Webb World

Turkey Day

2011-11-24T12:36:00.001-05:00

I hope you are having a happy Thanksgiving. When Grant was three days old, we had to take him to the emergency room for a fever. It was his first Thanksgiving. They did a spinal tap and gave him an IV and drew his blood and hooked him up to monitors. I couldn't hold him. I was filthy because I hadn't even showered since we left the last hospital. Zach resorted to swearing at the doctors a few times. I just sat on the window seat crying most of the day. For dinner we ate hospital food. It was sad. Every year I think about that Thanksgiving and I feel thankful that time always passes and I know on my worst days things will get better.

I am thankful for Collin's quiet determination and Grant's loud enthusiasm. I am thankful for Zach's patience and Claire's smiles and coos. I am thankful for the humility and compassion I have learned from being a mother. I hope I don't have to learn much more of it.

I am thankful for my mom who taught me how to bake bread and my dad who introduced me to squash and sweet potatoes and all sorts of things I used to think were gross. I am grateful for my siblings and my in-laws and loyal friends.

I am thankful for my college education - especially my stats class that taught me to always ask questions and my humanities professor who always found comedy in art and literature. I am thankful for my boys' teachers who teach because they love it.

I am thankful for Target and Costco and my minivan and indoor plumbing. I am thankful the garbage truck collects my trash every week. I am thankful for computers and cameras and the Internet and modern transportation.

And... I am thankful for friends who like me enough to read a long rambling list of things I'm thankful for. Thanks everyone! Happy Turkey Day.

Zach couldn't stop laughing ...

2011-11-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

When he saw this hat on Claire.

I have never gotten more satisfaction out of playing dress up. He is still getting used to seeing a baby in girl clothes. Speaking of babies, my baby boys turn four this week and they are getting bikes. Oh they are going to die when they see them! Also, Zach has a birthday this week and has requested a day to play airsoft. For guys, there is no better way to make fast friends than to take them out in the woods and shoot them. I guess.

Let the kids dress themselves

2011-11-10T00:19:00.003-05:00

Remember last year when I spent about 60 hours making costumes that my boys refused to wear? I learned my lesson. This year we just took the boys to Target and let them pick out some of those high quality pajama costumes. Best 40 bucks I spent all month.

This month were using all our spare dough to get the goods in that bag scraped off their teeth.

Birth Day

2011-10-07T12:57:00.001-04:00

The day after my due date I had an appointment with the midwife. The baby showed no indication she was on her way, so my midwife, recognizing that my help would only be here for a limited amount of time, mercifully scheduled an appointment to induce me. I had four more days and I hoped that I would actually go into labor on my own. No such luck.

We had to force the baby out. The fantastic thing about being induced though is that you get to do your hair and makeup before you go into labor. Of course you still have to wear the hospital issued uniform.

The final stats:
11 hours of labor
6 Popsicles
2 Wonderful supports (my mom & Zach) to help me overcome my fear of needles
1 awesome epidural that made me extremely itchy. Do they all do that? Zach says I itched with the boys, but I don't remember.
1 push. One push? That's crazy!
1 incredible baby

Claire Marie Webb

Born Friday, September 23rd at exactly 9 pm

8 lbs 4 oz.

20 1/4 inches long

I love that Claire was born on the first official day of fall and exactly two weeks before my birthday (Yup, it's today). She was born with beautiful rosy skin and the doctors and nurses told me she had the lowest biliruben count they had ever seen 0.0. I'm pretty proud. She has really long fingers and feet and even though she is my biggest baby, she is slender like the boys were. Of course I think she is the most beautiful creature on the planet.

And so does her Dad.

And her brothers. She got to come home at just two days old, and it was good to get away from all those nurses with needles and just relax at home. Welcome home baby Claire. We are so lucky to have you.

Thanks to my personal photographer. Hi mom.

Can't blog ...

2011-09-29T15:17:00.001-04:00

Too busy admiring the baby!

The final countdown

2011-09-13T07:20:00.000-04:00

There are just five days until my due date and I really would like to know how I got here. Seriously, I do not believe that nine months have already passed.

I don't feel uncomfortable enough to want to have this baby out of me yet, I suppose that is a major advantage of having twins, because by the time I had the boys at 38 weeks, I would have done anything to be done with it. Still, I must look pretty awkward because Grant walked in on me as I was about to get in the shower the other day and the sight made him forget what he was doing. He just stood and stared at me with a confused look on his face (or was that horror) while I informed him I needed some privacy. He later asked if there was too much food in my belly. Well, that and a baby, Grant.

Here are some highlights I don't want to forget about this pregnancy:
-My morning sickness was so much less intense than last time, but it lasted longer. And I threw up more.
-I can lift my hands over my head without getting woozy.
-I can stand up long enough to cook dinner. Mac and cheese counts.
-I can look at, smell and think about food without gagging.
-I managed to carry this baby with no new stretch marks. Boy, you one-at-a-timers have it good.
-I can walk up the stairs without my legs aching.
-I chose the boys' names before I even thought about getting pregnant, but I have changed my mind about what I want to name this baby about 50 times. Zach has not changed once.
-I felt the baby move super early and she is active. This girl is going to be an olympian.
-I was able to stay awake past 9 pm and didn't have to fight off unintentional naps all day.
-I did not get monthly ultrasounds at my checkups. I felt so neglected.
-I craved chili, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, mayonnaise (that's so gross), and ice cream.
-I don't care if I never eat chili, Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers, or mayonnaise again. I don't think ice cream and I will ever part ways permanently.
-My nesting instincts are going crazy on me. My greatest joy in life is scrubbing toilets. Someone please explain how my house can still look a mess.
-I am so nervous to bring this new baby home.
-I am so excited to bring this new baby home.

2555

2011-08-21T22:24:00.003-04:00

Today at church Zach showed me his phone. The screen said 2,555. "That's how many days we've been married" he said. I didn't know whether to laugh at him or slug him. I don't like to brag about it too much, because I don't want anyone falling in love with him, but the last 2,555 days with Zach have been a pleasure.

When I am pregnant is possibly when I feel the most grateful I married him. Being married to an emotionally unstable, demanding pregnant woman cannot be the easiest job on the planet. I have sent him for midnight food runs, lamented to him about my shrinking wardrobe and forced a ridiculous amount of tasks on him that I feel must be done before baby arrives.

Last week I was doing dishes. The countertop and my belly were vying for position and I announced "I can't do this anymore." How did I do this when I was pregnant with twins? I will tell you. I never did the dishes. Zach did them the whole nine months. And where was I? Sleeping. It was wonderful, even though it took me three months after the boys were born to get everything back where I liked it in the kitchen.

I am lucky I married someone who loves me when I am at my best and when I am not at my best. I love Zach too and look forward to the next 2,555 days and beyond. Happy anniversary!

I love America

2011-07-04T09:52:00.000-04:00

Happy 4th of July. My boys are watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas in their swimsuits. Zach is painting the baby's crib. I am thinking about this. Maybe later we will fire up the grill and drink some Izzy sodas. Then we will fall asleep to the sound of fireworks.

