Thanks for Sharing

Corbin has RSV.

Luckily, the girls both feel great and have absolutely no cold symptoms of any kind. So, for that, I am grateful.

I'm also grateful that we own a nebulizer and a humidifier, and for Albuterol, Pulmicort, and the oral steroid that will hopefully have my little guy back to his normal bouncy bouncy gummi bear self in no time.

I'm grateful for facebook, because I probably would have waited for it to get worse before taking him in to be tested for RSV if I hadn't known he'd been exposed to it 5 days before his symptoms showed up with a bang.

I'm grateful for the power of prayer and Priesthood blessings.

I'm grateful it isn't worse, cuz it totally could be.

I'm grateful for good friends who check in and make sure we're taken care of before I ever have to ask...because they know I don't like to.

I'm sorta grateful that Corbin was all lethargic and snuggly because he let me hold him for hours and hours, yesterday.

I'm grateful for the excuse to buy Corbin some of those ridiculous little over priced juice cups with Buzz, Rex, and Woody on the straw (he seriously died with excitement) and keep the tv on all day long. I don't think we've ever had seen so much of the Toy Story gang, MacQueen, Mater and Spirit at one time in this house, and I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.
Corbin is one happily spoiled little chap.

I'm also grateful I stuffed a box of Twinkes in the freezer, this morning.

I could do without the horrible, nasty, illness, but sick days in the Willy House definitely aren't the worst thing in the world. Symptoms started Friday, so hopefully, they'll be gone in "3-8 days" and maybe we'll be well enough to rejoin the land of the living this weekend.

Don't give us the stink eye if you see us in public. If we're out, we are not contagious anymore.
You are welcome.

Today

and quite possibly for-ev-er.


Check out this picture our friend posted today.

If you are currently enjoying 70* weather, do not call me unless you can offer sympathy or plane tickets.

An Update

Reese is feeling a lot better today, and had her last round of sickness around 1am.

Quincy began throwing up at 4am and hasn't stopped.

(Q with the "yuck bowl" and Quetzalcoatl blanket..essentials for a sick day in the Willy house)

If you go to walmart today, please pick me up some sanity in the form of a Reese's FastBreak bar or Rocky Road ice cream. I'm out.

On the brighter side, it looks like this is a fast and furious bug that will be long gone before Aaron comes home tomorrow night.

Accio Baton!

Confession:

For some reason, I find the use of a conductor's baton when leading the congregation in sacrament hymns at church totally demeaning. I can't even look up at the stand. It really really bothers me.

Is it just me? Probably.

I don't care to be directed musically with any kind of baton, but it's just that this particular baton is SO GINORMOUS. It seems so out of place in a chapel...more like a police baton is being waved around at me. I don't know if I should sing, or duck and cover...or shout Expelliarmus!

Cuz really, it's that huge. It's like a freaking Harry Potter wand. I am so totally distracted during the hymns lately, that we are going to have to find another place to sit during church, because rather than worshipping with lovely songs of praise, I find myself daydreaming about walking up to the stand between songs and breaking the baton. It's not like our congregation is so large that the people in the back can't see. People on Mars could see this thing. I know. I'm being totally ridiculous. I just need to find another place to sit, where we aren't so close that I have to worry about the conductor losing grip on the baton and it flying over the first two rows and making a kabob out of my children.

Yes! This is the kind of thing that is taking over my thoughts during church. It's that distracting. It makes me feel like I'm in an orchestra pit, or a marching band...but definitely not at church, preparing to participate in a sacred ordinance.

Don't get me wrong, the conductor, she's fine. Nice lady. HUGE baton. Any baton is a problem for me, honestly. But this one just needs to go. But not her. She's nice. Nice enough that I would never tell her how much I loathe her baton, because it would hurt her feelings.

And also because then I would be admitting how crazy I am.


I probably shouldn't have admitted this. Now the rest of you will be distracted, too, when you look up during the sacrament hymns and see a huge baton waving around at you. Even if you don't find it offensive, like I do, you'll still end up distracted because you'll be thinking about me, and how I must be going crazy up there on the third row...where that dang baton seems even larger from my vantage point since I'm seated so close. But, I figured I'd better admit my pet peeve after all...because more important than my urge to whine, I needed to warn you. You've all been tipped off and should I fall paralyzed under a spell and turn to stone from a misfired petrificus totalus during the closing hymn next week, you know where to place blame.

