KETTYVILLE... Just me and the girls!!!

Love of my life!!!!!

2011-05-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

This one goes out to my wife!

55 MONTHS AGO TODAY...

Sara Ann McDermott made me the luckiest guy in the world! I married her this day 4 years and 7 months ago!

Sara, I talk about and write about our girls enough, but don't get a chance to recognize and celebrate how meaningful and happy my life is with you in it and all of the things you have blessed me with!

Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we???

MY BEAUTIFUL BRIDE!

LOOK AT THAT HOTTIE PATOTTIE ON THE BEACH!!!!

CABO SAN LUCAS - OUR HONEYMOON!

TRYING TO KEEP PACE AND LOOK AS GOOD AS SARA!

JUST LETTING EVERYONE ELSE KNOW WHO SARA IS IN CABO WITH...

WE WERE DISTRAUGHT THAT WE HAD TO LEAVE....

LOOK AT HOW GOOD SHE LOOKS EVEN WHEN PREGNANT WITH TWINS!

OUR FAMILY IN SUMMER OF 2008

MOTHER'S DAY - 2010

MOTHER'S DAY - 2011 - HOW FAST THEY GROW!

I'M MARRIED TO MY LIFE-LONG PARTNER AND LOVE OF MY LIFE!!! I WANTED TO CELEBRATE YOU TODAY, SARA, ON OUR 55th MONTH TOGETHER (OFFICIALLY)!!!

YES!!! - ANOTHER RAINY & COLD MAY DAY...

2011-05-26T11:44:00.000-05:00

Is this weather legal? I mean seriously - is it????

I thought March/April/May were months that pointed us to the warm weather......ummmmmmm......

HELLOOOOO - IT IS ALMOST JUNE!!!!

So, I figured I'd take it into my own hands and say good-bye to FALL/WINTER/SPRING with some nice memories of this awfully LONG cold, rainy season!!!!

Take your hoodies off girls - it is almost June - time to get outside and enjoy the sunshine....

Put your sleeping bags away girls, take off your long sleeve shirts, and let's go run through the sprinklers!!!

You too Kinsley - time to take off those wintery jammies and replace it with a tank, shorts, and flip-flops!

Good-bye snow pants, jackets, hats, mittens, and boots! HELLO SUMMER!!!!

You too Mommy - take off your wintery outdoor gear and help us welcome the summer heat!

You're getting close Kinsley - don't look confused - really - the sun is coming, the heat is coming so let's shed that jacket and hat!

BRING ON THE HEAT - I WANT TO SWEAT AND FEEL MUGGY AND HOT!!!!!!

Bathtub Location is EVERYTHING!

2011-05-24T14:24:00.000-05:00

Ady, Riley, and Kinsley are still little enough that they all 3 still fit in the tub together and are still at the stage of LOVING BATHS!

No matter what time of day it is, Sara or I could ask any one of the girls if they wanted to take a bath and they respond with a resounding and emphatic YES!

However, that is when the trouble begins, because it is scamper for the bathroom, while removing clothes as quickly as possible so that they can get a seat next to the "ALL IMPORTANT FLOWING WATER"! It use to be where Ady and Riley automatically got the best seats in the house (picture below), but now

Kinsley is old enough to understand what she has been missing and wants a piece of the action. Sooooooo, now Kinsley automatically gets a Row 1, Seat 1, while Ady and Riley have to take turns sitting next to her.

See all of those toys - no need for those - a successful bath contains only a cup each so that they can fill it, pour/dump/splash on one another and then repeat process!

No matter how much water ends up on my clothes and the floor and no matter how much they don't listen to me while there is water going everywhere and no matter how frustrated I get sometimes because they're doing everything but listen, this picture makes it all worthwhile - what a bunch of adorable cutie-pies huh?!?!

My girls need new waterbottles - HELP!!!!

2011-05-24T10:56:00.000-05:00

I'm ABSOLUTELY sick of our cabinet of water bottles, sippy cups, etc. And we have a boatload of them - it is amazing to me how you just continue to hold on to these things and continue to buy more because Dora and Boots, or Elmo, or flowers, or pictures of animals are on them. My question is - AM I BUYING DESIGNS, OR AM I BUYING A WATER BOTTLE?

All I want is something that is going to hold whatever type of liquid that I decide to put in there until one of my thirsty daughters decides to take a sip. Is that really too much to ask?

Now, I'm not a science guy - but with our technology, there has to be a water bottle like that, but we don't have it!

These are the water bottles and/or sippy cups that we have....

A leaker
A spitter
A spiller
A sloppy sweater
A squirter
A ringer

About a year ago, Sara and I broke down - we did - we went out and got a Camelbak at Dick's Sporting Goods - fantastic - it was on clearance/sale (it can't be clearance if a water bottle still costs over $10 right?) for like $14.99. We spent $32 once you include tax and pretty soon we're going to be paying federal, state, import/export, company, and private investor taxes so that it will end up at like $43. O.K. - that is for another time!

So we have had them for a year - a blue one for Riley and a pink one

for Ady (Ady's exact one is pictured, besides the picture on the water bottle - I'm sure that cost an extra $1 for some other tax).

Now, unless I'm mistaken - this doesn't have a warranty right? Is there a time limit until it goes bad? The company's description is this:

The Camelbak Kids’ Water Bottle is the most advanced sippy cup we’ve ever seen, and your upholstery will be thankful for it. This water bottle combines the patented CamelBak Big Bite™ Valve with a stem tube and a shut-off vavle. Easy for kids to use and easy for parents to clean, this bottle eliminates drips and spills—kids just bite and sip and the tasty beverage flows, no tipping involved. The wide mouth bottle makes refills a snap as well. So your kids stay hydrated and happy.

THIS IS IT - THIS IS THE ONE I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR AND TALKING ABOUT!!!!

The only problem is, is that this isn't it - these are the ones that I was describing above - they spit, squirt, leave rings, leak, sweat, and spill - UNLESS - there is a certain time limit that they begin to go bad, like I said we have had them for about a year now.

