Blogging My Days Off

I really should be doing some work. Due to computer crashes at work, we have lost our much used phone directory. We got a new city directory from the Chamber but it needs to be updated for our purposes.... like after hours contact numbers for alarms that go off in the middle of the night.

But I have been off work for 5 days and may have to take off tomorrow so I am trying to be quick about catching up on blogging.

My first 4 days off were my scheduled days off.... my long weekend. My first morning off, Friday, I got to sleep in til 7:30.... unheard of... the boys were so quiet getting ready for school, fixed their breakfast, and out the door they went. Gracie woke me up but Suzie slept til 8..... again, unheard off....

Saturday we all slept in til 8 or after.... I could get used to this.... The boys had bowling, then Caleb had a basketball game. Later that night Chuck and I had a dinner for the fire department. It's the departments Christmas party. We always have it after the holidays because every one is so busy with family and other priorities.

The party was about a mile from the house so we let Josh and Caleb watch the girls. Suzie hadn't pooped all day so I knew that I would be getting a call. Sure enough, a half hour after I left the house, Caleb called to tell me Suzie stunk. I stood up to leave and told him I would be right there. To my surprise... and delight.... Caleb said, "No. I'll change it, but how do you get her to lay still?"

Ah yes, a question that plagues man kind.... How do you get a kid with a poopy diaper to lay still so you don't coat everything with poop?

I told him what to do, he said he understood and we hung up. That was only the beginning of several phone calls. All of an un-emergency type nature. In spite of that, the boys did a good job with the girls. We got home just after 11pm. They had pulled out the hide-a-bed and if I was certain that taking a picture wouldn't have woke them up I would have flashed away.... Sound asleep on the bed was Josh, Suzie, Gracie and Caleb. They looked so sweet. Thinking about it now, I wish I would have taken the picture. I carried Suzie to her bed and let the rest of them sleep there.

Sunday we all got to sleep in again. Gracie was starting not to feel good again. Chuck and Gracie have both had a cough and runny nose for about 3 weeks.

Monday I finished cleaning the house and did a couple loads of laundry. Gracie started complaining that she was cold and broke out into a fever after dinner. I was at the computer with Caleb helping him with a Social Studies project. I was trying to focus on reading and helping Caleb change his paragraph so it made sense. Gracie wanted me to hold her. Suzie kept pulling CDs onto the floor and hitting Gracie. Gracie would yell. Caleb would ask another question.... Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!! Calgon, take me away.....

We got to a good stopping point and I told Caleb we would finish it later. I tucked Gracie in on the couch... where she sleeps when she is sick.... I laid Suzie down and listened to the quiet.

Gracie ran a fever most of the night and didn't sleep well. When my alarm went off at 4:30 I was not amused. My stomach hurt a little and my head was starting to clog up. I decided to call in sick and get some rest.

Gracie was content with letting me get some rest as she just laid on the couch. However, Suzie bounced through the house most of the day. Climbing, rummaging through toys and throwing them on the floor, bothering Gracie, running up and down the hall, getting into kitchen cabinets. I laid her down for a nap, which she usually falls asleep quickly. Not this time. An hour later I finally let her get out of bed and let her watch a movie in my bed. That lasted all of 15 minutes.

I took Gracie to the Dr. She has the flu..... ick... The Dr gave me Tamaflu for both her and Suzie, at $40 a pop because the insurance will only pay so much on this particular drug. But if it keeps Suzie from coming down with the flu, it's well worth it.

I was sleeping good when my alarm went off this morning. I didn't want to get up but I was looking forward to getting out of the house.

Chuck stayed home with the girls today and if it snows, I may have to take another sick day tomorrow.... Chuck will be out plowing snow...

Last year I used up all my sick days before March 1st. Looks like I am headed down that same track. Oh well. I still have vacation and comp days.