Meet Sam!

Sam the Elf has come to spend some time at the Fritsche house!

For those of you who haven't heard, we started a new tradition this year! It's a book called Elf on the Shelf. It's a very cute book and comes with a little Elf. Our elf who the girls named Sam, came the weekend of Thanksgiving. (I've been wanting to get this post up for a while and just haven't got around to it! ;)) This has been such a fun new tradition for the girls. Sam reports back to Santa every night and then moves to a new spot in the house. The girls fly out of bed in the mornings running to look where Sam's new place will be. And let me tell you, I often hear the girls remind each other, "Sam is watching us!" Talk about a change in listening! I'm wondering what other "little guys" I can come up with for the rest of the year! ;)

On Thursday Sam was finally sitting somewhere so the girls could have their picture taken with him. Kayla is still in that cheese ball smile stage but seems to be getting a little better with it! It drives me nuts!!!! Anyway, we thought we would introduce Sam and our new fun family tradition this year!

I'd recommend starting this fun tradition with your family. We purchased our set from Border's which was cheaper than buying online. Check it out and have fun!

Have a great weekend!!

Our stressful week ~ 12/10/08

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Where does time go? I know I'm a little late in posting our weekly "update" and I actually haven't posted anything in a week. But this last week has been so busy, there just hasn't been the time. AND now with us in the middle of snow season, we have freezing rain last night so right now I'm going on 38 hours with NO SLEEP!! So I'm going to actually make this pretty quick and simple, I'd like to go to bed and catch up on some sleep but I told myself I HAD TO update before I go to sleep!! So last week.....Monday was Cyber Monday so the Boutique had some specials going on that kept things busy, Along with the girls getting to shop for Christmas presents at the Christmas store at school. They had a lot of fun, so much that they couldn't wait until Christmas to give everyone their gifts. So come Wednesday evening, we opened a few presents. All very cute and fun! Tuesday was busy getting things done around the house. Wednesday was also busy with around the house stuff along with a few errands. Thursday was busy and then I got to enjoy an evening at the Ladies Advent Candlelight Dinner at Church. It was nice to have an evening out and the ladies all did such a wonderful job decorating their table. Friday came around and it was another busy day full with a million things to do! The weekend was no different but I will post more about our weekend later.

Here's the news for this week.....

'Tis the season to be jolly!!! This week is half way over already! Monday was super full and yesterday was the same. But I got called into work for snow removal at 8:30 Tuesday night and worked all night into Wednesday morning! I am tired!! The rest of the week will continue to stay busy with lots going on. I need to catch up on sleep so hopefully I get the chance to do that before the next storm comes in Monday night into Tuesday. While I'd love one more snow event before Christmas for the extra money, they are saying this time we will be getting ice!!! And I hate the ice! I makes life stressful while we are working. But like I've said before, for whatever crazy reason, I love working at the snow removal company. I don't know why since right now I've been up for 38 hours with NO sleep but we have fun working!! Crazy as it sounnds! Sorry to be so short and quick this week but I REALLY need to go to bed.

So good night to all, be safe in the crazy snowy weather....More to come later!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Regifting...is it right? Or wrong?

I found this article today and thought it was rather interesting. Why? I have no idea. But as it mentions with the economy the way it is today, this is happening more and more. Do I think it's wrong? That depends. I can honestly say I have done it once. I remember what the item was, who I received it from, and who I "regifted" to. The item and people will remain nameless to protect all parties involved but I will say the gift I received, I honestly had NO use for it. I never opened the box and knew the item was something I would never take out of the box. On the other hand, the person I gave the item to, it was perfect for that person and he or she LOVED it! I've seen them use it many of times. So is regifting wrong? Well, in my book not always. It really depends on the item and the people. And as long as the item is BRAND NEW and the person you regiving it to has a use for it, then I say go for it!

Anyway, here's the article I was reading today. Some good information if you are thinking about being a regifter this year. And by the way, as of right now, no one on my Christmas list this year will be getting a regift! :)

The Do's and Don'ts of Regifting

C'mon, stop being such a Goody Two-shoes. Everybody's doing it. Well, maybe not everyone, but according to a survey by Harris Interactive last year, more than half of us admit to regifting -- that is, passing off unwanted gifts as if they were being bestowed for the very first time. Given the state of the economy, you've got to imagine that even more people will be putting idle presents back into play this holiday season.

For years considered a clear social no-no, regifting is shedding its stigma, whether it's due to economic hardship, eco-friendly attitude shifts, or bulging closets and drawers full of stuff we never wanted in the first place.

Today, anywhere from 60% to 78% of us, depending on what survey you read, think regifting is A-OK. In fact, giving gifts that have past lives is so routine, there's an official day dedicated to celebrating the practice: Dec. 18 -- the Thursday before Christmas -- has been christened National Regifting Day by Money Management International (MMI). (As with all new calendar additions, it's best to check with your boss before taking the day off in observance.)

What? Me, Regift? Pshaw!

The personal reasons people regift have little to do with, say, the inability to find a parking space at the mall, or plain old laziness. More than 60% of re-packagers have their heart in the right place, passing along items because they believe the next recipient will appreciate it more than they do, according to MMI. About four in 10 more pragmatically cite regifting as a way to save some green. Frankly, can you blame them?

Lest you think the well-to-do abstain from the practice, consider that one-third of households with annual incomes in the $100,000 to $150,000 range recycle unwanted presents. (Data on whether they regift cooler stuff was unavailable at press time.)

The Rules of Regifting:

Whether you do or you don't (riiiight), there's one single critical cardinal rule to follow before you release your stampede of white-elephant gifts back into the world: Don't get caught.
Following regifting etiquette to the letter will keep your karma right and ensure that a failed regift doesn't end up back under your Christmas tree someday.

The Do's and Don'ts

There are plenty of obvious "tells" that a gift has been resurrected from holidays past. To avoid them:

Don't confuse "barely used" with "brand-spankin' new": If there are any signs of wear and tear -- a broken seal, scratched part, pit stains -- the item's a no-go for regifting. Particularly discerning recipients will notice even the subtlest signs of use (e.g. mismatched or missing twist-ties on cords).

Do not pass off items that were clearly purchased for you: If it's monogrammed, sorry, you're stuck with it. (Unless you've got a knack for creative needlepoint reinterpretations.) Same for anything that obviously was meant to coordinate with your peach-and-purple sitting room decor, or relate to whatever hobby you might have.

Don't give away anything handmade by someone you know: Handmade items are off the list of possible regiftables for two reasons: First, it was likely given with much more sentimental intentions than, say, a coffee grinder. Second, such gifts tend to be extremely recognizable. If it was lovingly crafted and signed by someone you know (who isn't a famous artist, that is), hold onto it. A personal rule-of-thumb I've set which you may want to follow: Pretty much anything in the macrame category is automatically out of the running for regifting. (With the possible exception of the estimated seven remaining macrame enthusiasts in North America.)

Don't use different sentimental criteria for regifts: Re-circulating a problem gift just to get it out of your sight is bad form. Same goes for slapping a new bow on an old tchotchke just to check someone's name off the holiday gift list.

Don't give unused (or even "lightly loved") gift cards: A gift card with a $43.22 balance is an obvious regift. Same with any card that has an expiration date less than a year away or has had any fees from non-use already deducted.

Don't declare "It's vintage!" when it's really just plain bedraggled: Just because it's old doesn't mean it's a cherished collectible. Remember, those who truly love antiques -- or even kitsch -- will likely be as charmed by your dusty basement cast-offs as you are by theirs. A truly vintage baking set from your great-great aunt is one thing. (If you're giving it a new home, cop to its provenance -- heck, that adds to its charm.) Unused baking pans you received for your wedding eight years ago are another category entirely: donation or giveaway.

Don't regift swag: Skip the stuff you got from that trade show you went to earlier in the year -- you know, key chains, coffee mugs, and outerwear with some random company's logo. If it was free in the first place, it's worth even less in round 2.

Do not bestow a white elephant regift out of spite: Funny, sure. But that flicker of sheer horror on the recipient's face will come back to haunt you.

