JENGA

STOMACH FLU....TAKE 2 : UPDATED

UPDATE!
This day only gets better and better! At around 2:30 pm, it was apparent to me that Cole had an ear infection on top of the flu. I took him into the doctor, got 2 prescriptions and headed to the pharmacy. With my crying son in tow. He was miserable. Turns out the pharmacy is out of the medication. again. This is not the first time this has happened at this particular pharmacy. So, I drive to another pharmacy, who tell me that it will be a 45 minute wait. I switch off kids with Paco so that Cole can get home and into bed. I run to Fred Meyer for a couple things, at which point my debit card wouldn't work. I get that all figured out and go back to pick up the medicine. I spend 30 minutes there as they tried to decipher our double medical coverage policy, and whether my insurance or Paco's were responsible. This happens every time we try to fill a script for Cole. What the heck? I finally just told them to forget the insurance and that I would pay for the medicine just so I could get it to my kiddo. FINALLY.

Anyhoo, poor sick little guy has been asleep since 4pm, woken up once for ear drops, medicine and a sip of 7-up. This is certainly not how we were planning to spend Christmas break! Mom's hoping for a better day tomorrow!

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Apparently Cole picked up Gracie's stomach flu bug. All the fun started around 12:30am this morning, and went on all night. Cole is exhausted. I am exhausted. He's still in bed, which for those of you who know him will realize that is unheard of for him. He is an early riser. I feel so bad for my guy, especially since we were all looking forward to church today, lunch, and shopping afterward so they could spend their Christmas money. Instead, we will bundle up inside and get well.

First I need coffee. My head is killing me!

CHRISTMAS

Christmas morning started off with an unexpected (isn't it always) case of the stomach flu for Gracie. She was still able to enjoy opening her presents!! She was a very good girl this year and got the electric scooter she asked Santa for...Cole got his eye clops....which he was VERY excited about. As if you can't tell!Daddy got his ready wrench..... Grammy gave Cole and Gracie their new bibles....Cole playing Santa's helper in charge of handing out presents...Cole's first concert with his new keyboard from Jeremy and Lesley.....It was a great morning with family. The kids got lots of fun presents and had a wonderful time! Because of Gracie's flu, she and I spent the afternoon snuggled up at home while the boys spent more time with family. We missed the festivities but are so glad she is feeling better!!
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!

CHRISTMAS EVE

New Christmas eve pj's.....
being very silly and goofy....being even MORE silly and goofy....opening one gift on Christmas eve....putting out "reindeer food" for Santa's reindeer....and of course...the traditional milk and cookies...Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!

RANDOM THOUGHT

So, the least favorite room in my house is my kitchen. I don't even like it, let alone love it. Since we are about 4 years away from moving to a new house (due to the convenience of living across the street from the kids' school, or unless we get moved for Paco's job), I am looking at ideas to spruce up the kitchen. I would LOVE to put in an island, similar to this one....(photo from http://itsashabbything.blogspot.com/)
I love the look of the beadboard, all the storage, and the counter space...although I'd prefer a granite top. I think it would be cute painted a cranberry color with a dark counter.
CUTE!! This gives me hope! I'm also kicking around the idea of painting my cabinets....what harm could it do...I can't make them any uglier!! Hmmm.....definately more thinking required here...
I TOLD you it was a random thought.

NOT'S

I DID NOT spend 99% of this day in my pj's. (I even went grocery shopping in "half" pj's, and then changed back into FULL Pj's when I got home)

I DID NOT get ditched tonight by a friend who decided sugar cookies were more enticing. I must say that I DO NOT blame her.

I CAN NOT believe the crappy week my sister has had, which in turn led to the cancellation of her trip home for Christmas.

I MIGHT NOT get the heaping pile of laundry folded and put away, because I may be playing the wii.

I WILL NOT spend any more money this Christmas. Enough already!

I SHOULD NOT have eaten 2 rice krispie treats this afternoon.

