Trick-or-Treating adventure

I have one word for Oakleaf Halloween night....bizarre. What a night we had. WOW! I've never celebrated Halloween night like we did tonight. I'm convinced that 3 surrounding county's decided that the community of Oakleaf had the best candy and decided to pile in buses and ship them over to our area. The streets were draped with costumes. There was a point that I looked back to make sure that Matthew was still with us, and I couldn't see the end of the road. All I saw was a big blurr of orange, red, black. Kids were everywhere. When I say everywhere, I'm not joking. They were in massive swarms. Screaming, yelling, laughing, singing, you name it, they were doing it. Sam was quite taken back by all the kids everywhere. All ages. Incy wincy ones to adults who were often denied candy from the homeowner. I was so excited when I saw a man tell the treater to get lost! Literally!!! It was great.

Whoo...I'm still in awe of the night we had. It was fun, but I've never been a participant of such a overwhelming event. And did I forget to mention that I wasn't even sure what about 90% of the costumes were? I guess if you get done with a spaghetti dinner and forget to wash your face and comb your hair you could be considered a bum...right? Well, that is what one little guy told me. His buddy was a "converted woman". However, there were some adorable, well thought about costumes that we saw as they flew past us, almost knocking us down. A few times I had to hold onto my children as I was afraid we were going to be the first on the 11 o'clock nightly news, "the trick-or-treaters who were trompled by hungry pedestrians".

Back to the point of my children. They did great. We had tiny raindrops drizzle our tops, but overall it was a pleasant night. I think Matthew got as much candy as Sam did only because people gave him hand fulls because he was so stinkin' cute! (yes, I am bias). After about 30 minutes of entertainment, Sam decided it was time to go home. He did great, and so did Matthew. I swear I've never brushed their teeth as hard as I did tonight. They both got a taste from their buckets, and the rest will be put away!

Stay tuned for pictures, and Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all of you! We hope you had a SpookTacular day! We celebrated the holiday on Sunday night at a friends house who had their 2nd Annual Costume Halloween Dance Party. The kids had a blast dancing under the disco ball and just hanging out with all their friends. We are going trick-or-treating tonight...we hope.

The ad in the paper for trick-or-treating times(we are Clay county):
"Officials with Duval, St. Johns and Clay counties said there aren't specific hours listed but suggest using your own discretion for trick-or-treating."

So....according to the paper, I could of took the boys tric-r-treating this morning at 7a.m. after baths??? That's my discretion. Florida, love it. We haven't had any knocks yet, maybe I should remove the "baby sleeping GO AWAY" sign hanging out front?

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of our fun filled week and the pictures of my little munchkins all dressed up! And for those of you wondering....yes, Matthew DID put on his costume and loved it. Our fingers are crossed for the same participation tonight from him!

As Alivia put it...

"Look Aunt Erin, Matthew looks happy! This is the first smile I've seen!" Darn it, she was absolutely correct!!!

1...2...3...JUMP!

Fun with our cousins

What more? Some sand, water and sun! The kids had a great time playing together. Sam showed Alivia how to get down and dirty in the sand n water table!
Wind down time. How precious. You ask where is Matthew? He is stuck screaming his eyes out because he was mad that he didn't feel well.
The only pink you'll find in my house!!!
Surprise! It's Sela!

Mimi and Papa Tom came to visit!

Mimi and Papa Tom came down from WI to help us bring in the big day for Sam! The weather was hot hot hot and humid humid humid, but we all survived and made the best of it.

Their trip ended way too fast, but we'll see them for Christmas!!! Matthew before he decided it was time to spike a fever!


Eating out for breakfast!!! Man did my boys chow on their pancakes and bacon!
Brad and Matthew looking for Fish in our pond!

Check out Sam's NEW train table!!! Thanks you Mimi and Papa. Sam is in heaven with it. This is Train Table #2 for us...Train Table #1 is destroyed.
Doing something a little different, playing trains. This visit was a little different for Papa Tom. Not only was he blessed with Sam's ability to build tracks and crash them, Matthew had to impress him with his talents as well! It's so funny to see the competition beginning for the boys. I see it in their eyes. The look of, "my track is better than your track".

Mimi also played "Horse" with Sam!!! What a trooper.

Reading Stories before bed!


