Just a typical day at Granny's

                                                             Granny-  She is one of a kind.
                                                      Hanging out at Granny's is not "typical"

This was our Saturday afternoon at Granny's house.  (Emily had so much homework on the second day of school, she chose to stay home and work .  She was still working on AP Psych when we got home 5 hours later).

All I can say is....  I wouldn't mess with this 5 foot pistol packing grandmother.

Where did the time go?

Can't believe it, I don't want to believe it.  Where has the time gone?  

Emily enters school this year as a JUNIOR and Jake will be a FRESHMAN !

I don't know when they grew up.  I swear, I missed it. 

If anyone knows how to turn back time.... please share. I would love to put them back in Kindergarten and 2nd grade.  Is that too much to ask? 

UGH. Both at the high school.  They are not babies any more.  

Band Camp...HOT HOT HOT

Summer is winding down.  I hate that.  I hate the idea of going back to work.  It is funny because we really have not done much this summer.  The kids attended summer school and I worked summer school.  We have gone to the movies, gone bowling, hung out and have gone swimming.  I have refinished an entire kitchen, made curtains and window treatments.  I am almost finished stripping and refinishing a kitchen table. Lots of outside work has been completed.  But that is about it.

It is hard when your kids get older and are not so interested in the zoo or the Magic house or Grant's farm.
We are a pale family, so we are not sun worshipers...we don't hang out by the pool (or we would all be lobsters).   I guess that is just what happens when you do so much when they are little.... it looses it's charm.

BUT now school is right around the corner.  Emily has started Band Camp.  I am the band mom... so I have been busy, busy, busy helping with camp and beginning of the year band stuff.  People laugh or tease about "band camp"... but let me tell you what.  These kids are amazing . And they are athletes in their own right.  Emily has been at the high school every day at 7am and is outside in the sun and heat for SIX hours straight.

These kids march, learn their music as well as their "marks on the field". They march to a set routine, reset and do it all over again.   Over and over again. tweeking it, fixing things and moving on.  

I have a lot of respect for these kids.  I know they don't get recognized as athletes.... but they should. They put in just as much time and effort as any other sport.   I applaud them.

Jake has been....hanging out.  Isn't that what 14 year old boys do?  He sleeps .,.... A LOT.   He is a sleepy kid.  I think he is growing again.   He also plays VIDEO Games and watches tv and you tube.
I would share a photo... but honestly I have not taken pictures of him sleeping or watching tv.  HAHAHA.


That is it for now.  That is all I have to share.  Nothing exciting, nothing else.  

Been a LONG time.....

To be precise it has been FOUR months since my last blog post.  I am not certain why I never take the time to blog any more.  I like to blog, even if it is just for myself.  I honestly can say I am not sure what my reasoning may be.   We are a busy family, and there are always things I want to share... or at least remember.    Well.  I will try to cover the things I missed.

Emily and Jake finished out the school year with a BANG.  Both kids finished out the school year with multiple awards and accomplishments.  Rowdy and I are always so proud of their hard work and dedication to schoolwork.

Emily was invited to join National Honor Society.
She is also a member of Mu Alpha Theta.
She was awarded IPA (important person awards) at NWHS.
Emily received the "Glory of Missouri Award" from the House of Representatives for representing
           HONOR for the Northwest High School.
Emily also finished out the school year earning a spot in the TOP TEN SOPHOMORES at NHS.
          (that is top ten out of 526).
Em also found her place as Best Sophomore Wood Wind, and Best Sophomore Musician.

Yea Emily... Way to GO !!!

Jacob left Eighth Grade with honors and accomplishments of his own.  Although the intermediate school does not have the same accolades as the high school.... he walked away with his share of awards as well.
Jake was inducted into the National Junior Honor Society.
He was a strong and active member of TREND.
Jake earned advanced recognition on the Mathematics test for the Missouri Aptitude Test.
Jacob was published in  "The Writer's Showcase".
Jake received the "Glory of Missouri Award" from the House of  Representatives for representing VIRTUE at Woodridge Middle School.
He also received several "Awards of Excellence" for his academic achievements .

