Therapy?

Should we talk to someone about this? :0  Easton's nursery worker at CHURCH sent this to me. He apparently even made sound effects of drilling. I'm going with the explanation that Easton already feels called to be a Dental professional (even though he is yet to visit a Dentist! #thirdkid).

Week 17

This was pretty much it. ahhhhh

Meanwhile, my children had their equivalent to DisneyWorld with the Grandparents that week. Feeding ducks at the pond, riding in the back of Papa T's truck (just in the neighborhood), Library, Visit to the FireStation, ChuckeCheese, Jumping Beans bounce house, Mema and Pape's house....just to name a few. :) Spoiled rotten but completely taken care of and loved. So much so that we did not call home ONE TIME (I would send a check-in text each night to see if a call was warranted).  Judge if you must, but I think that says a lot about how much I trust our parents and how much I just wanted time away with Ryan. ha! 

Week 16

Week 16 has one picture. ONE. How in the world? Anyway, it is all from good things. I had lots of lunches and dinners with friends and family for my birthday and a women's conference at my church I was able to attend. Our front yard is full of azaleas and they were in full bloom! Jenna thought they were beautiful and wanted her picture in front of them. Absolutely, pretty girl! 

Now, the other reason the pictures come to a complete halt is because of a HUGE surprise. Ryan took me out for my birthday and surprised me with a 10th anniversary trip to Cozumel, Mexico! He told me 10 days from our departure date so the rest of the next week was a spent scurrying around getting some things for our trip. So fun!

Us - Week 15

Jenna is our eyes on our friend the snake (yet to be named). She finds her spot across the pond and keeps an eye out. 

This week brought us Farm Days! Last year, I made an ultimate mommy-fail, newbie mistake. We bypassed the baby chicks not knowing the line would turn 2 miles long within 30 minutes. So this year, we got there early with cousin Dawson and went straight for those fur-balls. Despite his face, Easton enjoyed the chicks and was the first to hold out his hands. Success!

Easton's favorite part was the free ice cream of course!

Jenna's weird "stank face."

We got to see our cousins from SC...well 3/5 ths of them. We had a great time taking over the Chick-fil-A. We got lots of stares....6 kids under 5 and two sets of twins! Caden and Jenna are only 17 months apart from their twin cousins. Fun!

Warm short-sleeve weather = Popsicles.

Us - Week 14

Being resourceful and finding other uses for their Easter Egg Baskets

Caden and Jenna had their "spring performance" at the Morning Bible Study I attend at our church. We have wonderful teachers who love on each of these kids and teach them about Jesus and how to love Him. Not sure if you remember, but our past performances have been....interesting. Number 1 included Jenna LAYING DOWN on the floor, front row and doing yoga poses...never uttering a syllable to the songs she knew by heart. Performance 2 was non eventful....as in, no singing,  no moving. The "statue" performance I call it. Performance 3 was traumatizing to Caden because he got separated from Jenna when they were lining up. TRAUMA until a teacher moved him over to Jenna and he stopped crying. (secretly admit it was precious...but I did not say that). And this year...performance 4? We got it. Jenna kept the beat and kept it rated G. Caden made sure to watch every move the teacher made to be exact and proved his "white boy status" with his "moves."

And because dancing is always better in motion....

LAMBS spring -15  from Casey Little on Vimeo.

Easton being adorable....following in his Dad's footsteps (his shoe fetish I mean). :)

That is one way to make the "Barbie Smart Car for Two" a little more edgy...

I am no physics genius (didn't even take it in high school!) so I have no idea the correct terminology here, but Easton has a really good number in the "mass" department. I know that doesn't work too well with gravity. So I had to give big boy some props with his trampoline air.

We live on an awesome street in our neighborhood. Just awesome. We have a football league in the fall and had a corn hole tournament this spring. You just let me know if you want to live near us and I'll let you know of any houses on the market :)

We finally ordered our rock to put in our bed in front of the house. Spreading 2 tons of rock is great for the cardio, and murder for the back. But the "after" shot is worth it! (and the no-more-maintenance part)

Spring is here....and our friend is back :)

Us - Week 13

April!!! Week 13 ushered in one of my favorite months, if not THE favorite. Spring, blooming flowers, birthday, anniversary, short sleeves, beach trips, NCAA championship game...yea, yea, yea.

This year, Easter was in April ... hello, yet another reason to win "favorite month" this year. We had a trial run of our Easter outfits and oh man, super cute! I had no intention of getting the kids any new, coordinating outfits, but Jenna and Easton had outgrown what I was planning on them wearing. Then, I happened to walk by a store where these coordinating outfits were on super sale. So if I can buy everyone an outfit for less than a dress for myself, then yep - I'm all over it. Also, did anyone else read the article floating around about the tradition of the mom and daughter going out and buying a new Easter dress each year? It was really sweet I thought and the link she tied in to it. The tradition along with the representation of Christ making all things new the day he rose from the grave....new, fresh, beginning of the new covenant He made with us this side of Calvary. Anyway, I thought it was a sweet article and brought sweet memories to my mind. My mom always got me a new Easter dress each year growing up too.

