Help! We're Trapped in our House!

We've been sick since Wednesday. First me, then Benjamin, then Christian, now Kelly. Bella has luckily escaped the mess so far, but who knows, she may be next. For now she's trapped with the sick mess that we are. Coughing, vomiting, fever, headaches - we've all got our own sickness cocktails - everyone with a varying degree and variety of symptoms. Luckily the vomiting was me. Oh how I hate cleaning up kid vomit off couches and carpets. I luckily have enough experience to recognize when it's coming and make it to a safe location...well, the kitchen sink was the best I could do, but it beats the living room. So, we've been hanging out at home. Something I really hate doing. I know that sounds weird because hanging out at home should be loads of fun and all, but when you're sick and the kids are cranky, it's just not. No school, no church, no where to go, just sit at home and cough on each other. Ugh.

The one bright idea I had today was to pretend we were all germs and the basement was a giant which we were infecting. We each had names - I was "Snot", Benjamin was "Rash," Bella was "Scab," and Christian was "Pox." (Kelly was at church because his sickness didn't hit until half way through sacrament meeting. :) Now he's in bed too.) Although half way through Bella decided she didn't want to be Scab, she wanted to be Snot too, so we had the "But there can't be TWO Snots!" debate which was just so ridiculous that after all was said and done, I agreed to trade names with her. Anyway, we got our toy guns and started shooting the giant's cells (ie. walls, furniture, toys, etc.) declaring the vicious symptoms our host was developing. "Now he's coughing up brown phlem!" we'd scream. "Ooooh, he's got a killer headache!" "His nose is running so bad he's dripping on the floor and it's raw from blowing!" "Ah, he's got a fever...it's getting hot in here!" Our giant host finally succeeded in vomiting us out after debilitating us with the heat. Then we had a snack and went to bed. Another glorious day where all kids slept at the same time. Maybe there is something to be said for sickness.

So we've been doing lots of puzzles (Bella is doing 100 piece jigsaw puzzles! She's a puzzle rock star!), playing monster dog in the doll village, coloring pictures, and taking "time-outs" - the last one being Benjamin because he has the hardest time with staying home all day and tends to let it out on those smaller and weaker than he. Not cool. On that note, puzzles are like broken glass - when they get thrown around a room in anger, you're finding pieces for days to come.



In the end, we all had a big bowl of chicken soup for dinner and prayed for a speedy recovery. May our prayers be answered.

Side note: That's a headband on Bella's head and no, it's not falling down. That's the way she likes it. She won't wear it any other way. Don't even try to reason with her and tell her that her hair would stay out of her eyes better if she put it up. You'll get a headband flying at your face for advice like that. Best course of action is to consider it cute and move on. At least that's what works best for me.