Our first Halloween in Missouri

Okay, I know it has been a while...we had some weird stuff going on with security and for that I decided to make the blog private for a while. Halloween was great fun for all of us. We took the babies to a party for kids their age, then went to a local grocery store here to trick-or-treat and then went home to go door to door in the neighborhood. They were so funny in both of their costumes...yep, both.  They had a party at school also, which was during the daytime and at night here it gets really windy and cold right now, about 35-40 degrees at. Therefore they needed two costumes. Last year Russ and H carved a pumpkin outside and this year we decided to move the party inside with a fire and do that again.  They love Daddy time and are very interestesd in pumpkins.  We decorated the front yard with all sorts of Fall stuff, and they helped. Here are some pictures of them doing some of these things!

Here is hoping all of you have enjoyed your Fall, but it looks like ours is on it's out of town.  The first snowfall should be in the next week or two!

Atkins No. 3

Lately the discussion at our house has spanned from "Will we have another baby in the next few years," or "Should we be content with our two little sweeties?" It's funny to think that we are even trying to "plan" this out seeing how well planned out the last two were.  Since we change our minds DAILY we decided to see what Mister H thought of this discussion we were having over Sunday football yesterday.

Mommy:  "Harrbear, do you think you would like another brother?"
H:  "No."
Mommy:  "Do you think you would like another sister?"
H:  "No."
Mommy and Daddy: "Okay, well I guess we know how he feels"
H:  "Mommy, I like Sissy."

Poor guy thinks we are trading Sissy in for a new model.  I love how he reminds me to say things differently so that his mind can understand.  He is the sweetest little dude....and quite comical at times.

Today we got a package from Russ' parents.  Mr.Steve had grown some pumpkins for the babies and they mailed them up to us. Yep, mailed us the organic pumpkins! They were so excited to open them one at a time.  B also got some really cute pink leather boots. Here is a picture of them playing with their new most interesting toys.

Every girl loves new shoes :)

He was so proud of his pumpkins. He even carried them out to the porch and positioned them two different ways to find apparently what he thought looked just right.


And here are some recent pics of them playing outside. The weather has changed into autumn and today it was 48 this morning. Crazy Missouri weather. These will be the last of them playing outside without bulky coats.

The Crew

The Lone Ranger

I promise the children do own shoes. This time they escaped my wardrobe grasp before they made it out the door.

We lost Toby this past friday. Luckily, we did find him after hours of searching and neighbors help. Thanks to you guys for sending out the search party. Toby has been around since the beginning of our little family, so we sure were sad to think of him being gone forever.

Back to School, Daddy

Now that we are both working full-time and have extra funds (woohoo!) this week Russ will begin the two year journey to acquire his BSN. We laugh that we both will be a hundred before we ever get the degree, but he is starting tomorrow! Yay for him! I'm so glad that he will have yet another great accomplishment for his resume.  He thoroughly loves hospital administration and respects the job of a RN, but has many ideas of what he would ultimately like to do, like Assistant CEO.  There have been a few positions Russ looked at this last job hunt, and he realized just how many more options he would have with this added two years.  He has just a few classes and it is completely online (Definition: I will be typing papers).  The curriculum  is about 3 or 6 hours every semester so that he can work while finishing it out.  I think I am more excited than he is, but all together we are ready for him to get started.

MY Birthday!! (a few days late)

When I was a little girl, I thought I knew how things worked (I'm laughing at such juvenille thoughts as I type), girls grew up and married boys, their fathers walked their daughters down the church aisle...and there was an order to things, first came love, then came marriage, and then came an overpriced rediculously complicated baby carriage.

But when I grew up I realized that is not necessarily how things worked. Girls can marry girls, boys can marry boys, people can get married in the Bahamas, and kids can come before love and marriage.

It took me 27 years to figure out who I wanted to be...and what I've learned is it's a choice that you make EVERYDAY about who you want to be and who you want to be it with. I had to learn to appreciate what has happened in my life to bring me to this point and let go of it. And it means to be willing to comit with no guarantees. It means by knowing and accepting my reality, I got that fantasy I had always dreamed of :)

I like this place in our lives. It's nice to have something to be so proud of, and for people to be proud of what I've accomplished.

