influenza

Influenza (also known as the flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The flu is different from a cold. The flu usually comes on suddenly. People who have the flu often feel some or all of these symptoms:

• Fever* or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle or body aches
• Headaches
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults.

This is what went through our family over a period of 4 days this week. Along with 2 snow days thrown in there, my house is disgusting, laundry is piled up and everyone is exhausted and still sounding a little gross with coughs and lost voices.

Tuesday - Ben
Wednesday - Ben and Ted and snow day
Thursday - Ted and Laura and snow day
Friday - Laura and Sophie

Sophie got it the least. Just a fever and a slow day for her. It hit the rest of us pretty hard. Sophie took full advantage of people down and out by using Ted's bed as a trampoline, pouring out the end of a gallon of milk to use in her play kitchen, eating pancakes all day Friday b/c that's all I could muster up the strength to feed her. Ted just started eating again today. I lost 5 pounds - which is never really that bad.

The biggest bummer is that I wasn't able to go to our YL Leadership Weekend at Oglebay. For the first time in 5 years, I have a role in Young Life. Not a direct ministry role with kids. But being with leaders and doing ministry beside Ben. I go to Leadership most Sunday evenings and do a bible study with the girl leaders on Friday mornings. I try to feed at least a few of them every week. I would love to do more, but at this point, it's what I can. So I was so excited to get to spend the weekend with them. They are quite a stellar group of young adults who love Jesus. It's always a great time of building relationships and being together and laughing. And I just wanted to be part of it. I tried so hard. But as the day went on on Friday, I got sicker and sicker. And then Sophie got a fever and I really couldn't push her limits. So Sophie and I stayed home. Ben went to Wheeling. Ted went to New Martinsville.

Now, Sophie and I have had a couple of rough weeks together. She's pushing her limits and I've been way less than patient with her. But she totally redeemed herself with snuggling on the couch with me all evening. We watched several hours of Nick Jr dvd's (which is not really her thing) and we even revived Baby Einstein videos on Saturday morning. We both went to bed at 8pm on Friday night at slept till 8am. It was much needed.

After her nap on Saturday, we drove to Wheeling for dinner and Club. When we lived in Charleston, on Sunday mornings I used to get Ted and Sophie out of their small groups early and take them into the service for the last song. Sophie would go to the front and dance!! She loved dancing while Ben led worship. At Club last night, she danced her little heart out. And she would walk right up to the stage and wave to Ben. She misses that. It was such a sweet picture of dancing out of pure joy and delight.

I'm thankful I got to go for even a few hours. Although I wish it would've been for so much longer.

laura's favorite things

Now, I know I'm no Oprah. But just wanted to share some of my favorite things which most are relatively new finds.


This stuff is amazing for Sophie's hair. No detangler necessary after baths and sometimes not even in the mornings. And there's all sorts of yummy scents.



We're on a fiber kick around our house. Took Ted to the doctor last week for stomach aches. Had an x-ray and he's full of poop. Great. I've decided I absolutely hate whole grain bread. I can barely swallow whole wheat bread. I like straight up white, processed bread. Sigh. Ben and I are also trying to eat healthier. Better choices. Smaller portions. I have a confession: I'm a carb addict. Working on that.


Have you seen this tv show? If you haven't, you need to. Hilarious! 8:00pm Wednesdays on ABC. Give it a couple episodes to get to know the characters. But it's funny!


This stuff is a miracle worker. Sophie was having pretty bad bloody noses again for awhile. No worries about clothes, sheets, blankets, anything.


Sophie's had a pretty rotten cold this week. This stuff has been invaluable. Good stuff.



We don't have a dishwasher anymore. It's not nearly as bad as I thought it would be - until winter rolled around. My hands were killing me until I broke down and got this stuff. Wow! The commercials are legit.


This is my new favorite dessert. It's made of all natural stuff and is good on pretzels, bananas, apples, strawberries, bread and lots more. So when I'm craving something sweet, I can at least eat it with something semi-healthy. Definitely better than ho-ho's or a huge bowl of ice cream. YUMMY!



This is not new. Since we were on assignment this summer, everyday at naptime I crack open one of these bad boys. I usually allow myself one per day. But then I found out this statistic.: if you drink 1 12 oz can of Coke every day for a year, that's 15.64 POUNDS OF SUGAR that goes in your body. Holy crap. Diet Coke is disgusting and it has artificial sweetners. So that's a no go. I'm weening myself down to 1 every other day.

There you have it. Take it for what it's worth!

On a completely different note. Funny things my kids said this week:

Ted: (After dancing and singing while Ben played guitar for T & S) Mom, I have happy tears. You know, like when someone builds you a house.

Sophie: (from the back seat of the van totally out of no where) Mr. Grinch took our Christmas tree!

And, turning a completely different direction: I will be able to sub after this week. I will be approved at the board meeting this Tuesday . . . That's another topic for another day.

Way to go Steelers!

happy birthday to me!

