The Adventures of The Merschmans

Busy Weekend

Our weekend started with Nicholas turning 13!!!  WOW, 13!  Where has the time gone?  I can tell you exactly where the time has...FAST...with worry about the wonderful child of mine. 

He was suppose to have a baseball Saturday night.  Eddis and Nick headed over to the fields, just as the  Heaven's opened up and poured down on the fields.  We went to dinner at Granite City.  We thought, since is was Saturday night around 6:30, we would have a long wait.  Surprisingly, they sat us right away.  We later learned a lot of the Quad Cities was without power. 

He had a great birthday and VERY happy about his gifts. 

Last night, we went to Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.  It was a great concert.  The kids LOVED Taylor!  A few of us decided to have a "drinking game".  Every time Taylor "flipped her hair" (which was a lot) we had to take a drink.  At one point, a friend told us, "you guys must be loaded"!  YES, there was a lot of hair flipping!  We also saw how "bitter" she was.  No wonder no one wants to date her!!!!  We got home around midnight and thankfully, everyone slept in.  Even the dogs slept until 9:30!

Another week, more baseball and of course, the 4th of July.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to spend the holiday with my family.  Mimi has a parade she has to be in for dance, so we are staying back for that.  We are spending the weekend with my parents...it will be fun.  I love being at the country club for the 4th of July. 

Sad Week.....

It has been a sad week for those of us that grew up watching, The Tonight Show, Charlie" Angels and singing and dancing to the "Thriller" album (yes, it was an album)! 

The Tonight Show, side kick, Ed McMahon was a wonderful addition to the Tonight Show.  Ed was in the Quad Cities several times, when he and his friends, Bob Hope and many others would sponsor, play and entertain at the QC Open, which is now the John Deere Classic. 

Farrah, fought an unbelievable fight, even for an "angel".  I personally, have always loved Farrah.  I think she was an amazing actress, some may disagree, but look at the movies she has done.  The documentary of her cancer was her best work.  It was her, the real her.  My heart goes out to her family, Ryan O'Neal makes me cry every time I see him.  He loves her so much, they were truly soul mates.  Hopefully, her son will start flying straight in her honor. 

The King of Pop, was truly a shock.  He made some really bad choices later in life, but none of us should forget what he did for us as children, teenagers, etc.  I LOVED MJ!  I can sing every word to the "Thriller" album.  It makes me so angry that people are not "sad" because some died, let alone a pop legend.  Yes, I am sad....it is the end of a life! 

I feel that Farrah is taking a back seat to MJ.  She fought so hard to stay alive from this horrible cancer.   ABC & NBC did some fabulous memorials on her last night and they brought me to tears.  It reminds me of the day Johnny Cash and John Ritter died.  Everyone was in shock when John Ritter died, although, he was loved by all, unlike MJ. 

Baby, It's Hot Out....

...and I LOVE it!!!!!  Honestly, it is about time, for the 90's to finally reach our home.  We had such a long cold winter, we deserve to have the sweat dripping down our bodies. 

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating the birth of the best man in the world....EDDIS!!!  We did exactly what he wanted to do all weekend.  We went to the lake where we found good weather and a lot of water fun.  I did figure a way to deal with the long drive...drugs and thunderstorms.  The way down, I slept all the way.  The way back we had a wonderful lightening storm to watch, which even gave us a very cool funnel cloud, we later found out it touched down south of Iowa City. 

We will not go back to the lake this weekend as planned, Nick has baseball and it is just too long of a drive to do 2 weekends in a row.  At some point, it will be nice to take my family down.  Mimi and I are staying home for the 4th of July.  I love it here.  She in the parade on the 4th and then we will head to the country club the rest of the day.  I wish Ed and the boys would stay but they will probably go to the lake.  I am trying to convince them to go mid week and come back before the 4th....we will see!

Mimi started tennis this week and it is so hot...thankfully, she is in the 10-noon.  I have my long awaited endocrinologist appointment today.  It will be so nice to have all this "icky" feeling finally taken care of!

We have a baseball game tonight, so Nicky is still in bed resting for the big game tonight.  It has been over a week since we have had a game because of storms.  We came home to find we lost 2 big trees in the back yard due to the storms on Friday night.  The sad part...the one tree that we were going to trim because only part of it was dead...looks like it was struck my lightening...the good part is now on the ground...oh well, that's the way the tree crumbles!

I Received A Letter....

