'Twas the Week Before Christmas...

... when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse-- Mwooahaha! Because they've all been smashed by the mousetrap (except for the unfortunate one who died in the walls)!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, 

because we finally bought some this year! 

Hooray for the new Hobby Lobby in Orem plus their 50% off sale on all Christmas items. Sure glad I never got around to sewing my own. They would've come out looking like junk, costing 3 times more than planned, and replaced by these new ones anyway.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, 

with colds, runny noses, and fevers of 105* on their heads.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief and the same pajamas shes worn all week 

was snuggled with Daddy-- and a sick and miserable James next to her cheek.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clattering ring, 

it was rain, not snow and in some ways feels like spring!

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 

but a receipt for a red sucker and a co-pay that cost $200.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Obama raising middle class prices with his new Health Care trick.

"Now $%&$% and &^&^ and @!%# I said. This cannot be. 

The previous 5 people came to the ER for free.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof lip,

'Hooray for Ama and her brand new hip!'

Her eyes-how they twinkled! her dimples how merry!

The percocet and codeine makes her feel quite Cheery.

I still have a broad face and a little round belly,
That shakes when I laugh, like a bowlful of jelly! 

18 months later-- my excuse isn't as valid as it used to be.

I'm chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I still eat neighbor treats, in spite of myself!
 

I'll speak not a word, but will go straight to work,
and pack our suitcases for California in three days.
 

Then we'll spring to the Pilot and fill the backseat with toys

and fly down the road with two happy boys.

When warm and sunny California is in sight,

you might hear a faint muffle of: 
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!!!

A few clarifications from the poem:

Ama got a new hip for Christmas. She had a hip replacement on Monday and is doing well. She was in the hospital for three days and is now at home not pampering herself as much as she ought to.

Colds. Sickness. Ear Infections. And fevers at 105* Both boys have been very sick this week and each gave us quite the scare at their own times. When Daniel gets sick it hits him hard the first day and he sleeps most of the time. This is wonderful for me and other than wanting to be held 100% of the time when he's not sleeping, it is very easy and rewarding to take care of him. There were a few times where he was so out of it that I kept saying, "if he looks any worse I'm calling the doctor." Of course, he was fine and has an expressive face that says it all. James is sick a little differently. As Mike puts it: "Daniel is a quiet drunk and James is an angry drunk." Nice analogy. When James is miserable we all are. I don't know if it's because he usually gets an ear infection with his colds or if it's his personality. Regardless, he usually cries half the day and requires a lot of attention. For the most part, I wasn't worried about him either... until last night when he went to bed with a fever of 104.3* and was miserable. Finally we all got to sleep only to wake up at 2:30 to this burning hot body in between Mike and I. At this point he was at 105* which made me nervous. All I've heard is how dangerous it is to let a fever get that high. So, I called the ER to ask them if I should come in. They told me to give him a full dose of Tylenol and of Motrin and then wait 30 minutes. That I did and the fever hadn't dropped much, so we went in... 2 1/2 hours later we are given a prescription for Amoxicillin, a lollipop, and a receipt for our $200 ER co-pay! Apparently it's not the fever itself that I needed to worry about, but rather what was causing it and how long it was going to stay that high.

With that in mind, I am so glad that we have 3 nurses in the family and that hopefully soon one will be able to write prescriptions. I'm also so glad that some of Mike's Christmas bonus went to pay for his wife who has hypochondriacal tendencies when it comes to being a Mom of little ones!

Packing and getting ready for California. Let it Snow, Let it Snow because Sunny Cali, we are on our way! As long as the roads are okay, we'll be driving to Palm Desert to visit Shad and his family for Christmas. We are so excited to visit family, be outside, pick tangerines, and let the boys get to know their cousins better!