I feel like I've been put through the ringer.....

Which way is up? Cause I can't really tell, I woke up this morning and didn't even know what day it was.

Having a sick child just takes everything out of you, it's not just the emotional toll, but physically you have to find the strength somewhere, anywhere. I won't say I LOVE sleep, but I do enjoy a few hours a night, at least....just saying!

Jasmine seems to be doing better, I think her fever finally broke yesterday, but the poor thing has been laying around complaining she's tired and not feeling well. She has this horrible cough now and a congested nose, two things that she didn't in the beginning, but what can we do? It's all part of the cold and I'm sure it will take a few more days to completely get over everything.

She tried to go to a friend's house yesterday, but after one hour of being there and just watching tv, she had to come home. Climbed into my bed and stayed there until dinner.

Now this is where it gets to me.........I KNOW that this is normal and I KNOW that when I'm sick, I am tired and want to just lay in bed and sleep. But when it's one of my children, all of that goes out the window, suddenly I'm looking at every little pain and every moan differently and my mind is annoying....to say the least. It just won't stop with the "what if's" UGH UGH!

Anyway, she's going back to school this morning, and she's looking forward to it, I've already told her not to overdo it, take it easy and not just jump in as if nothing's happened....we'll see how things go.

So it's Monday morning huh? Who knew? LOL

I have yet to do my menu plan for this week, or my grocery list for tomorrow, wow, I'm really behind. I know you noticed I haven't been around your blogs either. I'm sorry, I truly apologize and will try to make some time today for it. But you see, the house has been suffering too, it's yelling at me "Clean Me, Wash Me, Sweep Me"......not in that particular order, but just mumbled and thrown at me every hour or so, and since I live in it I figure I may want to answer it's call..... for fear of retaliation. Go ahead and laugh but I know the house can retaliate, light bulbs going out, dishwashers stop working etc. You get the picture!

I'm going to keep this one short, I have so much to catch up on and not enough hours in the day. I hope you're all having a wonderful Monday....

God Bless,

I think we're finally getting somewhere!

Jasmine slept good last night, she woke up twice I think and not even for very long, just to complain the first time that she was cold and the second time that she was hot.......yes my child is likes things to be even *snort*

She slept in until 9:30 am this morning, got up and took a shower and now she's playing computer games and feels a lot better. Her fever hasn't completely broken yet but it's not going above 101 and for that I'm being thankful....now the only thing bugging her is the cough, but I think that's the least of our problems. I can handle anything but a fever and especially when it's high enough to make them delirious. The funny thing is that during her delirious state she still manages to yell at her brother though he's nowhere near her LOL

Anyway, thank you all for the comments and the thoughts and prayers, she's amazed that so many ladies she doesn't know have been asking about her and praying for her, she sends her love :)

One thing I'm truly thankful for as well is being able to talk to my family at times like these, there's something about your child being sick that makes you want to run home to your mom and dad, climb back into your old bed and let THEM deal with the problems. Unfortunately if I tried to do that, I would have to hop a couple planes or swim across the ocean and really, by the time I got halfway the child would be all better and wondering why their mother was drowning somewhere in the ocean (Yes, I can't swim...what can I do?)

But it's great to pick up the phone or get on the computer and have my brothers talking to me and calming me down when my eye is twitching or I'm pulling my hair out. It's great LOL

But moving on from that......I finally finished "Redeeming Love", maybe I shouldn't say FINALLY it's not like it took me that long. You have to understand that this is a HUGE hardback book, 464 pages.......and it took me what? 3 days tops? I posted my review on my book blog, just click on the link above and it will take you right to the post.


Since I already have you clicking on links, I might as well have you click on this one for the Grandma Chiquinha's Orange Cake and go and check out the recipe. I made it yesterday, I think....wait I'm not sure, maybe it was the day before....I'm sorry all this non sleeping and sick kids thing has got me confused. Anyway, it's REALLY good, it's moist and orangy and oh sooo yummy. It's not exactly the one I used to make back in South Africa but it's good nonetheless.


For the past two days that Jasmine has been sick, Nicholas has had to keep himself entertained so this corner of the couch has become his personal property, he has his blanket and some of his toys and his video games. He misses his sister and asks about her constantly "what is she doing?", "is she still sleeping?" and "is Jasmine all better now?". He is dying for her to get better so they can play together again.

