The whirlwind weekend.

I left for Salem last Friday.

Josh and I decided that he would stay home with the kids (because Annie had the stomach flu) and if everyone was healthy come Saturday morning, they would drive up to meet me.

I taught class Friday night at Scrapbook Fever.  That store is always one of my favorite stops.  Some of the gals there have never missed a class of mine, so it's always like hanging out with a bunch of girlfriends.

I got back to the hotel around 11pm and went straight to bed (because I had to be up at 5am).

At 1:45 am I was still wide-awake, doing some quick math in my head (If I fall asleep right now, I can still get 3 hours and 15 minutes of sleep)...

Got up to Portland around 7am to set up for class at Scrapbook Attack.

My 7 hour photography class ran for 8 hours (no matter how many times I extend this class...it is never enough).  I loved every minute of it though (lots of gals who were at the class last year and lots of new faces too).

Took a quick dinner break with one of my friends who drove in from Bend and then headed back to the store for the evening class.

I'd like to say that the evening class went off without a hitch...but I get kind of rummy when I'm running on 3 hours of sleep (lucky for me, some of the gals who had been in class with me all day were just as rummy).  Lots of laughs, lots of stories and a little booty shakin'...

Got on the road around 10:30 pm and drove back down to Salem (got to the hotel around midnight).

Josh and all the kids had spent the evening in the pool and everyone had crashed for the night.

Josh forgot Annie's playpen, so she was sleeping in a makeshift bed (two chairs pushed together) and Cole & Courtney were sharing a bed.

I had just started to fall asleep when Annie woke up crying.

Got her settled back in bed just in time for Coley to start hollering about Courtney being on his side of the bed.

I just laid in bed for the next several hours, trying to fall asleep to the sounds of Josh snoring, Cole complaining and Annie crying intermittently.

At approximately 3:45 am, the sounds and smells of the stomach flu filled our hotel room (poor Coley).

Courtney Lee slept through it all (she can sleep through anything).

Josh had a full day of military stuff on Sunday, so (instead of meeting my friend Tanya and her kids at the Portland Zoo like we had planned) I headed home with a car full of kiddos at 7am.

We had to make several stops on the way home.  At one of those stops, I was standing in the snow, changing Annie (who was still having some flu related problems of her own) on the seat of my car while Coley was heaving into the plastic ice bucket that we took from the hotel, thinking to myself just how grossly comical it is to be a mom sometimes.

Home now and still (crossing my fingers) flu-free.

Comments

[Ann Grounds]

I am ROFL at your ride home. That's laughing with you, not at you. Reminds me of two "incidents"--on a long drive home from Long Beach, WA we pulled over on the side of the road-for cleaning up "regurgitated" blue bubble gum ice cream from a "built in" car seat, a 3 year old, and the floor of the van with a 6 year old crying because he can't sit next to "it". The other is pulled over at the top of Steven's Pass cleaning up doggy puke and that 6 year old (who happened to be 10) all over the inside of my husband's brand new truck. We now carry puke bukets for my daughter and our dog!! Hopefully, things start looking up for you. Moms Rock!!

[Addie]

Hey Karen! Hope the kids get to feeling better. I had that stuff for 4 days and Gabe got it 3 times in less than 2 weeks. It is no fun at all.

[Sarah]

WOW! Sounds like our Christmas break last year! I hope everyone gets to feeling better soon.....sick kiddos are the worst!

[Wendy Updegraff]

WOW, you passed the test (I'm pretty sure God puts Mom's through these little tests every now and again to remind us of all that we can handle). Hope everyone starts feeling better!

[Kathy C.]

Thanks again for the great classes on Saturday! I had a great time, learned lots (I'm practicing what I learned & typed up all my notes Sunday) and had FUN! So sorry Coley got sick too! Glad you all made it back home safe & sound! Thanks for coming up to Portland!!! ~ Kathy C.

[Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal)]

Been there (kids and travel with flu, that is)! Classic mom stuff: My dd was throwing up in the car, dh driving, so I leaned back to catch the stuff in my cupped hands.... she was 4 at the time...
Some things you just never forget...

Karen - I've been wondering if you've heard from Ross in Disneyland since the bus got in the accident?????
I guess with your crazy schedule, you probably just forgot to mention it, but I've been very concerned if they made it to Disneyland. I hope Ross had a great time there. We were in Disneyland two weeks ago and I loved it!!!!

