I have a lot to marvel at... over a few glasses of wine... in the midst of the midnight hour...

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Two Handsome Hunks, One Beautiful Babe and an Unbelievably Gracious Grandma

Now that I have recovered from my childless trip to the Midwest I am raising my glass to toast good friends, a visit with my beloved (and dearly missed) Wisconsin family, and my Mother… who so willingly got on a plane and offered up her precious time and parental talent to love my children for a week so Roger and I could take a much anticipated adult-only vacation to Madison.


When the invitation to my dear friend Colleen’s wedding arrived in the mail I hesitated asking my Mom to watch my two handsome boys and one beautiful babe. I mean, after all, my Mom has not parented two small children or even teenagers for over 15 years now. And to be honest the Gronke children are a force to be reckoned with. It just so happens that they often exhibit challenging behavior resulting from normal childhood phases, typical for their respective ages. Riley’s the easy one (if you don’t count having three friends over who keep you up all night as they battle it out on the XBOX). Hope has the world and its ways all figured out and she’s not afraid to tell you how it is (in a less than pleasant manner). And clumsy Nico consistently finds trouble and destruction (even within the confines of his crib rails) - and he often demonstrates his persistence with a propensity for temper tantrums that can send any sane adult into a temper tantrum of their own. I knew my children would undoubtedly be fine – my kids are quite independent and my mother is paranoid so there was no doubt my children were safe and happy. I worried more for my mother’s sanity after dealing with their defiant behavior, constant demands for attention or ear piercing temper tantrums. Hence my call for help to my dear Portland sisters to come relieve my Mother of all the insanity at the Gronke household with a brief visit during her stay.

But my Mother was honored, despite the fact I’m sure she was utterly worn out and breathed an enormous sigh of relief when she pulled into the airport to catch a flight home.

Many memories were created on this trip all made possible by my Mom’s generosity and many self portraits were fashioned courtesy of some cabernet. To view the entire collection of self portraits in Madison/Chicago click here: http://midnightmarvel.shutterfly.com/

While the vacation was one that will forever be etched in my memory with visions of good times, great friends, an adopted family separated only by distance (although the distance doesn’t hinder our unconditional family ties), and loads of laughter, I sure did miss these two handsome boys and one beautiful babe (age appropriate behavior and all).

I am incredibly grateful for lifelong friends, my adopted Midwest family, my wonderful Portland sisters, my gracious Mother and my independent children who didn’t skip a beat when we left them in the remarkably loving hands of Grandma for a quick little vacation.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

SuperStar produces a RockStar

A Natural Born RockStar...


What else would you expect from the daughter of a self proclaimed SuperStar?

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Way Too Long

As I reminisced about our dear dog Rocco in last night's post I went back to edit before publishing and realized it was a bit long. But this post encompassed details around Rocco’s arrival and subsequent (albeit temporary) departure from the Gronke household. These are all tid bits of important information that I want to remember – and more importantly I want Riley to remember.

And so, after way too much editing and a final glass of wine I got the nerve up to click the publish button.

Meeting my expectations, Roger and Riley got about 1/8 of the way through the post, scrolled through the pages to see how much longer I was going to ramble on about Rocco (“seriously, you wrote all this about Rocco?”) and quickly moved on to other, more captivating interests on the internet.

So? I lost some audience members on that post... But this is my blog and no one is obligated to read it – however, I happen to know you all will be curious so you’ll come back for more. And so, from now on I will subtly submerge all the juicy gossip (specifically as it pertains to Roger and Riley) in the last few sections of every post – just to make sure you make it through each and every post (even those really long ones that have way too many details). Not that each post will contain juicy gossip but you won't know if it does if you don't read the entire post.

See? Right there you have it – they won’t know this pertinent information unless they get through this post without more intriguing internet options distracting them.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Runaway



At the breakfast table on Sunday I was quite surprised to see nearly an entire plateful of food on the floor. Was our four legged voracious vacuum cleaner still sleeping? Typically Rocco seizes falling food before it has a chance to land on the floor but on this day our ravenous furry friend was not at his usual post.

I had no intention of cleaning up the atrocious mess myself (my kids have got to be the messiest eaters ever) so I went on a quick sweep through the house to rouse our lazy dog into keeping up his end of the bargain when it comes to mealtime cleanup.

Panic set in as we realized that Rocco was no where to be found. Roger remembered letting him out earlier so we ran to call him in, hoping he was rolling in bird poop or consuming another animal’s waste and was simply too busy and content to come inside. This was definitely unusual behavior for Rocco though – unless it’s 90+ degrees outside he makes minimal trips outside to do his business and is begging to return to the warmth of the house within mere seconds of being out in the cold, rainy weather.

