Day 2::

Highlights:

Tuckered the kids out by taking them to the park for-- oh about 5 hours *split in two intervals*.

Mei watched the jungle book in Arabic twice. * she now says "mazboot" which translates to "precisely". Neat!

One of the twins fell off the steps in the park. He's a trooper! * shhh, don't tell his mother!*

Grabby also fell on her cheek from a sitting position. She now has a cute purple bruise on her right cheek. What bruises can be cute!

The twins went down at 7:30 pm followed by Mei at 8:15 pm followed by Grabby at 8:45pm.

Lets all pray nobody wakes up during the night, except for Grabby to nurse every two hours of-course!

Wisdom of the day::

When feeling overshadowed yell POOOOOOOP!!!

*wisdom of today courtesy of Mei.

Peace.

Day 1::

Apparently, other people's kids are easier than mine. The twins are a breeze.

Today, went well all praise to God. I did get help from the babysitter and her daughter. They take shifts. The daughter comes around 9:00 am then leaves by 3:00 pm. Her Mother takes over from 3:00pm to 7:30pm/8:00pm. Two women, four kids. Totally doable.

Wisdom of the day:

When in doubt, change diaper!

Peace.

One word ( sorta)

Tomorrow, my sister and her significant other leave for Vegas and L.A. She's leaving her twins with me for four days. Which means, I'll experience life with four kids under three, first hand.

One word:

I'm scared!

(those are three, aren't they?--I did say sorta!)

Peace

Chicago, Chicago!

My presence on this space is going to be unpredictable these days. We are out all day, every day. Soaking in the sun, in the unexpected wonderful Chicago weather. Along with some serious Magnificent Mile shopping ( Also outlet malls... hooray for summer sales and traveling budgets!) Taking advantage of every second of it. Visiting parks, gardens, neighborhoods, museums, and the list goes on. Chicago is really a great city to visit ( hint, hint, Kate). I can officially declare that this is by far my best summer yet in this country. ( I know three summers don't count as a lot of summers to compare with, but there... I said it anyways.)

My twin sister's twins (confusing , huh?) said both my daughters names and they don't even speak yet! They're 14 months old. And adoooooooorrraaaaaaaable!!!

Grabby, had her first crawl ( so to speak) today... she's been rolling around all over the house for over two months now. She can get anywhere she wants by this technique, and I'm assuming that's why she hasn't been persuaded to crawl yet. She's been doing the mounting on all fours and wiggling back and forth for sometime now, but she usually ends up on her stomach and occasionally she'll fall splat on her face, and share a couple of tears mixed with trickles of blood and a fat lip. ( that's how they learn, right?)

Anyhoo, I think this is all you're getting from me today... Along with a photo of Grabby's sticky up-y hair!




Have a wonderful rest of the week!

Peace

Mr Zucchini

( Brace yourselves this i s a long one)

I believe everyone has a certain share in life. So say your share in money is ten million dollars. you won't get a penny more. So to muse me, lets think of this scenario:

There are two friends. Who both get the same share of money in this lifetime:

Let's call the first friend Mr.Zucchini and the second Mr. Potato (And, no-- I'm not hungry I just think vegetables make good names)

So Mr. Zucchini gets his ten million share of money in the first twenty years of his life. ( He's young, he's green, he's long and slender and inexperienced. So he makes unwise choices and looses all his money by his twenty first birthday) He's now a very poor, very bitter old man who lives on charity.

Simultaneously his friend Mr. Potato gets all his ten million dollars throughout his life, with an especially big lump sum by the end of his years. Mr. Potato is Short round and the hard life has hardened him on the outside but from the inside (give him a little oil) he's a softie. (You get my metaphors. Right?) So now he's all bald but with a solid exterior to support him in his old age. ( He also has some nubs! get it?)

