Double Digits

Some people say, "oh my goodness, 10!" as if they can't believe 10 years have gone by, but I have [most of] the memories to prove it!  As of the end of March my oldest child is now 10.

He still loves that chartreuse green, but wears other colors and looks good in all of them.  His shoes are officially as big as mine and he's over 5 feet tall already.  I imagine well before high school he'll be taller than me at this rate!

He wanted to play the cello this year in strings at school and has done really well.  The all district orchestra festival last month was so neat to hear.

As I missed last year's update due to being very ill, it's even more of a difference to look back two years.

I did get to be in his classroom a little bit this year, but 4th graders don't need as much outside help so I mostly did projects for his teacher.  He was always happy to see me though and give me hugs so I'll take it.

I totally failed on the birthday treat front and ended up sending Snickers to school instead.  And we had special cupcakes for the painting party so ice cream sundaes were had on his actual birthday.

Yes, I filled the bag with pretzels because he mostly already knew what he was getting and I am a silly mom.

This spring at school every kid in his class got an iPad so he's starting to learn his way around the digital world.  Time for lots of conversations about how life works, but thankfully he still talks to us most of the time.

He got to go on a special trip with Dad and he picked Seattle.  I'll try to get some pictures up (that he took!) sooner rather than later.

Buddy, I'm happy that you're doing well in school and always curious about how things work.  I can see a scientist or an engineer (or whatever you want to be) in your future!

The Noah: Seven

Yes, he gets a definite article before his name.  He's unmistakable!

The Noah turned 7 on St. Patrick's Day.  These pictures I took back in February are a pretty good impression of him.

Once upon a time we nicknamed him the Loud Lemon.  It's appropriate.  He's so expressive and wears his emotions on his face all the time.

The Noah is 7 and moving up to the second grade has been good for him.  His report card last week showed him at grade level for second grade and he really enjoys this teacher as well.  It's the same teacher Cory had for second grade.  He still misses his first grade teacher and friends though.  He's so outgoing he had made plenty in just the 4 months he was in that class.

Fun story, I've really had more time to consistently volunteer this year now that the girls are in preschool and last week when I showed up they were talking about Alaska and glaciers.  So I was able to pull up this blog post about our trip last summer and Noah was the star of all the photos while I explained to his classmates about the glacier and how it worked.

Nana and Papa brought him a scooter for his birthday.  He was immediately trying to pop wheelies with it.  And then rode through the mud puddles.  This one loves the outdoors and doing all the things.  He played soccer last fall for the first time and was one of the more aggressive kids on the team.  It helped of course that he was almost a head taller than most of the rest of his team and a lot of kids on the other teams too!

With Cory being three years older he often feels like he doesn't get to do the same things because he is younger.  It's hard to wait when you want to try all the cool things that your older brother gets to do.  So in a few things he gets to do things early (like skiing!), but other things he has to wait.  It's hard being the middle child.  I'm hoping to get a weekend with just he and I in a month when Cory goes to a camp and the girls go with my parents.

Noah's good buddy from school last year and Awana came for his birthday dinner.  Noah couldn't open the box with his present in it... so he tried to use his teeth.  He was successful.

More nerf bullets for his Zombie nerf gun.  Boys!

The saying on his shirt is rather appropriate, "Wild is my middle name" courtesy of our trip to Alaska last summer.  And the birthday boy requested ice cream sundaes for dessert rather than cake.  We are nothing if not unconventional in our family!

Overall Noah is a caring and compassionate boy.  He hates it when anyone is sad or hurt in a movie and cries for them.  He's old enough to understand a little of what's going on in the world and cares about the people we hear about on the news in the car.

I love you Noah!  Never lose your love for people and you'll go far in life!

Five

People keep asking me if I miss my children being little. No, no I don't. I like them just the way they are right now. I will admit it IS pretty crazy that the twins are five now, but looking back at these posts from when they were born feels like a lifetime ago.

I just went to my brother and sister-in-law's baby shower on Saturday for their first baby. It will be fun to have a baby niece nearby, but I guarantee you I'm not one of those people who always has to be the first in the room to hold the baby.

Anyway, the girls are SO looking forward to having a baby cousin nearby since they aren't getting a little sibling.

