Summer So Far

I have not written FOREVER. And that is due, largely in part, to the fact that we have been MOVING. I have firmly decided, and I will tell anyone I see, that I would rather give birth than move. I am not kidding. However, we were lucky enough (or crazy enough) to throw two weeks of vacation into the midst of our moving. We went to Zion National Park for the annual Durfey/Smith reunion, then down to Gilbert, AZ to Ben's parents for the 4th of July and Mila's birthday, then over to Claremont, CA to visit my dad and Janine and the old stomping grounds. Finally, when we came home to our disaster of an unpacked house in Provo, my mom and youngest brother showed up from Boston to help out for two weeks! They left last night and we are sad but so very grateful they came! But enough of the boring stuff. If you're like me, you want less talkie, more lookie...

Lane and Lucy at 6 months (6/9/07)


Grandpa Jones feeding the girls in St. George

Ethan and cousin Lily in the river at Zion National Park

Mila and cousin Collin in the river

Lane and Lucy wearing their team bandannas for the Durfey reunion

Mila and Collin, getting their craft on

Cousin Kate and Ethan

Lazy Zion afternoons: Cutey Luke is next to Ethan and cutey Seth has the helmet

The Smith siblings: Ben, Aaron, Melanie, Josh, Jake, Davey, and Booner

The Grand Canyon

This one of my in-laws totally "cracks" me up!

How romantic...

Laney and Mila

The 4th of July

Mila requested a " heart-shaped, chocolate cake with pink frosting and M&M's"--Hooray Aunt Melanie!

After opening Ethan's present

Mila and Grandma Smith

Lane and Lucy, in their new double stroller--almost 8 months old

At Adventure City in Anaheim, CA with my friend Heidi and her cute kids Ainsley and Alyssa

Pioneer Day pony ride

Check it out...

Hollywoodn't

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Happy Day

On the day that you turn thirty, it is very pleasant to listen to the Amelie soundtrack. Thank you, Mom! And thank you, Family, for the 30 present extravaganza! And thank you everyone else for all of the calls and messages. I hope to see you all at my party, where my husband will be dishing up some of his gourmet fare, and the rest of us will just be dishing.


Oh, and by the way, Mother's Day brought us a new member of the family. Hoover? I hardly knew 'er. It's all about the Dyson, baby...

A stat, a quip, and some pics

Our bishop announced a few weeks ago that we have the largest Primary in the HISTORY of the WORLD. Over 300 kids. We also have the fastest-growing ward in Utah County, but I'm sure you already assumed that. But seriously, do you really think anyone is going to miss my TWO Primary-aged children when we move? And that is why I am not too broken up about it. They will move on without Mila's awesome talks, I can guarantee it.

The other night, Ethan said, "I don't want to sleep by myself!" I told him that he had lots of doggies to sleep with so he wasn't alone. He immediately protested, "No! It has to be a WOMAN!" I have no comment on that--I just thought it was hilarious.

Lucy and Lane on Easter Sunday


Ethan, Lucy, Mila and Lane, with cousins Kate, Logan, Collin, and Seth in Arizona



Lane and Lucy looking awesome



Lane and Lucy in their Bumbo seats

Happy Easter!

Goings-ons

Spring is here. I can finally take the girls outside and Target has way too many cute clothes. In addition, lots of stuff has been happening. Here are some recent highlights:

*The girls have found their thumbs. Oh blissful day. The other morning, when I waited until 8:30 and could wait no longer to burst into the room to see if they were still alive (my kids just don't sleep in,) I found them going to town on those things, sucking ferociously in their sleep. Best invention ever, that thumb.

*Ethan still cares about nothing in the world but his Cars. All 20 of them. Best investment ever.

*Mila has begun to read Choose Your Own Adventure books. Ben's old ones. And they are so awesome, remember?

*Ben got a new suit and it is HOT. It is tan, three-button, and is doomed for a life at the cleaners after two little girls get done spitting up on it. First new suit in seven years, I believe. Oh, and he got accepted to BYU Law School-holla!