Train Master Sam, so sad that his birthday party is over :(

I'm Invisible~ author unknown

A friend of mine sent this to me. It really touched me. I'm posting it here so when I have one of "those' days/weeks/months etc. I can hop on my blog and re-read this. This is dedicated to all my mommy friends.

I hope it touches you as well.

~~~I'm invisible. author unknown~~~

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?"Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this.

"It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.

"In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. I t is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As parents, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

The Happy Birthday Song!

Happy Birthday Sam!

So, three years ago, a train lover was born...his name is Samuel Lewis Teplin. What a joy he has been as we've watched him grow from infant to toddler. Thinking back, where has all the time gone? He started at 8 Lbs. and today he weighs in at 34 Lbs. He's gone from being all warm in cozy as he was swaddled so tight in his baby blankets to riding a 4 wheeled bike with a helmet on.

Enjoy the slide show below. We celebrated Sam's birthday on his actual birthday, Sunday, October 21st. We celebrated with friends and family. Erin's parents came in town from Milwaukee, WI, Brad's brother Stephen and family came up from Tampa and all the little friends are neighbors in our community. We missed our family back home who were unable to celebrate with us because we live so far away. Thanks for all the phone calls and gracious gifts that were left on our front porch.

Grab a seat and enjoy the show!

All good things must end...

the thrill of celebrating Sam's 3rd birthday has slowly became a blur of the past. The rush of excitement as we've had so many special visitors over the past 3 weeks has came to a end. What a great month of October we all had. Sam turned three, Matthew grew more stubborn & chipped a tooth, Brad got a new pair of orthotics, and mommy went back to blond! In between all these things, we had family in town to help us bring in the excitement.

I have so many pictures of the birthday weekend, I'm slowly getting them uploaded and will post the slide show, in between running in Matthew's room because his nose is dripping and it is interrupting his sleeping style.

Jacobsons head north

What a fun weekend we had! Great Grandma Shirl and Great Papa Foster came to Jacksonville from Boynton Beach. The boys sure kept them on their toes. Friday night we declared "run wild at the park" night. Saturday morning we visited the pumpkin patch and ended the day with a great dinner out. Sunday morning came too fast as their visit came to an end and they packed up their vehicle and headed home. Special memories for the boys were made as we were able to spend the entire weekend with them. Thank you for making the trip and hanging out with us.

Buddies

Brendan and Sam have found such a great friendship in one another. Together they can rough house, share snacks, have a picnic in the park and play soccer! Matthew wants to join in on the fun, but is stuck on the bench behind, begging for food!

Oh now this is what you call fun...

Now this is a grand idea of fun. I haven't yet figured out what is worse...sleeping on the dirty carpet in the bathroom or filling the toilet bowl up with toilet paper, better yet, the entire roll of toilet paper?

Who do you think did this? Sam or Matthew?

Peaceful

One of the joys of being a parent lies in silence. When the sun has set and the night clouds roll in. When the kiddos have been put to sleep willingly in their beds. When the hum of the fridge rumbles through the kitchen and the sound of wind whistles through the windows. Oh how I love this time of night. It's called bedtime. I love those children to pieces, but let's face reality....it's nice to have quiet time alone with a good show and a bucket of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, phish food to be exact!

I have to say, the other best part of the night is when Brad and I are getting ready to go to bed. We turn off the lights and together we both tuck in those children one more time. We quietly open their door, walk in and just look at them snoozing away. Sam is normally on the other end of his bed, wrapped in sweat because he insists on sleeping with 3 heavy fleece blankets and socks on. Matthew is normally laying flat on his back, arms up scrunched in the corner with his pacifiers in each open area with one foot sticking out of the bars of the crib. I could stare at those children all night and listen to their heavy breathing for hours.

Whatever stress they engaged on me that day, well, all goes away when I see them so peaceful....that is until Matthew insists on needing us in the middle of the night....

"I wish..

I wish upon a star that Sassy will come to my birthday party!"

As Sam was getting ready for bed tonight, he stopped abruptly and with a rush of excitement stating, "mommy, daddy, come here". We rushed over to the window.