But one look outside and we found the one allure that will entice Rocco to stay outdoors and investigate – the back gate was wide open…

Darn! I was going to have to find my elusive broom (I can’t remember when I used it last) and sweep that floor myself if we don’t find the dog soon. We gathered up the little kids in their PJs and split up to find our runaway.

Roger and Riley went on foot and I went in the car – assured by this point that Rocco would have been run over on either 135th or Scholls Ferry. I missed our little Billy Dog already and all the joy that he has brought into our lives (specifically his ability to meticulously mop our floor after each meal) and our life with Rocco quickly began to manifest like a documentary in my poignant thoughts.

Almost 6 years ago when our family consisted of only three we had a tradition of eating at McMenamins on Friday nights and our weekly ritual always ended with a trip to the pet store to ooh and aah over all the adorable puppies confined in small little cages, all vying for our attention. Despite our concern for all these caged puppies Riley never asked to bring a dog home and Roger and I remained steadfast in our desire to preserve our “dog-free” house.

Everything changed one fateful Friday night when we met an endearing dapple miniature Dachshund with huge paws that dwarfed his small body, complete with one blue eye and one brown eye. We all immediately fell in love with this charming little puppy who was full of spunk and genuinely happy to have a few coveted moments of play time outside his cage.

We left for the evening and returned home without a word about this dog that we had all obviously fallen in love with. My firm opinion about a dog-free house was slowly wavering and I thought about him often that week… what would our life be like if we brought this dog into our home?

The next week the ritual continued and despite our sadness at seeing this poor dog in a cage I was delighted to see the dapple mini Dachshund still at the pet store. This time he was sleeping and we had to arouse him to play with us. That night when I tucked Riley into bed we talked about the Dachshund and how much fun it would be to bring him home. We named him Rocco even though we knew the possibility of making him part of our family was pretty minimal.

We continued to play with Rocco at the pet store the following week and by this point we had all openly talked about how much we missed this little guy between visits and we found ourselves anxious each week wondering if he’d still be around.

We were undoubtedly attached to Rocco. After a lengthy discussion of the responsibilities that came with a dog Riley promised wholeheartedly to take on all the chores and even offered to pay for him using his own savings. Riley and I begged Roger and he reluctantly gave in stating that he would have no part in his upbringing. While that might have been enough for Riley I was not about to partake in this adventure unless Roger was completely invested in the decision. I didn’t want his halfhearted approval – I wanted him to be excited and devoted to this dog. But Roger was attached to Rocco as well and he finally agreed that he would be a family dog and we would all participate in his daily care and upbringing.

Off to the pet store we went – with much anticipation and enthusiasm (and a little bit of fear that just possibly this dog who had been at the pet store for nearly 5 weeks would now be gone). When we walked in we saw another family playing with him so we raced to the counter to buy him. Just as we were completing the paper work we overheard the other family mention that Rocco was the dog they would take home. My heart sank… I began to panic but my brain automatically went into fight mode. I was not going to let this dog get away – we had already planned our lives with Rocco and I could feel it all slipping away. I confidently announced that we had already purchased the Dachshund and after some brief whispering between the husband and wife they left the store obviously disgruntled. I didn’t feel one bit bad and shortly felt justified in my persistence when they returned a few minutes later and decided to take a miniature schnauzer home.

Rocco was ours and he turned out to be the perfect dog for us. He sleeps like a true Gronke until the late morning, often early afternoon hours on the weekends. He didn’t skip a beat when we brought home two additional Gronke children over the years. He even genuinely thinks that our disgruntled cat wants to play when she is actually attempting to hurt Rocco when she was hisses and bats at him.

As I continued to drive through the blocks of our neighborhood desperately praying for a safe return my thoughts turned from remembering our life with Rocco to wondering how we would all endure life without him. Riley would be devastated. Hope had already announced that we should get a big dog if we couldn’t find Rocco so I was sure she was already over the potential loss of our beloved friend. And Nico would be too little to comprehend the loss but he spends a fair amount of time sharing meals with Rocco (both dog food and people food) and showing his love by sitting on him, pulling his tail and ears and following our tolerant Rocco all through the house - so I was a bit worried he might turn to our intolerant cat to show his affection, which would surely result in another trip to the hospital. Rocco was the perfect match for us – a member of our family that simply could not be replaced. I was over the fact that I would have to sweep my floor after each meal and I was now genuinely fearing for Rocco’s life.

But it was not time for Rocco to leave us… A neighbor saw him slowly making his way to the park and leashed him up out front of her house until his rightful owners came by to claim him. Rocco was welcomed back with lots of hugs and kisses and lectures from us all (especially from Hope) about how dangerous it was “out on the streets” and how we just couldn’t stand to think about life without him.

Rocco immediately settled back in at home – meticulously cleaning my kitchen floor after each meal, sleeping until noon, and tolerantly letting Nico torture him relentlessly each day.

