The Lyon's Den

We were disappointed that we haven't taken a camping trip this summer, so we decided to have one in our family room Saturday. We rearranged the furniture and made room for a tent, and set it up right in front of the TV. We gave each of the boys a sleeping bag and put a beanbag in the tent, and turned in a Christmas movie. The boys like to celebrate Christmas year round. We always have on, the Polar Express, The Grinch, Christmas with the Kranks (don't know why they like that one), and the Santa Clause III. Strange children. Anyway, we were supposed to make S'mores while camping, but we ended up going swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's and didn't get home until bedtime. Besides, Grandpa fed them banana splits while we were at his house. The kids only need so much sugar in a day. So, instead we did it Sunday after dinner, using the S'more maker my parents gave us for Christmas a couple of years ago. And they were yummy! Unfortunately we didn't get pictures of our S'more adventures, but here are some of the boys in their tent. Just kidding. I'm so sad!! I just went to put the pictures on my computer from the camera, and they're ALL GONE!!! One of the kids must have gotten to it last night and erased them. So sad! =( I guess you will all have to imagine how cute the boys were in their sleeping bags.

We planted a Gala Apple tree in our back yard shortly after we moved in; And this year we got about 8 apples from it. It was so fun to have our own fresh apples. They tasted good too. So, on Sunday I decided to make a homemade apple pie. It was so pretty and so yummy!!! I'm sad I don't have more apples to do more with, but I will next year. :)
Here is a picture of Kelman since I left him off my last post. And me with my apple pie. Oh yeah...and don't laugh at my Sunday Moomoo. It used to be my Grandma's.

It's been just over two weeks of potty training and the twins still don't quite have it down. I have to say; Carter and Brechin really do have a lot of successes in the potty. I think I just need another day for just me and them to do some refocusing. It seems like Brechin now has the ability to hold it, because he can sometimes stay dry all night, and during naps. I can also sometimes tell when he is needing to go, and I can get him to go on the potty. Carter is a little behind in that department, but still not without his successes. What got me started on the whole potty training bit was that one day, between my mom and I, we had changed about 15 diapers. It was insane...and expensive! Right around that time, my friend Donna told me about this lady in Chicago or something who runs a "Booty Camp". She was on some morning talk show discussing how she takes your child for 5 hours at a rate of $250. She feeds them all kinds of salty junk foods and really sugary drinks. All as a ploy to get them to drink even more and to have more opportunities to go on the potty. This lady also says it is important for the children to take responsibility for their own bodies and to make them clean up any accidents. We should be saying, "if you need to go potty, go on the potty," instead of, "do you need to go potty?" It supposedly makes a difference as to who is responsible for their body. Anyhow, I decided to give it a try. I cannot even tell you how hard and frustrating it was to just focus on potty training for at least 5 hours straight! That first day was awful. What this lady doesn't warn you of, is that by feeding your children all this garbage all day is going to result in a huge sugar rush...times 2!! So, I had these two little boys running mad, bottomless, through the whole house. BUT...they did have many successes and learned what the potty was all about. The booty camp lady asks that you take an additional three days to focus with them and then guarantees no accidents. Now maybe my following three days weren't so focused because we still aren't quite there, and we're going on day 16. I'm proud of the boys and their success, but I also can't wait until we're completely done with diapers and pull ups. The pull ups have been great for them, but they are so darn expensive, times 2!
Okay, so now for a funny story. I believe it was either day 1 or day 2 of the potty training, and the twins still hadn't gone poo poo on the potty. Well, a couple of things. 1. Brechin knew I kept saying, "you need to put your poopy in the potty." So...Brechin did just this. He pooped on the floor...picked it up....and put it in the potty. So your first rule in potty training has got to be, be careful what you tell your child. They take everything literal! 2. I was on the computer or something and heard Carter and Brechin making growling noises in the other room. I got up to go see what they were doing and low and behold... here lies a poopy on the floor, and Carter and Brechin, together, were holding the end of a stick horse whacking...yes I said WHACKING, the poop! Gross!! It was Brechin's first poopy during potty training, and I guess when they saw it lying on the ground they just thought...hm...let's whack it!! My mom called it poop polo!
So there are some of our latest adventures.