Category:

Twins

Impromptu Home Schooling: New Reality via COVID-19

by Courtney El-Ghoul March 20, 2020

Guys, I gotta be honest, I feel like this is all a bad dream! I am trying to remain calm and not panic, but it is so hard to watch as this virus is devastating to other countries. If we don’t think this could happen to us here in the United States, we are truly turning blinders on. As of this week, our local schools and community have shut down for at least a month. I know that this is a harsh reality that feels really drastic, but it is what needs to be done to contain this nightmare of a virus that is even more harsh and drastic. We, like many parents, are looking at this as an opportunity to really connect with our kids. We live in such a fast-paced go, go, go world… the connection really takes a backseat sometimes! Now, we have time to be with our kids uninterrupted and without distractions. That is the positive lens I am trying to look at this through. I am going to try and live in the moment with my family as much as I can. It’s all about that uninterrupted quality time now! 🙂

So, let’s get into what I really wanted to talk to you guys about today…

Educating The Girls During Quarentine

I am going to go through some of the ways we plan to keep up with educating the girls while preventing them from driving us nuts while we are all staying at home. I will be sharing the plans that I have, the things that I have purchased, and the digital resources that I’ve found.

How I plan to keep the girls busy 🙂

Amazon is your best friend. I feel like this is number one on every list, ever? I started stocking up on non-perishable food items, educational books, play-based learning activities as soon as I started hearing the reports about how serious things were getting in Italy. Just in case. Now, here we are… school is out for a month! We’ve already started using My First Learn to Write Workbook, this School Zone – Big Kindergarten Workbook, and this Bob Books: Beginning Readers Set for morning lesson time after breakfast. We also got this Melissa & Doug Alphabet Train Floor Puzzle which is great for learning letters and hand-eye coordination. The girls LOVE it and it keeps them occupied while I tidy up from breakfast.

Keep them creatively engaged. Crafts, easy baking, and tea parties are all fun things that will help keep the littles occupied. My girls also love to dance so it’s been a perfect opportunity to practice their future recital routines and… try TikTok. Whatever extracurricular activities your kids do that have been postponed, try having them practice them at home for fun! I also plan to add in some Cosmic Kids – Yoga and Mindfulness where it feels like it is most appropriate – seeing where in the schedule it makes sense. It is great for them, and they love it!
Talk to your kids about what is going on! The New York Times did this great “How to Talk to Kids About Coronavirus” article which helped me get the conversation moving. We let the girls know that it would be different for a few weeks, but that we will still be running a schedule similar to school. After breakfast we will have a morning lesson, then they will prepare a snack just like at school. After that, I plan to alternate between my version of story time, music, and French lessons. It won’t be the same as their teachers but I will do my best. In the afternoon we will have lunch, they can play together inside, in the yard, or we can go for nature walks. In the evenings we will either watch a movie (Disney Plus is the bomb), bake something, or have them paint.

Get your outdoor areas sorted. It looks like we will be starting the Spring Season at home, just the four of us. This has pushed us to get our backyard in gear ASAP. We don’t have much for the girls to do back there at the moment but outside time is going to be so important as we get into April. This weekend we are placing a big order to stock up on outdoor toys so the girls can be in the backyard playing and not get bored. I know that they are both dying for a swing so we are looking at ordering this Flying Saucer Tree Swing that I know they will both love. I was even thinking about getting them a mud kitchen so they can make mud pies. We started talking to them about gardening, and they seem super into it, so we will grab some kid-friendly gardening stuff as well.
FaceTime Play Dates! I have already talked to some of their besties’ mom’s about setting up afternoon FaceTime sessions and it looks like we will get that started next week. This is the best way for them to interact with their friends during this time of temporary social distancing. Plus, it will be a nice change of pace for them after they’ve only seen Khalil and me for so long, haha. I was even thinking of maybe asking some of their teachers if they would be down for this as well…
Lastly, ask your child’s teacher what their favorite lessons are when they are at school. For example, Ava loves preparing daily snacks for her classmates so I am going to make a point of having vegetables/fruits she can help prepare for us all to snack on. Both of their teachers said they are obsessed with making patterns. So we are making sure to have lots of beads for making necklaces.

