Do You Believe in Guidance From Above?

Remember reading about how I began the year 2013? Well history has pretty much repeated itself in the beginning of 2014. I was sick again but the difference was that Eddie and Jon got to spend time in Kauai instead of me and Joey. Lucky boys. While the temperatures were in the minus degrees in Wisconsin and Michigan, Eddie and Jon were golfing on one of the many gorgeous golf courses on the Garden Island. I have a feeling they never gave us a second thought.

And good news from my doctors. After two emergency room visits in the past month I have been told that I have no heart damage and no blockage. I finally found a cardiologist( and his PA) in Oshkosh that I like and feel I can trust. And after the doctors reviewed all my tests and my family history, I was told that one of the doctors in this group had my father as his very first patient. Most of this team knew my father and my mother. Now was this luck, or was this a little guidance from above? 

Winneconne Loves Their Baseball.

It's -8 degrees outside with a windchill factor of -18 degrees, the kind of night a person would like to curl up in front of a glowing fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate. But I spent the evening with a bunch of men and one woman talking about rec league baseball for the 2014 season. After listening to these guys I truly believe they eat, and sleep baseball. Talk about cabin fever...they are chomping at the bit to get out there and start swinging those bats.

Seriously though, I learned a lot tonight and was glad I had the opportunity to attend this meeting on behalf of Winneconne Rec. League. Thank you Randy for informing me of the meeting and driving me to Neenah. I was able to introduce myself to the president of the Fox Valley Youth Baseball League and share our contact information. 

Winneconne is getting started early this year. Parents' meeting is scheduled for February 26th and tryouts for minor and major baseball and softball are scheduled for March 8th. There will be fliers passed out at school so watch for it with your child's school work around the first week in February. Mark these dates down on your calendar and spread the word. 

And as always we are looking for coaches for all levels from Incrediball through major league softball and baseball. If you are interested in coaching please contact me at the Village Hall, 582-4381. 

PLAY BALL !!!!!

2013 in Review

2013 in Review

2013 was a year full of "firsts" for me:

January - Started the year visiting my grandson Aiden, but unfortunately ended up in urgent care in Arizona because I was so sick. The meds they gave me quickly kicked in and I got better and ventured off to Kauai with my son Joey. First time 4 wheeling through some scary, wet terrain while on vacation with Joey. Back in Winneconne I attended my first Chili Cookoff competition and began a new special friendship. I was hired on an independent contract to manage the Winneconne Rec. League for this year.

February - My car got in a wreck without me. But on a good note, the insurance company and the body shop were great to work with and it was fixed in no time flat. Had my first dinner date with special friend. Saw my first bald eagle (in the wild) on the ice and in trees near the ice covered lake.

March -  Discovered that there is a funky looking duck called a Hoodie. Watched a lot of March Madness. Had the best hair color experience from Laurie at JC Penney Salon in Oshkosh. I hosted the Schroeder Easter egg pecking competition in mom's house on the lake. And I got my first grophen making lesson from Aunt Fodz. Cousins Mary Berndt and Laurie Hartman joined us at Barb's house.

April - I interviewed and got the full time job at the Village of Winneconne that I was praying for. Got to see the Broadway musical Lion King with Sami and Barb. Witnessed sturgeon spawning.Watched Mike Fiers pitch for the Milwaukee Brewers with Milwaukee Mike and my friend in Miller's Park, Milwaukee. Got up before the crack of dawn on a Saturday because I was asked to photograph my first fishing competition in Winneconne. And helped give my god-daughter, Jan a bridal shower.

May - Any month that I have all three of my sons together is a good month. Jon visited for Mother's Day with his friends Ben and Ben from Arizona and we enjoyed visited a few drinking establishments. I got to photograph my second fishing competition in Winneconne. Found out what a cooper was at the Winneconne Historical Society meeting. Attended Chris's graduation from UWO. Got choked up watching my first Winneconne Memorial Day parade. And loved, loved every scented minute of May's lilac bushes all over the area.

