checking in

This weekend John officiated a wedding for a family that is very dear to us.  We all went up to Waco for the night and packed lots into a very short window of time.  The wedding was a late evening ceremony on Saturday in the backyard of the bride's grandmother.  It was very sweet and had lots of charming touches.  About five minutes before the ceremony began, Moonpie was doubled over in stomach cramps.  I was so thankful for the venue in that moment!  She was able to lie in bed until the ceremony was over.  We hit the road to get back home right after and the poor little dear began getting sick.  She ended up vomiting 6 times in the car on the ride home and then off and on throughout the night.  She is a trooper, and by the next day was up and slowly regaining her appetite.  Today John came home from work sick, so we are back in for round two.  Ugh.  

In the meantime Buddy and I, being the lone survivors, are doing all we can to fortify ourselves against this bug.  He (and now, Moonpie) is eating lots of yogurt with some extra probiotics mixed in.  I'm taking my probiotic capsules and eating lots of yogurt as well.  I'm also hitting my immune builder herbs pretty hard.  And then there's the hand washing and laundry.  A never ending cycle.

At this point in my mommying (and life) I realize that no plan is full proof, so I'm making an extra large pot of my feel better chicken soup just in case the children have to fend for themselves for the next couple of days.  Fingers crossed they won't have to!  Nothing worse than being sick and having feral children running around!

B.R.A.T. diet

We're on the B.R.A.T. diet over here.  You know bananas, rice, applesauce, toast.  Monday Moonpie was having stomach aches, but we attributed it to one too many sugar babies at the 4th of July parade.  For a child who doesn't eat much in the processed food realm, a small bag of sugar babies can do you in!  She's been a little under the weather all week, and my stomach has been off and on.  Buddy on the other hand has been great.  So imagine our surprise when he leaned over the arm of the couch yesterday and threw up.  Three times.  John and I looked at each other and said "hmm, that's weird".  And then got to the business of cleaning.

This weekend John and I are supposed to be going into Austin to sing in a wedding (here's what we are singing, with some minor word changes- and minus the leather pants and heavy eye liner).  They are providing two whole nights in a hotel for just the two of us.  Here's hoping we make it through today and then are able to make it.  I'd hate to miss.

In honor of our feeling ick, I'm busting out my all time favorite book to read to the kids- A Wrinkle in Time.  I hope they love it as much as I always have.

Back to bed we go.

poem of the week

We are battling colds around here leftover from the weekend.  When the children are feeling under the weather it is a good reminder to slow down with a stack of books, some knitting (Moonpie casted on for the first time last night!), and castles made of blocks.

Our poet focus this year is Robert Louis Stevenson.  I like to choose a poem a week for us to read daily during our morning circle time.  This poem seemed fitting for the week:

Block City 

 from A Child's Garden of Verses

What are you able to build with your blocks?

Castles and palaces, temples and docks.

Rain may keep raining, and others go roam,

But I can be happy and building at home.

Let the sofa be mountains, the carpet be sea,

There I'll establish a city for me:

A kirk and a mill and a palace beside,

And a harbour as well where my vessels may ride.

Great is the palace with pillar and wall,

A sort of a tower on the top of it all,

And steps coming down in an orderly way

To where my toy vessels lie safe in the bay.

This one is sailing and that one is moored:

Hark to the song of the sailors of board!

And see on the steps of my palace, the kings

Coming and going with presents and things!

Now I have done with it, down let it go!

All in a moment the town is laid low.

Block upon block lying scattered and free,

What is there left of my town by the sea?

Yet as I saw it, I see it again,

The kirk and the palace, the ships and the men,

And as long as I live and where'er I may be,

I'll always remember my town by the sea.

If you are looking for a lovely addition to your library, might I suggest A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, with illustrations by the dear Tasha Tudor.

Looking for a great set of blocks?  We prefer the standard unit blocks from Melissa and Doug.  I was fortunate enough to find a set on clearance at a store!  (the blocks in the picture above are M & D castle blocks.)

200th post

well, this marks my 200th post here on herban homestead. when i realized the other day that i was nearing this mark, i thought that maybe i should share something fabulous and have lots of great pictures to match. but here i am, slightly over a horrible, yet (thankfully) short lived case of stomach flu, and i'm just happy to be sitting up. it past through all of us, hitting buddy the hardest. there's nothing like seeing the little body of your baby too weak to sit up to help you remember to be grateful for the everyday.

so that's what this 200th post is about. the fabulous-ness of everyday life. the fact that even though we were all sick, we were all together, drudging through. that when i ran to the store today, my kids begged for carrots, celery and blueberries (after 4 days of crackers and water). kids that can walk, unassisted, to the bathroom. a washing machine in my home! hallelujah! trust me, we did some serious laundry over the past 4 days. and, after craving mushrooms, i was able to make a little noodle and mushroom dish. and it tasted SO good. i read up on mushrooms to see why my body was wanting them so badly, and i found out that they are a powerful anti-viral food. so-yes- this is for the fabulous mushroom as well.

really, when i think about it, there is nothing greater than spending everyday with the people i love.

nothing. greater.