The Adventures of The Merschmans

Poor Eddis

Poor Eddis has been working all day on our deck.  He and the boys have been replacing boards and took out one of the railings.  That's right...no railing on one side of the deck.  Ed's back is killing him.  The poor guy can hardly walk.  He really needs to have something done about that back of his.  I know he is getting older and it is hard for all of us to realize.  Our bodies do not bounce back the way they use too.  I am still limping around, I completely thought I would be able to play tennis by now. 

We had a great weekend.  We attended a graduation party last evening and it was wonderful.  The kids were excited when the college graduates started playing "flip-cup" and "beer-pong".  Thanks to our niece Megan, our kids were introduced to those two drinking games.  Our kids of course, drank orange soda!

Today was another glorious day at the pool.  MaryElizabeth and I went to lounge while the guys worked on the deck. 

We have another week of craziness....I have therapy and doctors appointments, Nicky has another renal scan, we have baseball.  Eddis is trying to convince me to go to the lake and I just can't do it with MaryElizabeth's birthday and then she leaves for camp.  She is doing basketball camp, Camp Shalom, and then tennis camp.  She will be nice and tired by the end of the month.  We are hoping to go to the lake as a family on Father's Day weekend but we will have to see.  Most of our plans always end up getting changed.  It will be a VERY quick trip.  Mimi doesn't get done with camp until noon on Friday and we have to be back Sunday night. 

I have been planning my trip to NYC, I just got an email from my uncle and his place sounds fabulous.  He is spending the summer on the Jersey shore where his production company is located.  I told him I was going to bring my girlfriends...so, I am sure he will show us a good time. 

Pool, Golf, Baseball...repeat!

YES, this is the story of our lives in the summer.  I would put the lake house in there too but it looks like we won't get to use it as much as we thought.  Nick has been golfing a lot, he loves it and wanting new clubs.  Teddy took over Ed's Taylor Made clubs, since he out grew is old clubs.  The pro at Crow Valley let the boys go out before the official "junior" time.  I am sure a lot of those "Ted Baxters" were not too happy that.  One of Nick's friends told me yesterday, "the pro LOVES Will and Nick's dads".  Is it because they are "Rodney Dangerfield"?

We went to the pool yesterday and I have say is was lovely.  Davenport Country Club has redone the pool area and the bathrooms.  The furniture is beautiful and the bathrooms are nicer than most people homes.  I was very impressed.  I love the new furniture for outdoor dining.  We enjoyed an afternoon of girl chat while the kids played in the pool.  Life was good!

Nick didn't have a game or practice last night, so we can't stay away from a baseball diamond to save our lives.  We went to our friends' son's game.  It is coach pitch and the most adorable thing I have seen in a long time.  They were so little and they were so cute.  Most were afraid of the ball...not Josh, of course.  At one point in the game he was playing right field, got the ball and ran down the base runner from 1st to 2nd.  It was almost as if he was in a football tackle position.  HILARIOUS!

After the game, we went to Jersey Grill.  The adults at one table and the kids at another...good idea!  At one point, the kids were singing Throw Down Hoedown, as well as, doing the dance.  We are GREAT parents!  To prove that point, as we are leaving at around 10 with 7 kids, the "smokers" (Iowa is smoke-free) outside made a comment about kids not being allowed in bars.  I think all that smoking has killed some brain cells....THEY SERVE FOOD!  There is NOTHING worse than ignorant people!

Summer Vacation....

has begun!!!  Two of the three kids last day of school was yesterday.  They were finished at 11:30 and the fun has not stopped.  Will, came home with us, after lunch Nick and Will ventured over to the country club.  Apparently, they were doing "Happy Gilmore" on the driving range and a 100 year old man yelled at them.  There are WAY too many "Ted Baxters" at Bushwood!

