Fa la la la Flu...

 Jake's got it. The full fledged flu.  He went to bed not feeling great and woke up feeling worse and with the tell tale sign of a fever: rosy checks and a big old frown on his face.  The test for the flu looks horrible-at least what I saw of it before I had to shield my eyes and look away.  They swab your brain-I swear they stuck that thing so far up his nose that is what it looked like they must be swabbing.  Really I guess it is "just" your sinus cavity.  

So now he has is taking Tamiflu (sp?) and cough syrup with codeine in it.  Is it wrong I am very jealous of Jake's medication?  I could really use some of that cough syrup...seriously I am still coughing up a lung.  I coughed all night Friday night.  Part of me wishes I had gone in to the Dr's day one of my sickness to get the good medicine (I am thinking I may have the flu because I did have a fever but waited to see how sick I would get before going in to the Dr's).  Part of me is glad they didn't swab my brain and doesn't care that I may be sick for twice as long, just as long as I didn't have to go through that test!  I am just hoping it is the flu I have now because I can't take anything else on top of this!

  I decided having the flu warranted an early Christmas gift. ***Jake just threw up poor guy.  Luckily it was in a pot.  I almost threw up taking care of the whole situation.  Aaron is lucky he is at church.  If he is smart he would not come home so he can stay away from all our sick germs here....But any way.***

 I made Jake Star Wars PJ pants and figured that they would help him be comfy while he is sick.  He was really excited to open a present early...

 Of course he knew what they were immediately since he made Daddy some too.  Shhh! Don't tell Aaron.

  My poor child is sick.  Look at that pitiful happy face...I hope Tamiflu works as good as they say it does. 

I am going to get back to Lysoling the house and still being sick myself.  This is one of those times that being the mommy stinks.

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"...What is is only noon time?  I am so taking a nap today.

It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine...

Actually that isn't true.  I feel like I am dying a slow death. Asthma + respiratory infection = feeling like you are dying.  The awesome part is that I am on my 2nd day of a z-pack (not even sure how you spell that and I am not going to get up to check.  The strong antibiotics that you only take for 5 days) and now I at least have enough breath cough up the stuff that is in my lungs.  This is probably too much information but seeing it is the last day of life as we know it, according to the Mayan calendar,  I am going to keep it real people.  Breathing is a magnificent thing-don't ever forget that.  Jake has basically played video games, built with Lego's, watched TV, and taken Sadie out (we are at my parents house until next week so she has to be walked on a leash 153 times a day since there is no fenced in back yard and the neighbors might frown upon a crazy dog running loose) the past 48 hours because I have been in the bed.  Aaron felt so bad for me he bought me a 2 liter bottle of Dr. Pepper.  That is love people.  Yes, I know I said we were cutting way back on soda but when you feel like you are dying you are allowed to drink it.  That is a rule that we will strongly enforce in our family from here on out.  Feeling like you are dying = drinking soda if it makes you feel better...especially since eating requires too much energy when you can't breath.

But back to the point of this post.  I am sure some of you got the reference to the REM song in the title, which I hate by the way, but I thought it would be fun to document some things I have been wanting to say but haven't and can't put off any longer since this could technically be my last chance to do it.  There can be no regrets on the last day of life as we know it...as long as you are still holding up the values and morals you believe in.  I am not going to go out and start breaking the commandments or anything.  I am just going to tell you how I feel...Which is really not unlike any other day for me but it is a good excuse to ramble...So ramble I shall!

*I am getting tired of looking at all the hoochie mama clothes that people are posting on Pinterest.  They seem to be posted by good LDS girls (yes girls not women-they are late teens/early 20's and if they are posting these clothes they are girls...) and they are so immodest.  I am thinking of going on Pinterest today and commenting on these pins that yes it would be "a perfect outfit" if the girl in the picture went up a size and added a minimum of 6 inches to the skirt.  Just because you still have your girlish figure doesn't mean the world needs to see you underwear and/or bra line because your clothes are so tight.  Leave a little to the imagination.  And if a dress is so short if you were standing on a stage that people could like up it without even a head tilt, I would hate to see you sit in it.  I am going to do it today...It is the end of the world as we know it.  I am going to go on Pinterest right now and I guarantee there will be an immodest pin that a good little LDS girl posted as "loving this look!" or something like that and I am going to comment on it...Be back in a minute....Okay, task completed.  I just found a pin that a sweet little LDS girl pinned. It was a Navy blue dress that was TIGHT and so short that the girl in the pictures butt checks had to be uncovered when she was sitting!  I commented that it was cute but needed at least 6 more inches in length and that there was no way the girl could sit in it.  Ahhh.  That was refreshing!  I know that girls mother would never let her wear that in public but sometimes you don't listen to your mother so maybe that comment will make her think a little...

