North Carolina...Holidays and the Sickness that Wouldn't Go Away!

As I mentioned a few posts ago, our trip from Ohio to North Carolina got held up an extra day due to winter weather and Nathan being sick.  When we finally arrived in NC a day later than planned, we were ready to enjoy a relaxing (albeit abbreviated) family retreat until Cliff's parents got back home.  On Friday, we enjoyed a quiet morning: kids playing, Cliff reviewing the year's goals and me scrapbooking in front of classic 80's game shows on GSN ("No whammy, no whammy...STOP!").  After lunch, we rewarded the kids by taking them to Hands On, the local children's museum.  This was a huge hit with the kids!

Dr. Towner checks his patients in the Hands On vet clinic.

Our budding artist made a painting in the art corner at Hands On.

It was about 2 hours into our time at Hands On that the symptoms came.  Stuffy head, headache, fatigue...only this time it was both me and Cliff!  Needless to say, we took it pretty easy the rest of that day, hoping we would escape without the all-out illness Nathan had had in Ohio.
 

Hanging out Saturday morning, waiting for Grandma & Grandpa to get home.

Saturday morning, I woke up feeling much better, but Cliff's stuffiness kept on coming.  We had a quiet morning, and we were happy to see Cliff's parents when they got home.  We spent the afternoon opening Christmas gifts with them, which was great fun for everyone.

Nathan was very excited to get Lightning McQueen socks in his stocking!

Laura was thrilled to get new bedding for her room.

This is one seriously cool truck!

Unfortunately, by the time gift opening was over, Cliff was not only stuffy, but feverish.  Down went another Towner to this pesky illness!  Over the next 3 days, Cliff spent a lot of time sleeping and drinking fluids (How often does a grown man get sick with both his wife and mother around?  He was double teamed!).  Just when he seemed on the other side of it all......New Year's Day we woke up to a crying Laura.  Oh no!  Another man down!  The healthy people (including the mostly recovered Cliff) spent the day watching the Rose Parade and Nebraska game in one room....Laura spent the day curled up in the den watching TV on her own.  Sigh........  Well, despite all the illness, we did manage to have good visits to both Ohio and NC, and as of our last check, none of the grandparents had come down with this bug, and so far (knock on wood), neither have I.  Hopefully Team Towner is completely on the mend now, because as of Monday, we are back at it.  New semester at GC for me and Cliff, back to school for Laura, back to preschool for me and Nathan, back to ballet and gymnastics lessons.  But before then, we (finally) have one last Christmas to celebrate.  Tomorrow morning....just the four of us in our living room around our little tree.  What a great way to end our break.

Gina