Look, I know that all of us are likely still in shock that this is going down. It sucks. I won’t sugarcoat it. But, if we pull together as communities we can get through it. At the end of the day isolating ourselves for a month or however long it takes to contain this virus, is nothing, in the grand scheme of things. We have the rest of our lives! Let’s all be positive, kind, and do what’s best for humanity.

Next post! How do I plan to keep busy!?! And sharing my latest reading list faves:)

What about you guys? How do you plan to entertain your kiddos?

Courtney

March 20, 2020 0 comment

Travel Twins

How to Get the Most Out of Spring Break: Maximizing Family Time

by Courtney El-Ghoul March 2, 2020

Can anyone believe that April is right around the corner? How is it that it is already time to think about what we will do for the girls’ spring break? I know I talk about time flying by pretty often, but for real, it is so crazy. My brain is switching from party planning and getting organized right into spring break trip planning. I am not going to sugar coat it – planning these trips gives me anxiety. It’s so much to think about and then once I start going down the rabbit hole I begin analyzing why we should or shouldn’t go. This is where I need Khalil to push me to just do it! He always reminds me by saying… “We only have 18 summers with our kids before they are way too cool for us, and really, that 18 is a stretch” … He is the best at making sure we are maximizing our opportunities for quality time with them.

Off-topic here for a second: Those teenage years are going to be a real doozy with two girls going through puberty at the same time…we are screwed! ha

Planning a Family Trip

When you think about it that way, it’s a no brainer – we really should plan a trip. We get so much quality time on our family adventures. We are all about quality over quantity. When I think back on the memories from Miami, Baha Mar, Mexico, New York, and Dewey Beach… I just melt. Just typing them out I am flooded with memories of all of the special moments we have had. Those trips for sure had their ups and downs but overall they were memories that will last forever. I told you guys in Ava’s bio how she still talks about Mexico, and it is adorable. So it’s pretty clear that the girls cherish these times as well.

There is something to be said about getting out of the everyday routine. Of course, we see our kids every day and try to spend as much time with them as possible. But, the routine of school, activities, work, and just life in general… it is not the same as that undiluted and uninterrupted time you get when you are away from home. When everyone is in vacation mode; completely relaxed and just living in the moment.

Okay so it looks like I am for sure going to make it happen, just writing this post is making me think this is a 100% yes. There is no reason we can’t squeeze a mini vacay in. I am thinking about Fort Lauderdale or maybe the Florida Keys??? I will be sure to include a follow-up post once we decide.

What about you guys? Are you into vacays to maximize family time? If so, where are your favorite places that hold special memories?

Courtney

March 2, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Playroom Organization

by Courtney El-Ghoul February 29, 2020

The Unicorn obsession is so real in our house.

Okay, so while I was all gung-ho-let’s-get-this-party-started with my storage room makeover, I also started to look in the girls’ playroom. Instantly I was like… Holy Cow, these girls have way too much stuff. They are twins so they already have two of everything then add in a super over-the-top grandmother who must think our playroom is like 6000 square feet or something, haha. Seriously, my mom buys them way too many toys. Soooo ding ding ding! Another room that Carly from the Evergreen Method could help me tackle. I told Carly I would like to knock out the girls’ playroom right after we finished the storage area- I could not wait any longer.

I can’t tell you what a great feeling it was to have this all done. Seriously, taking the time to declutter, and let go of things that I knew the girls weren’t playing with or had outgrown was almost therapeutic. At the same time, it was a little sad, more for Khalil… if you can believe it!? I think he had a more difficult time saying goodbye to certain toys than even the girls did! Haha, poor guy, his babies are growing up! I mean it was sad for me too, but that’s life, they do grow up, right!? The way we saw it was that we were not going to throw the toys in the trash. The plan is always to donate. So, to help the girls (and us) feel better about the cleanout we reminded them that the longer we held on to the unused toys the longer it will be before they go into the hands of a child who may not have as much, and who would love and use them. This did the trick and helped speed the process up with the girls.

