Moms Night Out

Tonight a group of us are headed to Meritage for a much needed moms night out. It's a really neat tapas place located downtown Charleston. Looking forward to some much needed girl time and catching up with everyone! I'm also going to use it as my last chance to wear the ole white pants. Do any of you go by the "no white after Labor Day rule"?

camping out....for school enrollment

That's right folks! Harrison's school (he's in 3K this year) is having registration for next school year tomorrow morning beginning at 7 a.m. Next year he'll be in 4K which is part of the big school (a private, Catholic school). This also means that in order to get your place in line you have to be there extra early. So....my friend and I are getting up and I'm swinging by her place at 5 a.m. (she's going to have a to-go cup of coffee waiting for me :) and going to get our place in line. Oh, the things we do for our children!

Happy 3rd Birthday...my sweet pea

Harrison in the womb @ 12 weeks

Harrison's "birthday"

Harrison's 1st birthday

Birthday #2

Now you're 3!

Happy birthday Harrison! It's hard to believe that you were born 3 years ago today. We were so excited when we found out we were going to have you. You have brought so much joy to mine and your daddy's life! From the time you were born you have always been a sweet boy and still are today. We love you so much!

Just wanted to share...

Lately, I've been having dreams that I'm pregnant again. Now I know that I am not, but it really has me thinking. When we got married, I always thought Dan and I would have 3-4 kids. After the twins were born, I felt that our family was complete and still do. Whenever I start thinking about the possibility of the "4th child" I look at the pictures of myself when I was pregnant with the twins and quickly change my mind. Don't get me wrong I LOVED being pregnant both times. It's just that pregnancy took a toll on me, physically and emotionally because of the miscarriages, swelling, blood clotting and who can forget getting a shot everyday for 8 months.

I also wanted to share with my friends in NOVA who didn't get to see me at the end of my pregnancy with the twins since we moved in the middle of the pregnancy. The human body is an amazing thing and carrying 2 babies at the same time is something I will always treasure. So here goes...the first picture is right after Christmas-around 29 weeks and the next one was taken the night before Brady and Jack were born.

Mommy needs a new do...

So I did it! I just made an appointment to get a haircut at this place on Saturday. I'm so ready for a new hair-do. I've had the same medium length bob for a while now and am thinking of going for a shorter bob, similar to the Katie Holmes cut, but not so short. So ladies and gents, please let me know what you think? I'll post pics as soon as I get the new do. Hopefully, I won't chicken out!

I send you love and best dishes....

I love Paula Deen! At the end of every show she says "I send you love and best dishes...from my kitchen to yours". I know her recipes are extremely rich....but they taste so good ya'll. Here in the south we love our pimento cheese sandwiches. This weekend I decided to make her (actually, son Bobby's) Pimento Cheese recipe. So yummy! I'm also going to make her Eclair Cake recipe for the next Bunco which will be at my house. Not too much going on today so I'll just post these yummy recipes. I'll even throw in my all time favorite recipe-her Gorilla Bread. Happy Cooking Ya'll!

Bobby's Pimento Cheese
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
2 to 3 tablespoons pimentos, smashed
1 teaspoon grated onion
Cracked black pepper

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until well blended. It can be used as a dip for crudite or as a sandwich filling.

House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Eclair Cake

Cake:
1 (1-pound) box graham crackers
2 (3 1/4-ounce) boxes instant French vanilla pudding
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Frosting:
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Butter the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Line with whole graham crackers. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix pudding with milk; beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Pour half the pudding mixture over graham crackers. Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer. Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.

For frosting, blend together sugar and cocoa. Add butter and milk, mixing well. Add corn syrup and vanilla. Stir until creamy. Cover cake with frosting and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Gorilla Bread

1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
2 (12-ounce) cans refrigerated biscuits (10 count)
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. In a saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well; set aside. Cut the cream cheese into 20 equal cubes. Press the biscuits out with your fingers and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar. Place a cube of cream cheese in the center of each biscuit, wrapping and sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the nuts into the bottom of the bundt pan. Place half of the prepared biscuits in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, pour half of the melted butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle on 1/2 cup of nuts. Layer the remaining biscuits on top, sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar, pour the remaining butter mixture over the biscuits, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Place a plate on top and invert.

