Yea for Summer...well, almost summer...

We have ENJOYED the pool at the country club already so much this year, and it's only been open since Memorial Day...wahoo...way to get our money's worth out of that stupid fee we have to pay....and NO! I'm not bitter about GE playing golf ALL the time or anything..... Our first day at the pool we coasted on in because we know this routine....whipped out our new floaties for the season...super cute pink floral ones for Mac and adorable sharkie ones for Mad...only to have the lifeguard come over and say, "We have new insurance this year and you are not allowed to use inflatable floaties at the pool." ARE YOU KIDDING ME LADY???? If only I had brought my camera to take a picture of my kid's faces...It would have resembled something like this....

So, GE and I begged her to please let us swim this one single time with floaties if we promise to bring a life jacket the next time...I really think that if you instill a new rule and don't inform everyone of the new rule that they should really have enough life jackets on hand to accommodate everyone swimming... You know??? I'm just saying...If anyone knows GE, then you know he was able to negotiate a little deal and the kids got to swim... I don't know that they really enjoyed it as much as GE had to negotiate considering they were a pale shade of blue when they got out because the water was freezing!!! Now, this is us....and all of our swimming glory.... By the way...why can't the people at the sporting goods store put the life jackets that the parents want away from the ones with all the Disney characters on them??? Nothing like prying a Cinderella life jacket out of the grip of a screaming 3 year old...

We're fish...we're guppies...we're sharks!!

We can swim really well in our new life jackets..

So well that we forget that we actually can't breathe under water...
Not so good...

but man, we look GOOOOOOD.....

And in other news....Mac tried really, really, really hard to go after a ball this past weekend while playing T-ball....Wahoo...she was actually paying attention and not constantly asking me when snack time was coming around...Just look at her stealth moves...

and she didn't even knock this kid on his rear..

Happy dance afterward to celebrate getting the ball..

Constantly looking to get the next ball..


Mac making a run for the snack box & GE coaxing her back in..

I think I see a fantastic summer in our future!!

Catching up on a whole lot of something....

Good grief...a whole month has gone by and I haven't had a word to say...well, just not written word because I know that GE would tell you something different. Let's see...in the past month we've celebrated Easter, finished sports class, gone on a romantic vacation, almost finished ballet class, started T-ball and bought a travel trailer.....and I've still wondered what in the heck I've been doing to occupy my time...now I know...busy, busy, busy Momma......

Easter weekend also coincided with Mia's 4th birthday party and we had the BEST time. Mad and Mac just LOVE LOVE LOVE playing with their cousins and this year they got to do that and hunt down some candy filled eggs. I don't know why it surprises me but they were so into hunting eggs this year. I think if Mac would have stuffed one more egg in her basket she would have literally toppled over. I just love watching them really "get" things now. They are so sweet and SMART and sassy... Mac has continually talked about Jesus getting out of that rock since Easter so I know that it made a lasting impression on her this year. Mad was more into the Bunny part of the festivities.... Mia's party was a total blast for the kids...

(Needing a back brace for the overload of eggs)

(On the hunt)

(Mia showing off her favorite b-day present)

I know I shouldn't be, but I am so GLAD that this sports class thing is over...Mad enjoyed it but it was just at an inconvenient time. I hate to admit it...I really do...I don't want to be a slave to my rigid schedule....But I am....My name is Shana and I love routine....ugh....there...it's out and now there's no need to hide in shame.....anyway...it's over and we've moved on to more "time friendly" activities... yea!! On his last day of class, GE came to watch him for his "recital" of sorts since he doesn't have anything official. Mad was SO DARN CUTE...I could just tell that he really enjoyed showing off for us...he kept looking over at us and making sure we were watching before he'd do anything...and bonus...his sport that day was golf...Mad knows how much his daddy loves golf so he wanted to do really well...which he did...anything with a ball and that kid is pretty good at it...

Hawaii....romance....beaches.....romance....beautiful sunsets....lots of spa time....Hawaii...I can still hear the waves in my head...and according to Mac you can hear the ocean in the teeny tiny shells we brought back for them..(cheap souvenirs!) GE and I spent 10 glorious nights in Hawaii and loved every stinking minute of it...We were there 5 years ago and remembered it being fantastic and it didn't disappoint this time either. We were on the island of Oahu and then The Big Island too...just fabulous...GE played lots of golf and I spent loads of time relaxing, resting and reading...just wonderful...really, if we could have flown the kids out there we could have easily stayed another two weeks or so....and then come straight home and applied for welfare assistance because we would have been broke broke broke....or should I say broker...that credit card bill is trickling in right now and man, we had a LOT of fun....

(Did I mention GE upgraded us to 1st class baby?)

(Beautiful black sand beach on The Big Island)

(Fancy dinner)

(Fancy salad at fancy dinner)

(Fun night out with friends)

Mac's ballet recital is this weekend....wahoo...she is starting to tell me every week that she "really doesn't like to go to ballet".....although she does have a great time once she's there...I think it's the pulling her away from her TV addiction that's the whole problem... You'd think that when I tell her that she has 10 more minutes and then I do an every minute countdown that it wouldn't be a SHOCKER when the TV goes off...but, alas, it is every stinkin' Wednesday.. this past Saturday was her ballet pictures where we had to get her completely dressed and put her hair into a bun....oh, and your bun should have no "fly aways"...Hello, have you just met my child??? She has no hair...but the director wanted a bun and by golly we spritzed that stuff into a bun..did I mention we had torrential rain on picture day???...she looked ADORABLE...and for some reason she still believes that she is going to be singing at her recital...you'd think all the dance classes she's had over the past few months would have clued her into the fact that she'll be dancing...but no... so this Saturday should be fun...possibly very memorable for the dance director when my child breaks into song and maybe a solo dance...

