And the Sickness Lingers

Last week didn’t start out the best. I stayed up late Sunday night trying to get some stuff done since I knew Monday and Tuesday were going to be pretty busy. I was working on getting caught up on laundry and getting bathrooms deep cleaned. I was almost done and opened the dryer to fold the last load of clothes before taking the laundry baskets upstairs to the kids’ rooms (they were all already in bed) and saw blue ink everywhere-all over the clothes and the dryer. Among further inspection, there was a blue and a black ink pen that had broken up. I found a few pieces that were good, without anything on them. Then there was a pile I was hoping to spare and a pile that I knew would never recover…and then I just left it for the next day. I finished up the night by getting the laundry upstairs, setting out clothes for the boys for the next day, cleaning the kids’ bathroom and prepping for my workout early the next morning.

Monday I was up early to get my workouts in before taking the kids to school, quickly finish getting ready and then go help in the boys’ classrooms that morning. Then it was back home to try to get the ink out of some clothes and I was thankfully successful on some of them.

But then I went to open my computer and discovered the screen was cracked. Thankfully, it was actually the glass and I was still able to use it. I worked on cleaning the rest of the house and prepping stuff for bible study the next day. After school, we dropped Ellie and Lauren off at their last basketball practice and eventually made our way to my parents’ house for dinner and to hang out with everyone. We picked up Ellie from basketball and Andrew picked up Jackson from track. Ellie got to hang out for a little bit before heading to dance. The next morning was another early morning workout, drop the kids off and then bible study. We had a good group, but the discussion was a little bit harder and we didn’t go quite as long. It worked out though, since I was able to get to the TriFAHL meeting to catch up on some stuff. I had about ½ hour after the meeting before I a podiatry appointment, so I dropped off a TriFAHL flier at Hibbetts and went by Dollar Tree to pick up a few things for birthday gifts for Ellie’s friends. Then it was off to the appointment which went well…long, but well. Hopefully the orthotics I ordered will help with how my feet feel with my biking and running.

After the appointment, I had about an hour before I had to get in line to pick up the kids, so I picked up some lunch and went to my parents’ house. We visited for a bit before I had to head out. I got the kids picked up and it was soon time to get dinner made so that Ellie and I could head to her game at 5. I also had to take down all of our pictures and décor that would get in the way of the painting we were having done the next day. Sharon, thankfully, picked up Jackson from track for us. I had to work the gate at the game, so we had to get there earlier than usual. Ellie didn’t mind though, because it gave her more time to warm up. And she ended up with a pretty large fan club-her dad and her brothers, my parents, Andrew’s parents, Lissy, Kaitlin, Owen and Lola, and Caroline and Emmie. We played Knox County, another team with some tall players. Ellie played hard and had a great game despite the loss. She also had her first foul out-we were proud.

Wednesday was a swim day and when I got home, one of the workers came over to finally get started on repainting everything that was painted during our remodel-well at least the walls. Then I went out to eat with Lissy, Kaitlin, Caroline and the kids for lunch. Lissy sent me a text saying El Vaquero and I was totally thinking La Fuente. Thankfully, they came to me since I had already ordered a drink and some queso. Caroline and Emmie were done by the time we finished our meal, so I offered to take Emmie with me while I went home and picked up some stuff. Owen and Lola wanted to join me too, so they all piled in my car and they played in the playroom for a bit while I changed laundry and got some stuff to work on. We were only a ½ hour, but Caroline said she appreciated it. I sat down at my parents to work on some billing and taxes when I got a call from the school saying Miles was in the nurse’s office not feeling well. He had not been eating much over the past few days and said that stuff just didn’t taste good, but I wasn’t quite sure what was going on. So, I picked him up and we got in line to pick up Ellie. He watched Kung Fu Panda and seemed fine, if just a little worn down. That afternoon, Ellie really wanted to work on basketball, so Andrew took her out back and worked with her a bit and I joined them after finishing up some stuff inside. She is always appreciative when we take the time the help. I had Miles stay home from basketball that night and just took Lincoln and Bennett. I spent the hour talking to Leah and then we just let the boys play around a little more before heading home. Miles did end up falling asleep on the family room floor a little early, so we just let him sleep there. He was dragging a little the next morning and I knew they would not appreciate me sending him back to school even though he didn’t have a fever or anything. So, we spent the day together. Sagan was back to finish up the painting, so I set Miles up downstairs to watch some TV and play. I had to switch up my workout since I was supposed to go to the pool. So, I did my Friday workout which included a 2 hour 45 minute bike ride (on the trainer) followed by a 15 minute run. I was excited to figure out a way to get my laptop set up where I could reach it during my ride and was able to get some stuff done.

I ordered pizza for Jackson’s small group and for us and worked on some tax stuff. Miles would come and visit me every now and then and eventually played with his Legos out in the family room. He was wanting me to make lunch, so I was thankful he was hungry. And I was thankful Andrew came home while I was on the bike and made lunch for Miles. I was able to get 41 miles in by the end of the time and then it was time for my run. We were having nicer weather, so I was able to convince Miles to get on his bike and go with me. It was just 15 minutes at a slow pace, so we had a nice time. Except for a little crash, but he recovered quickly. We got the kids picked up from school, Andrew went for a bike ride, we had some pizza for dinner and the boys played outside since it was so nice.