I HAVE NOT turned into a texting fanatic since my husband finally got unlimited texting on our plan.

I CAN NOT resist stealing said husband's fancy new blackberry to play with it when he's not watching, and setting new Pandora stations that he will drive him crazy just for the fun of it. :)

I COULD NOT drink one more drop of water today.

I WILL NOT feel sorry for myself and my husband and the fact that we have nothing that resembles a "long holiday weekend", like practically everyone else we know! I WILL, however, celebrate holiday pay, wellness checks and overtime pay.

I CAN NOT believe I still haven't finished my Mom's birthday scarf. Her birthday was 2 months ago exactly. My Mom, however, CAN believe that I still haven't finished her birthday scarf.

I SHOULD NOT be on this computer right now. I have a girl that wants some snugglin'.

So, off I go.

27 POUNDS!!

I have hit the 27 pound mark in my weight loss journey. It feels great!! The changes I have made in my diet/lifestyle have become my new routine now. Probably the biggest change I have made is cutting out meat products from my diet. About 2 months ago I cut out red meat, and I really notice a difference in how I feel. The big challenge will come tomorrow, when we have a prime rib dinner at work. Will I be able to resist temptation?

This morning I made protein berry smoothies for breakfast. Here's the recipe...they are delicious! PROTEIN BERRY SMOOTHIE
*1/2 cup frozen blueberries
*1/2 cup frozen strawberries or raspberries
* 1 cup almond milk (or fat free milk if you prefer)
*1 scoop vanilla protein powder
*1 tbs flaxseed
*1 small container flavored low fat yogurt
*1/2 packet of all natural sweetener, if you want it a bit sweeter (I use stevia)

ODDS AND ENDS

It's been a busy week around here! Monday night we had Cole's cub scout pool party...fun times! Cole got his prizes for his popcorn sales...he was the top seller in his pack selling over $1800.00. He earned $115.00 in Walmart gift cards, and has been waiting, waiting, waiting to get them so he could buy a portable DVD player. He's been talking about it for months. So, after a fun party eating pizza and fruit, drinking soda, opening presents and SWIMMING, we went to Walmart and he bought his DVD player. He paid for it himself and was so proud!!! He carried it out of the store, held it all the way home and then hooked it up himself when we got home. We're so proud of him and hopefully he will take good care of it because he bought it himself.

On to other things...like I said we've been booked up all week long. Between work, visiting Santa, haircuts, shopping, Christmas parties, cleaning, wrapping gifts, visiting with friends....its been crazy. I am SO looking forward to this week being over and moving on into January!!

Speaking of busy, time for me to get moving....lots to do!

BLESSINGS

WE WISH YOU.....

memorable times spent with those you love most.....lots of yummy treats to eat....peace on earth.....

gratitude for your many blessings.....many wonderful surprises....thankfullness for answered prayers....
and love in your heart for the one that Christmas is really about....

Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Spreading holiday cheer. Crooked antlers and all.

THE POINSETTIA

Yesterday afternoon, out of the blue, a complete stranger by the name of Carolyn gave me a poinsettia. She walked up to me and said "Has anyone given you a poinsettia this year?", and I replied "No". Then she said "Well I want to buy one for you". How sweet! She was a lovely lady who obviously has a heart of gold. To pass along the cheer, I bought two poinsettias myself and let the kids deliver them to two of our neighbors, one of which has had a grueling year watching her 5 year old son battle leukemia. It felt great to pay it forward and was a great example of giving for my children.

Thank you, Carolyn, wherever you are.

AN EVENING DOWNTOWN

Earlier this week I signed the kids up for a "Polar Express" party at the Mobius children's museum downtown. http://experiencespokane.com/mobiuskids/

Last night was the big night, and they loved it! They got to have hot cocoa and snacks, watch the Polar Express movie, make gingerbread houses and ornaments, and explore all the wonders of the kids' museum after hours! While they played their night away, I wandered around downtown, pathetically texted a friend about how lonely I was and guilted her into meeting me, treated myself to bath and body works goodies, Starbucks coffee AND a sea salt truffle from Boehms. Paco met us after work and wandered with us.