I have been complaining and whining about these water bottles, which we fill with juice for the girls everyday, and everyday I get squirted at, I wipe up rings of juice they leave behind, I find sticky spots all over the place, etc.

ARGGHHHEHAMAKSDMAL;KSDHALKJELKASDFJ;N;LAKJFAJ;ALKFJ!!!!!!!

I'm ready for ideas - anybody got a good water bottle out there that I should invest in?

2 MONKEYS & 1 LADYBUG...

2011-05-23T13:14:00.001-05:00

A BLAST FROM THE PAST -

HALLOWEEN...

ADY KINSLEY RILEY

It has been about 4 months - WOW - need to catch up!

O.K. - so very, very cute costumes right? Well - Sara has really turned into one heck of a bargain shopper and once again she has come through in absolute SHINING COLORS! I believe the costumes were about $8 on sale - WOW!!!! And of course Kinsley got the "hand-me-down" from Ady & Riley last year.

I think Kinsley will continue to get "hand-me-downs" and that is just the way it is! I am 1-of-5 - stuck right in the middle and I got hand-me-downs throughout - they are just fine! But don't worry Kinsers, you'll get plenty of new stuff as well!

Trick-or-Treating went well - Kinsley was in the wagon and the girls walked or took turns in the wagon. And forget about tricks - we were all about the treats!!!!

They made out like bandits because we took them to all of our friends/neighbors homes and they got handfuls of stuff, however the problem was usually one went in the bag/bucket and 1-2 went in their mouths!

Too much fun!!!!

We even took a pit-stop at Grandpa's.....

APUS HISTORY....

2011-05-20T14:26:00.001-05:00

Welcome Aboard my......DAH, DAH, DAH........

APUS HISTORY STUDENTS!!!!!!!

I need to catch up all of my readers......ummm.....Sara (I believe you're my only true fan - so here you go).....I have started our blogging project with my A.P. Students and how history applies to their lives.

All of my other readers.....ummmmm.......well......just to cover my bases just in case there is another person who stumbles upon this blog!

I am a High School Social Studies Teacher @ Ozaukee High School, which is a small-town school school district embedded in South Eastern Wisconsin, in the Greater Milwaukee Area. I teach A.P.U.S. History as well as several other classes and we have our A.P. Test the first week in May every year......so......I always try to find other projects and ideas to keep them engaged - BLOGS - What a great idea!

Amanda L., Amanda N., Amber, Ben, Connor, Grimmers, Justin, Marissa, Sara, Sarah, and Spencer - WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BLOGGING!!

CHANGE OF PLANS - I CREATED A NEW BLOG - DEDICATED SOLEY TO MY HISTORY CLASSES!!!!

http://www.kettyskrazyhistory.blogspot.com/

VISIT EARLY AND OFTEN!!!!!

I know you are just ooozing with excitement - I could tell from most of your first posts!

I can't believe how much of a "Debbie Downer" you guys/gals are - get out of your shell and adjust a little, mix it up, and find the positives!

OK - give me feedback - what would interest you about this blogging??? This is your chance to make this better and a suggestion CAN'T be to "not do it" or along those lines!!!!

:)

EARRINGS - PART II...

2011-05-17T08:28:00.000-05:00

WOW - we have the toughest girls in the world! Well at least yesterday at 4:30 and 4:45 they were the toughest!

We carried out the plan as we established it. Riley would go in with Mommy and get her ears pierced while I sat in the van and kept Kinsley and Ady busy with their little DVD players. I would wait for the call when the coast was clear and bring in Ady and Kinsley so that Ady could get hers done.

Phone rings.....

I answer and ask about Riley and Sara was in shock, laughing saying Riley didn't flinch, didn't whimper, didn't whine - NOTHING!

So we walked in and Riley is sitting on the chair chomping on a sucker, smiling like she is queen of the world. And sure enough she let us know that she "didn't cry or nothing".

Ady smiles at her and says "Good job Riley" a little sheepishly as I think it started to settle in that she was next.

Ady picked out orange earrings (Riley of course had purple) - each respectively with their favorite color! While they were prepping Ady, Sara was giving me the details with Riley. They asked Riley to count to 5 and their plan was that they were going to pierce at 3. So Riley and the women counted.

1...........2..............3(chuk, chuk).........4................5.....then Sara says smiling and in disbelief, "Riley you're done you can stop counting!" Without hesitation, Riley says, "Momma, can I have my sucker now?" I guess the two ladies busted a gut in disbelief and that is how we walked in on Riley - in the chair, chomping on her sucker, happy as can be, gloating that she "didn't cry or nothing".

Ady's turn - I'm telling you - it happened the same way - WOW! From the story that Sara told me and the reaction from the ladies - it must have been identical! Ady continued to count, didn't flinch, didn't whine, didn't whimper - NOTHING! The ladies were laughing again in disbelief and complimenting both girls on how good they were - What a great experience!!!!!

We celebrated by going out for dinner and ice cream - we had a great night!

My predictions were way off - like completely on the other extreme off! Ady and Riley were FANTASTIC!

NICE WORK GIRLS! DADDY IS SO PROUD OF HIS TOUGH LITTLE GIRLS!!!!

EARRINGS - Part I...

2011-05-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

Ady and Riley have been talking about earrings for about a good 6 months now and Sara made an appointment tonight for them to get done.

HOWEVER..........there was definitely some bribery at play for them to get an appointment.

Ady and Riley can and at times go poopy on the toilet, but they often resort themselves to a diaper in order to go poopy! It is kind of strange to a normal adult I suppose when they can go potty just fine on the toilet, but request and need a diaper to go poopy.

Sara and I have tried to bribe them with all kinds of stuff:

- Gum
- Candy
- A prize from the prize bin
- FINALLY - EARS PIERCED WORKED!

For the past 2-3 weeks, they have taken poops about 98% in the toilet and they have only requested diapers for a very minimal amount of times - we hope it doesn't backfire once they get them pierced.......otherwise, we're in trouble and back to step 1.

THEY ARE PUMPED! I wonder if they are going to be as pumped once they get them done and they feel a little pain. If you ask them who is going to go first, Ady has already nominated Riley.

