Cow-zones

It's amazing to see things through the eyes of almost 3 year old boys.

I wasn't feeling well this week, so we "shortcutted" dinner quite a bit.  One night, we bought Calzones from Costco and heated them up for dinner.  Brian and I were talking about the Calzones very casually, and the boys started making Moooo noises.  I didn't get it at first, but Brian picked up on it.

They thought we were saying Cow-zones!

Choo Choo Bucky....

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the boys have been allowed to watch a bit more TV than usual so that Mommy and Daddy can get things done.  Thankfully, there have been some great Christmas based programs!

We taped a special episode of Mickey Mouse where the professor makes snow that doesn't melt.  Most of the show is about preparations for a party to celebrate the snow, and Mickey and the gang take a choo-choo train and pick up Clarabell, Chip and Dale, and Mr. and Mrs. Clause.  Throughout the episode they sing a song..."We're gonna Choo-Choo Boogey, Choo-Choo all day long!"

A few days after the boys watched this program, Jackson was playing with his train set, just singing away.  Brian asked me if I knew what he was singing.  I listened to him a little closer, and told him it was the Choo-Choo song from Mickey.  Brian listened closer, and agreed that was the song he was singing, and it made sense since he was playing with his train.  But a few minutes later, Brian was laughing.  He pointed out that Jackson was saying "Choo-Choo Bucky...." not Choo-Choo Boogey!  I guess Jackson thought Bucky sounded better....

No cookies for Santa!

Earlier, I shared with everyone how our day on 12-12-12 started.  Now, here is the rest of the story.

Uncle Aaron made Christmas cookies and shared some with us a few days earlier.  We were eating the last of Uncle's cookies on 12-12-12, and the boys were a little sad.  Jackson looked at me (seriously) and told me that Uncle would have to make some more cookies for them!

After I finished laughing, I reminded the boys that we had made cookies with Mawmaw at Thanksgiving, and we had some in the freezer.  They immediately wanted to get them out and eat them!  I told them we had to wait just a little bit longer...as we needed to save some for Santa. 

Both the boys were thoroughly confused.  Save them for Santa?  WHAT???


I explained that on Christmas eve, we set out cookies for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer.  Jackson quickly scowled at me, and said, "No cookies for Santa.  I am NOT sharing my cookies with Santa."  I tried to explain to him that we have to be good boys and share, or Santa won't bring us any presents.  Jackson thought about this for a bit, but still insisted, "I am NOT sharing my cookies with Santa.  He can have carrots too."

I guess cookies are better than presents to my little guys....but I'm afraid Santa is going to be very disappointed!

Snow....

Last winter was unusually mild here in Ohio.  We didn't have any real measurable snow, so the boys don't really remember snow.  We got a light dusting of the white stuff last night.  When we told the boys about it this morning, Jackson was extremely excited!

First we talked about it.  He was excited to see it and see how pretty it was.  Then it dawned on him - we have Christmas lights in the trees outside.  His excitement turned to concern for the lights, but returned to excitement when Mommy reassured him the lights would be fine, and that the snow would make them even prettier.

After breakfast, he hurried to put his shoes and coat on so he could go out and see the snow. 

The ride to daycare was hilarious.  Jackson talked non-stop about the snow.

I like the snow. 
Do you like the snow Daddy?
Do you like the snow Mommy?
Do you like the snow Lincoln?
I like the snow.
I want to go to Chickadees and play in the snow.
It's snowing!

(Then, he started all over again).

The best part was when we pulled up to a stop light.  There was a big truck next to us.  He must have been blocking the light just right, as I heard Jackson say, "Oh no.  I can't see it snowing.  That big truck is blocking my snow!"

And this was all for a dusting.  Heaven help us if we get a foot!

Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

As a new parent, we were very eager to get the boys eating table food.  Baby food looks and smells disgusting, and giving the kids regular people food was so much easier!  However, we were hesitant to give them anything and everything.  We were concerned about their digestion.

Luckily, we mentioned it when we were at the doctors office one day - that we weren't giving the boys spicy stuff.  We wanted to be gentle on their little stomachs.  The doctor told us to give the boys spicy stuff, otherwise we would end up with picky eaters! 

From that point forward, we gave the boys anything and everything that we ate, and we have very good eaters.


One of my favorite quick restaurants is Chipotle.  They layer rice, beans, marinated chicken, salsa, cheese, and sour cream in a bowl and it is delicious.  I've made "Chipotle" bowls at home a few times using taco seasoning to flavor the chicken, but it never tastes the same.  A month or so ago, I wanted to try something different to flavor the chicken in my Chipole bowls.  I bought a can of Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, blended them in my mini chopper, and added them to my chicken. 

The first time I made them, I went easy on the peppers.  I hadn't used them before, and didn't want to get things too spicy.  I got a little braver the second time.  :-)

I put the boys Chipotle bowls together, and sat them on the table.  The boys dug in immediately, as rice, beans and chicken are some of their favorite foods.  I put bowls together for Brian and me, and we sat down at the table.  We said our prayer, then reached for our forks.

Brian took his first bite, chewed, then reached for his water!  "Wow - that's spicy.  Definitely got some bite to it", he said.  I looked at the boys after he said this, and they were nearly finished with their dinner.  The spice wasn't bothering them!  Who would have thought that 2 year olds would be able to handle spicier food than their dad?

My alphabet box is broken

A few weeks ago, we were driving home from daycare.  The boys were chatting away in the backseat, happy as can be.  I heard them talking about something being broken, and Jackson said he could use his alphabet box to fix it.

(For all you non-Sprout watchers:  There is a show called Super Why.  It is four kids who have a bookclub, and when they have a problem, they "fly" into a book to find the answer.  They all became superheros, with unique powers.  Alphabet pig has alphabet powers, and he builds the alphabet using his alphabet box.)

So, I thought it was cute that Jackson wanted to use his alphabet box to fix something.  However, then I heard him tell Lincoln that his alphabet box was broken.  Oh know, what are we going to do now?  This made me giggle even more (they have such imaginations). 

However, the best part was listening to the two boys in the back seat contemplate what they were going to do.  They had to fix their alphabet box so they could fix the other thing. 

Who do we call when we need help?  Toodles of course!  (Toodles is from Mickey Mouse)  Toodles would come and fix the alphabet box, then they could use the alphabet box to fix the other thing. 

