{Living the Dream}

The Triplets

2012-02-14T14:06:00.001-08:00

Also known as trouble.

Half Empty Full

2012-02-13T20:05:00.000-08:00

It's been rough around here the last couple of weeks.

Uhhhhh!

I'm so dang tired. Like I-have-a-newborn-baby tired.

Except that I don't.

It's just that Brian's knee just hasn't been right since his surgery in the fall. And then the call we got a week and half ago from his doc that we needed to do another surgery. ASAP. And the subsequent hospital stay. And then daddy being laid up. And Lincoln showing us how strong his will is every 5 minutes. And Lila letting us hear her whiny voice more in the past week and half than we ever have. Cue the puking dog. And the broken dryer. And Brian's phone getting stolen. And I almost chopped my finger off while preparing dinner. And when we went to a restaurant this week and I dropped not one, but 2 entire plates of food on the floor. And the rain. My goodness, THE RAIN!

Etc.

But I'm over it.

I just can't even focus on that sheeeee for one. more. minute.

There is just too much to be thankful for.

I get to co-parent with Brian. I just adore that guy. And my kids are healthy, strong and smart. And I will get to fold super-hero capes and tutus again when my dryer is fixed tomorrow. And my mom came and helped for a whole week! And I got a pedicure today. And I have gift certificate for a massage that I found in the bottom of our junk drawer. That will be used very soon. And we finally found a babysitter this week. And we have the most awesome neighbors. And I can still get Meyer lemons at the market. And we are 2 months away from Italy. And I got to hold 2 little babies, miracle babies no less, in the NICU last night during my first volunteer shift.

Etc.

And we call this a perspective change folks....otherwise known as a big, fat

Attitude Adjustment.

Which is exactly what the doctor ordered after this rocky week.

And now I'm off to hide hearts all around the house for our little Valentines.

And we have a lunch date with daddy tomorrow.

It's gonna be a good day.

Let's PARRRRRRRty!

2012-02-06T17:40:00.000-08:00

Lila + Lincoln turned 3 on the 3rd.

So we had a little party.

A little pirate party as a matter of fact.

And once a former kindergarten teacher has a theme, it can be dangerous.

We have 2 children, but only one birthday party to plan each year. It is so fun to have all of our friends and family together to celebrate with us.

And What the Freak, who ordered the sunshine???

Well, I DO. Duh. Every single day of course. But it hardly happens....

And then my sis called on Friday when she landed in Seattle and told me the sun was blinding her. And for our party on Saturday, it hung around. All of these little northwest kids loving the time outside in the shiny, warm sun.

It was perfect.

Walking the plank + digging in the sand for treasures.

I told Brian I wanted him to make a boat for the kids to play with. He exceeded my expectations.

A treasure cake with cupcake jewels.

X marks the spot. Done with glitter....obviously.

For real you all. For real.

I can still carry both of them. And I hope to for the rest of my life.

The birthday pirates. I sure do love them.

Did someone say food?

Every year at their party I feel overwhelmed by the people in our lives. I am amazed at all of the children our friends have created throughout the years. And it is kinda special to see them all playing together.

We are blessed. Just beyond blessed.

Bud

2012-02-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

Lincoln,

Once upon a time, when I was growing up, all I ever wanted was boys. I'm not quite sure why, I just loved little dudes.

And then God gave us you!

And you did not disappoint because you are one rad dude.

When you were born, you were all kinds of precious.

After babies are born, they lose a bit of weight, and since you were only 5 1/2 lbs to begin with...you looked like a little old man.

Daddy called you Benjamin Buttons.

And I would say, 'Lila, you are so beautiful and Lincoln, your mama loves you!'

You were so alert. I'm talking about from even moments after you were born. You were listening to my voice. I told the nurses they could do the hearing test on sis, but I was certain your ears worked just fine. Somehow your big, beautiful eyes gave me the reassurance I needed when I became your mother. Instead of me freaking the freak about becoming the mother of twins, your calmness just made me feel a sense of peace.

Sometimes your remind of what I think daddy would've been like as a boy.

And it makes me love him and you deeper.

Sometimes you get in trouble for being a rascal.

Do you wanna know a secret?

I always hoped my boy would be a bit of rascal.

It's part of what makes you so much fun.

You'll continue to get in trouble for it, and I'll continue to secretly love that about you.

You are strong, bright, curious, determined, kind, respectful, honest, hard-working, imaginative, funny, tricky and wise.

You are the very best parts of daddy + I....but you are more even than that.

You are you.

Lincoln Scott.

Our boy.

I'm gonna spend the next 24 hours thanking my lucky stars that I get to be your mama.

What Can Make Me Feel This Way...

2012-02-02T13:39:00.000-08:00

...MY GIRL!

Lila Pearl.

Today is the last day you are TWO.

Shite.

Did you know I would give every penny I had for you to stay this age? Did you also know that I don't have a lot of pennies because I don't technically have a paying gig, but nonetheless, that I would give every penny daddy makes?

Did you know that daddy and I would have 10 more girls if we were certain they would all turn out as great as you?

But I can't because:

a.) it doesn't work that way,

and

b.) your daddy won't let me.

He tells me it's going to be fun to watch your grow up. But I sure am going to miss these days.

It's kinda weird that the chick I want to be when I grow up is the girl you already are at 2 years old.

Sis, you are hi-larious, trusting, creative, outgoing, self-confident, beautiful, caring, spunky, smart, curious, and completely unaffected by others opinions. I pray, no I seriously pray all the time, that these are the qualities that you will retain throughout all the turbulent times that life brings.

Because you are the coolest chick ever.

We are buddies.

You remind dad + Linc all the time that 'We are the girlz!'

And we sit on the 'girls side' of the car.

I'm gonna spend the next 24 hours reflecting on how awesome our lives became when we became your parents 3 years ago.

Snow Fun

2012-01-18T19:55:00.000-08:00

Did you hear the Pacific NW had a snow storm this week?

Well we did.

And it was rad.

I like snow approximately 1 bazillion times better than rain.

It's so dang pretty.

And peaceful.

And way fun to play in!

Snow + cardboard box = Good Times

Snow gear courtesy of our most generous friend Timi.

(With the exception of the pink pants.)

It's no wonder kids love snow days.

Hello! sugary goodness.

This is from Sunday when the first flakes started to fall.

So precious.

Lincoln likes the snow.

He enjoyed throwing snowballs, exploring, making tracks, sledding and sliding, building snowmen and making snow angels.

He was also the first to want to head in doors.

He has been reminding us about how much he loves the beach. And maybe how we could go to the beach sometime.

And how he likes the sun. And when can we go to Hawaii. And summer is his favorite.

Is this my kids or what?!

Get us to the sunshine.

Lila loves the snow.

No seriously, she never wants to come in.

And she just has the most adorable smile on her face the entire time we play.

I love her.

Our snow family. Lila made it with daddy.

She was so proud.

Funny-faced sissy.

This is what we woke up to this morning. 10 inches of winter wonderland.

The Kool Kids

2012-01-04T20:37:00.001-08:00

Because obviously nothing says cool like a sick pair of shades.

From the Mind of a 2 Year Old...

2012-01-03T13:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, following ~~A GAZILLION~~, several reminders to

'Please pick up his race cars', the following conversation occurred.

Me: 'Awwww buddy, when are ya gonna listen???'

Lincoln: 'Ummmm...probably on Fursday.'

*Fursday = Thursday

New Years Day

2012-01-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

New Years Day has always been a special day in my family. My Grandpa Masters birthday was on the 1st and so it was always a big deal.

(Pretty much because he was one of the biggest personalities you could ever meet!)

I just love the idea of a fresh start. Goal setting, closet cleaning...just plain getting your sheeeee in order.

Love it.

This year Team Swish is suffering from an extreme Christmas hangover. Being gone for 8 days in Cali, and then having family with us for several days upon our return has us all feeling tired. Way, way tired.

And the kids + B have been fighting colds for the last week.

Sweeeet!

So today we just relaxed. It was dry outside so we took our 2nd annual walk across the Narrows Bridge.

The fresh air was nice.

Then the kids took an extra-long nap, and B and I erased Christmas from our home.

Which is so not fun.

But necessary.

A fresh start for the new year.

Happy 2012 friends!

May the new year bring you health + happiness.

Lots + lots of happiness.

And sunshine...

...Oh wait, that's my wish for the new year!!!

(Pretty please, God!)

Oh Christ-mas, How I Love Thee

2011-12-29T20:17:00.000-08:00

I was doing so good on my December Daily postings...I didn't even miss one...

...for like TWENTY whole days...

...but then came our trip to a little place called California.

{Oh California, how I love thee.}

And I failed. Uhhhh!

My excuse--I just didn't use the computer the whole week.

Which was quite lovely I might add.

So I'm about to make up for it. I'm going to drown this blog in some Christ-mas photos.

The Swisherz headed into the rock-n-roll Christmas service.

My bro snapped these shots of us of us on our way in. Now that I am a mom, I understand why my mom loved being in church with all of her kids on Christ-mas so much. It's just special.

And the twins, well, they were all kinds of adorable.

My mom + dad in all their glory. (Well almost all their glory because Judah wasn't there.)

My mom had some great activites for the kids to do while we there. Bird feeders, gingerbread houses, snowman cookies, peppermint play dough, jingle bell painting, ornament-glittering...you name it. We all had a blast!

(And swept the floor about 215 times!)

Tubby time was a personal fave.

How lucky are these turds!

Two things:

1.) My brother can grow a better handlebar moustache than your brother.

2.) That beauty on the right, she's my niece. She's a gem. I've never met a 13 year old girl like her. I'm so glad she's in our family.

Even if she's half Canadian.

