The Worst Christmas/Month Ever

Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love the colors, the smells, the excitement from the kids, and being with my family. This year we decided to go to Tennessee to spend Christmas with my family. My brother and his family drove from Utah, through blizzards to get there, and my other brother and his family drove up from Mississippi, my younger brother is serving a mission and this was his first Christmas away, so we were all looking forward to speaking with him on Christmas day. The girls were excited and couldn't wait to leave.

Because of the blizzards in Utah, Rich and his family had to drive the long way, which meant that they would get to stop by our house and stay the night. We were so excited to have them here, even if it was only one night. We left Wednesday before Christmas after Marshal got off work. Kate didn't look all the well that day, but she didn't have a fever. About half way there I turn around and she looks kind of green. I ask if she is ok, and her response no, I think I'm going to throw up. Thank goodness I had bought one of those who containers of nuts, and so I dumped the nuts on the floor and handed the container to Kate. She threw up for about 15 minutes. We stopped to clean her up and get her some sprite and continue our journey to Mom Di and Papa's house.

We got there late Wednesday night. The kids all went to bed easily. The next morning the girls get up to play with their cousins and then sometime after dinner Kenzie started to look and act lethargic. By early Friday morning Kenzie had a fever. So started the medicine schedule. We made a quick trip to Walgreens to get more medicine for Christmas morning. By Friday night Kate had a fever. Christmas Eve night was spent checking on the kids and having them wake up off and on for more medicine. At this point Kenzie is refusing to take medicine and I know I am the mom and should make her, however when she spits it out at you or throws the cup in your face, you kind of have no sympathy and just start to get angry.

Christmas morning comes and all the cousins are up ready to open presents, but my kids don't care. They don't want to come down and see their presents or see what Santa Clause brought them. They want to sleep and be left alone. So we let them. Finally I started bribing them to get up and open presents and they decide they will at least go down and look. Kate's fever is about 103 by now and Kenzie's is about the same. This is with Tylenol and Motrin in them. They open their presents with lots of help from mom and Mom Di. Claire is loving every moment of it. She too had to wait until the older sisters decided to join us. They open their presents and then fall back a sleep in various peoples laps.

By the evening of Christmas Kenzie's fever hits 105.5 and Kate's is about 103. My dad makes a call to a friend he works with at the hospital to see if an ER trip is necessary. She told my dad what to do and said stay home, because it will be a long wait. They were full of pediatric patients with the same symptoms. We stayed home and gave luke warm bathes to the girls and continued to force medicine and fluids. Kenzie is delirious and looks up at me and my mom and says, "This is the worst Christmas ever." I lost it at this point and just started crying. We decide to leave Sunday to get home. By this point my mom is starting to get sick and I just keep thinking if I'm going to get sick I want to be at home.

Half way home Kenzie yells up to us, mom Kate's throwing up everywhere. Again, we stop and have to clean her up and the car. I am so grateful my sister in law gave me a travel tin from Scentsy, which helps mask the smell. We get home Sunday night. All I have to say is I love my bed and being in my own house.

The Worst Christmas/Month Ever will be continued tomorrow.