Tag Archives: Christmas

Henry’s First Trip

Yesterday was monumental for Henry. He took his first ride in the car, out of the house to Mimi’s and Papa’s! It was actually my first time out of the house since he came too but it’s not as monumental for me. 🙂

I was really nervous. Was he going to hate his carseat and cry the whole 25 min drive? Was he going to be unhappy the whole time we were there because it was out of his ‘routine’? Would it throw everything off and make our night horrible? Would it do me any good mentally or would the stress make it worse?

Well I’m happy to report that it was a very successful trip! The moment we got into the car he fell asleep and stayed asleep the whole time. Then when we got there he ate good and then was happy while everyone took turns holding him. He took a little power nap while we were all watching Elf and then even and then fell asleep again on the way home!

And as for that night, he was dreamy. We got home and he ate again and then slept for 5 hours, ate again and slept another 3 hours. The excessive stimulation didn’t seem to upset him too much! So needless to say I woke up pretty happy today.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to have another 2 outings, the first to see our midwife for his 2  week checkup and then again to Mimi’s for dinner because Clarky is in town! Yay!

So today, I’m staying in my jimmies. We both are. It’s going to be a chill day sandwiched between what I hope will be TWO very successful outing days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news Lucie is here and we got some Christmas lights up! This will be a very memorable Christmas indeed! My whole family together with a very special addition.

I love my crew!

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Winter Wonderland

I am still reeling from the idea of the Christmas that I imagined we’d have and the one we actually had.

Garden Valley is such a beautiful place. You really do have to go over the river and through the woods to get to Grandmothers house. A perfect setting for a White Christmas.

But when it became very obvious that this Christmas was going to be very different than what we had pictured it was really easy for me to be upset.

My sweet husband did what he does when I get stressed out. Boy do I love that man.

I can’t explain to you how hard it was for me to watch Ben on the couch trying to open presents.

I tried instead to focus on the fact that William was still very healthy and very much enjoying his Christmas.

On my quest to have a good attitude and less stress I bundled up on Christmas morning while the little ones were napping and took a walk thru the forest.

I loved the snowy drives and quiet trees. A winter wonderland indeed. It was very peaceful.

Eventually the low temp drove me indoors and back to reality.

Christmas day was slow and quiet. It was probably closer to a Christmas day that we should have than the one we usually have; rushed and loud.

Christmas came and went. Today we are healthy again. Memories were made, good and bad…mostly good.

Did I mention that I spent several hours infront of a VHS and TV watching my favorite old Disney movies? It was great.

The boys are already talking about Christmas in Garden Valley next year.  Little do they realize just how much more magical it can be.

Something to look forward to.

Viral Virus

See this here?  (pointing to imaginary box)

This is my soap box….I’m going to step up onto it for a minute.

Ahem…..hem hem…..

When I learn something new I am always eager to share it. This week I have learned a lot about the influenza virus.

My entire family has been wiped out with this horrible virus, during the week of Christmas no less. Fortunately, I somehow evaded the virus until we got home from our ‘vacation’, unpacked, grocery shopped and made some homemade chicken noodle soup…then BAM! I was a goner.

Whenever a serious illness goes through our household which has only been one other time about 5 years ago I become very well read on the subject because well what else do I have to do when I’m flat on my back?

5 years ago it was the norovirus and rotovirus. This time is the influenza virus.

Whether or not it’s beneficial or helpful to ponder on the exact place we picked up this virus I do it anyway.  And it could have been one of two places, preschool or primary.

At preschool Ben does a very good job at washing his hands every day before snack time. He knows to not put his hands near his face unless he’s washed them.  The horrible thing about the flu virus is that it can easily be spread just by breathing the same air as someone who has had it.  Not a whole lot of preventative measures to be done about that…At least not by the healthy victim.

In primary before our Christmas vacation I noticed a girl in Ben’s class coughing all over him and everyone else.  Now of course I don’t know if she had the flu or just a nasty cough unless I went and interrogated her mother which believe me I’ve considered…haha!

In either of the situations though it could have been avoided if families of sick kids had kept them home a couple days longer.

Our Christmas vacation could have been so much different if someone had kept their kid home instead of letting them go.

Harsh? Maybe, but it’s true. Every bout of illness most likely could be avoided if the passer of the illness had been ‘quarantined’ if you will for a bit longer.

