You don't really NEED your big toe - right?!

First off, let me THANK everyone for the WONDERFUL gifts that we received.  We had such a wonderful Christmas.  This was our first Christmas in our own home (which we are really grateful for).  Every other year we've been out of town with family or were house sitting and in someone else's home for Christmas.  Seeing as how we weren't spending Christmas with family this year and how we have ABSOLUTELY no family anywhere near us, we decided that we'd have people over for a Christmas dinner.

We've done the whole holiday thing by ourselves dozens of times (Thanksgiving and Easter etc.) and have done a few too many traditional dinners with just the two of us and wanted to spice things up this Christmas.

So, Ben and I made what we thought, was a WONDERFUL meal (though the kids may disagree, apparently kids don't like green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole!  Next time we'll have to do hot dogs too!  One day we'll figure this kid thing out) and have been enjoying scrumptious leftovers.  (shocking I know)  Ben cooked the best roast I've ever had in our crock pot and we also made sweet potato casserole (no marshmallows), green bean casserole, mashed red potatoes, homemade rolls and three kinds of pie!  My traditional apple crumble, a pumpkin (was the first time I've ever made pumpkin) and Cherries in the Snow pie. 

Our whole Christmas eve and Christmas day was spent cooking and cleaning and opening gifts and really spending time with each other.  I really can't tell you enough how much I enjoyed Christmas this year (as much as we really can away from friends and family far away).  

We then invited some of our friends and their families and enjoyed the meal together.  Clean up was a cinch and we went to bed with smiles on our faces.  

Then today happened.  Ben and I both had to work so we didn't really get home until about 5:30.  I got home about 15 minutes before Ben and in that 15 minutes I quickly finished loading the dishwasher and reheated leftovers for our dinner.  

Then disaster struck.  As I was quickly loading the dishwasher, I think I twisted wrong and *gasp* I think I've sprained my big toe!!  My toe suddenly hurt and not just a little ouch I dropped something on it and the pain goes away after a few minutes but HOLY COW THAT HURTS!   When Ben got home I told him that my toe hurt, but as usual, couldn't remember how I did it - until now.  I've realized I can bend it forward (to a point) but if I bend it too far I shriek with pain and if I bend it backwards (up) at all, that shocking pain hits again.   The only thing we can figure is that I've sprained it.  Stupid toe.

So here I am hobbling around the house occasionally gasping in pain (as apparently you use your big toe for balance A LOT) and trying to figure out what I can do to fix it - does anyone have any ideas to help?  The sprain is right at the knuckle (?) where my toes spout out of my foot.  (so not in the joint).  I thought about taping it to my index toe (?) but that wont do me any good as the sprain is in a funky spot.  

Then again maybe my toe will pop and I'll suddenly feel like a new person.  In the mean time, it seems foolish to go to a doctor and I think I'll once again become friends with my old friend ADVIL.  

Again - Stupid toe. - Lindsay my heart goes out to you so much more now that I know what you went through!!  At least I didn't break it!  

P.S. Side note - The BIG banana tree is now sprouting a new leaf (we've been getting warm weather again - 79 today!)