lately - the SPO edition

There is one thing that has dominated this household lately, and nothing else should really be mentioned until this is sufficiently addressed...

SANTA

PAULA

ORTHO

Monday was the first day Jared saw his own patients in his own space! Jared has been working pretty much constantly-- when he's not at one of his 3 other orthodontist jobs, in 6 other locations (deep breath)-- he is working on his own practice. For the 3 months that it has been under construction, this guy has been texting his general contractor at all hours of the day and night, visiting the site almost daily, and making decisions on computer systems, alarm systems, HVAC, flooring, ceilings, staffing, insurance, and all sorts of things that certainly are not covered in dental school. He has been so tireless and selfless to work so hard for our family. I know it stresses him out-- he tries to hide it but the sudden patch of gray hairs on top of his head is totally blowing his cover. He says it will help his patients take him more seriously. Such an optimist.

Now that construction is 98% complete, he has a practice to run. He put it best Monday morning before leaving for work. He said it's like going through all the effort to make and grow and deliver a baby, and you are desperate for a moment to rest... but, now you have a baby. I laughed, because of all the inane comparisons a guy can make to having a baby, I can't dispute this one. Jared has earned the right to make that comment, and-- if it means anything-- that's coming from a girl who birthed twins.

I've been roped in as well, helping out with odds and ends because there are a billion of them, and it's kept me much busier than I thought I'd be as a mom who quit my job to be home with my kids. Jared's dad was a great help by coming to stay with us a few days each week for a month or so. He would work from home while the kids slept so I could go run errands. The kids absolutely loved having so much Grandpa time.

We tried to make Grandpa's visits worth his while.

More to come on SPO as the finishing touches (not that things like this are ever really "finished") come in, like when the granite on the reception desk is finally installed and all the pictures are hung. We're getting there. 

tractor museum

One of our favorite places to go in town is the Ventura County Agriculture Museum. It's only a year old, and we've been going since it opened so we have seen it fill up with great displays and interactive things for kids. It's the closest thing we have to a children's museum. The kids love going to the "tractor museum," which they named after the big green antique tractor that Isaac heads straight for every time we go. Anyone can climb right up, sit behind the wheel, and poke a button that makes sounds like the tractor is sputtering to a start. It's also missing a side panel so you can see into the engine. It's a little boy's dream come true. On our last visit, Isaac's questions started pouring in. I am really going to have to brush up on my tractor knowledge.

My favorite part, however, is the old wooden flooring throughout (some of it from the original warehouse that the building started out as in the late 1800s). Especially when it is graced by my little dancer.

Something new we tried on our last visit: the dress-ups. Someone hand him a pitchfork.

This pretty little farm girl has the classic stoic expression nailed. 

It's all part of embracing this life in the Southern California country.

Halloween!

With the kids just 2 months shy of 3 (I know-- I had to calculate that twice to make sure it was real), this was a super fun year for Halloween. The kids picked out their costumes a couple months ago, and I was amazed to see that they never went back on their choice. Isaac's pick to be a firefighter was no surprise-- he has been enamored for quite some time with everything related to fighting fires. Bethany, on the other hand, was in the thick of such a strong Dora-obsessed phase (which isn't necessarily over, it's just that she's entertaining other thoughts now too, like princesses and cuddly animals), that I was initially a little shocked when she said she wanted to be a pink kitty cat. It turns out the joke was on me, because I eventually learned what our friend Dora's Halloween costume was-- a little black kitty cat with pink ears. So when I described Dora's costume to Bethany in some detail, it was clear that Bethany did in fact want to be Dora for Halloween, for Halloween. Funny girl.


But you don't want to hear about their costumes from me, do you? Hear it from them.



Unlike other years when I've made their costumes, doing 90% of it on Halloween Eve, we had these kids ready weeks in advance. So that meant they got to try them on and play around in them a bit, but not too much, so that the excitement was still there. Right? You're excited... Right kids?!

Isaac was actually pretty psyched about his costume, but really not in the mood for posing.

Bethany was so cute when she realized her costume had a tail.

Isaac was later found reading his favorite book about fire engines.
Maybe he felt like he should brush up on his firefighter knowledge,
now that he was actually going to be one.

We didn't have many events to go to this year. Our ward's Primary is so small that they don't always do a trunk or treat, and with all the busy-ness of building Jared's practice we forgot about the town's Halloween parade down Main Street. I was bummed when I realized that, but knew it would have been tough to make it happen anyway. But it turned out to be just the right amount. Wednesday is storytelling day at the library, and our sweet-as-pumpkin-pie librarian/storyteller said the kids can come in costume and she would have a special treat for them, which turned out to be a (quiet) parade through the library that ended in a room full of cupcakes. Isaac of course chose one with black frosting that gave him a very firemanly beard, and that turned into a very firemanly 5 o'clock shadow because it was so hard to wash off.

