As parents we only want the best for our children.  When they are hurting we are too!  My boys have suffered from ear infections, colds, and sinus infections it seems like every week this winter.  We just recover from a round of illness and boom it starts all over again.  After, trying various antibiotics  our pediatrician encouraged us to have tubes put in their ears.  I was a bit hesitant.  We weighed the pros and cons and decided that it was in their best interests!

Yesterday, we traveled to the hospital at 5:00 am in -4 degree weather to have the surgery performed.  Here is the medical terminology for the procedure but  basically it’s ear tubes.

 ” The surgery, called a myringotomy, is a tiny incision in the eardrum. Any fluid, usually thickened secretions will be removed. In most situations, a small plastic tube (a tympanostomy tube) is inserted into the eardrum to keep the middle ear aerated for a prolonged period of time.”            

It was a bit terrifying to me as a mama to have to dress my little ones in pint-sized hospital gowns in preparation for them being whisked away by strangers in scrubs and goofy hats!  However, they did wonderfully.  I will admit they were pretty upset in the recovery room afterwards but overall it wasn’t a terrible experience.  I also have to tell you the twindaddy was proud that I only shed a few tears as they took the boys away!

 

Mr. G had to stay in recovery a little longer due to his blood pressure but that turned out to be nothing more than a side effect of the screaming fit he had after surgery.

Today, they seem like a couple of happy boys!  They are back to their mischievous, ornery little selves and haven’t stopped yelling and talking yet!  I think it’s because without all of that fluid and ‘gunck’ in their ears they can hear themselves! 

I highly recommend this procedure to anyone with problem ears!  It seems to have helped tremendously!  Our doctor also told us that regardless of the rumor that they can’t swim or have water near their ears , they are free to splash and play without harm! 

 

Just another step on this road we’re traveling down!

O mother-my-love, if you’ll give me your hand,
And go where I ask you to wander,
I will lead you away to a beautiful land,–
The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder.
We’ll walk in a sweet posie-garden out there,
Where moonlight and starlight are streaming,
And the flowers and the birds are filling the air
With the fragrance and music of dreaming.

There’ll be no little tired-out boy to undress,
No questions or cares to perplex you,
There’ll be no little bruises or bumps to caress,
Nor patching of stockings to vex you;
For I’ll rock you away on a silver-dew stream
And sing you asleep when you’re weary,
And no one shall know of our beautiful dream
But you and your own little dearie.

And when I am tired I’ll nestle my head
In the bosom that’s soothed me so often,
And the wide-awake stars shall sing, in my stead,
A song which our dreaming shall soften.
So, Mother-my-Love, let me take your dear hand,
And away through the starlight we’ll wander,–
Away through the mist to the beautiful land,–
The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder.

~Eugene Field

Time to show ‘em how much you love ‘em!  Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies with a bit of pizzazz that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day! 

The cookies pictured below I made “super-sized”.  They found their way into the paws of six ornery little punks!

 

Show ‘Em You Love ‘Em Cookies

1 1/2 C Butter

1 1/2 C Sugar

1 C Brown Sugar

1 1/2 C Peanut Butter

1 1/2 t Vanilla

3 Eggs

3 C Flour

1 T Baking Soda

1/2 t Salt

1 1/2 C Quick Oats

12 oz Chocolate Chips 

Melting Chocolate for Decorating in various colors

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Cream butter & sugars until smooth.  Stir in peanut butter, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.  Slowly add flour, salt, & soda into the batter until mixed through.  Add oats and chocolate chips.  Stir.  Drop on parchment lined cookie sheets. 

 

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on sheets for 5 minutes or until set. 

 

When cookies are completely cooled top with melted chocolate.  My method for melting chocolate is to place it into a microwave safe bowl and zap it for 1 minute.  Stir and continue to cook for 15 second intervals until melted and smooth.  It’s then easiest to pour into a zipper bag, snip the end off, and decorate away!

As Valentine’s Day approaches it makes me think of all the love in my life!  The word “love” escapes my mouth so many times a day!  I think that sometimes I don’t even realize how much love I have – especially for my children.  You stroll through life and one day meet the man of your dreams and suddenly you think you understand love and have more than you ever thought possible.  And then,  it happens!  Your child or children in my case enter this world and your cup- it runneth over! 

That phrase stuck with me since I watched Hope Floats long ago.   “My cup runneth over!”   My cup…it truly does runneth over.  The love I have for my children is stronger than any I’ve ever known before.  This love isn’t just for my children but also all the little munchkins I have in my life!  My boys aren’t old enough to get what ” I love you” truly means but when they come from across the room to give mama a slobbery kiss it warms my heart like nothing else!  Or when I end a phone call with my nieces and nephews with an I love you  and I get one in return!

