Illness

The past couple of weeks have been crazy around here. Ted competed in his last cross country meet and placed 7th out of 15. He beat his time by 2 minutes, and this was the longest race, so he did awesome. Robbie played his last football game for the season, the team finished in 4th, out of 5 teams. Ted ran in the rain, and Robbie played on a cold windy day. We had other things going on that week also, it felt like we were burning a candle at both ends. I was the first one to get sick, I thought maybe I had overdone it while working in the yard. I was very achy, and very tired. When I woke up the next morning I knew I was sick, my head was killing me. I tried to rest most of the day, but I had errands to do, and things to get done around the house. I shouldn't have pushed myself so hard, it only made things worse. When the kids got dropped off from school, I was on the couch with a fever, chills, body aches, and no energy. Thank goodness my father-in-law stopped by, he stayed and looked after the kids while I rested. Soon after, the kids started dropping like flies! Ted was the first, his complaint was a sore throat. I thought it was sore because of all the coughing he had been doing. He wound up going to the doctor and was diagnosed with strep throat. Helen got sick very soon after Ted, she had a fever and vomited once before bed. She also had a cough, I thought the cough medicine I had given her might have caused her to get sick, because she didn't get sick again. I got sick on Sunday evening, Ted and Helen Monday night. Tuesday morning I asked everyone how they felt, the kids that were well anyway. Ted and Helen still had fevers so they couldn't go to school. I sent, Grace, Katie and Robbie to school that morning, only to have the school secretary call me about an hour after school started, "Come and pick up Robbie, he doesn't feel well, he's warm, and he doesn't look good." Robbie had body aches, cough, and a fever. I had Ted laying on one couch, Robbie on another, and Helen on the other, with Noah laying across the big chair. I decided to take his temperature, sure enough...he was sick too. Katie and Grace made it the whole day at school, Katie started to complain that evening. Come Wednesday morning, I had one child in school, Grace. I called everyone in sick to school, Greek school, and religion class, we weren't going anywhere. Fevers were starting to break, I was starting to feel good myself, finally a light at the end of the tunnel. Thursday rolls around, Helen is back at school, she had been fever free for 24 hours, she was the only one. Robbie was starting to feel much better and was on his way to the 24 hour rule. I got a call from the school secretary, Grace wasn't feeling well and wanted to come home. She had a low grade fever, and had the sniffles. She didn't seem as sick as the others had been, she must have picked up another bug. Ted had been on his antibiotic and was fever free for 24 hours, he was going back to school on Friday. Robbie too had made it 24 hours without a fever, along with Katie and Noah. Everyone was able to go back to school on Friday, I even sent Grace because she said she felt fine. I helped hang art work at the school for our Fall Frolic party coming up on the 30th. I felt terrible, I had caught the cold that Grace had. I was sneezing, my eyes were watering, I was miserable. I picked up Noah from preschool and headed home to rest until the kids were done at school. I received a phone call from Grace's teacher, she isn't feeling very well, come and get her. Then Grace says in the background, "No, I don't want to go home." The teacher says, okay, and tells me she will call if things change. Well, of course she called, Grace was sick, so I went and picked her up. I got to rest for a very short time and then it was time to pick everyone up. I was being blown away by the wind when I picked up Helen, I have to get out of the car and meet her and her teacher. I was miserable waiting in the stuffy car for the other kids to come out of school. My eyes were so hot, they needed to close for awhile. As soon as we got home, I went and laid down and closed my eyes. That was the best thing I could have done. I had been so busy taking care of everyone else, I let myself fall to the wayside...not good! After a couple of hours, I felt a little better, so I checked on everyone and got started with dinner. I was able to get a full night's sleep on Friday, nobody got up during the night needing anything. Saturday I felt much better, I still had the eye issue, but it was doing much better. All the kids were doing better too, they all had coughs, but nothing else. Come Sunday, yesterday, Grace was not feeling well, she looked like I did with the cold. I told her she wasn't going to school today, she said, "Wait, do I have anything going on today?" She was busted...she should have never gone to school on Friday, she went because they were having movie day. The teacher brought in a movie and they had treats while watching it. She made it through getting the treats passed out, and that's when the teacher called. I know this because she brought all her treats home with her! About a half hour after school started my phone rings, it's the school secretary, Katie isn't feeling well. I question this one, she had no complaints this morning, and she was fine all week-end. I brought her home, she is in her pj's and is laying on the big chair, while Grace is on the couch. Both are fever free, let's hope it stays that way for tomorrow. Sometimes Katie cries wolf, I think today is one of those days. The thing about crying wolf these days with the H1N1, the school doesn't care, they'll send her home, they don't want anyone there who may pass it along. It's been rough, but thank goodness, they could have been a lot sicker than what they were. I heard there is a lot going around out there, I think we had it all under this roof! "Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands!" That's about all I've been saying lately!!!

