Exhausted........

This is how I've spent most of my time since Thursday.........
The day started out normal....got 8 kids ready for school, got the 4 big kids on the bus, then dropped Ella & Sam off at Cyndi's, & Connor, Luke, and I were off to preschool. Everyone was happy, everyone in their usual good moods.
As I pulled up to preschool, Cyndi called - Ella had just puked all over her couch. Your own kids puke is bad enough...but to have to deal with someone else's child while they are puking...is just.....gross. Cyndi, I'm so sorry! She wouldn't keep anything down for more than 20 minutes....so it's been a long 3 days.

Friday night I had already made plans to take Cyndi out for her birthday.....yes, I said it, Cyndi had a birthday! Whoo Hoo! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You!.....you get the idea! Anyway, Tyler was awesome, he took over, so we could go out, an evening without kids. We saw Shopaholic - it was really funny! & went to Applebees for some food afterwards. I was fighting a cold, but bound & determined to give her a night out! We had a blast. Cyndi always knows how to make me laugh.....as she sat down in her seat at the movies, she did this 'lean-back, sliding-down' thing that made her pop the lid off of her pop....and dump it all over her lap & the floor. I couldn't stop laughing! We got her & the floor cleaned up as much as possible.....Thank goodness it was diet & dried by the time the movie was over! (Thanks Cyndi, it was the best laugh I've had in months!!!! - comes close to Wii Ski on New Years!!!).....

I got up this morning & did my walk with Rachelle at 6am, and got in 3.75 miles - now with a full fledged flu bug in my system, but honestly, it made me feel better! It's a good feeling to be getting back into shape! (and long over due!!!). When Ella awoke, she started throwing up again..... to the point we got worried about her getting dehydrated. I know some of you might think we over-reacted...but we've been through this before when Connor was a baby..and I didn't want to see her get to that point. We took her to Mary Bridge & they rock! They gave her a dose of Zofran (I took that my entire pregnancy with Ella) to stop the vomiting.....and I am happy to report that at almost midnight, it's still working! She's eaten & doing well!

Now during all this craziness, Zach & Braeden both had birthday parties to go to...... Zach went to Evans..........thanks to Janet for sharing these pictures! (Braeden is at Jacob's as we speak, I'm sure enjoying himself!).........




Zach had a ton of fun....he did swallow a bunch of pool water during a deep-end swim test & ate a ton of snacks...he tends to over-eat & eat quickly cuz he thinks he's going to miss something. One of the Tracey's friends runs the new Jimmy Mac's in Fed.Wy, and invited all of them to come eat after the party - on him! We love eating there..and I know Zach LOVES the rolls...so when his ribs came....his stomach hurt........he got through 1/2 his dinner.... and as luck would have it...at 6pm tonight he started throwing up!
Round 2, here we come............ugh...... (Actually, we're not sure if he has Ella's bug, or if it's the combo of pool water, excitement, & over-eating...we're hoping for the later!)....at this point though we are not risking anyone else's health & we're staying home from Church! We think that's where Ella got it in the first place........I wouldn't wish this nasty bug on anyone!