Feeling Better

Me and Harry are feeling soooooo much better!  No more coughing for me!  Antibiotics are the shiz!

Yesterday, Harry had a follow up at the dentist to make sure everything was healing up okay (it was) and they taught him how to flush out the pockets where his wisdom teeth used to be.  It was gross, but he only has to do it for a week or two until the pockets seal completely.  He can eat whatever he wants now with the exception of super sharp things like chips.  All good on that front.

Me and the boys got our flu shots yesterday.  Hoping a little prevention takes care of any flu bugs floating around out there.

We are heading to Bama this morning.  The car will be loaded down with lots of gifts and goodies and probably some grouchy folks!  It always feels so festive to pack the car and head out of the cul de sac with the family on a new adventure.  We usually start out with a stop at our favorite breakfast joint to fill up on breakfast tacos - smiles all around.  We comment on the beautiful sunrise.  Chat about this and that.  Then about five hours in you want to shoot yourself and you still have nine more hours to go!  It really isn't that bad and we will share some laughs, catch some naps, celebrate when we cross into a new state, argue about where to eat and whether to play the radio or not.  Typical road trip.  Then about nine o'clock tonight we will pull into The Bad Farm, stagger out of the car and into the warmth of a wonderful Christmas.  Totally worth. Can't wait.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Buddy the Elf - Day Twenty

And…..so much for the nice play!  Dang Batman, what is your problem?  

Poor Buddy is going to be Elf Juice! 

It is only a tiny bit disturbing that my fourteen year old son came up with this.  Just a wee bit.  

He must hate juice!

In other news:

• I SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!!!!  Thank you Baby Jesus and antibiotics and propped up pillows and weighted blanket and perfect temperatures and stomach for not staging a protest against too many drugs.  When my eyes opened at 5:47 and I knew I had slept through the night, I almost wept.  Hooray!  I am on the mend!  Just in time for Christmas. 
• Time to kick it into high gear and get lots of things done.  None of which involve my normal activity for the last four or five days of sitting on the couch trying not to die!
• We ordered Olive Garden To Go for dinner last night and Hubby picked it up on his way home from work.  We have never ordered from Olive Garden, but Chip had a hankering for Italian and I thought lasagna would be something easy and soft that Harry could eat. I had the soup.  It was so good.  Even came with breadsticks.  
• Christmas Vacation was the movie of choice last night and it never disappoints.  Can we talk for a minute about how early Clark's company comes to his house for the holiday?  They show up on the 18th!  That is a full week before Christmas!  That is a long time! 

That is all for today!  Things will probably get slow around the old blog for a while as we get started with our Christmas festivities.  Hope to pick back up with it after the new year and really try to be more consistent.  I also have a laundry list of other things to also be more consistent about, so we shall see!  

I sincerely hope that at some point during the chaos of wrapping gifts, baking cookies, opening presents, cooking family favorites, laughing and sharing the fun of the season with your family you can find a quiet moment or two to think about Jesus.  To marvel at the wonder of His short time on earth that changed everything.  His perfect love, grace, kindness, healing and ultimate sacrifice on the cross to take on the sins of the world so that we can be free, forgiven and live forever in His presence.  Oh, how he loves us.  Every single one of us.  I mean, He loves us beyond any love we have ever known or can even imagine. Accept His love…it is yours for eternity.  Just sit for a moment in that truth and let it wash over you.  That is good stuff. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!     

Buddy the Elf - Day Eighteen and Nineteen

Buddy took it easy on us for the last couple of days! 

He played nicely by himself.

And also with his friends. 

He must know Santa is coming soon! 

In other news….

• I finally went to the doctor yesterday afternoon.  Possibly walking pneumonia.  Super similar to Chip's sickness a couple of weeks ago.  Twelve days of coughing will hopefully be cured by the antibiotics he prescribed.  Last night, after my first dose I had a horrible night of coughing, tossing and turning, ugh, ugh, ugh.  So glad I already had the antibiotics in my system or I might have just amputated my own throat.  Please be the last bad night.  Need sleep.  
• Harry has been eating mashed potatoes like a maniac.  He loves them.
• I made Chipped Beef and Cream over toast last night for Harry and he ate it.  Who is this guy? 
• Chip has no interest in mashed potatoes or anything with gravy.  He is missing out. 
• I just told Chip he had to do something with the Elf today.  I am too tired and sick to worry about that Elf.  Chip is thrilled.  I could already see the wheels turning.  Unfortunately, I crushed his spirit when he asked me if we had a giant Godzilla laying around anywhere that he could use.  This ought to be a good one.  

