The Neverending Day

Today is a day I will never forget. Reflecting back on the events of today, it was a great day, filled with lots of precious time with our families. It has been so great to have both my inlaws and my mom at our house this Thanksgiving weekend.

But, really...what were thinking when we got up at 3:45 a.m. to go shopping on Black Friday??? My morning actually started at 2:30 a.m. when my husband decided to start blowing his nose. It is evident that he is starting to get the same nasal congestion that my kids have had. After several long minutes of blowing, tossing and turning, and coughing, I was suddenly wide awake. But with our alarm going off at 3:45 a.m., there really didn't seem like much point in trying to sleep anymore.

I ventured out to wake up my kiddos at 4 am and was greeted with some not-so-pleasant moods....which was to be expected.

We pulled into Walmart parking lot about 5 a.m. and suddenly realized that my daughter, who gets motion sick very easily, was starting to puke. (YES...she even had motion sickness pills before we left). So in a moment of pure insanity, my sons tells her to puke down her shirt...and she starts to follow his advice. I immediately screamed to them to get her out of the car...which was now stopped. However, we didn't anticipate that no one unbuckled my daughter. She did make it to the parking lot, but not without first leaving some of her delightful "stuff" in my mom's car. (Sorry mom)

The next few moments cleaning her up in the not-so-clean walmart bathroom were met with thankfulness that she did not actually take my son's advice to puke down her shirt. Can you imagine???

We then snatched a walmart sack for any future incidents and were on our merry way, fighting the crowds. I ran to find the various sales as my kids obediently tried to keep up with me. Oh what fun!

After walmart, I left my kids in my husband's loving care and veered off with my mom to get some Christmas shopping done. What a success with everything on sale!!!

We met later at Denny's for breakfast, where my daughter (the vomiting one) ordered a large OJ. She then decided she would rather have hot chocolate. So what does my husband do...but challenge her to drink the entire thing before our food comes...and then if she can finish...she will get a hot chocolate. Hmmm...OJ on an empty stomach that just threw up. Yuck. She almost finished and got her hot chocolate...but had us all concerned this would not turn out good.

Several hours later, we returned with 3 very crabby, but completely hyper kids. Everyone was forced to lay down to "try" to sleep....however many were unsuccessful...

We spent the evening relaxing until it happened....yes, it did come back to bite us. My daughter suddenly got sick and threw up everything she ate all day. But it didn't stop there. We put her to bed and then she soaked her bed...spaghetti noodles and everything. Oh the joy of motherhood!

Seven trips into her room later, I am very tired and feel like puking myself. I blame my husband since the last 3 incidents have been all OJ. :)

But despite all the craziness...I love my family....I love being a mother...even if it means gagging myself while holding my daughter as she gets sick. That's all part of motherhood. It's what makes things memorable and keeps me on my toes. It reminds me how much I do love each of my kids.

Maybe next year we won't wake them up at 4 a.m. to go shopping!