I took a video of Cameron putting on her jammies a while back and she loved watching it over and over and over again. Now every time she puts on her zip up jammies she asks me to take a video. I typically will video her, let her watch it and then delete it...or else we would have about 20 videos by now. I decided to save this one because it shows the craziness of our bedtime routine with two kids!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Back To School Shopping
A few days before school started I took Timo and Cameron out shopping for lunch boxes and backpacks, new shoes and back to school hair cuts. It was one of those days where in my mind it all sounded so hectic in my head, I was dreading it, but in the end, it was one of the most fun and memorable days I've had with the my children.
First we went for hair cuts. The kids actually look forward to this because they sit in cars while their hair is being cut, get to play with tons of toys while they wait and a lollipop at the end...who wouldn't love that? And our hair dresser is the only one Cameron will let put a bow in her hair!
This was the first time they used the buzz clippers on Timo's hair...he was captivated. She cut Timo's hair a little too short for me, somewhat like a buzz cut, but hey, at least hair grows back!
We then headed to CitiKids to pick up some lunchboxes and backpacks...Cameron wanted this very specific fox lunchbox/backpack that she had seen before and Timo pick out a rocket/astronaut lunchbox with a monkey backpack. I don't have any pictures of this phase of our day...as you can imagine, having two kids in a "toy & kid's gear" store wasn't the most relaxing. Timo and Cameron were all over the place, into everything (hence, why we don't take them to toy stores). After Timo laboring over which lunchbox and backpack he wanted for at least 20min, we finally had our purchases and were out the door.
Just across the street from CitiKids is Giorgios Pizza...lunch! I love Giorgios. It's the total classic pizzeria with white/red check table clothes, drinks in red cups, plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling and totally family friendly! They even give the kids pizza dough to play with while you wait for your pizza. Genius!
And then of course, pizza! We always get the same, cheese and salami pizza...and a little extra cheese before we eat it, yum!
Our next stop was Payless Shoes for some new sneakers. Again, no pics here either for the same reasons...Timo and Cameron were all over the store picking out shoes. This was the first time I've taken them to a shoe store to pick out shoes they wanted. I only did this because I wanted to officially measure their feet to make sure I was getting the right size. Timo did really well, he went straight to these Lightning McQueen blinking shoes and that was it. Cameron on the other hand, took a painfully long time to pick out her shoes. She kept picking out crocs, winter boots, rain boots, flip flops, ballet shoes...everything but a pair of sneakers. At last, Timo found her a pair of pink shinny blinking shoes and she was sold! Whew, finally! I used my 20% coupon and we were done!
After an hour of shoe shopping, we all needed a snack! Ice cream for the kids and a nice cup of hot tea for me...ahhhh.
Our little dessert place had this big mechanical horse...as a child I loved these, as a parent, I loath these little machines. I know stores us these rides and other candy/gumball/toy machines to make money but ugh! It really irritates me to take my children out on a fun day and then have a total melt down because I won't give them money to put in the various machines. We really try not to make it a habit of every time they see a vending machine, they get money. So these stores can really ruin a great time out. But nonetheless, I'll step off my soapbox...I did give in this one time and let them take a horse ride. They both had been really good all day and I made sure they knew it was a special treat! It was an exciting end to a great day!
First we went for hair cuts. The kids actually look forward to this because they sit in cars while their hair is being cut, get to play with tons of toys while they wait and a lollipop at the end...who wouldn't love that? And our hair dresser is the only one Cameron will let put a bow in her hair!
This was the first time they used the buzz clippers on Timo's hair...he was captivated. She cut Timo's hair a little too short for me, somewhat like a buzz cut, but hey, at least hair grows back!
We then headed to CitiKids to pick up some lunchboxes and backpacks...Cameron wanted this very specific fox lunchbox/backpack that she had seen before and Timo pick out a rocket/astronaut lunchbox with a monkey backpack. I don't have any pictures of this phase of our day...as you can imagine, having two kids in a "toy & kid's gear" store wasn't the most relaxing. Timo and Cameron were all over the place, into everything (hence, why we don't take them to toy stores). After Timo laboring over which lunchbox and backpack he wanted for at least 20min, we finally had our purchases and were out the door.