Bah-dum-dum.

The original 5.

These photos don't get to happen too often anymore.

Add in the matching Christmas pajamas and we are talking not very often at all.

I'm sure this will be in the family calendar next year.

These 2 are brothers from another mother.

My dude from the woods of Pacific NW + Kelsey's 'neck from the dirty south = BFF.

Who would have thought?!

But I do love it.

Meet the new partial-owner of the Green Bay Packers.

This is one happy man right here.

Did I mention I love California? This was our Christ-mas day picnic...

CHRIST-MAS DAY PEOPLE!

And how about that scarf--

Well that was finger-knit from the Canadian.

Love.

The fam.

On the train we ride whenever we visit Folsom.

Good memories.

(Even if Jackson hates the whistle.)

Oh yeah, did I mention Santa came???

As usual, he did NOT disappoint.

We did have one tragedy.

One of Jackson's toys got stuck in my hair.

Bad.

Really, really bad.

It's a funny story, but it was looking like I was going to have to say goodbye to my long locks. Brian saved the day with his patience and determination.

(My high pain tolerance probably helped a little too.)

Owwww!

Of course this happened to me.

Of course.

We had a great visit. So much fun and photos that I'm not including believe it or not.

We are blessed.

So very blessed.

And we haven't even celebrated with the other side of the family yet.

December Daily

2011-12-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture from last Christmas Eve. I snapped it right before I went to bed. This is one of my most favorite moments of the season. All the presents wrapped and under the tree, the stockings full, the tree in it's glory and the cookies + milk waiting for the Big Guy.

We are getting everything ready to celebrate Christmas with my side of the family this year. It's a lot of work to get ready for a big Christmas trip. And there are many, many things I'm looking forward.

This moment is certainly one of them.

*Please know that there are presents for 12 or 14 people under this tree plus one half-crazy beagle. There is no way in this world we would give our children this many presents.

No way at all!

December Daily

2011-12-17T21:17:00.001-08:00

Waiting for the Christmas lights...

Excitement.

Pure, beautiful 2 year old joy.

By the way, Linc + Lila are all about choosing their own clothes right now.

So as you can imagine, we are experiencing all kinds of loveliness around here.

Sweet.

December Daily

2011-12-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

L + L are on the go pretty much all. the. time.

Which makes the big guy and I exhausted.

But we have a little trick up our sleeves...

Our kids love books!

We are talking love with a big, fat capital L.

So when they are crazy, or arguing, or driving us bonkers, or tired, or anything-

We read to them.

And it works magic I tell you.

Today in the middle of our shopping trip to REI, the twins found some books and made themselves right at home.

Readers are leaders yo!

On a side note, sometimes I wonder what it would be like with just one 2 year old at time.

Much different?!

I don't know.

But I do wonder.

A lot.

But for the record, I prefer 2.

December Daily

2011-12-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

Tonight Linc + Lila took their bath, put their jams on, and then we had a pajama party.

Brian + I put our jams on as well, and we drove around looking at Christmas lights.

Oh yeah, we got some ice cream too!

This just might have to become a tradition!

And just for kicks + giggles, may I present our sweet Lila Pearl...

December Daily

2011-12-14T22:46:00.000-08:00

We had to run over to Cabelas today for a Christmas present.

Ahhhhh, Cabelas...

Not quite sure we are a very good match. Nope, not quite sure.

However!, they do have lots of things for 2 year olds to explore.

And so we did. And now we're done.

December Daily

2011-12-13T20:35:00.000-08:00

Baby, it's cold outside.

We have had some unusually, (THANK GOD!), dry weather here in western Washington. But as a result, it is chilly. Way chilly. So when we go out we are bundled up.

And when we are home, we stay extra cozy. We sit by our fireplace, sometimes in our jammies, and stay very warm. On this day, we worked on projects. And read books. Lots and lots of books.

December Daily

2011-12-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Brian is on vacation until after the new year! He didn't plan it this way, but life happened this year. And so, we (L + L+ I), are very thrilled.

Today Brian + I got to work out at the gym together...

....for the 1st time in almost 4 years.

It was verrrrry fun. And we even resumed our usual gym disagreements about Brian making me lift too dang heavy. It was like we never left.

And then we picked the kids up from childcare and headed to the basketball court. The regular routine for the twins + I.

Except daddy was here today, so they got to do this...

Merry Christmas to us!

December Daily #10

2011-12-11T20:36:00.000-08:00

Today is the last day my mom + dad are here so we decided to use them to snap a quick photo for our Christmas card.

Please enjoy the I-did-not-make-the-Christmas-card-this-year photo.

*Photo courtesy of my dad, James the Jackhammer. And my mom, Dotty2Hottie, who acted a fool with a dirty bird feather to get the twins looking at the camera. They rule.

December #9

2011-12-10T23:01:00.001-08:00

Silly picture no doubt, but if you know these 2, it is ever-so-fitting.

Sis + Bud,

Your mama and daddy love you so much.

Just so dang much.

December Daily #8

2011-12-09T22:21:00.000-08:00

We saw Santa tonight. In fact, we took a hay ride with Santa around our little town. The kids sat up on his lap, chatted with him and whispered what they wanted for Christmas. {Lincoln-Monster Truck, Lila-Pretty Things.} So much different than last years tears.

We had so much fun we hardly even minded the stories Santa was telling us about when he almost lost his toes to frostbite after he killed an elk back in 1957 in Moscow, Idaho.

Seriously though, he was a very nice Santa. Bonus point for the real beard.

Good job, Gig Harbor!

December Daily #8

2011-12-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

Pops is coming! Pops is coming!

And how do we welcome Pops at Christmas time?

With a fresh batch of Christmas cookies. His most favorite.

Most people in my family associate me with the Christmas cookies. I'm the one who made the dough, patiently waited while it chilled, carefully rolled and cut each and every cookie and completed them with homemade frosting, sprinkles and love.

Only to have them eaten within minutes.

Every. Last. One.

Every. Single. Time.

I would get so mad!

Now I realize it's a compliment.

I actually think of my Grandma Krug every time I make the cookies. She used to patiently make them with me during her California visits. I always felt so very special.

Now I have 2 little turds to help.

And sneak bites of the dough.

And sprinkle flour all over the floors.

And smash all the cut cookies into pancakes. (Only to be rolled and cut again.)

Oh what's that?

My pictures are always blurry??

Two 2 year olds.

That's all.

December Daily #7

2011-12-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

Tonight we rang the Salvation Army bell in front of our local grocery store.

As a family...

...For 2 whole hours...

...It was 40 degrees. Brrrrrrr!

When our church asked for volunteers, Brian + I thought it would be a great opportunity for our family. We are very interested in teaching our twins that there is much, much more to Christmas than receiving gifts. So we jingled and jingled those bells. And the patrons were very kind and gracious to our family.

On a side note, there was only 1 red apron available for us to wear. Guess who got lucky???

Lila was unanimously selected as MVP for our family. She greeted all the peeps, screamed 'Merry Christmas' about a million times, smiled, danced and looked all kinds of adorable. (She even sustained a minor injury from her wild-at-heart little brother and his rambunctious ringing.) What a gem she is!

December #6

2011-12-06T20:17:00.000-08:00

'Christmas is a time for children, Happy faces all a-glow...'

{There is a song in there somewhere, and I might be willing to sing it for you IF you lend me a microphone.}

Children make Christmas (approximately) A BILLION times more awesome. The awe, the happiness and the wonder.

So much fun!

December Daily #5

2011-12-05T19:55:00.001-08:00

Brian + I usually do the entire bath time/bedtime routine together. It was a necessity when they were babies, but now it's just family time. As most parents know, sometimes this is the most wild time of the day!

What happens to kids at this hour?!

B's turn to read tonight.

Oh yes, there were finger plays in this book as well.

And then the crane puts them into their beds.

And then B + I do the jiggity-jig because we survived another day. Bring on the popcorn.

December Daily #4

2011-12-04T20:37:00.000-08:00

Last night Brian took me to the city. We met up with friends, had some drinks, ate some yummy food and stayed at a pretty swanky little hotel. Then today we got to spend all day shopping. All freaking day. It was so relaxing and so very fun. And then we came home to these smiling faces. Feeling very blessed tonight.

And in case you are wondering, Seattle is gorgeous at Christmas time.

December Daily #3

2011-12-04T19:48:00.000-08:00

Lila + Lincoln love to help do the yard work. Yesterday was beautiful--chilly + beautiful. The twins were helping daddy rake the leaves. Seeing them play in and explore our yard will always be some of our most special memories.

December Daily #2

2011-12-02T20:02:00.001-08:00

I'm actually kinda jealous I didn't have a twin growing up.

Nevermind.

I always had Kelsey and she is the best. (I'm not quite sure we could've been closer even if we were twins.)

But being a twin just looks like so much fun. Especially at Christmas time.

Snapshots

2011-12-01T21:31:00.000-08:00

This afternoon The ~~nosey~~ Pearl found my camera that I had accidently left out. And she wanted to learn to snap some photos. So I showed her what to do.

A diamond in the rough I do declare and an absolute natural if I do say so myself.

And of course, we gave Lincoln a go as well.

December Daily

2011-12-01T21:24:00.000-08:00

December Daily. A photo a day all month long.

Kelsey told me to do it.

She told me + I listened.

Because that's the kinda gal I am.

And lo + behold we almost have the exact same picture today...

...because the Christmas tree is the gigantic elephant in the room in the month of December.

And it causes so much awe and joy in our home.

So it's perfectly fitting for Day #1.

Away in the Manger

2011-11-30T19:52:00.000-08:00

On this the eve of a most special month, I would like to report that we only have had 1 Baby Jesus related injury in this house. (So far.)