On our way in to Storytelling at the Library.

Oinge cuckapes! | Blackbeard | Kitty with Mary Poppins (Ms. Ilene)

Our other Halloween event was a pre-trick-or-treating dinner party at a friend's house for all the families in the neighborhood. I love this idea and hope it becomes a tradition. Unfortunately, my handsome, hardworking husband was still at work when the dinner party started, but I did have my father-in-law with me. He wore Jared's astronaut helmet that you may remember from such hits as Halloween 2009, and we played the game of seeing how long it took for people to notice that he wasn't my husband. Not too long, but some were pretty confused for a minute! The real Mister caught up to us at the dinner.

As if Grandpa wasn't already at maximum coolness...
Isaac just about exploded when he saw that he was capable of space travel.

Trick or treating was one of those times when we realized, once again, how fun these kids are and how awesome this age is. The twins absolutely loved it, and everything about it. Running up to the doorstep, ringing the bell, saying Trick or treat!! Thank you!! and Happy Halloweeeeeeeeeeen!! a million times at every house. They could do it all by themselves and we just stood back and watched and laughed and ate our hearts out.

A firefighter, pirate, witch and pink kitty cat. No theme is the new theme.
(Thanks for the line, Miggy.)

We got home and the kids went straight to work on eating their candy. They would get so excited every time other trick or treaters came to our door, and as I gave out candy, Bethany would reach into her own bucket and give them her candy as well. It was ridiculously cute.

By the end of the night we had two kitty cats, eating candy off the floor
(but actually off of her lovey, on the floor, although I'm not sure that's much better).

Happy Halloweeeeeeeeen!

Zoo days

One of our favorite places to go around here is the Santa Barbara Zoo. We are so lucky that of all the zoos out there, this is the closest one to our house, just 40 minutes away. They (the SB Zoo people) like to brag that it is the world's most beautiful zoo, and if that's true, it's not hard to believe. It's basically a park, with rolling green hills, ocean views, places to have a picnic--or wedding, and oh, a bunch of exotic animals.

So when we go, I must admit that it's not all for the little ones-- I absolutely love going up there and soaking in what I can (the gorillas! and the lions! they're amazing!) while I chase down my own little animals. In addition to seeing the animals, there are some really fun things for kids to do. Here are some photos, from the past year that we've been going, of their favorite zoo things. (And woah, look at how much they've [she's] changed!)

The hill slide

The train

The eggs

I tried to get them to share an egg for old times' sake.

Can't say I blame them for not wanting to go back to those days.

Their friends

Guess which two were stopped and asked if they were twins?

Hint: not the actual twins. 

The Endeavor

Technically can't be categorized as an SB Zoo favorite, but the shuttle did fly right over our heads while we were there. I watched it go by and then took this pic of Isaac and Grandma, so the shuttle is too small to see in this photo. Isaac would have had an awesome view if only his telescope was pointed in the right direction!

And, a new favorite from our most recent visit with Grandma & Grandpa...

Feeding the Giraffes

Bet you can guess what we talked about at the dinner table for the following few weeks!

things they say

To state the obvious, I haven't been keeping up my blog. Summer break has turned into a 6 month sabbatical. No apologies or promises-- except that I promise not to apologize-- but I do find it regretful that I haven't kept it up better, when there is a daily cute-fest going on and there are grandparents on the opposite coast, and memories I don't want to forget. It makes me feel better that I have been tracking these kids in other ways-- a little journaling, notes on my phone, and tons of photos, videos, and Instagram. So I've got material. I'm never short on material. :)

With that I present the latest version of Things They Say-- just a few things I've written down over the last 2-3 months. What's cuter than what they say is how they say it-- like their tongues are way too big for their mouths, or their mouths are stuffed with Skittles and they're trying to keep them all in while telling you something exciting and amazing. Their enunciation is off but so adorable because they are trying so hard.

Isaac

We were at a pool and Jared had asked Isaac not to climb in the hot tub, so as not to disturb the relaxing people in it. Isaac's response: Hmm... (holding a finger to his lips) I know! I JUMP in the hot tub! (As opposed to climbing in? Nice try!)

One day a friend was visiting and he was doing a full inspection of the doors on her car. He held up that same finger again and said, I know how it works! Always trying to figure things out, this one.

He calls Bethany, Bethny.

