Opus 97 - Snow!

It finally snowed for real out here. I love snow. Some people think I'm strange because of this, but I don't care because I love snow. Even driving to Payson for six winters hasn't ruined my love for snow.

Aunt Lissa and I took the kids out to experience their first snow. I realize this isn't really their first snow since it did snow while they were in the NICU and is has snowed a little here, but this is the first real snow that they can experience. As expected, they weren't too interested. Lissa is so cute when we take her out in the cold - she always gasps as if saying, "Oh my goodness! It's cold!" (She's a kid after her Grandma Camacho's heart.) We let them stand in the snow and feel it. It was cute to see their reaction to the cold stuff.

Getting ready for the snow:



Out in the snow:

Opus 96 - Live Nativity

My friend Sonja called me last Saturday asking if I wanted to play some Christmas hymns with other horn players for a live Nativity in Alpine. I haven't played in a group (no matter how small) since before the twins were born so I thought it'd be fun. There is a family that puts on a live Nativity with camels, donkeys, and everything. It's pretty neat. While Jason and Aunt Lissa took the kids through to see everything, I played Christmas hymns with five other horn players.* In college we (several horn players) used to meet at the HFAC and play hymns. I have lots of fond memories of those times. Playing at this Nativity brought back many of those memories. The kids were good and we enjoyed some yummy hot chocolate (see my earlier post on that one) before heading home.

Joshua was in a crazy good mood when we got home. This video captures it beautifully:

Here are some pics of the kids all decked out for a cold night out**:





*We were playing in the loft of the barn. The loft was heated and had a small kitchen, huge TV, pool table, couches, and tables and chairs. It was awesome. I could live there... seriously, I think the loft had more square footage than my townhouse :) LOL

**I'm sure you've noticed that my children play with Propel bottles. They love Propel bottles, what can I say?

Opus 95 - Scaredy Cat

Our cat, Sage, has done pretty well with the babies' arrival. She' not interested in the kids at all so she usually stays clear of them. She has let them pet her on occasion and the kids love it. We did have one minor incident where Sage ate Lissa's lunch, but that's in the past :)

As I begin this story, you first need to know that Sage is a wimp. I know, that's mean, but it's true...

Jason, Lissa, and Joshua were all in the living room while I was in the dining room working on some things. Things seemed pretty calm in there, but then I heard Joshua making his "I'm going to get you" noises followed by a whimper from the cat. I look in to see that Joshua has cornered the cat up against the gate separating the two rooms. The cat is MUCH faster than Joshua and could have easily removed herself from the situation. But she was afraid of Joshua and couldn't seem to will herself away. Yes, that's right, my cat was too afraid to move. Fortunately, I came to her rescue by moving Joshua away and letting the cat into the other room.*

So this morning Joshua was playing in the living room again as Sage came down the stairs. I wish you could have seen how gingerly and carefully she moved passed Joshua. She would not take her eyes off of him and was cowering and she sneaked by.

*Sage isn't able to jump over the gates because she's too big - 16 pounds to be exact. We realize that she's very large and we've put her on two veterinarian supervised (and expensive) diets, but she gained weight both times so now we just let her eat when and how much she wants and she maintains her weight. We figure maintaining is better than gaining.

Opus 94 - The Kids Meet Santa

Aunt Lissa and I took Lissa and Joshua to see Santa today. They were pretty oblivious to what was going on (shocker, I know), but Joshua did think Santa's beard was pretty cool.

Opus 93 - My Winter Weakness

I'm addicted. Yep, that's right, I'm addicted. "To what?" you may ask. Well, I'll tell you... hot chocolate. I love hot chocolate. I really, really love hot chocolate. I love it so much that I used to drink it in Arizona where it's just not cold enough for hot chocolate (I'd have ice water after the hot chocolate to cool off).

I'm pretty picky about my hot chocolate too. The cheap-o stuff doesn't work for me. I've gotta have the good stuff. Stephens is good, but my very favorite hot chocolate is a recipe my Mom got while we lived in Arkansas.* It's so milky and wonderful! She used to make a huge batch of it every winter when we lived in Indiana. In order to make it last the whole winter we each could only have one cup of hot chocolate a day. Oh, did I ever savor my daily dose of hot chocolate!

It's quite simple to make: Mix 16 ounces of any hot chocolate powder (generic does just fine), 11 ounces of instant creamer (you can change things up by getting different flavors if you want), 16 ounces of powdered sugar, and an 8 quart box of powdered milk. Once you've mixed it up, add 1/4-1/3 cup of it to a cup of hot water and you've got yourself some yummy hot chocolate.


