does the Sugar Sprite take Nestle?

We’ve been heavy into negotiations with the boys and finding and paying off all the Sugar Sprite requests by the kids. The boys negotiated $9 for their stash (after they ate what they wanted the night of Halloween and the morning after) and the girls kept bagging up requests and leaving them in odd places for the Sugar Sprite. I think next year we’ll have to introduce the idea of one big gift (or something like that) as they are bleeding me dry. Sissy and Ellen both got about $5. Ellen remembered the Sugar Sprite a few weeks ago and started taking the chocolate chips out of her homemade granola bars and leaving them for the Sugar Sprite. Since she and Jesse really wig out on sugar, their combined love of all things CASH has helped with the sugar roller coaster of All Hallows Eve.

To back up a bit, yes, we’re still in Neenah. As a matter of fact, still at the Days Inn. Maca has been unexpectedly living with Grandma Elinor and Grandma Elinor has been very sick pretty much since we arrived. So we’re trying to help Elinor with Maca’s doctor appointments and simply getting her out of the house.

Monday (I think?) turned out to be a wonderfully warm and beautiful day and we met a wonderful family at the local park. They had an 11yo, 9yo, 7yo, 2yo and 8mo and their three eldest had a lovely time with our 2-3 eldest. Sissy alternated between pouting she couldn’t play with them and hanging out on the perimeter of their play. The mom, Amy, is an amazing soul; she was so patient and loving with her kids; a real inspiration. The 2yo was such a typical 2yo, frustrated and excited all at the same time; he really reminded me of the boys at that age. I must confess more than a little bit of babylust. They homeschool and the boys found out that they are “Democrats”. In all the political discussions we’ve had, we’ve never discussed parties; simply ideas and values. These kids support George Bush, according to the boys, and I was really proud that they were able to put that behind them. They are so rabidly anti-Bush that I have been worried about their black and white stance. As much as Jamie and I hate what he has done to our country, we try to discuss (the little ) humanity that must exist inside him with the boys. Anyway, they really took to the kids and I was not the least bit surprised to find out they are homeschooled also.

The children have been falling, one by one, from a respiratory illness, but we’ve kept it to a couple days of sickness with liberal doses of raw garlic. Ellen got food poisoning from the hotel breakfast the day of Halloween and was far too sick to go trick or treating. Her siblings bought her a Polly Pocket and shared their treats with her (which she sold to the Sugar Sprite but honestly ate more than she sold off) so she didn’t feel TOO bad.

With all the sickness of the kids, the concern about where Maca will live and Grandma Elinor’s illness, we’ve decided to stay in Neenah at least another week. If Elinor is better by the weekend, we’ll probably leave next Wednesday, otherwise we’ll look to rent a home here until all is under control. I’m really glad we could be here to help out. It has been amazingly cold and the hotel is so nice for that; the kids were trick or treating in 16 degrees (with windchill) and the highs this week haven’t climbed out of the 30’s. Ugh. Today we will get snow if it rains and snow is forecast for Saturday. I never imagined September and October could be so cold.