After a night of baseball for both boys and night games in the neighborhood last night, the boys rode bikes to have "brunch" at Hy-Vee this morning.  I think they are turning into the 100 year old man!  They quickly came home changed into golf apparel and headed for the course once again.  No phone calls, as of yet.  Thankfully, the pro is pretty tight with their fathers'.  Looks like I have lost another child to the big world out there.  I love giving my children, what I like to call "restricted freedom".  They have to have a phone with them at all times and when I call PLEASE answer.  I have NEVER been an overprotective mother, except maybe, after Nick's surgery.  That was a very scary time for me. 

MaryElizabeth is very anxiously awaiting the "wheels down" call from her BFF.  A sleepover has already been planned for tonight.  Eddis and I are going out tonight.  We really need a night to chat and just be a couple instead two separate people with a bunch of others. 

I started therapy this week on my knee and it is going, simply put....OK.  I have been experiencing even more pain than before.  I just smile my way through it...that is my coping mechanism.  

Hopefully, we can have a pool day tomorrow.  It is suppose warm up and I plan on lounging at the pool all afternoon.  The pool area was redone this spring and it looks lovely.  I can't wait to sit back, read a book and be waited on all summer long! 

I Knew This Would Happen!

This weekend is the long awaited, "kick off" summer weekend.  We have had a VERY long winter here in Iowa.  All anyone has talked about for months is, Memorial Day weekend at the lake.  Well, first of all, the boat is not ready.  Which would be fine.  We still have the jet skis.  Anyone, Teddy does not want to go.  It is graduation weekend and there are a lot of parties.  Which, in my mind is all part of the high school years.  The memories of parties in high school are still very clear in my otherwise foggy mind.  That is entirely another post....doctors, doctors, and more doctors. 

So, do I stay home with Teddy or do we make him go.  Believe me, I was made to go on a family vacation once.  NO ONE in my family will soon forget.  It still comes up some 25 years later!  Eddis thinks he is going to be able to convince Teddy that the lake will be way more fun than graduation parties.  Sometimes, Eddis needs to go back to those days and think about what he would do.  That high school-er didn't miss a party!  As of right now, I don't know what is going to happen this weekend. 

Teddy is beginning to realize why I don't like to go.  The drive is HORRIBLE!!!!!!  It takes 5 hours to get there. 

I keep saying to Eddis, "are you going to stay home NEXT year for Memorial weekend?"  Poor Teddy always gets the raw end of everything.  I am not denying that Teddy has not had a wonderful life, he has.  He wants the kind of relationship with his father, that his brother, Nick, has with him.  I feel bad for Teddy. 

What The World Needs....

...is less people being fake and more woman like the girls on The View!  WARNING....I am on yet another one of my "rants".  I have been watching, reading, and listening to a lot of people running their mouths off about everything from poor Farrah to Obama giving the Commencement Address at Norte Dame.  Stand up for what you believe; NOT what you think you should believe!

I cannot stand it when people "act" like they support this, that, and the other...simply, because it is the "PC" thing to do!!!!  Come on people.  Can't you think for yourself?

I was personally offended the other day, when a friend said that despite Obama being elected President our business' are doing well.  What about all the hard work of the owners and employees?  MAYBE, just MAYBE, they have to work harder because Obama is President! 

Generally, people know the way I feel about things.  Sometimes, I keep them to myself (not very often).  If anything, I am honest about what I support, not support, etc.  Like him or not, Archie Bunker was a true icon.  We knew EXACTLY what his feelings were about EVERYTHING!  And really, is that so wrong!  I would much rather be friends with someone that says their true feelings rather than feel a different way than they act.  My little blog will not change the world, it just makes me feel better when I have been truly hurt.

Last evening, I took Mimi and Ted to the Club for dinner.  Ted kept commenting on how I would tell everyone that Ed is at the lake.  NO, not because I am "bragging" about the lake but because this town is WAY too small and rumors get started faster than they can be stopped.  People that know us, would ask, "where's Eddie"...and I would answer.  One man even went so far as to tell me how nice my dress was and how my face glowing...SERIOUSLY....I told him it was the wine!  Maybe, it was the wine HE was drinking!

