Juggling it all...

And no, I'm not referring to the twiners, I'm actually referring to us, the Mr. and Mrs. Looked at us here... it was 11 years ago last Saturday the 27th that we were married in the backyard of my aunt and uncle. We were young, dumb and in love!  It's weird to think back and realize that we have been married for this long. In some cases it feels like it was just yesterday, but then we look at our kids and realize it's been a long and wonderful journey. Happy 11 year anniversary to us!

The other day we were stopped at a gas station and while Scott drained our bank account filling our tank Samantha asked me the most left field, strangest, but completely genuine question for a 7 yr old. Sam: Mom, is there going to be another 'King of Pop'? Me: Uhhhhhh, huh? What do you mean? Sam: Well, you know... since Michael Jackson died and he was the King of Pop do you think there is going to be another 'King of Pop'? Me: Uhhhhh, huh? Well, it doesn't really work like that. He's not a REAL king, he just called himself that. Sam: Uhhhhh, huh? Yeah, bizarre but completely adorable!

The first time Samantha ever went horseback riding she was 3 years old and Grandma Jill took her to a friends horse ranch to see and ride the horses. She came home and couldn't stop talking all about the horses. She got the biggest kick out of one of the horses names - Scooter. It was the funniest thing to her because that is what her Grandpa Jim calls her and she thought it to be quite silly that she and a horse had the same name. As a wonderful birthday present to Sam her Grandma Jill promised to take her horseback riding again and boy did Sam hold her to it. Finally, plans were made and a Saturday was set aside from all our crazy hustle and bustle life and she got to go ride the horses. I'm not sure if Scooter horse was there this time, but I can tell you that she is still talking about her special trip with Grandma to ride horses and this was almost a month ago.

I just need to post something here to enter myself into a contest... thank you for your patience! Win the @designaglow / designaglow.com Studio Look Book – visit Paperie Boutique / paperieboutique.com by @shutterblog to find out how! Thanks!

It all started about a month ago. Sam would admire the beautiful Superstition Mountain practically in our backyard and would wonder what it would take to climb that mountain. Well, naturally Scott being the avid outdoorsman and clearly beaming from ear-to-ear that his 7 year old DAUGHTER had an interest in climbing any sort of mountain put the wheels in motion for Saturday, March 6, 2010. The week before the two of them made a valiant attempt to conquer the Superstition only to have one of the few major storms we ever see hit that morning; and while my brave little girl would have - and in fact wanted to - push through the rain, cold and eventual hail her wise papa thought it would be best to turn back, head home and try again another day. So here it is... the Superstition Mountain. You can see from the arrows where they started and where they ended - a difference of over 2000' - with the last 1500' being virtually straight up and down serious rock climbing. Mind you, my bab...

Last week to round out a wonderful spring break week we loaded the kids in the car and took a little drive East. A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine visited a near by arboretum and she said it was absolutely beautiful, and since the littlest munchkins would get in for free it seemed like a delightful way to spend our afternoon. So, here are some pics from our recent visit to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum ... such a gorgeous setting! This park has a rich history and it was great exploring around and reading all about the creator, Boyce Thompson, and his desire for and interest in things botanical, horticultural, and natural.

I just realized that it's been almost a month since I last posted something... shame on me. It's probably the fact that I feel like I'm treading water in order to just barely keep my head up which has kept me from doing any sort of posting or journaling... whoever said the "2's" are terrible never had a 3 year old (x2). These little creatures are just about the biggest stinkers right now - our poor house is in this constant state of filth to the point where I'm ready to burn it down and start all over. If any of us pull out of this stage alive and intact I will consider it the greatest victory of all. And, if by some stroke of luck or miracle the twins grow up and find it in their hearts to love each other and be decent to each other, I will consider it the greatest Mom victory of all. I did read on Facebook somewhere that one of my friends was starting a new discipline tactic - for every time there is a quarrel or fight between siblings each has to d...

Sam has FINALLY lost her other, very weird, dangly tooth. It's a bit interesting to watch her big teeth grow in first and then have her loose her baby teeth - it's just the opposite of all her friends and their sweet 'all-gums' grins. She swears one of her top teeth are loose. I don't know how much more of her tantrums and fits Scott and I are going to be able to handle; she is the BIGGEST baby when it comes to pulling her teeth... it's like pulling teeth to pull her teeth... hey, imagine that! ;-) So, no toothless grins here, but still kind of cute...