Thanks for all of the Birthday wishes, it means a lot to know you still remember :)

Love, Love, Love
Paige

From Tobes to Rock-Dawg

We here at the Atkins house have a medium to large place in our hearts for our nephew-dog Rocky. I spoke with Mommy today and she told me you were turning the big S-I-X. Toby had to jump online immediately to dig up old pics of you from past visits.  Found one! And, we wanted to thank you for taking care of all of your girls this past year. Being such a big man in the family takes a lot of work...maybe that is why you need sooo much sleep.  Know that we love you, no matter what old spaghetti fragrance you supply to the room, and we are thinking of you today. Loves to the Rock-Dawg   :)

You are a beautiful, stinky creature. Happy Birthday, friend!

Our Family's 4th

I love Missouri! Yay! Those words tasted a bit funny coming out of my mouth/head....who EVER would have thought, right? Yep, I admit it, it's growing on me.  Just looking at how much there is to do here, and all of the new nice developments going up all around I am really starting to feel at home in the err-huh, Mid-West.  Laugh yee all who doubted me :)

As we appreciated our rights and freedom to live a life of just liberties, we also played at a "Water Pad" after a morning full of park fun in the sand and climbing rock walls. Man that was exhausting to type, I can't imagine how tired the kids were! We enjoyed our weekly Saturday Farmer's Market visit (where we pick out our freshly butchered cow yummies and organic veggies), took a wagon ride with Toby, and grilled hamburglers with a side of homemade ice cream and Fireworks...and by fireworks I mean Party Poppers and snapper throw downs. WHOO! The Atkins really know how to party. Maybe one day soon we can have REAL firecrackers, and let me just say these folks do it BIG. If you have ever been to Rockets Over the Red, you know how awesome a show can be...this state has a "Rockets" show in every neighborhood! We put the babies to bed and just sat in our papasan chair together to watch everyone's show. Thanks Mid-Missouri for the free fireworks :) Needless to say, the babies slept until 900am on Monday.

I"M IN LOVE, again

Thank you to all of the hard working Americans/illegals at the NIKON Warehouse in Manhattan. I love you. And, although that may not mean much to you, I have found a special place in my heart just for you.

On Tuesday, June 1, my UPS man delivered me a bedskirt (not important) and a second box with my newly fixed, cleaned and fabul-ized Nikon D 70. I love thee, I love thee, I love thee.

I am sorry little one that I took your talent for granted, HOWEVER I am back in love with you after the first click. That was all it took.

Here are a few shots, obviously my photography skills are a bit shabby (hey, it's been a while...There are only so many ways to tilt the iPhone).  Nikki was in Manual mode, which is code for "I don't know what I'm doing yet," hence the blurry images.

This is our new home in Mid-Missouriland.  We decided to spoil our little neglected ones with some new outside things. I know, I know...the violins are out.

Because in the bloodline of Jan Carter, it is illegal to not carry Cheez-its in hand, at all times

Team Mini Atkins

Our Baby B had surgery today as well. Here she is, doing quite well, with her Piggy that Daddy brought home for her after the traumatic event (that she may never recover from). The poor nurses today were so sweet, even after B needed Valium to bring the drama back down from Hollywood to Missouri level....B managed to stop screaming, calm herself for a brief moment and softly say "Tank eww" as we exited the building. How proud am I? An actress, yet with grace...who would have thought :)

The "Nana and Gangy" Hibiscus

                             Mees Lillies

B with her treasure, H looking daring
Also, the fern to Russell's left is in a gorgeous planter from Aunt Di (our wedd gift). We finally have the perfect place for it, and it holds a fern from my grandfather's funeral in it. Very special to me, each part.

Yes, I have Calla Lillies AND Gerber Daisies in MY FLOWER BED!!! ( it's okay to be a little jealous of their beauty)

Okay, are you ready for the mansion shot???

