The Lee Family: The Holidays- flu style

Yes, it has taken me weeks to get this posted. I dread uploading so many pictures because it is to time consuming and anyone that knows me knows that I cant leave any detail out. A REMINDER: this is our family journal so it is detailed.

To begin the holiday season we put up our tree November 1st and it was beautiful with all our special family ornaments. Addysin LOVED having the tree up.

Caiden LOVED destroying it. I would (as part of my clean up the house routine before bed) re-decorate the tree in the beginning. Then I gave up and figured next year would be better.

Two days before we were planning to leave I got the worst flu of my life. I want to throw in that I did get the flu shot in September, which gave me the flu mildly the day after the shot, and I still got the flu intensely. Forget that for the rest of my life, I'll take my chances without the shot. I was over it so we headed to Washington.
We left at 2 AM- yes, 2:00 in the middle of the night- on Monday December 21. We were going to leave at 4:00 but I didn't finish packing until 2 and Chris fell asleep for a couple hours while I was packing so I woke him up and he was delighted to leave. He always gets so anxious to get going on road trips and loves traveling at night. We got there around 11:00. That night was the Bleazard caroling party that my parents have at their house every year. It has always been a tradition that started when my grandparents lived in the house on the farm. Addysin went with my cousin Brittani and sister Ashley. She held the lyrics and acted like she was singing the whole time. Totally in to it.

Next day, My kids and my nephew Austin had the flu.
Playing cards, classic Bleazard pastime.

The next day Sara and my nephew Nova had the flu.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve and Christmas Nobody was throwing up! What a delight!

We started going to IHOP on Christmas Eve for breakfast 4 years ago. This year was the first time we had to wait a while to be seated. It was a bit annoying.

Ashley, Emily, Sara, and my cousin Sarah.

Addysin thinks my dad is the funniest, coolest guy.

For Christmas Eve night, we spent it with Chris' Family. They had been at the Oregon Coast all week so that was the first time with them, and last time-due to the flu. We felt so bad that we spent no time at all with the Lee's. We had a great night with them. Chris' parents came from St. George, Becca and Caleb drove from Arkansas with their new born, Tony was there, and Melissa and Ryan live there. I have no idea why I didn't get any pictures. Melissa, do you have any?

Christmas Day

My nephews Nova and Austin with Addysin.

Our Family stockings.

My mom got everyone red and green shirts and comfy pants for Christmas eve/Christmas morning instead of pajamas this year. It was funny and we had some good laughs when we opened them.

This snow globe my parents have had since I was really little. We all loved it when we were young, imagining that we were inside it. Addysin and Caiden loved it too.

The coat we gave Bryan.

Ashley, Sara, & Emily- 3 youngest

It was a fun day with no flu, my prayers were seriously answered.

After Christmas, John, and Jessica got the flu. On Saturday night, around 3 AM I was woken up by Chris bolting to the bathroom and missing the toilet. Upstairs we found Kara that had come down with it only 30 minutes before. I thought the smell of smoke would cover up the stench so I burnt a Match that set off the smoke detector. (by the way, that doesn't work for throw up) The detector woke up my dad that came out to check on things. He felt queasy and went to the bathroom. Then he began to faint and ended up falling on my sister Amy who was sleeping in the front room next to the bathroom. She SCREAMED with fright- of course- who woke up my mom and all of the flu bodies came running to see what was going. We found him on top of her not knowing what on earth just happened. An hour later Amy had the flu. My mom and I spent the next 3 hours bleaching the house. We missed Church, missed our nephew Jackson's blessing, and our nephew Nathan's baptism. Kara and Adam darted out of the house to try to get away from the flu so Adam wouldn't get it, or so they could get back home before he did. They made it to Burley, ID. Enough said. They stayed a positively miserable night in a hotel. The next day my mom and Ashley had the flu. On the bight side, Emily and Bryan never got it! I'm not sure how they escaped it. Yeah, too bad the flu shot failed me.

I'm not sure if they were happy we came or disgusted with us, but we made some good memories over Christmas with our families, besides having 15 people with the flu. I promise to never leave my house again until long after we're over the flu next time.

We didn't get to do much or see anybody while in Washington, but we got to be with family. It wasn't a total lost cause. I think...

She loves helping in the kitchen.

This is what we gave my parents. I'm a little disappointed in the unreadability of the font, but it turned out decent. "A Circle of Strength and Love Founded on Faith, Joined in Love, Kept by God. Our Family Forever Together"

We came back nice and healthy on New Years Eve to a party at Greg and Cassidy's. That was a lot of fun, but unfortunately our kids wouldn't go to bed due to their messed up schedules from vacation.