I took Ellie to her game, Jackson caught a ride with the Vincents to small group and Andrew brought the boys to the game at game time. Ellie had another great game. She had some good drives and fast breaks. But since her team was winning by quite a bit (it was a low scoring game, but still winning), she wanted to make sure she wasn’t a ball hog and tried to find opportunities to get the ball to other girls. They don’t have any plays, so she was just trying to make it happen and I was proud of her for doing that. The other team did get a little too close for comfort, but they were able to hold them off and most of the girls on the team ended up scoring, which was great. It was their last home game of the season.

After the game, Ellie and I went by the pharmacy to pick up some eye drops for Miles since it was looking a little infected and then we went by the movie theater to give gift certificates for her friends’ birthday presents. Miles was back in school Friday. I sent his teacher an email to let her know that he had a great day on Thursday, so I thought he would be fine to come back. He did complain of his belly hurting in the morning, but I think he was just hoping I would let him stay home again. I got my swim in and decided to put my run off until later in the afternoon. I was having my family over for dinner that night, so I prepped some food for that, cleaned a bit, did laundry and made a cake for dessert. Then I left for the school about an hour early and did my hour run around the loop there. Again, it is all mostly zone 2 heart rate, so I was barely jogging along. I felt kind of silly, but I tried to keep my heart rate down. But it was also nice, because I was able to enjoy the nice day and in the end, even if my muscles were a bit sore, I wasn’t winded at all. Then I just got in line at Ellie’s school for pick up. It worked out pretty well. When we got home, the kids were quick to get outside and play. Andrew was out for a bike ride and I finally got ready for the day. Andrew took Ellie to the office with him later that afternoon so that he could take her to swim team at 5. I worked on dinner and my parents picked up Ellie on their way over and we all enjoyed dinner together. They were heading to Tampa the next day and then to a Cardinal’s spring training game on Sunday. The kids played more with their Legos throughout the evening and Lincoln was excited to show me what he made. It was from a Christmas gift and he hadn’t touched it yet. I had it sitting on a shelf down in the playroom for when he was finally ready to do it.

And we didn’t see much of Jackson after dinner and found out it was because his stomach was bothering him. He came down after everyone else went to bed and laid on the bathroom floor for a while, feeling like he was going to throw up. I checked in on him to see if he needed anything and he asked for some saltines. As soon as he ate one, the vomiting started. Afterwards, he actually cleaned it up himself (bonus for older kids) and I gave him some Zofran we happened to have on hand. I told him he would probably throw up again and he assured me that he had thrown up everything in his stomach. And thankfully, he didn’t throw up again. He still didn’t feel that great on Saturday, so we let him stay home and rest up all day. Saturday was a busy day though. The twins had their basketball game at 8. They both did great and are improving each game. They sometimes look a little lost out there, but then they pick it back up.

We got to go home for a bit between games, so I worked on laundry and getting stuff ready for my run after Lincoln’s game. Ellie made sure to have stuff ready for the birthday sleepover she was going to that afternoon since she had swim team practice after Lincoln’s game. We took two cars to the game with the plan of Andrew leaving early to take Ellie to her practice. But Lincoln’s game moved along quickly and we were done in time that Andrew could also take Lincoln. He had a good game. Didn’t make as many baskets, but he had several tries of just putting it up too hard. We played Luke’s team, so he had fun with that. They even got to guard each other a little bit.

After the game, Andrew took all the kids and I headed out on my long run for the week. I had to do 1 ½ hours, but again, at the slow pace. I ran around the loop, down the path behind the Y, along LaHarpe and Baltimore and back to the Y and around the loop and ended up with almost 7.5 miles. My muscles and joints were aching, but I wasn’t too tired. And I was happy to mark off my final workout of my first five weeks.

I stretched quickly and then went to pick up Ellie from swim team. Then we went to Mary Immaculate for a last-minute open gym. There were just a few people there, but Ellie played around for about ½ hour and then we headed home because she had to be at the birthday party in about 40 minutes. Once we got home, she finished getting ready and then we left for the party. It was for her twin friends, Madison and Lauren, and the party was at their grandparents’ house, just out of town. She even brought her mud boots because they planned to be playing outside most of the time. Thankfully it was a nice day out, although pretty breezy. Back home, Andrew ended up taking the three youngest out to the ranch. They rode the four wheeler, put out some mineral and hay and explored a bit. Jackson and I watched The Help while I finished up almost everything I needed for our taxes. That evening we just had McDonalds for dinner and rented Coco, which the kids really enjoyed.

The next morning, Andrew went to the office and then we went to church and picked up Ellie. She said they played outside until they couldn’t see anymore and then the game continued inside. She had a great time. Once we got home, I went grocery shopping and then Andrew and Jackson headed out to the ranch to get some work done. Jackson worked on the electric fence while Andrew got stuff ready to move his cows later next week. Back at home, the other kids spent most of the day playing outside. Ellie drew her own basketball court out back and we played a little. And while I put up a holder for the wheelbarrow in the shed, she worked on chiseling a wood block Andrew had in there.

She also fell in love with Jackson’s long board and rode it up and down the hill out front. They all played basketball, rode the long boards and trikes and got out their roller blades.

I got caught up on some work and laundry before eventually making dinner and some more energy bites. Andrew and Jackson got home around dinner time and Jackson was pretty tired. Ellie was tired too from her sleepover and fell asleep on the couch early. After I got dinner cleaned up, I took some time to get everyone registered for spring club soccer and baseball for this summer. I decided to just have the twins join Ellie and Lincoln at club soccer. They don’t have as many chances to actually play games, but I like the idea of them all practicing on the same night. We’ll see how it goes. And we didn’t sign Ellie up for softball. She is going to take the summer off from it and just do swim team. Then we’ll revisit it next summer and see if she wants to do it again.