The Traveling Sobczaks

Back to Reality....

2009-01-04T20:33:00.003-05:00

So, back to work tomorrow and back to reality. Why is it that we don't get recess at work? Or Nap time? Or spring break, christmas break and summers off? Seriously, I would be so much more productive! Nothing too exciting other than the holidays are over, New Years Eve was fun til I puked and I am SO READY for 2009! I did not make any resolutions this year as I have been in this weird mood about everything. I don't even have the energy to make school lunches let alone decide what I should do for a whole year. I need some time.... I'll get back to ya.

It just keeps getting better...

2008-12-16T08:43:00.002-05:00

So I get a call from daycare yesterday at just about 5pm. I am about 20 minutes away but John is about 5 minutes from there. Miss Katie wanted to let me know Grace was playing in the gym and slipped and ran head first into the cement wall. Yikes. Ok. They tell me is is pretty upset and has ice on it now. I let John know so he won't be surprised in 3 minutes when he gets there.

I get home and she is crying as I open the door. John tells me that we are going to the emergency room because she can't see out of her eye! WHAT???????????????? So I calm her down barely and have her tell me how many fingers I am holding up while I am also closing the other eye. She says 2. Nope. Off we go.

She is more freaked out about going to the hospital then the fact she couldn't see out of her eye. By the time the dr. came in, which was about 15. minutes because we were at Zeeland, she could see out of her eye just fine. Oy. They gave her tylenol, she fell asleep on me which is apparently ok even with head injury, and came back and checked on her and their medical opinion was that she "Got Her Bell Rung".

No daycare and a parent should stay with her for at least 24 hours to make sure nothing changes.

And there is a winter weather advisory pretty much across the whole state.

And my Grandpa's visitation/funeral is a one day thing all starting at 1pm today.

Like the title of this post, it just keeps getting better. NOT!

Ready for a new year..................

2008-12-13T17:17:00.002-05:00

Seriously. My Grandpa Julius passed away yesterday. I haven't really seen him too much since say, high school. Probably 5 times in the last 16 years. No matter really. He was still my grandpa and now he is gone too. Ugh. Just another piece of my life gone. It makes me sad. It makes me think of losing my dad last year. It makes me think of losing my mom this year. It is going to be a rough holiday season.....

Shopping coach...

2008-09-01T21:19:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I am no fashion plate by any means, but for some crazy reason, Kaleigh likes to shop with me. I am pretty honest with anything that gets picked out or tried on. We went shopping this weekend and she found a bunch of stuff which was good and I even found a few things which was even better. We started talking about how she has a wedding she is doing a reading for in October. We were in Macy's and I asked a salesperson where the dresses were. She asked if we were looking for Juniors and homecoming dresses and I told her no. She then said, "Oh dresses for you are over there" and pointed to the "real dresses". (Salesperson was about Kaleigh's age which will make sense as this story goes on.)

I start asking Kaleigh what she is looking for, or what she wants. She wants a dress (skirt and shirt are lame she says). I tell her she is probably at the age where she should consider getting herself the "little black dress". I go on to say how she could use it for many different occasions and could change it up by different shoes, jewelery, hairstyles, etc. depending on where she is going. I start looking through the TONS of black dresses and continue on with telling her that she is young and could totally wear any of the dresses we were flipping through. A few minutes go by and she looks at me, stops looking at the dresses and says, "People wear black to weddings?"

Oy. Either I like black too much or she is just so young she doesn't know the STAPLE wardrobe item for any woman is the LITTLE BLACK DRESS. I am pretty sure we will remain shopping buddies for quite some time. She is not ready to face the world alone...yet.

Somethings missing...

2008-08-28T21:55:00.004-04:00

Her voice had a tough raspy sound to it. Always did. Once in a while she would even be mistaken for a man. When she would try to talk softly, or to children, there was always a distinct difference in her voice from anyone else I knew. As the years went on, it was obvious she was a smoker as she added the "smoker's cough" to the already raspy voice. There were times I would be mad because of the coughing or the smoking and even yell at her on the phone. I would say, "I'll call you back later when you stop smoking" or "Call me when you can talk, not cough."

What I wouldn't give to hear that damn cough and voice again.