Who can argue with that logic?  I couldn't do anything but flat out laugh out loud.

My kids really don't watch that much TV, but there are definitely characters that have had a tremendous impact on them!  Glad to see that the boys see all the characters as interchangable!

#2

12-12-12 was a very big day in the Hart household.

When the alarm went off, I didn’t want to get out of bed.  It was 22 degrees outside - who wants to get out bed for that?  However, off to work I had to go, so I finally got up and took a shower.

As I shut the shower off, I heard Jackson crying. Both the boys were up.  This has been happening a lot lately.  Not what I needed on a morning where I was running late anyway, but down the hall I went.  I got Jackson out of bed, and put him down to get Lincoln out of his bed.  I turned around and Jackson had crawled back into his bed. Evidently, like me, he didn’t want to get up.

Lincoln told me he had to go potty, so we went to my bathroom, and we started our normal morning potty routine. He was content just sitting there, so I began getting around for work, and chatted with him while he went potty.  I put my contacts in and started putting on my makeup when I heard it – “splash”.

It took a second to sink in, but I realized something BIG had just happened.

Lincoln went POO-POO in the potty!

First, I asked him if he went poo-poo, and he happily confirmed.  I couldn't contain my excitement - I immediately started praising him, and making a big deal out of it.  I yelled down the hallway to Brian and told him.  Daddy came to join in on the praise.  Jackson (who was still laying in his bed) heard all the comotion, and came to see what all the fuss was about.  The boys now think I am a total lunatic because I got SO EXCITED about this!

As his reward, Lincoln got to pick what the boys had for breakfast, and he even got candy for breakfast (which they will both tell you “we don’t eat candy for breakfast”)!

Not to be outdone, in the middle of breakfast Jackson told us he had to go potty. We want them to tell us when they went, so Brian took him to the bathroom.  To our surprise, he went potty, even though he had went potty after Lincoln earlier. So, he got candy too for telling us he had to go!

I shared this big news with daycare, and I am hoping and praying that they will continue to encourage him!

We may just make it through potty training before they turn 3!  Wish us luck!

Hide and Seek

This post should have been written weeks ago...but is still relevant!

I think it all started around Halloween time...when the boys were all about scaring people.  They love it when you walk up to them and unexpectedly say "Boo!".  Well, it somehow led to playing Hide and Seek.

The first night I remember, we were finishing getting the boys dressed after bath.  Brian announced he was going to go hide, then the boys should come find him.  We closed the door to our bedroom, daddy went and hid while we counted to 10.  Then, I released the boys to go find Brian.

Brian hid beside the bed in the guest room.  The light was off, but the boys turned the light on before they went in to look for Brian.  When the boys saw him, Brian said "Boo!" and they all laughed.  Deep, deep, roll on the floor belly laughs!  The boys loved it so much, we did it again, but this time Daddy hid behind the rocking chair in the boys bedroom.  The result was the same - lots of laughter.

Since that first night, this has become almost an every night occurance....only now it happens when we go up to bed.  Brian runs up the stairs first telling the boys he's going to go hide.  Then, the boys go and find him.  Sometimes he's behind the rocking chair, or in their closet.  Recently, he's been hiding under the covers of the bed in the office. 

We've tried to let the boys hide, then we go find them.  However, Lincoln hides, but doesn't have the patience to wait for us to find him.  He usually runs out of his hiding place toward us laughing!

It really is amazing how much parents learn from their kids.  We've learned how simple life was when we were little.  We love the innocence and ease of life as a 2 year old.  We've also learned to let our guard down, to act silly from time to time, and just relish each and every fun moment with our boys.  That's really what life is all about!

Festival of lights

On Saturday night of Thanksgiving weekend, we took the boys to see the lights at the zoo.  Mom, Dad, and Aaron went with us.  We were concerned it would be crowded and cold, but it ended up being the perfect night. 

First, we saw the elephants - the boys love elephants.  They were inside the building, so we got a really good look at all 3 of them.  Next, we stopped and watched the synchronized light show over the lake.  The boys were fascinated by this!  They loved how the colors changed, the lights came on and off - I think they would have stood there for hours watching it.

Next, we went to see the giraffes.  A new baby giraffe was born about 6 weeks earlier, and we watched the baby and its mom interact.  The boys even got to see the mommy giraffe give the baby giraffe a kiss!

We walked around the zoo and looked at the animals and lights for a while, then my mom bought the boys a hot chocolate.  Next, we rode the carosel.  The boys were very excited about it, and picked out zebras to ride.  Brian went with Jackson, and he loved the carosel.  I stayed with Lincoln....and although I talked him through things and told him that we would start moving, and the zebra would go up and down, about 20 seconds into it, he said, "I'm done Mommy.  Lets go."  He really didn't like it moving!

After the carosel ride, we continued walking through the lights. We found the alligator that we took pictures with this summer....and had to repeat the experience!  Check these alligator wrestlers out!

We kept walking through the zoo, and enjoying our evening.  We found an ape statue.  Lincoln loved it immediately, and had to have his picture taken. 

 After seeing Lincoln with the ape, Jackson wanted in on the action, so we took a few quick picks of both of them with the ape.  Look at these smiles!

As great as all these pictures are, my favorite part of the night wasn't captured on film. 

As we were heading toward the exit, we found a small display of snowmen that were synchronized to music.  The music was Jingle Bells.  Lincoln and I stood, watched, and danced along with the snowmen.  I will forever remember those few precious minutes, dancing with my son at the zoo every time I hear the song Jingle Bells.  Thank you Lincoln for a memory that will last forever!

Birthdays:

• December 7 - Uncle Bud Gels turns 71, Angie Wolff turns 29
• December 10 - Karen Zank turns 52
• December 15 - Cassie Muehlfeld turns 27
• December 16 - Barb Brocki turns 51
• December 19 - Payden Schug turns 16
• December 26 - Joey O'Connor turns 13
• December 28 - Zoe Maier turns 11
• December 28 - Jerry Haas turns 49
• December 30 - Matt Schug turns 38

Anniversaries:

• December 2 - Bill and Jean Muehlfeld celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary
• December 13 - Mom and Dad celebrate their 43nd wedding anniversary
• December 14 - Bud and Lorae gels celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary
• December 27 - Craig and Sue Lynn celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary

Jackson's song

Of course, Jackson couldn't be outdone by his older brother!

