A Jen Too Many

My children built a tent in the middle of the living room yesterday and kept themselves busy playing Sick Mommy.

Why, yes, I did get sick for Christmas, thank you for asking.

Since we are all aware that I am not always a rational person, how, you might ask, did I spend my Christmas? Lying in bed, trying to recover? Gagging at the smell of food? Praying at the porcelain throne? Sucking down ginger ale as if it was all that stood between me and imminent death?

Or did I lose my senses entirely and try to make Christmas dinner? Especially since a) my husband came home from work and crashed immediately, never ceasing to snore until the wee hours of December 26, b) I was much too ill to be interested in food, and c) The Boy Child spent Christmas with friends and didn't came home until 10:30 p.m., leaving d) only two small people who are notorious for nibbling at at their food to eat Christmas dinner.

I can sometimes be a little bit obsessive about completing tasks I have assigned myself. Especially when I am not thinking clearly. The fuzzier my head is, the firmer my grasp on previous decisions becomes.

So, I didn't say to my beloved daughters, "Gee, guys, Mommy is sick today, so why don't you pig out on the pies and rolls that I made yesterday instead of having a real dinner tonight?" No, I said, "Don't worry, guys, I'll make it happen anyway." So I spent Christmas staggering from bed to couch to kitchen, gagging over the repulsive scents of honey glazed spiral-sliced ham and garlic-parmesan potatoes. I did have (barely) enough sense not to try to make our traditional Jello Salad of Instant Diabetes, nor did I make the green bean casserole.*

And then, I had to clean it all up. Which just proves that when I am sick, I am also completely insane.**
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*I thought about it, though. In the end, all that stopped me was that I didn't think I could keep standing long enough to stir the jello until it dissolved.

**Especially since only about three bites of mashed potatoes and 2 bites of ham actually happened that night. Although they did thoroughly enjoy the pies and getting to dish up their own Cool Whip. Which would be why there was very little left in the container this morning.