Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Spring Visit

My Grandma lives in Milwaukee and has all her live. Usually around Easter my mom heads down there to pick Grandma up and drive her back up here to stay for a week. Grandma stays at my parent's house and we all head over there a few times a week to visit, and of course spend Easter Sunday with everyone.

This year my cousin Courtney and her two girls picked Grandma up, at my mom's, and brought her up to our house for a sleepover. Courtney and her two dollies left after lunch on Monday and Grandma stayed at our house for the night. My mom came to get Grandma after lunch on Tuesday to spend the remainder of her visit back down in Hudson. Did you follow any of that? Basically my Grandma spent the night at our house Monday. This has NEVER happened before so I'm pretty excited we got Grandma all to ourselves.

I see how fortunate my two children are to have a set of grandparents (my folks) that live so close. I never had grandparents who were able to spend an occasional weekend together or attend school functions. I so appreciate my parent's, and sister's, attempts at creating such a relationship with Isaiah and Anna. Needless to say, I miss Grandma a lot and she's lots of fun to hang out with. We all had a blast with our sleepover.
We kept Grandma busy while she was here too. She fed the little bottle lamb Monday evening. Grandma played Old Maid with Matthew, Isaiah and Anna while I cleaned up after supper. Grandma taught Matthew how to play a dice game she plays with her friends for fun at her apartment building back home. Tuesday Grandma worked on play-dough with Anna and she taught me the pattern she uses for crocheting the little scrubbies she makes for doing dishes. It was a treat on Monday to just sit and chat uninterrupted while Anna snoozed in the afternoon. It was a great sleep-over and I just had to get it on the blog so it would be recorded. Enjoy the pictures.









Sunday, March 16, 2008

Baaaaa....


It's official! The Rolli family has sheep. This weekend Matthew's parents drove up for a weekend visit. They brought up the first of many sheep for our new flock.
Opa and Oma Rolli brought up a bottle lamb. This means that this little lamb's mom didn't make it. I'm not sure if she died when the lamb was born or shortly after. In an effort to save an orphaned lamb a shepherd then takes on the the task of "Mama" sheep (Ewe). The lamb needs to be fed numerous times a day by bottle. Slowly weaned off starting at 8 weeks and is trained to eat regular feed. This includes a diet of pellets, corn and hay.
The photo is not a picture of our lamb but looks similar. (still can't find the charger for our camera) The lamb breed that my father-in-law has is called Dorset. It is a white-faced sheep that has good quality wool and meat. Some breeds are mainly strong in one area or another.
Our little lamb was born February 5 and is now down to two bottles a day. He eats at 6am and 4:30pm. He has also been started on a small amount of pellets, corn and hay. He has water available to him as well. Lambs, who aren't fed by their mamas, drink a formula of sorts called lamb replacer. It's a white powder we mix into water to make up his bottle.
Springy, Isaiah's name for the lamb, is a whether. This means he was born a ram (male) lamb and was castrated. This is done because he'll be raised for meat. Somehow the castration aids in the meat. I'm still learning this whole farm thing so not quite sure on everything.
He's a cute little guy and will be fun to take care of. Anna is already thrilled about the new item on her chore list- helping to feed the lamb.
If I ever get our camera up and running again I'll post authentic photos of the lamb.
I nursed my kiddos so this whole mixing-up-of-formula thing is brand new for me. I mixed up the batch we'll use for feedings tomorrow, stuck it in the fridge and the bottle is drying on the counter. So far, so good...

Thursday, March 13, 2008

There You Have It


At naptime today I read Anna a story about David and Goliath, for the umpteenth time. She was "telling" me the story after I read the book. She went on and on about how Goliath was angry and crabby and was being mean, etc.
It then dawned on her to ask "why?" Goliath was so angry. I told her he wanted to be in charge of David and his friends. (Anna's two so I was paraphrasing)
Anna replied with wide eyes and stated the obvious. "Mama, Go-yi-eth not 'posed to be in chawge. David's mama is 'posed to be in chawge."

Monday, March 10, 2008

Now That's Something You Just Don't See...

Today being Monday I had to get Anna down and up from her nap a little earlier than I do on a usual day. Monday's and Wednesday's we've been going to swimming lessons at the Aquatic Center in town. I'll be honest, I've not enjoyed the experience as much as the children have. This is not necessarily the point of this post.
While heading into town for the lessons Anna and I passed something rather unusual on the side of the road. Something I can honestly say I have never seen before, ever. I initially thought what I saw was a mail delivery person, it was not.
What I saw was an older blue-gray truck being driven way over on the shoulder of the road. The driver was sitting in the passenger seat while driving, thus the initial mail delivery thought. As I drove up closer to the vehicle I saw a very long metal object coming out of the passenger window - being operated by the driver. This object was a "grabber" or "picker-upper" of sorts. The driver, while driving from the passenger seat, was picking up soda cans from the ditch. Then releasing them into the bed of his truck.
Have I mentioned he was driving?
While approaching the truck I witnessed him do this at least twice. I had to pass him eventually or I'm sure I'd have seen him continue this - activity.
I have no idea if he was a part of the group that "beautifies" that stretch of the road or if he was doing this for supplemental income. I just found this rather amazing. I continued on to town with my mouth still hanging open. Hunh....

Home?


We have been having a hard time feeling "at home" in the new church we had been attending. No specific reason other than it didn't feel like the right spot. I was under the impression we were having that feeling because it was new and we were just adjusting to the change.