Thus resulting in only 1 time the mama of this house, ahem, shouted: 'WE DO NOT THROW BABY JESUS!' (So far.)

Thus resulting in one time-out for throwing Baby Jesus at her brother. Ahem, LILA! (So far.)

Thus resulting in one small gash on 'her brother's' nose. (So far.)

Wait!!!, it's not even December yet?

Uh-oh!

Downtown

2011-11-10T16:27:00.000-08:00

Crunch

2011-11-09T19:49:00.000-08:00

Thanks to our neighbor, and his ginormous maple tree, Lincoln + Lila have been having a ball for the last couple of weeks. If we are bored, and it's not raining, we walk down to his front yard.

OR if Lila + Lincoln are driving me bonkers, we will also walk down to his house.

We walk in the leaves, crunch them, roll around, bury each other, throw them in the air, kick them, collect the prettiest...you name it, we've done it.

There is a certain part of this ditch where the leaves go all the way up to Lincoln's waist. A gazillion leaves.

Today the sun made an appearance. It was quite lovely. The perfect autumn day.

You wanna know what someone, {ahem}, is going to anonymously leave on this neighbors doorstep...

...a freaking rake!!!

Apple Picking

2011-11-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

We have 3 very lovely apple trees in our backyard. And this fall we have about a gazillion apples. We have made applesauce, apple crisp, dried apples, enjoyed them plain, shared with neighbors and we still have about 500. So I had this semi-fabulous idea, if I do say so myself, that I would take about 20 or so, and throw them out front to feed the deers that we see from time to time...

... In no time at all I made a new BFF when a little buck starting visiting our yard at dawn and dusk. The kids loved it! And then a week or so later, my BFF brought a buddy--a big-daddy buck and we just loved checking in on them twice a day.

Cue the bunnies.

Now we have 7 or 8 of the most adorable bunnies rotate in and out of our yard at any given time munching on the apples. So the twins and I pick a bag full of apples every day and feed them to our buddies. And then we watch them. Or the twins play in the yard while the animals munch away and watch us.

Today I wanted Brian to snap a few pics of us doing our favorite fall routine. But the twins just wanted to be dork-fishes. Man, I love them.

For the love, the Swishers will be on a farm in no time.

Mark my words.

Tis the Season...

2011-11-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

...of thankfulness.

And can I just say that Brian + I have so much to be thankful for. We talk about it all the time. God has blessed us beyond anything we ever dreamed. But please don't think that means everything is perfect. Because it isn't.

The other day Brian said that 2011 has been rough on us. And I thought what in the world is he talking about? And then we went on to discuss the stillborn birth of our niece, 2 failed fertility attempts for us and a large possibly-cancerous tumor discovered on Brian's knee. The tumor turned out to be non-cancerous, but needed to be removed ASAP. So surgery. And then the awesome recovery from that surgery. Oh yeah, all that stuff.

Brian + I learned very early in our marriage that we are not in control. We learned that when I was sick, for you know, almost 2 whole years. And it just completely changed our perspective on everything. Gratitude.

And during this season, like most everyone we know, the first thing that comes to my mind, is being thankful for our family.

I didn't know when I was 18 years old and moved to the NW that I would be here soooo long. But I met the raddest guy who made all kinds of promises to me years ago, and he just never lets me down. And so I stay here in the rain. And he keeps taking care of me, and this year we celebrated our 10th.

And then it took us a while to start a family. But we were never worried. God had brought us through so much. And we already learned the We-Are-Not-In-Control lesson, so we just waited. And decided to take advantage of the extra time with just the 2 of us. We are sure glad we did.

And bam! We were pregs with twins. And we knew it was going to be a wild ride. But we were so thankful. Just beyond grateful.

Now we have the pleasure of raising two of the raddest little humans that ever were. They have made life more colorful for Brian + I. They make the happy times even more joyful and they remind us the rocky times are temporary.

We are so thankful for their healthy, strong bodies. Those are the same bodies that we watched grow and develop from...well, the very beginning.

Lila Pearl is just a tender-hearted silly-willy. She reminds us a fake belly-laugh sometimes just lightens the load. That pretty things make you feel....pretty. And that a hug can turn your day right around. I've said it before, but she is every reason I ever wanted a daughter. I'm so thankful for this little lady.

Lincoln brings the house down with his gut-busting laugh. When he's laughing, if you're not, then something is wrong with you! He reminds us life is too short not to dance when the music is pumping and that nothing is impossible with a little imagination. We are so thankful for this inquisitive, bright and determined little dude. He is just a perfect fit for our family.

We are so grateful these guys love each other so much. (Because they are together all. the. time.) And we are so thankful that they made us a family of 4.

So let the good times (continue) to roll! I know these turkeys will be down with that.

Happy Thanksgiving-month!

Oh, Canada

2011-11-01T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Swishers left the country last week. We headed north to Vancouver Island to visit Sierra and Judah. Canada does not disappoint. Friendly people, beautiful country, no guns and did I mention the friendly people?!

But it took us 10 loooonnnng hours to get there. Thank goodness for iPhones.

The ferry ride was very fun, and it broke up the hours in the cars, which was fantastic.

Good thing we have the very best toddler-travelers in the history of forever. (And a rented minivan.) (And Grammie + Pops too!)

It was worth every minute.

Sierra was in a community play, Anne of Green Gables, which also happens to be one of my personal faves.

Lila just lit up when the play started. She loved it. She has worn 2 braids almost every day since. Because she wants to be like Anne. Sierra even inspired me to check out our own community theatre here in Gig Harbor. And re-read the books.

And if Brian is very lucky, watch the movies.

Vancouver Island is breathtaking, and Sierra is the very best tour guide. We will be back. Oh yes, we will be back.

School Yo!

2011-11-01T20:11:00.000-07:00

My name is Karla, and I'm a teacher. Always, always have been. You can ask my mother, and she will tell you about the hours I spent wearing her shoes, teaching my imaginary students in her classroom throughout the years. You can ask my sister. Poor Kelsey, she always had to be my student. In fact, she is my only student I had the pleasure of teaching year, after year, after year. After year! You can ask the hundreds of students I taught throughout the years. You could ask Brian. He likes to remind me that he is, in fact, not a student in need of my instruction. Ahem!

And now even Lincoln + Lila can testify. At the end of summer I decided to start being more purposeful in the projects I do with the twins. And since I certainly have enough ideas and storybooks for several classrooms, I decided to put it to use. I chose several seasonal related themes, and a couple times a week we go to 'school'. Totally informal and totally relaxed. Just way fun.

These pics are from September on the first day we tried it. They were fans.

*And nope. I will definitely not be homeschooling. Not for me.

*For several reasons, but mainly because I could never do it justice after observing my amazing cousin Alane.

Walk The Plank

2011-11-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

Lila + Lincoln were pirates. The most adorable pirates I saw. I'm the mother of this mess so that opinion is completely biased, but nonetheless, they were pretty freaking cute. These pics were from Saturday when we met up with some friends in Puyallup to trick-or-treat their downtown stores. So fun.

The twins certainly understood what was happening this year, say the magic words and receive a treat. But you know what was awesome?! They always said thank you, they shared their treats and they certainly were way more excited to look at all the costumes than they were getting tons of candy.

Having children has certainly made Brian and I more involved in the community. Seeking out fun activities to do and getting involved. It's fun to participate in all the activities that are out there to enjoy. Just another way that having kids has made us much better peeps.

The End.

Peace Out Paci

2011-10-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

So long Mr + Ms Paci. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Two weeks ago, we bid farewell to the pacis. Shortly after Lila + Lincoln turned 1, we limited their pacifiers to naptime and bedtime only. And that worked great. And we have never had a problem getting our turds to bed. They always looked forward to making out with their pacis for a bit and fell asleep happily.

But now they are 2 1/2. And my sweet little Pearl was starting to throw her paci out in the morning and scream the most horrid screams you've ever heard until we retrieved it for her. And then Lincoln thought it would be fun to try it sometimes too. And it was not a pleasant way for the big guy or I to start our day.

So when we heard Kelsey got brave and took her Lucca-lay-lee's away, we decided to give it a go. We told the kids how BIG Lucca was now AND all the special things she got to do because she was so big and brave. So, of course, the twins wanted to do it too. [We love and owe that Coco big time!]

The first night when we put Lila + Lincoln in their beds, they cried and said they didn't want to be big. They didn't want a new special buddy to sleep with and they certainly didn't want to get Fro-Yo, (with sprinkles), to celebrate. 'I wannnnnntttt my paciiiiiiii!'

So Brian played the guitar for about 10 minutes and they were out. The next day at nap time, Lila cried so very hard. We did force her to break-up with her first love after all. It was certainly tragic. She loved that thing so. B played his guitar and with in about 2 minutes she was out. Lincoln cried that night for a bit, but put himself to sleep.

And that's all it took. No more crying and they haven't asked for it once. They are so big. So dang big. I have to admit this was not hard at all. I was prepared for it to be much worse. Especially for our girl.

I can't complain about the pacifiers though. They saved my booty on numerous occasions when they were teeny-tiny and I was alone. They were many times, too many to count, that my newborn babies were soothed by their paci's while waiting their turn to nurse.

R.I.P Pacifiers.

Take 3

2011-10-14T20:28:00.000-07:00

We did the pumpkin patch today...for the 3rd time. You heard that right, it's not even half way through October, and we have been to the patch 3 times. We just love Autumn. Today we met some of the ladies from my mom's group and their children.

The twins would've stayed at the duck races all day long. It was 50 degrees this morning, and they were soaking wet, and they could have cared less. Kids are amazingly warm. Must be because they Never. Stop. Moving.

