A plague on both your houses

Actually, there's just one plague. At our house. About midweek, Oliver started acting quite cranky, and by Thursday he had little rashy-spots all over his legs and arms. A few of them even looked blisterish, which confirmed (for me, at least) that he'd contracted the hand-foot-mouth virus that's been going around town. (I did talk to a nurse, but she said that unless his symptoms got worse, he didn't need to come in, since they can't treat HFM, only the symptoms). He's finally starting to look better--and eat a little more--and now both Andrew and Evelyn are getting sick. Evelyn was feverish yesterday and fell asleep on the couch several times before going to bed at 6 (which never happens!). And today Andrew has a low fever and his throat hurts . . . le sigh.

I'm just hoping whatever Andrew has he'll be better by Wednesday because, um, this happened:

Andrew got first place in the second grade science fair! Which means he's going to district fair on Wednesday (assuming he's not still plague-ridden). I was pleased for him, and for Evelyn (who got an honorable mention). But a small part of me worries about next year: Andrew got first last year, too, and one of these years the subjective nature of the science fair is going to catch up with him and he won't win . . . but I guess that will be good for him.

The other big event of the week--of my week, I suppose--was the first SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) writing conference in southern Utah, which was held yesterday in town. My friend Erin is the new regional director, so she roped a couple of us in to helping her. Thankfully, everything went smoothly and we heard some great presentations from Ally Condie and Ann Dee Ellis (who went to high school with me; she graduated in Jared's class). It's always weirdly encouraging and daunting to hear other people's roads to publication--both, "it happened to them, it could happen to me!" but also fear (and what is it, exactly, that I'm so afraid of . . . ?)

This was also my first time presenting at a writer's conference: I got to talk about giving feedback, something I do all the time for my day job, and also something I'll be presenting on in another month for another writing conference, so it was great to have a dry run. And hopefully a little bit helpful for the attendees. Still, after all that, plus women's conference, I'm glad to be home with my family (even if all the kids are sick now . . . )