Through the other side...

We have finally made it through the lurgy line and have emerged on the other side.  What was supposed to be a bit of a bloggy break from her turned into a full blown 3 week internet holiday.

Was it hard?  No where near as hard as I thought it would be, can you keep a bit of a secret?  I actually enjoyed it a little...shh don't tell too many people.

We have all been poorly, time after time.

This little fella had me worried

his temperature refused to drop.  

Shivers, shakes, coughs, rashes and as the youngest he seemed to be the hardest hit then just as he seemed to get over it...

BANG...

his poor little immune system was bombarded with more bugs and he struggled to fight them off.

He was a permanent fixure in my bed and to me...yet somehow he managed to give the odd smile

At first it I thought it quite cosey, Fozy and I at home alone before the rush of Easter Holidays. 

Playing track, cars, building bricks and reading old books and magazines

But the holidays came and we all felt rough, Lolly didn't leave the house for 8days, spent 4 of them in bed and trust me that this 15 year old has a social calender that makes your head spin.

RV spent the first week laid exhausted, another with no appetite and a temperature that showed no sign of giving up.  Then once over it he was too tired and worn out to go out to play.  

How can that be eh?  This is a 9year old who lives to play football and all he could manage was a slight kick-about 3 weeks later.

1 photo of Easter.  This is it

Fonzy made his egg into an Angry Bird

We didn't venture from home, grocery shopping became un-needed as no one was eating.  

The only thing we were consuming were paracetemol and ibuprofen.

They all lost weight, bony bums with skinny arms - heartbreaking.

So we made our own entertainment bit by bit, as we felt up to it

Chalking on the patio, nice and easy, no effort required, no energy burnt.  Dinosaurs galore, Angry Birds...

This past week or so we have all been feeling almost back to normal

RV still has little energy, happy to have a kick about with H out the back but no more

He and Fonzy made themselves a lovely little rally track for their cars out the back.  What little grass had grown back from the chickens has been trimmed back a bit further, but you know what I was just happy to have them both out in the air playing

We got the paints out, just for a short time

They looked lovely when we were washing the pots out in the sink

Loopy was the one who was ill first and the first to recover.  She had a dull, boring and slightly sad Easter break.  But my lovely niece did her hair for her and thankfully Loopy has a big heart and forgave me quickly for being a bit of a poorly rubbish mama over the holidays.  She was a kind and gentle nurse to us all...

I am lucky to have such kind children.  Of course they have their spats, all of them, but when the chips are down and we need each other they all rally around.  Each taking care of each other bit by bit.  Giving a loving hug or little pat when it got a bit much.

After much neglect the house was feeling very unloved

last week we heard that Fonzy has a place at school so I made the bold decision to trim the toys back.  Many have been donated to the nursery, some to the school and possibly the last few in my car will go to the charity shop.  All toys that have been out-grown or no longer played with.  And we now have more space than I can fill.  

{only kidding I'll fill it soon enough}

I gave the lounge a fresh coat of paint and plan to do the landing and stairs soon.  The woodwork is looking rough now and I don't think I can ignore it much longer!

Slowly but surely we are mending.  Energy is returning.  They are putting on their reserves of weight again.  Im positive that the little bursts of sun we've seen have worked wonders on all of us, lifing spirits.