weekending

People. Let me tell you a little long story about being ridiculously sick and barely remembering the entire Thanksgiving weekend. Wednesday morning, I woke up with a horrible raw/sore throat. I figured it couldn't be anything too bad though since I didn't have a runny nose or anything, so we went along with our plans to go to Homer for Thanksgiving to spend the holiday with Steve's family.

Thursday morning, I felt so sick. We packed up the truck and started driving, and by the time we got there and checked into our room, all I wanted to do was lay on the bed and go to sleep. But it was only about 3:30 and we still had the big Thanksgiving feast to attend, so I peeled myself from the bed and off we went.

 1 | Steve sandwiched between his mom and dad

2 | Riggs provided much of the music

3 | reading with daddy

It was so great to see everyone, family and friends that we don't get to see nearly enough, but I was on my last leg. Trying to keep an eye on Riggs (the only child there) and make sure he got enough to eat (he was being picky and didn't want any of the food ugh) and eat myself (I didn't want any of the food ugh), was pretty tricky. I felt so bad when I finally had to peel Steve away from his oldest friends and family to go back to the hotel. Riggs and I took a bath in the big soaker tub and then everyone went to bed.

I slept horribly, waking up every two hours or so to cough painfully and guzzle more water, but I was so thankful that Riggs slept well. We stayed for one more night and the rest of the time is kind of a blur. I was so thankful to have my FIL and his wife help out a bunch with Riggs, taking him around the Islands and Oceans Visitors Center and then having us over the rest of the day where I alternated between the recliner next to the woodstove and laying on the couch. Dorle made amazing food and it felt so nice to be so well taken care of!

We got home Saturday afternoon and after getting all settled in and having some dinner, I went to put Riggs down to bed. He was burning up with a fever! He's never had a fever over 99, but as soon as I held him I could tell he had a pretty high temperature. Sure enough, it was 102.3. I would normally just BF him and try to let the fever run its course naturally, but I was so tired and needed a good night of sleep (in my own bed yay) so badly that I gave him Tylenol. About an hour later, I felt a little funny, so I took my own temp, and sure enough, I had a fever of about 100.1. It was Tylenol and bed for me too.

Sunday Riggs was feverish all day, ranging from about 102-103.5, but we let it run it's course. Steve was literally the best dad and husband ever the entire weekend and took such good care of us. Then Monday my sister came out to help me with Riggs, and today I'm finally feeling somewhat normal again, although I'm still coughing nearly every time I breathe in too fast and bringing up some pretty nasty stuff. UGH. Being sick is soooo not fun.

We were going to pick out a tree and decorate Sunday, but Riggs was too sick to go out into the -9 degree temps and we were all pretty tired so I decorated as much as a could without the tree. We'll pick one out next weekend. I hope your Thanksgiving was just amazing! Despite being sick, mine was actually still pretty good. I felt so blessed to spend it with my two guys and some dear family and friends.

I did have it together enough to have Riggs' advent books/dvds wrapped,

and he has been excited to open them every morning so far.

Happy December Friends!

sick and fussy and sad

these pictures pretty much sum up my week

(and what's not pictured is me feeling the exact same way)

hope you're having a happy Saturday

ours is a bit of a sad one

and it's a blizzard

you've gotta love 'spring' in Alaska

surprise doctors visits are never good

It's always lovely when your baby, who was completely fine the night before, wakes up in the morning with red, puffy eyes that are nearly swollen shut. That's what happened to us this week, and it freaked me out! I texted a picture to my sister, who quickly texted me back those two words I had been dreading, 'pink eye.' Yuk!

I took him into the doctors office just to make sure that was it, and, of course, it was. Poor baby had the most red, swollen, itchy eyes ever for a few hours until we picked up the eye drops from the pharmacy and got them (surprisingly easily) into his eyes. They actually made quite a big difference right away, which made me feel a lot better. 

not having fun at Fred Meyer while waiting for his prescription

Other than the pink eye (I shudder every time I type or speak those words), the doctor said Riggs looked very healthy, no ear infections or anything like that. He is still 22 lbs (61%), but has grown quite a bit since his 12 month checkup, and is now 32.5 inches long (97%). 

In other much more exciting and less gross, I got my hair cut. I asked her to give me shorter bangs that I can wear straight across if I feel like it and to give me a lot more layers to add volume around my face. I just love getting my hair cut, it always makes me feel so pampered. Except for the part when my hairstylist tells me that I have even more gray hairs than last time, and then laughs really hard and says "You have twice as many gray hairs than your mom does!" Not so fun to have more gray hairs at 26 than my mom does at 50-something.

a few hours after getting it cut

after sleeping on it and restyling it

I was very impressed with how well it looked after sleeping on it, I literally just had to move my bangs to where they were 'supposed' to be, curl a few sections, and then hairspray. It took less than five minutes, which is what I was hoping for. I only wash my hair 2-3 times per week, so I spend a lot of time styling it on the day I wash it so that I won't have to spend as much time on subsequent days. Just spray a little dry shampoo, add a few curls and I'm usually good to go.

One last picture to leave you with before I go enjoy my weekend

Riggs was rummaging in the baking cabinet and then it was quiet...

...except for the sound of plastic crinkling...

Happy Weekend!

Sick on a Sunny Day

Hello everyone!  So, it's the first sunny day in a very long time and guess what?  I'm sick.  Yep, stuffy-nose, sore-throat, losing-voice, ears-plugged kind of sick...isn't it wonderful?  There is a whole list of things I should be doing inside the house (washing the odd dishes that didn't fit in the dishwasher, putting the things that gather on the kitchen island back where they belong, starting the laundry, planning what to make for dinner...) or even outside the house (pick up doggy-poo, mow the lawn, hey or even sit on the porch in the sun or go for a leisurely bike ride).

