Friday, December 17: Leave Spring, TX at 7:00 p.m. for the drive to SLC. Arrive in Amarillo, TX at 4:15 a.m. Get a hotel for a few hours of sleep and a hot breakfast.
Saturday, December 18: Leave Amarillo, TX at 9:00 a.m. Drive through Albuquerque, NM and decide not to stop at the bowl game b/c BYU is winning by a long shot! The girls were angels... until Brooklyn started throwing up at 9:45 p.m. We thought she was having an allergic reaction to dinner. But since it continued every 15 minutes for the next 4 hours... while we drove through a snow storm... we realized it was probably the flu. Arrive in SLC at 2:15 a.m.
Sunday, December 19: Brooklyn throws up again and has diarrhea. Bill stays home with her while the rest of us attend church. Then it's off to the airport for Bill, he has a 4:30 p.m. flight back to Houston. Brooklyn goes through 6 diapers in an hour. Time for some Immodium so we can sleep.
Monday, December 20: Do a little Christmas shopping, play with the cousins. Take Madisen to the dentist for an emergency cavity filling. Arrive home at 6:00 p.m. to Kellie and Caitlyn throwing up. Eat dinner and put kids to bed. Lysol and Clorox the entire house, hoping no one else will get sick. At 12:00 a.m. mom and dad start throwing up. I'm up all night alternating btwn. Caitlyn throwing up and Brooklyn's restless sleeping.
Tuesday, December 21: Everyone is feeling lousy, affected by this crazy stomach bug. We all stay in our PJ's ALL day. Watch movies. Wash countless loads of laundry. 8:00 p.m. Madisen throws up. More laundry. Clorox and Lysol the house.
Wednesday, December 22: Everyone feels BLAH. We shower, but lay around again except for Kellie & dad who went back to work. Eat an early dinner (pancakes) and opt for some fresh air. We headed downtown to look at the window displays and gingerbread houses at the Grand America. Madisen is burning up by the time we get home, saying her neck and head hurt. Kids in bed by 9:00, all with a dose of Tylenol. 10:30 drift off to sleep, only to be awakened at 11:00 p.m. by a screaming Caitlyn who has thrown up in bed. Shower her and do some laundry. (Text Bill:
THIS IS LIKE THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS!) Shuffle beds. I end up with Caitlyn so I can help her through the night. Madisen is in my room with Brooklyn. At 3:00 a.m. when Madisen came to tell me that her neck hurt, I did the responsible thing and sent her to grandma. My parents were up with her from 3-6 (BIG oops on my part), with a fever of 103, a pounding headache and a terrible neck ache. We know her fever was 103 b/c grandpa ran to the store for a thermometer.
Thursday, December 23: I woke up at 6:00 a.m. to the news of Madisen's rough night, but she's finally asleep. I find an Insta Care that accepts our Insurance. Caitlyn looks awful when she wakes up. At 9:00 a.m. I load both girls in the van and head to Insta Care. After a throat culture and chest x-ray, it's determined that Caitlyn, although looking quite pallid, is not as bad off as her coughing, 103 degree sister. Madisen is given Motrin and prescribed Tamiflu. The girls ask for Slurpees & french fries- it's the only thing they've
asked to eat for 4 days. After a few doses of medicine we have started to perk up. Clorox the house again. However, Madisen's throat looks awful. She probably has strep on top of the flu virus. We're waiting for the 24 hour culture results. Bill arrives at 11:35 p.m. Our knight in shining armor! (His turn for the night shift!)
Friday, December 24: We are going to ride the North Pole Express Train in Heber! NO.MATTER.WHAT.
The best part of all this has been that we are together. It wasn't exactly what we had planned... since we had to for-go the Echoes of Christmas, the Gateway Children's Museum, the BYU Basketball game, and more...but it's still a memory!
*Side note: no one is back to normal quite yet, this bug is VICIOUS! And yes, we all had our flu shots! So much for that!Merry Christmas to all, and to all a
GOOD NIGHT!
North Pole Express; Heber, UT
Caitlyn's preschool did a cute program for the mom's. They sang Jingle Bells and Santa Claus is Coming to Town and presented us with some cookies and an ornament. The videos were too slow to upload...
We decorated gingerbread houses with the TX Carruth cousins at grandma's house.
The older girls and I attended the lovely musical fireside presented by members of our stake! It was a wonderful opportunity to feel the Spirit of the season, for all of us.
And of course we got to see the big man in red to share our Christmas wishes. Let's just hope he doesn't disappoint...
The older 2 were pretty excited about it, but Brooklyn just looks a little confused.
In April we are breaking our mold and adding a baby BOY to our family! We're still a bit in shock, but REALLY excited!
P.S. We are behind, but we're also going to do this activity from The Friend to bring a spiritual aspect to our celebrations.
Super blurry, but it's tough to catch a girl on the move!
She's even mastered the turns! Way to go Madisen!
{The great-grandchildren. Teleki is the name of the Ranch}
jeeping,
hanging with the cousins, (that white board provided hours of entertainment for these ladies)
taking the trash out with Matthew, Connor & Uncle Don,
the dogs,
{Brooklyn was getting acquainted with Babe, the dog, here. She spent the rest of the trip following Babe & the other 3 dogs around. I still smile when I think of her little voice saying, "Bay" as she chased after the dogs.}
feasting,
feeding the horses,
riding the horses,
{Caitlyn on Scout, led by Kristen}
{Madisen on Dakota, led by Kate}
{enjoying the vista after a l-o-n-g ride}
{and Brooklyn on Scout}
and lastly, dancing.
{Because really, what camping trip is complete without a dance floor, lights, heaters, bonfires, loud country music, and a line dance teacher?}
I have so much to be thankful for... especially my family. I'm grateful to be a wife, mother, daughter, and sister! There is no greater calling in life!
On Thursday we celebrated Backyardigans style... complete with a treasure map. (not pictured)
{My sign-making friend was MIA so this was 2nd best.}
{Madisen made the sign that we posted on the front door.}
Next we moved to the backyard for some games: Red Light/Green Light, Musical Islands, and Animal Rescue.
Then it had cooled off so we had to come in for some dance moves, egg races, cake and presents.
After the bags were handed out, there was just enough time for a group photo.
Top: Caitlyn, Lucie, Briella, Hannah, Madisen
Then it was time for presents. Notice that she's wearing her new cars jammies...and playing her new guitar.
And yes, she received her OWN Leapster from grandma and grandpa! What a wonderful birthday celebration for our fun-loving 4 year old!!
{Brooklyn & Alli were anxiously awaiting the start of the parade}
{Here comes Little Miss Muffet- sans the hat}
{Addy, Sam, Caitlyn, and McKenzie are anxiously awaiting the debut of their siblings!}
Yep, she completed 32 laps! The lap cap is 35. I was very proud of her endurance!
And then we got to head in the classroom where they were having a Thanksgiving feast! (That's right they celebrate Thanksgiving in school, and not Halloween. I love Texas!)