2014 - The Year that Was(n't Blogged)

Copyright: rasslava / 123RF Stock Photo

From 2006-2013, I averaged about 170 blog posts per year. This year? Only about 80 (as of the writing of this post). That's not even half the average! I hope to "go back" and blog a few things, but I honestly don't know how likely that is. Seems like I spent all year running behind. I have no idea if things will be better, worse, or about the same next year. I feel like it's pointless to even make a guess. I'm still here, and I'm still trying.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.
Currently feeling: exhausted

Merry Christmas 2014

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In yet another symptom of not being able to keep up with the blog this year, I didn't even manage my annual posting of my favorite Christmas poem. We had a great Christmas nonetheless, full of family, fun, and food. Can't ask for more than that!


We went to my husband's annual office party on Christmas Eve, where Luke ate 5 Krispy Kreme donuts (yes, five! not a typo). We also enjoyed a "Boxing Day" dinner with my uncle and aunt.



And Luke spent the days after Christmas building things. Thanks Nana, Papa, and Grandmama!

Hope you all had a great holiday week! Wishing you all the best in the coming new year.

Currently feeling: holly jolly

Marvel Universe Live

Luke made his first visit to Philips Arena today.


So we could see Marvel Universe Live! (I wish they'd had a better sign for you to take a picture with.)


We had great seats, five rows from the floor!


And we enjoyed Dippin' Dots before the show. Luke had had them before, but it had been so long he didn't really remember.

I realized I forgot my camera not long after we left the house, but I didn't bother to go back for it because I had figured (like most shows) they would not allow photography or video. Well, turns out, they do! Darn it. So I only have a couple of rather crummy cell phone photos to show for it.



I can't say it was the best show from an adult perspective. It definitely gives me a new appreciation for the quality of the two stunt shows at Disney. Again, this wasn't bad, and given that they are working "in the round" (as opposed to the audience facing just one side of the stage at Disney) complicates matters. The kids all loved it, though, including Luke, which is all that matters.

Currently feeling: super

We have the plague!

This is what a child who is too sick to play looks like. He was in the midst of "the plague" when I took that picture. At least, that's what I'm calling it. Come to find out, it is a distinct possibility that we all have/had the flu, but there is no way to prove that at this point.

It all started with Luke, who was shivering uncontrollably when he went to bed Saturday night (Dec 6). The thermometer said his temperature was normal when I put him to bed, but I was highly skeptical. Sure enough, by Sunday morning, his fever was 101.7 F (38.7 C). It continued to hover in the 101-102 range (38.3-38.8) even *after* giving him a fever reducer, which did not make this mama happy at all. Things were no better Monday morning, and the cough was dramatically worse, so off to the doctor he went. She basically glanced at him, listened to the symptoms, diagnosed him with "something viral," and sent him home with no tests or meds or anything, declaring that "if he isn't better by Thursday, then bring him back." That made me an even less happy mama. The fever was gone by Tuesday morning, but he was completely exhausted, so he stayed home another day. I finally sent him back to school on Wednesday, still coughing but allegedly meeting the requirements for returning to school.

By Thursday afternoon, my fever spiked up to 101. Now, this was not unexpected, given that I had shared some of my drink with Luke on Saturday, before he started showing symptoms. By Friday morning, I was showing a temperature of 102, and that was within 2 hours of taking *both* Advil and Tylenol. You know how you read in historical novels about the skin of someone with a fever feeling thin and papery? That's exactly what mine felt like all day Friday. Everything hurt, even on constant doses of pain relievers/fever reducers. You know the stud earrings that I wear All. The. Time. Yeah, I had to take those out, too, because they hurt and felt heavy. ??!!! It was awful. I spent most of Saturday with my fever yo-yo-ing from normal to well over 100 and back, and with the cough getting much worse, though still manageable on maximum strength Mucinex and a zillion gallons of water.

Sunday, I was feeling much better (in a relative sense; still quite sick), but DH started shivering in late morning. Really?! I was hoping I had mainly gotten it from unknowingly sharing a drink with Luke before we knew better, but we thought we had been pretty careful with DH. Upon describing our symptoms to my mom, she said that everyone she knew with our symptoms who had been tested had tested positive for flu. Great. So if the pediatrician had bothered to test Luke last Monday when we took him in with *classic* flu symptoms, we could have all been put on Tamiful and likely either avoided or lessened the severity of what we've all been through (or in DH's case, are currently going through). But at this point, Luke is over it (we hope), I'm too far past the 48 hour window for Tamiflu to do any good, and DH can't get to the doctor until Monday, when he too will be past the 48 hour window. Thanks for nothing, doc.

So the current status is: Luke is mostly over it, though his cough has gotten worse again. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping he hasn't developed a secondary infection as a result of this thing. I am mostly better, though the cough is still hanging on. I'm praying I can keep it from becoming bronchitis (as I am prone to doing with any type of respiratory thing). DH is currently down for the count in bed, and will be through at least Tuesday (and Wednesday, if I have my say about it). I can't believe we've only been at this for a week or so. Feels like a month already! I just want us all to be well by Christmas. Pretty please, Santa? That's all I really want!
Currently feeling: improved but still not well

Who Is Chewing On the Tree?

Star says, ""What? I wasn't doing anything! I came back here to investigate why the tree is shaking and making those chewing noises." Uh-huh. Good thing she's cute. (She mostly just wants to rub on it, but I truly do not understand why she chews on it. Plastic and wire cannot be that tasty!)



