A Day in Our Lives

What a day...

2009-11-25T22:58:00.001-06:00

They were suppose to be doing more tests on Scott all morning so we waited to head down so we'd get there after he was finished... can anyone else forsee the doom... We arrived at the hospital at 1:00 only to be told by a not so friendly hospital greeter... let me just say she needs to find a new job, prison guard comes to mind... who informed us that the kids were not allowed to leave the main floor lobby. I explained (I'm proud to say) very calmly that we had just driven 2 hours for the kids to see their father and she proceeded to call hospital security on me... this is not a joke I was then "handled" by the security officer, gun and all. Needless to say at the threat of getting shot I left the kids and mom in the lobby and headed up to see Scott. At this point we have the option of giving the full story or a brief synposis, let me assure you, you'll prefer the synopsis. I was able to track down his neurologist who wrote an order for him to be allowed to be taken by wheelchair to the lobby for a few moments to see the kids. Unfortunately, his nurse was not so accomodating and we needed up finding a bleeding heart nurse he literally broke him out and rushed him down the hall. As the elevator doors open and we are about to make our escape his nurse catches us and demands that he be brought back immediately since Cardiology had arrived for more tests... Let me just say its 4:00 and we'd been waiting all day for the test but they chose that moment to show up! Anyway, the renegade nurse sends me to the lobby to smuggle the kids up the elevator while she returns Scott to his room. She returns to the elevator lines us up in a single file line and tells us to follow, don't stop don't talk to anyone, just keep going. She takes us to the back door to ICU and informs the kids that when she opens the door Scott's room will be directly in front of them and they are to go straight through the door and into his room, again, don't look around, just go straight in. She opens the door, the kids barrel through the door, past the cardiologist and right to Scott's bedside. Our renegade nurse brings up the rear and leaving no room for opposition from the cariologist informs him that his kids are going to spend a minute with their dad. That done, she helps us escape through the back door and sends them down to the sunroom on that floor to wait until Scott's testing is done. She stresses that they can't leave the floor cause once off the floor they could be caught by security. After his tests she loads Scott up in a wheelchair and brings him down to eat dinner with the kids. This is the gospel truth, you can't make this kinda thing up and believe it or not, that was the synopsis!

Let me just say I'm thankful for Rule Breakers... I'm not sure how I could have gotten S and Z home had they not been allowed to see for themselves that Scott's okay.

I regale you with this story simply because we've got nothing new to report medically. Several more tests today but no official results from his neurologist. Not expecting anything to happen tomorrow and his doctor has said he'll be in until at least Mon.

Thanks for your continued prayers and support... A S and Z

Update on Scott

2009-11-24T21:44:00.002-06:00

Thank you to everyone for the kinds words and prayers. If you were one of the 98 texts I rec'd today, I'm sorry I simply don't have it in me to tell the same story again and again. So here's where we are. The doctors have confirmed that Scott did suffer a stroke yesterday caused by a blood clot. They were able to administer the TPA and in our case at least it was a miracle drug. 24 hours after being completely paralyzed on his right side the therapists had him out of bed and walking. At this point is no residual limitations because of the stroke. He remains in ICU under observation only because of the possble complications from the TPA. They will be moving him to his own room tomorrow. We are now waiting while the doctors try to determine the cause so we can then discuss treatment/prevention options.

What I'm Thankful for Today... a family that is beyond words and a community that reaches out with love and prayers to my family. You can never know what your kindness means to us. THANK YOU!

09 Marching Eagles Take the Field

2009-09-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

My husband, who was never in the band, let alone a Marching Eagle cannot begin to understand the emotion I feel every time I watch our band take the field. I can choke up just thinking about those moments before the announcer says, "Marching Eagles you may take the field for competition." One of the most important things to me about moving home was that my kids would get to have that incredible experience and this weekend, DitzyDanzer took to the field...

Birthday Shout Out

2009-09-15T16:20:00.000-05:00

Today, Sept 13, my baby girl turns 15. That's right 12 short months and she'll be behind the wheel. I know most parents dread that day. I personally am looking soooooooooo forward to it. No more late night runs to town to sit in the parking lot waiting for the bus to get back. No more, up at the crack of dawn to run her in to catch the bus. No more killing time while she's at dance. The perks FAR outweigh any negatives in my mind. Anyway, Happy 15th to my little girl who is "So Big!"

Shout Out to Baby Sis...

2009-07-22T20:49:00.002-05:00

Well with the insane amount of renovations we've done to the house the kitchen was one area that I decided I could do some surface changes to and get by for a few years. Of major concern was the dark, out-dated cabinets. In need of a craft idea, never fear, baby sister to the rescue. Creative C lived up to her nickname when she came up with this idea to spruce up my kitchen cabinets. While she wasn't thrilled with my color scheme choice, I am over the moon with the look thus far.

Here's what we started with...

Here's where we are today...

A Winning Season...

2009-07-21T21:56:00.004-05:00

With dance winding down, you'd think we'd have ourselves a little free time. NOT SO. Where one kid leaves off another picks right up. Z-man took on summer ball at the ball park. This year he moved up to play with the older boys and found out what "real" baseball is like. Although it was a little intimidating at the beginning of the season he warmed up quickly and really enjoyed his time on the field. A few good lessons learned...

The key to good fielding... Always be ready!

If you want to get a hit...Keep your eye on the ball!

And all the hard work pays off when the Braves end the season as the league champions!

Every good player needs his own fan club.

Persistance...

2009-06-06T22:26:00.001-05:00

If there was ever a day I wanted to go back to my carefree days of youth it was the day "The Golden Child" was lured into sitting in the dunking booth for "a good cause." The nephews lined up to take their shot at sending the big guy into the frigid water.

If at first you don't succeed, "Try try again!"

I think I can, I think I can.

Don't give up!

Look who's laughing now!

Dance Season Wraps Up....

2009-06-03T15:50:00.004-05:00

After 10 months of rehearsals, public appearances, competitions, and recital, the dance season is officially over for this year. Here are the official team pictures.

This year the tap team went acapella with a broadway-style tap number, Tap Tap.

DitzyDanzer's favorite number this year was Toy Soldier a modern hip hop style dance where they rocked the stage.

While DitzyDanzer has been taking Pointe classes for the past two years, this is the first year that they performed a pointe dance at recital. Who doesn't love Phantom's Music of the Night.

The jazz number is always a crowd pleaser, this years the girls' copped an attitude and struted their stuff to New York City Girl.

The most complex and elaborate dance each year is the team production number. It is always an extended routine, usually 7-8 minutes of high intensity dancing, tumbling and stunts. This year's theme, Tribal Revival. The dance itself is fascinating to watch. It starts very fun and light and by the time its over the girls have turned into warriors in battle.

She's Officially a High Schooler...

2009-05-29T16:10:00.000-05:00

We managed to survive the graduation ceremony. For some unknown reason I feel like I aged 10 years during the ceremony. My little girl is headed off to high school... that makes me old!

Here she is waiting patiently as the American flag is presented prior to her acapella rendition of The Star Spangled Banner... which was absolutely beautiful by-the-way!

In case there was any doubt, the envelope was NOT empty. She actually received her diploma.

She is pretty isn't she!

24 Hours and Counting...

2009-05-20T21:48:00.003-05:00

Many of you may remember the recap from our shopping trip for a graduation dress. Well the wait is over. The dress was unveiled this evening at the 2009 Graduation Dance. This is the beautiful daughter I sent off.

