Easter nostalgia

Some Moms do the Christmas Eve photo in front of the Christmas tree with all the kids in their Christmas pajamas. I'm not one of those Moms. In fact, despite that I really enjoy taking photos, it's rare that ask my own children to sit and take a photo all together. And getting myself in the picture is even more rare.

For whatever reason, Easter is the one time a year I hand off the camera and force beg coerce bribe my kids (and husband) into taking a yearly family photo. It rarely ends well (and by well, I mean that we are all perfectly posed and I've not issued threats or made unreasonable promises), but it always makes me laugh. At least, afterwards. Many years afterwards.

It also appears to be the one thing that Lucas hates most on the earth. Olivia, on the other hand, has always rocked the Easter photo. I'm guessing it's her favorite holiday, ever. Besides her birthday and Christmas and whatever holiday is exactly next.

Easter 2010 can be found here on my blog. It's hilarious. But for comparisons purposes, here's a quick picture.

That would be itty bitty Ella on my lap next to Olivia. Goodness

Easter 2011 was apparently not blogged about and this is probably why:

The best one we got that year features our dog's back. Again, LUCAS. He's probably mad because he's wearing the exact same sweater vest that he wore the previous year. Fashion is clearly his thing. Or not. Seeing as how he's worn the same pair of jorts for the last week.

Easter 2012 things seemed to go a big more smoothly.

That's teeny, tiny Abigail on my lap.

You know, except for Lucas. At least Olivia is rocking it out. And Aaron. Clearly they were being bribed with excessive amounts of candy. Momma had a newborn. Momma was tired.

Easter 2013 apparently did not exist because I have no photographic documentation of it. Not even looking back through all the pics from my phone. So weird.

Which brings us to this year. Easter 2014. I knew I wanted a pic of all of us. My parents, my two grandmas and all the kids. Please note Lucas' over sarcastic smile because it took several photos of him not doing pointy, happy fingers at the camera, or throwing up some sort of gang symbol or staring off into the yard in the opposite direction.

23 photos later, grandparent photo: check. I mean, one kid out of 8 isn't looking but LOOK AT ABIGAIL. The cute. I can't even handle it.

And then, I politely asked Abigail to remove herself from my Mom's lap and sit with me for a nice family photo. She also loved that idea. Or not.

Okay, Abs, please just stop before you upset your baby sister.

Well, at least Lucas is happy for once.

I hope your Easter was a scream.

Das Not Funny! Friday: Ashlee's antics

Our sweet Ashlee girl, how she delights my heart. She brings laughter, joy, silliness and affection into our home. She's just a fun person to be around.

She can tear through a math workbook at lightening quick speeds. She reads above grade level and enjoys all aspects of learning. She's a sharp one, that girl. However, she doesn't always use her smarts in her favor. This girl can keep us laughing that's for sure!

Two weeks ago we had a duel birthday celebration for Ashlee and Lucas. The boys used a nearby gym and had an indoor "campout" complete with wrestling matches, ball games and, of course, Star Wars. The girls had a sleepover at our house complete with a full nail and hair salon and capped off by Barbie movies.

Because the best part of a birthday is singing "Happy Birthday" to yourself.

After the weekend full of birthday festivities, Elizabeth was having a moment of pouting because she didn't think she was getting her fair share of birthday attention. My Mom pointed out to Elizabeth that she doesn't have to share her birthday and that in a few months, she'll have her very own special day and party. My Mom turned to Ashlee and said,

"You see Ashlee has to share her birthday, don't you Ashlee?"

To which Ashlee replied, flabbergasted, "WITH WHO?!?"

Anyway, back to the night of the sleepover. We had a good time and finally, at midnight the girls decided it was time to settle down there was a mother-enforced mandate to settle down. Since the time she was an itty bitty baby Ashlee has slept with a little blue bear we so originally named, Bear Bear. To fall asleep, Ashlee sucks on her bear's ear. She never took a pacci but she can hardly fall asleep without Bear Bear.

About 12:15am Ashlee appeared in the doorway of my bedroom.

"Ash, what's wrong sis?" I asked, thinking maybe she was upset about not sleeping in her bed.

"Momma," she said, with a worried look on her face, "I'm shy. I don't want any of my customers to see me chewing on my Bear Bear."

Earlier this week we sent the kids off to do their chores. One of our rotating chores is for one of the older 3 to clean one of the bathrooms. It was Ashlee's turn for that chore. She comes bounding into the kitchen, with a roll of paper towels under her arm.

"Mom?" she asks, "Where's the Oxyclean?"

"The what?" I reply.

"The Oxyclean!" she says again, like I'm dumb to even ask for clarification.

