Kansas Day

On Jan. 29, 1861, Kansas became the 34th state of the Union.

Happy Birthday Kansas!

Girl Scout cookies

This is what we were doing yesterday after school. It was wonderful sunny weather, spring temperatures with about 70F!! Cassandra is working on selling the famous Girl Scout Cookies this year as she is a first time Brownie. She did take a lot of orders, even if we still have to find out where the real cookie monster lives!!

As the weather is supposed to stay good for the weekend, I guess that we have to keep on doing this today and tomorrow. Next week it's supposed to get colder again and maybe snow??!!

Anna

Last time we met - Summer 2009

Today is my dear friend Anna's birthday. Anna and I have known each other since we were 16. That is over 20 years...it's a loooong time! In life you have many friends and many different friendships. Some you speak to or stay in touch with on a daily/weekly basis and some you only speak to once in a while. I've been blessed with a few "best" friends in my life! Anna is my oldest best friend. Even if me most of that time have been living in different countries and not being able to see each other more than once a year the most, sometimes longer in between visits, we always try to stay in touch and keep ourselves updated on what's going on in each others lives.

I was very sad last year in summer not being able to attend her wedding - but with the newborns here at home it just wasn't an option to travel to Sweden. I have of course seen the photos and would have loved to be there!! She was a beautiful bride!

Anyway, it now had been long since we spoke so today I called her. It was great to catch up! I miss you!!

Happy Birthday Anna,

have a wonderful day and may this next year be a great one!!

This one is for you!

Mormor is coming!!

Mormor is coming for a visit!!! With no planning she called me the other day and asked if it was OK if she came for a visit in February! Yeees!! She is booking her ticket as I write this and will be here from February 8-22. Wonderful!! I'm really happy right now, to have her here again, for her to meet the all of the kids, for the babies to meet mormor and for Cassandra to get some special time with mormor!!

Last time I saw my mom was when the babies were born. The plan was for her to fly in on May 17th as I was supposed to be induced on the morning of the 18th. The plan didn't really work for anyone of us, as the babies decided that they wanted to be born on the 17th instead! My moms flight got canceled as the volcano in Iceland changed the plans, so everything was a little bit different than what we had planned for.

She managed to arrive late evening on the 18th of May and stayed with us for two weeks. It seemed like the time rushed by as we had to stay in the hospital for the first week, and at home the babies were still on their bilirubi lights so we were pretty much tied to the living room..

It was wonderful to have her here as Chris had to work most days and didn't take any days off  around the birth. He did try to get off early most nights, and he was home in the weekend, but still he wasn't there all the time, so it was great to have some company and help in the hospital during the days, and here at home when we got home. Cassandra enjoyed having mormor here, they got very close during the times mormor came to visit us when we lived in Vasteras in Sweden, and it was good to see that they can maintain that contact. It was also great to have some extra help around the house, my mom enjoy to bake and help in the garden so it was great for Cassandra to have her here to do these things with. Unfortunately it won't be that warm and nice this time though!

Looking at the pictures below, I can hardly believe how small they were, but they are only days and in the first picture they are almost 2 weeks and just off the lights. Those pictures are taken at departure day...She will be so amazed to see how big they are now and what they can all do!! Can't wait for her to arrive!!

My little Charmer!

My little Sweetheart!

Playing happily and so innocent just before breakfast. When I came back from the kitchen getting their oatmeal ready, this is what I found: Isabella under the coffee table trashing her first paper!!

Happy Breakfast!

I had some pretty happy and surprised babies here this morning. Chris were able to go to Target and pick up the high chairs late last night after work, and they were easily put together. This morning for breakfast it was the first time the babies saw them and the first time they sat in any kind of high chair, as they only have been sitting in their Bumbo chairs before. The new chairs were a big hit, they were so excited to sit in them and to be able to use the trays as drums!!

Benjamin was so funny, he just kept laughing and laughing and looking at me as if he said - This is great mommy! Isabella liked it as well, but she was up early this morning and getting tired again already around 9am, so it was nap time straight after breakfast.

They could sit pretty good in the chairs. They do recline a little bit too much, but still OK. There will be a while before they are big enough to be able to use the footrest and the tray is a little bit on the high side, but I can also take the tray away if I want to. Most importantly, there were very good adjustable straps in the chairs, so no one is able to climb out of these!