June  - A very busy month which started with the Winneconne Area Chamber of Commerce's annual car show. All of the Winneconne rec. league teams have begun their season now. Another fishing tournament to photograph (gosh they have a lot of fishing tournaments). Jon flew back to celebrate his birthday with us in Wisconsin and we spent his day touring breweries in Milwaukee. My god-daughter, Jan got married to Jason Pardon. The Village hosted their annual Brat Fry for the community and I was included in helping serve our residents for the first time. And Barb and I along with other cousins had our second grophen making lesson with Aunt Fodz.

July - Word has gotten out around here about my love of photography. I was asked )and some paid me) to take pictures of the Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament in Oshkosh; the 2013 Summer Vacation Bible Camp, Sovereign State Days (where Eddie's volleyball team took 1st place), the American Legion Badger Boys and Girls banquet and the Rec. League award nights in Winneconne. My oldest son turned 38 years old. My grandson moved to Prescott, Arizona because his mother got a new teaching job. Two very good friends came to visit, TB and Don, who now live in Florida, were here around the 4th of July and Mandy flew in from Arizona to stay with me for over a week during Sovereign State Days.  And for the first time since I moved here I began to take card making classes.

August - St. Mary's Church in Winneconne and Omro both had their annual picnics. The Chamber's Annual Raffle and the American Legion's Bullseye for Youth were successful. I had a small out patient surgery and was well taken care of by Eddie and a special friend. Became a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and was elected a charter board member of the newly formed Winneconne Area Community Foundation. Aiden started kindergarten. Photographed another triathlon that took place in Winneconne. Helped plan Jaci's 20th anniversary for working for the Village. But by far my most exciting 20 minutes of August was my first helicopter ride over the Village in order to aerial photographs of the area.

September - Football season has arrived and went to watch some of the young boys who played baseball this summer now play football. Photographed two more events - Confirmation at St. Mary's and the American Legion's Sportsman's Banquet. My photos were chosen to be used in the St, Mary's Church quarterly newsletter. The Village's Beautification Committee and the local businesses decorated the entire Village with scarecrows, pumpkins, corn stalks etc. Our Village received many compliments on their fall decorations. I attended my first training class since I've worked here - an all day class on social media. And the Packer season begins! Always miss my mom in September more than any other month.

October - Mike and Jody invited us to their annual hayride and bonfire party in Omro. I turned 60 this month...now that's a first. My entire family and many friends were there to help me celebrate by dancing the night away...well flat Bruce was there in place of the "real" Bruce, but all three of my sons were with me. Yes...Jon flew in once again. Thank God he works at the airlines. We got lots of rain and some photography opportunities were cancelled. Walked through my first haunted buildings during the Halloween season with Dawn and her family. Fritz and Donna from Heber/Overgaard and Donna's parents from Waukesha came to visit my home. I love showing off where I now live. My probation period ended at work, now they can stop calling me proby...but they have replaced that nickname with CSR.

 November - Another month, another birthday celebration. We have a large family, that gives us a reason to get together and party on a regular basis...not that this family needs a reason. Sami turned legal this month, she is now 21 years old. The Winneconne Area Community Foundation had their kick-off event...and I had a date...the same date I began the year with.  I finally got to babysit the Hardy kids and had a great time spoiling them, but then immediately missed my grandson, Aiden. Our Winneconne Wolves took the State Championship for the first time ever!  I was invited to two homes for Thanksgiving and went to both. First Brooke's family had me for the second year in a row. I love that her mom makes dumplings with her turkey - two of my favorite things to eat. Then I went to the Falk's and filled up again with more turkey and all the trimmings. My son Eddie gave me my belated birthday present - a night in Milwaukee, first dinner then the Broadway play White Christmas. I sang along to every song, I'm not too sure the people around me appreciated that. I loved, loved, loved every minute of it. Now I was ready for the Christmas holiday.