....that was probably the most heartbreaking letter ever!  The letter starts out...Mom, I miss you....I want to come home...I miss you....Can you pick me up....I miss you....I am crying....I miss you...Please "rite" back...I miss you....I love you Mom...I miss you...Love, Mary

After worrying about Lucy for 24 hours, then I get this...another thing to worry about.  I tried calling the camp but the office was closed.  Eddis reads the letter and I am about in tears....he says, "it's good for her".  I started thinking...she has not been all that nice to me lately, so maybe this is good for her...BUT on the other hand I don't want her to be sad.  I was assured by another mother that she is fine and pulling at my "guilty heartstrings"!  Lucy is starting to feel better, still not 100% but on her way to a full recovery.  Darn anal glands!

Last night Eddis and I went to one of favorite Hawkeye events.  It was the Quarterback Club lawn party.  One of only two events a year woman are invited too.  YES, as always I am so fine with the tradition that was started with my grandfather as the "good ole boys club".  I am more than fine with...I LOVE it!  I love traditions. 

I love the fact that the football coaching staff is always there.  It is wonderful to have a staff member at our table every year.  I love chatting with Kirk, we had a great chat last night and YES...my lips are sealed about where he is going to be tonight.  I promised, I would not tell anyone until Thursday.  He mentioned how much he loves our Quarterback Club and how he and the staff actually get know the members, there are to my guess around 100 members, the oldest member has been in the club for 59 years!  Oh, and he delivered my brother!  I get a little sad, thinking my grandfather would love to sit at a table with us at this event.  He played basketball at Iowa and I remember Saturday's at Kinnick just like the memories I am creating for my kids.  Kirk commented on the fact that it is such a family tradition to attend Iowa football games.  No, we are not wishing our summer away, but one cannot help but look forward to Kinnick on a Saturday!

This weekend brings, Eddis' 44th birthday and Father's Day.  Teddy is taking a friend to the lake.  It will be so nice for them.  I just don't want to make the trip down this weekend.  I HATE the drive and I have to come back on Sunday, it is not as bad if I could spend a few extra days.  I just really don't like it.  Eddis keeps telling me when we get a bigger house, I will like it better....really I don't think that will happen.  Like I said, they all love it and that is great...I am glad they do love it.  I do like going on the boat but there will be too many people to all go on the boat this weekend.  Did I mention how much I HATE the drive! 

Where Has The Time Gone.....

We have been crazy busy the past few weeks.  I can't believe it is the middle of June already.  We have not had good weather.  It has been overcast pretty much everyday.  Now, it is humid and overcast.  

Last week we had two baseball games and we won both games.  There were good games.  Nick had a few errors that resulted in arguing with his father from 1st base.  He made a catch in center field that broke his glove, so needless, to say, the ball fell out!  He hit great all week.  Thank God, for the batting cage!

Lucy has not been feeling well the past few days.  If it lasts much longer I am taking her to vet.  The kittens are good and growing like bad weeds.  Annie had a tick, I put flea and tick stuff on the dogs today and Lucy is acting REALLY sick now!  It seems like when Ed gets sick, Lucy gets the same thing.  Maybe, he is part dog...we know our dogs ARE part human...at least, they think they are!

We had a much awaited event in our home last week.  MaryElizabeth turned 9 on Friday.  We had a spa day at one of college's.  It was FABULOUS!  No! REALLY!  it was!  She had a great birthday.  We had to go to dinner Thursday night because she had plans to go to a party on Friday night.  Apparently, at the pool party at Crow Friday night, her little friend, Gus was chasing her around the pool.  I was exhausted after a week of planning and party going...I was ready to put my feet up (literally) and I actually had a beer!

Teddy has been in MN for 5 days and will come home tonight.  We are trying to get Jacob to go to the lake with us this weekend.  It will be nice for Teddy to have friend down there.  I really want to take the boat out Saturday night for a nice adult dinner...no kids, just adults...after all, it is Eddis' 44th birthday and Father's Day.  I told him to go ahead and "spoil" himself with the new TV he has been wanting.  I would just go buy it but I have no idea what he wants. 

MaryElizabeth is now at camp for a week.  I am sure they are having blast.  I miss her already.  I have her room almost done.  I thought I had to get Teddy at 5 in Iowa City but now it is not until 8.  Nicky and I will probably go out to dinner.  Maybe even head to Iowa City and do a little birthday window shopping. I have cleaned MaryElizabeth's room so much that I think I tossed more than is in her room.  I put polka dots on her dresser...it looks so cute.  I think she is going to love her clean and organized room when she gets home. 

This week and next bring a lot of doctor appointments.  I can't wait to get this all over with.  We are heading to lake in separate cars this weekend.  The guys can go sooner and stay longer than the girls.  It will be nice to get away for at least one day!  I am driving the Iowa way down.  Eric gave me another way to try. 

