Hello, Hello!
I’ve just put Job down for his nap (read: detached him from my body and lowered him into his crib next to our bed and then patted his back for a few seconds.) I’m about to crawl back into bed and possibly take a nap myself. I’ll at least read a for bit. I’m trying to rest as much as I am able. Larkspur, Beatrix, and Silas all succumbed to a stomach virus Friday night, one after another. And while I have never described being sick with a stomach bug as feeling a little “under the weather” it makes for a nicer title than “Vomit Everywhere.” I spent the night with Job, the all night nurser as of late, while Jonny cared for the sick ones. Saturday I was occupied with obsessive house cleaning and running non-stop laundry. I wore a bandana around my face at times, and washed my hands a million times. Movies played most of the day for the sick trio, favorites from my childhood like An American Tail and The Last Unicorn.
So far, I’m not sick and neither are the big boys, who kept themselves mostly outdoors on Saturday. Jonny fell ill last night, though he didn’t have it badly. He claims that he beat it off with coffee and hot sauce. I think it’s more likely the activated charcoal that I insisted he take. The older boys and I have been taking it too, as I’ve had good success with it as far as avoiding or lessening the severity of stomach bugs. (I’m no expert at these things and certainly don’t give medical advice, but if you search around, I am sure you can find some information out there. Sadly, this time around I guess it didn’t help Seth and Keats. They are both pretty miserable now.) I’ve been taking apple cider vinegar as well.
Today I have a batch of bone broth simmering on the stove, and potatoes baking in the oven. My little ones have been sipping herbal tea with honey and eating applesauce. They seem to be on the mend. My hope is to keep Job healthy. I recently bought a little essential oil diffuser and I’ve been running that in the sick room with some knock off Thieves oil. I don’t know that it helps, but it definitely smells good.
Several of you have asked about the triple bunk, the one that Jonny began last winter. Lots of other things have taken priority over the past year so it isn’t finished, but you can get a little peek in some of these photos. I promise to take lots of pictures and share the details once Jonny adds the last pieces of wood and we get everything painted and finished. We recently moved Silas into the bottom bunk, and wouldn’t you know, both girls have been snuggling into that little twin bed at night as well. It’s cold, and Silas is their little heater. Our plan for when everything is finished is for Seth and Gabe to join Keats and Silas upstairs in the triple bunk room, and for the girls to take the tiny downstairs bedroom that they will leave. We may not be able to separate the girls from Silas just yet, though.
I hope that you are all warm and well and enjoying your weekend!
Stef says
Hey Ginny, I think one of my new year’s resolutions is to comment more on the blogs that I love, so that you actually know I’m here, reading, and always loving your words and pictures. We’ve been sick too, so I will try some of your recommendations, but in the meantime we are just trying to stay sane and to find the energy to do something other than just flopping on the sofa. http://aneasyworld.com/2015/01/14/sick-day/
Hope you all get well soon 🙂 x
Ramona says
Hello, Ginny! I hope you all are better by now… It’s hard when the little ones are sick. I only have 2 kids, 4 and 1 years old, and I always panick when they have a stomach bug.
Thanks for the picture with Intruder! 🙂
Ginny says
I was trying to take photos of the ice crystals everywhere and he was foiling my plans!!!
Emily D. says
Both those movies are excellent choices!!
Hanne, a grandma in Denmark says
Hope you get well soon all of you!
I teared up at the picture of Bea, with feverish face, sitting with her little exausted brother.
You have such sweet kids 🙂
Kim Goodling says
Such a trying time when little ones are sick. Wishing your family well soon!
Andee says
I hope you are all on the mends soon!
emma says
Hope you are all feeling better. Two of us have had it here, we’ve had a sprained ankle and a f.i.l in hospital with twisted intestines since last tuesday – it’s all or nothing! Thank goodness for knitting makes all that vomit everywhere – opps I mean all that feeling under the weather more bearable.
Can’t wait to see the finished bunks, they look super interesting from the photos.
Brooke says
Well, blah. We had the same thing the weeks of Christmas and new year. The domino belly effect. I agree about the activated charcoal! Wondering if you think the diffuser works because barfing children are my kryptonite
Ginny says
I’d say that the diffuser has had no effect on the barfing. Of course I bought it just for general diffusing, so wasn’t expecting it to be able combat stomach viruses. This bug we have is really powerful. I don’t think anything could have stopped it.
Christy says
I was looking into trying essential oils. I received a amazon card for Christmas. I bought your diffuser. I can’t wait to get it in the mail. Prayers to your family. We had the stomach bug just before Christmas. Thank goodness it only lasted a couple of days. Love the picture of the green leaf.
Yanic says
I hope by now you all re starting to feel better. We are in a similar situation : My son and I sick, my daughter and husband holding tough (so far)… Applesauces and movies here as well… Hang in there! <3
Bonnie Schulzetenberg says
miss you “my friend by friend”
A Little Blue Dragonfly says
Oh, no! So, so sorry you all are dealing with this! Prayers for a quick recovery! *hugs* 🙂
Annie says
Sounds like my house right now. Three out of my seven kids have the stomach bug 🙁
Janice says
Oh No!!! I am soooo sorry to hear you are all fighting the flu!! Hang in there…it will get better!!! I will be praying for you all. I just found Clorox disinfecting wipes and I LOVE them!! I go around the house wiping light switches, telephones, door knobs, toilet flush handles and anything else that we touch regularly….hopefully you will not continue to share it!!
Blessings!!