PLAN OF ATTACK -

Sara will go in with Riley and get Riley's done while I will keep Ady's attention outside far enough away from the screams that may come from inside. We want to shield Ady as much as possible so that she doesn't see what's coming! Then I will get the "o.k." or "the coast is clear" from inside and bring Ady in so that she can get her's done. If Riley is still in tears, we will hide her somehow and make sure that they don't talk because Riley will most certainly spill the beans and might actually scare Ady out of it!

MY PREDICTIONS:

Both Ady and Riley will proclaim that they are tough, but I think their "toughness" will get put to the test tonight and I predict this!

RILEY: Shock..........pain sets in..........whining.......crying.........more crying.........ice cream won't help.

ADY: Ditto!

SARA, KINSLEY, AND I: We will be going through a long evening of crying, whining, and whimpering and the want to take the earrings out by both Ady and Riley!

It's going to be a long night.....

Part II will be tomorrow - THE ACTUAL EAR PIERCING EVENTS AS THEY UNFOLD......

Mornings suck when there is no hair gel...

2011-05-13T13:03:00.000-05:00

I knew this morning was coming for a while and for those of you who don't know me - I have medium length hair that tends to poof up/out when I don't use some type of chemicals on it!

Well yesterday morning was my last of the reserves and it was in my intent to get to Burmesch's (our local convenient store) before the morning - it didn't happen!

So I looked for substitutes - SARA'S SUPPLY!

Sara was so kind to share with me as she got her choices out for me and put them on the counter:

1. Gel - hair straightener - umm......nope, already got straight hair - need something to hold it in place and keep it under control!

2. Moose - (spelling???) - actually was about to take it and use it before Sara says, "That is going to put volume in your hair as well you know" (she knows my hair doesn't need anymore poofing - so that one's out!

3. Paul Mitchell hair spray - WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER! Only because I had to. Let me tell you, it brought back a lot of grade school/high school memories when I got my hair ROCK HARD before I left for school so that it would stay in place!

Not a fun day when you have to start your day off out of routine, but I sucked it up and got it done and I'm thinking I look o.k....

Pretty Shoes Daddy!

2011-05-12T11:01:00.000-05:00

I have been accustomed to accepting all kinds of compliments from anyone who is willing to give them to me! Ady and Riley are getting to that stage where they are so observative and inquisitive about things these days and I get all kinds of compliments and questions that are totally unexpected!

This morning, I was in the process of putting together our bag for the girls to be dropped off at our child care (I would call her our baby sitter, but Sara, NOT ME, Sara referred to her as our baby sitter and this very sweet older lady who has done child care out of her home for decades absolutely scolded her!) and Riley had made it downstairs first from being dressed, hair done, etc. I'm putting snacks in bags and Riley comes around the corner, doesn't miss a beat, and says, "Those shoes are pretty daddy!".

I of course give a little chuckle and say, "Thanks sweetie pie, that was nice".

She continues, "Are they new?"

"No, just don't wear them a lot, that's all."

RILEY: "Where did you get them?"
ME: "I bought them at a store."
RILEY: "I like them daddy, they are pretty."
ME: "Thanks Riley!"
RILEY: "Your welcome daddy."

As she turned around to let the dogs out to go potty.

I guess I have started to grow very fond of either my hair, clothes, and/or shoes being referred to as cute and/or pretty!

What can I say I am sometimes cute and pretty.......according to my twins at least!

I use a purple hair pick to comb my hair...

2011-05-10T08:18:00.000-05:00

We have one brush for Sara and I. We use the same brush and it has been the same brush for about 5 years now - wow, we might need a new one soon as this one doesn't have those comfy balls on the end of each spoke so that the hard plastic isn't digging into your skull.

Either way, every morning after I shower, brush my teeth, dress, etc, I go for the brush. Now every morning is different because Sara's and my bathroom is really our second play/toy room. This means every morning things are in different drawers, shelves, spots, or completely M.I.A.

This morning was the second morning in a row that I have not been able to find "The Brush" as it is referred to and I have had to use Sara's hair pick. I have lost all of my manhood now! I opened every drawer, looked on every shelf, scoured the floor, and even went as far as our bedroom (which is connected) - NOTHING!

So hair pick it is, oh yeah - it's purple too yet - can you see me? Ha!

Well, this morning, Ady and Riley got up a little earlier than usual and came into the bathroom as Sara was in the shower and I had just got done using my new hair pick.

"Girls, have you seen 'The Brush'?" I asked. Both Ady and Riley say, "Yup", and "I know where it is Daddy!", as they go screaming out of the bathroom, through the bedroom, out to the living room, through the living room, past the front door and into the playroom, THE REAL PLAYROOM, and grab it out of a bin.

"Here it is Daddy!" I say thanks and realize I'm the idiot because why wouldn't I have looked there first, after all if it's not in their second playroom, it must be in their first playroom...

Oh yeah, I asked who put it there and they blamed Kinsley, poor girl gets blamed for everything!

Moral of the story - Oh hell, I don't know, you kidding me - I'm trying to raise 3 and 1/2 year old twin girls and a 1 and 1/2 year old girl, while trying to please my wife and they're all kicking my tail!

Chocolate or Vanilla?

2011-05-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

To settle the girls down a little bit at night, Sara and I usually read a couple books and we watch part of a movie. The twins' favorites range from our home videos of their birth and them as babies in the hospital and at home, 101 Dalmatians, The Lion King, Tarzan, Babe, Beauty and the Beast, and Free Willy.

However, there are some nights that Sara and I pull rank and we say that Mommy and Daddy want to watch a movie because there is something that is on that we want to watch. Usually that happens on Wednesday nights because it is Survivor and we have a fellow Random Lake resident on the show, Andrea, well she is on Redemption Island now, so we'll see if she can hang on to the end.

So we were watching Survivor and the girls cuddle up next to us on the couch with their snacks and water bottles and proceed to ask us oodles and oodles of questions....

"What is he doing mama?"
"Where is Andrea?"
"Is that Andrea?" (pointing to a different girl, directly after we just pointed Andrea out).
"Why are they doing that mama?"
"Where is Andrea?"

