the christmas we don't speak of

I've been so bad at blogging lately, so I quickly looked back on my last few posts and realized I never logged Christmas 2014 for the record books. And even though I'd kinda rather forget about it, this blog is documentation for the kiddos ~ the good, the bad and the ugly. This Christmas had moments of all 3, mostly the last two. 

Our Christmas went viral. And it was all my fault. I hardly ever get sick, but when I do, I do it right. Todd had been out of town quite a bit so I'd been saving a lot of our Christmas traditions for when he got back home, which was also the day the kids started Christmas break. It just didn't seem right to look at Christmas lights in our pj's, bake, decorate gingerbread houses, wrap gifts, go sledding, watch Christmas Vacation and Elf...without him. So the night he got home Todd decided that we should go out to dinner to kick off winter break, and give me a break. We wound up at Waddell's for our first time and at dinner, I kept coughing this weird, dry cough. Every time I laughed it would make me cough like a 50 year veteran smoker. I had no other symptoms, zero. I kept telling Todd how funny my chest felt. But no runny nose, no headache, no sore throat. Nothing. By 3 am I was SICK. REALLY sick. The body aches were out of this world miserable. It hit me like a train and I didn't eat or get out of bed for almost 3 days. Well, I did get out of bed to make cookies. I promised the kids 2 weeks of fun and I felt so bad that we'd saved all the merriment, never anticipating I would be out for the count. Lord knows Todd wasn't going to bake Christmas cookies! So I rolled out sugar cookies and gingerbread with a 103 temp, that rolling pin felt so dang heavy! I missed a girl's night I'd planned with my dear friends, such a bummer. Then Todd missed a guy's night for our bro-in-law's birthday thanks to me, double bummer. We had also invited our friend's to come for dinner that weekend, another bummer. Then we had to cancel Ella and Dawson's special birthday dinner at Clinks. Seriously, bummer after bummer! By the time I started feeling better Charlie got nailed. His temp was over 104 for almost 2 days. I spent Christmas Eve taking Chuckles to Dr. T and sure enough, we had Influenza A. Super. By the time I waited at the pharmacy for over an hour for Tamiflu {which they regretfully forgot to mention would cost me 200 smackaroos} a call came from home, Dawson was down. Poor guy got the tummy part of it worst and threw up even more than Charlie. So on the 12th day of Christmas we were all 3 hacking, fevering and puking. Merry Christmas! By now family is rolling into town for the holidays. My sweet Mom bought my Dad a puppy for Christmas and the kids were just dying to see the new pup and their Ninny and Papa, but we couldn't partake in the big Christmas Eve festivities with the fam, or on Christmas Day. Our sweet niece Bethanne delivered gifts to the door so the kids had some Christmas cheer, and we skyped the gang over at my sister's house in between doses of Tylenol, cleaning out the barf bucket, and taking temps. Poor Dawson, being a day-after-Christmas baby, got the shortest end of the stick, missing both a favorite holiday and his birthday. We survived though, and were so thankful that Ella, Todd and Mitchy made it out alive. It was one nasty bug, I haven't been that sick in 15 years. Although I felt worse for Todd since he finally had a few days off and had deal with a house full of sick people, and Ella and Mitchy had to miss out on all the festivities even though they weren't sick. But we did get in several hours of snuggle time in my bed, and watched lots of Food Network, and cashed in on a lifetime supply of naps. Luckily we finally got to see my parents, and then Aaron and Meagan for a bit around New Years! The Rufflings were able to rally and go to the hockey game with them, which was their Christmas gift from Aaron and Meg. After 4 weeks, I was still feeling off and short of breath, so I finally went to Todd's doctor and found out I had pnuemonia. Cool. After dragging the boys with me to a doctor appointment, x-rays and the pharmacy, we were on our way with an inhaler, antibiotics, and doctor's orders to rest. That was the best news I'd had in months! You mean to tell me I have to rest?!
PS, sorry the pictures kinda suck, they take after our Christmas. Photo memories were low on the list of priorities this year since survival was our ultimate goal! A few were taken before the virus from hell struck.

 This is what ugly Christmas sweater day at school looks like when your kids tell you about it at 8 pm the night before and your husband is out of town so you're stuck using what you have. This is when hoarding craft supplies comes in handy.

 The twins' snowmen art

Todd's Gingineer had a bad day at the office

Ella's lost an arm

As usual, we digress

Umm, that's one way to wrap

Christmas Eve gift delivery by Beth!

The one thing Charlie asked for, Jabba

Mitchy has been begging for an Abominable Snowman ever since he went on the Matterhorn at Disneyland. I finally found one at Target for 5 bucks!

 This was the night I was sent to bed, doctor's orders. I made myself some chocolate chip cookies and crawled into bed, and these 2 gave me a foot rub. This is the life!