Spring 2011: What we did and where we went

2011-06-20T17:46:00.002-04:00

I love spring in North Carolina. The trees are bursting with blooms and our cars are covered with yellow powder. Spring is just one more thing that I love that is going to kill me. Besides finding out we are having a girl, the highlight of this spring was when Zach quit his job. It was awesome! For about four days he got a taste of early retirement! We celebrated with a weekend at the beach.

Our proudest moment was when strangers started taking pictures of all the sand castles we built.

Of course, Zach had a new job to go to the following Monday. So far the new job is going great, but we really would like to figure out that early retirement thing.

We got to see Zach's brother get his Ph.D the next weekend. Well - Zach saw him graduate. I hung out with the boys because a graduation ceremony is no kinda place for three-year-olds.

But Georgia tech campus does have these really fun pipes that are an awesome place for three year olds.

and cousins too.

When the weather turned hotter than you-know-where we bought this rad slip-n-slide to help fulfill my only two summer goals. 1. The boys beg to go to bed out of utter exhaustion at the end of the day and 2. My grass stays green. At least we have the bed time thing down.

My sister-in-law Ashley visited for a week and we had a great time pretending her dog Duke was our dog. The boys were in paradise.

We took Ashley to see the bog gardens. They are probably pretty awesome, but it's hard to tell when there is sweat in your eyes.

We are looking forward to a fun summer but if it cools down a little, that's fine by us.

It's a Gwirl...

2011-04-22T20:03:00.007-04:00

...according to Grant. We are going to name her Charlotte. Ha! Just kidding. Get it? I appreciate a sense of humor, but that's just cruel.

Don't ultrasound pics look strange?

The ultrasound went great. Baby is developing normally. Zach is rubbing it in my face because he just knew it was a girl. I am surprised even though I didn't really have any guesses.

Finding out what the baby is is so strange. For me, it feels like the first little glimpse of who they are -- not just an extension of me. With the boys, it made me realize they had something about them that made them different from me, and with this girl, it was something that made her different from my boys who I have grown so familiar with. Can't wait to meet this little girl in September!

Why I should receive the mother of the year award.

2011-04-01T16:29:00.001-04:00

This week was the boys' spring break - they were home from school all week. Zach was in India for work. The amazing weather we were having here turned to snow and rain. Then, midweek, we all got sick and threw up a lot.

Fortunately, my supernatural nesting instincts have really kicked in and I still managed to keep my house spotless and fed my kids nothing but super delicious, nutritious meals. They don't even LIKE junk food and it's all because I am such a great mom. Oh yeah, AND I didn't let them watch any TV all week.

Want to see some proof?

April Fools!

P.S. I didn't make that pie. I bought it from Costco, which means it's about the size of an extra large pizza.

P.P.S. I didn't take any pictures, but I would also like you to know that the boys have been wearing the same outfit for three days now.

P.P.P.S. Zach gets home to the madness in just a few hours. I am anxiously counting them down.

The bed

2011-03-26T07:50:00.000-04:00

Last night Zach woke me up where I had fallen asleep on the couch and told me I have to come try out the new bed. The bed he was referring to is the one he just finished building for the boys. It was sitting in the garage. I crawled onto it and fell asleep until Zach woke me up an hour later and told me he was going to bed. Under normal circumstances, I could not be compelled to take a nap in our garage, but I will sleep anywhere when I am pregnant.

The white stuff

2011-02-10T15:52:00.002-05:00

Our friends and neighbors swear that North Carolina normally has mild winters. Liars. This is what it looked like the day after Christmas.

If we don't have to go anywhere, I'm all for snow.

Especially snow you can throw.

And roll. Grant rolled this ball all by himself. I swear. We put it on top of our little snow man. Grant calls snowmen robots.

We have been back in school for about 25 days and have had at least five snow days. One day we had a snow day because the forecast called for snow. They didn't even wait to see if any snow fell. It didn't. I admire the fact they are concerned for their students' safety, but their actual justification for closing sometimes eludes this Idaho girl.

They boys had fun at home stringing fruit loops.

And trying on my snow boots. Still, I prefer snow days with snow.

Too pink for the Webb household

2011-02-01T15:21:00.001-05:00

My sister who is mother to one cute baby boy, makes girly girl clothes for girly girl babies and packages them up with bibs and diapers to look like cupcakes.

Wouldn't this be a fun baby shower gift? You don't even have to wrap it. Want one? You can go to Leann's shop here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/PinkPinther

Oh yeah, she can make less-pink stuff too. Just ask. She's very accommodating.

Seattle Times

2011-01-27T15:22:00.002-05:00

Zach grew up just a ferry ride away from Seattle. I am totally jealous. On the other hand, Zach is jealous that I could hunt in my back yard and shoot a gun out my back door - if I wanted to. But I didn't want to.

I wanted ferry rides to the city.

Watching the street performers and shopping for things I don't need at Pike Place Market.

The fresh catch.

I still sorta want all that.

Grant disagrees.

My five minutes of fame and a new project

2011-01-19T22:42:00.001-05:00

My settee was featured on one of my favorite blogs: Better After! I am pinching myself. The feature has brought something that is totally new to my blog ... traffic. Welcome. Now I am looking around thinking boy, someone really needs to clean up around here. Or at least make a post for all the visitors to see.

So, I thought I'd introduce the project we'll be tackling over here for the next little while. The boys' room. I was worried Grant would be scared of these robots when I hung them, so we told him they were sooo cute. Now he sees robots and says "Oh, soooo cute."

And look what Zach is building!

It's not a robot. It's ...

beds! This design is based on Ana White's Farmhouse bed but we added some of our own modifications and I think they are going to look awesome. Also, enormous. This is solid wood and stuff.

Visiting an old friend

2011-01-14T16:55:00.002-05:00

After the wedding, we went to Lewiston for Thanksgiving. I forgot how uniquely beautiful Idaho is. Driving from Boise to Lewiston is my favorite scenic drive, and I have driven a lot of roads in this country. A lot. Driving from Rexburg to Boise is one of my least favorite drives. It gives me highway hypnosis.

In Lewiston, we got to visit with a dear old friend of mine ... my college car! It is in good hands, but I sure do miss it. One time it died on me while I was driving from Boise to Lewiston. No hard feelings, ok Bimmer?

P.S. This is northern Idaho, but snow in Lewiston at Thanksgiving is unusual. You're just going to have to trust me on that one. And accept that that is the reason I didn't bring any socks. Brrr.

P.P.S. We also got to visit some great friends and family in Lewiston, and I love them even more than my college car. But I didn't take any pictures of them. Actually, Zach was the only one taking pictures because I still had jet lag. It took me about a week and a half to align myself with Pacific Coast Time. I think this might mean I am getting old.

November fun

2011-01-11T11:06:00.002-05:00

My sister got married the week before Thanksgiving. In Rexburg. On the boys' birthday. She has a sense of humor that one.

Here she is with my mom. Every time I post a picture of her on my blog I get in trouble, but I couldn't help it. I love her dress.

My uncle entertained us by donning Emily's cloak. Hey Dean, you look good in white! It's cool if I post this picture, right? That's all the pics I took at the wedding the rest of the time my hands were in my armpits.

