Tuesday, March 10, 2009

A sigh of relief!

First I want to thank you, all of you, every single mom who took the time to step in to my little ol' blog and offer me such kind words, such wonderful insight and such wise advice. I appreciate each and every one of you and you have no idea how much I wish I could reach through the monitor and hug you personally....but alas it will have to be a cyber hug.

Nicholas is doing good....I've continued to do what I had been doing for the cold and apart from the cough and a little bit of a runny nose, he seems to be well on the road to recovery. The fever seems to have finally left last night, which resulted in a good night's sleep for both him and I and I can't tell you just how much that helps.

You wake up in the morning and everything seems brighter, the colors seem more vivid, the birds seem to chirp louder and the sun seems to shine on you and you alone. I love the feeling of a restored soul and mind, nothing like it.

One quick thing I wanted to point out, because I feel that yesterday during my vent, I forgot to. I have had good luck with the military doctors we've seen, yes, we've encountered some strange characters for lack of a better description and it IS extremely hard to get used to a doctor when every time you go there, it's someone new. I think they change doctors on military hospitals as often as I tell my kids I love them, which is a couple times a day. *ROLL.MY.EYES*

Anyway, it's a new day, and I won't dwell on that anymore, so I decided I would take you outside with me, to my backyard, where the fence has been put up, they pretty much just removed the grey chain link fence and put in a black one. Go figure!

But some of you had asked about the lemon tree, I have to show you because the Lemon Blossoms have started to bloom and the scent in my backyard is too delicious for words. If I could just bottle it all up and mail it off to my readers, I would. So come on, let's go see how the tree is doing and then we'll come back and I'll show you my kiddos....

More lemons than I know what to do with
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I love the lemon blossoms, they're not only beautiful but if you've ever smelled one, you would know exactly what I mean
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One thing I always enjoy is looking at the various textures and colors of the lemon tree...all those juicy yellow lemons in a sea of white and pink blossoms
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A spider has made it's web amongst the branches...love the reflection of the sun on it's web
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You can see the black fences, I really don't care much for these community yards, I much preferred the solid wood fences back in Mountain Home AFB.
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So yeah, there ya go, that's how my lemon tree is doing, in the meantime, inside the house I have two adorable children, trying to keep themselves entertained during the Spring Break.

Nicholas made himself a friend out of paper, he made the head and the arms and legs and body and then glued them all together. It's so cute LOL And there he sits on the couch with him as they watch cartoons.

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Jasmine knows how much he loves Yoshi, so she drew him a picture to make him feel better
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See his friend watching tv? *snicker*
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My beautiful girl, she loves drawing so she spends hours in the bedroom surrounded by paper and crayons
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Here she is drawing Nicholas' picture
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And there's even on for daddy
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You see, I believe in everyone having a bad day, in having one of those days where you doubt everything you, you wonder if you're being the best mother and wife you could be, you wonder if your family even notices that you're struggling.

I think it's normal, it's a part of being a woman, of being that integral part of the family and home. It's OK to be sad and to need reassurance right?

I'm thrilled to have such an amazing family and such amazing friends like all of you who stop by daily, who always have a sweet word to say. It means the world to me, I hope you know that.

Hope you're having a wonderful Tuesday, I'm off to putter around the house. Oh and before I forget....what are some recommended home remedies for kid's coughs?

I'm not one to give them a lot of medicine, other than Motrin and Tylenol when the fever gets really high, I don't believe in pumping their little bodies with meds. I do the Vicks on the chest covered with a dry cloth, like a washcloth to keep it nice and warm. I also have started doing the Vicks on the bottom of the feet, and it really does seem to help. But other than that...do you have any tried and true home remedies to alleviate the coughing? Please let me know!

30 comments:

Mari said...

I'll be interested to see what home remedies are suggested. The only one I know of is tea and honey, and of course the Vicks. The lemon tree is so beautiful - and useful too!

Mike Golch said...

Sandra,Great photos,I hope that you are having a grand day!Mike G.said that!(it's an A.A.thing)

Bonnie said...

Ah, the smell of lemon blossoms !! We used to have a lemon tree where we lived when Jono was born ( a different town than where we live now ! ) and I looooooooooooooooooved the smell of those flowers !! Man were they delicious !! I think the smell of the flowers is better than the taste of the lemons !!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos, the lemons look so inviting :) Have a blessed evening.

