Cold, Cold and Fighting Children

It's been quite the week here in the Culver house. Today was the first day I've ventured out for 7 days! The weekend was beautiful enough--50s and 60s--unfortunately I was sicker than a dog with a horrible cold. Being almost (6 months) pregnant I can't take any medication for colds. We researched the cold meds, active and inactive medications and decided that after having a child with Infantile Spasms and NF1 the risk was not worth it. Either way, I wasn't a happy camper only taking Tylenol for my aches.
My friend and my mom's friend Beverly (such a blessing to our family! I could go on and on about her...) came and pampered me with mineral oils. She left me with a mix called thieves oil, my new favorite all-natural treatment for anything! After one night of breathing in the vapors and rubbing the oil on my feet (I have really soft feet now) I started feeling better. The next day I stayed "locked" in my room with the humidifier, oil and my ever so handy Charmin TP. By Monday I was back on my feet and able to complete some much needed sanitizing and cleaning of the house. Tuesday, I was ready to conqueror the world! Now that I can smell the oil, I'm tempted to use a recipe online and boil it on my stove top every now and then. It smells SO yummy. Plus, people swear that it cleanses the air! I started rubbing it on my children's chests and feet and they have yet to catch my cold--I'm pretty much convinced that it works.

Back to Monday, I was feeling better, but to my dismay a cold front had moved into Colorado. Yes, our beautiful, unusual warm weather from the weekend was swallowed by a freak of nature cold front. Monday was a high of -3 degrees. Tuesday's high was even better...-12!  Yes that is the HIGH...NEGATIVE 12. I've lived here for 7 years and it has NEVER been that cold. It dropped to -20 on Tuesday evening and raised to a whooping 3 degrees on Wednesday. Take note that we are now in the positive numbers. Today has been quite a bit better. We at least have snow to go with our high of 28 degrees. Granted it's not much snow, but at least it has arrived--finally. Our first 4 years of living here and we had at least one amazing dumpage (is that a word?) of snow a year! Randy and I have always gone out and played in it, but this year it's just cold. Tomorrow is suppose to be a high of 50 degrees--insert laughter. I love Colorado and it's crazy weather.

Now mind you, my saint of a mother took the children on Sunday so I could lock myself in my room and rest; but otherwise, I have had a 6 year old and 4 year old every day and have been stuck in our very open living space. Wednesday, add 2, 3 year olds and a 2 year old to the equation. Today, Keira had school--thank goodness! I was happy going to pick her up at school today (25 degrees and snow), JUST so I could get out of our home and all of the noise associated with being stuffed into our house with 5 children. I do believe it is wearing on the children as well seeing how Keira has been snapping at Tyler, and Tyler is whining and yelling at Keira. I actually found myself resorting to a "punishment" my mom use to implement with my brother and I when we were little. I know I'm cruel.

Noses together, no talking, no laughing--yeah right. Afterwards they learned the verse "Love one another" and said a prayer for us to use gentle worlds and a loving tone. Thanks mom for the inspiration.