Aubrey spiked a fever again this morning while she was at the sitters while I was at work. Our doctor office had just closed for the holiday so off to First Med (Urgent Care) we go for what they tell me will be an hour and a half wait. They did a strep test and said that even if it came back negative then they would still treat her as if that was the problem. After a short wait in the exam room the doc said that all was negative but felt strongly that we should still do the antibotic.....okay, no problem.....I questioned him as to if it wasn't infact strep then what could it be then. His response? Well, if you don't want to treat her for streap then that is your business. Hey, I only questioned him as a good parent would because.... wouldn't you? I asked him if maybe the nurse didn't get a good swab because MY daughter wasn't cooperating....she has been known to not cooperate....to which he replied that his nurse was very well trained and that wasn't the problem....... I also asked him if it would be possible for the nurse to call in the precription to Walgreens for me....to which he responded, no, my nurse is much too busy for that.........I told him that was fine....I'll just drag Aubrey out into the cold again. No problem.
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IDIOT
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As I stood in the waiting room putting my coat on and zipping up Aubrey's coat the Doctor came out to say....Are you Mrs. Gipson? HUH??? He showed me a print out the had Aubs name at the top of it and said......I read the wrong print out.....see here.....she does have Strep.
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IDIOT
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As I left the exam room I was sort of questioning my politeness. Was I too rude? BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER again will I question my attitude to a doctor when I have a gutt feeling about my daughter! I knew she had strep before we set foot into that office and I knew when I left the exam room that the doctor was wrong.....AND as it turns out I WAS RIGHT. !!

FROSTED CUT-OUT SUGAR COOKIES, A FORGOTTEN HILBRANT HOLIDAY TRADITIONS

For as long as I can remember frosted cut out sugar cookies have been a tradition in my family. They are made by the matriarch of the family. No one can make them better..................... I'm 43 years old and never once have I had a Christmas that these cookies did not play a part in the holiday.............................

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UNTIL THIS YEAR !!!!!

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So....the pictures that I've posted here are from a couple years ago. I have not always made them myself and for the last two years have failed to make any. Last year we had just finished laying new flooring in the entire house so by the time cookie baking came along I just didn't have the time or the energy. This year the hubby......yes that's you Chuck....talked me out of it.....after all, who needs all those extra calories anyway. Well, much to my better judgement I listened to him and didn't make any......after all my mom ALWAYS makes them so I will have a chance to get my fill when we spend Christmas in Muscatine.

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This is the spot where I would normally insert how yummy delicious the cookies were..............

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This is also the spot that will remain blank this year...............

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Yep! She didn't make any this year!! AFTER 43 plus years there were NO frosted reindeer with candy red hot noses to feast on.....NO bright green christmas trees to melt in your mouth.....NO golden bells to snitch while others weren't looking......NO candles to bite the flames off of !!!!

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I'm not bitter! Just giving Helen a hard time!! And Chuck too. After all he is just as much to blame for the lack of cookies.

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Today one of my co-workers brought some left over baked goods to the office. There, tucked inside the container was a glorious frosted cut out sugar cookie, AND I ATE IT !! It made me think about Christmas day and how Theresa and I teased mom about which cookies she made and which she didn't this year. It also made me think about mom's cookies and how they were so much better then the one I just had.

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AND more importantly, it reminded me that Christmas was wonderful even without my frosted reindeer cookies! Because I still have my family, and there is nothing more important then that!

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Now lets talk Chocolate Crinkles................

PHOTOS FROM CHRISTMAS DAY (more may follow later.)

Jasper has since left us to travel back to the North Pole with Santa. While visiting us he got into all kinds of messes. Here are pictures of just a few.

He wished Aubrey a Happy Birthday with balloons and a sign on the morning she turned six.

On the last night he was at our house he spent some time in the bathroom taking a bubble bath. Notice the toilet seat. MEN!!

As I've said he has since gone home to the North Pole with Santa. We all look forward to seeing him again next year.

AFTER CHRISTMAS CATCHING UP

As generally seems to happen, I'm behind in my bloging. I wanted to post some pictures of the holiday gatherings but I've not had a chance yet.

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Aubrey became sick late on Christmas day/evening shortly after going to bed and then spent the next day (26th) laying on the sofa with a bucket near by. She could have cared less if the TV was on. She just layed there like a blob of goo. She would sleep off and on and didn't eat a thing all day.

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We had two more Christmas gatherings on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday Aubrey peeped up long enough to at least enjoy her Christmas gifts and then kind of zonked out again. On Sunday she did much better but was draging by the end of the day. Today with having to go back to work she is at Grandma and Grandpa Gipson's and so far seems to be feeling much better.

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So....if all goes well tonight when I get home from work I'll post some pictures to share. I will have the evening ALL TO MYSELF as Aubrey wants to spend the night with her grandparents and Chuck will be leaving after work today to drive to Florida for the Outback Bowl in Tampa. The Iowa Hawkeyes will be playing but don't ask me who they are playing....don't know, don't care!

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With an evening to myself I will probably start picking up and putting away Christmas decorations. I usually wait a little longer but I'm looking forward to adding a few new little home dec touches to freshen up the house a bit.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas season!

SNOWMAN FUNNIES

SIX !!!!

SATURDAY WE CELEBRATED AUBREY'S SIXTH BIRTHDAY. WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE.

SHE BLOWS THE CANDLES OUT WITH HER FRIEND MORGAN WATCHING.

WE ARE POSING FOR POSSIBLE CHRISTMAS CARD PICTURES.