"Honey, we don't have any Oxyclean but we have the spray you always use to clean the bathroom. It's right there," I say as I point to the solution under the sink.

"But Mom! I need Oxyclean. You know. It gets the tough stains out!"

With hair color at her sleepover party

Indeed our Ashlee girl is a laugh a minute, our resident clown. Even if the majority of the time it's completely unintentional.

Six, Six

Six years ago today my whole world changed. And isn't that just like kids? They mess you up, don't they? These little people squeeze their way into our lives (literally) and we are forever changed.

But twins.... ah. They're something different all together. When we found out we were having twins, I sobbed. NOT out of joy, either. Stupid, I know.

Each day I have with these two I am reminded how much I am totally dependent on the Lord. Not for the physical strength (although, that too!) but for the emotional, spiritual and mental strength it takes to lead their hearts to the Throne of Grace.

Two times the challenges but an infinite amount of blessings.





It's hard for me to imagine either of these two not being a twin. They annoy the snot out of each other one minute, then they're best buddys the next. I think the concept of being a twin is lost on anyone who is not a twin. In fact, I'm sure of it.
Sometimes, Elizabeth and I just look at them and shake our heads. We just don't get the twin thing, I'm afraid. Oh but these two do.
Lucas loves his sister with ferocity. Ashlee adores her brother with a love/hate affection reserved only for him. And can they ever make each other laugh.

It cracks me up to sit back and listen to them interact. Lucas acts so cool, calm and collected. Ashlee is the forever goofball. Like in the picture below. My instruction was, "Stand beside each other and just hold hands. Now, look at me."

I had released the shutter on my camera several times before I realized exactly what was going on.

Being totally cool, calm and collected, Lucas was squeezing the crap out of his sisters hand. All the while maintaining a nice, normal stance just like I instructed. Ashlee, however... not so much. Giggles abounded as I asked them to love each other, just for a second please.

Silly faces and wrestling matches began.

And I realized my efforts for a nice, normal picture of the two of them were futile. But then again, I guess that this is their normal.

My Ashlee girl is silly, affectionate, a math whiz, eager to please, slow to anger, quick to forgive and totally and 100% in love with her siblings, especially her baby sisters. It doesn't take much to work a giggle out of her.

Lean and lanky she's well into a size 6x in length but is often found wearing her younger sisters' 2T/3T clothes. I mean, after all, "They fit just fine Mom!" Scrawny little thing, she is. She's the fastest runner in the house and maintains the title of best cuddler. She's easily entertained and swings on a quick pendulum of enjoying time alone and being the family clown. She's the family peace maker. And I adore how she loves other people.

Lucas is 1,000% boy. His newest obsession? STAR WARS. He's training to be a Jedi and trying to use the force to overcome the evils of the Dark Side. Or, to distract his sisters from their Polly Pockets. Either one.

Notice how Ashlee is not even phased at the louder than life yelling in her ear. Somethings you just get used to, I guess.

He's a risk taker, determined to test the limits of his body and my good sense. But he's also quick to shower on compliments and even faster to tell you he loves you. Which melts my heart each and every time.

He eats more than I could ever think possible, which makes me even more glad that we're moving to the land of rice and beans. Rice swells and beans are cheap. Both will be necessary to fill up this bottomless pit of a boy, I'm sure.

He's already missing 2 teeth, one of which he ripped from his head a mere 2 days ago. I'm not even sure it was wiggly for more than 2 hours. The threshold he has for pain is remarkable.

Words cannot express how much I love these two people. I've heard people say that bad things come in sets of 3's. I don't know about the truth in that but I can assure you that one of the best gifts I've ever received came in twos.

A six year old princess.

A six year old warrior.

A batch of silliness,

mixed with courage and valor.

I'm quite sure that these two couldn't have come any other way, than in a double dose.

Thank you God for this blessing of six and six. Six glorious years that went by in the blink of an eye. Six, six. Unique. Special. Doubled.

Happy Birthday Lucas!

Happy Birthday Ashlee!

Click here to see their 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd birthday posts.

Happy 5th Birthday Lucas & Ashlee!

These two people are five today.

FIVE.

How in the world did that happen?

As I was cleaning out our school cabinet on Friday, I found an old prayer journal from 2005. Elizabeth was an only child and reading the words I wrote from 6 years ago I was reminded of how I felt when I found out Lucas and Ashlee were coming - as a double dose.

After seeing 2 shadowy babes with heartbeats on the ultrasound screen and subsequently sobbing in the doctors office and soaking Luke's shirt, I retreated to the car. With hands trembling, I call my BFF Amanda.

"Hello?" she answers.

Words can't be understood through the sobs and sobs and I try to tell her of the news I've just learned.

"Jess? What's wrong? Is the baby okay?" she asks urgently, herself having faced the difficulty of a miscarriage.

