Lice, Laundry and Leftovers

January has been a wonderfully slower month.  After being gone all but three nights the month of December, we were ready for a slower pace.  Don't get me wrong - Monday: Jessica and Maria have swimming lessons and Brandon has Karate - Tuesday: Brandon and Anika have swimming lessons - Wednesday: church night - so its not like we're bored.  Its just been nice to not rush out after every supper- or skip supper  - or eat a sandwich in the van - and be home a few hours.
UNTIL-
8 little bugs.  8 very small bugs.  Six legs. One mouth.  A parasite that needs human blood.
Its amazing how such small animals can wreak such havoc on a fairly 'normal' house. Granted, I rarely, if ever, refer to us as normal, but we were enjoying our slower paced January.
I should have taken a picture of the piles of laundry that overflowed the rooms, the hallway, the laundry room.  But, I was in no mental state for pictures.  For two days, we just walked all over it.  By day 3 there was a path, and by day 5 it was pretty much contained to the laundry room.
8 bugs - head lice.  The story starts before Christmas.  Jessica and Maria were scratching their heads constantly and vigorously.  Jessica even had little scabs on her scalp.  I was sure they had lice, and I checked often, but never saw anything.  Of course, I had no idea what I was looking for either!  Why oh why didn't I go to our friends in MN when they had it so I could at least have seen it and known!  But I digress.
The itching subsided a bit, so I figured it must have been the chlorine and cheap shampoo from swimming lessons - of course - problem solved - on to New Year's - and company and sleepovers - oh joy.
January 7 rolls around and we get home from our YMCA swim lessons and karate.  I decide to check yet again.  Their hair is clean and we just left the Y so if they are getting a red scalp it must be the chlorine and shampoo, right?  WRONG!  I find a bug.  And after more inspection, I find the nits - eggs - on the hair shaft, 1/4 inch up and looking like a speck of pepper - just like everyone says.  You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!  So begins three hours of inspection and chemicals and pulling out of 4 bugs off each head.  I dropped one - still don't like the idea that there could be one lurking up there somewhere.  Supposedly they die within 48 hours of being away from a head.  We're going to go with that.
So, that has been my last two weeks.  Laundry, Lice and Leftovers.  I was too busy cleaning to cook.  Too busy combing out hair to do much of anything else.  We've all been treated twice, the girls and I three times. I've learned LOTS - like don't even bother with the over the counter chemical crap in the stores. Its harsh and nasty.  There are some wonderfully natural - albeit expensive - alternatives that are much better.  And they are oil based, so we have smooth shiny hair here now!  The kids are still sleeping in sleeping bags, there are still 12 garbage bags full of pillows, stuffed animals and bedding in the basement, we have no extra blankets lying around which I get complaints about often, but we have survived and may even be better for it.
We still aren't completely sure where we got it from, but I am leaving things packed up until all is back to normal at school for a few weeks.  If we get it back I want to start with everything still bagged up!  Its really cold outside now, maybe that will help!