Servings per container

I've never really paid much attention to the servings per container - I'll sometimes check the calorie count which of course includes the number of servings, but I've never really looked at how many servings there are in reference to will there be enough to feed my family.

Saturday night we had chicken on the grill and I threw in one of those Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers in the microwave.  When I started serving it I realized we didn't have much for left overs - when I checked the bag sure enough there are only 4 servings - there are 5 of us!

So I started checking my cupboard - here's what I found:

Mac n' Cheese - 3 servings per box 

Loaf of bread - 18 1-slice servings per loaf (that's over a half loaf just to make a sandwich a person!)

Cocoa Krispies - 15 servings a box (that's a box  a week if we eat it every morning *which we don't!*)

Gallon on milk - 16 servings (at 3 glasses a day per kid that's over a gallon every other day!)

Right now my older daughter only eats about a half serving and the twins are splitting another half serving - but soon enough everyone is going to be eating a full serving and that means to feed everyone I'll need to cook double batches!  And really does anyone eat just one serving anyway?  Just this morning we made eggs for everyone for the first time and cooked 6!

And I thought formula was expensive - yikes!

My own personal 9-11

Five years ago today I found out I was pregnant.



A week or so earlier I realized I was a few days late, then my grandfather died, I went back to school after 7 years, and my father let me know he was moving 1000 miles away - needless to say my "AF" was the last thing on my mind.


Tuesday the 9th I was feeling like shit, I was really crampy and uncomfortable but couldn't put my finger on it - I felt gassy more than anything (I hadn't re-realized I was late yet).


Wednesday the 10th I went to work and remember telling a friend how crappy I felt, I really thought it was bad gas - I had recently started taking some diet drug thing and also eating a lot of veggies. Chuck had practice that night and I was laying in bed in so much pain I was getting ready to call 911, but didn't want to because I had gone to bed in the buff and was too embarrassed to have paramedics come in and find me that way. Chuck came home later and I was finally able to sleep (again I somehow the thought of being pregnant still hadn't crossed my mind).


Thursday the 11th I got up and got ready for work as usual, I had some coffee and did my morning *ahem* business and felt pretty good. I left for work and started the day as usual. Around 9AM I started feeling shitty again, bad enough so this time I called the docs - the first thing they asked was if I could be pregnant. *LIGHTBLUB* I started looking at dates and realized I was over 2 weeks late. Oh Shit! How the fuck did that happen?!?!?! OK so I know the logistics behind it, but really when you're not married and are not really planning starting a family at that time the first thing you think is "Oh Shit! How the fuck did that happen?!?!?!". Doc sent me home to POAS (pee on a stick) and call with the results.


Since I lived over an hour away I decided to go to my mum's house instead since she was at work and I had a key. I stopped at the drug store on the way and picked up a HPT (home pregnancy test). I get in position and do what I need to do - 1 line not pregnant 2 lines pregnant. Wouldn't you know it - I get NO lines! defective test. So I had to go back to the store and get another one. I get back to the house and now of course can't pee if you paid me. Drink some coke, wait a bit, put my hand under running water, drink some more coke and finally able to go again. 2 lines - immediately. I dump out the coke because you're not supposed to drink caffeine when pregnant.


I call Chuck, and leave a message - he knew what was going on, message said "Um yea, I'm at my mum's call me''. I know he's going to know the results before even calling back. We talk and wow this is unexpected but ok we'll handle it no problem!


But something's wrong, I know it already. I've been in pain for weeks and now am almost doubled over - I've never been pregnant before but I know this isn't right.


It's a even longer story involving hospitals, ultrasounds, dr's giving me advice and shots of Methotrexate but the short of it is my first pregnancy is ectopic (as is the second and the third) and there's nothing they can do for that but end it.


It sucks but we handled it and here we are today with three great kids. Everything makes you stronger, I just wish I didn't need to be so strong.

(edited to add) I hope no one thinks I mean this in anyway compares to the actual 9-11, it's just the same day hence the title!

Praise from a 2 year-old

Lately my 2 year-old has been telling me when I do a good job.  It's so sweet! 

