April Showers Bring May Flowers - and Thunder Boomers!

Before I had the boys, I was always up for a good thunderstorm! In fact, I loved them!! I used to always call them "Thunder Boomers" when I was little and have since taught the kids to call thunder.."thunder boomers". I used to get so excited if we were going to have a huge dark storm, the more dangerous- the better. Fast forward to today, I find myself FREAKING OUT when we are having a huge storm because I am a mom.

For example, last night I woke up to what sounded like bullets hitting the window. I jumped up and turned on the TV and saw that we were under a Tornado Watch. Holy Crap....Holy Crap.. I have to wake up Ken!! It's 1:00 in the morning..should I wake him up to be in my world of hysteria, especially since we have to get up tomorrow at our normal Monday morning time... but my anxiety is hitting a all time high.... yes.. I MUST WAKE HIM UP.

This is how it went:
Me to Ken: Ken..Ken wake up, we are under a Tornado Watch, I think hail is hitting the windows. I think we may get a tornado!
Ken: Its fine, its just rain hitting the windows.


Me With Rapid Fire Questions : How do you know, were you awake? Did you hear it? It was loud? Do you think a tornado is coming? How can I see if its coming when its dark? Do you think the umbrella will flip the table outside? It sounds like bombs are going off in the distance, maybe that is a tornado?


Ken: It's fine, I heard it, go back to sleep, its just rain and thunder.
Me: I am thinking...no, you didn't REALLY hear it did you??

Ken- back to sleep - or so I thought. Meanwhile, I should be sleeping because I was just sick in bed the past two days but I start pacing the house like a caged cougar. My thoughts are:

• I can't see outside- its too dark. A tornado?
• Should I get our important papers?
• Will the wind blow off the roof upstairs and take the boys like the Wizard of the Oz?
• Will a tree crash in upstairs?
• Did I mail the property insurance?
• Maybe I should wake up the boys and bring them downstairs?
• Do I need a snack - I am getting hungry.

I go upstairs and watch the news and wait...wait and wait.. thinking, I know a tornado is going to hit.. the weirdest things always happen to me. I should be prepared. Finally, 40 minutes later after I have every scenario visioned out in my head the finally passes and I start to fall back to my blissful sleep which I desperately need- then I hear : "Mommy up, Daddy up". Nicolas woke up and wants to be rocked (which I secretly love to rock him and so does Ken). This time he doesn't want me to rock- he wants Ken. Ken hears him and comes upstairs to the rescue and helps put Nicolas back to sleep.

We say to Nicolas: " Did you hear the Thunder Boomers"
He says: "Yeah - Thunder Boomers. Daddy Rock, Daddy Rock"

So sweet! He didn't seem scared at all, he just wanted to Rock. I am so happy they are not scared of thunder like their mom.
I ask Ken : Have you been up this whole time too?
Ken: Yes, I kinda of knew Nicolas would wake up after the storm for some reason.
Ken: I am going to go outside and put down the umbrella on the patio.
Me: NOW...that the storm is over ?
Ken : Yeah..I wasn't going to go out in the storm! Go back to sleep, everything if fine.

I guess he had a point, every was fine and he probably knew to stay out of my "internal" storm that was going on for the past 40 minutes! It was just another April Shower ( well thunder boomers) bringing May flowers.

Here's a few photos of how April Showers Bring May Flowers.... my little water boys helping me take care of my plants.

Help The Hungry

Don't forget on Saturday, May 8th, you can help feed the hungry throughout our nation by placing a nonperishable item in your mailbox. Your postal carrier will take any nonperishable item for the "National Association of Letter Carriers Help Feed The Hungry Day"!

Its that easy, so do your part and help!

My Birthday

Well.. we survived this week while Ken was out of town and we all managed even though we were sick. It actually went well. Taking care of two little precious guys while I felt like I was on my death bed was a challenge but I just kept telling myself, you have not other choice, get up and do it! The power of the brain. The down side was, because I didn't get a chance to recoop, I had to go to the hospital yesterday because of a coughing attack that would not stop and I couldnt breath. But luck was on my side because I was in and out of the hospital in less then 40 minutes! ( I guess when you look like your going to cough yourself to death, they move you along pretty fast)!

So fast forward...here we are today on my birthday and I have an infection in my throat and I am not supposed to talk for 24-48 hours. YEAH RIGHT with two year olds but I do get to rest in bed and take it easy which is always nice - without the guilt and I can blog!

My girlfriend Vanessa, wrote a blog once about jumping on the trend with a new camera! I have wanted to jump on that trend for A LONG TIME but I couldn't bring myself to spend the money on it when I have so many other things to budget for. However, today on my birthday - I am on that trend! The boys got me a new camera for my birthday and I love it...love it ....love it!