The Right Way to Regift

Follow these regifting tips to come off like a sentimental big lug during the big reveal.

Keep track of the flow chart of gifting: There's no bigger horror than returning a gift to its original giver. Avoid this by keeping track of each item's past (formally, on a spreadsheet, if you want to be a regifting pro). In fact, regifting pros suggest that to play it safe, it's best to repurpose in an entirely different social circle than the one from which the original item arrived. (For reference, check your family tree and office organizational chart.) That way, the original gift-giver won't find out that those potholders he painstakingly picked out have found a second life elsewhere.

Make sure all original packaging is intact: Does it pass the shrinkwrap test? If the item originally came hermetically sealed from the factory, it should move up the gift chain in the same condition. (Review the "barely used" versus "brand spankin' new" entry above.)

Triple-check for all telltale regifting signs: Gift tags stuck in the bottom of the box's folds, gift receipts, the whiff of someone else's perfume, an actual picture of someone you know in the frame (and not the standby camera-ready studio family shot) -- remove all signs (dust for fingerprints if you must) that the gift has a past. Finally, before you present it, step back and re-evaluate the regift from the recipient's perspective to make sure it passes muster.

Give with good intentions: The sentiment behind your regift should be the same as the thought behind any new gift: You're passing it along because you think the recipient will appreciate it.

Give it away anyway: If you received something that doesn't pass the regift test, you don't have to be stuck with it forever. Pass it along without the guise of the "new gift" (minus wrapping paper, bow, and card) and give the recipient an easy out (e.g., "I wore this once and was told it made my complexion come off as puce. If you like it -- or know someone else who would -- it's yours.").

Finally, we all know that when it comes to gifts, that whole "it's the thought that counts" yarn really doesn't fly with anyone but your parents. For all others, it is all about the gift (though no one will cop to it, at least on record). So put some thought into your gift -- er, regift -- and pat yourself on the back for finding it a permanent home.

Our first week of December 2008!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

What a week! It's hard to believe Thanksgiving has come and gone! We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. Our week was busy, but not crazy busy like the last several weeks. Monday was round 2 of a foot detox for me. And let me tell you....I am loving these!! They are so interesting and I'm anxious to see if they really work. I'm going to post a blog later in the week with more information about these. If you've never had one done, I'd highly recommend one. The place where I go is taking the month of December off but they will start back up in January so for anyone interested, let me know. :) Now, onto Tuesday. I spent the morning and early afternoon helping my Grandma put up for Christmas tree and some decorations. It was so nice to spend the morning with her and enjoy some peace and quite. Wednesday the girls had a half of day. Dave and the girls took Cosmo to the park for a while in the afternoon and then we spent the evening relaxing! It was so nice!!!! Thursday morning we spent watching the parade on TV and enjoying some Cinnamon muffins that were so yummy! Dave and the girls headed to his sisters house for a little bit and then we all headed to my aunts house for the afternoon and evening. We had a very yummy dinner with all the traditional Thanksgiving food!! We were all pretty tried and stuffed so we headed home around 9:00 and we in bed and out by 10:00. At least I know I was. The weekend wasn't too bad for once in a long time. Saturday I played catch up on a lot of things and we put up the Christmas tree. Once Sunday got here, it started off with a soccer game for Courtney and then a very quick day of decorating. Sunday flew by so fast! Probably because I had so much I wanted to get done. And I didn't even get half of it done.

Here's the news for this week.....

Here we are....December 1st! Unbelievable!!!!!! This week is back to "normal" I guess, busy with lots going on! Monday the girls got to shop at the Christmas store at school. They both were worried about buying double of something so I made a trip up to school twice during the day to "help" them shop. They actually had a lot of cute stuff and the girls had a lot of fun shopping. Especially Kayla! Tuesday will be a busy day at home. I have a ton of stuff that I REALLY need to get caught up on! Starting off with laundry! I hate laundry and for those of you who really know me, you know I have a serious problem with doing laundry! I hate it for whatever reason. It will pile up and pile up and everyday I will look at it and think, "I should really wash some clothes!" There's just not enough time in the day to get everything done. I keep telling Dave, I'm going to start paying someone to do our laundry. I hate it that much. And there is a laundry mat right up the street the charges 90 cents per pound. I wonder how much a pound of laundry is?? I will probably be finding out here pretty soon! So onto Wednesday....Kayla's class is leading the chapel service for school that morning. So it will be rise and shine for all of us that morning. Dave and I will be staying to watch. She has a speaking part! :) Thursday will be a super full day and a Ladies Candlelight Dinner for me in the evening! I'm looking forward to a relaxing evening! I could use it right now. Friday will be yet another busy day. And then the weekend is here! The girls are going to see Mannheim Steamrollers in the evening with my parents. They are very excited!!! Sunday will be a full day! There's a soccer game, baby shower, and 2 Christmas Parties! Then it's the start of a new week!!! :) 'Tis the season to be jolly!!!

Until next week, have a great week!!

FREE Giveaway!

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Right now she has a give away for a PartyLite's New "Checking His List" Tealight Holder. You’ll delight in displaying this hand-painted porcelain Santa figurine each Holiday season. Comes in a bright red, canvas textured storage box and includes 2 life-size parchment scrolls that your children can use to make their own Holiday “wish list”. 6 3/4" h, 6 1/4" w, this item has a value of $59.95!

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A Friday Funny!!

To Maintain A Healthy Level Of Insanity

1. At Lunch Time, Sit In Your Parked Car With Sunglasses on and point a Hair Dryer At Passing Cars. See If They Slow Down.

2. Page Yourself Over The Intercom. Don't Disguise Your Voice!

3. Every Time Someone Asks You To Do Something, ask If They Want Fries with that.

4. Put Decaf In The Coffee Maker For 3 Weeks . Once Everyone has Gotten Over Their Caffeine Addictions, Switch to Espresso.

5. In the Memo Field Of All Your Checks, Write ' For Marijuana.

6. Skip down the hall Rather Than Walk and see how many looks you get.

7. Order a Diet Water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.

8. Specify That Your Drive-through Order Is 'To Go'.

9. Sing Along At The Opera.

10. Five Days In Advance, Tell Your Friends You Can't Attend Their Party Because You have a headache.

11. When The Money Comes Out The ATM, Scream 'I Won! I Won!'

12. When Leaving the Zoo, Start Running towards the Parking lot, Yelling 'Run For Your Lives! They're Loose!'

13. T ell Your Children Over Dinner, 'Due To The Economy, We Are Going To Have To Let One Of You Go.'

And The Final Way To Keep A Healthy Level Of Insanity

14. PICK UP A BOX OF CONDOMS AT THE PHARMACY, GO TO THE COUNTER AND ASK WERE THE FITTING ROOM IS.

101 Things to be Grateful For

101 Things to be Grateful For

1. YOU ARE ALIVE. Life is a gift. Mornings are gifts. Every time you wake up, stretch out those arms and say, “thank you for the gift of a brand new day!”

2. YOU CAN SEE. Oh to have the gift of sight! What a blessing! With your eyes, you can watch the magnificent world you live in. You can see your face in the mirror. You are able to enjoy the beauty of a leaf, a flower, a snowflake, a child, a star, a rainbow and the look of love.

3. YOU CAN HEAR. The thousands of fibers found in your ears could pick up the whisper of the leaves in the trees, the waves of the ocean, the raindrops falling on the roof, the loud thunder, the laughter of children, the ringing of the phone, and hear the words “I love you.”

4. YOU CAN SPEAK. You can utter words that can encourage, inspire, teach, guide, comfort, uplift, motivate and say the words “Thank you”; “I am here for you”; and “I love you.”

5. YOU CAN MOVE. You are joy in motion. You have the ability to dance, walk, run, hop and skip as you travel the road of life.

6. YOU CAN EAT. You can enjoy different food…the sweetness of ice cream and cakes, the crunchy veggies, mouthwatering seafood, the tender juicy chicken, pork or beef. Aren't we thankful that that the healthy food we eat gives us energy and helps us to grow?

