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I have been down for the count for four days. Misery is a understatement. Not because I was sick personally, but because Evyn had the Flu last weekend then  Croup and Eli has strep as well. I was fairly certain a month or so back Evyn and I had the Flu, but that was a teaser. This IS the Flu. This was "call the coroner" Flu. This was  body aches and pain so bad that I seriously was considering calling up my trashy old friends from way back and offering good money for a narcotic connection. I needed drugs. Somehow I made it through with Advil,  a dozen hot baths, muscle cream, Aleive, heating pad and massages from the hubs. At my worst I had kids scattered at Lacy's, Nana's and Mom's. But never all at once. I am not a complainer. I hate reading complaints on FB. But believe me when I say I was near death. I just know it.

Evyn began feeling better before me. It was tolerable when we were both happy to just lay on the couch and watch TV. He got to where he would ask for something and I would beg to just lay down for a minute cause I was gonna drop dead if I I didn't. He would leave, then come back 10 minutes later and inform me of whatever he had broke, spilled or stopped the toilet up with forcing me then to get up. He learned how to get his way one way or another. Almost to say "hey mom, since you are up mopping poop water outa the floor cause I shoved a Spider Man down the toilet and flushed it.....you can get me a sippie cup now."

I have played the others. They have whined, cried, fussed, griped and drove me stupid'er. So when I knew one of them where coming to tattle or fuss I would beat them to the punch with a compliment that was totally over the moon. "Awwww....( insert child's name). Thank you so much for coming to check on Mommy. Mommy feels so bad and it makes her ears bleed to hear whining and crying and fussing. But your not gonna do that are you?!  I love you. Your such a good boy."   It stopped them dead in their tracks. They would smile and hug me. With a look on their face that plainly said "dangit". Then go back to their previous dirty business and give me another minute to play dead on the couch. Suckers. Got em' ever time.

Christmas is over.  My kids made it out with Xbox games, Wii games, a Playstation 3 and games, a Android tablet, Lego's, clothes, shoes, Modern Marvel toys,  Fisher Price Imaginex Castle (which is the coolest thing ever) and Hotwheels Wall Tracks, Muck Boots, tractors, North Face coats and so much more. We flip right around to January and have two birthdays next month.  Evyn will be 3 a week from today. I am compiling Pinterest crafty ideas for the kids at his party. Look out crafty moms. This year I decided I was gonna learn to knit, and did. A month later I decided to learn to sew, and did that too. My New Years Resolution (one of them) is to be more crafty pull off some of these great DYI's  with the kids for parties, home, school.   What a New Year's resolution of y'alls?