{Not so Picture Perfect}

Where have I been you ask?  Well... lets just say YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW.

Actually, we took a family vacation.  A not so picture perfect vacation.  Hence the reason for not one photograph.

The week started off with ear infections(which is a first for the Swenson family.)  Then fluid leaking from the ear; hey if this is too graphic for you GET OVER IT.  My life is graphic, did you forget that I am married to a doctor?

I got to watch that sweet doctor in action.  While on his vacation he was yet again taking care of sick people.  After we got the ears squared away, we woke up to vomit, and then diarrhea... oh and then vomit oh and more you guessed it....

Stella was so extremely sick and lethargic that she didn't have the strength to even get out of bed for 5 days.  We also think she lost at least 5 pounds.

Jex managed, and had  about 3 sick days, but was not quite as sick as our little girl.  Did I mention she was also the one with the fluid leaking out of her ear.  Poor thing she was hit double whammy.

So our vacation consisted of:

 a lack of conversations with our old friends.  (well, not as many as I would have liked)

No hugs and kisses from our cousins who came from Minnesota to meet us.

An expensive stay at a hotel complete with a water park inside.  While the only water my children saw was inside the hotel toilets.

Lots of medicine to keep fevers down.

An anxious 18 months old who was sick of staying in a hotel room.

There were some blessings however:

Isaac never did seem to be affected by the sickness, and if he was it wasn't bad enough that we noticed much.

Jonathan and I never got the goobies.

Jex did have one good day that allowed him to play in the water park.

Jex is now a water park fanatic, and loves all those steep slides.  This was so fun for us to watch.

We got lots of quality time in that hotel room.

We did have a few nice evenings with our friends.

So far, we didn't get anyone else sick.  At least not that I have heard of.

So there you have it folks... a not so picture perfect vacation.

I won't say that it wasn't memorable.  It even left a lasting impression on Stella.  Just before we left the hotel, we found her hysterically bawling.  She said, "I don't want to leave, we are having such a nice vacation."  At least she enjoyed herself when she did feel good.

Just wanted to say thanks to all our friends who made time for us.  We apologize that we were not always ourselves during our stay.  Thanks for your efforts to see us.  We love you all, and miss your guts.

As for next time... Jonathan and I are going with out the kids.