The next day it snowed six inches, and we had a pool party for Grant & Collin's birthday.

Who says you can't have a pool party in November. Indoor pools are awesome.

So is ice cream cake drizzling down your chin.

Open wide!

Settee: The grand finale

2010-12-30T16:32:00.001-05:00

Remember earlier this year (like 11.8 months ago) when I snagged a little settee on Craigslist and teased you that we'd reupholster it and it was going to be awesome?

As I am sure you can guess, it turned out to be a pain. After about five months we finally finished it and then I made the cushions, but they didn't fit quite right and the result was frumpy dumpy and I didn't really want to fix them, because I was tired of looking at that stupid brown fabric. So it sat there for months annoying me. Last week I found some sweet accent pillows and it inspired me to fix the cushions. I am so pleased with the final product:

Just looking at it feels like Christmas morning for me. Now to furnish the rest of the room...

{Merry Christmas}

2010-12-24T11:14:00.003-05:00

It has been a difficult but happy year and we are grateful for all your friendship and support. Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.

With Love,

The Webbs

My Top Three

2010-12-08T01:09:00.004-05:00

November is the month that all three Webb men have their birthdays. In three days, Grant, Collin, and Zach turned 3, 3, and 30, respectively. To keep with this theme of triplets, I wanted to share my three favorite things about them.

Zach:
1. Zach is the official nick-namer of the family. We each have several nicknames, but I think the funniest is how he calls the boys papas, which in this case is not another name for dad, but the Spanish word for potatoes.
2. Zach can fix anything and enjoys doing it - most recently it was the furnace, and thank goodness for that because we have had unusually cold weather here in NC lately.
3. Zach is a patient, thoughtful and fun husband and father. I think we hit the jackpot with him.

Grant:
1. Grant can recite the story of the three little pigs, and I think it is so cute I make him do it for everyone. Watch out at the end of the story. In his version, the wolf not only blows, but spits your house down.
2. Whatever the weather, Grant requests to go swimming outside daily. Don't worry, I don't let him.
3. Grant is a fantastic helper and a wonderful friend to those around him.

Collin:
1. I love when Collin gets really tired because he starts to laugh uncontrollably. I think we could record is laugh and sell it. That's how adorable it is.
2. Collin loves to stand on chairs and "preach". He babbles jibberish while pointing his finger and waving his arm. I think it's really funny except when I think it's probably an impression of me.
3. Collin has a such a sweet disposition and is very affectionate, just as long as you don't take his trains away.

Happy birthday to my three favorite people on the planet. I love you guys!

The Boy Box

2010-11-09T23:25:00.002-05:00

Zach made the boys a toy box. He worked on it for weeks. He lovingly sanded, stained and polished it. The boys love it too, but not so much for keeping their toys hidden neatly from view. They love to climb into it and close the lid on themselves. We are now in search of a mattress that will fit in there so they can just put themselves to bed.

The Proud Lion and the Reluctant Elephant

2010-10-31T21:48:00.001-04:00

I worked all month. I sewed every nap time. I neglected all my household chores - more than usual - to make the boys' costumes myself this year. I think it might be the last year because they took forever. But they turned out so cute! Sadly, the boys hated them.

Feeling a little rejected

But we finally got a break at our church trunk-or-treat party. Grant fussed in his costume and we forced his mane over his head for a picture and that's when everyone watching said "Oooo, he's so cute!"

See how proud he looks? If there is anything this kid loves more than free candy it's a good compliment. Who doesn't? I'm pretty sure its the reason people start blogs. Sadly, Collin didn't ever take to his the same, but we did get his ears and trunk on long enough for a few pictures. See - he hates it.

His eyes say it all

I love these costumes, but I think next year I will just order some. Or I could start on next year's costumes now ...

An Anniversary

2010-10-06T15:26:00.000-04:00

A year ago this week we moved into our house. To celebrate, we cut a hole in the ceiling

... and installed a light fixture.

Home ownership has kept us busy. In the past year we:

Replaced 11 of the original light fixtures and added 2 more
Stained the back deck
Replaced the rotting railing on the front stairs

Painted our kitchen and living room - with the help of my brother and dad
Cut down a tree
Replaced siding that fell off our house - twice
And framed this mirror

Framing the mirror made us realize we need to replace the light fixture. If we replace this light fixture we will have to repaint the bathroom. If we repaint the bathroom, we will want to replace the flooring. If we live to be 100, we will never finish all our "projects". That's ok though, we still love being home owners.

Happy Fall

2010-09-23T22:29:00.003-04:00

Are you enjoying the first few days of fall? Here, it means the weather has become comfortable enough for us to go outside with more than just bathing suits on. Hello again our dear swing set!

Zach has been doing what Zach is good at. That is: finding ways to increase the boys' adrenaline tolerance. As you can see, Grant is already a junkie. I shutter to think at the volume of adrenaline their brains will crave once they get their drivers' licenses... Evil Knievel look out.

It's just not right

2010-08-23T21:06:00.002-04:00

When I dropped the boys off at their very first day of school today, they looked a lot like this:

But I couldn't stop thinking of when they looked like this:

How did this happen? I feel like I just lost my job.

North Carolina tree monkeys

2010-08-11T16:29:00.003-04:00

Just some of the strange wildlife that is native to the southeastern United States.

A Webb Family Rule

2010-08-09T16:23:00.001-04:00

Dinner attendance is mandatory. No matter what. Even if you lost your shirt and didn't sleep at all last night.

I'm serious.

Our favorite date night - back in the day (Hyaa!)

2010-07-17T10:57:00.000-04:00

Note: I am afraid of the archives. Those moving shelves could squish somebody. Also, since when does the HBLL have a snack zone?

July the Fourth

2010-07-17T10:29:00.001-04:00

We went downtown for the Fun Fourth festival. The boys were a little worried about this statue, and so am I. It is supposed to be a grasshopper. Does this look anything like a Grasshopper to you? Where is his exoskeleton? Why is he furry?

We found a great spot to watch the parade. The boys loved the candy.

Zach was invited to join the Beard and Mustache club. I think he should. I like facial hair. On men.

Grant got a flag painted on his face. He loved it because his dream is to wear makeup like mommy and shave like daddy.

Then the guys cooled off in this awesome fountain. Ahhh.
So there you have it. That's our year so far. The part we took pictures of, anyway. See you round.

June

2010-07-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

Zach goes to El Salvador for work. He takes the camera so I don't get a picture of the boys puking a million times and the fire men that came to break into my house when I went to get the mail and turned around to find the doorknob broken.

We discover finger paints and Zach shows Grant a new application for them.

I cut the boys hair. We don't get a picture of Grant because it takes two of us to restrain him while we cut his hair. It has been weeks and his hair still looks horrible.

Zach builds a picnic table that is the perfect size for our little guys.

While concentrating on a giant bottle of bubbles, Collin makes a face that looks exactly like Zach's.

Grant learns to sit in the big boy swing.

We visit a butterfly farm and Grant gets wrapped up with his friends in a moth cocoon.