7. YOU CAN DRINK. And be merry? (Grin) You can drink and allow water and fresh juices to quench your thirst. You can drink a toast to celebrate a wedding, a romantic evening, or warm your body on cold winter nights.

8. YOU CAN SMELL. Your sense of smell can enhance the taste of food. It can connect you to wonderful memories like remembering your baby cradled in your arms, the perfume of your beloved, or their sweet smelling hair.

9. YOU CAN TOUCH. Your hands can caress and soothe a loved one. You can touch and feel the different textures- soft, rough and silky smooth. With your touch you can express your love without words.

10. YOU CAN READ. When you look at the words and letters, they are not jumbled or inverted. Having the ability to read has open your doors to knowledge and wisdom found in books, magazines, newspapers and the internet.

11. YOU CAN SING. Whether it be extraordinary talent or simply singing in the shower, you can sing. You can sing your favorite song. You can hum a tune. Or even a lullaby. You can sing as you cook or clean the house.

12.YOU CAN WRITE. You can write and share your experiences. You can write love letters, thank you notes, and compose songs and poetry. Or write a check list of the things you need to buy in the grocery.

13. YOU CAN THINK. You have the ability to think, to plan and to analyze. When problems arise, you can come up with solutions to solve them.

14. YOU CAN FEEL. You have the ability to feel and experience all sorts of emotions - happy, sad, angry, confused, surprised, and disappointed and so on. Your feelings add spice to your life.

15. YOU CAN SLEEP. You can rest when you are tired and exhausted. Your body has been given the gift of sleep so it could recuperate and re-energize itself.

16. YOUR SKIN covers you from your head to your toes and keeps away germs that might make you sick. Steels may eventually rust but not your skin.

17. YOUR MUSCLES help you move. Hundreds of them, both big and small, help your run, walk, swim, do your laundry, share a smile.

18. YOUR BONES like your ribs protect your heart and lungs from getting damaged. Your skeleton is hard and strong and yet quite light. Imagine what it would be like if you didn't have bones? You would be like a bag of jelly!

19. YOUR LUNGS filter life-giving oxygen. Your lungs labor every second of every day as they help your body rid of gaseous wastes.

20. YOUR KIDNEYS are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of your fist, are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, it filters your blood; and the waste and extra water is excreted when you urinate.

21. YOUR STOMACH is an organ of digestion. Once food is inside the tummy, gastric juices come out to break down the food.

22. YOUR INTESTINES help you remove wastes from your body.

23. YOUR LIVER is the largest glandular organ of the body. Some of its functions are: It produces substances that break down fats, filter harmful stuff from your blood like alcohol, stores some of the vitamins and minerals.

24. YOUR OVARIES produce hormones which give the female its body characteristics like breasts, body shape and hair. It also regulates menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

25. YOUR PROSTATE GLAND is part of a man's reproductive system, helping to regulate bladder control and normal sexual functioning. The prostate gland stores and produce seminal fluid, which nourishes the sperm.

26. YOUR THYROID produces thyroid hormones that control your body's metabolism. It has influence over your body's organs, tissues and cells. These hormones also control heart rate, body temperature and weight, energy level, muscle strength and even menstrual regularity.

27. YOUR HEART is responsible for supplying oxygenated blood to your body. Your heart pumps nearly five quarts of blood through your body every sixty seconds. Imagine that!

28. YOUR BRAIN is the control center of your body. It is there to help you store away every perception, sound, taste, smell, every action you have done since birth, sleep, hunger, thirst and all the other activities you need to do in order to survive.

29. YOUR BLOOD carries the necessary oxygen and nutrients to your different organs. Without it, we can't fight infection, get rid of our body's waste products, or keep warm or cool. If we lack blood, we would surely weaken and die.

30. YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM is the body's defense against viruses, bacteria and other invaders that may be harmful to you. You have cells that chew up invading organisms while other cells have built in memory on them so that your body recognizes and remembers previous invaders and help the body destroy them.

31. Be grateful for YOUR FAMILY. Isn't it great to belong a family? Imperfect our families may be but here we find the opportunity to grow, share, give and receive love.

32. Be grateful for YOUR FRIENDS. If we do not find love at home, sometimes we find the care and support from friends. True friends who stand by you, who knows your quirks and weird ways, but have decided to love you anyway.

33. Be grateful for YOUR COLLEAGUES. There are people at work who are your inspiration and guide to help you succeed in your career.

34. Be grateful for YOUR TEACHERS. People who have taught you and shared with you their knowledge and skills.

35. Be grateful for YOUR LIFE COACHES. Some people in your life teaches you how to live your life to the fullest.

36. Be grateful for YOUR PREACHERS, PASTORS. They have walked their talk and you have seen how their love for God have changed their lives.

37. Be grateful for QUIET ANGELS. They walk into your life, often unannounced, help you in whatever way they can and just as quietly leave.

38. Be grateful for KIND STRANGERS. Out of the blue, you receive unexpected help, a kind word, a message of inspiration, a smile.

39. Be grateful for BELIEVERS. They are those who see the goodness in you and believe in you and what you can do.

40. Be grateful for the LISTENERS. They can sit still and listen to you with all their heart as you pour out your burdens. They can empathize with you.

41. Be grateful for the JOY GIVERS. They radiate sunshine and warmth. And when you feel down, a dose of their joy lifts you up!

42. Be grateful for the HUGGERS. They can engulf you in a hug that makes you feel safe and secure. Their hugs tell you that you are not alone.

43. Be grateful for RIPPLEMAKERS. People who make a difference in little and big ways. Perhaps its somebody at home who makes you feel good when they are around. Or its the bagger at the grocery counter who never fails to greet you and make you feel nice.

44. Be grateful for PEACEMAKERS. They have chosen the path of peace. They will choose and respond to situations with love than hate.

45. Be grateful for LOVERS. The words that come out of their mouth are the words that start with I LOVE...not I hate. Lovers of life. Lovers of goodness. Lovers of art. Lovers of sports. Lovers of growing. Lovers of plants. Lovers of helping people see the beauty in themselves. Be grateful for people who will lead.

46. The glory of nature. Sunrise and sunsets. Clouds and blue skies. Raindrops and rainbows. Ocean waves and soothing streams. Birds in the air. Flowers everywhere.

47. Lovable pets. Finding joy and love in taking care and nurturing animals. I know of stories of people whose lives have been touched by these lovable and amazing creatures.

48. Food on the table. If you have enough food to feed your stomach and go to sleep without feeling the pangs of hunger, be grateful.

49. Roof on top of your head. Be glad you are not sleeping out in the cold.

50. Water to drink. Whenever you take a sip of water, be grateful that there is enough supply of water to quench your thirst.

51. Clothes to wear. You don't have to walk around naked.

52. Music. The gift of music has been known to soothe, inspire and make you dance to the beat of life.

53. Books. For all the books from where you have gained knowledge and wisdom from all over the world.

54. Technology. Technology that have helped us connect and have made our lives easier and convenient. From cell phones to laptops to cameras and on and on.

55. Inventions. For electricity, for our cars, for wheelchairs, for roller coaster rides.

56. Sharing laughter and funny moments.

57. Being able to pray and worship.

58. Helping someone up.

59. Finding your life's purpose.

60. Accomplishing a task.

61. Finding a lost family member.

62. An answered prayer.

63. Experiencing love.

64. Getting married.

65. Giving birth to your child.

66. Saving someone's life.

67. Learning a skill.

68. Sharing the gift of smile.

69. Writing a poem.

70. Your child's laughter.

71. Making friends.

72. Helping someone heal.

73. Being healed.

74. Finding hope.

75. God's grace.

76. Family trips.

77. Reunions.

78. First bike ride.

79. First kiss.

80. Falling in love.

81. The day you grew up.

82. Memories of childhood.

83. Garden picnics.

84. Mountain climbing.

85. Diving in the sea.

86. Learning to fall and stand up again.

87. Doing well in school.

88. Learning to dance.

89. Performing on stage.

90. Choosing to forgive.

91. I am grateful for the choices that I have made.

92. I am grateful for life's abundance.

93. I am grateful for the freedom I have to be ME.

94. I am grateful for the gift that I can share to the world.

95. I am grateful for all the experiences that have made me into the kind of person I am today.

96. I am grateful for the joy and peace in my heart.

97. I am grateful for the people who are journeying with me.

98. I am grateful for knowing that I am where I need to be.

99. I am grateful for opportunities to grow and learn.

100. I am grateful for all of life and what it brings.

101. I am grateful to the Divine who have given us all these and more.

Thanksgiving Week - Nov. 24th

Here's last weeks re-cap!