Our neck of the woods said...

Whenever I had a persistent cough my mom would mix lemon juice and honey in a tablespoon and have me drink it.
I do those with my own and it does soothe the throat and calm the cough for a little while.

Cheri said...

I'm so glad he's feeling better and that you are too!
The tree is gorgeous. Where we first lived we had a cherry tree in our yard- it was messy but I loved that tree.

Susanne said...

I'm sorry I have missed your last few posts Sandra. Been a little overwhelmed myself. But I'm glad to hear Nicolas is on the mend and feeling better.

Your tree is lovely! Does it attract bees?

My mom always swore by honey for coughs. Instead of meds we'd have a spoon of honey to suck on. And when sick we always got tea as hot as we could stand it with lots of lemon and honey.

Michele said...

"Lemon tree very pretty,
and the lemon flower sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat."-- lyrics from an old song.
I would love a lemon tree. My grandma had one in Tuscon and she would send frozen juice to us in the great white northlands, AKA-- Montana.
Beautiful tree!
I had to giggle at the "little friend"! I love it. Your kids are so creative.

Conny said...

The Vicks on the feet & put socks on (esp at night) was recently recommended to me...apparently, it works great. (I didn't have a cough but everyone else around me seemed to!).
The lemon tree is GORGEOUS...I've never seen lemon blossoms. You're very blessed to have that to look at - despite black fence - LOL
Happy Spring Break!

Michelle said...

I was going to suggest vicks on the feet and back and chest.I hope he feels better soon.Love how Nicholas made himself a friends and Jasmine was so sweet to draw a Yoshi for him.:)
See they do love one another .

Michelle said...

WOW At Your lemon tree!!!

Sara Strand said...

I love Vicks, but my kids have sensitive skin so I don't use it on them. I bought one of those Vapor Plug In things. It's a cool night light that plugs into regular outlets and you slide one of the mentholated strips (they smell and act like Vicks rub) into the outlet. It lasts pretty much all night and works wonders. :)

Anonymous said...

Nicholas' little paper friend is so cute and how sweet of his sis to draw him a picture..
I drool everytime I see your lemon tree... it makes me want lemon pie.. lemon bars.. Yum!!

Lulu said...

oh thats so nice to hear, glad he is feeling much better...
I love the lemon smell also..
have a great evening Sandra..

Anonymous said...

Honey on a spoon is what seems to work around here. I buy the unpasturized raw honey that is thick so it dosn't spill. The raw honey also has a lot of enzymes so that is a plus.

God Bless.
Izabela

Linda said...

I know what you mean about the doctors. I have lived here 5 years, and one year elsewhere since I left my hometown. I knew all the doctors there, and they were good. Just lately I found one here that I like, it makes so much difference.

We love citrus flowers too. Amazing that cyclone mesh fences are being replaced with the black ones. I will have to keep my eye out for black suburban fences. We have an industrial one nearby.

Linda said...

I third the lemon and honey. Somehow my Mum put boiling water with it, not too much I don't think.

Elizabeth said...

Such wonderfully creative kids...they sure must be related to you!! Glad you and Nicholas got a good nite's sleep, helps so much. As some other readers have said, my way to treat a cough and/or sore throat is with a tablespoon of lemmon with a squeeze of honey. May things continue to brighten for you.

Kirstin said...

Glad things are looking better. Sometimes it's tough being a mom and making certain decisions..be blessed this week and I pray that sickness will stay away and your kids and family will not be susceptible to what's "going around".

Love your lemon tree!

Katrina said...

Glad things are getting better. =) Your lemons look delicious!

Blessed Beyond said...

Hugs to you, I am glad that today sounds like a much better day! I didn't get here to read yesterdays until now. I'm sorry! Yes I have had doctors tell me that! And it is so frustrating! I think you are a wonderful mom and wife and person for that matter. None of us are perfect, and all we can do is our best! But I really believe you are doing wonderful! You had every right to take him in. And I'm glad it wasn't anything major!
Hugs and Blessings,

Erin said...

I'm glad to hear that you're having a much better day. . . =)

It's never fun when kids are sick and doctors are no help. . . but be glad your little ones are smiling. . .