I miss my mom so much my heart hurts. When my dad passed away I thought about him every night when I went to bed. I knew he was sick and suffering and it was still horrible to lose him and still sucks he is gone, but I didn't want him to be in pain or to suffer any longer. With my mom, it was so unexpected that I think I am still in shock.

I think about her every single day and what I wouldn't give to just hear her voice or to see her face. I got ripped off and I am still pissed about it.

I am an orphan at 33 and I hate every minute of it.

Say what you mean.... A Public Service Announcement from the Bahamas...

2008-06-24T21:58:00.002-04:00

I was scrolling through the never ending pictures I have saved on my computer and came across one that I felt needed sharing.

In this wonderful country we call home, a sign like this would be banned! People would be offended by the use of the words Protect and Ya and Tings, let alone the use of the word rubber in this context! I am no expert but I bet those little bahamian children running past this building know what their tings are and what it means to protect them! Maybe if we just put up signs like this around town, we can end disease and teenage pregnancy as we have come to know in this country!

Not really, but I really do like the sign. You so know that something like this would cause such uproar here, especially in West Michigan! OY!

To change or not to change, that is the question....

2008-06-19T20:33:00.002-04:00

So I actually type some cute little post and even put a picture on there and this is what I got....

We're sorry, but we were unable to complete your request.

When reporting this error to Blogger Support or on the Blogger Help Group, please:

Describe what you were doing when you got this error.
Provide the following error code and additional information.
bX-3soefh
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postID: 628054470432800787
uri: /post-edit.do

This information will help us to track down your specific problem and fix it! We apologize for the inconvenience.

Seriously? I mean, Seriously? I never post and then I think to myself, "hey, it is time to get off your sorry butt and actually commit to this blogging thing" and then this happens.

I think this is a direct answer to Alison's blog on if people can change. Apparently they can try but it doesn't always work out. SO maybe if I am really on this change bandwagon, you will be lucky enough to see a new post by the end of the weekend! (hey, I am optimistic, not stupid! If you thought you would see one tomorrow, really now.....)

I suck at life

2008-05-05T15:33:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I have determined that everyone I know that has a blog is:

A.) Unhappy with their job so they blog at work
B.) Have a spouse that works a different shift
C.) Does not watch ANY tv
D.) Just plain better than I am at this crap
E.) All of the above

I am really going to try to get this blog thing back up and running. Can anyone tell me how they make the time to do this? I am not even joking. I get home and have no desire to do anything with the computer. Do you not watch Survivor or Lost or Greys Anatomy, or House or How I Met Your Mother? I mean, that is my life after kids are in bed!

So here I go, trying to be cool like everyone else. I mean I can't even figure out how to get captions under pictures for crying out loud!

Ok enough already.

I will try to get some new pics out there soon!

Santa's workshop

2007-12-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

So, I have to say, one thing I am really excited about this year...Santa's workshop! Grace's preschool is going today and she was so excited to pick out stuff for us all on her own! I remember doing that as a kid and I picked out the best stuff ever for my parents. World Greatest Dad and World Greatest Mom plaques. My sister and brother would get some completely awesome game or mini statue of a clown or dog. I am sure they still treasure these gifts to this day. How could they not?

Seriously though, I am just so excited to see what she gets. It is just so fun to see your child doing things like this. She will be so proud of herself and that is the present I am just so excited to get!

Fabulous Weekend!

2007-12-10T21:31:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we had an awesome time! We saw Santa on Friday. The kids did awesome! I thought Christopher would cry, but he was all cheesy and ready to smile! Grace had a list and had to make sure Santa kept the list so he wouldn't forget what to bring.
Saturday, we took the kids sledding. After bundling them up in the snow gear we headed to Charlie's Dump to go sledding. I really don't know where that name came from, but I know that is what the kids call it. It is like a soccer field that is in a big bowl. Kids sled on all sides of this bowl, but mainly 2 sides closest to the parking lot. Anyhoo, we had 2 sleds and races girls vs. boys. Of course, the boys, John and Christopher, grabbed our sled (me and Grace) and kept making us spin out or slow down. We traded kids and sleds a few times and Grace decided she would go by herself.
She was bringing the sled up the hill and decided to hop on herself and went down from about the middle of the hill. I asked her what she thought about going herself and she said, "you know, I looked around and saw all these kids doing it by themselves, so I thought 'Why don't I do that?' So I did." She cracks me up. I love 4 year old logic.

