Thursday, July 17, 2008

Friday Show and Tell - and Twin Update



This week's Show and Tell is a bit random. I hope nobody gets whiplash!

When we learned that Kristen was having twins, and her life was a bit on the hectic and stressful side, I contacted the Multiples Club of our area. I asked if any of their members had a double stroller and car seats we could buy before the spring garage sale. It wasn't long before they came over to our house with two really nice car seats and a top-of-the-line double stroller and GAVE them to us - what a blessing! We never did learn who they were from so we could properly thank them.

In order to not have to change bases every time I needed to transport them, I bought another car seat, and we were given a fourth one by Kristen's cousin. So now we each have 4 car seats in our mini vans.

I still wanted another double stroller, so we didn't have to keep trading the one back and forth. And I knew just which one I wanted - but I couldn't find it on line. But then the spring garage sale by the Multiples Club came and they had three of them for sale - for the first time they'd ever had any. Timing is everything! Here is what it looks like:

003

It doesn't look like much, does it? But - the greatest thing about it is that you just take the car seats out of the car and plunk them onto the frame - the bars can be adjusted to fit different brands of car seats. It is wonderful if the babies are asleep - they don't have to be disturbed to be put in the stroller.

006

004

Here is a picture of the stroller that we were given - Peg Perego brand.

005

On a totally different subject, the other day DC was out in the front yard when this amazingly huge swallowtail butterfly willingly landed on his finger - (edited to give him credit for taking the picture - the butterly must be quite old, because it was in no hurry to get away - thankfully for us!)

SwallowTail_002[1]

Then it flew over to the little neighbor girl's hand --

SwallowTail_001[1]

Then - my one and only successful rosebush (as I mentioned before - we have planted so many shade trees that we have a hard time raising certain flowers). But I just love this one!

010

I am not a shopper - really, truly, not a shopper. But I do love Hobby Lobby. I feel like I've been to church when I go in there and listen to the music as I shop (I find myself singing or humming along). Last week, besides the little wicker table noted in the last post, I got in on the half price picture frame sale. I found this darling frame, and was happy to find two of them - one for me and one for Kristen. We can change the pictures periodically.

008

Last - Care Bear really wanted to bake a cake this evening. In spite of the unappealing aspect of heating up the kitchen, we did it - it meant so much to her. She was dying to frost it, but I kept telling her that it was not cool enough yet. At 8:30 p.m., Care Bear, Feisty, and the Two Blondies came over to frost and decorate the cake with sprinkles. They were so excited to take a piece home to eat and one for each of their parents.

011

And the twin update - in their favorite summer outfits:

001

And playing with each other - a bit roughly??

002

For more Friday Show and Tell stories, stop by Kelli's blog, There Is No Place Like Home.



35 comments:

Kathi~Lavender, Lace and Thyme said...

Your grandchildren are so precious! Things have changed so much since I was a mother with a newborn, I used cloth diapers, they seem to have everything now...drop in strollers and car seats! The butterfly is awesome! Great show & tell, thank you for sharing and putting a smile on my face :).

Have a wonderful Friday!
Kathi :)

Diane@Diane's Place said...

Unless God intervenes, it looks like as Emmy outgrows her baby/toddler paraphernalia we'll be passing it on to others who need it.

What a gorgeous butterfly! I hope somebody can identify it because I'm really curious as to what kind it is.

Love the pictures of the girls! Especially the ones of the twins. I'm thinking it's going to be a job to keep those two from fighting as they get older. ;o)

Have a great Friday and weekend, Dawn.

Love and hugs,

Diane

Wanita said...

So many new things you can get for babies these days. The stollers are great.

What beautiful pictures of the butterfly. Of course, it's always fun to see pictures of the twins. Thanks for a great post.

Linds said...

I love seeign how the little ones are growing, Dawn. The stroller (or pushchair) looks really well thought out. So many new things since mine were babies!
What an enormous butterfly! Beautiful.

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

Wow, that little butterfly is Beautiful! What a fantastic photo too!

The twins are growing so, yet they are still pretty little. Look at them go at each other!