Our new activity for the summer is T-ball...While Mad is very excited, Mac is just not that enthusiastic....yet...hopefully once we have their first game she'll come around....they've had one practice so far and their first game was rained out...and their 2nd practice...and probably their 2nd game....so I can understand why a 3 year really wouldn't be that excited about something they've done once....two weeks ago.... I thought they looked super cute for their 1st practice but GE informed that they didn't look "athletic" enough compared to the other kids...I guess I was supposed to put that black stuff under their eyes and possibly put sliding pants on them...who knows....I figure they are 3...what the heck do they know...I'm a little fearful of handing them over to a coach and getting them back with this winner/loser thing in their head....Don't know that Mac will care but I can already see the competitive spirit coming out in Mad....by the way...Mac's favorite part about her 1st t-ball practice was...drum roll......getting to come home... could be a long season for us...

I know...Shana...with a travel trailer..that's really close to camping..and possibly having to visit the Bass Pro Shop again....it's something that GE and I have talked about for a while now....I grew up by the lake, in the lake and anything having to do with the lake...I was always surrounded by my cousins and living the summers around my grandparents...I can't wait for that to happen for my kiddos...I think it's going to be a great summer!!! And the trailer ...has A/C!!

Have I Told You....

Have I told you that I have my own posse?? He is the cutest, I mean meanest, little pirate who will bam you in the blink of an eye....So, beware...don't mess with the mommy...

Catching Up...

Well, lots has gone on in the past months so I better get started....


We went to Santa Fe in February and had the best time skiing. The twins really did well and I'm proud to say that I wasn't too shabby myself. Of course, GE is basically a pro compared to me and truth be known...so are Mad and Mac. But I've decided to try really hard to become a better skier. I think we could possibly make Santa Fe our yearly winter vacation. Well, if we were the Rockefeller's and had an every year winter vacation spot...but maybe an occasional winter vacation spot...



We went to Santa Fe a day earlier than we had anticipated and stayed downtown at a really quaint hotel. The kids absolutely love staying in hotels. We could probably stay at our local La Quinta and they really wouldn't know the difference. Although the food in Santa Fe was AMAZING, just as I had expected. I'm thinking anything with a yummy green chile on it is muy bueno in my book..


The twins actually skied two days and the other days we spent wearing them out around beautiful Santa Fe. We've experienced a few truths in just about every town we visit; almost every Children's Musuem is fantastic and if you drive around long enough you can find rice and beans for Mad. That kid loves some beans..can't say that I blame him.

We had been home almost no time and it was time to see ELMO... We went last year and the twins absolutely loved it....Elmo and all of his peeps make my kids smile. They loved it just as much this year. We sat pretty close..which is the ticket when you're trying to get a couple of 3 1/2 year olds to pay attention and they were just mesmerized by all the activity and excitement. I also helps to have Big Bird come over the loud speaker every now and then and pretty much warn you when things are going to happen and to stay in your seat. This year Mad and Mac's cousin Lo went and she was also amazed by Elmo...It was just as much fun watching her as it was watching my own two. The kids got to shake Grover's hand and Grammy got them a toy to round out the day. Wahoo Grammy...she knows how to win the grandbabies over!!

Before the Big SHOW

Huh?? What did Big Bird say??

Pretty excited about Grover's handshake..

Yea!!! for Grover!!!

Watching with my cousin Lo.

Me showing off Mac's piggies!!!

and then......

We went to Arkansas to visit some friends....We had the best time visiting with old and new friends. We spent our 1st night in Little Rock and Mad and Mac made a really quick friend in Madi....Amazing how a 12 year old can speak right to their hearts. It's also amazing to us that our twins are so facinated with older kids. It always seems to crack us up. Mac thought Madi was the best thing since peanut butter toast!! She just loved her. They did tell me later that Santa Clause was locked in the attic so I'm a little curious as to what they were "really" doing upstairs. We got to do LOTS of animaly (is that a word) things while in Arkansas. We went to the Little Rock zoo and did lots and lots of fishing...real and pretend. We sure do miss our friends in AR. It was such a joy to get to see all of them....

and all the twins can say is "Watch out Grandpa, we think we can out fish you now!"

Goodbye old friend....

Goodbye Red...We'll miss you bunches....

I know that most of you want to smack me when I say that I need a bigger vehicle...he.he.he....I drive a Hummer...hello....how can I get any bigger??? well, when I say bigger I mean able to have more people inside the car....not necessarily bigger in size....or else I'd be driving one of those vans from Jon & Kate plus 8....I don't think we've reached that level of seats needed yet...so after lots of talking and talking and talking...GE and I decided to trade in Hummy and get us a new car....with lots of seats....so we're expecting company...with children...so we can take full advantage of the seats!!! I'm a little sad...our Hummer was our first child that we decided to treat ourselves to when we couldn't get pregnant easily...and of course, after we made the big purchase within a year I was knocked up...with twins...and since GE is so insane about no interest payments on ANYTHING we had already paid it off and it just made sense to keep it...and needless to say, I've felt VERY safe driving my mini-tank around...I don't know how safe other drivers around me felt but I did learn quickly to keep it between the lines and avoided hitting most curbs.

Goodbye Hummy.....

Hello Silver Bullet... well, controlled bullet....no speeding tickets...promise....