Easy Fall Crafts For Toddlers: Pumpkin Painting

There was a reason for pumpkin picking with the girls. I love arts and crafts or "activities" as Milani likes to call it. Painting pumpkin is messy but so much fun. Plus, it is really easy.

What you need:

The paint comes in a set of 10

• Pumpkin
• Crayola Washable Paint 
• Old T-Shirts or Smocks 
• Newspapers
• Paint Brushes (Find them at Target, Michael's or any craft stores)
• Paper plate

Instructions 

• Find a large area for the your toddler or toddlers to have room to paint
• Place newspaper on the floor. Even though the paint is washable, who feels like wiping up paint off the floor?
• Place the pumpkins on the newspaper
• Add the paints in circles on the plates
• Put smocks or old t-shirts the toddler(s)
• give a paint brush and let them have at it! 
• Once they have finished (the children), put the pumpkins with the newspaper attached somewhere high so that your little ones cannot reach. 
• Let the pumpkins dry

Below are pictures of the girls painting their pumpkins! SHARE your arts and crafts on our facebook page: facebook.com/thegoodtimegurlz

Pumpkin Picking With Twins; Tantrums and More

Last week, my mother and I went to my families new residence in Virginia Beach, VA. If anyone lives in Green Run, let me know! I love to do activities with my children and now that they are two, it is so much fun to go out and do more things. I was anxious (my mother as well) to take them pumpkin picking. 

I always think that my children are going to enjoy all the activities, that they share in my excitement. In my mind, my children are well behave. In reality, they are well behave, but they also have their moments. 

When we arrived to the Pumpkin Farm, the girls were ubber (yes, ubber) excited just to get out of the car. As we got closer to the pumpkins, Milani was a little frightened by the size of some of them. Mya, was not interested in the sea of orange and was more content walking around the entire farm. I told her that we could not walk around the farm and she threw herself in the grass to have one of her Mya tantrums. 

Mya having her moment

Usually, I would pick her up and console her. This time, I tried a new tactic. I walked away. To the new moms out there, this might seem extreme. But, it was effective. Why? Because at that moment I turned my back, I heard these little feet coming running after me and then in one second, her little hand cupped mine. The reason? I was not feeding into her attention seeking and at that moment, I had full control. 

Meanwhile, Milani picked out her pumpkin and one for Mya. Milani was so excited that she showed everyone her pumpkin, I mean EVERYONE! She even went to the lady selling flowers and showed her the pumpkin. 

It was a quick visit to the Pumpkin Farm but any day with the girls is a great day!

Toddler Mondays: Mya and Milani's Favorite Words and Phrases

Your favorite twins are now 26 months! It is hard to grasp how much they have a grown. When they were infants I always wonder what they would sound like. What words they would say. In a blink of an eye, the girls have voices, they are speaking sentences, saying new words. Here is a list of some of their favorite words and phrases:

1. "I'm Sorry"

2. "Thank You"

3.  "You're Welcome"

4. "Happy Birthday, Mommy, Happy Birthday Gigi, Happy Birthday Daddy, Happy Birthday, Milani, Thank you, Thank you." - Milani

5. "Careful!" -Mya

6. "No, No!"

7. "No, Mya, No" -Milani

8. "Gigi, I'm coloring with crayons." -Milani

9. "I got a bunch of bones inside me!" -Mya

10. "Flowers"

11. "Mama, Mya painting pumpkins too." -Milani

12. "Matoes" -Mya

13. "Nana" -Mya (Banana)

14. "I love you, I love you too" -Mya

I could go on and on. The girls can say all their colors, animals and alphabets. They also love to sing. What are your toddlers saying?

Parenting From A Distance: IPhone FaceTime & My Husband Is the Greatest

First, let me thank those who have taking the time to "like" my Facebook page. It really means a lot. We went from 72 likes to 98 in one day! I am excited to continue to share my journey, tips, advice with you all. I hope you all are eager to read. I also want to take this time to apologize for my previous post, which I have deleted. Now, I don't apologize for what I said, I apologize for not giving more of a back story. I have been called disgusting, disgraceful among other words all because I have an opinion about my family. Let's not get it twisted, I have a relationship with my step children. I don't dislike them nor do I treat them with any disrespect. I am not going to delve much further into this issue. The only thing that matters is that my husband understands where I am coming from and that all that matters. Why did I delete the post? I deleted the post because when it was written, I was  very angry. Not with my husband but angry. The post really didn't express my true feelings, only the feelings that I felt that particular day. For that, I am sorry that you all may have this opinion of me that is completely untrue. If you want the back story, just ask.

Anyway.

A few know because I do not have many friends or any friends for that matter, that my family has relocated to Virginia Beach. What people may not know is that I am still in New York and my daughters are in Virginia Beach. Having them leave me to go down to their new home was the hardest decision I had to make. But, I had to face the facts. The facts are:
1. I live with my mother who lives in a studio apartment, which equals not enough room. She lives in a BEAUTIFUL apartment, in fact is it the same apartment I grew up in. My  mother has lived in the same building before I was born. As nice as it is, there wasn't enough space for me, the girls and my husband.