*We love pizza.  Who doesn't  When we lived in Fletcher NC we were spoiled to have the worlds best pizza place (that no longer exists because the owners moved back to Iowa to be closer to family and if I had the money I would have bought all their recipes for top dollar) and we miss it terrible.  We have since been on the search for good pizza to no avail.  I could go for some really good pizza if this is going to be dooms day... 

*It isn't just that song by REM I don't like.  I don't like their music in general.  At all.  Sorry to any REM fans out there I just can't take it.

* I also hate when people pin pictures of people cuddling or kissing with a comment like *sigh* in the comment line.  I unfollowed one sweet little LDS girls board entitled "One Love" because all she pinned on it is people in immodest clothing cuddling, kissing, laying all over each other,  and other things of that nature.  I know this girl is a good girl so it makes me sad to see her posting things that are inappropriate.  

*I blame 25% of the "fiscal cliff" problem on Liberals Politicians.  10% on Republican politicians who have let all this spending go on to long.  And last but not least 65% on liberals who were dumb enough to vote all those liberals in in the first place.  Common sense is no where to be found in our society.  All these people that think the government should give us everything and feel "entitled" need to wake up.  Let's see how much our government does for everyone if the economy gets worse.  In fact if I am going to keep it real on this fine doomsday than let me tell you how I really feel.  I think Obama would like things to get worse so he can have more power to try to fix it and to make us more dependent on a corrupt government and when we have no other options but to rely on them they will have us waiting in line for bread.

*I just finished reading The Hobbit and I liked it.  I don't think I loved it...I think I am too much in a Jane Austen girly book phase to have loved it.  I am reading C.S. Lewis' The Problem of Pain now.  I feel both dumb and smart when I read it.  I am only like a chapter in so far.  He was a genius and it makes me feel smart to be reading is opinions.  It makes me feel dumb because I don't even understand all that I am reading....I think I am more on the level of The Chronicles of Narnia.  :)

*My favorite shows on TV are Duck Dynasty, Good Luck Charlie, anything on the Fox News Channel.  I would definitely want to watch them today if the power was to go out long term.   HGTV has lost some of my respect.  They run the same 3 or 4 shows over and over again it seems...Although the other day I did watch House Hunters Renovation (or something like that) and it was pretty good.  Only problem is it comes on at 10pm and is an hour long...

*I am slightly disappointed with the NRA and I am usually on their side.  Armed security in every school in  America?  Where is that money going to come from?  I think anyone working in the office of schools should be armed.  Seriously I do.  Give them a small pay increase for the added responsibility, teach them how to use the gun, and get them their concealed car permit.  If crazy people knew the people meeting them at the door where armed than they would go some where else to commit a mass murder.  For the record: more gun laws or gun bans will in no way make this problem go a way.  Crazy people don't need a gun to kill you-they will use what ever they can get their hands on.  Since the school shooting last week there have been a couple more shootings stopped because someone else had a gun and the bad guys changed their mind and only used their gun on themselves not on the crowd they were planning on killing...but don't expect to hear about that in the liberal media.  If they let that truth out than how would they ever get guns banned? ***Update: I just saw what the guy from the NRA said and I do think he is right.  Lets cut the money from some where else and pay for the armed guards in schools...****

*One more thing...This started out at a fun way to ramble and declutter my brain but I am now growing concerned that it may in fact be the end of the world as we know it...Obama choose today of all days to make it official that John Kerry is his pick for Secretary of State...I wish I had prepped more.

Our Christmas card we are too cheap to mail out. :)

We aren't sending out Christmas cards this year.  Stamps cost too much.  I did run to Walmart and make up some picture cards for family but I didn't have to mail them.  My mom is hand delivering them to all my aunts, uncles, and cousins this weekend at their Christmas party at my sister's housein NH.  I hand delivered the ones to Aaron's family so we are good to go.  So pretend you are getting this in the mail...

