Coach Dad

Indoor soccer has finally come to an end. Coach Rob aka: hubby, did a great job with the girls. Our team really gelled nicely together and although we didn't make it to the playoffs this time, our team learned valuable sportsmanship skills and attitudes. I was very proud of the littles especially when faced with "mean words" from opponents after loosing a game or missing a goal.

As a parent for the last 23 years and counting, I'm still baffled by mean girls...really what's the point in being mean? Where are their parents? My kids aren't perfect by any means but they definitely know the difference between right and wrong and how to say "I'm sorry." The Strikers won their last game and went out with a big smile. Reading the emails my husband received from our team member's parents, I couldn't have felt more proud of him. I'm so glad I'm married to a guy who loves spending time in a child's world. He's pretty great!

Just Gotta Laugh

Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself. In true Sunday tradition, I cooked a big family dinner. I marinated beautiful chicken breasts in orange zest, citrus,thyme, onions, herbs, you get the idea, it was a beautiful site and smelled amazing. I put it in my 425 degree oven and went back upstairs. Soon after my husband says, "something smells like oven cleaner", (not something you want to hear while you are cooking a yummy family favorite). I'm usually the nose in the family and as I didn't smell anything but the aroma of thyme, I assured him he was wrong. Five minutes before the timer went off I looked in on my plump chicken breasts only to find that I had left the plastic wrap on top of the dish and it was melting away like cotton candy that gets wet. Ugh! Luckily I was able to pull it back and save my chicken but I'm sure my darling husband will not let me live this one down. Technically I claim "my not thinking clearly" on the meds I've been taking while I've been sick. lol

Linbar the Lucky Leprechaun

Three days left until the mayhem begins. What will that crazy little leprechaun do this year? Although Linbar lives in our home all year (he was made for me by a darling little grandma in a nursing home) he springs to life at midnight on St. Patrick's Day Eve causing all kinds of craziness in our house.

Every year the girls try to catch him. First it was my oldest daughter (now 23) making traps out of beautifully decorated shoe boxes adorned with shiny gold glitter, then it was my step-daughter (now 17) making the traps and for several years now the sole task of trapping our mischieviess leprechaun has fallen on the shoulders of twin A & B.

The traps have progressively become more elaborate over the years with baubles and trinkets and even jewelry being used to lure him inside (leprechauns love shiny things) but to no luck on our part, he escapes us every time leaving behind glittery remnants and notes throughout the house that he had been there and foiled our plans yet again. Shoes in the fridge, shoelaces turned green, Cheerios in the Fruit Loop box, milk turned green, school backpacks missing and a treasure hunt to find them, messages written on the bathroom mirror and car windows. He is one tough leprechaun to catch! The rest of the year we just look at him and shake our heads as he sits there with a big fat grin on his face! I wonder what he'll do this year?

Soggy Shoes and Sour Patch Kid

One small but fun benefit from private school is enjoying random days off from school when the rest of the community is at school. So on this very rainy wet day off, I thought it would be a great idea to go see Alice in Wonderland and let the twins bring a friend from school. To pull off this great plan (the 12:20 Matinee show) I needed help from the husband because I had to keep my early morning hair color appointment (standing 3 week schedule with Greta to keep the dark brown weeds aka: roots at bay. This is what twin b has called them since she was 4). Upon leaving the house the sun was shining and the sky was blue, leading me to believe this was going to be a beautiful day. I donned my favorite worn only on sunny days, brown suede maryjane flats adorned with 3 large rhinestone jewels, my ripped up jeans and a t-shirt and was out the door and on time for my appointment. Husband would pick up the friend and meet me at the theatre.

Greta was in swift form this morning and had her own plan to "adjust" my hair color, ok no problem as long as I'm out of here on time, I'm easy. She did her magic and transformed my unruley hair into smooth soft tresses like only she can do. This process takes forever which is why my favorite "go to look" is a ponytail and I 'm good to go. However, when Greta does my hair, that is a whole other thing. I want to milk the perfect look for as long as I possibly can. The weather had it's own plan.....RAIN! I have no hat, no coat, no umbrella. Have you ever seen the movie The Gremlins? Well, that's what happens to my hair when it gets wet. Not good.

For a girl who loves the rain but hates wasting money I decided to be MacGuyvor. I took a plastic bag cut it open a bit and placed it on my head. I looked like I was wearing a dunce cap. But so worth it! I made it to the car where my umbrella was waiting for me. My shoes however could not withstand the puddles, the leather soles soaking up the water like a dry sponge, the suede shrinking up like a flattened pancake. Ugh! I drove to the theatre with the floorboard heater blasting in a futile attempt to save my shoes.

