Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Time Flies When You are Spinning

Literally, I was spinning from last Tuesday until it finally stopped earlier this week. I ended up with a case of vertigo and also a sinus infection which just made the vertigo worse. So let's just say that last week was a daze. I did get to the doctor on Saturday morning, got some medication and have been feeling much better since then. I had a follow up appointment yesterday and everything looked good. So that is what I have been up to for the last week, now for the rest of the house life went on.

Last week was finals, so Chad had to finish up the last bit of work. He also felt it was necessary to relax by playing video games with Schneider until the wee hours of the morning two nights in a row. Let's just say that they were in the middle of the week, so it took a toll on his week. We had a graduation party on Saturday that we went to for just a little while. There was another one we were invited to, but it was outside and it had been raining all day, so just think Maddie + Mud = complete filth. Sunday was graduation, Chad went to a party after for a little while and then the Wilke's came over to watch the Tigers on ESPN. It was a bad week for baseball in our house and it doesn't seem to be looking any better this week for the Brewers. At least the rest of the division is losing, so we haven't lost too much ground. Monday was a day off for Chad. No meetings. I did some shopping for Maddie's birthday party. Got some party goods and a few other things. It is a Dora theme, so it is turning into a fiesta. Yesterday Chad had meetings in the morning and then I had that doctor's appointment in the afternoon. Last night was the faculty social. We had a good time. Maddie was a mess when we left, but enjoyed every moment of it.

Chad is at the Astro's game right now. It was suppose to be the baseball coaches, but Schneider and Phill had to bail on them. Since he is out tonight and usually it is girls' night on Wednesday, my night out has been moved to tomorrow. This weekend is another graduation party and trying to get things ready for Maddie's party the following weekend. We aren't sure what we are going to do on Tuesday for her actual birthday, but I'm sure we will think of something.

Happy Graduation to Kendra on Friday. We wish we could be there, but we will see you soon.

Happy Anniversary to Karl and Renee. Hope you get a chance to get out by yourselves.

Emma figured out how to use other things to crawl up onto the chair and couch. She also has gotten good at climbing onto the fireplace ledge.
Here's Maddie at the Zoo two weekends ago. I was really bad with the camera last week since I wasn't feeling well. Then I forgot to take it last night to the party.
Emma in the garden. That is a loner from a friend. It has been moved many times since Maddie uses it as a step stool to get up to the counter or DVDs.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Pee Your Pants For The Brewers




So would you? As of 10:01 am on Tuesday May 22nd, 4822 people say they will pee their pants if the Brewers make the playoffs. I'm not sure if I would. There may be other things I would do, but to pee my pants may not be one of them. Maybe if I could convince some others to take the pledge too, then maybe I would. The website is pretty funny, they give you tips on how to pee your pants. Like the shy guy, Milwaukee Time, etc. You can check it out at
www.peeyourpantsforthebrewers.com



So yesterday we went to the mall. Chad got a gift card from one of his students and was itching to use it, so after he got home we went down to the mall and walked around for a little while. Now you need to know that I was wearing my Robin Yount Brewers shirt. We had walked a little bit and then headed into Lids. There was a lady outside with two kids who looked at me and said, "Uh oh, you're never going to get him (meaning Chad) out of there now that you've let him in." To which I replied, "It's okay, I'm just as bad as he is". She was somewhat surprised by my answer. So the other customer who was in there was her husband. He was buying something and turned around and saw my shirt, made some comment about the Brewers, to which I replied that we did have a 5.5 game lead. I think he was surprised that I knew that. He then went on about how he has Astro's season tickets and will say that the Brewers are a very different team. To which I wanted to say duh, but refrained. He then went on the say that he was actually a Cards fan. I didn't even comment on the fact that at least the Astros are only 5.5 games back and the Cards are 9.5 games back. (As of last night they were, but now they are 10 back) So he left and made some comment about how it is only May and the Brewers will screw it up. As if that didn't leave me mad enough, he then came over in the food court about how he sells authentic jerseys online and he has a Robin Yount one, even if I was looking to buy one, I wouldn't be buying it from him. So Maddie ate her grilled cheese while Chad was looking in Game Stop and the Cards fan walked by and said "see you later Robin Yount". Okay, I was about to get up and punch this guy in the face by this time, but we still had one more encounter with him in the Fan Attic. We were in there looking at hats and in he walks. I was about to walk out because I really thought that I might hit him if he made any other comments. He held up some Brewers shirt and said something like here is some Brewers for you. Good thing by that time Chad was checking out and we were ready to leave. Bottom line: Because of "fans" like him people hate the Cards.