 

Value the love you have in your life because there is truly nothing as priceless! 

I’ve decided that although my life with twin boys is strenuous, taxing, hilarious, and for the most part joyful…some days I truly need to escape!

I don’t mean wild escapades to movies alone or trips abroad.  Just those few minutes that put my mind back into a state of normalcy.  For me those minutes are when I’m engulfed in a book (which I never have time for anymore) or when I’m whipping something up in the kitchen.  I truly love to bake and create. 

The boys have both been suffering from ear aches, colds, fevers, etc.  which means that they aren’t sleeping or very happy.  I’ve really been needing to step away from my “life”.  I’m sure that you have noticed all the recipes I’ve been posting lately! 

Today, I’m going to share with you a concoction that may just change your lives…and possibly your pant size!  These would be a perfect gift for Valentine’s Day or any other special occasion!  They are a little morsel of perfection!  Cookie Dough Truffles!  The recipe contains no eggs so they are completely food safe! Here’s the recipe-

Cookie Dough Truffles

1 C Butter, Softened

3/4 C Sugar

3/4 C Brown Sugar

1/3 C Milk

1 t Vanilla Extract

2 1/2 C Flour

1 t Salt

1 C Peanut Butter Chips

1/2 C Chocolate Chunks (I like to chunk my own from a block )

1 lb Milk Chocolate Melting Wafers

1/2 C Peanut Butter Melting Wafers

Colored Wafers for decorating if you’d like

 

Cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add milk, vanilla, flour, & salt.  Combine.  Stir in the chips and chunks.  Roll dough into truffle sized balls.  I made mine about the size of a large marble.  Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. 

Combine milk chocolate and peanut butter wafers in a small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for  1 minute (stir often!)  followed by 20 second intervals until all chocolate is melted.  Dip balls and place on parchment lined sheet.  Decorate with other colors if you’re feeling festive.  The easiest way to do so is to place melted chocolate in a zipper bag and snip a small corner off. 

 

I never thought that I would dress the boys in matching outfits.  In fact at the beginning I totally hated that idea!  Somewhere, along the path I decided it was adorable. . . and much easier.  When they both have the same wardrobe there isn’t any fussing over who belongs to which shoes or coat.  I realize that this won’t be ’do-able’  forever but for now -it works!  The boys are nearly the same size with only a 2 ounce difference in weight and 1/4 of an inch in length. We had a checkup with the pediatrician yesterday.  They weighed in at 22 pounds and 21 pounds 14 ounces.  Plus, we’ve finally found a spot on the infamous weight percentile chart!  We’ve never had a problem with their feet being small however!    When they were born their feet seemed as big as their little bodies.  I’ve failed to mention that the twindaddy’s shoe size is a 13.  I’ve heard it said that the bigger your feet the more firm you’re foundation.  The boys should have no problem there!

I’ve strayed away from the point of this post- I do apologize.  It could be the lack of sleep or the overall muck my brain seems to be wading through!  I’ll try to get back on track… I ventured into the shoe department at Target in search of  new bigger shoes.  Can you believe that I was only able to find two pairs in the same style and a size 5 ?  Ridiculous don’t you think?  I was dumbfounded but none the less those are the ones we came home with! 

The boys are starting to have opinions and reactions to new things more and more.  We tried the new shoes on when we got home.  I of course made a big ‘to-do” which caused many giggles from the little ham bones!  What a blessing it is to find such joy in such simple things as shoes!

Black Bean Brownies.  Yes, you read that correctly!  This recipe is a little outside of the box for me.  Our family Iron Chef Battle this month was Battle: Beans.  So, this was what I came up with and believe it or not – they were pretty tasty!  Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a try-  I will suggest that if you don’t suffer from a gluten intolerance a couple of tablespoons of flour does give them a lighter texture!  (It can just as easily be left out though!)

Black Bean Brownies

1 – 29 oz Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

5 Eggs

1 C Vegetable Oil

Puree this mixture in the bowl of a food processor until you can no longer detect beans!  I’m talking totally unrecognizable!  Then transfer to a mixing bowl.  Add the following:

2 t. Vanilla Extract

2 T. Cappuccino Mix

3/4 C Cocoa Powder

1 C Granulated Sugar

1 t. Soda

1 t. Baking Powder

2 T. Flour if you wish

1 C Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Fold together until just combined.  Over mixed brownies will be tough. 