Daddy was EXTRA proud!  Both his boys singing one of his favorite songs....and Jackson loves adding the "Redlegs!".

Lincoln....growing up

I know that in just over a month, my babies are going to turn 3.  But they continue to amaze me each and every day.

First - a video of Lincoln.  Singing "Take me out to the Ballgame".  Brian was SO PROUD!  He is so happy that the boys are sharing his love of baseball, and the Cincinnati Reds.  We didn't couch Lincoln - he did this all on his own.  Sometimes, I think they are going on 5 instead of 3....and I squeeze them a little tighter, holding onto my sweet little boys.

Enjoy!

First Dentist appointment

A few weeks after I took Lincoln to the dentist in August to get his tooth pulled, Jackson started asking if he could go to the dentist.  He knew his brother had been there TWICE, and he hadn't gotten to go yet.  The boys had been doing really good with letting Brian and me brush their teeth at night, so we knew they were finally ready for their first trip to the dentist.

I called mid-October to make an appointment, and luckily they had an appointment for Monday before Thanksgiving.  This was perfect as I was off work that whole week!  After the appointment was made, the dentist office sent over an orientation packet to help prepare the boys for their visit.

The packet included some gloves, masks, and the little mirrors the dentist uses.  We showed the boys all these things, put them on, and told them that the dentist and people at the dentist office would have all these things.  The packet also included a Dora book that talks about Dora's first trip to the dentist.  We read it so much in the first few days we had it that we had to start changing the story up on them - otherwise, they were telling us the story!

The boys were so excited for their visit!  Lincoln led the way up the stairs, and immediately went to the play area of the waiting room.  Jackson happily followed.  The boys played for a few minutes, fought over a few toys, then it was time to go back to see the dentist.

First, we had to show the hygenist how we brush our teeth.  She colored their teeth red, and the boys worked to brush all the color away.  Both the boys thought this was pretty cool.  They got to pick out their own toothbrushes even!  The hygenist then brushed their teeth to remove the rest of the color, and gave them a drink of water to rinse their mouth.  Both boys tried to spit....TRIED being the appropriate word.

Next, we went and sat in the big boy dentist chairs!  Each of the boys found a toy to play with while they were waiting.

  

First, Miss Julie came over to clean Lincoln's teeth.  She showed him her light, and asked if he wanted sunglasses - he kindly declined.  She showed him her mirror, and began cleaning his teeth.  I think once the hygenist started working in his mouth he remembered when he had his tooth pulled.  Suddenly, he was NOT liking being at the dentist.  Brian held him on his lap while they finished cleaning his teeth, but it was a struggle.  Thankfully, he got a good report - all 19 teeth are healthy!

                                                                                     Next, it was Jackson's turn.  Miss Karen came over to his chair, and showed him the light.  He picked out a pair of sunglasses to put on, and was as "cool" as he looked throughout the whole appointment.  He answered Miss Karen's questions, did as she asked, and he was the best little boy in the world.  Although he has fewer teeth than Lincoln (only 16), he got the same report - all healthy, and great looking teeth.

Each of the boys got a brown elephant balloon animal, they picked out stickers, pencils and finger puppets.  Over the past few weeks, each of the boys have looked forward to brushing their teeth, comment on how they have bright, shiny teeth, and they continue to love "playing dentist" each night with Brian and me.  Overall, a great first experience at the dentist for both of them, and we look forward to many happy, healthy smiles in the future.

 

Christmas Cut out cookies

Every year since we bought our house, except for the year I was pregnant, we have been blessed to host Thanksgiving for my family.  I love Thanksgiving week.  My sister and her family come down on Wednesday night and stay with us. We have our Thanksgiving dinner for lunch on Thursday, then the Willingers continue their travels to Louisville to spend time with RJ's family.

My parents come down on Wednesday, and spend most of the long holiday weekend with us.  Before the boys came along, my mom and I would leisurely shop a bit on Friday while Dad and Brian would watch football, and do little things around the house. 

Now that we have the boys, and they are getting older, most of our weekend is spent just spending time together.  This year, my mom and I decided we were going to bake some Christmas cut out cookies.  Grandmas always want to bake cookies with their grandkids, so it was the perfect.  We stirred the cookies up on Friday, then started in on baking them on Saturday.

My mom rolled out the cookies, and asked the boys if they wanted to help make cookies. Lincoln was eager to jump right in and see what this was all about.  Plus, he wanted a cookie!

Jackson quickly decided this looked like fun, and wanted in on the action.  He watched and patiently waited for Mawmaw to line-up the cookie cutter.....

 

 Then, he dove right into the fun!

 I really thought the boys would do a few cookies, get bored with it, and then go play.  Boy, was I wrong!  The helped with about half of our 4 batches of cookies!  They probably would have helped with all of them, but Mawmaw and I were ready to just get the baking done so we distracted the boys with a movie.

My mom will likely want to kill me for posting these pictures, but they capture a memory that can never be erased.  I especially love this picture below....

                                                                                             

What's so special about this picture?  I love the way Lincoln is looking at my mom.  It is a combination of adoration, love and patience.  He loved and adored her for allowing him to help, and for spending time with him.  And the patience....well, he was just waiting for it to be his turn!

The Lebanon Christmas parade

Saturday night, we took the boys to the Lebanon Christmas parade.  Probably not our best first experience.  The weather was beautiful, so there were a lot of people there - which meant long lines waiting for food.  Not ideal with two two year olds.  However, once we got our food, it was delicious - the pork chop sandwhich and chicken strips and fries hit the spot.

We were lucky to find a front row seat for the parade - by sitting on the road!  The boys really liked seeing all the horses and the lighted carriages, but they are still talking about 2 specific elements from the parade:

1)  Old MacDonald
One of the carriages had Ronald McDonald riding along.  Of course, Brian and I made a big deal about it being Ronald McDonald, but all the boys heard was McDonald....and they were absolutely convinced that it was Old MacDonald (afterall, there were horses, right?).  I guess it's good that they don't know who Ronald McDonald is, but it's funny to listen to them tell us that Old MacDonald had big red shoes!

2)  Santa Clause
Mr. and Mrs. Clause rode along on the very first carriage in the parade.  After they finished their parade route, they walked the route, waving and saying hello to everyone.  We were lucky enough that they stood right in front of us!  The boys were a little aprehensive, but smiled widely as the two continued walking on down the street!  Lincoln kept saying "Meeeeerrrrrrryyyyyyy Christmas!"

