Twin Wishes for the New Year

26 Dec

As 2012 winds down and we look ahead to the new year, we took a few moments to put together our respective twin wishes for 2013.

It’s been a great year – one that brought us together even more as friends, sisters and twins. And, of course, 2012 was the year we started blogging together and began to try to put our twin experiences into words to share with all of you. But, the fun has just begun, and we’ve got high hopes and aspirations for what the next year will hopefully bring for us as twins and individuals too.

Here are each of our top three wishes for the new year:

Twin Take #1: Aimee

I’m not one to make New Year’s resolutions. To me, it feels a bit unnatural to come up the few things that I’ll try to do more or less of – or do a better job at – in the coming year. It always seems like I will be destined to failure and my resolutions will be tossed aside or forgotten by the time February rolls around. That’s why I prefer to come up with “wishes” instead. Wishes are a way to look ahead, hope for the best, and not put too much pressure on anything. It’s like tossing a coin in a fountain or blowing out the candles on a birthday cake – simple, succinct and full of hope. Just a wish from the heart that I put out there into the universe for good or bad. No pressure and no questions asked.

- Wish 1: To enjoy my relationship with my twin sister, Kim, and continue to allow it to blossom here online. I’ve enjoyed starting this blog with Kim and introducing it to you all right here. I look forward to continuing to have many more wonderful experiences with my twin and being able to chronicle and share it all with you. It takes time and effort, but all good things do, right?

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Double Take Twins 411: What We’re Reading and Watching Now

12 Nov

With fall upon us and winter coming up fast, we’ve started spending more and more time indoors. And, what better way to relax and enjoy a fall day than reading a book or watching a television show.

We guess that’s one of the beautiful things about living in Chicago. The changing seasons give us the perfect excuse to get ready for the coming weather. And these days, we are happily embracing the cooler days of autumn and hunkering down for chillier times. So when we’re not out enjoying a beautiful, crisp fall day, you’ll likely find us relaxing and enjoying a book or watching a television shows.

This really is the best time to catch up on – and get caught up in – our favorite or “must see/read” shows or books – especially with the new fall television season in full gear now. Here are our twin takes on what we’re reading and watching now. Continue reading →

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Our Top 7 Twin Questions (With Our Typical Answers)

4 Oct

As identical twins, we always get asked a lot of questions about our unique sibling status. We always enjoy and are never annoyed by the questions since the attention always reminds us that we’re a little bit different and a whole lot special.

Over the years we’ve had a wide range of questions posed to us. We put our heads together and carefully selected the top seven twin questions – and included our typical answers. Here they are:

1) Are You Twins? It should come as no surprise that this is by far the top question we ever get about being twins. We even got asked this very question the other week when we entered a local running store for the Run 10 FEED 10 pre-race check in. As usual, we exchanged a sly look with each other and then said, “yes.” We’ve never been bothered by this question. We always like and take pride in it. And, in all honestly, it serves to remind us that we still look alike – and people take notice. But, when we were little, we had a little fun with it too and often responded with: “No. We’re triplets. We left the other one at home.” As you can imagine, the person asking the question was always shocked and we were always delighted. Such is the simple pleasures of elementary school-aged kids.

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2) Do Aimee’s sons ever think Kim is their mom? This question totally surprised us at first since we never even thought it was could be a possibility. The answer we gave at the time Aimee’s son was born and still say to this very day is “no.” The little guys never confused us at all. Children are so perceptive and they always know their mom. But, boy do they love their aunt!

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We Did It! A 10K on Sunday!

27 Sep

The first official weekend of fall marked the first time we’ve run together in a long time. And we did it. The Run 10 FEED 10 – 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) – along Chicago’s lakefront – on a crisp, beautiful, sunny day.

We loved every minute of the run and our time together as twins, friends and runners. It couldn’t have been better. The Run 10 FEED 10 Chicago race was billed as a “fun run,” meaning we didn’t have to wear numbers pinned to our shirts or worry about our time when we crossed the finish line. And fun it was.

Without having our time flashed at us at each mile, we were able to set our own comfortable pace and enjoy the day, the scenery and the exhilaration. We were twins running together in synch – and deep in conversation the whole way.

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It was great to be together – on the run – mixing it up with our fellow runners (including Chicagoan, blogger and marathon trainee, Erica Agran) along the lakefront. We felt alive, we felt energized and we felt even better for helping to provide meals to those in need.