We made it through another week! Another crazy week!! :) Our full week started off with coming home from a weekend of deer hunting at the Farm. Courtney came home without anything, but she's set on getting "the big one!" Monday it was unpacking, cleaning up, and a little bit of shopping. Tuesday was a busy day. Full of running errands, Boutique stuff, and another snow meeting!! Once Wednesday rolled around it was time to watch Courtney play the bells in Chapel (which she seemed to do very well at, but I think all the kids did a great job and it was really cute watching them!), more errands, lots of Boutique work, and an evening at home!!! Thursday was a non stop day that ended with Kayla's soccer team's end of the season party at Incredible Pizza. All of the girls had a great time eating and playing games. Next thing we knew it was Friday!! Finally, the weekend was here and it was time to relax. But oh wait! Relax? What is that?? Friday Dave was off so we did a little bit of shopping that needed to be done, had lunch with the girls at school, and made some yummy gerbers at home for dinner. For those of you wondering, as you can tell, we did not go to the farm this past weekend. Courtney was very upset with me, actually really mad. But she did get over it and we had a nice weekend at home doing a lot of things we needed to get done. Saturday there was a soccer game for Courtney, a birthday party for Kayla, flower arrangements made, and dinner. Sunday we all got up and went to the 25th anniversary celebration service for our church. It was a nice and long 2 hour service. But it actually went by pretty quickly and to my surprise the girls did very well with the exception of the last 20 minutes or so. After the service there was a yummy luncheon that was prepared by Chef Mike! The rest of our day was filled with cleaning house, doing laundry, and getting ready for our busy upcoming Thanksgiving week!!

Here's the news for this week.....

Can you believe it? Here we are Thanksgiving week!! It's so hard to believe on Thursday we will be sitting down to have Thanksgiving dinner with the family. Seems like we just did that. It's amazing how quickly the year has flow by. And when you thing about it, 5 weeks away is HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Anyway, this upcoming week.....the girls have school Monday and Tuesday and a half of day on Wednesday. Luckily our evenings are open this week...well at least for right now they are! Thursday I;m looking forward to a relaxing day!!!!! And once Friday rolls around, here comes the Christmas decorations!!!!!! I can't wait for a weekend of decorating!

We want to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Until next week, have a great week!!

A Friday Funny!

What starts with 'F' and ends with 'K'

A first-grade teacher, Ms. Brooks, was having trouble with one of her students.

The teacher asked, 'Harry, what's your problem?' Harry answered, 'I'm too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I'm smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 3rd grade too!'

Ms. Brooks had had enough. She took Harry to the principal's office. While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained to the principal what the situation was. The principal told Ms. Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the 1st grade and behave. She agreed.


Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he agreed to take the test.


Principal: 'What is 3 x 3?'


Harry: '9.'


Principal: 'What is 6 x 6?'


Harry: '36.'


And so it went with every question the principal thought a 3rd grader should know. The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, 'I think Harry can go to the 3rd grade.' Ms. Brooks says to the principal, 'Let me ask him some questions.'


The principal and Harry both agreed.


Ms. Brooks asks, 'What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?'


Harry, after a moment: 'Legs.'


Ms. Brooks: 'What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?'


The principal wondered why she would ask such a question!


Harry replied: 'Pockets.'


Ms. Brooks: 'What does a dog do that a man steps in to?'


Harry: 'Pants.'


Ms. Brooks: What starts with a C, ends with a T, is hairy, oval, delicious and contains thin, whitish liquid?'

Harry: 'Coconut.'


The principal sat forward with his mouth hanging open.


Ms. Brooks: 'What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?'


The principal's eyes opened really wide and before he could stop the answer.


Harry replied, 'Bubble gum.'


Ms. Brooks: 'What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?'


Harry: 'Shake hands.'


The principal was trembling.


Ms. Brooks: 'What word starts with an 'F' and ends in 'K' that means a lot of heat and excitement?'


Harry: 'Firetruck'


The principal breathed a sigh of relief and told the teacher, 'Put Harry in the fifth-grade, I got the last seven questions wrong!

Thoughts for Thursday!

Happiness keeps you sweet,

Trails keep you strong.

Sorrows keep you human,

Failures keep you humble.

Success keeps you glowing,

But only God keeps you going.

Are we crazy yet? The week of November 17th

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Our crazy week was off and running Monday. With a short school week ahead of us, our week was full. It started with getting a foot detox. It was very interesting to say the least. There's a long story behind it but at this point, I'm not sure I have enough time to go into all of it. All I'll say at this point is I'm going back next Monday for a second "treatment" and if you've never done one, I'd highly recommend it. If you'd like to hear more info about it, email me! Monday night was Courtney's soccer teams party. It was a good time and Courtney had a great time playing soccer with her friends from school. Onto Tuesday, it was a very busy day of getting things do around the house and a quick meeting in the afternoon. Wednesday rolled around and it was a half of day of school for the girls. That evening it was off to dinner with my friend Jackie. It was a nice evening out of catching up and girly talk. Thursday and Friday the girls were off school. The girls spent Thursday with Aunt Lisa and Kayla had her first sleep over at a friends house that night. I was a little worried if she would make it all night but she did!!! And she had a blast! I was so happy for her but now she ready to have asleep over here! Not sure if I'm ready for that yet but we will see. Friday it was pack an doff to the farm for opening weekend of deer season. Courtney came back empty handed again! I was so bummed but she was totally fine with it. She's waiting for "the big one!" Along with every other hunter out there! But she has a good reason to hold out. There is a 12 pointer walking around up there. My brothers have pictures of him on cameras they have placed up there. She thinks that's the one she is going to shoot. God help us all if he comes walking along when she is sitting out there! :)

Here's the news for this week.....

Here we are...the week before Thanksgiving and 5 weeks away from Christmas! This week is like any other around here lately. It's full of a couple of meetings, Chic Boutique stuff, Kayla's Soccer teams party, birthday parties, and of course, a soccer game! Courtney has started indoor soccer. There's a lot to do in a little bit of time. I haven't started Christmas shopping yet and it's something I'd really like to get started! But there seems to be a little bit of a problem. I have NO clue what to get the girls this year. Neither one of them want much. Should be interesting to see what I end up finding! ;)

Until next week, have a great week!!

Opening Weekend!

So, we are packed and ready to head out for Opening Weekend of Deer Hunting! Courtney is so excited and can't wait to hunt all weekend. Kayla and I on the other hand are not looking forward to a very COLD weekend!!

Wish us luck!! I'm really hoping Courtney is able to shoot something, it will make not going next weekend a lot easier!! I'll update you we get back on Sunday!

Here's a pic of her from last year! I'm sure there will be many new ones this year!