Just across the street from CitiKids is Giorgios Pizza...lunch! I love Giorgios. It's the total classic pizzeria with white/red check table clothes, drinks in red cups, plastic grapes hanging from the ceiling and totally family friendly! They even give the kids pizza dough to play with while you wait for your pizza. Genius!
And then of course, pizza! We always get the same, cheese and salami pizza...and a little extra cheese before we eat it, yum!
Our next stop was Payless Shoes for some new sneakers. Again, no pics here either for the same reasons...Timo and Cameron were all over the store picking out shoes. This was the first time I've taken them to a shoe store to pick out shoes they wanted. I only did this because I wanted to officially measure their feet to make sure I was getting the right size. Timo did really well, he went straight to these Lightning McQueen blinking shoes and that was it. Cameron on the other hand, took a painfully long time to pick out her shoes. She kept picking out crocs, winter boots, rain boots, flip flops, ballet shoes...everything but a pair of sneakers. At last, Timo found her a pair of pink shinny blinking shoes and she was sold! Whew, finally! I used my 20% coupon and we were done!After an hour of shoe shopping, we all needed a snack! Ice cream for the kids and a nice cup of hot tea for me...ahhhh.
Our little dessert place had this big mechanical horse...as a child I loved these, as a parent, I loath these little machines. I know stores us these rides and other candy/gumball/toy machines to make money but ugh! It really irritates me to take my children out on a fun day and then have a total melt down because I won't give them money to put in the various machines. We really try not to make it a habit of every time they see a vending machine, they get money. So these stores can really ruin a great time out. But nonetheless, I'll step off my soapbox...I did give in this one time and let them take a horse ride. They both had been really good all day and I made sure they knew it was a special treat! It was an exciting end to a great day!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Lost and Found
We loose sippy cups all over the house all time. Most most times I can find them within a reasonable amount of time...like 30min or so. But twice I have looked for a sippy cup of milk for a few days and couldn't find it. I knew they were somewhere in the house, looked all over, the usual spots...under the bed, under the sofa, behind the sofa, in their toy box, in the car...but nothing. Then it always dawns on me out of no where...ahhh, I bet I know where it is...
This was Cameron's cup last month. I looked and looked all over for it, even asking her where she put it. She kept saying "I put it in the refrigerator Mommy." Knowing she can't possibly open the doors by herself, I still checked the fridge over and over...nothing. About the fourth day I asked one more time and she still said the refrigerator...then ah ha! it finally occurred to me, maybe it was in HER refrigerator! Yup, right there it was...four day old milk...mmmmm.
Timo's was a few weeks ago, again, I knew there was a sippy of milk among us but couldn't find it. After 3 days of it being missing and with Timo having no idea where he left it, I retraced his steps of that day. I remembered him asking to ride Daddy's exercise bike...then "bing", a light went off in my head and I looked at the water bottle holder...there it sat...nice, think, chunky milk!
It feels like a big Easter Egg hunt sometimes, with spoiled milk being my prize. I wish sippy cups, and some of their favorite toys for that matter, had a tracking device on them. I so want to call them when they are lost like I do when I can't find my cell phone!
This was Cameron's cup last month. I looked and looked all over for it, even asking her where she put it. She kept saying "I put it in the refrigerator Mommy." Knowing she can't possibly open the doors by herself, I still checked the fridge over and over...nothing. About the fourth day I asked one more time and she still said the refrigerator...then ah ha! it finally occurred to me, maybe it was in HER refrigerator! Yup, right there it was...four day old milk...mmmmm.
Timo's was a few weeks ago, again, I knew there was a sippy of milk among us but couldn't find it. After 3 days of it being missing and with Timo having no idea where he left it, I retraced his steps of that day. I remembered him asking to ride Daddy's exercise bike...then "bing", a light went off in my head and I looked at the water bottle holder...there it sat...nice, think, chunky milk!
It feels like a big Easter Egg hunt sometimes, with spoiled milk being my prize. I wish sippy cups, and some of their favorite toys for that matter, had a tracking device on them. I so want to call them when they are lost like I do when I can't find my cell phone!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Hot and Sweaty!
