{Ahh..the little things}

New Years Eve to-do list

Yes, I like to make lists - but I am not sure i ever have made one for a New Years Eve night at home :)  There is always a first time for everything though, right?

To-do tonight...

• eat Chinese take out that Daddy is bringing home for dinner
• play games with the kiddos (which will include Pictureka & Sorry, without a doubt) 
• don't let Aves sleep too long or we'll be up waaaay past Midnight
• enjoy the cheese/salsa/sausage dip in the crock pot
• drink sparkling cider from fancy (plastic) glasses
• makes lots of noise & wear our silly hats
• watch the ball drop
• see if the kids can make it until Midnight
• have fun just being together  :)

In the next few days I hope to finish (or re-start) a slide show featuring some of my favorite pictures through-out 2008.  I attempted to make one today, but smilebox  & rockyou both crashed on me, and the one I saved in smilebox has 200+ pics and no speed control.  And the speed they do have?  W-A-Y    S-L-O-W and let's face it...I do not even want to watch my own slideshow in *super* slow motion  :)  I wasted the day away on the computer trying, but that's okay.  That allowed for the kiddos to play uninterrupted & make BIG messes.  I'm sure they would all agree it was a fun day - and there is more to come!

Kaden is COVERED in the pox, but seems to be feeling fine.  Tomorrow is the "start to be itchy" day though, so we'll see how that goes, because he seems to have them the worst yet.  Poor Daddy will be the one home with him, as I am going to go to that last Christmas get-together after all.  I need a break every now and then & feel lucky to have a hubby that will give it to me  :)

Wishing you all a Safe & Happy New Years Eve!

it's official

I hate the chicken pox. And their terribble, horrible timing.

Tomorrow we were heading up to my step-sister's for a kid friendly New Years Eve party, then the next day we were having our Christmas. 

Kaden broke out today, exactly two weeks later. 

Um yeah...this holiday chickenpox stuff SUCKS.  The end.

maybe, maybe not

Maybe -  I will get to sleep in this week after all... today I was in bed until 9 AM  :)

Maybe not - we may not all stay healthy this week ...Kaden was staying at a friend's house tonight, and his Dad called to let me know Kaden was not feeling well.  I brought him home, fed him some dinner & sent him to bed - poor guy has fever of about 101 last I checked.  Guess what tomorrow is?  Exactly 2 weeks since Zander broke out with chicken pox, which has a 7-14 day incubation period.  And 14 days later?  We will see...

Tonight I am praying for Stellan - won't you join me?

a long winter's nap

Goodness, I just had one - cuddled on the couch in a new blanket.  Ahh...

I needed a nap because I am officially old & can not handle staying out late with friends, and being a Momma first thing in the morning :)  We had a great time at an adult Christmas party last night though, and even beforethe nap, I decided that we were all laying low today.  In fact, most of us stayed in our jammies all day!  It was wonderful and relaxing around here, and I can not remember the last time it has been like that.

My grandma taught me to knit a few weeks ago, and I have not taken much time with it - because of all of the Christmas crazy.  I must have just been waiting for it to end because I came home on Christmas night, threw a frozen lasagna into the oven & knitted.  It was so relaxing.  Today, I picked it up again - right before I fell asleep, so it must really relax me :)  I am knitting a scarf (ot at least trying) right now.  Some rows look awful, but I figure for my first try I am doing pretty well.  I tend to pick up a stitch every now and then, but my Nanny also taught me to knit two together when that happens.  I am learning & I am enjoying it.  She bought me some bamboo needles for Christmas, and I feel like they are so much easier for me, and it seems to be moving along alot faster too.  Maybe I am just finally catching on though - who knows?

Speaking of Christmas, we had a wonderful one (many of them, actually).  The kids were all healthy in time to go to all of the rest of our Christmases, and they all received so many gifts - they loved every minute of it.  I am not enjoying the mess of all of these new things, but the kids are having a great time playing with everything, so I just deal with it :)  They would have a hard time choosing their favorites, I bet - with the exception of Kaden.  Santa brought him Guitar hero III, and that made his Christmas "the best ever".

There are SO many great pictures from all of our celebrations, I might have to upload them to an on line gallery so that I can share them all with friends & family.  If I do, I'll post a link here too.  I always love the pictures from my Grandparent;s house because they have two walls that are covered in large french doors/windows - which makes for awesome natural light pictures.  I LOVE pictures with sunlight - they are my favorite!  Here is a cute one of Ava taking her job of opening gifts very seriously :)

I just put the kids to bed now (I've been working on this post all evening) and I can hear them all giggling from the bedroom - such a fun sound!  Normally I would try to shush them, but because there is no school - they can giggle away tonight.  I can't believe that they have the whole next week off - it seems like we've all been home for weeks already as it is with the whole chicken pox thing.  It will be great to stay home (& hopefully healthy) this week, enjoying the new stuff and hanging out here at home.  I'm looking forward to some sleeping in - but that NEVER works out for me, LOL.  I am also waiting for one of my gifts in the mail - a new scrapping storage tote - so that gives me something else to look forward to this week.  I can't wait to get it & fill it up with all of my scrapping things. 