December - My son Joey had a birthday this month. I did get to see him but not for as long as I would have liked.The Winneconne Library and the Historical Society put on a Holiday Faire and I took pictures. I decorated the house with the help of Eddie and my friend. One carried my huge tree down from the garage attic and helped set it up, the other delivered mom's nativity set which was safely stored at Brooke's. Got my presents shipped to Arizona and Florida on time. I love Facetime on my ipod because I got to talk and see Aiden and he showed  me his new house and his new room. .My friend came with me on to my brother's home on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day I spent part of the day with friends and received my present from Eddie. Probably the best Christmas holiday that I've had in years. But the partying wasn't over yet. Helped plan a retirement party for Marlene who has been working at the Village for the past 10 years. Then the year ended with me making a prime rib roast for the first time. It didn't turn out too bad for my first time.

Did you see a theme here? I had many, many firsts but I only wrote about a few of them.  2013 was a good year for me and I am looking forward to 2014 and hopefully many more "firsts". 

Doctor visits ending the year and beginning the year...

Went back to Aiden's after the Packer Game. I wasn't feeling too well but I wanted to spend time with him. He got to stay home from preschool again so the next day was all ours. He loves games all sorts of games but especially the electronic kind on phones, Kindles, Ipads etc. And since I didn't have games on my Kindle I showed Aiden how to go to the apps store...probably another idea that wasn't good...he's a quick learner and I taught him how to spell FREE so knew only to click on the FREE games. But since this grandma doesn't see her grandson too often she tends to spoil him..so we did buy a few games. What I didn't know was that for every game we purchased, the free ones or the ones that I used a credit card for, the owner of the device received email notices. We were putting the games on Mandy's Ipad so she was getting one email after another while she was at work.

New Years Eve was spent with Aiden too. I couldn't think of a better way to begin the new year 2013.

It wasn't all fun times while I was in Arizona. Before I left Wisconsin people in my family and all around me at work had the flu. Taking all the Airborne in the world didn't stop me from getting sick. My fever got higher and higher, I was totally stuffed up and couldn't breath well enough to use my z-pac machine for sleeping at night. Just ask the people I had to sleep around. Mandy had to leave the room we shared and she slept with Aiden instead and Jon and Marina said they could hear me through the ceiling and floor. I know I have a problem with the snoring...that's why the doctor prescribed the breathing machine for me. Sorry guys..when I'm sick I can't use the machine.

I was so sick I wasn't able to travel up the mountain to see my friends. I flew 1800 miles with Christmas presents and then couldn't even deliver them. On New Year's Day Marina had to take me to urgent care to see another doctor. God, two doctors in only 5 days and all while on vacation. They pumped me full of antibiotics, cough syrup and an inhaler to clear my lungs. I just had to start feeling better because in a few days another vacation was beginning...

Brother, Nephews and Son...oh my

I had a hot date scheduled for my first Sunday back in Arizona. It was with my brother Bruce. He picked me up at Jon's and then we met my nephews Matt and Nico at a local sports bar so we could watch the Packer playoff game together. Jon and Marina joined us as soon as they were done working for that day. Not such a good day for Packer fans, we lost that one to the Vikings. The bar was full of Packer fans wearing their green and gold and about 3 Viking fans. One of those fans decided to prance over to our table after the game and gloat. He was definitely very young and pretty stupid. I thanked God that Bruce and I were on the outside of the table because I thought Jon and Matt were going to come unglued and pounce that guy but they were stuck behind the table. Other than the loss it was a great time. I can't remember the last time I saw Matt and Bruce. Bruce hasn't changed one bit, quite the teaser, just like daddy. Matt looked happy and healthy.

Bruce's eyes are so, so blue... Matt hangs out with other Packer fans from Casa Grande - can't go wrong there...was Nico winking at me? No I think he and Jon were acting goofy on purpose because they hate me taking their pictures. Gosh, you'd think I always carried my camera and took pictures...oh yeah, I do. lol Thanks guys.

How I spent my Christmas vacation...