Young tried to work out every morning by jogging or riding his exercise bike in the house. Most days when he is done he takes off his t-shirt and walks around the house drinking water tying to cool off. Of course, when he is all hot and sweaty is when the kids want to jump all over him. Young always says, "not right now, Daddy is all hot and sweaty." Then what quickly follows is probably to be expected...they in turn take off their shirts and walk around the house saying they are "hot and sweaty"...especially Cameron. It's funny because I can remember being really young, like 3 or 4, and refusing to wear my shirt too because I saw my dad and brother walking around with no shirt on. Fair was fair! My mom would beg me to put a shirt on, "ladies wear shirts"...but not me, nope, no way. Seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree..
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Summer Fun!
We tried to pack in as much fun as we could before school started for the twins. Cameron got really comfortable in the water by the end summer. She practiced her kicking with a kick board and a floaty.
While Timo is still a little shy in the water, he perfected his water shooter aim!
Finishing off a day of swimming with mini ice cream cones!
Another one of our favorite summer activities is going to the farmers market. We typically hit the Wednesday market downtown, snack on all the free samples and then go to story time at the library.
And we wanted one last play date with all our friends so I planned a big "Back to School" bash at Giant's Stadium. The stadium is open during the day for kids to come play in the "kid zone" which consists of the Coke bottle slides, t-ball field, giant baseball glove and cable car. Understandable, the t-ball field was the most popular!
We got to sit in the stadium seats for lunch and cupcakes...so much fun!
About the time we started sliding, a huge group of YMCA summer camp teens showed up and basically took over the place, bummer. But the kids did get in a few good slides before they were muscled out...
Luckily the cable car was on the way out so it was a good way to usher the kids away from the field...most didn't want to leave. But they all hopped aboard the cable car and Timo insisted on being the driver...telling everyone to side down because we were going up a big hill...love their imagination!(side note: we really, really tried to get a group picture but none of the kids were sitting still or cooperating...it's to be expected with seven 3 year olds)
While Timo is still a little shy in the water, he perfected his water shooter aim!
Finishing off a day of swimming with mini ice cream cones!
Another one of our favorite summer activities is going to the farmers market. We typically hit the Wednesday market downtown, snack on all the free samples and then go to story time at the library.
And we wanted one last play date with all our friends so I planned a big "Back to School" bash at Giant's Stadium. The stadium is open during the day for kids to come play in the "kid zone" which consists of the Coke bottle slides, t-ball field, giant baseball glove and cable car. Understandable, the t-ball field was the most popular!
We got to sit in the stadium seats for lunch and cupcakes...so much fun!
About the time we started sliding, a huge group of YMCA summer camp teens showed up and basically took over the place, bummer. But the kids did get in a few good slides before they were muscled out...
Luckily the cable car was on the way out so it was a good way to usher the kids away from the field...most didn't want to leave. But they all hopped aboard the cable car and Timo insisted on being the driver...telling everyone to side down because we were going up a big hill...love their imagination!(side note: we really, really tried to get a group picture but none of the kids were sitting still or cooperating...it's to be expected with seven 3 year olds)
Friday, September 9, 2011
Silly Singing
This proves it's all about timing and getting something on the first take. The first video is the first take when it was new and exciting...
Do Your Ears Hang Low from Sara ko on Vimeo.
This was the 4th take...no so new but just as exciting and awfully silly...
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Discovery Museum with Friends
Before school started, one of our good friends called with a major conflict and asked if I could watch her two children, age 9 & 11, for the day. Being that it was the same day I had planed to take the twins to the Discovery museum to check out the new Curious George exhibit, I absolutely said "YES!" Two extra pair of eyes to watch the twins in a museum full of kids...could not have been more perfect! Conner, 9, and Jillian, 11, were such a great help and I think they actually enjoyed themselves too...
We spent the first hour in the giant tinker toy square...what a great toy concept! Everyone loved it. Conner and Timo eventually had a really cool race car track going but I missed getting a picture of it.
The Curious George exhibit was really great. It's no secret that my kids are big fans of George, TV show and the books, so it was fun to see them run around pointing out all the characters they recognized and being able to play with things they see on the show.
I was impressed with Timo working on his shadow shapes and using his logic to figure out how to get all the windmill to turn at once.
