Blueberries anyone?!

We go through a lot of fruit in our house.

A lot.

And during these winter months it is frozen fruit - like blueberries. 

The boys love them - but they stain everything!

My little 5 pounders...

Along with all of this party planning has been some serious reminiscing about when these two little two year-olds were just born. 


I have the Flip video camera now (which I LOVE) but I didn't have it when the boys were first born, unfortunately. I wish I had taken more video clips. 


Anyway, I am fortunate for the videos that I did take with my point-and-shoot camera and decided to put it all together into a little mini movie. This movie is all of the video clips we took during our 12 day stay in the NICU. (I couldn't help but throw in a few pictures as well).


The boys love watching the videos I take of them.


Oh - and the video is set to some songs by Renee & Jeremy - songs that will forever remind me of the boys. 


I still can't believe they were ever this small. 


Jeez Louise.



Untitled from K Schultes on Vimeo.



(warning - it's about 12 minutes long...)

Party Planning!

Party planning is in full swing right now. Just a week to go until the boys' big day. I'm  having so much fun with it this year - even more than last year.

Because I have so much more free time this year? 

Not exactly.

It's true what my fellow MOM's (mothers of multiples) say about the first 12-18 months. 

It's rough. 

Getting by is the goal. 

And for an overachiever type-A personality like myself - it's been tough to "just get by". 

Anyway - I think I can officially say that life is getting easier. 

Lots of fun decorations being planned. The theme of the party this year is TRUCKS!

From "prior trucks" (fire trucks)...to

"excabatas" (excavaters)...to

"tow trucks (what Grandpa drives)...to

"dumb trucks" (dump trucks)...to

"garby trucks" (garbage trucks)...

the boys certainly LOVE trucks.

We can't wait to have our family in town next weekend to celebrate. The boys talk daily about who they want to invite to their party. It's so fun to hear them list out all of their cousins, grandparents, uncles, and aunts. 

Here's the invite that went out to our family for their party. (The "P" and "M" were last minute adds to the invite - I am hoping you appreciate the detail!).

Stay tuned for pictures of the big day!

Christmas 2010 part 2

In addition to our trip home for Christmas in Carroll, we made a trip back to Decorah the weekend before Christmas and enjoyed lots of quality family time! The boys were spoiled and we all had a great time watching them open presents. Christmas is so much more fun with little ones!

Rude Christmas at the Round House in Decorah

Presents at Grandpa Don's - what is it!?!?

More presents...

And more presents!

Cara and Cory enjoyed watching the boys fight over the tow truck and the "prior truck" (i.e. fire truck). The "prior truck" made louder noises and had brighter lights. Thanks, Cory, for egging them on! GG settled the brawl by making an emergency trip to Walmart to get another "prior truck".

The highlight was probably the drum set from Grandpa Don and GG. It is so funny to watch them. The very first time they sat down they played it like they knew what they were doing. The loudest gift award definitely goes to Grandpa - thanks Dad!

Here's a video...

Untitled from K Schultes on Vimeo.

I

Ants!

Classic first-time Mom story:


A few weeks ago I saw a couple of ants in our basement. Coincidentally, later that night, Prior ended up with some large red marks under his arms and on his legs that looked suspiciously like bite marks. 


So I set out to find out who did it. I searched the boys' room high and low convinced I would find some giant tarantula-like spider. No luck. 


Convinced at this point that the marks were from the %#$% ants, I did some scientific research (i.e. google) and found a species of African fire ants that looked suspiciously like the 2 I saw in my basement. Mystery solved. 


At this point during the investigation I can't stop itching myself because I am convinced that I have ants and/or spiders crawling on me.


So I sent Ben to Walgreens to get some calamine lotion. 


A day goes by - the marks are still there. 


The boys went in to the doctor that day because they were having ear infection symptoms. (Refer to the story about this - no medicine was given). 


While we were there, we asked the doctor what poisonous creature(s) could have bitten our poor little innocent baby Prior.


Doctor said: "It's hives". 
Ben: "Are you sure?!?"
Doctor: "100%"


So one quick dose of benedryl and the African Fire Ant / Tarantula bites were gone. 


Completely gone.

(When I took a picture with my phone of his right armpit he insisted that I take a picture of the other arm pit. And then Mason wanted his armpits photographed as well (picture not included). Funny stuff!)

So now I'm curious what caused the hives!? I've tried to replay the entire few days leading up and can't come up with anything. Oh well - at least I'm safe from the creatures!

5th Annual Schultes Family Tailgate Party 2010

I think the reason for the delay in posting about this annual event is because of the way the game ended. 


Anyway.


The exciting part about the game this year was that it was the first match-up between the Hawks and the Gophers in the new outdoor TCF Stadium in Minneapolis. 


The not-so-exciting part about the game this year was the fact that it was the last game of the season on a very cold Minnesota day during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

The crew piled in the truck headed to the game.

Prior even enjoyed the party.

 Me and my faaavorite sista

My faaavorite sista and her man

Kristi came through again this year for the famous black and gold cookies. Yummmm...

Cara and her pile of dogs.

Cara & Cory

TCF Stadium

 The newlyweds - John and Sara

Sweet gloves!

Feel free to sit down. The ice isn't that cold. Plenty of seats still available. 

The boys cheered on the Hawks from home.

Rumor has it the Hawks are back up here next year - earlier in the season. We are ready for a rematch!

All Betta Soon!

