Happy Easter Everybunny!!

Ha, what a cheesey phrase.  :-D
Today we went to church and spent the day with family.  It was a lovely Easter. Here are a few pictures.  I sewed their dresses.  I love having girls.  God really knew what he was doing when he gave me two of them.  I pray for really good son-in-laws....we might need some muscle around here when we are old.  :-D

 We tried an egg technique that I saw on Pinterest.  It was a flop.  However, I know a couple of things I may have done wrong.  So perhaps I'll give it a go next year.  The eggs were ugly but still tasty.  Can't wait for breakfast in the morning!

 

I am sad that I did not get a picture of all 3 girls together looking at the camera.

What an opportunity missed.  :-(

 

And finally......
The Disney pictures.

A few years ago I was disgusted with the organization of my wrapping paper so I designed myself a rolling cart and had Dan build it for me for Christmas.  It holds 18-24 rolls.  Ok, so it's time to admit I do have SOME of the hoarding tendencies that run in my family.  I have this problem with WRAPPING PAPER and I can't seem to quit buying it.  EVERY Christmas I can't wait to see the new designs Hobby Lobby will be carrying.  They always have paper in their Christmas Collection that will do for birthdays and weddings too.  Then there's some that I find at yard sales for a quarter.  I turn away 90% of it, but every once in a while I'll find something I just "have" to have.  Last year I found some REVERSIBLE.  WHAT?  Didn't even know you could buy that.  It's frogs on one side and fish on the other.  Yeh, so I have a problem. 

This Friday I had this great idea to organize the rest of it in a space that was otherwise useless:  IN THE RAFTERS.  So now when I go in I have my rolling cart, and on the other side is the rest of the collection, all nice and tidy for me to see all at once.  I told Dan I had a project and I wanted it completed by weekend's end.  He delivered!!   

If you like the idea, go ahead and borrow it.  I didn't file a patent this time.  :-D

I haven't forgotten the address of the blog.  I've been scootin.
Two weeks ago it was Disney.  The whole week!  It was fun.  We came home with both kids and all our stuff (nothing lost) and a good bit of our money so I call it a success.  I may or may not post pictures.  First of all there are about 500.  Second of all, by the time I get around to it there will probably be more exciting things in our life.  I don't know though, perhaps I won't be able to resist.  After Disney I decided to take a trip to the beach.  Yes, Alabama, Florida, Alabama, Florida. We took Pawpaw and Deb who had not seen the condo, so that was fun.  I look forward to getting back to camping at the beach though.  That's my favorite.  And one way or another, I WILL get to the beach on my motorcycle.  I WILL.  That is all.

Happy 9th anniversary to my favorite husband!!  Love you bunches!!
Now we get to watch my favorite movie...our wedding video.  (I know he'll be thrilled!)  And, I think Daniley might really enjoy watching so she might get in on the viewing too.  Actually I heard her a few minutes ago ask Dan (again...) if he'd marry her.  His answer hasn't changed.  NO WAY!!

Bentley's First Sleepover!!!
First we had lunch and went straight for a nap.  We had a parade earlier in the day so I figured a nap would promote survival for us all.  Then we moved right on to playing beauty shop.  (This very awesome monkey hair dryer doesn't get hot enough for the kids to burn themselves.  It's awesome!).

Then we played dress up for our night out to Chick-Fil-A.  Daniley told everyone she had 6 twins, Jackie and Nikki, Danslen and Bentley, and James and Eli. 

 We told secrets....

 Then we headed up to play.  Bentley hit the ground running!  Danson and Brooke....be careful talking about Daniley being wild.  Signs indicate you've got your own hands full.  She acts just like Daniley did at 17 months.  HAHA!

 Her first trip down the slide...she came down laughing.  Happy Happy Happy.
Let me take a moment to give Daniley a little thumbs up here.  She was ecstatic to have her little cousin Bentley over the spend the night and she was taking such great care of her in the play area.  Daniley doesn't normally get labeled as "Little Mommy" but tonight she was, in full force.

