The things that are bound to happen when a spouse travels...

At some stage during just about every trip that I go on for work, I get a call from Miriam telling me how much she hates it when I travel, most likely due to an unfortunate string of events that would probably not happen if we were both home. I guess this morning was payback time (Miriam is on a girl's trip in Dallas):

The morning thus far:

5:40am: Tinsley barking relentlessly to be let outside. Get up and let the dog out. Bring her back in 5 minutes later thinking all necessary bodily functions have been achieved...
6:30am: Tell two little mischievous girls to go back to bed since it's not yet 7:00am. They grudgingly comply. While making sure they do so, notice toothpaste on clothing but decide to ignore it...

7:25am: After a surprisingly long lie in, the twins finally get up and force me to do so as well. Walking past the bathroom, notice the particularly strong odor of dog excrement...love that little white dog!! Continue on to girls' bedroom only to discover that the entire tube of Princess toothpaste (purchased last night) as well as the (not so cheap) organic hand soap are now resident in the potty/all over the counter. Hmmm, what a fun morning...

7:30am: Decide to tackle the doggy doo-doo...you guessed it diarrhea!!
8:00am: After much cleaning, the girls disappear only to come back fully dressed in matching outfits...clever sausages!! Who could possibly stay mad at them?!!

8:08am: While writing this post, it got very quiet...the girls had found a pack of post-it notes which ended up pasted all over their bunk bed...Wow, dare I ask what next??!!

8:50am: Breakfast was relatively uneventful...until Mina squished Addie's fingers in the door while I was trying to get the dogs fed. While tending to injuries and disciplining, I notice Tinsley eating Belle's food...fortunately for her I only had a dish towel in my hand...

Got this picture during breakfast. I turn around from making tea to find Mina lounging and snacking on her toast...she is so her mother's daughter!

The question is...do I take this show on the road and go to church???

New Home - Sneak Peak

Here's a sneak peak at our new home. It has been a decorating, organizing, and unpacking whirlwind around here. Things are falling into place - but we still have a few large projects to tackle before I'll let you see the whole house! Here are some vignettes to give you a taste. The above picture is my side of the double sink bathroom. Hallelujah - I've never been so happy to have my own sink and medicine cabinet!

A portion of our living room - Stella frequents the lower shelf and promptly removes all books from the shelf and spreads them about the house. It's a charming phase....really...

The view above the loo

The first thing you see when you are standing at our front door!

Next weekend, I'm off to Dallas to pick-up some of the remaining pieces of furniture for our new place. I've purchased things off Craigslist and Ebay and have the sellers holding them for me. Some Bertoia chairs (I can't wait! I think they are the most beautiful chair!) and an Eames era patio sofa for the sun porch. A girlfriend and I are making a girls weekend out of the trip and are going to shop and relax! I can't wait!!!

Birthday Dinner

As many of you already know, Alex and I were born on the same day. One of much much (many years) earlier than the other... Here's some pictures from our trip to Red Robin to celebrate with the girls the day afterwards. On our actual birthday, the girls hung out with their favorite babysitter, and we had a day date flitting about town without any real agenda. It was lovely!

Stella has started the mimicking phase of babyhood. Here at the restaurant she saw Alex wipe his face with a napkin. She immediately picked one up and started wiping her face, then she'd put it down a have a big giggle and crack huge grin at us! What a character! : )

These two are becoming inseparable and it is really quite sweet. It has to be one of the best things about having twins. They play together all day long and come up with such games! Mina is usually the director, "Everybody over here, let's ...". Addie is usually the unruly pupil, "No! I wanna..." and off they go.

This is a picture of our table right before we left...

Stella's First Birthday

Here's a picture Stella showing you that it is her 1st birthday! We had a very low-key celebration after dinner one night at my parent's house. After having 40+ people for the girls 1st birthday and them crying and hiding in their room, we decided something smaller would be better the second time around! Plus, we were days away from moving and the house was in boxes!!!

Little girl meets cake, feels suspicious, feeds to sister to insure its edible, and then mostly paints with the frosting! : )

Cousins

With my brother and his family in town, we've been spending a lot of time at Nana and Papa's house together. It is action packed with six little bodies underfoot! I can't begin to imagine what it will be like when all six are mobile and running around.

We got to celebrate Stella's first birthday with her cousins and aunt and uncle. Here is her before picture. She always has such a bright smile ready for the camera!

It is funny how even in photos the girls personalities are apparent. Addie - "I'm really not into this, you're lucky you caught me sitting in this chair for 10 seconds, this is the only smile you're going to get so take it or leave it." Mina - "Do I look cuter posed here against the window, or would you like me over by the couch? Go ahead and take it again - that way you have a couple to pick from to ensure you caught my best side."

At one point, Addie and Sawyer were having some pre-dinner chips. If you can't read the bag, they are "Spicy Thai". They both would grimace and then have another one, both determined to show that they could eat spicy chips like the adults. Unfortunately, Sawyer was banned from further "Spicy Thai" demonstrations because although mentally he had the stamina, physically he broke out into red welts! : )

Jordan Valley

My brother and sister-in-law have been on a whirlwind summer vacation. First they came to Springfield (11 hr. trip with two 6-month olds and a 2 year old), then off to Minnesota (another 10-11 hr. drive), then back down to St. Louis, and now back in Springfield before they return home to Texas. This picture is from their first stopover in Springfield. We took the kids to the zoo and then the next day to Jordan Valley park. The fountains are always a hit with the kids. They are nice and shallow and thankfully chlorinated. Here's Sarah with all three babies while we eat a picnic lunch.

Nana and Papa joined us at the fountains and it was a big hit with the kids. They especially LOVE to spray/squirt/and otherwise dampen Papa.

The girls are SO sweet to Stella. It's hard to believe Addie was biting Stella out a jealousy when we first brought her home. Now Stella's biggest worry is the girls fighting over her and incurring a casualty in the process!

Stella loved kicking her feet in the water, but wasn't thrilled with the idea with being completely submerged. Papa kept sneaking an extra spray or two in her direction. That Papa always causing a ruckus!

Catch-Up

It appears I am playing catch-up again! The summer seems destine for busyness! The last few weeks we've had family rotating turns being in town, but before I get to any of that here are some cute pictures of our kids hanging around looking cute.

The above photos are a common sight (esp. lately with the move into the new house). The kids are waiting on dad to reinstall the car seats. They were of course removed to transport yet another craigslist steal, or stuff from the old rental, or stuff to the dumpster, or...you get the idea. Alex loves to discover that the car seats have been remove only once we gotten everything ready to leave the house, are running 5 minutes late, and it's hot and sweaty in the garage. : ) But, the good news is he's the golden boy and get those seats in lickety split and is still smiling!!!

Stella has discovered and the girls have rediscovered the joy of pulling things out of the lower cabinets. Mom has rediscovered what a pain it is to put it all away again and again and again.

Sleepy Stellie - who was fast asleep with her legs wedged out the crib bars. She only woke up as we took this picture!