Six Sickies

We are on quarantine. If you remember last week, we left off with a teething baby, runny noses, a migraine headache and an ear infection. This week we stirred the pot and added in a cold for Phillip, digestive tract malese for the adults, and 6 bouts of stomach flu. The crown on it all was part of my top right molar chipping off in the middle of 4 photo sessions I had on Tuesday. The tooth felt so strange, I spent most of the night in pain and discomfort. The flu started on Wednesday with Everett barfing all over his feet and boots as he sat on his potty in the bathroom. It went downhill from there. I caught it next, enjoying the cold company of the porcelain throne over night. Phillip and Justin came next on Friday. Lastly, Amelia and Evelyn on Saturday. I declared a quarantine last night after Evelyn barfed on Justin's chest as he put her to bed. So today we are holed up with a foggy day outside. It is pretty nice to have a day together. The kids got up early this morning, I was already up with Evelyn. I put on "The Messiah" and cleaned the basement while the kids played with stamps and paper. They made invitations to a tea party, then had a tea party. Now they are playing turtles with the couch cushions. The cushions are making fun little houses for the kids to play in. If there is anything I enjoy, it is watching my kids in imaginative play. The house smells wonderful with the aroma of split pea soup simmering in the crock pot. Yum.

Monday we joined the Grunig, Jones, and Rognon families at the rest home to sing carols as we walked around the halls. Phillip was sick with a cold so he wore a fancy mask to keep the germs to himself. We had a lot of fun singing to the patients there. A few folks asked us to stay and sing a couple songs. Everyone drove to Bertha's home after and sang a couple carols to her as well. I think we might have a new tradition.

Tuesday I had 4 photo sessions. I arranged to pick up some old doors to use as a backdrop. The lady never showed up so I ended up just borrowing some doors from my friend's stash. Justin had to help me carry the doors downstairs because they were quite heavy. I loved the set up for this slue of photos. It was actually one paid session, and three other tag alongs. Sister Peters brought her grandson Gideon for his year photos. Everett was very please to have a captive audience when we left to do some family photos with Gideon and his parents. Elaine Peters stayed to play with Everett. He played some number game for an hour with her outside in the yard. I had my neighbor come over for a couple mommy/son photos for a Christmas card. Then Michelle came over to update Annabelle's photos for her 9 mth year mark. My tooth chipped during Annabelle's session. Lastly, I "tried" to get some photos of my kids. That was well...interesting. The best outtake was one of Everett picking his nose while Phillip observed.

Wednesday I went to the dentist to get my chipped tooth and a cavity filled. I was only gone 30 minutes! My mouth was numb until dinner time, so numb I bit through my lip and tongue. Yeowch. We stayed home from YW this week with the flu bug.

Thursday I finished sewing up the Christmas stockings. It took me a week! I think that is a miracle. Each day I did a little work, like cutting, sewing parts, pinning, ironing, sewing, turning, ironing, etc. We have fun making words out of our stocking names: pee, ape, jap, jeep, eep, etc.

Justin went to Denver area after dinner on Thursday for an early morning Friday meeting. He reported a terrible night spent in the hotel with the flu. He left for home right after his meeting, poor guy stayed home the rest of the day in bed.

Our kids are so whiny this week. Saturday was the worst. I finally got Jeremy's package mailed. Amelia and Phillip got to shop at the holiday store at Central Elementary school. Every year the district hosts a little store that stocks gifts ranging from $.50 to $5.00, the kids can come with a list, budget, and money. Parents get to stay in the hall! Amelia emptied her piggy bank and spent $10! She was pretty cute shopping for gifts. We rushed to a wedding lunch for Sarah Wager and her new husband. Then off to Cabela's to see Santa. I now have a collection of 6 Santa photos taken at the store! Some guy was also on the balcony singing Christmas Carols...he had the best voice! I was very impressed. The kids were very excited to visit Santa. Amelia asked for a pottery wheel, Phillip wants a super nova battle rover, and Everett asked for a teddy bear. Evelyn of course was pretty distraught to be near a stranger with lots of white fuzz and very little face showing. Everett threw a decent tantrum a little while after we left Santa. We hustled the kids (aka whiners) out of the store.