Sound the Alarms!

Fire Chief Harrison

The kids enjoying the fire truck!

The party favors-Fire Truck Lemon Cookies

Harrison's Birthday Cake

We had Harrison's 3rd birthday party at the Mt. Pleasant Fire Department yesterday! It was a blast, even though it was 9000 degrees outside. The firemen and women let the kids turn on the big water hose also. It was great for the kids to be able to climb in and out of the big fire truck and see where the firemen and women slept. The cake and cookie favors were out of this world, made by a nice lady from the moms club. You can check it out here. Harrison had so much fun and talked about his "fire truck" party all day! I still can't believe my baby will be 3 next week.

You can check out the rest of the party pictures here.

What's for dinner?

I get several magazines each month, but the one I look forward to the most is my Martha Stewart Everyday Food. I was so excited when I opened the mailbox and saw it was here! It's one of those little magazines you usually see in the check-out line of the grocery store. I use it religiously when planning my weekly meals. It's packed with yummy and easy recipes (not like the ones in Martha's Living Magazine) that are easy to get on the table during the week. There are also neat little tidbits about vegetables in season, great desserts, and a how-to section.

I usually do our meal planning on Sunday night and do the shopping on Monday morning. This book saves me time because everything is right there. Also, because it's a smaller magazine, it fits right in my bag-in case I forget to add something to my list. So, next time you're in the check-out line, take a peek!

Say it is so....JOE!

Great news! Rumor on the street is that Trader Joe's is coming to Mt Pleasant! Not only is it coming to Mt Pleasant, it's coming to Park West (the neighborhood we live in). I'm so excited I could literally jump for joy. One of the stores I've missed since moving to S.C. from Northern VA is Trader Joe's. Skinny jeans fitting and hearing that Trader Joe's is coming-can't get any better than that!

You know it's a good day when...

you try on your skinny jeans and they fit! I've been running 3-4 miles a day 5 days a week, so I was wondering when I would start to see results. Finally! Although I still have some weight to lose, I suddenly feel so much better.

Out of the mouths of babes...

The other day when the air conditioner turned on for the hundredth time, Harrison looks at me with delight and shouts "Daddy's home! Daddy's home!" as he jumps up and down. I say, "Sorry Harrison, it's just the air-conditioner turning on". Later on that day, he hears the gargage door open and I look at him and say, "Daddy's home!" He looks at me with a quizzical look and says, "No, it's the air-conditioner, Mommy".

Daddy and Harrison circa 2005

Things that make you go hmmm...

It still amazes me the stares you get from others walking down the street or in a store with twins in tow (and also a toddler). Yes, I do own this stroller-the mac-daddy of strollers. This is the Baby Jogger Triple Jogging Stroller. I did not buy this one new-in fact, I bought it from a very busy woman (about my age) who had a 4 year old, 1 year old twins and was 6 months pregnant with another child when I met her. The stroller was practically new and she sold it for less than half of what she paid for. I love to go on walks with the boys and we all enjoy the stares we get or the slow drive-bys when we're out with this SUV. It is big and will not fit on the sidewalk or in the van for that matter. It stays in the garage and is only used for walks. I certainly can't run with it either, it's pretty difficult to turn with such a wide turning radius.

Anyway, just thought I'd share one of the many "strollers" I can't live without. If you see one of these walking in your neighborhood, honk the horn, give a thumbs up-the mom certainly would appreciate it!

The best compliment...

This morning the boys and I headed to the party store to buy the goods for Harrison's party on Saturday. Harrison is very excited about his party at the local fire station! He was also very excited about "going in my minivan to the party store".

First of all, the owners of the store were so helpful. He saw me headed in the store-with the double stroller and Harrison holding on to it-and put down his stuff to hold the door open for me. He pointed me in the right direction and helped me with any request I had. I LOVE great customer service-it seems few and far between these days.

Anyway, he gave me one of the best compliments a mom can get. As we were walking through the store he stopped me and said, "Mam, I just have to tell you this. Your child is one of the most well-behaved children I've ever come in contact with. Normally children his age are running wild in this store, but he is listening to you and walking right next to you". He didn't have to tell me that, but he did. I must admit, I was pretty surprised at how well-behaved he was being with all of the pinatas, balloons, and streamers hanging from the ceiling.

