Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Weird Christmas Flu

This was a weird Christmas.

It had the potential to be awesome, since my parents flew out from Pennsylvania and we could all be together-- minus my brother and his family in Missouri.  But I was excited to just stay here in Utah and have fun with the fam.  The weekend was full of holiday festivities, including my Christmas Concert at The Seville (assisted living center), nephew's baptism (precious) followed by a full day of Gardner Village, Grand America Hotel, City Creek, and Temple Square, Grandma's cookie-decorating Christmas party on Sunday, caroling and delivering goodies that evening with Cassity, last minute shopping Christmas Eve, singing with the Billings sisters at their family Christmas party, Chinese food dinner with the Yospes (Heather's in-laws) on Christmas Eve, and finally listening to my Dad read Luke 2 while Cami (3 yr old niece) acted out the story with her Fisher Price nativity set.  I felt good and happy.

Then I remembered Cassity had gone home to Colorado for Christmas and I still had a dog at home to take care of.  I couldn't just leave here there overnight, and I didn't want to place the burden on someone else of letting her out and doing the dog duties.  So this was the first year I spent Christmas Eve alone.  After the traditional Christmas Eve readings and singing with my family in West Jordan, I drove back to Orem and spent a quiet evening by myself, watching "Polar Express" and wrapping a few more presents.  It was actually nice and peaceful... but I have always loved the giddiness of Christmas Eve, bustling around the house with siblings, and sleeping on the couch or floor, anticipating the fun and excitement of Christmas day. This year I embraced the change of "being a grown-up" and letting go of that giddiness for a moment.  I let Sadie sleep with me and woke up Christmas morning around 7:30am to shower and get ready, and get back up to Heather's by 8:30am.

SIDENOTE:  Who even showers Christmas morning?  It is basically tradition to appear with crazy hair and sleepy eyes, wearing new pajamas... and staying that way until showering later that day before putting on new Christmas clothes.  Nope.  This year I was all clean and ready to go by 8am, and put on old comfy clothes, not worrying about looking cute or fashionable.

Just as I was about to walk out the door, I felt a surge of nausea race through me.  Immediate trip to the bathroom.  I thought I was going to throw up but nothing came.  About 15 min later I was ready to go, grabbed a bowl of cereal to eat on the way, and was on the road.  I ate about 2 bites of cereal before I felt sick again, so I placed the bowl on the floor and drove to Heather's, all the while singing to Colbie Caillat's new Christmas album. A lovely collection of songs.

I got to Heather's just as she was finishing the preparations for her gluten-free Christmas breakfast, and as much as I wanted to enjoy that, I just didn't feel good.  I joined the family in the family room, poured out the items in my stocking and chatted with everyone fora  few minutes.  I lasted about 2 gifts into the un-wrapping festivities when my body called another trip to the bathroom.  Ugh.  This was not how I wanted to spend Christmas morning.  I emerged from the bathroom, joined the family again, and about 5 minutes later I excused myself again.  This cycle continued until it was time for breakfast.  I didn't even attempt to sit at the table in front of food.  Instead, I went down to the basement bathroom where I could isolate myself and have my own little pity party.  After that bathroom session, I layed on the couch down there and fell asleep for about an hour.  I occasionally woke up to squeals from Cam or Lexi, or laughter from the adults upstairs.  But I felt too sick to move or do anything.  I fell back asleep until I heard them talking on the phone with my brother and his wife.  I missed them... so I made an effort to get upstairs and open the gifts they had sent me.  It was a fun 5 minutes until I needed to go back down to my  bathroom cell for another session.  The best moment of the day was feeling good enough to watch a funny DVD that Nathan put together for Heather.  He is so creative and humorous, and his little sentimentality made us all laugh with tears in our eyes.  I barely lasted half way into the DVD he made for my parents when it was time to retreat to the bathroom again.  I still had unopened gifts but the Christmas excitement had been dominated by nauseous waves of sickness accompanied by a piercing headache.

I fell asleep on the bed my parents were using and layed there for quite a while.  At some point during the day I finished opening my presents (everyone had opened theirs and they've saved a little pile for me)... and finally around 3pm I threw up.  I hate the pre-throw up stages of sickness, but once it actually happens it is such a relief.  Only I didn't feel much better afterward, and I was hoping I would.  Nope. Still sick.