Some days I get kids that will smile for a picture, some days I don't. These were taken a few weeks back when I needed portraits to submit for something and the lighting was just right in my dining room.

You'd never guess from these pictures, but Joy is quite the silly bug. I guess it just depends on the mood by day (or hour). And really she was being quite cooperative for these pictures, which I didn't really want silly!

She is very independent and knows what she wants and why. Or where. Or how. I think she's going to be a bit particular, a little like her oldest brother. Things have an order to them. In this she also follows directions very well and has learned how to color quite neatly within the lines. She's very proud of that skill.

At times like this I struggle a little to come up with ways they are different. They each have their own personality for sure, but they like to do most of the same things and are together almost 24/7. So for as much as developmentally kids go through things at roughly the same ages, that's what we have here. If we ever wonder if they are identical I think this always reminds me that they most likely are. (No, we haven't had them tested, but it's highly likely that they are)

Poor Hope is my toothless girl. After these were taken she even had to have one more on the top removed from the trauma a year ago because it had gotten infected as well. She does pretty good at crazy 5am dentist visits and isn't too traumatized by the actual events.

She goes about her days singing quietly almost all the time. And always reminds Daddy when he forgets his glasses before leaving for school.

They go back and forth being clingy still when I leave them at preschool, but away from me I hear that Hope is a bit more reserved. It's like if she knows I am in the vicinity she is fearless. But even sometimes in the grocery store she will hide her face from someone we know. We're still working on not just running away ahead of Mama though.

For the most part though, these are THE most outgoing (and loud) children you've ever met. They will hug anyone I even have a casual conversation with!

For all their clinginess in the mornings I think they are really enjoying preschool. They're learning their letters and numbers and at their conferences last week I was surprised to find they can each count almost up to 50 without missing a number!

We have lots of interesting conversations in the car about the weather and the things we see as we drive to and from school and all around town for errands.  One really cool part about having cousins living on the other side of the world is this giant wall map at church where we can point out every week where they live.  And where my penpal Amy lives.  And where Sweden is that Mommy went to 18 months ago.  I love geography so it's really fun that they like it too.

The twin bond is still very strong between these two.  They do occasionally do things apart from each other, but more often than not you will find them doing the same things.  If one is coloring, the other will eventually join in.  If one is playing with the dollhouse, very soon the other will be there too.  In some ways, when Noah (usually) plays with one of them that introduces competition into the relationship.  They do have their squabbles, but for the most part they get along better than most siblings I've seen.

The last time we went to the doctor they had reached the 85th percentile on the growth charts.  For being at the 25th percentile when they were born they've caught up and passed "average" for kids their age.  I'm not surprised since the rest of us aren't small either.  It will be fun to see if they continue to stay in this range or even get farther ahead of the growth curve like the boys are.  They continue to stay very even with each other although Joy is slightly heavier (she eats more!) and has a half size bigger feet.  Joy: 48 pounds, about 44 1/2 inches and size 12 shoes.  Hope: 45 pounds, about 44 1/2 inches and size 11 1/2 shoes.

I love these girls and can't wait to see what they do and become as they get older!

Four

Four is...

full of energy,

and spunk,

and sass!

It's knowing all your letters and pointing them out.  It's writing your name on things and wanting to know what specific things say in books.

Four is very independent... when you want to be!

Four is conversations about all the things in the world and observing all the little details.  It's wanting to help do everything Mommy is doing and yet not when you are asked! 

Both girls are still almost identical in height and weight although they go back and forth by who is bigger by quarters of an inch and a pound or two.  They come in slightly smaller than average for their age, but considering they are twins and were fairly small to start with that's normal!  About 41 inches tall and 38-39 pounds.  They wear size 4 and a few 5's. 

They live in their own twin world, so different than the boys at this age that I remember.  They are so keyed into each other that they will go and do what the other one is doing and I think simply not even hear anyone else, especially if they are moving.

These girls are so engaging and active.  They are the same yet different in a million different ways.  Many days it's exhausting trying to keep up with them and yet twin snuggles make everything right in the world.  I love my girls!