All questions are directed towards Sara, but I chime in now and then while stealing a pretzel when they're not looking. However, even if I answer, they ask the same question to Sara for her answer, like I am an invalid or something! But this is where there innocence comes in next.....

Sara was talking about Phillip (the former FBI agent who is annoying as can be), and says to me, "Oh I can't stand that guy." Ady and Riley both respond, "Who mama?" almost in unison. So Sara points to the T.V. and Phillip was on the screen with Boston Rob and Riley says, "The Chocolate man mama?"......

Remember when I chime in from time to time, well, I decided to chime in. First of all it totally caught me by surprise because where did she ever think to call a black man chocolate man, but at the same time I was amazed by her innocence. She meant no disregard, disrespect, or insult whatsoever. She just called it like she saw it. And, the only thing I can come up with is that when we have ice cream we have chocolate or vanilla - so did she connect that to color of skin? Wow - now that is deep.....

Back to the chiming in - so I tried to steer my daughter into correct/proper terminology by correcting her and saying - "Yup, the black man Riley, the black man, not the white man. You can't say chocolate man, you need to say black man." Riley responds with "O.K. daddy" and then she says, "Why daddy?, Why I can't say chocolate?"

YES! MY DAUGHTER IS FINALLY ASKING ME A QUESTION!!!!!!!!!! Wow, talk about a difficult one to have to explain it to a 3 and a 1/2 year old, while her older twin sister (by 4 mins.) is sitting on the other side of Sara listening very carefully.

I look at Sara for help and she looks at me with a smile and says, "Yeah, daddy why?" Thanks Sara!

I tried a couple of different ways to go about it and ended with, "Because." We'll save that explanation when they're a little bit older....

Kinsley, can you smile????

2011-05-06T11:04:00.000-05:00

Kinsley is now 1 and 1/2 years old, is blowing out of 2T clothes, skinny, tall, blond hair, blue eyes, and of course is the cutest little girl ever (and I'm not just saying that because I'm her father...) and I hear that I am in some serious trouble as she continues to get older.

However, I know that I definitely have some good material on her through film and video that I can break out at any time, if I should feel the need!

Kinsley is at the stage where she knows that she needs to smile at pictures and she can smile on command - which is nice! Right now she has 8 teeth - four on each level and her top have some pretty nice gaps in them. They make me nervous because I am thinking down the road about braces, but the dentist has said numerous times that the spaces between her teeth are good because then they won't be pushing into each other and that her mouth has a lot of room for her adult teeth later on when these fall out.......we'll see!

O.K. - back to the smiling part - oh and sorry - I'm a rambler - my students tell me all the time that I tell stories with tons of fluff and my wife tells me that I am a terrible story teller, but I like the fluff, the rambling, and "bad storytelling" and this is my blog - so like it or not....here it is!

"Kinsley, can you smile for the camera?"

This is Kinsley's smile these days when she is asked to smile - welcoming huh?!?!

As a father, I think it is cute as hell - she is so damn cute and her personality is shining through every time I see this picture. She is a little stinker who has gotten her Mother's stubbornness and from all the stories that I have heard, her grandmother's as well!

From now on, when we want to take family or Kinsley pictures and we want a nice and easy smile from Kinsley, we need to be comedic rather than ask for a smile, because this is what we get when we ask.....

Standstill......How do I start again???

2011-05-06T09:22:00.000-05:00

I will use the famous words that I have learned from my mother and I think she still laughs when she hears me say them....

OH MY WORD!

And I mean that - OH MY WORD, how did I go 5 months without posting on here. Good thing I am a much better dad than blogger or my children would be screwed!

So I don't even know how to get back to writing about my girls. When I started it was easy, it was from new, so do I do that again? Or do I go back 5 months and begin talking about those past 5 months?

Jimminey Crickets (spelling) I don't know where to begin!

FORGET IT - NO ONE READS THIS ANYWAY - SO I GUESS I'LL CONTINUE TO WRITE HOW I WANT.

I have to do a good job of keeping my 3 followers - I better come up with some interesting and fabricated stories.......but then again I have 3 and 1/2 year old twin girls and a 1 and 1/2 year old so maybe I'll be o.k.

OH MY WORD!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

2011-01-28T10:48:00.000-06:00

Let's see here.......the last time I had a moment to write on this blog was back in the fall before our first snow fall. WOW!!!!! AM I SLACKING BIGTIME!!!!

UPDATES TO COME:

NEW HOUSE
X-MAS LIGHTS HANGING
KINSLEY IS STILL AS CUTE AS EVER
THE GIRLS TERRIBLE TWO'S WERE NOTHING LIKE THEIR TREMENDOUSLY TERRIBLE THREE'S
ADY BROKE HER BED PARTYING TOO HARD ON NEW YEAR'S EVE NIGHT
PUTTING UP OUR 12 FT. X-MAS TREE
DECORATING OUR HOUSE AND TREE FOR X-MAS
GETTING VISITED BY SANTA, MRS. CLAUSE, AN ELF, AND RUDOLPH
ST. NICK
X-MAS PRESENTS OPENING
DADDY'S BASKETBALL GAMES
KINSLEY WALKING
I KNOW I'M STILL MISSING OODLES OF THINGS
HOLY MOLY AM I BEHIND!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going to get back in the swing of things here as I have a plethora of things to share in order to catch you up on all of our happenings. I'm getting my act together here!

KINSLEY BIRTHDAY CAKE RESULTS....

2010-10-21T14:51:00.000-05:00

Wow - so I can't tell you how many responses/comments I received about Kinsley's birthday cake!

What fun!!!!

Out of the 693 responses.....this is how it played out:

Tweety led the charge with = 349
Dora came in second with = 233
Blue's Clues came in a distant third with = 83
Animals came in fourth with = 26
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, ACTUALLY - THE MOST CAME IN WITH A WOPPING = 2.

And those, I guess, are the only two that will count - we had two comments/opinions and they were mine and Sara's. So we are going to go with a #1 because she is one.

Thanks for all the comments!

:)

My girls are 3 years old - just ask them, they'll show you!