This will be a pretty wet batter.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Bake 30-40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.  At this point you can quit while you’re ahead or go for the outlandish and add the peanut butter cream icing as I did. 

 

 

Peanut Butter Buttercream

3 C Powdered Sugar

1/4 C Butter, Softened

1/2 C Peanut Butter

1-2 T Milk

Combine first three ingredients and slowly add milk until you reach desired consistency.  Top cooled brownies.

 

They may sound a bit strange but they are definitely worth a try!  They are also great to feed to friends and family and then follow up with…”So, can you guess what you just ate?”  That always sends peoples nerves racing!  As always I hope you enjoy!

Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching so I decided to share my favorite love inspired cookie.  The boys and I worked on these a couple of afternoons ago.  They sat happily eating cookies watching me decorate the rest!  It’s a super easy delicious cookie!  Spread a little love and share these with your nearest and dearest!

 

Chocolate Sugar Cookies

1 C Butter, softened

2 Eggs

2 t. Vanilla

Cream together and add the following:

3 C Flour

1 3/4  C Sugar

3/4 C Cocoa Powder

1/2 t Salt

1 t Baking Powder

Chill dough for 1 hour in refrigerator.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough on flour dusted counter to 1/4 -1/2 inch thickness.  Cut into desired shapes and Bake on Parchment lined cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool before decorating.

I like to decorate with Royal Icing which dries with a nice shell.  Here’s my recipe:

 

Royal Icing

4 C Powdered Sugar, Sifted

3 T Meringue Powder ( found at Wal-mart, JoAnn Fabrics or most bulk stores)

1/2 t Almond Extract

1/2 – 3/4 C Warm Water

Food coloring if desired  (I prefer Gel Colors)

Combine sugar and meringue powder.  Add Almond Extract and the 1/2 c water.  Whisk together and slowly add more water to thin as necessary.  Whisk Icing for 6 minutes on high speed to achieve best quality!

 

Today, I feel that I have accomplished absolutely zero of the tasks on my to-do list! I’m talking zero, zilch, nada, nothing! However, my babies have been loved, fed, bathed, and dressed! I guess that’s something! My mother would be so proud! (Actually, she will be mortified! She expects all of the above and more!) Love Ya Mom but really what’s truly important?

I’ve been dealing with a lot of guilt lately and “people” have told me that the best way to deal with said guilt is through verbalization.  So, here for all to read I’m going to state my dilemma!  Since, the moment that I found out I was pregnant with not 1 but 2 babies I have had this prickling little fear.  It gnaws at me from time to time and even consumes me on other days!  I know I’m really building the suspense here but it is a serious worry for me.   I’m sure that it’s not just parents of multiples either but probably any parents with multiple children!  I fear that I’m not paying equal amounts of attention to both of my children!  That’s it in a nutshell!  

My little nemesis has been all-consuming these last couple of days.  Poor little Mr. M is suffering once again from ear troubles.  I would like to assume that’s his reason for sleep challenges lately, mood malfunctions, and poor attitude!  It may also be partly caused by his over-all nature.  He has always been a bit more “needy” than Mr. G who is laid back, generally happy, and my little cuddle bug!   

Last night we put the boys to bed as usual.  Ten minutes later Mr. M was screaming.  (This has just started recently.  Out of the way persistent cries and on with screeching -ear piercing squeals!)  I proceeded to go upstairs for the umpteenth time of the day and picked him up.  We were sitting in the rocker I was trying to soothe him, patting his back, and loving him.  When I looked up what did I see?  Well, it’s the very reason that my stomach is in knots and I feel like I should win the worst mama of the year award!  There sitting quietly in his crib, hugging his lion sat my poor innocent, neglected Mr. G.    

It was truly heart wrenching!  He sat there patiently looking on as mama once again devoted her attention to Mr. M.  It seems that it’s all I’ve done lately!  After, M was truly asleep this time I went to G’s crib and loved him with all of my heart.  But it’s the simple fact that there is never enough of me to go around!

I used to be able to hold both of my babies…now their heads hang off my lap if I do this!

 

  

How do other parents handle this?  I’m not sure!  I do know that love knows no measure and things will balance out when it’s all said and done.  I just don’t want my boys to feel that mama was to busy or to devoted to give them the love they wanted! 

 

This morning the twin daddy came downstairs and said his usual, “Goodmorning- Love You!”  I said how about that little guy over there.  He said and I quote, “I sure love him but I don’t like him as much as I did yesterday morning!”  It’s true too!  No matter how they behave we’ll always love each other but sometimes the like meter…just drops a little bit!