Then we go see the butterflies and discover that they totally creep Grant out. He clings to me for protection as we get a picture taken with the butterfly.

Boo.

May

2010-07-13T10:57:00.000-04:00

We escape to Topsail Island with some friends. We don't wear shoes for an entire week!

The boys are outnumbered 2-1 by girls. They don't complain.

Zach shows Grant how to use a skim board.

Collin and Grant dig some holes for the beach joggers to break their ankles in.

We learn the difference between dolphin fins and shark fins.

Hang Ten!

April

2010-07-12T10:13:00.008-04:00

We visit Heather in Washington, D.C. The boys are done posing for pictures.

We get a blurry picture in front of my favorite kitchen.

We love to see the temple.

And see that place where Forrest met up with Jenny.

But all the boys really care about is riding the train. I think we do some other stuff during April, but apparently nothing that was worth photographing.

March

2010-07-09T10:01:00.004-04:00

We have nearly every family member coming to visit the Webb residence this month. I decide that is not enough. I kick of the month by holding a baby shower at our place. A few hours later, a friend visits all the way from Washington - the state, but we don't think we should always have to clarify. The friend who introduced Zach and I, in fact. The best kind of friend, if you ask me.

Two days later, Zach's mom Suzie comes to town. We take her to the zoo. Grant poses with a seal.

Zach's brother and family come up from Atlanta to see us and Suzie. We take them to see Guilford County Courthouse. It is haunted with British soldiers. No wonder we won the war. Just look at them lying around. Everyone leaves.

We get careless about our parenting and Grant takes a bite of every apple in the fruit bowl. My sister Emily comes for a visit. We take her to the zoo. She and the boys pose together for lots of pictures, but I'm not allowed to post pictures of her on my blog. We go shopping. Emily goes home.

My parents and my brother Jacob come for a visit. We take them to the Outer Banks. We see a lot of sand dunes.

We pose for a picture where Mr. Wright made his first flight. In all seriousness, standing here was actually sort of a spiritual experience for me. Then we take them back to my house and I make my dad and brother paint my kitchen and living room. Don't you think I have a cool brother? He spent his senior year spring break helping to paint my kitchen.

February

2010-07-08T21:40:00.000-04:00

We are driven to madness with the endless snow and cold weather. Aren't we supposed to live in the South? We have a freakishly warm weekend. We buy a zoo membership. Collin poses with a Gorilla.

The Ghost Town

2010-07-08T21:35:00.002-04:00

Today I happened to check out how many visits my blog has had since I last posted. Guess how many. 616! That's right, 616 views of my sad, vacated blog that is started to be overrun by strange, Chinese commenters.

To be honest my blog and I have had a rocky relationship the past few months and I have been toying with the idea of completely abandoning it. But with all of the moving we do, we have friends scattered all over the country who I really miss and this is the best way to keep in touch besides Facebook, I guess, but that's a whole can of worms I really don't want to open.

So, I thought I'd make a little update to let you all know what we're doing. I'm not promising any regular posting, just an update for now and then we'll see ... Stay tuned

How cool is Collin?

2010-04-28T11:20:00.000-04:00

So cool his hair styles itself.

Mt. Hood

2010-02-15T10:56:00.000-05:00

As much as I love North Carolina (a lot) today I am wishing I lived here. Replace these flowers with strawberry plants and raspberry bushes and that's my childhood. But I'll take the flowers too.

The Po' Boys' Snow Shoe

2010-02-07T22:53:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday morning found us once again with six inches of snow and no snow shoes for the boys. Zach went to Wal-mart, but there was nary a boot to be found. So we improvised.

Turns out Collin is a mountain goat in the snow, but I had to pry Grants arms off my neck after our brief outing. For an Ohio baby, he is a bit of a weather wimp. But so am I.

Am I over-analyzing this?

2010-01-29T23:06:00.004-05:00

I've been wasting so much time lately trying to decide how to decorate the boys big boy room. Maybe you could help me choose:

Idea 1: Robots
Quilts from this fabric by David Walker:

Plus Prints from johnwgolden's etsy shop:

And some glow in the dark star stickers on the ceiling of course. I love the whimsy, but I'm a little nervous about getting bored with it. But I don't want to always make the safe decision, right?

Idea 2
But then again, I'm really drawn to very simple, masculine rooms like this one:

And this one:

They're both crowd pleasers, right?

Idea 3

I love the idea of a bedroom wall-papered with maps like this room:

I'd just wallpaper it up a few feet and add a chair rail, with light blue walls on top.

And I think that would look awesome with a quilt like this one by Denise Schmidt:

With some airplanes on the ceiling, like these from Pottery Barn Kids:

Would it scare you to wake up and see something hanging from the ceiling though?

And I worry that the appeal of map wallpaper may not be widespread. Do you think it would scare off a potential buyer someday?

Maybe I should decorate their room like this one:

I hear this motif is quite popular in the South.

You know that I am not considering this, right? Right?

What's in my sink?

2010-01-21T14:28:00.003-05:00

In my Peanut Butter Jar?

In my Pantry?

It's just the beginning of a lifetime of finding things where they really shouldn't be.

Is anyone else constantly finding things where they shouldn't be? Who is the culprit in your house?

The state of things

2010-01-18T14:19:00.000-05:00

We finished removing the 9,820,378 staples from our little couch last Tuesday and are just starting to put it back together. I can't wait to show you the final product. It is going to be awesome. Or frumpy, depending on whether we can learn to make the lines straight.

In other news, I came downstairs today to find the boys watching a movie that they started THEMSELVES! There wasn't even a movie in the DVD player. They used their awkward little two-year-old fingers to insert a DVD, turn on the TV and push play. Unbelievable.

When DIYers go crazy

2010-01-11T23:16:00.000-05:00

After last weekend I am the proud new owner of two unfinished chair frames and a badly abused loveseat, as well as 5 yards of fresh upholstery foam, 5 yards of webbing, 5 1/2 yards of chocolate upholstery fabric and 1,500 upholstery staples.

Grant likes it.

Maybe it was the fifths disease that caused my brain to talk me into taking on this project.

It was amazing how quickly we tore apart our new little love seat. We spent the weekend removing staples and watching upholstery how-to videos that convinced us we can do this -- even though we have no clue what we are doing. Our hands are stinging like crazy. I almost cried today when I couldn't open a jar of pasta sauce. Ouch. But pain is beauty. I can't wait for my new living room furniture to be done!

I think I am going to put my love seat right here and put the piano by the stairs. I am still wanting to paint it but I changed my mind about blue. Now I am entertaining white or gold. I also wanted to show off this painting we scored at a consignment shop. It is so calming. Sometimes i just stand on the stairs at look at it.

I saw my future and all I can say is: GO BACK.

2010-01-04T15:56:00.001-05:00

New Years Day I woke up with itchy feet. I showed Zach, who declared it was from my disgusting shoes I wear every day (harsh) and sprayed my feet and shoes with some sort of odor eater/bacteria killer spray I didn't know we owned. Later, I went to take a shower and realized my body was covered with a rash. Is that too much information? It was red and splotchy and it looked like I had a sun burn -my sunburns are always splotchy, my body hates the sun- even though there is no way the sun had even touched my skin in the frigid temperatures we've had down south. The rash went away quickly, but my feet stayed bright red.