2010-10-21T14:43:00.000-05:00

If there is anything that I know about twins, well it isn't much to tell you the truth, but I do know a little! Their personalities switch like the day turns into night and night back into day.

What I mean by that is that they definitely have their own personality, but all-to-often like to switch back and forth. One day, Ady will be the one who shares while Riley is as selfish as can be and won't share a thing. Actually, she'll be as adamant as can be without sharing. It'll be to the point that Ady sees this and for some odd reason knows this and gives in and looks at me and says...

"It's o.k. daddy, Riley can have that, I don't need to have it. It's o.k." - I mean how sweet is that. It is amazing that sometimes I look to a 3 year old to help me settle a dispute.

Then, the next day or week, they will completely switch roles. Ady will want something so entirely bad and there is absolutely no give in her. All of a sudden, you can see the light go on above Riley's head and she says the same thing that Ady just said the time before and just as sweet - IT IS TRULY AMAZING!

And of course there are plenty of times where they say.....

"Screw this, I want it and I am not giving it up and she can't have it!" Believe me, I run into that a lot!

However, here is a small glimpse of their own personalities shining through.....

When you ask Ady how old she is, she says, "Free!" and then I'll ask her to show me and she'll put her thumb on her pinkie and hold up her free, I mean three middle fingers. When I ask Riley the same question, she says "Free" and then I'll ask her to show me and she'll put her thumb and pointer/index finger together and put up her last three fingers.

Just a small little glimpse as to how Ady and Riley stick to what they know and don't care what the other does, because that works for them. They haven't switched in 5 months since we have been asking them how old they're going to be come October 20th and yesterday being their birthday was no different.

They each showed us how old they were......I really enjoy seeing them develop into their own person!

YOU GO GIRLS!

HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY!!!!

I LOVE YOU!

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS....

2010-10-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Kinsley's birthday was October 10th and she is 1!!!!

Ady's and Riley's is October 20th and they'll be 3!!!!

Key question was/is - what do we get the girls?? How do we celebrate? Do we have a party for Kinsley and then one for the girls? Do we have one together?? What would you do?

Ady and Riley are at the age where they can pick what to put on their cakes.

RILEY = I want Boots

ADY = I want aminals (yes, that is how she says it, even after you try to have her say it correctly)

KINSLEY = ??? Opinions/comments???

We have had Dora, Tweety, and now Boots and aminals - so do we do something different?

Opinions and comments are welcome!!!!!

Trampoline - kicking my butt!!!

2010-10-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

So the trampoline trip was successful - I fit it all in my father-in-law's suburban - thank goodness I borrowed that, otherwise I would have been in some serious trouble!

The good thing is that it was completely taken apart (except for the safety net, which wasn't that bad). The bad thing is that it took me a while to put it together because I had no instructions and no idea what went where!

So I put it together - got the brace put together with the legs, then had to take it apart in three areas to flip it over and needed Sara - my wife - to help me with that.

O.K. - now I can do the rest......

Began putting all the springs on (I didn't know that you weren't suppose to go in order by the way), so I just kept going until I got about 75% done and then it was unbelieveably difficult to get the other 25% done!!!

BUT I DID IT!!!! I sucked it up, put some gloves on (I had to protect my girly hands), and got a little dirty!

Then came the poles that supported the safety net.......ummmmm.......the poles aren't lining up!?!?!?

Hmmm....would have been nice if I would have thought about that before putting all of the springs on. The holes in the spring pad did not line up with the holes in the brace/foundation.

I HAD TO TAKE ALL THE SPRINGS OFF and put them back on again!

Nightfall......I am going to finish it tonight!

Ady, Riley, & Kinsley will have to wait - sorry girls - your birthday present is coming - hang in there!!!!!!

Poor girls - they're suffereing because of their TOTALLY "UNHANDYMAN" DADDY!

Al's Run/Walk - Children's Hospital - Back at it in 2010!

2010-10-08T14:58:00.000-05:00

WE'RE BACK AFTER A 2-YEAR HIATUS!!!!!!

Our Twins were born on October 20th, 2007 (their due date was December 20th). So they were about 8 weeks premature. We were expecting them early because of the whole twins thing, but 8 weeks caught us a little off-guard - we'll save that whole story for another post/entry!

Anyway, to cut to the chase, Sara had 2 very quick and healthy deliveries (vaginally). Both girls were carted off to the NICU, but we were told that they would be fine. The following morning, Sara and I were visited by the doctor, an unexpected visit - WE BOTH KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG - Riley was born with a TEF - tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) is a congenital or acquired communication between the trachea and esophagus. TEFs often lead to severe and fatal pulmonary complications.

She would be taken by ambulance to Children's Hospital for emergency surgery to connect attach her esophagus to her stomach so she could eat like a "normal" human being.

Riley had surgery on the second day of her life at Children's Hospital - a 4 lb. 6 oz baby going surgery. It is still so difficult for me to imagine! She was tiny.....and she pulled through - what a fighter! This is the day after surgery...

CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL saved our Riley's life and we are forever in debt to them! We have made it a tradition to help raise money for Children's by walking and remembering what they did for us - the doctors, nurses, desk attendants, maintenance, you name it - they made our difficult time there as good as it could have been!!!!!

LAST YEAR WE HAD TO TAKE OFF - Our youngest daughter - Kinsley came 2 weeks early on the day of Al's Run/Walk - so we had to take off.

But we're back in 2010 - LOOK OUT - HERE WE COME!!!!!

Sara and I went through a tough first year and I can't tell you how we count our blessings everyday because of our experience!!!! Thank you CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL!!!!

We had a great CREW in 2008 and we can't wait to participate again tomorrow and celebrate our 2008 roller coaster memories - check out our team that walked, our cutie-pies, and our HEALTHY FAMILY for the walk in 2008!

RILEY'S CREW

OUR FAMILY....

OUR CHAMPION - RILEY - I CAN'T IMAGINE OUR LIFE WITHOUT YOU!!!!!

THANK YOU CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL!

Craig's List...Trampoline!

2010-10-07T08:35:00.000-05:00

So - this is a great website by the way!!!

