Twins

These series of pics really got me weepy.
These two.
Their bond.
Their orneriness.
They just are who they are.
It was near the end of the photo session and they were ready to be done frankly.
Shoes were off.
They never wanted to wear those shoes anyways.
I had asked Meg to get a shot of them together because it was close to their birthday and I always get a pic of them together each year.
They were being silly and she just let them while she snapped a couple shots.
It's so them.
Silly together.
In one another's space.
It's all they've known.
I looked at these pics and every photo shoot since day 10 of their lives (that was their first photo shoot) flashed through my mind.
The photo shoot where we literally were sweating when it was over from trying to keep two crawling speedsters in the frame. (Remember that one Vicky? You were my extra hands that day.)
The photo shoot where they dug into their first birthday cakes at the studio.
The ones where the lady drew a "I love mom" heart tattoo on them.
These two have given me so many memories with photo shoots.
It's a special year for them and these are special pics to me.

While we're talking about these two I'll show you my favorite picture from the first day of school.
It's not a great picture but it's full of meaning for me.
Here it is.

Probably only a few of you see anything close to what I see.
I see two boys who spent their first school day ever apart the majority of the day.
This is the first year for them to have different teachers.
While in the middle of eating at the table and in mid sentence Carter got up and went around the table and stood on Coleson's chair.
They stayed like that for awhile while they continued to talk about their day and eat.
It was so touching.
Nothing was said about it.
They just did it.
It was like a proximity thing.
They just needed to be near each other.
They couldn't have even told you that's what was happening.
But I sat there in awe.

Two brothers who fight like brothers and who love like brothers but have a bond beyond what we can even comprehend.

Boys I will teach you to be individuals and to remind you that you get to make choices for YOU but I will also always remind you what a gift you were given to have an identical twin and we will celebrate that bond always.

(Fyi: They are doing great in different classes and really enjoying it. It's probably one of the biggest decisions twin parents process in the early years - when and if to have different classes. One year at a time!!)

Dinosaurs and Cars

2 Parties in 1 Day
That's how we did the twins parties this year.
They were a couple weeks ago but I still wanted to post them.
They both wanted to have their own party with their own theme.
I've always done two cakes.
We've always sang twice.
One year the cake themes were different but we've always done the cake, singing, presents, games and partying for them both at the same time.
Not this year.
Their idea was to have one party in the am and one in the pm.
I couldn't imagine telling mommas to pick up and drop off like that all day so we brainstormed.
Hmmmmm.
Waaala.
Party in the front yard for an hour and a half.
Then party in the back yard for an hour and a half.
Two themes.
Two times of opening presents.
Two times of eating cake.
Two times of games.
Two everything.
It worked out so well and meant a lot to them (which in turn means a ton to me.).
I want them to feel special.

So party number one . . . .

DINOSAURS
That would be Carter's theme.

He came up with his games.
We hid dinosaurs all over the front yard.
They had to try to find them.

We played Dinosaur Tag.
The Meat Eater is it and he chases the Plant Eaters.
Simple.
Fun.


Then Carter wanted to show everyone how to draw a dinosaur.

He's good at it.
The kids watched intently.
Then they got to trace their own.


Then we made Fossils.
Since he's 7 he didn't want the little dinosaur dig that most dinosaur parties have where you dig out little dinosaurs in the sand. 
We did a dino party for Ian when he was like 4 I think; those ideas were too little boy for Carter. When Carter thinks of dinosaurs he thinks like a Paleontologist. This is serious.
So I found modeling clay at Hobby Lobby (a massive block of it for $7 - score!) and we gave each kid a chunk of it.

They flattened it and then compressed dinosaur tracks or dinosaur bodies into it.
It hardens and whalaa you have a fossil.
Kids loved doing that.


Cake and presents were a hit.
Dinosaur eyes in a nest of dinosaur eggs and dinosaurs. 
For the "nest" I just crumbled up a chocolate cake mix with a bag of oreos. 
Carter did all the dinosaur placement. 
He's been to enough dinosaur places that he's a pro at setting up dinosaur models. 