 Then we drank...and shared...

 and laughed.....

 and played....

 And then, finally, FINALLY, we went down for a little rest right in the middle of the play area.  No worries.  Only 15 seconds.  LOL.

 We went home, and hung out, had some goldfish...

 And shared some more....

 And then lights were out!!  When they weren't on me, and weren't on each other, this is how they were.  That Bentley is a snuggler and I know her mother would be very very jealous if she knew how much she snuggled me last night.

 Bed and  Breakfast in the mountains...table for two.

 Come back soon Bentley!!!!!!!!!!!!

COWBOY DAY, Columbiana, Alabama
Each year we're in the cowboy parade.  It was butt cold, I ain't gonna lie.  But real cowgirls (and Indians) don't wuss out partner.  So we layered up and hit the road. 

Happy "ValenStines" Day, as Daniley calls it.
Dan and I have this little thing called a JOB, so we had to do presents at 5:00am!  It made for an easy morning of getting the girls out of bed though.  Here they are opening their presents....I made them John Deere outfits to ride Pawpaw's gator.  They both loved them.

A couple of weeks ago I took the girls to Pump It Up.  It's been a while since we've done that.  Both had a good time.  Lil' Darlin' wasn't too scared but she's not quiiiiite big enough to crawl up by herself.  So, I went down with her.  I wore my cotton jersey pants Honey and GPaw gave me for Christmas.  I might as well have waxed by butt because I FLEW down the slide.  And, I snapped a picture of myself (I know, talent.) and even though I look happy I was scared enough to pee my pants.  LOL.

I finished our yearbook for 2012.  This is a lot of work but sooo worth it.  I have one for every year since Daniley was born.  The girls will be able to see EXACTLY how they grew up, how they aged, how they got to where they are going.  Be patient for it to load.  It's a big book.  Click "Full Screen" in the upper right corner for best results.
Aunt Judy, there's a picture of you in here...Ready, set, go!

Tonight as I was cooking dinner, I found the only butter we had was frozen.  So I put it in the microwave with the steamed veggies to cook.  About at least 3 minutes later, I remembered.  $(%& I exclaimed.  I ran over there.  Too late.  It was all melted...but at least we have a glass pan everything sets on.  Not too huge a deal.  As I was trying to clean it up...#(*$%& again.  I got sidetracked with the butter and forgot to put the drip pan under the George Foreman.  I was cooking sausage.  Oh well, wood always needs a coat of oil to keep from dry-rotting. Since Dan was in the kitchen, I got to see his reaction to these things.   WORTH IT ALL! 

I swear I cannot help but laugh when he gets so uptight, which usually by the way doesn't help the situation at all.  Earlier today I refilled this bottle of liquid that has to be inserted in our carpet cleaner upside down...I forgot it has a screw-on lid in addition to the gasket.  I told Dan just to insert it upside down, but I was concerned it might leak.  (Still didn't remember the screw on lid.)  About 3 minutes later I heard him...$)(%** this #(%*#& is spilling out water.  He went to my work station and found the lid.  Me?  Well I just hit the floor laughing.  (Still didn't remember it....but my concerns were definitely valid.)  It's times like these that I remind Dan his life would be totally boring if it were not for me.  That frequently repeated phrase usually doesn't help the situation either.  :-D

And last but just wait, there will be more tomorrow, he came up with this crazy idea that somehow we could get Danslen's eye drops in without holding her down and trying to pry her eyelids open.  That technique has been mostly unsuccessful (she had pink eye).  I laughed at the idea.  He came up here where she and I were with his little bottle of drops.  I just looked at him and said OK, when you come up with the idea, just let me know.  I was already laughing at the thought of such a ludicrous idea.  About 2 minutes later he came back in here with the eyedrop nozzle under a little monkey's arm.  He told Danslen to watch the monkey as it gave her a kiss (it's a small finger puppet monkey).  You could see her little eyes losing focus as it got so close to her face that she could no longer see its features.  She was hypnotized.  Then he squeezed the bottle....AND IN WENT THE DROP!! *$&%^#, exclaimed by me.  Then once again I hit the floor laughing. 