The occasion even warranted a visit with Jess for an updo.

And check out the "Fergalious" shoes.

The Final Countdown

2009-05-19T20:10:00.000-05:00

With 36 hours to go before graduation the class parties abound. When you get these three together you never know what's gonna happen.

The enthusiasm for the chorus party is AMAZING...

Look what happens you add a little sunshine and fresh air.

What do we do???

2009-05-18T07:20:00.000-05:00

The question I pose to you today is this... "What do we do when our kids have the ability to dream big?" We raise our kids telling them they can be/do anything they want to do if they work hard and dream. So what do we do when they listen. When they have the ability to dream bigger than we can. Do we rain down on their parade and remind them of unimaginable odds and to "dream" more "realistically" or do we move heaven and earth to support them knowing in our hearts that in all likelihood its only a matter of time before the world crushes them. I don't want you to think I don't believe in my kids. I think they are both incredible people but as a practical mom (and isn't that the real question, do I even want to be a practical mom) the when the odds are so stacked against a happy ending, what do we do as parents?

Any pearls of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

We're still here...

2009-05-15T06:53:00.005-05:00

Things have been crazy this spring for us but with graduation looming on the horizon I'm hoping things will begin to slow down a bit now. We got the 8th grade trip out of the way last week, spring concert wrapped up last and we've got our last dance competition for the year this weekend so we are definitely on the down hill side of the insanity.

As a little background, this spring Shelby worked on three pieces to take to solo and ensemble contest, a vocal solo, a vocal ensemble and a french horn solo then the week before contest she was bedridden with bronchitis. On Friday evening we had to make the heart wrenching decision to keep her home, based on her inability to walk from the sofa to the kitchen without breaking into a coughing fit. After ten weeks of preparation, sitting at home that Saturday was extremely difficult for her. All that work was not for naught as Roma allowed the girls to perform their ensemble last night. While it doesn't completely compensate for the disappointment it certainly helped ease her distress.

One of the things Shelby has enjoyed most in Jr High is her participation in the JCJH drum line. It really is quite impressive, we are very lucky to have an incredibly talented drum instructor working with the kids. This year's theme Kindergroovin'.

My favorite performance of the evening... a stirring rendition of It is Well With My Soul by the concert band. Kudos Steve on another fabulous concert.

I'm Hooked...

2009-04-01T07:08:00.002-05:00

So if you visit the blog regularly you know that DitzyDanzer has been OBSESSED with the new Twilight series and a couple weekends ago we sat down to watch the movie together. I really enjoyed the movie but DitzyDanzer was adamant that the book was far and away better so thanks to a good friend who loaned me a copy, last night after everyone else went to bed I sat down to read for just a bit "until I got sleepy." At 2:30 am I forced myself to put the book down and go to bed. And let me just say, this old body ain't what it used to be. I don't know how I used to do it "back in the day" but my days of late nights and early mornings are obviously gone. It should be an "interested" day to say the least.

A Good Laugh...

2009-03-26T06:21:00.001-05:00

Those of you who know me already know that I'm not one to forward e-mails. Don't misunderstand, I like a good laugh as much as the next person but I'm just not a big fan of the mass forward e-mail. That said, this week I received the following e-mail from a friend that simply had to be shared. This is from newshound Dave Barry's colonoscopy journal:

Subject: Colonoscopy....the humorous side

I called my friend Andy Sable, a gas troenterologist, to make an appintment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place,at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis ..

Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'

I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a produ ct called 'MoviPrep,' which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.

I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous.Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor. Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, then you fill it with lukewarm water.. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.)

Then you have to dr ink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.

The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose, watery bowel movement may result.' This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.

MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is pretty much the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything. And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.

After an action-packed evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage.. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on AndyHow do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.

At the clinic I had to sign many forms ackn owledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked..

Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this is, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.

When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side,and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand. There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by ABBA. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' had to be the least appropriate. 'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said.

And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like. I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, ABBA was yelling 'Dancing Queen, feel the beat of the tambourine,' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood. Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that it was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.

A Different Kind of Vampire...

2009-03-22T20:55:00.004-05:00

This winter DitzyDanzer has been completely obsessed with the Twilight series. She read the first book in three days. In case you aren't familiar with the latest tween heart throb, his name is Edward Cullen and he's a vampire. When DitzyDanzer asked to read the book, my first instinct was to forbid it. The entire premise of the series is a mortal 16 year old girl who falls passionately in love with a vampire, albeit a "vegetarian" (his family only drinks animal blood). As mom I would certainly prefer that she get out her Little House on the Praire books and become enamoured with Walnut Grove. She of course was not interested in that trade. So I did a little research and decided that there were certainly bigger battles that I would eventually need to win. So I conceded on books one, two and three. When it came to four I was faced with one of those "bigger" battles. You see, Bella and Edward are finally married and as a married couple, sex becomes a part of the story line. At my sisters' encouragement. I picked up book four and read it cover to cover before allowing DitzyDanzer to read it. To my utter amazement it was actually a good read. It is by no means a literary masterpiece but it is a story that pulls you in and has you cheering for the "good" vampires. So when the movie came out this weekend I bought DitzyDanzer a copy and she and I had some quality mother/daughter time last night watching it together. I'll be honest and say I would prefer that we read Little Women together but at least this is some common ground that we can enjoy together and even carry on a conversation about and believe me when I say that becomes harder and harder every day.

And So it Begins...

2009-03-16T20:43:00.004-05:00

So DitzyDanzer is graduating from eighth grade in 8 SHORT weeks and the craziness has begun. Last week we enjoyed an informational seminar by the high school guidance counselors. Did I just say HIGH SCHOOL? Yes, mom is having a little trouble accepting that her baby girl is headed off to high school. That's a whole other post though. Saturday morning we loaded up the car and headed to St. Louis to find the PERFECT graduation dance dress. Dad did surprisingly well, not even a mumble as DitzyDanzer paraded out dress after dress after dress... To our utter astonishment, she found the perfect dress at our first stop. Of course there were more than 500 dresses to sort through. No kidding 500+ dresses. So the dress is ordered now we just have to find the shoes and jewelry. I'm afraid the easy part is done...

Dad's favorite

The Salesman's favorite...

Shelby's favorite... UNTIL she saw "her" dress

Mom's favorite

Bball Anyone...

2009-03-10T19:17:00.002-05:00

I'd love to tell you that I'm gonna get better about keeping up with the blog. The best I can do is say I'll try. In any event. Z-man took the floor this evening in his first "real" basketball game. As the fates would have it, his game followed NoNonsense and his was opponent...B. The boys had a great time. Kudos to the men who've organized this league for the boys.

We're still here...

2009-03-01T22:18:00.002-06:00

To put all fears to rest, the Huschle family is still alive and doing well. We have, however, officially entered COMPETITION SEASON. Notice "we" not just DitzyDanzer. That's because once the craziness starts the entire family is affected. This morning DitzyDanzer and I headed off for Evansville so that she and her team could take the stage for their first competition of the year. What follows are a sampling of my quiet little girl once she takes the stage and the lights come up...

An African Tribal Revival

Hip Hop

Tap Anyone
A little bit of New York City jazz!