Birthday Number Four

Now that it's officially April I probably should chronicle my kid's birthdays!  Stupid plague that got me down just after the girl's birthday...

We did things a little differently for them this year because their party was away from our house, but their gift was too big to transport...

A doll house!

I was pretty excited for them to see it.  They didn't ask to watch cartoons for days, just got up in the morning to play with it!

The novelty has somewhat worn off now, but it's still pretty cool.  Except for the teeny tiny forks and knives that half of them immediately went missing.

We held their official party at McDonald's this year.  Since it was their turn for a party and every time we drove by they would sigh wistfully I figured it would be a hit, and it was!

13 little kids running around plus regular dinner people and it was kind of wild and crazy, perfect for turning 4!

I had to make gluten free cupcakes for Cory so these supplemented the cake they provided.  And they had ice cream.  Oy, so much sugar!  (and also treat bags with more junk in them)

Hope and Nana

Four!  I can't believe how old she looks in this photo.

Much fun was had by all and they were having so much fun playing on the toys that we just brought the presents home and opened them here.  Lots of fun play dough, art supplies, and dress up accessories.

Too cool for school in her new shades, Joy was playing with the doll house here the next morning.

I bought the Hape brand doll house because it looked pretty solid and also was simple and unbranded (Disney) so I figured it would stand the test of time.  It wasn't too hard to put together and there are lots of fun features!  Unfortunately the storage system I bought to set it on isn't deep enough so we're going to have to get a bit creative, but I think we'll figure it out.  For now it's living in the living room and that works okay.

Four year old portraits coming soon!

Happy Birthday Mama!

We had dinner with my parents on Sunday.  I'm pretty sure my mom doesn't mind sharing her birthday month with all her grandkids!

So she invited the girls to "share" her cake.  Because every time it's someone's birthday they want to know if they can have some "birthday" too.  Which to them means cake.  When you're 3, that's important!

They helped blow them ALL out...

But in my rush to just put all the pink candles in I forgot that some of them were the re-lighting kind!

They kept blowing them out as soon as they re-lit, but it was still funny!

And for a present we are going to see the Piano Guys live in Spokane in May when we have our annual girls weekend.  So fun!

Chocolate Covered Marshmallows - Easy Birthday Treats

This is the second year now that we've made these chocolate covered marshmallows as classroom birthday treats and they are a hit! Cory's teacher even asked how I made them and just emailed me to say she did them with her kids this weekend.  So I'm sharing my "recipe" with all of you!

It's quick and easy and your kids can help too!  Plus, it doesn't require anything more than a napkin when sharing with a classroom full of students.

What you'll need:

Lollipop sticks (Wilton)
One bag of marshmallows ~ 40 regular size
2 bags of milk chocolate chips, we prefer Ghirardelli's
At least one large bottle of sugar sprinkles
Wax paper or freezer paper
Cookie sheet
Double boiler or aluminum pot

Directions:

Melt your chocolate over low heat until smooth (medium heat if using a double boiler), stirring every 30 seconds or so.  You will end up with some leftover melted chocolate as it's hard to dip when you have just bits left in the pan.

Dump all the marshmallows out into a bowl and put a stick in the center of each, pushing all the way until you can feel the stick.

Pour your sprinkles into a small bowl, I like my little Pyrex dishes, and have a dinner plate ready to catch the extra.  Larger shaped sprinkles will work too, but you will go through them much faster so you'll need a couple of bottles if you choose to use those. 

Line your cookie sheet with wax/freezer paper and have ready.

Dip your marshmallows in the melted chocolate and dab excess off the bottom onto your spatula or you may not have enough for the whole batch.  Continue stirring your chocolate after every couple of dips.

Hold your marshmallows sideways over the plate and gently shake your sprinkles over while turning.  If you hold the marshmallow straight down it will fall off the stick!

After every couple of marshmallows funnel your sprinkles off the plate and back into your bowl to reuse.

Place marshmallows on the paper in rows!  Don't try to move them for at least an hour as they will fall off the stick or you will lose a lot of chocolate.

For faster cooling put the pan in the fridge or freezer!  We think these are especially tasty when cold, but frozen they can be harder to eat, especially for small children.

Enjoy!

Makes 40 and takes about an hour.