Look = Wook

I was leaving the kids with a babysitter one evening. It has been a rough afternoon so I thought they might not let me go very easily. I tried to make it a quick-but-not-too-quick goodbye and said, Grace is going to play with you while I go to the store I'll be back soon I love you bye! Isaac comes up and says Mama Mama Mama while patting my hip. Yes Isaac? I say apprehensively. Buy pahsicles (popsicles).

Aw miss! (whenever he's playing basketball and misses the basket)

Whayoudoin? The perpetual question.

Helicopter = Hoppicopper

He jumps for joy, literally. When we ask if he wants ice cream, or if he likes basketball, or if he wants to see Grandpa, his whole body says Yeah!!

His current favorite book is Smash, Mash, Crash, There Goes the Trash! (Really cute book about trash day, which we love.) He's got the whole book memorized. (But won't let me catch it on video - sad face.) Jared & I just watch in wonder as he reads it to us.

I put his rain boots on for the first time in a while and wanted to check the fit, so I felt for his toes and said, Where are your toes? He said, In my boots!

After Isaac pulled the curtain rod out of the wall in his room when he was supposed to be napping, he cried really hard. I asked him if it was because he was hurt, he said no. I asked him if it was because he was scared, he said no. So I just asked him why he cried. He said, I wanted a Band-Aid. Ah, I've trained him well.

Bethany

Pink. It's an adjective, but not necessarily indicating the color of something so much as how much she likes it. For example, my pink airplane, my pink horsey, my pink Dora... whether it's actually pink or not. 

Pink is also a noun, but you have to use context to figure out what it means. One morning over pancakes, it was I want pink on my plate. Syrup. Of course.

On the way home one day I asked B what the best part about the pool was, purposely not asking for her favorite part because the answer to her favorite anything is always pink. She said, Pink best forever Mom! Favorite or best, I guess there is no need to ask anymore.

Prayer: HeavenlyFatherJesusChristAmen.

Me: What's your lion's name? B: Tiger.

Me: What's your bear's name? (my old Care Bear with a cupcake on the tummy) B: Tyrone.

Swimsuit = Swimzwoot

B: Mama, I upside down! Me: Yes you are! B: Yes I are!

She usually pronounces her name very well, but sometimes it comes out Beth-nay.

When I tell Isaac to say sorry or thank you, she usually does too. Or instead.

What's that mama? (holding her finger out). Me: (driving the car and reaching back to feel) I can't see it, what is it? B: I don't know, I pulled it out my nose.

Whenever we'd talk about her cousins (usually Anna and Scott), she would often say, ...and my cousin Daisy? She started talking about my cousin Daisy so much that I started thinking it was an imaginary friend, until one day I realized that Dora has a cousin Daisy, and it all made sense. This girl really loves her Dora.

Lately, instead of asking What are you doing? she asks, What are you doing about it?

summer jobs

Like any good 2 1/2 year olds, Isaac and Bethany found some work to keep busy this summer.

Isaac took up a job at the gas station/car wash. It fits well with his love of cars and of pointing out gas stations. (Mama, gas station. Car needs food. Car's really dirty. Repeat. Repeat.)

(We love how our little Jay-Leno-for-toddlers car collection has grown, especially how we only bought one car [off craigslist]-- the rest was handed down or gifted, as with almost all of our outdoor toys. I suppose that's one benefit of living in a place that doesn't have a billion toddlers in every cul-de-sac.)

He'll even do interior detailing for you.

Bethany found work as a lifeguard. Saving lives, that's what she does. Looks like there's a little Buzz Lightyear on the bottom she needs to rescue.

She figured since she's going to be at the pool anyway she might as well get paid for it.

in a year

This month was our one year Santa Paulaversary. I've been thinking about all that has happened, and all that has changed, in the course of a year. It blows my mind that it was only just over a year ago that we left New York City.

Back then, we lived in a 700 square-foot, 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment on the 19th floor (of 31), overlooking the Hudson River and George Washington Bridge. I could plop my head on my pillow and see the Empire State Building. When I talk about life in NYC to anyone in CA I always get a big reaction-- anywhere from I don't know how you did that with twins to That is sooo cool.

Now, we rent a 2-story, single family home with more bedrooms, more bathrooms, and a garage that we park actual cars inside. We pay about the same in rent but for 3 times the space. I haven't really mentioned any of this to my NY friends. (Until now.)

Then, it was a 2 block walk to Jared's clinic and the subway. I used a double stroller and 2 Mommy Hooks to carry home my groceries (and babies). We would walk anywhere from a block to a mile to get to fantastic parks and playgrounds, or we would take the subway to Central Park, Union Square, Washington Square, or wherever there was a (working) elevator for our double stroller. I didn't know how much I'd miss the parks and playgrounds there.