Yes, I do know how to spell Christmas...I left out the "h" but didn't realize it until I was in the car admiring my handy work...Jake is adorable.  He has really great teeth but he is a lip smiler for pictures.  I think they turned out great if I do say so myself...and I do. :)

Merry Christmas with a "h"!

Yesterday's Bitter Sweet...

The Bitter:

The elementary school shooting in Connecticut.  My heart is broken.  I have no words to describe the sadness we feel for this community, these families, our country...our whole world.  We spent the day as we normally do but with moments of prayers and tears for those who have lost loved ones...It seems so strange to carry on normally...so I just keep praying.  Those sweet children-babies...they were just babies.  I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ met them all with open arms. 

The Sweet:

We found out officially yesterday that we will be moving the day after Christmas (same town we are in right now).  After a little over 3 years since we sold our house, Aaron went back to school and finished, house sitting for my parents while they were on their mission then sharing their home for several months, and a little over 7 months with Aaron's parents trying to buy "our" house in short sale...we are finally going to have our own space.  We are giving up on buying right now.  All these months of waiting have given us cold feet and made us realize no matter how low interest rates are and home prices are, it just isn't the right time for us.  We are moving back to a street we lived on when Jake was 2 1/2.  A neighborhood that Aaron was born and raised in.  We will be surrounded by family and church members...To say I am excited it a complete and total understatement!!!  Jake is thrilled!  Aaron is happy, but stressed...Our income has dramatically decreased in this economy.  Aaron was a Superintendent for a home building company.  He has spent our entire marriage in school (2 times) and working in an architect office or in the field overseeing the building...Times have changed and that field of work is almost non existance.  We are starting over.  Square one...But square one is a cute little 3 bedroom home with lots of character and I can't wait to move in!!!  Next week-the day after Christmas is the day we will start cleaning and moving and you know I will take pictures of all of it!!!!

These are a few of my favorite things: New nail polish, a book

This weeks favorite things list is short and sweet...

1.)  Life of Pi.  We saw it.  It was amazing.  See it immediately!!!!  Rise of the Guardian's is great too!

2.)  My new favorite nail polish color. Perfect for the holiday season...

3.)  My favorite movie is "You've Got Mail" which I may have mentioned that before a time or two. :)  Do you remember the scene where Kathleen Kelly just closed the Shop Around the Corner for the last time and goes into Fox Books and sits in the children section of the store. Remember that? Long story short-she mentions the title of a book by Noel Streatfeild called Ballet Shoes and randomly I stumbled upon it while I was just walking down the aisle in our local library.  I wasn't even looking for it I was just browsing the aisle.  So of course I checked it out and finally got around to reading it this past week.  It is a sweet book that I would definitely tell all little girls to read or have read to them.  I loved it and I am not even a little girl.  I am going to have to read the other "shoe books".  Read it-I know you will love it!

12/12/12: Party & Christmas with Nee before she heads to NH

What were we doing at 12:12 on 12/12/12?  Loving some doggies...

Later that day at Nee's for a 12/12/12 party and Christmas before she headed up to New Hampshire.

12-12-12

It won't happen again for a century so I hope everyone celebrated today.  We did and I would have an awesome post all about it is I hadn't forgotten my camera at my mom's...So..more on that later.  Hope you had an awesome 12-12-12!

Need craft stuff? Shop at JoAnn's...

The other day I got this in the mail (it wasn't folded like this but you get it) and I wondered why in the world was JoAnn's FedExing me something...

So, I opened it and was so surprised to see the check I got for volunteering at Cub Scout Camp.  I could not believe they would FedEx it to me!!!  I knew it was lost forever.  I have to admit I got a little upset with Jake because he stuffed it in my purse in a pocket that didn't latch...We were both shocked and soooo happy. 

 We are going to use this money as our random act of Christmas kindness since JoAnn's was kind enough to send it back to me.  So if you need anything crafty go to JoAnn's because they ROCK!  People are good and that makes me happy.  I needed a little happy Christmas spirit injected into my life and this did it.

What can you do to make some one's day and pass along some Christmas joy and spirit?...

Christmas Catechesis, Christmas Cookies, and Lego Club....

The batteries in my camera are rechargeable...but I have forgotten, on more than one occasion, to charge them.  Luckily my camera loves me enough to let me quickly eek out one picture before shutting down...