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue

Conflict

We have had such gloomy weather these past couple of days. It rained yesterday, off and on, and this morning it's raining again. Helen is the only one who has school today, the kids were off yesterday too. When I woke up with Helen yesterday to get her ready for school, I was so tired. The weather didn't help matters, I wanted to crawl back in bed. After she left for school, I did just that, and regretted it the rest of the day. I was tired all day yesterday, and had no motivation. This morning, once again, I wanted to crawl back in bed after she left. I made myself stay up remembering how I felt yesterday. I have already gotten quite a few things done, hopefully this will be a much better day.

Ted ran in his first cross country meet the other day, I don't think he really knew what was in store for him. He finished, that's all that matters, I was very proud of him. He ran 1.24 miles, the farthest he has ever gone. Later that night I asked him how he felt, he told me, "Okay, my legs hurt though!" He definitely needs more training. Robbie has his last football game tomorrow, and then they start the play-offs. His team is ranked #4, that's out of 5 teams. For his sake and his team, I hope they go far in the play-offs, but for me and the kids, I hope not. It is starting to get cold, and the kids sit there the whole game and complain how cold they are. I tell them to bundle up, and they still complain. They don't appreciate attending sporting events...yet. We have many years attending these games, I think Robbie will always be involved with one sport or another. Ted has his track, and who knows what Noah will be interested in. Let's not forget Katie, who starts basketball next month. Like Noah, we still don't know where Grace's interests lie. Then there's Helen, I was told of a program that sounds like something she would enjoy, and she is getting to the point where she will be able to participate. Oh my goodness...my head is starting to spin! I have a feeling there may be some time conflicts, I already have one this week-end. Robbie has his football game, and Ted has an activity he needs to do with the Boy Scouts in order for him to cross over in February. The game is at 10:30, but Robbie needs to be there at 9:45 for warm up. Ted's Cub Scout activity starts at 10:00, I can't be two places at once. Luckily, I put my distress signal out, and it was answered. My brother John is going to take Ted, and I will take Robbie. John and Ted will be busy cleaning the section of highway the Boy Scouts have adopted, while the rest of us are at the football game. You're probably thinking, "Oh sure, she gives the harder job to her brother!", but not really, he will have Ted ONLY...enough said.

I can't believe Halloween is right around the corner, and with it, the headache of costumes! The kids are older now and getting quite picky about what they want to be. Gone are the days when I bought the costumes at 90% off after Halloween and held on to them for the following year. They didn't care if their costumes were last year's news! Besides sewing them myself (I don't sew), anyone know where I can get them for cheap? Leave me a comment, thanks!:0)

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue

Coupons

I finally remembered to bring my coupons to the grocery store with me, I saved $14.20! It helped that I stuck to the list. I also used my coupons when shopping at ShopKo, which is similar to K-Mart. I had to buy other things that I didn't have a coupon for, but to my surprise, it was all on sale. I saved $8.25 with my coupons. They don't calculate total savings at that store, but I can only imagine how much I saved. Most things were 60% off, and also buy one, get one 1/2 off. My biggest savings came from Kohl's, I couldn't believe it when the cashier told me how much my savings were. I had to get Ted uniform pants since he sprouted over the summer and I didn't even realize it. While getting his pants, I noticed they also had uniform shirts on sale too, so I bought him a few of those in the bigger size. Since I was there, I decided to check the sale rack for Helen. I found capri stretch pants on sale for $4.20, the length will hit the top of her shoe...perfect! I also needed a few unmentionables...total savings...$80.41! I am quite proud of myself!:0)

This afternoon I am picking Helen up early and we are taking Toby to the kid's school for the pet blessing, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. I am also taking Robbie's Eeyore, and Grace's Baby Bear. I am a bit nervous about how Toby will act, being a scaredy cat and all. All the kids in the school will be there, along with other pets and their owners. Last year I was bombarded with kids wanting to see Toby, although last year he was just a puppy. I'm hoping for the best, wish me luck.

Until next time-
Take Care,
Sue..................sorry so short!:0(