It's so NOT just a Virus..

So yesterday I woke up miserable...my throat was so swollen it was hard to talk..I gargled salt water like mad, took advil round the clock and tried to rest..nothing helped. Then I got the call...turns out I do have strep. And actually I couldn't be happier..because now I'm on an antibiotic and I feel TONS better than I did yesterday. My throat is not as swollen or sore..I can't open my mouth very wide so it's hard to eat but I really don't have an appetite anyway. And I've lost about 4lbs on the strep throat diet so that is actually good. I have been disinfecting the house like crazy and washing my hands a ton in hopes that none of my kids get it..of course they are probably the ones who passed it one to me anyway but I really don't want anyone to get sick so pray with me, 'k...

And to anyone I've been around the past 2 days..I am SO sorry I really didn't know until yesterday afternoon that it was strep..really I didn't know...

It's "just" a virus...

I hate hearing those words from the doctor. Basically what they are telling you is that no medicine is going to make you feel better and you are going to continue to feel like crap until the virus "runs its course." Ugh!

I've been battling a horrible sore throat since Thursday night so today I decided to go the doctor. The doctors office only had a time at 2:30 and Lord help me I wasn't going to mess up naptime so I decided to go the CVS Minute Clinic. Though she told me I just had a virus it was overall a good experience. It was fast..read: no waiting..and I saw a nurse practicioner which is probably what I would have seen at the dr anyway. So if you're ever sick and don't feel like waiting at the dr office I would recommend the minute clinic...

I'm off to take a nap..this sore throat is kicking my booty.....

The Great Typewriter Hunt

Do you remember when Cabbage Patch Kids came out and people were lining up at stores and fighting over them to get one? I wanted one that Christmas but my mother was never, ever going to stand in line to get something so she had my grandmother make me a doll that year (which, btw, is not a substitute for a Cabbage Patch Kid..not at all). Me, however, I like to shop and I enjoy the hunt of looking for an item so I would be that person who stood in line to try to get my child their favorite thing on their wish list. That said I'm in a quandary this holiday season.

You see, my precious Emma made a wish book with all sorts of things she wanted for Christmas a few weeks ago. Among those items were an Easy Bake Oven and various things for her American Girl doll including Kit Kittredges Typewriter. Apparently the doll typewriter has now made it's way to the top of the list and is the ONLY thing she really wants for Christmas. Well..that's what she said last night when she was crying because she was too scared to talk to Santa at our neighborhood Christmas party...I think her words were "I didn't get to tell Santa that the only thing I want for Christmas is Kit Kittredge's typewriter"..well, I think that's what she said..it was hard to understand through the tears. And there were a lot of tears.

I had not bought the typewriter for her but instead had gotten her something else for her doll that she had wanted. So I thought last night I'd just go on the American Girl website and order one and take back what I had gotten her..since the "only" thing she wants in the darn typewriter...However..the darn typewriter in on backorder until April 3, 2009!! Are you kidding me American Girl?? April 3!! What the heck is that all about? What's so special about this $22 doll typewriter???

So, now I'm all into the hunt..I'm on ebay and craigslist searching for the typewriter. I even emailed my brother's girlfriend to see if she'd go to the store in NYC to see if by chance they still had them stock. The item is on ebay but the problem is the ones on ebay are selling for twice as much as they are worth..literally selling for $35-$50..it's a $22 item in the catalog. And, if you know my husband you would know he would strangle me for paying 2x as much for something than it's worth. His response when I told him the item was backordered was "she'll get over it" and "she'll forget about it anyway." But what if she doesn't. We don't really do a huge Christmas so I really want to get them at least one thing they really, really want. I just don't want her to be disappointed on Christmas morning....so wish me luck that I can find this darn typewriter (at a reasonable price)....I'm sure if I don't get the typewriter she will be fine and I'm sure she'll get over it and have fun with all the other stuff she's getting but I don't want her to remember in 30 years how her mom didn't get her the darn typewriter she really, really wanted...

