hay slides, big girl panties, "punkins!", Nana & Pop, and Go Big Red!

I have been behind in posting pics....and we've had a bunch of picture-taking worthy opportunities!
So here's a smattering of photos and a few blips about life in the Jank house...

TG Farms in Norman on Halloween morning; highly recommend it for fall outdoor activities. Joined by Pollans and Stelzers, the kids had a blast running on the farm, sliding on the hay bale slides, following Emma through the corn maze, riding the hayride with friends and Nana and Pop, and petting the goats, bunnies, cows, and pigs!





Their cute little Halloween parties at day schools....
Mr. Cowboy sans cowboy hat (he just threw it across the room which is why he's laughing)




McFarlin Pumpkin Patch Annual Pics...
As of current, Matt is off crutches and weight bearing on his walking cast--yay! His stamina is rebuilding and it will still be a long road before he's able to run again (his ultimate goal), but every day his ankle gets stronger.


Other news where pictures are not appropriate (Matt wouldn't let me put them up--ha!)...ABIGAIL IS POTTY TRAINING!!! WOO HOO!!! She wears big girl panties except for sleeping and is completely motivated by candy--she is definitely my child! This is the best use of Halloween candy yet. I love that this has reduced my cloth diaper loads to a few a week!! We're still in process, but she's doing great!

Nana and Pop have become regular fixtures around the house, as they came up to help after Matt's surgery then left for a week and returned to spend Halloween with us. In typical Martin fashion, a few days intended stay turned into a week and a half, but I loved having the help since Matt's been swamped at work and G&A loved having Nana and Pop here! We finally have a working oven, completely sealed and electrified (aka Boomer proof) fence, and lots of other Daddy-do's completed thanks to Pop's diligence!!



We had date night last weekend and were able to go to the OU v. Texas A&M game (thanks McPhersons!!). Had a great time, walked too far for MattieJ, but cheered on the Sooners to victory!


Came home to find Abigail in respiratory distress with our sweet babysitter Amy so Abs had her first ER visit with dx of croup. We've been home all week this week sharing various viruses and now sinus infections and diarrhea....ah, life with twins. So off I go to clean with Lysol....

Halloween 2009

A few glimpses of trick-or-treating in the 'hood. Joined by Nana and Pop, the Pollans and the Hilfigers, we strolled the streets and had a great time! Daddy and Casey held down the fort at our house passing out candy and drinking homebrew since Matt's still on crutches. Perfect cool night and a great first experience for G&A....they were the cutest cowboy and cowgirl on the block!!

Our first stop, sweet neighbors Nana Millie and Paw Mark
Farmers, "Cowmom", dragon, monster, cowboy, cowgirl, fairy princess...we had the whole crew!


G&A rode in style in their straw-filled wagon!

Snuggling with Daddy after returning home and VERY tired....

Mr. Wobbly, Sr.

Matt is slowly but steadily recovering from ankle reconstruction. He had a rough start and had to be re-splinted after three days of intense pain and ineffective pain meds, but now he is rockin' his crutches! Honestly, he is still recuperating and moving slow (which warranted calling the grandparents into the picture to help with g&a). Good prognosis at the last check-up: splint removed, removable cast donned (which allows him to do exercises at night and let the skin breathe), and no weight bearing for 2 1/2 more weeks from today. Wonderful news since we were preparing for four more weeks. He started driving and working full days again this week which makes for pudgy toes and a very fatigued good leg at the end of the day. Every day he is able to do a little bit more to help with the twins and furry children, which is fabulous!!!

G&A enjoy reading with Daddy and "Daddy Owie"

I enjoyed the Texas/ OU game immensely, despite our offense not showing up to play. The teams were pretty equally matched which we were not expecting and it made for a very stressful, near-cardiac-arrest-causing four hours. Feel bad for Sam Bradford, wishing him a strong recovery for the rest of his career's sake. Final statement: Texas 16, Oklahoma 13. Go Horns!!!
G&A picked their teams for the day...

The "true faces" of G&A

Helping Pop to "fix" the step stool...one can never use enough duct tape...

plank by plank and two more screws...

We have a beautiful new cedar back fence!! Bill & Deb came up, and with neighbor Kelly and Mr. Broken Ankle Matt leading the project, our fence is up after two and a half days... start to finish!! I am have named myself Queen of the Screw Gun after putting up nearly all 90' of cedar planks! Matt had fun with the chainsaw clearing out brush and a dead 40 year old tree. He was a trooper! Big thanks to FIL who slaved away too and MIL who chased the little twin monsters. One more huge home project down...


In addition to the screws in the cedar planks, two more screws were added to our family. Matt had ankle surgery this morning and don't ask me the medical name for his procedure, but they sawed off the fibula, extracted the broken bone and scar tissue, filled the crater with fresh bone, and screwed the fibula back together. What does this mean? Pain and 6 weeks of crutches and cast with no weight bearing. Not sure how title opinions, running after twins, and keeping Boomer from eating more socks factor into this equation, but I guess we'll find out shortly. Thank you so much for the prayers...please keep them coming as we face the next phase of his recovery.

Here are a few recent pics from the St. Joe's Fall Festival...G&A LOVED riding the ponies!

Day at the Farm

We spent the morning at Peach Crest Farms in Stratford, OK with friends. Imagine 9 kids under the age of 3 (three sets of twins!!) and 5 adults amidst tractors, chickens, pumpkins, and lots of beautiful organically grown produce! George had the most fun watching the tractors, chasing the chickens, and throwing dirt clods. Pretty fitting since the meaning of the name George is "farmer!" Abigail had a blast picking beans, beets, and arugula and observing. We came home with a bushel of fresh veggies and exhausted toddlers! Thank you Susan for the personal tour!

To parents who cook...

How exactly does one do this task with one, let alone two, crazy toddlers tornado-ing around the house when you are the only parent at home?
What strategies have you found effective? I would like to cook again someday soon. Please share....

B-day Weekend Park Pics with Aunt Sherry and Pop

I'm slowly but surely getting the pics posted from the birthday weekend. Please be patient!!

Goin' on a walk to our neighborhood park

Sliding with Pop..."One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready and GO ABBY AND GEORGE GO!" (their new fave sliding song, thanks Misty)
Climbing with Aunt Sherry
Bummer, I'm still too short...