My hope for you is a cough free day….or maybe that is my hope for myself.  You just go out and be awesome.  I am going to hang out in my fleece robe, do some reading for work and celebrate every cough free hour I get. 

Buddy the Elf - Day Seventeen

Snowball fight!!! 

Barbie took one right to the kisser!  Ouch! 

In other news:

• Harry is recovering.  Mouth is still sore, but yesterday was supposed to be the worst day and it wasn't too bad. 
• I went 18 hours yesterday without any cough medicine.  I keep thinking I have turned the corner with this cough and then I cough for two hours trying to fall asleep.  Doctor or no doctor?  So far this morning I have not coughed, so I think I am on the mend.  Please, let it be so! 
• I went to Lester's memorial service on Saturday with a few of my Lakeside friends.  It was amazing.  It was a celebration of his life and that church was rocking.  I have never been to a church service in a predominately black church and when I tell you that it was filled with the spirit…it was filled to the absolutely brim with the spirit.  Lester was well loved by many and the church was packed.  Heard lots of funny story about him that just made me smile.  There were no tears.  The pastor said…Don't say we lost a great man.  He is not lost.  We know exactly where he is.  So, if you know where something is, it is NOT lost.  I thought that was great.  It was a lovely tribute to a sweet, sweet man.  So glad that I went.
• Trying to get some good work done over the next couple of days and then I am taking some time off.  First time in a long time that I don't have any deadlines or big projects around the holidays so I can take time off and not worry about work. Looking forward to time away to get recharged and energized.
• It is cold here in Central Texas.  It is 20 degrees with a feels like down to 10 degrees.  Holy Moly!  Good thing I get to stay in my fleece robe and slippers all day if I want to!  Excellent perk of working from home.

I hope you are warm and cozy wherever you are today! 

Buddy the Elf - Day Sixteen

Woah! 

That precious little igloo Elf came out of his shell! 

A metallic bikini?  

Who does he think he is….Miley Cyrus?  

In other news:

• Chip is out of school for the holidays.  Is there anything better? 
• Harry is recovering from his wisdom teeth being removed.  Eating warm soft foods has been no problem. Six scrambled eggs, three servings of mashed potatoes, four bowls of chicken soup, along with some pasta with butter.  No problem with the eating.  He is not that swollen and honestly feels pretty good….outside of the hallucinations he was having last night.  He did not enjoy that.  Did not sleep a wink.  Might try backing off the pain pills and see if Tylenol and Motrin can do the trick. 
• Lots of Office reruns happening around here as we camp out on the couch take it easy.  
• We watched DieHard last night.  Not sure it classifies as a Christmas movie.  Surely, use of the F work precludes it being classified as appropriate holiday viewing.  
• Not much else on the agenda for the weekend.  Watching the temperature drop about 35 degrees.  Baking some cookies, wrapping a few gifts. Easy Peasy. 

Hope your weekend is excellent.

Buddy the Elf - Day Fifteen

Look at this little sweet Elf, sitting criss cross applesauce in his igloo right in front of a cozy fire! 

He is precious! 

Buddy the Elf - Day Fourteen

Buddy must be super hungry! 

53, 53, 53….I made it to 53 posts this year.  As my two remaining readers are well aware, my blog posting has dropped off substantially over the last few years.  I love doing it.  Not sure why it is so hard to make it a priority.  So anyway, the last two years by pure coincidence I posted exactly 53 times.  I was way behind for this year and worried that I would have a new low for this year!   

But, with this Buddy head sticking out of a Cocoa Puffs box nonsense post, I have hit 53 for this year.  Whew!  

Thanks, Buddy! 

I am going to keep going, finish out the year strong and try to keep up the daily habit of posting.  Don't hold me to that.  My record isn't that good. 

Wisdom Teeth Update:

Surgery went well and we made it through Day One!   Harry was an awesome patient and true to his upbringing said some pretty funny and inappropriate things during his time coming out of anesthesia.  We have watched the videos multiple times and are still cracking up.  Totally inappropriate for broadcasting online - but just to give you a snippet, he was extremely concerned about the whereabouts of Kevin Durant.  Not sure why, but it was paramount on his mind and we discussed it at length.  He also enjoyed his Sonic chocolate shake way beyond anything he has ever eaten before.  My hilarious Harry. 

We are staying on top of the pain meds and will keep a strict routine until about Sunday.  Harry goes back to the doctor on the 21st for a follow up and then hopefully he will be released to get on with this life and eat all the food…hot, cold, soft, sharp etc. 

Have a beautiful day!