Fall has Flown

Football finally ended last week! Owen shed some tears when his team lost early in the playoffs, but it is so nice not to be tied down to a nightly practice most days of the week! I am glad he enjoyed it,but we are taking a break from any competitive sports for the next few months. I am looking forward to eating dinner together and having everyone home together in the evenings.

Halloween parties were on Friday, and I took a half day personal day to go to Hudson's school and see his costume parade and attend his class party. Then, I went to Arden's party at her pre-K at 3:00. Hudson dressed up like Hulk, and Arden was a Razorback cheerleader.

Hudson also came down with his first fall/winter illness of the season. He got a respiratory bug this week that did not keep him home from school, but he was coughing and dragging with it. On Thursday night, he woke up crying and said his left ear hurt. Now, we know what that means . . . ear infection! Stuart took him to the pediatrician on Friday afternoon after his party at school ended, and he did have an ear infection. Thankfully, he did not run fever, so he was able to attend his party! He is now on antibiotics and feeling much better.

Whooping cough broke out in Owen's homeroom at his middle school which resulted in six kids getting sick. So, the AR Dept of Health contacted me and said that he needed to begin antibiotics to prevent illness. Shortly after we began his Z-pack, the school called me and said he now needs a booster of the pertussis vaccine which they will provide at a shot clinic at the school this week. Thankfully, Owen has not gotten sick, but it has been a lot of phone calls and medication due to this outbreak.

We are trying to get a head start on Christmas shopping, as I have done NONE. I just didn't have the time to do anything this summer with working on National Board entries for several weeks, and it has been so hectic since school resumed. I am going to take the boys to Walmart to pick out things to put on their list, so we can start shopping before too much longer. Also, I think I am going to take a year off from sending Christmas cards this year, then I will try to get a new photo taken and a card out next year! It is so expensive and time consuming to address all those cards, and I am so busy with working on National Board writing that is due in March. I am trying to cut out all non-essential things this year, so that I don't get too stressed out, or time isn't taken away from my kids or family. I want to enjoy the reason for the season and not feel like I am always behind!

I did finally break down and hire a cleaning company to clean my house every other week which has been a real blessing! It is much cleaner than it's been in a while, and I don't have to spend my weekend doing it since I have very little free time right now. Now, if I could just find someone to come and do all my laundry . . .