Thanksgiving

I thought I’d post some pictures from our fabulous Thanksgiving outing with M&M Burris and G&G Burris. Melody wanted to take the kids rock hunting somewhere and after much deliberation, (that location is closed due to flooding, that water is running too fast) we headed to Palisades beach. Melody prepared labeled plastic cups for the kids and we headed out. The weather was a balmy 55 and my kids all shed their jackets.

Hunting for rocks
   
Posing

What I did most of the time
 
Claire tried skipping rocks and did! One rock skipped twice

Elizabeth stepped in a hole and it took off her shoe
  
Amanda grossed me out by making sand angels.
      
Bryson wanted to play in the water so Michael helped him.
   
Alaina liked drawing in the sand.

We had a great time. For the next few days Bryn kept repeating “Rock hunting is awesome!”

Snowball Fight!

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Good news!

We have been searching for an orthodontist for Alaina. Three offices later, I found one that I liked (thanks Susan!). We had to get our flex account contribution in by Thursday and our appointment was on Tuesday. This Dr contradicted the other 2 and said that he recommended Alaina be put on observation only. He doesn't want to do anything to her for possibly another year or two. I said, Are you sure? The other 2 guys I went to wanted her to start "Phase 1" with an expander right away.

"I don't typically do a 'Phase 1,'" he said. "She has too many baby teeth to do anything right now, I do everything start to finish over a period of time so the mouth is fixed and fixed right instead of starting appliances too early and fixing the same problem later."

I love Dr Olin! My kind of guy. Kevin was extremely relieved. He loves Dr Olin too.

Halloween

We had a fabulous, fun-filled Halloween. This year was fraught with anticipation since I had been making costumes for 3 weeks. Claire was determined to be a “super hero” with detailed instructions for colors and fabrics. I have NEVER sewn anything other than quilts. No cutting around patterns, the disorienting folding and unfolding of said patterns, and measuring children and figuring out sizes, reading the back of the pattern to figure out how much of what fabric was needed, etc. etc. etc. Oh my goodness. It was difficult and many times I had to enlist Kevin to make sense of what I needed to do next. But. I learned, I experienced, and her costume turned out fabulously. She and I were both very happy with it. I made the boots (2 weeks on those alone), mask, skirt, cape, belt, and the gauntlets and yoke and C on her shirt.

Alaina didn’t really care about her costume. She was a bride last year, and it was fine with her to be a bride this year. I had a brilliant idea that she could wear my old jester costume. It’s adorable, and who cares if it’s big because it’s a fancy clown. She liked it ok except for that hat. It stands up very tall instead of the points flopping over. She mentioned on a few occasions how embarrassed she would be to wear the hat. I do not want to add to her tween angst, so I started to think of something else. And, while we were waiting for her to get her hair cut, I picked up a Family Fun magazine and saw a jelly fish costume. She “oohed” and “aahed” over it. So we made it. Believe me when I say that EVERYWHERE Alaina went her costume stole the show.  People were taking her picture at church’s Trunk or Treat, at the school parade parents asked me how I made it, and as we walked outside Trick or Treating we heard choruses of “Look at the jellyfish! That’s awesome!” She was completely pleased. And so was I.

Bryn was Cinderella. We already had that costume. I wanted her to be a ninja girl. She wouldn’t have it. Ok then. (A month or so ago, Kevin was downstairs doing something. Bryn went to the basement door and said “Dad, whatcha doin? Secret ninja stuff?”)

Picture Update

Boy, I haven’t posted pictures from a lot of events lately.

Claire’s Birthday party: I neglected to take a picture of all the girls together which I remembered then forgot about 5 times. We played some fun games, here was my favorite. One girl of each team of two puts 2 M&Ms in her mouth. Her partner looks to see if they are the same color; if so, she can eat. If not, she has to take 2 more M&Ms. If there now are 2 of the same color, she can chew. If not, she has to take 2 more, and so on.

My 3 girls on Claire’s birthday:

Alaina’s Birthday party: I had a craft for the girls to do; I made purses out of old jeans, got scarves/pretty belts from the consignment shop and fabric paints, and let the girls pick a purse to decorate. I wasn’t sure if they would like this too well or how much time it would take, so I borrowed an American Girl mystery game from a friend. We did both activities and Alaina really liked the mystery game. Kevin came home from work early to participate since there was a boy part. I brought out a bunch of dress up clothes and everyone dressed up since it was a Halloween mystery.

Playing the mystery game:

 

Claire making her purse & party girls:

And just some other fun pictures:

Kevin noticed Alaina & Claire sitting the same way in front of the tv one Saturday morning:

During the summer the girls discovered my chicken kebobs. I usually only made these for dinner guests, but I was in the mood for them one day. EVERYONE loved them (how rare for everyone to like the same food) so I made them once a week all through summer. Claire asked for them for her birthday dinner.

And pictures I took of the girls this summer. Before everyone got their hair cut for school. Bryn especially looks so much better with her short hair.

 

Labor Day & Various Cute Pics

What I did today

 

What Kevin did today

Yes, Kevin is an equal opportunity employer. Actually, his work was constant and in the sun. I was in the shade and took frequent breaks. I also pulled a muscle or something weird in my chest right over my heart and had to stop cutting down the tree. We need to borrow a hatchet or saw to finish the rest of the thicker branches.