Here is how we got it done:

I sat with the girls and let them know that Ms. Carly was going to come over in a few days to help mommy organize their playroom. I explained to the girls that we need to go through their toys together and take the ones they don’t play with anymore to some other little boys/girls who don’t have as much. As you can imagine there were some tears, and some sneaky grabbing things back out of the donated pile when I wasn’t looking 😉 Overall it wasn’t that bad, the girls like the idea of donating to other little kids so this helped. We ended up with a pretty decent amount of toys/stuffed animals that we were able to take to Goodwill. I thought maybe they would ask for certain things once they realized they were gone, but nope… they have been fine.

Yes .. there is a whole bin for jewelry and kids tattoos, ha.

Now for the organization part. Carly and I came up with a plan to stay within budget by using the same storage system and bins that I already had but just adding in a few more. We moved their play kitchen into this little playhouse that they never even used before! Genius idea by Carly! It’s amazing how just a little rearranging of the room can make it so much better. Now, it makes more sense, and they have designated spaces for certain activities. Like – here is the arts/crafts area, here is the kitchen, here is an active play area, and so on. You get the idea. She also got these cute little food containers that are perfect for storing all their markers/art materials. All of the bins are clearly labeled and it looks ten times more inviting. I feel like because the girls had so many toys before, it was a little overwhelming for them. Ever since we finished this room I am finding that they are playing together longer and they seem less distracted. Unexpected bonus results, but we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

We love Green Toys – they only use recycled plastic and they are so cute.

I have said it before and I will say it again… if you are local to the Northern Virginia/DC area, hit up Carly at the Evergreen Method. She will even give TwinLatte followers 10% off your first booking! Drop the code TWINLATTE10 in your message to her to redeem!

Do your kiddos have too much stuff? How often do you find you need to do a big cleanout?

Courtney

February 29, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Local Charities in Northern Virginia You Should Know About

by Courtney El-Ghoul February 15, 2020

Today I am totally switching gears from all of the party planning chatter to something a bit more serious, and extremely important in our family. Philanthropy and giving back to the community. In my post about >>> going back to work <<< at Glass House for Khalil, I shared that one of the things I would be focusing on is bringing more awareness to the local charities that we believe in and have/will continue to support. Then I thought, I’ve also got this platform, so why don’t I also share a few of our local favorites here? I believe it is so important to talk about being socially conscious and how we can all give back where we can.

Let’s dive in:)

Local Charities We Love to Support

Wholehearted Foundation- I can’t say enough about this organization. It is staggering how many children are born with life-threatening heart conditions. We know a few families personally that have children struggling with heart conditions. Hearing the stories about how much they go through is just heartbreaking. I can’t even begin to imagine what I would do if Ava or Nahla had to go through heart surgery, never mind multiple. When I started to think about the long hospital stays, major bills, and all of the rehabilitation that comes with each of these surgeries, I realized that there is NO way any family could ever prepare for that financial burden. I hope that we can bring more awareness to this wonderful organization that is doing incredible work to support these children and their families. Khalil and I will continue our long-standing support of this foundation.
Wolf Trap Animal Rescue- The El-Ghoul family is full of major animal lovers. So, it is no surprise that we are passionate supporters of this Northern Virginia based non-profit organization. Khalil and I think teaching the girls about how important animals are is an important part of setting them up to be kind-hearted adults in the future. This is why Nahla, Ava, and I try to make it to as many of the “Meet and Greet” events as we can. They love getting to donate and then getting to snuggle all of the puppies. We have considered fostering but, we have a 12-year-old poodle named Sadie who is diabetic and blind, and we are not sure how she would react. Realistically, if we could adopt all of them, we would. There is nothing like the unconditional love of an animal. Imagining any of these special puppies or kitties not having homes just kills me. Anyway, this organization is amazing, and to date has rescued over 5000 dogs and cats from euthanasia!
BRAWS- I know that a ton of the readers here are moms, so I’m sure that like me this one will hit close to home. BRAWS works to provide women living in homeless shelters with clean undergarments and menstrual supplies. I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be homeless. It is so easy, especially in the world we live in today to take for granted how lucky we are to just have a roof over our heads. This organization brings in supplies to help aid in women’s shelters. Things you may not think about, but are super important. Underwear, pads, and tampons to name a few. I know it may not be fun to talk about, but as women, we all need these things. Khalil and I are excited to be attending a fundraiser in March (MardiBras) to help support. I hope to get so much more involved here so we can raise the awareness around this topic.

