Needing a Healthy Start

Well, I've obviously had a hard time keeping up with my little blog! Apparently 5 kids, a house, a husband & a part-time job keep me a little busy :) The end of 2012 did not go as we would have liked. It has been three weeks now that Hudson & Trinity have been out of preschool and Brayden & Kambree returned to school last Thursday. The day my little ones should have been at their Christmas parties Hudson got sick-and the worst possible kind of virus- a stomach bug. Despite a dozen loads of laundry, sanitizing everything & covering every door knob and surface in lysol this awful virus made it one by one through each member of my household. By Christmas Eve only Kambree and I had not been struck with it. Although Santa did make a very generous stop at our house, it was somewhat saddened by Kambree waking up sick!!! We were unable to join the rest of our family at my in-laws for Christmas morning. First time in 12 years I haven't celebrated with them. My husband did take 3 of our healthy kiddos to see his family. 

We were sick for a whole week finally ending on the day after Christmas. Talk about bad timing! The only break I caught was I never got it! I guess God figured someone needed to stay well to take care of everyone else & keep the washer & dryer going non-stop. I think my 9 year old dryer is now on its last leg :/

                                                              My little angel!

Look what Santa brought

                                            Putting out reindeer food on Christmas Eve

Kambree turned 8 on December 20 and thankfully no one was ill on that one day. My mom and I took her, Trinity and two friends to the American Girl Store for lunch and shopping. She had such a wonderful time!

I have been beyond ready for school to resume! Normally, I really enjoy having the laid back schedule with nowhere to be and just having lots of family time. Not this year. It felt like the house was constantly a disaster, the dishwasher had to be run every day, floors needed swept & cleaned multiple times a day and don't even get me started on the endless loads of laundry! :(  We all have some major cabin fever! To top that off my mom caught the flu late last week and despite taking tamiflu has been absolutely miserable. All my kids got the flu mist back in October except Adalynn who had to wait to receive the shot once turning 6 months. Well we had her 6 month check up the last week of December and she did indeed get her shot BUT it takes 2-3 weeks for your body to build up immunity to the virus. Six days later she apparently caught it from her precious grandmother :( NOT GOOD! They have all been so healthy for the last two flu/cold seasons, I will definitely not take that for granted ever again!! It's just one thing after another right now.
                                                    
                                                 Healthy baby at her 6 month check up

                                                                poor, sick little Addy

             Stuck in the house with a sick baby on a cold, rainy day this is what happens.

A homemade "tent" in the middle of the living room :)

So, healthy kids are my biggest blessing this New Year and my priorities have been rearranged and put just into "survival" mode. I'm praying the other kids and Stephen and I stay healthy and do not get the flu virus. 
Trinity's 5th Birthday is Thursday and she can't wait to (finally) go back to school tomorrow with cupcakes to share with her friends. Praying for health on her birthday! 
Hope you and your family have a healthy, happy start to the New Year!
~Erin