We spent a great deal of time outside because it was such a nice, sunny day...no fog! Timo and Connor tackled the rock quarry, ringing the bell at the top of the nature trail and a picnic lunch.
It was so helpful having Jillian and Connor with us! Jillian kept track of Cameron and played whatever she wanted to play...which involved almost an hour at the moon dough table.
Connor kept Timo busy all day, showing him the ropes of being a "big boy". I can't even begin to tell you how much Timo talks about playing with Connor now...
So in the end, my friend was doing me a favor by giving me her children for the day...not the other way around. Cameron chose to draw how much fun she had with Connor and Jillian. She drew everything on her smiley face...notice the eye brows, eye lashes, ears and legs! A true Picasso in the making!
We spent the first hour in the giant tinker toy square...what a great toy concept! Everyone loved it. Conner and Timo eventually had a really cool race car track going but I missed getting a picture of it.
The Curious George exhibit was really great. It's no secret that my kids are big fans of George, TV show and the books, so it was fun to see them run around pointing out all the characters they recognized and being able to play with things they see on the show.
I was impressed with Timo working on his shadow shapes and using his logic to figure out how to get all the windmill to turn at once.
We spent a great deal of time outside because it was such a nice, sunny day...no fog! Timo and Connor tackled the rock quarry, ringing the bell at the top of the nature trail and a picnic lunch.
It was so helpful having Jillian and Connor with us! Jillian kept track of Cameron and played whatever she wanted to play...which involved almost an hour at the moon dough table.
Connor kept Timo busy all day, showing him the ropes of being a "big boy". I can't even begin to tell you how much Timo talks about playing with Connor now...
So in the end, my friend was doing me a favor by giving me her children for the day...not the other way around. Cameron chose to draw how much fun she had with Connor and Jillian. She drew everything on her smiley face...notice the eye brows, eye lashes, ears and legs! A true Picasso in the making!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Bones
The topic of bones has become very big around our house. It all started back in July when a friend of the twins broke her leg and had a cast on. Little Ann was in a bouncy house with some other kids when one of the older kids fell on her breaking her leg. Timo had a million questions as to how it happened, what an xray is, what the doctor did, how the bone broke, and on and on and on. Once Timo gets something in his head he has to know EVERYTHING there is to know about it. Then he was watching Curious George and the topic was fossils...so he wanted to know all he could about fossil. Then he made the connection of fossils to bones to Ann's broken bone and the questions went on and on about bones. Hence the bone jammies...
I know what you're thinking...scary skeleton jammies for a 3 year old? No, no, no, these are our bone jammies that help us see and learn all the bones under our skin. Timo went nuts over these when he saw them in the store, asking a ton of questions about the bones. I couldn't help but get them, plus the glow in the dark! Here is Timo telling us what he knows about bones.
I know what you're thinking...scary skeleton jammies for a 3 year old? No, no, no, these are our bone jammies that help us see and learn all the bones under our skin. Timo went nuts over these when he saw them in the store, asking a ton of questions about the bones. I couldn't help but get them, plus the glow in the dark! Here is Timo telling us what he knows about bones.Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Happy 7 Year Anniversary to Us!
A few weekends ago Young and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. I love the anniversaries, not because of the celebration, but it's a time to, at least for me, to reflect on the gift God has blessed me with. This year our anniversary was on a Sunday (8/21) and I got a little teary eyed sitting in church that morning remembering our wedding day...sweet memories.
Young and I were able to find a sitter and go out the night before our anniversary, but if you know my husband, he has to do everything in grand style. Dinner wasn't enough for him...so he booked us a last minute night at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay on our anniversary night using his hotel points. The only problem...what to do with the kids...hmmm. After tossing around many ideas/options, we decided to load them up and take them with us...and I'm so glad we did, we all had so much fun! It's always nice to have a change of secenary.The kids were super excited about being in a hotel and the Ritz is an extremely family friendly hotel. As we arrived, the receptionist gave the kids a treasure map of the hotel in which they had to collect signatures of different people that worked there...ie bellman, restaurant waiter, gift shop clerk. Here they are waiting patiently for the bell man to unload the luggage so they could get him to sign their maps. Then downstairs for lunch where they collected a signature from our waiter and got coloring books and crayons.
