A NEW YEAR

HOORAY FOR 2010!!! Wishing you all a wonderful upcoming year. We had a late night last night and an early morning....so I'll be blogging tomorrow....

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