Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

I have figured out how to get a day off! We all know how difficult it is to truly get a day off when you are a stay at home mom, BUT I have figured it out! You just have to get sick . . . and when I say sick I mean incapacitated sick. Sick that your husband has to really step up and your kids have to really step back!

I have had a nagging cough for the last 2 weeks, mostly in the mornings and at night. But it is getting worse and I sound like a 6 pack a day smoker. I went in Friday to get it checked and came home with a couple of remedies but not before I coughed so hard I strained my abdomen, back and neck. Folks, I am out of commission, or at least yesterday I was. My only job was to do everything possible as to NOT COUGH. AT. ALL. So the couch and I were great friends.

And I'm so blessed to have a husband who will step up and kids who will step back. In fact ladies, if you take my lead and get yourself sick too you just might get what I got:

Homemade rolls (I threw the ingredients into the breadmaker, then the kids were responsible for the shaping and rising) They thought butterflies, teddy bears and rock rolls "?!" would do the trick.
Then Mark went to work in the kitchen and I must say, "Dude, you got skills!" Isn't that beautiful?! Too bad I couldn't taste it. He'll just have to make it again.

Just so you know, today was slightly better, still so sore but hopefully on the mend. We all had a holiday today and could not resist the beautiful weather, so Mark took us on a road trip (strapped to a seat belt with little to no walking) to see the fall colors (more to come on this). More couches and hot pads tonight and then tomorrow is another day! Even if I feel better I'm tempted to fake it for awhile!

Poor McKenna

McKenna caught a nasty bug this week, the croup. I can honestly say that I have never seen either of my children that sick before. It was frightening waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of her gasping for air, looking at you with scared wide eyes, knowing in your heart that she was in a dangerous situation. Luckily for me, Mark was home on holiday leave so we were able to tag team to take care of her. Each one resting while the other one took over. The first night Mark took her to the ER, which for us is a 45 minute drive (something which has always weighed on my mind since we moved here). But the cold air and having her sit upright helped her turn a corner that night. Little did we know that the next night would be worse. The three of us got about 2 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period, every few hours bundling her up to go out into the cold healing air to watch the stars and wait for her breathing to come closer to normal. It might sound a little crazy, but deep down and when it is over and done with, I am thankful for these challenges in life. Never would I wish this on my sweet McKenna but as you work through it your emotions go back to the basics. You feel that never ending deep pool of unconditional love for that child, that you put her before yourself and remember why you became a mom in the first place. You forget that she is 3 and remember that she is a gift from God and that is not to be taken lightly. I also get to see my husband in the best light, a devoted and loving father who is a worthy priesthood holder. I think the reason why I am including this on the blog is for the mere fact that as I was crawling into her teeny, tiny uncomfortable twin bed in the middle of the night to provide some comfort and to watch over her, I get to hear these sweet words in my weak little girl, "I wove (love) you mommy" . Those words are what makes it all worth while! And just so you know, today she is back to normal again as she runs through the house demanding our time and energy, singing and dancing without a care in the world! Oh, the life of a 3 year old!