Hot cocoa

A few weeks ago, Brian had some yard work to get done, and the boys wanted to be outside with him.  It was chilly, so they bundled up in their coats, hats, and gloves, and spent some time outside.  When they came in the house, I made hot cocoa for them.

Neither of them had ever had hot cocoa before.  They were a little unsure about drinking something hot at first, but once they tasted that sweet chocolate, they were hooked.

I sat and watched them enjoy their sweet treat which also helped warm up their little bodies.  I had to laugh as I watched them - how naturally they held their cocoa cups, and chit chatted across the table.  It reminded me so much of my childhood - watching my mom have coffee with her friends, socializing, and catching up.  I hope my boys continue to sit down and enjoy their cocoa together for many years to come!



Insanity training....

Scary pumpkin faces

I love just watching them sleep....

Oh, yes....he has his feet TOTALLY stuffed into the pillow case. 

They stayed there all through his 2 hour nap!

Let's go Racin' boys!

Jackson's legs

With twins, it is impossible not to compare them.  Over the past few months, Brian and I have noticed that Jackson's legs look a little different, and were definitely different than Lincoln's.  Our concern was the angle at which Jackson's legs come out from his knees.

So, on Monday before Thanksgiving, we took Jackson to see Dr. Korn, our pediatrician.  I kind of expected him to tell us we were crazy and paranoid, but he didn't.  He indicated that there is definitely a deformity, believed that at this time they usually don't treat it, but recommended that we see an orthopedic specialist at Children's Hospital.

I think this concerned both Brian and me a bit.  Because of all the therapy that Jackson went through with his neck and head, we called right away to get an appointment.  Luckily, they were able to see us on Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Children's Hospital is great....but sometimes frustrating.  We waited almost an hour after our appointment time before we saw the doctor.  It is extremely difficult to entertain an almost 3 year old boy in a small room filled with medical equipment.  Just saying...especially with a germophobic husband.  However, when the doctor came in, he instantly put Jackson at ease (not an easy fete), and he earned my trust almost immediately. 

He took one look at Jackson's legs, and began telling us his thoughts.  He explained that "knock-knees" are actually fairly common among kids, and usually becomes apparent around the age of 3.  Jackson is a pretty classic case.  Although it was great for us to have Lincoln to compare Jackson's legs too, the doctor recommends against comparing them now that Jackson has been diagnosed. 

At this time, no treatment is needed.  We will just monitor Jackson over the next year.  If the angle of his legs remains the same, or gets better, no treatment will be needed.  However, if it worsens over the next year or two, he would need surgery.  The surgery would insert a plate in his knees to restrict growth on the one side, forcing his growth to correct the angle issue.  I laughed when the doctor was explaining this, as it was almost exactly like what we went through with his helmet - it restricted the growth of his head in the one area, forcing it to grow in the underdeveloped area. 

This was a huge relief for Brian and me.  Although he may need to have surgery to correct this in a few years, it's definitely not as bad as we had each imagined.  For the time being though, please say a few prayers for Jackson that the issue corrects itself.  We'll update everyone again next fall after our visit to Children's.

Pre-Thanksgiving weekend

Friday before Thanksgiving, we headed north to Toledo.  Friday night we visited with my family and the Willingers.  Saturday morning we met Aunt Lori and Uncle Tyler at Bob Evans for breakfast.  Saturday afternoon we had fun at Knox's 3rd birthday party, and Saturday night we all went to bed early, exhausted by the day's events.

Around 2:00 in the morning, things took a turn.  Jackson woke up and was very fussy, and unfortunately I had some terrible stomach cramps.  Brian was trying to take care of Jackson, and then I heard it - Jackson throwing up. 

This concerned me for many reasons:
1)  Brian does not do well with puke
2)  My sisters carpet is less than a year old
3)  Knowing how I felt....I wondered how many other people weren't feeling well

I flew out of bed, grabbed some paper towels, and tried to keep the damage to a minimum.  Brian went to clean up his hands (he had caught the first batch of vomit), and before I knew it the second batch was in my hands.  Thankfully, Jackson's vomitting subsided quickly.

After cleaning up my own hands, I assessed Jackson's state.  He had some throw up on his jammies, so we had to change his clothes.  Some had also gotten on his blanket, so I knew I had to get that away from him and into the washing machine.  Brian started working on the carpet, but nearly added to the mess....so I told him to leave it.  I took Jacksons dirty PJ's and blanket to the washing machine, and assigned Brian the task of redressing Jackson while I attended to the puke.

After starting the washing machine, Brian and I brought the boys up to sleep in my sister's living room - as it has hard wood floors.  Much easier to clean if anyone else got sick.  I found the Resolve, and went downstairs to tackle the carpet.  It cleaned up much better than I thought it was going to.  I found some Febreeze, gave the air a quick spray, and decided to settle back in for some sleep.

Brian and Lincoln were in sleeping bags on the living room floor, and Jackson was curled up on one end of the couch.  I laid at the other end of the couch with my legs by Jackson to keep him from falling off onto the floor.  Surprisingly, we slept pretty well until about 7:30 when the boys awoke, and the rest of the house started to stir.

Plans for Sunday changed.  We were hoping to visit Miss Tracy on Sunday morning to see how she was doing.  She had major surgery the week before on her jaw, and we decided we shouldn't share our flu bug with her.  Instead, we spent a bit more time with my family and the Willingers, then headed back to Cincinnati.  The boys were fine, but neither Brian or I were feeling real great.  It was a long drive back to Cincy, and the rest of the evening was a bust.

Not what we needed before Thanksgiving, but thankful it came and went before the long holiday weekend!

I come back to you

Being a working mom is tough.  Feeling torn is a constant state. 

Daycare teaches the boys more than I could ever teach them.  But what kind of mom lets someone else raise their kids?  Each time I see a diaper rash, I question the care they are getting.  When the boys have a new scratch or bite mark, I get concerned about having them be around other kids.  I wish that I could keep them home.  I can protect them at home.  I would take care of them better.

Reality slowly creeps back in, and financial responsibilities and mental stability win out.  The boys are well cared for at school, and watching multiple 2 year olds isn't easy.  Quality of time more important than quantity.  The boys have developed social skills from the group atmosphere at daycare, and are advanced with their language and logic.

