Allergies

Got allergies?

I do.

Thanks to some children's Benadryl, I'm finally looking and feeling better.
I just can't go outside anytime soon or I'll look like this again.
Good thing I'd rather watch movies all day anyway.
Here's hoping your end of summer/start of fall treats you better than it does me.

Love, Carter

Versatility

One child's tank top

can become another child's dress

The downside? Ava is already invading Ellie's closet. This does not bode well for the teenage years!

I took the plunge

Well, yesterday it became official. I cracked out the maternity clothes.

This is a really difficult process for me. I think it centers on the fact that once you start wearing maternity clothes, you will be in them for at least a month after the baby is born. It is not an easy thing to decide that all your favorite clothing is going to have to just hang there for the next 6-7 months while you wear *sigh* maternity clothing.

Granted, maternity clothing has gotten cuter and more stylish through the years. That doesn't change the fact that starting to wear it is like making a very large concession. It means accepting that everything from this point on is only going to get bigger. Once you stop trying to stuff yourself into your former everyday clothing, it is like admitting defeat to the nature of pregnancy. It is accepting that no matter how hard I try to keep the size in check, I am still going to balloon up. Not an easy thing to do.

That said, these shirts are waaay more comfortable than the ones I was forcing myself to fit in. I don't have to worry if my stomach is hanging out (at least not yet anyway!). And when opening up the box of maternity clothes before I washed them, I was surprised to see that I actually had some cute shirts. I must have blocked that part of my pregnancy with the twins out of my mind.

Truthfully, I don't really mind the maternity shirts. It's those nasty kangaroo pants that get me. And I have two pairs of maternity pants: a khaki linen pair and some yoga/sweat pants. This means that with my last pregnancy and last child, I am going to have to actually take the plunge and buy some. Eeeew! However, I don't want my legs to freeze and if I spend all of winter in sweats, I will probably go crazy. I at least need a few pairs for those occassional moments when I want to dress up.

So here's to kangaroo pants and finally having to purchase a pair. Gulp......

Jake's Love Affair

Jake and I joined Amanda and Tony for our annual visit to the Steele County Fair in Owatonna. A&T live just down the road from the fairgrounds so it's a quick walk to the free fair and what is boasted as "MN's Biggest County Fair" for some delicious, totally unhealthy fair food, the beer garden, and all the exciting farm animals (sorry for the sarcasm with that one. Alex was in 4-H and I had my dose of fairs and farm animals. These city kids were a whole 'nother story though!). We left the kids behind this year so we could have a worry-free time and not have to watch the clock for bedtime.

While at the fair, Jake had a brief liason with a camel. These pictures were snapped by Amanda as I was as far away in the petting zoo as I could be so people wouldn't know I was associated with Jake. I'm not quite sure what was going through his head when he decided to try hugging and wrestling the camel. I do know that the camel did not enjoy it as much as Jake did as the camel kept trying to bite Jake's back and would jump and kick around its pen.

The series of photos speaks for itself:

Who headlocks a camel? And who walks through the pig and cow barns slapping the animals on the rear? And tries to milk a cow? Our visit to the fair may be an annual event but any future trips through the animal barns will be sans Alissa. I can't handle the embarrassment of association with these city kids!

Como Zoo

Rich, Amanda, and I took the twins to Como Zoo last Friday. I haven't been to Como since I was under the age of 12, so it was an exciting experience for me too. I wasn't sure what Carter would think since the last time we took the kids to the zoo in the spring, he wasn't too sure of the animals. Both Ava and Carter loved it though. The only thing I would do differently is to bring the stroller. I thought that at almost 3 years old and with 3 adults, we could make do without but in hindsight, I'd rather push the empty stroller than lug the 37 lb. boy around when he was too tired or hot to walk!

They loved the orangutans!

Carter was impressed with the gorilla.

With Papa and Aunt Amanda

Carter loved the seals. I also think based on the expression that Amanda didn't think she was in the shot!