Yep, there it is...I never thought I would love a house this tiny in all my life, but I must say it is my favorite one yet!! Finally something that feels just like OUR home...is there anything better than that? ( I promise my car isn't actually bigger than our home)

This random, yet adorable blue-eyed little boy keeps ending up in all of my pictures

Because birdies (and racoons alike) enjoy the flavor Nabisco offers...what can I say, he loves to share

Russ actually made this cross decades ago (alright, alright maybe just one decade ago) but we snagged in when we were home in La...and the above photo of the birdfeeder he made with his Dad, I believe

Duh, we brought our SAINTS Pride (and enormous flag)

Our back pad

The best thing we ever bought (and spent 8 days building)

There's that kid again (where is his Mom??)...and, he brought a friend. Hopefully he brought a potty bag for furry.

My cozy piece of happiness!

Well, there it is..the outside anyway. Soon I will post the inside (haha!)

And, I must say, to all of you (6 people) that do read my blog, not one of you enjoyed the Swagger Wagon video as I did expect. You know, sometimes it is OKAY to admit white people trying to be gangsta is quite comedic. Embrace it guys. We whitey tighties have no chance in hell in ever pulling that one off :)

I lmao everytime I re-watch it, and just so you know, Me and Alyssa sing it to each other. Yep, It's true--the queen of White loves it, now I'm just waiting on you others to fess up.

SWAGGER WAGON

I'm actually jealous that the scouts at Toyota didn't find me for this part. This is rediculously the best laugh I have had since last week at Date Night. I am using this as my personal therapy from now on. (Thanks Rachel & Alyssa)


You may need to scroll down south to my awesome playlist, and hit the shoosher for a minute.

Yo, Yo, Yo Check it

Happy Four Years to Us!

Love has little to do with moonlight and balconies and everything to do with patience, acceptance, and hanging in there.

Love can't always move mountains or change the world overnight. But it can open its arms at the end of a long, bad day and welcome you home.

Today, Russ and I celebrated four years of being married. These fours years have flown by...obviously what else happens to your days with kids in the mix? But this past year I feel like we have changed as a couple. We really grew together this year and really learned more about each other than we have in the previous years. I think that is why the above inscription from one of my anniversary cards touched me so. I really had no idea how hard the "real" world would be. It has made it quite comforting to know that Russ didn't either, but that we would figure it out as a team. And, to be honest, I think we have done a stellar job so far :)

Thanks to a not perfect but always learning husband. Thank you for teaching me patience and for the daily reminder that I cannot do everything alone.  I would choose you again, anyday. Thank you for giving me all that I could have dreamed of.

Here is what we did together:
He suprised me by taking off from work! We spent the whole day just doing things together. How Weird is that! We do not ever spend time alone together...or I should say it is rare.

We watched the movie Date Night after a yummy brunch at our fav coffeehouse/bakery. The movie was absolutely histarical. I laughed so hard my head hurt. I think that movie was made for people like us...parents :)

Russ enjoyed his massage while I walked downtown to find some cute things for the babies. I also managed to track down the last standing copy of Avatar in Columbia.

We ate "dunch" (late lunch/dinner) at the best-raved restaurant here...it was insane. Then got to pick up the kiddos :)

It was a perfect time spent with just him.

....off to watch our movie!! (with milkshakes, of course)

H's New Dew

We have slowly but surely demolished the once beautiful, long curls that once H was known for...now he looks like every other boy his age (boohoo). Moving on, I know summer is almost here and I just hate for him to be hot with tons of hair so after he woke up from a nap I bribed him with a sucker to get his haircut. Turns out, it was a pretty good trade. Our children rarely get candy, most of you guys know this, but I think (like many others, believe it or not) it should be a privelege to have. Today, H more than deserved it as he has been sick for 7 days and was a sweet little dude all last week while I had both of them home (he has been in preschool for 4 weeks). Here is the photo of our tiny man.

Russ said he looked like a trouble-maker with this cut...I sure hope not (since it is the same as Daddy's). He does look 7 years old, to me anyway.

Mother's Day

Happy Mom's Day to all of the lovely Moms I know. We give and give and do so much for everyone selfishlessly and I just wanted to wish us a Happy Day!

(picture: Mom and I in Boston, obviously the coldest she has EVER been in her life :) She came to meet B after her birth and for H's 1st B-day party)