I like these pictures much better than smiling-and-looking-at-the-camera pictures. Because this shows Lincoln + Lila's relationship. BFF's for sure.

The bowling game was awesome. At first, I thought Lincoln might have inherited my fly bowling skills by watching how high his ball went up before it dropped and rolled toward then pins.

But then, I saw Lila's throw and it became clear to me that the Pearl definitely takes after my bowling skillz.

Sometimes I forget how ~~small~~ petite I am...UNTIL I see myself in pictures. Like this one for instance, in which my toddlers almost cover me entirely when I'm squatted next to them. Also, it's been a looooooonnnnggg week in Casa Swish, so please excuse how exhausted I look.

'Hey Mama, LOOK! A potato!'

Oh yeah, Wild Man Jack came to.

Pearly Whites

2011-10-13T20:36:00.000-07:00

Taking your twins to the dentist today for the 1st time = Goodbye, mama-guilt.

I've been intending to take the kids to the dentist for months. Months and months actually. And today was the day. I took them to a pediatric dentist in town and had the most fabulous experience.

I had the kids all pumped up about how cool it was going be, and how wide they had to open their mouths, and how big they were now to visit the dentist, etc. (Clearly I am a good ~~liar~~ storyteller, because I am actually terrified of the dentist.)

And they were rock stars. Happy, cooperative, curious and polite.

The hygienist complimented them on numerous occasions. She assured me that is was certainly not like this every time children came to the dentist.

So, of course, I didn't mention the gigantic tantrum Lincoln had before we arrived. All because I made him wear a long sleeve shirt. For the love.

They were able to do a full cleaning and take x-rays of their front and back teeth. Which apparently does not happen on first visits very often.

But seriously, what is up with recommending flossing? For your 2 year olds. For real? Kinda ridiculous.

They had perfect teeth, and told me that we were doing a great job. And it always feels great when you get a little positive feedback. Am I right other mamas?!?

They might have said something about Lincoln having an overbite. What the freak? Where ever would get that from?

Ahem.

(Keep your mouth shut Kelsey.)

Moving on, the dentist gave them a Popsicle.

I want a Popsicle after I go to the dentist.

A Popsicle and a hug.

Autumn

2011-10-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Autumn is definitely here in the NW. And by the way, Brian + I decided that we are going to start calling Fall...AUTUMN. And teach it that way to the kids. Just because we like the way it sounds. (We have had nothing but time on our hands this past week people!)

Moving on--

Well the biggest news in our house over the past week is Brian's knee surgery...

You're welcome for this lovely photo. And for those of you who know Brian, YES!, there is skin under all that hair. Who knew?

The reason for the surgery...

...the giant (non-cancerous) tumor that was causing so much pain for him over the past year. (That would be the gigantic black hole on the left side of the picture.)

So as he hobbles around and tries to recover, I've decided that I never, ever, ever want to have knee surgery. Or any other kind of surgery. Thankyouverymuch.

So as we have been laying low this week, tending to the patient, we are going a little stir crazy. So I bought some games. Candyland + Memory. So this is a pretty hysterical experiment playing games with 2 year olds

I also take them on '~~Fall~~ Autumn walks' just about every day. And we collect beautiful leaves. (And then I try to throw them away when they are not looking.) On this day, their Halloween package from Grammie arrived. That was definitely a very fun surprise.

Oh yeah, that corn was from my garden. So the kids thought is was super-fun to cut it down and decorate with it. I love gardening.

I also tried growing pumpkins this year. But, SURPRISE!, there wasn't enough sun. But 2 of these lovelies were from our garden. Can you guess which ones???

Speaking of no sun, Lila + Lincoln tell me almost everyday how much they like the sun. 'I can't like rain Mama, I like the sun.'

You hear that Brian? Just checking. *wink*

A little surprise I found tonight....

...now I didn't see who did this, but I would bet top dollar that Miss Sneakypants was responsible. Lock up your medicine cabinets when the Swishers roll into town. This girl will check it out. For reals.

My mom sent me these gigantic pine cones. And I immediately thought glitter. Because glitter, I can't quit you. Chocolate, burnt orange and golden yellow were the colors I chose. And they look gorgeous. If I do say so myself.

Lila loves to color. And she is getting pretty good at smiley faces. But this past weekend she drew me. And then I died...because she drew me people.

Check it--

You guys, I'm so beautiful. 2 eyes, a nose, a kinda-smile, gorgeous hair WITH a crown, ears and 2 skinny legs. At a castle.

She's 2.

That's right 2.

Excuse me, I'm going out to buy a frame.

October?!

2011-10-02T20:13:00.000-07:00

A.) How in the world can it already be October???

AND....

B.) What happened to September???

I mean, I feel old. Because this is exactly what old people say all the time. Young peeps definitely do not think time flies. It takes foooorrreeevvvveeerrr to turn all the most important ages. You know, 16 and 18 and 21. And then BAM! You have a couple of kids and you can't even keep up with how fast you need to turn the calendar pages. I'm pretty much expecting hot flashes and a colonoscopy any freaking day now. (And let me tell you I have had my fair share of hot flashes before, and I'm not looking forward to them.)

But I digress...

Blogs are infrequent around these parts. Does anyone still read this I wonder???? It's not because I don't have things to say. It's just busy all day. And flat-out exhaustion at night.

But let me tell you that I love being a mama. I just love it so damn much. (Sorry mom.) It is amazing how much joy and pride my little turds can bring me one moment, AND have me on my knees begging for mercy, {most likely in tears,} the next. 2 year olds are awesommmmmeee. For reals awesome. I wouldn't change anything about this age. (Except that it goes way too fast.) And I wouldn't change that I get to spend all my days with them. Even if I can't get all the new fall boots I want.

Well Brian did tell me I could get them all...

...If I get a job.

BAH!

Lila Pearl is nothing short of awesome.

She is girl-y. I'm talking obsessed with all things beautiful. A lover of prettiness. Which why it is so awesome that she is a part of boy/girl twin-ship. Because she also loves to play monster trucks, any sport with a ball, bike + scooter riding, bug collecting, dirt-digging and the like. She would just prefer to do it with a ballerina dress on thank you very much. She loves to sing and knows every single song I've ever taught her or that she has ever heard.

She also makes up songs frequently and likes to shake her booty. She loves to help in the kitchen with an apron on of course. I know every parent thinks their children are beautiful, and we are no exception. Sometimes I look at our Lilee P and she simply takes my breath away. So dang pretty and so dang sweet. She's all-out precious. She makes me laugh until tears fall down my face. She is my very best girl.

Lincoln is my buddy.

Our most favorite dude. Fun-loving to the core of his skinny little body. Likes to be silly and make his sissy laugh. Which is mostly done by saying poo, poop, poopy, etc. ALL THE TIME. Which is a no-no in this house. Which is why sissy laughs. Which makes me and the big guy crazy. He is strong + coordinated. Sweet + sensitive. Careful + brave. He likes to figure things out + do things on his own.

There will be times I look at him and see nothing but Brian. I mean it is frightening really. And then sometimes I look at his little face, and see my own when I was his age. Genetics are such a mystery. This guy loves to dance, and will stop in the middle of any task if hears music to shake his groove thing. I melt for our stud. Absolutely melt.

The Fair

2011-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

We did the Puyallup.

For those of you from Washington, I just sang that catchy little ditty for ya. For those of you who live elsewhere, it's Pyou-al-up. And I'm pretty sure it's the biggest fair in our state. And yes, it's in September.

And it was fun, fun. I'm not quite sure what Lila + Lincoln were expecting. We told them mostly about the animals they were going to see. They were so wide-eyed the entire time. It was pretty special.

First ride--the race cars. MY GOODNESS, was it adorable to see their faces light up when the ride started. They have never done anything like this so it was just flat-out awesomeness.

And oh yes, they were convinced they were driving.

Lila found the purple car. Not surprising. Lincoln named his car Scoopa de Fuego. Also, not surprising.

And then we checked out the animals. And let me tell you, I could totally relate to this mama-pig at one point in my life as a mother.

Watching the stilt-dancing-clown people.

The helicopter ride was the one they immediately talked about when they woke up this morning. Brian + I eavesdropped on the monitor about how much they liked this one.

Giant pumpkins are awesooommmmeeeee.

We left the fair without consuming any fried food. Yay us!

We did find some delicious barbecue though. So very, very good.

Canoes.

Lila wouldn't ride the spaceships because they were too noisy. But Lincoln thought he was sooo very cool riding it alone. We don't do guns. At all. Yet. He didn't even know what these were...he thought they were rockets and he blasted them into space.

Lilee watched and waved every time he went around.

And then we got them cotton candy. We asked they make especially small ones for us. THESE ARE SMALL?!?

Lincoln was in heaven.

And Lila didn't even quite know what to do with it.

And then they got a sugar high.

Holy Moses were they wild.

Brian and I shared a scone and left with happy hearts. These are certainly some of the most fun times to be a parent.

WE HEART SUMMER!

2011-09-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

Summer is for tending to our garden...

(While dressed like a ballerina. Thanks Seri!)

...visits from Grammie + Pops...

...the SPRAYground...

...McDonalds-cup entertainment...

...blackberry picking...

...driving lessons...

...beach visits...

(Check out the size of the rocks this turd throws!)

...rock throwing...

...trying to impress your kids with your sweet skillzzz...

....playing with daddy...

...ballerina poses...

....family time...

...tree climbing...

...hiking in the beautiful NW...

...boat rides...

(On the hottest day of the year!)

...fishing with Papa...

...camping with cousins...

...plastic floaties and bikinis...

...sand castles...

...first jump off a dock...

...learning to use scissors...

...sprinkler time...

