Our house...a.k.a. the infirmary

Yes, we've had the germies in our house. First it was Claire with some nasty virus which had her fever spike several times, and with her throwing up medicine. Next the hubby and I started to feel run down. Then after Olivia got her flu shot she started a cough and started getting high fevers. 104-105 fevers, the ear thermometer even read 106 a couple of times. Poor thing was so sick and the high fevers made her so delirious she was seeing things...strangers, Cinderella and mice in her room. That is the first time that has ever happened. Well, the fever broke at last yesterday after about 5 days. And thankfully, no one had a seizure this time around.

Hubby and I are still fighting whatever it is that is going around. It doesn't help that we can't get any sleep because we are checking on Olivia or she is trying to come in our room in the middle of the night. Throw in the daylight savings time change and it has made for some early mornings in our house.

Pictures of a sick Claire (I didn't get any of Olivia):

We got Boo'ed

We got Boo'ed by a neighbor this week. This happened to us a few years ago in Texas. It's so much fun to pass it on. Whoever (next door neighbor) boo'ed us did a great job. They included chocolate, sidewalk chalk, coloring books and a videotape for the girls. Isn't that nice of them? So then I had to think of 2 neighbors to Boo. I decided to Boo our neighbors across the street with 2 girls and then our other neighbor in the 'Big House' 2 doors down from us. I thought it was the neighborly thing to do even though we are all scared of our neighbors in the 'Big House'. I waited till 11pm when no one was around to drop the packages off. I hope at least one of the neighbors continues the Boo.

Pictures from Claire's birthday

Claire's birthday

I thought having a quiet birthday at home would be no trouble, but it was more work than I thought! I wanted to make it special so I decorated our dining area, made a birthday cake and picked roses from our backyard for the table. I decided to go with a Dora theme since I already had some leftover party supplies from Olivia's 3rd birthday which was a Dora theme.

When their dad got home, we started making pizzas. The girls love to make pizzas. I buy the dough, sauce, cheese and pepperoni (for mom and dad) at Trader Joe's. Gotta love Trader Joe's! They love to roll out the dough (with a little help), spread the sauce and sprinkle...and eat..the cheese.

While the pizzas were cooking, I had them do an activity. It's an ice sculpture I saw from a television show. I froze water in a half gallon milk carton and had Olivia help me get it out and stand it up in a container. Then we filled 4 paper cups with colored water and had medicine droppers to use. Next, I filled a bowl with rock salt. So, I had them add rock salt to the top of the block of ice. Then they started dropping the colored water on top. It was really fun to watch the block of ice transform. The rock salt caused the ice to melt quickly and the colored water ran down the cracks. They loved it. It was a bit messy, I should have put art shirts on them, but the colors came right out of their clothes.

It was a great activity to keep them occupied while the pizzas were cooking. So then we had pizza for dinner with lemonade. After dinner, I brought out the cake I made and decorated. (Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a cake baker nor decorator and actually, I suck at it) I put a Dora and boots on top of the cake which were actually Olivia's toys...but I don't think Claire cared! After she blew out the candles and ate her cake, she opened her gifts. We got her more gifts than normal since she didn't really have a 'party'. Some of the gifts are more appropriate for Olivia, but hopefully it will get them sharing better.

I've been trying to upload pictures from her birthday for about 2 days so I'll have to post the pictures another time...sorry!

Happy Birthday Claire!

Newborn:

1 year old:

2 years old:


Wow, this year has gone by fast. It started out with you running, chasing your sister, talking here and there, being really shy. Look at you now! You talk so much, sometimes better than your sister I think. You seem to have really blossomed this year, I think you have learned alot from your sister! You are strong (willed), very talkative and mature. I hope all your wishes come true!

Been slacking off

I know... I tried to post pictures from our trip but Blogger wouldn't let me do it...arghh. Then Claire got sick this week and has been running really high fevers. I'm scared of her having another febrile seizure so we've been concentrating on getting her fever down. I took her to the doctor (a new pediatrician who I really like) and she has a severe sore throat.