These are the exact things I mean about people.  They make assumptions about EVERYTHING!  This is life, I guess I should just get used to it!

 

I Promised....

so, here is my feeble attempt!  I am hopping, if I get this down on paper(?) I will start to feel better.  The past few days have not been good.  I am sick to stomach, as in throwing up sick.  I can't seem to shake it.  Maybe, I need a shake.  Could this be what Vicodin withdrawal is like?  HUM!!!?

We had a wonderful weekend at the lake.  We went to Mass and Bailey and I were separated.  We were not doing anything wrong...really!  We were looking at all the wonderful mothers and commenting on their outfits.  After that, we started on the painful choir.  Yes, I believe it was worse than the nuns at the Kahl home!  At this point we got "the look" from Amy and as soon as I know, he was sitting so far away from me!

Saturday, brought another day of shopping.  Not good shopping, just necessary shopping which is not near as much fun.  CRAP!!!!  I just had an awesome post and deleted it!  Let's try this again!!!  As we were walking into Wal-Mart, Amy and Mimi ran ahead, me thinking, "they must be embarrassed by my extra-large bandage on my leg and the way I was walking.  NO, Amy comes out pushing a wheel chair...you know the kind with the big baskets all around!  I refused and she was yelling at me to GET IN!  Tommy was a little upset I didn't opt for the Little Rascal.  Needless, to say, hours later we are finished and back to the house to feed the hungry men. 

After getting all the men feed, it was time for some pain meds and a nap.  As I was dosing off Bailey comes into my room.  "Feel my hand, it is warm, I had it in the lake, feel it".  Apparently, Bales doesn't know his Aunt Susan all that well, I would NEVER feel it without completely sanitizing my hands up to my elbow!  Next thing I hear, "Mom feel my hand", now he is trying to get his mom to feel his hand.  The next thing I hear, "feel the water in the glass, it is from the lake, look it is warm, can we go swimming".  Of course, I yell,"make sure you put that glass in the dishwasher".  Even Amy said it was gross!  The boys decided 63 degrees water temp was plenty warm enough!  Amy got a great shot I thought I stole but must not have...  I will post later...Nicky has a game tonight.  I am going to take a few pics with my new baby!

 

We Have Enjoyed....

having my darling father in law with us!!!  It has been a wonderful few days.  We have never had my father in law stay with us, without my mother in law.  The Merschman girls went on a little trip.  We have jokingly called it "the retaliation trip".  The Merschman men have been going on little NASCAR trips once a year for several years.  I think it is great to have the bonding of adult family members.  I am taking several friends on a little trip this summer to NYC!!!  The Merschman in-laws are welcome, BUT Kate is having a baby and Lori can never seem to get off of work.  Hopefully, one of these years it will work. 

Anyway, back to my father in law.  He is so sweet and cute.  He went "Jewel Tea" (I hope that is right) hunting all day on Friday.  I was a little worried about him, I talked to Eddis and he told me his dad was not at the store.  He got here about 530 and all was well with the world.  He found some real treasures.  He was going through all his finds and telling me how much he had to "give" for each item.  It was truly a priceless moment and one I will not soon forget.  Yesterday, he took Nicky with him.  This morning Nicky was telling us about their little adventure.  Big Ed was saying how Nicky acts like he is not paying any attention and then he will pull things out of his a@# in a conversation later.  We have enjoyed having him with us, he is a wonderful man.  I am glad I got to know him a little better in last few days.  I love you Big Ed!

****My mom called this morning.  You know, one of THOSE phone calls, when the phone rings and you just know it is bad news.  Well, apparently they took my 93 year old grandmother to the hospital last night.  She is sick and antibiotics are not working.  Hopefully, my parents can get some rest today.  They were at the hospital all night with her.