Gwendolyn says
I had to chuckle about your blog. My daughter’s 3 kids (4,3,2) got the flu bug a couple of weeks ago and we got to talking about always having a bucket close. When my kids were little (25-30 years ago), I didn’t have one of them throw up anywhere other than a toilet or bucket. I remember telling them “Don’t you dare even think about not getting to a toilet or your bucket.” I’m sure I wasn’t mother of the year, but I must have scared them enough they weren’t going to test me. I guess I just didn’t want to start gagging when I was cleaning it up.
Praying for your situation that it will go quickly.
Gwen
Desiree says
I hope everyone recovers fast!!! Well wishes for you all.
Linda says
So sorry to hear that you all have that nasty bug. And yet still you give us beautiful, sweet photos.
Marty says
prayers for you all – I felt something must be amiss as you hadn’t posted lately, but I am sorry that it is a state of family sickness – hope it passes soon.
Bee says
Oh no! I hope everyone feels better soon. At least they have a very cozy room (not to mention a wonderful family) to “recover” in/with :).
Carla says
The stomach bug is awful especially with big families. I remember having ice cream buckets all over the house ‘just in case’ the bathroom was too far….
Rest lots and I take gravol ; )
Ruby says
Stomach bugs are just pure evil…I hope you manage to kick it out of your house ASAP. Job’s hair is absolutely divine in the sunlight. Baby hair. xx
Wendy says
Oh, bummer! Our two youngest have had runny noses, coughs, and congested heads for almost a week now, but thankfully, no vomit! I felt it coming on this morning and remembered that you had mentioned Cold Calm awhile back, which reminded me that I had actually bought some and it was waiting downstairs in the cupboard–wonder of wonders–that never happens! I’ve been taking the Cold Calm as directed all day and am feeling much better than I did this morning! I’m adding an essential oil difuser, Thieves oil, and activated charcoal to my list–maybe I’ll get lucky and be ahead of the curve again! Thanks so much, and hope everyone feels better soon!
Elizabeth says
I was wondering how you were as I realized you had not posted since Wed… praying and hoping you all are returned to full health ASAP!!! Much love…
Lana says
Stomach bugs are generally bacterial and we have tested and know that this oil blend works. Place one drop on the back of the hand and lick it off. It kills the bacteria immediately and no more vomiting. We would not be without it.
http://heritageessentialoils.com/warrior.php
Janet says
When do you start taking the charcoal when you start to have symptoms or just every day to be pro active?
Ginny says
before symptoms, though I’ve taken it before just as I started to feel off, and while I still got sick, it wasn’t too bad.
Janet says
Thank you, Ginny.
TarynKaeWilson @ WoolyMossRoots says
Ginny,
Hope it passes the rest of you by! When we got sick recently, I remembered a favorite childhood movie: Milo and Otis. Have you seen it? Your kids might like it. I love it! I think the wildlife scenes they’ve captured are incredible.
I had forgotten about activated charcoal. Thanks for the reminder. And I’ve been thinking about getting an essential oil diffuser.
Wishing you some good rest!
Love,
Taryn
Lisa G. says
I hope you don’t get it, Ginny. Just the other day I read something about turmeric milk – look it up. It’s another one of those immune things, and anti-inflammatory. I have not tried it yet myself.
Apseed says
Oh, I’m sorry Ginny to read the news about stomach bug. We had something similar just a few days before Christmas. And spent our (first as a family of 3)Christmas Eve in ER with a toddler. But now we’re all ok.
They say it’s important to keep children hydrated when vomiting.
Sending you well wishes for your quick recovery and good health.
Naomi says
Sorry to hear some of you are sick! The stomach flu is so uncomfortable, for those sick and those taking care of them alike! Hope you are all well and that you got that nap in!
Love the triple bunk bed.
Shannon Dennis says
I’m sorry to hear you have had a sick crew at your house. Oh, and if stomach virus isn’t the worse! :/ It just keeps on giving, doesn’t it? I thought about you and yours at mass today and sent up a prayer for your health and comfort as it has been a few days since your last post. I am glad to hear everyone is feeling a bit better. Activated charcoal? I would never have thought, but what a great idea and one I hope my mind can remember when a stomach virus hits my house, heaven forbid! 🙂
Nicole Spring says
Oh I am sorry you are dealing with so much sickness 🙁 Glad to hear everyone may be on the mend though. We have been using thieves oil diffused and diluted on the bottoms of our feet daily since August and haven’t been sick once. *knock on wood* I completely credit thieves for that. We normally would have been sick multiple times by now. So I say keep the thieves going 🙂 Can’t wait to see the finished bunk beds. We are still saving to get our girls bunk beds so Little L can move in with his sisters <3 Sending lots of love, and prayers for healing. XOXO
Nicole Spring says
Oops. That was supposed to be *accredit* above, not credit!
Elizabeth Acheson says
Oh you poor things, i hope the rest of you stay well. We’ve had a tummy bug this week and the baby definitely got the easiest ride. The wonders of breastmilk eh?
Mat. Anna says
For several people being sick, it sure does look clean and cozy at your house. Only due to your hard work, of course. 🙂 We’re battling illness too, of various genre. I’m trying to isolate the sick ones to prevent an epidemic.
Ginny says
My house is way cleaner than usual right now. When the vomit hits the floor, I turn into a cleaning maniac!! And of course my three best mess makers are in bed. 🙂 I hope your efforts work out and you don’t all get sick!
Mat. Anna says
Oh me too! As long as the baby doesn’t get the stomach bug, I can cope. Everyone else can aim for a bucket. (Unless it’s in the middle of the night like last night…)
Helena says
Oh no, hope you all feel better soon. I have also had good luck with activated charcoal, which reminds me I need to replenish our supply!