W-O-W

2009-02-17T07:28:00.003-06:00

DitzyDanzer is our dancer. She's been dancing since she was 2 1/2 years old and at 14, it's her thing. There is absolutely nothing she enjoys more than the dance production. At home we watch Dancing with the Stars religiously and we catch as many stage shows as we can. Through the years we've gone to see 42nd Street, A Broadway Spectacular, the Radio City Rockettes and last night we were blessed with four tickets to see Lord of the Dance. So after work, Sassy Seamer and I loaded up DitzyDanzer and one of her gal pals and headed to Champaign. The show was absolutely amazing which was evident by their expressions.

A minor investment...

2009-02-16T15:05:00.000-06:00

Last February Scott and I were thrilled to receive the news that both kids were going to be wearing braces at the same time. So, for the past 12 months Scott and I have been sending the equivalent of a house payment to the orthodontist so that DitzyDanzer and Zman can have dazzling smiles. Zman has done great, following the directions to the letter. DitzyDanzer believes the "rules" are merely guidelines. And as if karma were on Zman's side, this morning when they visited Dr. Bankhead, Zman came out of the office minus his top braces (the bottom comes off next week)... DitzyDanzer still wearing hers!

Wake Up!

2009-02-13T07:45:00.001-06:00

I'm a morning person... Z-man -- morning person... DitzyDanzer... not so much... So this morning she was determined to stay in bed as long as possible... not an easy task considering by 7:30 SassySeamer had ten yard apes under the age of 11 wrecking havoc on her house. The boys had already assigned out nerf weapons for the day and had a heated war going on and the girls had staked out the sun porch as their "house." Keeping in mind that I had already asked DitzyDanzer to get up twice, when the girls decided they wanted their nails painted, I offered her up as fair game. Maybe next time she'll get up to my polite knock on the door...

Looking Back

2009-02-13T06:40:00.003-06:00

Last night while working on Scott's website I stumbled across this photo of Z-man and I just had to say... OMG I made cute kids...

Not sure what happened to him, but he sure started out cute!

A Question...

2009-02-12T05:33:00.004-06:00

It's February 12 and I find myself asking the age old question... At what date does it become socially unacceptable to display your Christmas decorations. When I look out the office window this is the sight I behold...

Old Fashioned Fun...

2009-02-07T21:34:00.003-06:00

In our techno world of video games, ipods and computer chat rooms it is refreshing to see that some toys never lose their charm. Nana and Papa thought Z-man might enjoy an Erector set... obviously they were right. He's been working on this crane for the past week, even passed up tv and video games to complete the project.

Sleddin'

2009-01-28T17:41:00.000-06:00

DitzyDanzer and Zman missed the last snow. We were in St. Louis and didn't see a single flake and didn't get home until after dark. So you can imagine how excited they were to wake up to a white yard and a "no school" announcement. When I got home from work, we bundled up and headed out for some sled time. When grandpa got home we kicked it up a notch.

They managed to hang on for about 15 minutes before grandpa lost them on a sharp turn. As an unbiased observer, I'm not so sure it was entirely an accident.

Hunter got quite the workout.

Once the cheeks turn scarlet, mom calls an end to the party!

Chess Anyone...

2009-01-27T19:34:00.002-06:00

For those of you who aren't aware, Rahel graciously agreed to take over Zachary's cub scout den this year as they were without a male role model to lead them. Our fearless cubmaster gave him training and direction as to the best way to run his meetings. One suggestion was that he find an activity that he could consistenly use at the meetings as a time filler. Rahel, in all his wisdom, chose chess. Now let me just say I had my doubts. Let's face it, in our fast paced world of video games and computer chat rooms, what appeal could chess hold for seven 10 year olds. Never let it be said that I won't admit when I'm wrong. The boys absolutely love it and insist that they be allowed "chess time" during each meeting. Zman is so into the game that he asked for a chess set for his birthday. I can't imagine anyone will be surprised to learn that Nana and Papa fulfilled that request. This is a frequent sight at our house. At least twice a week the board comes and and Papa takes not prisoners.

Fall Fun...

2009-01-26T18:00:00.000-06:00

I was looking for a particular picture on the computer last night and instead ran across a group of pics that DitzyDanzer and Z-man must have taken last fall. This is what happens when you give a teenager a camera with no rules...

Pinewood Derby

2009-01-25T19:52:00.010-06:00

One of the highlights on the cub scout calendar is the Pinewood Derby. Each scout is given a block of wood, four nails and four plastic wheels and asked to make themselves a car that not only looks good but is capable of racing down a track. While our boys didn't walk away with any speed awards, they can each proudly say that they built and decorated their cars. And it is a great morning of fun and laughs for all of us.

Infommercial Insanity....

2009-01-21T07:05:00.004-06:00

Anyone else seen these commercials? I don't know what she's been watching but DitzyDanzer can recite the entire infommercial and is totally taken in by the marketing promotion they've got going on. Grandma Jackie got a Magic Bullet for Christmas and DitzyDanzer's been itching to try it out. It was agreed at Christmas that when we came back down they would be making smoothies. So Sunday evening we all received a realtime demonstration of the incredible ease and versatility of the Magic Bullet.

"It's as easy as 1 -- 2 -- 3..."

"Check out the Magic sipping ring."

Remind you of something?

2009-01-14T07:32:00.002-06:00

When I got home from work on Friday, this is what I found.Now I realize I'm probably dating myself but does that remind you of anyone...

Just like dad...

2009-01-13T06:48:00.005-06:00

Well DitzyDanzer and Z-man have both gotten bit by the "show biz" bug. WIKK asked them to record a PSA for the boys park summer league sign ups and they both now consider themselves professionals. I have to admit they sounded pretty good. Listen for yourself.

Like a Dog With a Bone

2009-01-08T21:04:00.004-06:00

After two weeks off from school the kids had completely exhausted their "home" entertainment and were more than ready to head back to school on Monday. Only to find out Tuesday morning that they were iced in for the day. While Z-man quickly adjusted his mindset and the sheer boredom was almost more than DitzyDanzer could bear. So sometime around lunch she pulled a 1000 piece puzzle out of her closet and spread it out on the table.

When Grandpa got home at 3:30 he took one look and announced that we should all get used to it since it would most certainly be taking up space for several weeks. In an effort to preserve her sanity, at 10 pm with less than 150 pieces to go, DitzyDanzer had to be forcibly removed from her seat at the puzzle table and sent off to bed. She ignored the table completely yesterday but sat down this evening and announced moments ago, she was missing pieces.

Thats 992 pieces in three days.

Sally Hits the Hardwood...

2009-01-06T06:07:00.006-06:00

At the request of the newly appointed girls jv basketball coach Sally agreed to pick up her basketball again after three years away from team play and last night we were able to see her for the first time since 7th grade.
Sally gets ready to take her turn on the floor.

Coach Bear gives some instruction to his team.

Coach Bears montra for the night "Find your man... stay on your man"

Sally's on her like stink on a pig...

Where do you think you're going?

Coach Bear's frustration gets the better of him.

Sally's all over her.

Hold on, I'm coming with you.

Half of Sally's cheering section.

News Flash...

