Recovery time & outside time

Since Wednesday, the Heck clan has been dealing with some crazy virus floating around and we are just starting to recovery. It was bad. Wed night involved lots of puking (sorry... I know that is gross) from Thomas as well as Abby. I believe we went through a lot of PJs, towels, blankets and sheets that night. The next night I was down for the count and I was just as bad except I was hugging the toilet (I know... also gross). Anyway, with the exception of some coughing and some runny noses - we are on the way to full recovery. Thank goodness because Christmas break started on Friday and who wants to spend their vacation sick?

Those of you who were with us on the last deployment might remember one of my "tricks" to always keeping Thomas' eyes on Daddy (at least pictures of Daddy)... LOTS of pictures of the two of them together hung up at eye level all over his room. I felt like it really helped us always to be talking about Daddy while he was gone; for Thomas to remember all the things that him and Daddy do together; and so that when Daddy returns, the transition just might be easier because Daddy has always "been around". That is the idea anyway and it seemed to work out pretty well last time so I thought I would make sure we do it again for round #2 with Thomas & now Abby. I use scrapebooking paper and after attaching the pictures, I have them laminated for durability reasons :) Thomas LOVES his pictures of him & his Daddy.

And although there is only a few pictures (because he left when she was only 3 weeks old), I hung up 2 of Abby and her Daddy. I figured by the rocker where I feed her most of the time is fitting because she can see one side when she is eating and the other side when I'm burping her :)

Driving home from school yesterday... ready to snooze!

On Thursday afternoon, my in-laws took the kids because I was so sick I wasn't sure if I could care for myself let alone the two of them. Anyway, after playing, dinner, and baths - they brought the kids home to put them to bed. Mary & Tom mentioned that they watched "The Polar Express" with Thomas and he really liked it. So... this morning it was still pretty cold out and we couldn't head out for a morning walk just yet - I offered the movie up to him and he was so EXCITED. He watched the movie with the same anticipation and giddiness as he has done with all of his favorite movies... this is a sign that we have a keeper.

Today is the first day that I have truely exercised since giving birth to Abby. I'm embarrassed to say that but it is true. Regardless of the reasons, although I'm sure you can put together the "whys" with only one set of hands, two kids, a dog, a full time job, a commute and not to mention -NO running stroller up until NOW! Yeap... we put it to use this morning & this afternoon and it was FABULOUS! I'm talking about the 35 minute power walk (because I'm not quite ready for running) AND the jogging stroller! The kids even loved it and Thomas is a hard sell with many things! I know this sounds so cliche, but it was so invigorating to excerise and also to be with my kids (and Ziggy too). Can't wait to do this on a daily basis from now on. Check out my passengers all bundled up:

About 1/3 of the way, someone was already in dream land...