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.