I snuck downstairs to take a few shots with it . With zero experience, it still takes such crisp photos! I can't wait to learn more about it because this is the kind of gift that will last forever - memories of my family.

When I came down around lunch time, I found the boys making my birthday cake and Ken had taught them to say " Happy Birthday Ma Ma"!! ( Boy do they need haircuts)!

"Tickolas" - Nicolas!


Hummm...did you say I had to eat vegetables?

I love this photo- catching Christian with his morning hair and smiles!

I have to get better because next weekend is their big 2 year birthday party with my family and I have so much to do!! Being sick the past two weeks is going to put me into MANIC mode this week trying to get the place cleaned up for the party!

KEN IS GOING OUT OF TOWN!

Oh boy, Ken is going out of town tomorrow for three days! Aghhh... which I say not only for the shear craziness of the insanity when he is gone, missing him but Nicolas, Christian and I all have Strep Throat!! Again...Aghhh!

Wish us luck and hopefully it will go smooth! The only part I am dreading is the first part of our morning routine where Ken gets the boys up and battles Christian's diaper change ( boy can that kid fight to the death with diaper changes). I am NOT a morning person, never have been.. especially with a sore throat! Remember what they did to me last time he was away? at bathtime and after baths???

Thomas The Train Day!

Thomas...Thomas...Thomas! The boys love Thomas the Train and what a better day than to go to " Thomas the Train Day" and ride him! The boys thought it was great, even in the pooring rain! Christen getting his ticket stamped.. what a big boy.We went with one of my good friends ( Deseray) that also has twins ( Cayden and Chase). The boys are only 8 days apart! Boys Riding The Little Train

Hay Ride on wet hay!We were soaked as the event was " Rain or Shine"

How Long Can A Kid Bounce?

Seriously.... can most kids copy "Goofy from the Mickey Mouse Club House Show" and bounce just like him? There is a song called the " Hot Dog Song" at the end of every Mickey Mouse Show and they have a special dance where all the character's just bounce and kick a leg out. Christen has the bouncing part, Nicolas has the kicking leg part. I thought this video was funny the way Christens feet never leave the ground and Nicolas is mad his brother is doing the dance gain.

Christian even tries to say part of the lyrics " Hot Dog.. Hot Diggity Dog , It's A Brand New Day, Hot Diggity Dog"...... he is truly the ultimate " Bouncing Boy"! Watch in the middle of the dance how he breaks out his moves with the arms ( you can also see Ken trying the Hot Dog Dance in the very beginning and Nicolas getting mad)!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a entertaining book, written by Eric Carle. It has bright colors and shows how a caterpillar grows into a butterfly. We have been reading this book to the boys since they were babies. The book teaches children how to count to five, the names of the days of the week and random food! Since they like it so much I decided we would make Caterpillar headbands and I had these great visions of them wearing them while we sat and read the fabulous book. Cute right??? I also thought it would be fun for them to feel the different textures and learn how to use glue. Not the case !!!

First, sitting still for 2 year old is never realistic what was I thinking? Second, wearing a headband with foreign objects...only stayed on for about a minute. Third, a mass explosion of pom-poms, making a HUGE mess for mom to clean up ! To this day we are still finding pom-poms around the house . Lastly, the worse part is my fat cat finds them (always during the night) and thinks he is holding a mouse and carries a pom-pom to my bedside and meows at 1 am in the morning until I get up and take it away.

Warning to all the moms out there with twins..... be ready for a mess!!! Explosion begins....

Nicolas hating the headbands.Explosion and Christian shoving them under the TV. Rocky tolerating the mass explosion of pom - poms. POOR ROCKY!!

READY - SET - GO !!!

Last year for their 1 year birthday, Grandpa Hughes bought the boys these cool 4-wheelers (he even came prepared with helmets - which I call the "bumble bee" helmets because they look like the shape of a bumble bee to me ) Is that weird I have always thought bike helmets look like bumble bees??

Anyways, my little guys LOVE driving their 4- wheelers! We don't get to do it alot because it takes both of us to supervise but when we go out, they are the hit of the neighborhood. They can do it on their own now and they think they are such big boys when riding them ( well they always think they are big boys nowadays) ! Christian : " Wait..did you say slow down mom?" No way!
Ken showing them how to pick up speed, mom having a heart attack behind them.

Is mine faster than yours?
Nicolas really giving me a heart attack trying the "no hands" approach!

Nicolas going "off roading"...well as much as he can in Florida living on the "Ranch" !

Look at his devilish grin since he knows I hate when he goes on the grass - Another weird thing about me- I HATE FLORIDA GRASS -RED ANTS AND WEIRD SPIDERS.