I curled up under a blanket, put the hood of my sweatshirt over my head, and layed there as a couple more hours went by.  Luckily I had left a spare set of keys w/ the Billings, so Ashley and Emily let Sadie out in the afternoon and that was one less thing I had to worry about.  I was very grateful for that.

Around 5pm I woke up and my parents were getting ready to head down to Brittney's for Christmas dinner and an opportunity to spend Chrsitmas with her kids and family.  I had been looking forward to that, but I still felt horrible.  A friend had given me a gift certificate to "Honey Baked Ham" and Brittney was going to cook that ham for dinner.  It would have been so good.  Just as my parents were leaving, I took another trip to the bathroom and told them I'd meet them there.  Wrong.  After the bathroom I layed down again... woke up around 6:30pm... fell back asleep until 7:30pm... and then attempted to get up and leave for Britt's.  I packed my stuff in the car and felt like I was going to throw up.  I went back inside, layed on the couch, went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, layed on the couch, fell asleep, etc.

By this point, I thought, "This whole day has been absolutely miserable."  I didn't even feel good enough to walk out to the car!  My dad called to check on me-- make sure I wasn't stranded somewhere on the side of the road-- and I told him I had fallen asleep again.  I also confessed that I probably wouldn't make it to Britt's and I'd just drive straight home.  Finally, around 8:30pm I pulled myself together and got in the car.
     
I made a stop at Maverick to buy Gatorade and saltine crackers, and I was very grateful for that kind man who had to work on Christmas.  Aside from the 2 bites of cereal I'd eaten that morning, and a handful of Cheerios at Heather's, I'd eaten nothing and I realized I was somewhat hungry.  So I snacked on saltines and Gatorade the 30 minute drive home... and I'm surprised I made it without falling asleep or swerving off into another lane.  I was definitely in a "zone" and I'm glad I made it home.  All I wanted to do was curl up with Sadie, watch a movie, and be warm.

I took Sadie for a brief walk (the fresh air felt good) and later curled up under a heated blanket and watched "The Hunger Games."  I didn't throw up again and didn't have any urgent trips to the bathroom... but I just felt sick.  Overall, however, I was glad to be home, warm, and on my way to feeling better.

Some Christmas, huh?

I decided not to go to work today (which is a bummer because we had some fun activities for the teens planned today)... and when I called my mom, she told me she'd thrown up 5 times in the night, and now my dad was feeling sick also.  Sad!  Darn this flu bug.  I got the darn flu shot (which actually hurt a lot this year) and this goes to show that the flu shot isn't all it's cracked up to be.  I'm glad to have a day off work though... to just take it easy and get myself back together.  I hope my parents are able to bounce back soon also.

I scheduled to have off work tomorrow so my dad and I could go snowboarding/skiing together.  Now I'm not sure if that is going to happen.  I was really looking forward to that... especially with all this fresh snow!  Whatever happens, happens... and hopefully I'll be back on my feet in no time.

Here's to the weird Christmas of 2012.  I hope everyone else had a fantastic day. :)

p.s.  Thank you to anyone who contributed to nice gifts or charitable acts on my behalf.  Love you all.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Song of the Week: "Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift


I love Taylor Swift.  I really do.

I used to have a love/hate relationship with her because I envied her fame with such simple songs.
I wished that I had written many of the songs she was known for.
The guitar chords are easy and I can play them and sing them easily.

But guess what?  
She wrote them, not me!
So she deserves that. :)

In conclusion, I'm a huge Taylor Swift fan.
I love how personable her songs are, and you can pretty much relate to all of them.

I love "NEVER GROW UP."

I recently went to Rexburg with a friend and her mom so she could check out the college campus.
We listened to this song and I think it's perfect for the "going away to college" theme.

Cherish the days of being young and living under the wings of your parents!
Being a grown-up is hard some times.

Either way,  Taylor Swift captured some great moments in this song.  Enjoy!

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Song of the Week: "Winter Song" by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson


"Winter Song"

I have loved this song since the moment I heard it.  I also happen to love Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles as some of my top dog lady singers... so this duo for a Christmas song is perfection to me!  I can listen to this song on repeat for a long time and never get sick of it.  