Other than that, we did a bunch of nothing! It was so nice! That never happens! Woo hoo!

Just ordered my Christmas cards so hopefully I will get those out by Friday! Other than that, nothing too exciting, thank goodness.

Winter blues

2007-12-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

We got the tree last weekend in the freezing cold. Got it home and decorated and it looks really nice. Grace helped decorate. Christopher kept taking ornaments back off. We even bought some outdoor little lights that look like presents that line the one walkway and surprised Grace with that because she felt that we HAD to have lights outside too!
I just have so much work stuff going on I just haven't gotten in the "Christmas Spirit" you know? I have not shopped for diddly. I have one thing for the Grace and she already knows what that is. I think John and I are going out this weekend to do some shopping so I hope that helps kick the spirit into gear.

Aren't you all glad I updated?!?!?!?

Thanksgiving Vacation!

2007-11-27T21:03:00.000-05:00

We have been a busy bunch around here! We went to the Bahamas during the week of Thanksgiving! What an awesome time. I was worried the weather wouldn't be all that hot or nice, but I was totally wrong! The weather was beautiful! It rained a little one day and that was it! Sunny and around 80 the rest of the week. The kids had so much fun. We spent some time at the beach but they didn't like the giant waves so we were at the pool or the lagoon that they could walk right into the water and have no waves. Grace was into looking for sea life. She found a sea urchin and some hermit crabs so she was pretty excited. Christopher was just into knocking down any sand creations that any of us made and being in the water. That kid is going to swim by himself in no time. He freaks me out b/c he doesn't want anyone to hold on to him. I could go on forever but I am going to sum up the trip with some entertaining highlights:

FALL IS HERE!!!
1. Rosemary fell down trying to sit on her little walker thingy. It was in a liquor store. She was ok, so that then we could laugh. Later.

2. At a buffet dinner a few nights later, people walking past Rosemary's walker kept running into the handles. There was plenty of room, yet they kept doing it. The final straw was a man I would say was in his 70's. His old school windbreaker caught the rubber handle and him and his 2 plates did a 360, then hit the ground in a running/sliding/spinning motion. I have to say it was the coolest looking fall I have ever seen! Again, because he was ok, we could laugh. Later. At the time, Rosemary was frustrated everyone kept running into her walker so she bellows out, as the guy is laid out on the ground 3 feet away, "what is wrong with people!". I just about freaked! I just said back, "Rosemary, the guy is on the ground next to you! Shhh!"

3. At the beach the very next day, I was joking that I woudl be the next. John was trying to convince me to go in the water which seriously looked like minor tsunami waves and I wasn't really all too thrilled, but thought why not. I barely get in without being knocked over but I am only about 5 feet from John on the beach and I can't even touch bottom and the waves are just crashing over my head. He is cracking up and I think I am going to drownd. I get out of the wave and start runnign up the beach telling John he is crazy as he heads into the water. I look back and am completely freaked out by what I see: the top of his bald head coming at me horizontally in the midst of mini tsunami! He washes up on the beach and is cracking up! I notice his glasses are gone. He says that the water took those off his face so fast he figured he better grab his shorts before those went too! By the time he grabbed them, they were at his knees! He said he thought he was going to wash up naked!

PARADISE!!!
I had a Goombay Smash at least once a day. It is some rum concoction that we had been trying to recreate here and figured out we were pretty close! It has coconut rum, dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and some other stuff. Ahhh. Tasty.

We stayed in a regular hotel room that had no air. We changed rooms and that one had the a/c working perfect! We then moved to the condos for 2 nights. The moving rooms sucked, but was totally worth it.

I didn't want to leave! Grace was really mad and said she should just stay in the Bahamas. She could drive a bus and when I come back, she would say "oh, I used to know you, you used to be my my mom!"

I think that should satisfy everyone for now. Well the 2 of you.

Halloween Fun!

2007-11-01T21:01:00.000-04:00

What a blast the kids had on Halloween! Grace was Tinkerbell and Christopher was Buzz Lightyear. They had parties at daycare and preschool so the fun was from morning until night!

You will also be amazed to know that I actually downloaded my photos from my camera!

OY, Time flies!

