SNOW MUCH FUN!!

This winter has been a little mellow. We really have not had a lot of snow; and when we DO get it, it's not on the ground very long before it melts. Unlike a few years ago when there was a seven foot snow drift in my yard between us and the neighbors. Just walking into it you would get lost. I am sad that my children did not even get to build a snowman and I didn't get pictures of it. That's the second year for me with no snowman pictures. Do my children NOT understand that mom LOOOVES to scrapbook and I've got cute snowman paper to use!! COME ON KIDS!!

So though we didn't get a snowman, they sure did get some playtime in. Nicholas really got to enjoy it this year. He got a little sled and loves being pulled around in it. Although when his brother made a sharp turn and he face planted into the snow, he didn't think it was all that fun. Colton loved throwing snowballs and making snow angels. Nicholas picked up the theory of snowballs fairly quickly and had fun chasing Aunt Lori with the snow.

Our dog is MEANT for the snow and loves playing in it; as long as we are playing with him. He is so funny, he will dig a hole in the snow and burrow down into it in the backyard. Seeing him, you can't help but picture the movie Snow Dogs or the movie Eight Below.

As for mom, I just love looking at it out my window. It truely adds such beauty to the earth and changes the entire scenery and neighborhood. The men in the neighborhood get excited and come out with their snowblowers or fourwheelers to shovel gutters and sidewalks. For them, it's just another excuse for playtime!! I'm somewhat grateful my husband isn't one of them who has to be out there with his toys. We would have to get a garage first before he had toys. However, when that day comes, so will the toys!!

To Be or Not To Be...SICK

The year has started off with quite a bang for us. More like a bang to the checking account to pay for all the medical expenses. The beginning of January, Colton somehow developed a samll case of insomnia. After approximately a week of little sleep for him, we took him to the Dr. who graciously gave us a mild sedative. I was hoping he would give him a tranquilizer to KNOCK HIM OUT. (Then mom could take one too and maybe catch up on some sleep)

Though the pills would put him to sleep, he still didn't STAY asleep. He would get up approx. 2-3 times a night, wander into my room and ask me questions. I swear the kid was sleeping. He would ask me things like "Mom, do you need any money? Mom, remember you told me about the wizards? Mom, can we get a bird?" And my personal favorite "Mom, I don't remember." We FIANLLY got to a point where he was once again sleeping through the night and I had that oh so brief moment of seeing a normal future...when the school called. Colton was in the office with a fever.

Took him home and did what any mom does. After three days of a fever though, it was time to go to the Doctor. Yep, it was strep. Changed the sheets, gave him a new tooth brush (To use ONLY while he was sick) and sprayed the house down. By Saturday he was NOT getting any better and oops, mom was starting to have a scratchy throat. Dad took him in Saturday night to find out that ontop of Strep, he now had Croup wich was starting to turn into Pnuemonia. GREAT!! Out came the nebulizer, wipe down again with Clorox and Lysol, wash the sick blankets he had been using, wash the sheets again and try to put Nicholas in a bubble to avoid getting it.

My efforts were in vain. By Sunday afternoon, Nicholas had a fever. By Wednesday, he was coughing just as bad as his brother. Not wanting to play around with croup, I took him in to see the SAME Doctor. Thiswas now my 4th trip to see him. Nicholas was negative for Croup...but POSITIVE for RSV. (This was the point where I swore in my mind!) Oh, and did I mention that I'm also coughing, phlemy, feverish and have NO VOICE.

So back home we go, out came all the cleaners, two children on the nebulizer and both of them on Amoxicillan. On Friday morning I wake up with goopy eyes that are NOT feeling right. Afraid that I have Pink Eye, I quickly make an appointment with MY Doctor who gives me eye drops and antibiotics to help me aviod getting whatever else my children have. I told him that my husband ALSO sounds exactly like me. He then quickly writes a perscription for Scott too. The antibiotic of choice, AMOXICILLAN! So there we are, 4 of us toasting to our health with our dose of pink medicine and pills.

Suprisingly, I had some sort of allergic reaction to the antibiotic; which has never happened before and the Doctor took me off the stuff. I passed my drugs onto Josh, who now sounds just like mom and dad and has no voice.

When everything is said and done, I have made 5 trips to the Dr.'s office, 6 perscriptions filled, 2 containers of Clorox wipes, 1 can of Lysol spray, washed bed sheets 3 times, 2 children on a nebulizer, 1 bag of cough drops, 1/2 a bottle of Ibuprofen, 1 Gallon of OJ, 4 trips to Blockbusters for Games and Movies, 1 humidifier that has run endless nights, 1 box of Kleenex, 5 sick people and countless hours of lost sleep. Can I please have a do-over??!!