*I remember a time in college when a friend of mine and I kept "arguing" over who had a better hot chocolate recipe only to discover our mothers had both received the recipe from the same person in Arkansas (our families lived there at the same time and were/still are friends). LOL!

Opus 92 - My Favorite Christmas Music

Recently I received one of those emails where you fill in fun info about yourself. This one was specifically about Christmas. One of the questions asked what your favorite Christmas song was. I couldn't come up with one. I never will be able to because I love Christmas music, I could never pick one! But I must admit, some people may consider me a "Christmas Music Snob." This is because I'm pretty particular about what Christmas music I listen to. I really don't like the cheesy stuff. I enjoy a good children's Christmas tune - Up On The Housetop, Rudolph, Jolly Old Saint Nic... But I get tired of all of the cheesy stuff that the radio plays. (BTW, children's music is not the only Christmas music that has successfully been turned into cheesy stuff.)

If you're looking for some good, really good, Christmas music, here are my favorites:

(Instead of listing my favorite Christmas songs - a list that would be eternally long and boring to read - I've listed my favorite Christmas albums.)


A Celebration of Christmas - BYU Choirs and Orchestras






Harry For The Holidays - Harry Connick, Jr.







Sing, Choirs of Angels - Mormon Tablernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square







This Is Christmas - Mormon Tablernacle Choir







The Wonder of Christmas - Mormon Tablernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square







Spirit Of The Season - Mormon Tablernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square with Sissel




I'm sure you can tell that I love the MoTab and OTS. I've always liked the MoTab, but I became a much bigger fan when Mack Wilberg started working with them and when they created OTS (Orchestra at Temple Square). Mack is amazing. My favorite thing to do each year is go to the MoTab/OTS Christmas Concert. It is always so amazing! Tickets aren't easy to get and I'm so glad we were able to get them again this year! This year's concert features Brian Stokes Mitchell and Edward Herrmann (http://www.lds.org/events/info/0,8197,726-1-679,00.html). I can't wait!

Opus 91 - Bold Tag

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it looked fun...

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3.Played in a band
4.Visited Hawaii
5.Watched a meteor shower
6.Given more than you can afford to charity
7.Been to Disneyland
8.Climbed a mountain
9.Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14.Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18 Grown your own vegetables [only when I was a kid]
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20.Slept on an overnight train
21.Had a pillow fight
22.Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24.Built a snow fort
25.Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book [does my masters Scholarly Project count?]
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox [barely - only about 5 pox]
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee


I tag anybody who wants to see how many things they've done on this list

Just paste this list into your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done, and unbold any I have done that you have NOT...

Opus 90 - Our Birthday Present For Mommy

Today is Mommy's birthday (we won't say which one...). We decided the best birthday present we could give her was to be really good in Church. I (Joshua) played with Daddy and Mommy for a little while then I fell asleep on Mommy's shoulder. I haven't done that in a REALLY long time, but I thought it would be a nice thing to do for Mommy on her special day. I even sucked my thumb. Mommy thinks it's really cute when I do that.

Now it's my turn Joshua. I (Lissa) played with my toys on my blanket for awhile, then I decided it would be fun to play with Aunt Lissa. She gave me treats and let me pull on her hair. She says I can pull really hard and it doesn't hurt her because Grandma Camacho used to pull on all of her girls' hair really hard when she would braid it for Circus. It was fun to play with Aunt Lissa. After awhile I got really tired so I fell asleep in Aunt Lissa's arms. Aunt Lissa says her arm got tired, but I don't know why - I'm the light baby!

After Sacrament meeting Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Lissa took us home so we could finish our naps. Mommy & Daddy got to go back to Church while Aunt Lissa decorated Mommy's cake. They said they really enjoyed that but we don't understand why they would want to leave us for even a second!

Happy Birthday Mommy! We love you!

Opus 89 - 9 Month Check-Up

Lissa & Joshua had their 9 month check-up today. Both are healthy, strong, and seem to be pretty much on schedule developmentally. The doctor was quite pleased with how they are doing - she was particularly impressed with how well they eat. Go kiddos!

Joshua is now 29.5 inches tall (70th percentile) and weighs 20 lbs 4 oz (45th percentile). Lissa is 28 inches tall (also 70th percentile - on the girls' chart of course) and weighs 17 lbs 5 oz (25th percentile). The doctor and nurses were so excited for Lissa going higher on the charts.

