Here's a look at some pictures from 2008. How time flies! It seems like just yesterday I was having the boys and Caroline was just a toddler!!!!!
So.....Here's the deal. Jack is three years old now and still not potty trained! I have successfully potty trained two other children, but Jack is just having no part in this peeing on the potty thing! I know, I know.......he's not going to go to Kindergarten in pull-ups (I hope). But really, he's three.
He is more than ready, he's just plain lazy. He tells me he needs to go on his terms......like when he's not in the middle of playing. Most of the time he could care less if he is wet. This past week I have kept him in underwear for the most part.......and mopped up pee and changed underwear SEVERAL(ok--MANY) times a day. Every time he pees in his pants he just tells me that he needs new clothes......like it's no big deal! I thought, surely when he feels himself peeing down his leg he will want to stay dry--WRONG! Can you sense my frustration?
Here are some things I have tried:
* Setting a timer and taking him on a schedule--(I know, that's training me, not him...don't judge)
* Rewards for going potty (stickers and/or candy)
* I let him pick out his new underwear and made a big deal of it.
* Just waiting for him to tell me when he needs to go.
* Lots of praise....calling everyone we know to tell them he has peed on the potty.
Here are the things that have failed for us:
* See above list of ALL the things I have tried!!!!!!!!
HELP!!!! Any suggestions?
We had such a fabulous Christmas! Thank you to all of our family for all of the fun stuff. The kids are still as happy as can be playing with all of their new things! I'll take pictures soon of them playing with all of thier new stuff.
What a fun year to start some new Christmas Traditions. The kids are at the perfect age to understand the joy and excitement of Christmas. 
This is Paco, our Elf on the Shelf. If you don't know about this cute little tradition, check out the link. We had such a great time with him this year! The kids were obsessed with him. Every morning the kids would jump out of bed to see where Paco had moved to. They did lots of "confessing" to Paco and asking him to ask Santa to forgive them. So funny!
We also figured the kids were big enough this year to start the yearly viewing of Rudolf and the Island of the Misfit Toys. Tim wanted to start this each year. He has fond memories as a child of gathering with his family and watching this Christmas Classic. I had idealistic expectations......We would drink hot cocoa and snuggle in front of the TV. WRONG!!! Everyone spilled their cocoa, and were sticky from head to toe. Then they all fought and cried about who was gonna sit on mommy's lap. Too bad I don't have Three knees! It was pretty chaotic, but we finally settled down for the movie.......when there was only 14 minutes left!!! Maybe next year.
We made cookies for Santa, and the kids decorated them. Notice Will didn't have time to sprinkle sugar on them, he was too busy eating them as fast as he could!!!Wooohooooo!!!!!!!! Winter break has officially started for me. I honestly needed the break, and am looking forward to spending two long weeks with my kiddos.
This seems to be the conversation happening at our house. This is the first year that the boys are starting to figure out that they have the same birthday. It's funny to me that they really don't make the connection that they are twins, and have to share everything......even a birthday!
I can't believe that my BABIES are turning 3. Where has the time gone? It makes me so teary eyed to think that they are getting so big. I am looking forward to the time ahead of us, but I just can't figure out how they got so big so fast!!!!
We had a small party for the boys today. They had a great time. Jack just ran around the house screaming, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! So cute. Here's some pictures of birthdays past and present!
They blew the candles out together in perfect unison!
Do you see how thrilled Ella and Caroline look? Good thing their birthdays are coming soon!
This was a hit. Thanks Grammie and Pa. It's still running.......4 hours later!
Will loves this cool transformer mask!
This was their 2nd birthday. Look at those baby faces.
This was their first birthday. The curls and chubby cheeks absolutely melt me!
The day they were born. This is Will. It's hard to believe they were so tiny.