Okay, it is getting late now, so I need to get to bed myself.  The kids finally crashed hours ago, and I still never finshed this darn post!

thankful

  For a nice, relaxing day with my Dad's family.  I needed it, and I am feeling MUCH better than I was this morning.  The big kids & I had a chance to spend some time together, and we even have a picture to prove that we all still like each other :)

And then, we arrived home to a CLEAN house -which was a huge treat (thanks Honey)!

The kids are now tucked in (yet too excited to sleep), the cookies have been set out for Santa,  and I am just waiting....soon enough I will be busy as a bee.  I've finished as much as I can until they give in & fall asleep.  There are a ton of gifts hidden in the car that still need wrapped, so I hope they fall asleep SOON :)   I can't wait until morning - they will be ecstatic, as I think everyone is receiving at least one of the things that they simply can  not live without, LOL!

I wish that you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS tomorrow, and that Santa brings you just what you are asking for this year  :)

one more day...

  And we actually did get a chance for some of the things on our Christmas to-do list! 

While shopping for me yesterday, Harry & the kids picked up a gingerbread kit, and we had fun decorating together last night.  The older two kids really got into the details this year, making both a wreath on the house, and a mailbox (complete with a flag!). 

Of course, things in our house are always changing from good to bad or back again.  While decorating the house, we realized that Zander's eye was looking very red, and he said it really hurt.  Great, I bet it is pink eye!  I must confess, it is all my fault too...

On the 2nd day of chicken pox, I noticed the same thing -  as well as a pox (pock?) in his eye.  The Dr. did see us (through a side door, and away from the other patients, no less) and said that although it did not look *exactly* like pink eye (no weeping), we would begin treatment just in case, because it is so contagious and I had everyone at home already.  I gave him the drops that night, but noticed that it was clear the next day, so I stopped the drops thinking it had just been irritated that day.  Bad move, I know.  And here we are, the night before we have to go someplace, with pink eye.  Nice.  Harry will be staying home today after all, as the drops need 24 hrs to work before he can be around others *sigh*

Last night before bed, I thought I would try to snap a picture of the kids in their jammies by the tree...as you can see, that did not work out either. 

(Poor Zander!)

Then, just when I thought that the day was (finally) over, and everyone was quietly watching Christmas movies - Kaden tells out at me from the bedroom that Ava threw up all over my bed.  Are you flippin' serious?  Both she & Zander had a cough with their chicken pox, and at bedtime, they seem to really get coughing.  Zander had done the same thing the night before.  There has literally been puke in some form at our house everyday for a week - even though I was the only one with a stomach bug.  I am SOOOOOO done. with. puke. (and all other sickies). period.

So, tomorrow is the big day.  I wish I were in better spirits, I really do....

it's almost time

I sure wish I felt like I was a little more ready for it...

Christmas break officially begins today at 3:15 pm when I pick the big kids up from school! 

I can hardly believe it is here already.  I've been here at home, wrapped up in what was going here, and not doing much else.  Of course, I've had to do some lots of shopping, but that is about all I've done this year. 

I've not been making my usual goodies, other than a batch of fudge for MOPS (that was also canceled).  I've had the supplies for bark and other goodies, but I think that the bake sale baking had me all baked out for awhile.  There has not been a gingerbread house decorated this year, no school made ornaments (as Zander missed the entire last week of pre-school), no visit to Santa, none of the Christmas fun stuff has been done.

Soooo.....

I am thinking we will try to shove as much as I can into the next couple of days  :) 

The little ones & I worked on a very simple ornament this morning using a recent picture (yes, I was sure to use a chicken pox one for Zander!), and I'll do one with the big kids tonight.  I am also going to try to get a gingerbread kit today at some point so that we can put it together tonight and maybe decorate it tomorrow before we head to my Dad's family Christmas.  Maybe we can even fit a visit to Santa in there somewhere tonight or tomorrow between other things.

Speaking of that, Ava is starting to scab over & it looks like we will be able to attend all of the get-togethers this week after all.  I am SO glad that this is behind us (of course, except for Kaden...) and that over all, it was not too bad.  I am also VERY glad that we will all be able to stay together for the rest of our Christmas(es), as the idea of just Harry or I and the healthy kids going was upsetting, yet unavoidable!