My wife loves it, which means, I usually have to go pick up stuff that she buys. We live in Random Lake and my wife just bought a trampoline in Green Bay, about an hour and forty minutes away.

It is Kinsley's birthday on Sunday and the twins birthday on the 20th - so this is a big month for us. Anyhow....one of their presents is of course this 15 ft. trampoline, it's actually a very nice one.

My problem is that I get to leave for Green Bay right after I get done with work/school and pick it up, break it down, cart it back and make it home for me to be able to give Kinsley a big "goodnight kiss"! I hate missing those kisses!

I am pumped to get this thing in our yard - the girls are going to absolutely love it. Well, now that it will be ours and will be in our yard and they will have full access to it whenever they want, they'll probably get sick of it after the first time they jump. For some reason, things are always more fun when it isn't ours or isn't at our house....I don't get it, but it is the truth.

We'll see how much use we get out of this thing!

Wish me luck......

The Forgotten Child...

2010-10-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

I can't tell you how bad I feel and how pathetic of a father I am sometimes! I have a beautiful daughter - KINSLEY - and she is 99% of the time - OUR FORGOTTEN CHILD!

Both Ady and Riley - The twins - consume so much of our time, that our sweet, innocent, all-to-often forgotten 1 year-old gets lost in the shuffle!

Here is a for instance...

Kinsley's 1-year birthday is coming up on Sunday - and we just found out yesterday as my wife and I were talking that we had ZERO presents for her to open up on her own birthday! WOW - these are the times that I feel just awful as a father. I feel like I am not fulfilling my duties! This isn't the only time either - there are plenty of times that I totally take Kinsley for granted and I have to tell you here that she is one heck of a trooper.

She has this intuitive ability to understand that her time is coming and although she is not even 1 year old, she has wisdom beyond her years!

Because of my shortcomings as a father, I have dedicated myself to be a better father towards Kinsley while at least keeping "status quo" with Ady and Riley!

I mean just look at this CUTIEPIE!!!!!! How in the world could I be so forgetful of this SHNOOKEMS!!!!

I MEAN JUST LOOK AT THOSE DIMPLES - WHAT A CUTIE!!!!!

KINSLEY - YOU ARE AN

UNBELIEVABLE, PATIENT, AND UNDERSTANDING 1-YEAR-OLD!

I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART!!!

A Blast From The Past...I Snuck 2 Past the Goalie!

2010-09-29T14:41:00.000-05:00

Another favorite memory...This is my 2nd edition of "A Blast From the Past..." This is when they were a little over 1 month old - Enjoy!

I snuck two past the goalie!

PICTURE ABOVE: Ady is on the Left and Riley is on the right - this is when they were a little over 1 month old. How cute they are cuddling with each other! Their twin bond is just as cute today as they'll be 3 in October.

About two weeks before we were going in for our very first appointment with Dr. Stumpf, I remember thinking about the possibility of twins. About a week before we went in I remember having a very quick conversation about it with Sara’s dad – Bob.

Now – Bob has twin nephews, but I’ve always heard of twins skipping a generation. Now is that a myth or is that true?

“Hey Bob, do twins run in your family?” O.K. – maybe a stupid question because he looks at me as if I’m a total idiot, and I know what’s going on in his head….. “Oh my, who in the hell did my daughter marry?” Because he has twin nephews that I have met and hung out with.

So, I catch this look right away, and I try again, “What I mean is, are twins in your family or are they in your Brother-in-Law’s?”

The look vanishes, somewhat, although I think at times he still thinks I’m an idiot, which I have come to accept. Anyway, he tells me that he thinks his grandma was one of a twin.

While all of this is going on, my very intelligent, beautiful, ALWAYS CORRECT, wife, says, “There is no way I have twins, I don’t feel sick at all, if I had twins, I would feel really sick”.

So, I put the thought aside and just kind of let my wife thinks she is correct, like she always is, but that is another story I suppose.

Oh man, all of this first time parents stuff, we go in and we get there early and check in and sit down and are sitting there not knowing what to expect and super excited at the same time.

A nurse walks out of the backroom, where only special people can go and announces “Sara Ketterhagen?” Sara and I basically jump out of our chairs and she leads us into that special backroom and then into Dr. Stumpf’s office where we learn about the “birds and the bees” of pregnancy.

I know Dr. Stumpf told us all kinds of important “Do this, don’t do that” kind of stuff, “take your prenatal vitamins”, etc. but I can’t remember for the life of me what he said, which is totally o.k. because of what followed…

Sara and I were led into a room where Sara experienced her first ultrasound…..VAGINALLY! I watched, while Dr. Stumpf lubed up this probe, this long, uncomfortable looking dildo-looking thing, and then all of a sudden said, “Deep breath”, and inserted this thing in Sara – OH MY GOD! I think I felt the pain more than Sara as I imagined this thing being inserted into her. It seemed like forever as I watched this thing disappear into Sara and all of a sudden, within seconds, “O.K. there it is, there is the heartbeat and as we were looking, we saw this little blob that had a tiny, tiny blob inside of it blinking a hundred blinks a second – it was there at that exact second when I felt like a MAN, like I am doing my duty to society. It was also at that moment when I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Remember every time you got kicked, hit, punched, etc right square in the nuts as a kid? Well I believed in that myth where if you got kicked hard enough, you might not be able to have kids – well, that started affecting me because it took Sara and I a couple of months of “practicing” (that’s what I like to call it), and I started thinking that maybe it was me, maybe I was “shooting blanks”. Now that I know that I can add to our overpopulated world, I think I would like to practice more before the actual game time! Sara on the other hand thinks it should be game time the first time we try – I don’t think so – I want it to be just right, which is why we need the practice!

I remember the hardest I have ever been kicked in the balls before, I mean testicles, I’m suppose to be using proper language around my daughters – says Sara. I was helping my buddy out, who was a coach at Milwaukee Juneau for the boys basketball team when we were running up and down the court and there was a steal and a fast-break coming the other way and I went to take a charge and I put my hands up and the kid came square into me with his knee. I have never doubled over so quickly because my penis, my testicles, my scrotum and everything else that is down there went numb. It was an unbearable sensation that I would not like to feel ever again! I totally lost feeling in my junk – sorry girls – but that wasn’t the worst thing – the worst came next when the influx of pain came and the numbness wore off – let’s just say I want to forget that part too!

