HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is now Wednesday night, December 19, and I am no closer to being ready for Christmas then I was yesterday. I am down to 2 days left to be ready, and I now wonder if it is going to happen before of after I have a breakdown. I am feeling a bit better, not near well, but better. I think the kidney infection has cleared, and pneumonia is clearing, I am still battling the cough and am so tired, but I really an feeling better than last week. Ben and the kids are on the mend as well, I am thankful for that. I am hopeful that we will stay that way through the holiday.

Ben am I have had to cancel yet another trip we were trying to go on ALONE. I am starting to think it is never going to happen. At least we have that lock on our bedroom door:) Someday I suppose we will have more time alone then I will be able to stand, but for now, we will find time between work, school and kids to see each other.

We had a very busy weekend. We went to pick my mom up at the airport at about 10pm, and on our way I got a call that Rebecca's baby was on the way to the ER. So, Ben and I dropped off the kids and the grandmother and mad a quick run to the hospital to fetch her two health(a relative term,as no one in either one of our families has been health in what seems like weeks!) Back to the house we come, and everyone is tucked in and asleep by 1:30. And my my was here, and did get up with the kids first in the morning, so it was all ok.

We took Saturday morning slow. Waiting to get word on Grayson. Word came and he was staying another night. So, Ben took the four older kids to the movies while I ran to the mall with my my and Maggie. When we got back my mom took Killi and I to get our nails done for Killi's birthday. It was great. I got my eyebrows done on Friday and my feet Saturday, I has made my illness a bit more manageable. I don't feel like I look so shitty anymore. Then we went to dinner and made a run to Target. Then home and off to bed.


Today was kinda a crazy day. I got up and had to make a cake for Killi's Birthday party. Why I thought I wanted to do this at my house on a Football Sunday, I am not sure. Not to mention I am still quite sick. So, no frosting at target, I made my own. It was fine, but then I needed to decorate the cake. I am not very creative and even less artistic. The cake look ok, and Killi liked it. So, it was good.

The best news of all is that Grayson came home, and stopped for cake on the way. Now, I will spend the week getting ready for Christmas. Wrapping, packing, shipping,
and I will get healthy too!(Here's hoping!)

I went to the doctor today. I have pneumonia and a kidney infection. My chest hurts, my ribs ache, I can't sleep because I just cough, I am so tired. Enough self-pity, now I will move on.

This morning, as we were loading up for school, Killi wrote her name on the side of my car. It was awesome. It was the first time she has ever written her name. It was so cool. I hope this is a step in the right direction. She cannot tell you what the letters are except "K", but I will take it and be excited for her. SHE ROCKS!

Maggie is not 100%, and I am not sure which direction we are moving in, she napped today and only does that when she is sick. I am hoping she is not going backwards on me.

Ben is recovering from his pneumonia. Now we play who can cough longer and harder. Fun game.

And Declan is Declan. He got his first report card ever this week. He did great. I am very proud of him. He is reading real books now. It is so cool.

My mom comes tomorrow to take care of us. I am very excited. She will do all my laundry and put it all away. I can't wait. She is the best mom in the world.

A MIXING OF FAITHS

After sharing with our family Declan's desire to celebrate Hanukkah, my husband's aunt(a nun) felt it necessary to send our children a "Christmas" coloring book, each page has a prayer and a picture of the Christmas Story. I thought this was very nice until I spoke to my mother-in-law who informed me that the book was not sent so much out of kindness as to remind us that OUR Family is Christian, and we need to refocus the children on that(I will have you know that at first glance of the book, all three of my kids knew it was a story about baby Jesus).

Boy, did I want to throw the book away after that! We (mostly me) have chosen to raise our children with as much knowledge as we can about other religions and cultures. We live in an area with great diversity and do all we can to introduce the kids to it. We also travel a great deal, mostly to vacation, but this is another great opportunity for our children to encounter people different than they are. Oh well, I will get off my high hose now, and accept the book as a kind gift and enjoy helping my kids learn about Jesus, after all, that is what Christmas is all about, right?

SANTA ARE YOU OUT THERE?

I cannot take it anymore. Enough is enough. I am so sick of being sick or having my house full of sick people. We were back at the doctor today. Maggie has raging double ear infections and Ben pneumonia. I did not go to the doctor myself, but really need to, I feel so ill. I cannot breath through my nose at all, and my chest hurts when I breath. My cough is so hard that I almost wet my pants every time I cough(I think birthing three children is not helping with that:) All in all our house is full of nasty, nasty germs. I carry around a can of Lysol and Clorox wipes and clean everything I can. I am not sure what else to do.

SANTA, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS A HEALTH FAMILY!!!!

HANUKKAH

Our Menorah hunting did not go as smoothly has we had hoped. Ben and I drove around town for an hour and a half, stopping by 10 stores and calling 2 others before we finally found a store that had one(thank you Bed, Bath and Beyond!). I could not believe the number of stores I went into where when I asked if they had a Menorah, they asked what it was, and they were serious. Anyway, we got ours and only missed one day of Hanukkah. We have lit a candle each night since at sundown, as we put on our Christmas Tree and Outside Christmas lights. The kids have really enjoyed learning about Hanukkah and even ate the latkes they helped make for dinner. Best part of all, they never asked about eight night of presents:)

PARTY ALL NIGHT!!!

Let me update everyone, there is alot to say, but I will share only a bit now. First, the baby is still sick. We are on day number 4, and I am so done. She has been in bed with us every night which has not made for good sleep. She sleeps for about 2 hours from about 10pm-2am then is up and down for the rest of the night. It is no good. This morning, Killi decided to join the party and get up at 4am with a fever and throwing up, it was awesome. A fun party we were having in our bed. Everyone is home from school today and resting, I am hoping tomorrow brings us some good health and sleep:)