Now, we drive or sometimes bike to one of 3 or 4 parks in town, and none of them are nearly as good. Often we drive the 15-20 minutes to one of the parks in Ventura, which are much, much better. And of course there's always the beach. Oh, and our backyard! Bless you, backyard!! We drive to the grocery store, library, everywhere. For Target and other suburban standards, we drive a little further because our town is so small.

Back then, we went to church at the most amazing ward, overflowing with talent. Artists, musicians, writers, teachers, lawyers, doctors, homeschoolers, homebirthers, etc etc etc who were young, interesting, fun, good looking and fashionable. There were way more people we would have loved to be friends with than we had time to get to know. The good friends I did find were real, true, golden. Oh, how I miss them all. And somehow it could be lonely amidst all those people, especially for the first few months after the twins were born. I guess with so many great people, you can't invite everyone, and it's easy to overlook someone. We took our turn being that someone, probably more times than we know, and that never felt too good.

Here, our ward is so ancient, it's comical. No really-- on my first Sunday there, one (very old) man told me that the average age in the ward is dead. So I said, You and I bring the average age down, and I gave him a fist bump. (All that is true except for the fist bump. It was a chest bump.) (That's not true either.) But, the ward is great-- surprise twist ending! People welcomed us so warmly. They still make us feel so appreciated, wanted and needed. And the few young families that are in the ward are now some of our favorite friends ever. The other day one friend said to me, I don't know if you were an answer to our prayers or if we were an answer to yours. Yes.

Back then, Bethany and Isaac were a year and a half old and had that first language explosion just after we left NYC. I remember counting Bethany's words and being shocked that she knew 50. Within a few days it was 75. And a few days after that I stopped counting. Isaac was behind Bethany but still very verbal. They also had hardly any hair.

Now, they are two and a half and as talkative and full of personality as can be. The other day I ran an errand just with Isaac and he chatted my ear off the whole time. Mama, what's that? Mama, what you doing? What's tractor doing? What's tree doing? You hear that? I hear the firetruck! Let's go see the firetruck? What's fireman doing? He's had a hundred haircuts and she's had none because her would-be shoulder-length hair is so curly it just boings right up around her cute little head.

Then, we could hardly make it through 15 minutes of church without leaving with one or two crying/hungry/poopy babies, and by "we" I mean I because Jared was sitting on the stand with the Bishopric. The kids weren't old enough for nursery, but were too active to handle in Relief Society, so Jared (when he could, which was surprisingly often) and I created a baby school in one of the empty classrooms. Just a place were we could feed, diaper and play with babies freely. Sometimes Arden or other active kiddos would join us. That was all if the kids and I even made it through all 3 hours of church. Big if. But we always went to take the Sacrament and were almost always on time. It was the hardest day of my week.

Now, it is once again one of my favorite days! Hurrah. The kids rarely need to leave the chapel (well, still maybe once per Sunday) and they play fairly quietly in our row (except today when they started fighting over a toy). They love their nursery leader and their friends at church. And even though we now go and sit as a family of four, we're always late. Things are pretty much as good as we can expect, and it's all about expectations. :)

Then, Jared was still... still... STILL a student, who had his very last day of school (clinic) on our 10th anniversary. Back then he had only this dream of moving to Santa Paula; I had never even seen the place and had only heard of it through him. And he had only "discovered" it just a couple months before, basically through a late-night google search.

Now, we are in full swing building an orthodontic practice that we hope to open in the Fall. Jared has worked incredibly hard this entire year on securing his office location and was finally able to sign a lease in July. (He's been working as an orthodontist in other dental offices in the meantime.) He is busier than ever-- definitely busier than residency and maybe even dental school-- and it's probably going to get worse before it gets better. But I am so proud and appreciative of all his hard work. He's doing amazing things.

Oh, how to wrap this one up. With me? I mean, it feels like the whole thing has been about me, although not specifically me. And now that I think about it, I think the least has changed with me. It's hard to say what I was like back then, but now... I just started training for a half marathon in November-- something I've wanted to do forever and am finally giving it a try. I've been working out with friends at a fitness studio, and my size is the same but I feel stronger. I've been spending a surprising amount of time helping to start businesses-- Jared's practice, and one with my mom that I'll have to share more about soon. My hair doesn't even touch my shoulders anymore and I'm addicted to cutting it. I drive a Honda Odyssey everyday, sometimes more. And one that I realized just this morning-- I can look at my son and know which spots to wipe off because they are dirt, and which spots to skip because they are freckles. Their love for me has never been more sweet and my love for them has never been more fierce. More than ever, I am the mama.

If more posts and more pictures happened here, that would be okay with me.