Way Back Weekly

This photo is courtesy of Aunt Brenda. I had the story with which this picture goes, but I didn't have the picture -- and it makes me laugh every time I look at it.

So here is a picture of (probably) the first time T.A. and Tina ever appeared in a newspaper. They were a little less than six months old, since the date on the article is Dec. 1, 1966. The article was written for a paper local to Elk Grove Village, Ill., and prompted by the fact that twins were somewhat rare back in the 1960s and also my dad was a Trustee of the Village.

Beanie looks underwhelmed and T.A. looks like he doesn't trust whatever stuffed animal they were using to try and get the babies to smile.
I won't post the accompanying article but here are some highlights:

The Headline: A Mother's Testimonial: "Babies are Fun; Twins are Great"
My personal testimonial would have been "Babies are Loud; Twins are Twice as Loud" but no one asked me.
In fact, however, I AM referred to in the story as I was apparently reading to  my mother AND practicing my spelling words during the interview, which seems kind of a rude thing to do, but my own children once had a very loud and long pooping contest while I was interviewing someone (I CAN POOP BIGGER THAN YOU ... NO YOU CAN'T ... YES I CAN... etc.) so I suppose it's possible.
Tally (or Tallaine as she is called in the story ... I am "Tresy") got a quote in there. "Gee Mommy, it's fun having babies when you're older."
I must have misinterpreted her wise words as I had my babies when I was very much older and it was not really all that much fun. But upon a closer read, Tally probably meant that it was fun to be an older sister, not an older parent. Oops.
Other gems from the story:
"The family finds the twins have brought twice the usual joy." (To clarify, Terry didn't sleep until we moved to New York because she shared a room with the twice as loud Garrity twins)
"Sometimes things get loud when "Tresy" practices cello and Tommy and Tina join in by crying" (To clarify, it was most likely "Tully" practicing her viola that made everyone cry...I played the xylophone.)
"Tom is ... sympathetic and patient," she said.(To clarify, seriously?) "He is good with all the children, especially at feeding time." (To clarify, seriously?) Just kidding Dad, we all reflect fondly on the cinnamon toast  you prepared.
"It is still difficult to get all the housework done, though, Mrs. Garrity finds. "There are times you just can't get to everything." (To clarify, FINALLY truth in journalism ... no mother of twins should be expected to have a clean house...)