2007-10-09T23:20:00.000-04:00

So I have been saying I would post something and look. Nothing. For months! Seriously, I can't believe it was May the last time I posted. I suck. Although now, I know others with blogs so this could actually get fun too! Sarah has one and now Alison might jump on this blogging bandwagon too! Yippee! My daycare even has one, geesh.

4 Days until Robyn's BIRTHDAY! Just in case anyone actually reads this and forgot.

So a quick update:
Kaleigh got accepted to Grand Valley State University. She graduates in the spring from good old high school. I can't believe it. I tried for 7 years and did not succeed in getting her to go to MSU. Well, I tried. I have learned however, that I will not be so easy on Grace. Um, yeah, she is just going to have to go. Seriously. I think we made the mistake in thinking Kaleigh knows what she wants. What 17 year old knows that? Doesn't she know WE know what is best and that is MSU! Oy. I am really not bitter or upset whatsoever. Really. I am glad she is going somewhere!
John is in Utah and has been the traveling man lately. You would think I would get tons of stuff done for my fancy blog, but no. Alas, I sit on the couch eating and watching all the new fall shows.
Grace and Christopher are just hilarious. They are so funny with the stuff they say lately. Christopher totally knows how to make Grace mad and its actually quite funny. Not to her of course.

Now if I can figure out the slide show stuff, I will get that out there and be really making some progress!

Busy Month

2007-05-30T21:43:00.000-04:00

May is a crazy busy month for us! Christopher turned 2 on May 8th. Grace turned 4 on May 27th. Our 5 year anniversary is the 31st. It is weird how my whole life, I had no special occasions in May and now BAM! 2 birthdays and an anniversary! And it is my nephew's birthday on the 31st too! I have yet to download any pictures from my camera from all the festivities. Coming soon... fo sho.

Big Jer

2007-05-29T21:46:00.000-04:00

Wow. Well I said I would try to post every few weeks, but you know how that goes. We went to the Bahamas end of March which was awesome for the first couple days. My dad passed away on Saturday, March 31, 2007, 3 days into the trip. I saw him on that Tuesday before we left. He had a modified hip replacement 3 weeks earlier because the cancer had caused a fracture and he was in so much pain, he couldn't sit up or move his left leg. He seemed to feel better after, but was still having the recovery issues from that surgery AND battling cancer. When I saw him, my mom and sister said he had been up all day and was really tired. I tried to help him get up to go to bed, but couldn't. I felt really bad, but I didn't know he would not be there when I got back. He was such a fighter. His attitude was positive til the very end.

I am still shocked that he is gone.

I am still sad I wasn't there.

I am still getting over the fact that the next time I saw him was at his funeral.

I still can't believe when I go to Redford, he isn't there.

I miss him quite terribly.

I love you Dad.

What is a Plethora?

2007-02-21T21:10:00.000-05:00

1995- A cute young gentleman and a naive young girl from Redford Township meet at Michigan State University at one of the few and far between parties. The young man begins a conversation with the naive girl and states the he is a "virtual plethora of arcane knowledge". The naive girl was amazed at the use of so many big words in one sentence. Not wanting to sound "small town" or "naive" because she does not know what any of the words mean, she asks, " What is a plethora?" He responds with the fact that he knows massive amounts of information about everything. She is wooed. Her friend just thinks he is cute and that she herself should make out with him, but.... the naive girl wins. They go out a few times and she finds out he is definitely not a virtual plethora of arcane knowledge after all. He is just a bit odd. That is one word she did know the meaning of without looking it up in the dictionary.

Robyn, you were smart to let him go.

2007-02-20T22:39:00.000-05:00

Grace went skiing for the first time over Christmas break. Note the lack of snow in the background. This was up at Boyne Highlands. We are hoping to go up this weekend and get her out there again. Hopefully the weather cooperates. We have had tons of snow, but now apparently sleet is in the forecast. Lovely. That and Christopher is sick. There is always something, isn't there?!!??

Edit: I had a typo and thanks to the ever observant and incredibly perfect Alison, I have managed to stop the world from crumbling due to my error. Thank you.

Technologically challenged

2007-02-20T22:07:00.000-05:00

I am officially entering the new era of blogging! We used to have a website but now with all this fancy technology, you can have a blog and not have to pay anything! That and it seems much easier so far! I will try my best to update a couple times a month. I am hoping to give updates on the kids, our travels and other things that I find interesting even if you don't.