Even still, sometimes a mom just needs to know that her kids are ok with going to daycare.

Lincoln started giving me that reassurance a few weeks ago.

The boys are always smiling and giggling when we pick them up from daycare.  They are genuinely happy to see us, and ready go to home.  We love this, and love that their teacher has even commented on how happy they are each day to see us.  It was just a usual day of picking the boys up from school...both of the boys climbed in their seats and got buckled in.  We were pulling out of daycare when I heard Lincoln say, "See Mommy.  I come back to you."

I was a bit startled at first, and I didn't quite understand what he meant - so I asked him.

He very calmly responded by telling me that he came back to me - just like he does everyday.  He goes to Chickadees, but at the end of the day, he comes back home to Mommy.  He doesn't have to be afraid - Mommy will always be there for him at the end of the day, to take him home, feed him, bathe him, hug and kiss him, and to tell him how much she loves him. 

He proceeded to tell me this same simple sentence for over a week.  Each time, my heart melted for my little man.

And I thank God above that each day, he always comes back to me.

Chickmonks

Yes, you read that title correctly.  This post is about Chickmonks.

A few weeks ago when we picked the boys up from school, Jackson was extra talkative about the day's activities.  He was so excited to tell us that they went to the zoo!  (We believe the probably read a book that talked about a trip to the zoo).  Playing along, we asked him what animals he saw at the zoo.  Of course, there were the usual animals....giraffes, elephants, cows, and pigs.  Then he exclaimed that they also saw Chickmonks.

Of course, we knew exactly what he meant - chipmonks - but it was so cute to listen to him!

He told us all about Chickmonks - how they are very small, and they run around in trees.  He seemed quite facinated with them.  Trying to help him understand, I turned the conversation to Mickey Mouse - and told him that Chip and Dale are chipmonks. 

He could say Chip....but the animal was still chickmonks.  I'm still trying to get the picture of a baby chick wearing a monk outfit out of my head!

The snowman....

A few years ago, Brian took his mom to celebrate Christmas with her brothers and sisters.  When he arrived home, he had a special surprise for us - a large wooden snowman!  Brian's Uncle Ralph had made them for everyone, and he gave Brian one too.

It's meant to be an outside winter decoration, but Brian says it is too nice to put outside.  So, it's in our living room.  It is tucked behind a chair in the corner to keep the boys from beating it against the wall.  His head peeks out nicely over the top of the chair.

This morning, I was sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast with the boys.  Lincoln looked in the living room, and then announced that the snowman was eating breakfast too.  Of course, the snowman was eating Daddy sandwiches, just like the boys. 

Next, he turned back to the snowman and says, "Good morning snowman.  How are you today?"

This alone was cute enough, but then he turns to me and says, "The snowman is shy.  He doesn't have much to say."

Boys will be boys

There are so many different types of "boys"....and mine are both unique.

First, we have Lincoln.  He is currently in a stage where he wants to lick everything.  Yes - everything.  The table, the bath toys, and yesterday I barely caught him as he was sticking his head in the toilet.  Last night, he was licking the soap off Jackson in the bathtub.  And laughing the whole time.
Remember the kid who was dared to lick the flag pole in the winter....yeah, that's going to be Lincoln.  Only, no one will dare him, he's just going to do it because he can.

I know....that's scary.  But then we have Jackson.

Several times over the past few days, I've heard Jackson say, "Hey everyone.  Watch this."  Yes...famous last words. 

I'm really hoping this is just a phase they are both going through, but if not, please say a prayer or two for me that I can keep Lincoln from drinking out of the toilet, or licking the toilet seat (which is worse?), and that I can protect Jackson and keep him from being the next great star of Jackass.

Lord have mercy on me....

Anniversary dinner

On November 1, Brian and I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary.

Uncle Aaron and Scott were kind and agreed to watch the boys so that Brian and I could go out and have a special dinner together.  I honestly don't know who was more excited - Brian and me, or the boys!

The boys talked all week about having dinner with Uncle and Scott, and how they were going to watch a movie with them.  They were actually excited, and not in the least bit worried about being away from us.

It was a great night....there were no tears when we left, and Aaron and Scott both said the boys were great for them.  They enjoyed their chicken tetrazzini, the Cars movie, and their special ice cream treat.  Brian and I enjoyed 3 hours out of the house, an AMAZING dinner at Jags, and an adult conversation without interruptions.  It was heaven.

Thanks to Uncle and Scott for spending time with the boys and allowing Brian and I to remember what life used to be like...even it if was for only a few hours.

Days of the week

Early last week, we started talking about the days of the week.  To my surprise, Jackson started singing the days of the week...in order.

Sunday Monday.  Tuesday Wednesday.  Thursday Friday.  Saturday.  (Kind of to the tune of Oh My Darling Clementine...but not quite)

Daycare has taught them a cute little song, so they now know there are 7 days in a week...and then the order.  I believe they also know how to sign the 7 days of the week...but I haven't quite picked that up yet.  Guess I need to find another sign language book!

Donuts!!!

Really nothing more to say....the smiles and cream filling say it all!

Balloons and Binoculars....

Our boys definitely have personalities.  BIG ones!  They can find joy and fun in just about anything.

First up, there is Jackson.  Last weekend, he found the balloons from his surgery back in August.  Both of the boys had fun throwing, hitting, and kicking the balloons around the living room, but Jackson was the one who tried to jump over them.  Of course, most of the time he would jump while laughing, and almost fall down on top of the balloons.  He was laughing non-stop, and I caught him in the middle of one of his laughing fits.  I really don't know how, but BOTH of the balloons still surived!  (and you see, the train track is still close by!)

Lincoln is my binocular boy.  It all started the day Jackson had his tubes put in his ears.  Lincoln was at daycare by himself, but knew Mommy was coming to pick him up early.  When I arrived at daycare, Lincoln and Miss Bianca were at the window, holding their "binoculars" over their eyes looking for us!
Now, Lincoln finds binoculars everywhere...but this picture takes the cake for the best binoculars EVER!

Trains

The boys, mostly Jackson, have been very interested in trains lately.  We had a train cross in front of us on the way to Grandma Hart's memorial mass a few weeks ago, and the boys were facinated!  We also saw one earlier this week on the way to daycare.  Now, they think we should see one everyday, like the school busses!

