our holiday weekend--a visual

I'd planned to try to jump back into the blogging world today with some mini book babble and whatnot, but life (or at least this damn virus, which technically isn't living) had other plans. I seem to have gotten the flu. :(  I honestly can't remember the last time I actually had the flu...but I'm pretty sure that's what this is...fever of over 102, alternating between uncontrollable shivering and being thoroughly drenched in sweat, feeling as if my body was hit by an eighteen-wheeler and one of those wheels is still resting squarely atop my head, wheezing that reminds me of Annie in the midst of an asthma attack. Put simply, I feel like crap. But as mothers everywhere know, there's no such thing as a "sick day." Just figures that the boys don't have school today and tomorrow, huh?

Okay, okay...enough bitching and whining. Brain is not up to thinking. But hopefully I can handle uploading a few pictures from our long holiday weekend. It was a bit subdued this year...missing a dear friend and worrying about another...but we still managed to have a lot of family fun.

Cooking, and crafting, and wrapping. Oh my. (Started making Christmas cards, but yikes, I've got a long way to go. And I got my Book Blogger Holiday Swap gifts wrapped and ready to mail, but I'm thinking a trip to the post office is not going to happen for me today.)

The trees, big and small, went up. (The kids each have their own small tree in their bedrooms.)

Oh, how I love that sweet, angelic face to the right...despite the fact that "angelic" is quite misleading. ;)















And to this mom's eyes, this girl's beauty far outshines the tree itself. 

Our "big" tree is decorated solely in ornaments made by family and friends. :D It's such fun chatting every year about who made each one. Even the pipe cleaner garland was created by Gray a few years back. And which I have to admit I thoroughly love...and not just because I adore its creator.

And tree decorating wouldn't be tree decorating without eggnog and Christmas music.

Baker singing along. This dog freakin' loves Christmas! (Especially opening presents.)

But he's not the only one who has been caught under the tree.

The cats, thus far, have stayed out of the tree. However, thanks to Lucky, we have had our first holiday mishap of the year, as evidenced in the before and after shots above.

And I managed to get a lot of other decorating done, too. Though I'm far from finished.

 Here's to a happy holiday season for all.

good stuff

*Maxidoodle finally seems to be on the mend from what turned out to be another bad go-round with RSV. His fever has been gone now for a couple of days. Now if he could just say good-bye to that awful cough.

*We finally joined Netflix. I've wanted to for sooooo long, but could never justify the expense, since we have tons of unwatched movies sitting around here that we just never seem to have time to get to. But I really wanted to get my hands on Ken Burns The West series for homeschooling. Our library didn't have it, and neither did Rich's school's library system. The cheapest price I could find to buy it was $70+. But then my brilliant husband thought to check Netflix. A-ha! Who can argue with joining for educational purposes, right? Just don't look to see what we put in our queue after The West series ;)

*I could certainly always add reading my favorite blogs to the "good stuff" list. But today I just want to highlight this one specific post. Stephanie, an incredibly sweet person herself, wrote about some of the wonderful volunteers she gets to meet through her job at the Red Cross.

*The kids' unexpected enthusiasm over the Super Bowl. Not a one of them has ever cared one iota about football, but for whatever reason, yesterday they got themselves all worked up about the big game. So for the first time in ages, we'll be throwing a little Super Bowl party. Although it will only be the five of us in attendance. The kids planned the menu: cheese and energy biscuits (the boys' name for beefstick) and crackers, Cheetos, chips and salsa and Rotel dip. (I'll try to throw in a veggie plate with slim hopes that one of them will grab something from it by accident.)

*We went to Borders and I didn't buy a darn thing for myself! (The fact that I put on my sweetest smile before handing Rich a book I discovered (Runemarks by Joanne Harris) and telling him that it would make a really fine birthday present doesn't count against me, does it?)

**To read more good news or link up your own good news post, check Melissa's Good News Sunday.

good, bad, ugly...in reverse

What is with this winter? I feel like we've been unknowingly transported to a parallel universe or something. Everything about it has just been "off". We had way more snow than is typical for us in December. And here in January, when we normally have tons of snow, we've had next to none. We just had our second major warm snap, and are now paying the price as it comes to an end. So far in the last hour, the temps have dropped from 52 to 28, and they are supposed to continue to drop throughout the morning. So you can imagine what has happened to the roads since it rained much of the night. And just like three weeks ago, the winds are back. 70+ mph gusts. I guess the good news is that we're going to see some snow today as well. Just so abnormal. Has everyone's winter been so totally uncharacteristic?

