and now we put the

vitamin C and olive leaf extract to the test.  The baby came down with a fever and upset stomach yesterday.  They took her to the doctor this afternoon and after negative results came back for the flu and strep, the doctor decided it is a stomach bug.  I'm washing clothes and blankets now.  I already sprayed Lysol and used antibacterial wipes everywhere while Thieves is going in the diffuser.  So yeah, now we wait and see if the vitamins and extract help me fight off a bug.  I'm making Cosme take them too.  But seriously, if we can dodge this bug after letting her eat and drink from our stuff and hold her while sneezing on us, I'll definitely stick with it...

Hopefully better than I stuck with my photo challenge.  I've been thinking about starting up again.  It can be fun but then it can also be a hassle.  Sometimes I just don't have the motivation for it.  Like right now.  It might've sounded fun two hours ago but right now... nope.

I picked up our ham for Thanksgiving today.  I brought it inside and then went back out to get the garbage can.  When I walked in, I smelled something, maybe clove?  And I was about to take the ham to Cosme to smell how good it was.  Then I realized it was the Thieves in the diffuser.  Well, at least the ham looks good.  I bought the turkey on Saturday and it's been thawing out in the refrigerator.  I'm hoping the rain finishes early so Cosme can fry the turkey.  If not, we'll have to settle on roasted.  Meh...

Okay, dryer stopped.  Time to fold those clothes, put the bedspread in, and start more washing.  I have to destroy all traces of that bug before bed.

I marked a few things

off my to-do list for the weekend.  With the forecast we had, I knew I wanted to get Christmas decorations going outside.  I don't do a whole lot out there but every time I run an errand, another house in the neighborhood is having their Christmas lights put up.  I'll be the first to admit that it's really making me want lights up on the house but unless I call somebody, it won't get done.  Cosme's got a full schedule with work (which is awesome) and my Christmas light installation is pretty much limited to wrapping them around the trees.  Speaking of which, I didn't get that done this weekend.  With all these other people going Griswald on their houses, I feel like my glowing tree trunks are a little underwhelming.  I did do some looking around for some type of decoration to add to the mix.  I haven't found anything that speaks to me yet.

Before I started my search for yard decor, I got the front door mostly done... I think.  I added the mesh and ornaments to it this year but I don't know if I did it right.  I need to look at it a bit longer.

I haven't plugged in the little trees yet either.  I bought some ribbon and think I might add it to those.  Maybe.  I don't want it to look like a ribbon factory vomited on the front porch.  Then there's that whole I don't know what I'm doing.  I did add a little of the new ribbon to the wreath.  I think it helps.  I just don't know.

Oh yeah, speaking of Christmas, there's this.

Someone tried to open a present early and it just happened to be one of hers.  I guess packaging tape, while it's helping, isn't the answer.

In addition to all of the decorating, I did a lot of raking and filled seven bags with leaves and probably could've filled another 15 more.  I decided to stop when I stepped in something.  Now I'm tired and ready for bed.  I felt like drinking hot chocolate but didn't feel like making it.  I decided to have tea and instead of heating up the pot on the stove for Sleepy Time, I made a K-cup of English Breakfast.  I got preoccupied watching the Cowboys and let it sit a little too long.  I added milk to it so now it's even cooler.  So much for the hot drink to warm me up.  On the plus side, it tastes good and I didn't burn my tongue.

Now my tea's gone and the Cowboys lost.  I don't know what I dislike more, the Patriots or Tom Brady.  I guess it's pretty even.  If he ever retires, I still won't like him or the team.  Oh well, I guess I'll get back to searching for Christmas yard decor.  That Cowboys inflatable snowman is sounding better.

Represent.

I don't know if I should bother

posting the blondie recipe or not because I read it wrong.  Whatever, I'll share it.  I followed this recipe HERE but only did part one, the blondie part.  I have a bad habit of not paying attention sometimes.  If there's a backstory to a recipe, I probably didn't read it.  I glanced over this recipe so assumed the cookie dough portion was like if you want to make cookies instead of blondies.  That's not how it is.  I think you're supposed to make the blondies then bake cookie dough on top.

So after mixing up the blondie ingredients, I added a few handfuls of white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts... and it worked.  I'd make them again just like I did, wrong.

In dog news:

• Archer seems to be limping slightly less.
• He just took his third dose of meds, seven more to go.
• He still hasn't pooped.
• The image of him lying on the side of the road didn't make me cry today.

Oh, and all the food I prepped on Sunday?  We finally had some for dinner tonight.