Let me paint this picture for you. Because someone decided their kids was OK enough to go out two little boys became ill as well as their parents. Practically annihilated Christmas. And because the virus was incubating while we were traveling 5.5 hours north to my in-laws house for Christmas my dear father in law and now mother in law (confirmed today) have fallen ill. Had we known we never would have gone.  My sweet cheery mother in law called us while suffering from a 102 degree fever.  Chances are (if we didn’t inform him) my father in law would probably go to church on Sunday and infect others with it and since it is a small branch with lots of older citizens somebody might fall ill and even die from it.

Something really should be done in helping the general public know that it can make a world of a difference for somebody else or for a whole community if when your kids feels great but still has that nasty cough or that runny nose to just keep them home!!  Think how dramatic a change could occur if everybody did this…or even just a few did!

It should be common courtesy.

My two boys already feel so much better. They have been playing for a couple days now and eating like normal for about the same. It’s Thursday. By Sunday they will only be that much better right? Ya. But guess what they will still have that lingering cough and maybe a sneeze or two so for that reason we will not be going to church! I can’t imagine being responsible for spreading this horrible experience to anyone else! How rude!

Please oh please world let’s make it better by doing our part at NOT spreading infectious diseases. It’s science. It is possible to avoid it. It’s a living thing that needs to be handled and destroyed. But we can’t win a battle with an enemy that we don’t know anything about.

Learn about incubation periods, mutation patterns and productive and unproductive disinfectant measures. Believe me if I can understand it, anyone can.

And going back to my underlying mantra, eating well and sleeping well are the best defenses to virus’ like these.

My father in law told us that there was no way this was the influenza virus because we would all be so much more sick than we were (are). But my belief is that we  would be a lot more sick if it wasn’t for our immune systems which have been buoyed up and ready to fight way before they were invaded.

I realize not many people read my blog so if you are reading this please pass it on or take it and rewrite something similar on your own blog.

So again in short, JUST BECAUSE YOUR KIDS FEELS BETTER DOES NOT MEAN THEY ARE NOT CONTAGIOUS STILL!!! This virus quickly invaded many people’s lives that were otherwise very, very healthy!

Alright, I’m done. Good night.

(stepping off soap box)

 

Deck the Halls, Be Merry and Bright, Joy to the World! Right?!

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How do I begin. Here we are up in beautiful Garden Valley, ID for Christmas.  We’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while now and the 2 weeks previous to our departure I took every precaution to ensure the boys didn’t pick up all the bugs that were going around like wildfire.  After all is there anything worse than being sick on Christmas?!!!!

I was even going to keep Ben from Preschool the last week when they were doing all their fun Christmas activities. David sweetly suggested that might be too much and so we let him go.  Monday and Tuesday were great. We were set to leave on Friday.  Wednesday night we got a mass text from his teacher that her whole family came down with something including her so school on Thursday would be cancelled. Dun dun dun!!!!

Did I mention that earlier that week I had come down with something eerily similar to food poisoning? Ya. Never had that before and now even as I write this I know that it could have been so much worse. I didn’t even throw up I just got really close and then felt gross for the next 2 days. We still don’t know exactly what happened. I am convinced it was bad turkey that was just a day or two too old and David thinks it was a bug.

Thursday comes and we realize after some inspired promptings that we need to leave that day instead of Friday because of bad weather.  So off we went!

So glad we did that! For more reasons than just the weather. Friday morning Ben wakes up with a sweltering fever!!! He progressively gets worse and around 9 am throws up once. CRAP!!!!  Our Christmas vacation is officially ruined (or at least that’s what I have been trying to talk myself out of-attitude right?)

And in case you are wondering I am not angrily blaming David for talking me into letting him go to school. I realize I can’t shield my son from everything bad, not without him missing out on many a essential experiences.

Anyway…

We had decided on Thursday night when we got here that we would do Christmas on Saturday instead of Sunday because then instead of begrudgingly dragging the boys away from their new toys to go to church at 9:30 we could have the whole day to relax and take our time. Everything was going perfectly!!! Just as planned, or better!

Little did I know that taking our time is exactly what we would be doing.  Poor Ben woke up with a fever and still felt horrible on Christmas morning. He hadn’t thrown up again since the morning before and by Friday night was eating a little bit. But everything just wasn’t the way it supposed to be! Can I just say how hard it’s been dealing with the very thing I was trying so wholeheartedly to avoid! I can’t believe it happened! But that’s life.

There was my perfect little happy boy lying on the couch looking like death trying but not succeeding at opening his presents.  Break my heart right open.

But because of Ben’s illness, today had been something like I’ve never experienced before at Christmas. Stockings first….nap and snuggles. Breakfast and then more snuggles. Little bit of playing and then another nap followed by opening a few presents.  After that we tried to relax and watch a movie downstairs and Grandpa and Daddy plowed the driveway of 9 inches of fresh snow! Then some more present opening and then some lunch and another nap! After nap time we opened the last of our presents at about 2pm!