So my birthday was Friday. Earlier in the week, Ben spilled my birthday gift in a Vicoden induced not thinking clearly moment (from having his tooth pulled). A friend of YL in Bridgeport has a condo in Canaan Valley and he got it for the weekend for us. For FREE! Thankfully he told me earlier than he originally planned b/c I still had to arrange for the kids to get to NM and laundry and packing and food and all that stuff.

So, Friday we met halfway to NM with one set of grandparents and headed to Canaan. We were there by early afternoon. Over the weekend we napped, read books, watched a movie, played cards and one tortuous game of Scrabble (Scrabble is only second in line to Monopoly as my most hated games), hiked to Black Water Falls, saw some friends from Charleston who were staying in the same village, watched the Steelers - all in QUIET. I haven't been sleeping well so I took my trusty friend Tylenol PM and we slept until 9:00 AM!!! Can't remember the last time we did that. It was beautiful! The entire weekend was such a blessing and so needed.













We left Sunday morning and met the other grandparents halfway to get the kids. This was the first time the kids had stayed seperately. And it was a little rough on them. Ted ended up at my parents Saturday night b/c "he just wanted to see someone in his family. You know, the family who lives in his house."

Sunday evening the Santens came to visit. We went on a double date with Matt and Stacy. Matt and I shared some chocolate dessert - just like old times. Great weekend! So thankful for my sweet husband who made this weekend happen and to our parents for keeping the kids.

a little bit of nothin'

So this has nothing to do with anything but . . . we're watching "How It's Made" right now. Amazing show! But they are showing how marbles are made. Makes me think of the days walking the railroad tracks in Paden City and collecting all the ones that didn't make the cut. I especially remember the Georgia Sliders loving that so much.

Anyways, not a whole lot happening here. Ben and Ted are back at work and school. Last Monday when they were leaving Sophie cried. I guess I'm not that fun!


watching the Steelers


One day I found Sophie playing on the stairs with Bing-Bing and Veggie Tales. Their real names: Ming-Ming and Tails.


snuggle time.


Sophie got her first official haircut last week. I wanted Aunt Jamie to do it when we were in NM over Christmas. But we all know how that turned out. Aside from her bangs, she's never had a haircut. The girl cut off about 3 inches of uneven hair from the bottom. Her hair looks MUCH better.


This was Sophie waiting for Ben and Ted to get home one afternoon. Don't worry Kathy, I'll wash the windows! =)


Sophie in some of her new dress up stuff. I laughed so hard this night. Ted had on one of the other outfits. It was much more flattering on his figure. He wouldn't let me take a picture of him b/c he said I would put it on the blog. He's on to me. AND HE'S WEARING IT AGAIN RIGHT NOW!!

Ben got a tooth pulled last week. I've been fighting a nasty sinus something-or-other. I was sure it was strep but went to urgent care and it wasn't. We've been nice and cranky together.

finishing out the year

We had a great week as a family. It was a little (ok, a lot) chaotic when we got back with exploding suitcases, piles of laundry, small pieces to lots of different toys, the Christmas tree . . . So, on Wednesday night around 11pm we finally took down the tree. I just packed up the last box of Christmas stuff. Big fat sigh of relief. My house is back to normal.


Sophie helped me clean. Who doesn't love to vacuum with their best sunglasses and purse?

We put together Ted's playmobil school during the bowl game. Thankfully that was something to take our attention off of that mess.


Ted played with all the inside stuff while we assembled the outside.


Putting on the finishing touches.


The finished product. The gym on the right is what he got for his birthday but it goes with the school. Playmobil is the COOLEST!

We had dinner with some friends that have kids the same ages as ours. It was so fun. We played a lot. One morning we went to IHOP for breakfast (giftcard!). We came back home, put our pj's on and played games all morning. Including but not limited to . . .


mario kart


sorry sliders


and 52 pick up. They like it. And they pick up the cards. I'm good with it!

Then we took a little road trip to Wheeling to see the lights at Oglebay. We stopped at Cabella's which is a whole experience in and of itself. If you haven't been, you need to go. It's a total experience.





Sophie LOVED the deer section. She always wants to see "Uncle Charlie's deers" at my Mom's. You see, my brother still has deer hanging in his old room at my parent's house. He won't take them. My mom won't take them down. So, they are Sophie's trophy room. Not important really. She keeps asking to go back to see deers. I think they made an impression.

In the deer section, there's a fake guy in front of a cabin that does a little talking. Ted was very confused about why that man was there and if someone "shooted" him. I guess b/c someone had to shoot all the deer that was around him!

We went to some friend's on New Year's Eve. Got home around 10pm. We let Ted stay up to ring in the New Year. He did great! And still got up at 7 this morning!!!




Happy New Years, Sophie.

Today, Amanda and I went to the outlets in Washington, PA for a few hours of "no kid time". It wasn't as productive as I had hoped. But a great time none-the-less. In the afternoon, most of our friends from the party ended up at our house. Ben hooked up our two tv's and a projector. Football heaven.


The projector image is on the wall to the right.


The men in the living room. The women and children everywhere else. I'm not really sure how this day happened. But it was fun!

These are fun weeks to stay up late, sleep in until the kids get up and just go with the flow. Makes me wish no one ever had to work. I don't suppose that will happen anytime soon now will it?!

Happy New Year!