Those are just a few that are in our local Northern Virginia area. I could go on, and maybe I will soon because there are so many organizations and groups that need help/support. I encourage you to think about what causes and organizations are in line with your family values and then to dig deep and figure out how you can support them. There is always something you can do to help, ALWAYS. Even if it isn’t monetary. Volunteering and spreading the word through fundraisers and social media can be so incredibly valuable. I guess it’s clear this is something I want to be more involved in. 2020 is a new year and there is always time to do more!

What about you guys? Do you have any charitable organizations that hold a special place in your heart?

My locals, have you heard or been involved with any of these?

Courtney

February 15, 2020 1 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Master Party Planning Checklist

by Courtney El-Ghoul February 10, 2020

So, party planning has taken over my life, for all of 2020 so far… not even slightly exaggerating that. So, I figured, I might as well share with you guys some of my best party planning tips. Need to plan a Kids Party, Holiday Party, or a Client Appreciation Event. Don’t fret I’ve got you covered 🙂

Party Planning Checklist

1.) Vision Board- The first thing I do when I am starting to brainstorm about an event or party is to hit up Pinterest. I am not by any means Pinterest obsessed, but when it comes to planning parties it is perfect. You can create a board, and just start gathering ideas. Maybe you see an invitation style you love, the cake you want at your kids’ party, or a drink that will be perfect for your Holiday party. PIN IT.

2.) Secure Your Venue– If it’s not happening at your home, be sure to find, reserve, and visit, of course, the space you want to throw the event or party at least a month or so in advance. There is nothing like being a week out and realizing the space you picked can’t accommodate your guests, or it just won’t work with what you have planned. I am learning this lesson with the girls’ birthday party this year… We invited 40 kids!! Guess it comes with the territory… twins in two different classrooms.

3.) Entertainment– If you are planning a kid party or any special event where kids will be attending… You can’t go wrong with a bouncy house, petting zoo, or in our case a local kids magician! Stay tuned for the girl’s bday post to hear all about our guy. Honestly, it may sound like it’s being extra, but the reality is that it isn’t that expensive for the return you get! Even a face painter or balloon artist will do the trick.

4.) Decorations- Depending on your theme, a little decor goes a long way with any party. Etsy and Amazon are your best friends, especially for Party Bundles. I could’ve spent hours on Etsy for the girls’ birthday party. You can really find anything, and it’s so affordable. Need table setting ideas? Fresh flowers will always spice up any table setting. If you love the look of flowers but want to save money, Baby’s breath is super inexpensive and looks so nice on its own in a pretty vase.

5.) Invites– Again if you want to be super into your theme, Etsy has so many cute paper invites. For me, Paperless Post is my go-to. It looks super professional and the platform is so user-friendly. Canva is also a great option.

6.) Catering – I mentioned this in my Holiday party post, but I think having parties catered is so much easier. Again, so many options. I mean pretty much anywhere has catering options – from Whole Foods to your Local restaurants… Save yourself the stress! If you are having a fancy party at your home, I love the idea of an in house chef who will whip up some appetizers. I tried to do this for our last Holiday party but I waited too long. So sad. Around the Holidays they will be booked most weekends so you’ve got to plan if you are going that route. With Nahla being GF/DF I can’t just order pizza, so I had to get more creative for their b-day party this year.

