Hare crow.

Last week the kids made Scare Crows at Mamak's house. They were excited to show them off. We left them at Mamak's. And, as we're quite sure she needed to keep the TWO 30 inch tall scarecrows on her refrigerator, we went ahead and made some to decorate our house. They saw our neighbor taking a walk and had to rush out of the house to show him their creations.

Veronica was quite proud of her "hare crow." This is the most detailed face I've ever seen her draw. She started with the eyes (two circles with dots in the middle), and then drew a mouth. Then, for the nose she made two filled-in circles. I'm pretty sure it was two nostrils. But, then she decided the scarecrow needed another nose - hence, the third nostril.



Thomas filled the face with his favorite color - blue. He was very specific about what was what. He even drew a mustache. I like the way he sticks his tongue out now when he's concentrating.

Spiderman

Thomas has had an obsession with Spiderman for quite some time. All he knew about him was his picture. Plus, there is one on top of a building on New York Street. Judson and I were both secretly teaching both the kids to sing the theme song to suprise the other. Then, Judson had some time to himself while he was sick. He scanned his 196_ boxed set of Spiderman cartoons and found an appropriate one for the kids to view.

It was quite the hit! Thomas was glued to it. Veronica was excited and giddy over it. They went to bed singing the theme song. Here's what we were able to get out of them recently. Thomas wasn't in to the taping, but he went off to the side and was "spinning a web."

Not-So-Fickle Friendhips

Little Blake is 1 year old! This was quite impressive to the twins who are trying to figure out age relationships. (Well, those a year above or below them - they now realize they are going to be 3 instead of 5 on their next birthday). So, for "Baby Blake" to have a birthday and turn one -well that's impressive.

According to Veronica, babies can't walk - well some can if they are a little bigger. And Thomas:"They aren't big yet, they need to talk louder." (I assume this is because most babies can't talk.)


We were honored to be a part of the festivities. The twins started off a little shy. Veronica clung to a willing-to-snuggle Aunt Peggy and Thomas kept his eye on 9-year-old Jacob. We'd met Jacob once when playing with our cousins - he's a friend of theirs. Jacob is amazing with little ones. He remembered that Thomas needed a little warm-up and just would test the waters gently on occasion until Thomas was ready - and boy, then was he ready. Jacob and Thomas ran around the clubhouse playing hide-and-seek, dancing, and acting like dinosaurs. Veronica decided this was fun and finally worked her way off Peggy's lap. Shy Hannah and Jacob's sister Grace were even in on the fun.



Jacob left before the very tired, napless Thomas who cried, "Where'd that boy go? I wanted him to be my friend."

Since we were on the southside of town, we maximized our fun and headed to play with our friend Emily... Just in time too - Her daddy had made a huge pot of delicious chili! Our lighter eater, Veronica, even asked for seconds!

As we were leaving the very amicable playdate, Thomas said to Emily, "Bye! You're not our friend anymore." I even asked him to repeat it to be sure. We discussed most of the way home that people are still our friends even when we aren't with them. They have a lot of heart and will make a lot of friends - we want to be sure they know that friends are always there for them.

Get-A-Way with my Deer (& Dear)

My Dad gets some incredible deals from the local radio station's Saturday "auction." It's mostly businesses offering sweet deals on a one-time thing - with only one or two chances to get it.



The most recent was an overnight stay in a two-bedroom cottage at General Butler State Park in Carrollton, KY. The certificate expired on October 11. Originally, my brothers and their wives were going to use it, but it didn't pan out. Dad and Mom couldn't use it either. So, at the last minute, not only were we the lucky recipients of this deal, we were also offered FREE overnight babysitting so it wouldn't go to waste! Judson just happened to have Columbus Day off, so we scheduled to use the certificate on the night it expired.



After celebrating Pa's birthday, we kissed the kids and headed to Carrollton. We made it at dusk and were greeted by a half dozen deer grazing on the golf course. As Judson checked in, I headed to snap a few photos. They were just across the street from me... about 20 feet away. They seemed to be used to the paparazzi.




After we checked in, I decided we needed to get a hike in. We picked up a mere 1.5 mile hike and ended up with this equation... (all hill + either rock or mud terrain + setting sun) x a person who is still recovering = turning around at the quarter mile mark to make it back alive and with some sunlight left. We did run into a deer on the trail who just stood and stared at us. We didn't move for 5 minutes while she just watched us. It finally became too dark to see her, even though she was no more than 15 yards away, so we left her alone.



As Judson's family has a lot of ties to Carrollton, we let his sentiment dictate our dinner. We ate a phenomenal pie at Hometown Pizza. We talked about getting a delish breakfast at the park's lodge before drifting to sleep.



We woke in time to get that breakfast, called for another vote, and decided that sleep was cheaper and more delicious than breakfast. So we checked out with one minute to spare and enjoyed the lodge's beautiful sitting area and read books until the lodge opened it's restaurant for lunch. I was going to go for a healthy salad bar until I noticed a Kentucky Hot Brown on the menu. Having never experienced this, I decided I couldn't pass up the opportunity... The waitress actually laughed out loud when she asked if we wanted dessert.



With daylight on our side, we completed a couple of small trails and played around with taking pictures of things other than people.



We then headed to Madison where we delivered a birthday treat to his mother. Cream Pulled Candy - I had never heard of it and was looking at it in the park's gift shop when Judson mentioned how much his mom loved it. Sold. Oh, and she was nice enough to share. If it had not been a gift to her, I would have eaten the entire carton on the spot! She was in great spirits and even HID the carton from Daddy Gayle to ensure she had her fill.



In keeping with the sentimental savories, we headed to Hinkles for dinner. A couple tiny (White Castle-ish) burgers lead to some incredible hand-dipped shakes. Mmmmm....



