All Funned Out?

Some breaks are purposeful; some not so purposeful. Really, I should've planned to take off the entire season of Mersmas Etc (my new way of referring to the overwhelming mess of birthdays that start out of this year), but I didn't. We had birthday after birthday after birthday, and my sister here to visit, and then one of my dearest friends for a few days, but now I think we're settling back in to our every day routines and that means bombarding the blog with words, words, and more words. And a few pictures.

So, a few thoughts to get us rolling:

• 2009: put on 50 lbs while pregnant with the Little Man. 2011: put on 43 lbs while pregnant with Tiny. 2013: put on 48 lbs while pregnant with the twins. 2015: planning an unconventional pregnancy with pie after visiting Coco's Bakery for dinner. I can't predict just how many pounds I'm going to put on before we move away from pie heaven, but I plan to enjoy every ounce of it. Say it with me: dark chocolate chip cheese pie. {All opinions are my own, but if Coco's wants to pay me for my endorsement in pie, I will not say no. I will say yes. Resoundingly.}

I blame Amanda for helping me put on more weight with Littles than I did with both twins.
Too many late night donut runs.
I also blame her and Bee for looking super cute in this picture when my bangs are (of course) in my eyes.

• Christmas cards? Yeah, I like to make funny jokes every once in a while. We'll see if I manage to get them out before next Christmas. I'm sure the kids won't have changed at all at that point. 

Bee thinks she can read at one. That won't change by two.  See?

• I've taken a gazillion pictures in the last month, and I'm still weeding through them trying to figure out which ones are keepers. I admit, there are a lot of photos I took on the beach that I had absolutely no idea what I was getting because it was so blindingly bright out there, so I just clicked away and hoped for the best. I ended up with more than a few shots of my legs and a pair of very sandy shoes because I forgot to turn my camera around (Bee likes to take selfies).

This was after all the leg pictures.
Those bulldozers are no longer allowed in the house.
Thankfully, the sand comes off the boys a little more easily…
or I would've left them in the garage too.

• We started out 2015 by going walking down by the shore after a seaside breakfast of danish and coffee. I have to say, there are few better ways to begin a new year. Fresh air, exercise, good company, a view, and copious amounts of sugar and caffeine: aaaah.

Amanda is climbing in the center;
the Man and Littles are climbing up to join her from the left.
The twins, Tiny, and I stayed off the rocks and took pictures.

• Blue Bloods. I may be obsessed. There's just something about Tom Selleck's mustache. Also, exposure to Donnie Wahlberg and his former life as a boy bander is teaching me so much about American pop culture that I really missed out on. My college roommate's New Kids on the Block pillow case now has a frame of reference in which to live.

Tom Selleck's mustache supported us through the goodbyes.

• My boys know how to dish the compliments. Littles: "You make good lemonade, Mom." Tiny: "You buy good milk, Mom." I'm a slave in my kitchen.

Littles asked to go to the aquarium for his birthday.
I got this and one other picture before my phone battery died.

• One of my ice cream scoops has gone missing. This has led me to engage in a lot of deep questioning about how the life I live somehow involves the need for two ice cream scoops. 

I'm blaming her for the lost ice cream scoop.
She looks suspicious to me.

• Doggie naps. They are now a thing in our family. Question: are doggie naps longer or shorter than cat naps?

Lego covered tables. Also a thing.

• I finally figured out the purpose for Thomas the Tank Engine. Evidently the whirring of the battery operated wheels has a hypnotic effect on teething babies. For the first time, Thomas the Tank Engine for the win.

I will run down all the batteries in the house if this will just keep working.
Teething is the worst.
And his squishy cheeks are the best.

• I know I'm prone to hyperbole, but this may be one of the most beautiful places I've ever lived. This morning we drove down along the coast, watching for whales spouting white plumes against the bright blue sea, looking down at lacy sea foam underneath bridges that span bright green hills--and there I go waxing eloquent. Seriously, though, the Air Force won't mind if we stay here permanently, right? However, however, these west coast whales are very poorly trained. The boys just can't understand why they won't jump out of the ocean on command. Neither can I.

Amanda and Bee had too much fun playing in the waves.
Bruiser and I went for a walk together after I got tired of keeping him from eating
the half chewed crabs the seagulls had left for him.

• Back to back birthdays use an obscene amount of butter and eggs.

This cake evidently blew Bruiser's mind.

Sharing is caring. Unless you're giving chocolate cake to a dog.

• After having boy/girl twins, I no longer believe that gender roles are a societal construct. We have a set of play pots and spoons. When Bee plays with them, she stirs, pretends to eat, offers some food to you, and repeats. Bruiser: bashes everything in sight with them.

Photographic evidence.

Regardless, both boys AND girls love IndoMie. Naturally.

Anyway, that's all for tonight. But coming soon to a blog near you: what I'm reading and why. Because sometimes the why is much more important than the what. And continuing stories of the mishaps and mayhem of our family. Of course.