Laundry Lessons

Apparently I've been washing too much laundry.

Or too little laundry?

Any way you look at it, I haven't been to the bottom of the laundry pile in quite a while.

I was folding some, straight out of the nice, warm, toasty dryer when I picked up a pair of little pink underpants.  I shook them out, laid them on top of the chix' pile, and thought,

"Wow, how on earth does Yell get those on her little fanny?"

I picked them up again and thought,

"Geez, these suckers wouldn't even fit on my leg!"

And then I opened the waistband.

Ah.

2T

Nope, these wouldn't fit on my leg, nor would they fit on Yell's fanny.  Apparently I should investigate the bottom of the laundry pile a little more frequently.

The little pink panties belong to my niece.

Who was last at my house on December 26.  Doh!

::banging my head on my washer::

Beautiful Blogger Award!

I am amazed & touched to be presented with the Beautiful Blogger Award!  I received this award from Joscelyn, an inspiring bi-lingual military mom of twins.  Visit her blog here Mami & The Multiples   I wish I could have kept up my efforts to be tri-lingual with the Chicklets, however, Sapper not understanding a word of the non-English languages proved to be tres difficile!

 To pass on the love, I nominate the following as I find them to be "Beautiful Bloggers" (or just plain funny):

1. http://coxquads.blogspot.com/ The Cox Quads
2. http://kristinsfourkids.blogspot.com/ Kristin's Four Kids
3. http://ourspriggsfamily.blogspot.com/ Spriggs Family
4. http://trippin-lifewithtriplets.blogspot.com/ Trippin' - Life with Triplets
5. http://bonggamom.blogspot.com/ Finding BonggaMom
6. http://manicmommy.blogspot.com/ MaNiC MoMMy
7. http://owenplusthree.blogspot.com/ Owen + 3 apparently I'm not allowed to follow this one anymore!
   
8. http://andtwinsmake5.blogspot.com/ And Twins Make 5!
9. http://mama4real.blogspot.com/ I'm a REAL LIFE mom.
10. http://iamthatmommy.wordpress.com/ Yes, I'm THAT mommy.
11. http://www.mommyneedscoffee.com/ Mommy Needs Coffee
12. http://www.elizabethlyons.com/blog Little Humans Being
13. http://murraycrew.blogspot.com/ 4tunate
14. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/cripe Cripe's Sake yes, I know it's not a blog per se, but I check on Danielle's family & pray for them frequently
15. http://www.twomakesfour.com/ Two Makes Four

Congratulations on your nomination and please follow these instructions to nominate someone else:

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award and insert a link to their blog.
2. Pass on the award to about 15 other bloggers who you recently discovered and think are great!
3. Contact the other bloggers and let them know they have been chosen for this award.
4. Say 7 things about yourself.


7 Things About Me-Myself-and I

1. Every generation in my family has multiples.  I have a fantastic picture of 4 sets of our fraternal twins taken at my brother's wedding. 

2. I'm the oldest of five kids.  Yep, you heard me.  I'm bossy like that.  (And though my sister & I fought like cats & dogs when we were younger, she's my closest friend now that we're 'grown up'.)

3. I wanted to have two kids before I turned 30.  I didn't realize I would get BOTH the month before my 30th birthday.

4. Since having the chicklets, I have become afraid of heights & deep water.

5. The year my husband was deployed was the toughest of my life.  Yell sleep-walked her way through the year -- resulting in my not sleeping soundly for most of the year.  Fun times.

6. The Muppets/Peanuts - awesome

7. I love Italian food, but the texture of cooked onions can 'do me in'.  Thanks, chicklets, for that oh-so-pleasant pregnancy leftover!

Got Girl Scout Cookies? We do!

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*HELLO*

Hellllloooooo people of earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thus the Awful Cold Begins

Bleck. I feel so sick. I have an awful cold. That's why I am using this yuckish puky green. I feel like puke that's yuckish, and green. Bleck. Does anyone have suggestions for me to get better?

By the way, boy oh boy is is snowy! About 7 inches they say...so far!!! Maybe today we can build some snowmen! If I feel better soon that is. Also, we have Monday off from school because the Archbishop declared a day off due to the Colts at the Super Bowl! Go Blue!

I have this full-time job

As a taxi driver.

Seriously.

In order, today I have visited:
School
School newspaper bin
Cardboard recycling
McDonald's (had to get breakfast somewhere!)
Glass/metal recycling
Credit union (which wasn't open, so I cleaned out my car...and found these...