I had to rearrange our breakfast nook, it's pretty cramped now, but when we are all at home to eat breakfast, we do eat in the dining room anyway. This is just for the babies and for Cassandra and that will work fine!!

High Chairs

Barnyard Buddies

I've been researching high chairs for a long time now, and as we need two of them, my budget is limited. I wish we could take a trip to IKEA, but no there is no IKEA close to were we live so I have to go for an other option. There are many nice ones for up to $100 but that's not what I want to pay for one chair..Found this one at Target, of course they don't have them in our town but hopefully my husband find the time to pick them up in Wichita today or tomorrow. They only had 4 left.... This one is really cute, perfect for a girl or a boy and in a "house friendly" neutral motive/color and not too crazy in pink or blue...What also is great is that it's easy to fold them flat and that would really be perfect in our small kitchen!! Hopefully they will be ours!

Missing Children

Something that is my (and most likely every parents) worst nightmare would be if one of my children goes missing. Living here in the US you get reminded of this danger every day while watching the news. Every time you walk into a big store, post office or other building they normally have a big board with pictures of missing children. The other day I was watching "Nancy Grace" on TV and she was reporting that over 2000 children goes missing every day in the US. Every day!! That is horrifying and scary - and you would more or less want to try to just forget about the fact, but one shouldn't - one should really pay attention and know what to do and what you as a parent can do to prevent and how to prepare for something that hopefully never will happen!

One thing that I think is great is that here in the US,  when the children take their school pictures each year, they automatically get their picture updated in something called "Smile Safe Kids".

picture google

That way you will always have an updated picture at hand, they can as it says above retrieve the child's picture without any problems so that the authorities will have an updated picture at hand fast. You get these "Smile Safe Kids Cards" without charge to keep in your wallet at all time. We keep these cards of Cassandra with us all the time in our wallets. I have the number to call saved in my phone.

The most important thing to do is of course to talk to your children about these things. "Stranger Danger" is something that they also sometimes talk about in school. How to behave and what to do in case someone tries to take you away and tries to push you into a car etc. Cassandra knows that she is supposed to scream out loud that "This person is not my mother/father" "Help" "Stranger Danger". If a child only screams "No, no leave me alone" etc, people could think that you are a "naughty child" that doesn't want to listen to your parents and because of that not react or help you when you are in need. Cassandra also knows that she is supposed to throw herself down on the ground and kick and fight for all that she can. It is much harder for an abductor to pick up a child that lays down kicking and screaming than to just shove someone standing into a car....at least it might take a couple of minutes longer, and minutes are worth everything in a situation like this.

Following information from  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

How many children are reported missing each year?

The U.S. Department of Justice reports

• 797,500 children (younger than 18) were reported missing in a one-year period of time studied resulting in an average of 2,185 children being reported missing each day.
• 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.
• 58,200 children were the victims of non-family abductions.
• 115 children were the victims of “stereotypical” kidnapping. (These crimes involve someone the child does not know or someone of slight acquaintance, who holds the child overnight, transports the child 50 miles or more, kills the child, demands ransom, or intends to keep the child permanently.)

Know the Rules...Abduction and Kidnapping Prevention Tips for Parents and Guardians

High-profile abductions, although rare occurrences, may leave some families frightened and unsure about how to best protect their children. According to a study conducted by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 40.3 percent of those who experienced one of the most serious forms of child abduction were victims of opportunity¹.

To help minimize the opportunity, children should be supervised by you or another trusted adult and taught how to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous situations. This is better than expecting your children to rely on their judgment only about people.

The tips noted below will help families lessen the opportunity for abduction and kidnapping and better safeguard their children.

1. Teach your children to run away from danger, never toward it. Danger is anyone or anything invading their personal space. If anyone should try to grab them, tell them to make a scene; loudly yell this person is not my father/mother/guardian; and make every effort to get away by kicking, screaming, and resisting. Their safety is more important than being polite. Teach your children if they are ever followed in a vehicle to turn around and run in the other direction to you or another trusted adult.
   
   
2. Never let your children go places alone, and always supervise your young children or make sure there is another trusted adult present to supervise them if you cannot. Make sure your older children always take a friend when they go anywhere.
   
   
3. Know where your children are and whom they are with at all times. Remind children to never take anything or respond in any way if approached by anyone they don’t know, and also remind them to never approach a vehicle without your permission. Teach them to run away as quickly as possible to you or another trusted adult.
   