2009-01-05T22:10:00.007-06:00

For those of you who haven't read my profile, and are unaware, among my numerous personality quirks lurks a moderate to profound case of OCD. Couple that with my need for organization and neatness and you can begin to sympathize with my family. That said, my daughter is 14 and rebelling against any form of organization or neatness. I try desperately to remember that it's just the teenage"ness" but sometimes the utter chaos of her room is more than I can be expected to bare. This weekend was one such instance and I kindly -- okay maybe not so much -- informed my daughter that her room would be returned to some sort of order before heading off to school on Monday. In typical DitzyDanzer fashion she ignored my "polite" request until Sunday afternoon when I had to send her off to her room whilest the rest of us got ready for a heated Pinochle tournament. To her sheer delight both of her aunts and Sally took pity on her and the three of them tore through her room like a tornado -- fyi, both aunts suffer from different degrees of the same heredity disorder -- and in no time at all DitzyDanzer was released from her imprisonment and was able to take her seat around the table.

Digital Photography 101...

2009-01-03T22:57:00.003-06:00

The first thing the camera salesman tells you when you make the switch from 35mm film to digital is "This camera is much more sensitive to its environment." In layman's terms that means don't get it wet, cold, hot, etc. So after returning home on New Year's Eve at 1 am the camera inadvertantly got left in the car until yesterday evening. So that you can all learn from my mistake... here's what happens when you expose your camera to excessive temperature fluctuations...
For those of you needing a little help discerning the photo content... this is a picture of DitzyDanzer in one of her adorable new sweatshirts from our day-after-day-after Christmas shopping spree.

Ringin' in 2009

2009-01-01T11:21:00.001-06:00

A sure sign Supafreak and I have lost your cool factor... Our idea of a "rockin" New Year's Eve Party is game night at Aunt Debbie's. I remember the fancy dresses and extravagent parties... does that count for anything?

Yes, I got put at the "kid" table while the adults played pinochle.
You gotta be sure of yourself to pull off this number.

Duck Hunter's Widow...

2008-12-30T08:20:00.005-06:00

For those of you who know Superfreak, this will come as no surprise but his greatest passion in life is waterfowl hunting. From November 1 to January 31 he lives and breathes it. He tries to pretend like he has some control but the truth is he is completely OCD. To make matters worse, he is doing everything he can to insure that this disorder is passed along to the next generation.
This was Zman's first experience in the blind.
Here he is with today's kill. TG they don't expect me to "cook it up"!

Christmas Marathon - Day 2 - a Double Header

2008-12-25T21:26:00.000-06:00

On Day 2 we enjoy two celebrations. We get up early in the morning and opening our family presents around the Christmas tree then celebrate with the Whitehurst clan. This year we added a dirty grab bag. Everyone brought a little something from home then we took turns either opening a gift or stealing someone else's. It was a great addition to the festivities, thanks for the inspiration Bookworm.
A meeting of the minds!
Aunt Debbie wins the award for most creative wrapping. This is taking "Going Green" to a whole new level!
Two HOT mamas!
Creative C and Antlerman got themselves a fabulous new addition to their Thanksgiving tablescape.
We're bringing Superfreak over to the dark side.

Christmas Marathon - Day 1

2008-12-24T06:10:00.001-06:00

Christmas Eve... This is our day of leisure as we don't have to be at Superfreak's parents until late afternoon. Actually this just means everyone else sleeps in late and I run around a quiet house trying to finish up the last minute details before loading the car and heading to St. Louis where we spend the evening with Superfreak's family. Once the gifts are opened and everyone is thoroughly stuffed and exhausted, we load up the car and head home. Superfreak always drives the first 30 minutes with me chatting it up in the co-pilot's seat. Then somewhere between Lebanon and the interstate he'll announce that he's just too tired to drive. At which point we pull over, change places and he promptly falls asleep so that I get to finish the last two hours belting out Christmas carols to a sleeping family.Boys will be boys...Can anyone guess Zman's favorite gift?DitzyDanzer uses her psychic abilities to guess this present.Can you tell these two are related?Max was obviously having a bad hair day... we won't even discuss the outfit.

Wagy Candy Factory...

2008-12-23T22:15:00.005-06:00

Every year just before the holidays Sassy Seamer pulls out her candy making supplies turns her kitchen into her own version of the Hershey plant. For the past five years Bookworm has gotten in on the action and this year Creative C and I were honored with an invitation to join them. So today, in the middle of an ice storm, everyone loaded up and braved the treacherous roads to meet at Sassy Seamer's for an afternoon of confectionary bliss. We were even blessed to have Rahel hang around and oversee the entire operation. What would we have done without him...Creative C put lived up her to name as she spent hours doing the intricate work necessary to create these beautiful little masterpieces...Notice that Rahel is giving C pointers on proper chocolate techniques...
Six hours and a mountain of dirty dishes later...

Hidden Talents...

2008-12-22T20:19:00.002-06:00

After years of working in the flower shop, Sassy Seamer can make the most beautiful bows. She has tried repeatedly to teach me this skill with absolutely no success. Then to my utter amazement Ditzy Danzer asked Nana how she did it. After a 10-minute lesson and one practice bow, Ditzy Danzer is now my designated box maker. We have the most beautiful packages under our tree this year thanks to Ditzy Danzer.

The First Leon

2008-12-21T22:28:00.010-06:00

This year our church's youth choir presented our Christmas program, The First Leon, Saturday night before our annual soup supper. The story is about a group of school kids so worried about presenting the perfect pageant that they have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Everyone, that is, except for Leon, the school's science geek.

Meet Leon...

DitzyDanzer gives some advice to Leon on what it takes to be a star...

NoNonsense played the part of the school stud...

DitzyDanzer got to use some of her dance skills...

SuperFreak even got in on the action as our Tech Guy... (Note of interest, this is the same job that Creative C's 9 year old had in their program. No judgment, just an observation.)

And no great show happens without a GREAT director. Thanks Sally, we couldn't have done it without you!

Girls' Day...

2008-12-18T22:12:00.002-06:00

I happen to think one of a girls greatest luxury is her time at the salon. DitzyDanzer and I treated ourselves to a visit to Jess today for a little beauty pick-me-up. We both got ourselves a new cut and I suffered through the eyebrow waxing. DitzyDanzer had seriously been mulling over the idea for herself... she is obsessed with her eyebrows... OCD is apparently hereditary... however after watching exactly what happens she decided that the she'll continuing tweezing a bit longer. After that momentary torture we thoroughly enjoyed the next hour and a half of pampering and girl chat. Beauticians... a girl's best friend.

A Star is Born...

2008-12-11T16:38:00.005-06:00

Meet the new radio personality on WMCI. Superfreak is now hosting Down River Outdoors a 1 hour talk show that airs each Saturday morning at 7:00 on 101.3 FM or RadioMattoon.com. Someone gave him a mic and 60 minutes to talk about his passion and he's in heaven.

Great Gift Gone Wrong

2008-12-11T16:38:00.003-06:00

I have a great boss and to prove it, I got my Christmas present early this year. I've spent the last four weeks looking for a new casual winter coat. Something that I can throw on with a pair of blue jeans. I've shopped and tried on until I want to scream and so far have been unsuccessful in finding anything that fit right, was the right color and was in my price range. That was until Wednesday when Creative C and Antlerman showed up at the office with an adorable aqua blue coat with matching accessories. Fit perfectly, looks great and I didn't have to pay for it. Now that's definately within my budget. Of course I was thrilled last night that we were having our ladies meeting and I had the perfect opportunity to show off my new outerwear. So I got myself all dolled up, and completed the look with my adorable new coat and accessories and headed off to church. Since I've talked it up so much I thought maybe I should let you see for yourself...

