Separation?

Although I thought it would be cool to have identical twins, I was happily surprised that mine were fraternal. Their genes are no more alike than any siblings. I thought maybe it may make the future easier. They don't look alike, they would have different interests and both excel at different things. With that being said, they have spent almost every hour of every day together since birth. A few Dr.'s appointment now and then and Owen's short hospital stay have been the only exceptions.

They started preschool 3 weeks ago and it is going great. They seem well adjusted and to be having a great time. There is some sense of security, for me, knowing that they have each other. When I picked them up today, I feel like a little part of me lost that. There was a notice in my box that said "Kyle Mitchell is scheduled to move up to the 4-year-old preschool classroom on 10/6." "Note: Kyle is ready for the 4 year old curriculum. Owen should be ready by January" Really? My immediate thoughts~

~You are going to separate them?
~You know this 3 weeks into school?
~Are you saying that Kyle is smarter than Owen?
~Do you know that Owen has been able to spell his name for 3 months and Kyle finally learned his last week?
~Do you know that Owen remembers every word to every song and can color in the lines? And Kyle doesn't?

I have never and will never compare my children. My parents always taught me that you love each of your children in different ways. However, in the back of my mind, I have always thought of Owen as the brains and Kyle as the brawn. Kyle is super athletic and outgoing. Owen is smart and quiet. Great, I love that! So, when I asked about this move, I was told that they may do better separated (I can see that as they almost kill each at home). One person told me that Kyle is just really ready to "move up". The teacher told me that Kyle loves being in the 4-year old room and that Owen is still working on potty issues, Kyle dives into things and engages more and Owen is more dependent on his brother.

So this is all fine and dandy but really, I guess an answer like "we just think they will thrive better being separated" would have been the answer that I would have liked to hear. I do however understand that I am not the teacher and do not see how they are in class the entire day. And, when I mentioned to them that they would be going to different classrooms, they seemed fine with it.

It is just sad to me because I feel for the first time that my children are being compared to one another and I don't like it.

A visit from Grandma Mitchell

We had a nice last 11 days with a visit from Mike's mom from California. The boys met her for the first time and Janie for the third. We spent a lot of time listening to fun music and eating great meals. We also ventured out a bit to meet my mom and my aunt. We miss you Grandma Mitchell!

The First Week of School

I am scared to say, so far, so good. All three kids started school last Tuesday. Janie did great and is still doing great! She loves her teacher and says she is really nice. Of course little things I hear from Janie make me think that maybe she is too nice, but we will see. Janie needs structure and challenge so hopefully it will all be good.

The first day of drop off with the boys went well. They were very excited and the teacher said the had a good day. The remainder of the week has been fine. Owen is happy going each day. Kyle, not so much. He has tears most of the morning prior to Mike taking him. When I pick him up, he tells me that his day was great, as does the teacher. It has been fun to see them start to bring home their projects. Kyle has already learned how to spell his name (Owen already knew).

So, I guess we are off to a good start. Schedule, schedule, schedule seems to be the mode that we have jumped into!

A Fun Day but no Mother of the Year

We headed into Detroit today for our first trip to Eastern Market, my new favorite place. If only it was closer! It was like the biggest farmer's market you have ever seen! $1 quarts of strawberries, 50 cent red peppers! We bought tons produce and had a fantastic time. Following the Market, we headed down to Mexican town for some good grub. So yummy!

Since it was a beautiful day, we continued to the Detroit River front which now has an absolutely beautiful river walk that goes for over 4 miles. We walked and walked and then discovered the Smooth Jazz Fest which was just an added bonus. We listen to a bit of music, watched boats and Janie did handstand on any empty surface that she could find.


After a couple of hours, we headed back to the car. The two young guys that were having their own BBQ on our way in were now clearly finished. When they finished, they apparently left a few things behind. Since my boys love to pick up anything that resembles a rock, Owen picked up the white, extremely hot, piece of charcoal that was sitting in the middle of the side walk! Needless to say, he cried for several hours and now has huge blisters on 3 fingers and the thumb. I guess I could beat myself up with the fact that I did not see what he was picking up but honestly, who leaves hot charcoal in the middle of the sidewalk. Idiots!

Saying Goodbye

When we found out that we were having twins, we decided that it would probably be best to try to bring someone into our home to watch the kids instead of taking them to daycare. I really didn't do much work on this prior to their birth probably because they arrived early. Shortly after they were born, I ran an ad in our local newspaper for a nanny. The phone rang often and I set up many interviews. Fortunately, my aunt was in town helping me with the boys and was able to give her judgement during the interview process. We interviewed about 4 candidates (none of which made the cut) and then in walked Krissy. Krissy was different. She was cheerful, energetic, educated, young and delightful to talk with. We just knew that she was the right one to care for our most precious gifts. We hired her!


