Monthly Archive for July, 2008

I know a dude’s ear that swallowed a fly

And that dude was me.

I don’t know that swallow is the right word. But whatever, I had a fricking fly in my ear. Do you hear me? A FLY IN MY EAR!

I was sitting here at the computer last night taking a quick study break and there was this huge fly on the computer monitor. I flicked it away a few times because it was annoying me. Well, I guess that annoyed him because he flew into my ear. I’m not talking about flying and landing on my ear and just crawling in. He freaking flew straight into my ear. FLEW INTO MY EAR!

Now, when it first happened, I actually thought he had flown away, because I was feeling around my earlobe and stuff thinking it landed there and I was going to flick him (I’m not sure why I am assuming it was a boy fly) away again, but he wasn’t there, so I thought he was gone. Over the next 5 minutes I kept hearing an intermittent buzzing sound like he was real close by so I kept swatting the area near my ear to get him away. Then I got up to get a Q-tip (yes brand name, no generic cotton swabs for me) and stuck it in to clean out my ear when… well, I guess what I did was piss the little fetcher off, because he started buzzing like a madfly. Buzz buzz buzz, flapping his little wings trying to annoy me (or escape). I didn’t know what to do; I started freaking out. I started shaking my head violently trying to somehow get him to fly out, but all that was doing was making me dizzy. So I sat down on the bed and called Kate and was trying to decide if I needed to go to the ER or something.

So you know when you get out of the shower or pool and you have a little water in your ear, so you kinda bend your head sideways so the water can drain out. I decided that is what I was going to do next. So I’m bent over, and I’m trying to talk to Kate on the phone, and I’m trying to stay calm, and then I start banging on my freaking head trying to get the little bugger out. I’m pounding on my head, and talking to Kate, and I don’t remember exactly what I told her, but I was telling her something, and I’m banging on my head some more as hard as I physically can, and the bastage falls out, straight down onto the floor. He kinda just walked around on the floor for a minute and I assumed he was going to fly away, but 30 minutes later he was still there walking around, so I trapped him in a jar so he could die. This morning I checked and he was sufficiently dead for me so I decided to talk a picture on my phone, so here is he is…

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So I told Kate that finally he came out, and I was really relieved, but then I had the HUGEST KILLER HEADACHE from pounding on my head, which kinda interfered with my studying for the rest of the night.

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The Great Pork Rind Shortage of 2008

So in the past few days, Kate has been to Wal-Mart, as well the three different Hy-Vees in town, and apparently NONE of them have any pork rinds in stock… very disappointing.

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Bake Sale!

Bake Sale

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More Summer Fun…

Michael, Audrey, and I have been trying to get into this summer by doing different things to keep busy. We are LOVING the newly remodeled Coralville Library libraryfrisbee 001.jpg . It is so fun to go and pick out new books and hang out in their sunroom enjoying the warm sun, cool a/c, and a good book…

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We are also enjoying visitors! Grandpa Wheeler came over yesterday to visit. Michael and Grandpa had a great time playing the wii…

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I think that Grandpa even WON! But Michael was a gracious runner up! Today we took another trip to the Library and then came home to play some Frisbee! Right about when we got outside, Daddy (Chris) returned home from clinicals and threw around the frisbee with Michael a little…

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and scored a hug from Audrey…

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So I am up late and I see this show…

Called “The Two Coreys” and I realize its a reality show about Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. Well, I haven’t got much to say except I remember when I was 10 and I was TOTALLY going to marry Corey Haim coreyhaim3.jpg … now that I see he can’t hold down a job and he’s a raging drug addict (not to mention that he is no longer hot!)CoreyHaim2.jpg, I’m really glad that relationship didn’t pan out…

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Happy Birthday Old Man!!!

Yes, it is the blessed day where Chris is finally the same age as ME! Today Chris is 31!!! What a YEAR!!! I know that I don’t say it enough, but Chris, I am really, really proud of you and all that you have accomplished this year!

You have been working so hard to be a better dad and spend more time with the kids
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You graduated from the University of Iowa! Such an amazing goal to reach, and I know it felt like forever, but I believe that it will all be worth it someday soon!
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You got to see the President land at your school (well, this was exciting for you)…
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AND… you are FINALLY working towards your dream and working REALLY hard! I can see it and means so much to me and the kids to see you work so hard, it really shows how much you love us! We are so blessed to have you in our lives and we love you very, VERY much!

