That Was a Lot of Laundry!

So this last week was a rough one.  On Monday we drove home from the Smoky Mountains.  I already told you that Charley had a stomach bug while we were there, but when we got back Cole had it.  The baby got a very mild and brief case of it (thank goodness), and I got a teeny weeny bit of it.  Not even enough to lose any weight, lol.

So after doing a ton of laundry from our vacation, I had to do a ton of laundry to prevent the stomach bug from making any further damage.  Then on Friday evening my husband starts getting these weird bumps on his back.  They are super itchy and he is miserable.  They spread to his neck and a few minor bumps scattered around his body.  Then Cole wakes up Saturday morning with them only on his arms.

I send the men off to the minor emergency room (because it is Saturday and that is the only place that would be open).  They come back with a prescription for a steroid, which I hate the idea of, and antihistamines.  The doctor says it looks like bites, but he didn’t know what it could be.  So we start researching it on the internet.  BAD IDEA!!

I start getting freaked out thinking we got bed bugs or scabies from the cabin in the mountains.  Have you ever read what it takes to get rid of those things?!  So I start stressing out.  BIG.TIME.

Well the bumps kind of look like scabies, but not quite.  Definitely not bed bugs, thank goodness.  None of the symptoms match up for either.  So we have a mysterious mite that is biting us here and there randomly.  It is practically all history already.  Prayers were answered.

But I have washed everything that can be washed in this house.  I have scrubbed everything that can be scrubbed.  I have even sanitized the walls.  I am exhausted and cranky. 

Well enough of that junk.  Here are a couple of pictures I took in the Smokys.  I wanted to practice my HDR.  I still don’t like the look.  I don’t know if it is the fact that I am using HDR Pro through Photoshop and not Photomatix, or what.  Now I think I am going to have to buy Photomaix.  I like it better the more I am playing around with HDR.  Crap, another thing I want!

See the difference?!  Same shot!  The watermarks for Photomatix is because I am using the free trial they have. Oh Honey, I want Photomatix (and I want it now).  :P

I definitely know that I need to get a wide angle lens.  It has been on my wish list for a while and I am saving up for one.  I have researched it a lot and the one I want is the Sigma 10-20mm.  So if Sigma is reading this and wants me to try it out for them, I would be happy to.  ;)

I have more photos to share but this long post has worn me out.  Sorry about the length.  Don’t forget to enter the giveaway for free holiday cards!