2. Couldn't find daycare. I thought finding daycare in New York would be easy, but I was wrong. I had better luck finding daycare in New Jersey. The daycare in New York are so expensive. However, waiting to the last minute as I love to do, I applied for childcare subsidy, which I was approved recently. But my girls are going to start daycare in VA next week so, too late.

I miss my daughters every single day. Some days I do not feel like a mother. I use to wake up, my husband and I take the girls to daycare, go to work, come home, pick up the girls and my other job as a mother continues. Now, I have this old familiar freedom that I would trade just to have my girls with me in New York. It is a sad life I have now, which ends in October. I go to work and come to my mothers house. I now have so much time on my hands that I am able to study, watch my favorite shows and blog to you guys about my recent woos. But, I would give anything to have my girls.

For now, I parent from a distance, thanks to IPhones and ITouch, I am able to see my girls all the time. And yes, my girls are pros at using the IPhones and ITouch. We talk, they tell me about their day (most of it is babble), I get to see how much they have grown. It is great I get to see them, but I wish that I could touch them and give them a hug all the time.

Parenting from a distance. Who would have thought that my marriage would start with us living a part. Who would have thought that I had no choice but to have my kids live in their new state, new city, new community? I know they are not with a stranger, they are with their father, my amazing husband, but being away from my children is like a mother lion being away from her cubs.

A piece of me is missing.

This post is also dedicated to my husband. The only man that understands me, even with my faults, even with my "selfish thinking" he doesn't make me feel any less. He gets me. Being away from me and playing the role of mother and father has been rough on him but he has done a great job. Speaking to my girls and my husband tonight inspired me to right this post.

My husband told me that one of the girls did not  take a nap today and when I did facetime, she was IRATE! When one of the twins is having a tantrum, the other takes it upon herself to start as well. My husband had to deal with not one but TWO screaming two year old. And you know what? He did it effortless. He didn't loose his patience, he didn't loose his cool, he cuddle them, cooed, and reassured them that he was doing the best he could. My husband went and got their bottle while holding both of them. As I listened to the girls cry, I felt that anxiety, that feeling to shut them up and quickly start boiling inside. I felt frustrated for him, because when they double team me, that is how I feel. But, my husband didn't loose face. He was not defeated by any means. He got the girls into bed with their night bottle and lights out.

Simply amazing. I don't know any man that can handle two year old twins like my husband. He is father of the century in my opinion.

I get to see the girls and my husband again this weekend, Labor Day Weekend and I am going to enjoy every morsel!

What Does Lee Daniel's The Butler Mean For My Children

As my mother and I left the United Artist theater tonight, we walked in silence. I continued to wipe my eyes and my mother just continued to walk, facing straight ahead. We finally reached the end of the block; waiting for the walk sign, my mother turned to me. "When you were born, I prayed that things would be better for you." I looked at her. "Are they?" I asked. She faced forward again. "I don't think so."

My mother and I went to see Lee Daniel's The Butler starring Forrest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. This 2 hour plus film took us on a historic journey of civil rights and changes for African Americans through the 60's, 70's and 80's while telling the story of a butler, Cecil Gaines who served in the White House for 34 years. He saw changes in African Americans during prominent eras. The story was moving, the story was captivating, the story emotional and for me, the story was remembrance.

My mother was born in 1955 in North Carolina. She remembered using the "Colored Only" water fountain, sitting in the "Colored Section" of the bus. She remembered the Sit in at Woolworths and the day the Black students walked into a once White school. I was born during the Reagan era (1986), and when my mother said that she prayed for better, it is the same prayer that I hope for my daughters.

I didn't forget what have overcame, the fight, the torment or the mistreatment, but I forgot how much we endured. The film showed African Americans fighting for equality, what was right, no matter what the consequence was. Of course I was not there, but I admire the fight, the hunger in them. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't be writing this post today.

Even though things are better for African Americans, they aren't perfect. With the shooting of Oscar Grant, Trayvon Martin, Sean Bell, wrongful judgement such as the women who is doing time for shooting a fire warning, like my mother, I pray for more for my children. I pray that they do not sit in a world where we now just sit still. A world where we rally, shout our frustrations and then go about our day, going to work, school, paying the bills. Continuing to sit still.

The admiration I have for those before us is more than I can express. They didn't sit still, they did more than rally, they did more than shout their frustrations. I wait for the day that we can do the same. I am guilty of this as well. I know that something is wrong, but still continue to go about my life. Not fight for a better life for my children.

What does Lee Daniel's The Butler mean for my children? It means everything; a chance to look at our history, a chance to see our fight, a chance to see us stand up for what was right, a chance to be proud, sad, mad, more importantly they get to know a piece of history that hasn't been told. I never knew that there was a butler that served for 34 years. I find it fascinating because he saw the world change from so many different angles.