I don't mind a little friendly banter between fans of opposing teams. But sometimes people don't know when to stop. It a lot of times seem to be Cards fans. Now I know that some of you who read this are Cards fans, so I know that most of you are not like that.

I am just happy that there is some good baseball being played this year. I would still be watching the Brewers, but it is just a whole lot more fun when they are playing as well as they are.

GO BREWERS!!

Monday, May 21, 2007

Finals Week

That's right, it's finals week. Chad doesn't have his final until Thursday, so that means that he has all week to get it together, which I'm sure he will be doing.

We ventured to the Zoo on Saturday. It was a beautiful day outside and we enjoyed every minute of it. Maddie loved to just run free and every now and again she would realize that there were animals to look at. Most of the time she would just be making the animal noises as she ran past. After lunch we headed to the Children's Zoo where we didn't even make all the way in because they have an area of water sprayers. She spent about 30 minutes before we had to drag her out and dry her off. I think she had a good time. She didn't even make it out of the parking lot before she was sleeping.

Our Sunday was spent just hanging out. We did a little yard work, played outside, took a walk, and cleaned up the house a bit. Chad spent most of the evening grading papers and I don't think that he got through them all.

Today started out gorgeous once again and so we did manage to get outside, but since then it has been raining and it doesn't look like it is going to stop. Not too much going on the rest of the week. We have a few graduation parties to go to this weekend and then a couple next weekend also.

Hope that all you teachers out there aren't going crazy with your kids. I'm sure they are as ready as you to be done.

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Are you jumping on or off?

I have to say that I think I am neither. I wouldn't call myself a bandwagon fan and I don't think I ever will be. Okay, so the Brewers have lost three in a row, but so what right? Now you are going to have all these people who are going to jump off the bandwagon because they have lost a few games. Then they get hot again and people are going to be jumping back on. It is just a never ending cycle. It is that that gets me fired up. I know that I can only catch a few games a year, but I still watch them on WGN/TBS or mlb.tv, but what about those people who don't even turn them on and they live in Milwaukee. Maybe I am a dork, but every year I go through the Cubs and Braves schedules to see when I can catch them on those stations. There is just so much going with the Brewers right now that it is making my head spin. I don't know if it is happening to anyone else, but that is how I feel.

I did read a good article on mlb.com about Brewers fans and how fans who are fans no matter what are having a tough time getting on board because we don't want to be disappointed again. I will say that no matter what happens this year, I don't think I will be disappointed. These last two months have been a whole lot of fun and that is worth it.

Here is the link to the article on mlb.com:
milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070510&content_id=1956321&vkey=news_mil&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

Enough on Brewers news here is some Texas news:

The girls are doing great. Emma is walking more and more and crawling less and less. I would say it is about 85% walking and 15% crawling. Maddie is talking more and more, it is still not all that much, but more than even a month ago. We have been trying to stay out of the heat, but we do like to go in the pool in the driveway.

This past weekend grandma heff, grandpa heff, and aunt Jana were here. They got in on Friday and we just hung out on Friday. We did go looking for a Wii for Mike, but couldn't find one. He ended up getting one on Saturday morning at Best Buy. That night we grilled out and just talked. Saturday morning we got our things together and headed down to Galveston. It took a little more than an hour to get there, but it wasn't a bad ride at all. We walked along the Strand and through the Wild Game cook off. Grandma, Jana, and Chad wanted seafood, so we went to get some lunch. They got their seafood and grandpa and I ate chicken. Then the girls were ready for their nap, Maddie actually fell asleep at the table at lunch. (See the pictures above) We drove down Seawall Blvd. and looked at the Gulf from the car. We headed home and played outside in the pool. Once the girls went to bed, we even managed to get a game of Phase 10 in. Sunday was church and then we had the Wilke's and Steve over to watch the Tigers game on ESPN. So grandma didn't have to cook, we had a finger food dinner. Monday, Chad headed to school. We got stuff together. Went to lunch then to Garden Ridge. Jana and I got some stuff there. I need to go back with no kids, because I need to be able to roam in that store. We headed to the airport and then to school to drop some stuff off for the sports banquet that night. We had a fun weekend with them here and can't wait to see them when we get to Wisconsin in a little over a month.

This week is "dead" week at school. The week before finals. That means everything needs to get done this week. Saturday we are going to the Zoo, Chad hasn't been there. Then next week are finals, graduation parties, graduation, then end of the year meetings, and then summer officially can begin.

Monday, May 07, 2007

Monday Already?

Where did the weekend go? Chad even had a half day on Friday and it still seems that there was no weekend. We did make it to one of the musical performances this weekend. On Friday we went. Well I saw the whole thing, Maddie saw half of it and Emma saw none of it. We put the pack n' play in Chad's office and Emma went to bed before the show even started. Maddie enjoyed the music and the dancing. She also joined in the dancing. For that reason we sit in the back.