Water Update

remember when the cable company flooded my yard a month ago?
Guess what? They didn't fix the leak.
My water meter? Totally under water and running 24/7.

Water company says it is my responsibility to get it fixed. Last time I checked, the water meter was on "Village property" which is why no one had to clear it with me, the homeowner, first before they cut down a bunch of trees, then dug up and flooded my front yard. So if that's not any of my business, this is not my problem, either.

Water Dept. Guy then said it is the responsibility of the cable company to come out and fix the problem.

I called Cox/Vision Cable.
They claim that the water dept. did not properly mark the water lines, so now that it's broken, they aren't "allowed" to fix it. Then they suggested I call the water dept. and tell them they have to come out and fix this mess they put me in.

Something struck me.
Why am I the go between?
This is not my problem. I did not break the water line. I am not paying for this.

I gave the Cable guy the Water Dept Guy's number and said, "I'm going to let you call and tell him youself that you don't think this is your fault. Then, I want the problem fixed as soon as possible. I'm going to go ahead and give them a call right now and forward your phone number and let them know that you will be handling my water bill this month, and that they should be expecting a call from you. Here's the number, do you have a pen ready?"

This was the point when he said, "ok, hang on. What's your name again?"

He had no freaking clue which house I was. He was just ready to blame the problem on someone else.

That someone else is not going to be me.
I gave him the number and said, "you need to come fix this problem, now. Don't wait to settle with the Water Dept. because you are ultimately going to be responsible for this water bill and it is going up as we speak."

He said they'll get out here as soon as they can to fix it and they'll go after the Water Dept. for reimbursement, later.

I'm waiting for the water dept to call me back. This is going to be a long, ugly, fight.

Things that are Total Crap.

I put up 40 ft of fence with my Dad today along the property that neighbors Keith. (aka the jerk...to catch up on our past experiences with him, click the "on being a good neighbor" tag)
We were careful to make sure that the ENTIRE fence is 2 inches INSIDE of the property line. The fence is 100% on our property JUST so there will be no problems.

We decided that one fence section was too long (13 ft between posts), so tonight around 8pm, I went out to dig a hole to add a post in the middle and create two 6 ft segments of fence.

at 8:45 Mrs. Keith opened her garage and said, "it's THEM. Over THERE. WHAT are they doing now?" to Keith. I kept digging (behind my fence).
She came over minutes later and said, "ARE YOU DEAF?"

Ok. At this point, I have two options.
option #1 = be nice
option #2 = don't be nice

I went for option #1.5 = defensive.

Me: Uh. No.

Mrs. Keith: There's clanking in my bedroom.

Me: I'm sorry. I am almost done.

Mrs. Keith: I have to get up at 5:30 in the morning. I have to work.

Me: I am almost done.
(let it be stated here that there WAS originally a hole near this location at one point, but it was "mysteriously filled in" at our last episode with Keith.

Mrs. Keith: I said I have to get up at 5:30 in the morning, and you are CLANKING in my bedroom!

Me: I understand. I have to wake up early, too. My baby gets up at 5:30.

Mrs Keith: Are you DENSE? I said I have a JOB. Do you know what that means? You can do this tomorrow, you have no life and no responsibility and you are only out here to cause trouble.

Me: Don't call me dense. I have a job, too.

Mrs Keith: YOU. DO. NOT! (this is where she goes psycho) You do not work! You don't know how to work!

Me: (Did she seriously just tell me that I don't know how to work? There are so many things wrong with this conversation I don't know where to begin.)
Ok listen. I am only out here tonight because I received a letter from the POA that YOU had complained about our boat being in our driveway, and that we have until May 5th, that's TO-DAY, to move it. Well, the boat goes right here, so I am finishing the fence so I can move my boat and make you happy.
ALSO, I am only DIGGING by HAND right now because the hole we dug months ago was mysteriously filled back in by YOUR "land surveyor". I am almost done.

Mrs. Keith: How am I going to get it through your thick head that you need to stop right now? You start smarting off to me when all I did was come over here and politely ask you to be quiet.

Me: Polite? Seriously? I am ALMOST DONE.

Mrs. Keith: WHEN will you be done?

Me: When this hole is 18 inches deep again.

enter Aaron...who uses a tone of voice that immediately tells me he prefers option #2.

Aaron: What's the problem out here?

enter Keith: My wife is trying to sleep and SHE (points at me) is smarting off to her.