Let's go back in time, well not too far back only back to Christmas. I spent Christmas Eve at Eddie's house because he was willing to get up very early on Christmas to drive me to the  Milwaukee airport. And my next adventure began...
Once again I had to sit until the last minute to see if I'd get on the flight and I didn't. I had plan B already in the works. When I can't get on a US Airways flight I use Southwest airlines as a back up. There was one seat on that flight available and I was number three on the waiting list...BUT the two ahead of me wouldn't split up so I got the seat! I wished them a Merry Christmas, thanked them sent a quick text to Mandy and Aiden (they were picking me up) to let them know what time I was landing and everything was set. In 2 1/2 hours I'd be with my baby again.
Aiden must have grown at least 4 inches taller since I saw him 7 months ago! I spent the next two days never leaving his side, we just couldn't get enough of each other.  We did things we shouldn't have done...but don't tell his mother.

This was probably not the best idea I ever had, having Aiden on my neck and shoulders the day before my final neck exam. But he has his grandma wrapped around his little finger and I'd do anything he'd want me to do.


After only two days I had to leave Aiden's and he was extremely sad. He would ask me "Do you have to leave grandma?" I kept reassuring him that I'd return to his house in just 4 days but like most 4 year olds he didn't understand the concept of only a few days  Then the question came that really broke my heart "Grandma do you have to take your Kindle with you?"

The next two nights and two days was spent with my best friend, Mandy. She drove down the mountain to spend time with me at Jon's house.  She took me to my neck doctor's appointment. It's been 16 months since my surgery and I never had my final check up. At my 9 month check up I still had one bolt that wasn't fusing to the cadaver and there was some concern. I had to miss my 12 month check up because I was in Wisconsin. So since I was back in Arizona my doctor got me in for an appointment. I had the best doctor for neck surgery that I think exists...his name is Dr. Chris Yeung and he's in Phoenix. The xrays were taken and Dr. Yeung reported that all my bolts had now fused successfully. I joked with him and asked if I could tell my family that I have no more loose screws...he just laughed and said that I had no more loose screws in my neck but he couldn't attest to any other part of my body. Love that guy.

Mandy and I spent the next two days shopping sales, eating, scrapping but mostly talking, catching up on gossip and laughing like two teenage girls who hadn't seen each other for a while. I've really, really missed her. And it sure felt great to scrap again, I haven't scrapbooked since I was with her last winter! I have this huge, spacious room full of all my scrapbooking supplies...I probably have more stuff than the local store...and I just don't scrapbook. It's no fun to do it alone, and I don't have much free time lately with all my little part-time jobs. We both cried when we had to part. Two days just wasn't enough.

Where has the time gone?

Today is my second son's 31st birthday. It's funny no matter how many years pass by a mother can still tell you every detail of her labor and delivery of every child  that she has given birth to. Having a second child is very different from having your first.
Before giving birth to your first child you hear every horror story from all the women in your family about their experiences. They had me frightened...I was afraid of the unknown. But with the second child you're a little wiser. When I started my labor pains with Joey I didn't want to rush to the hospital like I did with my first, I wanted to stay home as long as possible and besides...my living room needed vacuuming. I also remember being so hungry, I was craving chocolate and because I ran the Winro Roller Rink concession stand my garage was full of boxes of candy bars. I remember eating Snickers between my contractions. 
Labor was not as long as the first time and I remember my son looking exactly like his father when he finally made his appearance. I told the nurse that I guess I needed to have a girl in order to have a baby look like me. She told me she has never heard a patient talk about having another child immediately after going through labor and delivery.
We weren't like the young couples of today in regards to picking out a name for the new baby. We didn't plan on a name ahead of time we waited until he was born. And for some reason he just looked like a Joey.  I know that probably sounds weird but that is exactly what happened.

Here's a couple old photos of some of Joey's past birthdays. This one is his first birthday celebrated in Casa Grande, Arizona. He's being held by his Grandma Schroeder and his older brother Eddie is also in the picture. Don't know what kind of face Eddie is making...my boys never liked posing for pictures.

 Here is another birthday, also celebrated at the house in Casa Grande. It's probably about his 4th or 5th birthday. What a happy, happy face on this special little boy.






Happy Birthday my dear. I love you more than words can say.