Our Life this week! ~ November 10th

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Our first week of November in the Fritsche house is in the books. Amazing how fast this year has gone by. Last week was no different than the previous weeks around here. Monday the Girls had a half of day for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Both of the girls are doing very well and had excellent report cards. Courtney made first quarter honor roll. The first time she has had the chance to do that so we were very excited for her!! Kayla is doing great! It amazes me how quickly she catches on and how much she is learning. She already understands and counts money and is telling time. They are learning so much at such a young age now!! After conferences Courtney had soccer practice....the last one of the season!! Then we were off to Spirit Night at school. They had a dinner and handed out awards to all the fall sports players. It was really cute and the girls had a good time. Tuesday the girls were off school because of Election Day. I spent most of the day at home working on things for the Boutique. We added Letters from Santa that are really cute!!!! Wednesday is was back to school and I worked on some more Boutique stuff. When Thursday finally rolled around I was ready for the weekend. It had been such an off week that I was ready to sleep in!! And then came FRIDAY!! I had several things to do to wrap up the week. That evening the girls and I went shopping for some new winter clothes! We made the mistake of going to the mall on a Friday night!! I've learned my lesson. It was "Freaky Friday" as Courtney kept pointing out. And let me tell ya....she was right. I wonder what rock some of these kids/people crawl out from under. It was a little scary! The weekend came and I was looking forward to sleeping in!!! Courtney had a soccer game Saturday and it was COLD!!!!!!! She scored another goal but unfortunately this time I did not get a picture. It was so freaking cold my camera decided it was going to work right. But the funny story behind this goal.....Friday night at the mall, Courtney asked for a Webkinz. I told her "No, not tonight. Christmas is coming and if I started buying you toys now, what will you do if Santa already has it for you?" She was fine with this answer until we saw the deer Webkinz!! She has been asking for this one since it first came out. She didn't know but I had already bought it and had it stashed away for Christmas. She was begging for it. Even said "I will do ANYTHING for it!" I kept telling her "no, I'm sorry." I felt so bad! I knew she wanted it and we had been looking for it, and she had just found out the Webkinz had retired the deer. Surprisingly she didn't throw and big fit even though she kept asking. So I ended up telling her, "I'll make you a deal, you score a goal in your soccer game tomorrow and we'll talk about getting the deer." Oops!! Big mistake! That girl went out and was going to get a goal if it was the last thing she did. Guess I learned my lesson on opening my mouth! Needless to say, guess who now has the deer Webkinz and who is short the Christmas gift list now!?! ;) She was so excited to get that deer though. She was so cute, she said it's going to bring her good luck this upcoming weekend for deer hunting. Let's hope so!! So the rest of weekend was full with 3 more soccer games, Courtney had her first indoor game Sunday morning and then played her last outdoor game and Kayla had her last game. Come Sunday evening, I was frozen and ready for bed!!

Here's the news for this week.....

This week is going to be crazy! It's very busy! The girls have a short week at school this week. They have a half of day on Wednesday and are off on Thursday and Friday. I have a lot of things to do this week....a lot with the Boutique. The girls and I will be leaving on Friday to head to the Farm for the weekend. It's opening weekend of deer season!!!! With 6 weeks until Christmas, I have to start thinking about shopping, cards, gifts, and all the fun times ahead in the next couple of weeks!!! :)

Until next week, have a great week!!

Recent Pics!

As promised, here are some recent pictures for your viewing pleasure!! Enjoy! :)

Courtney - our cheerleader and "Dorothy" getting ready to head to Trunk or Treat!

Dorothy! - She's so stinkin' cute!!!

Our cute little Cheerleader! (but don't tell her we said that!) :)

PaPa's Pumpkin Patch for Trunk or Treat!!

Pumpkin carving time!!

Ashley & Kayla

Halloween Night - waiting to go trick or treating!

Happy November! The week of Nov. 3rd

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Okay, so here we go......Last week, what can I say about it, CRAZY!!! Monday started our week off on the very busy side. There were things to do, flu shots, soccer practice, and then our first snow meeting! Yes! I said it, SNOW! I can't believe it's that time of the year to start thinking about snow again! We had drivers meetings on Monday and Tuesday. It was strange....driving out there, it seemed like I hadn't seen those guys in FOREVER! But then once we guys started showing up and checking in, it was like just yesterday that we had the big storm in March. Tuesday was also busy, getting things ready for Halloween, meetings, and normal everyday stuff! Wednesday comes around and it's catch up day on things that I hadn't been able to get to on Monday and Tuesday along with carving our pumpkin and packing Courtney for the upcoming weekend.....Youth Hunt Weekend at the Farm!!! Our pumpkin turned out really cute thanks to Ashley, my brother's girlfriend. She's quite the artist and helped us with drawing a very cute BOO face. I'll be posting pics hopefully on Wednesday! When Thursday came around it was time to go crazy and make sure everything was ready for Friday along with a soccer game in the evening for Kayla! Then came Friday, HALLOWEEN!! It was a busy but very fun day! The girls both had parties at school. I was in charge of Kayla's but I did pop into Courtney's. Both parties went well and the girls had a great time. Trick or Treating was fun! Courtney only lasted about 45 minutes. She wanted to go home and was more concerned about making sure everything was ready to leave in the morning for her hunting trip. She wanted to leave right after school and skip trick or treating, but I put my foot down (along with MaMa) and said no. So Saturday morning MaMa, PaPa, and Courtney were up bright and early and were off to the Farm for the Youth Hunt week. Dave, Kayla, and I stayed home. Kayla had a birthday party she was invited to on Sunday and REALLY wanted to go. Along with a soccer game on Saturday and Sunday. Our weekend was busy but also nice with some down time. Which was great after our busy week and 2 and a half hours of trick or treating with Kayla!!!

Here's the news for this week.....

So here we are, the first week of November and 7 weeks until Christmas!!! Crazy!!!! Our week is packed solid with Parent/Teacher Conferences, Soccer practice, Spirit Night at school, 2 meetings, a field trip for Courtney on Friday, and what seems like a million other things to do!! Our weekend isn't any less busy either! Both of the girls have games on Sunday and there are several things going on for Saturday! And then next week...the girls have a half of day on Wednesday, are off Thursday and Friday and then it's opening weekend for Deer Season so guess where we will be!!! :) Gotta love it! Watch for some pictures coming soon!!!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Our CrAzY World for the week of October 27th!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Where does time go? I can hardly believe that in two months Christmas will be over and we will be getting to ring in 2009! Life around the Fritsche house is getting busier and busier with each passing week. Last week was the perfect example. My days and nights all run together and with each passing day, there seems to become less time in the day to get things done. Monday was a full day at home to get somethings done along with the normal soccer practice in the evening. Tuesday was an in and out day of trying to get things done around the house and running a few errands. Hump day came and it too was full. Surprise, Surprise....right!?! I had a doctors appointment, errands to finish, and a dinner meeting. Around rolls Thursday and I'm ready for the weekend. Courtney had a Social Studies test which for whatever reason was having a hard time with. All of her other test this year have gone very well and she seems to pick up on everything quickly but this one she was struggling with. Much to my surprise she got a 90% on the test, only missing four questions. I was very proud of her!! Kayla had a field trip to a fire station. I didn't get to go but she had lots of stories to tell and seemed to have had a great time. That evening it was off to soccer practice again! Finally!! Friday is here! And it's High School Musical 3 day!! The big premier!! Unfortunately we didn't get to go Friday night but had tickets for first thing Saturday morning for the 10:30am show! The girls were very excited. Our Friday evening was full with running around and getting Halloween costumes finished. Saturday came and we were off to the movies. HSM3 I must say was very cute. We enjoyed it and the girls LOVED it!!! It was actually sad at the end, it's the last one.....they are now off to collage! Saturday evening we were off to a Trunk or Treat at my parents church. We had never taken the girls to one of these events but I have heard they are a lot of fun. Much to our surprise, we all had a blast. The girls loved going from car to car getting candy, and lots of GOOD candy I must say. There were other activities and food. The best part, everything was FREE!!! We decorated my dad's truck and called it the "Great Pumpkin Patch!" It all turned out really cute and I must say, given it was our first year doing it, I think we did a great job! I'll post some pictures soon. Sunday we had one soccer game and the Harvest Party at school. Which we all did not last long at. It had been a very busy week and weekend and come Sunday evening we were all very tired and ready for bed early!! :)

Here's the news for this week.....