This is the way to do Christmas I’ll say! It was so fun dragging it out like that. It may not be for everybody but for us this year it worked and it was really nice.

After lunchtime we did give Ben some fever reducer because it just wasn’t going down and he woke up from his nap finally able to fully appreciate the cool things he’d received. His smiles and happy sounds were music to my ears.

The bad news was that William woke up from nap with a fever. CRAP AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

No throw up.  No headache. His spirits seems to be high still so maybe we will get lucky and get by with minimal suffering with William.

Oh how I hate sickness. It really gets me. Especially in my kids.

I will say that I was taught a good lesson here when I saw how David and his parents reacted to Ben’s sickness…his throwing up more specifically. If you know me you know that I have a mild phobia of vomit and it’s a bigger deal to me than the normal person. Ha! So here was Ben moments away from being sick just absolutely miserable in his daddies arms at the kitchen table…everybody talking. Here I am absolutely panicking inside wondering what the heck I was going to do and how we were going to get thru it.

The big moment happens and that’s that.  Talking continues as normal. Grandpa comes to the table with his breakfast, moves the bowl of vomit over a bit so he can sit down and enjoy his breakfast. What?! K, this is weird.

Grandma says, “Isn’t it wonderful what the body can do to take care of itself like that?”

I’m thinking, “Wonderful!!!?”

We clean up and take him downstairs to sleep.

I’m thinking, “What just happened?”

But after a while I start thinking and I realize that what just happened around me with my son being sick is closer to the reaction that I SHOULD be having than the one that I tend to have. What I witnessed with my in-laws and husband is closer to a normal and healthy response.

Throwing up does not mean he or anyone else is going to die.

Yup. I’m serious. I have to remind my sub conscience of this.

I am scared. I am a mess. I am down in my room breaking down for a moment or two. In part because my baby is suffering and I want to make it stop and in part because I’m…well I’m weird and I think vomit is the worst thing that can happen to a person.

My husband thinks maybe I need therapy. Maybe he is right. I think he is.

This is Christmas.  This is Christmas.  THIS IS CHRISTMAS????!

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But you know what? It really is OK.

Somehow we will get through it and the memories are made. The boys are at the table (the very one Ben threw up at) playing with their legos happily and merrily.

It is going to be alright. Christmas is not ruined.  We (I, more specifically) did get through it. No one died. Hahahaha it sounds so ridiculous!

Pictures of our very different than planned Christmas will be forthcoming.

The difficult part for me now will be letting Ben go back to school before April.  Er…. Ever.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Breathe.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Christmas Card 2016

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Ok so we didn’t do a Christmas card this year. Ha! We have never done a Christmas card actually! I just thought this year instead of nothing I could at least do a yearly update here on my blog.

David, my hero and best friend

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What a man, what a man! For approximately 29 months he has suffered with severe back and hip pain. This year has been pivotal in his progress. His faith and positivism among it all is shocking. The grouchiness that anyone would expect from someone who is 2 years sleep deprived and pain ridden has been nowhere to be found. He has been such an example to those around him, especially me.

Sitting has become significantly more comfortable but first POSSIBLE. He had been toying with idea of getting an MRI so he could have a better idea of what’s going on which may not be necessary if he continues to improve the way he has. He will tell you that each and every step he’s taken towards recovery has been a tender mercy from God and I agree.

Throughout all this he has managed to work tirelessly on a business that is wildly successful.  And on top of that has been able to foster ideas and continue his promising research up at school. As sitting still at a microscope has been literally impossible for him, finishing his PhD was pushed further back than we both expected but in the end turned out to be exactly what was needed for more reasons than I can list here. Tender Mercies.  And now he continues on with the finish line in sight.

For his own purposes in healing he created a protein powder that would help him gain maximum muscle growth. So yes you can guess it…it’s practically perfect. The best out there. 30 lbs of muscle growth to prove it! Naturally he wanted to share it with others so Nitor was born this year! Some hiccups with the partners to be soon resolved and it will move onward. He is eager to share it with the world as he knows it will help others like him and more!

He has been a Gospel Doctrine teacher most of this year but was recently called to the Young Men’s which he is enjoying.

Anna, Mom monster

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I’m the mom. I do mom stuff. Housework…you know keep the hou…er…apartment running. Kids alive, that sort of stuff. It’s not glamorous or exciting but it’s my job and it’s pretty important. Maybe I do have to remind myself of that a million times a day but it’s true!

