I'm baaaaaaack!

What? Seriously? It's been nearly 5 months since I posted on here? Well, I am the most unreliable blogger I know... So, I figured I would make posts describing our Summer break from school, and post some pictures of the kids, too.

MAY- Well, after Sadie's death I thought I'd be miserable for a while, but surprisingly our family rebounded pretty well. Buckley acted as if nothing ever happened, or like she never existed. Most of my Dad's family came to my parents' house for the annual "Frick Festival," and it was so good to see all of my Aunts, Uncles, cousins, and their children. T-ball ended for Chase, things started winding down at school, which made Chase and I sad because we really loved his teacher for 1st grade. Before we knew it, we were getting ready for our big vacation. 3 days after school let out we drove to Todd's parents' house in Mesa, AZ. We took Buckley with us, which he just loved, and everybody did pretty well on the trip out there. We hung out, played outside in the most beautiful weather, took a day trip on the motorcycles, swam, saw a few movies, and the babies had their first buzz cut in the backyard. We stayed for a week, and when we came home it was June!

JUNE- Pretty boring month, really. I made a list of all the things we wanted to accomplish this Summer, and I even made a personal list for me. My list involved getting rid of eight 20 gallon tubs worth of baby clothing and all other baby items, along with getting more organized around the house. I took the big boys to see "Cars 2," and we had a few play dates with friends at the bowling alley and splash pads. I made the boys play outside before it got terribly hot out. We mostly stayed inside and I tried to keep the big boys quiet while the babies slept. Oh, we did get on a pretty easy Summer schedule as far as our sleep routine is concerned- we all managed to wake up around 8:30 or later! And before we knew it July was here!

JULY- So we had a pretty low-key 4th of July, had dinner at my parents' house and then ended up watching a great show off of the Jenks Bridge in a QuikTrip parking lot. A few days later it was Chase's 7th birthday! We had a family party at my parents' house, and even though Chase got everything he put down on his birthday list, he still wanted more. Go figure, right? He obviously gets this trait from my side of the family (Dad, I blame you for this genetic abnormality!)
At this point in the summer we started to experience temperatures over 100 degrees. We had a record set in Oklahoma for the number of consecutive days to have temperatures of 100 or more. I think our hottest day was a scorching 113, and Arizona actually had cooler weather than we did! I was positive that Satan himself lived in Arizona in the Summer, but apparently he moved to Oklahoma this year. ;o) Chase was given a slip-n-slide for his birthday, and with the heat so bad, I figured this would be a great way for the big boys to stay cool. Turns out it was so much fun that they broke it after using it for 2 days straight. Gunnar and Chase were pretty bummed out, so my mom bought them a new one. We had it set up for all of 10 minutes before Chase busted it and water was flooding into my yard. It was around this time we started having dance parties in the family room. We'd turn on music and let the boys go nuts. Chase would stand on his hands, and Gunnar learned to sit on his head. Even the babies got into the act and would bust a move and kick up their legs like their big brothers. It was totally cute to watch! I wish I would have made videos of them dancing. I'll just have to keep the video camera charged so we can make that dream a reality! I made the boys stay inside for another couple of weeks to beat the heat, then it was August, and we were ready for school to start!

AUGUST- Did I say we were ready for school to start? I meant I was ready for school to start. My nerves were pretty much shot by the end of the Summer. The big boys were constantly fighting and I was tired of yelling all the time. I couldn't get them to go outside because it was so hot, so they stayed inside and watched TV or played the Wii, and invented new and unusual ways to torture each other...and me. The babies just seem to be totally un-phased by them, except they've learned how to hit and fight. We put our old house on the market, trying to sell the old thing again. Our renters decided to move at the end of the month, so we figured we'd try to sell it and see what happens- wish us luck on that one!

The big boys started school a week later this year, but it gave me the opportunity to do some volunteer work at the school. I helped put together the packets each child receives when they go to "Meet the Teacher." It was fun, and I met some really great ladies and caught up with some of the mothers I had met over the years at the school. So we made it to "Meet the Teacher," and the boys really liked their teachers. I was really nervous for Gunnar, because he stayed home with me for the past 18 months, but he was ready to go back to school. Chase started a few days before Gunnar did, and he even let me walk him into class this year (I was afraid he'd tell me he was too old for that this year), and when Gunnar started I walked him in, but he just asked "uh, Mom, are you going to leave or what?" Love him. Oh, and I signed the big boys up for soccer, and Todd decided to coach Gunnar's team. They seem to like it so far, but our first game isn't until September, so we'll see how they like it then.