Today was Krissy's last day with us. She has now been part of our lives since I went back to work at the beginning of June 2005. She cared for the boys as infants~ feeding them often, giving medications and caring for them like we would ourselves. She loved them through the tough toddler times, kept them safe and helped us teach them right from wrong. Most recently, she has helped them to potty train. She has cared for them when they we ill and lifeless. She has cleaned up poop and vomit. She has tended to boo-boos and wiped tears. She hung on and cared for Owen while he was in a body cast. She has held them when they were sad and cheered with them when they learned something new. She has taken them to the doctor, the park, and McDonalds several times. She has walked hundreds of miles and thrown thousands of rocks in the water with my children. She has helped raise them and been a mother to them when I was not around.


Krissy had a baby, Alivia, in August of 2006. She took a few weeks off and then returned with Alivia in tow. Since then, Alivia has also been a part of all of our lives. She has been like a sister to my three children and we all love her dearly.

So now we move on...the boys start pre-school on Tuesday and Janie 3rd grade. I suppose the time has come. Krissy will have her second child in early November. Lives changes and children grow. This doesn't however make it any easier to say goodbye to someone that you could only dream of being the caregiver to your children.

We love you Krissy!

Family Vacation

What a fantastic time! I have been looking forward to this vacation for many, many weeks and it was everything I had hoped for. We left here last Tuesday night and stayed the night with my mom in Mt. Pleasant. We got up the next morning and headed to Mackinac for two nights. We completed our vaca with a stop at the family cottage in Bay City on Friday night. We all just had a blast! The kids were fantastic (at least until about 5pm each day) and loved everything we did.

Bike riding was my fav. We rented bikes with baby seats on the back that the boys almost did not fit in. It was fantastic because they could see everything. We biked the 8 miles around the island with no problem and included several stops to throw rocks.

We visited the Fort and enjoyed the dancing, music and history. In my 10+ times to Mackinac, I had never been to the Fort.

It was Mackinac Island's music festival so we were able to spend a few hours one afternoon at the park listening to some good tunes. The kids did some dancing, had some snacks and enjoyed it as much as we did.


Our place was fantastic and a huge reason why the trip was such a success. We stayed at this same place 4 years ago when we took Janie. It is way out on the west end of the island. It looks like and apt. complex and kind of is. You can rent whatever size place you want. We had a place with a family room, bedroom and full kitchen. It was wonderful because we could take food to cook or grill out for dinner and also for breakfast. Huge cost savings and convenient! Also, the kids were done by 5pm each so we would take our 30min. carriage ride back (also super fun) and hang out. They had a swimming pool and DVD players. What else can you ask for? Actually, the deck overlooking the water was nice to sit out on after the kiddies were long asleep!

Now back to the start of school reality....Boo hoo! Great memories!

8 years ago...

I have been thinking for weeks about this date, August 17. Not because it was the day that I was married but because it was the day that my amazing father died, 8 years ago.

The picture above is obviously my wedding day. This picture has such significance because it is a moment that I will cherish forever. It was also just days before my father would be diagnosed with cancer. The feeling I had when my father walked me down the isle is something I will never be able to explain. The sense of security, love and honor was indescribable.

There are many of these times that I wish I could do just one more time. I may have not completely realized how great it was when it was happening, but I sure realize it now that it is gone. I wish I could feel his hand holding mine again. I wish I could feel the floating feeling that I felt when I danced with him. I wish I could call him and have him console me when I am sad. I wish I could tell him about my job and seek advice. I wish I could sit next to him at the piano so he could sing Swinging on a Star to me.I wish I could see him interact with his grandchildren and feel how proud he is. I wish I could hear his voice and smell his smell. I still wish he was hear every day!

Self Evaluation

I feel now, more than ever, that I am in a major period of self evaluation. I am certain that this is all part of being a mother and because my children now need me in different ways than they did two years ago or even two months ago.

I have always had pretty good self confidence and have been fairly happy with who I am. I now constantly question that. Not so much in my work life but definitely in my home life. Bottom line, I am scared to death of screwing my kids up. For years now I have fed bottles, changed diapers, cleaned up vomit, played with my kids and kissed and hugged them endlessly. That is no longer enough.

Janie, Janie, Janie... I have no choice but to recognize that she is in no part a small child anymore. She needs structure, discipline, guidance, understanding, explanation and a lot of love. These things seem the same that I would have listed years ago however it is so different now. She asks difficult questions, she can manipulate me, she sees everything that is going on around her, she likes boys, she can be mean and yet she is so fragile. So fragile that I feel if I don't handle all of this correctly, I am going to screw her up. She is definitely on the fast social track, she is pretty and has a great personality. I want to do my best to filter all of this correctly. I so want her to be kind, loving, hard working and appreciative. This is not about me but instead about trying to teach her the importance of these things without be a nag or a mother that she will hate some day because I was constantly lecturing her. I believe that children learn best by being a good example for them. I want to be that but I am not sure that I always am. I am not a patient person, I don't always take the time to discuss things in depth like I should and I constantly wonder if I give Janie enough of "me" as I feel I am always dealing with the boys. I often go to bed at night questioning myself on my day. Was I too hard on Janie? Are my expectations that she needs to keep her room picked up, her bed made and her laundry put away too much? Why do I have to take privileges away weekly for not completely these tasks? I want her to be a kid and to have fun but I also want her to work hard and appreciate what she has. I constantly hear how a friend has a better house or a better toy. So I can't buy my children EVERYTHING but they certainly have what they need, and more.

