The Last Two Weeks

Happy Holidays from all of us!

It is an understatement to say that the last two weeks have been most hectic and stressful for our slow-paced family. So a sampling of pictures will have to do while we are in recovery mode!

Dec. 16 - Laurel and Olivia are THREE!

~ Liv opens a gift from Aunt Bec, penguin from NovaNatural ~

Dec. 16 - That very night, there were fevers in three of three daughters.

Dec. 16-20 We all got sick and the girls felt quite ill for four days, and were up most of the night. Suddenly, our plan of quiet evenings making Solstice gifts was upended. We stayed up all night, taking 30 minute chunks of time between comforting feverish children. That Momma and Daddy weren't more ill than they were is a miracle of sorts.

~ sick chickens ~

Dec 21 - The fevers finally break just in time for our family Winter Solstice celebration. All got a new dress for their doll. Lela got a new teeny doll, Laurel got a wooden wagon/stroller, and Liv got a balance bike, painted glitter red! And their big gift, of course, was the wooden kitchen made by Daddy!

~ happy girls love their Momma-made dresses for their dolls ~

Dec 24. - Happy Birthday Grana! Happy Birthday Aunt Virginia! We love you!

Dec. 24 - Then just three days later, snuffles and coughs still a nuisance, we travelled to Virginia to be with family for Christmas. There was still snow on the ground and it was so beautiful on the farm.

~ Loving Gran ~

Dec. 25 - Christmas Day, we gathered to eat, play the gift exchange game and have a great time together.

~ Four Generations ~

Dec. 26 - Happy Birthday Grandaddy/GP! We love you!

Dec 28 - We left the rural Piedmont of Virginia by way of mountainous Blackburg, where one of Mike's brothers lives. We spent the day with Grandma, Uncle C and cousin A. I didn't get any pictures, but the girls had fun and there was quite a bit of snow on the ground and flurries.

Dec 28 - We arrived back home a few hours after dinner, and plopped the girls in bed.

We are still recovering and will be for a few more days I expect. Hopefully, after the long weekend, we will feel like ourselves again. :)

Peace,
Carrie

P.S. This post and pictures are made possible by the external harddrive my parents gave me for Christmas. Now I have somewhere safe to store my beloved pictures. My computer is completely filled - not a single picture could be uploaded. It is also nearly 6 years old. Gratefully, we received funds to buy a laptop! I hope this will happen in the next few days, and that by soon after the New Year, I will have a shiny new toy. :)