Jake's Christmas Catechesis for Classical Conversations was on Friday.  His class decided to show  their memory work skills dressed up like the 12 tribes of Israel.  We had a reception after (that I helped decorate for and had fun...but no pictures of...another mom is supposed to email them to me but if she is like me she may forget.) and Jake went to a slumber party after at his friend Carter's house.  We don't do sleep overs very often but felt good about this group of boys and the hosting parents.  It ended up being 6 boys having Nerf  gun wars and watching Elf until 1:30 in the morning.  In case you can't tell from the one and only picture that came out before my camera went to sleep...Jake is the 4th from the right.  Just in case we really want to remember everyone in Jake's class in  30 years: Left to right Catherine, Adrienne, Connie, Cloe, Emily, Sara, Jake, Carter, Gabe, and Mr. Mills. 

On Monday night Erin had the great idea of decorating some Christmas cookies.  They were fun to make and to eat!  I took lots of pictures on Erin's phone so I will get them and post more later.  Without charging the batteries (even after they died on Friday night...)  my camera allowed me this one photo of Jake, Nana, and Erin cutting the cookies.  I told you my camera loves me. :)

Today Jake was excited to go to the homeschooling Lego Club at the library.  He of course waited until today to make something for this months theme of Christmas.  He ended up making Santa's sleigh (high tech so no reindeer needed) and our family decorating a very abstract Christmas tree. :)  He had fun trading Lego's and I actually grabbed my battery charger as we were headed out the door and charged it for about 5 minutes in the library so I got a couple of pictures since I haven't been able to for a couple of days.

 Jake's quick Lego build.

 See what I mean by abstract Christmas tree? :)

 These are all the entries for the special Christmas contest.  Jake sadly did not win...

 ...but when you are up against a couple of people who took it a little more seriously than you, you really can't be to disappointed (Jake wasn't).  I think Jake will put a little more effort into it next time. :) Most of them looked like Jake's did.  Let's face it the best part is the trading!  He will probably spend more time getting ready for the trade than the contests!

What 11 looks like...

11 years, 3 months, & 9 days to be exact...But who's counting?  ME!!!  (I just counted actually to see just how late we were taking our 11 year old pictures.)  I can't believe my baby is 11.  He is a Lego maniac, a hugger,  smarty pants,  a dog lover, bike rider, caring,  Ninjago fan, hysterical, Star Wars junky, sensitive, early riser, book worm, multi-talented, awesome young man.

 Love this boy...

Being all sorts of domestic today...Aaron don't look at this because you will see one of your Chirstmas gifts...

 

 First we canned potatoes and now we have moved on to turkey.  It is a greasy mess but so worth it. 

 While the jars of turkey were cooking we did some sewing.  Jake made Aaron some pajama pants for Christmas while I hemmed some of his pants.  Shhhhh! Jake doesn't know it but I am making him some matching PJ pants. :)  While Jake was making the pants I told him I would make him some nice warm PJ pants if he goes on a mission to a cold place.  To this he said: "You?  Sew?  Are you sure you can?"...I don't sew but that doesn't mean I can't!  I guess I will show him on Christmas Eve. :)

I couldn't resist taking pictures of Nee's chandelier.  She has decorated it so lovely for  Christmas.

Jake taking a break and joining Sadie on the floor for a snuggle.  I know it is blurry but it is the best I could get and I love this picture. :)

Some of the turkey is ready to make into soup with carrots and celery in it.  Most are just turkey.  I am sure some of you will think it looks gross but I can't tell you how beautiful it is to us!  It is it a lot of work to can but so worth it to know we have food stored to eat for when we may not be able to buy it.  

At C.C. coop for Essentials on Tuesday we had a party and the kiddos redeemed tickets they had earned the past 12 weeks.  Jake got a matchbox car ("that brings back memories of one he used to have"), bubble gum tape, a little iron man in a ball container ("perfect for storing Lego's), and play dough.  We haven't had play dough for a few years (he kind of grew out of it) and Jake had so much fun with it while trying to get out of doing his math while we were canning. :)

The pants came out AWESOME!  They seem a little large but that will make them extra comfy!  Jake is a natural. :)  The fabric is Star Wars so they will be a definite hit for Daddy.

 My mom has taught my Activity Girls (I am the leader of Wednesday night activities for girls 8-11 years old) to sew the past to Wednesday's.  Thanks mom they came out great!  My mom is wearing the one that Jake made when she gave him his first machine sewing lesson last week.