   
4. Talk openly to your children about safety and encourage them to tell you or a trusted adult if anyone or anything makes them feel scared, uncomfortable, or confused. Discuss safety issues with your children so they will understand the need for precautions. Advise your older children about steps they may take to help safeguard themselves. Know your children’s friends and their families. Pay attention to your children and listen to them. If you don’t, someone else may. And others may have ulterior motives for befriending your children.
   
   
5. Practice what you teach by creating “what if” scenarios with your children to make sure they understand the safety message and are able to use it in a real situation.
   
   
6. Consider installing an alarm system in your home with a monitoring feature. If you do not have an alarm system, consider purchasing less expensive wireless door and window alarms. Make sure your home is secured with deadbolt locks, and ensure landscaping around it doesn’t provide places for people to hide. Check other access points such as gates, and make sure they have been secured. Consider installing exterior lighting around your home. Make sure your home is fully secured before you go to sleep and items such as ladders have been stored inside. Prepare a plan to vacate your home in case of any emergency. This should include but is not limited to a fire. Have a plan if an intruder tries or gets into your home.
   
   
7. Make your children part of securing your home. If you have installed an alarm system, demonstrate it to your children and show them how to make sure doors and windows are locked. This will not only help calm their fears but will also help make them part of your “safety plan” at home.
   
   
8. Have a list of family members who could be contacted in case of an emergency. Designate a family member or close associate who would be able to fill the role of advisor in case of an emergency.
   
   
9. Be alert to and aware of your surroundings. Know the “escape routes” and plan what you would do in different emergencies. Practice “what if” scenarios, so you will be well prepared. Know the location of local hospitals and best routes to take to reach them. Know how to reach the nearest local lawenforcement agency or sub-station.
   
   
10. Know your employees and coworkers. Do background screening and reference checks on everyone who works at your home, particularly those individuals who care for your children. Their knowledge of your family is extensive so make sure you have an equivalent understanding of them. National access to sex-offender registries is available at www.nsopw.gov.
    
    
11. Consider varying your daily routines and habits. Do not take the same routes or go at the same time on your regular errands. If you take your children to school, change that route as well.
    
    
12. Take steps to secure personal information about yourself. Consider getting a post office box and registering everything you may there including your vehicles and drivers’ licenses. Have personal bills sent to your place of work or the post office box. Be discreet about your possessions and family’s personal habits and information. Take steps to protect your identity by not revealing too much information and notifying authorities of any irregularities.
    
    
13. Report any suspicious persons or activities to law enforcement.If you feel anyone in your family has been targeted or is being stalked, immediately report this information to law-enforcement authorities. Do not wait.
    
    
14. Remember you are your best resource for better safeguarding your family. Stay alert, informed, and vigilant about personal-security issues.

There are many more tips and help to find under the above link to the National Center from Missing and Exploited Children. It's worth reading!

Monday again..

Monday -  Monday...why did you come so early?? Seems like the weekend just flew by. Well, my husband had to work on Saturday, we were without a car all day so we didn't do anything more than stay inside and take it easy. Yesterday, we had a long breakfast together, and then we did absolutely nothing the whole day...Football season...do I need to say more?? I just can't stand it, have never bothered to learn the rules, and think it's the most annoying sport there is. They blow the whistle for absolutely everything, then it takes 10 minutes before the game is on again, then they play for 2-3 minutes then they blow the whistle again...Soooo annoying! Sorry, this is of course my own fault, I could take the time and involve myself or to at least try to understand the rules of the game. Well, I shouldn't complain, my husband is not normally a typical sports guy, having to watch Football every weekend, only now the last couple of games before the game of the games - the biggest sport event of the year - the Superbowl.

Here in the US, the advertisements from the stores are filled with everything you would need for game day. Food, snacks etc has to be made accordingly, and people meet up for this at home, watching the game, BBQ and drink beer together.

We don't. We used to though. When we lived in NC we had friends and went to each others houses, to meet up for games and other occasions. The guys would watch the game and the women (most of us wouldn't be that interested in the game)  would visit during the time and have a good time- here we don't have any friends to do this with.

The only thing that is fun, I think, is to watch the commercials during the game. It's always the best of the best! They pay millions to fill these commercial spots, and of course millions and millions of people are watching, so it's probably worth it! They are mostly very funny and special!

