March Sickos

We drove down to the Castle Rock Outlets to do a little shopping (March 19). While there James threw up. It did not look like spit up but I just thought maybe it was weird spit up because of the solid food we are putting him on. He then threw up again and again. This time it was very obvious that he was throwing up (full body heaving, gagging and that horrible 'throw up' smell) and he was green. So we got all ready to leave and he started being really lethargic (he would just stare at us, no reaction, not to a toy, us or anything). So while driving home we called Mom and an on-call nurse and decided to take him to Urgent Care, to make sure he wasn't getting dehydrated. (He threw up 12 times in 3 hours)

Ben dropped us off and I went in to find it would be over an hour wait- ugh. I pulled him out of his seat and he had vomited all over his clothes, so I stripped him down to his onesy and a blanket and laid him on my chest as we waited. After about 15 minutes a nurse came out (to get another patient) and saw him, he was so lethargic and sick that she left her patient waiting and came over. They brought out some zofran to stop his nausea but as we were trying to give it to him he vomited 2-3 Tbs of lime green bile and exploded his diaper (all over me because he had no clothes on- and I mean ALL OVER). She went and found a room for us to clean up in and wait (so we didn't have to wait in the hall/waiting room).

I took him back and cleaned him and myself off (as best I could). He laid on the bed like he was dead; no movement, no fight while I stripped him down, no talking. But literally less than 15 minutes after taking the Zofran he was perked up and looking like a normal (still a little sick with low energy) kid; playing, talking, all smiles. They brought in some pedialyte (electrolytes because he hadn't eaten in 8 hrs) and the doctor came in a checked him out. He was totally healthy, no abdominal swelling or tenderness, and the doctor said there has been a bug going around and he should be fine (they gave me some zofran to take home, just in case).  That night he had an okay night; with 3 diarrhea blow outs (yuck) and a low appetite (but eating a little). He continued to have diahrea the rest of that week but was feeling better in every other way.

That night in the middle of the night Elizabeth woke up with an upset stomach and climbing into our bed, threw up everywhere.  We were able to get her and the bed cleaned up and her back in her bed just in time for her to throw up again.  So then we got her in yet another pair of pajamas and cleaned up her bed.  Ben took in a blanket and laid by her to help her if anything else happened and I cleaned up and went to bed (after being up almost 2 hours cleaning up vomit).

I stayed home with the kids from church and they both started perking up and feeling better.  That night I started feeling off and I threw up. Then I battled the queasiness and diarrhea for a day (thank heaven's I didn't throw up again).  We passed a 24 hour stomach bug around the house and Ben, thank heaven's did not get it. 

Then on Tuesday night (almost 24 hours sick free), Ben started feeling 'off'. That night it snowed like crazy and we woke up to feet of snow causing Ben to work from home.  Through the day he just kept feeling bad and even took a nap (that's a big deal for Ben).  That night he got a horrible fever and felt really bad; we finally decided that he needed to go to the doctor.  So I dug out the car (seriously, the snow was so deep) and we took him to the doctor. The doctor said it was probably the Flu but that the Flu usually had a higher fever so he just gave Ben a prescription for antibiotics and we went home. But things just kept getting worse. 

His fever continued to get higher (103 and not breaking) and he just slept constantly.  He would wake up and come out of the room and try to eat/drink something and just fall asleep while sitting up and in mid conversation. Finally after 24 hours of a high unrelenting fever we had our Home Teachers come over to give him a blessing.  The next day we were able to break his fever and he, again, slept all day straight (but without a high fever he was feeling better).  In the end we decided that he had the Flu (not a stomach flu but the actual influenza).  By Sunday (Easter) he was feeling much better and didn't go to church but went to his parents for dinner.

I have never seen Ben that sick and it was a little scary but he was super tough.  We are so grateful that the rest of us did not get that sick and that Ben was able to get well relatively quickly.

Easter Festivities

Holidays are so fun with kids because they bring the excitement and magic back into everything.  Ben was super sick over Easter, so Elizabeth and I did everything together and it was fun.  We died easter eggs and, to minimize breaking and spillage, I told her to 'dribble' the color over the egg.  As she did it she kept mumbling, "dribble...dribble...dribble.."  At one point while coloring on a crayon she got frustrated that it wouldn't stand up and slammed it down, to make a flat side; she didn't realize that the eggs would break.  It was fun and I love being so creative.  I also have to brag that we don't have any puke brown eggs- Elizabeth is still easily convinced that she does not want to combine certain things.