Back to the blinking blob inside of the blinking blob. I can’t tell you the feelings that I felt, tears filling my eyes, and how my wife reacted when we saw that blinking blob. Sara absolutely glowed, I was so proud of her and how she and her body were going to embark on this unbelievable journey. She was my hero and still is to this day. My mind was completely wandering, when Dr. Stumpf said, “Oh, I have a little surprise for you”. I knew right then and there that there was another blob with another blinking blob inside of it. I swear on everything that I know, I knew we were having twins, my inside voice told me to expect twins weeks before we went into that ultrasound – I just knew!

“And there is the other heartbeat” Dr. Stumpf said. Immediately, Sara asks in a panic tone, “What does that mean?” “You’re having twins” the doc says with a casual smile, like it is no big deal. “Yeah, what does that mean?” Sara asks again, a little more panicky and a little more concerned. Sara went on to ask that question at least two more times and all I could think of was – I knew it, I knew it – we’re having twins! Dr. Stumpf on the other hand was probably thinking, “Hey idiot, you’re having twins, two babies, what do you mean, what does that mean?”

It also meant that we were going on a less traveled path – remember the “birds and the bees” talk about pregnancy – well, everything had changed. “Remember everything that I told you before?” Dr. Stumpf said, “forget it, because that was for one baby, you’re going to have twins” – Sara still didn’t understand however.

See, Sara is our reality check, she is the one that always takes things into perspective. She understood what twins were, she was just thinking about all of the things that we were going to have to do to get ready for twins. I, however, was in La La Land, which if you ask my wife, I am a regular attendee. I was thinking how I not only snuck one past the goalie, but two – I’m the man! Almost a hat-trick – WAIT – THANK GOD there was no hat-trick! I was daydreaming about what lay ahead – way ahead, I was thinking that I would have two shooting guards!

I always get back to reality, but it usually takes me some time and it usually gets Sara annoyed and/or me in a lot of trouble. It did at that moment because she was absolutely freaking out and stressing and I was grinning ear-to-ear with no thought of the work, craziness, and absolute insanity that lay ahead.

Twins? I mean, honestly, how crazy can that be?

ADYRILEY

Well - it's a ton of work, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world - I mean how cute are they?!?!

A Blast From the Past - Mya, hi, and uh-oh...

2010-09-24T14:50:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I want to revisit favorite memories, otherwise these memories would be forgotten because they happened before my launching of my blog. This is my 1st edition of "A Blast From the Past..." This is when they were just about 1 year old - Enjoy!

Mya, hi, and uh-oh…

All three of these things have brought great conversation between Sara and me, the girls and me, and sometimes me and me! These three words have proven to be Ady and Riley’s favorites among all of the other noises and sounds that come out of them. Or, maybe the only three words that Sara and I are able to understand. Either way I look at it, they are amazing, incredible, and cute all at the same time. When in doubt we hear one of these words being used in many, many different ways.

The girls started using these three, very difficult, words about 4 months ago and they have developed over the past couple of months as ways for them to ask for things, demand things, complain, and express every kind of emotion that they’re feeling at any given time. With me being a history teacher, I can now appreciate the advancement of communication and language from caveman time. I am waiting for Ady and Riley to catch up to the times and begin to express themselves with anything other than these three words. However, I am also very fond of these three words

This morning I found myself smiling in my sleep at 3:48 A.M. Anyone other than my wife would find that particularly odd and strange, but Sara knows what a complete goofball I am. I only know the time because at 3:43 A.M., Sara and I leaped out of bed to almost let Lola outside to puke instead of puking on our throw-rug coming in from the patio. So we cleaned the puke up, let the dogs out just in case so we wouldn’t have to get back up from out of bed when they started to whine, and then went back to bed. I laid there for a minute or so and all of a sudden the monitor started making noise, “Hi”… “Hi”… “Hi”…then some gibberish that I have no clue what it meant and then silence. So, I’m laying in bed at 3:48 in the morning on a Tuesday smiling because my lovely daughter, Riley is saying the word “Hi” as sweetly and cute as can be. Oh, and yes I can tell whether it is Ady or Riley talking because they have distinctive cries, noises, and voices, although they say the same things.

Ady’s way of saying “Hi” is way more direct than Riley’s. Riley says it so cute and sweet that it melts you when she says it. Ady says it so directly and powerful that it makes you want to say it right back right away. Both ways are great and all, but each has there own meaning and personality behind it.

Ady’s is a quick “Hi!” She says it very abrupt and it comes with that, I mean business, tone of voice. Ady also says it where she lowers her head where her chin goes to her chest and then her eyes look up. You can really tell she means business. And if you don’t say “hi” back, she’ll keep on saying it over and over, “Hi!, Hi!, Hi!, Hi!” She is like a machine gun – a very cute one!

Riley’s is a much higher pitch hi. Riley has that drawn out “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”, in a much higher pitch and she kind of cocks her mouth to one side and then also adds a southern accent feel to it.

Both are extremely cute because they are my daughters’ first words and because they are said so differently highlighting different aspects of their personalities.

Word numbers two and three, Mya and uh-oh are just as cute. I have come to realize that these three words make up their entire vocabulary. Both Ady and Riley can say each of these three words hundreds of different ways to get their point across. Whether they are mad, sad, happy, grumpy, tired, excited, etc. they can get their point across.

Pictured Above: Ady is on the right and Riley is on the left - how cute are they - wow!!!!!

After much experience with all three words, I have come to know, for the most part, because of how they use it at different times of the day, the different way they say it, what their non-verbals are that go along with it, and am beginning to realize why women get so frustrated with men when they don’t communicate as effectively as they could!