Greetings Blog Readers!

It's been a few weeks....that's the norm.  Don't expect it to get any better.  I get tired of carrying the camera around everywhere.  However.....this weekend I spend at least 15 hours making my 2012 Year In Review photobook.  The book is an elaborate story-teller.  And as I look back on it, there are a few things worth noting:
1)  Dan is the best father the world could offer.  My two children could not have had a Dad that loves them more than the Dad God gave them.  He is in photos of every event, smiling and playing and spending quality time with them.  If you didn't think I was searching for a good Dad when I was on the dating scene, you'd be sorely mistaken.  Dan is a freakin' perfectionist and has limits on patience.  We waited a gracious plenty time before bringing babies onto the scene, because I knew those little jokers would wreck the place, and he might lose it.  But let me tell you what...sometimes he does lose it (and less often, so do I).  But when it comes to choosing a good Dad for those babies of mine, I married damn well.
2)  My kids are A-W-E-S-O-M-E.  And they're cute.  And smart.  And funny.  And fun!  And my opinion is definitely not biased.  They really are.  I'm certain.  :-)

LeLe took Daniley to the circus tonight.  Other than that, it's been a low key weekend.  We went to Habenero's.  That's how I get a weekend break.  It's called a Margarita. 

My nephews stayed with me Saturday and it was a blast.  We played, took a nap, and a bath (4 kids in the tub at one time) :-)  I'll refrain from posting the bath pictures...

Wait, that doesn't seem like a low key weekend really...  

You can always rely on Dan to crack me up too.

 

Like his suspenders?  Tie down straps.  :-)

 These next photos are from a couple weeks ago.  I probably don't supervise Danslen enough...the house is pretty well baby-proofed, and she's #2, which you know means a free ticket to run around and do anything without concern from the parents.  hahaha.  It provides me with a reasonable amount of sanity.  Sometimes, though, it backfires.

So I started the blog by talking about the photo book.  The truth of the matter is that if I don't continue running around with my camera, and somewhat updating this blog so I can remember our story, then I'll have nothing to put in the book, and my babies will have nothing to help them remember.  So for now, I'll keep on going.  God give me strength!    

WOMEN:  READ THIS!

Through a rapist's eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:

1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women whose clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.

POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:

1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: can't believe it is so cold out here, we're in for a bad winter. Now that you've seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and
armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of
trouble. Start causing trouble, and he's out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked
audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, and go with your instincts. You may feel little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL....

I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go "hmm I must remember that" After reading, forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in
this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans: if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you.... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS, LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:

a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be hiding at the passenger side, peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. (DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB).

b. If you! U are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

c. Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard /policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

 

The day after Christmas we left for the beach to celebrate our accomplishments this year.  We always have a New Years with the kids, and this year was no exception.  Our "tradition" since Daniley was born was to dress up spunky (costumey for the kids) and go for dinner at Stix and then shoot fireworks at the house.  I LOVE stix.  Daniley LOVES fireworks.  Danslen LOVES hot and sour soup.  Dan LOVES us!  This year, we still went out for Chinese (Thaiger Thai).  It was GREAT.  Then we took the kids out for juking and fireworks at the Harborwalk.  They have a HUGE celebration.  There was a band of course, and my kids were tearin' up the dance floor.  If they had left room for me, I would have as well.

As the night progressed, the crowd got older and wilder, so we moved the kids out to the marina and walked around admiring the million dollar yachts.  It was a fabulous, romantic evening to celebrate the year with our children.  Sometimes we all need to just slow down, look at our blessings, be proud of ourselves, and just capture the moment.  That's what we did.  Welcome 2013.  I hope you are as good to us as 2012.

Daniley took this picture.

 

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

My kids were still wide open at 1am.  Were you?