Don't get me wrong, I think Janie is great. I am so proud of how she is doing in school and she excels in all the activities that she tries. Is it just me? Do I want to much? I guess I just want to do right.

The boys of course are at a completely different stage of life. In many aspects it is easier because I don't have to worry about the hard "life" stuff yet. They do however consume the majority of my time just keeping them safe and out of trouble.

I realize that this is just the beginning of many, many years of this tough stuff and that it will get harder before it gets easier. I know just a few things~these precious gifts that I call my children are loved as much as anyone can love anything. I also know that I learn more about myself and life from them every day than I do from anywhere else. Together, we will make it work, even if I mess up sometimes!

A great weekend!

We were able to make some plans with my cousin, wife and kids for Saturday which was nice for a change as our schedules often conflict. They are only 30 minutes away and the boys absolutely love spending time with their cousin Caroline (and I do too)! So we hooked up on Saturday and went to a water park near their home in Saline. What a ball! They had great stuff for the boys and Janie had a good time too (of course it would have been a better idea to bring a friend along). It was so great that since Mike had the day off today, we went back again for a fun day in the water and sun! Thanks Angie and John for showing us this great spot and for a fantastic dinner!

The even better news is that Owen has started to go on the potty! Only once a day but it has been about 5 days now and he is still trying! Way to go Owen

Happy Belated B-Day Abby!

My favorite niece turned 1 last week! I just have to say that she is the cutest, most edible little girl and I think I may need to steal her!

We love you Abigail and wish you a very happy belate b-day!

Higgins Lake 2008

Beware of a lot of pictures below. We just returned from our annual week at our favorite get-away HIGGINS LAKE! Despite some chilly, very cloudy weather and the flu bug that ran through the house, it was a great time! My family are my favorite people to spend time with (okay girlfriends sometimes) so having a beautiful lake and great people makes it the BEST!

My kids were officially the "old ones" for a change. For the most part, the boys played in the sand and ate any junk they could get their hands on. Kyle overcame his fear of boats and learned how to pee on the beach. Owen decided he wasn't quite ready to water ski but he was going to drive the boat "faster" than his brother. Janie enjoyed trying to water ski for the first time and hanging out with the adults. It is sometimes hard with her being so much older than the others as she want someone to swim and do stuff with her all of the time. Makes me feel guilty!

The funny part was watching my 18mth old nephew. He is out of control! Not in a bad way but in an "I'm-18mths-watch-what-I can-do" way. The child can sprint (and does) faster then any adult in the house. The best part - the water does not slow him down a bit (see picture below). Thank God for the strap on the back of the life jacket!
My sister is 28 weeks pregnant (in desperate need of a glass of wine) so it was fun watching her winded-self chase constantly. I just kept thinking really, she is going to have two under two???

My brothers' daughter is just chubby and sweet. At almost 1 year old, all she does is eat (for like 2 hours straight) and poop. I love to eat her!

Back home now for a couple of days and then I leave for a conference up north for 3 days.

Thanks mom for making our week at Higgins work once again!

Happy 4th a few days late!

We enjoyed the weekend at the family cottage on the Saginaw Bay with my mom, aunt and uncle and cousins. The kids especially enjoyed playing with my cousins' daughter Caroline. It is super fun to see them interact with another child their age. Of course Owen thought he had gotten himself a girlfriend! The kids weren't much for the water but Owen loved the boat. Kyle preferred to stay on shore with the sand and snacks. His latest saying all of the time is "I'm starving!".

Are you ready for the big news????? I water skied and tubed! Of course I haven't been able to move my upper body ever since!

Anyway, great weekend and now a week to plan for our vacation at HIggins Lake!

Summer is finally here!

Most have started their summer but we have just begun! June is an insane month for me at work(I think I have mentioned this one or 100 times) so I am just getting back to a normal schedule with my first weekend off since May. On top of work, Janie has had two softball games a week (three this week), camp two days a week and gymnastics three days a week. Needless to say, when I am not a work I am running Janie and towing the boys along. I look forward to a slowing pace with softball over and work mellowing.

We have done a few fun things lately, not sure when, but we have! We roasted marshmallows with the boys for the first time.


I received free tickets to a Mitchel Musso concert that Janie and I went to last week. If you don't know who Mitchel is, you are crazy! He of course is Hannah Montana's friend on the show. Great time!




Janie has been playing softball since May. This was her first time and she loved it. She made the all-star team and we had her game on Friday night. Lot's of fun watching these girls.





Today we went to the cottage and hooked up with my sis for the day. It was fun to see my 18mth old nephew that does not stop for a second. It is more fun to see my pregnant sister constantly following him around!