Though New Year’s Eve was last week, I didn’t have it in me, physically or emotionally to write in my blog. I was spent. The Saturday before New Years, Maverick got sick with a stomach bug. We all felt a little yucky Sunday so decided we’d better stay home to prevent spreading anything. It was a good thing because by Monday evening, it hit Harvey and Andy. They were literally in the same bathroom throwing up together. I guess taking turns on the toilet. Tuesday I thought we were finally all better so we celebrated the in coming of the New Year with fireworks down at our neighborhood pool. Our friends came, but kept their distance. I didn’t blame them. I genuinely thought we were on the mend and thought I had evaded catching this awful bug. After midnight, I woke up with an urge to the use restroom. By the time I was sitting on the toilet I had one of the worst hot flashes I’ve ever experienced. I lay on the cold floor till I felt good enough to grab myself a bowl for emergencies. Good thing, because I spent the rest of the night with the bathroom and that bowl. It was a rough one. I felt really bad because I am not a quiet vomiter and every time I did, Andy would wake up and say, “You okay? Can I do anything for you? I’m so sorry.” I kept saying “sorry for waking you up.” By 6:30 when he asked me the “Anything I can do for you?” I said, yes, please. Can. you get me some zofran?” He complied and then I didn’t throw up again. But I was so weak from that night and my stomach took almost a week to feel normal again. I didn’t eat for two days. It was a rough one. Unfortunately, Wednesday it hit Beverly and Thursday it hit Max, but luckily we didn’t spread it to anyone else! It was a doozy. As soon as I felt somewhat good enough, I started cleaning and kept cleaning until I felt like my house wasn’t a cesspool of germs.
This past week was a LOT better. Normal life, combined with a winter storm made things special. I loved getting back at the gym, though I could tell my body was still recovering from what it went through. Friday was a snow day! Well… it was an it wasn’t. The district didn’t cancel school, we just kept our kids home for safety and also some hands on learning with something they rarely get to experience. Harvey kept saying, “It’s second Christmas!” Then when he woke up Saturday and the snow hadn’t melted yet, he said, “It’s still Christmas!” I guess presents is first Christmas and snow day is second Christmas. It is very rare to get second Christmas down here in Georgia, but they had a blast! Maverick’s teacher texted, “If you kept your kid home, have them do ixl on the internet and some reading before they play in the snow.” Look, I’m all for learning and even willing to do extra school work since I let my kid stay home, but in Georgia, you play with the snow as it’s coming down to get the most out of it. We do thirty minutes of reading every evening anyway, so it’s not like that was a huge ask. Beverly’s teacher was of the same mindset I was, “I thought hands on science today was best done at home.” Her reply was, “Yes, and how often do we have an opportunity like this!” It was a fun, cozy day, with nothing pressing. Andy didn’t even have work that day. It was kind of like a makeup day for spending a week feeling so crummy. It brought me a lot of joy.
We got snow! The kids had a blast playing in the snow. They built a snowman, threw snowballs, and more, then decided they were too cold. 
One of Beverly and Afton’s favorite games to play is school. So they go to school for 7 hours to come home and play more school. Lindsay was saying “that is my childhood” and honestly, it was mine too. I guess you play what you know. 
Max got a sushi maker for Christmas. We’ve already used it twice. We had a lot of fun making sushi together.