I still need a good picture of the kids by the tree, even though the cards have already been sent.  I through together some *okay* picturess of them because time was running out.  Next year, I vow to take my time and plan things out better because I was not totally happy with the pictures, or the cards.  But what is done, is done.  Time to move on & get busy with all of our Christmas fun stuff, because Santa will be here before we know it  :)

PS - I just remembered that I have an entire box of graham crackers & we used them for "gingerbread" houses before - yay!

getting better

Yesterday was tough for Ava.  I am not sure if it was her fever, her lack of sleep or the extreme itching, but she was cranky. all. day. long. (and into the night too).

Today is a new day, and she is a new little girl.  I am so glad, it was horrible not being able to comfort my baby, she was miserable.  I was even at the point last night that I was about to go to ER just to get them to give her something to comfort her.  I had maxed out what I could give her, and tried everything I knew to try.  It was awful.  

But, as you can see from the picture, she is feeling much better today :)

Harry & Kaden went to the first of our family Christmas gatherings today.  I almost let Ellie & Zander go too, as they look better at first glance, but after I looked closely, I found a few open sores on each of them.  So, instead we are here (not so) patientaly waiting for Daddy & big brother to arrive home....with presents!

ahhhh...

(that is a happy sigh)!

I am feeling better today :)  Completely better, thank God.  It feels so good to feel "normal" again - it's so funny how that works.

The bigger kids are starting to look better, in fact, Zander is almost all scabs just maybe one or two red pox.  Ava, on the other hand is coming into the worst of it.  She hardly slept last night, and is now covered in red bumps which means tomorrow. she. will. itch. itch. itch.  After her bath this morning, I already started the calamine lotion with her. With the other kids, we waited until they complained (which was only a few times - honestly), but with her I am trying to dry them before they even get here!

So, my plans for today are to get all of my "ducks in a row" as far as Christmas is concerned.  I've still not had time to do the "make sure the presents are all even"thing, so as soon as I can sneak a chance, I will try.  I can probably do a list and check the actual stash late when the kids are asleep.  Then I need to get wrapping, and go pick up some stocking stuffers and any last minute things I still need.  The stores will be a zoo, I should probably wait until Monday or Tuesday - but I've waited long enough.  I have to get things finished up TODAY!

quick update

Wednesday - snow (ice) day...no school, no MOPS- I went to the library & did some shopping while Harry stayed home with the kids.  I still have a ton to do, but as usual - life gets in the way.

Thursday - Ava broke out with the chicken pox, I attended my much anticipated ornament swap & it was funny because most of us made felt ornaments this year!  Zander was so excited when I arrived home with a basket of new ornaments, that he put them all on the tree before I could snap a picture, so I'll try in the next few days.  There are some VERY cute ones!

Later that night our sitter agreed (even with the pox!!!) that she would come over to let us go to dinner with my family formy grandpa's (Papa) 80th birthday.  I started feeling queasy through dinner, and will spare the details as to the rest of my night...

Friday - I am no longer "sick" but just feeling all over like CRAP because I did not sleep well last night.  I've laid on the couch all. day. long. (between itch baths & normal care of the kids) and still feel weak, but I am sitting at the computer instead of the couch, which means I must be getting a little better  :)  I snapped a few pictures of the kids this evening, although I am not scrapping much these days, I figured that the chicken pox were worth documenting one of these days.

With Ava's break out, it extended our "contagious" period meaning we will be missing a few of the family gatherings.  I think our "plan" is that we will each take Kaden with us to our side of the family, and bring home the gifts for the rest of the kids.  It stinks to think of us separating, but I think (for the moment anyway) that it would be better than all staying home the entire time.  We will just be leaving for a few hours at a time & I think it is only fair for Kaden too - who has some how (thus far) avoided getting any spots!

I think this pretty much sums up the last couple of days.  I wanted to post something new though because my last postwas quite grumpy & I did not want anyone to worry that I had not updated since.  We are doing fine - the older kids are at the itchy point now, but nothing that a little baking soda bath does not cure.  It seems to help the girls the most because they have alot of spots in some hard to treat areas *ahem*   Zander's head & face seem to be affected more than the girls which seems strange given he has the least amount of hair.  Overall though, I can't complain - and they aren't either :)

How about a  happy thing - just for fun?  I borrowed The Best Christmas Pageant Ever from the library to read aloud to the kids.  Today as I laid on the couch, I started to read it myself, and it made me smile thinking back to reading it as a grade school child myself!

Okay, I've had my share of sitting upright - off to bed...