ANOTHER CHRISTMAS CARD HOPEFUL.

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THIS HAS BEEN A BIG YEAR FOR AUBREY......MOST OF THE BIG CHANGES HAVE COME WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. SHE STARTED KINDERGARTEN IN AUGUST, LOST HER FIRST TOOTH IN OCTOBER AND LEARNED TO RIDE HER BIKE WITHOUT THE TRAINING WHEELS DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER......JUST TO NAME A FEW. SHE SEEMS TO HAVE GROWN SEVERAL INCHES AS WELL. I'M HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME KEEPING UP WITH HER. AT SCHOOL SHE IS LEARNING TO READ AND WRITE.....WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT THAT YOU CAN'T SPELL IN FRONT OF HER AS A WAY TO KEEP A SECRET.

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IT IS SOMETIMES SAD TO THAT THE BABY YEARS ARE SO FAR IN THE PAST. I REMEMBER SIX YEARS AGO TODAY LIKE IT WAS JUST YESTERDAY. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND SHE IS BECOMING SO INDEPENDENT. AND THE THINGS SHE IS LEARNING IN SCHOOL IS JUST AMAZING.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUBREY !!

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WE LOVE YOU!!

JASPER, OUR NEW HOUSE GUEST

Meet Jasper. He is the elf that Santa has sent to our house to keep an eye on Aubrey and her naughty or nice behavior. Jasper arrived late to our house. I've heard that other elves come right after Thanksgiving but not this little guy. I'm beginning to wonder why. He seems to be into everything and has become quite the trouble maker. Pictured here is Jasper with many of Aubrey's favorite dolls & bears and it seems that he has started a snowball fight in the middle of the family room! I can't even imagine what he will try next!

For the first several nights while Jasper was at the house he just seemed to move about the house while we were sleeping or at school or work. He loves to play hide and seek and finds himself in the oddest places. He even became very dizzy one morning after he found himself latched to the ceiling fan..........while it was running!!

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On one morning he hadn't moved all night. Instead he left a note for Aubrey that it is her behavior that allows him to move about. If she is good then he can play. If naughty, then he can't roam around at his will. Hopefully we will not have to have anymore of those notes left.

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On Christmas Eve he will be heading back to the North Pole with Santa. AND, I'm sure he will be missed by all in this house.

CHUCKLES CHRISTMAS LIST

THIS IS WHAT CHUCK WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS

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BUT THIS:
IS WHAT HE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO GET! BUT IT'S A SECRET!!! SO DON'T TELL HIM!

SECOND ANNUAL GINGERBREAD EXTRAVAGANZA

AUBREY JOINS IN THE FUN THIS YEAR! SHE DID AN AWESOME JOB OF DECORATING HER HOUSE.

GRANDMA GIPSON AND GRANDMA HILBRANT EACH WORKING ON THEIR OWN HOUSES.

AUBREY PUT THE "FINISHING" TOUCHES ON HER HOUSE FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS!

GRANDMA HILBRANT WORKING ON HER HOUSE.

GRANDPA HILBRANT NAPS WHILE THE LADIES WORK ON THEIR HOUSES.

THE FINISHED RESULTS!


FUN AFTERNOON FOR ALL! CAN'T WAIT TILL NEXT YEAR!

YOU SHOULD SEE THE OTHER GUY!

Yep you should see the other guy! ........ Not a mark on him! Seems he has better aim!

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Aubrey actually tossed the first "punch".....or wooden block in this case. So I guess she had it coming!

BELATED PICTURES !! its never too late to share!

A BELATED THANKSGIVING POST

I had every intention to post a warm and cozy I am thankful for blah, blah, blah post but it never happened.

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I also had every intention to post pictures of Aubrey riding her bike without her training wheels like I had promised but as you can tell.....that didn't happen either!

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I've also been wanting to beautify my blog....be creative....clever.....but, that hasn't happened either!

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So, what have I been doing for the last week? Well, spending fun, quality, family time with my top two blog readers!

Aubrey and I drove up to Chicago with my parents to spend Thanksgiving with my brother and his family. Chuck drove up the next day since he had to work on Thanksgiving day.

Friday, Mom, Theresa and I went shopping! I had so so so much fun! I must say that I accomplished alot in the time we shopped. I also have to say that Mom and Theresa are much better shoppers then I. Theresa is the ultimate shopper and Mom and her bumb knee managed to keep up......but me.....I was a dragging!

I haven't shopped on Black Friday in years past. Come to think of it, I really don't remember the last time or if I've even been out on that day ever! Seems that working in retail and managing my own fabric and craft store killed me of the desire to be out on on the busiest day of the year. BUT, as Theresa the taxi driver and mom the navigator, all I had to do was follow! Maybe the crappy economy helped too.....stores weren't as busy as I would have expected.

By five that evening I was ready to pack it in! BUT NO !! We must NOT return home to the husbands any too early! THEY must be the ones to put the children to bed!!!! So......off to down town Naperville for MORE shopping!!! AND what a pleasure it was!! I had gained a second wind! Who knows if it was the post card beauty of the downtown lights and decorations with a good number of shopper milling around or what but I was ready for more! A book store, a kitchen store and to top it off a stop at the old fashioned candy shop!

So, all in all a very good shopping day. Actually I only cramped their style once by suggesting something for lunch that wasn't in their top one choice! How did I know that it was a tradition to eat in the same spot every year!!

I'm looking forward to this shopping adventure next year if they will have me back!!