That just about covers everything.  I really like uneventful days.  I'm going to TCB and enjoy it.

day two of the week and we

didn't eat any of the food I prepped again.  I have another excuse.  I'll start with yesterday.  I was getting up from the computer after posting yesterday and I started doing some housework.  The dogs were in the backyard and I decided to let them stay out longer because why not?  Not too much later, I heard the bark.  (The one Archer does when he's telling Maggie to hurry with the escape route.)  I went to the back door and the barking stopped but I heard wood.  That's the only way I know to describe it.  I didn't know what the dogs were doing exactly but it was happening with wood.  I called their names but they never came.  I went out front and called and nothing.  I got Cosme and we got in the car and drove around back.  Turning out of the neighborhood, I told Cosme, "If those dogs have me driving up to their dead bodies, I will never forgive them."  We pulled up behind the house and Cosme shined his light over to the fence.  We saw eyes.  I told him that was Maggie.  I looked on the opposite side of the road, trying to focus in on something black, hoping it was a busted tire.  Then I told Cosme it was Archer and I broke down.  I was bawling.  Cosme got Maggie on a leash and then Archer popped up and ran over to the area behind the house.  He was spazzing out and wouldn't come to us.  He took off and we couldn't get him.  Cosme put Maggie in the car and we brought her home.  I was crying the entire time, positive that Archer ran off to die somewhere.  We put Maggie in the cage and searched the backyard again.  Nothing.  We drove back around to check in the brush again.  I pulled off the road, shining my lights on as much as I could.  Nothing.  There was nothing else to do.  We were looking for an injured black dog in the dark.  We came back home and on the way, called Eric to let him know what happened.  (They're still giving me a hard time for saying "we have some bad news" before telling him.  I wanted him to brace himself or something.)  Anyway, Eric said he was coming over to help look.  We got back to the house and Cosme found him.  He was sitting along the big gate in the backyard.  He wouldn't get up and had several raw spots on him.  He looked so pathetic.  I told Eric we found him and he came over to see him.  Archer would only get up once he saw Eric.  He had a limp and we didn't know what to do so we all loaded up and drove to the emergency vet in Pearland.  The drive there was horrible.  There were dense patches of fog the entire way.  We finally made it to the vet and Archer got out of the car and acted like nothing was wrong.  His tail between his legs told me that yeah, he remembered that place from his Parvo visit.  I'm sure he would've tap danced if he had to just to get out of going in.  We all made the decision that we'd just wait and take him to his vet in the morning.  We piled back into the car and drove back to Angleton.  I was so happy to get in bed.

I called the vet this morning and scheduled an appointment for each to get their shots and have Archer looked over.  Since I was also having them bathed, we dropped them off first thing.  We picked them up this evening and Archer's limp has gotten a little worse.  The vet sent him home with an anti-inflammatory (and instructions to take generic Prilosec to coat his stomach).  If he still has a limp when he finishes the meds in five days, we need to take him in for x-rays.  There's no telling what happened but most signs are pointing to him probably being tagged by a car.  One thing is certain, that was draining.  Pulling up and seeing your dog lying on the highway and appearing to be dead is a whole different level of emotion.  When we got home from the vet I took the dogs to the backyard to eat and use the bathroom.  Maggie went off to do her business but Archer wouldn't leave my side.  He could barely keep up with me and just wanted his head and neck scratched.  Thinking about seeing him lying there for dead and now limping like he is made me start crying again.  I wasn't bawling like last night but gosh, that shook me up.

I just got back from picking up his generic Prilosec.  I first stopped at Walgreens and they didn't have what I was looking for, which I thought was odd.  I was going to run by Walmart but because the light was red, I made a last minute decision to turn right to CVS.  I walked in and noticed a line at the register.  ugh.  I found what I wanted and looked at the pharmacy counter with no line.  I asked if I could pay there and they said yes.  When paying, they asked if I'd had a flu shot.  I hadn't and really wasn't planning on it.  (Olive Leaf Extract)  Since I ended up somewhere I hadn't planned and was asked, I decided all signs were telling me I should.  So, if this shot just saved me from anything, I have Archer to thank.

Oh, and that blondie recipe?  Tomorrow.

I made all that food yesterday

to be ready for the week and here we are, on the first day of the week, stopping to pick up dinner.  We took the baby home and I needed to go to the post office so we decided since we were out, we might as well pick something up.  I didn't argue because I needed to get busy with chores when we got home... and here I am, not doing chores.

I took advantage of the perfect weather we had this morning and went for a walk.  It was a little bright and even though I had the stroller's top pulled down to block the sun, I guess this was better.

