Oh Christmas Tree... Bah Humbug!

Usually, I love putting up Christmas trees and for a few years I would put up ours and Grandma's tree. This year, within an hour of putting up our tree, Morgan grabbed it and pulled it down on herself.  It broke the tree stand and branches, ornaments, tinsel and lights were everywhere.  I went all over town, trying to find a stand that would be comparable.  I couldn't find one and so for a few weeks, the mess was still there.  After this ordeal, I didn't put up Grandma's tree and I don't want to put up a tree for a long time.
I was tempted to buy a new tree, but this tree has so much sentimental value.  We got this tree the first year we were married from my in-laws.  They didn't want it because it was too small.  The second year we were married, Eli was born right around our anniversary and Christmas.  We couldn't go out and celebrate our anniversary and so we stayed home, drank non-alcoholic bubbly and danced to music in the romantic glow of Christmas tree lights, until we heard the faint cry of a newborn.  It was my favorite anniversary because we didn't need anything fancy to celebrate it.  Here we are, ten years after we married and this time, I am pregnant with our fourth baby, a few sick kids and we can't go anywhere to celebrate.  We got take-out, watched a movie on Netflix and danced to music with the glow of Christmas lights, with non alcoholic bubbly.

Merry Christmas From the Koyle Family

I love to take Christmas photos of my kids and sometimes I will use those pictures to put in ornaments.  It is always hard to get them all smiling at the same time, so this one has Eli giving a beautiful face. Love these guys!

Morgan is a Funny Ham

When you are in a sad mood, Morgan is the one to have around.  One time, I was crying because I was pregnant and Morgan kept giving funny faces, jumping on me laughing and giggling at me.  Grandma Koyle asked me to take pictures of some of her funny faces.  Here are a couple of them.  She gives them to Grandpa Koyle too.

Are You Ready for Winter?

I am not, but my kids are!  On the first snowfall, it took an hour to get Eli to school.  The kids love the snow.  Riley wanted to help shovel snow and so she borrowed the neighbors shovel and started to help me shovel snow. Morgan is ready too, she loves the snow and it is pretty funny because she doesn't walk on it.  She doesn't know how and she always grabs my hand.  Too funny.

Riley got Glasses, But Not the Shoes!

Riley got new glasses.  A few months ago, Riley had pink eye and we took her to the optometrist for a check up.  He did an eye test and she couldn't read all the letters.  He told us to come back when she was five and we would fit her for glasses.  It turns out, she did need glasses and so we got her a pair.
While at Shopko, I went shoe shopping for Morgan and she tried on these shoes.  They are cute, but I am not ready for her to be in sexy heels.  I can't believe they would make them for a girl her size.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Riley is dressed as a Pilgrim and while at preschool, her teacher, Mrs. Jean cooked a Thanksgiving dinner for all the students.  They dressed as Pilgrims and Indians and they practiced their manners.

Here, on Thanksgiving, Riley is wearing olive fingers. I tell her that there are two clubs: the olive club and the the I don't like olive club. She and I are in the olive club.

Courtney brought a color table cloth and the kids loved it!

Here, Morgan is enjoying pie with Grandpa. They have a special relationship that started with food. For a while, she was scared of him, not unlike any other toddler and Grandpa relationship. He wanted her to warm up to him and so he bribed her with M&Ms. Grandma taught her to ask him for them by patting Grandpa's leg. He kept giving them to her and a relationship was born. She loves him now, with or without food.

Watch Out!

Watch out world, Morgan is behind the wheel.  That is a scary thought!  Good thing she is just two and it won't happen for a little while.

My Girls' Fashion Sense, or the Lack

Here are my cute girls with their amazing sense of fashion. Morgan here is wearing something even better than socks and sandals, it is footie pajamas and heels.
I told Riley to go get dressed and this is what she came out with.  She was cold and wanted to wear sweats to church.  She wanted to know why it wouldn't work.

Bowling!

I am using a jar that the kids fill with pom poms when they do good things and take them out when they choose otherwise.  When they fill the jar, we go and do something fun.I like this method, because I am not the best at going out and doing things.  This time, the kids chose to go bowling.  All the kids were fun to watch.  Eli was really into it and when he didn't get all the pins, we cheered for him anyway.  Riley could barely get the ball down the lane, but if it made it or hit any pins, she cheered.  Morgan got to be held by Daddy when it was his turn.  They all loved it.

Eli's Troubles

I love working at my job because it is flexible and I don't need to put a lot of time into it to keep in my field.  There is one week in the year that is not so flexible and that is during an audit. While Jared was at work, I made arrangements for Riley and Morgan to go to Grandma Koyle's house while Eli was at school. Boy did he miss Riley.  He was lost without her and didn't sleep well at all.  During those few days, he slept on a pink chair in my room, hollaring at us every few minutes.  It didn't help that he was super scared from a show he watched about mutant canines, from a show called Monster Quest.  He has been scared for a few weeks now and won't go anywhere alone, even in broad daylight.  When Riley came home, he was a little more himself, but still scared from his nightmares.  Everyone in the family prayed for him to not be scared anymore.  This helped, but what helped most, was him getting baptized.  Grandma told him that as soon as he got the Holy Ghost, he could count on that to protect him and give him comfort.  As soon as he was baptized, the nightmare's stopped and he has been more confident.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the Koyle Family!  Eli was a ninja, Morgan was a lamb, Riley was a Pink Power Ranger, at least for the Koyle Halloween party.  Riley changed her mind for trick or treating and wanted to be Elsa (I wanted her to be Elsa the whole time because as a power ranger, she wanted to fight).

Eli's Report

Eli had a report to do on a mammal, the rat.  Along with the written report, he had to do a survey, a detailed diagram, a mask, as seen in the picture and an oral report.  It was a lot of work, but he did it, with a lot of urging from Mom and Dad.  Other kids just read the report, but we made him do a really good presentation because that is what we thought would be required.  He did an amazing job by actively getting the kids involved by asking several questions.

Another funny Eli story.  He said that his ankle on his hand hurt.  I responded, you mean your wrist? He responded, yeah.

Happy Birthday Riley!

Happy Birthday Riley!  She had a princess birthday party.  We played all sorts of games, like pin the tail on the pony, scavenger hunt with princess figurines, photoshoot with a princess (Rachelle Koyle), a pinata, princess cup cakes, punch and ice cream.  I invited about 12 girls with the crown invitations and we had about 5 come, perfect for crowd control.