Family update

So, my very anti-tech mother was over awhile ago, and wanted to know what was up with this blogging thing. She can't look at it on her computer, because it is so stinkin slow, it would take her all day just to read what I've written. She thought it fascinating that there are other family members on here, so now Nosy Nelly wants the scoop on everyone. In a harmless way, of course! I told her if she would just call her brother more often, maybe she would know the scoop. Since their stupid cell phones do not work in their house, mom can only call Uncle Dean when she is out and about. We wouldn't want her to have to pay a little long distance every now and again, so she can talk to her baby brother. So, I filled mom in a little with some of the things I've read (most of which she knew, apparantly she talked to her brother recently) and she thought I should post some of the things in our family, since she figured it didn't get passed along to all six of my cousins and their respective families.

So, since nothing exciting goes on around here, and I blab about all my boringness daily, I guess I will blab about the rest. Since their are only two Schlack kids, and you've already heard about one, it shouldn't take long. Then again, this is me, so it will be long.

So, if not all of you have heard, Bryan built a new house next door to mom and dad. His wife and himself have been living with the kids (between three and five at a time) in an older manufactured home on about an acre next door to the folks. There is also a hundred or so year old rental house on the property that they rent out for additional income. So, last fall, Bryan put up a doozy of a shop, and moved the fam into it right as the weather turned (wasn't their fault, took longer than anticipated to start the house) and they have been living in it ever since.
Bryan and Dee purchased an Adair home. It's a company that lets you choose from a few models, for a specific price that is fabulously low. Downfall is you have to have the house EXACTLY their way. No changes whatsoever, and the plan is very simple and basic. Upside is, you can put in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home, about 1,500 square feet, for around $90,000. So, Bryan and the fam have been living in this shop all winter, and finally moved into the house about a month ago. Since my darling, sweet brother, who I am sadly, not very close to, has not invited us over yet, I have not seen the exact finished product. I did go over once, after they had been in about a day, but they still had furniture on order, and no blinds up, and everything wasn't quite together. I just got to see the plan of the house. The only drawback I saw to the house was an itsy bitsy kitchen that looks like it should be in an apartment, not a house. It was supposed to be different, but something happened during the planning, and it ended up not being exactly as it should have been. I guess there was supposed to be some sort of cut out, on one side, so you could look into the living room, and make the kitchen appear more open, but because of some wiring something or other, it was closed in, so the kitchen is like a very small three sided box. But, hey, compared to the teeny tiny house they were all crammed into, they love it, and the rest of it really is very nice. I think I've been spoiled by our big kitchen, so now I'm a kitchen snob.

Bryans kids are getting old! Kendra turned 16 in December. That girl is very much her mother, and Bryan and Dee have been continually fighting to keep her on the right track. Unfortunately, she has no fear, and does not want to go anywhere near the right track.

Joshua will be 15 in August. I don't see him much. He lives with his grandpa (on his moms side) and I don't think there is much supervision there, so I am a little concerned with Joshuas "path" also. Mom calls me every couple of days with another fiasco going on at their house. I am not envious.

The twins, Kaitlyn and Lewis will be nine (along with Chloe) on May 29th. Kaitlyn is a minature version of Kendra in attitude, but a total Schlack in looks. Lewis looks like his moms side, and is a funny, smart little boy, who is fun to be around. I'm curious to see how they turn out, since they were so young when their parents divorced, and they have been engaged in a far more stable environment than the other two.


On mom and dads side, they flew to Idaho on Tuesday to have dads hands worked on. He has had different surgeries before for his hands, but this was a new technique by some Doctor who studied in France. He has these growths in his palms. Like scar tissue, that cause his fingers to pull down, almost into a fist, so that he can't straighten out his hands. It is very common in European men, and he has had them operated on a couple times over the years. This procedure involved no cutting, he did not need to be knocked out, and his recovery time is about a quarter of his past ones. It looks really good, and he's happy with how it turned out.

Mom and dad bought a new travel trailer last fall, and have only taken it out once or twice since then. It was a major purchase for them. I honestly can't tell you when the last time was they purchased something like that new. They haven't even bought a new car since before I was born, so this was a big deal to them. One that errupted several arguments about what to get, what to put into it, and (from dads mouth) what if it is a huge piece of crap? Since my father thinks anything and everything that has been made since 1975 is junk, hopefully they enjoy the trailer.

That's it for my fam. Hope everyone who is reading this is doing great! =)