By this point, going back to my Summer list of things to do, I had several friends come by the house and pick up baby clothing for their little boys. Whatever wasn't claimed I donated, and it feels good to be moving on. I'll admit I'm a little sad that I never had a daughter, but hopefully I'll have amazing daughters-in-law and granddaughters to spoil in the future. I think in total we gave clothing and baby items to 7 families. I originally wanted to sell it and get a little cash, but in the end I knew that I needed to give it to my friends for their children. We have been so blessed to have parents and family give things to us that it was only fitting I try to "pay it forward" and bless others with generosity. I know I did what the Lord wanted me to, and that makes me feel amazing.

SEPTEMBER- So here we are, in the best month of the year, as far as I'm concerned. I love September! Half of my family's birthdays are in this month (Todd, Gunnar, myself), and I have always loved how this month makes me feel. The weather has cooled off considerably, the sky is bluer, and this is the time of year when the Monarch butterflies start to migrate South and they can be seen all over the Tulsa sky. I feel kind of bad for Todd, because I was not feeling good on his birthday, so I didn't really do anything for him. We usually skip getting each other presents because we can't afford it, but we did have a nice dinner out and then saw a movie for free (long story short, we went on a date in August and the theater had a fire and we had to be evacuated and got free tickets for another movie). We'll have a big family birthday party at my parents' house (do you see a common theme for parties? Always at Mom and Dad's house!) at the end of the month to celebrate the September birthdays. I'm pretty sure we're going to have a "Star Wars" cake, thanks to Gunnar.

Well, I think that's it for now. I'll post some pictures later, because I need to get the twins out and run an errand before lunch and nap time! Hope everyone enjoyed my "abridged" version of our Summer! Stay tuned for more info. about our rental house and soccer games! Much love to you all!

In memory of my beloved dog, Sadie...

I have been dreading writing this post, but the time has come. My wonderful 10 year old black Labrador Retriever, Sadie, passed away on April 12, 2011. I'm warning you right now, if you're a dog person, you are going to cry reading this post.

Sadie started losing weight at a very rapid pace, so we took her into the Vet. to see what was going on around the 3rd week of March (Spring Break time.) He said she was down to 60 lbs, and he diagnosed her with kidney failure, and gave us some options to help keep her comfortable until it was time for her to "go." So, she stayed the weekend at the Vet's office and did an IV treatment to help rehydrate her. He suggested a special dog food that was high in protein, but the "good" kind of protein that wasn't harmful to her kidneys, a special medication that would help with the function of her kidneys, and an antibiotic that would help fight off any previous infections. She seemed in much better spirits when we got her home, and things seemed promising. But sadly, things quickly started to go down hill. She would eat, but not her special dog food. She would lay around in the corners of rooms, shying away from the attention of the babies and anyone else. She wasn't drinking as much, and she seemed pretty lethargic all the time. She lost her ability to jump into bed with us, so I started putting her up in bed with me every night.

I really noticed things were changing when she stopped following me around the house, and even shied away from me. I didn't realize it at the time, but looking back I do now: she knew she was dying and she was trying to distance herself from me and the kids. Buckley knew it, I think, because he pretty much left her alone, and when she stopped eating, he started eating all of the dog food. Normally, Buckley was very reserved and always let Sadie eat first, and go outside first, and drink their water first...he just let her be in charge. Now, he knew she was dying, and he started eating more, and being more outgoing, where as before he was very quiet and almost shy. It started to get bad the first weekend in April. That Friday she stopped eating and drinking, even after a previous checkup to the Vet revealed she had lost 5 more pounds, her blood levels had spiked, and he suggested a new anti-nausea medication to help with the eating and drinking. She spat out the medication, and refused food. I tried to keep the Vet informed as to what was going on, how all weekend long she didn't eat, or drink, and she just wasn't herself.

That Monday was really rough. She just looked miserable, and I put her in my bed that morning and she didn't leave the bed all day. We discussed the possibility of putting her down, and then I started looking things up on the Internet about kidney failure in dogs. My least favorite quote, but the one that haunted me, said "it is not a dignified way for a dog to die." It hit me at that point, my "A-Ha" moment-I was letting my dog die in a painful way, and I was the only person who could end her misery. I cried and cried, and held her and cried some more. I felt awful for even thinking of it, because to me, I was not putting her to sleep, I was killing her. I just couldn't kill my baby girl! I prayed for her, I prayed for me, I prayed for peace to know that I was making the right decision. I spoke with our Vet that night about how my husband and I had talked about putting her down, and he said "Well, you know, you're probably doing the right thing, she won't last much longer, there is no shame in doing it, you're not a bad person." So I decided if she made it through the night, I would make the decision the next day.