We went to the apple orchard Saturday (see previous post) and here is the proof.

 

Bryn’s 1st day of preschool

and Bryn & Kevin last Sunday evening

Great-Grandma's Lung

Well, Great-Grandma Beaman is having the spot on her lung removed. The Drs think it is small and will send it in for biopsy afterwards. No huge news on that front.

8th Tooth

Alaina lost her 8th tooth the other day. She pulled out her last tooth HERSELF which amazed the heck out of me, so when she yelped while eating a granola bar and stuck her fingers in her mouth, I wasn't too concerned. Isn't she now a tough cookie? Then the wailing began.

"Where is it? Where is it?" she cried.

I looked in her mouth and there was a red indentation in front marking where the tooth had been. However, there was a large tooth in the same position behind that. Strange. I didn't remember a large tooth behind the loose one.

I looked on the ground, no tooth. Alaina is panicky. "Alaina, you didn't swallow it. I'm sure you would have known." I looked in her mouth again. "Did you have a tooth behind the loose one?" She is too crazed to even hear me. "Alaina, put your hand in your mouth. There is a tooth there. Did you have a tooth behind the loose one?"

She put her hand in her mouth. She is a little confused, as am I. I got her to put her head down on the couch so I could look a bit more. I touched the tooth and it seemed solid. We've never had a tooth pop out on its own so this is kind of weird. I touched the tooth again and poked it pretty good. This time I dislodged it. Turns out...her tooth unattached at the front but was still attached in back, turned sideways, and tried to pretend it was a back tooth.

I tried to turn it back the way it should be, and it really didn't want to go. Alaina started HOWLING and MOANING and WHINING and CRYING big huge crocidle tears that "This is the worst day EVER!" The whole drama of the situation was really hil-arious. I laughed really hard - but really quietly - at her. Is that wrong?

I tugged at the back portion of the tooth that was still attached. It didn't come out so I tried turning it around again to get it back to the proper position in her mouth. It didn't want to do that, either. Stubborn thing. So I told Alaina it had to come out. It could not stay in her mouth sideways. It would be too uncomfortable and hurt her. So I tugged again. Success! It popped out.

Pulling teeth is not my favorite thing to do. But Alaina really needed me to, so I did. Alaina also needed me to stay calm for her, so I did. Children really stretch us, don't they?

Great-Grandma Beaman

Great-Grandma Beaman has cancer on her lung. As a recap, her left arm was amputated 3 months ago due to bone cancer (this was necessary because her arm was broken, that's how they found the cancer), and approx. 3 weeks ago she had a mastectomy to remove breast cancer. Since her lung cannot be chopped off, the previous method of recovery, I believe our time with her is limited. She is meeting with a Dr on Friday to discuss alternatives, which will probably boil down to how much time she has left.

Kevin is taking it very well so far. When Great-Grandpa died 13 years ago he was inconsolable for days, but his death was more sudden. Great-Grandma has lived alone since Great-Grandpa died and she seems ready to be with him again. She is a good Christian faith-filled woman. Actually, I'm concerned about Alaina. When I told her about Grandma's breast cancer she cried for about 45 minutes and she was very disturbed. However, it did open up a wonderful discussion between us and I believe it strengthened her testimony. I'll hold off this time saying anything until we hear back from Friday's meeting.

Little Singer

Bryn is always singing something: church songs, pop songs, made-up songs, baby songs, and especially theme songs. She likes to play with my ipod but the ear buds don’t fit right and they fall out, frustrating her. One day I got out her video game headphones and attached those. She was so happy to listen to music without interruption. Here just a few snippets of her two favorite songs on my ipod (first one Poker Face by Lady Gaga, second one Life's What You Make It by Hannah Montana):

Nauvoo

Our family went to Nauvoo on July 25 along with my parents. It’s so nice to have extra help when traveling with Bryn.

The girls hate to be in the car for more than 10 minutes (seriously…when we stopped to pick up my parents Claire was done being in the car, and the last half of the trip she was whining CONSTANTLY that she wanted to turn around and go back home) but they do eventually have fun. But their whining tires me out and grates on my nerves so that I have to warm up to the fun factor. But I was able to have fun, too.

First we went to the Family Living Center, then Children’s Play area (possibly not the actual names of attractions). We could have stayed at the Children’s Play area longer, it was way fun.

Listening/watching the rope demonstration:

Alaina was the only one who wanted to dress up:

Playing with old-fashioned toys:

Everyone wanted to try the stilts:

...even me. Although I fell down more than walked. I think my daypack threw me off. :)

Various:

The girls loved Kevin pulling them in the handcart so much Claire said she wanted to go back to Nauvoo THE NEXT DAY to do it again. Yes, after she complained for an hour on the way there. Alaina’s favorite house to go through was the school house, though I had to sit with Bryn outside because she was getting tired & cranky.

Kevin and I were actually not impressed with the pageant. It was way too long to start that late. Although it has good moments, I think it could be totally reworked for a stronger impression. But we had a great time playing.