Well, I think of myself as Mr. Zucchini. Not in my money share though. The share I'm talking about is housework. Yes, it's true even that part you get a share in too. Anything really ( or at least that's what I believe in)

When I was little my mom asked me to get her a glass of water or something ( I can't really remember) so I made a face ( what a nice girl I was!) when my mom asked what was the matter, I told her that don't want to get the water. So she told me that if i didn't want to do something I shouldn't do it ( I swear she told me that, I'm not making it up!) So ever since you can imagine if I was asked to do anything I would naturally respond that I. did. not . want. to. ( hey, I'm not stupid, i can see an opportunity when it comes knocking)
*In my mother's defense, she majored in psychology, and I believe back then there was a school of thought that promoted not forcing anything on your kids and that they'll naturally come to the conclusion that it is of benefit for them, and do things on their own without being forced. ( that sure took me a WHILE!) see how ignorant I am in psychology( psychology majors please don't laugh at me, or actually you're allowed. You did work very hard to earn laughing at people like me. So go ahead give your self a long hard laugh. Good. Now lets proceed)

Fast forward I dunno, say twenty years (assuming I was five then) I got married to an American who sees pride in doing things on your own without seeking help ( meaning no maids, no cooks, no nothing.)
So on my first attempt at cooking a meal( And in my brain I didn't know of any short cuts 'cause of the way I was raised, we don't know what microwavable food means) I produced my first home made lunch at ten o'clock-- two hours before midnight!

The first time my mom came to visit me-- I made lunch for her ( this time only three hours late) and when I she spilled her juice and I went on my knees to clean it, my mom cried with actual tears, and yelled at me to get up, 'cause the maids can get that! -- what maids mom?

What I'm saying is -- I was spoiled rotten when I was a kid. I literally did not lift a finger. and today I made breakfast three times for three different groups of people( pancakes and eggs if you're wondering, with homemade bread. And butter and cheese) and lunches, and cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes-- oh about three or four times. While entertaining a parade of kids( they pretty much overdosed on Dora The Explorer, still counts in my dictionary!) and the babysitter did not show up today.

If I get a redo, I'd choose Mr. Potato anytime any day.




All that said-- It is one of the joys of my life to feed and serve people with a glowing highlight on family. Our house was booming with two sets of gorgeous twins and my darling girls. Along with their parents. We ate, we laughed, and they are all still recovering from jet lag.


I like to make people sympathize with me, when I am actually having a fantastic time. No worries. I am a very happy woman!

Peace

Sniffles, Bread, and bread bags ( photoless)

Both my girls have the sniffles with a mild temperature. I got thrown up on yesterday by Mei. After she was done, she looked at my clothes and said: "Oh I spilled on mama!"

It's OK love, you can spill on mama all you want ( not really!), but please get better soon. Mommy is very tired and needs to sleep. Both you and Grabby were up all night coughing and crying and breaking my heart. And mommy will need her energy 'cause (Yay!) two of my sisters are coming tomorrow with their twins ( yes, both my sisters have twins, It runs in our family, I guess very strongly!) and significant others.

On a different note: I tried today making the peasant loaf with a mix of whole wheat and rye flour, and used the previous starter. The result was a super tasty peasant sour dough bread. Next time I'll remember to add caraway seeds. Seriously I know I said it so many times before, but this book is a MUST in any household library! There's another one coming out soon.

I also started making bread bags, to store all that bread in. I am in the middle of making the longish one for sandwich bread, my next project will be to make a round one and a sandwich bag like the one Kate made. ( well, I'll skip the skulls though. Maybe bugs or soot gremlins. On a second thought, maybe Kate's choice is better. Hmm*looking at the ceiling while resting my chin on my fist*)

My computer's appointment was supposed to be today. My husband had a clashing dentist appointment. The Dentist won. So you'll have to wait a little longer to see what I've been making.

Peace.

Statements::

I am a night grinder.
I should wear my night guard.

My computer appointment is this Wednesday.
I need to be more mindful about computer time.
I need to go to bed right now.

I love the "Artisan bread in five minutes a day" book.
I love baking.
I make fresh bread everyday.
We eat a lot more bread since I started making my own.

I enjoy praying five times a day even if I'm rushed.
I should read more Quraan.

I don't know why I'm telling you all this, but I'm doing it anyway.

Goodnight.

Peace.