Sam: "Look, the moon (**pause**) Look, a star (**pause**) I wish I wish I wish upon a star that Sassy (Brad's parents dog who lives in WI) will come to my birthday party!"

Precious, innocent, loving, comfort. SAM.

Sam, do you know where Matthew is?

A normal day was in store for us Teplins, when all of a sudden, we couldn't find Matthew. Normally he plays in our bathroom for a bit with the toilet paper holder and I never worry. Well, this morning....he was tired. He's been waking up so early that his little body gets so tired and he just can't make it to lunch anymore. I knew he was tired because his eyes were so red and he just wanted his blanket and pacifier. So, good ole' brother Sam, jumped in his crib and gave it to him. When Matthew disappeared, I didn't think I would find THIS on my bathroom floor? Oh was it cute. Snoring away with his comfort items because his mean mommy wouldn't just put him down for nap!!! Sorry Matthew, one day you'll look at these pictures and laugh right along with me.

Tea Party?

Who says boys can't have a tea party? Remember how it's been raining for days here....we have to come up with other activities! This has been declaired a tea party kind of day, only with keptchup, mustard bacon, coffee, bologna, hamburgers and a flower to go along with the stew that has been brewing!

Mommy Duty thickins

This is on the activity list when we enter the park grounds. Thanks to his buddies, Sam has mastered the talent of counting and taking some home in his pockets and having us put them accidentally through the washer... And Matthew like to eat acorns....
My mommy duty at the park has just became a little more intense. Not only do I have to worry about Sam falling down and breaking a limb, I now have to worry about Matthew jumping from the top of the slide. These two little boys of mine are going to have me at the salon every week for a touch up on those greys that pop out nightly from worrying. Sam breezes through the playground like a lightning bolt. And Matthew is experiencing the, "if Sam can do it, so can I" attitude. So yes, that is what Matthew does. Now instead of being the on duty mommy that can carry on a full conversation with my lady friends at the park with baby on the hip, I have to be the mommy on duty who stands in the middle of the play gym. 50 feet up in the clouds, sweating watching all the little rug rats plow past me on their mission and Matthew get trampled. So to make my mission a little less stressful, I've decided to just bring a huge bag of snacks, so Matthew has something else to keep him busy!

Now look what Sam can do.....and guess who sits on the sidelines screaming because he wants to do it...that's when the bag of snacks comes into play!

His first track

Oh and he made it all by himself...no help from Sam, no help from mommy no help from daddy. And man oh man was he excited! Didn't he do a great job!!!! Besides the sharp turns and upside down rails, he did great!

This was the first of many attempts. This attempt was successful because Matthew woke up earlier than Sam did from his nap, and Sam didn't know that Matthew had full power of the train table. However, when Sam did wake from his deep slumber, Sam did show his excitement along with me.

This is what we do here in Florida when it rains for 10 days straight and everything is cancelled due to flooding or people just not wanting to brave the elements! Check out how dreary and dark it was outside the window.

Matthew is following his older brother with his love for trains. Sam tries his best to share with Matthew, but Sam just gets so frustrated with him. Matthew's train wheels sometimes come off the track or Matthew doesn't use an engine to pull the train...and wowsiers....you should hear what Sam demands of Matthew. "Matthew, you have to do it like this...Molly cannot pull coached backwards...she can only pull them forward like this". On a good day, Matthew just laughs at him and continues onto what he was doing. On a bad day, Matthew screams and hits Sam because Matthew has no interest in "Sam's" way being the correct way!

Oh man do they fight...but I have to say, it's getting a little better! Who would of thought our days and nights consisted around the train schedule.
Mommy: "Sam, it's time for lunch"
Sam: "hold on mommy, the people are just getting off the train, I'll be right there!"

¡Soy más elegante que mama!

Translation: I'm smarter than mommy!
Oh no....I just remembered my fault...speaking a foreign language....Spanish in particular.

Today, as we were rolling around on the floor, doing puzzles, dancing and making train tracks, Sam busts out in a different language. Man I just love TV, however, this is making me scared. As he was lining up his 'freight' trains on the new track we made, he busts out:

Sam: "uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seises,ocho, nueve, siete, diez"
Mommy, "Sam what did you say?"
Sam: "I'm counting in Spanish mommy!"
**P**A**U**S**E**
Sam: "What's wrong mommy, can you do it with me?"
Mommy: "Sure, you first..."

Thank heavens for the Internet...and Dora...and Sesame Street. Who needs preschool???