Super bowl commercials 2010

Last night it was decided that the Green Bay Packers will meet the Pittsburgh Steleers in the Super bowl. The game will be held in the Cowboy stadium in Arlington, TX, so I wonder if the Cowboy cheerleaders will be there to perform?! I'm not quite sure if they get to perform when they are not playing? If so, that of course will be fun to watch! Cassandra has wanted to cheer, and we have been watching the program on TV called the "Cowboy Cheerleaders" were they actually show and follow the girls through the cuts and tryouts, and wow, they are great and it's hard work to get a final spot on the team! Everything has to be perfect, weight, the way the costumes look on them, hair and makeup at all times etc etc. They are not "just" cheerleaders, but also ambassadors for the Cowboys, and they have to know a lot about the team and it's history. Girls all over the country come for the try outs, and it's literally blood, sweat and tears to get a spot of the I believe 30 spots.

all pictures google

Weekend

Hope you have a great one!

Swedish girl!

I love you my beautiful daughter!!

A dry night!

Talking to my friend Kerstin the other day, she told me that she is using night diapers for her twins which are working out well. I thought that they only have that in bigger sizes but she said that she thought they might have them in smaller ones too. Her twins are bigger than mine, using size 5 in diapers..My babies are still using size 2 in diapers (12-18 lb / 5-8 kg) so when I only found night diapers in the smallest they had in size 4 (22-37lb / 10-17 kg) I was skeptical, but hey, why not give it a try, if it wouldn't work, they will grow into them right?!

As my twins are up several times a night wanting to nurse they normally are soaked through the diaper, pajama and sheets by early morning. Sometimes I have to change them at 5am or so. Therefore, I really wanted to give the night diapers a shot, to see if it works.

Well, the babies thought it was funny with so big diapers, they were pulling on them and it was a lot of extra space in them!! But after the first night I must say - thumps up! Neither of them were soaked through this morning! Of course, the diapers were so big that they had a lot of space to absorb and Isabella didn't eat as much as she normally does, she actually slept pretty good the later half of the night, and I only nursed her twice- but still! I actually had to wake her up this morning at 7am as we had to get ready to take Cassandra to school. Isn't that so typical, the one night/morning she sleeps good, I have to wake her up!!! I bet that tomorrow when we all can sleep in, she will be up as normal around 5-6am..

Benjamin's dry skin is getting better..

Ben is trying to hold on to Isabella for a ride when she takes off..

Playing before bedtime!

Working those little arms with some big girl push-ups..

 -What - I didn't try to pull the diaper off..

-How can we get these big puffy diapers off??!!

Long day

Just spoke to Chris, he is i Oklahoma City, and will be back home tomorrow night. I was glad to hear that the weather was good down there and that they had no problem driving there. Here at home we had a long morning, took it easy played with the babies and it's so fun to watch the kids all play together. The twins just adore Cassie, and keep laughing and smiling as soon as they hear her voice.

Someone else that has found her voice is Isabella! The last couple of days she has started to "talk" and "sing" really loud and a lot! It's so funny, she will talk loud for a while and then look at you like she is waiting for you to answer her. Benjamin started to laugh today when he heard her, and so did me and Cassie. Yesterday we went to HR Block to do our taxes and there she was talking away as well! I have to try to film that, she has such a strong voice, and it's so great to hear something else but whining or crying!

In the afternoon after lunch, baking some cupcakes, doing homework and playing the sun had thawed the car up and the streets were getting dry here and there. Our driveway was still covered in ice, but not knowing what the weather will be the next coming days, I figured that I'd take the kids and go shopping for a few things that we were running out of. The twins slept while we were in the store, which was great, and were in a good mood later which was great when I made dinner. Tried out something new that I've seen here and here. Chicken and bacon covered in a sauce of sauercream/heavy cream/mustard and garlic. Topped off with cheese. Served with rice and salad. Was really good! Thanks Asa and Sandra for the tip!

picture Asa 

Oh well, I'm going to bed now and hopefully will get some sleep. Isabella has already been up twice since I put her to bed around 8, the last time she woke up she didn't go back to sleep until almost 10pm. Benjamin has been up as well and I had to take him downstairs to rock him back to sleep so he wouldn't wake Isabella up. Most evenings it takes the whole evening before they both sleep in their beds. Some nights they keep me up all night, one awake at a time, sometimes both at the same time...I hope this night won't be one of them it's been a long day and I'm tired.