We are alive

It's been a month since I journaled anything- an entire month.  I've written down snippets of our life faithfully for eight years, and now I've gone a whole month.  There are really two things to blame...or maybe three.
1.  Instagram is murdering my blog.  It's just too blasted easy.
2.  My computer won't upload my pictures from my phone as easy as it used to so I've given up.  It          might be time to get out the big camera and lose the phone camera.
3.  The Move.
4.  Because there are really four reasons.  We are sick.  Croup, fevers, sore throats, body aches and          strep.  It hasn't been pretty and I'm feeling bad for my sick children.  We all have ample access to        soap and clean water, so I feel bad this virus has spread like wildfire through our family.


Other mute points from our life at 1074 Cobble Creek Rd...

First of all, it's so wonderful to live on Cobble Creek Rd again.  Its gives me joy.  We are the first house at the end of our culdesac and therefore are living in dirt land, but I could give a hoot.   We love it here.  I love my home.  I love my big kitchen.  I love that all four bedrooms are upstairs together.  I love the smell of new paint and carpet.  I love my tiled shower (I hate wiping it down, but its worth it to keep it clean).  I love my double oven.  I love my big windows.  I love that we are less than 5 minutes from our schools, Steve's work and our church.  (We are actually about 1 minute or less from our church.)  I love that one of my best friends bought the lot next to me.  This is an awesome place to live.  Three cheers for being home.

Steve is busy.  This month was our month to clean his office.  This is a twice weekly job and takes 1-2 hours depending on how many helping hands are there.  With the virus of 2016 making its way through our house, Steve has been on his own- poor man.  He has also been sick and was down for almost four days.  Add sickness and office cleaning to his crazy full work schedule and church calling...I feel like I never see him.  For instance, he is taking the deacons camping tonight.  He had a YM's activity on both Tuesday and Wednesday this week.   Husband?  What husband.  (all reality- I'm grateful I have a husband who is willing to serve and puts his church calling high on the priority list.  I wouldn't have it any other way as I know obedience brings blessings.  His service is blessing our family.  Our children are learning from example.  It's a really wonderful thing.  I just miss Steve at times.)

Andrew is fun.  The best part of this last month was helping him make a Valentine card for a certain girl who I have promised not to name.  (He name rhymes with Midnee.  Sorry Andrew, I couldn't help myself.)   This nameless girl has been swimming with Andrew this year but is from Declo.  Long distance mutual admiration is a good thing I think.  Andrew and I made a cute Valentine heart out of construction paper and I took a picture of him holding the heart while wearing his Sunday best.(from the waist up...I think there were sweats from the waist down.)  He messaged her the picture Valentines Day morning.  Cute stuff.  Andrew is having a great semester school work wise and I'm proud of his hard work.  I was also proud of him getting up this Wednesday morning around 4:45 am to go to the temple with his teachers quorum.   He's a great kid.  I promised him that he could have friends over this Saturday night and that I would make scones.  Our new house is going to reek like grease.  I must really love this boy.

Carter has been sick all week and has missed four days of school.  He has watched endless movies and Netflix episodes of Clone Wars.  I'm sure his brain is rotting.  Another adventure this week was the ginormous holes in the back of him mouth caused by the new bar on his braces.  I took him to Steve's office Monday morning and Steve cleaned debris (gag) out of the sores.  Poor poor Carter. We got him taken back to the ortho (Hurray for Uncle Spencer) and they bent the protruding bars back and gave Carter mounds of wax.  Today I think he finally feels "normal" again.   I'm glad I didn't pay to have Carter and Colby swim this month.  It would have been money flushed.

Colby is sick too.  He woke up with 101 fever and croup.  He told me he couldn't breathe all night.  Uh...Colby...if you can't breathe, wake up your parents!!  I gave him a dose of Saylor's albuterol and some ibuprofen and he is feeling better.   After his fever came down and his spirits raised, he made a huge RC car track upstairs with the left over vinyl from our house.  He surrounded it with my couch pillows to keep any rouge cars safe during crashes and his having a great time.  His only problem is his 6-year-old sister walking all over his track.  I'm a little tired of hearing them fight with one another.

Saylor was sick last week with a fever and ear infection.  I spent $25 for the doctor to confirm it was an ear infection and then tell me they don't give out RX for ear infections anymore.  Next time I'm going to call the doctor before I pay money.   We had to switch insurance plans this  year and we are paying WAY more out of pocket than last year in addition to higher premiums.  I can't afford to waste money on lame doctor visits anymore.   She has recovered from her ear infection, but I'm watching her close to see if she comes down with the crazy virus the boys have.   He teacher has been sick all week and Saylor told me today she is tired of not having her teacher there...in a huge Saylor type huff.  Really, this cold season if affecting everyone!  I also had a moment of clarity yesterday as I went through and organized Saylor's toys that she is truly spoiled rotten.  She has more toys and dolls than is even remotely necessary.  He and Grady share a room and their closet is full of girly dress ups, dolls, figurines and stuffed animals.  One day he is going to realize he is getting a raw deal.

Grady will be three next month and I swear he is going on 16.  He's feisty that one.  The other day he came down finger pointed in an aggressive stance and shouted, "I'm going to kill you Mom!"   It seems to me that he is watching too many episodes of Clone Wars with his brothers.  He is in a tantrum throwing stage at the moment and I spend much of my day dragging his darling fanny to his room until he can stop crying and talk to me.  I don't give in much...but he is slow to understand my consistency.   He currently has a little rash around him mouth that I'm sure is directly related to his "gi-gi" use at night and at nap time.  I'm washing those things and his face often, but I think the "gi-gi needs to go.  Heaven help me.  If this boy wasn't so blasted cute, his hide would be in trouble.   His vocabulary is growing every day and his use of phrases such as "Of Course!" crack me up.  He asks to go to the store almost daily and insists we shop at target.   Hopefully, he's getting used to the disappointment.  I don't love going to the store.

Steve and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary on the 12th.  We wanted to attend the temple, but Steve's nasty cough kept us from going.  We went out to dinner at Cafe Rio and were anxious to leave as the family sitting way to close to us had kids that were coughing their heads off.   If I had wanted to listen to sick children I would have stayed home.  We then went to Down East Home because I like to look at furniture.   There is a gray very retro style couch/loveseat/armchair combo that Steve and I have both been eyeing.  Its really fun, but is missing many of the buttons on the cushions.  Each piece is still marked over $500 which I think is WAY too much for furniture that looks used.  Add that to the fact that the set has sat on the floor for over four months.   I went to the manager (sometimes I get really brave streaks that I can't explain) and told her I was willing to pay $650 for all three pieces and that I didn't think something that was missing so many buttons was worth more.  She took my name and number and told me she would call the guy in charge in Utah. Yeah...needless to say, I haven't heard back.  One day my ridiculous expectations will pay off, but that night wasn't my day.   If the couch is still there in another month, I'm going to try again.

I'm struggling with the cold weather and I've noticed my mood and energy level is directly proportional to sunlight.  It's been cloudy, wind and cold for days here.  I'm resisting the urge to crawl into my bed every day and ignore the world.  We are supposed to have sunshine next week...and I'm really looking forward to it.    I was tempted to go to a tanning bed this week just to get some vitamin D.   Last winter I was in Hawaii for a week and the sun helped me get through the rest of the winter. I need to win the lottery so I can go there every year for my sanity sake.