Keep in mind, this picture was taken AFTER we got home.

Holiday Traditions... part 3

2008-12-10T06:18:00.002-06:00

We couldn't possibly get through the season with the ever popular holiday baking and last night Shelby and I got started with some cookies for our Secret Sister Cookie Exchange tonight at church. I made a dainty lemon tea cookie and DitzyDanzer made her favorite, a Grandma Jackie original, Chocolate Crinkles. They are incredible. Zman and Scott were our taste testers and both recipies passed with flying colors. Not to be outdone by her grandaughter, Sassy Seamer whipped out these chocolate, pecan, carmel pieces of heaven.

Holiday Traditions... part 2

2008-12-09T07:15:00.006-06:00

A couple weeks ago while shopping with Creative C we stumbled across these great gingerbread house kits. Well, Saturday evening we set aside some time to put it together and decorate. Believe it or not DitzyDanzer and Zman worked together beautifully. It was a blissful hour and a half with no arguing. This will project will definately be repeated.

Holiday Traditions...

2008-12-08T07:32:00.000-06:00

When Scott and I got married, what no one told me was that in addition to vast number of Wagy traditions, I would be expected to incorporated the Huschle traditions in my family also. One such tradition is St. Nick's Day. Had never even heard of it until Shelby Lou was born and my mother-in-law was appalled that I had "forgotten" DitzyDanzer's St. Nick's present. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about. The Huschle tradition is that on December 5 before heading to bed, you tuck your letter to Santa into your stocking and at some point in the night, Santa stops by, picks up your letter and fills your stocking. So each year I find myself backed into a corner and running around frantically picking up a few items at the last minute. A personal twist that Scott and I have incorporated is that each year on Dec. 6, in addition to the obligatory gifts, Santa leaves the kids a new ornament for our tree. I take finding the perfect ornament very seriously. I want the ornament to represent their lives for each year. This year I stumbled upon this bedazzled star for DitzyDanzer. She is after all our little star and ZMan got this adorable chubby Santa playing basketball. Take a guess what his sport of choice is right now...

Scott is dedicated supporter of the Hallmark ornament lines. This year he picked up a beautiful ballerina for DitzyDanzer (she's gotten serious about her Pointe and seems to be thriving in those classes) and Zman got his first Corvette (somewhere in the last 12 months, he's become obsessed with cars, talks about engines and such all the time).

The Fun Begins

2008-12-01T21:50:00.003-06:00

I started my Christmas shopping several weeks ago and took a big bite out of it this weekend with our annual post Thanksgiving shopping trip. All the shopping fun is just that... FUN. For me, the Christmas season begins when we pull out the stack of gifts and the beautiful paper with the ribbon, bows and tags. Believe it or not, my compulsive tendencies come out with this little ritual. I spend countless hours planning my gift color scheme then picking out two coordinating papers and all the trimmings. This year's theme... gold and cream. Ditzy Danzer and I have gotten started and its officially Christmas time.

They grow up so fast

2008-11-25T21:11:00.008-06:00

Flash back to April 2007... Nana and Papa make a quick run to Rural King on Saturday morning and come home to tell Scott and I about these adorable baby bunnies that "the kids would just love!" So we loaded them up and headed over to "take a look." Two hours later we arrived home with two new additions to the family. Meet Hip and Hop.

We started out using Creative C's rabbit hutch however by last winter it became apparent that, as luck would have it, we had brought home a male and female. We immediately got to work on a duplex and within ten days they love birds were separated. Did you know that bunnies can conceive within seven days of giving birth? So here's a look at Hip and Hop today...

Phase 2

2008-11-24T08:16:00.003-06:00

Phase 2 has proven successful. Sassy not only tolerates the new sleeping quarters, she seems quite happy about the new arrangement. Next up a roof... Zman and I will start working on that this weekend. DitzyDanzer is quite impatient as we have given her free reign of the decorating once the project is complete. She's working on her color scheme now. Something fun but not tacky is what she working towards...

Cub Scouts... it's a family thing!

2008-11-21T08:46:00.005-06:00

Once a month Cub Scouts has a full pack meeting. Tigers, Wolves, Bears and Webelos (and their families) descend upon the KC Hall (who generously donates their facility anytime their called upon). Our fearless cubmaster duo pack the next hour with all kinds of fun. The evening starts off with roll call where you will hear den chants ranging from "Bears in the house" to an indian war cry, followed by presentation of awards. As the boys earn their various badges, pins and belt loops, they are recognized publically for their achievements.

Last night we were honored to have a WWII veteran there to talk about his experience flying in a B52 bomber. Additionally he talked to the boys about being shot down and spending more than 14 months in various European prison camps. I don't know that I've ever been so proud of our boys... they sat in complete silence and listened intently as this man talked about the American flag and its importance as a symbol of our freedom.

Following our guest speaker the boys were awarded their prizes for their participation in this year's popcorn sale. As an added incentive to sell, the Golden Child offered up himself as a sacrifice. Any scout who sold $500 earned the privilege of "pieing" the cubmaster. Ten boys achieved this goal and last night Sassy Seamer and her girls put together 12 pies for the occasion.

Like a trooper the Golden Child sat in his place, trashing talking the boys as each took his turn hurling a pie at his head... ZMan and NoNonsense both enjoyed the opportunity more than words can imagine. In fact, DitzyDanzer wants to sell popcorn next year just so she can get a pie next year.

Under Construction...

2008-11-20T05:24:00.004-06:00

Zachary and I have been hard at work this week on a little construction project for Sassy, our 9 year old Chesapeake Bay Retriever. A little background information is probably necessary here. Sassy is a bit stubborn and quirky. Quirky in that she refuses to go in a dog house, stubborn in that she'll lay out in the rain on freezing concrete instead. Quite frankly she's not as spry as she once was and I've been very worried about her coming into the winter so I've come up with a little plan to trick her. We're going to put together a dog house for her in phases. Step 1: Several months ago we put a pallet in her kennel and she's grown quite used to sleeping on that (it at least has gotten her off the concrete). ACCOMPLISHED. Step 2: Zachary and I have built (yes, you read that right) three walls that we are going to add. After she gets used to the walls, we'll add a front and hopefully a roof someday. We're hoping that she'll adapt. Time will tell.

Some Things Never Change...

2008-11-16T21:22:00.004-06:00

You know Ditzy Danzer is 14 now and spends most of her time thinking that I'm some sort of alien from another planet. There are very few moments when she can relate to me. However, there are those moments when she looks at me with different eyes. When she sees something other than MOM. For example, last Saturday night we hit the road about 6 pm on our way to St. Louis to spend Sunday with the Huschle family. Supafreak had headed down on Friday so it was just the kids and I in the car and they were completely absorbed in their movie and I was alone with my thoughts. Well that was entertaining for me for all of 10 minutes and I decided to make good use of my free weekend cell minutes and picked up the phone and dialed up an old friend. Amazingly, she was in the car traveling at the time also. My sisters can testify that Andy was huge part of my high school years, but somewhere along the line we lost touch and haven't spoken in more than ten years. Nonetheless, we giggled and gossiped like we were 17 again for almost two hours. When I hung up the phone Ditzy Danzer looked at me like she had no idea who I was. Apparently, she had been keenly aware of the time and content of my conversation and what I read in her eyes was..."OMG, she's a girl." Yes, Ditzy Danzer your mom is a girl at heart and I can only hope that you create friendships like those that I've been blessed with. Girlfriends who, no matter how long between phone calls, can still share your triumphs and tears. Those are friends that matter.