Great show and tell!

Hootin Anni said...

Dawn, your show and tell entries are always something never to miss for me....I love what you do on Fridays. Now that butterfly just blew me away! Wow. And to have captured it with your camera astounds me!

As always the kids are so darned cute.

And I too love Hobby Lobby. I go there VERY often.


My show n tell is about my favorite author today. Hope you can find time to stop by! And there is a link left at the bottom -- for a gift for you.

Happy Friday.

A Hint of Home said...

How nice it was to get those strollers. The twins are so cute.
That is a wonderful pic of the butterfly. Thanks for sharing.

Robin said...

What blessing you shared today! Your little grands are just so cute and sweet. Last night I watched a show about a woman who had 6 babies. I can't even begin to imagine! I'm sure you can't either.

Unknown said...

Such generous gifts from the other twin moms!

What great pictures. Love the cake event. What a wonderful grandma you are.

Susan said...

How wonderful to have all that nice equipment. Have to wonder what parents of twins did before that was all available.
Susan

Anonymous said...

What neat invention those strollers are where you can just place the car seat in them! I am so glad you got the needed equipment for free or for yard sale prices.

That butterfly is juys gorgeous, and so big! What a wonderful moment that must have been to have it come visit.

I love Hobby Lobby, too. That's a sweet frame. And the cake baking and decorating sounds like fun!

Baba said...

Hi Dawn, your post for today is wonderful...your granddaughters are really growing and are so cute.I know you enjoy and love them very much...The butterfly is such a great picture..What kind of camera do you use?? I want one like it to take such super shots...thanks for sharing all of your delightful pictures with us.
Hugs, Baba

BigDadGib said...

What a wonderful blog.
I love the photographs.

CBO Guy,
Gib

Sam said...

What a great way to get double strollers! And those definitely look like good ones! My sister has two three-year olds so I'm very familiar with the double stroller! :-)

What a beautiful butterfly. And how lucky it landed so perfectly when you had your camera handy!

Those girls are just adorable. I used to comment on Kristen's blog that Feisty and Carebear are just about the cutest things I have ever seen. Their spirits really come through in a photograph.

The twins are really growing. Kristen is going to have 4 gorgeous girls!

Have a great weekend,
Sammy

Nancy said...

Dawn the twins playing roughly just made me laugh... so cute!!! I know you are enjoying every minute with them.

You were truly blessed with the double strollers and car seats... God is good!

Your rose and butterfly photos are beautiful... frameable too! You and your little camera are doing a great job.

I haven't been able to keep up with Kristen now that her blog is open by permission only. Is she doing okay?

Have a great weekend!

Tammy said...

Love that stroller you found! And the one the group gave her is so nice, too...what a blessing that was!

Wow, Dawn, that butterfly is amazing!!!! One of the most gorgeous ones I have ever seen, especially just roaming free like that! You are so lucky to capture it on film just landing on you all! (I'll have to show it to my girls!)

I did a Show and Tell today again, too!
Have a great weekend!
~Tammy
P.S....The twins are such cuties but tell them to play a little nicer! LOL

Unknown said...

What kindness to receive 2 free car seats and a stroller! I love the double stroller you bought. That is nice to be able to just put the car seats on the stroller frame.

That is a great picture of the butterfly! That's neat that it was so friendly.

The twins are getting so big! They are always fun to look at. :-)

Anonymous said...

Very sweet grandchildren! Twins are awesome!
It was so nice of people to help out with the strollers and car seats. I gave mine to the Goodwill way back when my son was little.
I haven't seen many Swallowtails this year, or that many butterflies in general. It's nice to get close up and personal with one.

Kathy said...

Awesome! What a find and at the perfect price! Precious babies and beautiful butterfly...
Kathy (mimisgarden.blogspot.com)

Kelli said...

What a wonderful collection of pictures! The double stroller is going to be so handy and the butterfly is amazing! Gorgeous! I also love seeing pictures of the twins too!
~Kelli

Linda said...