My baby is growing up! Actually all of my babies are growing so fast. I'm treasuring this time when they are small because I know one day it will pass in an instant. Anyway, I still can't believe that my "baby boy" Harrison will be 3 next week. He is becoming such a little man! With that I'll leave you with some pics of the boys.

Sweet Baby Jack

Sweet Baby Brady

Big Boy Harrison

Date night...at home

So, Dan and I had a fabulous date the other night. The great thing about it....it was in the comfort of our own home. Every now and then, after we put all of the kids to bed, we have a nice, romantic dinner...ALONE! Dinner time in our house is usually pretty hectic and busy, which is why it's nice to sit in the dining room, turn on some jazz, have a cocktail and eat a nice, quiet dinner together. Dan grilled the filets while I prepared the wild rice and vegetables sauteed in garlic, olive oil and shallots. So good! I'm not a big red meat eater, but a good steak on the grill is the best every once in a while.

After dinner, our neighbors came over and shared some wine with us while we sat on the front porch and enjoyed the sounds of summer!

Friday 5-Five Things I LOVE right now

Besides my family, here are the five "things" I love right now. It's a pretty random list. Have a great weekend everyone!

1. Edy's Tangerine Bars-they're so refreshing during the hot summer days.

2. Nikon D40 camera -I'm loving my new camera. Takes great shots and is really a good value for a digital SLR.

3. Chavrie Goat Cheese -loving it! I've been eating this on a french baguette with tomatoes and olive oil for lunch everyday this week.

4. My Longchamp Pliages bag -I've had it for a while but just started using it again recently. It makes a great bag for lugging all of the baby things-plus it's stylish too. It's so light I hardly feel like I'm carrying anything in it. Mine is khaki green.

5. Barefoot Contessa's Guacamole -so fresh and yummy! I could live on this stuff.

4 ripe Haas avocados

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)

8 dashes hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 medium tomato, seeded, and small-diced

Cut the avocados in 1/2, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.

100 Things About Me

Yes folks, this is a list of 100 things about me. Apparently the "it" item to have on your blog is a list such as this. You may be wondering where I get the time to compile a list like this-well, my kids are great sleepers. I know I could be doing a million other things than coming up with these things, but I want my boys to read this one day and learn a thing or two about their mom. So, here goes....