Currently feeling: merry and bright

Dominoes: The Fifth Generation

Happy Thanksgiving! We were having such a good time that we took almost zero pictures. Except this one, because it is a truly historic moment.



We taught Luke how to play dominoes this weekend (for points, or in this family, for blood!). We broke him in easy on the double sixes, but he's ready for the double nines next time around after scoring 20 points twice in the same hand!

These green dominoes are a family heirloom from the late 1930s. Luke is now at least the fifth generation of Warren to play with them. Many a Thanksgiving was spent gathered around my grandparents' table (this very same table, for a few years), playing dominoes for hours. We're very proud to be carrying on the tradition.

I hope your Thanksgiving was also full of family, food, and fun!
Currently feeling: nostalgic

Life and Loss

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I last posted. Things have been... overwhelming. I'll try to go back and post a few more details about the events of the last several weeks if and when I ever have the time, but I wanted to give you a quick update.

We've celebrated a life (Luke's 10th birthday):

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And mourned a loss (Cleo, April 1999 - October 30, 2014):

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We've been through both pain: DH cracked a wisdom tooth and it got infected. That necessitated an emergency trip to the dentist, followed by oral surgery to remove both upper wisdom teeth. (Needless to say, he didn't want his picture taken with chipmunk cheeks.) Luke also had a stomach virus that make him sick every 20-30 minutes for 9 consecutive hours. Probably not something anyone wants pictures of.

And pleasure: Happy Halloween! (He's Ezra Bridger from the new Star Wars Rebels cartoon series.)

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We're just trying to hang in there and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Hope you all are doing well.
Currently feeling: holding on

Cleanliness is next to....

Copyright: nolan777 / 123RF Stock Photo

Well, whatever it's next to, it isn't my son! Today was the third "nail in the coffin" for Luke being able to be trusted to go to his room, take a shower, and brush his teeth. The conversation:

Me: Did you brush your teeth?
Luke: Yes.
Me: (sniffs his breath, does not smell mint) Did you use toothpaste?
Luke: (dead silence, no eye contact)

REALLY??!!!  This comes on the heels of having to tell him sometime in August that YES, he has to use soap every time he takes a shower. And just last week, he got out of the shower, and the top of his head wasn't even wet. "Did you wash your hair?" I got a very indignant "yes, I put the shampoo right back here" (pointing to the inch of hair at the base of his neck). ARGH!!

So I have now added yet a third item to my standard spiel:

• Wash your entire external body with soap and water.
• Every hair on your head needs to come into contact with both water and shampoo.
• Your teeth do not count as brushed and clean unless you use toothpaste.

And for the record, for someone who whines and complains so much about bath time, he sure does spend an awfully long time (as in 20-30 minutes) in the shower and complaining if we come and tell him it's time to get out.

Currently feeling: frustrated

Fall 2014 - First Soccer Game

Well, school has started back, and that means the return of soccer!



We're back with our "regular" team, including two boys we've played with every single season (that we've played) since Kindergarten, and a third boy we've been with since 1st grade. It was brutal out there! The temperature itself was quite warm but not insane (around 90F/32C), but the humidity was sky high, it was mostly bright and sunny, and there was not a whiff of breeze.



They played pretty well, and we did win, but our opponents were much younger and smaller (one kid didn't even reach the top of Luke's shoulder). I'm betting most games going forward will be more of a challenge.



Currently feeling: like it's almost fall

First Day of Fourth Grade

4th grade already?! Wasn't he just in 3rd grade?



Yes, yes he was. And he hasn't grown much. All the growth you see here actually occurred during the past 3 months of summer break. He had not grown at all from the beginning to the end of 3rd grade, if you remember the pictures. He has gained about 10% in weight. You can see his shoulders filling out, and his feet are at least a full size larger now (mens size 8).

Here is the full chain of first day pictures.


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Hoping for a great year!

Currently feeling: it's that time again

Wordless Wednesday - July 30, 2014

Currently feeling: happy birthday to me

When I'm Not Blogging

As most of you know, I enjoy several different hobbies and crafts. The weird thing, though, is that I tend to only do one at a time. I'll do a lot of reading for a while, then I'll pretty much stop reading and do something else, like watch movies. After doing that for a while, I'll switch to stitching. Then maybe I switch to a cooking mood. Each phase tends to last several weeks, and during that time, I pretty much ignore my other hobbies. Unfortunately, that includes blogging! (And just as sadly, a blogging phase usually lasts only a week, maybe 2 at the most.) I've tried several different things to try and prompt me to rotate hobbies more frequently or blog more often, but nothing really seems to work. Sorry about that!

I've spent most of my evenings in July doing cross stitch. Thought you might want to see some progress, since I don't have much else to show on the blog. (Prepping pictures from our trips takes so much time!)

Here is this month's progress on Titania. I've put in about 45 hours total on her.


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And here is this month's progress on Adia, showing about 32 hours total.


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I'm still stitching away, so look for another update on these two ladies in the July round-up (you know, if I'm back to blogging by then!).

Currently feeling: stitching away

Wordless Wednesday - July 23, 2014

Currently feeling: nooooooo!!!!

Summer Recovery In Progress

We're sorry, Erin isn't available at the moment. She is still recovering from her absolutely exhausting June. Non-linear blogging will resume when she has the time and energy. In the meantime, please enjoy these photos taken by her sister-in-law during the final June outing with the family:



Currently feeling: so very tired

Wordless Wednesday - July 16, 2014

Currently feeling: a little obsessed