Now that they are eating so well they get to try "big people" food. They have already tried rolls and ravioli pasta and seem to like to like both just fine. How fun to have them learning to eat "big people" food!

The kids also get to have their teeth/gums brushed now. We gave it a try tonight and they thoroughly enjoyed playing with the toothbrushes in their mouths :)

It's so fun to watch the kids learn and grow. We're so proud of all of their hard work catching up to the other kids their age. They are happy, fun, and cute babies that bring so much joy into our home!

Opus 88 - Teeth Everywhere

Joshua is now getting his second tooth. This one, not surprisingly, is on bottom next to his other tooth coming in.

Not to be outdone, Lissa is now getting her first tooth. It's in the exact same spot as Joshua's first tooth. I really didn't expect that to happen... I figured since every baby is different, mine would probably get their teeth in a different order. Maybe her second tooth will be on top :)

Needless to say, we are big fans Teething Tablets and Tylenol right now. Two teething babies!

Opus 87 - The Babies' Latest Achievements

Lissa and Joshua have been working hard to catch up developmentally. They are now master sitters.



Joshua is getting faster and faster at crawling. I find him in the strangest places now. I'm so glad I already had the gates up that keep him in the living room! By far, Joshua's favorite place to go is under the exersaucer. He loves to put toys under it then go after them. It's even more fun for him if Lissa is there. She doesn't seem to mind.


Because he hasn't mastered backing up, he has managed to get himself caught in a few corners.


Both babies LOVE to play in the exersaucer. It has been one of our best purchases. Actually, we used a few Target gift cards to get it. So if you gave us a Target gift card, you helped purchase the exersaucer and we are VERY grateful! Those kids just love to play with the toys on it. They also love bouncing up and down. So cute.

(Name that show - and be specific... Who is playing?)

Lissa is very jealous of Joshua's crawling. Seriously, I've never seen a 9 month old so jealous! We have been practicing crawling with her and she's made some progress. She gets up on her hands and knees quite well. Unfortunatley, she then proceeds to push herself backwards. She has figured out that she moves a little when she turns in circles, so she uses that skill with the moving backwards to get around. She doesn't move far and the progress is slow, but she seems quite proud of herself :) Lissa has also become a real fan of books.



Joshua has figured out how to clap. He now loves to clap. Sometimes he even makes a noise that almost sounds like "yeah."

Joshua also is getting his first tooth. We thought he had a molar coming in about a month ago - there was a white, hard spot back there, but it disappeared. I guess that's not all that unusual. Anyway, his real first tooth (bottom front) has broken through. Go Joshua!

Lissa has decided Joshua is the funniest kid ever. It's so fun to listen to her "napping." She lays in her crib and just giggles and giggles. I assume she's laughing at something Joshua is doing, but I suppose she could just be giggling at herself. Silly kid.

Opus 86 - Little Cougars

Joshua: What?? You're not a Cougar Fan???

Lissa: NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Opus 85 - WANTED

WANTED

A VERY CUTE BABY BOY

CRIME: EYELASHES THAT ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN HIS MOM'S




Joshua just wanted to be in prison like Grandma and Grandpa :)

Opus 84 - The Hazards of Being a Twin

Opus 83 - More Silly Lissa

Recently Lissa has decided she wants to be like her cousin Annie. She loves the camera. When you turn it on and point it her direction her face lights right up. These are a few pics I took of her last night when she was being particularly goofy with the camera (despite her nasty cold).

(This one is a little blurry, but so funny)

The Two Lissas

Opus 82 - Oh The Places You'll Go!

Now that Joshua is officially a mover, he is everywhere! He is very quickly showing me all of the places in the living room that I need to baby-proof. I think I'm almost there :) Here are some fun pics of him exploring underneath the exersaucer...

(This one is just for fun... I think he looks so cute!)

Opus 81 - Joshua is a Mover!

Joshua has decided that playing in one spot is BORING, so he is now scooting around. He started on Sunday by moving an inch or two. Yesterday, he moved a little more. Today he showed me all of the places in the living room that are not twin-proof :) Now Lissa seems a little jealous as she watches Joshua move around and get all of the toys he wants. Maybe she'll join him soon...

Joshua Scooting

How Lissa Feels About This
(name that background music...)

Opus 80 - Look What We Can Do!

The wonderful day has finally come! Lissa & Joshua can hold their bottles! Actually, Lissa has been holding her bottle for a couple of weeks now, but Joshua has decided to be cool like his sister and start holding his bottle too. This makes feeding two babies sooooo much easier! Happy Day!