I short walk afterward and I was back to still-life shots of Madison's fountain on Broadway.



Before picking up the kids, we got some fall flowers to replace the daffodils on Julianne and David's headstone. I suppose it was too much fresh air, or maybe too much rest, but I had my silly husband back. He decided to decorate my dad's car with the old flowers. We were in tears laughing at all the stares we got on the way home.

I love this man for many reasons. I especially love the care-free time I get to spend with him. I'm blessed to have people (thanks, Mom & Dad) who make that happen!

Candy, Pickles, and Strawberries

We headed south today to celebrate (a little belated) Pa's birthday. We were going to try to make it to Mass in North Vernon, but that was a little optimistic... We did, however, cruise into Columbus in enough time to be early to St. B's service. And what luck! They were having kids do most of the reading and singing for this service. Plus... there was a puppet show. Thomas stole the show, too. One of the puppets mentioned candy. "CANDY!?!?!?!?" Thomas erupted incredulously. There were a lot of snickers in the large church following that. So, of course Veronica had to follow suit. It was quite an appropriate eruption from them, so we even got a lot of compliments on how good they were following the service.

Still heading south, both kids were excited to know that they would be seeing Uncle Danny. Thomas stated, "Danny's not playing football today because he's not wearing a team shirt." Knowing my brother's wardrobe consists of 95% wrestling team t-shirts, I called Danny. Sure enough - he would greet them wearing a team shirt!

Veronica and Thomas had their first "butterfly" painting. (I had them paint on one half of a piece of paper and then fold it in half to give a mirror image. Then, I made one boy and one girl butterfly body.) These were their cards to Pa. I transcribed their messages to him on the cards as well.

From Veronica: Happy birthday, Pa. We love you. PS. Eat your pickles.

From Thomas: Happy birthday to you. PS. Strawberry

They saved Pa a few breaths and agreed to blow out his candles.

End of an ERA (Ensured Rest Area)

Well, we knew they could do it - or at least that Thomas could. We found him in Veronica's pack-n-play several times on vacation this summer.

Yesterday we drove down to North Vernon to visit Mamak and Pa. Even after a morning of hard play with our twin friends and singing to the top of our lungs the last 45 minutes of the trip down, no naps were to be had. Sure, Veronica told us with a devilish grin that she was ready to go to sleep shortly after we got to Mamak's. Mamak was right, "Someone has alterior motives." They simply had not been in their pack-n-plays for a while (not even a week), so they wanted to play in them.

I went in there once to discover Thomas jumping on the bed next to the pack-n-plays; a second time to find Veronica in Thomas's pack-n-play with him. I decided I was tired, so I'd let them do whatever as long as I could lay down. Mamak went in later to find both of them outside of the pack-n-plays. "I'm stinky," Veronica informed her. Mamak asked Thomas if he was. "No," he replied and crawled back into his pack-n-play. Mamak took Veronica to the living room to change her diaper. Halfway into the change, Thomas ran out of the bedroom, "I'm done sleeping!"

Last night I looked in on them - so peaceful and innocent! Veronica hadn't moved a muscle from when we laid her down. Thomas, being too big for the pack-n-play anyway, was curled up in the width (shorter than the length!) of the pack-n-play.

This morning I heard them stirring and chattering nicely to one another, so I just enjoyed the conversation while I could keep my feet up a little longer. Then I heard two thuds followed by the pitter-patter of feet and whispering, "Mommy's sleeping. Let's not wake her up." They ran right past my door to find Mamak... and then they ran toward my room saying, "Let's wake up Mommy!" I was a nice morning not having to get out of bed, but still being able to snuggle with them.

Now, if we can keep them in their cribs a little longer...

Don't Quote Me on This...

Here are some random twinisms...

Both: "That's not better!" (When we don't do what they want to their satisfaction.)

Thomas: Yesterday = any day before today

Veronica: Last day = yesterday

Thomas throws "kind of" into everything... "It's kind of like it's blue. It is blue."

Veronica likes to start sentences, "Actually..."

Thomas: "My favorite is blue." He needs to wear blue, eat out a blue bowl, have the blue crayon. He now even says his name starts with "blue" (and for months, he's said it started with 'T'.) In fact, I have made him a Peter Pan costume. When he saw Veronica's Tinkerbell costume, he insisted he was to be Wendy. Why? "Because she's blue."

The other day we were at Mamak & Pa's... The twins were in the basement. I overheard Veronica saying to Thomas, "You stay here and I'm going with the other Mommies, OK?"

Veronica the other night: "Sleep tight. Don't let the bed bugs eat you."

And, to wrap things up, it's amazing how many quotes they do from their favorite shows:

• They squeal when I put toothpaste on their toothbrushes - just like when Mary Poppins pours medicine into Jane & Michael's spoons and it comes out in different colors.


• For a long time they've needed their handy, dandy notebooks. (Blue's Clues)


• "Calling all super-readers!" (Super Why)


• Thomas looks for super-letters and puts them into his super-duper computer. (Super Why)


• "Let's give him an Andy's room welcome" Thomas just says on a whim. (Toy Story)


• When jumping over, off of, or into something, they have several phrases: "Blue Skiddoo, we can too!" (Blue's Clues); "Let's jump into the picture." (Mary Poppins); and "To infinity and beyond!" (Toy Story)


• We made a video of them acting through "To infinity and beyond." They've enjoyed watching it on the computer. Now, Veronica even quotes herself from the video (below). She'll just look at us and smile and say, "Veronica said, 'I can hold onto that.'"
  

Note how it takes Veronica several attempts to actually jump. I started taping because she was actually explaining to me, over and over, that when she got 'big like Thomas' she could jump off the top one - but for now, she'd jump off the bottom step.