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Come Run with Us!

11 Sep

We love to run. Always have. Always will. And nothing beats running outside along the lakefront, through Lincoln Park, or on the streets of Chicago – especially as the summer weather starts to fade away and the leaves in the trees begin to change from green to hues of gold. But these days we have even more to smile about as we run mile after mile. What could possibly make our fall runs better? How about doing it for a good cause?

On Sunday, September 23, we will lace up our shoes and hit the road for the Run 10 Feed 10 Chicago City Challenge in Lincoln Park. By signing up to run a 10K with Women’s Health, we are each providing 10 meals for people going hungry in the Chicago area. It’s simple. It’s fun. And it’s a great way to feel even better about a great workout.

Now all we need is others to join us for the run and in the effort to provide more meals for those in need. Click here to register for the big race. And, please leave us a comment on this post to let us know that you’re in on the Run 10 Feed 10 too.

Don’t think you’re up for running a 10K? No problem! We’d love to have you come cheer us and all of the other runners on. And, even better, we’d welcome any donation you can make to the effort. You can click here to make a donation on the Twin Double Takes fundraising page.

Here’s to how great running can make you feel about you – and for the good it can do to help people in need! We hope to see you out on the lakefront, in the park, on the streets of Chicago or at the Run 10 Feed 10 race soon.

Cheers x 2!
Double Take Twins
xxoo

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Reunited: Back Together in Chicago

9 Sep

Yep. It’s true. The Double Take Twins are back together, in the same country and the same city, and we’re already out hitting the streets and sights of Chicago. We’re reunited. And it feels so good.

Back in August, Aimee was off in Paris, exploring and enjoying the City of Light, and Kim was hiking the hills of Lake Tahoe and Berkeley, and not to mention, busy landing a new job back home in Chicago. Separately, we enjoyed quality family time (Aimee with her husband and two boys, and Kim with our parents, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and two nieces) and indulged in some of our most treasured pastimes. It was a wonderful treat and a great way to celebrate and make the most of the waning summer days.

But, we were apart, for a while, for the first time in a long time – at least IRL (“in real life”). Thanks to technology, we remained connected and shared stories, comments and photos throughout our respective journeys proving, yet again, the twin bond can span any time and distance. In fact, it just gets stronger as we mesh our own individual experiences together into the fabric of our daily twin lives. And, it makes us even more excited to get together and reconnect – especially if it includes a trip to the nail salon!

Here are our twin takes on our vacations and being reunited back in Chicago…

Take One: Aimee

After spending nearly every day together in the weeks leading up to my trip abroad, it was hard (really hard) to say goodbye to Kim. I think we talked on the phone and texted each other at least 10 times the day I left – until I finally had to shut off my phone as the doors closed on my flight to Paris.

With a potential new job opportunity for Kim looming in the very near future, we both knew our opportunities to spend so much time together were fleeting. It made us sad. It made us wistful. And, it made us clutch on to any and all time together.

For me, Paris was amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation with my family – away from our day-to-day responsibilities and distractions and ensconced in the most romantic, engaging and incredible city in the world. It was perfect – and I wanted so badly to capture it all for my twin. So I did.

At the end of each day I went through what felt like hundreds upon hundreds of photos and hand picked several to share with Kim. I chose things that reminded me of her, of us, of twins – and lots and lots of photos of macarons, meringues and absinthe!

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Twin Takes… In Paris!

27 Aug

My time in Paris with my family this summer was nothing short of amazing. We lived in the moment, enjoyed life’s little pleasures, and indulged in the most amazing sights, scenes and smells. And, don’t even get me started on the food!

As I wandered the city’s dynamic and historic streets, shopped in its glamorous stores, and soaked up the many facets of the city of light with my family, I always had my twin in my thoughts and my camera at the ready.

Even though I was miles and miles away from Kim, she was always on my mind. I wanted to capture anything and everything I knew she’d enjoy too. Things I knew we’d laugh about, talk about, and just relive together like so many of our joint and individual experiences over the years.

I must admit I think I inundated her with photo after photo of macarons, meringues and other patisserie delights. But, I also captured “twin” photos, which she hasn’t seen yet. Until now.

So, without further ado, for Kim – and you too – here are my twin takes in Paris… Everything from graffiti, to shoes, to brands, to masterpieces, to stores and back again.

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Twinuts… The snack of choice for twins everywhere!

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Twingo… It may not be chic, but it does the trick!

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