I thought she died a few times in the night, because she was so still, and sputtering. But, in the morning, she was alive and laboring to breath. I explained to the boys that she was going to die that day, and I wanted them to take pictures with her for the last time. She perked up for pictures with them, and they gave her kisses on her head, and she just sat there looking at them with the same loving, motherly look she had since each one was born. She loved those boys, my boys, like they were her own children. I posted a few pictures of her with us at the header of the post....can you tell I'd been crying in my picture with her? I informed the Vet's office that we needed to put her down and end her suffering. Around lunch time, Todd was going to come home, take her to the Vet, and be with her as she died. I was in agony that day, all day long, until Todd came to get her. I laid by her and told her all sorts of things about how wonderful she was. She just laid there....and then she put her paw on my shoulder, like she was comforting me. I just sobbed. My loyal best friend was comforting me in her time of death. Todd came home, and she was so weak she couldn't walk, so he carried her to his car where I said my final goodbye. Before leaving, Todd told Gunnar to take care of me because I was going to be very sad all day long. She just sat there in the back seat, and had this look like "let's get this over with, I'm ready." I ran to my bathroom and cried on the floor for a few minutes. Then, Gunnar came in, gently put his hand on my shoulder and said, "OK, you've cried enough, come on out of here..." He helped me up, walked me to the kitchen, where I made lunch for the kids, and then managed to go about my day as normally as I could. My boys explained to their cousins that Sadie died, Gunnar even told one of them "My mom is sad 'cause our dog's dead, so go easy on her today."

And I began to worry about Buckley that night. Buckley had come to the front door when Todd was taking Sadie. They touched noses, and then his best friend was gone. We got Sadie when she was only 7 weeks old, and Buckley was around 9 months old. He let her chew all over his legs when we was teething, and he never complained. They were brother and sister, yet sweet and affectionate to each other as well. She taught him how to climb stairs, and jump on the bed. He taught her how to use their paws to slap each other when playing tug of war (which she always cheated at by biting his ears so he'd let go of the toy!)They were great playmates, but when the kids came along, he didn't fawn all over them like she did. In their later years they had become like an old married couple Now, his life partner was gone in an instant. I thought they were going to be like the dogs in the book"Where the Red Fern Grows,"and thought that once one died the other would too. I was nervous that he would get depressed and quit eating, but just the opposite happened. He was eating more, and seemed to relish the new attention he started to receive. We've even started taking him for rides in our Suburban, and he loves to sit in between Gunnar and Chase in the back seat. He's was still a little hesitant around the babies, and reluctant to come take naps with me, but we've had a talk and he's coming around.

I will never get over losing my girl, Sadie. There are sad reminders of her everywhere in my house. I tried to take a nap the day after she died, but I couldn't sleep because she always used to lay next to me. She always slept at my feet at night, and the bed just feels empty without her there. If it's night time, and there is something dark on the floor, I think it's her. Her pink dog bone toy still lays on the floor in the living room, and yes, it makes me sad. Todd told me that it didn't hit him until he had to take her collar off at the Vet's office. She had been giving morphine, and a glimpse of her old self was there in her eyes for just a moment before the euthanasia medicine kicked in. He said after she was gone, he went to take the collar from her neck, and usually if you touch a sleeping dog they jump up, but she just laid there. Buckley has started to do some of the things she used to do, like eating all of the food the babies drop at meal times, and he's even started to come find me and see what I'm doing during the day. He and I have grown much more close in our time of loss and grief.

So there it is, people. My sad, sad story. Of course, it's only sad if you are a pet parent, have grown up with a dog, and can sympathize with how I've felt. As I finish writing this post, I see Mason leaning on Buckely, who is laying down, looking at a book. I grew up with a wonderful dog, and I hope my sons have the same wonderful memories of growing up with a dog, or dogs, like I do.

The Twins 1st Birthday!

WHOOOOHOOO! My babies turned 1!!! Ok, so it was over a month ago, but haven't we already established that I'm the world's worst blogger? They had a great party, and yes, I made everyone wear party hats! We had a big 1st birthday party for my nephew Jack, because it was the first birthday for the first grandchild on my side of the family, so I decided since the twins were the last grandchildren on my side of the family we were going out big! I forced my husband to hang up "Happy Birthday" banners at my parents house, and my parents made a wonderful meal for us to eat. My Dad cooked a rib eye, and while he was cutting pieces off, my Mom was holding Mason and feeding little bits to him. Mason would say "Mmmmmmm," then kinda hit my Dad on the shoulder, signaling for more meat. When that didn't do the trick, he would kick my Dad in the back to get his attention! It was pretty funny to watch. So after dinner, we got the cakes out for the babies. I had given them some cakeballs a few weeks earlier, and pretty much knew what kind of eaters they would be when it came to their birthday cakes. Parker just took one finger and slid it over the icing and would lick it off, and then Mason just grabbed it up in his fist and started taking bites. After some pictures and video, Parker finally got the idea and started eating it by the handful. Then, the real fun started when they smeared it all over their faces. Mason had a big glob between his eyes, and Parker got so much icing in his eyes they started to turn red and swell up. It was about this time that we pulled them out of their chairs and ran them into the bathtub. After their bath, they were so tired we packed up all their toys (which remained unwrapped for 2 days!) and went home.

