Hunker down!

Eastern Kansas is in for the coldest temperatures they've had in decades. They're talking wind chills of -27 degrees tonight. School was canceled today and they canceled it for tomorrow this afternoon. Pretty sure we'd have school in Minnesota but they just aren't prepared for this kind of cold here. It is pretty nasty. The good news is tomorrow will be the coldest day and then we're back in the mid-30s on Monday. But this is what I wrote last year about January 9th:

"We went to the park on Friday. Because it was 54 degrees. This I could get used to. Talk to me in August when it's hotter than a pistol and I'll be ready for Minnesota temps again, but in the meantime...NICE!
It still gets cold, but not painfully cold, and after a really cold day it can bounce right back up to the 40s. I love that I can take Roxie out before bed and it doesn't hurt."

Uh, when have I ever said "hotter than a pistol?"

Sadly, I planned to get groceries tomorrow and now we're going to have to go out in that nonsense. I planned a "go to WalMart and get a big load" kind of list. I think we'll just go to the store nearby and get a few essentials. Tomorrow is definitely a day for my best soup. (Bear Creek Vegetable Beef with a can of tomato sauce, some ground beef, garlic salt, and some onion. Serve it with multi-grain rolls. Yum.) I miss my sister. That was her favorite and we'd often have it after she babysat for Jackson on Monday nights in St. Paul.

I was happy this morning because my fever was finally gone. It was gone all afternoon but I started feeling hot after my lessons so I took my temp and sure enough, fever's back. I also have the beginnings of a chest cold. My chest kind of burns and I have a cough. This has been going on a long time - I've never had a fever for more than a day. It's not high at all so that's not a concern, but it's strange that it's sticking around so long. Poor Jackson is SO bored. He really wants to play with his friends but we just can't really leave the house yet.

Andrew had his 6 month allergy check today. We waited over 90 MINUTES to see the doctor. I was fuming. Our appointment was at 11:00 so we got there at 10:50 and we waited in the waiting area until 12:20 and didn't see the doctor until 12:40. It's good that he is a nice man because I was ticked. I brought a couple toys and a couple snacks but what I should have brought was LUNCH. The boys were so good and patient. It's not a pediatric office so it's not made for kids but they had fun looking through Sports Illustrated and picking out what they thought was "The K-State!" When we were finally called back, the nurse weighed Andrew on a regular scale. He's only ever had naked weights, taken in a chair. The last time he had his weight done was a few months ago and I think it was about 23 pounds. He stood on this scale and the nurse said "31.8 pounds." Um, excuse me?! I told her his last weight and she looked at me blankly. I said, "That can't possibly be correct. He's had the stomach flu for a week. There is no way he has gained 8 pounds in a few months." I mean, the boy still can't fill out size 18 month pants. So we went to the digital scale and with his shoes, clothes, and wet diaper, he weighed 25 pounds. That sounds more like it. Though I bet its 24 when he's naked. The doctor, once we finally saw him, didn't tell me anything new. We will retest him in July and will continue to do what we're doing (eliminating milk, soy, peanuts, small amounts of wheat, beef, egg). This doctor is a good guy, but not a pediatric doctor. He talks to Andrew like Andrew is an adult. "How are you today, Andrew? Andrew, turn your head to the side." I almost laughed at the "turn your head" one. Unless you ask him to show you his belly button, he's not going to play along.

I am off to bed. I discovered hulu.com this week! OMG! And Brian moved our computer upstairs to our bedroom so I can watch t.v. shows from bed. AND he fixed the computer so it runs really fast now. Feels like it's brand new. Hoping to get Skype hooked up again this weekend so the boys can talk to my mom and dad. Anyway, I've been watching episodes of Glee on Hulu and am hooked. I want both volumes of that soundtrack. I think it would be great running music.

Stay warm. (But not you, fever. I am so done with you.)