OH! And how could I forget, gotta have a good playlist! Music is so important. If it’s an evening party you are hosting make sure the lighting is on point as well!

Okay, I feel like I could go on and on, but I will stop for now. I will follow up with a more specific post about the girls Birthday Party this year! It is going to be such fun, if I do say so myself:) I have been party planning like crazy for their big day!!!

On a side note, for us throwing a party at our house always motivates us to get more things done in regards to home improvement! Whether it’s the organization, furniture placement, or just something you have been putting off doing!

What about you guys, any tips you have for planning the ultimate party??

Courtney

February 10, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Introducing the El-Ghoul Twins: Part 2: Meet Ava

by Courtney El-Ghoul February 7, 2020

Earlier this week I introduced you to our eldest twin, and now, it’s time for you to meet our feisty little cutie pie, Ava. Aka … Avo, Av, or Avie pooh. You didn’t think that Nahla was the only one with nicknames… did you?!

Ahh, Miss Ava, such a special gal. Sometimes I am just looking at her like… What?! Who are you?! The consensus in our families is that Nahla is a lot like Khalil. Ava, on the other hand, we are still baffled and confused about where she gets her quirks. She is a broken mold kinda gal. There is no one else like her. I am serious, she is truly one of a kind. At three years old she could sit down with you and have a full-blown, real talk, conversation with you. If you ever have the pleasure of meeting her, you will never forget her, that I can be sure of. Recently we spent an afternoon with some friends of ours, and after they were just like… “She is something else. #Avaforpresident.” haha. I think you get the point…

Ava’s Likes/Dislikes:

She is the pickiest eater on the planet… thank god she doesn’t have the gluten/dairy allergy. Seriously, I would probably lose my mind. She hates trying new foods. Especially vegetables or really anything with a little color, haha. She also has a major sweet tooth, loves horses, a true mama’s girl at heart. She is so protective of Nahla and is constantly looking out for her. She is not a girly girl, at all. She would much rather be on the soccer field, riding her scooter, or her bike. She is such an athlete, really solid. I picked her up the other day and I looked at her and I was like … “You are ripped girl!” So strong, seriously.

You would never know she secretly is not a fan of ballet haha

She is funny, loud, loyal, and incredibly smart. She thrives on a routine and doesn’t forget anything, ever. Sometimes, out of the blue she will come up to me and say something like – “Mom, do you remember that time when I was a baby and we went to that beach with the dolphins?!” I am like… How does she remember this?! She was legit a baby when we saw the dolphins in Mexico. But then she goes on to tell me specific things that she remembers from that trip. She is like “Of course I remember mom, I told you like 10 times already!”

…both of them with the sassiness, already. We are in trouble.

We butt heads at times, but she keeps me on my toes, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The way she challenges me is one of the things that I love the most about her. She is so strong. I know that I don’t have to worry about anyone messing with her, or Nahla, for that matter.

Would love to hear your stories about your kiddos quirks?

Courtney

February 7, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Introducing the El-Ghoul Twins: Part 1: Nahla

by Courtney El-Ghoul February 4, 2020

Okay, so I wouldn’t be “Twin Latte” without our twins. So, this week I want to introduce you to Nahla and Ava – The El-Ghoul girls. Our spirited, fun-loving, and exhausting little ladies who are truly amazing. I thought about introducing them as a pair… But man, are they different. So I think it makes more sense to introduce them individually.

Since Nahla is the eldest, by one minute, it seems fair that she goes first. Right?? 🙂

Nahla El-Ghoul

My littlest love, in size, is tiny Nahlie pooh. Nahlie, we love nicknames in our house, in case you were wondering. She is just the sweetest thing. She loves being a care-taker and is just an old soul to her core. She is always looking out for her sister and really anyone she is around. Her teachers tell me she is like the class mom. She has creativity and maturity that is a little outsized for a typical 4-year-old. Sometimes, when I listen to her, I just can’t believe she is only FOUR?! Her imagination and the stories that she tells are so freaking cute. Lately, her favorite thing to do is to have me tell her a story so that she can act it out while I am telling it. It usually goes a little something like this…

Nahla: “Mom, I need you to tell me a story. The one where I am a princess riding my horse in a scary forest because a mean bear is chasing us.”