...backyard play...

... and checking out new beaches with friends.

Summer is winding down here. We have been spoiled with some extra warm weather this week, but even still, the evenings are mornings are feeling like fall.

We certainly do love summer!

Perspective

2011-09-01T20:17:00.000-07:00

The blessing and the curse of having twins is...

...You only get every stage once.

And mostly, I would say this is the downfall of having twins.

I have loved each and every stage with our turds. Every sleepless one.

And with 2, at the same time, things are a little extra busy. And it just goes by too dang fast.

Can I tell you how much I love 2??? The age, not the quantity. I'm not sure why 2 has such a terrible reputation. Because I think it is flat-out amazing-ness. So creative, so smart, challenging + rewarding.

I am so thankful I get to hang out with Lila + Lincoln every day. And thankful that Brian understands the importance. Because even though I miss seeing adults (regularly), the occasional morning latte and carpooling with my best bud...I wouldn't change it.

Never, ever, ever.

Even if teachers miraculously started making more than 40 grand a year.

*wink*

Summer Nights

2011-08-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

Summer nights are the best. We have been having lots of fires in our ~~fire pit~~ little chiminea. Roasting marshmallows, watering our growing vegetables and apples, picking blackberries and playing with Jezebelle.

ONE marshmallow is a treat for our 2 year olds. TWO is a miracle. But last night, this dude had THREE. But I'm pretty sure it was FOUR, BRIAN! There were no grandparents involved in the extra treats, rather Lincoln's marshmallow buddy, Daddy.

This little lady doesn't love the marshmallow. (Un-roasted thank you very much.) Rather she would like to hold her little treasure and give it the occasional lick. Forrrreverrrr. Thus torturing her marshmallow-devouring brother.

I love these kind of nights. Makes me reflect on our blessings. Makes me happy and thankful for our little family.

Ohhhh sheet! Look at that, I made it in a picture. Must have been my lucky day. I don't like marshmallows. At all. But these turds, oh man are they yummy.

Our nightly tradition this summer is a family jump session on the trampoline. We do our 'cool tricks.' Brian goes verrrrry high.

Lincoln is a ninja. Also, he is so very coordinated. Probably more than me, but that is not saying much.

Don't you love how blogs always post the most gorgeous (overly edited) pictures??? I don't. As if that is what real life looks like? Not here friends, not here. Because if I had to push my babies out, as opposed to having them taken out, it just might have looked a little something like this...

YOUR WELCOME!

This picture is entirely for Beth.

This time of night is always so fun. But in all honesty, once in a while I don't wanna get on. Because I'm freaking tired at the end of the day. But the kids love it. And I love it too. So we all do it and I never regret it.

This trick is called 'The Walker'. Lincoln made it up and we all take our turn. It is bust-your-gut HI-larious.

Then daddy chases them. And I rescue them. And sometimes I rescue them while I'm rocking a french braid that makes me look like a sister wife. But my braiding skills are getting fierce. (Thanks to a little Pearl and her beautiful mane.) So I have to pull it out the occasion.

Isn't her face adorable???

Ahhhh, summer nights.

Fine Print

2011-08-09T19:48:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the fine print of the parenting books, I must have missed the part where it explains that your toes will be stepped on repeatedly by your children. In other words, all the freaking time.

That's all.

Oh yeah, and OUCH!

What a Pair

2011-07-28T20:42:00.001-07:00

Twice in the past 2 weeks people have commented on how Brian and I look like Mutt + Jeff.

WHO???

So I googled.

Oh, I get it. Awesome.

*For the record, I'm 5'2 and Brian is 6'3 and some change. But we are all the same size laying down.

2

2011-07-22T12:59:00.001-07:00

*Lila says 'Holy Moses' all the time. Wonder where she learned that. {Ahem.}

*Poop is hysterical. Already?!? And fart noises too. So that's awesome.

*Lincoln tells us, 'That's my answer!' Alrighty then.

*Dinner conversation between a husband + wife:

Me: Do you ever feel like you're losing the battle and the war???

Him: Everyday

*Lila cries every time my hair is down. 'Please put it in a pony mama.' Is it that bad girl???

*We now answer no thank you when we don't want something. I WIN!

*The twins love working outside. They are super helpers.

*Our kids eat broccoli, spinach, kale, salad, cauliflower, green beans, fish, mexican + SALSA, carrrots, bell peppers, lots of beans, steak, etc. Did you know me when I was growing up? I do not deserve this. Right mom?

*Our kids do not get juice. Ever. Because I'm a mean, awful mom.

*Lincoln + Lila let Jezebelle in and out, switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer, help put the dishes away AND always must put the silverware alway 'by myself', clean up their toys before bed and water the flowers.

Two is awesome.

Two is exhausting.

Two is rewarding.

Two is hard work.

Two is the very, very best!

I'm so blessed to spend my day with these 2 turds.

*My girl Willow took this pic of us for Mother's Day. She is awesome.

Oh, July

2011-07-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

I love July. (Have I mentioned that before?) Well the fact remains, I love this month. This is going to blow your mind people, but this 4th of July was warm + sunny. WARM + SUNNY!!! This is almost unheard of in western Washington. We went to the beach.

We saw eagles, an air show, seals, jumping fish, loads of boats, a huge jellyfish and lots of crab shells. It was pretty much the NW in all its glory.

The kids looked adorable all decked out in their red, white + blue.

I would just like to let you all know that this little Sweet Pea (below) sings herself to sleep every single night. She has currently been singing for the last 40 minutes. Pretty much the sweetest thing ever.

She also loves to scream when she gets excited....or is feeling a little naughty or mischievous. It hurts our ears so. freaking. bad.

But she really, really loves her daddy. When he gets home from work is one of those times we hear one of those lovely shrieks.

This guy is hysterical.

And by the way, trains were sooooooo 2010. Race cars are the NEW trains. Race cars all-the-time.

Sometimes I call this dude Lil' Brian, or I call Brian Big Linc. Lincoln's body is identical to Brian's. (The 3 foot version.) It is ca-razy. Also, he is just how I imagine Brian would be at 2 years old. Love.

What I learned about fireworks this year...

They are WAY cooler when the are lit off in the dark.

Unfortunately our children go to bed WAY before 10 o'clock. Which is the time that it finally gets dark in the NW.

The twins thought they were pretty awesome though.

Also the extra-long sparklers take an extra-long time to finish.

Zzzzzzzz!

And we had 2 boxes of those sparklers.

The twins thought they were the bomb dot com holding these babies.

Seriously so fun.

This dude, in fact both of these dudes, say YES to marshmallows.

Adirondack chairs for 5 dollars??? Thanks Ace Hardware. I <3 You.

Lila + Lincoln's first go at the Hokey Pokey.

They likey.

Brian is pretty good at it as well.

Our favorite fountain in Gig Harbor.

We have thrown many, many pennies in that thing in the last year.

(We have also taken many out. Oopsa-poopsa!)

Some bunny had a birthday. It's really not fair how he just gets better looking every year.

I'm thankful. (And jealous!)

Anyone want to come visit Gig Harbor??? We have an extra room.

Just saying...

A Couple of *Fings/**Kings

2011-07-09T21:16:00.000-07:00

*'Fings' - 'Things' as said by Lincoln

**'Kings' - 'Things' as said by Lila

*We went to a Barn Party today. At a barn. Complete with square dancing, cows, a magic show and BBQ salmon. Does life get any better?

*I have discovered Wordoku people. Now this, this is a good time.

*I am currently rocking a gigantic slash across my nose as a result of a run-in with Lila's teeth. I am happy to report that the Pearl's teeth remained intact, and although there was blood shed, I will survive.

*We started ripping out the nas-tay carpet from our upstairs tonight. Our new carpet is coming Monday! I will celebrate by rolling around on it.

*I am currently reading Nothing Like it in the World by Stephen Ambrose. It is all about the building of the transcontinental railroad. This is fascinating stuff. I'm convinced, if young people read more books about our history, we would be a much more patriotic nation.

*Lila likes to tell me NO. A lot. As a result, I like to give her time-outs. A lot.

*Lincoln likes to whimper. But only when he isn't getting what he wants RIGHT NOW. (All day long.)

*Brian + I are the same age for 1 more day. I like the 3 months of the year that we are the same age.

*He wants Wingdome on his birthday. I'm happy to oblige.

* Lincoln + Lila both had their first case of Strep Throat this week. So that was a blast.

*We have so many cute little bunnies around our house right now. Also deer. A few coyotes. Tons of eagles. And a bear. We haven't actually seen the bear. I would like too, but not in MY yard and not within 50 yards. It likes to go to my next door neighbors yard. I'll let you know if I ever see it.

*I really, really love our little family. Nothing makes me happier than when the 4 of us, (and Jezebelle!), are hanging out.

*I love summer.

TEN

2011-07-06T13:11:00.000-07:00

July 6th is my most favorite day of the year. Nope, not my birthday. It is our anniversary. And today is a super-special one because we are celebrating TEN years.

What a ride it has been. Filled with adventures, lots of trips, career changes, 4 moves, an illness, TWINS, a crazy beagle and a lot of laughs. I remember for many years after we got married, we kinda felt like we were 2 kids living in a grown up world. Playing house almost. In our first house, before we had enough furniture to fill the place, we would thrown a football or play volleyball in our living room for months. I had no idea how to cook when we got married and most of the tools B had were left over from my apartment in college. Things are certainly different now.