Halloween week here we are. My posting comes a little late this week but the time to sit and post just hasn't been there. Sunday night I couldn't keep my eyes open long enough and went to bed. Monday was a full and a busy day. It started off at home with things to do and then turned into picking the girls up from school, getting flu shots, off to Courtney's soccer practice at 5:00pm and then I was off to our first Drivers meeting for Snow. (AAHHHH!! I can't believe we are thinking about snow already!!) Tuesday rolls around and I wrapped up somethings at home, had running to do, grab the girls, and it's off to our second drivers meeting for the night. The rest of week is shaping up to be just as crazy! Wednesday will be full with a lot to do, along with Kayla having practice in the evening. When Thursday is here....look out! we'll have a lot to do, after all Friday is Halloween!!! :) Kayla has a soccer game Thursday night and at some point between Wednesday and Thursday we have to get Courtney packed. She is off to the farm with my parents first thing Saturday morning for the youth hunt! Yep! It's this upcoming weekend. To wrap up our week Friday will be crazy busy around here, it's one of my favorite holidays!!! Courtney will be gone for the weekend. Kayla has soccer games on Saturday and Sunday along with a birthday party on Sunday. I'm sure by the time Sunday evening rolls around, I will be ready to crash again! But wait, here's the first week of November and the girls have a half of day on Monday and no school on Tuesday for Election Day. I can not believe what a crazy month November will be for us! Hold on tight, it's going to fly by!!! :)


Until next week, have a great week!!

FREE Home & Kids

Free 4 bedroom home, husband & kids.

1 senile cat and 3 parakeets.

Current CEO leaving due to general lack of consideration,no vacation time, and being unable to pee or shower in peace at least once a day. New management should enjoy piles of cruddy dishes, mounds of scuzzy laundry, teenage cat fights, toddler cat fights, pissy toilet seats, toilet seats left up, and empty toilet paper holders.

Must enjoy teenage boy's armpit and foot funk & filthy rooms as well as monthly PMS and death threats from a 13 year old girl who will also castrate/disembowel you in your sleep for various unknown offenses.

Must have wonderful people skills to deal with various DCF workers and school staff calling to ask why your child is claiming you beat and starve them,asking why your son arrived at school with no socks on,or why your 2 year old was running naked on the sidewalk with a swiffer mop.

Must love MTV and Nickelodeon.

Must not love beauty or fashion. Walmart clothes and a raggedy ponytail must suffice.

Must not love any money of any kind. After the bills, the children will gut you like a fish.

Must love old cats that get the runs all over house after being given a whole bowl of milk,which I can assure you will happen at least once a day (nobody will fess up).

Must love Rhinovirus and head lice. Especially Rhinovirus. Every week.

Applicants can just show up at the door after kissing their youth and sanity goodbye, as I did.

References not needed as you would be criminally insane to want this position. Strong background in zookeeping a plus. Prefer female,as there is a husband involved, but at this point I could care less. That's between you and him.

Leave me an email. I am currently driving, screaming maniacally down the road until I run out of gas. Then I will enter the witness protection program.

A Thursday Funny!

A cabbie picks up a Nun. She gets into the cab, and notices that the VERY handsome cab driver won't stop staring at her.


She asks him why he is staring. He replies: 'I have a question to ask, but I don't want to offend you.'


She answers, ' My son, you cannot offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive.'


'Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me.'


She responds, 'Well, let's see what we can do about that: #1, you have to be single and #2, you must be Catholic.'


The cab driver is very excited and says, 'Yes, I'm single and Catholic!'


'OK' the nun says. 'Pull into the next alley.'


The nun fulfills his fantasy with a kiss that would make a hooker blush.


But when they get back on the road, the cab driver starts crying.


'My dear child,' said the nun, 'Why are you crying?'


'Forgive me but I've sinned. I lied and I must confess; I'm married and I'm Jewish.'

The nun says, 'That's OK. My name is Kevin and I'm going to a Halloween party.'

Halloween Costume idea!

Here's a Halloween costume idea.......

HOOTERS GIRL, RETIRED

SHE SHOOTS....SHE SCORES!!

Courtney scored her first soccer goal with ASLS this past Sunday, October 19th. It was very exciting as she had a break away!! She was so happy!!! Here's a picture of her right as she got the ball and took off running!!!

....and off she went!

Our busy week of Octber 20th!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

WOW! What a busy week. There was so much going on and I can't believe it's the middle of the October. Our week was full with the normal; soccer practices, homework, meetings, and everyday life! :) Our weekend was very full. Friday night we went to Powder Valley, they had a fall/Halloween thing going on. The girls loved it.....I'll say it was ok. But the girls had fun and that's all that matters. Saturday was the highlight of me week though. It was my 10 year High School Reunion. It was a blast!!! We had a family BBQ at a park at noon. It was a chance for everyone to bring their kids and "show them off!" My girls were more interested in running around and playing in the "woods" and on the playground but it was fun seeing everyone with their families. There were a lot of babies! Courtney was one of the oldest ones there and Kayla was pretty close behind. Saturday night came around and there was a party at Morgan Street on the Landing. There was a pretty good turn out but to my surprise not as many as I thought. But we had a blast!! It was great to see everyone and "catch" up with people I haven't seen in a while! Sunday was another full day of soccer games! It was highlighted with Courtney scoring her first goal with ASLS!! She was so excited!!!! I'll post a pic in another post. Even though they lost, 5-3, she was on cloud 9 for the rest of the day! Kayla's team did well but lost 3-0. There were a lot of VERY close calls but the silly ball couldn't seem to find the net! :(

Here's the news for this week.....

Well, here we are, a week before Halloween! Can you believe it?? I look at the calendar and wonder how it gets so full! We have of normal things on the calendar; soccer practice on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Courtney has a big Social Studies test and Kayla has a field trip on Thursday. And OMG!!! High School Musical 3 comes out on Friday!!!!! The girls can not wait to see it Friday night! Our weekend is another full one and will wrap up on Sunday with a soccer game for Courtney and the Fall Harvest Party at school. And then we will be into the last week of October and Halloween!!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Our Family!

Interesting.....

This list has been talked about a lot on the radio over the last couple of weeks here in St. Louis. So I thought I'd check it out and found it rather interesting. While I agree with most of the list, some of it was a little strange to me.

Here's the list;

#111 Pea Coats
#110 Frisbee Sports
#109 The Onion
#108 Appearing to Enjoy Classical Music
#107 Self Aware Hip Hop References
#106 Facebook
#105 Unpaid Internships
#104 Girls with Bangs
#103 Sweaters
#102 Children’s Games as Adults
#101 Being Offended
#100 Bumper Stickers
#99 Grammar
#98 The Ivy League
#97 Scarves
#96 New Balance Shoes
#95 Rugby
#94 Free Healthcare
#93 Music Piracy
#92 Book Deals
#91 San Francisco
#90 Dinner Parties
#89 St. Patrick’s Day
#88 Having Gay Friends
#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes
#86 Shorts
#85 The Wire
#84 T-Shirts
#83 Bad Memories of High School
#82 Hating Corporations
#81 Graduate School
#80 The Idea of Soccer
#79 Modern Furniture
#78 Multilingual Children
#77 Musical Comedy
#76 Bottles of Water
#75 Threatening to Move to Canada
#74 Oscar Parties
#73 Gentrification
#72 Study Abroad
#71 Being the only white person around
#70 Difficult Breakups
#69 Mos Def
#68 Michel Gondry
#67 Standing Still at Concerts
#66 Divorce
#65 Co-Ed Sports
#64 Recycling
#63 Expensive Sandwiches
#62 Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
#61 Bicycles
#60 Toyota Prius
#59 Natural Medicine
#58 Japan
#57 Juno
#56 Lawyers
#55 Apologies
#54 Kitchen Gadgets
#53 Dogs
#52 Sarah Silverman
#51 Living by the Water
#50 Irony
#49 Vintage
#48 Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops
#47 Arts Degrees
#46 The Sunday New York Times
#45 Asian Fusion Food
#44 Public Radio
#43 Plays
#42 Sushi
#41 Indie Music
#40 Apple Products
#39 Netflix
#38 Arrested Development
#37 Renovations
#36 Breakfast Places
#35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report
#34 Architecture
#33 Marijuana
#32 Vegan/Vegetarianism
#31 Snowboarding
#30 Wrigley Field
#29 80s Night
#28 Not having a TV
#27 Marathons
#26 Manhattan (now Brooklyn too!)
#25 David Sedaris
#24 Wine
#23 Microbreweries
#22 Having Two Last Names
#21 Writers Workshops
#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture
#19 Traveling
#18 Awareness
#17 Hating their Parents
#16 Gifted Children
#15 Yoga
#14 Having Black Friends
#13 Tea
#12 Non-Profit Organizations
#11 Asian Girls
#10 Wes Anderson Movies
#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside
#8 Barack Obama
#7 Diversity
#6 Organic Food
#5 Farmer’s Markets
#4 Assists
#3 Film Festivals
#2 Religions their parents don’t belong to
#1 Coffee

Something to think about....

