What is this?

So I have spent the last three days in bed with some form of stupid cold. It all started last Friday, and just has continually gotten worse. It is really starting to make me mad. Taking 3 days off work is something that I just don't do. Any one have any ideas for some remedies? I have tried everything I could think of.

Housing Update

Well, we have won 1/2 the battle with our foundation. The city inspectors came out and decided that the foundation was more than just a "stress fracture". They sent a letter on January 2 to the home builders (Holmes Homes) notifying them that it was their issues, and they needed to replace the foundation, and they had 30 days to do it. YEAH US!!! On January 19th and Mike called the city and their update was: "Holmes Homes is saying because it is the slab of the foundation it not structural and therefore they do not need to fix it." My response was "The cracks in my wall say it is very structural and they HAVE to fix it." They finally came out and it was a lot more work then they had intended. They were told to chip down everything so it was under 3/8 of an inch. Well there was a lot that was over that. They had to pull up one row of tile in the front entry way. and they spent probably 3 hours chipping away! One guy left and came back an hour later with the self leveling cement. They poured that over about 1/2 of the crack, and they filled the rest with some cement caulk. Mike is going to get cement and cover the rest of the crack, so that everything is level for the floor. Although it wasn't a huge win, it was a win and now we are one step closer to having the house put back together!

Yesterday Mike and I decided to paint the celing in the front room. We had primed the new drywall the week before. After 2 1/2 hours of painting, and being only 1/2 way done, Mike and I decided to not be such savers, and we just went to Lowes and got new rollers. We had been using old ones that were not for "textured surfaces", and it was taking FOREVER. Once we bought the new brush, we were done with the other 1/2 in about an hour! That will teach us to be thrifty. Never again!! ha ha Mike did a super job on the celing, doing all of the main painting. All I had to do was tape and do the edges. His poor neck was so stiff after we were done. Thanks Honey!! You are awesome!
(**Sorry there are no pictures. Mike has them all on his camera and I have no idea how to pull them off. I will do some sort of picture post later**)

Our Personal Christmas Miracle

December 11 2008 was a day that I will never forget. Not only because it was my father-in law's birthday but also because it was the day that Mike and I received our own Christmas Miracle. Mike's extended family (the Montgomery side) decided last year ('07) to do an Angel Tree for the Christmas party '08. So everyone got together their change that they had saved during the year and at the Christmas party we counted it up. We were all so suprised at the number. Then, Grandma Montgomery brought out the tree and Ashlee Hansen read who the angel would be:

Some of our loved ones, we pick of this tree
We've saved all year for your specifically
Building a family we know is your goal
We see this desiere, light from your soul
We've thought & pondered "What more could we do"
So please take this gift from our hearts to you
Some of our loved ones, we pick off this tree
These angels in our lives are Mike & Nickie

(written by Cami)

This was our miracle. This was the best Christmas gift we could have ever gotten. What we did not know was a few months before the party "secret" e-mails were sent to everyone, except us, letting them know that there was a slight change in plans. Although there would still be an angel picked that angel would come from much closer to home.

My heart cannot begin to thank you all enough. You have given Mike and I something we couldn't, the beginnings of a family. You have been our Christmas Miracle. We Love You So Much. Thank you for your sneeky little way of showing us you care. You mean everything to us.