Thursday, December 27, 2007 ;
3:01 PM
Dec 26
Wed
Checked out of hotel and drove south to enjoy some of the state parks and alpine scenery before heading back.
Reached Heber City, very beautiful, with many farms. We have a church friend who lives here and owns a farm. We should visit him, but may not have much time now. Spring is a good time to visit farms, because the animals are having their young. Baby animals are such a joy to behold.
Above left: horses. Above right: cows. Really wonder how come they're not cold. They don't have that much hair/ fur or fats right?
Then we cut right to Midway, another small town, and drove along the base of the Wasatch Mountains. There is a huge lake there too. Very beautiful. The Heber Railway passes through the mountains and end up at Provo or Orem. Very popular train ride. They're running the "Polar Express" during this season.
And I was wrong about the Thomas the Tank Engine Carnival. I thought it didn't come to Utah, but it did come to Heber sometime in May. That was when we were in California so I didn't know about it.
We didn't have time for the train ride, cos it lasts about 2-3hrs I think.
That pic above shows the Wasatch Mtn State Park.
Above : Deer Creek State Park.
Further down south, we passed by Deer Creek. It's actually quite big. In Spore, it would be referred to as a lake already, haha. There was a layer of thin ice all across.
Then we turned into a small road called Alpine Scenic Loop Road. It was winding, narrow and steep. And it started snowing. But dh said as long as we can still see the roads, it is alright to continue on.
It was really beautiful though. The trees, the mountains. There were a lot of pines and aspens.
Then we passed by Robert Redford's secluded and famous Sundance Resort. He had a vision/ dream of creating a resort that was eco-friendly, that incorporated culture, nature and some other factors, which I cannot remember. But I do know they host music festivals too, that are quite well-known and popular. However, the cottages for rent at this resort is way out of our budget. We saw skiers on the slopes at Sundance too. It's definitely a more private and less crowded slope than PCMR or the Canyons. No wonder the advert says the rich and famous come here. And they go to Aspen in Colorado to ski too.
Sundance area, along the main highway.
After going past the Sundance resort, the roads were no longer plowed. The alpine loop road was supposed to meet with more winding and narrower roads and last for quite a bit before meeting with the Timpanogos Caves road then exit at Orem. We wanted to see the Caves (its closed in winter because the steep steps are icy and slippery, but we just wanted to see it from the outside).
As the snowfall got heavier and heavier, and we truly cannot see the roads anymore, and there was a huge warning sign saying "Snow tires and chains compulsory". So we turned back. Shouldn't risk getting stuck in snow and not be able to go forward or back. Worse, cell phones may not have a signal further in.
We hit Orem and drove to Draper, where Ikea beckoned. We headed for the cafe for lunch.
There's dh. haha. they actually gave him a cart for his trays. And that's him smiling happily. Just before the drama.
Dh had salmon for lunch. Then right after lunch, he said his stomach was queasy again. Recall he just recovered from indigestion etc on Mon?
He said he wanted to rest in the car and asked me to go ahead and buy some items we needed. Ikea was having a big post-Xmas sale. So I brought both kids along with me.
We shopped very quickly, and just stopped for awhile at the kids' area cos both boys wanted to play. I had to literally drag both away. The older one still could reason: "Daddy is not feeling well, let's go back earlier." The younger one, sigh, still will not listen, have to pull, drag and forcefully carry away.
So he was crying and struggling as I paid for the stuff. Then came the balancing act. Each plastic bag costs 5cents, and I wouldn't pay for such things, so I carried ds2, got ds1 to carry 2 items and I tried to put one item each under each armpit, then grabbed the rest with the other free hand. Slung the diaper bag across the shoulder. Ok, went to car.
Dh looked postively green in the face. So I drove. Halfway through, both kids napped, and then dh started having those "about-to-puke" noises. Good thing my bag always has plastic bags. He grabbed one and started vomitting everything out. And that lasted really long. Poor thing.
When we got home, all he could do was lie on the couch.
I brought the kids and stuff in, then cooked some porridge and oats. And veggie soup. Dh was still resting, so I fed kids and myself then we went for Wed Bible class alone.
Dh could only stomach the liquids, he had no appetite for anything else. So, for the next day, he also only drank oats water, porridge water, and clear soups.
Mary Jo recommended this Pepto-Bismol, so I went to buy it on Thursday. Seems very effective. Settled the stomach.
Good, dh was back at work on Friday.
Then ds1 caught a cold. Started having sore throat, runny nose. I told him, must be the almond cookies and the refusal to wear his beanie and mittens. Now he is very conscientious about wearing full gear before going out. Because the whole time he was sick, I made sure he took nap, and slept at 7pm (earlier bedtime, which he absolutely loathed), no cookies or snacks, have to eat plain foods, more veggies. Everytime he wanted to play anything that required jumping or climbing, I forbade him, saying he was sick. Basically took away everything he enjoyed.
I sound like a mom who loves to torture her kids hor? The thing is, if he had privileges when he is sick, he would like to get sick. Another that is very controversial, is my reluctance to administer medicine that relieves symptoms, unless it is very bad. If he has a fever up to about 38deg, I would not give him any paracetamol or fever-reducing medicine.
A slightly raised temp helps the body to fight back better. And if he felt unwell, he would rest more. That helps in recovery. If he took the correct dosage of medicine on the label, then he would be running around, feeling well. That might just bring the illness back once the effects of the medicine wore off.
As for runny nose, I prefer to let it run the course too. Unless we were on a tour, or somewhere where it needs to be curbed. Why is there a runny nose? Viruses and bacteria need to be expelled. Why a cough? Phelgm in the passageways need to be expelled. I feel that suppresants work in the opposite way instead. I would give medicine when the symptoms are serious enough to affect his sleep and rest, then the body cannot fight back well.
I had a lot of problem with my in laws because of these beliefs I had. Last time when we lived together, and the kids had fever, they got so angry with me when I refused to give them medicine. They felt that Panadol is a cure-all, that it cures the illness. While I was trying to explain that it only brings the temp down and relieves pain. It was difficult.
I don't force this on others. It's my own personal beliefs so I practise it on myself and my kids. I would respect others' opinions and let them do what they wish, to their own kids. But not to mine. I think I get to decide what to do with my kids. Afterall, however they turn out would be the parents' responsibility. The parents would get the blame. So the parents have the say. Dh shares the same thinking as me, fortunately.
Anyway, they seldom fall sick. And now everyone is well. They'll take a longer time to recover but I like to think it trains the body to fight well and the immune system is better prepared to tackle the same strain of virus or bacteria the next time around. Much like how a vaccine works.
rainbows every day, do not worry for the morrow
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