Reflecting On The Past Week

We just got back last night from a week in Calhoun wiht my husband's cousin. It was really nice and we had a lot of fun. The kids and I were in the pool almost every single day. We all got great tans though mine seems to be more or less an explosion of freckles on my face. We swam morning, noon, and night.
It is beautiful floating in the pool at night and staring at all the stars in the sky. It is so relaxing.

That is the good part although I think all that floating caused a nasty case of swimmers ear. I have never had swimmers ear before and I can tell you it sucks. My left ear feels clogged and I cant hear out of it real well and I have nasty jaw pain on the left side which makes it very difficult to chew.

If you don't know what swimmers ear is, it is an infection in the middle part of the ear. It is caused when water gets trapped in the ear and then bacteria grows causing an infection. The bacteria grows because the water trapped in your ear keeps your ear moist and the heat from your body becomes a bacteria sauna and helps it to grow.
It is very painful and I know I have been eating motrin like candy to bring the swelling down.

I looked up remedies on the computer but have to wait for the hubby to get home before I can go get the stuff to fix it. Apparently, alcohol and white vinegar is a great cure for swimmers ear. The alcohol dries up any water in the ear and the white vinegar kills bacteria. I will see later. ( Might have to go to the doctor anyway because my daughter is now complaining of left ear pain and it starting in the right)

As most know, a couple of weeks ago, the kids and I went to Florida to see my grandparents and while we were there to help them out a bit because one of them was in the hospital. During my time there, there was so much going on that I had quit smoking. Yes, really.
Now I have intentionally tried to quit a couple of times but always failed. This time however, I have maintained being able to quit. I dont have the urge to smoke and I have found that I dont miss it.
I have smoked for ten years and always enjoyed my cigs but now it just doesnt bother me. When you are a smoker, you dont notice the smell of the cigs in your house and on your clothes. Its weird because now I can really smell it.
It is crazy how not smoking changes simple things too. After I had quit, I was brushing my teeth one night and I noticed that my toothbrush tasted nasty. I ended up having to buy a new toothbrush because I realized the nasty taste was from me brushing my teeth while I was a smoker.
I also used to wake up every morning with a nasty cough and what I jokingly referred to as morning stuff. The first week after I quit, I still coughed up some stuff but now I am going on the third week and I dont cough anymore in the mornings.
I am not knocking anyone who smokes or anything because my hubby smokes and he is happy with that. I am just saying that since I have quit, I noticed some major differences.

We are a couple of weeks away from the big camping trip and I cant wait. I look forward to getting to spend some time with the folks and enjoy a relaxing week with dad's most excellent grilling and lots of fishing. The count down is on.