It was a great party for Carter.


Then on to party number 2 . . . .

CARS 2

Coleson's theme.

This was a fun theme as well.

We went around back to the "shop" for the CARS 2 (The "2" is important. This was not a CARS 1 party; that's a different theme. I was informed of this many times beforehand.)

We started off with hot wheel car races down a ramp.
They loved this.
So simple and so fun. 
(Jason did this 15 min before the party . . . I'm telling you people. We might party it up but we do go with simple and many times "last minute". That's out creativity works around here.)

Coleson wanted to do running races too.

That was next.

They were all into this - they loved running through the finish line.

(I love this picture. This is what happens at boys parties.  The water guns are found and the unplanned fun begins. Love it. Jason and I said it was the "pit crew" ready to cool off the cars.  Plus in the background you see Coleson wiping out. Carter and Coleson were neck and neck until he hit a bump in the "road".)

The tire race was another very simple but very fun game. 

They just rolled a tire from one side to the next and passed it. It was a relay.

They were so funny because they just kept going until Coleson announced that his team won.

I guess when it's your party you can do that.

A big hit of the party was to drink "All in all". (That's the gas they used in the movie.)

I got the idea from a couple blogs (I can't remember which ones now. sorry. I just googled Cars parties.)

It was a new can and washed really well.

I also reminded them that you'd never drink from a real gas tank -- they are all older; I wouldn't do this with 3 year olds.

The boys loved this. They all needed "gas" to refuel for races.

It's the small things that sometimes make something so much fun.

Round two of cake and presents was just as much fun.

I was happy with how the cake turned out.

When I lit the candles some of the boys said, "It looks like a real track with the lights."

Coleson was the one that wanted to add the character up high. I guess in the movie he's the one watching over the race.  

I love it when kids get in on the details.

Who teaches all these kids to pose?
At both parties they were all into the group pic.
And the girl -- what is she doing? ha.
P E R S O N A L I T Y
Fun group of boys!!

---------

My boys are now 7 !

I did get our traditional pics with each of them. 

Should have done it before the parties . . . we look a little tired and my house looks like a Christmas morning; imagine that.

Have a happy weekend whatever you do!!

Happy Birthday Carter and Coleson!

Big day at our house.
These boys turned S -E - V - E - N !

Partied it up today.
I've been very sentimental about these two rad boys - almost all week.
I wish they'd stop growing.
It's sort of a big year for them - I can see the changes 'a comin'.

They are amazing boys.
Individually they are amazing.
Together they are amazing.
These two rocked my heart something big the day they were born.
They have a bond that I'm in awe of.
They make my brain think on overload about the complexity of being an individual yet being physically one at the beginning of your conception.  (Sorry if that's to graphic :)) but it's how God did things with these two.)

They both had fun parties with fun themes today.
Two parties in one day.
I'll post those another day - for tonight I think I'm going to get in bed before 11. (If I hurry.)
This is hours earlier than it has been this week.
So goodnight and . . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARTER and COLESON!

This Little Light of Mine - Addison Road

There's a song that has been on the radio the past few weeks.
The first time I heard it the tears just flowed.
Like really flowed.
I love it.
It's a child's song and all I could do was think of my four kids.
Since the twins were about 2 we added something into our bedtime routine.
All of the boys wanted me to tickle/scratch their back.
Since I love this too, I would always say yes but obviously this could go on and on.
So the routine started that I'd sing a little song and when the song was done the scratching ended.
With four kids you have to keep moving along at bedtime or you'd be in their room for hours.
This routine is still going on.
I fear they'll be in college and asking their room mate to tickle their back and sing to them. HA))
For the past 2 or more years the song "This Little Light of Mine" has been Coleson's "go to song".
He asks for it probably 5 out of 7 nights a week.
When he was little he called it the "Bush Song".
He pulled it from the lyrics, "Hide it under a bushel; no! I'm gonna let it shine."
"Bush song" - makes sense?
Back to the song on the radio . . .
When I heard this I thought of all my kids but I really thought of Coleson.
It's his song.
He heard part of it on the radio the other day with me and I told him this was the song I had been talking about.
He said, "This is my favorite song."
I wish I could learn this entire song - and sound like her - to sing at bedtime.
These are the words I pray for Coleson; for all my kids, let your lights SHINE!
This was a good song for me to rehear tonight because my "little lights" were not so shiny after school today. :))
Enjoy it.
Think of your little lights.
(Don't forget to mute my blog music.)



