The Andromeda Strain - yes I've actually seen this thanks to Chris and his love of sci-fi

Why am I always the last one to get the communal cold in this family? It starts with either Reed or Douglas who bring it home from some other runny nosed kid harboring all its eager malevolence in one of their unwashed hands. Then with a wrestle here and there they pass it on to Isaac, the boy who hasn't quite mastered the art of tissue-stry. Then Chris gets it when Isaac offers him a great big snotty kiss. Finally the sneaky thing finds its way to me for a final go round. To make the finale even grander, I don't just get a cold, I get the super mutated, steroid loaded, extra snotty stuffy sore throat version. That's what happens to a cold in the perfect breeding ground known as a warm, child filled house during a Michigan winter. There's nowhere for it to go when it's freezing cold outside. It must grow and go unchecked until it's too late. For all I know it could be the Andromeda strain by the time it gets to me. I'll have to keep a close eye on all the plastic items in our house. I've tried Lysol, but I think that pleasant odor only encourages the germs to stay and get comfortable.

Last winter I tried cracking a window open thinking that fresh air might help. As a result of that experiment I got charged $20.00 as I didn’t notice the "no opening your window if it's under 40 degrees outside" rule. So many rules when you live in a community that hires window cracker spies. Who knows, those spies might be unsympathetic volunteers with great immune systems. I actually fought the charge and got away with just a "warning". Don't tell anyone, but I opened my window last night, ssshhhhh…. I guess the window cracker spy doesn't get paid enough to do the nightly rounds.

On a less mucus filled note, the boys are all cleaned and in their pajamas and its only 7:30 pm! Just 30 minutes till bed time and maybe for me too! On cold days when nobody wants to play outside and the inside of the house somehow morphs into a driving range, I find myself checking the clock every 20 minutes, anticipating my favorite number, 8. It's pathetic, but at least I haven't started making chalk marks on a wall marking the remaining hours of my sentence. Did I say sentence? I meant, this life's most wonderful and event filled sojourn.

Here might be 3 adorable reasons for my current unhealthy state...ahhhh, so cute! If only germs were that cute. I can see now why germs would have a hard time not wanting to hang out with these guys. These pics. were taken at Chris' 33rd Birthday. Douglas really wanted me to find 33 candles. I don't think they have that many in one box, sorry Chris.