1. I have a wonderful, smart, and funny husband.
2. I have one adorable, hilarious toddler-aged son, and two sweet and cuddly infant twin boys.
3. My favorite ice cream is mint chocolate chip, but in college I once ate a whole pint of Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup in one sitting and didn't get sick (I may have gained 5 lbs though).
4. My favorite colors are pink and green together.
5. I'm a runner.
6. In college I wanted to be a pediatrician.
7. I became a teacher instead.
8. I have a sweet 7 year old golden retriever named Bailey. I fell in love with her the minute I saw her.
9. I drive a Honda Odyssey minivan, even though I swore I'd never be caught dead in one.
10. My first car was a VW rabbit.
11. My parents are still married.
12. I played on the tennis team in high school.
13. My favorite food is Nutella, with peanut butter coming in a close 2nd.
14. I can't drive a standard car, even though several people have tried to teach me.
15. I've never smoked.
16. My sister and I had our babies on the same day-her first and my twin boys (2-12-07 and it wasn't planned that way)
17. I'm afraid of driving over bridges, but not afraid of riding over them.
18. I've traveled to the Cayman Islands, Jamaica and Mexico.
19. I really, really want to go to Italy.
20. My most unforgettable dinner was a surprise anniversary trip to the Inn at Little Washington in Washington, VA. I still dream about the dessert "Seven Deadly Sins".
21. I believe the most useful skill I learned in high school was typing.
22. I'm a lightening fast reader. I've been known to finish a novel in one day.
23. I can't go to bed without washing my face. I have a very rigid routine that people make fun of me about.
24. When I was little, I was mistaken for a boy while shopping in a store with my grandma. It has scarred me so much that I may never have short hair.
25. I have never broken any bones.
26. I was teaching in a classroom on 9/11/2001 in the D.C. suburb of Fairfax, VA.
27. My dream is to start my own photography business.
28. I was born in South Carolina.
29. I graduated from Clemson University. Go Tigers!
30. I hate driving at night because I don't see well.
31. I like reading celebrity gossip, hence my subscription to US Weekly. It's my guilty pleasure. My husband makes fun of me for it. I especially like the section "Stars, they're just like us".
32. The smell of honeysuckle and salt air makes me happy.
33. I love to cook and entertain for people.
34. I always wear my seatbelt. It makes me anxious when others don't.
35. I was a neatfreak when I was little. I can't stand clutter and am constantly putting things in places to the point where I or no one else can find them.
36. I consider myself a type A personality.
37. I am extremely clumsy.
38. I sleep on my stomach with my arms tucked in.
39. Poor customer service and rude people irritate me.
40. I love fashion and try to stock my closet with classic pieces that won't go out of style.
41. Jackie O and Lilly Pulitzer are my style icons.
42. I'm a Republican.
43. I was president of my junior class.
44. I served on the student senate at Clemson.
45. I'm a natural red-head and have never colored my hair.
46. My dream car is a Range Rover.
47. I played the flute in middle school, but was terrible at it because I had braces.
48. I took 4 years of spanish but can barely speak it.
49. I want to ride in a hot air balloon over the California wine country.
50. I would love to take sailing lessons and own my own sailboat.
51. My dream neighbors would be Paula Deen and Giada de Laurentis.
52. My idea of relaxation is reading a book on the beach or on a hammock at a beach house.
53. I am very patriotic and love the 4th of July.
54. I would love to take a cooking class at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.
55. I am a magazine junkie.
56. My favorite cocktail is a gin and tonic.
57. I don't like to be touched on my shins or wrist. It makes my skin crawl.
58. I am a food snob as well as a restaurant snob. I don't like spending my money at big chain restaurants.
59. Hotel comforters also make my skin crawl.
60. I really do like Martha Stewart.
61. My idea of a rainy Sunday is watching Food Network in my pj's baking cookies and drinking hot cocoa with my family.
62. I'm addicted to hand cream. My favorite is L'Occitane Shea Butter.
63. I'm obsessed with hair products. I also can't live without my chi flat iron, it straightens like no other, to the point that my husband even notices it.
64. I have a cup of coffee every morning.
65. I can't stand soap operas.
66. I plan on joining the Jr League next year.
67. My goal is to run a marathon by age 35.
68. My favorite vegetables are home grown tomatoes.
69. I am a backseat driver. I got it from my mom who got it from her mom.
70. My dream job was to be a mother. I feel like I have the best job in the world.
71. I love all things monogrammed.
72. I almost quit my teaching job to work at Pottery Barn.
73. I get a lot of my decorating ideas from the Pottery Barn catalog.
74. I want to be P.T.A. president one day.
75. I enjoy a summer thunderstorm.
76. I enjoy making people laugh.
77. My favorite flowers are hydrangeas and peonies.
78. I would rather send a letter than email.
79. I am addicted to stationery.
80. My husband and I have been married for almost 8 years and I'm still madly in love with him.
81. I love watching my husband play with our boys.
82. I do not like reality t.v., but I do love the Hills on MTV. (not sure if it's even a reality show)
83. I failed my driver's test the first time.
84. I really am a careful driver, but have been in two car accidents. Both were my fault and both times the other car wasn't moving.
85. I lived in the D.C. area for 8 years and lived in 4 different houses.
86. I knew I wanted to marry my husband 3 months after meeting him.
87. I always had a feeling, from the time I was a little girl, that I would live in Washington D.C.
88. I am intimidated by cooking a whole chicken or turkey.
89. The best concert I've ever been to was an acoustic Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds concert.
90. Brunch is my favorite meal.
91. I am Catholic and so is my husband.
92. My boys are great sleepers and I am so thankful for that.
93. I hope that one day my son's wives will like me.
94. I detest hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup.
95. My favorite movies are Shag, Life is Beautiful and Steel Magnolias.
96. I was in the Ski Club in high school (snow skiing, that is)
97. I could live on chips, homemade guacamole, and margaritas or fresh bread, artisan cheeses and wine.
98. My favorite beer is Guiness and my favorite wine is Pinot Noir.
99. I try to drink 8 glasses of water everyday. I'm pretty neurotic about it.
100. I try to be a good person.
101. I can't believe I came up with 100 things about myself.