Rocco Star… he’s oh so cute (isn’t he?) and really, the perfect Gronke dog. And today we celebrated Rocco's 6th birthday with lots of hugs and dog treats - all very happy to have him back home!!


No!

Our big talker added a new word to his vocabulary today...

Nico had the garden hose in his hand with the sprayer pointed directly at Roger. Roger told him to hand over the sprayer and Nico shook his head back and forth and clearly said "No" - crystal clear, just as if he's used this word all his life.

While this defiant "No" was not exactly included in our list of words we were hoping he would learn to utter, we are happy just to see that he is making progress!

The garden hose eventually had to be pried out of his hands as he clearly contintued resisting using both his strength and his new word - NO!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Chucker Cheese

Back when our family consisted of only three (including one very well behaved child) I used to find myself saying “What’s wrong with that child?” or worse “What’s wrong with those parents?” when I saw a child throwing a temper tantrum in a store. Now when I’m out with Hope and Nico I usually hear others whisper those words as Nico climbs in and out of the stroller ripping merchandise from the shelves or lying on the floor in hysterics… or when Hope demands that I buy her some pricey gift then sulks when I refuse and throws insults that I never buy her anything.

Despite my children’s less than stellar behavior in public my dear friend Carrie (who so happens to be the worlds greatest babysitter) asked to take my children to Chuck E Cheese on Friday night for a play date. Seriously?? Even I have not dared venture into those uncharted waters with Hope and Nico. Carrie asked if I had any concerns … my only concern was, of course, for her sanity. But I remembered that my children behave better for Carrie than for me so plans were set in motion.

Hope was ecstatic with the news and simply could not wait to ride in Carrie’s car to “Chucker Cheese” (which it shall always be referred to now in our household). Believe it or not their behavior was impeccable (well, impeccable for stubborn Gronke children) and everyone had a blast – including Roger and me! We took the opportunity to go shopping for a dress to wear to Colleen’s wedding next weekend. I modeled every little black dress I could find as Roger critiqued. Finally settling on the first dress we found along with some patent leather heels we were off to plan our weekend in Chicago over dinner and drinks.

I’m feeling slightly overwhelmed with gratitude tonight - along with a new appreciation for Chucker Cheese and an enlightened view of public temper tantrums (and a bit guilt for the temper tantrums I threw at daycare this week).

So tonight I am thankful and grateful…

I am thankful that I have been enlightened to the real world of public temper tantrums with the arrival of my two youngest, very spirited and stubborn children who find public displays of humiliation a God-given right, albeit not very fruitful as I can be just as stubborn.

And I am grateful for my fabulous friend and babysitter who asks me if she can take my kids to Chucker Cheese and my endearing husband who so willingly accompanied me on my quest for the perfect dress (and even paid the bill).

This is my wonderful life… temper tantrums and all!

Friday, April 17, 2009

A Krups Style Temper Tantrum

I have been on a roll… a roll throwing good old fashioned complaint tantrums. I’m talking about “Krups” style temper tantrums. Yes, remember when we all got defective espresso machines and Krups refused to deal with us? Well, they only ignored us until Sarah and I had a few too many glasses of Red Rose and decided to write the company a letter expressing our intense frustration. Ok, I’ll admit that Mom had to do some serious editing to our first draft – removing our threats of bodily harm and such, but in the end we sent out nearly 25 letters to every name we could find associated with Krups and we all got money from this company and a personal apology on my answering machine from the Krups president himself.

Remembering our success from that encounter I have been on a mission to produce the same satisfaction from my daycare after they sent little Nico home for the 5 millionth time this year for a minor rash. I mean seriously!! I have an albino baby who is simply prone to little red bumps resulting from laundry detergent, grass, food, minor fevers, etc. - you name it, he comes in contact with it, he gets a rash. But since when have allergic reactions been contagious???

So when I got the call on Wednesday (after already staying home for two days from a minor fever) that Nico had a rash and had to stay home until the rash was completely gone, a deep dark side of me that I so rarely show came on display in full force. To put it mildly I was NOT nice and they got an earful of opinions that came projecting from my mouth like a crazed beast in desperate need of an exorcism.

I spent the rest of the day justifying my actions and stewing over the whole encounter. I finally talked myself into justification after a visit to the doctor when they reminded me that I had been in 8 times in 6 months for benign rashes. My justification quickly turned back to anger though – in all my stewing and justifying I lost my senses and felt the need to continue justifying things, going way overboard describing where and how Nico got each and every one of his 100 bruises looking thoroughly guilty of abuse. To top it off Hope ate an entire bag of carrots yesterday and had some serious discoloration on her face that unfortunately resembled the color of a healing bruise. I chalked it up to the carrots and got quite the questioning look. I’m pretty sure social services will be here shortly.