I am not going to get into the story or my thoughts about the film. I am not going to decipher it either. I will say that it is a film that you want to take your children to see and it is a film that you want to embrace.

I pray for my children. I pray for my children in a world where racism still exists. I pray, one day, we have the courage to continue to fight. Not physically fight, but the system.

Happy Friday: Silly Questions To A Mom of Twins

Happy Friday everyone! I saw this topic on one of the blogs that I follow and I laughed at the end of her posting. As a mom of twins, I am hit with the silliest questions. However, I never laugh in the person face because they are asking to know what it is like to be a mother of twins. Here  are some of my favorites:

Dressed alike and in dresses!!!

1. Are they twins? *Yes, when they are clearly dressed just alike. I am not that type of mom if I had two daughters a year apart and dressing them alike. 

2. They are so cute, boy or girl? *This question came up constantly especially when the girls had pink blankets covering them. 

3. How do you do it? *I don't have a choice

4. Double trouble right? *Yes, my girls are two are into exploring but they aren't any trouble thanks 

5. Wow they are identical? *I get this question every single day. Each time I get this question I wonder if people are seeing something I'm not. One has a wider face and big cheeks, one is lighter with a narrow face. In summary, my daughters are fraternal twins; not identical

One has a round face the other has a narrow face

6. Who helps you with the girls? *This isn't totally silly, but I want to say I'm married, my husband does! or, I am not alone, I have tons of family support! But, they do not know. 

7. Do twins run in your family? *Not a silly question, but yes, twins run in my family and my husband's family.

8. Which one is the good twin? *They are both good, but they both have their moments, just like you and I. We aren't happy all the time right?

9. Was this natural? *Um yes, no fertility drugs here. I don't like needles

10. I don't know how you do it. *Not a question, but I get this statement followed by a shake of the head. 

11. Which one is older? *Does it matter? 

Don't they BOTH look friendly?

12. That one seems to be the friendlier one right? 

13. My cousins/uncle/daughter/friends/aunt have twins too. *That's nice

14. Do you want more? *No, that means that is another chance to have another set of twin. No thank you. 

Moms of multiples, what are some of the silliest questions you have dealt with?

I Was Meant To Live Down South

My mother was born and raised in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Unlike her friends and family, she never had a southern drawl and she never thought she fit in. In summary, my mother always thought that she was never meant for down south living. At the age of 14, my mother moved to New York with my great-aunt Charlotte. She loved the quick pace, the fashion, the night life, the fast talking New Yorkers. For once, she felt that she belonged, that this city was where she needed to be. Even today, my mother can't imagine living anywhere else.

I am the total opposite. I don't think  I was ever meant for up north living. I do not talk like a typical New Yorker. I cannot stand loud music, I cannot stand loud talking, I hate being pushed, I cannot stand the trains, I hate traveling on the trains and the bus, did I mention I hate noise? I was not meant for up north living, which is why my husband and I decided to move back to Virginia; Virginia, a state I fell in love with at the tender age of 10.

My godmother is from New York but moved to Virginia after she finished her medical residency (she is a pediatrician). My mom and I visited her and her husband in Alexandria, VA (where they were living at the time). I fell in love with the peacefulness, people being polite. Most of all, I fell in love with Old Town, Alexandria. If you have never been to Old Town, get in a car and go visit. If you love antiques, historic attractions, then this is the place for you. Visit: http://www.visitalexandriava.com/things-to-do/ for more information.

I also fell in love with driving everywhere, the mall, plaza centers. There weren't any corner stores, people hanging out in front of the building. Where my godmother lived, was a great place to raise a family. Where my godmother lives now in Woodbridge, is still a great place. I went to Hampton University in Hampton, VA and even though I was aware of the culture, I still had a hard time adjusting during my freshmen year. I was seeking the loud music, the cursing, the fighting that I knew in Brooklyn, NY. All I heard was the sounds of crickets. I also hated that I couldn't get on a bus to get where I needed to go. The love I had of driving everywhere in VA when I was younger had quickly died. Also, Hampton was one big boring ass circle.

Then, I fell in love with my now husband and VA had more to offer. It was nice to go out with him like to Buckroe Beach or Virginia Beach. When I graduated, I still hungered for New York City life. I turned down a job at the Virginian Pilot for a job in New York. I didn't consult my boyfriend, I just left. New York was what I knew and as a young graduate, I felt that Virginia didn't have what I needed.

Boy, was I ever wrong. Nothing went right once I came back to New York. I lost my job, I forced my now husband to quit his job (a great paying job) to move with me to New York. We ended up living in dirty Jersey where we went from nasty apartment to shady landlords to our lives eventually being threatened. The one thing or rather two things that came out of living up north was the birth of the twins. Other than that, I craved the serenity once again that VA had to offer. I missed relaxing and not rushing to go no where.

I think my friend said it best, I am a Brooklyn-Bred who does not like noise. It is crazy I know. I must say, being back in Virginia Beach and almost permanently with my family has been so peaceful. I can't wait for what more is to come.