And the Word of the Day is...

Pertussis.

Whooping Cough.

Mike has it.

Not even kidding.

Thanksgiving 2009

I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats, anxiously awaiting news of our latest Thansgiving debacle (tragedy, drama, whatever you want to call it).

Sam came into the bedroom this morning and when I opened my eyes I saw this




looking back at me.

I was horrified. He had red spots all over his face. Further investigation confirmed they were ALL OVER HIS BODY.

So, I grabbed a shower and loaded him into the van for a return trip to the acute care clinic in town (I knew they were opened today because they had a sign on the door when I was there last Thursday and this past Tuesday).

While I was in the shower, Mike got online and started looking up rashes. Just let me say upfront, that was a very bad choice. The only thing he could find that looked like what Sam had and fit his symptoms was MEASLES! Needless to say, I freaked out all the way to town.

It turns out the Prince is allergic to Ammoxicillan. It was what the doc prescribed for Sam's ear infection last week. He had never had it before and so we had no way of knowing. So he now has a different prescription and a week's wait for the rash to go away. And, his ear is still red and bulging. Apparently, in addition to being allergic to it, it was ineffective also.

He came home, ate a little lunch, then wanted to lay down with me on my bed (something we never do). Grace ate some chocolate pudding then went to bed. Less than 30 minutes later, she threw up her chocolate pudding.

It's never ending.

So, how was your Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is Dead to Me

For the past, oh probably five or six years, someone (usually me) has been sick on or around Thanksgiving. I spent one Thanksgiving vomiting then breaking out into hives and going to the ER. The year I was pregnant with Sam, the smell of turkey and gravy made me ill (more vomiting). Two years ago, more vomiting. My family celebrated without me (again).

This year I am the only one not sick.

Mike has had a bug for a week now. Grace and Sam are running fevers and coughing (and Sam has an ear infection), and Miracle has the flu.

I've got everything I need to fix a Thanksgiving meal but ya know what? I'm not doing it because no one really feels like eating it.

Right now I don't care about the Pilgrims and how difficult everything was for them and how they were helped by the natives Peoples.

I. Just. Do. Not. Care.

Thanksgiving is dead to me.

This Morning Grace Made an Important Decision

We were in my bedroom, and she asked me if Jesus lived in our hearts. I told her, yes, He did, if we asked Him to.

"I'm going to go look for Him in my bedroom." (She's always looking for Him. Cracks me up.)

She came back in and announced that, although she had looked "everywhere" she just couldn't find Him in her bedroom. Then she said,

"I asked Jesus to live in my heart."

I was so excited about this! But, being Grace, there had to be more.

"Won't He get blood?"

"Will He have to take a shower today? I think He will because of the blood."

For the Low, Low Price of $6.62...

we filled up the van Saturday. And, it was half empty!

Do you realize the wonderfulness of that? Usually it takes around $30 at the half tank level. It can easily go over $40 if it's lower.

But on Saturday it was $6.62.

How is this possible? you ask.

Two words: Giant Eagle.

I started going to Giant Eagle a couple months ago. I found that, although our bill might be a bit higher up front, we actually save money over the long run because we've stopped making quick trips in "Just to pick up a few things." That, my friends, is the power of breaking the WalMart habit.

That's right, we are no longer WalMart shoppers.

And we spend less money.

And, because of FuelPerks, we pay $6.62 to fill up the van.

It's a win-win situation.

Well, thankfully that's over with!

My (mostly) oblivious teen made a half-batch of chocolate chip cookie dough for me to help fight off the grumps. My throat is feeling better, and swelling is pretty much gone. Grace still talks too much and Sam still won't wipe his nose, but, baby steps, right?

Mike and the girls are at church. Sam and I got to stay home because he has a nasty sounding cough. Last week we got a notice after Sunday school that the class had been exposed to Whooping Cough, so we're not taking any chances. I don't think that's what he has because his cough is very wet sounding. From what I've read, in the beginning stages Whooping Cough is very dry. Hopefully we're safe.

Loony Tunes has been the theme of the morning. We've watched almost all the Road Runners and most of the Elmer Fudd ones. Sam gets his gun, says, "I'm Elmer Fudd, Mommy," and runs back the hallway to wait. He comes up the hall singing his song and shooting ducks and rabbits.
It's been very entertaining.

Nothing else is really going on. Maybe I can find some new pictures to share. Hold on a minute.

Okay, sorry, can't right now. Something's going on with Blogger and it won't let me add any images.

The Bad Mood Mom Strikes Again

So I'm in a bad mood today.

It's not something I deliberately planned. It's as much a surprise to me as it is to my children.

And we are all so thrilled about it.

I guess I woke up like this. I haven't been sleeping well for going on a week. My throat is doing this sore/swollen thing. The glands in my neck have been swollen and sore (A doctor you say? Surely not!). I finally discovered if I cover my face with the sheet I can sleep for longer than twenty minutes at a time. But then I get hot because so much of me is covered up and I get all sweaty. Ugh. I hate that. The nights have not been blissful.

Plus with Grace and Sam, let's just say it's been challenging. Grace absolutely never stops talking. Seriously, she'll talk, talk, talk, ask a question, talk, talk, talk, repeat the question, tall, talk, talk, demand an answer, talk, talk, talk. She never gives you a chance to actually answer the question. Or, by the time you do she has no idea what you're talking about because she's been talking so much she can't remember the question. Plus, she's a sneaky little mastermind who comes up with wonderful schemes designed to get Sam in the maximum amount of trouble possible while she sits back and grins.

Yes, at the tender age of five she's one of them.

And then there's Sam. He "misses" absolutely everybody. You can be holding him on your lap and he'll turn around, bury his head on your shoulder, and tell you he "miss you." He also does this regarding the parent who is not around when he's getting into trouble (He misses hos dad all day long.). And he whines about everything. Every. Little. Thing. And he throws temper tantrums. Very loud, dramatic ones, with much sound but little actual tears. And he refuses to wipe his own nose.

Miracle is hiding in her room, taking the day off from school. I knocked on her door and warned her of the grumpiness because she probably was unaware of it. (She is a teenager, you know.) She didn't seem too surprised. Huh. How bout that.

Anybody want to trade? Maybe my bad mood would go too.

Because You Always Wondered...

Why God made moms
answers given by elementary school age children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other Mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your Mom?
1. My Mom has always been my Mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did Mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work & work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your Mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back.