Here's Jack. This is/was hopefully the only birthday they will ever spend without each other!This was the boys' birthday gift from Pootie and Icky Pop. OMG.......they love it!!! Jack was quite hesitant at first, but then drove it around like a maniac. Sissie loves it just as much as they do! I anticipate hours and hours of fun out of this truck.
This was one of the rare moments where Will is driving. Jack was mostly behind the wheel, which was just fine with Will. He was content to sit in the passenger seat and talk on the walkie talkie.
Caroline got the hang of driving really quick. She was such a fast learner!!
I just threw this one in because I think she's so dang cute!!Jacker took all the popcorn from the bowl, and loaded it into his remote control dump truck. You can see what happened next. He spent about 20 minutes vacuuming up his mess!! Never a dull moment.
His thumb and his silkie. It is still just as precious to me as it was when he was tiny! Here's a look back at some thumb and silkie shots. Can I just tell you, every one of these pictures melts my heart!!! I just might let him go to kindergarten with a silkie!!!
The boys got new hats and mittens recently. Of course Will is obsessed with them. This is him after his bath, in his jammies with his hat and mittens on. Go figure!
Poor little Jacker is sick........again! Have you noticed a pattern in all my sick kid posts?? They're usually about Jack. The poor kid is always the one who is sick. He has an ear infection and a junky cough. We started an antibiotic today, so hopefully we'll be on our road to recovery!!
Today we put up the small tree in the playroom and all their stockings. Let's just say that it got them in the holiday spirit. Check out the video below. They are all "on their stage" holding bell ornaments and SCREAMING the song, "Tinker Bells." It was so funny. It ended up just being a shouting match between the three of them--well, mostly Jack and Caroline. Too funny. Oh, and don't pay too much attention to their eclectic Sunday attire. Ha ha!
Tim and I braved the crowd and went shopping the day after Thanksgiving. We went later in the morning, so it wasn't as crazy as I was expecting. We did get a few good deals on some gifts for the kids. The highlight of the adventure was lunch together......alone. Doesn't happen very often.
Then Friday night we put up the tree and I took some pics. of the kids in their Christmas pj's for our Christmas cards. Quite the eventful night.
The kids were really interested in the tree and ornaments this year. They intently watched as I unwrapped each ornament and wanted to know where I got it and who gave it to us. Every unbreakable ornament we own is on the bottom of the tree, placed carefully with love by one of these three little monkeys. Needless to say, the finished product is VERY bottom heavy. 
This is an out-take from our little photo shoot. I'm off work today and I have spent the day playing with my kids. I have been so busy lately that we have been just going through the motions of family life. Today has been different. We took the day to enjoy each other and have fun.
We did some fun crafts this morning, and then headed outside to play some games. They are getting old enough to enjoy games like duck duck goose, simon says, red light green light, etc. We had a great time together, and now everyone has settled down for a nap. Speaking of nap, I'm not far behind them!
Making macaroni necklaces
Caroline had so much fun, and was giddy when she saw her finished product.
Jack preferred mostly yellow macaroni.
This activity was hard work for Willie. But Mr. independent finished without help. Yay!
So proud!
The look of accomplishment!
Miss priss!
This was a turkey craft everyone enjoyed. Especially Caroline!!I can't believe the weekend is already over. Time flies when you're doing nothing. Today we have just hung out and been lazy. Me and the kids, that is. Tim had to work today. Yuck!
Sat. morning Caroline and I went with Heather and Katie Pettigrew to breakfast with Santa at the Holiday Market. We had a good time. Thanks for the tickets Erin! Although, Caroline would have absolutely nothing to do with Santa. She preferred not to even get close! She did love the clown who was there making balloon sculptures.
Sat. night Tim and I had a date. We went to dinner and a movie. We went to see Twilight. I enjoyed the movie, but of course not as much as the book! We had a nice evening alone. Those are few and far between. Thanks Sue and Larry for babysitting.
Now I'm off to get clothes ready for everyone for tomorrow, and kids ready for bed. The story of my life ;)
