"Punkin Chunkin 2010"

This Mythbuster Thanksgiving Special, that Lucas and our nephew Jack love, took on new meaning for me this year.  It all started the Saturday before we were supposed to leave for Arizona to enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with lots of family, sun and food. About mid-morning on Saturday, Jonah got sick.  Nothing too serious, just throwing up every few hours.  He would eat a little and then throw up, repeat.   It continued through Sunday, though again he didn't act miserable. He would play, eat a little and just before it all came back up, he gratefully would emit a high pitched scream to warn & prepare us of the oncoming mess.  He reminded me of the Fire Swamp in The Princess Bride.  It wasn't so bad now that we knew what to look for, like the popping sounds before the ground spewed fire.

By Monday we took him to the doctor who diagnosed a viral stomach problem but that he should be fine.   All afternoon and night, JB was just peachy.  Then Lucas woke us up in the middle of the night by throwing up in our doorway.  We seriously talked about not going to Arizona and risk spreading this to the whole family.  But by Tuesday morning when we were to leave for Arizona, all was better.  Lucas felt good, Jonah was happy and hungry, and Aaron and I felt like the worst was behind us.  I know.  Dumb, dumb, dumb.

We all did great until standing in line on the jet way waiting to get on the plane. Jonah, who had been running around as happy as could be just moments before, started to let out a high pitched scream.  Aaron and I looked at each other, No. No! NO!  But yes, Jonah erupted all over Aaron and the jet way.  People were kind but appalled and gave us many pitying looks.  We cleaned up as best we could and went to the far back reaches of the plane to get away from anyone who saw the first explosion.  The plane ride did not go well.  Without going into details, let's just say that by the end of the flight he had lost it twice more, Aaron and I were both completely soaked, Jonah was naked and we all stank to high heaven.  Yes, it was bad.  Both Aaron and I were on the verge of losing it ourselves, so nauseated with no were to go.  My dad and Jack picked us up at the airport and we somehow made it to Prescott with no further incident until...

Our brother-in-law just a few hours later joined in the sickness.  But his was different. This was an awful, violent, we-thought-he-had-food-poisoning kind of sick.  Alas, he didn't.  People started dropping like flies.  First my dad, then our baby nephew Pax, then our niece, then my sister, then my mom, then my other sister.   Dad completely missed Thanksgiving, we all missed the family reunion and we missed our cousin's wedding. 

Now I want everyone to know I am NOT taking the fall for the violent stomach strain.  Ours was very mild where JB was the only one who threw up more than 3 times and Aaron and I only just felt like it for a day and nothing more.  I lay this Thanksgiving debacle completely at the feet of my brother-in-law Geoff.  It must of been some kind of mutant policeman flu he picked up from one of his druggie arrests.  :)

And I don't even know who started the strain of strep throat 9 out of 15 of us brought home with them once the stomach bug ran its course. (Yes, 9 people now have strep too. It's ALMOST funny.)

But amid the great disappointment of the missed events, we still managed to play cards, eat too much (those who could) and have some wonderful time just talking and visiting.   Family makes me smile and I love being with them, sick and all.  So if I had to be stuck in a house with sickies for an entire week, I wouldn't want those sickies to be anyone else.

Jonah just minutes before the doomed plane ride.  His eyes look tired but nothing else gave away the misery he was planning.

Lucas in happier times, playing in the AMAZING sand table my dad and Uncle Lloyd made for the backyard.  Many happy hours were spent building dams and drudging rivers.

More to come.  My goal is to get completely caught up with blogging before we leave for Utah and Christmas.  That only leaves two weeks!