They say when it rains it pours.............

I wanted to just share with you a little of what has happened here over the last couple of weeks.  It started two weeks ago when our washing machine stopped working.  We were given this washing machine by my aunt and uncle when they bought a new set and it has defiantly served it's time.  We replaced the dryer last year and we knew that soon we would be replacing the washer.  It just so happened that it I put a load of the kids blankets in the wash it filled and washed them but then stopped spinning.  The blankets were clean but completely soaked b/c the spin cycle wouldn't work and it was making this god awful noise! The motor went out!  I stopped it and took the blankets out one my one and rang as much water out as I could before putting them in the dryer.  My parents washer went out last summer and this was the same thing that happened with theirs and it wasn't fixable.  I told Ryan there was no reason for us to pay someone $80 to come out and tell us there was nothing they could do so the next weekend I sucked it up and spent $25 at the laundry mat to wash ALL of our clothes!  I am use to doing at least one load of laundry a day so going an entire week without doing laundry made for a long day of washing and drying!  We ordered a new washer this week and are picking it up on Saturday so at least I can do laundry again in my own home!!!!  Although I probably have about 10 loads to do so I know it's going to be another long day of laundry!!!!   

The same week our car wouldn't start.  Ryan went to leave for work and it wouldn't start.  Of course it was parked behind the Hummer which Ryan then needed to take to work.  So I had to steer so that he could push it out into the street.  There the car sat for about 4 days before we got someone out to take a look at it.  Luckily a very easy fix for the car.  Apparently there is some sort of malfunction with the security system that makes the car turn over but just not start.  All that had to be done was turning the key over for ten minutes, turning it off, and turning it on again.  What do you know it started and knock on wood has been working since!

The worst part of this whole week was that the STREP THROAT hit us AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!! UGGGGGGGG!!!  This time it was the ultimate outbreak of strep.  Last Thursday night Timothy was just not acting himself.  He didn't have a fever and wasn't symptomatic of anything but just not himself.  He did however complain of a head ache.  I called my sister Kim and asked her to come over first thing in the morning to help with the daycare kids and I would quarantine Timothy upstairs and she could take all the other kids downstairs.  That night I called all the parents and told them he wasn't acting himself but that I would quarantine him away from the others so they could still come on Friday.  The next morning Gavin, Ann, Ellie, Colin, and Peyton all came over.  My sister however did not bring Nolan because he woke up screaming and with a fever.  He was also saying his head hurt.  Timothy had a doctors appointment scheduled for 12:30 that afternoon.  As I was getting the other kids lunch ready Gavin and Anna started to act a little weird as well.  I took their temps and the both had fevers around 101.  I called their parents and told them they should come get them after nap and take them to the doc as well.  When I took Timothy I took Lincoln as well just in case.  Well by the time we got to the doctor Timothy had started to get a low grade fever and was coughing....at this point I prepared myself that it was indeed strep.  I was right he tested positive.  I had the doctor take a look at Lincoln as well and he said his throat was red so he tested him but it was negative.  I found this to be strange because he was coughing a little and ALWAYS gets it when Timothy gets it.  Later that night he (Lincoln) started to spike a fever so I called the doc and he treated him for it as well.  There has been times that Lincoln has tested negative but when a coulter test was done it comes back positive.  I called my sister, and Gavin and Anna's mom to tell them the verdict.  They all took their kids in and they all tested positive for strep as well!  At this point I'm freaking out because I have three little ones under the age of 1 that I was worried about.  Luckily they have all been fine.  However myself and my sister Kim not so lucky.  We both got it as well.  I will tell you this is now the 10th time my kids have had strep and my 3rd time and it was absolutely the worst I have ever seen it.  It took 3 days after they started taking meds for the fever to break and we were all dead to the world for about a week!!  I've been on meds since Monday and today is the first day that I am feeling somewhat back to normal.  I closed the daycare Monday and opened back up Tuesday.  If so many people weren't counting on me I probably would have taken a few more days to recuperate because let me tell you it's not easy taking care of six sick kids being sick yourself.  Myself and all the kids have been tired, grumpy, and just not ourselves all week.  Luckily the three days that I was the worst were Ryan's three nights off.  He was so great to me and the kids.  He took care of us and got up with the sick kids at night so that I could try and sleep!!  Luckily he has been healthy.  I'm hoping that by next week we will all be back to normal.  The boys tonsillectomy cannot come soon enough!!!!!!  I have been reluctant about that but after this I see that we really have no choice if we want healthy boys!

Hoping for a better weekend and week!!!!!