The boys got a wooden train track and little trains for their first birthday, and they play with it a lot.  A few weeks ago, I knew Jackson had gotten the train set out, and the boys were playing, so I didn't think much about it.  When I went and checked on them, here is what I found:

They were having fun taking the train up and down the little hill, and around all the curves they had built.  They didn't care that the track didn't connect until I showed up.  I somehow figured out a way to connect the track, without completely destroying the track they had created!  Eventually, we worked together to put the track in the figure 8 format it's intended to be in.

Last weekend, Jackson got the train track out again, and was playing away.  Here is what I found this time:

Obviously, Jackson remembered that part of the track had to go under the hill, and he got those pieces together.  He had a bit more difficulty getting the rest of the figure 8 formed.  But again, he didn't care, he was just playing away with all his match box cars and trains!



Love that he is trying to put it together more on his own all the time, and love the creativity behind it even more!  Working hard to encourage their own thoughts!

My body is broken....

Last weekend included "fun" time for Brian.  His friend Jay came down to visit, and the two of them went to a Jackyl concert Friday night.  It was quite late when they got home, so when I heard Lincoln fussing around 5:30, I rushed in to quiet him down.

First, I offered to rock him, but he didn't want to rock.  Jackson soon woke up, so I scooped him up and rocked him, hoping they would go back to sleep.  Lincoln just layed in his crib quietly while I rocked Jackson.  Then, I heard Lincoln say "My body is broken".

Poor Lincoln.  He has an aweful time with coughs and runny noses.  His head was all congested, and because he wasn't feeling well, he declared that his body was broken. 

So cute, yet made my heart ache for him.  We've taken great care this week to ensure he gets his benedryl and we run the vaporizer for a few hours when we put him to sleep. 

I'm not sure where he got the "my body is broken", but it was a cute way for him to tell me that he just wasn't feeling like himself!

Hummingbirds....

It seems like the boys just moved to Chickadees, but Tuesday they spent part of the day in Hummingbirds!

Growing...

This is a post that I've thought about writing for a long time.  And as time passes, I realize that I need to write this post.

There are so many ways to measure the growth of a child.  When they eat more food, we assume they are going through a growth spurt.  When their shirts don't cover their belly, or their pants become "high-waters", we buy them bigger clothes.  We groan about how heavy they are getting when we pick them up.  But it never really sinks in for me until I sit down to rock my boys.

I don't remember rocking them a lot as babies, but rocking has become a pretty common occurance over the past year.  We went through a struggle where we had to rock them so they would go to sleep.  I made them lay their head on my left shoulder and curl their legs up on my lap (much like holding a baby on your shoulder).  We had to hold them just right so we could lay them down in their cribs without waking them.  It was such a snuggly little position.

Several months later now, I can't "hold" them like a baby any more.  Their legs are too long to scrunch up on my lap, and their heads surpass my shoulder.  They just don't fit.  So, we transitioned to a point where they sit more sideways on my lap, wrap their one arm around me, and lay their head in the crook of my elbow.  Their legs dangle off the side of my lap.  Part of me loves this new position, as I can see their faces, and their expressions.  The other part of me realizes how much the boys are growing, and with a heavy heart wonders how much longer we will be able to have our special time.

For now, I will enjoy each and every minute snuggling and rocking them.  Although they will outgrow my lap, they will never outgrow the love in my heart.

Happy Anniversary Brian!

Four years ago today was the most beautiful day.  It was like God planned it perfectly for us.

All through the year, He gave us weather that resulted in vibrant colored leaves that were still on the trees on the first of November.  For our special day, He sent extra sunshine so our guests could feel the warmth of our love. 

Most importantly, He guided us to each other, and He blessed our union.

In the past 4 years, He has continued to steer us through many difficult times, and blessed us with the most amazing little boys.   There is no one that I would rather share my life with.

Happy 4th Anniversary Brian.  I love you!  Hope you enjoy your chocolate covered strawberries!

November 2012 Celebrations

Birthdays:

• November 1 - Uncle Bob Gels turns 75
• November 3 - Daphne Wolff turns 31
• November 12 - RJ Willinger turns 32
• November 14 - Knox Willinger turns 3, Stephanie Wappes turns 25
• November 20 - Alissa O'Connor turns 9
• November 28 - Pete Hug turns 90

Anniversaries:

• November 1- Brian and I celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary!
• Novmeber 14 - Sean and Beth O'Connor celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary
• Novemer 21 - Rodney and Dennis celebrate 23 years together!
• November 25 - Dennis and LouisAnn Brunswick celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary
• November 28 - we remember Brian's Grandma and Grandpa Hart's wedding anniversary

Halloween

We survived our third Halloween!

The boys enjoyed a great day at Chickadees.  They wore their pajamas (which confused the HECK out of them!), loved that it was "muffin day", and they even went trick-or-treating at school (they brought home brown paper bags filled with sandwich bags of Pringles, pretzels, cheese curls, and Cherrios).  They also got their faces painted - Jackson had a pumpkin, while Lincoln had a spider and spider web.

We picked the boys up a little early so we could get them fed before we headed out for Trick-or-Treating.  They each had a bowl of chili, some Pringles, and a white chocolate covered strawberry for dinner.  We needed the warm soup before heading out into the cold, damp evening.

The boys were excited to put on their costumes, and even endured mom taking a few pictures....

Jackson was all about getting his picture taken.  Lincoln was just ready to go Trick-or-Treating.

We went across the street to see Mr. Herb and Miss Marg first.  They LOVED the boys costumes!  They couldn't believe how big the boys have gotten, and really enjoyed our visit.  They gave each of the boys 2 candy bars to begin with, then said they were too cute and gave each of them another candy bar.  We chatted a bit, and as we were saying goodbye, Mr. Herb gave each of them another candy bar.  Love sharing our boys with Herb and Marg. 

Next we went to our other neighbors.  We don't know them very well, but when she opened the door and saw the boys, she knew exactly who they were!  She was excited to see them, and let the boys pick out their candy. 

We stopped a few houses down at the next light, and met one of our neighbors for the first time (Miss Pam).  She was so excited as she was just coloring a picture and needed 2 blue crayons - one for her ocean, and one for her sky!  Amazing that two were standing her porch just when she needed them!  (This was definitely more humorous for me than the boys)  She gave the boys their candy, and let them ring her doorbell - several times.  The boys loved it!