I shudder to think how many hundreds of hours were spent on the phone with these two girls. Ditzy Danzer, meet Mrs. Roth when she was just Teenie Weenie and Andy, the voice on the other end of my two hour phone call.

Cub Scout Mania

2008-11-13T07:18:00.004-06:00

At the Golden Child's urging, ZMan joined Cub Scouts last year and after a "luke warm" year of scouting he was on the fence about joining again this year. But... when Rahel was coerced into taking over the job as den leader, ZMan was persuaded to give it another shot. Let's just say scouting for ZMan this year is a whole different ball game. He's exciting about his meetings and is expanding his horizons. For instance, Rahel decided the boys were old enough to learn chess. Well let's just say I had my doubts. In this world of techno entertainment, chess is, how shall we say, DULL! Let me just go on record as saying I was wrong. The boys love it. Not just ZMan but all of them. Rahel saves a few minutes at every meeting so they can get the boards out and take each other on. Its the first thing ZMan talks about when he gets home. Then there's respect. While he can't fully comprehend the sacrafices made by our men and women in the service, by attending and participating in the Veteran's Day ceremony, he understands the need to honor those people who keep us safe. I'm not sure the same can be said for most adults.

The boys "recruiting" at the Fall Festival parade.

B and ZMan ham it up for the camera the Popcorn Kickoff!

I'm still blogging

2008-11-12T07:36:00.001-06:00

I haven't fallen off the planet, I've just been working feverishly on the new store design. I'm just about finished and with a little luck I can turn my focus back to the family blog in a couple of days. In the meantime, I'd love a little constructive critism. Take a look and let me know if have any comments or suggestions. Note, the Welcome page is not working as I am waiting for my domain name to transfer there.

The Next Best Thing

2008-11-10T06:56:00.005-06:00

The greatest gift my parents gave to me was my sisters. As kids we fought like nobody's business but as adults they are my best friends. Creative C has a quote on her blog that I love...

"If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister more than herself and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child."

Linda Sunshine

Truer words were never spoken... (Can I get an amen from the Creative C and Bookworm!) The knowledge that Shelby will never experience that sometimes makes me sad. Then I run across a photograph and it reminds me... She's already got THE NEXT BEST THING!

Back when Aunt Carrie and Uncle Eric were cool...(aka pre-kids)

They are beautiful young ladies aren't they!

Whose Idea Is That Anyway?

2008-11-06T08:15:00.002-06:00

I would like to know why it is that society "encourages" women to endure various forms of torture in order to look good for our men. For instance I spent an hour last night with my scalp on fire so that this morning I could wake up gray free. Now if that's all that was expected of us that might be tolerable let's talk about tweezing, waxing, shaving that's required. What about stilettos? Don't get me wrong I love my heels but let's get real, they were obviously invented by a man. How about the curling iron. Whose brilliant idea was it to scorch our hair into shapes that God never intended. Then there's makeup, deep cleansers, masks... none of which are actually pleasant. Anyone try the Biore nose strips? Can you say ouch!

Have You Cast your Ballot?

2008-11-04T08:14:00.002-06:00

Wow, it’s been an incredible journey to this day. We are on the threshold of an historical election and I don’t know about you but I’m excited. For the first time in my adult life I was excited to get out of bed this morning and head off to the polls. I arrived at my polling place at 5:56 am to find a line of people waiting to get in the doors so obviously I’m not the only person who wants to make a difference. Regardless of your party or presidential preference no one can deny that these two men have brought our democracy back to the people. Through this process we have again begun to believe that we have a voice and that voice matters. Obama has been screaming “change” and whether or not you believe HE can make that happen, people are beginning to believe WE can make it happen. I don’t pretend to know who will be the best president, but thanks to this election I do know that our world doesn’t get any better until each of us gets up and gets involved.

What about you?

DitzyDanzer's Room

2008-11-03T07:23:00.008-06:00

DitzyDanzer's room has presented many challenges. First and foremost she had no closets. Actually there were no closets anywhere in the house and that HAD to be addressed. So here's the progression of her room.

You'll notice the previous owners left us countless treasures.

Additionally, DitzyDanzer's room had a huge window on the north wall and another window on the east wall. After much discussion with my contractors, Scott and Rahel. I convinced them that wasn't going to work. The existing layout gave her absolutely no privacy in her room -- a necessity for a teenage girl. So the first priority was to remove and replace windows.

Once we started demolishing, nothing was safe.

But like everything else, it is finally starting to come together. DitzyDanzer is still concerned but I keep assuring her, Grandpa and Dad know what they are doing. It is somehow reassuring to keep saying it!

Happy Birthday Mikayla!

2008-10-31T06:00:00.000-05:00

Nobody wants to share their birthday, but if I've gotta share my day, you gotta admit she's a cutie!

House Update

2008-10-30T22:01:00.005-05:00

In an effort to keep everyone up to date on what's going on with our "remodel" project I've decided to post periodic updates. So that you can fully appreciate how far we've come I'm start with a before picture and then a current photo. So we'll start at the beginning. Here's the front of the house we bought...

And here's what it looks like today...

Trunk or Treat

2008-10-30T06:41:00.005-05:00

For those of you who don't know what Trunk or Treat is... It's a safer alternative to door to door trick or treating. A group of people, in this case Cub Scout Pack 67, meet at a designated location, and pass out treats from their trunks. In most cases, there is a heated trunk decorating contest and ours was no exception.

Here's another look at the winning trunk, presented by the Hemrich family and brought to you in large part by the NMS Science Department.

Take a look at some of these great costume winners. Notice Al Capone brought home the award for most original costume... apparently the 17 hours shopping paid off.

Here the Weblos pose with their fearless den leader who apparently lost control and has been mummified

and their scarecrow who is obviously gonna shoot any crows that come calling.

A Glimpse Into The Future

2008-10-28T15:23:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what you'll look like when you get old. Well I don't have to look far for the answer. Meet Edna, Sassy Seamer's mother and my grandma. I'm not one to look at pictures and see a family resemblence but when you look at grandma's pictures from days gone by, the similarities are unmistakeable. This will be me in 40 years. There are worse things. For instance, I could morf into Rahel!!! If only I could acquire Edna's kindness, patience and unwaivering faith... Notice Edna loves her bling too!

Halloween Sparkle...

2008-10-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

Much to Creative C's dismay, I do Love My Bling! I also happen to love Halloween, not the scary, but the fun costumes, apple bobbing, hayrides, toasted marshmallows... It's all good! I probably own more Halloween apparel than most department stores. Unfortunately, since the majority of my worldly belongings are boxed and buried deep in storage, I have been unable to locate the box containing said apparel. After a couple of hours digging this weekend I was able to find one top, probably missed it when I was boxing everything up since it was in a box with Zman's "too small" clothes. Anyway, I couldn't possibly go through the week with one festive top, so I decided to come up with my own... introducing my first Halloween design... There is nothing I can't bedazzle!