We were supposed to go meet some of my internet friends from my mommy board on Sunday but we had to cancel. Today is Olivia's last soccer game so my hubby will take her and I'll have to miss it...boo hoo. Olivia is developing a cough so it looks like we will be homebound for longer than I would like. Looks like I might have to cancel a park date I set up with my mom's group, I was going to celebrate Claire's birthday then, but I can't take sick girls to it.

This weekend we are attempting to paint our master bedroom and bath. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by it, it is so much work to prep and paint. I think it's goine to be hard to do with a sick, whiny, clingy child....

Day 3-14...

Uh, you'll have to wait till after we get back from our vacation then I will be able to fill you in on the details and the pictures! I haven't had much internet access...

Day 2 - September 30th

Arrive to airport, check bags, get taken aside in security for carrying soymilk for my 2 year old and 4 year old. Talk to supervisor and convince her I am not a terrorist. She says they are not supposed to allow any beverages other than formula, breastmilk or juice for diabetics, but she will 'let it slide' this time.

Get to gate just in time to board so no time to buy sandwiches for the girls. Hopefully, we can buy something on the (almost 5 hour)flight. The flight leave about 8am. The girls are tired and I give them dramamine to help with the motion sickness (and also thinking it will help them take a nap). Nope, they don't nap...but at least they don't throw up. I give some snacks, I bring out a wrapped gift for each girl which entertains them all of 5 minutes. Claire kicks the seat in front of her. I try to wrestle with her, I try to bribe her and try to reason with her. None of this works and she kicks the seat of the poor man in front of her throughout the flight. Olivia fidgets some and complains some but is overall very good on the flight. I bring out another gift...it entertains them 5 minutes.

Meal service comes down the aisle and we prepare to purchase sandwiches to share with the girls. Nope, no more sandwiches, just chocolate chocolate chip muffins. I already have muffins I made at home so we pass.

Woman in front of Olivia turns around to tell me she is kicking her seat. I tell her to feel free to switch with the man who is sitting in front of Claire (not really, wish I had). I didn't see Olivia kick her seat at all. I tell Olivia not to kick the seat, dh has 'words' with the woman. Tells her she can put her seat up or move...there is a middle seat open next to her (which is in front of me).

Torturous flight finally ends! We arrive in Orlando.

We get to take the Disney Magical Express (free airport transfer) which means we have to wait in line to check in, wait to board our bus to our hotel at the Port Orleans resort and wait on the bus for all the passengers. At least they took care of our bags. Olivia still does not know we are going to Disney World. The bus takes off and after some time Olivia hears kids talking about Disney. Olivia says we are going to Disneyland and we explain that Disneyland is in California. Then, finally, the bus driver announces we are in Disney World so then we explained to her we are going to Disney World in Florida...she has huge smile on her face!

We finally get to our hotel with not much time to freshen up before we meet friends for dinner at Downtown Disney and Ragland Road. The food was great even though it is typical pub fare. There is so much to see at Downtown Disney, but the kids didn't nap so we had to get them to bed.

We are staying at the Port Orleans French Quarter, it reminds me of New Orleans. I love New Orleans.

Day 1 - September 29th

Furiously pack and run errands. Feed kids, dress kids, pack car. Leave house around 2pm so kids will nap. Drive 2 hours to hotel near LAX (Los Angeles Airport). Caught in traffic on I-5 due to some fire south of The Grapevine. So 2 hour drive turns into 3 hour drive. Kids only slept 1 hour, they complained the rest of the drive. Check into hotel, nicer than we thought. Bellman suggests cafe/bar on penthouse level. It's casual, we order pizza while girls sit by window and watch planes take off and leave. I have a glass of wine...

Olivia still does not know we are going to Walt Disney World in Orlando. All she knows is we are going to visit her cousin and go to the beach (later in the trip). She also does not know we are meeting her 'best friend' from Danville.