7QT - Winter Doldrums Edition

A quick note before my 7QT: please take a moment to visit this Caring Bridge site. Fulton Francis, born Christmas Eve, is the son of a dear friend of mine. The doctors originally thought he had SCID (boy in the bubble syndrome) but have since ruled that out and are scratching their heads as to what is causing his many and varied symptoms. He and his loving parents are currently stuck in isolation in the hospital until they can figure it out. Fulton's parents have asked their family and friends to spread the site far and wide in the hopes of it coming to the attention of someone who might be able to help them find answers for their tiny, sick little boy. If you can think of anyone who might be able to provide extra insight, please pass it on!

1. Oh, February. Cold weather, runny noses, and a toddler literally bouncing off my walls have made for a long first week. This is our sixth cold in six months. It's hard to complain when everyone else I know has had some sort of flu or other terrible virus, but I think I can summon up the strength to complain at least a little.

I am a semi-crunchy mama and so I've been diffusing Four Thieves oil, cooking bone broth, adding extra onions and garlic to our dinners, and slathering the children in cold-busting lotions and salves. I've also upped the kiddos' vitamin C regimen, which has had the added benefit of solving the dry-weather induced constipation (sorry, TMI, I know. But seriously, HOW do you get a 2 year old to drink more water? Especially when his poor little nose is all stuffed up??)

2. The above mentioned lotions and salves are from Siena Soap company. Their products are amazing, all natural, and you can't beat the price for the quality. Owned and operated by a Catholic family, a portion of their profits goes to a local crisis pregnancy center.

Favorite products:

• Their facial serum is a perfect light moisturizer, and you really do only need a couple drops each day so it lasts for months.
• I cannot recommend the Cold Sore Destroyer lip balm enough. I get terrible cold sores when sick or stressed and this lip balm is the first topical product that has ever helped.
• The Breathe EO roller is a more potent version of the cold and sinus salve. The salve has the added benefit of healing chapped noses, but both products are effective and gentle enough to use on little ones.

(These aren't affiliate links, i just really love their stuff and want to spread the joy. Check out their Valentine's sale!)

3. Eric and I are in the middle of the third season of Detectorists. It's a perfect show for the cold, white months as the cinematography is gorgeous and green and gives me hope for warm days to come. My only gripe with this show is that the seasons are too short. Only six episodes per season, and only half hour episodes at that. We have two episodes left but are hesitant to finish because we're not ready for it to be over.

4. While I am attempting a little more each year to help our family live liturgically, I am naturally wired to really only have two seasons - Gardening Season, and Garden Planning Season. Long before the ground unfreezes I'm out there looking for any sign of growth, checking each branch for buds and under soggy old leaves for tiny spikes of green.

Garden Planning Season is in its full glory around here as I try to wait patiently for the snow to turn to stomping puddles. I put in several new varieties of perennial bulbs in the fall, so until I know what the gardens are going to look like in the height of summer, I am focusing on vegetables and annuals.

5. Here are a few pictures from last year's bounty:

6. I've already finished preparing our taxes, although I'm waiting on one last document before I file them. I've always enjoyed filing taxes (with the one notable exception of the year I ended up owing a couple thousand dollars...) and I look forward to it each January.

Last year we used our return to redo the bathroom and buy porch furniture. This year we had hoped to use it to install radiator covers on the main floor, but we had to replace our boiler unexpectedly instead. No fun house updates this year, just plain old boring heat.

7. There's nothing like a cute kiddism to add sunshine to a grey winter day, so I'll end with a few recent Sprout quotes.

When he's in costume he only answers to Superman, and often when he's in civilian clothing we're instructed to refer to him as Clark Kent (or Cyark Kent, because 'L's are hard.) The 1940's cartoon version is on Amazon and I think that's what Sprout's giving up for Lent - the new favorite game these days is "break things like Superman." From the Man himself:

"Can Superman watch himself on TV?"

"Mommy, can Superman come snuggle you?"

"Don't tell Jesus what I just ate." (It was uncooked rice, which he'd been scooping and pouring while i made dinner, and which he knew full well he wasn't supposed to eat. Should I be proud he knows that Jesus cares if he obeys, or worried that he's already trying to hide when he doesn't?)

That's all for now, folks. Check out more quick takes here.