestyle, I have jumped on the Nutrisystem wagon. Today is day 3 and so far so good. The hardest part is after the girls go to bed when I'm curled up in my bed watching TV. I think that is when I did my "guiltless eating." Jamie usually joined me. Hopefully these cravings and hunger pangs will pass. Hopefully.

With the Nutrisystem food you eat fruits and veggies so the girls will not notice that I'm eating anything different from them. I don't think we ate that horrible before but our portions were very large and we were way out of control.

Anyway, I haven't had the willpower to lose weight in several years. Wanting my girls to learn healthy eating habits and teaching them by example has given me great motivation. I will not fail at this. I might not be perfect at all times but I will not fail.

My Best Friend's birthday is today!

Turning 39 has to be a wee bit scary. Not that I would know since I'm sooooo much younger. But any who, this is his last year in his 30's. Lucky for me him, he gets sexier every year!


Tonight we will eat a home cooked meal (rarity these days) and his favorite cake (Carrot). He will open presents. He will read the cards we made for him and rave about how pretty they are. He will compliment the girls on their artistic ability and me on my cooking. He will thank me over and over for making the day special for him. He will get teary eyed every time his daughters sing him Happy Birthday. He will poke fun at my mom in one breath and tell her he loves her in another. We will talk about birthdays in the past. He will give me multiple bear hugs throughout the evening. Before he goes to sleep, he will cover Ruby up with his blanket and "spoon" her while she sleeps between us. He will thank me again for everything and tell me he loves me more then anything.

He will do all of this because he is the sweetest, kindest, most loving man I have ever known. He loves his family and I know this because he shows us with his actions every day. It takes so little to please him yet he deserves so much.

I'm so thankful that he is my husband, best friend, lover, emotional rock, personal comedian, handy man, baby daddy, etc. I'm so thankful I get to spend this day with him. I’m so thankful he chose me to spend his life with!

Last letter to my girls in 2009

Dear Hassie Clare and Quinn,
First and foremost, I LOVE BEING YOUR MOM more then anything in this world. It is the most rewarding and gratifying experience. This year you guys have evolved from toddlers to "almost" little girls. You started off the year at 2.5 years old and finished it up at 3.5 years old.
I've said this before in other letters, but I had no idea being a mom would be this much fun. You guys crack me up on an hourly basis. I love taking road trips with you, shopping and outings to things around town. My favorite times are at our house, in our pj's reading a book or playing. We have had a great year!
Our first family vacation to the beach was very memorable. I loved watching you experience the ocean and sand for the first time. I'm looking forward to many more trips to the beach over the years.
Other big events for our family in 2009 were potty training, Aunt Karrie's wedding, trips to Maema's house in Missouri, going to school, all the trips to the zoo and museum's, moving Nana and PawPaw from Conway to Southaven, all the good times you had with your nanny Tay Tay, Onyx's kittens ... just to name a few.  
One of the coolest things that I witnessed this year was watching you become best friends. You are both so different with unique personalities. One of the things you have in common is that you both have the kindest, sweetest heart. You guys talk to each other about everything when you get into bed at night and for naps (I listen over the monitors). You both play dress-up and "pretend" every waking moment.
My wish for you is that you grow up maintaining this love and friendship you have for each other. I say this at least once a day to you both, "do you know how lucky you are to have each other?" You always reply with "yes mommy, she my best friend." I hope that when you read this in 30 years, it will fill your heart to know that the friendship with your sister started from day one. I know there will be difficult times along the way between the two of you but I hope you always find your way back to each other.
Your dad and I have been talking about having another baby. Our biological clocks are ticking and time is a factor. We both seem to be on the same page. At this time, we are at 84% no and 16% go for it. I guess we will see what happens in 2010.
As I type this, you guys are in your playroom. Hassie Clare is wearing a pink, fury princess dress but calling herself Dorofee (ALWAYS in character as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz)). Quinn is wearing a ballet leotard with a tutu and calling herself Belle. You both amaze me with your beauty, intelligence and kindness. I could not ask for anything more.
I love you with every bit of my existence,
Your Mommy

PS - This wraps up my first year of blogging. I hope to continue it throughout the years so that you have a glimpse of what your childhood was like.  I'm a terrible writer and even worse with grammar and spelling so forgive me. My main purpose in keeping this blog is for you to have this to read when you get older. Maybe my grandkids will even read it (wow ... I've never ever thought about that). I write from my heart. I want to make sure you always know how much I love being your mother and how much fun we had when you were little. Being your mom is the greatest honor I've ever had!

NYE w BFF's

New Year's Eve marks the 10-year anniversary that Jamie and I started dating. We met the summer on 1999 (I almost had to break out in song with that sentence). Our first New Year's Eve together was one we will never forget but hardly remember ... if ya know what I mean. From NYE 2001 - 2006 we spent bringing in the new year with the beloved Hammer's. We have made some great memories. We took 3 years off because of babies and a death in the family. We decided 3 years was long enough so we started back the tradition of spending it together.

Of course the dynamics of our NYE has changed drastically. Our first NYE together as a group, we spent at a fancy restaurant in St. Louis. We dined next to Jack Buck and other local celebs while eating fine foods and drinking expensive beverages. Fast forward 9 years and we spent NYE in Olive Branch with a 6 month old, 3 3 year olds and a 6 year old. Eating take-out lasagna and drinking whiskey and wine (again ... I almost broke out in song). Honestly, I can't tell you which night I had more fun. I am thankful for our memories of past NYE but very grateful for the NYE's spent with all of our kids. Good times all around.

It was an awesome weekend. All 4 girls (from oldest to youngest - Morgan, Jenna, Quinn, Hassie Clare) played together so well. They played dress up, read books, ate lots of junk food, watched movies, played with every toy imaginable. I got some serious baby lovin' from baby Benny. He is such a good baby and so flippin cute. We spent a majority of the long weekend catching up, swapping parenting stories, talking about old times and enjoying the kids. Our only outing was to the Memphis Children's Museum and to a Japanese Steak House (we all forgot our camera). Both places were a hit with the parents and kids. At night, after the kids were asleep, we spent time laughing on the couch and enjoying some adult time.

Hasie Clare(AKA Dorofee) and Quinn (AKA Belle) talking to Benny.

Morgan reading bed time stories to the 3 year olds.

The girls have started copying the way Morgan reads....it is so cute! They put their finger on the page and pretend to get stuck on a few words. Morgan reads so well for a 6 year old!

Snuggle bunnies.

Hassie Clare bear and Jenna bear.

Hassie Clare and baby Benny.

Disney movie marathon in my room.

Big Ben (Quinn's Godfather), Little Ben (Jamie's Godson), Hassie Clare and Morgan.

We are so lucky to have such good friends. Not only do we have a ton in common, we truly respect them. Paige is a complete and total OCD control freak, especially over her kids. For that, I am the most thankful because I don't feel so alone in the world!!!!!

THURMANS + HAMMERS = 4EVER