They Are So Lucky To Be Twins!

It's that time in the twins' lives when the Tooth Fairy makes regular visits. Interestingly, the littlest girl, "Baby B," the one who used to be about 2 weeks developmentally behind "Baby A," lost her tooth first. Reaching the milestone marker first no longer is predictable, as the training wheels also came off Baby B's bike while the other's remain firmly attached to the frame.
When the latest tooth loser was expressing her fear of pain and the aversion to a little blood, the experienced one stepped in and offered her support, advice, and encouragement. It was heartwarming, and really showed how they care deeply for one another and can rely on one another. It's a little different from having a big sister. This twin bond seems to be more intense, because the experiences are so similar with very little time separating them. They are so lucky!

Recycled Materials Craft Project

Here's a great activity that combines your child's love of crafting with a history lesson - making a Medieval Castle. After researching the necessary parts of the castle, we started with a few cardboard boxes and cut the crenellations (the top of the walls.) We made a gatehouse, a keep, and the walls and hot glued them together. Then my daughter spray painted the entire thing and added some details we printed from Google Images. All parts were labeled and we called it finished. Now three more to go until everyone is happily playing with their castle!

Getting Creative with Lunches

There are times when I must go to great lengths to get my children to eat healthy foods. I have resorted to creative presentation lately, to inspire giggles, delight, and enthusiasm for what may otherwise cause them to turn up their noses. Behold, the always popular Hello Kitty rice balls. I filled them with chicken, carrots, and broccoli, and decorated them with romaine lettuce. They were such a hit, I ended up making them two days in a row, with day two being a double batch.

"Oh, They're so cute! Are they twins?"

I just have to laugh. For 7 years I've been asked this funny question. Why do people ask this? My girls are identical twins. When they were tiny infants in a double stroller with matching outfits, I was asked if they were twins. When they were 3 and wanted their hair cut the same I heard, "Are they twins?" Last week, we were shopping and the cashier asked this. Now really, they are the same height, have the same color hair, and their FRIENDS have a hard time telling them apart. "Are they twins?" I just nod and smile. Yes, they are twins.

Full Hands, Full Schedule!

This week, I experienced one of the craziest days, yet, with getting everyone to their appointments and activities on time. On the agenda was homeschooling, an orthodontist appointment, band practice, Girl Scouts for the little girls, Girl Scouts for the Junior Scout, and a clarinet lesson. With the help of a lot of deep breaths and self reassurance, ("Everything will work out.") the day did go well. A friend of mine said, "Well, before you know it, they will be driving themselves to their activities." This made me really embrace the experience and enjoy being with them and taking them to places. I refuse to wish away their childhoods when things seem tricky. So, it turned out to be a great day!

Ticket Shop

I've found the perfect way to entice the children to do chores, use kind soft words, and get ready for school in the mornings and bed in the nights - Ticket Shop.
We've actually been using this reward system for a couple of years now, and it still has not lost it's appeal to the girls.
Together, we sat down at the computer and made the "tickets" - basically currency for me to pay them for their good deeds. I used business cards and printed, laminated, and cut them out. I keep tickets in the kitchen, in the bathroom, in my purse, and grab several to put in my pocket in the morning. When I catch them being good, voila!, a ticket! Whenever I am at a store, I keep my eye out for little toys, books, stickers, arts and craft supplies, etc. and add them to my little store. Ticket Shop happens once a week, and I set the price for the various items. If they've had a great week behavior-wise, then they really reap the benefits by getting to buy more at the shop.

Back in the Saddle

Because New Year's Resolutions are a wonderful tool to inspire and yes, sometimes guilt one into action, I am reviving the blog. I'm promising myself to write as much and as often as I can without any bad feelings if I miss a day or two. I'm opening myself up creatively, have embarked on the journey of The Artist's Way, and this is going to be an extension of that. Raising children is a tough occupation and hopefully, by documenting certain events and how I handled hard times and mini-crisis, I will grow and help others.
Currently, my four children, husband and I are living 1200 miles away from our family. This is presenting a new facet of challenges in addition to the usual parenting issues. I home school my eldest daughter, and the other three are thriving in school. In my new home state, I have the final say on whether the twins are placed in the same classroom or not, and have chosen to keep them together. They are very happy with that, as they really are uncomfortable with being separated. Their teacher, whom had reservations about that, is now saying that it is not at all a negative, and that she enjoys their tag team rap-style story delivery.
I'm excited to be back, and hope the words that flow from my mind to fingers to screen will inspire us both.