Gale Munchkins

You would think the world had ended with the way the girls reacted to my declaration that we were going to have oatmeal...the gagging and almost vomiting that ensued was RIDICULOUS!! I threatened all sorts of stuff...like...after the allotted amount of time to eat the 1/2 c. of oatmeal (that had lots of cinnamon and brown sugar in it), each minute would mean 1 hour in their room...or that they would eat oatmeal for the rest of the day if they didn't finish quick...or that they couldn't play with their cousins in the snow....or.... Growiing up, cold cereal was a treat! A friend reminded me that a good breakfast does wonders for kids, especially at school...so, I thought, I would try to be more diligent in making a better breakfast for them...so, I chose oatmeal... They're going to have oatmeal at least twice a week from now on...whether they like it or not. I'm ready for this battle!! They may hate oatmeal as an adult later, but they will eat it as kids! ....I know...my

four heads of it... Kaylee and I spent Saturday morning (day of Chris & Melissa's reception) surfing through "hair style" blogs and found a few styles I was willing to tackle. It took about 1 1/2 hours...but their heads were cool! I did them again for Sunday (had to wash out the hairspray from the night before.) and it didn't take as long. My fingers felt a bit achy when I was done, but I can say that the "styling" was fun.

...is across the street...granted, it isn't as decked out as it could be. Saw a home tonight that was OUT OF CONTROL!!...but having this right across the way seems a bit much...especially with how small the area is holding it all.

The verdict is in...the pinky nail is going to fall off... :( Earlier tonight, I hear this blood-curling scream from Mikenna, "I DON'T WANT MY NAIL TO FALL OFF!!" Apparently, she had made a fist with the owie finger and jammed the pinky nail...and "knocked" it off...it looked to be a bit "lifted" off course. She was screaming and crying...said it was owie. (Michael said it might be sensitive.) Wouldn't let me touch it...but it did look like it was coming off. I mentioned trimming it some, but she refused. Later she explained that when she waved her hand up and down, very slowly, that it hurt...but if she held it out, and just "poked" with it, back and forth..or fwds/bckwds...that didn't hurt...(sometimes she's too silly...) Well, we got ready for bed...she went to sleep, I thought I'd try and trim it after she was out...decided to take a few pictures of it...and as I was snapping away, she would mover around some (maybe becaus

We had my brothers' families over to celebrate Thanksgiving this year...so we had a housefull of cousins running all over! They watched movies-Hairspray, HighSchool Musical (still need to watch HSM3)...played on the Wii fit...some driving games on the XBOX...while we adults cooked...played Acquire...cooked some more...looked at Black Friday ads...(I know...Mikenna has some crazy hair!!) Dallin wanted to make butter...so Allison bought buttermilk (this is what Dallins said we needed)...the cousins gathered around and shook the jar...shook it and shook it...nothing...then we adults joined in to help...shaking and shaking...after an hour...we searched the internet...cream...we needed cream...after shaking cream you get butter and buttermilk ...oops... the girls and I made the place cards the day before...it was fun...and mostly "relaxing"...I tried not to be so controlling and let them be creative...I'll have to post better pics of them... Here is our spread...or most of

My cousins stopped through on the way home for Thanksgiving in Seattle. The girls were excited to see them. My cousins are GREAT!! After waking up (they got in at 1 am....o-to be young again...) They spent time playing with my girls...I love that...I love that they are interested in what they are doing, take time to play and interact with them. My nephews came over for a bit...they weren't too happy to be there...I held them both, and my cousins sat by us, trying to help them smile, teased them, played and eventually my nephews went to them...Thanks for being such fun!!

All the girls have been sick...not all at once, but one after the other...first Kaylee...with a HORRIBLE sore throat....then Mikenna...with a fever...but nothing else...this was while Mike was in St. Louis...then Kassi had a fever and sore throat...now...Kiera has a sore throat and tummy aches, but no fever...and Kaylee is back to having a cough and a bloody ear-ache...and Mike now has a crappy sore throat, one that he is even willing to take medicine for...we'll see if he wakes up with a fever...

Mike and I attended our first "how to host a murder" game night at our friends Taunya & Jason's (go to her site for more pics.) It was gobs of fun...

My absolute most favorite doughnut...being eaten in Mikenna fashion...want a bite?

her damaged nail looks so odd!! the doctor didn't think it would fall off either, but...maybe it just should...

Mikenna had a bit of an incident a few weeks ago...is this how a fingernail looks as it's about to fall off??

Why I love gymnastics... I only have to sit there for 1 hour and ALL of the girls are participating, in their own classes!!

We are still hoping to make this an annual pictures...only, I think we may have missed last year...understandable since we only have a week to capture our moment!! CRAZY NUMBERS! CRAZY COUSINS! I still can't believe that Stacy figured this out!

Really, how hard is it to swallow? Chew, chew chew...then naturally a swallow follows!! You would think it would be easy...but for some reason my little Mikenna has forgotten how to swallow her food. Candy has been no problem, but food...It began a few days ago...perhaps we can attribute it to her cold and gooey eyes...she would take a bite into her mouth, then chew...chew...nothing...a few more chews...but no swallow...it is very frustrating!! Monday, she had a play date...but I ended up changing it because she wouldn't swallow...figured, we'd give it a better try the next day...prep her with "if you don't swallow, you won't get to go"...she ended up taking a nap Mon...then Tuesday rolls around...same story...no swallow...even got into her friends door...but oh-no..."Did you swallow?"...she shrugs her shoulders..."open your mouth"...very chewed up food..."Can you swallow?"...she nods...we wait...no swallow...so, I load her back i

Well, a semi-success!! We tried CrockPot Enchilada Casserole tonight. Improvements: double the layers of corn tortillas...put the olives in...we like olives...great way to get peppers & beans into kids...loved eating with the tostadas (prefered over regular taco toppings)...more chicken...add some lettuce on it? ...Kiera and Kassidy liked it...Kaylee kept making faces, but she finished her plate...Mike & I liked it. Nice to feel like I made something that we enjoyed eating!

Here are our pumpkins...Michael carved them with the girls one night while I was gone. They turned out great, especially since I didn't have to do anything...well, except for helping them pick them out...I tried to encourage smaller pumpkins, making carving easier...and shorter... Our ward YM/YW put on a carnival for the primary...so we got all dressed up and headed out. It was a nice, mostly warm afternoon...which was nice...didn't have to cover our costumes under heavy coats!! Here is Kassidy with a few of her friends. Mikenna wouldn't get in the picture...her cold was beginning to make her more tired...She also looked like she was beginning to get pink-eye...(luckily she didn't...)...I mentioned something like, "Oh no, you might have pink-eye!!" Which later she asked, "Is my eye still purple mommy?" My friend Mary's cute twins!! They're sitting in her van trunk for the trunk-or-treat... I thought this was the most disgusting carnival thing