Walmart's Not ALL Bad

So Paul was telling me today about these homemade Amish noodles they sell in their stores. Apparently they are really so good that Walmart got this itty bitty Amish noodle factory that used to make like 400 bags of noodles a day to supply all their stores with these noodles. So now the factory (which is apparently just several Amish women) make about 400,000 bags of noodles a day. I guess Walmart has done a lot of good for this community by giving them so much business. So, I guess they aren't all bad.

Oh and just so you know there is a "new" (well new to me) return policy at Walmart..you have to take your return to the greeter at the door and get a sticker on the item before you go to the service desk. If you don't get your sticker you have to wait in line at the service desk and then they will make you walk all the way back to the front doors with all your kids to get said stickers before they will do your return..then you will have to walk back to the service desk with the item and said stickers and wait in line again to do your return.

Dreaded Words or Why I won't be going to Chickfila anytime soon...

Last night we had Chickfila for dinner...I had told the girls we'd have milkshakes for dinner one night while Paul was away and I've been dying to try their peppermint chocolate chip milkshake. So after gymnastics we go through the drive thru and get our food and milkshakes. The girls ate a few nuggets, fries and some of their cookies and cream milkshakes. We watched Jon and Kate Plus 8 and headed up for bed. Before going to bed Lily said her tummy hurt. I didn't make much of it..thinking she was full.

Well about 11:30pm she came in my room and I heard those dreaded words: "Mommy, I think I need to throw up". I told her to go bathroom, lay on the floor and I'd be there in a minute (I was feeding Jacob). I'm thinking she's fine but the next thing I know I hear her getting sick. I put Jacob down and run in the bathroom thankfully to find it all in the potty. Good girl...VERY good girl. She said she felt better but we decided she should sleep on the floor in our room in her sleeping bag in case she got sick again. Which she did. Six more times. Really..6!! I gave her a bucket to keep with her and she made it in the bucket every time. Thank God.

Needless to say it was a long night..between being up with her for 2 1/2 hours and then up with the baby I didn't get much sleep. Lily seems to be better though she's taking a nap which is very un-Lily. I think she's just tired from the ordeal. She hasn't eaten much today but she's not running a fever. Pray this is contained just to her..I really don't know if I could handle everyone getting the stomach bug while Paul is gone. I'm off to disinfect...

A Little Surprise

When Paul and I lived in New England the first time we had a favorite breakfast place - Parker's Maple Barn. They have the BEST pancakes and this super yummy maple coffee. We didn't go there often but we really enjoyed it when we did. When we moved back to NC we used to occasionally order their maple coffee since it's one of my favorite things. We haven't done that in years and in fact I had forgotten all about it until the other week. Paul and I were out shopping and I casually remarked that we should order some maple coffee again.

So today UPS left me a little package from Parker's Maple Barn..inside were 2 bags of maple coffee! Paul not only remembered my comment and went home and surprisingly ordered me coffee! Isn't that so sweet and thoughtful! A wonderful little surprise!

I can hardly wait to wake up tomorrow to the smell of maple coffee brewing...might just make it tad easier to tolerate the next 10 days with him gone.

Thanks honey! I love you!

Paul's Away Day 1

Paul left this morning to start his training for his new job...for 12 days..yes 12 days..in nowhere Indiana. Walmart is the cheapest company (which is why they are doing well and sell crap so cheap) so he had to drive..really. He's on the road now..hopefully almost there..he's been on the road all day through the snow..it sucks. I'm in denial that he's really going to be gone for that long. I don't know if I can make it 12 days by myself..it's going to require a lot of wine and chocolate.

The kids were actually pretty good today..I put Santa's email address and phone number on the fridge so remind them to be good. I'm thinking we might invite an "elf on the shelf" to come later this week. I need all the help I can get.

This is Emma's last week of school before her next track out so they started talking about the winter holidays and what people celebrate. She said 2 people celebrate Diwali and that everyone else celebrates Christmas and no one celebrates Harmonica...umm you mean Hanukkah?...right or is there another holiday I don't know about?