I'm not doing any of those things.  Instead, I'm spending some quality time with my laptop while Riggs naps and Tutka chews a bully stick (only way to keep him occupied for any length of time).  And guess what?  It feels sooo good.  I don't even feel the least bit guilty.

I've been looking at fabric over at Fat Quarter Shop and thinking of all the wonderful things I'd like to make with them.  First thing on the list of things (other than quilts and handkerbibs) that I want to make are the Quick Change pants from the Handmade Beginnings book.  Here is one example, and then Nicole over at Frontier Dreams made a pair for her little guy here as well.  They are just so, so cute, and there are even modifications you can use for fitting these pants over fluff.

The only thing is, garment sewing is so intimidating to me!  And I want to make them out of nice fabric, but I don't want to ruin it if the pants don't turn out well.  So I'm thinking of using some old fabric I have lying around to make a test pair, and then moving onto the real deal with some much cuter fabric.  Here is some Michal Miller fabric that I am in love with:

Anyway, I think I might force myself to go on a bike ride.  I know I'll feel better if I do, and Riggs just loves looking around at everything.  Maybe we'll stop by the Reindeer Farm and take some pictures...who knows?

Despite being sick and having a crazy puppy to keep an eye on, I've actually had a pretty good morning.  How can you go wrong when you wake up to this?

You just can't have a bad day when you're spending it with Riggy - one smile will melt all your cares away...

snow & sickness

It snowed again last night and it's a winter wonderland;  I love it so much.  It makes it so much more cozy to stay home and work on projects.  I finally got the cold that's been going around,  but at least I get to look outside and smile about the beautiful weather :)

sick

I am sick.  No big deal, my throat is just burning, swollen and feels like the lining is about to be ripped out every time I cough or sneeze, which is pretty often.  So I'm sitting here, surfing the internet while listening to The Phantom of the Opera, Original London Cast CD.  Pretty pathetic.



Anyway, hope you are having a better Friday than me.  That's all.

Good Reading and Good Eating...

I am getting sick.  I knew it was inevetable, since everything else about the beginning of this semester is going so well, so I am not too surprised.  My eyes are achy and itchy, my nose is plugged one moment, running uncontrollably the next, and my throat is raw, though I continue to cough and make it worse.  Yay!  Today is the only day each week that I work the floor at REI (interact with customers rather than unloading the new shippment and stocking it) and of course I barely have a voice at all.  We will have to see how that goes.

In other news, I have been reading children's literature since the beginning of the semester for one of my classes, and have about 45 more titles to read.  It is so fun!  I forgot how good so much of it is, and it gives me some fiction to read/reread while still technically doing homework!  Love it!  Currently I am reading Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.

Little Women is the first actual novel written for children in the United States that became a classic piece of literature.  I am embarrassed to say that although I have seen the movie, I do not believe I have ever read the book.  This has been the case with a few books so far, including Charlotte's Web.  Who did not read Charlotte's Web as a child?!  In the case of both books it hampers my excitement to start the books, because I think I know the story, but then once I start reading I am drawn into the story and able to imagine it my own way without the movie characters getting in the way.

For any of you wanting for something to read, I highly recommend going back and reading some children's literature.  I am compiling a list of Newberry winning, Honor mentioned, and otherwise just good old children's books from all the way back to 1922.  When it is done, I will post it on this blog.  For now, I'll include a list of what I have read so far, hopefully peaking your interest to read one or two of them, or to read  them out loud to your kids.  With the exception of Little Women, all the books I have listed today would be great for read aloud to kids 4 and up.

Children's Literature Completed Thus Far:

1.  Charlotte's Web, by E.B. White

This one surprised me with how meaningful the story is and how inspiring the characters are.  If you have not read this as an adult, you must!  But bring tissues, it is a tear jerker!

2.  Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, by Robert C. O'Brien

Again, this is a story that I first experienced through the movie based on the book, The Secret of NIHM.  But the book is so much fun to read, in fact there were points when I literally could not put it down!

3.  Holes, by Louis Sachar

This book I actually read before I saw the movie, but I reread it anyway - it is always a good read.

4.  The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks

This one I haven't reread yet (need to find a copy - Titlewave doesn't have it), but I remember loving it when I was in elementary school.

And those are what I have read (or need to get read up on soon).  Charlotte's Web, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIHM, and Holes, are all excellent read aloud books, so for those of you with kids, try it out!

Tiresome Tuesday...

Well I really shouldn't complain, I've actually managed to get almost everything done today that I wanted to. Invisalign appointment, Value Village, Costco, dog food made...

...it doesn't look the most appetizing, I know, but it's full of all the goodies my babies need! Poor Pepper is getting old, we have to pamper her. Also made some sugar cookies, did dishes and finished laundry, hopefully I'll get to some homework after I finish this post. But this cold that Steve and I have is extremely annoying...sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes...boo. I just want to feel normal! Throat Coat with a little honey is really the best thing when you're sick, Steven and I have been greedily drinking it down every evening.

Tonight I'm making a recipe from a friends food blog, Stuffed Shells and Sauce, and I can't wait to see how it turns out! It's nice when you decide you want to cook something new and after looking at the recipe realize that you have 98% of the ingredients already on your shelf! All we had to grab were the shells, so Steve and I picked them up last night along with some salad makings and ice cream at New Sagaya's last night.

I did manage to find some goodies at VV and I can look foreword to finding more on Monday, when they have their 50% off everything sale. With everything 50% off, you really can't go wrong! Here are a few of the prizes I've found in the last couple of visits...