"No. Everything's fine," as I take deep breaths trying to gain some composure.

From somewhere deep inside me I muster a breath and say, with wails overtaking my voice once more, "Amanda.....IT'S TWINS." Anyone else walking to their car must have heard my cries.

"Twins?! Are they both okay?" she asks.

"THEY'RE FINE!! AMANDA, HOW CAN I EVER BE A MOM TO THAT MANY KIDS?!?" I wail again, then sobs overtake me and my words are drowned out.

Looking back I see now that the Lord was mocking me. Oh how the Lord has a sense of humor.

When we found out that Lucas and Ashlee were a Lucas AND an Ashlee I thought my world was over. Stupid, I know. I prayed to God often to prepare me to be a Mother to multiple young children.

The day they were born was incredible. My doctor was fabulous and so patient. Ashlee has been dramatic from the very beginning.

And with their birth came new meaning to having my "hands full."

From the start, God showed me my urgent need to depend fully on Him to parent our small army of children. I still fail pretty much every day. But each morning He reminds me that just as His mercies are fresh, as should be mine.

Five years after the birth of those precious babies, they are now big kids. We are beginning a year round schooling calendar in 2 weeks and they will officially be Kindergartners. How on Earth can that be so?

Ashlee is the most loving child I've ever met. I'm not just saying that because she's mine either. Okay, maybe I am partial but she really is. But she is quick to offer comfort to others, especially her younger siblings. She's eager to have her second choice if she knows it will make someone else happy. She's caring and affectionate and loves her baby sister Ella so much that I'm sure she's her #1 fan.

Ashlee is still the eldest drama queen in our family. As quickly as she wails with hurt over a bumped knee or bruised ego, she's equally quick to recover (especially if there's food - or candy - involved). She loves to cook and be my helper in the kitchen. She's the best snuggler of everyone in the family, knowing just how to fit into the right places so it's comfortable for us both. She gives awesome kisses, is obsessed with coloring and can still beat anyone in the family in a foot race. Ashlee lives life wide open. She's loud, very silly, happy and brings excitement to our family. Kindergarten is going to suit her well because she loves learning. And, did I mention she's a little silly?

I cannot even begin to think how incomplete our family would be had the Lord not gifted us with her. Her twin brother would be lost, I think.

Lucas is the total opposite of his sister in almost every way. He loves anything that is typical boy - guns, trucks and army men. He discovered Luke's stash of vintage GI JOE men and spends 100% of his time carrying one around or requesting to trade it for a different one from the box.

His newest love is all things super hero, specifically Spiderman. He loves watching "SuperHero Squat" He is thrilled to play anything outside, loves all things Toy Story and spends quite a bit of time in the bandaid box. He's still a Momma's boy and I am soaking up the free hugs and kisses while I can, knowing that in a few short years he'll be too cool to give his Mom a kiss on the lips. It's not uncommon for him to come to me, pat me on the leg and show me his lips. After a quick smooch he will often say, "I just love you Mom."

It melts my heart each time. How could it not? He adores time with his Dad, especially when they're "fixin' stuff." He's quick tempered but quickly asks forgiveness. He wishes he could swim without floaties and ride a bike without training wheels. He's usually the 1st to go to sleep and the 1st one up in the morning. He adores his littlest sister Ella and tries to protect her from so much - even though she rarely desires to be protected. He has so many questions about who Jesus is, what He did and about salvation.

He and I certainly have a mother/son bond that is unique as we are both strong willed, headstrong people. I cannot imagine how we would have ever felt complete without Lucas in our family.

My sweet babies are growing up. I've never been one to be teary or emotional on birthdays, but I can see myself become more and more of an emotional wreck each year as the baby faces of my children change into the faces of kids, then to teens, then to adults.

Somedays I wish I could just stop the clock and savor these fleeting moments. But then I remember that with each passing year it only gets sweeter. Each year I see more of the personalities of these people the Lord has entrusted me with and I am blessed more and more by their unique quirks, characters and what makes them tick.

Happy Birthday to my double dose of blessings! I love you both so much it makes me hurt!

Happy Birthday Lucas!

Happy Birthday Ashlee!

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To read previous posts about Lucas & Ashlee and their birthdays click here and here. (I'm not sure who those chubby faced kids are in that 2nd link. I vaguely remember them. Makes me sad.)

Das Not Funny! Friday: I really want to put a mannequin on our toilet

Wahoooo! It's Friday! Welcome to this week's edition of Das Not Funny! Friday. What is Das Not Funny! Friday? CLICK HERE if you've never participated or read a Das Not Funny! Friday post and want to know why I write them. And if you have your own funnies to post, simply leave a link to your post in the comments.

On with the show....

