Twincident #157 - Ornaments should be brought out 48 hours before the tree

Every year I make the same mistake. I bring the ornaments out the same day that we decorate the tree.

This year I learned my lesson.

Ornaments are to be brought out from storage at least 48 hours before the tree.

Why?

Because if you don't, the tree will be un-decorated within an hour of going up.

Kids, or at least my kids, need to play with the ornaments. Every year we decorate the tree and without fail I find certain ornaments all over the house...in a make-shift dollhouse, playing with the Barbies, and scattered across the floor in a parade.

This year I remembered to bring the ornaments out early and not only that, I had a mini tree too!

The Twofer took the mini tree and set it up where the real tree will go.

And then the play commenced!

I'm hoping they had enough time to play and that the tree will stay decorated this year.

What do you think?

Janine

Twincident #147: A broken swing can be fun with a twin

Did they break the swing on purpose? I have no idea - but they did seem to be having a lot of fun.

Have your kids had more fun with something after it broke?
Do tell!
Janine

Before the CAbi Clothing Party is the Twofer Fashion Show

Twice a year I host a CAbi (Carol Anderson by Invitation) clothing party at my house and invite friends and neighbors over to shop.

It works much like a Silpada, or Pampered Chef party where the rep brings samples to your house, gives a little demonstration, and then people shop afterward. The items purchased are ordered and shipped to the hostess about a week after the party. The hostess then distributes the items to her friends.
The hostess does not mind because her friends' shopping enabled her to get 5 items at half price and even a few, in this case, CAbi dollars - which means at least one of her items was free!

This time the Twofer, having been through the drill before, knew there was a little show and they wanted to be a part of it. And so my CAbi rep (and now dear friend) Charlie indulged them about 30 minutes before the moms came and put them each in a few CAbi outfits and let them do their best spin on the catwalk. Here's what happend:

Watch out Tyra! These girls just might be American Next Top Twin Models!
Janine

Twincident #146 "Not without my sister!" - Twins stick together

It Finally Happened

After 5 years I realized the Twofer really do have a "need" for each other that is stronger than your average sibling bond.

Maybe at 5 they are mature enough to understand their need. Or maybe at 5 they can better express how they feel. Whatever it is the other day I was telling L about a playdate she had coming up and I heard, plain as day,
"Not without my sister!"

Me, "Since when?"

L, "I won't go unless M goes too."

And for the first time ever, I emailed the little girl's mom and asked if she could take both of my girls because the one was refusing to go without the other. I offered her Twofer the Price of One!

Something about this was different.

The new friend is a very shy and quiet little girl and she is in a different kindergarten class. This is exactly why I thought L would be a great friend to have. L alone is a little quieter, and sometimes shy herself. Most people don't know this because she can be riled into a silly, goofy, and loud little thing...with the help of her sister.

Also, I believe this is the first time L would be going to a new friend's house, alone. Usually she meets new friends at school, or we have them over to our house. I think she was just very uncomfortable going home with someone she didn't know very well and she realized that could be resolved by having her sister come too. Strength in numbers. Hmm, now where have I written about that before?

The other mother graciously accepted the invitation for her to take both of my children. (I would have had her daughter to my house but that day I was off being fabulous at a certain Fashion Show in New York.)

The Result?

The girls had a BLAST and by BLAST I mean supercalifragilstickexpialidocious.
Because it was the day before Valentine's Day they each came home with a huge heart balloon, cards they had made at the friend's house, and wanting to have another playdate with their new friend AND the new friend's older brother!

I definitely don't want to make a habit of them going on playdates together. I want them to continue to learn how to make friends on their own. But you know, maybe having your sister there is just one of the benefits of growing up a twin, and maybe that's not such a bad thing to have.

Janine

Chores for twins does not always mean teamwork

I have posted before about the Twofer having certain jobs around the house. What I have not told you is how I realized that twins do not always work best as a team.

Take for example the dreaded dishwasher.


I hate emptying the dishwasher.
My husband will do it reluctantly, and only when he damn well pleases which is often 24-48 hours after I've asked him. (I used to think his delay in emptying the dishwasher was a big F.U. to me. Now I know it's not about me, it's about the dishwasher. But that's another post. One that requires some level of therapy.)

I was happy hand over the job of emptying the dishwasher (with some supervision) to our twins. At first they were happy to help. Then it got stale, because our dishwasher is run every single day. Sometimes twice a day.

This great idea of mine was turning into a major referee job because the girls were fighting over every little thing...who did more, who wanted to do the silverware, who got stabbed with a fork, you get the idea.

I tried, "If M won't help than you just do your share and she'll have to do the rest."

I tried, "L, you do the silverware and dishes, M you do the pots/pans and glasses."

I tried splitting the racks, with one on top rack duty, the other, bottom.

I realized the dishwasher was better left to one person.

So now we keep track (sort of, you know I'm really bad at that) on a calendar, who emptied the dishwasher the day before.
They each get a day off, which makes it less of a battle when it's their turn.
Not only that, but they are thankful (I know, right?) when my husband picks up the slack!

As for filling the dishwasher, I still take that one because I'm the only one capable of loading the thing with any precision. (The same can be said for packing the car when we go away but again, that's another post because it involves exploring male/female roles in marriage and how my household seems to be a little skewed.)

Bottom line here folks, if you have twins, or even 2 or more kids, keep the chores separate. Each child can be held accountable for their quality of work, and they can be rewarded justly. Plus, they can learn teamwork on the soccer field where there are professional referees.

Just my 2 cents.
Janine