One of my favorite things the kids do is respond at the same time.  Like today when my sister was visiting me and the kids were chatting in the background.  All the sudden they break out with chanting all together, "Ice cream!" as if they had rehearsed it. 

It happens all the time.  I usually don't notice it, but I notice how the people around me react.  My sister's eyes got big and she looked over her shoulder, putting our conversation on hold until the kids stopped that part of their game.

A few weeks ago the boys were on their first cub scout field trip to see a farm.  I was driving and we had one other boy riding with us.  He sat in the middle seat between Marek and Brenden.  The conversation was something about video games when extra boy suddenly yells, pulling at his hair, "Stop it!  Stop it!" 

What was the problem?  My boys spontaneously started acting out a part of the game in unison.    A few miles later with a different topic of conversation I hear, "GAA!  You're doing it again! Stop!"  That time they were singing a song about pigs that one had made up. 

The funny thing is, it isn't limited to the quads.  Yesterday I was wishing we had a video of how in sync they all are.  We were driving down the road listening to the kids, all six of them, chanting, "Coconut pigs eat coconut!  Coconut pigs eat coconut!" when they suddenly stopped and we had a moment of silence, then they all began again in unison. 

Sigh.  Simple joys for this happy Mom with a head ache.  I hope no one ever asks me why I don't allow chanting again.

Halloween Twins?

First off I must say sorry for not posting for so long.  That phase of life is now in the past and I promise to post at least once per week.  Now, onto this weeks entry!  In the interest of Halloween, we are getting costumes ready and there is an increased excitement in our home.  

After discovering, again, that store bought costumes are way out of our budget ($30 times 6 kids is $180) we spent a day being frustrated.  My sweet Brenden put his arm around me and said, “It’s okay Mom.  We can just wear last year’s costumes until you get some made for us.” 

We made the dash to the closet and dumped every box of dress up on the floor trying to find something that would still fit my growing kids.  (by the way, when did you get so tall?)

Last year’s things were good enough for last Saturday’s event.  We went to a fundraiser trick or treat day for a local historical museum.  There were games set up in an area at the park.  At the last game the boys lined up and waited their turn. 

The person running the game said, “Oh!  Are you twins?”  The smile on her face made me wonder if she never saw twins.

Her spirits deflated and she looked confused when Evan responded, very matter of factly , “No.”

She stood there for a moment looking between the boys and thinking really hard before Marek said, “We’re quads.” 

I love watching people’s reactions to that.  I don’t know what they expect, but I’m sure it’s not that!

So, back to the costume story, although it was heartfelt, my heart pounded harder in my chest at the thought of making so many costumes!  Alas, we searched the fabric stores, borrowed from my sister and Grandma, and made a witch outfit for less than $6.  It looks great, is personalized, and much warmer than a store bought anything would be.  I feel so accomplished!  But my favorite thing was the boy’s reaction.

Two of them wanted to be Harry Potter.  They put their outfits on, including the scarf made by wrapping duct tape around a piece of fleece, and danced through the house chanting, “Now we’re twins!  Look!  We’re twins!”   I’ll get a picture up before the week is over.

Christmas aftermath

            Christmas was great!  No, I did not get the end of year letters out this year, but after all, it is still before Valentine’s Day right? 

            Not too long before Christmas I overheard my kids talking.  Oldest was explaining to the younger ones, ““It’s better to not have so much.  That way we can appreciate what we have more.”  My heart melted as I realized he is fully aware of the lack of funds in our home and I recognized another tidbit of how gratitude works.  I have to count my blessings.  I have been given some great kids.

            The lesson went over well.  “This is the best Christmas ever!” could be heard for days while they played with their “best gifts ever” that cost a whopping $10-$15 each from Wal-mart on Black Friday.  Proof we don’t have to spend a ton of money to make the kids happy.

            I was glad for the effort made in keeping to the budget when I short time after Christmas our furnace stopped putting out heat.  We all camped out in the front room with several space heaters surrounding us.  Though it snowed that night, it was not as cold then as it is now. 

We spent four days doing this just before school started up again from the winter break. By the time the furnace was repaired, the kids were saying, “This is great!  Even on a school night!”  While hubby was saying, “This can’t go on much longer!” and trying not to pull his hair out.

I guess we covered our tempers well enough.  One child reported he liked it better when the furnace was broken better than when the pipes were.  I agreed!  Our pipes did not actually break but they didn’t work right. 

The kitchen sink is in an overhanging window area.   The pipes freeze here every year.  The rest of the house has working water so I thought little of it other than, “This is annoying.”  

It made for the most exciting dish washing.  Even though we had tried to stick to dish-less meals like sandwiches, dry cereal, and pizza, after nine days we had run out of paper plates.  I could hardly stand the pile of pans in the sink.  The time had come to do the dishes. 

We filled the sink with water from the bathroom and set up an assembly line.  I washed and the kids took the dishes to the bathroom where Daddy helped rinse and then the kids took the dishes back to the dishwashers to dry.  When their dish as safely in the drying area, they got back in line for their next run around.  It was the most cooperation in our history of house cleaning.

I shared my rather brilliant experience with a friend who’s eyes got wide with worry and she said, “Your pipes are frozen?!?  You better get home for when they break!  It will flood your house!  I can’t believe your pipes haven’t broken yet!  Everyone’s pipes break when they freeze.” 

When I opened the door I was greeted with the sound of rushing water.  Oh no!  They broke!  Grateful once again for sticking to the budget I ran to find… Oh, nope.  Never mind.  That’s just the sound of rushing water from pipes that are no longer frozen.  Hooray!

Our kitchen pipes are a flexi-type pipe, not like normal pipes.  Sigh of relief, followed by sigh of frustration.  I wish we had left the water turned on more so they would have stayed unfrozen.  The constant dripping in the back ground is driving me crazy.  I definitely liked it better when the heater was broken instead of the pipes.

I expect my lesson in patience to be ending soon.  A storm is expected to blow through tomorrow bringing a heat wave with it.  Temps should finally get about 25 degrees.

In other news, my baby is growing up.  I know, not a big surprise, but my oldest is now 11 years old and has been invited to an open house for the up coming junior high kids.  No turning back now.  Kids will grow. I am debating whether or not to let my hair go gray or continue coloring it.  Do we have to get older just because they do?

We have been sledding only once with all the cold weather it is too cold to make the trek to the hill and back home again.  I am looking for a fabulous hot cocoa recipe.  I think when I find it there will be cause to brave the cold again. 

Keep making your challenges your blessings!  Have a marvelous day!