Think about it.....

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.

Life - The week of October 13th!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Well, we completed the first week of October and Dave's first week at AT&T. I'm happy to report Dave's first week went very well with the exception of having to drive 270 rush hour traffic everyday. But only last week and next week. This week he does not have to go that direction for his training. Our week was a typical one around here, full of things to do, soccer practices, homework, and meetings. Nothing too exciting to report. The girls were off school on Friday and were lucky to spend the day with Aunt Lisa. They went to the movies and saw Beverly Hills Chihuahua. They said it was super funny and really good. My aunt even enjoyed it. Friday night Courtney had a 8:40pm soccer game!! It was a great game and they won! The girls all played so well. Saturday was a full day. We went to a Fall Festival out in Wright City. Once we got out there after some morning running around, we had a great time. There was a lot to do and the girls had a blast. Sunday was full again! The girls went to the Missouri Botanical Gardens in the morning to see the Niki Sculptures which they LOVED! And then it was off to soccer games. Courtney's was at 2:20pm and Kayla's was at 3:40pm. Unfortunately they both lost their games. But in Kayla's words "I tried my best and that's all I could do. I played the whole game mommy!" :) Gotta love her! Oh....and I'm very excited to say, the adoption hearing on Thursday for my Aunt & Uncle in Dallas went fine!!! So it's official, little Grace is all theirs! We are very excited for them!

Here's the news for this week.....

It's the middle of October already!!! Where has time gone? It's hard to believe Christmas is a little over 2 months away! This week is the same as any other week......FULL! Monday is meetings and soccer practice. Tuesday rolls around with a field trip for both of the girls. Wednesday is pick Grandma up from the airport and a dinner meeting. Thursday will be a lunch meeting and soccer practice. And once Friday comes....look out! It's a busy upcoming 3 days! Friday night we are off to Grants Farm for some Halloween fun! Saturday is my 10 year High School Reunion so there's a Lunch Family BBQ and adult fun in the evening at Morgan Street. Should be a fun day! Sunday, well....soccer games! And then it's Monday again!! Always good times!! :)

Until next week, have a great week!!

CrAzY! - Our week of October 6th!

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Let's see here....what was last week?!? Oh, that's right......another busy week! Surprise! Surprise! Monday there was a lunch "date" for me with a friend from high school. It was nice to get together and do a little catching up with each other. Courtney had soccer practice that evening....another evening spent walking the track for an hour. I must say though, it is nice to walk to track for an hour while the girls at are practice. Makes me feel like I'm not wasting my hour and not doing anything. Tuesday was hammering out Boutique things, wash, and other things to do on my list. Wednesday - hump day! Still hammering away on my list and the girls had a Birthday party at Bounce U in the evening. Thursday it was pack the girls for the farm. They were heading out for the weekend with my parents. The evening was full with soccer practice and a picnic planning meeting. Friday finally came after what seemed like a long week but at the same time, went back quick because I didn't get everything I needed to get done, done! But the girls were off to the farm for the weekend! Dave and I enjoyed a pretty quite but busy weekend.

Here's the news for this week.....

So here we are, our first full week of October! I can't believe it! It's yet another busy week for the Fritsche's. The big exciting news of the week would be Dave starting a NEW job!! Monday he started with AT&T. He has about 3 weeks of training ahead of him but he's very excited and looking forward to working there. He will continue to work on some Real Estate but with the way the market is and looks like it will be for a while, a (hopefully) temporary change needed to be made. He will be selling cell phones, so if your are in the market for one.....call Dave!! ;) The other big news for this week is the adoption hearing for little Miss Grace is on Thursday. For those of you who don't know, my Aunt and Uncle (who live in Dallas) are adopting Grace who turned 1 in August. She's been in foster care since she was born and my Aunt and Uncle have had her since she was 2 or 3 weeks old. She is such a cute little girl and they are VERY excited! I pray everything goes well for them on Thursday. My Grandma is flying down on Wednesday to be there with them. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers! Our weekend is going to be busy! We have soccer games Friday and Sunday, a Fall Festival on Saturday, and several other things to do.

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful weather!!


Until next week, have a great week!!

Think Pink!

Another Week! - September 29th

Here's last weeks re-cap!

What a crazy and busy week it was last week! It was season premier week for all the new shows. I don't watch a lot of TV at night but there are a few I like to watch; CSI Miami, Law & Order SVU, and ER. I will watch some others, but not very often. So with everything I had to do last week, watching "my shows" had to be scheduled back in. Besides that, it was a typical week and running around and tackling the weekly things to do list. Friday was my moms birthday so we had a nice dinner here and then had to hurry Courtney off to Bounce U for a birthday party. Our week was busy, as usual. The girls both had soccer games on Sunday. Courtney's team WON, 4-2. It was their second game so they were very excited about their win. All of the girls played so well together. Kayla's team played very well but lost 4-1. Kayla did a lot better in her game this week. Her last game she was very good at playing "her spot." They're all so cute to watch though! :)


Here's the news for this week.....

I can't believe the first of October is already here! This year is flying by so fast. We have another busy week ahead of us. There's soccer practice, birthday parties, meetings, a field trip, and soccer games! Well, it's a quick posting this week, but I can't keep my eyes open any longer so I'm heading to bed!

Until next week, have a great week!!

Just because.....

...I couldn't stop laughing!! This was way too funny and I had to share!

Enjoy!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

THE MOST FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH WORD

Well, it's shit... that's right, shit! Shit may just be the most functional word in the English language.

Consider:
You can get shit-faced, Be shit-out-of-luck, Or have shit for brains.

With a little effort, you can get your shit together, find a place for your shit, or be asked to shit or get off the pot.

You can smoke shit, buy shit, sell shit, lose shit, find shit, forget shit, and tell others to eat shit.

Some people know their shit, while others can't tell the difference between shit and shineola.

There are lucky shits, dumb shits, and crazy shits. There is bull shit, horse shit, and chicken shit.

You can throw shit, sling shit, catch shit, shoot the shit, or duck when the shit hits the fan.

You can give a shit or serve shit on a shingle.

You can find yourself in deep shit or be happier than a pig in shit.

Some days are colder than shit, some days are hotter than shit, and some days are just plain shitty.

Some music sounds like shit, things can look like shit, and there are times when you feel like shit.

You can have too much shit, not enough shit, the right shit, the wrong shit or a lot of weird shit.

You can carry shit, have a mountain of shit, or find yourself up shit creek without a paddle.

Sometimes everything you touch turns to shit and other times you fall in a
bucket of shit and come out smelling like a rose.


When you stop to consider all the facts, it's the basic building block of the English language.

And remember, once you know your shit, you don't need to know anything else!!

You could pass this along, if you give a shit; or not do so if you don't give a shit!

Well Shit, it's time for me to go. Just wanted you to know that I do give a shit and hope you had a nice day, without a bunch of shit. But, if you happened to catch a load of shit from some shit-head..........Well, Shit Happens!!!

A Friday Funny!

A 2008 update - Why did the chicken cross the road?

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for a change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MC CAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken. What is your definition of chicken?

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he is acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life , I'm going to give this chicken a car so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty ! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way that chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer's Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Did he cross it with a hare? Did he cross it with a bear? Did he check if the road was hot? I kinda doubt it, I think not! Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed, I've not been told. Just one more thing I have to say, it's been bugging me to this very day.If the Chicken is a she, why do we keep saying HE?