Me: “What is your horse’s name?”

Nahla: “Mom, I’ve told you like 20 times before. Her name is Bellaaaaa!” (In her most like … Duh, Mom Voice.)

Me: Oh, sorry I forgot haha.

Nahla: “It is ok. Just keep going. Where is the bear? Is he getting closer?! Nooo!!! He is going to eat us!!!” This is, of course, accompanied by the most dramatic arm movements you have ever seen.

The whole time I am just dying trying not to laugh. She will even ask me to pause so that I can modify the story to include a break so that her horse and the mean bear can drink some water. I could seriously go on for hours. She is super imaginative, creative, and tender-hearted.

She loves animals, coloring, singing, dancing, and playing the piano. Perhaps, I have a future performer on my hands??? She hates chocolate (who even is she?!?), is not a fan of outdoor sports, hates bedtime, and doesn’t like to be alone. She is the polar opposite of her sister Ava, but you know, it works out.

Nahla’s Favorite Things To Do

As soon as Nahla gets home from school, it is no brainer that the first thing she is doing is changing into a dress with heels. She doesn’t skip a beat. I seriously die of laughter. We will have been home for two minutes, and I hear the clip-clopping coming down the hall. What can I say, I guess she gets that trait from her momma? Who doesn’t love a bit of glam and a hot pair of stilettos?! Her sister Ava is who doesn’t. HAHA. More on her in the next post…

For such a tiny girl who is so positive mentally, the past few years have been an uphill batter for her, physically. (Read more ☞ HERE) Her little digestive system wasn’t working properly, and we had to try everything, just to figure out why. She was so patient through the trial and (so many) errors. Eventually, we discovered that by eliminating Gluten and Dairy, we could solve all of her tummy troubles. We are so blessed that she has taken on this change like a total champ. I mean this diet change has been a lot of work and super hard and really, she never complains. Just one more thing that makes her so special.

Anyway, she is a super cool little chick, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.

Would love to hear differences in my fellow twin parents kiddos? Do you have one that seems to be more of an old soul?

Courtney

February 4, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Valentines Day With The Kiddos

by Courtney El-Ghoul January 24, 2020

This week it seems that the only things I can think about are Valentine’s Day and Nahla and Ava’s Birthday Party… Aghhhh ( post on this is in the works)…

I am sure by now that it is pretty obvious… that, I love the Holidays. If you are new… “Hello, I’m Courtney, and I LOVE the Holidays!” HaHa. So, back on track… Since Valentine’s Day is first… That’s where I am “trying” to focus my efforts. When it comes to celebrating this day of LOVE, we inevitably have to go all out. I have already been all over Target, Home Goods, and Amazon… gathering decorations for my house, and little gifts for the girls, of course 😉

I already shared (what I think) is a pretty great gift-guide for the adult women in your lives. But, I thought it would also be fun to share with you guys how I incorporate the little girls in our house, into this special day.

Around the time they turned one I started explaining to them what Valentine’s day is about. This is also around the time I started getting a little “extra” with decorating the house. On Valentine’s morning when they would wake up I would have a pretty over-the-top display of all things hearts and candy for them to enjoy. It was sort of like someone threw up pink and red all over our home. Haha. For me, it’s so fun, and they loved it. This went one for the next few years.

Last year I decided they were old enough to have a little party. If we are being real, it is such a pain to get a sitter on this day. Again like New Year’s, even if you can get a babysitter and actually go out you are dealing with overpriced pre-fixed menus, crowded restaurants, and it just feels a little corny. ( I know, the irony here… after I just divulged my extravagant decorating ways, ha) So, I thought – Hey, why don’t we host a Valentines’ Day party? We can invite a couple of close friends, and their kids. Everybody wins!