In my head I was making a list of everything I could be allergic to. Our new sheets? Sparkling Apple Cider we drank to ring in 2010? The Chipotle I ate last night? Still, it didn't seem like a big deal until I woke up the next day. My toes, feet, ankles, hands and wrists were swollen. My joints ached, my feet itched, and I felt like an eighty year old woman. I could only walk with straight legs like a barbie doll and even my fingers were clumsy and sore. It hurt to stand up, walk down the stairs, type, everything.

WebMD wasn't much help. I typed in my symptoms and pulled up Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, a tick bite, not what I wanted to see, and they all seemed highly unlikely. Then I called my mom who offered a more hopeful scenario. "When I was your age I had fifths disease. It sounds like that" she told me. I called my sister-in-law who is a doctor and described my symptoms. Without me suggesting it, she said fifths disease. She's a smart one.

Fortunately, fifths disease is a common viral infection with temporary side effects and the presence of a rash means I am no longer contagious (woo hoo). Any friends I have seen for the last few days can breathe a sigh of releif. A trip to the doctor today confirmed what I suspected, and I am happy to report my symptoms are a lot milder than they were this weekend. It was a relief to find out this was just a temporary problem, and humbling to start the new year off feeling weak and useless just when everyone is getting ready to accomplish amazing things with their new years' resolutions. As usual, it took a crappy illness to make me feel grateful for my health. I am lucky to have a body that works as well as it does. Thanks to all my friends who offered sympathy and support this weekend.

Happy New Year

2010-01-01T10:25:00.002-05:00

Time to start your diet/budget/workout regiment. I will be hibernating.

Terror in Mayberry

2009-12-30T22:40:00.035-05:00

Today we visited the home town of Andy Griffith to take the boys to the Mayberry Soda Fountain.

We got the boys milkshakes. In return the professed their undying love for us. Bet then we told them they had to share with their parents.

They protested by throwing tantrums and rolling around on the floor. They were so noisy the local townsfolk were forced to throw them in the slammer for disturbing the peace.

Funny. They were aptly dressed in flame orange jackets.

Anyway, the sheriff was a handsome guy, but he wasn't too happy about our overall rowdiness.

He didn't let them go until we posted bale. Then they fell asleep on the way home. That's pretty much how our day went.

A very Webb Christmas

2009-12-29T22:39:00.001-05:00

For Christmas we filled our house to the brim with Webbs. Eleven Webbs under one roof to be exact. That's a personal record for us. I don't have many pictures to show for it though, my photographer was tired.

Swinging around on Christmas Eve. Observe Zach holding onto his firstborn only by his leg. A scary practice, but it's worked so far...

A swing set full of Webbs.

Christmas eve brought the traditional Chinese food dinner (A Leavitt ritual), a nativity reenactment, opening the first present and leaving cookies out for Santa.

Then comes ...

Christmas morning. New jammies new toys, lots of candy. The boys looked like this the rest of the week. No kidding, I am going to declare more pajama days and save myself some laundry work.

What Christmas is all about

2009-12-21T09:16:00.000-05:00

Thanks Linus.

Dear Mother Nature,

2009-12-19T14:22:00.001-05:00

Thank you for the magical Christmas snow.

It was just what I needed. Now I'm finally feeling the Christmas spirit.

The boys like it too.

Grant is very cautious in the snow.

Does this remind you of anyone you know?
P.S. Please melt quickly so the Southerners will stop wrecking their cars.

Love,

The Webbs

Christmas entertainment for 2-year-olds

2009-12-14T23:49:00.001-05:00

Last week I hosted a party for our preschool group. Since I was hosting, I was all flustered and didn't really know how it all went down, but my friend Andrea emailed me these pictures yesterday, affirming the fact that Grant and Collin must have had F-U-N!

Exhibit A:

Grant covers his face in frosting, then gets picture taken. Heaven.

Exhibit B:

Collin with a knife in one hand and his trusty firetruck in the other. Zach believes this firetruck will go to college with Collin, and the knife fetish, well I can only hope he grows out of it by then.

Thanks Andrea. Your journalistic photography skills are impressive!

This can only mean one thing.

2009-12-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

He was on the roof at 11:00 last night hanging Christmas lights. Now he is on a ladder with a chain saw taking down the tree in our front yard. Yup. I am married to Clark Griswold.

Left out

2009-12-09T12:33:00.000-05:00

I hate being left out. I don't like to leave other people out either. That's why I have decided I will send a Christmas card to no one this year. Not even my grandmother. Seriously, don't even worry about it. I will not be sending you an adorable picture of our family. I will resist sending you long letters of the glorious progress we made this year. You will not be getting a Christmas greeting from me in your mailbox. Or even an eCard. That way, I won't forget about you.

You're welcome.

Merry Christmas.

Hey. Teacher. Leave these boys alone.

2009-12-04T12:18:00.002-05:00

Four months ago, I got together with some friends to organize a pre-school for our toddlers. We are way ahead of the curve here, my boys won't start Kindergarten for over three more years. I was excited to sculpt my boys minds and turn them into toddler geniuses.

Sadly, my dreams of raising boy wonders has been slightly hampered. When I say hampered I mean completely dashed to pieces by the fact that the boys REFUSE to cooperate. When I picked them up one week, my friend reported that Collin crawled on her dining table and tried to swing from the chandelier.

"Really?" I responded. "He never does that at my house" I said, with my fingers crossed behind my back.

The next week they both developed bad hearing and their feet got stuck to the floor where the toy box was. Once when it was my week to teach, Grant ignored my energetic lesson on animals that live in the ocean and showed his friend how to climb in our fireplace instead.

I am sad to say that at the end of the boys first semester of school, their report card will have a giant W.

That stands for WILD!

P.S. I give the teachers an A for effort! School was awesome, and I am glad I could help turn your children into toddler geniuses.

Thanksgiving Recovery

2009-12-02T12:18:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving is over and I feel I am starting to recover from the whole whirlwind. Our family had several firsts. Zach and I stuffed and roasted our first Turkey. We picked out an 18 pounder. What were we thinking? That was two pounds per person, including the smallest person, who doesn't even eat baby food yet.

We hosted Zach's brother's family, the first time we got to host Thanksgiving.

Zach and I went shopping on Black Friday. At 5 in the morning. For the first time ever. We scored some sweet deals and the crowds actually made me feel giddy. Normally I despise crowds. Maybe I'll go next year too.

Grant ran away for the first time when his cousin left our back door open. He was discovered 20 minutes later by our neighbor's dog and he was returned to us with a smug smile on his face. Then he was grounded for the first time in his life. It should take him about 10 years before he even knows what that means.

Ben and Rebekah watched the boys while Zach and I saw New Moon. After the movie, I told Zach I had bad breath and he said, "Well I have Vampire Breath". I love that guy.

I hope your Thanksgiving was just as fun. Now I have to go clean the leftovers out of my fridge before they turn green.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present ...

2009-12-01T08:54:00.001-05:00

Zach, Collin and Grant's television debut. Aren't they cute?

