Fresh Air

After being cooped up inside for over a week, the 70 degree days are even more beautiful. School today consisted of a morning trip to the library and a scavenger hunt for learning library skills. Reading aloud, and that's about it...Tomorrow will be a garden-prep day, so no book work there either....should I feel guilty?

Sunday everyone was relatively well- still a little tired and grumpy- but well....My dad and Stepmother came over for a bit....(photo courtesy of my dad)They were pretty much outside until dark

This is Rylan's new bike. He bought and paid for it himself.

Today was even nicer....we have been letting some of our birds out with the dogs- with proper supervision- since our 2 wyandottes never go outside (the rooster won't let them). Today we let almost all of them out in the dogs yard...it's larger and has more grass. A lot of our yard is summer grass only so their yard is pretty bare...

Last year Lakin was a little scared of them, but he wandered all around with them today....

Come to think of it, I believe today is their birthday....we got them last Feb 11 and they were hatched the Friday before....

On the mend....

It's been an awful week around here....a solid week of puking, no energy, no eating, fevers and dehydration. My house smells too much of carpet cleaner- enough to make me nauseous at least. I haven't slept without a child and without interruption since last Saturday night. Hopefully tonight I will.

Cale got sick last Saturday night and missed much of the snow we had here on Monday. He was bad off and disoriented most of Monday. Lakin got hit Tuesday night and Cohen Wednesday morning. He had a rough day yesterday with 104+ fever and still vomiting. His lips were so dry and cracked they were bleeding. He finally got off the couch and ate with us tonight and seems mostly himself. A good night sleep should do it. Thankfully, Rylan seems to have outgrown the stomach bug age. Paul, Rylan and myself all felt a little sick, nauseated and lower appetites but that is all.

And since Cale woke up on Tuesday in relatively good spirits, and there was snow on the ground we headed up to the moutains. We had about 2 inches in our yard, so it was a little odd that the closer we got to the mountains, the less snow there was....but by the time we reached Cades Cove there was a decent amount- probably about the same 2 inches. But the day was beautiful and sunny. We played in the snow, snowball fights, made snow angels, visited the mill. It was a nice day. And I am also thankful that Lakin waited until about an hour after we got home before he threw up! My camera died (again!) about 5 min. into our trip, so all my pictures are on my phone and I can't get them uploaded...

But here is Rylan and Cohen's snowman....they were so excited on how big they got him!

Sometimes....

...I wonder why grown adults don't have the common sense to stay home from a party when they are barely over a stomach virus.....

...if you just ate for the first time that morning stay away from kids!!!

....1 down, 1 in progress, 2 more to go....