Week in review: What I'm thankful for

I was under the weather this past week. And by under the weather I mean I should have been barking because I was sick as a dog - laid up for 3 days straight. Or maybe it was 4. I lost count after 1. I was  on the couch under a blanket only getting up and about when absolutely necessary. Feeling like poop. My mom has had it. Both of my sisters have had it. Chris has had it. The irony is I said just last weekend, "I never get sick." I take my vitamins every.single.day. I'll get through this unscathed too, I thought. HA! This one has been a doozie. I don't know if it was the flu or just a nasty nasty cold, but whatever it was IT SUCKED.

Sitting and lying around is not something I enjoy. When my feet hit the floor in the mornings they usually stay on the floor until I go to bed at night, as I'm sure is the case with most mothers. My hands are rarely if ever idle. There's always something to do or someone (or something, like a dog) to care for. Always. So for this to get me down showed me that I must have really needed the rest. Which ultimately led me to list what I'm thankful for this week. Actually I'm thankful for most of these things all the time so let's just say this past week I was especially grateful. And yes, some are trivial and materialistic. Let's start with those first.

■  Motrin. Am I ever so thankful for Motrin. It's a wonder drug. Fever is the pits, and I didn't have many body parts that didn't ache. It helped ease that in a big way.

■ Yoga pants from Old Navy. I know Chris is so sick of seeing me in them, but oh the comfort.

■ My TV - specifically the DVD player, DVR and E! They had a Sex and the City (my guilty pleasure) marathon on the other day. It prompted me the next day to find my DVD of the SATC movie. I watched the whole thing, beginning to end, without interruption... bliss in the midst of sickness.

■ Cool Touch Kleenex. I don't know what they do to these tissues, but they give you that just-flipped-your-pillow-over cool feeling. Awesome. My nose thanks you, Kleenex.

■ Chapstick. Just plain old cherry Chapstick. Need I say more?

■ Red Diamond coffee and Gevalia decaf coffee. I realize that's about like comparing jello to creme brulee (My Best Friend's Wedding anyone? clearly I watched too much TV), but I love Red Diamond regular coffee. However, the older I've gotten the more I have to watch my caffeine intake and one cup in the morning is all I can handle. I'm usually not a fan of decaf but Gevalia breakfast blend decaf is scrumptious.

■ Hershey's Bliss white hot chocolate. Because without it the above would be dead to me. Together they're my own version of a white chocolate mocha.

■ My parents and "Aint Dawnie." SO blessed that my parents and one of my sisters live close enough and are willing to help out. Mom picked up Reid one afternoon from preschool and kept him entertained while my other three guys hit the woods again. Reid said his hands were "so freezing" the last time he hunted so he didn't care to tag along. He had a great afternoon of one-on-one time with Meems. I think they wore each other out. :) Dawnie was off a couple of days and offered to help out. She picked the boys up from school and brought them home which meant after I dropped them off that morning I didn't have to get out again. Such a huge help! She even made a stop by Redland Market for some of their favorite treats. Many thanks!

■ Last but certainly not least, my guys. Especially my man. And that he got the crud first. hehee I'm kidding. Sort of. I hate any of us had to be sick, but because he knew how I was feeling he was very sympathetic. And for that, thank you, honey. The boys were very sweet as well. Mac told me he didn't like it when I was sick and to ask him for whatever I needed.

Chris took the boys hunting.

Because the hunting land is a little ways away, I think it's safe to say that for the car ride there as well as the time spent in the tree stand, everyone involved is thankful Santa brought these:

My kids' heads don't stay in a game or gadget at all times because I believe little boys should be little boys and go outside and be creative and get dirty. And thankfully my boys want to do that so I don't have to regulate the use of the iPods that much. But for some of the time we're stuck inside or in a car or, in their case, a tree stand, things like this are a lifesaver. Bundle them up, send them and daddy on their way to a shooting house with a heater, their iPod touches and some headphones (and don't forget the Hot Hands) and they're set. FYI, the Monkey Preschool Lunchbox app is worth every bit of the $0.99 it costs. It's a preschool app so Grant and Mac weren't interested. It's even a bit easy for Reid (who is 4) but Reid LOVES it. It's his favorite app. And it's educational. Score! :) I'm very thankful my boys have a daddy who understand the importance of spending time with them like Chris does. He doesn't even hunt much if they can't or don't want to go with him. It's their own special time. They listen to music and act silly. They always make a candy stop on the way. You can't hunt without Blow Pops, Air Heads and bubble gum. Then it's always Hunt Brothers pizza on the way home.

Because Chris is able to do these things it means I'm also thankful he is self-employed and has home-based businesses. There is so much I have learned since marrying Chris about owning your own business. There are pros and cons to everything. Depending on the time of year, the cons list can outweigh the pros list. While it can result in feeling the need to be "on call" all the time making it hard to ever feel like you're off work, it also affords us the opportunity of making our own hours.

■ This has nothing to do with last week, but of course I'm always at ease and feel complete when my Sweet B has made it safely home to Wetumpka. Which she did today bright and early. Her brothers were just a teensy weensy excited to see Sissy. ;)

I'm feeling better now. I made myself get up and be productive yesterday. Today is even better. My bark is now more like a wine.

I realize that should be "whine" and not "wine" but after I typed it I took it as a sign that tonight to unwind maybe I need some wine. Or some type of big girl drink. So that I won't whine. ;)

Happy Weekend!