Potty Training

I have been dreading this moment with the twins, yet also looking forward to it. Dreading it because I'm potty training two wild and crazy boys at the same time and things can get way out of hand really fast (like when they both have to go potty at the same time). Looking forward to it because we've paid a small mortgage on diapers the last few years and I'm ready for that to come to an end. It's totally for selfish reasons that I'm pushing them to do it right now, but I figure it's a long process anyways so it's better to get on with it.

We've been trying since back before Christmas and they are having good success going when they remember to tell me or when I'm consistent and put them on the potty. The hard part is them communicating to me when they have to go before they are already in the process of having an accident. I decided to go full steam ahead this week and let them start wearing underwear. The last few days have been non-stop action and they've had some accidents here and there, but I'm sticking with the positives and pulling out any kind of bribery I can. I just keep telling myself how nice it will be to not buy diapers any more and it makes me feel like I can persevere  and do this. It is such a frustrating process with one child, but with two I feel like it takes absolute CONSTANT VIGILANCE. Can't let my guard down for a second or I'm finding little surprises. I'm hoping by this time next week we will be making more progress. They are loving wearing underwear and cry when I put a diaper on them for bedtime. I hope that is a good sign.


The whole reward system is kind of funny and sad at the same time because sometimes Kale goes potty and gets a cookie and then Cooper cries because he wants one too. Then I have to tell him that he doesn't get one until he goes potty. So then his smart little mind figures out that he'll just get me to take him in the bathroom and he'll act like he needs to go and he'll just go a tiny bit and then race back to the kitchen for a cookie. They are too smart I tell you!  I need to stock up on more candy and suckers!

A Major Award

This picture was taken a few weeks ago when Riley was at his company's (Sprague) corporate office in Tacoma. Pictured to the right and left of him are the two owners of the company Alfie and Larry Treleven and on the far end is his director of sales Jerry Shuck. Riley was there to receive the Lawrence Treleven Circle of Excellence Award. It is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes individuals each time they've reached 1 million dollars in contract sales. It is their tradition to also present each awardee with a new suit jacket and Riley is wearing his in this picture.

When most people ask Riley what line of work he's in and he replies sales for a pest control company, most people think it is for a small time operation that people call when they have bugs in their house. Sprague is actually a very large company serving 9 regional states and is also partnered with the international company Copesan. Riley is one of their national account managers for the eastern Washington/Oregon region. Some of the businesses he works with are hospitals, schools, hotels, commercial and industrial, food processing (that's a big one), grocery stores, restaurants, and resorts. Their company not only helps protect the public's health and property, but also the productivity and safety of businesses. It always makes us feel good when we eat, shop, or stay somewhere that we know his company provides services for. What is also worth mentioning is that Riley was able to reach this goal while also coaching two soccer teams last year and having to devote much time to that as well. He works really hard and has to travel a lot, and we really appreciate all he does for our family.

Cabin Fever

School was cancelled again for today and I think the novelty of the snow is starting to wear off for the kids. They all wanted to go outside shortly after breakfast this morning, but the twins only lasted 10 minutes and Kendle came in shortly after them. Morgan is still holding out strong. He's waving an icicle around like a wand and pretending to be Harry Potter. He shouted "Avada Kedavra" at me, so I'm not sure if I should be worried or not that my 4 year old put a death curse on me.

The roads are just horrible, so I don't really want to take my chances venturing out. I'm such a chicken with bad roads (especially if the kids are with me). The snow plows don't come around to all of our little streets so they are seriously a mess. Riley did his good deed for the day when he went out before work and helped one of our neighbors get their car unstuck when they were trying to back out of their driveway. I tried to convince him to shovel our walkways and driveway again last night, but he was positive from the weather reports that it was going to melt off and start raining later today anyways so he'd rather not waste his time. I had him go to the grocery store last night and at least get us stocked up for a few more days just in case.

Today I'm making some homemade chili and letting it simmer all day long. We'll have chili and cornbread for dinner. I think we need to replenish the cookie supply as well so we will probably be making some after lunch. Lots more movie watching in store too. I'm starting to get cabin fever a bit. Hard to keep all of the kids entertained and happy when we start to feel cooped up. I really need to mop my floors, but what's the point when there is a constant flow of wet footprints and snow being tracked everywhere? Kendle had a sleepover at her neighbor friends house last night and has been hanging out with the neighborhood girls non-stop which is good. If I keep her busy that solves half the problems. Ha!

Well, hard to get motivated to do much besides curl up in front of the fire with a book, but I better get folding some laundry and throw all the wet snow gear in the dryer.

Snow Day

We had ourselves a full fledged snow day here in our little neck of the woods. The anticipation of the much talked about snow fall was what everyone had been buzzing about for the past few days. Would we, or wouldn't we get tons of snow dumped on us like they'd been predicting? The kids came in to wake me up at about 6:30 to tell me we had lots of snow and much more was falling fast. We had finally gotten our beautiful winter wonderland we've been hoping for. Kendle had already checked the school delays and closures and was happy to find her school had a 2 hour delay. Morgan didn't have preschool as well so the kids were pretty stoked. They were in their snow gear and out the door by 7:45.  I decided to just keep Kendle home since Wednesdays are early release days anyways. It was a wise decision. The snow just dumped on us all day long and there was a chill wind blowing snow everywhere. We had big drifts blocking our front door and the back sliding door. The wind finally died down, but it was still pretty bitter cold and the temperatures continued to drop. Later in the afternoon things started to freeze and we now have gigantic icicles hanging from the roof line. I talked Riley into having a snow day with the kids as well, so he took them sledding after lunch for a good two hours or more and they had a blast. Then they came home and Riley shoveled the driveway off and did the sidewalks and the kids played in the snow some more. The twins went out for a little while to hang out with Riley, but as soon as they get cold they're done and want to come in. It doesn't help that they fall down every five seconds and get totally covered in snow. It was a good day and we've already heard that school is cancelled for tomorrow as well. The snow fun (and all the constant putting on of coats, hats, gloves, boots, scarves and then taking them off again and drying them out) will continue!

Here are a few pictures of the children bright and early this morning: