February---Night Time Routine

This month, 3 people chose the same title: "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep." Of course, that's so perfect---I wish I'd thought of it too!!

 Jeanne

 Erin

The bedtime routine sure has changed since having a baby. Now, not only do we do our routine and make sure we have everything ready for ourselves the next day, we also have to make sure everything is ready for Nathan’s next day. This usually laying out clothes and packing his bag for daycare as well as making sure we know what is for dinner the next day. He likes to eat soon after we get home from “school.”  I would like to think I only check on him once after he goes to bed, but in reality, I know I check on him many times. 

 Janet

At night when I’m winding down, getting ready to go to bed I start going over the check list of, have I or do I still have to do, things. Taking meds is  the start, of course I also have to make sure a drink is available, just in case I need one. As the time gets closer to turning in it’s a hopeful last trip to the bathroom that includes making sure the hair is twisted up for the night. Then as my destination gets closer I have to set my very old alarm clock, on work nights. Turning on the TV and setting the sleeper timer, is a very important step, I can fall asleep so easy with the TV on compared to laying in the dark trying to stop my mind from racing from one subject to the next. Reading is an alternative but it does hurt when the book hits you in the face. Of course the bed has to be prepared by removing the throw pillows, if they were put out.  Ron seems to never see them when he is the last one up – which is the norm since his retirement. I take my last round of meds and then it’s time to turn down the sheet and fluff up my very flat pillows. With everything done it’s time to Lay Myself Down To Sleep, which is the little prayer I say to myself  when I’m finally all the way in bed.  Pictures > It seems that the whole family has been able to fall asleep where and when needed. The crowded bed is the day I came home with Jackie, Alexis and Mike must have missed me, Ron gets Mike asleep easily in his chair – which Mike learned to do to baby Jackie on the couch. Jackie shows recliners are great sleep spots no matter what you were planning to do. .

 Susan

 Nancy

 Karoyln

My title: "What's on our nightstand"

Besides the list of what each of us have on our nightstand, I focused on Butch's "candy stash." Everyone eats candy before bed----right???

New Year, New Plan

This year, I've chosen "My Book of Lists" as our theme. For January, the topic was the grocery store. As always, this year long workshop is story focused. I love all the creative titles that the girls come up with.

 "Dressed to Shop" by Carla M. Journaling:

Vist to Jamie’s Feb. 2013 in Toledo, OH

The girls were playing dress-up and saw no reason to stop even if we were headed to the grocery store.  I started to protest, but Jamie said,”Mom, choose your battles wisely and just have fun.  Wise girl!!!

We had such fun on that visit.  Olivia and Charlotte only see each other once or twice a year but they sure have fun and do not seem to mind sharing Grammie.  They do so love posing for photos for Grammie’s scrapbooks.  

I used the 3 and 5 since that was their ages at this time.

 "Grocery Shopping a week at a time" by Janet. Journaling:
Grocery shopping is a weekly job for me. I go on my way home from work, since I usually don’t go back out once I’ve gotten home. My trips usually include a list which may show just a few items to complete recipes or other times it may be a big stock up list. The list usually only has items for the menu I’m planning plus Ron will also add some of his needed or wished for items. Most of the food staples or extras I pick up aren’t written down, they are just items we normally need such as butter, milk, white bread, chips and soda. I’m also a Marketers dream- If something is on an End Cap &/or on sale, AND WE USE IT, I will pick it up. I would say a short list is my favorite because of the obvious: it takes less time to shop for, less time to put away, at home and finally it takes less time to cook or prepare. At least when I get home Ron does help with the unloading. The store I usually go to is Schnucks, it’s the one I know where everything is located. The hardest list to write is for the occasions when Ron takes on the shopping, chore, every detail has to be written about each item. I have hopes he will move out of the novice category some day. He also prefers going to Dierbergs. 

 "Grocery Getter" by Erin. Journaling:
I became the “Grocery Getter” when I was in middle school. My Mom went back to school and time was precious, so my Dad took over grocery shopping duties. Every two weeks when he would get paid, we would go to Wal-Mart and stock up on all the basics. Since the closest major grocery store was 30 minutes away, we had to make our trip count.  My Mom would give us a list, we would sort the coupons and then off we went. It was a whole afternoon outing. My favorite part was that we always went out to lunch afterwards, usually Taco Bell, sometimes McDonald’s.  Then we would schlep it all home, up the steps and help Mom put it all away.  I think my early training has certainly affected my buying patterns today- stock up at Costco and at Schnucks when there is a sale, and I really only need the perishable items from week to week. Even though I have a nice grocery store 5 minutes away, I just can’t break myself of this pattern!

 "Got Groceries" by Jeanne. Journaling:

 "Going to the Grocery Store" by Nancy. I have to say, I am so impressed with Nancy and her layout. She is brand new to scrapbooking. This is the very first layout she's done by herself!! Journaling:

  Growing up in a family of seven there always seemed to be a need for daily

trips to the grocery store. Being that there was only one car and my father’s

job took him away for several days at a time, trips to “Woodlawn Market”

were not a problem. They delivered! Mama kept a list by the phone and if

there was something you thought of you could add it provided you were going

to prepare it! Mr. and Mrs. Austen owned the market located on Woodlawn

Drive down from Natchez Trace where the Tennessee Central Railroad Tressel

crossed. The Austens lived in a house right behind the market on Westwood

Avenue and they would just walk across the back yard to the market.

       I grew up thinking that all one had to do when paying for your

groceries was sign your ticket pad! I didn’t understand that my Mom had an

account and would pay up at the end of the month. With the passing of time

deliveries were discontinued, however Mom could still call her list in and we

would go and pick it up. Progress and the construction of Interstate 440

caused the Austens to sell the market which was demolished.

     I am a list maker, not that I always stick to it, but I am always forgetting

something if I don’t have one. Technology being what it is, I have learned to

put lists on my phone. Times are really changing!

 "Grocery Cycle" by Pam.

"5 Generations of Grocery Lists" by Karolyn. Karolyn is that one person that you love to hate!!! Who in the world has actual grocery lists going back to her grandmother?? There isn't a single topic I can throw at her where she doesn't come up with the most amazing memorabilia from the past. Incredible and always amazing! I don't really hate her---she's one of my closest friends. I do hate her a little. I'll add her journaling when she sends it.

 "Fill the carts and pay the price" by Susan. Journaling:

When I think about how much time, effort and money is spent grocery shopping and preparing family meals, it is staggering.

 Sooo…..

Using a list and cutting coupons help with the time and money---but the work is still a lot of work. I try to shop the specials at Kroger, Harris Teeter and Publix. My mom did the same when we were kids. Friday night was her shopping time! Armed with her list and coupons, she left the minute my dad got home from work---we only had one car. After having grilled cheese or fish sticks, we would help her carry all the bags in. From the sixties to today, very little has changed---except the prices!!! Just wondering…will we have to grocery shop in HEAVEN?

"The Great Grocery Store Debate" by me. Journaling:

I hate grocery shopping. It’s a necessary evil---from checking recipes to making the list, to sorting coupons, finding a place to park, the actual shopping, hauling home and then putting it all away. There’s no part of it that I like. When Butch retired, I pictured us shopping together as a weekly outing. In the “Norman Rockwell” image of my mind, we would enjoy the process together. All it took was ONE time to realize that would never work. First off, Butch prefers Kroger, I prefer Publix. He swears Kroger’s prices are better. I think in the long run they are about the same. Still, I was willing to compromise and go to Kroger for our first shopping experience together. All was going well until we reached the pickle aisle. We nearly had a “knock down drag out fight!” I wanted the tiny baby dills. The slightly larger ones were on sale. It went something like this---Butch: “What’s wrong with the Kroger brand, they’re on sale?” Me: “I don’t like those---I like the baby dills.” He: “With those you have to have 5 or 6. With these you don’t need as many.” Me: “Come on Butch, we’re doing pretty well, can’t I just get what I want---even if they’re 20 cents more?” He: “Fine, get what you want.” Me: “Never mind, just get the Kroger brand.” He: “No, get what you want.” End of story. That was our first and last time shopping together. These days, he goes more often than I do. I really appreciate that---even if he gets a lot of it wrong. I do not criticize because I don’t want to do it!! I do get pretty worked up when he looks at the list and decides I don’t need the quantity of something. When I’m cooking and looking for the ingredients, he’ll say, “well, I didn’t think you needed that much.” Sheesh! Case in point, just his past Christmas. I brought home 8 lbs. of butter and 8 blocks of cream cheese. Right away, he said, “Oh my gosh! You don’t need this much butter!” To which I replied, “Look, this is not a fun job---planning meals and grocery shopping for the whole family for 5 days. As it is, it takes me two trips to the store. Any time you want to take it over, it’s all yours.” He didn’t say another word!! We’ve never really solved the great grocery store debate. He still goes to Kroger and I mostly go to Publix. Really, for me, it’s whichever is most convenient based on where I’ll be when I need to stop.

Kickin' Off the New Year

Our final assignment for our "Back to School" album was Art. Here are the layouts:

 Awww, Jeanne---thanks and I love you too!! You've always been so willing to do anything I wanted---even if I had to drag you kicking and screaming some of the time!! I'm so glad you are scrapbooking with me!!

Olivia loves all of Grammie’s crafts.

Whenever she is going to spend the

night she tells everyone that will

listen that she is going to Grammie’s

house and we will do art.

December 20, 2014 was one such

night, but Grammie was in full swing

with Christmas planning and cooking.

What better idea than have a four-year

old help you bake cookies and decorate!!

Armed with her apron she was determined

to help.  And help she did.  We started at

2:30 pm and did not finish until 8:30 pm.

There we no complaints and a short break

to get more supplies and Chinese food for

dinner.

A quick bath and by 9:15 pm we were in

bed.  She said, “Grammie I am not tired yet.”

By 9:20 pm she was fast asleep.

Next sleepover we will be back to card

making and scrapbooking.  What a lovely

partner in “art crime”.

 My Grandma Stamm has crocheted for as long as I can remember. Once she retired she really got in to quilting. Her 12 Grandchildren and 7 Great-Grandchildren have certainly benefited from her amazing talents! She makes every family a white afghan for the baby to use on their baptism day. This is a picture of us at my shower. She also makes other goodies- the Candy Corn hat Nathan has on as well as the Elf hat are compliments of her handy work.  Grandma made each grandchild an Easter basket years ago, this year she made each great grandchild one as well. I have two quilts from her- she hand stiches the entire quilt. She has another one in progress for me- I’m so lucky! The green afghan was our wedding gift, and the rainbow afghan was my first creation I received from her. I was a little girl and asked her to make me an afghan and this is what we selected. I still cherish it to this day.  I love watching her work with her hands, she so talented. I know every finished product is a product straight from her heart!  

  I learned early in life that – “Artist Ability” comes to Some naturally and Others, such as myself, have to work hard just to make any creative project come to a somewhat passable finish. This realization came during the summers when I spent time with my cousins, Kevin, Kathy, and Diane. One pass time they enjoyed was drawing and I always hoped that I may be able to keep up with Diane since she is 6 years younger than me because there was no way I could come up with anything comparable to Kevin or Kathy. I have a comic story Kevin drew when he was around 11, yes he was into blood and gore at the time, (it was always hard to go to sleep after one of his made up stories he would tell us girls at night!).  A lot of the talent comes from my Uncle Charlie, who could doodle /sketch some pretty amazing things. Here I have an ink drawing he did for my Grandma one Sunday at her house (Q: Know who it is?)  Also Aunt Audrey may have not draw but she has an eye for design, she worked in Advertising for a short time, more talent. Art is just something I pushed my way through because I know my ability is limited. (These are our school pictures from 1966)            {A: Jane Fonda]

My journaling:
I've never considered myself particularly artistic. In fact, I realized in the first grade that I was no Picasso. When it came to staying within the lines, I just couldn't. My coloring was never nice and even like everyone else's. By the time I got to high school and had to take art, it was pure torture. I could not draw a darn thing. I'm pretty good at accepting my limitations. As an adult, I've done pretty many things that you could consider artistic. I have an eye for color and putting things together. I love to decorate and am pretty good at it. I can put flowers together in the garden for a beautiful effect of color and texture. And I can do the same thing with my stitching---choosing gorgeous fibers and fabrics. Even though I do not consider myself artistic, if there's one area where what little talent I might have shows through would be my scrapbooking. Although I am not particularly artistic, maybe I have a little creativity in me after all.

AYM/November

Finally I'm getting around to posting the layouts:

 Jeanne's journaling:

 Janet's journaling:

In 1922 my mom was born (Doris Rose)

 at home, as most babies were at that time.

My Grandma (Madeline Kolbe) had 2 more children after tat but either lived, one was said to be stilled born the other according to Grandma died because the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s neck but the doctor was too drunk (he was at

 the local bar when he was found to help with the delivery) and could not help the situation.   Because of the lack of Medical knowledge / availability is a 1 reason there was a 10 year difference between my Mom and her sister (Aunt Audrey).   Jackie was born 10 days before my mom’s 62^nd birthday, 

so at Grandma’s birthday she was the youngest grandchild at the party. Here she is with Jackie, Megan-2, Mike-4, Marc-5.   Our very sick baby, Jackie, recovering with the help of modern medicine, in the background her oxygen “tent” is sitting in her bed.    Arm full of IVs and having her bottom soaked.   Finally out of the hospital back at home with that big brother her.   Not happy about having to go to yet another hospital, for a double hernia operation, a finale steps in treatment after a tremendous illness.     Jackie being our diamond in the sky, being normal and happy in her 2 month old picture. 

this is in envelope

I had my little girl, Jacquelyn Rose on May 9, 1984 and she was perfect. At the time I was a stay at home mom so at times I would have my nephews and niece spending time with us (actually splitting babysitting time with Grandpa). When Jackie was 4 weeks old (dealing with a stuffy nose) it wasn’t a surprise to have the living room floor covered with sleeping kids. One night Jackie was having a fit full night and I ended up falling asleep in the lazy boy chair holding her. I woke up a few hours later because my hand that was on her back was so hot, due to the high fever she was running. I called the pediatrician office at 6 am and some one answered, I was told to come in a 7 am. I had to leave immediately with 5 half asleep kids on my floor but at least cousin Colin was 11 at the time, plus I called my dad to let him know what was happening so he could cover for me when & if needed. When Jackie and I arrived at the doctor’s office we were placed in an examination room instantly and the doctor came in as soon as he arrived. After being with us a few minutes he left the room and when he returned the news was shocking. He told me most babies were pink but mine was gray, she was struggling to breath and she had to high of a fever. He continued telling me that I needed to take her immediately to St Johns Hospital (Now Mercy) because it would take to long for an ambulance to arrive and I was to go straight to the emergency entrance. So I started the 17 mile drive, going as fast as possible as I heard Jackie wheezing in her car seat. Along the way I realized the wheezing wasn’t as loud as it had been, so while driving I reached back and put my hand barely felt weak puffs of air coming from her nose. I then put both hands on the wheel and pushed the gas petal to the floor. I could barely see from the tears that wouldn’t stop pouring out of my eyes. I was mentally wishing someone would try to pull me over so I would have an escort down the highway. I really never remember parking or the walk in to the hospital but the minute I walked in a nurse came up to me and asked if I was Mrs. Zimmermann. She stated the doctor had called and she was waiting there to take my baby for testing. So I followed as they took her to the first examination room, they came out and I followed again, the third time some one came out to the small visitor’s room I was sitting in and told me I was disturbing others in the room. They then took me to some doctor’s office and asked if I could call anyone to help me cop with what was happening. So I called my dad (which he told me was over 3 hours after I last time I talked to him) to get Ron’s numbers. Ron found me about an hour later when the priest came in and informed us they would like to Baptist the baby because of her severe condition was not improving, so we moved forward with that, the two of us were just numb. Next we were told that a specialist was coming from Children’s Hospital to look at Jackie, during the wait an Internist told us her liver was shutting down. Then the specialist arrived, he looked at Jackie’s x-rays for a few minutes turned around and started giving orders. He said she had a double hernia that would be taken care of after the immediate problem of pneumonia was treated. They then took us to the Intensive Care Unit where IV drips were stuck in veins in her head (that way they wouldn’t have to restrain her movements) and put her in an oxygen tent which looked like a cake cover with a neck hole. That was the first time I was alone with my baby in hours. She just laid there glossy eyed and worn out. There were puncture holes all over the heals of her feet where blood samples had been taken. I couldn’t even pick her up and hold her there were so many tubes and monitors attached to her.  Jackie’s stay in Intensive Care went on for 4 more days; the nurses would fight to be her care giver since she was the sweetest patient they had. At night when I could not stay any longer they would sit and rock her through the night. She wasn’t allowed on the infant’s floor because they didn’t want her to possibly infect any other baby so they would have to call some nurses down from that floor to put in IVs and administer some injections. It was discovered on day 2 that meningitis was developing but the doctors had that covered in an IV drip. On day 5 they were testing her for cystic fibrosis, for that test they injected her with radio active fluids so when they did the CAT scan they could examine her lungs, the consensus was that her lungs were not clearing as quickly as they thought they should. We were blessed when those tests came back negative. During this time Jackie’s little bottom had a bad case of diaper rash so we had to soak it to help the healing; there were still IVs in her arm. Day 5 we were moved to a general peditactic room and no more complications accord.  Jackie was released on day 10. But the day before her release the family was given an antibiotic to make sure none of us were carrying the germ that made her so sick in the first place. Mike was quite amazed the first time he went to the bathroom and the water turned a brilliant bright orange. The first day we were home I had to contact the Specialist at Children’s Hospital to set up the operation for her double hernia. For 10 days Mike had been staying with his cousins & grandparents. During this time he dived into an empty pillow case and broke his nose so there was one more doctor trip. He had just been hearing about his new sister being so sick so when we finally were all home he had fun playing hide from Jackie and checking out her new special pacifier, a bottle nipple stuffed with gauze and taped shut. Jackie was getting stronger every day so when I dressed her on July 8^th she was not happy, but I wonder if she knew she was headed for yet another round of doctors and nurses at a hospital. We had to go have the double hernia operation preformed. She only came home with taped cuts from that surgery which healed very quickly.   Since that whole experience my thoughts about Medicine have been – All in the Medical field does their best but at times they don’t have all the answers, the constant improvements that are made are all in our favor. My theory is if Jackie had been born 60 or even possibly 40 years earlier she would of not of been able to go have her 2 month old picture taken.

 Erin's journaling:

I first tried out for the Volleyball team in the 5^th Grade; I still remember how nervous I was. Only 8 girls could make the team. It was done based on a skill score that you received from various drills. I was shocked to see when the team roster was listed that I was on the team! 5^th graders were on the “C” team. I remember getting so excited for our once a week practices. I completely fell in love with the game- every part of it. So of course I tried out again in 6^th grade. If you were good enough, you could potentially be put on an upper class team.  I was secretly hoping to make it on the “B” Team- or the 7^th grade team.  I again when through tryouts- when the list of each team was posted, I read mine name on C Team- ok good, I made a team, then saw my name on B Team, awesome, BUT ON THE A TEAM LIST?! SERIOUSLY?! WITH THE BIG BAD 8^th GRADERS????!!!! I was elated but tried not to show it to much to my friends who hadn’t made a higher team. I could hardly contain myself that I would be practicing with 8^th Graders!!!! I remember telling my Mom after school that day that I made the “A” team and she was completely excited for me. Volleyball played a huge role in my life, it taught me how to set a goal and achieve it, how to deal with pressure and how to assess everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and make the team as effective as possible. We must have done something right- we went to State our senior year!

 My journaling:

What I remember the most about gym class at Rosary High School were the locker room and the ugly gym uniforms. They were a hideous gold, one piece, jump suit with shorts sort of thing. Everybody had to wear them, so it was just normal. We started each class with calisthenics. It was during the time of the President’s fitness challenge where you had to do so many sit-ups, push-ups, chin-ups and jumping jacks. Considering I was at my most physically fit due to all the sports I played, it amazed me that it was so hard. Of course, back then, “working out” was not part of sports. We played basketball, field hockey and volleyball at school. Nobody really liked gym. But we sure did like the gym locker room---and not because we had to take a shower after each class. Since it was a Catholic school, in the name of modesty, we each had our own dressing room and private shower. We were supposed to come out in a towel and prove to our gym teacher that we had taken a shower. That was so stupid because all we did was put down our bra straps, wrap the towel around and splash water on our shoulders. Or, you could always say that you were on your period. I don’t know if she kept track but I’m pretty sure we all had periods more than once a month. The real reason we liked the gym locker room was because the gym teacher looked the other way when we smoked there before school. The room was nothing but a cloud of smoke. The teacher went so far as to warn us when someone was coming by telling us we really needed to get to our homerooms. If gym class was supposed to make you healthy, smoking did the exact opposite

 Janet's journaling:
I went to Riverview Gardens High School way back in the early 70’s. It was mandatory for all students to take a Gym class. We all had to wear the appointed gym clothes & tennis shoes. {The outfit was a white button short sleeve shirt and blue elastic waist shorts with white crew socks, along with white tennis shoes} Our gym clothes were stored in a blue draw string cloth bag and kept in our lockers until you decided to take them home to be cleaned, some hung out in the bags longer than they should have.  In my Jr and Senior years we would take the person’s locker closest to the gym and our group of friends would use it for gym clothes storage so all the stink was in one spot. One disappointment was that out of the group of 8 girls none of us had gym class together. Gym class was some what of a joke; you only ended up with 35 mins to do what ever activity we were learning at the time, the other 20 minutes were used for dressing, then undressing, showers and redressing. So most of our group did more in intramural sports after school, which Rita (Pfeffer) always excelled in (she even played on varsity teams). But intramurals were quite fun, especially the walks home which would lead up to some of our best grand ideas. One trip we decided that we needed to have our own soccer team. At that time girls were just starting to play soccer so there were not manyleagues and it was hard to get any place to sponsor a girl’s team. We ended up paying for our own league fee and then we ended up coming up with our own team name. We used Tasmanian Space Gophers, the name came from Maggie’s older brother so all of us teen age girls said “cool” we’ll use it. {To this day we wonder if it meant more but it will just be one of those unanswered questions} We talked Linda Gillette’s boyfriend & his brother to couch us. They played soccer so it was just more work out for them, making us run, run and run some more. (I ended up being in the best shape of my like at that time.) The league we ended up in was very competitive but we fit.  One season I made this Score Board to hang in our Gym locker, to keep track of our games, wins and goals. That season we learned how to play rough, Berkley’s T Js team was full of hackers and many were good at cheap dirty shots. The first game against them they marked Rita and would trip her up any time possible. For the next game we learned to pay back. It worked out that we beat them and ended up taking 2^nd place in the league. Those games were played in all weather conditions, good or bad, rain, snow, ice and one never to forget thick shoe sucking mud.  All in all we got more out of this “idea” then we ever did in High School Gym Class.