It worked out perfectly! I got a mommy helper to hang with the kiddos in the basement. (Finding one for-hire adult, for four families, is a lot easier than finding one for each.) The basement was decked out in Valentines’ Day decor. It was all set up with their heart plates, napkins, balloons, etc.. You get the idea, pink/red explosion, and it was sooo cute! Upstairs, for the adults, I had a nice dinner set up. We all got fancy. Like we would have if we had gone out to dinner just the two of us. It was actually a full sit down dinner. The kids were having so much fun, they never even came upstairs until it was time for bed. They talked about it for weeks! Kids love the littlest gestures. Just having their friends over, and feeling like it was their very own v-day party meant the world to them. Now, it is one of their favorite holidays.

I just think this is great. You don’t have to leave your house, and the whole family can enjoy the celebration! I don’t know If I will be able to pull it off this year, as it’s so close to our anniversary trip, and I have a “Galentine’s” Day party that I am hosting for all the mom’s at the girls’ school (stay tuned for that post as well) but I will of course still do something special for the girls.

If you are racking your brain for what to do, and you have the time this is such a fun way for your whole family to enjoy.

What about you guys, thoughts on celebrating Valentines Day? Do you include the kids?

Courtney

January 24, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Managing Twin Rivalry and Balancing Extracurriculars

by Courtney El-Ghoul January 17, 2020

Oh, #twinproblems… Haha, I swear. Each day with these girls is such a blessing, but man, they always keep me on my toes. I talked with you guys in a previous post about the “twin jealousy” and how bad it was getting. We have since taken steps to improve our parenting styles to adapt to this issue, and some days are great, but we still have a long road ahead. This brings me to the latest obstacle on this roller coaster that is twin parenting! They are so different when it comes to their athletics/pastimes. How on earth are we supposed to manage potentially conflicting schedules and commitments? Up until recently, it has been okay to have them in the same activities. Okay, in the sense that it has been super easy for me and neither was really upset about missing out on anything. But, if I am being honest they’ve each been in activities that they might not really be LOVING because the other one loves it.

Lately, though, it is so obvious how different they are. They have been dancing since they were two, and currently they are both in hip hop and ballet class! Ava has for sure shown less interest this year, but I was really hoping maybe she was just having a bad day, or that it was in my head. Well, I am for sure so WRONG!

Little girl in ballet class wearing a tutu and a bow — She is over it, haha

Little girl playing with red ball at the park.

For example. Normally, if one of the girls is sick I wouldn’t have anyone to watch the other, so we just skip the extracurriculars all together. But recently when Ava got sick, it just so happened that Khalil was around to stay home with her…. so I took Nahla to dance alone. That’s when I realized we needed to figure out how we were going to manage their increasingly different interests. Not only to make whoever is less interested happy (Ava in this case)… but also to let the more interested twin thrive (Nahla, for this example). Oh my gosh. Seeing Nahla on her own, was like a totally different experience. She is so into it, and really good! When the two of them are in class together, Ava is so disinterested and probably asks to go to the bathroom, for a tissue, or water what feels like 50 billion times in the span of an hour!!! Then, of course, Nahla does the same thing right after. So, in the end, Nahla is missing out on something she could really enjoy, Ava is stuck doing something that just doesn’t vibe with her, and the teacher gets beyond annoyed (I can tell). It’s heartbreaking.

Little girl in pink dress with large purple bow in her hair.

Twin sisters playing at park with a water bottle.

On the flip side… Ava is straight up like… on her way to being a pro soccer player. Watching them is kind of hilarious because Ava is out here just crushing it… and you look off to the side and Nahla is literally picking flowers, off in her own world. Luckily, in this case, Nahla doesn’t seem to dim Ava’s shine here… and she likes to pick flowers so… no harm? haha, However… The piano is a different story. Nahla is starting to show some real interest in Piano and could be pretty good at it. Ava, on the other hand, is not so into it. But, she is so jealous when I sit down to practice with Nahla. So, Nahla doesn’t end up practicing as much as she should and when she does – Ava’s jealousy is really palpable in the house.