God Bless all of You!

Anonymous said...

For the cough, have you tried a humidifier (or vaporizer or whatever they are called?). I have a $12 Vicks cool-mist one and it's amazing how it seems to help with coughs (the kids *and* grown-ups) so much! Back in October I was so sick and being pregnant, could not really take anything. The humidifier brought me so much relief. Glad everyone is doing better and I hope you all stay healthy!

Krista said...

My mother-in-law swears by hot lemon water with honey before you go to bed. I've used that since my kids were little and it really does help!

Krista said...

Oh and when I was a kid my grandmother would give us peppermint sticks to suck on.

The Raggedy Girl said...

Glad things are better. Once the time changes I blame all bad things/moods on the time change for at least one month. Then I can start blaming everything on the heat.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday
from a Raggedy Roberta Anne

Allie Z said...

Thanks for posting the photos!!

When we moved into our house in AZ, we actually had ALL of our trees pulled out because of the mess and location of the trees. We've yet to plant new ones so we have just a desert backyard!

The other day I was pulling (stealing!) lemons from a neighbors tree. Their lemons are abundent, and they were on vacation. Bad girl, I know. A neighbor caught me pulling the lemons and confronted me- only to go on and ask if I wanted to pull 100 from his tree! I was so embarrassed that I was flustered and couldn't really speak. Yes, we did "help" him by pulling lemons from his tree- which were just as delightful as my other neighbor's lemons!

I have perfected lemonade (12 med lemons: 4 sqeezed by the kiddos and 8 by my hubby + 1 2/3 C sugar + pitcher of water) but I have yet to try any of your delightful desserts. I'm hoping this weekend!!!

Remedies for sick kids? TLC :) Sprite is great (not diet!) during the day. It coats the throat and the bubbly soothes the tummy.

~Allie

Sarah said...

Sandra,
Sounds like you are doing a great job with your kiddos, giving them lots of love and tenderness. Medicine is no substitute for mom's love.

That lemon tree is absolutely beautiful, and such a refreshing sign of spring - at least the picture is for those of us who are still covered in snow and ice. :)

Take care -

Anonymous said...

Sandra,

I don't read very often - but I did catch yesterday's & today's posts. And after reading today's I just wanted to hug you. I breathed a big sigh of relief. I was having such a hard time being a mama to my 3 year old son (I'm 4 mo. preg. w/#2) today that I just got in the shower & cried & cried. I KNOW that His power is made perfect in my weaknes...but I found myself crying out "Where is Your power?!? I need to SEE it & feel it! I also found myself wondering if ANYONE else on the planet ever felt this way before - just such a struggle to be a mama. Those days that I feel like nothing got done but training & correcting are so emotionally draining. Anyway - my trip to your blog today made be breathe a sigh of relief - that your current struggle may be quite different from mine, but you're struggling too & I'm sure it's common to all mothers. :) Thanks a bunch!

I also wanted to post some cough remedies that I didn't see already listed by other posters. I would be pushing liquieds - especially warm ones, the lemon water suggestion is a good one as are herbal teas & chicken soup, etc. This will help to loosen & thin secretions. For dry irritating coughs wild cherry bark is good. For wet or loose-sounding coughs there's a combination of Mullein, Wild Cherry Bark, Chestnut, Astragalus Root, Peppermint, Coltsfot, Plantain, Chickweed, Pleurisy Root, Elecampane Root, and Horehound that's available from Tri-Light & Mother's Choice. Another good one is Marshmallow Root - it's vey soothing to respiratory membranes b/c of the high amount of mucilage in the plant. It's best combined w/other expectorants & used as a tea. A good mix would be licorice, marshmallow & plantain w/a small amount of thyme.
Hope that helps some! :)

Joyce said...

Hello, Sandra!
This is my first visit to your lovely blog. I found you via a post today over at my friend Lind's (of Remote Treechanger fame)blog.

I am thankful you have that lovely, fragrant lemon tree to beautify your simple yard. Thank you for the lovely pictures.

Your children are beautiful and talented, and, best of all, it's wonderful to see your daughter caring for your son.

Thanks to Angelica (who commented just ahead of me) for the wonderful herbal recommendations.