The boys have been sick since before Christmas. They were on some antibiotics for an ear infection that they finished around New Year's. But never seemed to kick it. Lots of coughing (especially Mason), fevers here and there, poor appetites, lots of whining, droopy eyes, and we could just tell they didn't feel well. 


So after 3 trips to the doctor over the last week and a half, we finally have more medicine. The first two failed attempts resulted in a diagnosis of a "cold" that they would just have to work through. 


There's nothing more frustrating than packing up two little ones in 4 degree weather, entering a germ infested pediatric clinic, paying the co-pays (times two), waiting, only to be sent home without medicine. 


When we went in on Friday afternoon I had already decided that I was not leaving without a prescription - regardless of how "fine" their ears looked or how sick they weren't.


Fortunately we got a prescription this time. 


Unfortunately we also got a nasty diagnosis of pneumonia (both boys) and an ear infection (only Mason).

Here they are checking out the big trucks, yellow taxis, and school buses from the doctor's office window. They are such troopers for being sick for so long.


I'm so thankful to finally be heading down the right path - feel better soon boys!

Coach Cara

I told you all about auntie Cara moving back to MN. She's teaching in Rochester - I can only imagine how great of a teacher she is. I always remember wanting the "cool" teacher. 


This fall she was even coaching - 9th grade volleyball.


We were able to see her coach at a tournament in Rochester one Saturday and it was really fun.

In a big open gym with lots of balls, posing for a picture was not on P&M's list of things to do.

As you can see from the poster, the team loved Coach Rude! Can you blame them!? 

In between games we played outside and Prior tripped over his own two feet and scraped up his nose! (Better than a few missing teeth!)

Art or Accounting?

When the paperwork came to our house in Decorah in 1997-ish I had to indicate what major I was most likely to pursue while in college at UNI. 


I literally was torn between Art and Accounting. 


Funny, huh?! I still remember my mom (like usual) giving good advice by steering me towards accounting. While I do "love" accounting, I also truly love being artistic - whether it's crocheting, knitting, scrapbooking, pottery, jewelry, planning a birthday party for my babies, or remodeling a building.


So in between all of the busyness of life with twins, a husband, and a career I am always trying to keep the creativity flowing. 


I go through stages, but I ever since the boys were born I have become more and more interested in photography. Not to turn it into a business - but just to take better pictures myself. I like learning. I have taken a few photography classes and recently started taking some classes at the Apple store to learn more about editing and managing all of my photos. It's really fun - even with the limited amount of time I find for it.

Anyway, I have been organizing all of my digital pictures and have realized that I have missed some very important events in the blog that I don't want to forget about. So this post is advance notice of some serious catch-up!

My Two Little Chinamen

This picture was one of my recent "daily updates" from the home-front. 

Prior found one of my hair ties and said "hair". So Noi gave them each a quick new do.

I laughed out loud when I saw this picture-text of my two little chinamen. 

Schultes Christmas

Lots of Christmas memories left to share! In no particular order, here are the highlights of our Christmas in Dedham, IA:

We got to see our cousins, Kennedy, Alli, Miya, and baby Abby. They boys know who is sisters with who and and they love to talk about each of them. Each time we get together the boys  interact more and more with their cousins.

Grandpa Denny shared his breakfast with us - it even had frosting!! Two little beggars - I think they are both doing the sign for "more" in this picture.

Mason had his first babysitting gig. Fortunately Abby is a really good baby!

In addition to all of our 1st cousins, we also got to take a group picture with all of the Rupiper great-grand kids. I think that would make them all 2nd cousins? Not sure. This picture cracks me up.

Mason is going through a stage (hopefully it's just a stage) where he doesn't like his clothes. He says "out" instead of "off" but I hear a lot of "pants out", "shirt out", "diaper out". 

P&M love to watch sports car you-tube videos with uncle Jake. Pretty soon they are also going to want some sweet Mountain Dew pants to match...

Another shot with our idol, Jakey. Look - we even match! Well, kinda. I guess uncle Jakey's mom didn't make him wear a silly preppy sweater...

We played with other peoples' toys (even on Christmas those seem to be more fun than our own).

We helped Grandma with dishes...thank goodness she had a step stool with (barely) enough room for two. Who needs a dishwasher with these two!?

We had snacks with our cousins...

It's a miracle I was able to snap this one off with all four of them sitting at the same time. Thank goodness for booster seats with straps!

We celebrated at the Schultes Christmas on Christmas Eve and we also helped Grandpa Denny feed his calves. There was even a newborn baby calf! We can't wait to go back to Dedham soon!

Diaper Dominos

Buying diapers in bulk is so expensive much fun!



Diaper Dominos from K Schultes on Vimeo.

First REAL haircut!

You may have noticed from recent pictures.... 

But after two disappointing attempts at hair 'trims' by yours truly, I decided it was time to give the boys what they desperately needed: a real haircut.

 Prior (he refused the cape so I was completely covered in white hair)

Mason

One strict condition: it had to still be shaggy - just like uncle Jake. The good news is that we accomplished the shaggy look. The bad news is that by the time I found time to write about this they already need another cut.

The boys did really well. For the first five minutes it was due to the fact that they were in a new place. After that, it was due to their very first tootsie pop experience. The boys were so oblivious to absolutely everything except the suckers that we probably could have even waxed their eyebrows.

I tried to watch how it was done so we'll have to see if I can duplicate the cute-ness next time they need a cut.

What handsome boys...