Point being, we have made a TON of progress on the jealousy front… but this is a new struggle that we can’t deny any longer. Just because they are the same age and twins I can’t expect them to like the same things. I gotta figure out how to make it work. Maybe it means a mommy helper… who can drive!!! Or, maybe only doing one activity per child so I can make the schedule work?

Fashionable twin toddlers playing outside with big bows in their hair and bomber jackets on.

Little girl wearing Elsa dress standing next to gold Christmas tree. — always in her princess dress and shoes:)

Wouldn’t life be so much easier if they just liked the same stuff!?!? … I kid, I kid… I am actually super happy and proud that they are so different. It really is pretty cool that two humans who have literally been together their whole life are really so unalike! Even as their mom, I am amazed every day how unique each of their personalities is.

What about the other twin parents out there? Has this been an issue, How do you deal with it?

Courtney

January 17, 2020 0 comment

Lifestyle Twins

Going Back to Work After Being a Stay At Home Mom?!

by Courtney El-Ghoul January 14, 2020

Okay, so if you have been following me for a bit you may already know that I left my decade long career in new home sales, to stay at home with the girls. Now, five years later, Kindergarten is quickly approaching, ( I can’t believe how fast the girls have grown- ugh).

Tangent – It’s so funny how desperately you want those sleepless nights to pass as fast as possible, and then *boom* you’re like… “Um, wait… what?! slow down!” How in the world are they so big, so fast, like, how???

Anyway, back on track… So, with Kindergarten looming and the idea that I will have extra time soon, dangling in front of me… I have been toying around with the idea of maybe going back to work, part-time? Maybe? Hmmmm? It’s such a tough decision. I really did love my old job, but, I have to be honest with myself. It was super demanding. I had to work every weekend with late, unpredictable hours. If I went back, my time with the girls would be significantly less, and I have no idea how I would handle all their commitments. Who would I even find to be their driver, haha? In the same breath though… who can argue with having two incomes? Feeling like I am contributing financially, AND… getting to having conversations with adults, daily!? Even thinking about this makes me reflect on how my life has totally changed in the past three years. Going back to work would be so weird!!!

Thinking about going back to work

At this point, I just am not sure what I want to do! Since I have done both I feel I can confidently say that being a stay-at-home-mom truly is a full-time job. It is no joke. What I can’t figure out is – what does it look like when the girls go to a full day of school and I gain 6+ hours in my day? I guess I just need to brainstorm what would work best for our family? Interested in going on that journey with me?

Where To Work?

One of the most flexible and appealing options would be for me to start working with Khalil. We have been talking about this idea A LOT! Khalil needs to hire someone, and soon – his business is full-on booming – which is a great problem to have. Looking at it logistically makes perfect sense. He is in real estate – so I am already familiar with the industry and how things work. Yay for a low learning curve! Also – it would only be 2-3 days a week, during the day, so I can still be with the girls, and… be ALL IN with the blog! No matter what someone is getting hired, so why not me? So you may be like … “Um, Courtney, what are you waiting for??”

I am trying to meticulously consider all of the potentials of this equation before I dive in. Normally, if I were considering working this closely with someone I would have to consider – is this a good personality match? Obviously, Khalil is great, he is my husband and I love him, ha. Isn’t being married different though? I know it’s got its own set of challenges that make it tough. So, adding in working together… what does that even look like??? I know there are so many husband/wife teams that really are awesome and work so well together but honestly, I am scared!!! I don’t want to disappoint him, or for us to argue… you get the point. The only logistical thing is that I would still have to figure out after school care for the girls on those days. It would take some rearranging but I could totally do it, right ??

Whew… *WOW*… Thanks for going down that rabbit hole with me. 🙂

So, already just a couple of days into 2020, and things are changing!!! Maybe this could be really good for me!? We shall see!

What about you guys? Thoughts on working part-time after being a SAHM? If so, how was the transition? How about working with your spouse? Any advice?

I will keep you guys posted on my decision of course!

Courtney

January 14, 2020 0 comment