Birthdays birthdays birthdays

This is a wonderful holiday season and even more so in the Bingham household. All four of my little sweet peas were born between the months of November and January. So it is birthday, Thanksgiving, birthday, birthday, Christmas, birthday. Whew!

Ben was really sick on his birthday,so we celebrated a little late. The girls made us all birthday hats. They made this special one for Ben. They wrote on it: "Hape Birsday Ben. We love yu."Ben loved helping decorate his cupcake. He would squeeze on the good stuff then lick it off... repeat. Don't worry, I was doing the other cupcakes... and I tried not to lick everyone elses.Ben said he wanted Cars cupcakes. I'm sure he meant the Disney ones... but he seemed just as pleased with my crazy creation. (Smarties and jolly ranchers) It's a poor picture, but you get the idea.Madi just turned eight, so that means a BIG "friends party" at our house. She wanted a storybook themed party. All the guests came dressed as their favorite book character. They were sooooo cute. I had three Fancy Nancy's, a Pinkalicous, a Alice in Wonderland, a Narnia winter queen, and a witch from Big Pumpkin. Madi was the Princess and the Pauper.

They made book marks in the Fancy Nancy room with a LOT of bling bling. And jumped on the bed in the Skippyjon Jones room (not pictured).

Dinner was food from all their favorite books: Parfaits from Fancy Nancy, Croissants from Madeline, Bean and Mice from Skippyjon Jones, Frobscottle and snozzcumbers from the BFG. It was really funny and the girls LOVED it. That is the UGLIEST cake I have ever made! But Madi just loved it... so I didn't go get another one from the store.
We had a giggling gaggle of girls!

RUDE-olph

Brooke was singing the other day:

"RED-olph the RUDE nosed reindeer,
Had a very shiny nose."

And then she paused feeling that something wasn't quite right. But since nothing stood out, she just started over and continued singing about RED-olph. I love the things they come up with!

Slip slidin' Away!

Have you ever poured a whole bottle of dish soap on your kitchen floor? Well, I wouldn't recommend it. But thanks to Brooke (who was trying to help clean up a different mess) we found out that dish soap and linoleum are just as good as an ice skating rink.

First Snow of Winter

I have no pictures yet, but we had a ball this morning... the squeals came a little before six this morning: "Yaaahhhh! Wake up! Wake up! It's snowy outside!!!" No,it was not me this time.

Madi was packed off to school, where she's sure to get her share of snow play during recess, and we went out to make a snowman. Actually I just watched. Brooke made one as tall as she is, all by herself. In my book that is a big mile stone. Some parents freak out when their kids take there first step... I think its pretty cool when they can make a snowman without help that is three times their body weight.

Our puppy was funny to watch, as this was his first snow too. (Yes, it is a boy dog after all... that's a long and funny story for another day. But for now we are all having a hard time saying "good BOY" instead of "good GIRL." The poor thing is going to have a complex). Brooke and Ben had to keep shewing the dog away because he was eating their snow balls. Connor just kept toddling around like a marshmallow with arms.

I love snow! Snowball fights, snowmen, igloo making, snow angels... there is just no end to the fun! And I love warming up cold hands with hot chocolate and marshmallows. The only down side is the half and hour it takes to prep the kids for the five minutes of fun... and the puddles of melted snow that are always being mopped up. Ah... winter is here!

I'm Re-thinking twins

This one's for you mothers out there who the Lord knew were amazing enough to bless with twins.

A little background: My younger sister and her husband asked me to take care of their two darling little girlies while they hit the beaches of Hawaii. Our two youngest children are close in age... and in that stage of getting into EVERYTHING. And now I am getting a little taste of what it must be like to have that heaven sent "natural disaster" they call toddler-aged twins.

Sample 30 minutes of my day:

Toddler Bingham: 9:30 am, found flushing things down toilet.
Toddler Raiger: 9:31, refused to miss the fun and was screaming to get up from her morning nap.

Toddler B: 9:39, While I was getting Toddler R up, Toddler B had scooted a chair over to the counter and was making some kind of concoction with the syrup I had forgotten to put away after breakfast. There is now a huge puddle and sticky foot prints all over the kitchen and a Toddler B is in his second outfit.

Toddler R: 9:50, is crying because she can't get down the stairs to join the fun.
Toddler B: 9:52, Once again playing in the toilet

Toddler B: 9:53 screaming because his mom said no to playing in the toilet
Toddler R: 9:54, Has unloaded the baby wipes for the tenth time and has scattered them all over the bedroom.

Toddler B: 10:01, while looking out the back door at the puppy, his fingers got stuck in the BACK of the sliding door.
Toddler R: 10:02 Fingers got squished in the FRONT of the sliding door while trying to get Toddler B's fingers out of the back.

10:03, Two screaming toddlers with packages of frozen peas on their owie fingers.

10:10 I am all for it when Toddler B brings me a Baby Einstein DVD case.

My friend Denae who has two-year-old twins wrote: "The next time someone tells me that they always wanted/want twins, I will offer to let them take mine to the store. That should enlighten them on the real joys of having twin toddlers." http://houseofkannely.blogspot.com/2010/09/double-trouble.html

Well, consider me enlightened! But I've loved the fun parts too... like how they play so well together. Snuggling them both on my lap for stories and seeing them make each other laugh. Dancing to silly music and listening to two squealing, delighted children... And then checking on them after they've fallen asleep and seeing two perfect little angels. It's been and adventure to say the least.

God Bless America

I have never been really excited about politics, but I have always LOVED history and along those lines comes my intense interest in the history of our country and the development of its government. It breaks my heart to see how far our country has deviated from the principles it was founded upon. My great respect for many of our founding fathers and what their lives represented is a stark comparison to the discouragement I feel from seeing some of the elected leaders of today.

Many Americans believe that their vote won't make a difference so why even bother. Well, one voice alone may be small, but history has proven that many great events have been the result of just one voice that is joined by another and then another.

I love the chorus from "God Bless America! "

God Bless America, Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

Thru the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,

To the oceans, white with foam

God bless America, My home sweet home.

There is a sign that I drive by every day that makes me chuckle. "Don't just complain, vote."

I love my country and I thank the Lord daily for the freedoms we enjoy. I continue to pray that He will bless this land that I love!

Trick or Treat

The saddest part about the day after Halloween, aside from putting away cute decorations... is that all the chocolate is gone. Sigh.