Had to share...

...one of my favorite shots ever!

I'm sorry but could that BE any more precious!? It's twins and their arms just locked together like that naturally! My guess would be there was a lot of that locking of extremities together in the womb, especially since their Momma was so tiny carrying these little ones. They couldn't have had much room in there! Click here if you'd like to check out a few more.

Maggie

Today is my Mom's (Maggie's) Birthday. In honor of the most incredible woman I know on her Birthday, I thought I would tell you a little bit about her.

She...

...is the most giving and selfless person I know.

...is stunningly beautiful. even after 6 kids!

...loves her children and grandchildren with reckless abandon.

...would give you the shirt off her back. well probably not literally, but you know what I mean.

...is extremely friendly to strangers.

...loves making new friends.

...makes the best spaghetti & meatballs.

...bakes delicious cakes.

...gives others gifts on her Birthday

...listens attentively and doesn't try to fix everything.

...doesn't give advice that isn't solicited.

...has great style.

...does not boast or brag. unless of course it's about her grandchildren.

...knows how to set up electronics.

...knows how to work a grill.

...grocery shops a lot!

...will make 3 different dinners if it makes everyone happy.

...is an incredible woman and an even better Mom & Grandmother.

Happy Birthday Maggie! We love you.

Not Me Monday

I did not use my toothbrush one morning this week even though I knew the girls had been playing with it...no way....that would be gross...who knows where that thing had been. 

I did not use the fact that my girls had a Birthday Party on Monday afternoon as leverage all day for them to behave. Come on, I'm a better parent than that!

I am not jumping for joy to finally have the huge fallen tree in my backyard removed because I think maybe my problem will go away....that would be ludicrous. 

I did not procrastinate making dinner for so long Friday night that I threw the girls in the car to go pick up a pizza for dinner at 8:00...no way man. I only feed my kids organic and my kids go to bed before then!

I did not have a complete panic attack crying, hyperventilating and all at MacKenzie's school in front of a bunch of people I didn't know because MacKenzie was missing for 15 minutes after school let out and the Principal herself couldn't find her anywhere. That's not possible. I don't cry, remember?

I definitely did not have a moment of sadness when MckMama said she was taking a break from blogging and didn't know when she would be back. You don't actually think I'm that lame, do you?

And I did not let my children feed themselves Breakfast Sunday morning, because I'm not feeling well and didn't get out of bed til after they had already fed themselves. Wanna know what they had?? 

• Nutri Grain cereal bars Not too bad, right? Well I don't know I think the second ingredient on the list is high fructose corn syrup...ok so it's pure sugar...whatever.
  
• Capri Sun Roaring Waters Well at least it's "flavored water" and not a juice box. I know, I know...just a pathetic attempt at justifying here, people. 
  
• Cheetos Before you freak out, they WERE the "Natural" Cheetos, so no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Comparatively speaking, not too bad.
  
• String Cheese Hey, at least they got their calcium in somehow.

Check out MckMama's Not Me Monday. Yes, she's back and I am not totally thrilled! It's titled "Nothing" just so not to confuse you. 

October & Boredom

October is officially here and I swear I will blink my eyes and it will be gone just as fast as the previous months. I got up in my attic the other day to pull out all my Fall/Halloween decorations. I just love decorating for this Season. It puts me in such a good mood. The weather outside is perfect and I can spend the day pulling things out of boxes and setting them up. So much fun. This year it was especially fun because everything I pulled out of a bag or box Reagan & MacKenzie would Ooh & Aah over and say things like, "Oh, Mom that is soooo beautiful!" & "Ooh, that is soooo cute!" It was funny that they were so into all the decorations. Anyway, I was bored today and needed a creative release, so I took pictures of our decorations. Just for fun I thought I'd share. Here's what we have set up for the season. 

13 Years Overdue

Simpson Found Guilty on All Charges

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 3) -- Thirteen years to the day after being acquitted of killing his wife and her friend in Los Angeles, O.J. Simpson was found guilty of robbing two sports-memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room.