Well, it was almost nap time so that could've had something to do with it.  It was nice though.  Like I said, the weather was perfect.  We stopped for Little E to say hi to a dog.  She enjoyed looking around and hiding behind the blanket while I enjoyed listening to music in one ear.  We'll probably do that again tomorrow.  Might as well take advantage of the weather while it's nice.

As for the Christmas tree and presents, she did okay.  I heard she tried to get an ornament when she first got here but I didn't see her do anything after that.  Oh, she also put one of Mom's gifts in the dishwasher.  For the most part though, she left it all alone.  Things are looking up.

Oh, my DNA results were updated and I'm basically just even more of a mutt.

England is down from 60% while Norway is down from 29%.  Ireland and Scotland doubled while Germanic Europe tripled.  Sweden and Nigeria weren't even in the equation last time.  Whatever, it's still fun and interesting.

Oh well, if I don't get up, I really won't get to anything that needs to be done.

And I still didn't post the blondie pic and recipe.  Tomorrow.

the weekend started with

us at the table having lunch when I heard a noise.  It was the UPS truck leaving a package at the garage door.  IT WAS THE NEW CHRISTMAS TREE!  I started putting it up as soon as I was finished eating.  I was so excited.  The new tree is a slim one.  The old one wasn't too big for the spot but we have more people now so a skinnier tree made sense to me.  I also stocked up on lights the other day, knowing I was done with all the pre-lit drama.  Anyway, we set the stand up with the first section and Cosme left me to it.  I started undoing the branches and fluffing them out.  Once I finished fluffing out the bottom section, I went ahead and put lights on.

Time for the next section.

I called Cosme in at this point so he could see how it looked fluffed.  He didn't like it.  He said it looked like our last tree went on a diet and got skinny.  Maybe I shouldn't have let him see yet.  I kept going and by dinner, I had it almost all up and lit.  The top needed more lights but I was getting tired.  I put the presents under it so I could show Cosme one of the benefits of this tree.  Our last one was too low to the ground so only tiny things could fit underneath.

I decided to take a break and wrap a present that had been delivered.  I came back and all the lights were out.  That is NOT how things were supposed to go.  I plugged the second strand into an extension cord and all the lights came on so I changed the fuses in the first strand.  Everything came back on.  I finished putting the lights on the top section and sat down on the couch.  All the lights went out again.  I then decided to google how many strands can go together.  There was math involved so I decided to check the box.  Five.  Five strands of those lights could link together.  I had 11 or 12.  I decided to call it quits for the night.  I went to Walmart the next morning and got a green extension cord and another with a button for easy on/off.  After that, I got it done.

I tried to keep all the good glass and sentimental ornaments up above what I'm hoping a certain toddler can reach.  I tried to put wooden and plastic towards the bottom.  We'll see what happens when she gets here in the morning.  Also, I did go ahead with the packaging tape for wrapping.  Now, we sit and stare.

If I stare too long though, I'll probably fall asleep.  I'm EXHAUSTED.  I had meat in the refrigerator that needed to be cooked and since I had time today, I made it all today.  I started on meat sauce for spaghetti after I stuck a roast in the crockpot.  Once that was put away, I started carne guisada.  While the roast was going in the crockpot and carne guisada was on the stove, I started dough rising for bread.  While the dough was rising, I found a recipe on Pinterest for what I thought was white chocolate chip blondies with macadamia nuts.  I realized it was just melted white chocolate in blondies.  I got the batter mixed and added a few handfuls of additional white chocolate chips, as well as macadamia nuts.  I'll have to post a picture and share that recipe for future reference tomorrow.  I'm way too tired right now.  Anyway, as soon as the blondies came out of the oven, it was time for the bread to bake.  While the bread was baking, I finished the carne guisada.  The crockpot only had a little time left so we went for a walk.  Is this only wearing me out?  I can't talk about it anymore.  I still have a few dishes to wash and I'm seriously about to pass out.

Oh, I forgot to mention Cosme's final verdict on the tree.  He likes it and thinks I made a good call going with the skinny tree.  I told him he just needs to trust me when I have vision.  Maybe he'll forget about all my painting mishaps and vision in the old house.

I've been doing a little Christmas

shopping.  I decided the baby needs to get some crayons in her stocking so I found these.

They're bigger for small hands and washable.  Not only that, if you look at them from other angles, they look like boots.

Actually, I guess it's more of a wedge bootie.

Then, when they were added to my list, it was something for a cell phone.

Technology is awesome.