Our deck is getting done and it looks great.  Next onto the basement, it really is not going to be that big of a mess.  It will be nice to have it fresh for the winter and have a fun bar.  We have been playing Wii Dancing With the Stars and it is so much fun!

More to come as the week progress'....

 

On the Road...

Today, Teddy and I are heading to MN, for a much awaited visit.  Ted and Jake have been friends since 1st grade and their friendship is still strong.  There is something about my family....we have long lasting friendships.  I am still friends with a lot of school mates and I can see Teddy is the same way.  I always say, "if you are friend of mine, you are a friend for life". 

Nick had a game last night, he hit the ball all three times at bat.  He is still hoping for that home run...we don't consider a home run unless it goes over the fence.  Our fences are pretty far....I can't remember the number.  We were playing on the bigger field last night.  One of his hits would have been a home run on field #6.  He is pretty nervous about going to pony league next year.  He will do just fine. 

Mimi has had basketball camp at Assumption this week.  I walk into the school and everything comes running back into my head.  Just simply by the smell of the school.  I loved high school.  It is so much fun walking into the gym and seeing all these people I went to high school with, our kids are now going to school together.  When I drive down "Harrison Street", we drive past Junge Park.  Every time, I say, "that's where I got my first kiss, my first "hand holding".  The kids just "freak" before we even get there because they know it is coming.  Yesterday, was no different.  Nick was with me, I told him, he was going to run to me after his first kiss and tell me.  (ya right)  In true Nick form, he says, "ya, dad called grandma and told her about his first when he was in college". 

Last but certainly, not least, today is the "skillets" birthday.  She is 3 today!  Happy Birthday, Lucy!  You are lucky to have made it, after being so naughty yesterday!  Mimi left some food on the table and she got up on the table and started eating it.  I was standing right there.  I went over and put my face right into her face and she growled at me!  Well, I am the alpha in the house, not her!  I picked her up and she growled more...I put her on the floor and punished her and then she jumped up and nipped my finger...again, with the punishment....and not harsh, of course, she is my baby.  After, that she went into a time out....and we did not hear a peep out of her.  She would not have anything to do with me the rest of the day!  She didn't even sleep with me last night!  Her little pea brain must have forgotten, because she is will not let me out of her sight today!

Has It Really Been...

...that long since I have blogged.  Well, we have been BUSY!!!  Too much going on to sit and relive everything that has happened.  We have had baseball games.  It was so funny Friday night, we played Nick's team from last year.  At one point, I was sitting on the other teams side chatting with my friends and we decided that Nick and his friend Jacob should just battle it out on their own.  They were making all the outs for their teams.  Nick has not been batting very well (according to his father), he struck out two times Friday night and walked once.  So, off to the batting machine they went.  Nick was a little nervous Friday....he was batting against his good friend and he wanted to do so good against his team from last year.  His coach from last year, told him he had great plays at first base, which accounted for most of "outs".  A lot of balls went right to him, he even got a guy out when the ball was hit to right field!

We had fun with friends last week.  Went to dinner Thursday evening with some good friends.  Saturday we were meeting other friends at the country club.  It was funny, we pull into the parking lot and the first thing I see is an OLD rusty Cadillac; I comment to Eddis about and he tells me it is our friends car; of course, it is.  As we walk out to the patio with our drinks, Eddis yells..."hey, Benny"....upon closer inspection...there is a wedding ceremony taking place on the golf course.  The guys kept wanting to yell, "don't do it"!  It was a lovely wedding with a quartet....the girls of course clapped as the bride and groom walked into the club...the guys, well, they just took a swig of their beer!  The BEST part of the night, our friends have over 50 chickens and I am going to start buying FRESH eggs!  They also have donkeys and one is having a baby in August.  I can't wait!

We have "adopted" 2 little kittens....

 

they are so sweet.  I don't know if we can give them away.  We have several people interested in them.  I really don't want to separate them.  They were drowning in our creek in the back.  Lucy has been so good with them.  Annie actually picks them up by their neck.  It is so adorable.

This weekend is MaryElizabeth's birthday.  Ed and Nick are heading to the lake on Saturday.  I told Nick to ask a few friends to go since no one else in the family is going, there will be plenty of room.  I think he wants his dad to himself.  They are taking the Mustang down.  I really don't know when I am going to get down there again.  We have too much going on and I don't want to go for just 2 nights.  I enjoy being home too much.  I really wanted to take the kids down for a week but I don't think it is going to work out...we start school so early.  It does not look like we can go down for the 4th of July, which is just fine with me...I love our traditions here and I am not willing to give those up.  We ARE heading to Florida in July.  Just because we have a lake house does not mean we don't have a summer vacation!