Family Matters

Smart Phone

So, a two year lapse in postings.  There will be two schools of thought on this.  Either we have nothing exciting EVER happening around here OR we've been otherwise occupied and I'm too tired to even attempt thinking.  Hmmm.  You guess, and remember we have "Spicy". 

So I'm taking a break from working at the stamp desk here to chat a moment.  I've got a burning question.  If it's a Smart Phone, why am I losing it all the time, why can't the Smart Phone figure out how to have a battery life longer than a workday?  why isn't there some kind of a locater that will tell me where the Smart Phone has disapeared to?   Just a question as it would have saved me a lot of hassle this week.  A certain someone that will go unnamed, made off with the Said Smart Phone....it was gone for over a week.  I looked everywhere.  Nothing, and it's NOT that messy around here, it's more of an organized chaos and I know where stuff is!  But with the battery life of 6-8 hours, it was a goner and I was trying to think of the best way to talk USCellular into cutting me a deal.  So...the last time the Smart Phone was missing, the unnamed person, said a ghost hid it in a tree and I found it stuffed down in the foot of the unnamed person's bed, so it shouldn't have surprised me that the Smart Phone was found in the HAY MOW?  Why, there?  go figure, a burning question!  So now you may relate to a two year gap in posts and figure out the real reason.  

Let's hope for bettr than a two year gap....

Today...

my prayer for today is that I will be the kind of mother that thinks this is charming and whimsical and not just one thousand more weeds to pull.

Here's what ails you....

Ok, I give in...I feel like this!     I've had a sinus infection this past week and I've tried ignoring it, medicating it, complaining about, sleeping it off and I think it's time to just break down and admit it.  I'm sick and it's really walloped me on the back side this time.  Of course, Mom is sure it's the swine flu and shoot, I'd be worried too except I haven't kissed any piggies except this one and she's not even that bad today.

and I know perfectly well what a sinus infection feels like......like your head is one big lead balloon, your teeth hurt, your face hurts, swallowing is an issue, your eyes burn.  I'm sure you get the picture.  And your advice would be to see a doctor...my problem is that it's probably time to see an ENT about it as my dr. suggested.  I get these pretty regularly and antibiotics just never seem to clear it completely.  Besides, it's a holiday weekend and I'm on day 3 of a 4 day Midnight to 8am workweek so that's a bit of an issue as well and antibiotics don't cut it anyway so why bother..

So here I was, miserable enough to self medication.  If you know me, I don't do "sick" well.  First off I hate taking any kind of pills and I just don't have time or the inclination to sit still long enough to heal.  (See knee fiasco back in Feb 08!)  First I tried the DayQuil which helped some.  I'm sure it was just the high concentration of alcohol in the stuff that just made me feel better, but at this point, who's complaining.  I tried hot compresses nuked in the microwave, hot mint tea to sooth the sinus, Sudafed and Clairitin, steroid nasal spray.  You should see my bathroom!  But alas, nothing was helping!  So when all else fails, it's time to buy a Neti-Pot.  Now if that's something you aren't familiar with.  Let me explain how it works.  You heat up salt water and try to run it up one side of your nose and out the other.  Yeah!  I know, not the smartest idea if you remember getting chlorine water up your nose at the local pool.  Of course, this is brought to you by the ancient Indian yogis which are the same culture that thinks it's perfectly ok to assume these positions   

under the guise of health and exercise.  So I'm not too keen on any of these ideas

So image, me leaning over the sink with this genie looking contraption stuffed up my already stuffed up nose and trying to get water "through" my sinuses.  It was hilariously funny to behold and as it's a family blog and not a medical journal, I'll spare you the gory details.  I will have to say it's no wonder your head feels like it's 20 pounds heavier when you have a sinus infection.  I'm pretty sure about 5 pounds of it drained out with the first application.  Now, I will have to say, I'm not feeling even 80% yet but I'm not doing to poorly either.  Oh say, it's time to re-Neti and off to bed for a quick nap before work.  All for now.  I am doing better, missed mtg today.  Mom was worried about spreading my "swine" flu to all the old folks this morning.   This morning's Neti experience "opened" me up enough that I did get a good days sleep.  At least 5 hours worth (excellent for a night shift worker) and now a few more before I work the holiday.  Toodles. 