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Fourth of July Festivities…

I must admit, I was NOT looking forward to the Fourth of July. Chris had made arrangements for us to work in Muscatine with a church group fundraising project and since we would be there I knew he and the kids would want to see the parade. I was worried that it would be hot, that there would be massive amounts of walking, and that the bugs would be ridiculously awful because of all the recent flooding.

We started off our Fourth of July festivities by arriving in Muscatine right before the parade started. We had made plans for the kids and I to ride on the Trolley with Becca, Elena, and her parents while Chris and Josh watched the parade with the other kids. Parking was nightmarish, but luckily we found a spot quickly and started walking towards the parade route waiting for Josh to call us and tell us where to meet. We couldn’t get ahold of Josh, so we called Becca and she told us where the Trolley was. We got there right as they were starting to pull away to start the parade so we ALL jumped on!

The kids grabbed some American flags to wave out the window while Chris laughed as Dan Clark teased him about being a Democrat for the day (the Trolley was covered in advertisements for various Democratic candidates).
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They were out of little flags so I didn’t get to wave, but to prove I was there and enjoyed the parade I allowed Becca to take a picture of me…
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Near the end of the ride we came upon Josh and the kids who climbed up on the Trolley with some of their candy loot from the parade, Josh thought it would be so much fun to throw the candy out to more people instead of keeping for ourselves. Everyone thought this was a great idea except for poor Jacob who was not happy to lose his hard earned candy…
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After the parade was finished Chris, the kids, and I drove to our meeting spot for the church group. We walked over to Salvatore’s and got some pizza to eat while we waited for the rest of the group to arrive. Once they did we split up, read the instructions, and sent them off with their merchandise. Chris and Michael went to one end of the riverfront and Audrey and I stayed near 2nd Street. Most of our job was being in a central location so that the church group members could come back and replenish their selling supplies, so really it was a bit of hanging around. To entertain herself, Audrey asked if she could get an italian ices. At first I was hesitant, but she really wanted to try it, so we got some…
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She thoroughly enjoyed it and didn’t ask for anything else the rest of the evening…
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Soon is was nearly dark and the fireworks prematurely started. Before we knew it, they were done and the rushed part of our work began where people came back with their unsold products and the money. Thankfully with Audrey there it was a smooth operation, and we headed back to the car. I will admit that I was very worn out when we got home, but it really was a fun day spent with my family and friends!

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Conversation with Drew…

Drew calls my phone, here’s basically how the call went….

Drew: HEY! I was wondering if you were going to take the kids to the carnival?

Me: Uhhhh, it hadn’t even occurred to me so not likely…

Drew: Really? There are some really fun rides here, and if you want, I will go on the rides with them so you don’t have to!

Me: Drew? Are you just looking for a reason to ride the rides and trying to use my children as bait?

Drew: {long pause} Basically…

Me: Yeah, I think we’ll pass this time.

Drew: Allll right, but be forewarned, I may try to go behind your back and convince Chris to bring them!

Sooo, I put up a fight for awhile, but after Drew *did* go behind my back and convinced Chris who finally convinced me that we need to give the kids MEMORIES… so we met Uncle Drew at the carnival where he bought a fistful of tickets. We walked around and discussed which rides they wanted to use the tickets for. In the end they decided on the flying swings called “Swingers” (this concerned me lol), The Dino Slide, and The Scrambler. Drew graciously let the kids ride on the Swingers and the Dino Slide and then he tagged along for the Scrambler in case Audrey freaked out. And… since I am me… of course, I had my camera, so enjoy some of the shots…

Audrey and Michael on the Swinger….
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Michael and Audrey preparing for the Dino Slide…
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On the DINO SLIDE…
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Drew and the kids waiting for the Scrambler to become available…
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Michael and his friend Connor on the Scrambler…
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Drew and Audrey on the Scrambler…
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Quarter Games at the Carnival (i.e. hey… give us your money!)
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All and all, my feet hurt and I have a little less money but the kids have a wonderful memory and they are already bugging Uncle Drew to take them again next year!

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