1. Starbucks gift card!!!
2. sharpie
3. lid to my lip gloss
4. bottle of motrin
5. zillions of pennies - all in the first 5 minutes (& under drivers seat)!
6. Crab's lip gloss
7. Yell's church nametag
8. sunglasses
9. chopsticks
10. Niece-ling's juice cup
11. tictacs
12. bookmarks
13. 1 swim fin
14. gloves
15. frisbee
16. Christmas church bulletin
17. sidewalk chalk
18. index cards
19. blue clip-on hair streaks
20. 1st communion necklace
21. socks
22. magnet
23. batteries
24. Empty shoe box
25. drawings
26. backpack
27. & I admit to spilling the pennies 

Bank (for volunteer stuff of course)
School
Library
Orthopedist
Home (forgot the checkbook)(and the phone charger)
Mcdonalds (chicklet needed lunch)
School
Credit union (found part of more than $28 in change in my car!)
Credit union (forgot to ask some research questions)
Chick-Fil-A (cuz I *needed* a peppermint chocolate chip milkshake)
Bank (research)
Bank (more research)
Physical therapy
Tire place
Post office
School
Orthodontist
Sam's Club
*HOME* for a full 90 minutes!

And yet on the agenda were:
Pool
Chhhhhooooiiirrr-la la la la! (the one thing I truly love about Wednesdays, going to choir practice)
And home again, home again, jiggety jig.

Is it any wonder I took the day off from work? Where on earth would I have crammed it into this ridiculous schedule?

I'm wondering, in all seriousness, what it would take to get a chauffeur's license. I'm sure it would pay better than being the designated TaxiMom.


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Way back when...a million or so coupons ago...

I used to be a coupon queen. I'd cut out, sort, plot, plan, and execute my attack. I'd coordinate all of this frenzy during the girls' gymnastics practice(s). I had a binder where I'd sort my coupons (by aisle of my fave store). I'd even have contests with Miss Magina to see who could save the most money. I roll my eyes in remembrance of such organization.

Since then, my twins are in middle-school activities, I've returned to full-time work, my coupons have largely been tucked into ziploc bags and thrown on a closet shelf, and the economy has dumped a port-a-potty in my checkbook. Time for a change!

Recently, I've been following BargainBriana (because bargains don't find themselves) and she's given me a chance to share the glories of saving $ again. I'm talking about her Frugal Map.

Her Frugal Map displays a list of $avvy Blogger$ who enjoy $aving their $ and $haring their experience$ with other$. Notice the $$$? Yep, they're adding up! The frugal map links you to your own state (or whatever state you select), and lists the bloggers' site(s) in your area. It's a pretty nifty way to use technology to your advantage. Maybe couponing/savings that can help pay for your high-speed internet or wireless mobile device?

Hmm, maybe I should make my computer habits pay for themselves (as they did in the past). Definitely a point to ponder.

Since we spend a number of hours at the pool each week, I'm thinking I may be able to squeeze the couponing into the otherwise wasted time (who am I kidding, that's when I catch up on Twitter!). I'll keep you posted on how it works on our next shopping trip.

Playing with Food

is not optional.

When it's string cheese.

It's required.


Which is why I like it.

Getting Stabbed (in a good way)

Getting Stabbed
Originally uploaded by crabnyell

This photo is pretty terrible, but I had it taken with my phone. I was obviously a little hindered at the time.

There's this blogger who is sponsoring a blood drive. You can see what I'm talking about here (but don't click yet, I have a story to tell)


Way back when, a million or so years ago, I met my friend Miss Magina. She and I went to the same church, but hadn't met each other. I remember hearing about her -- and was completely skeptical -- seems she was pregnant with spontaneous triplets. Yeah, right. At that point I'd been in a multiples club for almost 2 years (you know, forever?) and I didn't know ANYONE who had spontaneous triplets.

During her pregnancy, she found out she had Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). Fortunately, Miss Magina was blissfully unaware of how dangerous this condition could be to her babies. Also fortunately, she carried the girls to 32.5 weeks with ZERO BEDREST! (Yes, fellow M.o.M.s, I still tell her she's a freak of nature.)

Babies get delivered, all three doing relatively well for being preemies, but Miss Magina feels weird. Apparently she lost consciousness at this point and remembers nothing. But she did tell me -- years later -- that she had to have a transfusion. She and I have the same blood type. The hospital gave her a universal blood type, but her body reacted badly, she started 'crashing.' Switch to OUR blood type and she improved immediately.

So anyway -- Miss Magina is the best friend in the world. She's taken me to the hospital at least twice. She's shown up in the middle of an evening to make me hot caramel apple cider when I was feeling gross. She makes me coffee. She's taught me to do some basic computer repair. And I can't sum up how much I love her in one paragraph -- gad -- I'll make you throw up anyway.

My point is, if I'd known her at that point in our lives, and if I'd known she needed a transfusion, I would have happily been a direct donor for her. And I know she'd do the same for me. 

Just a little something to make you think.  It's a little uncomfortable (but childbirth is a lot worse).  It takes a little while (but you pay to go to the dentist).  And you're scared of needles (don't look!  I don't!)  But maybe there's someone you'd like to honor?  Or anyone you know who's been affected by a transfusion?

Consider donating. You'll help at least three people with one donation, and it doesn't cost you a cent.

And ManicMommy has some pretty cool prize opportunities too.  http://www.tinyurl.com/gotblood

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Wow!  The movie Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is such a great movie!  We rented it for one dollar $$$!  I love it so much, it's funny and it has a whole bunch of good family moments!  Some of the kids (the little ones) will probably enjoy it too!