After a walk through the zoo, we thought we'd try ComoTown.

Carter did not enjoy his first ever ride. The face says it all!

We did find success on the train though.

Three rides worth.

I could have crawled faster than this train.

Carter and Ava enjoyed it though so it was worth my torture.

Between trips on the train, we stopped for a delicious ice cream treat.

And finished off the day with a quick walk through the conservatory.

Carter can't stop talking about the zebras and seals and wants to go back to ride the train again. Ava loved the mama and baby giraffe and the lions and thinks that daddy needs to get to experience the zoo as well. I have a feeling we will be back soon!

August Weekends

We've been keeping busy during the weekends this month. We started August 1st with an 80th birthday party for Jake's Grandma Dolly. August 7th was my multiples group's Summer Picnic, of which I am supposed to help plan. August 8th was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary party. Add to this Grampy's visit August 5th-9th and we've been keeping busy. Here are a few pictures of our adventures, but not many as I seem to forget the camera at home a lot!

Twins and I at the picnic. Ellie was invited to a birthday party for the same time and chose the party over the picnic.

Grampy and the grandkids

Note to self: don't wait until naptime to take pics of grandparents and kids.

Ava was crabby!

Carter hugging Grampy

This picture was taken primarily for Ellie to do the bunny ears.

Carter was getting tired of pictures.

This past weekend was the first one in a while where we haven't had anything going on. I decided that I wanted a pork chop on the grill. With only 5 minutes left of grilling, a downpour started! Thankfully Jake manned up and finished the grilling in the rain. Ironically, the downpour stopped by the time we finished eating!

We've been enjoying summer so far and have had a great time visiting everyone who's come back for a visit. Grampy helped us out and installed some new light fixtures above the pantry and hall closet, moved one to another location and put a new one in its place, and "fixed" the one in the laundry room. Apparently the fixture in the laundry room wasn't broken (can I help if I got confused with the two switches and just decided it needed replacement?!) and now the laundry room matches the other ones my dad installed. It's hard to believe August is half over and September, school, and fall will be upon us soon!

It'll Be Alright

Today was one of those days. A day when each one of my beloved children managed to drive me crazy in just the few short hours of morning. After reaching my threshold for whining, I decided we were going to the gym where I could be by myself for just an hour. Of course, this brought on a new wave of whine from the oldest.

After telling number one that her opinions are best kept in her head, I turned the radio up to drown out the sounds of all three. Being in an irritable mood, the song on the radio only increased my irritation. I turned to a different station only to find the salvation I needed for the day.

Bob Marley's "Three Little Birds" was playing and it was the very beginning of the song.

"Don't worry about a thing, cause every little thing is gonna be alright."

If that wasn't the message I needed to hear today, I don't know what was. It was like God had reached into my radio and put on a song that would instantly put me at ease. There is just something about Bob Marley that relaxes the soul and takes one to another place.

I found myself back in the Bahamas, remembering the spring break trip Jake and I took in March 2006. Although not Jamaica, where Bob Marley is from, it certainly had the needed effect.


When thinking of blue skies and crystal clear blue waters, how can one even think about being upset with life?

Add in the rum concoction in a coconut and all your worries just float away.

Remembering the frolicking in the waves like a 10 year old just makes you feel younger and lighter at heart.

And I found the inner peace I needed to continue on with the day. A walk on the treadmill and some light weight lifting and I was ready for whatever my children decided to bring on for the rest of the day.

When we got back in the car, I decided to see what cd was in the player. The first song that came on was Bryan Adams' "Summer of '69". If that isn't the ultimate summer song, I don't know what is. It just added to the good day vibes I was feeling. It also took me back to the memory of July 2005 when I made Jake take me to the Bryan Adams and Def Leppard concert at the Midway Stadium in St. Paul.

The memory of a great night in the early days of our relationship just kept me on the "life is good" track that I was feeling.

And I realized Bob Marley was right. Everything is going to be alright.