This feeling started to affect our church attendance, however, which is not productive on many levels. Matthew and I were talking about this problem last weekend and decided try another church to see what we'd feel like. The church we wanted to try out is connected to the preschool we'd like to enroll Anna into next school year. We thought we'd get a feel for the community and check 'er out.

What a difference. As soon as we walked in we knew this is the place for us. It was amazing. We immediately felt a sense of community. I was able to converse with folks, which for an introvert is near miraculous. Seriously. Matthew actually confessed on the way home he was worried about how I'd take all the friendly people and he kept seeing me talking away with ....gasp.... strangers, I was functioning. Woo hoo.

Isaiah expressed his joy before we even left the parking lot and asked if we could go back again. Earlier that morning he was begging us not to go to church. He never said those things, ever, when we lived in Hudson. He always loved going to church and all the functions we'd attend at church. He started to not want to go when we were attempting to make the "new" church a home. This was so sad for me because I want Isaiah to enjoy going. I don't want my children to think of church as a chore.

We were so thankful to have given it one more shot and attempt another church. So glad we did. When I first started attending Faith Community in Hudson, in 1994, I had the same immediate feeling of "home". I was really bummed when I didn't get that at the first church we tried. I was disappointed in myself too, I thought I was being stubborn or unwilling to accept a church home other than Faith.

Please know, however, that the first new church we tried is not at fault for our feelings. I think God was just letting us know we aren't supposed to plop down there. For some reason, we need to be at a different place. I think we found it. Yippee!

Friday, March 7, 2008

Dentist...

I did it! I went to the dentist today. I made it, no panic attack to speak of. For some reason once I started to do this mom thing I also started a "put-self-on-back-burner" thing as well. Oops!

But no more! I had to pick a new dentist up here in Osceola for Isaiah, Anna too in a few months. I decided I may as well start going to the dentist again myself. I know all the "you can't be a good mom" yadda-yadda if you don't take care of yourself. Dentists are expensive, have you noticed? I figure I'd rather spend the dough on my kiddos. I just wasn't ready to add the extra expense of a child -or two- to the dental budget so, I stopped going. Dumb, this I know.

My best friend is a dental assistant in the Madison area. I called her last Friday and confessed my lack of diligence. I told her to go easy on me. I figured if I could handle Ursula's disappointment I could handle the scolding from the folks at my new dental office. Ursula was so kind and said she sees moms like me all the time. They don't want to take the time, or money, and neglect their dental care. She said it's no big deal and that they wouldn't yell at me at the dental office they'd just take it from where I was and go for it. No yelling, scolding, reprimanding or raised eyebrows. Really? She assured me this was truth.

I went today and it was okay. Nothing too major. A couple few cavities that need fillings but not that bad considering my 1st grader was still wearing diapers and taking two naps a day when I went last time.....

It's all good. I did what I had to do and will try to keep this up. I might even get good at flossing everyday as well, I'm going to try. I figure I owe the dental hygienist and the doctor for not scolding me and making me cry.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

15 Lessons

I received this in an email from my friend Michelle.

If you are thinking of having children and are wondering if you're ready.... Go through these 15 lessons as a checklist to prepare yourself.



Lesson 1
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and berate them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.
Enjoy it because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3
A really good way to discover how the nights might feel...
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound) playing loudly. (Eat cold food with one hand for dinner)
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again, with the bag, until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM and make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work (work hard and be productive) Repeat steps 1-9 each night.
Keep this up for 3-5 years. Look cheerful and together.

Lesson 4
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out...
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. Wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons.
How does that look?

Lesson 5
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out.
Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint, turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotch tape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle .
3. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty packet of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower .

Lesson 7
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that.
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 8
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house. You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

Lesson 9
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than) five times.

Lesson 10
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is an excellent choice). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 11
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air.
You are now ready to feed a nine- month-old baby.

Lesson 12
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Blues Clues.
Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know, you're thinking What's 'Noggin'?) Exactly the point.

Lesson 13
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.

Lesson 14
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying 'mommy' repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four second delay between each 'mommy'; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required). Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 15
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt- sleeve, or elbow while playing the 'mommy' tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

Now, I ask you, are you tough enough?

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Noooooooooo


Thanks Brett! Thanks for giving my boy his 1st real favorite sports guy. (next to Spiderman, of course) Thanks for the fun games and thanks for enjoying the game you played. You'll always be a Packer. Although you wore "4" you'll always be #1 at this house. Although, to ease my boy's pain, we're trying to pick another favorite to root for during the next year's season. He's leaning towards Donald Driver, you understand. You will be sorely missed.
(sorry if this sounds a bit sappy but, come on it's the Pack!)

Sunday, March 2, 2008

Happy Birthday Mama Tembo

warning: this is not a post begging congratulatory comments. I'm simply making a recorded post regarding the length of my blogging career. :)

Well, I did it. I've never kept a journal - of sorts - going for this amount of time...ever. I tried a few journals during those all too important middle school/junior high years. I'd get all excited to start a new, what was then called a diary, only to keep at it for 7-10 days. Not a very good account of history.

Mr.Stream told me about Carla's blog and I've been reading her posts since day 1. I then started with Kristi and Erin's blogs. I sort of just jumped in and thought this would be a good way to record the antics of Isaiah and Anna and any other trivial little tidbits that may be interesting for them when they get older.

Through this whole deal I've "met" some pretty neat blog friends. Thank you for sharing your lives and thanks for stopping in to say, "Hi" every once in awhile. This is lots of fun.