Upon arriving at the movie theatre, the girls exercised their ever growing independent muscles and sat 2 rows ahead of us, they had never done this before, but since we were the only people in the theatre with the exception of 2 others, I thought this was ok. With their friend sandwiched inbetween them like an oreo cookie, we could hear them laughing, whispering and sharing popcorn. The movie was good although my husband thought it was a bit too long and looked like he could doze off. Johnny Depp's makeup was incredible!

Thinking I had carried off a successful outing, not withstanding soggy shoes, I suggested to my husband that we go get a late lunch after we dropped off their guest . How could I have known that my suggestion was going to result in mayhem and sad feelings. I suggested that twin B come with me to wait at the restaurant and twin A go with my husband to take their friend home. You would have thought I lost her blankey. Long long face and deffining silence. What had I done? After sitting in the car with twin B and talking about this she explained to me that the "play date" isn't over until you drop off the friend. She said, "you still get to talk in the car until you get to her house" . Wow!! I missed that one. I explained my sadness that I didn't mean to cut off her time and only give it to her twin (built in competition in twin world) and that I didn't care for her "unappreciative" attitude. She explained she was thankful for the movie and taking a friend but still sadness prevailed all through lunch from her.

So soggy shoes and sour attitude, not quite how I planned our rainy no school day but there it is. 23 years of parenting now and I'm still learning. That's the great thing about parenting you get to try again tomorrow. At the end of the day I'm glad my girls know that sharing how you feel is very important to finding solutions for the future and to feeling understood. Sometimes I forget what it's like to be in the 4th grade.

Spring is in the Air

Spring has sprung! There are tons of bright yellow daffodils on side of the on ramp to the freeway. Gorgeous! I like to think of them as a little morning inspiration as I drive into work.

Along with Spring comes many thoughts of renewal including purging of my closet, the kids closets, and decluttering my life. This time of year my Twin Mom's Club hosts a "Twin Sale" and although this sounds like children are for sale or there are 2 of everything for sale it's rather a gigantic second hand sale for everything you could possible need for your children for Spring and Summer (the sale repeats for Fall and Winter in October).

I've been a proud participant for almost 20 sales now. The sale is run strictly by volunteers and open to the public. Since the club is a philanthropic organization, tons and I mean tons of clothing, toys and equipment are donated at the end of sale to families in need. The proceeds are split amongst the participants and the Club depending on a variety of factors.

Every year I look forward to getting that check and think of it like free spending money, when in reality it was already rolled into new stuff for the littles but regardless, it's so fun to get that check in the mail.

As Past President of the club I can tell you that most sales generate over $50,000 twice a year! The club is run by twin mommies and has been around for over 35 years. At last count there was over 350 mothers of multiples in our club. I've been a member for 10 years, joining when I was pregnant. It's a great resource to have and I have made some beautiful friendships over the years, for this I am grateful.

So although I won't be selling anything in the sale this time (time got away from me...shocking), I look forward to putting in my volunteer time and seeing old faces and meeting some new ones this Saturday.

Oscar Countdown

The Oscars are only 1 day away and while this seems minor in the whole scheme of life, I still secretly love all the hoopla and glam. Who am I kidding, it's no secret. I will be anxiously awaiting the Red Carpet countdown as if it were New Year's Eve. The dresses, the hair, the shoes, the handbags, it's a fragrance that captivates me and holds me prisoner until the show actually starts.

Although I wonder why my obsession with the Oscars overrides say the CMA's, which I have attended, a gift from my husband for my 40th Birthday (4 years ago) hair done by Frederick Feikai, Make Up by Chanel and gown well, let's just say it was stunning! We walked the Red Carpet straight out of the Limo to a huge barrage of photographers shooting at rapid speed like a machine gun swiftly taking out the enemy, only to fall to silence after 3 minutes when they realized I was nobody. I didn't care, I was on the Red Carpet and continued down the carpet where I was sandwiched in between Carrie Underwood and someone else I did not know. It was a beautiful evening with my husband.

After returning from that trip and trying to explain to one of our (at the time) 5 year old twins that I talked to Carrie Underwood (her favorite American Idol), she could not quite understand how that wouldn't now qualify us as friends and could we please call her. I still laugh at that one.

My husband will no doubt not tune in until the show actually starts as he will want to see if his "Office Oscar Picks" come through for him. This is funny because I was the one that completed the form.

So cheers to the Oscars, The 82nd Academy Awards for continuing with tradition. Bring on the dresses!!!