Happy New Year's Eve!

Me, Aunt Teri, and Uncle Tony

Mason playing Pass the Pigs with Aunt Sheila

Me, Mason, and Aunt Sheila
(Aunt Sheila is my dad's sister)

Grams playing UNO

Tonight was our annual New Year's Eve game night, and this year I declared it Jammie Night. This event is typically held at my house, but since this year we are staying with my grandma and house hunting, our night was altered somewhat. Grandma offered her house to hold our game night, which was nice, because Mason and I didn't have to go anywhere! This year was a little let down compared to years past simply because ... Keith had to work until 1am, my brother was home sick, Anisa had to work, my dad was home sick, Aaron and Clair stayed in at their house, and Allan kept Anthony and stayed at his house. Aunt Teri and Uncle Tony came over but left early because poor Aunt Teri was feeling the nauseous bug! What a bummer! Our party consisted of, me, my mom, Aunt Sheila, and my Grandma. Oh and of course Mason. I felt bad for my Aunt Sheila who stayed in town longer this year just so she could attend "Joelle's Annual New Year's Party, " and it was a bust. Next year Aunt Sheila ... Next year! We still had fun just spending time enjoying each other's company. We taught my Grandma how to play UNO, and played a couple games of that throughout the evening. Everyone has now gone home, Mason is in bed, and Keith gets off work in and hour. I will be ringing in 2009 by myself this evening.

I am excited for the upcoming year and what it holds. It will be filled with many firsts, and much excitement I'm sure. And I'm looking forward to every minute of it!

Recovering From Montezuma's Revenge

Disclaimer: This is not for weak stomachs!

I am on the road to recovery from some ridiculous illness that had me feeling like I was knocking on death's door. I had been feeling nauseous throughout the day Saturday, but it hit me about 10pm Saturday night. I became severely nauseous and threw up. I laid in bed and tried to ignore it eventually falling asleep. At 1am I woke up throwing up and my stomach was severely hurting. To make a long story short, this continued all night and along with that the "#2" came as well. It was aweful! Sunday morning Keith had to go to work so I called my mom, thank goodness for mommy's! My mom took Mason for the entire day until Keith got home from work. I slept the entire day, only getting up to greet my new found friend ... the toilet. Though I didn't eat at all on Sunday, I drank two Sprite Zeros, this nonsense continued a little bit Sunday night. Where it was coming from at this point I have no idea! By this morning I was still achy and felt like I had been run over by a train! This flu bug was exhausting. This must have been what poor Mason had on Christmas. I am feeling better than I was. I still feel weak and I've just been resting, and my stomach still doesn't feel "right". I think it may take my stomach a few days to get back to normal. I am happy to say I've actually kept some food down today! A plain waffle, two pieces of toast, and a small bowl of ice cream. Those of you who know how much I love ice cream, would laugh ... this was like a sample cup of ice cream, no joke, it was tiny! Anyway, I'm on the road to recovery ... I hope! And hope to be back to work tomorrow and feeling somewhat normal again.

Christmas Stories

Mason ready for company to arrive!

Best Pals

Mason and Colton

He was in good spririts on Christmas Eve.

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa!

Merry Christmas little guy!

Some new Ugg's for Christmas!

Notice my son passed out in the background with his "bucket" beside him.

Feeling a little better once he opened his train set.

At Keith's parents' house, not feeling well.

Anisa and I ... Merry Christmas!

Poor Mason, sick on Christmas.

My nephew Colton, so sweet!

Keith and I on Christmas Day at my parents' house.

Christmas started for us on Christmas Eve as usual. My family gathers at my gradnma's annually on Christmas Eve for food and festivities. A grand time was had by all! We had yummy snack food, a gift exchange, and a Texas Holdem' game ... that's my family for ya! It was a late night and at the conclusion we left milk and cookies out for Santa, of course and a carrot for Rudolph.