Saturday I got to escape the madness called our house for a few hours to run some errands. Chad had yet another performance, so while he was at school, I watched The Queen. The Wal-mart by us now has RedBox, which is the DVD rental for $1/day, so I have gotten hooked on that.

Sunday was Confirmation, so that meant the day was spent being a Wilke. Christian was confirmed and so we spent the day over there. The girls were great and both even took a nap. Once again the pack n' play was trekked over there and set up, so they could take their naps.

So here we are again starting another week, the musical is over, baseball is over, but still no Chad. Tonight it is a baseball game. There is a 3A playoff game happening on the field tonight. Tomorrow is NHS inductions, but we will probably go with since Michael is being inducted. Then the rest of the week he may actually make it home for dinner.

Friday we have visitors coming. We may take a drive down to Galveston and check that out since we haven't been there yet.

Emma is walking all over the place. She is trying to fast, but still can't keep up with Maddie. She has also gotten her top two teeth. She is still afraid of the sprinkler, but maybe she will like the pool. I think we are going to try it out when Maddie gets up from her nap.

Happy Birthday Grandma Janetzke and Uncle Josh (well on Tuesday)!!!

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Did Someone Say Sweep??

Actually it was the Brewers sweeping the Cardinals. That now puts the Brewers in a 4.5 game lead in the NL Central. Okay I'm not going to go on about the Brewers and baseball, but did anyone see that on the 11pm edition of Baseball Tonight, the Yankees were the lead story again.


Here is our dear Emma with her first major injury. As you can see not only does she have a scratch under eye, but she a little black eye too. She was trying to walk and fell on Dora's horse.
She is getting more adventurous with her walking, but still has some balance issues. She is starting to try to move faster, but her legs usually can't keep up with her top. She also has another tooth up on the top.
The other day we broke out the sprinkler and of course Maddie loved it as you can see. Emma on the other hand cried when it went on. Maybe Emma will like the little pool instead. I had to clean that out today and so maybe we will get in it this weekend. Maddie has another doctor's appointment tomorrow for her ears, so we will see what they say. She has been back to her "normal" self for a while now, but we will need to see if there is still some fluid in there.


Not much else to report. I'm already getting excited for our trip home in June. We have visitors next weekend (grandma heff, grandpa heff, and aunt jana), we will have a birthday party for Maddie before we leave, and then our great trip will begin. We clipped all the bushes in the front yard and now just need to dig up the stumps. When those are dug up we will probably just put some grass seed down and hopefully our lawn will finally look somewhat normal.

Hope that everyone has a great weekend. We have a playdate tomorrow and good timing because it is suppose to rain.

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

ESPN

Here is my rant and rave about ESPN/Baseball Tonight, I have been trying to figure out how to send an email to them, but they only let you write 500 characters, so here is what I would write if I could. Maybe I'll get Chad to help me when he gets home.

To: ESPN/Baseball Tonight

Let me start by saying that I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Josh Hancock. I can only imagine what hardships the players and staff of the Cardinals are going through. I realize that a event like this is going to disturb a player's mind set and ability to play at 100%. I know that some players are going to have a harder time recovering than others and it may take them longer to get back to their playing level.

The Cardinal organization knows that the season goes on and I commend the staff for wanting to keep on moving through the season. As expected you could see that the Cardinals were affected during Monday night's game, by making some very obvious mental mistakes. I'm unsure if those mistakes cost them the game or just made it worse. Since Spring Training ESPN has been talking about how the Brewers are a different team and they are one to be watched. As you can see they have a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central, that has to say something. I don't want to sound harsh in a time of loss, but the way the announcers and commentators were talking last night it seemed as if the only reason the Brewers won was because the Cardinals were not at their greatest potential because of the loss of Josh Hancock. Suppan pitched a great game, he was Hancock's teammate last year. Not only a teammate, but they shared the bullpen.

I have been a Brewers fan since birth, I have since moved from Wisconsin, but watch the Crew on MLB.TV and catch them at Minute Maid when they are in town (Houston is where I live now). This year may or may not be our year, but we are playing some really great baseball and I wish that people would start recognizing that.

My sympathies for the Cardinal organization and the Hancock family.

Brewers Fan from the South,
Erin Janetzke



So what do you think? Ever since the game last night, this has been really bothering me. Chad and I were talking about it and it is true. Why aren't the Brewers getting the recognition they deserve? Is it because they are always suppose to be the losers or is it because ESPN thinks that everyone loves the Yankees and the Sox? The Yankees are 9-14, but they are still the lead story on Baseball Tonight. Does this bother anybody else?