It’s a GREAT DAY in the Vollmer House

23. December 2010 · Comments Off on It’s a GREAT DAY in the Vollmer House · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: ,

After some 3 years of trying, Jacob finally got the hang of riding his bike! He said that the hills in Nebraska made it really hard, and to be honest, he simply wasn’t as interested. But with only about 2 minutes of holding on, he took off with ease this morning!

We are SO PROUD of him! Family bike rides, here we come!

Now to figure out what Timmy wants to do next. He got really upset during all of this, sobbing in the garage. Not sure if it’s envy of riding with no training wheels, or envy of the positive attention Jacob was getting. I think Timmy can do this quite easily, he’s always ridden his bike with more speed and confidence than Jacob.

Stay tuned!

Nebraska Discoveries 9**: Skiing at Mount Crescent, Iowa

29. December 2009 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , , ,

**Yes, I know this is in Iowa, but it’s easily something that someone in Nebraska could do.

Today the family took a day trip to Mount Crescent Ski Area in Crescent, Iowa. Dave and I can now proudly add this small mountain to our “I didn’t realize there was skiing there!” locations that includes Mad River Mountain, Ohio, Mountain Creek (formerly Vernon Valley), New Jersey, and several resorts in South Korea.

From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area

First off, realize that this is the first time Dave and I have skied since we’d had kids. We skied almost annually every year we were dating/were married from 1994-2002. I was about 12 weeks along with Jacob when Dave and I took our AFIT graduation trip to Lake Tahoe in March 2002. Dave and I like to think we’re decent-enough skiers.

So combine the fact we hadn’t skied since 2002 with our never having to pay for more than just a pair of lift tickets for Dave and me.

That being said, we were met with the shell shock of the price tag for a family of 4 to ski, rent equipment for the kids, and get 90 minutes of semi-private lessons for the boys — with one of the kids skiing for free at age 4: over $200! Phew. Plus lunch at the slopes, and dinner on the way home. Our checkbooks were still in shock from Disneyworld!

What’s really sad is that Mount Crescent is probably one of the least expensive ski opportunities there is! I looked at all the other ski mountains Dave and I had been to that might have cost the same, and they cost more! So if we’re going to make this a routine family outing, I’d better up my AF Reserve work!

Dave had to wait about 45 minutes just to get our lift tickets, and we got quite annoyed. I was imagining the minutes ticking away from our day. It turned out the computer system was down and the attendants were having to manually calculate our bills. Thankfully the credit card machine was working!

From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area

The boys didn’t have their lesson till about 2 hours after we started skiing, so Dave and I worked with the boys some on little fundamentals. The boys seemed cooperative, and after about 45 minutes of letting the boys ski down to us, then pushing or pulling them back up the hill, we convinced them to take the lift up to the top of a green run. Timmy had a blast — he just pointed his skis down and went. Stopping was an issue (which the lessons helped with immensely), but he was having a ton of fun. Jacob, on the other hand…not so good. He took his first spill about 20 feet from the end of the lift and was in tears after that.

Uh oh.

We had to explain very carefully to Jacob that the only way down the hill was for him to simply go, and that we had arranged a lesson for him later on and we REALLY hoped he’d be cooperative for the lesson. It was slow going, but he made it with a lot of help! He calmed down with a snack and a chance to warm up in the lodge before his lesson.

From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area

Both boys had a fabulous time with their lesson and their confidence was well-boosted, and we spent another 2 hours skiing and had so much fun. Dave and I would take turns with each of the boys…with Timmy, we could ski at speed and still not keep up with Speedy Gonzales, but with Jacob, while he’s a champ at the snowplow, he’s VERY CAREFUL. I would just snowplow with him, giving more pain to my already-anguished thighs from last night’s plyo workout.

From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area
From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area

NOTE: The boys didn’t keep the poles for long. After about an hour both boys relinquished them for the rest of the day.

From 2009 12 28 Mount Crescent Ski Area

In summary, we had a great time and both boys would enjoy more ski trips. This is a tiny little ski area, but definitely a great place for the boys to establish confidence. The ski conditions were exceptional, since it was about 10-15 degrees F most of our time there, with snow flurries most of the afternoon. None of that softened snow freezing into ice sheets at sunset like Dave and I typically experience in the northeast!