My trip to South Africa is moving along well and pretty soon I should have all our passports ready, now it's just the tickets left to buy and as soon as that is done, we'll start counting down the days. I'm beyond thrilled but then I don't think I need to say that again, I keep repeating it over and over.......sorry, I would tell you that it wouldn't happen again but chances are before I even close off this post I'll say it again LOL

I noticed that some of you had given me awards, I so appreciate them and I'm sorry I have been so slow in passing them, but I'm sure you understand how crazy things have been here.

Both Karen and Jeannene have passed on some wonderful awards to me and thank them both from the bottom of my heart, they're such amazing ladies and I'm glad to have met them through my blog.

I'm going to post all the awards and then I'm passing them on to every single person on my blogroll because obviously if you are on there it means I love your blogs and visit them often....you've all made an impact in my life, one way or another, some of you are inspiring, some make me laugh so hard, others continuously teach me how to be a better wife and mother but most of all, you're all there, if I'm having a bad day or a good day, you're there to leave words of encouragement or to celebrate with me and for that I am so thankful and so truly blessed.

And with that my dear family and friends.......I'm off for the day. I am going to make the kids some lunch, then we're going to sit on the couch all cuddled up to read some books......once we've done that and they start watching their movie, I'll go do some housework and hopefully start in on my next book.

Nicholas Sparks "At First Sight". Can't wait.

103 and not budging!

I'm off to the doctors with Jasmine this morning, her fever is just not budging. Once I give her the medicine, it drops down to 100 but as soon as it wears off, she's back at 103.

Poor kid is tired, she's weak from being in bed and from this horrible fever and we need to figure out what is going on.

I've left my Slow Cooking Post up for today, it's just below this one.

Please say a little prayer for this fever to go and for this cold or whatever it is to finally subside....poor child has been through the ringer the past few days, first with her eye and now this.

What a way to start the new year!

Blessings,


UPDATE: Took her to the doctor and they tested her for strep throat, thankfully it was negative. Doctor says she has a really bad flu and just keep doing what I'm doing, plenty of fluids, broth and motrin or tylenol for the fever and body aches.

We got home and I gave her the children's motrin....she took an hour nap and then woke up and said she was really dizzy, felt like she was tumbling around. I think it was due to the fact that she has really not had much to eat the past two days, she's weak and then the medicine obviously is a bit strong. After some chicken soup and some orange cake, she's feeling MUCH MUCH better, her fever is down to 99º and she's actually playing a game on the computer.

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers, I know they have helped :)

Will it ever end????

I hate these seasonal colds and flus, they seem to stick around, hiding in the shadows and jumping out once every few weeks to knock you flat on your behind. Although I guess this time I can't place full blame on those, just indirectly because I think this one came from the kid that was over for Jasmine's sleepover......you know the one that kept me up all night coughing and then told me that she had been really sick with a cold and a fever????

Well I believe she gave whatever she had to Jasmine and then yesterday it started raining really hard when school let out and instead of waiting for me, she just walked home. This morning she woke up saying her body hurt, when I went to feel her she was burning up.

Great, school just started back up on monday and she's already absent.....but what can I do, I can't send her in with a high fever.

She's been in bed all day, coughing, headache and a fever of 103 that crept up during the afternoon, I had to do the whole lukewarm bath, cool washcloth etc and then I had to fight with her about not throwing on a gazillion blankets because it would just make it worse. But really how strong can you be when your child looks glossy eyed and is sitting there full of goosebumps crying that her body hurts and she's freezing????

This being a parent thing is definitely not for the weak of heart, I tell you!

She's on the couch right now, just laying there with that expression like you see on the picture above...just breaks my hearts :(

So dinner tonight was Homemade Chicken Soup and then I tried to make an Orange Cake. Ok let me tell you about this cake, I have made it so many times before when I was in South Africa, it was one of those real easy and fast recipes that always tasted like you had been in the kitchen all day long.

I can't for the life of me find my recipe so I went online and found another which was not exactly the same but hey, beggars can't be choosers and all that yada yada.......I set to work, fixed the cake and then spent an hour........AN.HOUR........going back and forth with the oven trying to get the cake to cook through. I gave up! The cake came out looking like a blop of sticky goo and I'm frustrated and annoyed. BUT I'm not giving up, no sirree, I'm going to have myself orange cake no matter what....now I'm going to try a different recipe.....right now, yes you heard me, you got something to say???? LOL Didn't think so!

I've had this one sitting around for a while and what better time than now to try it right? (Yes I said now, I know, but you don't understand I really need orange cake)

Grandma Chiquinha's Orange Cake

* 4 eggs, separated
* 500 ml (2 cups) sugar
* 500 ml (2 cups) all-purpose flour
* 1 tbsp. baking powder
* 500 ml (2 cups) freshly squeezed orange juice


1.Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Grease and flour a 13 X 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan.