Oh Dawn - I just love that last picture!
All of the pictures are wonderful.
I have to admit, when our first granddaughter came along some of the "equipment" that was now necessarty for babies just baffled me. I can't tell you the number of times I stood by the side of the car completely bamboozled by those car seats. Had a hard time getting her in and a worse time figuring out how to get her out.
I imagine you have all of that down pat by now!
The butterfly is amazing. I really love butterflies. I love to watch them fly around like loopy drunken sailors!!
Have a blessed weekend Dawn.

Barb said...

The butterfly photos are amazing, Dawn. Apparently that butterfly likes people!

The babies are adorable. I love the one where they're pushing each other around. Let's hope they outgrow that though. :-)

As always, your Friday post is great.

Kate said...

I could almost imagine the Three Stooges sound effects on the last photo of the twins. Too cute!

nancygrayce said...

Oh, that butterfly is so beautiful! What a glorious testimoney to God's creation! Your rose is gorgeous. I was just telling a friend that I wish I liked gardening....not to be confused with mowing the grass! :) I love that carseat and what a blessing to have people willing to share their "stuff".

The girls, as always, are darling! You're such a good grandma!

Sharon Lynne said...

What a great stroller invention. I could of used that--(one does not want to disturb a nap...if mom needs a break!)

The butterfly is beautiful. It makes me wonder if it was a "special" butterfly...a reminder of God's love.

You are very patient to bake cakes in summer weather. What a good g-ma!

The twins look cute in any outfit!

Oh yes...my dad's giraffe...
My mother is trying to be patient about this! He wants to put it half way up the stairs--indoors--on the landing. I think we'll have to squeeze past it. My mother hopes he doesn't get any more bright ideas. She can't take him anywhere...and he sees something...that he wants to build!

I wonder if a childrens' museum would like it someday.

JEWELGIRL said...

Another terrific post Dawn!
I guess with twins you need a lot
of stuff!, even with one child
you need a lot of stuff these days!
I marvel at all the things in the
baby aisle, they have since mine
dau was little, I could break the
bank easy!!!
Love the swallowtail & kids. FUN! Hug & kisses for the babies!
(Smile) Jewelgirl

Needled Mom said...

I am absolutely laughing out loud over the photo of the twins playing together. OUCH! Love the summer outfits though.

The double stroller looks so great. They have certainly made baby items much more user friendly over the years.

I have a feeling that you have a granddaughter who takes after her Grandma with the cake baking. Bet it was delicious.

The Tiquehunters Wife said...

Wow! things sure have changed since I had little ones. Mandatory car seats were far from being law --can you imagin?!! (Really dates me!)
What a handy and helpful stroller!
Nice to meet you, Dawn,-you have the most beautiful grandchildren!
Blessings to you!
Claudia O.

Midlife Mom said...

Hi Dawn! Things sure have changed since my son was small. All the wonderful things there are now to help with the babies. The double strollers are just wonderful! My SIL that had the triplets had a triple stroller and that sure got a lot of comments when they were out and about. She and her husband wore T-shirts that said "yes, they are triplets and yes we are glad they are ours and not yours too!" Guess they got lots of people saying Wow! I'm sure glad they are yours and not mine! (They will turn 16 next month!) I like having my own booster seats and such for when the kids are with me, it's so much easier then trading back and forth all the time. That butterfly is just spectacular! What great shots you got of it! Also the rose is just so pretty. The Japanese beetles got at mine and just about destroyed them. Tomorrow I am getting out the dusting powder and give them a good dusting.
We finally got some rain tonight. I wish it had lasted longer but we will take what we can get.
Have a good weekend!!!! xoxox

Michelle said...

That butterfly is so pretty it doesn't look real! I love it!

someone else said...

What a fun post! (and the whiplash was minimal)

Anonymous said...

awwwwww twins --- and what an awesome butterfly!

Nadine said...

Those strollers are darling, but the twins are so adorable. They are getting so big.

Love all the pictures - the butterfly is amazing - how big and colorful.

Lala's world said...

the butterfly is beautiful! the twins are getting soooo big so fast!

Deb said...

I love all of your photos - especially the rose. So beautiful! And the twins, of course. They are getting so big! :)