In our house, Caden is the last one down from the table 99.999% of the time....all three meals. He is beyond challenging to parent at the table. I try to keep in mind it could be much, much worse. I'm ashamed that I have to remind myself as much as I do when we are walking with friends right now who are living the "much worse" part. Anyway, Jenna and Easton are down and playing in no time, most of the time, and this particular day this is how I found them. You would think these two are the twins the way they lined everything up exactly the same! ha 

 Just a funny snapshot of Caden who wore his slippers to bed.

 We watched SO much basketball during the NCAA tournament. We all love it! The kids will sit and watch a basketball game like any Disney cartoon. Caden got the fever and transitioned from playing football every waking moment to basketball. I love seeing him in this element. There are many areas that Caden needs help the first few times to master, (or seemingly will never master = eating!!!) but sports? Nope. You do not have to teach him how to do anything hardly and he excels at it. I was asking Ryan the other day to make sure I was not exaggerating...but he absolutely puts up 100 shots AT LEAST...every day. If it is raining, he shoots inside; if he is waiting for lunch or dinner to be ready, he is shooting. If we are outside, shooting, shooting, shooting. When it is time to come in, he will not come in until he makes it. Always must end with a "win." I'm so proud to see that in him! I hope he sticks with it...if he does, we will be able to say he had it from the beginning!

 Here he is sneaking in a few shots before Easter pics....

Easter Sunday at church....here are the boy cousins together...Caden being the clown as usual.

 Just stop him somebody! I can hardly stand his precious smile. I really can hardly take my eyes away.

 Happy Easter! The twins totally got "it" this year...we celebrate Easter because Jesus died...for our sins, on the cross, but he ROSE again on the 3rd day. They would sing their little songs and run around saying "Jesus is alive!"

 Here is the Easter mantel - just in time for Easter. ha. I love doing my mantel. Trivial and silly to some, absolute therapy for me. It is my little area the kids can't touch, an area I can see every day that looks nice and complete. It just helps me breathe better, people. And p.s. if you procrastinate enough to the weekend before Easter, Target has all of their Easter stuff on super sale plus a cartwheel coupon. ha!

With the end of another month, I also stepped back to check on the "Great KC slim down" status. January was my addict drops (coffee, caffeine), February was my workout addition and March was changing the food I eat. It has been such hard work! I never dreamed I would struggle with feeling healthy and athletic the way my life has gone prior to having children. But I'm still in it. 5 lbs down and lots of change in the measurements. Far, FAR to go. I hate Target for having swimsuits out in February.

Us - Week 12

A couple of weeks behind already! oops! Week 12 was the last week in March...the weather was turning beautiful with warm days and short sleeves again! Thanks to a generous hand-me-down from our cousins, Jenna really does think she is 16 now with her Barbie smart car. She can whip it around just like a 16 yr old too let me tell you...forward and backwards.

We got a membership to the Life and Science Museum as a Christmas gift this year so we planned a big group day with some friends to teach us the ropes. It was so fun! No one was lost or stolen and we all came home and took 3 hour naps (mom included). 

Easton is secure in his manhood enough to sport the Barbie 4 wheeler. We bought these for the twins for their 2 year old birthday - Jenna a Barbie, and Caden a Lighting McQueen. Well, of course Caden's has broken so the only one left for Easton to use is the bright pink Barbie car. Ryan turns the other way each time Easton comes rolling up the driveway on his pink pony. 

This is real life, people! I caught them red-handed this time! They will press on until they have broken every last window pane in our home. 

No one needs to tell this girl how to relax. Also, Jenna got in "polka dot sweater mode" this week and wore this sweater multiple days in a row.

 This week we had an interesting first. It was Easton's first time of prolonged, defiant disobedience. I mean defiant! He took a bookmark out of my Bible and threw it across the room. Every other time in his life so far, if I looked at him halfway sternly and asked him to go get it, he would do so like the big cuddly bear he is. This time? Defiant NO! Even went over and kicked it FURTHER one time. Oh no! Turns out Easton has been plagued with a rebellious heart from the fall, too! (I'm kidding that I did not know that already). Since it was a big first, I felt like I needed to deal with it pretty firmly. So after asking several times and several hand pops, he had dug his heels in. Time to bring out the big guns. So I took "Ci" away from him...aka his kryptonite. I put him up on the light in very clear, but unreachable view so Easton could remember his consequence. He could not get "Ci" until he picked up the bookmark and brought it to mommy. Oh his little brain was in turmoil! It was fascinating to watch actually. Maybe I was in survival mode too much with the twins at this age to notice them working through this kind of thing. Anyway, after a few minutes, Easton RAN to get that bookmark and brought it to me in the other room and asked for his "Ci" back. I made a big deal of his obedience and thanked him for getting the bookmark.  Let's hope it made an impression and was not mistaken as a show of power.