Little Boys and Their Toys

2008-10-26T21:48:00.002-05:00

Today we are spotlighting one of Zman's OCD behaviors. Zman LOVES his guys. He's not particular...he spends equal time playing with his Dollar Tree guys as he does with his collectibles. Several years ago he got started with this set of knights. He can spend hours just setting up battle scenes. I mentioned OCD earlier, right? It is imperative that the correct guys be fighting, for instance a mounted archer cannot fight a jouster... duh! Each man has to be balanced perilously on the carpet so as not to tip, allowing the enemy an unfair advantage. Look closely at this scene he and BBomber put together. Notice the poor guy who got his foot tangled in the rope while attempting to scale the castle walls... The thought that goes into preparing these scenes amazes me since the majority of the time I can't get him to use his brain in the most basic of tasks. For instance should we really scale the pool deck then jump into the lower tree limbs in an attempt to capture the perfect leaf? Is is smart to take a disc slide down the slide... you see where I'm going don't you?

Do you remember the PowerPuff Girls?

2008-10-24T06:38:00.003-05:00

Anybody remember these three little cuties who appeared on cartoon network back in the mid 90s? DitzyDanzer certainly does and when The Red Ribbon theme were announced last week she and a couple gal pals decided that on Thursday, Superhero Day, they would BE the PowerPuff girls. So Sassy Seamer and I got busy and whipped up some dresses and the girls did their research. They felt it was important to not just dress up but to actually become their character. For instance. DitzyDanzer was Buttercup. Her catchphase is "Whatever" and her super powers included being the strongest and being able to fly the fastiest, along with the ability to roll her tongue. Oddly enough the last one is the one that concerned her. After hours of practicing she was still unable to master the tongue roll. Amazingly, in her mind the flying and strength didn't present any problems, just the tongue thing. Then, because the PowerPuff girls never went anywhere along, I agreed to bend a rule and let her spend the night at Bubbles house so they could get ready and make their grand entrance together. My only stipulation, that they get me a good picture to post...

This is what happens when you ask a 14 year old for a good picture!

TAG!

2008-10-23T07:05:00.002-05:00

So Creative C "tagged" me yesterday. Apparently that means I have to reveal 6 random things about myself then I get to tag another blogger so here goes.

1. I DO NOT share my popcorn. Not with anyone. I'll gladly make you your own, but you can't have mine!

2. I LOVE heels and skirts. I'd wear them everyday if I could.

3. I want to one day have enough money to vacation in Alaska.

4. I believe a good pity party every now-and-then is necessary.

5. My favorite animal is a cow.

6. I absolutely love MA*SH. I watch it every chance I get.

Okay Jess and Laura, your turn.

Boys Needed!

2008-10-22T06:33:00.006-05:00

For as long as I can remember, Ms. Conour has struggled to get enough males to audition for the musical. Well Roma never fear the Wagy boys are on their way. 2015 will be just the beginning. Check out the raw talent that is headed your way. Keep in mind this is an impromptu Sunday afternoon concert. Believe it or not they were able to throw this together with very little rehearsal time. What can I say, they obviously get their musical talent from Grandpa. The best news is that by 2017 you'll have all the girls added to the mix, there's still hope for them.

Another success...

2008-10-20T06:05:00.005-05:00

With ten kids in 13 years, trick or treating door-to-door became an impossibility -- so several years back Antlerman and Creative C began hosting a fall costume party. As with all great events each year is just a little different from the last and you can count on the dynamic duo coming up with new ways to entertain us. So Saturday night the kids drug out the costumes... you'll notice DitzyDanzer and ZMan decided to go back in time... Al Capone and Laura Ingalls. Could we have been more polar opposite?

The party starts off with a parade of costumes. This year's parade included the Hulk, toothfairy, a daisy and fairy princess, TWO witches, cheerleaders, Indiana Jones, a soldier, Sully, a librarian, Harry Potter, Hannah Montana, a frog, knight, scarecrow, Brian Urlacher and Cat in the Hat... and my personal favorite Sally donned her letterman's jacket, converse sneakers, kermit tshirt and even tight rolled her jeans (flashback anyone) to appear as the Golden Child!

This year's new addition, a pumpkin carving station. Creative C had asked that the adults "help" with this little project... I think the Big Kids kinda took this one over.

The party culminates in a hayride and hot chocolate around a roaring bonfire. Antlerman takes great pride in his fire making skills... You may notice that this year we were encouraged to put the little ones in the back of the truck. That's because this year we went "off road" for a spooky ride through the woods... I did say it gets better every year right.

Kudoos, Creative C and Antlerman for another year of memories. You never disappoint!

Retaliation...

2008-10-18T11:31:00.003-05:00

As most of you know, last weekend Creative C and I began a rigorous training of the next generation of T-Pers. Well the girls picked up quickly and made us quite proud as they targeted four houses, only being detected once. What Creative C neglected to tell everyone was that they were captured because of a poor strategic decision by their commanding officers. That said, their stealth like abilities have landed us square at the top of several "target lists" and as you can see we were wounded last night. Fortuantely, Sassy and Hunter alerted us to their presence before they could land a fatal blow. This one was merely a flesh wound and don't worry... we know who they are and our next mission is in the planning stages.

And the cycle begins

2008-10-16T23:19:00.004-05:00

Well the Huschle family made it to October 16 before suffering the first casualty of the season. DitzyDanzer is the first victim. She came home from dance last night with a full blown cold. Coughing, sneezing, chest congestion and fever. Sounds like fun doesn't it. I drugged her up good and sent her off to bed like any good mother would do. This morning I got up and did the annual medicine cabinet inventory and am headed to the store tomorrow to fill in the blanks. Vitamin C drops, daytime cold, nightime cold, daytime cold w/ cough, nighttime cold w/ cough, cough drops, sore throat strips, vicks, GermX... repeat all of the above in junior strength... am I forgetting something. Anyway I write this evening so that if I am picked up by the authorities on suspicion of meth manufacturing any one of you can bail me out armed with the facts. I'm a mom on a mission, the first shot has been fired and the winter war is on. BRING IT ON GERMS, I'LL BE READY!

What happened to homemade costumes...

2008-10-15T06:10:00.002-05:00

Remember these days. You know, when an old shirt, a little paint and a scrap of fabric could be crafted into a suitable costume. Bookworm is the only person I know who still comes up with these outrageous unique ideas anymore. I kid you not, one year SN showed up at the Fall Follies as a combine. This year promises to be equally unique as CG is determined to be something pretty and AJ is gonna be a flower. No Wal-Mart aisle costumes for this family. Me, on the other hand, I'm gonna do it the "easy" way. Head to the store, pick out something cute and come home. Seem simple? NOT SO! Z and I spent several hours on the internet Sunday looking at different costumes trying to come up with an appropriate costume. No Luck. So Monday while in St. Louis we headed to a costume shop and I'm thinking in and out in 10 minutes. NOT SO! Four hours later we headed home with costume in hand. Why is it that there are at least 100 little girl costumes ranging from cheerleader to ladybug but when you head to the boys section you'll find a handful, if your lucky, of appropriate costumes and then 200 disgusting costumes? When did boys' Halloween costumes morf into the wardrobe for Friday the 13th?

Do you know Dr. Rey?