We crossed the street to see our neighbors who have a little girl that is just 2 days older than the boys.  They just had another baby the end of September, so they had a bucket of candy sitting out for people to help themselves.  Lincoln saw a skull in their flower bed though, and was afraid to get his own candy. 

We stopped at the next house, making our way back home.  I was hoping to meet the people who had moved in a few months ago, but they too just had a bucket of candy out for people to help themselves.  I was trying to get the boys to pick out their own candy, and I heard Jackson say, "Mommy - that's scary!"  I wasn't sure what he was talking about.  He was pointing to the door, and then I saw it - a statue of a monster standing in the sidelight window - his head was severed and "floating" above his body! 

After the 2 "scary" houses, we headed back home to warm up.

The boys were excited by all the candy they received, and were counting it in their jack-o-lantern buckets.  I wanted to go and meet another neighbor, so I convinced the boys to go back out to 1 or 2 more houses.  I assured them we were going to a nice house - like going to see Great-Grandma and Pete.  So, off we went to meet the nice older lady down the street.  She was tickled to see the boys, and just shook her head at the idea of twins.  After she closed the door, Jackson said he didn't want to leave.  He liked her goose on her porch.  I let him pet the goose, then we said goodbye. 

Lincoln told me we could go to one more house, and he picked the house with the flag.  By this time, there were more kids out, which the boys really didn't like.  However, they made it up to the door of the last house, and laughed at the "hand" in the candy bowl.  When we were leaving the porch, another child came up with a "Scream" mask, and both the boys clung to my legs in fear. 

We carefully made our way back home, avoiding all the scary costumes.  The boys were done. 
We let them each pick out one piece of candy to eat - they both choose M&M's, and they sat quietly on the couch eating their treat.

After we watch the Charlie Brown Halloween show tonight, we can put Halloween behind us for another year.

Hope all your little angels and devils had a great Halloween!  

Water turns yellow!

Lincoln is really picking up on what it takes to go potty on the big boy potty. 

He loves to sit on the regular toilet seat backwards instead of using the potty seat.  For the past week or so, he will start to go, then gets to laughing when he sees his potty, and the stream stops.  So, we've been working on pushing until it stops because there isn't any more to come out.

The other morning, Lincoln was doing his business, and I could tell he was really concentrating on keeping the stream going.  When he was finished, he yelled, "Mommy!  It stopped!  It's all out!"  I went and helped him off the potty.  When he was standing up, I said to him, "Wow buddy, you went pee-pee a lot.  See, you turned the water yellow!"

He was so excited.  He couldn't wait to get to Chickadees so he could show Miss Monica that he could turn the water yellow!

Yellow being Jackson's favorite color, I'm using it to try to get Jackson going potty in the big boy potty again.  So far, no luck.  Maybe someday!

The light is broken...

This is my first conversation with Jackson each morning.

I get him up, take him to the bathroom, and sit him on the potty seat.  As he sits on the potty, he looks around the bathroom.

Jackson:  "The light is broken."  (As he points to the one burned out light over the vanity)
Mom:  "Yes, buddy, it is broken."
Jackson:  "Have to get a new one to fix it."
Mom:  "Yes, we need to get a new bulb for it."
Jackson:  "This one is ok."  (As he points the exhaust fan light over the potty)
Mom:  "Yes, that light works just fine."
Jackson:  "Daddy needs to fix it." (pointing back at the burned out bulb)

We've had this same dialogue for a week now!  It makes me laugh to see that his throught process is exactly the same each morning.  Still amazed at the conversations I have with my boys!

Undressed

My sister had a beautiful baby boy about 10 weeks before my boys were born.  I often times look to my sister and her son for guidance on the "next steps" for the boys. 

This past weekend, my sister and I were sharing stories about how they are at a pretty good age right now.  They feed themselves, they walk to the car, crawl in their car seats - lots of things we used to have to do for them.  I told her I was floored last week when I asked the boys to take their coats and shoes off, and both boys did it all by themselves.  Her comment was "just wait until they can dress themselves".  She also has a 4 1/2 year old...so she's definitely speaking from experience.

What I leaned from the shoe incident and from talking to my sister is that I need to let the boys to try more things on their own.  Most of the time we are in a hurry, don't want to make a mess, or its just habit to do things for the boys.  But, they are almost three, and we need to start teaching them to be independent, to let them do things on their own, and accept that it's not always going to be perfect.

Knowing this and putting it into practice are two very different things.  It's a work in progress.

One night earlier this week I was cleaning up from dinner.  I asked the boys to sit down and take their socks off, and their pants too so we could get ready for bathtime.  Figured this would keep them out of trouble while I cleaned up. 

Jackson went right to it.  He pulled his socks off (using the "trick" that I taught him a few weeks ago), then stood up, unsnapped his pants, and pulled them down.  I laughed a bit as he struggled with getting his legs out of them, but he did it!  He was so proud of himself!  I praised him for doing such a good job, and reached to help take his shirt off and I got a resounding "No, Mommy.  I do it."

He struggled a bit at first with his shirt, and asked for help.  I gently encouraged him...."hey buddy, pull your arm out first.  you can do it!"  Sure enough, he got his one arm out of the shirt, and a smile spread across his face.  He ran around the kitchen for about 3 minutes doing a "happy dance", then got back to business.  He next pulled the shirt over his head, and then pulled it down off his arm.  It was off!  We made a very big deal about how he's such a big boy!

Of course then, Lincoln wanted to join in the fun.  He was still sitting on his chair at the table, but got his socks off.  He struggled quite a bit with his pants, mostly because he insisted on being on the chair (vs. getting down on the floor).  Jackson finally helped by pulling on the ends of his pant legs while Lincoln sat on the chair.  The shirt was more challenging for Lincoln, and time was running out on us, so I helped him with his shirt. 

Now Mommy and Daddy just need to have the patience to allow them to try more things.  Wish us luck!

One track mind...

Last night, was a balancing act.  Brian needed to mow the lawn, so we went home after work and he mowed the lawn while I played with the boys and made dinner.  We all ate dinner together, then got the boys bathed and ready for bed. 

We were running short on milk, so I needed to run to Costco to get some milk.  I asked the boys to give me hugs and kisses goodnight, as daddy was going to put them to bed.  "Are you going shopping Mommy?" one of them asked.  I couldn't lie to them, so I said yes, we need some milk, so I am going shopping.