It was 112 degrees the day we got married. And Sacramento, a usually dry place, decided to throw in some humidity for the occasion. Now I knew Brian loved me, but he really proved it by wearing his black tuxedo in that kind of heat. I wore 4 inch heels and we danced and danced until we had to leave the reception to get to San Francisco in time for our early morning flight. My feet hurt for days! We had a beautiful wedding. A very, very beautiful wedding. But truth be told, my mom and dad planned the whole thing. I was living in another state finishing my last semester of college, student teaching and working. I just wanted to marry that big guy I fell in love with. Most of the details weren't too important at the time. It was a perfect day.

Tonight we are going out to dinner. I'll wear a dress and hold my husbands hand. And we will celebrate the first 10 married years.

Saturday Evening

2011-06-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a really good day. It was a family day. We went on a train ride, went out for lunch, played/worked in our yard...

It was simple.

It was perfect.

After dinner we went out front to finish a little project. The kids were doing what they always do...playing and exploring. But then I caught this glimpse of my Lila. My little Pearl walking across the driveway, looking all kinds of precious. Ponytail bobbing, toddler-tummy poking out, rocking rain boots with shorts, covered in dirt and having the time of her life. I just stopped and watched her. And I decided that I never wanted her to grow up.

So even though I do feel like I acquired some special super-natural powers when I became a mama, I know that I cannot freeze time. (I've tried.) So I ran inside and I grabbed my camera and started snapping away.

Because I seriously feel like these moments are happening too fast. And in an instant they will be gone.

And I never want to forget these carefree days. Or the joy that my babies get from a simple pile of dirt or the neighbors cat.

Because do you know what I think people??? I think life can really be this simple.

If we let it.

I snagged this car from the Goodwill for 9 bucks. I can't hardly believe I got a picture of Lila in it. (Lincoln loves this car so much it's the first thing he talks about when he gets up and the last thing he talks about before he falls asleep.)

I just love this little turd.

And I kind of want her, (and her most adorable brother), to stay 2 forever.

Summer

2011-06-21T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well today is the first official day of summer. DO YOU HERE THAT PACIFIC NORTHWEST??? Bring it. Don't give us any of this El Nino or La Nina nonsense. We demand summer. You played us last year, I'm not having it again. Take away the clouds and reveal all the beauty that keeps us here year after year.

Here is a recent family picture. This is just about as good as it gets right now people. I love it.

Yesterday we went to Pt. Defiance park and walked all around the rose gardens and ponds. Fun and free. We will do this again for sure.

Checkin' out our veggies. This picture kinda blew me away because these 2 just look so big. I love this age. I mean LOVE.

Sitting on our front porch. This mama's heart just melted away at this moment.

Painting, painting and more painting this summer. Such a great outside activity.

I made Brian his most favorite dessert for Father's Day...Blackberry cobbler. I had some super-delicious nectarines hanging around so I added those too. Try it! You will love. Promise.

These are pretty much the moments that I hope to remember always.

Hey NW peeps, I need your help! What activities, festivals, parks, farmers markets, special events or basically anything are your favorites in the summertime. Hook a girl up and give me the info!

A Swisher Declaration

2011-06-15T21:25:00.001-07:00

But as for me and my house,

WE WILL NOT EAT HOT DOGS!

(Also Mom, we will serve the Lord. Obviously.)

Seriously. For Reals. End of story. Yo and Word.

We are a pretty healthy-eating family. Not too extreme, just really healthy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a snob about it. For example, I love french fries. Always have, always will. I especially like, get ready for it, McDonalds fries. I would choose fries over dessert any day of the week. I just choose to hardly ever eat them.

And once upon a time I used to love to eat an occasional hot dog. Usually at a Mariners game or a barbecued wiener over a camp fire with our buds the Marcus'. But about five years ago, they started grossing me right out. And then when I got pregs, forget it! I was just over them. And I haven't had one since. And I haven't fed them to my kids until...

...this weekend.

We were at family BBQ and hot dogs and hamburgers were offered. I thought, what the hey, it's a special occasion, I'll give them a hot dog. I had one too.

On the ride home I told B, I had a feeling I was gonna pay for eating that dog.

Lincoln woke up in the middle of the night in all-out Barf City. He has not puked once in his little life, but this time more than made up for it. All over his bed, jammies, hair, blanket, face, neck, etc. And he kept crying, 'Mama, I can't like hot dogs.' and 'Hot dogs are icky.'

Now as bad a hot dogs smell coming out of the package, let me attest that they smell approximately 10 million times worse upon regurgitation.

Long story long, the next day it was my turn. Lost several pounds in 24 hours. I didn't even chuck that much when I was pregnant. It was horrid. And all kids of wrong.

All of this leading to, my previous enforced, and now reinforced ban of the dog .

'No hot dogs for you.' (In my Seinfeld voice.)

Not in this house. Nope.

And Lincoln agrees.

Hi!

2011-06-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

Uhhh! I lost my phone on our recent trip to California. Such a bummer. So I have been with out a cell phone for almost 1 whole month. It has been freeing and frustrating. I'm over it. My mom is sending me her old one, which hopefully will be here tomorrow. I think I owe about a million people a phone call.

Speaking of my mom, this is how she scaled my neighbors wall to try to get a peek at his mega-mansion.

All this and she couldn't even see it. I know, I know. Awesome.

Don't you just love summer? Even though it hasn't really felt like summer in my area, I certainly love all the fresh fruits + veggies that are available this time of year. It has even helped break me out of my cooking-funk. Do you have some yummyand healthy recipes you wanna share with me? Feel free.

Zucchini, peppers + carrots in our turkey burgers tonight.

I love these yummy potatoes. Aren't the purple ones so beautiful?!

Making my favorite pasta dish. (And my sis' too!)

And I bought nectarines today. Nectarines! Aren't those little gems such an underrated treasure? I adore them.

Our seeds are growing. This was last week:

And this was today! I heart gardening. (When it's not raining that is.)

Our little town had a very big parade this weekend. And even the sun decided to make an appearance. Amazing! Pirate themed parade on the waterfront with eagles soaring above...are you kidding me??? It really was perfect.

OK, I'm gonna go beg my husband to run down to the market to get me some Skittles. It's 9pm, but I'm gonna try.

How are you all doing? Do I owe you a phone call. I'm sorry, soon I promise! :)

Ever Wanna Freeze Time?

2011-06-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

Because once I became a mama, I found that there were many, many times I have had this thought. On Monday I had this thought several times throughout the day.

We had just returned from a fantastic vacation, we were thrilled to see our kids, my parents were visiting and the sun even made several brief appearances. It was lovely.

And then I saw this...

...which I have many times before. But I just love it so. My little family. Working, playing and enjoying life in our big ole' yard. The yard we bought just about a year ago. Because we wanted a place that our kids could run around and explore.

And my boy. This dude. My heart just explodes for him. Looking all big on his scooter and the outfit he picked out all by himself.

And my Pearl. This little gal is my sweet pea. I couldn't snap a good picture of her on this day, but she just looked so beautiful. The sun reflecting on just how blue her eyes are and her long gorgeous hair blowing in the breeze. I adore her.

Our twins. Best friends. Hilarious. Trouble. Mischievous. Helpers. Sweet, Sweet, SWEET!

They are just growing so big! (And they remind me every day just in case I forget.)

Maui, I love you

2011-06-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Hawaii, specifically Maui was...perfect.

This is what we did--

There may have been (many) adult beverages consumed.

Sunset watching...

Exploring and/or getting lost on our daily hikes...

Pretending like we had no responsibilities in the world.

Pool time...

Dessert eating. Lots of desserts.

Zip-lining...

And this giant-swingy thing...

Apparently we were the first group to ever do this swing. On second thought, not too smart?!?

Lots of this...

Our SWEET ride the Aleo. Roll down windows and manual locks. We go big.

10 years went by in a blink.

Not many people can say they made their single best decision at 22 years old...

I did.

And for the record--

Brian did too.

Pronunciation

2011-05-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

For 22 years of my life, my last name was Krug. Everyone pronounced it like it rhymed with drug. And it doesn't. So it was annoying. When your name is mispronounced, it is frustrating. You can only correct it a certain amount of times before feeling like a complete boob.

Then my brother got with the game and added an umlaut when he left home. Genius! I wish my family would have done that ages ago. When you read Krüg, you just know it isn't drug with a K. It is Kroooog. In all it's German glory. It's so freaking German in fact, you want to say it with an accent while consuming a beer.

Then I became a Swisher. And I was in phonetic heaven, because certainly one can't mispronounce it. WRONG. So very, very wrong. Almost anyone who reads our name for the first time says:

SHHHwisher or SHHwiSSSer or SwiSSSSSer

What the heck people?!?

It is how it is written.

Swisher.

I don't how the people with alphabet-soup names do it. Or the children who have parents that decide to use all their creativity in the spelling of their names. It must be a lifetime of correcting and feeling boob-ish.

And that my friends, is the kinda of deep thoughts that I have. :)

Books

2011-05-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

These are a few of our most favorite books. Books that are read over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over...

... you catch my drift.

Lincoln loves this book. It has almost fallen completely apart. When we are not reading this book, we are talking about it. Team Swish is always on the look out for pond monsters and shadows.

Goodnight Gorilla has been the #1 book for Lincoln, {Lila too, but mostly Lincoln,} from the beginning. (We are talking very beginning here people. Like just a few months old!) Lincoln has always adored this one and it began his infatuation with first 'mon-ees', and then gorillas. Man, this kid loves gorillas.

Miss Lila has this next book memorized. No page skipping on this one! It is a cute story that these twins think is awessssooommmmeeee. (DJ Lance Rock voice.)

Dr Seuss was a genius. We read all of his books often, but Mr. Brown is a favorite. Especially if daddy reads it. What is it with men and sound effects??? Must be in the chromosomes because they just come out knowing how to make them.

Hooray for Fish is a gem. We love all the fish especially the gripey fish, the win fin-fin fishes and the pineapple fish. It just is so dang cute.