In other news, as I’d mentioned before, Dave and I hadn’t skied since March 2002, meaning our equipment hadn’t been used since March 2002. While our skis, bindings and poles — albeit out-of-ski-fashion — worked well, my boots each developed visible cracks in the plastic when I put them on. They didn’t seem mission-terminating, so I used them today, but I’ll definitely need to start looking for new boots soon.

I’d also like to keep an eye out for second-hand equipment for the boys. If anyone knows of any good sources, let me know!

Being Sick Sucks…

01. September 2009 · Comments Off on Being Sick Sucks… · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,


I’m just wrapping up a pretty nasty cold, upper respiratory infection, whatever you call it.

Whatever it’s called, it sucks.

I don’t get sick often. I last got quite sick the last week of February 2008. Yes, you read right: 2008. It was a horrible case of the flu, actually. Once I came home from the desert I felt like a time bomb, I figured if you go too long without getting sick, it’s bound to happen at any time.

And for me it was two Saturdays ago, the family had eaten dinner at Upstream Brewery and then took the kids to the Heartland of America Park in downtown Omaha to run around. My throat was getting that telltale soreness that heralds a cold.

Oh crap.

I was right — Dave let me sleep till 9am on Sunday and I didn’t want to move when it was time to get up for church. In fact, I ended up not going at all…

On Sunday and Monday I was in pretty bad shape. Dave took most of Monday off so he could help with Timmy, and he took me to the urgent care clinic so we could rule out strep or H1N1 (a.k.a. swine) flu. It was none of that.

Tuesday was the beginning of improvement, but as is typical with my kinds of colds, I end up with a lingering post-nasal drip that results in a lot of coughing at night. Since I turned 30, I’ve had a hard time shaking such a cough without a follow up trip to the doctor for some sort of antibiotic.

This one seems better — instead of the lingering cough, I have this river of snot — I think I’ve plowed through 3 boxes of tissues over the past 10 days. My nose is a nightmare…

I need to get better about the blog posts, folks — really. I used to be so on top of things, until Facebook and that friggin’ Bejeweled Blitz that sucks up so much of my time…

I’m getting busier, though — I’m now involved in my local AMS chapter, PTA and Dave’s unit’s spouse’s group. Jacob’s signed up for Cub Scouts and starts piano lessons this week. Timmy and Jacob both start soccer in a couple weeks, too. It’s going to be nuts!

"Momma Said There’ll Be Days Like This…."

26. August 2009 · 10 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

First, thanks for answering the poll — I guess changing/washing linens once-per-week is the standard and I need to be better at it 🙂

Now back to our regularly scheduled blogging.

I’m at it again.

Now that the school year and academic year is in full swing, it’s time to get involved in stuff again.

“What stuff? What else could you possibly pile on?”

Lots. Jacob’s on his way to being the Spawn of the Overachiever with soccer, piano lessons and Cub Scouts all starting up in September. Thankfully soccer is only 8 weeks. I know how much Jacob loves it…he’d give up everything else to fit in those 8 weeks of soccer!

The piano lessons and Cub Scouts will be new for Jacob and I wonder how he’ll do with each of them. I’m certain the scouts will be fun, he loves camping and learning about nature. The piano lessons? Well…as much as Jacob loves music, I predict a struggle when I ask him to practice for 15-20 minutes every day. He’s already gotten a head start on his books (Faber and Faber “Piano Adventures”) but it’s on his own and I think once a schedule is attached to it we’ll see resistance.

Then again, I could be wrong about all this and he’ll embrace it like a champ!

Timmy’s going to be involved in soccer after Labor Day weekend, and I’m debating piano lessons for him, too. He might be on the young side in some respects, but he really enjoys playing with our piano (we have a digital piano) and his teacher still has a couple spaces available.

As for me, I start my new AF Reserves job next month, plus I’ve taken on secretary duties for our local AMS Chapter. Last week I also offered to become webmaster for the Spouse’s Group where Dave works. I’m looking forward to serving all of these functions as well as I can.