Becky Coburn hotmama5585@hotmail.com

[Terrie]

The only thing worse than being well and taking care of sick kids is being sick and taking care of well kids! Thanks so much for coming North in spite of all the things going on in your life. My daughters are still talking about the class and, of course, I never miss one, being your #1 groupie. I'm also wondering about Ross--hope the trip got better and he had a great time!

[Kirsten]

Oh dear, sick kids away from home is the absolute worst. No, worse yet would have been YOU getting it, too. I've been wondering about your Ross, too. And I'm thinking 18 hours would not be enough for a photography class with you!

[Tracy]

Hey Karen...OMG,I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who does the quick math in my head in the middle of the night!! (only my 3 hours and 15 minutes turnes into 2 hours and 15 minutes and the anxiety just builds!) Hope the flu bug leaves your house soon. Glad to hear your classes went well...considering the lack of sleep.

[Jamie]

Oh Karen! What a weekend you had! We have made trips like that with sick kids also. Makes you wonder at times, who signed me up for this? I play the no sleep game also at night when I'm not in my own bed, if I go to sleep right now how many hours will I get? Too funny!

[jill p.]

Oh my gosh, I just had to clean coke off my screen! I remember now why you are the first blog I check every morning and the most "real" person that I feel like I know but have never met!!! Some days being a mom just sucks, but then you have the days when you think how in the world did i get this lucky!! Have a good one, and take a nap! (going back to lurking now)

[Erica Hettwer]

Karen,
It's official, you are the best photographer I know! Only you could make my hiney look small from that angle!!! LOL!!! Thanks for a great day! I learned a ton and had a blast all day. Oh, and you would be so proud of me. I took a photo of my black cat...in manual mode!!!!!!! And, it turned out! Well, it turned out the third time. Ha!
Thanks again!
Erica~booty shaker extraordinaire!
:D

[Joscelyne (Joscie) Cutchens]

Erica, you are the funniest most fun around! What I wouldn't give to have been in that class! Karen, I am so enjoying your blog, I am new here. :)

[Carolyn Hall]

I feel for you. Been there and done that. My ride was only an hour of my son throwing up in his lap, no ice bucket available. I had to stop a few times and the car smelled so bad I thought I was going to pass out. When I got home I had to peel the carseat out of the car and put it through "radiation" removal(you know how they shower down people who work in areas where they are exposed to radiation? Crazy, but all part of being a Mom. Sometimes all you can do is laugh!!! I am usually the last one to catch the virus. My body fights and fights, but finally gives in. Good luck staying well!!!

[islandjen]

girrrll....i am crossing my fingers for you!

[kate]

hope this makes you feel better but i too have pulled over on the side of the road on a long road trip in the same circumstances.

and if we did not find it comical we would lose our minds! or maybe some of us have. hehehe

hope you all get some rest and get healthy

[Alison]

Someone, somewhere must make a medal for Mom's. Life would be grossly unfair if they did not exist somewhere. I just pretend they are all in Europe and I can't afford the shipping when I am slogging through everyone's bodily fluids (if you know what I mean).

[Tanya Webster]

the zoo is not going anywhere anytime soon so we will make that happen for sure....in the meantime i am sure prayin' for you sweetie! :)

[jenn]

WOW...thats a weekend adventure!! Hoping you get your much needed rest and sleep :)

xo

[meg duerksen]

ahh...motherhood.
it's just so glamorous.
we sent our kids to my mom's house this weekend to have a weekend alone...2 hours later she called to say that one was throwing up!
are you kidding me?

wish i was at one of your classes!

[Libbi Moore]

Wow! You need some major rest after that weekend. Take some free time for yourself or just kick your feet up on the couch and enjoy your favorite cup of tea. Haven't heard anything about Ross' Disney Land trip. Hope all went well.

[krisfred]

Crossing EVERYTHING for you not to get the ick too!! Did ya see Ali's blog shout out to your kits/blog?? How cool is that...
Hugs to you!!

[Sarah]

Oh, man. I feel for you! Hope everyone feels better soon!

Don't you have a wedding to look forward to??? :)

[Kristine]

Oh God. Karen. That totally sucks. I'm not a mom (yet) but puke and diapers...ugh. :-) You are so great!!! ;-)