We read so, so many books. I love books, Brian has grown to love books and hopefully Lincoln and Lila will continue growing their love of books.

It would just make me so happy if they did.

Tidbits

2011-05-03T20:52:00.000-07:00

*Brian had 2, yes TWO root canals today. It was not awesome.

*I had a morning with the twins. I might have spoken in a tone I'm not thrilled about. 2 two-year-olds can be challenging at times. Mostly I am a very patient mama. This morning however, well let's just say, there was about 30 minutes after lunch that I almost gave my 2 weeks notice.

*I continue to countdown the days until we see the sun. I think I can make it one more week.

*I saw the principal from my former teaching days today. She is one rad lady.

*I saw my sis holding her newborn son today. He is one handsome little dude.

*Brian + I have a date next week. We are going to see William Fitzsimmons. Can't hardly wait. I'm gonna wear a dress. (Maybe.)

*Have you seen 'The Voice'. Blake Shelton is my new boyfriend. (Brian knows, it's cool.) Who would of thought.

*If for some reason you want to buy me a present, (because who doesn't), I'm pretty much obsessed with: table clothes, place mats, cloth napkins, cake stands, glass jars and tea towels. For reals! I look at them all the time online. Vintage or new...love them.

*Today we took a walk...Lincoln holding my hand and Brian's and Lila holding Brian's other hand. Time could have frozen forever or God could have taken me to the pearly streets because I was freaking happy.

*'1, 2, 3, 4 people are in my family'... We sing this song all the time, courtesy of Muno and Yo Gabba Gabba. (For now anyways.)

*It's Mothers Day this weekend. Be sure to remind B. Kidding. (Kind of.)

Today

2011-05-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. We saw the sun. And that is a really, really big deal in our neck of the woods. It was even warm. 65 degrees people! That is (unfortunately) really, really warm up here too. But I will say, the people in the NW never, ever waste a moment of sunshine. It is always cool to see all of the NW peeps head out to enjoy the sun.

We spent the day at a park by the beach. Having a picnic, flying kites, running in the grass, eating fresh strawberries, throwing rocks in the water, picking up crabs and enjoying the sun. We came home dirty, sticky and had rosy cheeks. It was awesome.

Dear God,

Please give the NW a warm + sunny spring and summer. Because the Swishers are getting very close to bailing on this beautiful place.

Thank you + AMEN!

Here is a little pic from yesterday of Lila Pearl.

How did she get so big??? How did she get so pretty???

I Heart Naptime

2011-04-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Boy, do I love naptime. Especially on days like today.

Lincoln has been a bit of a booger today. A bit more challenging than his usual happy, go-lucky self. And I am a bit more tired than usual. And freaking sore from yoga--so my patientce is... well, it kinda sucks.

But then I just saw these, and I giggled.

Because I just love this guy!

He is just such a rad little dude.

And even though I want him to sleep for a long while still, I kinda can't wait until he gets up.

Do You Have A Minute???

2011-04-20T20:31:00.001-07:00

...or maybe 10 minutes to spare?

Because I haven't posted on this blog for a while. I love this blog. I really, really do. It's my family history. But sometimes I get too busy living life, and the documenting of it takes the back seat.
Which it should.
But I don't want to forget.
So here goes nothing...

I went to beautiful California the weekend before last. My sis, who just happens to be my favorite chick in the world, had a baby. And me and that little dude, Jackson Stone, share a birthday. He had me at hello.

My sis is a rockstar. (As are all women who birth babies because it is not an easy job.) Kelsey is, of course, so beautiful. Yet she never looked more beautiful, or at peace, than she did on this day. I was so honored to be there. One of the biggest joys of my life.
Let's all convince her to have another because: 1.) I want to be there again and 2.) her kids are freaking adorable.

I also got to hang with my favorite Coco while in Cali. It made me miss my kids less actually. She is a gem.

Meanwhile back at the ranch... (Did I just say that??)
Lila is overwhelmingly creative and loves to get messy. This girl thinks outside of the box. If fact, I think she just looks at the box and laughs in it's face. Also--she is obsessed with Lincoln's suspenders.

*Suspenders courtesy of the most-fashionable Jett Nugent.

The kids are fully potty-trained which is AWESOME. They have been fully potty-trained since February, but I just love how this has made our life so much easier.

And it's hysterical when they ask Brian or I to close the door so they can have 'privacy'. Oddly enough though, they don't mind each other being in the washroom with them. Twins.

*WASHROOM was used in honor of my Canadian niece who reads my blog!

We met the Easter Bunny last weekend. It went something like this...

Sunday night is ice cream night at Casa Swish. We go out for this treat each and every week. I know it's hard to tell who enjoys this tradition more from the pics below...

***IT'S BRIAN ACTUALLY!***

The twins are totally BFF's. Lila likes Lincoln to help her up. What. A. Diva. I figure it's teaching him how to be a gentleman.

Dad's rule.

We got a Easter package from Grammie today. When we go down to Cali in May it will have been over 3 months since the kids have seen Grammie + Pops. That is a long freaking time. But Grammie + Pops send very special treasures in the mail. Have you seen a package from my mom??? My friends in college have, and let me tell ya, they are unforgettable.

This was Brian's birthday present to me. I love it.

We went swimming tonight. I love this gal.

Hope you all are having a fabulous week!

2 TWO Year Olds

2011-04-14T13:11:00.000-07:00

2 TWO year olds are....

...exhausting!

Exhilarating, but exhausting.

Zzzzzzzzzzz!!!

***And yes, we realize all that hair Lila rocks makes her look 3. She isn't of course! She's barely 2.***

The Linc-man

2011-04-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

Lincoln.

Super-stud.

Mama's boy + Dada's best guy.

Curious, handsome little turd.

Oh, Lila

2011-04-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

Oh man, this girl. This girl! My heart just explodes for her.

I could just squeeze and kiss on her all damn day if she would let me.

But that might be weird.

But I still would.

(If she would let me.)

Let me just say, she is a little slice of heaven to me.

Perspective

2011-03-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

Today was interesting.

Sick Buddy.
A very sleepy Sissy.
A puking dog.
Brian away on business.
Etc.

But in the midst of all this craziness, I was feeling super-blessed.

I'm thankful that B has a job that provides for us. (Even when he has to be gone.) Blessed that I get to be at home everyday with my children. Especially the sick days. Thankful that when my little dude gets sick, being held by his mama makes his world right. Thankful that Lion Swisher kept my boy company today. (If you know Lincoln, you know Lion!) Grateful for super-insurance that allow visits to Urgent Care a lot stressful than it could be otherwise. Thankful for a helpful Pearl. What a compassionate little thing she is.

And Jezebelle. Well she keeps me company when all the dust settles at night. And somehow this 25 pound beagle makes me feel very safe when the big guy is gone.

Well her and the rifle.

Randomness

2011-03-21T19:23:00.000-07:00

Brian + I booked our 10th anniversary trip this week. We will be married TEN YEARS in July. How did that happen???

We will be away from these turds for 5 nights. Six days and five nights. So far, in 25 months, I have been away from them for maybe 3 or 4 hours max.

Will I be sad to leave them? Without a doubt. My mom tells me it will be harder than I think... I don't think that is possible.

Here is what I know. These couple of years have been full. And busy. So freaking busy.

But sometimes the Mama + Daddy need a break. A time to put our focus completely on each other. Because I was a wife before a mama. And someday, long after our children are grown. It will be me + him. All alone again.

We think one of the best gifts we can give these turds is a strong us. Our parents did that, and we are grateful.

I'm pretty sure the beach will make it easier for me.

And B is my most favorite dude on the planet after all.

10 years!

Wow.

Happy Birthday Coco!

2011-03-17T20:35:00.000-07:00

I had a great idea!

The twins youngest Krug-side cousin turned 2 on Wednesday. So I thought we would go to our favorite cupcake store to get a special treat to celebrate.

Because we missed the party...

...Because they live in California...

...Where it is sunny...

...But, whatever.

Anyway, I had the great idea that we would video us singing to Coco before eating our treat. Check out if my idea was a success. (Hint-It wasn't!) And be sure to enjoy my singing while your at!

So apparently asking my little guy to sit in front of a very special and very rare treat was pure torture.

Hilarious!

By the way, Coco won't be the youngest for long. Kels is just a few weeks away from the arrival of her little brother. Yay! And I'm gonna go down for his birth. Yay! I can't wait. I missed Lucca's birth because I had my hands full with 4 week old twins. I can't wait to love on a new little Chao. Mmmmm! Babies are delicious!

A Few of My Favorite Things

2011-03-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Obsessed with this bar stool-

Anything YELLOW! Right now, I want these.

100% Kona coffee-

High-wasted bikinis-

...I think the tan lines would be quite funky soooooo this bathing suit is quite lovely too.

Coral Nail Polish-

Smart Wool socks-

Wood-fired pizza (In particular, Prosciutto + Arugula pizza!)-

Philosophy Body Wash-

Lemon Grass Lotion-

Looking at pictures of my babies. When they were actually babies.

The Spill

2011-03-13T20:11:00.000-07:00

May I present The Spill....

Courtesy of Lila Swisher.

Swisher-ism

2011-03-09T21:37:00.000-08:00

I love you TOOOOOO much.

This is something said everyday in our home. A lot.

I used to say to the twins, 'I love you SOOOOO much', but Lila would return the thought by saying 'I love you TOOOOOO much'.

And it stuck.

We all say it to each other now. All the time.

Just us 4.

I love it TOOOOO much.

Updates YO!