I won't complain because the more I can buy online, the more people I can avoid.  There's a bunch of stuff going around.  I think the crud has basically vanished like last month's media frenzy and now all I hear about is impeachment a stomach bug and strep... the worst.  I can't handle a sore throat.  They've always been a problem for me.  But strep?  That's a whole different level.  Strep is my kryptonite.  Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of other things that can get me down and in bed, but strep just totally does me in.  Complete misery. 100%

Thankfully, I had a Young Living order delivered today.  I was totally out of Thieves and because of all the sinus stuff, I ordered Eucalyptus too.  That's a first for me.  I'll try it in the morning.

For now though, it's diffusers, vitamin C, olive leaf extract, and online shopping.

we bought our Bed Jet

with the plan of Cosme using it in the warmer weather and me using it in the cold weather.  I finally got to use it.  We were due for a pretty cold night a few nights ago and I was getting chilly.  Knowing I wasn't looking forward to a cold bed, I moved the blower from his side to my side of the bed.  I turned it on to get an idea of what I needed to adjust the settings to.  I went ahead and left it on so I'd have a warm spot when I got under the blanket.  By the time I got to bed, the timer had already gone off and the Bed Jet was done.  I got in without it blowing and my side felt nice.  I went ahead and started it back up, being under the covers and all.  One word: WOW.  Or, how about AMAZING.  Or even EXCELLENT... especially for someone with popsicle feet.  That was the best.  We used it for a couple of nights and then the temps went back up.  It's supposed to get cold again either today or tomorrow and I can't wait for bed!  I read that the low for Tuesday is supposed to be 29.  I've done quite a bit of cooking and I plan to make bread today.  I'm in total hunker-down mode.  If the baby weren't coming tomorrow, I'd probably stay in bed all day.

Speaking of bed, I think Cosme is finally used to the Purple mattress.  He made the comment a couple of days ago that he's been sleeping really well.  I've noticed how hard I've been sleeping too.  I also think my fluffy pillow doesn't work with this bed.  The flatter one is much more comfortable.  I think I've also been sleeping on my back more than I ever have.  My back's been feeling better as well, just in time to put the Christmas tree up.

I found a tree online and was going to order it Saturday but got distracted and never did.  I woke up to an email from Rakuten/Ebates on Sunday morning with a bunch of coupon codes for Kohl's.  Knowing that Kohl's also had the tree I wanted, I pulled it up and bought it.

Look at the deal I got!

Okay, so while that is an awesome deal, it's really only $20 cheaper than I found it at Home Depot and Amazon.  I went ahead and got it from Kohl's because yeah, it was $20 cheaper but I also got cash back from Rakuten.  Oh, and I also got Kohl's cash so I can spend more money at Kohl's.  How considerate of them.  I just love a good deal.

Now it's time to start that bread.

I usually go out of my

way to Lake Jackson HEB for tortillas.  The ones they make in the store are the best store-bought I've found.  We usually never finish a package though.  I made 12 yesterday (it could have been more but most of them were as big as a dinner plate).

This was the last of them.  A package of 20 (and sometimes 10) store-made never gets finished around here.  I made 12 and they lasted almost 26 hours.  Maybe I'll need to make more.

A year ago today I was not having homemade tortillas or carne guisada.  I was having hospital food and was trapped in a hospital bed.  I'm so glad that's over and done.  The days leading up to my surgery, I was worrying and wishing it was finished.  Here we are, a year later, and now I'm just out of tortillas.  I'm okay with that.

While it's easier to use the

packages of pre-cut stew meat for carne guisada, sometimes I'll buy a chuck roast and cut it up myself.  The other day I bought a shoulder roast.  I cut it up this morning and even though it was ready by 9:30, we waited and had it for dinner.  That shoulder roast was SO tender.  I think I need to use that from now on.  I mixed up some dough for tortillas around 3:00 and got it ready to roll out.  When Cosme took Ellie out for his afternoon break, I started rolling and cooking.

I love a thin, moist tortilla.  I could eat them for days.  I guess it's a good thing I only made 12.  I'm full.

It's too bad I didn't wait to make all this for the cold front that's coming.  That would've been perfect together.  While I didn't think ahead as far as the meal planning goes, I did plan ahead for the baby's wardrobe.  That last cool front had me realizing that she didn't have enough warm clothes.  No worries, I did some shopping and I think she might have enough to get her through winter.  Yeah, she probably has stuff at home but it's not here and here is where I need it.  I bought her a coat, a cape-like poncho, and a cardigan with a unicorn horn.  I bought her lots of pants and long sleeved shirts, with quite a few having unicorns, cats, and caticorns on them.