Mrs Keith then told a ridiculous version of what had just happened.

I told her she was lying, but it didn't matter because I was going to stop "clanking" with my shovel and go inside.

Mrs Keith: "I'm calling the police. They'll take care of this."

Aaron: Take care of what? She is done. What are they going to do? Make her stop extra?

Mr and Mrs Keith simultaneously yelled, at one point Keith's mumbling (yes. dentures) got bad and Mrs. Keith told her she can't understand him. We just stood there shocked that this whole conversation was even happening. How did it escalate to this point? How did this get so crazy?
They just kept yelling, telling us that the POA had called and ticketed THEM for their ghetto railroad ties that they lined their yard with (to make a pseudo curb and prevent anyone from parking in front of their house. FYI We have never complained, though we should have when Keith went nuts and made verbal threats to "straighten me out when my husband is not around." a couple years ago.). THEN Keith started crying while he was yelling, and got all shakey and Mrs. Keith calmed him down while she bitterly spat out things like, "we have NEVER done anything to YOU, EVER! You two have caused nothing but problems for us since you moved here. We are good neighbors and you are horrible people! (that last line came out with so much hatred, I swear her breath was green). Your fence is on our property and we are good Christians and decided to just let it go and not complain."

Aaron jumped in here insisting that Keith doesn't even know WHERE his property line is, since it is clearly marked and not even touching within 2 inches of the fence.
Then Mrs. Keith yelled: "Why can't you just be good Christians and leave us alone?!"

{Uh, yeah. We're trying to leave you alone. Hence, the FREAKIN FENCE between our properties!!! Just let me build the dang fence, lady!!!! }

Aaron: Ok. We're done. Go to bed.

and that was that.

Do you feel like you're in Jr. High? Madness!!!

The fence cannot be complete soon enough.
Either that, or I am just going to have to move.

1756 sq ft house for sale in beautiful Bella Vista.
It comes with the worst neighbors in America.

What Not To Wear

We've all had our taste of bad family photos, from the matchie matchie khaki pants photo to the one kid that won't stop screaming photo to someone farted right when the photog said "cheese" photo.

I discovered this site listed on the sidebar of a friend's blog.
http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/
pretty funny stuff.

THEN, I discovered this photo on someone's facebook page.
I'm only going to say this once, so listen closely.

Friends, don't try this at home.

Seriously...worst idea ever as far as family pictures go. What were we going for with the rainbow?

"There's a pot o' gold at the end of this Christmas card"

"We're so happy we're gay"

"aren't you glad we aren't all in matching denim shirts?"

"we wanted to make the one single daughter feel super isolated"

or maybe just "we like skittles"

I don't even know these peeps (yes! That's exactly what they look like. Marshmallow peeps.) but I am considering submitting this photo to the awkward family photo website. Maybe one of the 28 people in the picture will stumble upon it one day (while eating skittles) and think, "hey. maybe that wasn't a good idea" and go back to the khaki's.

"An' you can break meeee..."

They were awake at 5:15 this morning. And by they, I mean EVERYone.
At 7, I put Corbin back to bed for a nap, put a movie in for the girls, and attempted to take a shower.

Mistake.

"MoooooooooM! Reese blah blah blah magnets!"

Tell Reese to clean them up.

"MoooooooooM! Quincy blah blah blah SHARE blah blah!"

Go tell Quincy to share.

"MoooooMMmmmmmEEEEEEEEEEEE! blah blah blah..."

hey! why are you naked? Go put your swimming suit on, you have swimming class this morning.

"MMMO-OOM! blah blah blah can't FIND blah blah blah!"

It's hanging on your bedroom door.

"MoM. MOM. HEY MO-OMMMMM!"

Girls. Can I PLEASE have some privacy? I'll be out in 2 minutes. Quincy, why are YOU naked now?!

"Because I Blah blah blah go swimming blah blah not fair blah blah too!"

I don't know where your swimming suit is, but we are just going to watch Reese swim. You get to take your own class in January, when you are 3.

"MOM. Quincy won't stay out of Corbin's room!"

Ok! I'm coming! (a 5 minute shower...can't a girl get some time to shave?)

"I blah blah blah get her out. She Blah Blah Blah wake him up!"

NO. Reese, don't touch her. Quincy is fine, I'm coming out and I will take care of it.

"But I'll get her down!---"
--Reese, I said I'll take care of it. Do. Not. Touch. Your Sister. Don't worry about it.

