...to learn if lightening really can strike twice

...since I feel like it has struck our family again.

Turns out it is a proverb...Prov. The same highly unlikely thing never happens to the same person twice.

Abbey has another virus.  It looks like it is Influenza type A.  Again.  This is according to the doctor's report.  He noted they are seeing this virus repeat itself in some patients this season.

I had thought that wasn't possible.  Apparently it is this year.  With this virus.

Lucky us.

Or...he said she could have mono.

What poison would you choose for your kid?  I was personally hoping for a case of strep.  At least if strep was the cause of her ridiculous fevers I could grab an antibiotic for her and we would be on our way...and she would feel better in 24 hours.

Ahhh...but my hopes could not have been more crushed.

Since sure enough four days after Abbey showed signs of some tortuous virus, Audrey followed suit.

Same fever.  Same symptoms.  Same sleepless night last night.

Lucky us.

And guess what?

Will came home from school this afternoon...yup...you are right.

Lucky us.

Same fever.  Same symptoms.

I guess lightening really does strike twice.

Meanwhile, the kids and I are spending plenty of quality time together.  We have played many games, read some books, and they have spent some time 'working' next to me.

As for me, I am hanging in there.  Thankful for good friends that take care of my responsibilities for me (Amy and the book fair this week) and family for sending a pick-me-up when I needed it (thanks Mom & Richard).

Just a little side note...pay no heed to the crazy lady you see creeping on your neighbor's roof this evening.

That would only be me, stringing a dozen keys along their roof.

...to watch the election results roll in

...but I had no idea that William would be glued to the TV as well.

After dinner he asked if we could turn the TV on to watch the results.

As I was trying to impress a bit on wisdom on my little man; our conversation went something like this:

Me:  Let's pretend a state like Michigan has 10,000 votes.  And then let's pretend that that Obama wins most of the popular vote...then he'll win say about 10 of the Electoral College votes.
Will:  You mean 16?
Me:  Uh. Sure.  Definitely 16.  

a few moments later...

Me:  Now some states have more people in them then other states.  So they get more Electoral College votes than other states might.  Like...
Will:  California?  They have 55.
Me:  Yup.  Exactly (what I was going to tell you after I looked it up).

and after I double checked his stat...

Me:  And the candidate...
Will:  ...has to win 270 votes from the Electoral College to be the next President.  

Exactly.

Glued.  To.  The. Television.

As for me...I am most interested in watching the Empire State Building change colors.

...to get an extra hour of sleep

...but my children didn't get that memo.

It seems, as I looked through Facebook this morning, that I was not the only parent of young children who experienced this early morning trauma.

Just for good measure, Abbey woke up at 6 a.m.  And hour earlier than she usually does!  Really.

As one of my dear friends noted...daylight saving time meant an extra hour of fun for us today.

What does the Crow family do with an extra hour of fun?

A lot of laundry
A puzzle or two
Some video games
An art project

A long family walk in the freezing cold

A nap?  Nope.  They were not to be convinced...

Followed by a movie (the new Tinker Bell movie) out of sheer desperation.

And two little girls in bed for the night at 6:30.

For real.

And two bigs kids hanging out quietly doing their own thing.

Someone pinch me.

...to have a little fun

...dressing up again.

Mark's job is very serious.  And he tries seriously hard.  But sometimes...

Slash & A serious Professor Mcgonagall

when the work day is done....

Slash & Clark Kent

you just have to have a little bit of fun...

Slash & two companions who apparently use the same hairstylist.

The battalion had a Hail and Farewell this evening.

Costumes were required.

Hairspray was too.

I enjoyed watching, all of the people that Mark works with, enjoy seeing his 'other side'.

Good stuff.

...to celebrate Halloween

...what a day it was!

Full of friends...

Audrey and her buddy the Wicked Witch of the West (a.k.a. Ms. Amy)
Trend?  Perhaps Audrey should have been a witch as well.  Sigh.
At least she loved handing out candy!

Abbey & her buddy Luke

Photo moments....

Fish.  Professor McGonogall.  Good Witch.

Hermione

Devin Funchess

Good witch

Note:  #4 Refused all solo photo opportunities.  As evidenced by the photos that she does appear in...Dressin' up ain't her thang.

My Crew.  Maybe #4 didn't like being a fish?

And lots of fun.

As you can see the weather even was cooperative!  No rain and a balmy 46ish degrees!

I think because Abbey was praying in her parade this morning...

...to watch the kids

...enjoy my newest project

A few weeks ago before the kids were sick I was walking Timber in the woods on a trail behind our house.

I found this treasure!

I think it is/was the swinging part to an old gate.

I walked past it a few times before I finally dragged it home.

"This is going to be great!"
"Huh?" stated the peanut gallery.

I am certain Mark would have joined the naysayers.

But with a lot of help from these tools...

Several of these...

It became this...

(it is hung on the large wall on the landing between the first and second floor)

And then this...

I have enjoyed watching my children stop and remember a memory each time they go up & down the stairs.

...to break for a few days

...it has been so nice having my better half home.

We spent the lone beautiful day of the weekend winterizing the yard for winter.  Mark and I took down the trampoline, put away all the toys, and Mark gave the yard one last mow for the season.

The kids have been ready to work on their pumpkins since we picked them out on our trip to Virginia several weeks ago.

Carving...really isn't my thing.

I left that job to Mark and Isabella:

Poking pieces into pumpkins to decorate them?  Now this is a task I enjoy...and I supervised it well. 

Pretty cute huh?

As the weather has turned cold and gray here in the great white north, we chose to spend plenty of quality family time hunkered down near the fire this weekend.

Now...We are all healthy and rested for the week ahead!