Then Jackson looked at me and said, "Will you get us some donuts too Mommy?  Thanks".

All this boy thinks about is donuts!  He thinks we should have them everyday. 

Weekend at Mawmaw and Pawpaw's

We spent this past weekend at my parents house. 

Uncle Aaron rode up with us, and the boys provided plenty of entertainment.  They laughed and giggled for the first part of the trip as Uncle was tickling them from the back seat, or "scaring them" by saying boo! They eventually settled in for the ride, and started singing songs for Uncle...multiple rounds of the A-B-C's and the unending version of Old MacDonald (I think he had a zoo, not a farm Friday night).

Around 8:30, we stopped at McDonald's in Van Wert to change the boys diapers, and for the rest of us to use the restroom.  Uncle bought a Rolo McFlurry, and made the mistake of giving the boys a taste.  He ended up sharing it with both of them! 

Once back in the van, the boys drank their milk, and went to sleep for the rest of the drive.

A few minutes after arriving at my parents, I was informed that the boys weren't the only ones providing entertainment that night.  Somewhere along the way on Friday, the seam of my jeans (the one right up the crack of your butt) had freyed out!  Who knows how long the full moon was out on Friday....and I greatly apologize to the man that I bent over in front of at McDonalds!

It was a full house...and camper at my parent's.  RJ and Lyn were there with their kids, and RJ's parents rented a camper for the weekend as well.  We visited for a bit, then put the boys to bed, drank a few beers, and stayed up till 2:30 in the morning.  Typical Friday night with my parents.

Saturday, the boys were up about 6:30.  Brian fed them breakfast and got them ready for the day while mommy slept a while longer.  Pawpaw took the boys on a gator ride to see the moo cows, but most of the day was just visiting.  We met Miss Quinn for the first time, and caught up with her mommy Carrie.  Aunt Shirley and Uncle Larry came over to visit with us as well.  A beautiful Saturday afternoon.

The boys fell asleep watching TV, so Brian and I snuck out to church with my parents at 4:00.  We would have been fine, but we needed to go to the store afterward to get some beer.  When we were walking into the house, Dick asked me if I'd been drinking yet...and if not, I might want to as my son had just thrown up.
Not good.  It seems Jackson woke up from his nap, and got himself a little bit worked up over the fact that mommy and daddy weren't there.  Luckily, he threw up on the blanket, and Uncle RJ was there to save the day (as Uncle Aaron doesn't do puke).

The rest of the night was our usual trip to mom and dads...good food, great friends, and of course, drinks.  RJ's friend Joe and his girlfriend Caryn joined the party and stayed the night.  Uncle Bill joined us for dinner too.  We watched football and baseball, and just enjoyed the evening.

Sunday was the main attraction for the weekend - the 28th annual Lil' Chicago Canoe run.  I believe this is the 8th year that Lyn and RJ have participated. 

The day starts with breakfast at 8:00 a.m. - sausage gravy and biscuits, scrambled eggs, coffee, juice, etc. for any and all who want to join.  Around 9:00, everyone heads to Sodam Grange.  This is the start of the canoe run.  The participants and canoes go in the water, filled with beer, jello shots, Jagur-bombs, toilet paper, trash bags, and whatever anyone may need for their ride down the river.  It's a beautiful ride...check it out.

This was the first year for the boys. They weren't sure about eating breakfast outside, but loved the sausage gravy and biscuits, along with the powered donuts Mawmaw found.  They were excited when they saw the river and woods, and ecstatic once they saw the canoes with people in them.  They waved to Uncle RJ and Aunt Lyn, Dick and Tasha, and Joe and Caryn as they started their adventure. 

The canoe trip starts at Sodam Grange, and ends at a campsite located on my parents neighbors land.  It takes most of the participants a few hours to get to the campsite, so after the boat launch, we went back to the house and Pawpaw took my boys and Knox to go see the moo cows again.  When they returned, we went to visit Great Grandma and Pete for a bit, and were surprised to also find Aunt Ree and Uncle Jim there too.  The boys had a lot of fun playing with Aunt Ree, and singing their ABC's for Great Grandma.  We couldn't stay long, as it was getting to be lunch time, so we headed back to the campsite for lunch.

The boys had been looking forward to playing in the woods all week long.  So, when we arrived for lunch, they were more excited about running around and checking everything out.  We found some canoes that had already arrived, and we had to check the river out to see if there were any boats coming.  Getting them to settle down and eat was a bit challenging, and I'm so grateful for Aunt Lyn's Mac-N-Cheese.  They each also ate 1 1/2 hot dogs, and a cupcake.  Thank goodness we were outside as the cupcake was messy!

After eating, the boys ran around and played with other kids, and we visited with the other people at the campsite.  Around 2:00, I suggested we get on the Gator and go see if we could find where Aunt Lyn and Uncle RJ were, so mom and dad crawled on the front, then Brian and I sat in the back of the gator with our 2 kids and Lyn's 3 kids.  It was a full ride!

Baby Nash was so excited to be on the gator.  He waved bye-bye to all the people at the camp site, and continued waving his arms and bouncing up and down!  The boys were loving being on the gator again, and just being outside!

We found a few boats along the river, but they weren't part of our crew.  I believe there were about 24 or so boats this year.  I was about to give up and tell dad to head back to the campsite so we could head home when we heard someone.  Dad shut the gator off, and here came Lyn running through the woods toward us!  RJ was right behind her.  We visited with them for a few minutes, and then Lylah decided she had to go potty.  Lyn took her potty, and then Knox decided he should go too.  Wanting to be a big boy like Knox, Lincoln says "I need to go potty in the woods!"  There was no talking him out of it, so we dropped his pants, unhooked his diaper, and let him try.  Unfortunately, he hadn't had his milk yet, so as hard as he tried, he just couldn't go.  He was very disappointed!

We piled back in the gator, found the other 2 boats full of our crew, enjoyed a few of their jello shots, then headed back to the campsite. 

We were saying our goodbyes and getting ready to leave when the last boats (full of our people) came into shore.  The bottle of Jagur was nearly gone (and it wasn't a small bottle), so the boaters had a great day.  After a few more hugs and goodbyes, we packed up the van and headed back to Cincinnati.  Just as we were pulling away from the campsite, it started pouring, so we left at the right time!

Thanks to all our visitors, the Willingers, and my family for making it such a great weekend!  We'll definitely be back again for the canoe trip!