*I have, for some reason unbeknownst to me, had the fortune to shed several pounds quite rapidly since giving birth. (I still maintain that, because I'm nursing two people, my body very smartly gives every single ounce of good stuff to the girls and leaves me with the nutrition equivalent of a Tic-Tac.) However, this happening has resulted in some slightly hostile conversations with strangers at Wal-Mart when I finally got up the guts to take the twins and Ethan out to pick up a few items. Therefore, I have decided to use an alias in the future. I tell you this so that if you happen to be out in public with me, you will not blow my cover. I am now the nanny, not the mom. Plus, I figure I can avoid all the "twins" interrogations by being a Norwegian nanny who only says the following words in English: "Get back over to the cart right now," and "No, you may not have that."

*I am a businesswoman. I own 17% of the Thrillionaires, LLC, which means I own 17% of $0. However, I like to say that I am a businesswoman, so there.

*I will soon be filming a sketch comedy show. I don't have much to say about that except that I got to write a sketch about mannies that I find mildly amusing. Also, when you are one woman in a room of twelve funny boys, shocking things are said that I won't repeat.

*I got to sing jazz at a friend's sister's birthday party, and what you don't know is that it is my secret dream to be a jazz singer.

*A "friend" of mine is selling her house. And maybe one day she had a showing at 3:20. And maybe she decided she HAD to go to the bathroom at 3:19 after she got her kids loaded in the car. And maybe she plugged her own toilet. And maybe she had to run to her room to get a plunger. And just maybe the dang thing wouldn't plunge. And maybe it did after the twentieth time when she was about to cry. And maybe you're hoping that the end of this story is that the people walked in the house as she was frantically doing all of this. So sorry to disappoint you, but she got out in time! Oh my gosh, she would be soooo embarassed if she knew I was telling you this!

*I have MAJOR shopper's remorse. I have to call my friends and confess so they can absolve me of my shopping sins. But every year, I get spring fever and this year I'm not pregnant so it's especially bad. Let's just say I've bought 6 pairs of shoes already and leave it at that! (However, I got all 6 pairs for under $100 so try to focus on my awesome thriftiness!)

What's new with you?

Blessings

4 years old

Cabin Fever

Cheap thrills. I love 'em. Getting some good ear wax out of my ear (or someone else's) gives me a little rush. Putting on cozy socks, eating ice cream in the middle of the day, filling up an online shopping cart with $4 items of clothing--I can't get enough of them these days. Maybe it's because I have been in my house now for a solid two months, with the exceptional hurried trip on my own to Wal-Mart or Target (just walking through those red automatic doors=biggest cheap thrill EVER,) and I did get to perform in one blissful show. Many parts of the home-body lifestyle are appealing. I have gotten really creative with my pajama wardrobe and have even come up with different ensembles (again, cheap thrills,) I eat all the time, and Tivo and I have become BEST friends. However, there are some days when I really miss my carefree, minivan-setting days. I was wild! I would drive all the way to Provo and shop, go out to lunch, hang out with friends, fight with Ethan all in between, you know, living the life every fabulous twenty-something lives.

Now that I have been homebound, I've felt deprived of all of that. However, last week I had a glorious epiphany. I figured out a way to combine my love of cruising, shopping, and dining without endangering the lives of my preemies. I've discovered the biggest cheap thrill of all: drive-thru excursions. Last Friday, I loaded up everyone in the car and we traveled to Draper to Astro Burger. I got myself a cheeseburger, fries, fry sauce, Coke, and a chocolate-banana shake, and then we turned around and went right back home again. The girls slept, Ethan watched Cars, it was the perfect scenario. I felt refreshed and alive! I couldn't wait to go again! Then, two nights ago, I found an opportunity. Ben called me and informed he would be working late. I felt that tingle of adventure and I exclaimed, "Kids! Grab your coats!" This time, we hit Kneader's in Lindon. But my new-found obsession got the best of me and I sort of went "shopping" at the drive-thru! I ordered two turkey sandwiches, a huge thing of chicken noodle soup, a smoothie, and I kid you not, an ENTIRE raspberry creme pie. I could not even control myself, I was that desperate for excitement. So now I worry that my new-found cheap thrill is going to turn out to be a very expensive rush indeed. For example, you don't even have to tell me twice that Outback Steakhouse has a drive-thru window--believe me, I know it! I'm looking its way right now. But in the mean-time, I need everyone to let me know of THE best drive-thrus around, because I intend to hit every last one of them (and don't even try to tease me by saying Zupa's does, because I know it's not true!) If anyone wants to go with me, feel free! You can come to my house and I'll load you up with everyone else! But please don't take forever to order; I've got pajamas to coordinate and Tivo to watch.