So then...

we had such a GOOD day on Saturday and since Linda posted some photos for AB (and we wouldn't  want Linda to have all the glory), I figured I could share a few too.  Although, I'm not sure anyone will ever see my photos.  Since Linda took off the "friend and family" list on the side of her blog, my visit stats are telling me I have two visits per day.  One's probably my mom and the other is me, checking half heartedly for misspelled words!  What exactly does that tell you?  Hmm, not sure I want to introspectively take a look at that one.

We had a great visit with Lynae and Annette, although with a two year old it's not exactly a lingering over coffee and dessert type conversation.  We will certainly miss Lynae.  She started out here in this field and it's just so beautiful to see the peace, contentment and joy she has in her place.  It's just so reassuring and lovely to see growth.   New Mexico, enjoy!

So that's all for today.  Sp Mtg was awesome.  It was my weekend on so I caught a little nap in the parking lot prior to mtg.  Rob is amazing with the kids.  He talked me into taking my clothes to work at meeting him there.  All were clean and presentable.  I'm dogged tired and tomorrow is the FIRST day of Spring Break.  Oh boy!

Oh the stories I could tell....

So I had hoped that I would be sharing gorgeous photos of our trip to Hawaii and telling in great detail of the delicious food, sunny beaches and surfer dude stories....and I will, soon.  But of course, Ella happened again today and it was too funny not to share!

Let me set the scene.  Oh wait, before that.  This morning, I literally ran downstairs to change a load of laundry.  I come back up to see Miss E. with the fireplace doors open and "shoveling" the ashes just like Daddy.   I'm sure you can guess where this is going.....She copies everything!  From eating, stamping, cooking, playing (everything but potty training!)

So I'm on the phone in the kitchen trying to get our refrigerator mess dealt with and my subconscience says...oh, Ella's quiet, better check her out.  I run up to the bedrooms and hit the hallway, round the corner and I hear her say, "I have pretty eyebrows".  Adria bought herself some mascara a couple of weeks ago.  I certainly didn't encourage it and have tried to make a point without outright banning in.  I was kind of hoping this would work itself out.  Well, it obviously has!  Not quite how I wanted it though.  Funny thing was that she actually had a bunch of it on her EYELASHES where it was supposed to be.  I think the nose happened when she moved from one side to the other.

 

So I guess we need to have another talk about the power of your example.   Then I take her off the toilet lid and set her on the floor and she catches a glimpse of herself in the closet mirror and laughs and says, " I have glasses on."  Oh she's a trip. 

It still flying....

It's two months later and again, I'm amazed at how quickly time is passing by.  We are back in town after a whirlwind trip to Portland, OR for Bill and Andrea (Sanchez)'s wedding.  And speaking of flying...poor Rob thought the trip out there was eternal and everlasting.  Several bouts of severe turbulence, too much coffee and too little sleep made for an entire trip out plagued with airsickness.  He became well aquainted with a little green bag and the floor of the airplane.  Not much fun for ANY of us.  He kept telling us to "Be Quiet!"  Ok, I get that...but just how do I explain that to a two year old!  Return flight was MUCH better for all involved.

Wedding was beautiful and we enjoyed our time with family.  Just wished we were closer or richer to afford more trips.  :) 

 

The New Mr. & Mrs. Schueler

 

 

Aren't they cute?  Ed, Mary, Peg Mason, Bill, Sara Mercer, Angie Bohne, & Rob

 

Rob, Adria (12), Me, Denver (9), and Ella (2)

I'll upload the rest of the family photos into the photo album

How Time Flies...

Hard to believe it's been over two months since I've updated you all.  So no posts can mean one of two things.  1)  We are boring and have no "social" life.  or 2)  We've been the epitome of chaoss.  I'll let you decide which probably fits and let me just remind you, we've got a two year old appropriately nicknamed Hurricane Ella.

The last real post is butchering chickens so I've got a few things to catch up on.  Here was Ella  not too long ago.  I ran out to feed the chickens one morning and I came it to this.  Ella said she was going to "socco pwactice".  She found Adria's Soccer Backpack and had it all on, complete with shin guards underneath the socks.  Not much escapes that one.  Of course, she also found Adria's meeting books this past week and swallowed an entire pack of gum too.

