New Old-Fashioned Way?

On the way home from Thanksgiving Dinner tonight we were, of course, listening to Christmas music on the radio and heard Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree. Afterwards, Kensi asked, "What does 'new old-fashioned way' mean?" We discussed oxymorons and opposites and that it didn't really make much sense. Then she said, "Oh,I know. Its like newer than the old-old way but older than the new-new way. Like ballroom dancing to rock music instead of classical music." Pretty clever interpretation, I thought.

Runny Manure or Reni Meurer?

Fran tagged me and I'm supposed to list seven funny/weird things about myself. My first thought was, oh, that's easy---1) Abe 2) Me 3) Kensi 4) Salem 5) Simeon 6) Asher 7) Thaddeus--Nuff Said!

My second and third thoughts were "What about me isn't weird?" and "I can only list 7?"

Then I decided I'd play along because I need to post and because its just more fun. Soooo.......

1) I have weird teeth--a baby tooth that has never fallen out (my dad still has one too), a peg lateral (which means the tooth is really skinny) and a shark tooth. (that's what I call it. Its really the adult tooth that should have grown in to replace the baby tooth but instead grew down behind my other teeth thus making a second row of teeth like a shark.

2) I'm an all or nothing kind of person. If I can't do something really well then I'd rather not do it at all. Take my house, for instance. Its either really clean or a total disaster and since I have 5 children and its next to impossible to keep really clean its usually (more like always) a total disaster. My room as a kid was the same. I'd take a Saturday and clean the whole thing, including reorganizing closets and shelves and dusting and scrubbing. I'd keep it spotless for a week and then it would go back to you couldn't even walk into it without stepping on something. Another example--if I had a paper or assignment due for school that I didn't think was guaranteed to get an A then I wouldn't turn it in. I'd rather be able to say that I hadn't received credit for an assignment because I never turned it in rather than have to admit that I had simply done badly on it.

3) Since I cut my hair short, I'll let anyone cut my hair as long as I don't have to pay someone to do it. My list so far doesn't include anyone too random yet--my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister in law, college roomates, my husband, and anytime I hear of a cosmetology student who needs volunteers I'm TOTALLY there. Lately, I've taken to cutting it myself.

4) I really like vanilla tootsie rolls. I like them all the more because they are difficult to come by. I've only seen them in mixed bags, usually with all of the fruity flavored ones which I don't really care for. I bribe or steal them from my children on Halloween. I came across a bulk bin at a supermarket the other day of mixed flavors and I picked out 10 of just the vanilla ones.

5) Once, in junior high, I was waiting for my ride home. Another kid was waiting for a ride too so we started talking. "What's your name?" he says. "Reni Meurer" I answer. "Oh, like Runny Manure" he quips. "Yea. Just like." I answer with the requisite roll of the eyes. (It was Larry Waters for any of you Coos Bay folks)

6) I was trying to decide what else to put so I asked my husband what he thought. He said,"You snort and you squat." The snorting will certainly bring back memories for some of you. It used to drive my stepmom crazy. Something about my physiology I guess but I get "stuff" in my sinuses or nasal cavity or whatever that just won't come out any other way. So, yes, I snort. My husband is the only one who has ever commented on the squatting. I think he's just jealous because he can't do it. I've always been a floor sitter and a squatter. Its very comfortable to me but I guess it isn't for a lot of people.

7) When I was in kindergarten I wanted to be the first female president of the United States (I still have a chance for that one, I guess since ole Hillary didn't make the cut) Then, I wanted to be a lawyer. Then, I wanted to be a physicist. Hmmm? How'd I do? I'm a crunchy-stay-at-home-homebirth-homeschool-organic-health-nut-environmentalist-mormon-gardener-wife-mom. And its just what I want to be right now!

I have to list a few weird things about my husband too--First, he microwaves his ice cream. He likes it really soft. Blech! Second, when he sleeps he must have his head covered and his feet sticking out. It makes it a pain in the butt to make the bed because the top sheet must be kicked out to make room for his feet. I love you, Abe! :-)

I tag Patience, Precia, Mom, and Kate--list 7 funny or weird things about yourself.

Potty Success!

Asher and his potty chart!

My Mom helped me with really focusing on potty training with Asher this past week. You can read more about what we did on her blog and see her silly Granny potty dance (Fanny dance in Asher speak) which he asked for every time he used the toilet. We started on Monday with 3 accidents, none on Tuesday, 1 on Wednesday, and none yesterday. We put a diaper on him at night but when he woke up yesterday morning he was still dry! I can't tell you how excited I am. I really dislike having to buy diapers for two kids. I really think after another week he should have it down (knock on wood) YEA!

SMILE Captured!

Thaddeus has been smiling for a day or two, but still not very often,at least not while he's awake. I was taking pictures of him with Asher because I thought they looked so cute together and just got lucky with this smile. And I'm not really sure if he was awake or asleep...but who cares! Its just dang cute!

Random Happenings

We had pomegranates for snack time today. You can't see it very well in the photo but Simeon looked like he had some kind of pox from all the juice droplets he managed to get all over his face.

Salem got the lucky pomegranate today. Notice the perfect Y and the heart-shaped seed.



Everyone around here seems to have reached some important milestone in the last day or two:

Thaddeus showed us his first real awake smile today. Of course we haven't captured a photo of it yet.

Asher is making progress in the potty-training department. He went pee in the potty 3 times today (and only 3 times in his pants:-) ) We decided when we are at home we are just going to put big boy underwear on him so he'll notice when he goes. (Luckily, we don't have any carpet so accidents are easily cleaned up) He seems excited about it.

Simeon sounded out his first 3 letter words today. He's been learning his letters so well and seems to really enjoy them. While I was working on school today with the older kids he got a picture book out and just copied words out of it for a long time. In the afternoon I spent some time going over the letters he knows and practiced blending them with him until he could sound out some words like box, sit, pot, etc. Its so fun to see their excitement when they learn something new.

Last night Salem lost his front tooth. His other one is loose so we'll have to teach him the 2 front teeth song for Christmas this year. I love the lisp!

Kensi got all of her school done today by 1:30 this afternoon! This is huge, for me at least, because she likes to complain and procrastinate and take all day (which really makes it difficult for me to get done everything else I have to do). We've really been working on this lately. I was so proud of her!

Apart from all of that, I only have 3 more days with my mom left. We've had a good time and she's been so helpful. We played Rummicub last night, Clue and Uno the night before that. We've made lots of treats and she's cooked and cleaned and cooked and cleaned some more. We'll miss "Fanny" when she leaves.

Twins?

Thaddeus a few hours after birth....

Asher a few hours after birth...

I just found these baby pictures of Asher and was amazed at the similarities. I don't think I could even have told you which one was which.

Almost 2 Weeks Old!

I woke up this morning and could tell a difference in Thaddeus--his cheeks had filled out seemingly overnight and he has rolls of chub on his legs. Its amazing how fast they grow and lose that newborn look.

My mom arrived on Saturday and has been helping so much. The kids are enjoying Granny or "Fanny" as Asher calls her. We'll post some pictures of our projects in a few days although even just the cooking and laundry is enough to keep us (mostly her) busy especially on days like yesterday where she made 2 breakfasts as her low carb waffles didn't go over well with the kids so she made another batch of waffles they are used to. They were actually really good and I'll probably inflict them on my children again as that's the kind of mom I am.:-)