And then there were six

Lucy Joy and Lane Noel made their grand entrances at 12:49 and 12:52, respectively, on the afternoon of November 29th, 2006. Lucy weighed in at a hefty 3 lbs. 14 oz. and Laney was 4 lbs. 10 oz. They spent their first week in the hospital, but were then able to come home to their thrilled sister and brother. They are amazing and although it's hard, I can't quite bring myself to complain. It may be the post-partum, sleep-deprived crazies talking, but after having two, I can't imagine only ever having one at a time. I feel like I would just be sad for that one and keep asking, "Where's your friend, you poor thing?" (Probably not really, otherwise my friends with new babies won't invite me over) We're glad they're here, safe and sound, and I can't imagine a better way to start off the New Year then to present the past month in pictures. (FYI: Lucy is always the skinnier, paler one)

You asked for it (albeit three months ago...)

For those of you who know that my twins are five weeks old today, this post is so past due. However, I'm a little slow these days. Just give me credit for coming through, even if I'm a few months behind!



The first pic was taken in early November, I believe. The second was taken the morning of the day I gave birth, in between five minute contractions. "Hurry! Take a picture!" I yelled at Ben frantically, "I promised people!" Right after that, we were en route to the hospital. Am I devoted to my peeps or what?

Stick a fork in me

According to my doctor this past week, I am the "poster child for identical twins." Are you jealous? Well, don't be. Because it's not all it's cracked up to be, folks. Couldn't I have been like, the poster child for nice skin or something? Don't get me wrong--I am more than grateful that I have survived 34 weeks and that the girls are doing awesome. However, am I not allowed the occasional gripe? Even poster children sing the blues. I think so, anyway. They probably would if they had carpal tunnel syndrome and had to wear splints to bed and couldn't open boxes of Raisin Bran in the morning. Or if their fingers were so numb and tingly that they always felt like they were thawing out twenty-four hours a day. Or they might protest a little bit if their skin was so itchy that shaving their legs became this sick addiction because the razor was a good scratcher. And they might just have to mutter under their breath if they had shooting pains going up their thigh while taking reverence walks with their Sunbeams class, so much so that they cried out inadvertently and doubled over for a second, then continued walking as if nothing happened so as not to alarm the already mystified four-year olds. And might they not be a bit miffed if their stomach was stretched so tight you could bounce quarters off of it? Or what if the very act of putting on clothes was a funny joke and they wondered why couldn't nudity be socially acceptable for a couple of weeks? And do you think they would hate or love the fact that an interesting assortment of socks, wrappers, Hot Wheels cars, Polly Pocket boots, rubber bands, and food bits had accumulated on the floor everywhere due to a strict non-bending-over-for-anything-smaller-than-a-breadbox policy?!

So you see, even the glamorous life of a poster girl has its darker moments. Thank goodness I'm also campaigning for "poster child for having a sense of humor when you feel pretty crappy." Otherwise, I just don't know how I'd get up on my marshmallowy feet in the morning...

"What do you do at recess?"

I asked tonight.

"Well, I'm pretty busy with the Woodchip Club, and we just got a new member named Monet. She's new to the school and she's one of those people who has a permanent smile."

"I see. Who else is in the club?"

"Kaisa, Jade, Max and aaaargh! SAMUEL! Jade invited them to be in it! Max is the funny guy who says funny stuff but Samuel always pushes me!"

"Well, why don't you just tell him he's out of the Woodchip Club?"

"Oy, I can't, because he's a permanent member!"

"That is problematic..."

"So anyway, today we had a meeting to decide what jobs we should have and who should be leader, and then we decided that everyone is a leader in the Woodchip Club. But I decided my job was decorator, even though Jade thought I should be machine builder. We also have the Furnace Room and the Shade Room, except there are always spies trying to get in the Shade Room to steal our woodchips! And you know what we do in the Storing Room? We decide which woodchips we should sell and which we should keep and take care of. There are parent woodchips and baby woodchips, and we raise them. And Mom?

"Yes?"

"I started the Woodchip Club."

"I don't doubt it."

She's getting glasses on Thursday and she's excited, even though she has to be "squinty" for three more days. This morning, we were looking up the meanings of names on a Baby Namer website and when she put in Nick and found out it meant "victory of the people," she shrieked, "Oh wow, no wonder I like him so much!!!"

I know, it's an awesome job I have.