The Other Coast

Following my graduation, I boarded a plane and headed to Massachusetts to spend time with Meg and her family and friends before her West Coast relocation. With humid 90+ degree weather we spent lots of time outside -- and inside -- sweating profusely. Which, of course, warranted all of the beach side lounging, forested hiking, and abundant consumption of cold beverages that took place throughout the week. If only the kiddos and my mom, the forever in-demand Grandma, had been there as well...

Meg braving the cold water -- in contrast to the mid-90 degree air -- in her hometown.



An opportunity to wear my Polka Dot bikini!



Beach babes.



Meg's hometown. Not quite like mine.


A trail in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.



Mid-hike.



Meg, posing for an REI shoot(?), at our final destination.



Meg icing her 2 week post-op knee.



I have no idea what is going on in this photo.



Gorgeous lady -- various dirt deposits on her face and all.



Meg's current workplace at Harvard soon to be replaced by the Pacific Northwest.

Today

This afternoon marked the completion of my massage school program. Other than the logistics of graduation, my days involved with the massage institute as a student are finished. While I wait the anticipated 8-10 weeks for the Department of Health to issue my license, I will be able to spend so much more time with these individuals doing, well, whatever we want...

The Wonder of Twins

There are times that I find myself struck by the awesome-ness of twins. I feel well-versed in the Mother of Multiples role, but what is the experience of actually being a twin? What does spending such a significant amount of time with a sibling feel like -- from in utero, to birth, to tandem breastfeeding, to co-sleeping, to reaching each milestone more or less together? I find it easy to move through the hours, days, weeks, and months following the ebb and flow of motherhood without really stopping to contemplate the gratitude I feel in having twins. I truly appreciate both Anders and Jorja as distinct unique individuals -- along with their undeniable twin status.

A Trek to The Mailbox

A standard Mailbox Peak description from Washington Trails Association, "Wimpy hikers, turn the page. This trail offers nothing for you but pain and heartbreak." This trail offers hikers a hefty 1,500 feet per mile to climb.

What better peak to climb on a ridiculously wet and foggy day? None, of course. And so Dan, Jen, and I decided to open the 2010 hiking season with a mud slog up Mailbox Peak.

Pre-trail parking lot smiles.



An encouraging sign at the trailhead.



Dan and Jen shrouded in weather.



Nearing the summit.



Freezing at the summit with the infamous mailbox in the background.



Jen and her cheese stick.

Fashionista

This afternoon it was all Bumble Bees and Leopard prints for Anders.

I let my child wear what he wants and I still get this look.



The serious face breaks.



Jorja joins in with her Ready for Summer outfit (or, in this case, ready for a typical mid-50 degree, cloudy Seattle afternoon).

All of This Before Breakfast...

I clean-up the playroom each and every night once the kiddos have drifted off to sleep...apparently to witness the amazing amount of organizational "un-doing" Anders and Jorja can manage in a matter of minutes the next morning. Maybe I should consider utilizing my evening "free" time in a different manner?

Sibling Togetherness

I finally managed to capture both kiddos in a single photograph -- several times actually. They might not be smiling in tandem (or at all), looking the same direction, engaging in the same activity, or seeking the same result, but they still appear to be having a splendid time exploring -- together(!) -- the ins and outs of the park.









And a final shot of our buddy, Shay.

And Then There Were Five...

kiddos at the beach. We spent time with Nicholas, Raleigh, Scout and their corresponding adults yesterday afternoon. A solid 1.5 hours with no rain -- success in a relentlessly wet city.

Anders tempting Scout to climb high.



Five kiddos (and one attentive adult) enjoying the endlessly exciting task of throwing various pieces of nature into the water.



Anders and his log. What size log will he be carrying next spring?



Jorja and Scout givin' love.

Runnin' Rampant

A portion of our recent Portland visit included running free through Grandma's courtyard with various outdoor "decorations" -- a flamingo wind chime and hummingbird lawn ornament being the big hits. All of this in a courtyard reserved for quiet, mature adults who generally stay on the concrete pathways...oops.

Naptime: 0, Anders and Jorja: 1

Naptime is losing.

Other than the afternoons in which someone other than Momma and/or Mommy transition the kiddos to naptime, Anders and Jorja are successfully keeping their eyes wide open from 6am until 6pm. What happened to napping until 4 -- or at least 3? Isn't that what all the child-rearing books mention? Isn't there some kind of guarantee?

Here we have Anders and Jorja lounging in my bed, wearing my pajamas, and reading my books that they retrieved from the top of my dresser that they accessed by standing in a drawer of my clothes...during "naptime" in their bedroom.