on the mend

I pretty much jinxed myself saying I haven't been sick in ages.  I'm siiiicckkkk.  I'm using every single oil I can to get through this cold though.  I'm rubbing and diffusing and breathing in the hot steamy oily water.  It helps and I'm going to cut my sick time in half.  I'm on a glass half full mission to blast this cold away.  After a friend recommended it I used rosemary and peppermint in my boiling pot.  My skin looks amazing because I got a facial at the same time. ;-)

Lily is enjoying my lazy days on the couch.  I've read 2 books so far this week and am starting a 3rd book.  I'm missing my workouts, but I just want to feel better, so I'm not guilting myself to death about missing a week of lifting weights.

My throat hurt so bad this morning and I had enough.  I don't usually ingest my oils, but DID! I poured honey and a few drops of each of these oils, peppermint, frankincense and lemon into this medicine cup.  I swallowed it down really fast and WOW!  I thought I was going to breath fire for a few minutes, but dang it.  I CAN BREATHE again!

I whipped up a 'whatever I had in the cabinets' chicken soup and enjoyed it with an audience in front of the fire.  These dogs are starving, you'd think I never feed them.  The kids will be home from school soon and I'm hoping to feel better.  Gary has been out of town and you know crazy things happen when he's gone, like this and this and kinda like this week.  I'm siiiiccckkk.  LOL!  

It's Friday and a cold front is heading our way.  I'm ready to stay all warm and snuggly this weekend and enjoy time with Gary when he gets back into town tomorrow!

thinking of MeMaw

The last year has been very hard on Gary's mom.  She has been in an assisted living for years, but her dementia has gotten worse and she has fallen multiple times and been in and out of the hospital the past 6 months.  It is heartbreaking and has been very emotional. It's hard to be away from family in Texas during this time, but we also know she isn't the same MeMaw we once knew. She's angry often, she gets frustrated and demanding.  It's so sad to see her different from the woman I met 19 years ago.   

Due to her declining health we were forced to move her from her assisted living and into a nursing home type setting.  She seriously was there for maybe 6 days and she was back in the hospital.  She's been in the hospital since.

I feel like Gary and I are too young to have a parent with dementia. I think Gary's mom should be picking up the kids and taking them shopping and out to lunch. Sadly, she hasn't been the same since Gary's dad died 11 years ago. Yes, she survived a horrible car accident that had her in the hospital for over a year, but that accident has always effected her health. 

I mean look at that car.  God saved her because the entire front of that car is awfully crushed. (September 2005)

I have a giant lump in my throat right now.  We just got a phone call from the hospital.  She has been there for over a week this time due to her being over medicated by the nursing home.  She seemed to have somewhat recovered, but now like before she can't swallow food or her pills. This has happened before, but this time she rips out her IV's and her feeding tube.  She has moments of clarity and she told the nurse she was done fighting.  She has lost so much weight and has been refusing food since before she was last admitted to the hospital.  She has expressed her feelings to Gary and I multiple times and even signed the forms back in 2004. We know that her wishes are to go to heaven to be with her husband.  It sucks and it isn't fair for Gary to have lost both parents when he is so young, but it is true life.  If she doesn't fight and get her medications for her blood pressure she will die. 

Gary is heading to Dallas for work meetings, and he will get to see her tonight.  We'd appreciate all the prayers we can get for our family.  We have many many decisions to make and none of them will be easy.  I just want her to be pain free.  She knows she's going to heaven and she is ready, but only God knows when she will go home.  She gets better and worse so quickly and we just never know what will happen next.  I'm just praying daily for peace!

snow and avoiding the sickies

After living in Ohio I am quite embarrassed about EVER being cold in Texas.  I am NOT complaining about the cold here in Ohio, but it is quite funny to think that we EVER needed big coats or even boots in Texas.

On a related note, I can't even look at a picture of my friends kids back home without thinking, 'Dang put a coat on those babes.'  haha!  And then I realize they aren't in Ohio, so they can wear shorts and a t-shirt in 68 degree weather.

And since I'm really into the weather it seems, we are expecting 3-8 inches of snow tonight and into tomorrow.  The weathermen here are WAY worse at guessing the weather than the weathermen in Texas.  Who knows what will happen?  All I know is I'm avoiding the grocery store because people are cray cray here when the weather gets snowy.  Yep, pretty much like in Texas too.

Check out the map.  All that business is heading towards us. Good grief!

As you know, I've had the stomach bug and so has Gary and both kids.  After the Masquerade ball it seems like everyone I know got the stomach bug too.  It's crazy.  Really crazy.  At least 3 couples have flu like symptoms and two of my new besties are really sick right now.  I keep finding out about more people sick with the bug.  It really is the #stomachbugof2013  It's taken over the whole town.  I'm scared I'm gonna get it again.  Nooooooo!  I've been scrubbing and cleaning the house like crazy just in case!  Today after I dropped Hayden off at preschool I had lunch with Gary and then I came home and cleaned and played with Lily.  She is a wild woman and I don't get to play with her much because the kids usually hog her up!

I have had several people ask me about how she is doing and what is going on in the potty training department.  I'll try to devote a post to her later this week or next week.  She really is doing great.  As many of you know we had a little boy puppy named Bogey.  Well,  he was possessed.  He is the reason I waited so long to get another dog.  She is NOTHING like him and I have never been more thankful!  She is a sweet girl and she is learning the rules of our house quite nicely.

And this is where I write a nice closing sentence or paragraph to end this blog post.  Sometimes I'm so terrible at wrapping up my posts.  Oh well, I never said I was a professional writer and I'm sure I have spelling errors and even grammatical errors from time to time.  What you see is what you get  from me.  Sometimes I write fast and furiously so I can stop the puppy from chewing up her toy basket.  Other times I have go look at the mega block creations the kids have made in the playroom.  Right now I have to cook sloppy joes for dinner because the kids requested them.  They have asked me 458 times when dinner is going to be ready, so I guess I should go cook huh?!

