in case you need to smile

Ollie -- and yes, he is this cute in real life

don't get our germs from reading this post

There is only one word to sum up our past week:

sick.


Since I started working with my little angels in public schools (aka germ paradise), I get sick from about October to February - with a few week-long bouts of healthiness sprinkled throughout the horrid winter months. That means that I have been sick for roughly 36% of the past 3 years. Nice.

But, this week I was not sick with my normal sinus infection/sore throat/coughing/fever/cold. I was sick with the stomach flu. The "no-eating-for-2-days-lose-8-pounds-look-upon-food-with-the-utmost-disdain" stomach flu.

Then I passed it to Cody.

I have emerged from the pit of misery with some new insights into being sick. And you get to read them:

~ it is not fun to stay home from work now that I hate all of the 4 pm shows on tv. Come back Oprah!!
~ laying on the couch in without moving for 6 hours equals a really sore back.
~ laying in our bed without moving for 6 hours equals a really good night's sleep.
~ I crave Taco Bell & pizza when I am sick. Even with the stomach flu. What is wrong with me!?!?!?!?!
~ don't worry, Cody didn't let me eat Taco Bell.
~ double don't worry, I have already regained the weight I lost

what's the word?

Any true Iowan would know the answer to that question.

Cody & I attended our first Iowa basketball game this weekend -- and to be 100% truthful, we really went to watch #7 Ohio State and their phenom, Jared Sullinger.  He was pretty awesome for the three minutes he actually tried . . . the rest of the time he walked up and down the court and stood in the key daring any of Iowa's players to come at him.  Whenever Iowa came at him, he swatted the ball away like he was playing volleyball or something.  It only took a couple of blocks before Iowa resorted to their outside game, which is a lot like my outside game (nonexistent).

To maintain this blog's integrity, I will post a few grainy pictures taken with my iPod.  I think we will be in the market for a new camera soon -- any suggestions about a good one would be appreciated.

Iowa is the team with yellow jerseys.  That's about all I can tell you about this picture.

I think we took this one to show the size of the arena?  Maybe . . .

Does this picture really need a caption? 

Ohio State dunks!!  Luckily, we captured the most exciting moment of the game on film.

 The word is fight!

don't worry. we are alive.

So, I have blogged since July.  It's okay though, because I will give you a quick update (without pictures -- the camera is still MIA).

August
Jessie & Dave's sweet babies Drew & Oliver arrived 8 weeks early and cute as two peas in a pod.
Cody started the semester of death.
I started obsessively checking Facebook every 3 minutes to make sure I didn't miss any new pictures of the twinners.

September
I visited the babes over Labor Day.
Cody continued the semester of death.

October
I didn't make Cody a birthday cake.
Cody bravely forged ahead through the semester of death.

November
I got sick the week before Thanksgiving.
Cody pushed on during his semester of death.
We flew home for Thanksgiving.

December
I was still sick -- for a grand total of 7 consecutive weeks.
Cody triumphed (haha, the first time I spelled it trimumphed -- I must be tired!) over the semester of death.
We flew home for Christmas & New Year's. 
I cuddled all FOUR of my nephews.
Cody forgot what it was like to have a life.
We saw snow.

January
Day 1:  5 hour nap.
Day 2:  Football.
Day 3:  Watched the caucus in Utah.  Hilarious -- and anxiety ridden, thinking we might have cost Mitt a victory.
Day 4:  Returned to Iowa. 
Day 5:  Went on a walk and grilled to celebrate the 52 degree weather. 

Hopefully you feel caught up on our lives now . . . I can't promise that I will continue my trend of posting what we do every day in 2012, but I will try to blog at least every 3 months :)  Okay, okay, okay.  Maybe I will shoot for a couple of times each week.  Maybe.