****

Sweet little Maxidoodle never ceases to amaze me with his toughness. The poor fellow is really down and out. He first got sick early last week. Had a fever and some general malaise. But he was better and went back to school on Thursday. But then on Sunday, he started coughing a bit, nothing major. Monday I got a call from the school nurse. He had fever again. After I picked him up, he just lounged around on the couch. That night his cough went to scary new heights. My chest hurts just listening to him. The doctor isn't sure exactly what ailment(s) he's suffering with. Put him on an anti-biotic because he heard something in his one lung. Also took some nasal swabs (which got a scream out of the normally stoic little guy!), because he thinks he may also have this one particular virus due to the look of his eyes. Saying Max's eyes are bloodshot is an understatement! It breaks one's heart to just look at his sweet little face! And yet, does he complain? No. Not one little bit! As nice as it is in some ways (at least compared to his drama-queen sister who acts as if she's on her death bed with every case of sniffles), I really wish he would complain sometimes (well, about things other than his siblings and what I'm serving for supper, that is). Back at the beginning of the month, Maxidoodle had strep throat, and we never would have known to take him to the doctor if it hadn't been for the fever and the rash. Anyway, the doctor said that the Maxidoodle will probably be sporting this fever through the weekend. We're to be in touch tomorrow.

****

Eva gave me the You Make My Day Award. Some things just have a way of leaving a smile on your heart, and the things she said about me definitely did that! Especially coming from her...I've only recently "met" Eva, but she's one of those people who would leave me feeling intimidated (she's so intelligent and well-read) if she wasn't just so darn nice. So anyway, thank you, Eva! And I will be passing this along...hope to get to that post later today.

under the weather

Max is staying home from school today. Let me tell you, he's really broken up about it...ha! Nothing major, just a slight fever and a really ugly cough.

Baker is the one who had me worried though. He had another seizure last night. He was right on the floor beside the bed...if he'd have been out in the living room, I might not even have heard him. It breaks my heart and scares the crap out of me while he's in the midst of one. I stayed up with him for about half an hour afterwards...he was fine and eventually got to sleep.

Whenever Baker has one of his seizures, which luckily is not that often, it always brings back worries about Gray. I guess that's only natural. Especially as he eases closer and closer towards puberty (though that's still a few years away). Back when Gray was being weaned off his medication, his neurologist told us that that's the time when his seizures are most likely to come back. And there's only a 1 in 3 chance that that will even happen, so the odds are with him. And yet still we worry...guess it comes with the old parental territory, huh?

challenged update

Let me just say that my reading challenges are not coming along so well. We're down to 3 weeks in both the Spring Reading Thing Challenge and the Once Upon a Time Challenge. Four books to go in each. Time to concede defeat. Not that I won't eventually read those books, but I figure if I want to have any chance of keeping up with my other four reading challenges, which as of today, have now all started, I'd better move on...

As for the 10:4 Challenge, well, I seem to have got a little help. Today's weigh-in day. Down another 3 pounds. But that's only because I got sick with one totally bizarre infection. I woke up at 2:30 yesterday morning with the most awful sore throat of my life. It was horrible! I simply couldn't sleep because of it. And it was weird, I could swear there was something in my throat. By about 8:00 yesterday morning, I was in near panic. Whatever was in my throat was getting bigger. It hurt horrendously and at times it nearly felt like I was choking. I made Rich look...and sure enough there was "something" there. He said it was about the size of a big marble. He wanted to take me to the ER, because he was afraid it was going to obstruct my airway completely. But I called my doctor and got right in. Turns out it's some kind of infection that has my uvula incredibly swollen. Anyway, this has led to a liquid diet, which I'm sure is what led me to lose these 3 extra pounds. So that's 7 pounds for May (but I really must remember that some of those are "cheater pounds").

past, present, future...

The past:

*We headed out Friday afternoon for our "field trip" to Saratoga. It was one of those "can anything else go wrong?!!" kind of days. Nothing major...just a million little minor things. Like having to make an unexpected trip to the vet's office before leaving to get Baker a different dosage of pills. Like Baker pooping on the floor when we were waiting to "check in" at the kennel. Like me accidentally going into the men's room (twice!) to get paper towels to wipe up the floor. Like not being able to find a hotel (though we eventually did). Just those piddly little nuisances making us wonder if this trip was a good idea.