2008-10-10T07:01:00.005-05:00

Attention Women... this is important. For those of you who are unaware, there is a new line of body slimming undergarments on the market. I was introduced to Dr. Rey this summer but have yet to actually purchase one for myself. You see, Dr. Rey has an entire line of "shapewear." You know, the undies that promise to take you down at least one size by simply slipping them on. I know a couple people who actually own them and they rave about them. Now right about now most of you are saying to yourself, I've tried those body slimming underwear and they are not comfortable. Well Dr. Rey's infomercial promises that these are different and the people I know actually wearing them are adament that this is true. All of this is merely background for my personal testimony.

Wednesday night I got myself all dolled up for a ladies night dinner, new jeans and top with my cute peak-a-boo shoes. While I was planning the outfit I found myself rummaging through my "delicates" drawer and stumbled across a knock-off shaper I had purchased a couple years back and I said to myself, "Hey, ??? said she wears her Dr. Rey's under everything. I'll slip into this and look extra hot in my jeans." I finished dressing, admiring the smooth, roll-less look in the mirror and off I went to dinner. After dinner I grabbed my purse and headed to the ladies room to touch up my lipstick. I strutted all the way through the restaraunt and marched into the ladies room only to be horrified when I looked in the mirror. You will remember I mentioned early on that these things are suppose to slim you down at least one size... well it did, making my jeans too big AND apparently the body shaper was squeezing everything so tightly that I had completely lost all sensation in the midrif. Leaving me completely unable to feel that I was losing my pants. So, ladies I beg you, spare yourself the humilation and spend the extra money for an authentic Dr. Rey, I'm off to get one for myself now!

It's mom's fault...

2008-10-09T05:00:00.000-05:00

I realize now looking back that I spent a good part of my teenage years blaming my mother for things. Generally speaking she had very little to do with any of it. But in my warped teenage mind it was easy to think that if something didn't work out right is was mom's fault. I know now that I was very unfair to mom. HOWEVER, there are certain proclivities that I've picked up from my mother that drive my husband insane. Probably the most predominate is my unwavering need to have a soda with me at all times in the car. This is not a joke or exaggeration. If I'm in the car I must have a soda. If its before noon I will sometimes substitute with coffee but only grudgingly. Then, to further aggrevate my husband, if we are within 10 miles of a McDonalds you'll have to take me through the drive through for Diet Coke from McDonalds. The bottle/can soda IS NOT the same! See you are beginning to understand why my husband finds me trying at best... So after a little soul searching what oddity of yours is directly attributable to mom, yours not mine!

It Happens Even to Them...

2008-10-08T05:57:00.002-05:00

Isn't it nice to know that even with her perfect body, her superstar status, her talented husband and all the money in the world, even Nicole Kidman has thos OMG moments! Zoom in on this picture and see if you can tell what went wrong.

Going Green?

2008-10-06T23:08:00.002-05:00

I thought we were suppose to be teaching our kids about loving the earth and recycling. Correct me if I'm wrong but this can't be an earth conscience way to be handing out homework!

What's Up With the Dogs

2008-10-06T05:50:00.003-05:00

You know I realize that I'm getting older but honestly what is going on with the dogs. When did it become acceptable practice to take your pet with you to social events. Just take a look at a TINY bit of what I witnessed at the Heath Harvest Festival.

I will say this... If you're gonna trot your pet out in public you should at least get them a new outfit for the occasion...

March On JCJH

2008-10-05T22:10:00.005-05:00

So for me the highlight of the Robinson parade WAS NOT the candy mafia that we witnessed but rather getting to see the Jasper County Jr High band strut their stuff down the street. I just have to take a moment and brag on Ditzy Danzer a bit... isn't she just about the prettiest color guarder that you ever saw?
And TeenieWeenie surely wins the prize for best dressed color guard instructor. Notice how there's no smile. She's ready to take down the next bystander that gets in her girls' way...
Not to overlook the band, I can't see the mellophones pass by without wanting to scream out... "Mellophones ROCK!"

Parade Manners

2008-10-05T00:10:00.006-05:00

Jess and I loaded up the vehicles and headed to Robinson yesterday to set up at the Heath Harvest Festival. It was a typical fall day, freezing in the morning and hot and sunny in the afternoon. It was a gorgeous day to be outside and enjoy an afternoon of people watching. It is amazing what you can witness when you sit back and observe complete strangers for instance. Here's an adorable little red head who just wanted to get a little candy at the parade...

Unfortunately he was up against some stiff competition. Check out these two who were quick to edge him out every chance they could get...

Lou Lu's???

2008-10-01T23:53:00.003-05:00

As most of my friends and family know, I thrive on over-extending myself. Thus the new hobby... Lou Lu's. As a competitive dance mom of eleven years I've picked up a few "non-ordinary" skills... namely, stoning. One interesting lesson learned is that you can "bedazzle" just about anything and quite frankly I'm a girl who likes her bling. So Ditzy Danzer and I have turned my hobby into a small business. Creating and desiging team spirit shirts with glamour and glitz. Who says school spirit has to be boring. Our little venture has met with such a positive response that we are working on opening an internet store in the next few days...LouLusOnline.com.

Name these feet

2008-09-29T22:25:00.004-05:00

Okay, I have never been accused of being the trendy sister. I found my style in the 80s and am perfectly content there. (un)Fortunately I have been blessed with a sister who tries to keep me within the same style decade. Periodically she will "gently" nudge me into purchasing something new and dare I say it... stylish. For this S is eternally grateful. But then one day you find yourself taking a good look at your stylist and asking yourself, "Is this really the person I want giving me fashion tips?" Now I have already admitted that I am completely out of touch with current fashion trends, but is this acceptable, let alone chic?

I love Sundays...

2008-09-28T21:04:00.004-05:00

I was raised in a family that has always put family first. From as far back as I can remember my mother and grandmother have said to me, "people will come and go in your life, but your family will always be your family." Its something I find myself repeating to my own children frequently. Probably the thing I missed most about living in St. Louis was Sundays. For us, Sunday is family day. If you don't "have" to be somewhere else, you're always welcome to lunch at mom's. On any given Sunday you will find 10-30 people gathered at mom and dad's for a holiday style meal complete with at least two delectable desserts to chose from. As the meal winds down the kids head outside, the men make their way to the big screen to watch whatever sport happens to be in season and the ladies gather around the dining room table for some "gab" time. Conversation topics vary each week and can range from disciplining our children to global warming. Regardless of the importance of the topic you can bet there will be a heated debate and thus the need for the "speaking spoon." The person holding the spoon is to be given the floor... no interruptions. Great theory... we are still working on the execution...

The crash

2008-09-27T08:18:00.000-05:00

After calling it a night at 4:54 am, this is the sight I awoke to at 7:07 am. Keep in mind there are 16 girls scattered throughout the house in various locations, several of which I have unwittingly stumbled across in odd locations like behind the furniture, under the dining room table... It's gonna be a long day at the Huschle house.

Greetings from Jasper County

2008-09-27T06:05:00.000-05:00

I was introduced to the blogging world several months ago when my sister started up her own blog and insisted we all start watching her blog. It didn't take me long at all to become hooked and of course the next logical step was to start up my own blog. The first major hurdle to overcome was finding the time to pull it together. That problem was solved when S decided to invite eighteen 13 and 14 year old girls over for an overnighter. The party seems to have gone very well, no fights as far as I can tell and sometime around 3 am we fractured into two groups. The responsible ones...

and the rest...