I did not mean to be a public health threat

 The urgent care doc on Thanksgiving morning was WONDERFUL. He knew my diagnosis would likely freak me out, and he was SO NICE and SO REASSURING. I was even able to call his nurse the next day and ask for cough suppressant tablets and a rescue inhaler. He said my lungs were clear, told me what to look for in terms of antibiotic resistance (I am on 2 different antibiotics-- one for the sinus infection-- and he said the walking pneumonia and pertussis they're seeing aren't always responding to the z-pack. AWESOME), was in excellent holiday spirits, etc.

I asked him if I should stay home from Thanksgiving, and he said he would not necessarily want me at his table but I had been sick for 16 days at that point and was fever-free so likely not that contagious. He said it was up to me but I was ok to go. So I did. 

I really did FEEL fine (except for the chesty cough). 

We had a lovely time.

Ben sent a message to Minnie's doctor (whom we had JUST SEEN for an ear infection on Wednesday-- and I was not wearing a mask (even though I WAS wearing. a mask two weeks ago at Jack's check up) because my cough was much less frequent and I felt FINE but then toward the end of the visit, I coughed like someone in a Victorian novel dying of something that was until just a few years ago vaccine preventable but then everyone stopped getting vaccines hashtag FML and the doc was like oh you're sick, too, and I was SO EMBARRASSED and SO regretted not wearing a mask and I was like no really I am so much better.) asking if she should be re-evaluated for her cough in light of my illness, and we went to bed, humidifier blazing.

WELL. At 8am on Black Friday, the pediatrician called me to be like OH MY GOODNESS EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ON ANTIBIOTICS AND ALSO QUARANTINE. Especially Ben and Cooper, who both had a cough. She said Minnie and I were likely OK because we have been sick for more than 2 weeks, but the rest of the fam was a super spreading cell of disease. AND BEN WAS BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING AT THAT EXACT MOMENT **head desk** I did not mention that part (although in light of the no-mask coughing situation, she would surely not have been surprised-- just disappointed). So anyway-- she prescribed z-packs for all, and we are resting nicely in our germ bubble. We even made turkey and ham and all of the things yesterday so we'd have leftovers.

To make room for our living room tree, we just sort of tipped the whole room back and to the left.

And we shrunk down our table from 8 people to 6 even though there are 7 of us.

Germy germy cookies

Annabel was not a super helpful tree decorator, as you might imagine. Especially because Minnie hung so many low ornaments of the front tree.

I seriously love this dog.

Minne was THE CUTEST tree decorator.

So was Dorothy.

I took ten thousand pics like this.

Annabel loves Dorothy the most.

Minnie said she was most thankful for baking with me, so we immediately made pies.

Second Thanksgiving.

Annabel is going to eat the tree. It's just a matter of time.

I LOVE THIS TREE SO MUCH. Although maybe I put on too many strings of lights. 

It took 2 hours to clean up dinner last night, and I felt like I might die, but then Jack made this morning's pull apart cinnamon rolls because he is THE BEST.

SO FESTIVE.

Ben took the kids to to tree farm (we are doing outside things just like COVID times), and I stayed home to rest but then instead of resting, I made fluffy jello, stuffing from scratch, green bean casserole, and a veggie tray. I also got the brussels sprouts ready to roast. I AM WHO I AM, and dinner was not going to make itself.