*But Saturday turned out to be wonderful! We had a fabulous time at Saratoga National Historical Park. They have a great visitors center...the battlefield tour was fantastic...and of course, we enjoyed the hiking trail. (Though the boys were sort of dragging there at the end.) They were also having British Camp Days at the park...so we got to see some reenactment activity. The boys have been playing Redcoats and Patriots ever since.






*Mother's Day was somewhat uneventful. Too many errands and whatnot, I suppose. Picking up Baker from the kennel, grocery shopping, and the like. We did go out to dinner. And of course, I got presents. In fact, they totally surprised me with the cutest little iPod shuffle! I am so excited! Now I just have to figure out how to use it...which for me, will be quite a task!

The Present:

*Poor little Maxidoodle is sick and staying home from school today. He actually isn't complaining at all...he's always such a trooper when he's under the weather. But he is running a fever and has a nasty cough.

*Annie and I have a lot of catching up to do for school. We really got out of whack somehow last week, but I'm not really worried about it.

*I really need to sit down and work on a major "to do" list for the next couple weeks. Things have somehow fallen apart around here. And we're going to be getting some company over the next month...first my in-laws and then some old friends from Tennessee. I'm so excited! But I need to get this place whipped back into shape first!

*"Soccer season" starts tonight. The kids love playing, and I think it's really good for them. But...it really makes things hectic around here. Monday through Thursday nights are now booked through the end of July.

*The weather this time of the year is frustrating. I'm not complaining. Really. It's wonderful to be enjoying beautiful spring afternoons! Today, for example, we're supposed to have a high of 70 degrees. Shall be glorious! But of course, the nights are still rather cold. It just makes it hard to dress for the day when it's in the 30s in the morning, but then reaches 70 in the afternoon. I usually just don my shorts and shiver for a while. The kids usually choose to dress warmer and then change later in the day...just what I need...twice the laundry. But I can't really blame them.

The Future:

*Well, mostly that will be filled with trying to bring some order back to this house. Trying for finish up our school year over the next 6 weeks. Trying to come up with a plan for next year's schooling. Trying to make a dent in some of my challenges. And as always, trying to make our home a happy place to be.

just babbling...

Topic A: this dang cold

*Not sure what to make of this stupid thing. It seems to be reinventing itself on a daily basis. Thought we were witnessing some improvement yesterday. But then during the evening, everything seemed to move from my chest to my head. So much pain and pressure in the sinuses...you know, the kind where you just wish your face would simply explode and get it over with. Again with the coughing all night long. And now this morning, I have no voice. Throat no longer hurts though, so that's wonderful. But of course, it took the kids all of 30 seconds to figure out how to take advantage of a voiceless mommy.

Topic B: this dang cold

*Weather, that is. Another cold snap. It is above zero (though just barely), so I really shouldn't complain. Feel bad for Gray though. They only have outdoor recess when the temps are at 20 or above. It's been quite a few weeks since the school's playground has been put to use.

*And thanks to this big storm which will be bringing snow to much of the east, we should finally get more than 2 or 3 inches in a day. It's weird to go this far into winter without a big dumping. But if the forecasters are correct (now there's a big "if"), we're to get close to foot tonight and then another foot plus tomorrow. Followed by lake effect snow. But we'll wait and see.

Topic C: in the kitchen

*Made that new recipe for Lasagna Florentine last night. It was okay, but not nearly as good as I remember my old recipe being. So now I'm on a quest...determined to find a really good recipe.

*Must make cupcakes for the boys Valentines parties at school tomorrow. But I feel bad to be baking when I'm sick like this. So I've decided I'm going to wear disposable gloves and a disposable mask. O.K., not really gloves...that probably wouldn't be any more effective than the incessant hand-washing we do around here anyway. Is that as weird as it sounds? Probably overkill, I suppose. But I would hate to pass along any germs to those poor little kiddos. I guess I get a little paranoid about it because of Annie. For most kids, a cold is a cold. But when she was younger (preschool and kindergarten age) and picked up a cold at school (or anywhere else, of course), as often as not, it landed her in the hospital for 3 or 4 days because of her asthma. The first signs of the sniffles in her, used to lead to great anxiety in our house. Luckily, she rarely gets sick anymore, and when she does her body is much better at dealing with it. But anyway, that's why I'm being such a wacko about baking cupcakes. But safe than sorry, huh?

Probably just better skip Topics D-J. Babbling should have its limits, right?