A few weeks back we were painting pictures and I showed her mine and she said "Wow, wow mumma.  Really good job mumma!".  Then again yesterday I made pancakes (my "weakest link" if you will) and was all bummed out about how they turned out, and when she tried hers she said "mmmmm, really good job mumma!". 

I got all teared up - I guess I must be a doing an OK job with her, because she obviously learned this from me.  Also they are honest at this age.  So there's nothing like praise from a 2 year-old.

A year already

Hard to believe but it's been a year today since my Dad* was almost killed in a steam pipe explosion on the UNH campus**.  He's made a remarkable recovery, there were a few days we really didn't think he was going to make it.  

He was flown to Mass General where he remained in the ICU for I believe 27 days, then additional time in another room within the burn unit.  We were told he would remain in the hospital for a minimum of 80 days - this is calculated by the % of burns - and he would then need additional time in a secondary rehab center.  We knew he'd never be there that long, he's superman you know.  For as long as I remember we've made fun of him for working out so much, calling him chubby and telling him to give it up old man, it's a good thing he was in as good shape as he was or he wouldn't have made it.  He was home in 78 days - the day before Thanksgiving and just 8 days after the twins were born, you should have heard the sadness in his voice when he learned he wouldn't be able to be at the hospital when they were born - he worried I'd be upset, silly man!

Here's a few pictures of him before and after.

With mum when Lorelei was born June '06

With Lorelei Christmas '06

With Sadie mid-December '07

back to work (on our bathroom) mid-April '07

As you can see he's changed a bit, he's a little bit grayer and a little bit older, and he's still quite scarred, including the mother-fucker of all scars on his chest, but just on the outside.  We all know he's in a lot of pain still, but he refuses to let it get him down.  He told us while he was still in the hospital he planned to be back to work by spring - who goes back to work after this?!?!?!  I don't know another person who wouldn't have just sat home and collected the workers-comp checks, myself included!  But not this guy, he was back to work in 6 months 1 day - unbelievable. 

*OK technically he's my step-dad but you know what they say if it walks like a duck it's a duck, right?

** There are a few errors in this story.  He is a plumber not a construction worker, he actually received 2nd and 3rd degree burns over 80% of his body and he works for another (not to be named here) plumbing company not Harvey Construction. 

bathroom pics

We're about 99% done with the bathroom - the only thing left is a TP holder (the one we wanted was out of stock) and some artwork.  I'm thinking black-&-white naked baby pictures in black frames.  What do you think?

Here's a quick slideshow of the almost finished product.  I give Chuck total credit on the decor, he's good when it comes to this kind of thing.  Which is surprising since he once left the house in blue and yellow striped cut-off wind-pants, camouflage hunting boots and an Ozzy Ozborn t-shirt.

Mutha Sucka

No real reason behind this post - I just want to show off how freakin' cute my boy is!  (the shirt actually says Mutha Sucka we just couldn't get him to sit still!)

It's double the laughter and double the grins, and double the love when you're blessed with twins!!

The title might be a bit misleading because I'm going to go off on a totally different topic - kind of :)  Here's my PSA on what not to say to a mother with twins.

"Are they twins?" - when you see a mum with two babies, approximately the same size and appear to be the same age you can be pretty sure they are twins.  The correct question would be "how old are they?" that way if they are twins mum will answer "10 months" if they are not she will tell you their individual ages instead, and using your powers of deduction you can figure out if they are twins.

"Did you have help?" - as in reproductive help.  This is not a question you should ask a stranger, or a family member for that matter.  If you are stupid enough to ask this question don't be surprised if the mum replies "do you use pads or tampons?", it's just as personal and rude.

"Are they identical?" - this is only stupid if you have already been told they are opposite sex.  For the record the word identical means exactly the same - if they are of opposite sex they are not exactly the same.  But if you are stupid enough to ask this don't be surprised if mum replies "no, he has a penis". 

"Double Trouble!" - OK this isn't a question, but still something you shouldn't say.  First of all although yes it's "trouble" to have two babies at once, most of us are very happy with them - especially if the mum would have answered "yes" to the "did you have help" question.  Second when the kids are old enough to understand do you really think they are going to constantly hear that they are "trouble"?  Oh and another thing - you're not clever, we've heard it a million times!

Can you tell I ventured out with them yesterday :)