I'm out!

Friday night fun!

Gary fell victim to the terrible stomach bug this week. Poor guy. He was in bed for a day and a half. I still can't believe he got it almost 2 weeks after we did.

I know this is gonna sound crazy, but we all know I'm a little crazy! I think both of our dogs got the stomach bug too. The day after Layla got sick Lily didn't eat all day long and she threw up. The SAME thing happened with Daisy when Gary was sick. I'm not even kidding!! I think it's crazy. Layla wouldn't touch Daisy the past few days because she was worried she'd get sick! I wonder if dogs can get our germs?!

Friday after work Gary finally felt good enough to eat a good meal. We decided to take the kids out to dinner at the Townhouse. It's a fun little 'hole in the wall' place.  There were kids everywhere. They were playing darts and laughing and having a fun time.  It was a loud and fun place.


  I had a great grilled cheese sandwich with bacon. Ahhhhh bacon! Mmmmmm!

Layla devoured a cheeseburger.  I captured the best picture of her.  It makes me giggle.

I'm thankful we are all healthy again. I'm telling you what....we've had more sickness since we moved here to Ohio.  It's crazy. I'm ready for some health in this house. We rarely got sick in Texas.  I know it was just our time and it's just a coincidence that it's happening since we moved.

But sheesh.... My hands are so dry and cracking because I wash them all.the.time.  I've tried every single lotion on the market, so if you need some lotion come on over.  I could open my own drugstore with my hand lotion supply.

Bring on Springtime! Yes, I realize I say the same thing about spring time in every post. Haha! I might be ready! This time last year we were getting the trailer ready to camp.  Our little clan is ready to camp here in Ohio. We're can't wait to camp and explore our new state!

Happy March y'all!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Another one bites the dust...

I'm so sad to say that Hayden is the second victim of the terrible stomach bug. It hit him this afternoon almost 48 hours after Layla got it.

He has been lucky in his 4.5 years of life. This is his first time to throw up. He said, "Mommy, I wish I wasn't sick because I have the sniffles and the stomach bug!" He also said to Gary, "Daddy I don't want to touch you because you will get the stomach germ."

Layla seems better today and she is even getting her appetite back. She didn't go to school today and she doesn't have school Monday for Presidents Day, so she will be very well rested and recovered. Hello 5 day weekend!

I am still sniffly, but so far I have dodged the stomach nastiness. I'm terrified I'm next! Ugh!!!

Y'all stay far far away from our house!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The things that happen when Gary travels

Do you remember back a few years ago when I wrote about how things go crazy when Gary is out of town?  Just because it is true and unbelievable read that post if you haven't.  Guess what?  Gary is out of town and the past day has been wild and crazy.  I may go into too much detail about a few things, so feel free to skip over the TMI parts.

Yesterday started out as a normal day.  Hayden and I headed to my Zumba class and I was feeling a little stuffy, but I assumed it was just allergies the wind blew in on Tuesday when it was 61 degrees and windy.  I knew Zumba would be a challenge with a stuffy nose, but I pushed through it.  Hayden on the other hand sneezed 500 times and was a snotty mess.  I decided to keep him home from school because he just looked so pitiful.

Hayden and I lounged around and used half a box of tissues.  I rested because Lily hasn't been sleeping through the night yet.  I have to take her outside during the night, so I'm a little drained from no sleep.  I have to say it is worth it though, because she is a sweet girl.  She is the best Valentine's day gift ever and the puppy/potty training phase will be over so fast.  I don't mind a few weeks of random sleep.

We picked Layla up from school in the snow.  I was shocked to see it was snowing when I looked out the window.  The snowflakes were the biggest I've ever seen.  

Once we got home from school we all had a snack and then Layla said her stomach started to hurt. Turns out she has a stomach virus that hit right about bed time.  Bedtime can get hectic around here and with Gary gone and a puppy too ... I was already struggling to get clean sheets on Hayden's bed.  Then Layla got sick all over the living room, kitchen and downstairs bathroom.  I literally thought I was going to die.

I needed a towel around my face to clean it up.  

Meanwhile Hayden was so stuffy he couldn't sleep or breathe.

I had him sitting in a chair near the window breathing in cool air.  Daisy was scarred to death hiding somewhere and Lily had to be crated due to all the commotion   It was like in the movies.  haha!  I was in an action packed sick house and even though I was stuffy I still struggled with cleaning barf.  IT was everywhere.  Bless Layla's heart.  I don't think she has thrown up in YEARS.  I don't think she knew what was going on.  I remember when I was a kid and I couldn't make it to the bathroom.  It's just so sad.

Layla's night was very rough and she is sad about missing school today on Valentine's day.  She still isn't 100% comfortable at her new school and for her to be excited to go made me happy.  After she got sick she was so upset to be missing school.  It's just so sad.

Hayden and Daisy have been resting today.  He isn't going to school again today because I am so tired.  I can't imagine getting Layla into the car to drop him off at school.  AND as bad as this stomach virus is, I don't want him eating a bunch of junk if he gets sick today.  I hope Hayden and I are spared, but I feel like I may be feverish.  Layla has fever, and I was with her all night last night.  I hope I don't get sick, but the rumor is going around that this bug is brutal.

Gary is heading home tomorrow and I hope he doesn't get sick.  Valentine's day is not at all what I expected and I am thankful we didn't have big plans today.  We would have missed them for sure.  I still can't believe all this happened once again while Gary is gone.  Hey, at least we don't have a bee hive the size of my head in the backyard! ;)  Things can always be worse right?!