I was so excited for Christmas this year because Mason actually "gets it." He knew Santa was coming, (if he was good, and I used that numerous times a day until Christmas!) And all he wanted was Thomas the Train & Friends. So, I envisioned us waking up that morning to the excitement of the presents and all Christmas has to offer! With that being said, you knew that wasn't going to happen.

About 1am Mason woke up crying. Keith and I took turns trying to get him back to bed. He finally went to sleep about 2:30am. That did not last long, for he woke up again crying. Keith and I were sooo tired, and this was getting a tad bit frustrating, and very unlike Mason, he's usually a very good sleeper. We struggled to get him back to bed again. Keith and I laid in bed as Mason began to cry AGAIN. Keith said we'll just let him cry it out. After about 10 minutes of constant crying Keith went in to check on him. "Joelle", Keith calls from Mason's room. I go in and Mason had thrown up everywhere. He was in shock saying "ooh yuck Mommy what happened?" We changed his jammies and bedding and got him back to bed. Time has gotten away from me now, but not too long after that episode, Mason woke up, and I enter his room to find he has thrown up again! I change him and his sheets and brought him to bed with Keith and I. Yes, this is against my #1 rule of no co-sleeping, but he was sick, so it's okay. We all dozed off. Then Mason woke up and wanted a drink. So I give him his glass of water and told him to take little sips. Well he chugs it because the poor thing is thirsty. We lay back down, I roll over on my side, and the next thing you know ... blaaaah ... all down my back. Are you kidding me!? Mason then says, "what happened?" Oh, Mason. So I change jammies, Mason changed jammies, and Keith changes, and I strip our bed down.

By this time it's 6:30am and Keith said, why don't we call it a night and just get up now. What the heck, we haven't gotten any sleep anyway and it was obvious we weren't going to. So we got up. Mason was very unenthusiastic as he crashed on the living room floor in front of his presents, and with his puke bucket beside him he passed out, finally. So Keith and I sat quietly and exchanged our presents, waiting for Mason to wake up. All morning Mason would wake up, puke in his bucket and pass back out on the living room floor. What a rotten Christmas for my little guy!

Mason finally woke up and we got moving, as he wasn't throwing up anymore. We went to Keith's parents' house for lunch and opened presents with them and his sister, Liane, and her kids, Bret and Olivia. Then we went to my parents' house for dinner and opened presents with them, Chad, Anisa, and Colton, and my Aunt Sheila who is in town from Philadelphia. The day turned out to be better than it started. We enjoyed the time spent with our families and all the good food. Mason was kind of in a daze all day, running a fever and just feeling down. He wanted to be held and just wasn't his happy go lucky self. But I know he liked all of his presents even if he didn't feel up to playing, especially all the Thomas the Train stuff that Santa brought him. I must say though Mason was sick, Keith, Myself, and Mason had a very Merry Christmas this year and Santa was very good to us!

Annual Work Christmas Luncheon

Deborah, Vanessa, Karen, Me, Linsey, AnnMarie

I feel as if I have fell off of the blogging map! I've haven't been blogging lately, partly because I cannot find the USB cord for my digital camera, to transfer pictures to my computer. People want to see pictures, I know that because I am one of those people! I am still looking for my cord, but one of my pals took this picture at our Christmas Lunch, so I'll update you on that!

Last Friday, the 5th, we had our Annual Work Christmas Lunch. We went to the Melting Pot. I've always wanted to go, just hadn't had the opporunity. The appetizers and main course were good. However, dessert was AMAZING! I thought we were all going to hyperventilate before they got to our table with the plate of desserts. We had two chocolate dipping sauces; smores and chocolate peanut butter. Our dipping choices were, marshmallows, strawberries, brownie bites, rice krispie treats, cheesecake, poundcake, and bananas! OMG! At one point I think some of us were licking chocolate off our plates! It was out of control delicious! That was my favorite part of the meal! A good time was had by all. Spending time with my friends and eating chocolate, what a day!