Sometimes the best way to enjoy Ross Clover-Bloom Honey

 is just to open wide and

 throw it back.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a honey bear calling my name.

Chillaxin

Warning: The use of hand-towels will result in punishment by flu.

Paper-towels have replaced all kitchen and hand towels for the time being.  I realize this is a very ungreen, tree killing, wasteful thing to do.  I do not care.  The sooner we are released from this prison the better.  And if I have to fill up an entire landfill in the process, so be it.

And here is the annoying thing:  Bode feels just fine.  Hasn't had the slightest sign of a fever since Wednesday night.  

(I told Bode that spinach smoothies are medicine and unless he drinks them up he may never leave the house again.  Sucker.)

But heaven forbid I go anywhere with him because I will come under the wrath of "mommy judgement."  You know, the eyes rolling back in the head and the muttering, "Oh my gosh, I can't buh-lieve she is out with that sick child.  The neeeeeerve. "

And I understand because I have been guilty of the same thing myself.  It's one of the few times as a parent that we actually feel like we are doing a slightly better job than someone else.  (Which, I'm convinced, is the only reason Toddlers and Tiaras is so popular.  It's the only reason I watch it.)

And then if anyone in the metro-area comes down with the flu I will be blamed and I will actually feel sort of guilty about it like it was a little bit my fault.

I digress...

In other news, this girl is feeling a little neglected.  She actually has to go to school and piano and church.  Oh the humanity!

 A lot of our conversations end with Mia stomping off to her room these days.  I'm terrified at what the future holds.

I also realized that I forgot to brush Bode's teeth yesterday (and maybe the day before) so I predict next week will include some kind of emergency baby tooth root canal.

At this point, nothing would surprise me.

Ear infections, Strep, and the Flu

And that's just one kid.  

So this weekend Bode started getting this nasty looking STD on his face.  I e-mailed a picture of it to my doc and after he vomited in his mouth a little bit, he prescribed two antibiotics.  The next day Bode has a 103 degree temperature.  And he won't eat.  And he is coughing All. Night. Long.

One e-mail to the doc and an office visit later we have an ear infection, a nasty strep face, and a positive flu test.  A trifecta of hideous illnesses.  Yippee!

You know how sometimes you want to curl up in a closet with a chocolate bar and box of kleenex?

Well, this is one of those times. 

Today, parenting = fail.

Green is my new favorite color.

If I say that enough I may actually start to believe it.  Although, these green smoothies are pretty darn good, and super easy to make.  This particular one consisted of two big handfuls of baby spinach, one banana, one pear, and a little orange juice.  You can really just throw whatever fruit you have lying around with some spinach and a little liquid and you're good to go.  

My favorite child (for the moment) drank it right up.  The other child made a bunch of gagging noises, spit it out and demanded macaroni and cheese.

 After some consideration, Mia decided she likes the smoothies just fine,

but she would just as soon eat her spinach straight from the bowl.

 Thus confirming that she is still my favorite (for the next five minutes, at least).

The vomit bowl has been put away for the time being.

And in other news, Mia started piano yesterday at the Music Academy at OC.  Considering her teacher is under 80 and pronounces her name correctly, it looks like her piano experience won't be much like mine at all.  (I answered to "Sum-ner" for at least three years.)

She learned "Billy Boy" and is already driving the family crazy playing those same three notes over and over again.  I think that's a good sign.

Does this look like a person who is vomiting while simultaneously having diarrhea?

She prefers to puke in heels.
(And it looks like we are on round two of the virus.)

The children always insist on taking at least one picture each when the camera is out.

And it always seems that the camera is out when I have on no make-up and no bra.  Thus lots of braless, make-upless pictures of me.  Oh well, at least they aren't that great with the focus.

As I anticipate and plan for this wonderful new year I only know three things for sure.

 My hair will be browner, my face will be wrinklier,

and my love will be deeper.

And then there were two.

I sure am glad I got that 22 minutes of sleep last night.

It's been a looooooooooong night.

The Halloween candy holder makes a great vomit bowl during the off-season.

The post in which I get a little sappy, and whiney.

You know that let-down feeling you get after you have had some awesome experience and the reality that, well, you have to go back to reality starts to set in? 

Well, today I have that.  In a restaurant.  In Dallas.  On my awesome get-away with my husband.

And here’s a little secret:  It isn’t about our trip ending.  Which may or may not have confused and/or offended my sweet husband. 

Men don’t really understand these moments when a woman has to cry in a restaurant because she’s happy and sad all at the same time.  I think it’s their worst nightmare.

This little Christmas break has been so unusually precious and sweet this year.  Everyday I have been overwhelmed with love and appreciation for the precious gift of my family.

And I know why.  Mia is home with us.  Every day.  And in a couple of days I will have to go back to checking the red folder, and packing lunches, and waking Mia from a dead sleep, and begging her to eat something, and telling her to “hurry up” , and car pool lines, and don’t forget your coats, and don’t forget your library books, and bedtimes…and now I’m crying again.

And this is just kindergarten.

You would think that after praying about this for six years, and making careful and intentional choices about schools, and seeing her enjoy this experience that I would have some peace.

But right now, at this very moment, the doubt and fear and grief are kind of overshadowing the peace. 

How do we live a simple life?  How do we keep our children grounded?  How do we make sure our families stay together?  How do we keep our perspective in check?

I don’t have the answers.  But I do have the Bible and I have faith and I have desire.  I think that is a good starting place for 2011.