 I also started the dreaded winter-to-spring switch out. Big boy found these pjs and asked repeatedly to wear them. They are definitely one-n-done. Lighting McQueen was screamin'.

Us - Week 11

Oh friends, I don't have many pictures of week 11 ! Uh-oh, makes for a boring blog post, right? Right. So here is our recap if anyone cares to keep up with the Littles (aka my Dad who is my most regular blog-checker). :)

Caden had another foot appointment for his jacked up feet. He will continue having them every 6 months through childhood it sounds like. The doctor is not even trying to correct this toe joints right now. He said only if Caden sat out from activities because his toes/feet/ankles were bothering him would we operate right now. Since that is not the case, let them look gnarly! We adjusted his insert a little bit so hopefully it will continue to help. He is only waking at night with hurting legs about once every 7-10 days so that is a huge improvement!

We went to the TMOTT (Triangle Mothers of Twins and Triplets) consignment sale that weekend and didn't really even make a dent! Easton can wear all of Caden's clothes now, I bought Jenna some things from another friend, and we do not need one.more.contraption in our garage this summer so that left getting the boys some shoes since they wear the same size now and Caden some 4T stuff. I am willing that child to grow by refusing to put him in 2T shorts (which fit him perfectly).

We went to Gigi and Papa T's house for a few days last week because I (Casey) fell APART! Ryan was in Ohio and I somehow obliterated my neck and hip (trying to get healthy--aka loose all of this flab--is going to end up killing me). I could not move my neck at all, could not lift Easton and could not find one single way of standing, sitting or writhing that was comfortable. :) So I walked into my Chiro looking like a mummy and let them beat and pound on my neck until I could move it. That x-ray did not look pretty. ugh. And p.s. learning to sleep on your back is for the daawwwgs. Then my hip X-ray showed I have fractured it at some point in my life. Lovely! I will go ahead and schedule my hip replacement at 62 yrs old. I was already the youngest person in the Ortho waiting room by decades.

 Anyway, I'm moving better now, but it allowed for a slow week being taken care of by good ole Gigi and Papa T. (Side note: moms will always be moms. My mom told me to get the kids to throw our dirty clothes in trash bags and bring them with us so she could wash all of our clothes at her house). Bless her.

We attempted to go to the lake in my neighborhood and feed the ducks. It's a good thing no ducks came because Easton chowed down on most of the bread anyway :)

No ducks, no more bread, no problem. Throwing rocks in the pond will be enough for my two boys any day of the week. I'm trying to appreciate and soak in these days when making a big splash, the promise to watch a Thomas DVD and chocolate milk lights up their world.

**p.s. It took so long to post this week due to my agonizing, thorough, checking and rechecking of spelling. I have been called OUT by two young ladies at my laziness in "your and you are." :) haha. It is true and I totally own up to it. I sit down and throw words up, post and move on to the next thing. I will not own up to any punctuation rules right now. Spelling is enough. :) wink.

Us - Week 10

Week 10 was one of my favorites so far! If you know me at all you can probably guess why: the BEACH! Ryan was out of town the first part of the week so by the time he was back plus the fact that it was 70 degrees in March necessitated a trip to the happy place.

My kids love the beach....I mean ADORE it. It makes a mama's heart proud. :) This is just another Papa T picture to file away. (He was standing on the bucket to make the sand castle....???)

We made a high jump course and had the twins run to jump over it. As you can see, sky-high Jenna had no troubles clearing the pole.

A couple of college kids on spring break had the time of their lives digging this huge hole in the sand. Oh to be young again! So we benefited from their hard work while they were gone.

As if the beach was not enough...the beach has BURNEYS. A bakery in Southport that specializes in "Cro-nuts" (Croissants and Doughnuts). Uh-mazing. We didn't even mess around with the other flavors...the new one, cinnamon sugar, is where it. is. at!

The crew posing with their sand creation! The weather was warm, but the wind gave the air a chill. Jenna jumped right in the water - completely not phased. Caden was too busy moving to realize he was cold until it was time to go. Then he was suddenly "freezing." Easton?...clothed head to toe. :) Boy still does NOT like sand in his toes.

The wind also teased us trying to fly the twins' kites. Jenna's princess kite may or may not be high in a tree in the front yard. oops :) 

After we came home I was in complete relaxation mode. Not a good place for a mom of little ones to be. Reality must be resumed! But we did have a lazy morning to ease back into things :)

This is Easton's face while we were driving home from the beach...watching Frozen. :) Hint taken, E!

Did I mention Ryan was out of town this week? This is what happens when you are DONE at 5:30pm and you have not even thought about dinner. In the car, to IHOP you go. A peaceful, quiet, everyone-will-eat dinner and NO clean up. Yessir.