Trip to Utah or should I say "Barf Fest"?

It's long, but boy is it worth a read...

Did I mention in the previous blog that the reason we went to Utah was a gift to Hailey for pooping on the toilet for one week. Well, that ended quickly.

We got up at 4am Tuesday to drive to Boise and the kids slept most of the way. We stayed the night with Brennan's cousin Dan and Emily. It's was great. Jacob fell asleep in the crib while sitting up.

We then got up at 5am to go to Salt Lake. Again the kids slept half the way and watched movies for the rest. I looked at the miles and realized we were only 100 miles away when all of a sudden Hailey threw up all over herself in the back seat. We got out and I cleaned her up hoping that it was just car sickness. She claimed to feel much better, so I began to hope. Then 10 miles down the road she threw up again. I thought to myself, "Are you kidding me? After 750 miles away from home and Hailey gets the flu?" I was still hoping it was car sickness. I drove down the freeway, trying to keep the car in my lane, going 75 miles an hour, while holding a plastic baggy for Hailey to throw up in directly behind me. She threw up 4 times before we got to her cousins. When we arrived my sister-in-law would not let us in the house, even though we made a 2 day trip and 850 miles to see her. I can't blame her however, they have only lived in Utah for a couple months and have already had the flu through their house twice. They got it pretty bad and they were terrified of getting it again. So she led us to a Marriott down the road. Poor Hailey threw up all day and I finally took her into Urgent Care after 12 hours of vomiting and not being able to hold anything down. When I sat her down to do paper work, she just collapsed on the floor. The Dr was nice and gave her some medicine to make her stop throwing up. I told him our situation and he couldn't believe it and offered up his house for us to stay. Only in Utah! I thanked him kindly and declined his offer. Seriously, if I were in my sister-in-law's situation, I wouldn't let me in my house either.

So, the next day Hailey was fine so we went to stay at Caralee's. We had a fun trip. The kids played and fought, played and fought, and fought some more. They had fun, even though they said they didn't like each other. They're just in that no sharing faze. Brennan joined us Friday night. We went and saw the Music and Spoken Word on Sunday morning. For those who don't know it's a broadcast with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake and they were accompanied by the U.S. Armed Forces Band. It was the Memorial Day Tribute. It was incredible! They even had bag-pipes.

So we all thought we lucked out, no one else got sick. We left Caralee's Sunday afternoon to head to Boise to stay the night again at Brennan's cousins house, Dan and Emily's. Around 2am, Brennan threw up. GREAT! Now Brennan was sick. We decided since we weren't going back to sleep that we might as well make the 7 hour drive home. Brennan is such a trouper and if it were me I would have checked into a hotel until I was better. He hasn't thrown up since we left. When I called Caralee to tell her about Brennan, she told me that her two little boys were throwing up. Now they have had the flu 3 times in 2 months. I am at the top of her hate list, I'm sure. Poor Jacob has had the runs since Monday night and last night he threw up. I've been chasing him around the house with a diaper because he keeps messing in his pants every five minutes.

Now we're just sitting and waiting to see who else gets sick. I feel like I'm sitting on death row just waiting for it to get me. I have been watching it slowly hit person to person always thinking that I've lucked out. I have had no chance to be surprised by it. I know it's coming, I'm just wondering when? Emily and Dan, I'm praying for you guys. I hope you get everything disinfected and no one gets sick. Caralee and Adam, I'm praying for you too. I'm not sure when it will end, but I sure HATE the flu.

And all of this because Hailey pooped in the toilet.

And the Winners Are...

Number 1 and 5. Apparently if you want a bunch of people to make a comment on your blog, you only have to give people the option to vote on something because Hailey's swimsuit blog got the highest amount of comments out of any blog I've ever written. Even when I had a baby. Oh well, I can't blame you, little girls in a swimsuit is just too hard to resist. Thanks for helping me decide. Hailey was in love with the butterfly one and Danielle did make a good point about needing a two piece when potty training and I guess it is better to have 2 swimsuits instead of one. I have like 50 and I still want another one.

Watch What You Say

Always, I repeat, always beware of what you promise your children. Make sure that what you promise is something you can follow through with.

Last week out of desperation, I told Hailey that if she pooped on the potty for 1 week straight, she could go to Utah to see her cousins. Who would have known that this one promise, in the 2 months of what feels like hundreds of promises, would be the catalyst for this change? Every time Hailey would go to the bathroom she would say, "I'm going to see my cousins!". Not that it's a big deal, I'm actually thrilled by the idea. It just made me realize that sometimes I say things out of desperation that I know I'll never do, most likely because Hailey won't do it anyway. Not good.

So we're leaving Tuesday morning. We'll drive to Boise to stay the night with Brennan's cousins Dan and Emily and then it's off to Salt Lake. Brennan will fly down Friday night and drive back with us on Labor Day.

I have to admit I'm a little scared to do this by myself. Driving through the middle-of-no-where can be a little terrifying with two small children and a 7 year old car. It is ONLY around 800 miles. I'll be praying the whole time. I'm sure I'll have a story to tell when I get back about the trip out with Hailey potty training (having to stop on the side of the road for Hailey to pee on her portable potty chair) and Jacob who just had the pacifier taken away today thanks to an executive decision by Brennan. We'll be eating lots of French Fries (my fave!) and milkshakes!

Make Your Vote

So I bought a bunch of swim suits for Hailey. I can't decided which "ONE" I want to keep. Make your vote and let me know which one you think is the cutest.

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Mother's Day

Since everyone else is bragging...

For Mother's Day I had two little munchkins to celebrate with. Brennan made me breakfast the way I like it. In other words no pancakes! Just eggs, hash browns, and biscuits! It was good. He took the kids off my hands and I even got a nap and some reading time. So nice. Then he topped it off with making me a rib dinner. It was delish... Oh he also framed me a picture of Jacob to hang somewhere in the house along with fresh flowers. I honestly felt like I didn't need anything for Mother's Day. I would have been happy getting a hug and a kiss because I feel like I get Mother's Day every day. Brennan does such a great job making me feel appreciated and needed as a mother everyday. Thanks honey.

Heck Yeah!

Now this is what I call visiting teaching!

Funny

I thought this was funny.