Remember that Christmas when we all got sick?

Yes, that would be THIS Christmas!  We all got sick, starting with John Paul who literally got sick all over Daddy and the Cornett's kitchen floor last Saturday night.  JP proceeded to be sick several more times that night - whenever we thought he couldn't possibly have anything more in his stomach - and he was bathed many times as well.  The next day he had the other end sickness, poor baby! 

The rest of the family seemed fine on Sunday and even Monday (Christmas Eve), and we all thought we had dodged the bullet.  However, after the Christmas Eve Family Mass on Monday that only the girls and I were able to attend (the girls were adorable, btw, and they had the cutest little children's pageant where kids acted the birth of Jesus and the little ones got to sit in the front on the floor to watch!) Magdalena got sick around 9:30 pm.  After changing her sheets and giving her a bath, she managed to keep things together for the rest of the night and other than a slight loss of appetite, was fine the next day! 

I, on the other hand, started feeling a bit queasy around dinner.  Alex made his famous and delicious homemade pizza (with the tomato sauce I had frozen from fresh CSA tomatoes and basil the summer before), and I drank a few glasses of wine before I had much to eat.  At first, I thought that was the culprit, but after the kids were re-settled, I woke up around 2 am with major illness myself.  No fun!  Then I kept rushing into the girls room any time either of them so much as coughed to be sure they were not throwing up again in their sleep.  Needless to say, Christmas morning was a bit groggy for me. 

We did rouse around 7 am, and Santa still had made an appearance (thank goodness!).  My parents also had come the night before, so they were here to help out.  After presents, I went back to bed until noon, and awoke feeling better.  Though my aunt elected not to come and risk the disease which has plagued most of the household, we still were able to have our "gourmet" Christmas dinner around 4 pm, just a few hours after I had originally planned.  Unfortunately, by that point, Alex was not feeling so well so we didn't imbibe in all the lovely wine we had hoped to drink, and Alex ended up leaving dinner early to hit the sack.  He was queasy through most of today, but hopefully is now on the mend.

The only one of the five of us who has yet to be affected is Lucia.  I'm hoping that frequent hand washing, not to mention immediate laundry for all affected articles of bedding and clothing, as well as bathing for the sick ones has left the house relatively germ-free, and she won't get it.  Time will tell for her - and my parents, whom we also hope will not catch the bug.  Either way, this Christmas will live on in the Jones Team Hall of Fame as that Christmas when we all got sick!

About to go to Christmas Eve Mass

At Church (fuzzy with phone)

Fuzzy one of the Christmas Pageant

Santa gave the girls each a headlamp (and Daddy too!)

Alex's folks sent the girls ice skates, a skating dress, and tights (in preparation for the lessons they will take this winter!)

Santa brought John Paul an awesome toy that keeps him (pretty well) entertained!

The scene

Auntie Kyle sent cute gifts for the girls - a new Tinker Bell costume and princess sticker mosaic for Magdalena (she immediately had to put on the current -ripped and getting too small - Tinker Bell costume as soon as she opened the new one - before I snapped thi spicture)

Godmother Kyle gave Lucia a high chair for her babies-  which she immediatly had to open and use to feed her babies - before even opening any other presents, which was saying a LOT!

JP's little Dare Devli shirt (complete with cape) from Grandma and Grandpa Jones

Ice skates for Lucia too!

Magdalena LOVED the Dinosaur Train triceratops (Tank) from Uncle Ryan and Aunt Tiffany

Alex helping Lucia open her gift

Tom & Sue also sent us multiple cuts of pork, including the ham we had for dinner and the "scrapple" that you see Lucia eating above for breakfast

Our Christmas dinner (goat cheese and smoked salmon endive spoons with capers/cucumber garnish, baked brie with almond, apricot, pomegranite stuffing, and tomato soup with spinach coulis

Ham with apricot glaze, sautee'd brussel sprouts, twice baked mini potatoes, kale and yam bake topped with swiss and parmesean

JP playing in the girls things (Santa gave them each suitcases)

Ama and Apa gave the girls matching nightgowns (among many other things), they look so cute!

Magdalena in her ice skating dress (and sparkly pink shoes, though you can't see them), playing with this toy set - she was engrossed!

The next day - Lucia in full ice skating regalia