Yea Jake... Way to GO !!!


I am sure I missed or forgot something that they did.... but you get the idea.


I know I am totally Bragging!!!   But... WOULDN'T  YOU ??????
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Jake had another birthday !!!

 Jake's birthday cake was made of 24 ice cream sandwiches and a quart of ice cream covered in magic shell.
It didn't look that pretty...but it sure was good!

Jake and his best buddies spent his birthday at the indoor trampoline park.  Three and a half hours of trampoline dodge ball followed by an all you can eat pizza buffet and "the claw machine"....  he was one happy teenager.

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School was out and now SUMMER fun has begun.  Well.  Not really.  Jake and Emily went to summer school to get AHEAD on credits....and I worked summer school.  It was not so bad...but I am glad it is over.

Now that summer break is half over.... it is time to get down to business.  As always I get crazy when I have time on my hands, and I always tackle a project for summer.  Usually I regret the project half way though it...and this summer is NO DIFFERENT.

THE KITCHEN.  The ugly, outdated, 1970's kitchen.   The Dark brown wood laminate cabinets, the "harvest gold" counter tops, the bland back splash , the tired paint and wallpaper border....  IT HAD TO GO.... and it had to go...on a budget.

So... off to Lowe's I went.  I walked the aisles.I looked, I spoke with Lowe's specialists....  I bought paint and hardware and tile and......

The lighting in the photo is off... but the outcome is EXCITING!.. I love it. I am proud of all the hard work.
I also got rid of the ugly fan, and replaced it with a cool new fixture. The chairs are being redone now... and the window treatments are now up too.  I made Roman shades for the window treatments.   yea!

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Now we have about a month of Summer vacation left....   not sure what is in store....but I will TRY to keep my blog up to date.....

Thanks for hanging in there with this really long post.  Chat soon :)

WOW....WOW,WOW,WOW... what a change.

So....Tuesday was a much anticipated day for Mr. Jake.  He was scheduled to get his braces off.  I took a half day at work. picked him up from school and headed to the orthodontists.....

Jake was quiet.  Jake was unusually quiet.  He was worried, nervous and anxious.  I assured him that everything was going to be fine.  I reminded him that he felt the exact same way on the day he was scheduled to get the braces put ON.   He chuckled a nervous little laugh and said..."yea, your right mom.".

We talked about how he was so against having braces.  How he insisted that he was "ok" with his teeth. That he "likes the way I look".   We talked about how I told him that at 11 years old the gappy teeth and the overbite is kinda cute and endearing.... but when you hit your teenage years and older... you will be happy we "made you get braces".

I think he believes us.....    Check out the difference 2 years and a set of braces can make.
The before and after photos are amazing.  The changes in Jake are incredible.


BEFORE BRACES

JANURARY 11, 2011  THE DAY THE BRACES WERE PUT ON !!!

February 2013-  THE BRACES COME OFF !!!!!

What a handsome fellow!

No blog in 4 months !!!

Four months.  It has been since October.  I have not posted anything in such a long time.   I should be so ashamed.  I have not posted ....well,   because life is just too stinking busy.   I know that sounds like such a cop out.....but it is the truth. 

And now I have to try to catch up.  Everyday life just keeps us going.... non stop.   Everyday life is not always interesting enough to "blog about"..... and it is often not exciting enough to capture in photos.....  but that should not be an excuse to avoid the blog for 4 long months.....  

                                                        OCTOBER

  Everyone was busy with work and school.  Emily is busy with marching band and competitions.
Jake is involved in school activities as well.  He is involved in TREND and in National Jr. Honor Society.  He has been busy with service projects as well as community events.

                                  Emily's school did a "zombie" show....