The 61-year-old former football star was convicted of all 12 counts late Friday after jurors deliberated for more than 13 hours. He released a heavy sigh as the charges were read and was immediately taken into custody.

Simpson, who went from American sports idol to celebrity-in-exile after his murder acquittal, could spend the rest of his life in prison.

His attorney said he would appeal.

Many people considered the four-week trial justice delayed. Simpson was cleared in 1995 of murdering his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in one of the most sensational trials of the 20th century, but was later found liable for the deaths in a civil case.

"I don't like to use the word payback," defense attorney Yale Galanter said. "I can tell you from the beginning my biggest concern ... was whether or not the jury would be able to separate their very strong feelings about Mr. Simpson and judge him fairly and honestly."

The Hall of Fame football star was convicted of kidnapping, armed robbery and 10 other charges for gathering up five men a year ago and storming into a room at a hotel-casino, where the group seized several game balls, plaques and photos. Prosecutors said two of the men with him were armed; one of them said Simpson asked him to bring a gun.

Simpson's co-defendant, Clarence "C.J." Stewart, 54, also was found guilty on all charges and taken into custody.

Simpson showed little emotion as officers handcuffed him and walked him out of the courtroom. His sister, Carmelita Durio, sobbed behind him in the arms of Simpson's friend, Tom Scotto, who said "I love you" as Simpson passed by. As spectators left the courtroom, Durio collapsed.

Jurors made no eye contact with the defendants as they entered the courtroom. They declined to answer questions after the verdict was read.

Galanter said his client had expected the outcome, and in a courthouse conversation with an Associated Press reporter on Thursday, Simpson had implied as much.

Simpson said he was "afraid that I won't get to go to my kids' college graduations after I managed to get them through college."

You think this is just a coincidence that 13 years to the day that he was acquitted of a murder he so obviously at least to me committed, he is now convicted and faces up to life in prison? It's interesting to me that his concern is being "afraid that I won't get to go to my kids' college graduations after I managed to get them through college." What about Nicole, the children's mother? She not only won't get to go to their college graduations but she has already missed them growing up and will never get to attend any event for them. What about that book he wrote about if he did commit those murders, how we would have done it. Are you serious? One major flaw in our justice system in my opinion is Double Jeopardy. I understand that we can't have people tried over and over again for the same charge. But I don't get how someone can basically release a book confessing to a crime and go out and play golf that afternoon, because they've already been cleared. Something just doesn't sit right with me about that. I remember exactly where I was when OJ Simpson's passport and money-filled white bronco was fleeing the police and every station interrupted programming to follow it. I was 14 years old. I was sitting on my bed a futon in my room in Houston. I was watching the NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets & New York Knicks. Where were you?

Fall is Here

Fall is in the air. I can feel it. And I love it. I got up in the attic this afternoon and pulled out all my "decorations." I think Fall is my favorite season to decorate. I just love the earth tone colors of everything. So in celebration of Fall I have changed my blog design once again. I thought I was going to try and have a design and stick to it. But I have come to the realization that I tire of things far too easily. I get bored. I don't like it anymore. I move on. So, I think I will probably update the design of my blog as regularly as the seasons change. And that's kind of fun anyway...to have a new look for a new season. Now if I could just convince my husband of that very thing for my wardrobe, I would be set. So I hope you like the new Fall look with all its earth tones. And for those of you that are deeply concerned because I'm sure some of you are about the fact that my new background has birds on it, well as long as they're not flapping their wings at me or pecking at my window I am actually ok with them. In fact I don't mind birds at all...the flat, on-paper, background-on-my-blog type. Any other type of bird. A different story. 

The Quarter Incident

This incident happened a while ago, but I just came across these clips on my computer and had to share.

Funny story from this: When asked to describe the coin she had swallowed, MacKenzie kept saying it had musical notes on it. This confused us. We had no idea what she was talking about. Turns out she had swallowed the Tennessee State Quarter. We knew then what she meant. Check it out! The Tennessee State Quarter 

Pretty funny.....well....after the fact of course.