I miss the FALL!!!!!

So, all around the country, it's FALL. Fall is lovely. Fall is cool, a breath of fresh air. There is no fall in Florida. Sure, sure, we had a "cold front" pass through this morning and it was 69*F at 7:30am instead of the 79*F it was yesterday at the same time. However, at the end of the day, it was still summer. I believe our cool front brought us down to the mid 80s. It is beautiful here, but I want to feel FALL. I want to be cold and to wish I had a sweater. I want to see leaves (notice I didn't say palm fronds) that fall off of the trees. I want to see the children pick up different leaves and acorns and ask me to hold them. Fall, I heart you!!! Fall makes me miss my friends and family from home. I am going to miss seeing mums and pumpkins and pansies and goodness gracious, the State Fair and its turkey legs!!!!!!!! So, if you're experiencing fall, and longing for the long days of summer, take a deep breath of that cool air, and know what a blessing it is!!!!

JPK Nylon bags

Have you seen the wonderful JPK nylon bags at Nordstrom? I just love these versatile nylon bags. My favorite feature is that the insides of the bags are lined in beautiful fabrics. These bags come in different sizes, including a smaller one for travel. You can look at them online by clicking this link. Happy Fall Shopping!

Tuesday's Tip

If you are ever on vacation with a group of adults, I have the game for you!!! SARDINES!!! It is so much fun and guaranteed to bring lots of laughter! Turn off all of the lights or play outside at night (very fun to do at the beach). One person hides while everyone else counts. If you are playing inside the house, it is best to count either outside or by the front door. Count to allow your friend time to hide. The one person goes inside and finds a hiding place. The house will be very dark when the group enters. Everyone sneaks through the house trying to find the one person who is hiding. When you find that person, you hide with them until everyone but one person has found the one hiding. The last person to find the group is the next to hide. It is SO much fun!!! We played this past weekend and giggled in closets and on top of washing machines and under tables. Have fun!

Beauty

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

Thank you, Lord, for this wonderful weekend away with our dear friends. Thank you for the natural beauty of Martha's Vineyard and for the laughter & fun we have shared!!!

Birthday Gift Ideas for Multiples

Being a twin, triplet, or more is fun. However, it also means you share EVERYTHING. Sometimes it is nice for multiples to have a little something that belongs just to them. For those of you who don't know what to give multiples for their birthday or Christmas, I am going to list some of my favorites!

-When the children were born, it was so much fun to open a gift with a set of 3 matching outfits. Do you know how much fun it is to match three sweet peas? We had a ball! I plan to one day shadow box their little preemie outfits that my friend's mother sent to us. J's mother sewed pink bows onto the girls' hats since the outfits were baby blue. They were so tiny that these outfits were their coming home outfits!

-Something for each individual child that costs you very little but is personalized will thrill them to DEATH. Personalized beach buckets, tin buckets for markers or crayons, water bottles, etc. We assigned each triplet a color, so they loved receiving a purple, pink or green gift in their color. Many of these gifts were Dollar Store finds gussied up with a paint pen. Just be creative!

-Multiples are used to sharing. They love sharing new puzzles, art supplies, DVD movies, board games, books, etc. One friend gave each child a Dr. Seuss book. They can be found for about $5 each at Target. A sweet inscription inside reminds us every year of their 2nd birthday. Target also offers $5 movies that make great gifts. Mothers of multiples are WELL AWARE of how EXPENSIVE it is to buy for three. You don't have to spend triple the money for our children's birthday gifts. If you normally spend $10 or $15 on a birthday gift, then divide that amount by 3 and give each of our children a $3-5 gift. They don't know the difference! We (mothers of multiples) are self-conscious when our birthday party costs you more than $10-15 in gifts! However, we SO appreciate the generosity of those that go above & beyond that!

-Gift certificates are always a great gift. You can give each child a $2 ice cream gift certificate or $5 to a movie. We love an activity!

-My friend, K, is a great artist. Check out www.kootiebug.com One year her son gave each of the triplets a great book on art that showed them how to draw a truck or a million designs you can make with your thumbprint. We still enjoy those books!

-N always gives the triplets a gift that beats the year before. She never ceases to amaze me!! When the triplets were 2, she gave them matching MONOGRAMMED chef's hats and aprons, each in a different color. At age 3, N gave each child their own beach chair. Talk about precious!! We still love those chairs 5 years later! At age 4 or 5, N gave the children the cutest bucket with a beaded handle. Inside was a $10 gift card for each child to go to the movies!!! That card took them to the only movie I've ever taken them to that wasn't a dollar movie!! We went to see Curious George as a family. N had even included yummy movie candy too. Precious. This year her family visited during Spring Break and filled our pool with incredible pool toys. N's ideas are endless!!

-As I've said before, we love to share. A gave our children a big game set that is portable for trips. My brother & his wife gave the children a see saw for the pool. We all love it and it is perfect to share!

-J always gives our children matching outfits or fun toys or books!

-One year A gave each triplet a book light which they still love! Little sis got one in her stocking this year!

-Another A friend gave the triplets gift certificates to go bowling and a gift card to have pizza next door at Two Guys!

-Puzzles and books are great!

-Baby doll strollers or playdough are fun for sharing

-We love our bubble machine or individual bottles of bubbles.

-Sidewalk chalk is fun to share

-3 jump ropes are cheap and easy!

-We always need goggles!

-One friend gave each triplet a kite and another gave them skates!

-Disposable cameras (can be $5 or less in a pack of 3) are a GREAT gift for young children

-New paper, markers, pencils, erasers, scissors, stickers, etc are fun

-Stationary (can be the cheap $1 stuff at Target)

Only me

I have just laughed my pants off in the mall... literally!!! I had 3 quick errands to do at the mall, only to discover the place closes at 9pm and I arrived at 8:15pm. Not exactly a lot of time to shop, I tell ya. I ran into Nordstrom to try on some black patent Revas, and I told him I was going to try on another shoe at Cole Haan but that I would be back before the store closed. Thus began my race!! I raced to Bose to see about having our speaker repaired. The man was quite chatty and wanted to show off the latest Sound Dock 10, as I tried to race out the door to the Apple Store. I don't know if my smile was extra big or what, but I made new friends in all 3 stores. At the Apple store, the man graciously exchanged my software and gave me some little hints that will help this hurried mama of 5. I raced out the door and had to run the ENTIRE LENGTH of the mall to get back to Nordstrom. I had about 8 minutes and counting. No time for Cole Haan. Forget the Nike Air ballet flats. I RACED to Nordstrom, and as I ran, my pants started falling down, so I yanked them back up. They fell again, so I tugged harder. Next thing I know I am running so fast that my pants AND my underwear are falling. So I ran through the mall as the Hurried Henley I am, holding our Bose speaker in one hand and jerking my pants back up with the other. I finally had to take off my shoes & just run. I know I was a sight to see!! Can't you just see those security guards in their office looking at their security screens? "Sir, I see a barefooted woman tearing through the mall with a large package in one hand, and what appears to be her pants in the other... will you check & see what in the world is going on?" "Ten Four, Buddy. I've heard of that one. We'll escort her out...."

When the mama cat's away....

the mice do play!

Our little H had quite a good time while I was on the phone on Friday. She found a roll of paper towels which became her new dress. You have to hand it to her, she's creative!!