Corben got this email today…
http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/watch/K9fRZ7vfvokc1TLCPJNCvg
Ryan started his new work schedule. I just wanted to sleep all day after being up most of the night with a sick Ella. Poor thing. She felt better later in the day so we headed out for a trial Karate class for her and a trial ballet class for Sylvie. Ella has this thing about not taking off her shoes. When it was time for class she got shy and kept saying she was scared. She’d take off a shoe and then put it back on. She finally did take off her shoes and socks…right at the end of class but it was too late. I think she was just worn out from being sick and now she’s sad she missed the class. My poor Ella. Sylvie, on the other hand, had a blast and the teacher commented on what an amazing listener she was for only 3 years old. I was so proud of her!
Wednesday started out just “fantastic”…with me at the dentist. I will not complain, I will not complain, I will not complain. I have insurance and I am thankful. Anyway, the girls missed a CHRISTmas party they were excited about but they’ve been good about it. The boy’s dad drove up for a visit and went to wrestling practice with Dade. He then took the boy back to stay with their grandparents through Christmas. I’m so excited for them to get to spend time with him!
Thursday started out back at the surgeons to be told the obvious…two of my suture sites are infected. Really? That would explain the massive pain, right? Actually, no…he thinks there may be something worse going on but he’s going to wait to see if antibiotics make it any better first. Yippee.
However, there was an upside to the day! It’s sunny and not as cold out! Plus my fab SIL came for a visit with her cutey kids so we could all have some fun while the hubbies are at work. Ryan’s new schedule isn’t my favorite. It’s nice to have him around in the morning (so I can go to the surgeons without 2 children) but the long evenings are just that….long!
I spoke too soon. Decided to head out late (since there wasn’t much else to do and there were plenty of last minute CHRISTmas errands needed) so the girls and I headed out to the Dollar Store. We were there for all of 3 minutes when Sylvie got the odd look on her face and made THAT cough. You know the one, the I’m-2-seconds-away-from-barfing-cough. Sure enough I couldn’t run fast enough to the front door. I caught the little one in my hands (which were wonderfully covered in Dade’s gloves- SORRY!) – why do we do that?? Then made it outside in time for the rest. So then I had to leave a cart of goodies with a sick baby and a screaming Ella who was NOT happy to be going home instead of doing her CHRISTmas shopping!
I was up most of the evening rocking poor Sylvie and wondering how I’m going to get it all done!
It’s CHRISTmas Eve! Want to know how to get it all done with a sick child in tow?? Introducing the So-Mom-Doesn’t-Have-To-Catch-It-When-I-Puke-In-The-Store winter coat! Came free with the coat she already had! And, luckily, no one asked why her coat was on backwards because I’m sure they wouldn’t have liked my answer. Also, luckily, we didn’t have to use the hood…she got it all out in the car before we went in. Sigh. (Don’t worry, I carried her and never let her touch anything.)
And WHY ON EARTH would I drag a poor sick child out into the cold with her coat on backwards to catch the puke?? BECAUSE…we needed crickets (which were almost impossible to get when everyone and their Grandma bought pets for CHRISTmas and took them all! – we had to go multiple places…poor Sylvie)…AND Corben’s BIG AMAZING CHRISTmas gift this year…is lost in the mail. Literally. It’s been lost for 3 weeks now and everyone has just been hoping it would show up. They tracked it halfway here and then LOST IT! I held out for it coming today but no luck SO, here I go having to figure out something else at the last minute and just roaming up and down empty store isles. Talk about stress!! Luckily, Ryan came up with a solution that should hold him over until his big gift gets here…(I hope it gets here). It wasn’t my first pick as a gift (or even my 20th) but I can’t deny that he’ll LOVE it. (No hints but…here’s hoping he doesn’t shoot his eye out!!)
Ella wants me to add the picture of her from today on here. 
We spent the rest of the day doing CHRISTmas crafts and delivering goodies to the neighbors. We watched Santa on NORAD and told CHRISTmas stories. Ella’s so giddy she can hardly breathe. Sylvie curled up on the couch and fell asleep. She’s still not feeling too well, I guess. Ella made Santa’s plate of goodies and made sure to include the penny he dropped at the mall. She also pealed a carrot for the reindeer. And then, after only 4 CHRISTmas stories, including her telling me about the birth of Christ!, she actually went to bed & I haven’t heard from her once. That right there is a CHRISTmas miracle!
I then stayed up with Ryan until after 2 am wrapping presents AND….throwing my guts up. Good. Times.
Our house was quiet until 9am!! Then Ella got me up so excited. Unfortunately, Sylvie was still sick…
The boys showed up early with their dad and we were finally able to put the star atop our Birthday gift to the Savior! Okay, the tree’s a little rough looking but can you believe we ran out of ornaments long before we ran out of services given. I’m so proud of my kids. After we added the star, we sang a birthday song for Jesus.
Then it was Present time for US!
CHRISTmas evening we had family over for supper and the girls got their new Smart Cycle Racer! Talk about Happy Girls!!
Late that night, after everyone was in bed, it started to snow. The first White CHRISTmas here in over 60 years!! And it snowed, and snowed, and snowed….
Well, we woke to 8+ inches of snow at our house!!
The birds were getting fierce over our little bird feeder. I’m so glad we set the gingerbread houses out for them.
Corben, as always, was the first out the door and had a snowman built before the snow stopped falling. It was perfect snow.
Unlike usual, I was very thankful for the snow this time! Several days ago I was informed that the entire presidency in the Primary at church would be out on Sunday (today) and they were unable to find anyone to fill their shoes so I very willingly took on running Primary by myself for a day. That’s 2 hours of singing and “dancing” to keep everyone happy and joyful. Then teachers started canceling due to illness/etc. so I sent out a call for help. AND I got it! It was only a handful that offered to help but the total ended up meeting the need exactly! My SIL came and helped me get the music together on CHRISTmas day so I was raring to go. Church was cancelled early Sunday morning so we were all relieved of our duties for the day…but that’s not why I was so thankful…About 10 minutes before I would have been leading the kids in a musical number before the entire congregation…I got VERY ill. I stayed ill for the rest of the day. Had their not been snow we would have had just enough volunteers to cover every position but MINE! I’m sure LS would have jumped in (if she was there) after seeing me bolt from Sacrament Meeting…hopefully she would have figured out what the kids were doing once the music started. Then they would have had to scramble to find someone to fill 2 hours of sharing time!!…oh it would have been a nightmare. I know everything would have worked alright in the end but needless to say…at 11:15am staring from my bathroom window, I was so very thankful for the snow!!
The End!!
