Elle's New Bedroom!!

Welcome to my latest (and greatest) project!! Orignally, Elle's room was a horrible, dirty, worn cotton candy pink. Now it is transformed into a retro-stripe- fun-girly room. And I did it all by myself!!

Some people don't do windows. I don't do math. So to tell you that I measured, and re-measured, and taped, and leveled, and re-measured these walls without Dean's help, is a complete accomplishment for me.
Now to say that Dean wasn't involved would be a lie. He did hold the tape for me when I was measuring and taping the lines along the ceiling.

Anyway, it isn't decorated yet, and there is still lots to do, but I just had to show you my stripes. Actually, Elle's stripes. Actually, your stripes too. If you visit me, this is where you'll sleep :o)

Gimpey, oops, I mean...Grindey

My puppy has truly earned her new name...Gimpey. Only God knows how she managed to break her toe while playing in the front yard. As mentioned in an earlier blog, she'd been limping around since Monday afternoon. We finally had xrays done yesturday, to find that her hips are perfect, and she did, in fact, break her toe!! Needless to say, my fourth child now has a cast on her leg, needs to wear a vinyl covering when she goes outside, and has to wear the dreaded lampshade whenever we leave her in her kennel. All of this for the next month. Truthfully, we don't mind. We are very happy she is healthy, and she's still just as spunky as she ever was! She's truly part of the family. Our little Gimpey.

ps...She's not as big as she looks in the picture with Jack. My dad was using a wide angle lense for that pic. She's really just 27 pounds and her head is even with my knees.

What's New

Lots has been happening at the Nien"house" lately...

• Headliner: Jack is riding a 2-wheeler, No training wheels!! Not only can he ride a bike now, he learned it instantly. We took off the training wheels, and off he went. And not only did he learn it instantly, he continued to buzz around the school parking lot as though he had been riding for years, even trying to do wheelies!!
• Accident Report: Grindey is hurt. They other day, she went outside and was fine. She came back in limping, not putting pressure on her back left hind leg. We have no idea what she did. The vet doesn't think it's broken, it may be her hips. Her pain medication doesn't seem to helping. We are currently looking into pet insurance for our Gimpey Grindey.
• Health: I brought Elle to the chiropractor to see if there was anything they could do for her ear infections. I'm sick of putting her on anti-biotics. Instead, we found out, through Xrays, that she has the beginnings of scoliosis, her spine is already curved. I was sick to my stomach. Hopefully, we can help her out now so she doesn't have to suffer later.
• Weather: Sucky. Up here in northern Wisconsin, there is no other word. We woke up, yet again, to another winterwonderland. It's beautiful, but NOT in April.
• Home and Garden: Elle's Room, AKA the guest room, is being painted and redecorated. The base coat has been finished, but the stripes still need to go on the walls. You must come and stay sometime, you will get to sleep in this adorable room! :o) As for the garden, I'm so lost as to how to even begin the spring clean-up in my new landscaping. Need Help. Will offer food and a place to sleep!! :o)
• Travel: Vegas, Baby. Thaaaaaat's right. After a one year sabatical from our yearly vacation without kids, we have made plans to return to one of our favorite places, Las Vegas. We won't be making this much needed trek until September, but it's fun to have something to look forward to.
  

Giggle Juice

Most of you know it as "laughing gas". You know, the wonderful vapors that send you to your happy place while you are getting the dreaded dental work done. Well, that was me today. After 3 years in the making, I finally got the dreaded tooth implant. Oral Surgery. Just the sound of it makes you get the heebie-jeebies.

The last time I had the giggle juice, it didn't really affect me very much. So today when I was deeply breathing the laughing gas, I wasn't anticipating what came next.

I thought to myself: Wow, I just really feel like laughing. Really, I'm not sure what is so hysterical, but can I just laugh outloud?? No, Sarah, don't start laughing. They will think you are totally nuts. No one is in here right now, you are laying in this chair with your eyes closed, you can not start laughing. don't laugh don't laugh don't laugh don't laugh...

But I know I layed there with a dumb smile on my face.

Then the doc came in, and did some things to my mouth, not sure what. I continued to lay there with my eyes closed...the bed slightly spinning.

Doc: You can close now.
me thinking: My eyes are closed.
Doc: You can close.
me thinking: are my eyes open?? no, they are closed. why do they keep asking me to close my eyes??
Doc: Sarah, you can close!
me thinking: Ok, am i that out of it that I think my eyes are closed and they are really open???? i'm so confused...
Sarah: My eyes ARE closed!!
Doc: No, your MOUTH.

They don't call it laughing gas for nothin'.

Happy Birthday, Dean! (and me too!)

On April 3, Dean turned 37! We celebrated as a family at a very nice restaurant, called the "Back When Cafe". This quaint restaurant takes you back in time as you dine on (pricey) delicious gourmet food. Our children do extremely well in restaurants, and like to try the different foods they prepare, so we had no problem letting them join in on our birthday party. I say "our" party because, as you may remember, I missed my birthday completely,and so this was my party too :o) I turmed 29.

Poor Elle.

She was soo tired that evening. We had a later reservation, and in nice places, it takes longer to get one's food. She could hardly keep her eyes open. But instead of whining and "losing it", as some children may have, she made fun of herself. You'll notice in the last pic...she's trying to keep her eyes open!

Dean ordered Ahi Tuna (served raw!), I had a small beef tenderloin with 2 jumbo shrimp, and Sam also ordered shrimp off of the main menu! At home, we savored the final pieces of Dean's favorite sweet dish, Butterfinger Dessert. The whole evening was just peachy!

April Fool's

Has this been the longest winter EVER??!! If I thought I had a fever of 103 in March from having influenza reside in my body, my spring fever as April is now here, is about 107!! And the weather played a major April Fool's joke on us up here in the northwoods. Oh yes, the snow wasn't even half melted yet and we woke up to 4 inches of white stuff all over the ground! Ugh. Is there any end in sight?? I just needed to vent. Thanks.....