Why does it come on days when you need the most rest? I’ve been under the weather for the past 4 days. I’ve been fighting an annoying cold, nursing it and knowing that what the doctor really ordered was some serious R & R. At this time of year, between parent-teacher conferences, holiday school parties, and Christmas prep, that’s impossible. I’ve been traveling for the last 2 weeks, with all my kids, who have also been sick, and now we are just passing it around. In our house that means 8 people take turns. Ugh, I feel like I got hit by the Crap Train Express on the way to Crapolaville. And yes I am bitching, but I think I totally deserve a pity party! Since no one will throw me one because I AM THE MOM, I thought I would invite all of you….

It’s 1:15 am, my house is dead asleep and I can’t join them because I have a million things running through my mind. I got out of bed and wrote my list down, which usually satisfies my racing brain, but tonight it didn’t work. So then I headed downstairs for a bowl of crunchy cereal, why do PMS and cereal go together so perfectly? Then I opened up my old faithful Mac and started writing. Thank God for this outlet, because no one else would be available in the middle of the night to keep me company. I have had 3 school parties this week, 3 parent teacher conferences, 8- 10 teachers to buy gifts for, a pajama day at school, 3 kids’ tests to study for, I missed my own ModernMom company party, David is sick, Shaya is sick too, and much more but I will stop bitching now.

Here’s your only positive take away…

If you’re fighting the holiday bugs too, here’s what I do plus a few of my homemade soup recipes. I wish my Mom were here making it for me. Somehow she always has a way of making me feel better, even at my age.

1)Boil ginger root, cover and simmer for 30 min. Add lemon and honey to taste. This tea should be spicy. Drink it hot or luke warm.

2)Pack of emergen-C 3x day.

3)Lentil soup. Sauté one chopped onion, 3 cloves of chopped garlic. In another pan, add 1 bag of lentils and add water to cover. 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, one cube bullion and 3 bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 min, being careful to keep water level just above the lentils. Do NOT over cook.

4)Homemade chicken veggie soup (Any recipe)

5)Lots of green tea and fresh lemon water.

I swear by the ginger tea, and also wellness shots that I get at my local health food store. It’s a disgusting shot of garlic, ginger, lemon and some other magical stuff; burns going down, but kills everything!

I’ve got a serious sinus infection so I have been steaming, using a saline nasal spray, and a few over the counter meds to mask the symptoms. I feel like my face is going to explode! I NEVER get sick (knock on wood), but I think my body just knows that I am at year’s end, and it is shutting down.

Stay healthy and enjoy the holidays!