All that, of course, made me angrier and the stewing started all over again. My emotions ranged from publicly humiliating this daycare for their carelessness in diagnosing sick children to a more professional approach of trying to partner with them to determine when it was really necessary to send a child home back to yanking my children out of the center and filing a complaint. I was all over the board and an emotional wreck.

When my children are sick I want to be the one who comforts them. I would never, ever take them to daycare when they are sick. But it is incredibly frustrating when they continually get sent home when they get the smallest bump and are obviously not even aware of this ailment. It didn’t help the situation that the admin assistant is the one who decides when a child goes home and I have not cared for this woman’s less than professional manner from day one.

It makes it all the more frustrating when I know that the care they get there is superb. I have developed lifelong relationships with their core teachers and love everything else about this daycare. That knowledge stops me from making a rash decision that I so desperately want to bestow on this center. But that would be revenge and would only find me looking for better or equal care elsewhere – which I have already done to no avail.

Instead, I brought in my note stating that it was safe for Nico to return to daycare and left them all with some more of the Yarbrough wrath (and the suggestion that for the $2,500 a month I pay them they should probably hire a nurse to assist them in diagnosing children). I doubt I will be getting a $100 check for my troubles as with did with Krups but I also doubt that they’ll be sending Nico home for a rash any time soon.

After all this I’m living with a bit of fear that he’ll break out with the Chicken Pox next week and I’ll have to eat my words.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Twas the Day of Our Easter

Twas the Day of Our Easter
And all through our house
All was relatively quiet
And at the computer was my spouse

Each Gronke was intensely immersed
All within one’s own little world
Until we heard clank and clatter…
In the living room something unfurled

I arose from my post
Exclaimed, “What the hell?”
As something flew past
And up my window did dwell

With Ariel all hissing
And Rocco in a deep growl
I realized quite quickly
That something was afoul

What this creature might be
Not certain just yet
So I wandered into the room
And immediately began to fret

For clinging to my window
Staring me straight in the face
Was a sight so unsettling
I was not about to stay in that place

As I began to retreat
And started to shout
The rest of the Gronke’s came
To see what all the fuss was about

All in a split second
We realized the horror
For a squirrel was now clinging
Just above my pantry door

How absurdly bizarre
And quite seriously uncanny
Was this rodent intruder
Who sent chills up my every nook and cranny

We set off on the chase
My husband and children all abound
While I hid in the bathroom
And the animals whirled all around

With the sweep of a broom
And an open sliding glass door
The squirrel made its exit
Thankfully in our house no more

Riley knocked on the bathroom
Proclaiming my exit was safe
But my nerves were all shaky
Wondering how the squirrel got in, in the first place

I searched each cranny and crevice
Until my eyes opened wide
For the squirrel had popped in
Down our chimney he did slide

What are the chances
On a day such as this
That we get a visit
That so interrupted our bliss

As we prepare to slumber
And reminisce on this day
We will never forget
The day the squirrel came to play

While most children await
For the Easter Bunny to appear
Our children will forever wonder
Will the squirrel show up this year

Monday, April 6, 2009

A New Gronke Learns to Drive

Last year for Nico's birthday we went to Toys R Us to pick out his present... and we came home with this pink Barbie car for Hope.


This past weekend Nico discovered the car and has claimed his stake - after all, it was his birthday.



Here's what Hope thinks of it all:



Our trusty little passenger...


Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Signature

Just testing out my new signature... I need a nickname - any suggestions?? (and don't say tooter!)

Happy 1st Birthday

Happy 1st B'Day Chase!

It seems like just yesterday that we were praying for a safe, quick delivery for Janet's second baby... anxiously awaiting on the news of his birth. And last Friday little Chase turned 1!

The entire Yarbrough clan (minus Daryl who is a world away in China) celebrated Chase's special day on Saturday in true VanWormer style - gifts for all the children, excellent comfort food, traditional carrot cake, 3 youngsters obsessed with the red car, and a good old fashioned family reunion where we all recapped the last few months of our lives, all in honor of a baby's 1st B'day.

One new addition to this VanWormer party - some boxed red wine... Not Bad - but it brought back memories of my Red Rose days :)

Little Chase is most definitely one of the cutest, happiest babies I know and I simply cannot believe how quickly his first year of life has flown by. My favorite thing about Chase: his exceptional ability to smile at everything. Chase, I hope you continue to find that same pure joy in everything you do and keep smiling your way through life.

Happy Birthday little Chase from your Auntie Susan who simply doesn't get to see you nearly enough but loves you dearly and thinks of you all the time.

I didn't get a single picture of me with the b'day boy :( but here he is - all grown up at 1 year old with his customary smile.

The coveted red car...