Winter and the Start of Christmas Vacation

We have had near record rainfall and flooding all over the region this December.  I took these pictures right before we had about 2 weeks straight of rain.



I don't think I have ever noticed how red the blueberry shrubs are in the winter.  They are really quite stunning in the drab Winter landscape.  

Children are so very sweet when they are asleep!

Watching the rain

Drawing

Studiously doing school.  This child never has to be asked to do her school.

Uh oh

These two!  They are so loud and outgoing, such strong personalities, such extroverts (where did they come from?)

Because every nativity scene needs a headless robot.

Fingerless mitts ready to take into the White Oak Gallery and gift shop

This is as good as it gets.  The girls are ready for the Nutcracker....and the eve that the flu bug hit...

These darling little Nuthatches let me get right up next to them.  We have so enjoyed watching the birds this year.

I went Christmas shopping on Friday.  The weather was terrible.  It poured down rain and hailed and it was so dark.  I took this picture around 4:30 on my way home.  It was raining but the horizon line had lightened just a tad.  I love this grouping of trees and have photographed them before.

And then...the flu bug hit.  GRRRR!  Jubilee had been feeling poorly Thursday but was so looking forward to seeing the Nutcracker that we hoped she would be alright.  Phil drove her (and the girls) to the theatre and met with Grampy and Grammy and then had planned to take the boys to his classroom to play.  She had barely taken her seat when she felt too sick to stay so Phil picked her up and she threw up in the car shortly thereafter and then Sawyer threw up.  They waited outside the theatre for the program to finish and then drove everyone home.  They both threw up at home and in the night.  

The following morning, Sawyer felt better, but Jubilee did not.  Phil worked from home and I spent the day running errands.  I came home, had dinner, and then started to feel sick.  I then spent the next 36 hours in bed, except to use the bathroom.  I threw up twice in the night but felt horrible all day and throughout the night.  Sawyer threw up again and Jubilee has felt poorly for 3 days, so clearly this is longer than a 24 hour bug.  

I feel so sorry for our family.  Jubilee was very disappointed to miss the Nutcracker.  We canceled a birthday dinner for Evi.  We missed the Christmas service at our church.  And, we will likely miss the Christmas party recital at our piano teacher's house, which is on Evi's birthday.

Since Evi has been born, we have had 4 out of 8 Christmas's with the stomach flu.  The day we brought home newborn Evi, we went through the sickest we have ever been.  The children had colds, then the stomach flu, Phil and I had influenza, and then the children got another cold, all back to back.  Then we had the year where Evi fell against the radiator and cut her eye and was up in the hospital getting stitches while Sawyer was at home throwing up.  Last year, while Phil remodeled the bathroom, we had the stomach flu come through and now again this year.  Sigh....this should NOT be a tradition!!!!

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