After lunch we got the kids scooters our and hit the trails around the hotel and down to the beach.
Young taught Timo how to skip rocks...
They tried and tried to climb this little mountain but kept sliding back down on their bums...ah, to be a kid again!
Young got a phone call on our walk back so he walked a little behind us while we walked ahead. The kids thought it would be funny to "hide" in the grass then jump out to scare Daddy. As you can see, they aren't very hidden but they thought they were being so cleaver and sneaky!
The children needed a bath once we got back, before dinner, and it's a good thing I brought their goggles...they literally could go swimming in the giant bath tub! Then we caught the shuttle to downtown Half Moon Bay for a great pizza supper.
Our room came with this fun outdoor fire pit for, I'm guessing, romance and ambiance, but it turned into a fun family night of toasting marshmallows and smores!
Timo doesn't really like marshmallows, just the act of roasting them. So he catches them on fire then blows them out. I think he was getting little tired of how long it took to actually catch fire. But not Cameron, she could hardly wait to eat hers, she just wanted it warmed a little and then gobbled them right up!
The kids were exhausted! We put them to bed and enjoyed some quite time to ourselves out by the fire, it was our anniversary after all. This is how we found Timo and Cameron once we came in...so sweet holding hands while sleeping.
The next morning we took the kids down, in their jammies, to the breakfast buffet and then out to see the giant fire pit in the courtyard.
We finally finished up their treasure maps and turned them in for a little treasure out of the treasure chest.
Then Daddy took the kids out riding scooters again while Mommy got a little down time in the spa. Young and I are so blessed to have each other and so unbelievably blessed to have our amazing children! What a lovely little anniversary trip we had.
Young and I were able to find a sitter and go out the night before our anniversary, but if you know my husband, he has to do everything in grand style. Dinner wasn't enough for him...so he booked us a last minute night at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay on our anniversary night using his hotel points. The only problem...what to do with the kids...hmmm. After tossing around many ideas/options, we decided to load them up and take them with us...and I'm so glad we did, we all had so much fun! It's always nice to have a change of secenary.The kids were super excited about being in a hotel and the Ritz is an extremely family friendly hotel. As we arrived, the receptionist gave the kids a treasure map of the hotel in which they had to collect signatures of different people that worked there...ie bellman, restaurant waiter, gift shop clerk. Here they are waiting patiently for the bell man to unload the luggage so they could get him to sign their maps. Then downstairs for lunch where they collected a signature from our waiter and got coloring books and crayons.
After lunch we got the kids scooters our and hit the trails around the hotel and down to the beach.
Young taught Timo how to skip rocks...
They tried and tried to climb this little mountain but kept sliding back down on their bums...ah, to be a kid again!
Young got a phone call on our walk back so he walked a little behind us while we walked ahead. The kids thought it would be funny to "hide" in the grass then jump out to scare Daddy. As you can see, they aren't very hidden but they thought they were being so cleaver and sneaky!
The children needed a bath once we got back, before dinner, and it's a good thing I brought their goggles...they literally could go swimming in the giant bath tub! Then we caught the shuttle to downtown Half Moon Bay for a great pizza supper.
Our room came with this fun outdoor fire pit for, I'm guessing, romance and ambiance, but it turned into a fun family night of toasting marshmallows and smores!
Timo doesn't really like marshmallows, just the act of roasting them. So he catches them on fire then blows them out. I think he was getting little tired of how long it took to actually catch fire. But not Cameron, she could hardly wait to eat hers, she just wanted it warmed a little and then gobbled them right up!
The kids were exhausted! We put them to bed and enjoyed some quite time to ourselves out by the fire, it was our anniversary after all. This is how we found Timo and Cameron once we came in...so sweet holding hands while sleeping. 
The next morning we took the kids down, in their jammies, to the breakfast buffet and then out to see the giant fire pit in the courtyard.
We finally finished up their treasure maps and turned them in for a little treasure out of the treasure chest.
Then Daddy took the kids out riding scooters again while Mommy got a little down time in the spa. Young and I are so blessed to have each other and so unbelievably blessed to have our amazing children! What a lovely little anniversary trip we had.
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