I'd share pictures of the kids' adorable gingerbread houses if they hadn't already eaten most of them. Part of the fun, I suppose!

COCKTAILS, ANYONE?

Oh, how I could go for a cocktail right about now. I had the workday from you. know. where. In fact, it was such a fantastic day that I am going back tomorrow morning at 3am. Somebody pinch me, I must be dreaming. Who knew that my life would be so glamorous. If only I could spend every day at work accomplishing the impossible, completing work on an unrealistic labor budget, bringing my work home, and of course doing it all with a smile on my face because, of course, I can indeed work miracles and am more than happy to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Back to that cocktail. Given that we are heading out to the door in a short bit to Gracie's daisy scout meeting, it would seem apparent that alcohol would be a poor choice right now. You know. 'Cause I'm driving and all. Instead I will have to settle for a hot cup of hazelnut coffee served with a side of bitter and angry.

It just doesn't taste the same.

THE TREE. FINALLY.

Well, we finally got around to putting up the tree. Quite a bit later than we usually do. While we were partaking in tree-trimming merriness....our dogs were nestled snug in their beds being no help at all...
Glad to see someone is getting some well deserved rest around here.

WAKEY WAKEY

Up early yet again this morning as its going to be a busy day! Church, grocery shopping, birthday thank-you's to write, sorting through the kids' school papers, trip to the gym, housework and possibly putting up the Christmas tree. Everything is creeping up on me so fast! I've decided to nix Christmas cards this year so don't be surprised when you don't get one! HA!

I spent yesterday evening lying around playing with Paco's new blackberry phone. I'm hooked! SOOOO much fun stuff to do!

FINDING MY SPIRIT

I've really had a tough time getting in the holiday spirit this year. Part of it is related to my job. The grocery "biz" is exhausting this time of year. Every day at work is overload. I've been dealing with Christmas product daily since mid October. I've had enough! We've done nothing at home to decorate. We may put the tree up tomorrow but thats all I'm doing inside this year. I think part of the reason for my hesitation is that I'm just so tired of the commercialism of Christmas.

Every year I feel horrible about buying and receiving gifts that none of us need. Meanwhile, there are children out there in true need. Families living in shelters at night and out in the cold during the day. Children who ask for coats for Christmas. My children have so much that they can't even comprehend what its like to "need". There are children out there fighting for their lives....like little Kate McCrae in Arizona. I've posted her story on my blog a few times. She will be spending Christmas and her birthday in the hospital battling brain cancer. Sorry, but presents are the last thing on my mind right now. Our family will be donating to "Kate's crazy cool Christmas"....something that the McCrae family started to help make Christmas as great as possible for children in Oncology units. You can read more about this here....http://prayforkate.com/#/christmas/

Of course, I'm sure your local hospitals have something similar, but I have felt a connection to this story for the past several months, and feel led to help out the McCrae family.

If that doesn't put you in the holiday spirit, what will?

Next year, I'd like to encourage us all to donate our christmas money to helping another family in a big way. You could help out as a family at a local shelter, buy tons of presents for kids off the tree-of-sharing, help feed a family for a month...the possiblities are endless. Of course, Cole and Gracie will get "santa gifts", because thats such a fun part of Christmas for them, but an even better gift that we can give them is the lesson of genorisity to those less fortunate than us. We're also going to set aside more time for looking at Christmas lights, marveling at the tree display at the Davenport hotel and going on the horse and carriage ride with Grandma, sledding, walks in the snow, reading Christmas books, and just enjoying each other. We'll spend time at our church celebrating the REAL reason for this season. We'll pray for the less fortunate, and be ever so thankful for our own blessings.

I think I'm finding my spirit!

REMINDERS OF LAST YEAR

Last year we had record snowfalls here in Spokane. The kids had several snow days spent frolicking in the mountains of snow. Thought I'd share a few pictures...