McDonald's is our kind of place

2009-11-30T22:12:00.002-05:00

Now he can eat all the dirt he wants.

Today, the boys got their final flu shot. To celebrate their awesome new powers of immunity, we went to the germiest place in town-McDonald's play place. The lady who took my order must have had some gender confusion issues. She called me "sir". Twice. And she gave my boys Strawberry Shortcake toys in their happy meals.

Ten minutes of fame

2009-11-30T20:22:00.002-05:00

Check out Channel Two news tonight at 11 and you might just recognize these handsome men.

Double it

2009-11-24T11:33:00.002-05:00

My dad says that kids are supposed to be half their adult height on their second birthday. Grant and Collin had their two-year check-up today. They are going to be 5'8". We'll check on that in 18 years.

A real conversation that happened on the way to church.

2009-11-22T13:46:00.001-05:00

"Please sir, I want some more"

Zach: I think begging is so big right now it has become a new sport. If I were a beggar I would have clever signs and then I would record how much money each one got me.

Amber: Good idea.

Zach: And then I'd write a book and sell it to other beggers.

Amber: Uh huh.

Zach : What a job. You can just go beg on your own schedule.

Amber (sounding a little concerned now): I think your job is pretty good too though. Right?

My twins are two

2009-11-19T12:34:00.012-05:00

Grant and Collin turned two today. I can't believe it. It just sickens me that little kids have to grow up so quickly. Why can't they just stay young and innocent and care-free?

I want them to grow up, it's just if I could prolong the process I think I would be a little less overwhelmed by the warp speed growth. Nevertheless, I came to terms with it and threw a little party for them and their pre-school group today.
The invitations: I have always been an opponent of scrapping, but I may have loved making this. What's happening to me?
The shirts are a bit small, but they'll do.

My newly painted white chairs go great with the decor!

Thing one and thing two cupcakes with cotton candy hair.
The party favors: blue play dough in tiny "fish bowls".
Green eggs and ham.
Grant stayed awake for the whole party. Collin did not.

P.S. Party inspiration came from here, here, and here. I love the Internet.

Ida and the Idahoans

2009-11-18T12:14:00.004-05:00

What do you do when your family visit coincides with three straight days of driving rain?

You whittle...
You celebrate everyone's birthday (we have three in November)...and you go biking AFTER the rain clears.

I love North Carolina!

Dear Zach

2009-11-17T08:11:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday! I love you.

P.S. Remember your 23rd birthday? We saw Pirates of the Carribean at the dollar theatre and you told me you liked me.

Happy Haunting

2009-11-16T16:24:00.005-05:00

I so wanted to make homemade costumes for Grant and Collin this year, but I had no time after our move. Luckily we had these shiny outfits my sister bought them in China, so they were ninjas. They loved trick-or-treating, until we went to our neighbor who had a talking statue. I've never seen Grant run so fast.
My mom flew in the day before so she could pass out candy for us. She always looks like this!

Please don't tell my boys there is candy in these packages. They just like the colors and the noise they make.

Jack - O - Lantern

2009-11-16T10:38:00.007-05:00

We showed the boys how to carve Jack -O-Lanterns this Halloween. Because the boys have not yet earned their "Totin' chip's" they got to decorate their pumpkins with stickers.
Grant did a pretty good job with his stickers. Collin just ran around waiting for the perfect moment to steal our carving implements. It has come to my attention that he is obsessed with knives. I have a lot to worry about folks!Aren't pumpkin guts the coolest?Our trick-or-treater's were impressed with Zach's "Jack" and my "Monster".

Blog slacking?

2009-11-16T10:27:00.001-05:00

Blog slacking? Is that what you think I have been doing? Good golly no! I have been busy gathering some sweet material to post on my rockin' awesome blog. You'll see!

The Handyman Can

2009-10-28T13:40:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my handyman, I no longer have to look at that UFO light thingy:

Before:The handy man:
After:
Way to go handyman. We found that table on Craigslist. I am going to paint it white. I can't wait.

Pumpkins anyone?

2009-10-27T13:27:00.005-04:00

Grant says: "Can I interest you in a pumpkin?"
Collin says: "I want YOU to go get a pumpkin!"

Our House

2009-09-30T15:22:00.002-04:00

Just got the keys today. Yeah!

The boys' latest new word:

2009-09-19T22:19:00.001-04:00

Choo choo!

Second hand goodness

2009-09-16T16:34:00.002-04:00

Have you checked out Kijiji? It's like Craigslist only pretty.

Pat it and roll it ...

2009-09-15T12:15:00.003-04:00

Did you know making play dough is super easy and cheap? Plus, when you make your own play dough, you know what your children are eating.
Ok, I guess that's still kinda gross, but fun too.

In medium saucepan combine:
1 Cup flour
1/4 Cup salt
2 T. cream of tarter

In separate bowl combine:
1 Cup water
2 tsp. food coloring
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Add to flour mixture

Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until dough forms a ball. (I had to knead it afterward to mix the food coloring.) Store at room temperature in a plastic bag or air tight container.

Oh hello there.

2009-09-14T11:34:00.006-04:00

I know you haven't seen much of of us lately. We've been busy enjoying every last part of summer. Here's what you've missed:

Picking blueberries.
Playing cars.

Camping.

Attending the Wyndham Championship.
Watching John Daly golf in black and red tiger striped pants made me realize golfers are more fun than I thought.

We are planning on a busy fall that may include BUYING OUR FIRST HOUSE! But I think buying a house is like getting married. Nothing's final until you've said "I do". So you'll have to stay tuned to find out what happens.

What do you think, Stephen Spielberg?

2009-09-01T12:45:00.007-04:00

A guy at the park told me Grant looks exactly like the little boy on Close Encounters of the Third Kind.I say we are TOTALLY renting that movie this week.

Five Years Ago Today ...

2009-08-21T14:28:00.005-04:00

You'd never guess it was pouring rain a few hours earlier.
I love that Jacob is the shortest person in this picture. If we took it today, he would be the tallest by far.
Happy Anniversary!
P.S. Happy Birthday to Nathan two days ago and Leann today! Want some cake?

Good Reads

2009-08-07T11:43:00.003-04:00

For the life of me, I cannot pry this book away from Collin's tiny hands.

More Webb Adventure

2009-08-05T21:46:00.004-04:00

Great news! My computer is up and running again. No more missing my internet connection. It's such an amazing thing really, and I felt so isolated without it. The best thing is I get to post these pictures we took at the beach last Saturday ... that's right ... at the beach! We live so close we can just drive there for a day. Aren't you jealous?The weather report said there was a 50% chance of rain and lightning, but looking at that blue sky, you'd never know.Grant is really passionate about excavation.A couple of beach bums.

Zach made sure the boys' pants stayed on.

I'm feeling a little jealous of us too!

Hospitals, Thieves and other stress factors

2009-07-20T21:28:00.004-04:00

I was stressed today. Sunday night we heard that Zach's sister was in a bad bike crash. She was in the hospital alone. The closest family member is 5 1/2 hours away. We are 14 1/2 hours away. We've been planning how to help her get things in order from all the way over here.