"BUT SHE IS ON HIS CRIB.. and he doesn't like it. I'll go get her out of there, Mom."

huh? what? no!

too late. Reese ran out of the room. I turned off the shower and hurried out.

Reese apologizing.
Quincy crying.

Arm broken for sure.

It looked like a giant shoe had stepped in the middle of Quincy's forearm and there was a huge lump sticking out one side.

It did NOT look normal.

It wouldn't straighten or rotate and she screamed when I attempted to touch her fingers. She protectively held her arm close to her body and cried while I tried to calm her down and find out WHAT exactly happened.

Aaron came home to take poor Quincy to the hospital. I fed Corbin, got Reese dressed (so much for swimming class) and we met them in the ER. We took a quick detour because Reese wanted to take something to Quincy to make her feel better. I was happy she was showing SOME signs of remorse that had previously been absent.

Krispy Kreme: Making crappy days better 1,o00 calories at a time.

When we got back to the ER, Quincy was smiling and happy.
Her arm looked NORMAL.

huh?

Aaron said that while transferring from one doctor to another, it must have popped back in. (into where? it was the MIDDLE of her arm).
A miracle. I know kids are resilient and all...and their bones have a lot of cartilage...but this is amazing. Crazy buckled and misshapen before. Fine now.

The doctor told Aaron that this happens all the time with little kids, and it was probably us holding Quincy still that helped work her radial tuber-whatever back where it belongs.
Sweet little sister who was so willing to forgive, forget, and share her donut with Reese.
Being able to totally forgive the person who hurt you is a lesson we will all learn from Quincy. If only we all could be this forgiving!

Mom getting a peaceful, uninterrupted shower?
THAT too, would be a miracle.

"Drifting Falling, Floating Weightless, Coming Coming Home"

We're home.
45 minutes to the airport
$75 total fees for "excess" luggage
2 1/2 hr flight
2 1/2 hr layover
1000 fruit snacks and oreos (thank you Grandma, they saved our lives...well you saved the lives of your crabby grandchildren)

1 hour flight
1/2 hour fighting to get our car from long term parting (there are two identical lots, but the one we were parked in charged $70 instead of $30)
2 1/2 hr drive home
4 with food poisoning
1 ear infection
2 sets of pink eye
52 degree house full of Christmas paper that we didn't clean up in our rush out the door to the airport Christmas morning.
takeout dinner
hot chocolate
a bath
a fire
hot chocolate
warm jammies
sleeping children
We're home.

We had a whole week to visit with the Willy's!
The kids were spoiled by grandparents, got to play with cousins and fun aunties and uncles, eat all the junk food a little kid could want, throw up the junk food all over Grandma's bed, stay up super late, watch movies, play in the snow, play with Grandma's never ending supply of really cool toys, go to a discovery museum, see dozens of Christmas lights, and learn to love the family doggies.

Considering that no one has felt well for about 4 days, the kids woke up happy as can be this morning. It was 60 degrees outside, so we went for a walk and watched the birds (who needs a museum? drop by our yard and you'll see plenty of wildlife in their natural habitat...if you show up after hours, you are sure to get a peek at special exhibit of two adults happy to walk around the house in their underwear, curtains closed or not. Good thing our neighbors have old eyes.). After we visited with our neighbor friends for a bit, we came home and made these DELICIOUS (and healthy..toot toot.) smoothies to go with our (not so healthy) frozen pizza lunch.

Citrus Blend Smoothies
(I don't really measure, but here is an estimate of what we put in there)
1 1/2 c frozen pineapple
3/4 cup frozen peaches
3 heaping tablespoons vanilla yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 c orange juice
1/3 c nonfat milk
Blend.
Forget that the blender is going while you haul more leftover Christmas paper trash out to the curb and flag down the garbage truck before it drives away.
Wash stinky trash hands.
Wash hands again because you still smell the trash on them.
Smell butt of toddler and realize that the smell is coming from her diaper, not from your trash hands.
Change really stinky diaper.
Wish you didn't have to store stinky diaper in your garage for 6 days until the trash is collected again.
Wash hands a third time.
Pour smoothies and sip with pink straws
Enjoy!

Thanks to those who keep up with our "daily journal-ing of irrelevant nonsense."
It's not irrelevant to us.
I'm glad we can share our adventures with family and friends who feel the same way.
Happy New Year to all!