Catching Up with the Common Cold

So this week has been off.  Let's just say that.  I haven't been this sick in a long time.

About three weeks ago, Jack came down with his regularly scheduled yearly cough that, while viral, warranted antibiotics.  I think he also developed an ear infection, but the antibiotics cleared it up.  Anna developed the cough, ear infection, and conjunctivitis.  We made it through that with little problem.  The kids missed a day of school, John missed a day of work, but we managed.



John got it next, but he coughed only a little.  Then I got it.  I haven't, honestly, been this sick in at least 14 years.  I remember it clearly, sleeping on the futon in the one room apartment in Lebanon.  I couldn't really take as much time as I needed because I only have so sick days banked, but it was miserable.  Absolutely miserable for two weeks, much of that time was spent lying on the couch coughing.  I kept thinking that it would go away, but it didn't, and it didn't.  And it didn't.  Finally, I had to take the day and this past Wednesday I went to the doctor.  I, too, was put on antibiotics.  It's clearing, finally.  I'm still coughing, but at least I have no desire to just lie on the couch to watch TV.  OK.  I'll admit that I do actually have the desire to lie on the couch and watch TV, but I can forgo that at the moment.



Cinderella



Zorro

Of course nothing slows down when you're sick.  Halloween came and dance class, tae kwon do, work, etc., etc.  Anna's school had a Halloween night.  There were crafts, dancing, stories and a parade around the first floor of the school.  It was all very cute, but the best part for me was when two girls from her class saw her, they waved Anna over to come dance with them.  That was awesome.  Then she and one of the girls played in the playground before we left.  It was more than nice to see that Anna is liked by other kids.  Sometimes, they don't take to well to her.  She's bigger than most of the kids her age and she bends down and gets in their little faces to talk to them.



John's tae kwon do place did a Halloween party for the younger kids who go there and their siblings.  Initially, I was going to keep Anna with me to hang out while John and Jack went, but I wasn't feeling well at all, so John brought Anna with them.  They had a good time.  I guess there was dancing and a little scary haunted "house" action going on.  They had fun, though.  It was nice just for me to just hang low.

Post trick or treating cookies

Trick or Treating at Grandma and Grandpa's

We went trick or treating, like we usually do, at my in-law's house.  Their street is pretty low-key, but the streets next to theirs are pretty family-filled and celebrate with style.  Most of the houses are lit up and a lot of the people sit out on their front porches.  Many people were thoughtful about their candy (putting a variety in festive bags) or just plain generous (multiple handfuls and/or full sized bars).  It's nice.  It was actually kind of warm out, so the kids were fine with just their costumes over their clothes.  We lasted about an hour and the kids were home and in bed by 8.  Not too shabby considering that they hauled in the candy and the next day was a school day.

Anna's been spending much of her time upstairs in her room.  I've been coughing pretty much non-stop for about two and a half weeks now, and she can't stand the noise.  She'll come downstairs to tell me that I need a cough drop, I need medicine, or I need to go to the doctor.  Then she'll hurry back upstairs.  She's been amusing herself so I haven't been too concerned until today.  Today she took her Halloween pumpkin upstairs with all her candy.  Not a good sign.  I'll lure her downstairs later.  Hopefully.  I haven't been coughing that much today.

John is away this weekend at a racing flea market in Thompson.  So it's just me and the kids.  I'm thinking of movie night and about throwing something in the crock pot for tomorrow.  Oh.  Maybe grocery shopping, grading papers, and cleaning up this dump after two weeks of not really caring about it one way or the other.