here's a hint

 

What do you think we were at urgent care for last night??

(The bottom pic is your hint.)

 

Yep, an ear infection.  Actually it started out just an ear ache from lots of inflammation and fluid, but by morning he had a fever.  Luckily, I called the Dr and she just requested the urgent care notes and called in the Amoxicillan.  Thank goodness because one more visit to the Dr's this month would have pushed this mom over the edge. 

bedhead

Hunter's moves

This video was taken at the Lofthouse's when we stopped to say hi over Christmas. 

fever free and feeling good

Last week was bad, but now its over and on bigger better healthier things.  Hunter has been asking for a month to go to the zoo.  Since its 75 freakin degrees here, today was the day.  Their fevers broke on Saturday night so I figured why not.  First thing we looked at was the Elephants.  Ellorie was so excited she opened her mouth really wide and her paci fell into the enclosure.  Awesome. But since I'm super smart and kinda awesome, I brought a spare!  We walked around for an hour or so, rode the zoo train and then on our way out stopped at the bridge to feed bread to the fish and guess what, Ellorie dropped the spare paci into the water.  We made it home with minimal screaming and when she saw that I had one for her at home, she lit up like the sunshine she is and ran to me and hugged me.  Yep, mom to the rescue!

in my best sesame street voice

Today's fever is courtesy of budding eye teeth.  Like pneumonia isn't bad enough, now her whole mouth hurts and guess what??? She doesn't want to eat anything.  Which is ironic cause she has to eat at least three times a day or she gets starvation ketones. 

the days of our lives

Saturday Ellorie started coughing.

Sunday she was coughing so bad we only went for sacrament and then we came home.

Sunday night-fever 103.1 and coughing

Monday- 3 hrs at Dr's, flu test (negative), lab work (white blood cell count, fine) chest x-ray= mild pneumonia.  Pick up prescriptions.

Tuesday-Hunter starts coughing.  Mom spends 2 more hrs at the Dr, comes home with migraine, pukes from 3-6pm.

Tuesday night- horrible barking cough keeps him and I up til 2am.  Breathing treatments, vapo rub, puking ensues because he's coughing so hard.

Wednesday- borrow albuteral from neighbor, give breathing treatment x3, fever of 102.3, need to do loads of laundry, no rest for the weary. 

Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

phobias

Ellorie is scared by the strangest things.  First it was stairs.  For months she would sit at the bottom or top and call my name to come get her majesty and take her either up or down.  That all changed one day when Ben was in PA, suddenly I heard something on the stairs and she would slowly butt bumping down each step with a look of complete satisfaction on her face. 

Christmas brought her second fear.  Remote Control cars.  She shrieks and climbs up me just like a monkey.  And she cries, that cry that breaks your heart because you know they're scared.  So the  boys cannot drive their RC cars in the house when Ellorie is awake.  Silly girl.

Timeout

First I sent Hunter to time out because he hit Austin in the face with his boot.  Then I sent Austin to timeout because he retaliated and hit Hunter back.  Then Savannah decided she needed to be the timeout police and tattle every time one of them spoke, so I told her to go to timeout.  Ellorie wasn't sent to timeout, but anytime I send anyone, she goes along for moral support. 

I just had to document all 4 kids in timeout.  Ellorie's face is priceless.

stupid changes

I have some really cute pics and videos I want to upload, but blogger changed and I can't figure it out now.  So I will maybe post soon, if I can figure out how.

Teachers

Teachers' hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work 9 or 10 months a year!

 

It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do - babysit! We can get that for minimum wage. That's right. Let's give them $3.00 an hour AND only the hours they worked; not any of that silly planning time, or any time they spend before or after school.

 

That ...would be $19.50 a day (7:45 to............ 3:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch and plan-- that equals 6 1/2 hours). Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children. Now how many students do they teach in a day...maybe 30? So that's $19.50 x 30 = $585.00 a day

 

However, remember they only work 180 days a year!!! I am not going to pay them for any vacations. LET'S SEE.... That's $585 X 180= $105,300 per year. (Hold on! My calculator needs new batteries).What about those special education teachers and the ones with Master's degrees? Well, we could pay them minimum wage ($7.75), and just to be fair, round it off to $8.00 an hour. That would be $8 X 6 1/2 hours X 30 children X 180 days = $280,800 per year. Wait a minute -- there's something wrong here! There sure is!

The average teacher's salary (nation wide) is $50,000. $50,000/180 days = $277.77/per day/30 students=$9.25/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student--a very inexpensive baby-sitter and they even EDUCATE your kids!) WHAT A DEAL!!!!

sick and tired of being sick and tired

Normally our kids are never sick.  Perhaps a cold or two during the winter, but never like this.  Everyone except Austin has already had a fever.  Everyone except Ben has puked. 

The only thing difference between this year and all the previous years is we aren't taking vitamins this year (cause I don't know how many carbs are in them, but I don't know why I stopped giving them to the big kids?) and our bodies are worn down from the stress of 2012. 

So today I going to buy vitamins, better late than never and I'm getting rid of all the stress in my life.  Yep, I'm getting committed to the psych ward.  There I will have no decisions to make and can lay around and read all day.  (Said with a sarcastic laugh.) Would that count as a vacation? 

the next chapter

Tonight all 4 of my kids sleep in "big beds".  We took Ellorie's crib down.  She has napped in the big bed for two days and tonight was the night we made the move.  Its the last time I will take a crib down for one of my babies. 

She's up there calling my name, not sure she can do it.  I am sure I will go in and lay with her until she falls to sleep.  My baby needs me.

2013

I don't make resolutions.  But I do set goals. 

My goals for 2013 are to lose those last pesky 20 pounds and get to my goal weight.  I did good last year ending the year 22 pounds lighter than I started the year.  That's always good.

I want to be more peaceful.  My kids are at the stage where I feel like I spend most of my time refereeing, than actual parenting and I hate it.  I want to be present in their lives and try to enjoy it more.

My goal is to get back to the point when scripture study is just a daily thing.  I have struggled all year to do this, to find quiet time each day.  I think it will be a big help with my previous goal of being more peaceful.

I want to get more organized, but I dont' have the tools to back it up.  I need a designated office.  I need somewhere other than the kitchen counter to drop mail and stuff off. 

I have to go upstairs and knock some heads together right now.....there goes that peaceful goal.  It lasted all of 3 minutes.  Better luck tomorrow.