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

JERRY FALWELL: Because the chicken was gay! Can't you people see the plain truth? That's why they call it the other side. Yes, my friends, that chicken is gay. And if you eat that chicken, you will become gay, too. I say we boycott all chickens until we sort out this abomination that the liberal media whitewashes with seemingly harmless phrases like the other side. That chicken should not be crossing the road. It's as plain and as simple as that.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2008, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2008. This new platform is much more stable and will never cras#@&&%%..reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLON EL SANDERS: Did I miss one?



Have a great weekend everyone!!

Thinking Thursday!

READ THIS VERY SLOWLY....IT'S PROFOUND.

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to 'cut back the calories'. From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible !!

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word 'refrigeration' mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, 'How about going to lunch in a half hour?' She would gas up and stammer, 'I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty...I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain.' And my personal favorite: 'It's Monday.' She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to even schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the livingroom carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to
show for our lives is a litany of 'I'm going to,' 'I plan on,' and 'Someday, when things are settled down a bit.'

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years.
I love ice cream.
It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a
triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day.
Do something you WANT to.....not something on your SHOULD DO list.
If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask 'How are you?' Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?
Ever told your child, 'We'll do it tomorrow.'
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch?
Let a good friendship die? Just call to say 'Hi?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away. ...
Life is not a race.
Take it slower.
Hear the music before the song is over.

To those I have sent this to..I cherish our friendship and appreciate all you do.

'Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!'

A fun laugh for the day!

It is good to be a woman:

1. We got off the Titanic first.
2. We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.
3. Taxis stop for us.
4. We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing.
5. No fashion faux pas we make, could ever rival the Speedo.
6. We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves.
7. If we forget to shave, no one has to know.
8. We can congratulate our teammate without ever touching her rear end.
9. We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there.
10. We have the ability to dress ourselves.
11. We can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked.
12. If we marry or date someone 20 years younger, we are aware that we will look like an idiot.
13. We will never regret piercing our ears.
14. There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems.
15. We can make comments about how silly men are in their presence because they aren't listening anyway.

Courtney's Soccer Game

She was ready to play!!



Playing hard!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Courtney had her first ASLS soccer game on Sunday and she did AWESOME! She played so well but so did the whole team. The girls ended up losing 1-0 but they sure put up a fight and played hard until the end! They all did a great job and we are looking forward to watching the upcoming games!!

Our last full week of September 2008

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Where to begin? Let's see here....last week seemed to fly by so quickly that it's hard to remember what all went on. There was soccer practice Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening. My days were all filled with a long list of things to do. It really seems never ending. We are adjusting quite well to the fact that Courtney has homework every night. Now, we are not liking it very much but so far it has been manageable. Let's just hope it doesn't increase any more this year otherwise we are in trouble! Courtney wrapped up her book report and turned it in....thank goodness that is done early! Thursday I was off the Eckerts for some apple picking with Kayla's class. My brother Bobby came along with us and it turned out to be a beautiful day. The kids were all so well behaved and we all had a great time. Friday rolled around and it was Grandparents Day at school. That meant a half day of school of the girls. Next thing I knew the weekend was upon us again! Perfect! Time to sleep in for two days! Our weekend was packed with a lot going on. There was a birthday party and many things to do. The girls and I made it to church Saturday evening. And surprisingly enough, the girls did very well sitting quietly for once. I hope this will continue. Sunday was Courtney's first soccer game. Actually it should have been their second but the first one was rained out. The girls all played so well together!! Even though the girls ended up losing 1-0, it was a very exciting game and it was so much fun watching them all play together as a team. I'll be posting some pictures.

Here's the news for this week.....

So the last full week of September is upon us. I can't believe it. We have yet another week full of soccer practices, things to do, birthday parties, and oh...season premier week for many TV shows!!! Not that I watch too many of them, don't seem to have the time these days anymore, but there are a 3 I do try very hard to make time for; CSI Miami, Law & Order SVU, and ER. So I will be trying to schedule some TV time into my schedule now! Our upcoming weekend is busy...yet again. But that's ok....we have many busy upcoming weekend ahead of us. Actually all of them thru the end of the year. But I wouldn't want it any other way! :)

Until next week, have a great week!!

Kayla's First Soccer Game

She was so cute!!



More pics are going to be on the website, check them out! (After Wednesday!)

Is it vacation time yet? - Our week of Sept. 15th

Here's last weeks re-cap!

Another week in the books! Last week was actually an ok week. Busy but not too bad. It started off with back to school on Monday! :( Gotta love the weekends!! I look forward to them every week. Courtney had soccer practice. On to Tuesday, say cheese!! It was Picture Day at school. The girls said they smiled good, we will see in a couple of weeks when they come home. Tuesday night....quite and at home! Wednesday rolls around and it's dress down at school for the girls. Hiking Day to kick off the mileage club. Which by the way, Miss Kayla loves! For each time they walk around the track they get a punch on their "Mileage Club" card. Kayla has now successfully walked 10 miles around the track. Her and her friend Abbie have each done 10 miles together. Very proud of my little walker! :) Wednesday night it's back up to the soccer fields. But oh wait, Kayla wants to play now! After asking her a hundred times if she wanted to play!! There's room on the 1st grade team (which has a couple girls from her class playing on it) so there she has it. On a team, BTW practice is on Thursdays! So here comes Thursday, Sept. 11th. An emotional day for me. My grandpa passed away 7 yrs ago (Sept. 8th, 2001), so Sept. 11th was the day of his wake. It's the one day of the year I hate to see come. Not only for the memory of the terrible events that took place that day but just the memories of re-living those couple of months in 2001. It was a very difficult year starting in June for my family when my grandpa walked in the hospital having problems with his knee and never walked out again. It seems like just yesterday. Courtney was turning 1 and my grandpa went into the hospital. His first great- grandchild, he was so proud! While the memories and pain still seem so fresh, I think I'd be here all night typing about it. It's not that I don't want to, but at the same time, I really don't because I strongly feel my grandpa was robbed of his life by a "person" who was suppose to "take care of him." This time of year is also painful knowing my brother has to re-live the death of his very close friend Brian and the painful experience he had to go through with the events of that car accident. While June, July, and August always bring back memories of countless hospital visits to my grandpa, every day, September and October seemed to be marked with memories of death. While I know my grandpa is up in heaven; smiling down on us and watching over us, I know he is happy with where he is at. Even though I'd give anything for more time with him. So while others are re-living the painful memories of "Where were you on Sept. 11th" every year, I remember getting the wake up call to "Get up! There's planes crashing into buildings!" and having to feel the pain of losing my grandpa and saying good bye to a wonderful man who loved his family more than life itself. But, onto Friday we go....I wrapped up a few things on my weekly things to do list and got ready for Courtney's first soccer game! Oh, but wait! Hold that thought! It rained a lot Thursday night and no soccer game. But Kayla's game (which we were going to not play in since she had only practiced once) is still on so off we go. I must say for being her first game, she did pretty well. But when Coach told her to play this area or to stand here, that's what Kayla did. She did a great job of listening. I'll post some pics from a game when I'm done here. After the game, it was off to dinner with families from Kayla's team! What a great evening we had out. The kids (all 9 of them at the restaurant) were wonderful! Next thing I knew, here was the weekend! Thank goodness!!! Mornings to sleep in!!! Our weekend was busy. Too bad they will continue to be that way for many more weekends to come! At least we enjoy our crazy schedule! Well, at least most of the time! :)

Here's the news for this week.....

Another week is upon us. No big surprise as it will be another busy one! There's soccer practice Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday night! A field trip on Thursday with Kayla to Eckerts. Grandparents Day at school on Friday and then OMG it's the weekend filled with birthday parties, soccer games, a dinner night out, and several other things to do. That doesn't even include the long list of things to do this week that I have sitting next to me. But at this point, I'm off to bed as I need some sleep! I'm noticing I need more of it these days.

Until next week, have a great week!!