This morning I was planning to keep things low key to help me deal. When I came out of the bathroom from putting in my contacts, the monkeys were hard at work playing with my computer. Gasp! I quickly confiscated it, but it was too late. Now when I turn on my computer it says something about a memory error. My computer tech is still working on the problem, but who knows what will come of it.

So I was glad after family home evening when Zach said, let's go somewhere. We decided to go to an awesome second hand store Zach's friend told us about. It was great and the boys were being so well behaved. I was just admiring a great pair of shoes for only a fraction of retail price when a thief walked out of the store with a giant pile of clothes on his arm. Chaos. The employees were panicking. I lost my interest in the shoes. I guess I felt violated too. And even more stressed.

We went to get ice cream. But I got stressed when they told the lady in front of us that they ran out of what she had ordered. And they couldn't refund her credit card because they were incompetent. Then, once we sat down with our ice cream, the above mentioned incompetent employee came and told us our credit card didn't scan. "So? That's your problem buddy. You are the one who is obviously incompetent." At least that's what I would have said. My stress level was reaching dangerous levels. Good thing he asked Zach, who cooly handed over the credit card and let him ring us up again. Then Collin started trying to jump out of his chair. Then the store got really packed. But there were only three tables. Then I kept having to tell people that yes, my boys really are twins. And I didn't feel like talking to anyone. I just wanted to get the heck out of there, cut my losses and go to bed. I'm glad I get to try again tomorrow.

I'm glad Heather does too. She's got some broken bones, a punctured lung and will be going through a few surgeries, but if anyone can recover quickly, I think Heather can. Please pray for her if you get a chance. Thanks.

Does your Mom have a blog?

2009-07-16T11:08:00.005-04:00

Mine does. And I just wanted to say to my friends, cousins, aunts, grandma's, in-laws, etc. who read my blog but don't have their own that it's free and really easy to start your own. And you need one. Because I want to know what you're up to. To start, look up. At the top of a screen is a little link that says "Create Blog". Go ahead, click on it. Hey, are you still reading this? Get a move on.

Three down, two to go

2009-07-15T11:16:00.010-04:00

Leavitt family weddings, that is. It was fun being at home to help prep for Nathan and Ashley's wedding. I got to help sew favor bags and table runners. See? So cute!

I got to watch my mom make the flower arrangements for the dessert buffet and watch my sister make those awesome brownie pops. Sadly, I didn't get a close up so I'm afraid you can't fully appreciate their awesomeness, but they really were amazing. And see the lemons, I got to make lemonade with those after the reception. I'm gonna share that recipe sometime.I got to see people I haven't seen in a very long time.
My brother Jacob and my Aunt Trish.Five generations Collin, My dad, Grandpa Cal, Great-Grandma Eloise, me, Zach, GrantMy mom, who was exhausted from trying to keep her grandson from jumping into the fountain My sister Leann

Cal, Dean, Me, Collin and my in-laws Suzie, Ron and my brother JacobCal, Lindsay, Natalie, Nadene, MelissaGarrett, Randall, Skylar, Jacob, Noelle, Dean, Wende, anonymous bride and groom

BartSteve, photographer, Nathan and AshleyWende, Emily, who arrived from China just hours before, and a friend

And my husband. He couldn't come for the whole month because he jad some work to do, including a trip to China, where he got me those pearls. And that bag. And I just wanted to show them off. And I'm working to get him to post pictures. Stay tuned.

P.S. Jacob gets a prize for being in the most pictures.

P.P.S. That's just a handful of my family. Would you believe it?

And here we have Idaho ...

2009-07-13T22:44:00.006-04:00

So, what did the boys do during our month long trip to Idaho?

They learned a new word (vroom vroom)
They ate cherries right off the tree (seeds and all)

They cooled off in the river.

Grant learned how to drive a boat; they have relaxed driving laws in Idaho :) And they single handedly postponed my brother's wedding. I don't really want to talk about that. Read about it here instead!

We're ba-ack

2009-07-09T23:10:00.005-04:00

Perhaps you have noticed my prolonged absence from blogging. I didn't want to announce it on my blog because, well, I didn't want a burglar to know and rob my house while I was gone. We've been out of town for a whole month visiting the spud state, and other places too. But we're back at home and nobody better think of burglarizing our place while I'm here with my pepper spray and set of well-sharpened kitchen knives. There are lots of stories to share (including an adventure over seas) so stay tuned.

One hundred and one posts

2009-06-03T11:55:00.005-04:00

We went to Atlanta a few weekends ago to visit Ben and Rebekah and family. They were awesome to show us around even though they are expecting a baby at any minute.

Here they are, looking like a bunch of models.

And here we are, looking like a bunch of frazzled tourists.

Look at the pose Hazel made. Honestly, these people are naturals.The boys found the only patch of dirt at Stone Mountain.And Zach climbed the top. Thumbs up Zach. I loved Atlanta. A lot. Thanks Ben and Rebekah!

2009-05-22T14:16:00.003-04:00

Every state I live in, the drivers seem a little crazier, more aggressive, more impatient than they did back home. Now it all makes sense:

Where the worst drivers live

Piano quandries

2009-05-20T19:18:00.003-04:00

I really want to paint our piano blue. I know it sounds wierd, but who do you know that has a blue piano. I think it would be awesome. The main thing that's stopping me, besides our lack of space to paint it, is Zach who doesn't really think blue is an appropriate color for pianos. But today I saw this green piano on Design Mom and I swear she was thinking the exact thing as I was. It gave me courage. It costs a fortune to have a piano refinished. Ours sounds great, is in good working order, but has several stains and it just looks a little sad. I think a nice bright paint job would be just the thing we need to keep that piano going. If you agree, please tell Zach sometime for me would you?

Weekend zookeepers

2009-05-18T13:08:00.002-04:00

The boys saw some wild animals last weekend.Grant cast a dark shadow over meerkat manor. Collin tamed a wild peacock. Then we came home and took a nap. Nice Saturday.

Calling all family and friends

2009-05-15T21:17:00.004-04:00

Hi folks. My brother Nathan is getting married this summer. If you know who that guy is, and you think you should get an announcement, please email my mom your address. Her email is erin5mar [at] clearwire.net. See you there.

Jam Session

2009-05-14T16:07:00.005-04:00

Monday night, Zach and I made two batches of strawberry freezer jam. Zach helped during commercial breaks of 24. We used exactly all of the good berries we had not eaten. Tuesday we were at the park when the groundskeeper told me there were tons of strawberries we could have for free. I went and picked myself enough berries to make two more batches of that amazing strawberry jam.

My only regret is that I have been eating store bought jam all these years. It was way easier than I expected and I got to make it just like I wanted it. For example, I like smooth texture. No pulp in my orange juice please. And I don't like strawberry chunks in my jam, so I pureed it all, even though the recipe said not to. The jam didn't mind.

Friends, go out and make yourselves some freezer jam, you will not be sorry. It will inspire you to make home made bread and fruity oatmeal bars. You'll make enough for a year and devour it all this month. All you need is strawberries, fruit pectin, lemon juice and sugar. Lots of sugar. How can you go wrong?

