Mohs

So, after a trip to the dermatologist and a biopsy, turns out I have not one, but two spots of basil cell carcinoma (skin cancer) on my face. I had the first one removed today. They do this by Mohs surgery, which is process of shaving off the cancer in stages so as not to take too much and scar your face too bad. So, they numb you up with lidocaine and then remove what they think is all of it. Then, they test it to see if they got it all. If they did not, you go back in and repeat the process until they get it all. While they test it, you wait in the waiting room for about 45 minutes each time. It's a long process. I think I got there at 9:00-ish and left around 2:00-ish. The spot was tiny, but the incision was huge (compared to the spot!) We'll see what kind of scar I get from this. Ugh.

This is me right when I got home. They put a ton of packing bandages on your face to control swelling, so half my face is covered! The incision was not this big (although it felt like it at first - ha!). This stays on 24 hours and then it has to be changed twice a day until the stitches dissolve.

Wicked

We took the girls to see Wicked down in the city at the Nederlander the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I have seen this, but Matt and the girls had not yet. Everyone loved the show! Poor Morgan had picked up Mama and Papa's colds (which they got from Calvin), so she spent a lot of the show not feeling great and coughing quietly in her sleeve. :(  At intermission, we got some popcorn, candy and drinks, which helped.

Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving, the girls and I went for mani/pedis. They each got alternating orange and white on their nails, which looked super cute and festive for the holiday.

My parents came up and brought Calvin and Nolan with them, so the kids all played out in the massive pile of leaves we were accumulating in our backyard.

On Thanksgiving, Grandma Ruth came over. Also, this year my sister, Grayson and Beckett came over. Ross and Hunter were quarantined at home because Hunter had Covid. Boo! They did come over for a second so Ross could fill up his plate and Hunter could wave "hi" to everyone from the front yard! I managed to not take any pictures of the food, but you'll have to trust me that we all ate well and everything was delicious!

Showing off her pretty mani/pedi

Our table - Ross and Hunter had the "to-go" spots!

Spatch-cock turkey on the Green Egg

Such a turkey!

As is our tradition, the weekend of Thanksgiving we pick out our tree from Wannamakers. We like to have my Dad's help while they are up here for Thanksgiving. We decided to put the tree in the family room this year with gates around it so our little destroyer won't be able to ruin it. Also, he loves his little spot in the front room by the window to sit and watch outside all day. So, we would have felt bad putting the tree there and taking that away from him.

We will decorate it soon... pics to come!

Girls only

The girls had a sleepover in Morgan's room... and they had a unicorn guarding the door! I guess they are really worried about the "boys" getting in (ie, Milo and Daddy - ha!)

I also think it's super funny that the unicorn is threatening litigation rather than bodily harm if you enter!

Morgan + Violin

Morgan earned a jingle bell at violin this week for learning all the notes on her flashcards! She really loves playing the violin, but hates practicing! Ha!

Roller skating party

The girls school rented out the roller skating rink and had a pre-Thanksgiving party for the kiddos. The girls had a blast and got to use their new light up roller blades. At the end, they had the kids that were still there out on the floor for a dance.

Someone please play with me!

You would think no one ever plays with this dog... he kept picking the ball up and booping it with his nose. Then, he laid down and gave up and just stared at it all sad. I tried explaining to him that I was busy making breakfast and lunches and getting the girls off to school, but he just gave me the sad puppy eyes!

This is why we have baby gates all over our house!

So, I thought Milo has been so good lately, let's give him a little more freedom around the first floor. Secretly, I just want to get rid of the gates! It has nothing to do with my faith that Milo will be good. Well, it was short lived. He was being really quiet... turns out he was starting at the corners of the rug and pulling the strings out. Ugh. The gates are back up. Maybe one day, we can trust him to roam free.

It snowed!

The girls were so excited to wake up and see snow today! Milo just wanted to eat it! :)

 

Chilly Sunday

It was a little chilly, but we got outside for a hike in Gilbert Park.

We relaxed the rest of the day! Then, Avery decided we should bake cookies! They were delicious!

New toy

We are now the proud owners of a baby grand piano! You may wonder how this happened?!? Well, our piano teacher found this online being sold by a couple that was planning a move and didn't want their grandmother's old piano anymore. Jim (our piano teacher) went to check it out and said it was in excellent condition and that Avery just HAD to have it! Ha! And so, now we have it! It really is in great condition and Avery loves playing it!

Happy Anniversary to us!

Happy 13 years! We celebrated with dinner out to Devon Steak and Seafood, which was delicious!

Sleepover

The girls had a sleepover in Avery's room the other night... we were not allowed in! :)

Last practice

We had a couple more practices to wrap up the Roadrunners season. We got one final picture with the girls' friend Audrey, who is moving to Arizona in December. They've been friends since they were like 3 years old. :)

Fall

When it's 40 degrees on the way to school, but going to be 70 by recess! You wear shorts and a winter coat, of course!

 

Trick or Treating

The girls met up with their friend Lizzie again to trick-or-treat around our neighborhood. The crappy weather held off, so we were able to get a lot of houses in! We have SO much candy!

We set up our candy outside while we were gone

Morgan, Lizzie and Avery

One of our neighbors goes all out for the holiday!

Warm apple cider (with whiskey for the adults)

Candy chute - a pandemic leftover

We stayed out until dark (light up bucket!)

 

Halloween at school

The girls' school decided to reinstate the Halloween classroom parties this year - yay! They do a Halloween costume parade outside for the parents and then a classroom party for the kiddos. I helped out this year with Morgan's classroom party.

Avery ditched the planned witch costume to be an 80's girl instead.

Morgan was Evie from Descendants 3. Although, she got all self-conscious in the car on the way to school about wearing the wig and ended up taking if off.

The Halloween parade at school.

Morgan's class party - the activity another mom brought was mining for gems in dirt and water! That's an intense activity for a quick party! The kids loved it!

I grabbed a quick pic of Avery in her classroom, too.

Morgan with Mia and Ava during the parade.