It's funny because I hated cats and unicorns as a kid.  In fifth grade, a bunch of us thought it would be cool if we had a gang.  We didn't do anything, we just liked the idea of being in a gang of girls.  There was another group of girls who we didn't want in our group so they started their own gang.  I don't remember which group decided we needed names first but they named themselves The Unicorns and our group was The Warriors.  (You know, because none of us had ever been in a fight???)  Our plan was to wear a bandana around one of our legs so we'd stand out from The Unicorns.  It wasn't the best situation because one of my closest friends was a Unicorn.  Anyway, I think all of that might have lasted a week.  The whole Unicorns vs. Warriors thing fizzled out and we were back to spending recess playing four square after that.  Oh well, here I am now buying all things unicorns and cats.

Looking beyond unicorns, cats, and caticorns, these are all cold weather clothes.  I've gone through and am washing them all now, but I'm also thinking a lot of them might be too warm.  Now I'm back online looking for short sleeved shirts she can wear under everything so that shedding in layers is an option.  Oh well, I'll eventually have it figured out.  Until then, there are tortillas.

It seems like the crud is

going around again.  The baby started sneezing last week and now she has a runny nose and is coughing.  If it gets me, I can at least say I put up a good fight.

I started feeling a little something coming on last week.  You know that feeling when you can tell you're trying to fight something off?  I talked to Lauren and mentioned to her how I was feeling.  She told me to take lots of vitamin C.  I took one in the morning but around lunchtime, I took olive leaf extract.  I've been doing that every day, in addition to using peppermint oil and Thieves in the diffuser.

I'd only heard about olive leaf extract about a month or so ago.  I read a comment on someone's post so I googled it.  "Research shows oleuropein, the main component in olive leaf extract, has antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immune stimulating properties.  Historically, olive leaf extract has been used for the prevention or treatment of inflammation, infections (e.g., the common cold, influenza, candidiasis, urinary tract infections, shingles), diarrhea, allergies, and diseases such as Alzheimer's, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis."  I read that one person started taking that during flu season since bad stuff has been linked to flu shots.  It's not good to take if you have low blood pressure.  My blood pressure's always been on the lower side but I don't consider that technically low.  Like one nurse told me, after taking my BP and making a startled sound and retaking it, I asked if everything was okay.  Her reply while flipping through my file, "it looks like for you it is".  That said, I'm diagnosing myself as not having low BP, but having normal BP for me.  So I'm taking the olive leaf extract and fighting a good fight against seasonal crud.

Now, let's get back to Lauren, the one who told me to take lots of vitamin C.  She's got the crud now.  I asked her today if she's been taking vitamin C.  Nope.  John's had the crud so that was even more reason to remember to take it.

Oh well, I need to start winding down.  Getting plenty of rest should help me fight the crud too.  Also, the baby will be here early tomorrow and I've got to get a roast cut up for carne guisada before she gets here.  In other words, I have to get up early and TCB.

Time to get that diffuser going.

I started looking at Christmas

decorations for the yard.  I need stuff that'll match this one I already bought.

If I plug this one in and don't like it, I can find other stuff and won't use this one.  I'm not crazy about how dark this one is on the bottom section but I got a good deal on it.  My plan is to put it in the flower bed by the driveway.  I found a Dallas Cowboy snowman today but I'm sure that would disappear pretty fast.  I'll stick to this stuff that doesn't cost as much and that people are less likely to steal.  A couple of years ago our neighbor had one of those projector lights stolen in the middle of the night.  Some people need better hobbies.

I'm also going to order a new Christmas tree this year.  It won't be pre-lit.  I'm done with that.  I think I might have one picked out.  I've also been pinning ideas to spruce up the garland at the front door.  I know I get started on this stuff pretty early, but it's a lot of work and I want to enjoy it.

I had the tv on the Baby First channel today.  They play little songs with a cartoon during the day.  Sometimes the songs are about learning, sometimes it's about germs and washing your hands, and another common one is about brushing your teeth.  Today they played Deck the Halls.  DECK THE HALLS.

Maybe I'm not as early as I think... or as everybody else thinks.

Halloween came and

went.  We went with a Coco theme since I'd already decided on Day of the Dead.

I was no one in particular and Cosme was Miguel, the main character.  Well, I bought him a red hoodie to be Miguel and suggested he carry around one of Eric's guitars but he was too tired to be in on it.  A group of kids yelled "COCO!" when I answered the door but I let them know that Miguel was too tired to come to the door.

That was that.  Yeah, Thanksgiving is next but let's focus on Christmas.  I've had two presents wrapped and ready to go under the tree but look at this.

It's been hard trying to keep the baby away.  I don't know how the gifts will last until December 25th.  I think I might need to buy packaging tape and suggest everyone bring a pocket knife and/or scissors.  This should be interesting... and exhausting.