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 October was Zombie month.   Jake turned into a zombie for an community event sponsored by the Honor Society. 

NOVEMBER

 I am beginning to feel like a Taxi driver.  I am not the first mom to say this....and I am sure I won't be the last.   I spend so much time in the car picking up Emily from the this event and dropping her off at that practice.  Jake's activities tend to be a little closer to home.... but I still have to juggle who has to be where at what time. 

Thanksgiving was a Granny's House.   We had a big crowd, but you wold never know it....because I forgot my camera battery at home in the charger..... and I couldn't take pictures.  I snapped these two with my phone.... and was so irritated with myself for forgetting the battery... I decided I would punish myself with no photos.....   so this is all there is. :(

DECEMBER

December is presented with all the same challenges....and then some. 

Everyone still has a bazillion things to do and just as many places to be.

Add to that the hub-bub of the holidays.... and it is just CRAZY.

Most of my down time was spent trying to finish a very special gift for my parents and my brothers.

For the last 8 months Rowdy and I have been working on a book of the "Huels" family Genealogy.

It has been a huge undertaking, but I really wanted to give them all something special.

My plan was to give it to my family at our gathering in Memphis.

I completed it and received it from the printer just days before our trip.

  Lots of  food, fun and laughter. 

LOTS of

Huels Home Brew Beer and Huels Wine 

 made the night that much more memorable.

  This year was the first year Rowdy was able to travel with us.  It was wonderful.

Everyone was so excited that he would be able to come.  Unfortunately we still had some family that just couldn't make it.  My nieces and nephews were unable to break away from work to attend.  They were sorely missed.  And once again we couldn't get a photo of the whole group.

(Mark and Anne are always our very gracious hosts.  They work so hard to make this gathering special. We can never thank them enough for opening their home to this motley crew.)

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The Schmoll Family Christmas was a bit quieter this year.   Grandma and Grandpa Huels did not travel to St.Louis this year.  They spent the time with Gamma Dzendzel in Atlanta.  It was not the same around here, but I know they enjoyed their trip with Gamma.

Unfortunately this year there are no photos to share of Christmas at Granny's.  Granny had her Christmas celebration while were were in Memphis......  WE got to spend time with Granny later on Chrismas day.

We spent a wonderful evening with Grandma and Grandpa Schmoll later in the week.

The rest of December was spent  with SICK kids.

Emily and Jake both spent several days after Christmas with very high fevers.

It was not the way we wanted to spend our vacation.... but at least they did not miss any school days.

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JANUARY

Back to school and back to work.  Back to rushed schedules and juggling locations.

Back to hours of homework and hours of practice.

Back to crock pot meals and meals on the run.

and

then there was   Winter Formal for Emily :

and then.....

HAPPY 16th Birthday to Emily.

At sixteen... I believe you need to be barricaded it your bedroom.... even if it is just a tissue paper barricade....

We decorated the living room too...

Our yard was "yarned" to celebrate Emily's big birthday.

This was the handy work of our beloved neighbors... Nikki, Richard and Cindy.

They had to wait until 2 am to ensure Emily would not discover it until her birthday.

This was the coolest thing EVER....

Followed by dinner at a local Chinese restaurant...

Emily's birthday wish was to enjoy a Blue's game with her favorite people.

The NHL has been on strike all season...so we were not sure we were going to be able to grant her wish....

and then the players and management came to an agreement.... so

Emily got her wish....

first with dinner at Dewey's

followed by a WINNING Blues' game

I think she had a good birthday.  Unfortunately her final wish could not be granted....as it involved Ted Drews.... which is closed for cold weather...

SO Emily says she will not officially be 16 until she gets her Ted Drews...

(and soon her Driver's License.....)

(so we will go to the Drew's as soon as they open again.)

And that is our January.

FEBRUARY

SO far... school and work are filling up the moth of February.

I will try my best to stay on top of my blog...

but I have learned not to make promises....:)

Hopefully.... another post to follow soon.