I had never seen this video until tonight and it's actually kind of cute!  I think the little characters are supposed to be Ingrid and Sara.  Awww.... precious.  

I LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Addicted to THIS show...


Holy crap.  I can't get enough of this show.

I am not a TV watcher, in the sense of coming home at night to watch the show of the evening.  I can't remember the last time I watched normal TV, mainly because I'm never home from work in time to watch shows at their normal time.  I would actually much rather prefer watching a movie and rarely just turn on the TV.

But here's what happens.
Cassity likes to buy DVD sets of TV shows.  
Black Friday offers great deals for those.

I have a history of getting hooked on others shows such as these:

Parenthood
Modern Family
Parks & Rec
New Girl
The Office
30 Rock
The Community

And for a minute I started watching "The O.C." but that series became too much about "sex and drugs" and I  didn't feel good watching it.  It was like a switch went off one day and I thought, "That show is no good for me.  At all."  And just like that,  I stopped watching it and know I'm better off without it.

So Cass recently bought ALL 5 SEASONS of "Friday Night Lights."
Before a couple weeks ago I'd never seen a single episode.

I am totally hooked.

We just finished Season 1 and have begun Season 2.


I love the characters.

I love the passion for football, family, and friends.

I am usually teary-eyed at some point in every episode.

And I can't believe we have 4 more seasons to watch!!

This is definitely my guilty pleasure. I do not deny that one bit.

It's just a matter of trying to balance this addiction with everything else.

Goal #1... go to bed earlier and don't keep watching non-stop episodes. :)

Loving it though.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Song of the Week: Lennon & Maisy "Christmas Coming Home"

Have you heard or seen these girls on YouTube??  I really hope you have.  And if not... welcome to some incredible talent!  These cute sisters harmonize perfectly and I absolutely love them!  I was excited to hear their new peppy Christmas song.  Yahooo!! Makes you happy, for sure!  Enjoy.

"Christmas Coming Home" by Lennon & Maisy


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Perfect Butter!


This is one of my favorite things!!!

I love opening a new tub of butter, margarine, peanut butter, or whatever.  That swirly design with the little tip in the middle is so cute and perfect!  I kind of love it.  Every time I just have to open it and just look at it for a while until plunging in with the knife.

Just thought I'd share. :)

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Song of the Week: "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus


Haha.... Okay, I know you might be rolling your eyes right now.  That's fine.  Miley Cyrus is kind of old news these days.  But I have totally bonded with this song over the past 4 years.  When I first started working at the Boys & Girls Club in 2009, one of the teens was showing me a slideshow video thing she made of pictures of her and her friends.  "The Climb" was the song playing with the video and I liked it.  Fresh off the mission, I was totally out of the music loop, so when I asked them what song it was, they all kind of looked at me like, "Really?  You've never heard this?"  Well... that was my first exposure to Miley Cyrus.

This same teen has since grown to be one that I am closest to at the Club.  I care about her like she's my sister or daughter all mixed into one.  A few years ago she asked me to play the guitar so she could sing it at the talent show.  We did.  It was the first time her mom heard her sing in public... because this girl is shy and would never sing in front of her mom at home.

I love the message of the song.  Motivating!!  Last year when I did the Halloween half-marathon in Provo, I included "The Climb" on my playlist.  Although it's not my typical upbeat running kind of music, it has a good pace if I'm running to each beat.  And the message of it motivates me to keep going.

I recently watched "The Hannah Montanna Movie" again and love the part of the movie when she sings this song. I know, I'm an emotional softy!

Lastly, just this past week at the Club, we were having "Squad Wars" (each staff has their squad of teens) and there was a "sing-off" portion the staff had prepared.  Each squad had to sing a song and we were judged by some other staff members.  The final squad sang "The Climb" and it was a magical moment in my treasure box of Club memories. :)  By the end of the song we were ALL singing... even the tough boys slumped on the couch were clapping and totally into it.  My staff guys were singing their hearts out, and I literally had tears in my eyes.  I thought, "THIS is what it's all about!!"  People of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances singing "The Climb" together at the Boys & Girls Club. Ha. :)

I will always love this song.  I will always sing it out loud when I'm driving and it comes on.  Always.
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