Happy Birthday to SARA

Today is HER birthday.

This is my friend, Sara.

SHE is One of a Kind.

Let me tell you a little about the Birthday Girl.

Sara and I became friends a little over 3 1/2 years ago.

The first half of the year we had a weird kind of friendship because she was Jake's teacher.

I think we were both cautious not to cross any lines.

After Jake moved on to 4th grade.... No holds barred.

Sara is one of those people you can't help but like.

She will roll her eyes when she reads this, but she is likeable.

Everyone likes Sara.

I like Sara.

Sara and I have this funny, sometimes weird connection.

Weird in that.... we GET each other.

I know Sara has a sister that she loves(and misses) very much.

But.... I kinda think Sara is like the sister I never had and always wanted.

Sara gets me, and I get her.

We laugh at the same STUPID things.

We share some of the same FEARS and Phobias (dental, disease, doctors, crooked tests, etc.)

We both love to be at home with our family "we do things together...we are a family!!!"

We tell each other stuff that you KNOW other people would laugh at you about....

I wish I could tell you all the amazing things about Sara.

I just think that I will say....

I KNOW that Sara and I will be friends for a very long time.

That makes me happy.

I hope Sara's birthday is wonderful.

She deserves it.

Happy Birthday to my friend, Sara .

Winter Wonderland

"Walking in a Winter Wonderland"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

A creative and COLD photo shoot.

Emily was a great sport, and admitted it was lots of fun...but VERY COLD.

Happy Birthday to EMILY

Today we celebrate Emily.

Happy Birthday to you, my AMAZING daughter.

14 years ago today I became the mother to a pretty incredible girl.

You grow more beautiful, inside and out with every passing year.

I could not be more proud of the young lady you have become.

You leave me in awe of your intelligence, passion for life, and personality.

I love spending time together.

I learn FROM you and I laugh WITH you.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday.

I know that your wishes will come true...

because anything you dream...you achieve.

Thank you for giving me the gift of you.

Happy, Happy Birthday

Love, MOM

Hopefully over the illness.

UGH. That is the word that comes to mind. UGH.

My house has been plagued with illness.
It started with Rowdy. He started with a headache, added a cough, some body aches and a fever.
He was down for the count.
I mean DOWN.
He was sick on his birthday....spent the day in bed. SLEPT all day!

Monday came, and Rowdy got up to go to work (against Dr. Michelle's advice).
He made it half way to work....pulled over and called in sick to work.

Rowdy NEVER calls in sick to work. I mean NEVER, not one time in the past 18 years.
That is when I knew he felt bad!
He came home and went to bed....and slept....all day.

Monday night....Jake started complaining of a headache... I thought it may be from the pressure of the new braces.... WRONG.... the headache was soon followed by body aches, chills, and a high fever...

ROUND two begins. Jake has been layed up on the couch since then...spiking a fever of 104.2.
Absent from school (the tragedy).

BUT..... as of 11:00 yesterday....he is fever free...still has a cough, but is back to his normal
(ping pong ball bouncing ) self.

So , Today we return to work and school. WOOHOO. He hates missing school.
And although I complain, I don't like to miss work.

I miss my friends, I worry about my kids that come to me for a little TLC.

Glad the illness has passed. Crossing our fingers that Emily and I have escaped it.

And that is what is up around here!

Look Who got Braces...

JAKE

Jake got braces on Monday.

He has been doing great.

(with the help of a little Tylenol).

He chose blue bands.... the school colors and his baseball team color.

I think that the braces make him look older.

Happy Birthday to my Rowdy

Happy, Happy Birthday to Rowdy.

so sad you spent your birthday ...sick.

Our celebration of your birthday included:

The kids made your favorite dinner... Meat loaf, mashed potato, brussel sprouts and corn.

Followed up by a 4 layer chocolate thin mint cake. (with 43 lit candles).

(maybe you will feel like tasting it tomorrow)

Presents and waves.....as to not share your germs.

Your birthday was celebrated by you with:

naps,
headaches
naps
no appetite for lunch
naps
No appetite...so no dinner
a little tea
Kleenex
an electric blanket
large doses of cough medicine
naps
multiple doses of cold/flu medicine
naps
lots of pillow flipping... (to find the cool side)
and finally...
LARGE quantities of NYQUIL.
---- Getting tucked in by 7
Hope this is the WORST DAY of your year.


I love you and wish you a happy birthday (starting tomorrow)

MOTHER BEAR

You know what that means, don't you?

Yesterday the MOTHER BEAR came out. The MOTHER BEAR in me came out.

I , like most sane, relatively well adjusted mothers keep this side of me contained. I am not quick to fly off the handle. I am not upset if my child is corrected or reprimanded by a teacher or other grown up...(especially if it is needed). I don't think my kids are perfect, and I know that kids act up and need to be gently reminded of their manners and what not....
BUT.... DON"T MESS WITH MY CUB ! Not unfairly and not unkindly!

Here is the jest of it.
Emily buys her lunch daily at school. She brought her lunch every day until 7th grade, now she buys every day. Her school allows several choices for lunch...
an a la carte' kind of thing.
ANYWAY. Tuesday was our first day back from Christmas break, at lunch Emily asked what her balance was in her account. The cashier told her she had a few dollars left. ( She only spends about $2.25 a day)
Emily came home, reported the total and I promptly sat down and wrote out a check for $40. Wednesday morning Emily delivered the envelope to the drop off box and proceeded with her day, enjoyed her lunch and that was that.

HOWEVER.... yesterday, as my daughter approached the cashier to give her account number, the lady tells Emily.... you have no money in your account.
"YOU CAN'T EAT TODAY"
Emily tells her she dropped off a check yesterday.... the cashier tells her...
"Nope... I got nothin... You can't eat today"

AAAAAGH. So, my 75 lb skinny, waif-like daughter said she did not understand what happened, but she has cash in her purse in her locker...can she go get it so she can eat?
Lunch lady..." Nope"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????? This is what I am thinking!!!

SO... Emily did not have lunch..... a friend gave her a few fries, and she got some water from the water fountain.

I know that she will not DIE from not eating lunch....but....

I work in the school district. I understand that an error may have occurred with the account. I am not even upset about that error... it was a check. I can get that worked out.

But - I know that the school district's policy when it comes to lunch accounts...
if we have a student with no balance.... they at least get a cheese sandwich...and a milk. Can you imagine what would happen if we started refusing to feed a child...if say they forgot their lunch on the bus.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sent ANOTHER check today...one for $20. I will be calling the school first thing this morning.... I will try to be calm, pleasant, and controlled...
BUT.... THEY will be dealing with... MAMA BEAR!!!!

New Year's Eve at the Schmoll Home

Well, anyone who knows us...knows what Party Animals we are.
Ha. That is funny.
If the truth be known, we are a pretty calm crew. It is pretty common to find us home on any given night. Each of us showered, in our pajamas, and tucked in by 9:00.
I know that seems funny to the "night owls' out there. But that is just us.

But boy did we cut loose on New Year's Eve.
Our New Year's Eve Celebration consisted of :
Salad , Delivery pizza and Diet Soda.
The boys worked on a new jigsaw puzzle, and then... IT GOT WILD !
We played games on the new Kinect system .
Lots of jumping around and waving our arms around.
It was fun. Silly, but Fun.

The REAL news is that we stayed up until MIDNIGHT. We went outside and pulled confetti poppers..... wooo hooo.

We were all in bed.... by 12:15.

I know it sounds funny. But it was a PERFECT New Year's Eve in the Schmoll Household.

Hope your New Year's Eve was....as calm OR as exciting as you wished.