Now for those of you reading who have a blog, try this little project. I'd love to learn more about you.

Rest in Peace, my sweet sister

Sometimes life throws us a curve ball. On August 15, 1998 life threw our family a big curve ball when my sister, Vicki, was tragically killed in a car accident at the young age of 15. I had so many questions-"why? why did this happen to our family? why did she have to leave us?"

Vicki, God had plans for you. He had a far greater job for you than to be on this earth. I feel that you were chosen to be an angel. You are my angel. I know that even though you are not physically with us on this earth, you still remain with us in our hearts. You have been with me through many milestones-you were with me on my wedding day, you were with me all those times I found out I was pregnant and all those times I miscarried, you were with me when I thought I could not possibly go through another treatment or test or another month of not being pregnant. You were there with me in the delivery room when all three of our boys were born. I know you would have been so excited. Not a day goes by that I don't think about you in some way. It's fitting that this is your cheerleading picture-the last photograph taken of you. You are in Heaven, cheering down on all of us. I love you, miss you and will never forget you.

Your death has changed me as a person. I feel from your death that I have learned some lessons in life. They are lessons that I want to pass to my boys.

Life is living in the moment; life is enjoying the simple things; life is being kind; life is the innocent smile on a child's face; life is good.

Now, everyone, please go and hug your children a little tighter.

Victoria Katherine Brewer

daughter, sister, friend

March 31, 1983-August 15, 1998

Yes, It's Ladies Night...

A couple of weeks ago, my girlfriends from Clemson came to my house for our "2nd annual girls weekend". It's a tradition we hope to carry on for years. We hope to get together at each other's homes the last weekend in July every year. We had a great time catching up, but what is so funny is that it seemed like we had seen each other yesterday. That's what having a goood friend is all about.

Friday night we just hung out and talked. I made shrimp tacos with corn, avocado and black bean salsa from this month's Southern Living. It was so yummy! We washed them down with great margaritas (sorry J-she's pregnant, so she had a "mock" margarita!) Saturday morning, after chowing down on chocolate chip pancakes (our tradition), we walked the Cooper River Bridge. It was a great walk! We had planned on going to the beach, but it was a little rainy, so we went to Poe's for lunch-it was fun to sit on the porch and watch everyone get soaked from the rain.

Saturday night we met up with some more people from Clemson (and Summerville where C and A went to high school) and ate at this really neat wine bar downtown, Social, for dinner. It had a great atmosphere. After dinner, the four of us headed to Cypress for drinks. It has a great wine wall and really cool bar.

It was so great to hang out with the girls and catch up! I had so much fun and can't wait for next year. We missed you Courtney-wish you could've been there too!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Dan's (aka Daddy) Birthday! Happy Birthday Daddy! Thought the boys and I would send a shout out to you with some pics. We are headed to The Boathouse for dinner tonight. Looking forward to good food and a good view, not to mention alone time with Dan.

Check out the latest pics of the boys here.

Betty Crocker...

I felt a little like Betty Crocker today-it was fun. After church, we had our lovely neighbors over for brunch. The menu consisted of bloody mary's, crepes filled with chicken, fresh mozzarella, spinach and mushrooms-as well as crepes with Nutella and strawberries. The Nutella crepes were heavenly. I had actually never MADE crepes before, so it was an experiment. I purchased the crepe mix that Charleston Crepe Company sells. It ended up being a whole lot easier than I thought, just time consuming to make the crepes. We sat around talking while Harrison and their little girl played for a while-then it was nap time! (The twins were already napping).

After the neighbors left, it was time for me to make Daddy's birthday cake-the layered strawberry cake from Southern Living. It seems pretty easy, but the cake stuck to the pan, even though I greased them....ugh...I'm definitely not a baker. However the whipped cream topping became the glue that kept the cakes together, so under the icing, it looks fine. After cleaning up all those pans, then it was time to make these cupcakes for a playgroup party at the park tomorrow. I had a sample, and it was really good. All kids need a special treat sometimes-they are rich, rich, rich!