This year I got heavily into powerlifting (heavy meaning interest not the actual weight) and really fell in love with getting stronger. I saw my body do things I never dreamed of doing. I’m now coping with the loss of powerlifting at least how I knew it and trying to find the will again.

This year I also made the big change to remove social media from my life…specifically Facebook and Instagram. Those are the only two I was ever on anyway. I haven’t missed Facebook one bit…that is until yesterday when talking with my sweet Lucie Lu on the phone heard that she is now on Facebook and will be posting photos and things from her life. Gah! I don’t want to miss those! I haven’t really missed Instagram, mostly because…ahem…I still log on every once and a while and look. The desire to post however is completely gone. It has been a very positive change in my life and I wasn’t sure at the time what it would look like or how and if I could even do it! Now that it’s been almost 4 months I have some belief that I can reconnect again and see those photos of Lucie for instance and not get totally sucked in. I still want to do better at connecting with people in person…phone calls etc.

This year was the year I was going to have a home. Alas, we are still in ‘our dump’ as David likes to put it. I try not to take offense because I have put many a thought into making it as un-dumply as possible. It’s hard to do. Don’t get me wrong….I am grateful for a place to live, beds and cozy covers to sleep under, running clean hot water and I teach my kids everyday to express the same gratitude to God because hey we could be sleeping outside afterall!! But those pesky thoughts of another year passing by without a home to call our own at 30 and 36 years young can be hard. Gratitude is always the answer. I am so grateful for my life and my kids and my husband and the promising prospects ahead!

Lucie Lu, my angel girl

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I miss this girl constantly. I’m sure that will never change as she has another wonderful family we have to share her with. This 12 year old gal started Young Womens this year and loves it. She is of but a small handful in her branch but she got to experience 2 girls camps this year…a branch and stake one.

She also got to spend some time with her cousin up at Grandma Sherwood’s forest retreat! She experienced her first airplane ride all by herself (Cousin Addie there of course too). Among other trips here, to California and others she was quite the traveler this year! I believe if you asked her she would say she needs a break for a while. 😉

Lucie has been around horses almost her entire life but it wasn’t until this year that she got her very own horse, Trigger! I think that solidified the horse crazy in her. I am reminded of my short time as a ‘cowgirl’ every time I see her light up when she talks about him; riding him, taking care of him, bonding with him.  Horses really are magical and wonderful creatures. Out on her 47,000 acre or something like that ranch she is literally free to roam and ride where she pleases…a horse lovers paradise. She is a hard worker and an eager learner.

She’s made a list of hobbies and interests she wants to explore while she is here with us…horseless. She’s on her way to being an accomplished baker. Ice skating, zumba and nail art also made the list. But this year she jumped head first (literally) into trying tumbling!  Boy was I proud of her! She is really going to enjoy it I can tell! I just wish I could do it with her!

She also made a wonderful friend which is always noteworthy and it seems as though they will be doing their best at keeping the lost art of letter writing alive! Pen pals are the best! Did I mention that I miss her!?

And to save the best for last! Just shy of 2 weeks ago she was gifted with yet another little brother! She is quite literally the best big sister! I keep telling her I hope our next one is a little sister for her and that I hope she’s just as wonderful as she is!

Benjamin Rabbit, my snuggle bunny

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This has been a big year for our Benny boy.  He is almost 5!! *!!!!!!!!!* He of course started primary in January and likes it. His teachers always adore him. The big 4 in February with all his friends at the Jump Zone turned out very memorable and one we will have to live up to next year!

This year he also started preschool and LOVES IT!! Teacher Nikki is I’m pretty sure one of his favorite people. What a smartie pants he is…but what did I expect with who he has for a dad?!

This year he also learned how to swim with his floats on! What a rush of freedom! On the note of confidence boosting he also was willing to try out tumbling this year! He has learned how to do sommersaults and kartwheels and handstands against the wall! He says he really loves it now (wasn’t sure at first).

William, our baby, our little cutie pie

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William turned 3 this year and is always looking forward to turning 4. This is when he has promised to give up his beloved blankie that is now just a 1/4 inch thread that is no longer white no matter how much bleach I use. He is quite the accomplished talker and frequently uses words such as ‘also’, ‘otherwise’ and ‘actually’ in the completely correct way. Hilarious. This year he learned how to ride his brothers strider bike, became efficient at building amazing block towers and creations out of legos! He’s managed to get more cute this year too which I didn’t think was possible. Along with the cuteness however came more of his sometimes difficult personality! Oh how they grow so fast!

Merry Christmas from the Sherwood Family!