11/3--Avery took her turn at a sick day today. She puked all night last night. She cried this morning as Makenna was getting ready for school because she wanted to go, too. She seems fine now. She finally ate a late lunch and hasn't puked it up yet.
11/5--My brother, Ben, came across this and posted it--family photo 1996 😂
11/7--
Avery was wigging out over everything this morning, like wanting to do a handstand but not being able to do it right (probably because she's so tired). Then, she refused to walk to the bus stop without me (I haven't done that since the first day of school and she has always happily gone with her sister). I wasn't about to go outside in what I was wearing, so I went and changed and she started FREAKING OUT because the bus was coming. Thankfully, the driver stopped in front of our house after picking up the other kids and waited for Avery to run (while bawling) to get on the bus. Time for a nap!
Avery was wigging out over everything this morning, like wanting to do a handstand but not being able to do it right (probably because she's so tired). Then, she refused to walk to the bus stop without me (I haven't done that since the first day of school and she has always happily gone with her sister). I wasn't about to go outside in what I was wearing, so I went and changed and she started FREAKING OUT because the bus was coming. Thankfully, the driver stopped in front of our house after picking up the other kids and waited for Avery to run (while bawling) to get on the bus. Time for a nap!
11/10--In honor of Veteran's Day, here are my grandfathers' military portraits:
My maternal grandpa (Grandpa):
11/11--We headed to the dinosaur museum with Grandma after the LSU game this afternoon.
11/13--Noooooooo! I can't get sick the week of my piano students' recital! Throat burning and lost voice, starting to cough a bit. I HAVE TO teach lessons the next two days! 
[I felt tired all week and had to give all of my lessons with a hoarse voice and a little coughing but I didn't get as sick as I thought I would. I was pretty much all better by the night of the recital, just a tiny bit of hoarseness.]
11/14--So crazy that both of the high schools in our town are playing each other for the football state championship!
11/17--(They got engaged on 11/14):
11/18--The twins had a blast at a karate birthday party this afternoon. Now they both want to take karate classes. 
11/19--The piano recital, the twins' 2nd one:
Their BFF was in the recital, too.
11/20--Only two school days this week and my girls stayed home sick today. And Avery may miss again tomorrow; she is still running a fever and has a sore throat. Makenna just had a headache and stomach ache this morning. She was fine most of the day. Avery also missed gymnastics and dance--now she only has one more dance class before her recital! 
11/21--ROUGH NIGHT last night! Avery got up at 1am (I wasn't asleep yet), saying she felt nauseous. She puked at 1:30, 2:00, and 2:30. We finally got settled in my bed, along with her puke bowl, and Makenna got out of her bed and went downstairs, where Jared was; he came up and put her back to bed. Then, one of the cats puked on my bedroom floor at 3:30! He didn't just hack up a furball, it was a big pile of mushy cat food. I had to run and get stuff to clean it up because the othe...r cat started eating it! 
🤢 Y'all know I was gagging hard and almost puked while cleaning it up! Around 4:30, the same cat started chewing on a plastic bag on my floor (he loves chewing on plastic bags), so I had to get out of bed AGAIN to throw the dang bag away.
🤢 Y'all know I was gagging hard and almost puked while cleaning it up! Around 4:30, the same cat started chewing on a plastic bag on my floor (he loves chewing on plastic bags), so I had to get out of bed AGAIN to throw the dang bag away.
It was at least 5:00 before I fell asleep, then I got up at 8 to get Makenna off to school. Now I need to go get ready to go to the school because I signed up to help with the Turkey Trot. Avery just puked again and I know she's gonna throw a fit when I leave but I signed up to help and Makenna really wanna me there for the race. Aaaah! I'm gonna be dragging, too! Need some caffeine! I will definitely need a nap before I teach 6 piano lessons later today!
Turkey Trot:
Turkey Trot:
11/22--Third sick day in a row for Avery, first day of Thanksgiving break. She threw up (mostly dry heaved) a few times early this morning but seems to be starting to feel better, especially after drinking some Gatorade a neighbor brought over. She's had very little to eat or drink the past two days; she just refused, then we explained about dehydration and threatened a trip to the hospital and she started to drink a little.
The twins and I are watching animal videos on Youtube, sloth videos right now. 
😊 Whiskers says, "Hi!", too!
😊 Whiskers says, "Hi!", too!
Avery came in the front room to watch out the window as Makenna plays in the front yard with friends (sad, huh?). Notice how she brought in her cup of water, Gatorade, and pineapple/banana/strawberry smoothie to have handy, and let's not forget the puke bowl she's had by her side for the last 36 hours. She only watched the other girls play for a few minutes, then she lay down and fell right to sleep. Little angel.
11/23--"It's Africa!" This is what the girls did this morning before I got out of bed. And Avery seems to be feeling all better! I guess we'll see after our (very late) breakfast. Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!!!
Thanksgiving Day--We went to Jared's uncle's house and had dinner with some of my MIL's side of the family--most of the family was missing. :( The twins did some little puzzles after dinner, before dessert.
11/24--I just had to video the maze that the twins set up that starts in the front room and continues through the foyer, then the living room, then all around the kitchen. They used wooden tiles and flashcards and put a little animal on pretty much all of them. Just wait 'til I make them pick it all up. There will be much gnashing of teeth!
11/24--I just had to video the maze that the twins set up that starts in the front room and continues through the foyer, then the living room, then all around the kitchen. They used wooden tiles and flashcards and put a little animal on pretty much all of them. Just wait 'til I make them pick it all up. There will be much gnashing of teeth!
That afternoon, we drove to Hoytsville and had dinner and games (with balloons and pool noodles) with Jared's family--his parents, Grandpa, 2 of his sisters and their families, and his brother and his wife. All the kids also put on a little play for us. :) We missed the families that couldn't be there.
11/25--Lehi Santa Parade, with the tree lighting and cookies and hot cocoa afterward. We stopped and looked at the Christmas lights at a house on the way home
12/29--I help out in the twins' class every Monday afternoon. The last few minutes of class, they always sing a little song, usually seasonal. This week, Makenna got to be the Santa while Avery was the "pointer". Their teacher is so cute and fun. :)
We got to babysit the girls' BFF and her brothers that night. They had so much fun playing together. Poor Jaden was harassed by the girls quite a bit. He's a great sport, though. :)
These are the turkeys the girls disguised the week before Thanksgiving (I didn't take pictures of them before they brought them to school and they just brought them home on Monday). All of the kids did one at home, then they got to guess who did which turkey. Makenna changed her mind several times while she was coloring hers (she wasn't interested in using any other items); I think she ended up with a bat postman. I'll have to ask her later. Avery disguised hers as Glinda, which is what she dressed up as for Halloween. I helped her put together, since it involved a hot glue gun, but it was all her idea.