Mya, as you know is our very loveable, dopey, goofy, dog who gets her name yelled more than called. She manages to get herself in every kind of trouble that you can think of and that has definitely played a huge role in one of the girls’ first words because of how often they hear it. Mya can be said in more ways than I ever thought imagined, but Ady and Riley have managed to think and use every single one! Here are just two examples – one from each extreme:

M-eye-yuh – This is said very softly and sweetly and usually is said in a high tone by one of the girls. If it were written out, it would be followed by a question mark because of the accent put on the end as well. Ady and Riley are simple asking Sara or I a question – always relating to where Mya is, even though she may be right in front of them giving them kisses – very wet, slobbery ones!

M-EYE-YUH – This is said very sternly and businesslike. This followed by a bunch of exclamation points because they are repeating exactly what Sara and/or I have just said – oops! There have been plenty of times when the girls also hit Mya after or during they say this. Talk about teaching our girls bad habits! This one is definitely my fault as I am usually in charge of disciplining our dogs and more often than not Mya is the one who gets in trouble and there are times that I tap or hit Mya on the nose while saying her name rather sternly (above explanation). The moral of this one is that – I have to make sure who my audience is before I do anything!

Uh-oh is one of Ady’s and Riley’s top three words as well. It is used in a variety of ways whether it is followed by something dropped on purpose or accident, Ady or Riley trips or falls, mommy or daddy drops something (we do it only on accident), among many other kinds of situations. My most favorite use of the word is when Ady or Riley throw, wing, drop, chuck, or fling something on purpose. Which ever one that they do and with whatever they do it with whether it would be food, a toy, or something else, it is always followed by a smirk or smile and then “Uh-oh”!

I can’t tell you how many times this happens and how many times it makes me laugh when I’m trying to keep a straight face and let them know that it is naughty and that they shouldn’t do it. I will be the first to admit that I am a complete failure when this happens because it is so ridiculously funny and they are so damn cute when they do it. I mean come on, am I really suppose to keep a straight face, discipline them (because it is usually both because they feed off of each other), and tell them “No!”? I don’t think so – no way – instead I laugh and then catch my wife glaring at me because I’m not helping at all!

This is just another example why being a father is just so damn hard!

Potty at Target

2010-09-18T21:46:00.000-05:00

As I took my girls (Ady and Riley) to go potty yesterday evening, two things came to mind.

1. At what age are girls too old to be able to go into a men's restroom?

AND

2. How in the world can boys/men be so disgusting?

I suppose I will get back to those in a minute, but let me catch you up. When we go shopping, we usually do it in a method where I drive the van to the store and then I become the drop-off and pick-up man while telling the girls that Mommy will be right back. Depending upon their moods, I get a CD playing so we do sing-alongs, I have the option of a fine selection of DVDs, I drive around and talk their ears off and vice versa, and/or I go park and do one of the above options.

We had my father-in-law along because he wanted to stop off at Men's Warehouse to pick up some sweaters because of a great sale. So we did that and then Noodles for dinner, and then Target.

I dropped Sara off at the entrance and then went and found an easy accessible parking spot so I could be out of the way and still be able to see the exit when Sara came out so I could have a quick and easy pick-up. Dora was playing on the DVDs, so Ady and Riley were watching and Kinsley was listening (she is still sitting backwards - poor girl). We got in our stall and I put it in park and then Riley says "Daddy, I have to go potty" and then I hear an echo, "Daddy I have to go potty toooooooo".

Come on really? I have to say, thank goodness Bob was along because he stayed back with Kinsley so I could take the girls. I gave them a pep talk about listening to me and doing exactly as I say, while also reminding them that if they don't listen to me, I will take away their ice cream cone that I promised them on the way home from McDonald's - love those 49 cent cones - ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!!!
So off we went (I honestly don't know what I would have done if Bob weren't along because I don't know how I would have done it with holding Kinsley also).

I took the girls out of their seats, and held on to each of their hands as we walked across the parking lot to the door. In we went and to the restroom we went. We got in and the first question popped into my head:

AT WHAT AGE ARE THEY GOING TO BE TOO OLD THAT I CAN'T BRING THEM INTO A MEN'S RESTROOM?

We walked in and the hadicapped stall was open - SCORE! There was another stall that someone was going #2 in and letting everyone know about it - I thought the girls handled it very nicely:

RILEY: Daddy, a man in there?
ME: Yes there is honey (I was whispering).
ADY: Daddy, that man going poopy?
ME: Yes, he is going poopy (I was still whispering).
(the man farted)...
RILEY: Tooted (as she smiled...)
ME: (I chose to ignore that comment...) O.K. girls, no touching anything. O.K.? Riley you go first, Ady, stand here and don't touch anything.

As I lifted the seat with my shoe, I noticed someone before me had the diarhea because there was shit everywhere - under the toilet seat, all over the bowl - it was disgusting - which is where my second question came in:

HOW IN THE WORLD CAN BOYS/MEN BE SO DISGUSTING?

RILEY: That's dirty daddy, poopy (as she points to the toilet - very closely as she almost touches it - like I can't see which poop spot she is talking about).
ME: Riley, don't touch it!
RILEY: Daddy, I not touching it, just looking (in a very sweet tone).
ME: O.K. - don't touch anything.
ADY: Daddy, Riley wasn't touching it, just looking (as she was shaking her head no the whole time).
ME: Thanks Ady. Riley, I am going to hold you over the toilet so you don't touch anything.
ADY: Daddy, you going to hold Riley?
ME: Yup. O.K. Riley go ahead.

So Riley goes and I button her up and Ady is touching everything she possibly can, while I am scolding her not to, and I can only imagine what this guy next to me is thinking as he is pooping away.

RILEY: Flush it daddy?
ME: Yup, WAIT! (I grab her before she touches the lever) Whenever you use a public bathroom, you always use your foot, like this (I show her as I pick her up, line her foot up with the lever and let her push it with her foot). Sara would be so proud - she is usually our clean-freak!
ADY: My turn daddy?
ME: Yup - your turn.

Same exact thing - Ady asks same questions as I hold her over the bowl and Riley is touching everything in sight.

We get done and take turns washing our hands and back out to parking lot where our van, Grandpa, and Kinsley await us.....

By the way, we beat mommy who was just picking up a few things and as we left the restroom, the man next to us was still pooping!