 

 

 

 

 

 The day before Easter we went to the Hoffman's house for an Easter Egg hunt.  They had different parts of the house with eggs hidden for different ages and the basement was for all 3-8 year olds.  I was a little worried that Elizabeth (the only 3 year old) would get plowed over and not get many eggs.  We talked about how you can't take too many because everyone needs to get one.  We got down there and there were a TON of eggs; it was mass chaos and so much fun. After 3 eggs she came up to me and told me she got enough because everyone else needed some, when I told her to go back (because there were soo many) she got a second wind and filled her basket.  It was so cute seeing all of these kids discover new hiding spots and swarming around the room.

 

 

 Easter Morning was very exciting in our house.  The Easter Bunny came and hid eggs all over our living room and after practicing her 'finding' skills the day before, Elizabeth was eager and ready.  James, who I thought would gravitate towards anything on the ground, wasn't really that interested and we had to push him to find one.  We then went into the kitchen to see our Easter baskets.  The Easter Bunny always brings up something to wear or take to church. Elizabeth got new church shoes, new scriptures and sparkly princess chapstick. She was super excited.

 

 

 

 

 

Both kiddos got cute new church clothes for Easter Sunday but they were for a 'spring Easter' and not for a horrendous 'blizzard Easter' so they had to wear sweaters to keep from freezing.  Elizabeth had a hot pink frilly dress and James looked dapper in his new button up (which is a romper but can't be used for that until it's warmer). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A couple years ago someone gave us a bunny diaper and James is just the right size and Easter is just the right time to break it out.  Ben thought I was being mean, but I thought it was hilariously cute seeing James' bunny bum crawl around the living room.

 

 

 

 

We did not just focus on the Easter Bunny and festivities this year.  Another great thing about having your kids get older is that you get to teach them deeper aspects of the gospel.  We hung up pictures of Christ's life on our wall and would talk about them.  She learned the excitement and importance of Christ being 'resurrectioned' and I think she understood the importance a little more than last year.

I am grateful for my Savior.  Growing up with the gospel in my life I feel like I often take it for granted; I know that I am a child of God.  I know that my family will be together again.  I know that my Savior atoned for me.  But sometimes it is nice to stop and rethink about these things that I have 'known' my entire life.  It is nice to have it hit me again, like it's the first time I have heard it, that my Savior, Jesus Christ, atoned for me; he felt what I feel and willingly went through what I go through so that he could be there with me at the judgement.  Ours is a relationship more dear and pure than any I can imagine.  I am grateful for my Savior, I love him and I hope to live my life to show others of my faith in him. 

Dance and Etiquette Class: Cotillion

Since January,  I have been teaching a Dance and Etiquette class at a Commonwealth School in Broomfield.  A family in my ward sends their kids to that school and it is majority LDS.  I had a class of 15 kids ages 12-15.  It was so much fun to meet with the kids and talk about etiquette; they thought it was not important but they saw, as the class went on, the value of having good manners.  We learned the waltz, cha cha, foxtrot and swing.  They enjoyed dancing and I know they will keep those skills up.  

As a reward for finishing the course we had a formal dinner and a cotillion (May 6).  The kids were put into groups and responsible for different parts of the cotillion.  The formal dinner was a three course meal with only the kids in our group. Then we went to a dance where the entire school and families were invited.  It was such a fun night.  The kids enjoyed dressing up and they did a dance showcase/performance for their families. 

Andrea Reed was my advisor/ team-teacher.

The Dance and Etiquette Class

The Men of the Class

 

 The dinner was amazing and made, plated and served by parents.  It was a three course meal with appetizers (apple with bree cheese and cranberry sauce or shrimp cabobs), a salad and bread, salmon drizzled in holondase sauce with potatoes and broccoli, and sorbet for dessert.  It was one of the fanciest meals I have ever had! The kids worked on all of their table manners; including pulling the chairs out for the girls and cutting the meat properly (that was a big deal for them).

 

 

  The dance included all of the families, so Ben and the kids were able to come.  It was fun for them to be there and to show everything off to Ben.  Elizabeth instantly attached to one little boy (she has been going to 'school' with all of these kids while I have been teaching) and they danced the night away.  She was so cute because she would lead him and make him spin her (just like her Mom).

 

 

The kids did a Waltz/Chacha performance and I was so proud of them.  They were nervous but they all showed how good they could do and they had a fun time.

 

 

 I am so glad that I got to have this experience.  I love teaching dance and it was so fun for me to do it again (I forgot how much I enjoyed it).