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream a la North Carolina

2009-05-12T15:31:00.006-04:00

This one's kind of an original. In other words, I didn't read the recipe before hand so I didn't have all the ingredients that I needed Sunday afternoon. So I had to improvise.

Ingredients:

4 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup whipping cream
1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

With ingredients like this, how could you go wrong?

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix milk, sugar, vanilla, whipping cream and sweetened condensed milk. Puree the strawberries in a blender and add to milk mixture. Freeze in that ice cream maker you got for your wedding and hardly ever use (aren't you glad you didn't re-gift that?) according to manufacturer's instructions. Unless you have my ice cream maker. Then go ahead and double the time recommended by the manufacturer. Pour ice cream into a freezer-safe container and freeze for four hours. Yummmmmm.

Strawberry love

2009-05-11T09:38:00.001-04:00

On Saturday morning the Webb residence was on fire. We felt ready to accomplish anything. I got my haircut at 8 am. Zach went golfing at 9. I finished making for a bridal shower gift for my sister-in-law to-be while the boys napped. At noon, Zach got back, we woke the boys and fed them lunch, then took them to Bernie's Berries.

It was a strawberry heaven. The boys ate anything red that they could get their hands on. I think that also may have included some green stuff, and probably lots of dirt, but they were happy. We picked eight pounds of strawberrys. Eight pounds! They were so beautiful, we just couldn't help it.

We came home covered in berry juice and threw some of the strawberries into a giant fruit salad. Then we headed off to a good old southern pig pickin' hosted by some good friends. MMM The barbeque was delicious. Our fruit salad was gobbled up immediately. We headed home when it started to rain and the boys went to sleep happily, something they just don't do lately.

Sunday morning Zach made us some amazing strawberry crepes. After church, we realized that our remaining six pounds of berries needed to be dealt with, post haste. I whipped up some amazing fresh strawberry ice cream, which I ate for lunch and dinner. Happy Mother's Day to me! I'll share the recipe later this week, because it was super good. Today, I'll be making jam with the remaining ten pounds. These berries are multiplying I tell you!

Mother's Day Advice

2009-05-06T15:47:00.003-04:00

Last year, on Mother's Day in Ohio, all of the women at church received the traditional carnation as a sweet gesture of gratitude. A month later, on Father's day, all of the men, Father's and Father's-to-be, were invited to enjoy a donut and chocolate milk after church. I stood in the hallway waiting for Zach to collect his donut as mother after mother walked by and told me they wished they got donuts on Mother's day. Interesting. Just thought you might appreciate that information before Mother's day rolled around again.

May Day special

2009-05-01T08:50:00.008-04:00

Two years ago today I sat in a doctor's office in Ohio for my first pregnancy checkup listening to my doctor list the things I couldn't eat. "We'll do an ultra-sound to check on the baby, and to see if there is only one." She said. "I'm just nervous I'm wrong about being pregnant," I admitted. Never mind the fact that I had been constantly nauseous for weeks and going to bed at 7 every night. I was still in denial.

Then she found the baby on the ultra sound screen. Zach and I couldn't believe it. There was a head, arms, legs, and we could see a heart fluttering madly. This baby really was living inside of me. "So there's only one, right?" I joked. "Actually," the doctor said, well, you know what she said. She moved her magic wand and there they were, two tiny babies, hearts racing. We. Were. Shocked. I was shaking, my head was spinning. I was so nervous my veins retreated and the nurses had to use a baby needle for my blood work. We left the doctor's office and gave eachother a goodbye kiss, but we missed. Tried again. Missed. "Ok, see you later," I said and we got in our cars to drive to work.

As I drove to work I couldn't stop thinking about the two babies. I thought about getting two carseats, two high chairs, a double stroller. How would we fit two cribs in our tiny apartment? How would I ever be able to get two babies up and down the narrow staircase that led to that tiny apartment? What if I couldn't tell them apart? I also felt a new sense of protective instinct. I realized I actually had two living beings growing inside of me. It was amazing, confusing, scary and exciting all at once.

As it turned out, our apartment was very cramped. It was really hard to go anywhere. We lost a lot of sleep that first year and worried way too much. But having our boys has been an absolute joy. I am happy to report that since that first year, things have gotten much easier. We stress less and we've even moved to a larger, lower apartment. Sometimes, we sleep through the night entirely uninterrupted. The best part is, we love being parents. We can't imagine life without our boys, and we can't imagine how boring it would be to have just one.

The cat's meow

2009-04-29T21:39:00.001-04:00

This is Grant with one of his best friends, a hand puppet cat that his Grandma Mary made for him. He makes a good friend, but he can be embarrasing too. At church on Sunday I was wearing the puppet on my right hand and playing with the boys when we were asked to raise our hands to show support for a church member in his new calling. 150 hands went up, but only one was wearing a cat hand puppet. Oops.

Thumbs up.

2009-04-28T21:34:00.002-04:00

Zach has a gimpy wrist lately. Poor guy. He's been taking it easy, but it's nearly impossible to avoid lifting babies, opening jars and other manly activities. But he did get a nifty new brace. You like?

Weekend review

2009-04-27T21:02:00.004-04:00

Hope you had a good weekend. We helped with a church service project by cleaning up a park. Collin found a whole Vodka bottle. Zach found a bike and two tires. Then we got to enjoy the playground!

This is how Grant likes to go down slides.

This is how he likes to land. And I'm the Mom who takes pictures of her children falling instead of catching them. He's tough.

Too close to call

2009-04-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Lately, the question on everyone's mind is: "Are those boys talking yet?"

And the answer ... It's too close to call.

Hot Dog!

2009-04-21T16:22:00.003-04:00

I made these shirts for the boys. Aren't they awesome? Find out how here.

Oh yeah, Collin was loving the camera today.

Well, what do you think?

2009-04-17T11:28:00.001-04:00

I could live here:

During our five years of marriage Zach and I have lived in five different apartments in four different states. As I mentioned yesterday, Zach just got a new job here which he plans to keep for awhile (economy permitting) and that means we actually might stay here long enough to buy a house. What do you think? I know you all have opinions, horror stories and success stories and I want to hear them! Let me know all your advice for choosing a house, or do you think we should just keep renting?

Here are some of the reasons I am reserved about it:

-I eventually want to move out West. If we get a house here, will we stay forever?

-According to Forbes.com, Greensboro is the fourth most empty city in the US. On the same list as Detroit.

-I just can't believe we might stay ANYWHERE longer than a year.

And here's why I am thinking we should just go for it:

-$8,000 tax rebate!

-Low interest rates.

-Great prices, probably has something to do with the fact that no one wants to live here.

-I have completely given up on making our apartments feel like home. I don't even hang pictures anymore.

Mr. Webb goes to work

2009-04-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

Zach is starting a new job today with the innovation team. Wish him luck!

It's a jungle in here

2009-04-14T12:06:00.001-04:00

Like monkeys, my boys always squat when they are eating. But they don't always eat while squating on the table.

Generation tech

2009-04-13T12:05:00.002-04:00

Does your 17-month-old know how to text?