2011-03-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

10 things about Lila Pearl:

1. She wants pink everything. Although purple is slowly entering the circle. Slowly.
2. She sings all the time.
3. She says 'No, I don't want to', 'Stop that', 'Don't do that', 'I'm not', etc. way too much.
4. She is into everything. (Which can be super-annoying!) But usually upon further inspection, the things she is into are things that she does to be like mommy. Make-up, my jewelry, my shoes, my deoderant, my clothes, carrying my purse and wallet, taking out my dishes... you get it. So it's really pretty (annoyingly) sweet.
5. She insists on wearing short sleeves. INSISTS!
6. She prances.
7. She's an amazing eater.
8. If you ask her a question, she will (almost) always say no.
9. She's a comforter to others.
10. She will tell you Lincoln is her best friend.

10 things about Lincoln:

1. He is very coordinated + super-strong.
2. He likes to make people happy.
3. He has one of the best laughs ever. Seriously, EVER!
4. He likes to wear 'cozy pants' for his nap.
5. He takes off his socks and trades with Lila at least once a day.
6. He would rather play than eat. Which is frustrating. Especially since we know he likes food and could use extra calories.
7. He will not stop jumping on our couch. A battle everyday.
8. He always takes his jacket and shoes off when we are at a restaurant or store. Kills me!
9. He loves his family.
10. He will tell you Lila is his best friend.

All Aboard

2011-03-07T12:36:00.001-08:00

That's right friends, Lincoln + Lila hopped on the potty train. Can I get a WOOP-WOOP?!?!

I had been toying with the idea of potty training for a while now. And right after their birthday I decided to give it a go. (On a whim in true Karla-style.) I didn't read any books, blogs or otherwise--I just made a plan I thought would work for my kids. I figured I would work on training them both, and if I could at least get one aboard the potty train I would count it a success. The other one could try again at a later date.

I thought Lincoln was the more ready of the 2. Lila proved me wrong. Just a couple of accidents on the first day and she was with me. Lincoln on the other hand--not so much. He would pee on that potty no problem, but I could NOT get that kid to drop it on the pot! ...until day FIVE! I was patient, never got upset, and I wasn't willing to throw the towel in on my potty training experiment. All it took was the first doo on the loo and he was golden.

*It's been 3 weeks since we've said ADIOS to the diapers.

Thank God!

(*except night time of course!)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
What I've learned about potty training:

1. As disgusting as you think poopy diapers are, poopy underwear is way, WAY worse.
2. Not leaving your house for 3-4 days in the beginning, with your potty-training children, could quite possibly make you eligible for a visit to the looney house. (OR WORSE!)
3. Be patient, patient, patient and consistent.
4. Toddler butts look flipping adorable in underwear.

Lincoln Busts a Move

2011-03-03T21:02:00.000-08:00

...with a little help from Muse.

Dancing

2011-02-28T21:15:00.000-08:00

Daddy taught the twins how to dance this weekend with a little help from Smokey Robinson. It was even more adorable than the pictures show.

Genius

2011-02-25T19:38:00.000-08:00

THESE are currently being installed in our home bathrooms.

Yesterday while strolling the aisles of Home Depot, I found this little gem.

I'm thrilled. (For real.)

Why Hello There

2011-02-24T20:38:00.001-08:00

Hello.

My name is Karla, and I used to blog on this site.

But then my babies grew into toddlers, and I have been spinning ever since.

Also, winter happened, so cue the never-ending colds. I was beginning to forget what my kids looked like without snot running down their sweet little faces. But about 2 weeks ago, it got out of control--oh you know bronchitis AND sinus infections AND ear infections. But with the help of some antibiotics, we've turned the corner.

Let me tell you a little about Lila. She is funny. I mean really, really funny. I remember when she was just weeks old, I would look at her and tell Brian, she is going to be funny. I could just see something in her that made me convinced of it. And sure enough, it's true! Her language blows my mind. (And pretty much everyone else who chats with her.) She's a lover, she's sensitive, she's independent, she sings all the time, she loves her babies and stuffed animals and all things pretty. Her hair is just about longer than mine and her eyes are still blue. She also can be a little sneaky and if you tell her not to do something, it's a pretty safe bet that she will do it one more time with a smirk on her face and a twinkle in her eye. Turd! We sure love this little gal. She's a perfect fit in our family!

Lincoln is a rascal. The sweetest little rascal ever! Running, jumping, wrestling, trucks, trains, sound effects, wheels, bikes, skateboards, gorillas, tools--anything that screams DUDE, this kids loves. He is a clown. He loves to entertain. And dance. But he is also really sensitive. He loves cuddles and is best friends with his sis. He is very outgoing, but still dreads the first five minutes of separation from his mom. It's (still) pretty dramatic when I drop of him off in childcare settings. I'm crazy for this guy. He brings much, much joy to our home.

My Little Loves (And a mighty BIG one too)

2011-02-14T22:42:00.000-08:00

Thanking my lucky stars for these 3 on this Valentine night.

True story-

When I was little, I had a short list of things I wanted in my husband someday.

Here are the 3 things, in no particular order:
1. Nice smile
2. Very, very tall
3. Looks mighty fine in a baseball cap

What can I say, I'm an easy-going gal. I can honestly say that my dreams have come true. (See the above list!)

Happy Valentines Day Brian. Without you, the other 2 little (turd) valentines would cease to exist.

I love you.

A. (freaking!) Lot.

What I Need

2011-02-09T20:41:00.000-08:00

Things I need:

(In no particular order)

• A manicure
• A pedicure
• A facial
• A massage
• A brow wax
• A long nap
• A vacation to a warm location
• A visit to a the chiropractor (I have a rib that is still out of place from my pregnancy)
•A girls night out
• A romantic date with my husband
• A (child-free) stroll through Anthropologie

Ok, so I probably don't need all these things, but a girl can dream can't she. I definitely want, want, want them though.

Seriously-- if you know a chiropractor in my area, let me know. I'm kinda scared of them, but this rib must get fixed ASAP.

TWO!

2011-02-08T20:12:00.000-08:00

These 2 are no longer babies.

Oh, they will always be our babies, but now--now they are TWO. That's right folks, on February 3rd these turds entered terrible two-ville. But I'm not so convinced it's terrible. Don't get me wrong, we have seen some tantrums, (even some simultaneous ones), the testing of boundaries is in full effect and the tag-teaming has begun. But I am going to be renaming it the Tiresome Twos. So yeah--there are some challenging, scratch that, extremely challenging moments. However, the fun moments far, far outweigh the others. Brian and I are convinced this is one of the most exciting times in our lives, and we are committed to enjoying it all.

So we had ourselves a little party. A little Valentine party. Our families, a couple of friends and lots of love and laughter. At one point our friends and I were looking at our 7 kids between and us and thought, 'Were did all these kids come from?'

Here is how our little party went down.

Happy birthday Lila Pearl + Lincoln. Your daddy and I love you so very much. February 3rd will always be one of the most special days to us. It's the day we became a family afterall!

Facts

2011-02-01T20:33:00.000-08:00

Fact #1
Lila lives to eat.

AND

Fact #2
Lincoln eats to live.

And I love that fact about each of them.

(I have said this a million times, but I figured it deserved documentation.)

Swimming

2011-01-20T19:58:00.000-08:00

We started swim classes this week. High-larious and oh, so fun! The twins love it. They might be the happiest little swimmers in the history of forever. No kidding. They squeal, laugh, smile and wiggle with excitement. They do all the tasks the teacher asks and just want to stay in the water all night. Poor little Lincoln begrudgingly has to be done when his lips go from freezing cold purple to ice-cold blue. What a turd!

{Check out our You Tube channel for a little clip of the swimmers.}

The Bridge

2011-01-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

We decided on New Years Day to take a walk over the Narrows Bridge. We have been intending to do this since we moved to the Harbor in the summer. It was a sunny, but freezing day. Most people were probably still hung over from the night before, so the traffic was super-light. We saw boats, divers, seals, tons of birds and the most gorgeous view of, {Brian's girlfriend}, Rainier. Mt. Rainier that is. We will definitely be biking over this bridge a lot this summer.

I love that when we drive over this bridge, we all know that our home is just minutes away.

Baller

2011-01-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

I'm just saying, perhaps the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. The best is when our little 1 year stud yells, POWER DUNK, while he's doing it.

He's a keeper.

Oh, Sissy

2011-01-11T21:07:00.000-08:00

We survived the first object stuck in the nostril today.

The lucky twin was....

Lila Pearl!

Lincoln took his sisters necklace, pulled it just as far as it would go--and snap! Beads everywhere. In 1.5 seconds, Lila picked up a shiny white bead, and immediately placed it inside her nostril.

Because who wouldn't do that???

I couldn't reach it right away. But I just pinched her nose so she wouldn't suck it up and tried to smash/push it right on out. And what do you know, it finally popped right out!

What a turd.

What a Pearl.

Good Times

2011-01-06T22:00:00.000-08:00

Today. Oh, man today...

As we were leaving Target, {in the rain}, my hands full of bags and I had Lincoln holding my hand and Lila holding his. She didn't want to hold mine, just 'Buddy-Bingo's' hand. Lincoln falls face down in a puddle right in the middle of the road. Crying. I thrust him up on my hip while pulling Lila close by the hood of her jacket. (Lots of traffic.) She starts crying because DUH!, she doesn't want to hold my hand. Then both of these turds want to climb in the car themselves, STILL RAINING PEOPLE, and want to drive the car. Hello, NO! More crying. BOTH refuse to be put in their seats. Louder crying, People staring. STILL RAINING. Lila flailing. Lincoln dirty and wet and crying. Scratch that, screaming. Not pretty. Not pretty at all.

Just thought I should let you all know that these moments happen here at Casa Swish. Oh man, do these things happen.