 

 

Poor Toots has been sick the past couple of days.  Girls were hit a bit more hard this time around and Ella has had the brunt of it.  She was at Linda D's today and was really punky tonight.  Rob had her Adria's concert and she fell asleep.  Had that glassy eyed look and we sent her right to bed.  Hopefully tomorrow will be a bit more bushy tailed.  I really really do love this age even when they are gum eating socco playing terrors.  Nite nite for now.

 

We are Expecting our Baby.....

chicks tomorrow.  (I'll bet that got a few of you to sit up in your seats and swallow loudly)  We had more murder and mayham a few weeks back.  I was snuggled down in bed, just doozing off and Rob was working out in the office on the computer and he comes running in and tells me that the neighbor's dog was in the coop again.  He heard her barking and of course, can't find a flashlight.  Rounds one up and goes running out, Nala comes tearing out of the coop with one of Stacy's chickens in her mouth.  This time she slaughtered 10 birds.  Of course, it's never the old and ready to die ones, it's the expensive mahogany egg layers that are just about ready to start laying and one of my birthday ones from Rob (one of the friendliest ones too) and a few others.  Yeah, Stacy don't tell the kids, but  a couple of the white ones met their untimely demise. 

So now that we've hooked everybody far and wide on fresh eggs, I'm finding myself a bit short on chickens!  The shorter days really makes the other birds much slower to lay.  And it's pretty difficult to find adult birds of the mahogony egg laying variety, especially this late in the year, so I ordered chicks from a hatchery in New Mexico.  The Post Office will call about 6:00 am tomorrow and I'll need to run in and pick them up.  Adria's friend Sarah wants to have them for the first couple of weeks.  Good riddance I say. 

Mom found a guy out by her that had teenager birds so the kids and I ran out on Tuesday and bought a few of those.  Dad's coming down this weekend to install electricity to the coop so that's going to help quite a bit too.  So as long as the dogs stay away we should have eggs and lots of them!  (on a side note...our dear neighbors and we do love them dearly, put Nala down shortly there after.  I kind of feel like I killed their dog.  I suppose she was getting a bit too expensive to keep!)

Who, Who.... is the Cutest?

Just have to share the photo of the cutest owl around.  Here's our last minute attempt at a costume.  I am a bit smug about the fact that I haven't purchased a costume from the store in the years we've been dressing up.  Ok, ella's chicken outfit was store bought but it was from Cynthia's kids so technically I'm still ok.  So Ella's outfit this year came from a beautiful brown coat purchased at Good Will.  I felt had to offer up an apology to the designer for desecrating should a gorgeous specimen but the end result was worth it.  Cut off the arms to make furry legs.  Cut the bottom about 15 inches and sewed it on for wings.  Took a black hat and added copper scrubbers and buttons to make eyes.  Cute, nopya?

Next year, she's going as the Energizer bunny.  She just kept going and going and going!  Didn't want to let me carry her goody bag, just kept trudging after the big kids, happy as a clam and kept looking for more chawc-o-lat.  A real trooper, I remember A & D crashing at about this age with a complete meltdown about 1 hour into the event.  This one, not so.  Kept up all night!

 

Now the other two...Denver went as a soccer player.  Not my idea!  I kept telling him to think of something, you got x number of days.  Tuesday night, he finally decides that maybe he should look into this...remember he needs it for school Wednesday morning!  Then Adria...she's supposed to be a Mukwonago super fan.  We spent another entire afternoon at Goodwill finding a red ball gown as she and her friends were supposed to go to Clue Characters.  She was going to be Miss Scarlett.  So we got the gown, candlestick, heels and beautiful jewels.  Spent another afternoon, taking in the Size 10 bridesmaid dress to fit a stick chick, size -2.  She wore it once and decided that it was too hard to walk.  Grrr.  $25.00 down the tubes to be aSuper Fan?  So that's the scoop.  It's time for me to go to bed.  Mom's down tonight to watch the kids.  I've got to work and Rob's hunting.  So night.

Yup, that's me, to a T

Linda D. refered this quiz... http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofbreakfastareyouquiz

You Are Cereal

Playful and lighthearted, breakfast is likely your favorite meal of the day. (In fact, you're probably the type who sneaks cereal as a midnight snack.) Your culinary skills are probably a bit lacking... and you are a sucker for junk food. Some people accuse you of eating like a kid, but you prefer to think of yourself as low maintenance