Ashlee is a flower girl in our sweet Babysitter/Nanny's wedding. On Monday, Babysitter/Nanny Amanda and I took her to the Bridal shop to try on some flower girl dresses. Turns out, just because you have an appointment doesn't mean you'll actually get to try on dresses anywhere near that time frame.

Which would have been excellent to know before we took my hyped up on frill and lace and - OH WOOK MOM A DRESS! ANOTHER DRESS! A PREEEEETY DRESS! - 4 year old into the dress shop for a 40 minute wait. Have I ever told you that Ashlee loves dresses? No? Imagine a cat locked in a closet lined with catnip. Multipy that by 40 and that was Ashlee with all the PRETTY DRESSES! I LOOOOOOOVE THIS ONE MOM!

Anyway. We killed some time by letting her try on some fun things, like this birdcage veil. Which confused her beyond all reason because it totally didn't have a bird in it.

Good thing she's not sassy.

Finally, Amanda and I decided that maybe the 4 associates who were standing around looking at paper needed some encouragement in the form of our dominating presence. Also known as, "we moved closer to the front desk and lingered."

You know what else is near the front desk?

Mannequins. Mannequins displaying top of the line bridesmaids dresses and bridal gowns. Do you know what my sheltered 4 year old has never encountered up close before?

Mannequins.

She was so perplexed.

So of course I did what any respectable mother would do in that situation. I chuckled at her under my breath and took pictures of her with my cell phone.


The next one is my absolute favorite.

Oh mercy. I'm afraid she's scarred for life. Oh who am I kidding? If she's not already traumatized by the goings on in our house and her twin brother she'll probably never be.

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Speaking of poop, Luke and I don't. At least not in front of each other. I have a firm belief that you should never watch the person you are intimate with wipe.

I'm pretty sure that's in the Bible somewhere. 1st Doodieronomy or something. (Ba doom ching. Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Annnnyway, on Sunday morning we are all scampering around getting ready for church. Well, most of us. Luke is not really scampering as much as he was, ahem, sitting. On the throne. And as much as I am opposed to seeing my husband on the toilet (or allowing him to see me taking a doodieronomy) all bets are off for everyone else that breathes air in our house.

I can't tell you the number of motherhood-oriented tasks I've performed, in the bathroom, while, well...you know. Needless to say, our kids are allowed in the bathroom during just about anything.

While I'm downstairs in the kitchen, Luke is upstairs sitting in his royal position, reigning as King of the Toothbrushing. (Hey, every person on a throne is king of something, right?)

I overhear him telling Ashlee to please shut the door.

"Why Dad?" she asks.

"Because, Mommy doesn't want to see Daddy on the potty. Now, shut the door," Luke persists.

The conversation becomes muffled behind the bathroom door and I quickly forget about the whole thing. Until later that morning while we are sitting in church. All three of the big kids attend Big Church with us. Mostly they just color or draw or play with a quiet toy but often they catch 1 thing from the sermon and we like to talk about it. This past Sunday, Ashlee was laying across her chair with her head in my lap, eating some Cheese Its.

If you know my Ashlee you know that she has 3 volumes.

1) Loud.

2) Still loud.

3) Off.

Ashlee turns her face up to mine, while I'm messily scribbling sermon notes, and in a volume that only a deaf person could ignore says,

"Mom? How come you and Daddy can't see each other's poops?"

Poor girl. Between the mannequins and the privacy of poop, she's had a rough time cognitively. What I'd really love to do is bring home a mannequin and put it on our toilet. Think that would push her over the edge too much?

Y'all have an Royally Blessed weekend!

My own little red-headed mermaid

Ashlee has two favorite activities, running and eating. When she's not doing one, she's certainly doing the other. A close third on her short list of "Things that make Ashlee happy" would be babies, Ella in particular. Being at the beach allowed Ashlee to either be running or eating constantly, which made her little self very, very happy.

Imagine the energizer bunny with a garbage disposal attached to his face and you get Ashlee.

I think it's important to note that the last time we went to the beach as a family was when Ashlee and Lucas looked like this:

She was slightly slower and less of a food hog then. Wow. Time surely does fly.

She and Elizabeth spent copious amounts of time jumping over and running from the waves.

She's stand in them, then scream and run like fury to get away.

Of course there's always time to stop and act silly. Anything to make someone laugh.

There was lots of boogie boarding...

...and I FINALLY got her to sit still long enough to do this....

"Being a mermaid is the most fun ever Mom! 'Cept, can I get up now?"

Oh my little red-head is growing up right before my eyes. Slow down little one. Stay my sweet, loud, overly energetic, baby loving, fast running little girl for a while longer, won't you? Please?

If you try, I'll fix you a snack. Deal?