So, now I'm tired! I love spending time in the kitchen, but all day was tough. Thank goodness Dan and I are headed out for his birthday dinner tomorrow night (while my lovely neighbor stays with the kids-they will already be in bed) so I don't have to cook. More details on Dan's b-day tomorrow!

Happy Half-Birthday Brady and Jack! Mommy, Daddy and Harrison love you so much!

Saturday....in the park

We had such a wonderful Saturday! First of all, the rain last night really cooled things off. It wasn't unbearably hot this morning. After Daddy and I finished our morning coffee (can't possibly live without it) and the paper, we took showers and took the family downtown to the Children's Museum. Harrison had a great time exploring with daddy, while I gave the twins their bottles. I met a neat mom and dad with twin girls who were about 2. They were telling me how fun having twins was. Little did they know that we also have an almost 3 year old. They kept telling me that it "will get easier". :)

After the museum, we decided to walk down to Marion Square to the farmer's market to grab a bite to eat. The vendors were out selling their produce and there were food stands selling made to order crepes and omelettes, fish tacos, and shrimp and grits. I didn't need to look any further after seeing that I could get a huge bowl of homemade shrimp and grits for $5. It was so big that I could only eat half (Daddy finished the rest, along with his pulled pork b-b-que sandwich). We sat at a table along King Street, so it was great people watching as well. The twins got lots of attention, as they always love. They are already such little flirts. We even ran into one of daddy's co-workers down there. Small world!

After lunch, it was back home for naps (mommy and daddy too)! What a great Saturday it was!

Equal Opportunity Mommy

Dan pointed out to me that my blog is too Harrison-heavy. Basically, I don't have enough Brady and Jack pictures. So, here you go...enjoy!

Friday 5

Every Friday our local paper posts the Friday 5. Because we moved here about 8 months ago, there are so many new things to discover. Here is my "Friday 5" list of things to do with the boys in the area. And yes, it is possible to take an almost 3 year old and 6 month old twin boys out and about. If I didn't get out, I'd go crazy. I may be tired at the end of the day, but at least I know that they are having fun! My list of 5 does include 6, but who's really counting?

1. Children's Museum of the Low Country-membership does have it's privileges

2. Aquarium -after 2 visits the membership is paid for the year and Diego is coming in September!!

3. The Beach -need I say more!

4. Farmer's Market in Mt Pleasant -what could be better than live music and entertainment, fish tacos, fresh seafood (crab dip-yum!), fresh fruits and vegetables, crepes and kettle corn?

5. MOMS Club playgroups -we couldn't live without these and all of the wonderful moms and friends we've made

6. Splash Island -although we've only been once, I know this will be a favorite when the twins get older too!

Good times fly by....

It's hard to believe the twins will be 6 months old in a few days and Harrison will be 3 in a couple of weeks. We've had great week. I took the boys to the S.C. Aquarium downtown and Harrison had a good time looking at all the fish, turtles, birds and crabs. He did not like the thunder in the amazon room. He keeps saying, "I was scared of the thunder and yightning, mommy". So cute!

I'm hoping to get some good shots of the boys and daddy this weekend if this heatwave ever lets up. My car said 103 yesterday. YIKES! I couldn't get a run in this morning-so I rode the bike for 30 minutes instead. It was great!

On other notes, the boys are smiling up a storm these days. Jack's two bottom teeth are sticking out and Brady seems to be almost there. The food of the week is peas. They seem to like it. Last week was sweet potatoes-which they loved.

Harrison is doing really well with potty training. He hasn't had an accident in a long time. He is such a big boy!

Daddy's birthday is this weekend. He needs to pick a place for dinner. I'm going to make him this strawberry cake for his birthday-one of his favorites. Sunday morning after church I'm making crepes with nutella and bananas. My mom and I had crepes at the farmers market in Mt P a couple of weeks ago and they were to die for. We both had dinner crepes-mine with basil, spinach, fresh mozz and mushrooms. We split a dessert crepe with nutella and strawberries-nothing could have been better.

On the weight loss front, I'm happy to say that since delivery of the twins I've lost 57 lbs of the 63 lbs I gained with them. Only 6 more pounds to my pre-pregnancy weight. I'd like to lose 5 more to get to my pre-Harrison weight. It's been tough to say the least.....