It is Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas...

You know how sometimes things sound like a really good idea? Then you put them in practice and halfway through wonder, "What on earth am I doing???" Well, that was a good description for today.

It started off innocent enough. We kind of got up at our leisure. The kids were just "starving" and had to eat a little breakfast while I worked on baking pumpkin muffins. Then thirty minutes later, they were ready to eat pumpkin muffins too.

While child 4 settled in to watch a little Sesame Street, I took the opportunity to start working on my project.

THE project.

See, for Christmas, we like to give gifts to our kids' teachers. Okay, I will admit, I usually take the easy way out. Gift cards. The problem is that Joshua has multiple caregivers. There are a few "regulars" but I don't feel right excluding anyone. However, I really wanted to express how thankful we are for their care of our son. I wanted to do a little lunch but they all eat at different times. So I decided to bake/make snacks so when it was their lunchtime, they would have some treats.

It started off a fairly small list. Then it grew. And grew.

The menu? Peanut butter apple dip/apples. Homemade salsa/chips. Sweet Cereal Mix. Peppermint Bark. Sausage Balls. Cream cheese/flavored sauce/salsa. Mint Chocolate Chip brownies.

The good news is that it is stuff I can make ahead of time. The bad news is that it is a lot of work when I really need to be wrapping presents. But in the end, I cannot put a value on what these ladies do for our son each day. He has just loved school and blossomed there. So into the kitchen I went.

Unfortunately I was also washing, drying, and folding clothes during that time. We have a lot of baskets to get taken care of before the weekend. And the carpet guy was coming to our house. Had to pick our oldest up from swim team practice. Lots of supervising of the girls who were in charge of cleaning their room. And then there was the youngest. I was so hopeful when he got up. He had an appetite. He was energetic. And his cheeks were flushed. Darn.

As the day continued, my little patient got whinier and whinier. His cough also deepened; it hurt my lungs to listen to him. And by the time I put him down for his nap, his fever had started going up.

So after waiting for him to sleep a bit, I went to the computer and put in a request for an appointment.

That was not something I was expecting to do today!

Within fifteen minutes or so, we had an appointment for about an hour later. Thankfully child 4 was not in a deep sleep. His cough kept him awake. I hate to wake him up when he is sleeping. Unfortunately, child 3 was sleeping deeply. And she is not the easiest person to wake up. Needless to say, there were dark clouds for a while.

Still, we managed to make it to the doctor's office in time, on time. And within just a few minutes we were called back.

Child 4 usually loves going to the doctor. I had a feeling this appointment would be a little different when the nurse asked me to take off his shoes so she could weigh him. His reaction? LOTS of crying, "I don't want to take my shoes off!" She wrote down 28 as his weight but I don't really think it was an accurate reading. He wouldn't let go of my neck...I was trying to peel him off, etc. It was loads of fun. (Sarcasm inserted :)

The little wait in the waiting room was just a tease for the wait in the exam room. Now, mind you, I had all four kids with me. Mark couldn't get away, and it all happened too quick to get some help. We were put into this tiny room with an exam table, two chairs, and the doctor's spinning stool. That and a few books and pamphlets, that is it. I did hear complaints (from the kids, not the staff) but overall they did well. It was just tiring. For me anyway. :)

After what felt like an eternity, we got to see the doctor. He was concerned that our little guy might have the flu. So he ordered a flu test. They came in quickly to swab it and I was all smiles. At least until the nurse said, "Okay, we should have results in fifteen minutes..." FIFTEEN minutes? Me and the four in that tiny room for another fifteen minutes?

Somehow we survived. I don't remember much about that time; I think I am trying to block it from my memory. :) I am sure it involved a lot of questions/answering.

The only semi-good news was little guy's fever had risen to about 102. That isn't good news. But it slowed him down considerably which probably saved me in that wait in the exam room.

After 15 minutes, the nurse stopped by to let me know that he had tested negative. We also got a prescription to deal with an infection that seemed to be brewing in his lungs. And then we headed home.

I literally ran Child 4 into the house, met Mark briefly (passing off Joshua), then grabbed my grocery list and headed out the door. I had some of the ingredients for the Project, but not all.

An hour or so later, I got home just in time to "tag" Mark in our tag teaming as he headed out the door with Child 1 to go to the grocery store. I quickly got to work putting groceries away as
well as working on dinner for the remaining crew.

After dinner, I gave the kids permission to watch a Christmas movie. I hate to use the DVR as a babysitter and really don't very often. But our little guy was just not feeling well and was VERY clingy. But for whatever reason, today he was all about the movie. So he settled right down.

Once the kids were in bed, I started working on The Project.

That isn't quite the end of the story, though if you have even read this far, you are wondering, "Why on earth does she keep talking?"

Mark was at a Razorback game. I sent him an e-mail asking him to pick up a big bag of Christmas m and m's. A few minutes later, I sent another e-mail requesting a box of Rice Chex.

Shortly afterwards, the boys came home. And Mark had in his hand one bag of m and m's (not Christmas ones). I asked about the Rice Chex. He hadn't received that message due to a dead phone. (or so he says :)

So in a few minutes, he (Mark) was heading out the door to get me a bag of Christmas m and m's. He also had orders to bring the Chex cereal home.

A bit later, he walked back in the door with a bag of Christmas m and m's. And a Chex cereal...just not the one I wanted or needed.

He is a good man. He really is. I am very grateful. Without too much protest, he turned around and went BACK to the store to get my right Chex.

Unfortunately when he came home, he pulled into the garage like usual. But not usual was the fact that the door hesitated when it was going up for Mark's truck. And then it got stuck. It didn't want to go anywhere. He had to get our vehicles OUT of the garage (so we would be able to drive tomorrow without a broken door in our way) and use his hands to pull the door down. We are calling a door company tomorrow. Gotta love unexpected expenses.

So that was the day in a nutshell. Cleaning, laundry, running the dishwasher FOUR times, cooking several appetizers/desserts, feeding children, playing chauffeur, playing nurse, etc...all in the day of a life of a mom! (Tomorrow's agenda? Delivering all of this food, a friend spending the night with child 2, and baking/decorating cookies for Santa.)

Hope your day was full of good smells and lots of smiles!

Reba
PS If I usually send a card to you, it isn't that I have dropped you from "the list". We are just going to be late on cards due to our missing cards...going to have to go another route...AFTER Christmas!