LYRICS --

There's a little flame inside us all.

Some shine bright, some shine small. 

The rains will come and the waters rise.

But don't you ever lose your light.

In this life you will know.

Love and pain, joy and sorrow.

So when it hurts; when times get hard

Don't forget whose child you are.

This Little Light of Mine 

I'm gonna let it shine

This Little Light of Mine

I'm gonna let it shine. 

Gonna let it shine.

May you live each day with no regrets.

Make the most of every chance you get.

Let your eyes get wide when you look at the stars

With the same sense of wonder as a child's heart.

With the ones you love; treasure the time.

And for those who are gone keep the memories alive.

Hold onto your dreams.

Don't Ever let go.

There's a fire in side you burning with hope.

This Little LIght of Mine.

I'm gonna let it shine.

This Little LIght of Mine.

I'm gonna let it shine.

Gonna let it shine.

There will be days when you want to give up.

When clouds settle in.

But after the rain comes the sun.

Don't you ever forget.

Don't forget.

Child don't forget.

One day there will be no more pain.

We will see Jesus face.

So until then.

I'm gonna try to brave the dark and let my little light shine.

This little light of mine

I'm gonna let it shine.

This Little Light of Mine.

I'm gonna let it shine.

Gonna let it shine.

Oh Shine.

Gonna Let it shine.

There's a little light inside us all.

Twin Perk and a Photo Shoot

Twins.

When we got ready to send the twins to kindergarten we went to the usual parent informational meetings.
We were given handbooks and papers to fill out.
We got two of every form.
Two times of writing out our health information, address, emergency contacts etc.
While most dads sit there in those meetings watching the mom fill out the form Jason gets to fill
out a form too.
Twins have a way of involving both parents into the routines.
We may get double the forms but there is something else that we double up on and it's good.
Double the stories, double the scoop on the day, double the 'what did you do in school today?'.
One will be telling me something that happened at school and the other one will chime in and add more detail or a different perspective on it.
One kids thought will trigger a thought in the other one.
Or one will complete the thought for the other one - sometimes it takes two to remember one thing. Hmm.
Sometimes they tell us the same thing and we have to act like we just heard it for the first time.
Other times I just have to listen to their conversations with one another.
Boys.
Typically little information given.
But two boys, two minds, together ?
They can remember a lot more.
I'll fill out double the forms any day to get the doubled up news on their day!

I attempted at a 6 yr. old photo shoot a couple weeks ago.
It was stressful to say the least and it had nothing to do with them.
They were in picture taking moods.
I had camera issues, lighting issues, I carried a bench out to our field that was way to heavy for me to carry only to use it for 10 minutes before the camera issues started, we hung out in a ditch for 15 minutes (location number 2) and didn't get one picture.
All the elements weren't right it just wasn't working for us.
The boys could tell I was trying so hard with that crazy bench because they were holding doors for me and everything and when I got it just in the door of the house they said, "Just leave it there, Daddy can get it the rest of the way." HA!!
I did get a couple shots that I like and hopefully we'll get one more try at it real soon.

These first two were my favorite.

Squirrelly faces . . . the arm on the shoulder cracks me up because I don't pose them.

For those of you wondering . . . Coleson is in black and Carter is in blue.  

Did you get it right?