2. In bowl and using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff.


3. In a separate large bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar. In another bowl, sift together flour and baking powder; add to yolk mixture alternately with 1 cup (250 mL) orange juice, making three additions of dry and two of wet. Fold in egg whites. Pour into prepared cake pan.


4. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.


5. After removing cake from the oven, use a fork to pierce holes on top of the cake and pour remaining orange juice on top. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Cut into squares to serve.

*************************************

I'll bring you some when I come visit your blogs later ok??? And I promise to share the photos tomorrow.

Right now, I'm a woman on a mission...... with a big slice of orange cake as a reward. *snicker*

I'm going to give Jasmine her medicine again, make sure she's getting plenty of fluids and get her to bed, then I'll deal with Nicholas so that I can be all nice and comfy in bed by the time Wife Swap and Super Nanny start.......oh and I can't forget the new Ghost Hunters premiering tonight. YAY!
Of course between all this I'll be trying to finish "Redeeming Love".....LOVE it!

Good night everyone, sleep tight, don't let the orange cake bite hahahahah (I just can't get it off my mind...UGH)

God Bless,

What can I say? My kids love the camera!

They're nothing like me I tell you, when I see someone with a camera I immediately turn the other way or find a big book or newspaper to hide my face behind. I get frustrated, no matter how much I try I always hate the way I look in photos.

Jasmine and Nicholas???? ALL.FOR.IT, Jasmine even poses LOL Is it a girl thing??? Cause I've noticed my nieces like posing too and it's so darn cute on them.




See what I mean???? Proof is in the pudding blog.

I haven't had much time to come around and visit anyone, I'm planning our trip to South Africa which is now only 4.MONTHS.AWAY. I am so excited, actually, we're ALL excited. But it does take a lot of planning and budgeting for, so that's what I've been busy with. I bet you thought I was going to say I wasn't around much cause I was off on some amazing retreat, off on a deserted island sipping margaritas with my bikini on (LOL yeah right) and my toes in the beach sand. Sounds great, but it's SO far off the truth it's not even funny hahaha

Anyway, I've started Redeeming Love, I think I told you that already, if not....I just couldn't say it enough how good and powerful a book this is. I'm just in awe and I'm amazed at what an outstanding writer Francine Rivers, WOW!
If you have yet to read this book, do yourself a favor and go and grab it from the library or the bookstore or a friend or whatever, just go get it!

Sold into prostitution in childhood, Angel is a bitter young woman who trusts no man. But when God tells Michael Hosea to marry her, she learns to love and hope---until fear overwhelms her and she returns to her former life. Can she be redeemed? A skillful retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea, set amid the California gold rush.

I think I'm going to go back and read Hosea in the Bible again.

Now onto other stuff, Jasmine is back at school and of course really enjoying it but she's also counting the days until the end of this year, she's one of those kids that absolutely loves being at school but the getting up in the morning ruins it all for her LOL
She would be perfectly happy going to school around noon.....poor kid. Nicholas on the other hand is just not interested AT ALL. It's going to be fun since he starts kindergarten this year, I'll probably be spending many hours volunteering in his classroom.....I'll do it as much for him as for me, I don't think I'm ready for my little baby to go to school.

I thought I would share a pic of my little nieces and nephews today, they are just adorable and I know I'm biased, but they're beautiful and they're mine and I am so excited to see them all soon. I think there will be lots of spoiling going on. I'm sure my brothers appreciate it LOL Right????

From the back, left to right: Dylan, Tiffany
Middle: Colby (he looks SO much like Nicholas)
Bottom from left to right: Alyssa and Taryn-Lee

I can NOT wait to hug these little human beings, it's amazing how much love you feel for someone you have never met personally....you do know that the only one I've ever met and actually used to babysit was Tiffany, I left South Africa when she was barely 2 years old and now she's 10. Goodness!

And now I have to get out of here so that I can get the kids ready for bed and be able to come back afterwards to blog hop.....I haven't done it in a while, I'm all happy it's like I'm getting ready to go bar hopping, but instead of johnny walkers I'm having hot tea and instead of drunk on booze people, I have drunk on love family......it's perfect :)

Btw before I leave, for dinner tonight I made Lulas de Caldeirada - Calamari Stew......it's SO SO good. I've posted the recipe already if anyone is interested :)

Have a great night,