So here is what they were doing when they turned one: Both could say "Mom-mom" and "Dada"very well. They were still sleeping in a crib in our room, and they weren't sleeping through the night completely. Their favorite food was meat and potatoes, and they had no trouble at all transitioning to real milk from their soy formula. They were walking very well, since they started walking around 10 1/2 months. They had 7 teeth, with an 8th one on the way in. Their favorite toys they got from their party were some racer toys, a ball, and Little People. They started drinking juice from sippy cups, and were able to use baby sign language to say "all done" at mealtimes (we tried to the sign for "more", but they ended up interpreting it as clapping). They love to give our dogs, Sadie and Buckley, lots of hugs and kisses. Their favorite show to watch was "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse," on The Disney Channel- they literally freeze in their tracks when they hear the music from the show! It's pretty cute. They were wearing 18-24 months size clothing, size 5 1/2 wide shoes, and size 4 diapers. They weighed 26 (Parker) and 27lbs (Mason) at their 1 year checkup, and Parker is only taller by 1/4 of an inch! They play peek-a-boo, and enjoy chasing each other around tables, chairs, couches, etc. They had their car seats turned forward, and they like looking out of our Suburban and seeing the world around them. All in all, they are pretty normal for 1 year olds, but still pretty amazing for identical twin 1 year olds!

I love my boys, even though the big boys are the one that drive me crazy, the twins are so sweet and even tempered. Everyone always tells me what good babies I have, and I'm just so lucky to be their "mom-mom"! I'm sure all of this will change, but right now I thoroughly enjoy staying home with them every single day and giving them lots of hugs and kisses, and receiving almost as many as I give! Happy belated Birthday to my little angels!

It's Groundhog's Day!

Yes, I'm aware I am the world's worst blogger, but I've been busy! I guess the people who blog everday don't have twins! (The babies tend to keep me pretty busy during the days.) Currently I am stuck at home, literally. We had a huge blizzard come through Tulsa, and the city received 14 inches of snow. It broke all kinds of records here: most snow on the 1st day of February, most snow in the month of February, most snow dumped at one time...you get the picture. Most schools have cancelled classes for the week...which means I have all 4 boys at home this week. I posted a few pictures so you can have an idea of what I saw at my house. Anywho, I've been home by myself with the kids because Todd's working in Kansas City this week, and now it looks like he won't be getting back here until Friday. I hope his boss feels bad about me being alone with 4 kids. I miss him, but I'm now at the point with the 4 kids that I can function alone, which is WAY better than it was 6 months ago. So since I didn't update in January I guess I'll backtrack and talk about what happened since the last post.

Dec. 30, 2010- Our 10 year wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that I was only a baby of 20 years old when I got married. I can remember almost every single detail of that day, and if you ask Todd, he can barely recall that day. Todd sent me a dozen red roses, and we went to dinner at a very nice restaraunt, Mahogony. One of our 3 servers (yeah, 3 people wait on you there) asked us what the secret to our marriage was. She said she asks all of her tables that to all of her tables celebrating anniversaries. It got us talking, and we decided our first answer wasn't very "PG", so we opted with "having a sense of humor." We said that if we both hadn't had a sense of humor, we wouldn't have had as much fun with each other in our marriage and friendship. I'm so thankful to have a husband like Todd, because frankly, no one else would have been able to make me as happy and love me as much as he does.

Dec. 31, 2010-My sister got married! Beautiful service, with just family and her best friend. I was the unofficial photographer, and helped organize the groupings for pictures. She thanked me for it later, and I said "Hey, I'm a Mormon, this is what we do! We organize for family pictures!" I'm really happy for my sister and her husband, and I wish them nothing but a lifetime of happiness!

January-Well, it happened. My babies started taking steps in December, but they truly started to walk at 10 months old. They don't walk very far, but they love being mobile! We got them shoes about a week ago, and it's been fun to watch them stand up and walk. Parker started walking about 2 weeks before Mason, and he felt very comfortable in shoes. Mason would just grab his foot, shake the shoe, and yell at it. He likes them a lot more now, and they both know that when we get their shoes on it means we're going out. They like to get out of the house, which is great, because I can't wait for Spring to roll around so we can go to the park, the Zoo, and just go play with friends.

I FINALLY got a digital camcorder, which I've been wanting for a while, and hopefully I will be able to post some video on here soon!

Well, that's about it. I really hope to be post on here more, but I say that all the time, so I'll blog when time allows. Hope everyone is doing well- look forward for a "special"post in the future!

Love to you all!