Right now I have an evil cold. Nothing super-debilitating, but enough that I can’t fill my days with activity the way I usually want to. This week I wanted to get some items repaired (our cuckoo clock, a necklace), plus sharpen our knives, plus clean out our basement storage. None of that is getting done this week, I’m afraid.

I can keep up with the bare minimum this week (laundry, cooking, keeping the house straight), hopefully next week will be better. Planning for Jacob’s birthday party is forthcoming, along with Timmy’s back-to-preschool activities just before Labor Day.

Laundry Casualty Update

01. February 2009 · Comments Off on Laundry Casualty Update · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , ,

I got a “new” pair of shorts from the laundry folks, since they lost a pair of mine.

I’m putting the word “new” in quotes because I can’t say for certain whether they’re new or not. For all I know they were misplaced from someone else’s batch of laundry. They look fine, they’re clean, they’re my size, I’ll need to cut the liner out of them still.

Bottom line, I’m back up to 6 pair of shorts and the world is once again in balance.

In other news, I’ve started my off-base driver’s training process, I’ll be taking my first training drive on Wednesday morning after work.

And oh yeah, one more thing:

GO STEELERS!

I have my Terrible Towel(s) ready to decorate the weather desk tomorrow night. The duty area (go ahead, you can picture Wargames or NASA Mission Control…but everything is covered in Qatari sand) is planning a Super Bowl party while the game airs at 2am here…I’ll be on duty, but I’m not sure the weather is going to cooperate for it. We shall see. I’m still excited that my favorite team will be playing…again!

Let’s Go State!

06. September 2008 · 4 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: ,

I can’t believe it, we’re getting Penn State Football here in Big Red Country! On ESPN2 this afternoon!
If we were still in North Carolina, we would have been subject to the Wake Forest game.
I’m sure it’s because PSU’s playing Oregon State, so you’d get the most viewers around here rooting for one team or the other. I’ll bet the next time we see Penn State football on here will be for the Ohio State game, if OSU is still Top 10, and then the Iowa game.
I’m looking into Iowa tickets, they’re “only” 3 hours from here…I might put a request in to the Penn State Alumni Association chapter back in Raleigh. They had a great ticket program.

Just About Settled In Here…

31. August 2008 · 2 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

Hi!

We are well here – Dave is MUCH improved from his surgery, although yesterday morning we paid a visit to the ER once again for a migrane that crept up on him. We wanted to rule out that it wasn’t related to anything from the surgery. Now he seems much better. He’s definitely ready to return to work on Tuesday.

Tomorrow we’re planning a trip to the Nebraska State Fair! I’m excited, and the boys are getting excited, too.

For those readers along the Gulf Coast and on the FL Peninsula, please take care of yourselves, your families and your homes in preparation of Hurricane Gustav and Tropical Storm Hanna. Good luck!

In other news, yesterday I received an e-mail from the same soccer club that called and said Jacob was able to get onto a team. It said that Jake now is NOT on a team due to a lack of coaches and they’re in desperate need of coaches.

So, GULP, I wrote back and said that I have a minimal amount of soccer experience (I played for a season in high school in 10th grade) but I think I can convey enough soccer skills to a group of 5-6 year olds. It’s two hours per week for only 7 weeks…my biggest challenge will be making sure I can get to the practices while we still have just the one car. Practices are twice weekly at 6pm, so far, Dave has not come home later than 5:15pm…I think we’ll be fine.

Happy Labor Day, friends! Don’t forget to change your shoes and purses from your summer to winter collections (heck, I’m the LAST person to abide by that rule!).

Some Good Nebraska News…

27. August 2008 · 4 comments · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: ,


I got some good news today.

“FINALLY! You’re going to tell us something good that happened to the Vollmer Family in Nebraska?”

Now wait a second — I posted this a couple weekends ago.

“Yeah, but then you were hit with that flat tire on the bike ride over to watch the airshow itself.”

I know…I know…the move itself was better than the move from Florida to North Carolina, but some of the circumstances that have occurred just after the move seem pretty bad, huh?

Okay, okay…back to the point. I received some good news today. Jake is registered for soccer and he starts on September 8th.

When we first arrived here, I immediately started networking with other Moms in the neighborhood about two things: piano lessons and soccer leagues. Jake’s school and Timmy’s preschool is already squared away.

The piano lessons part was easy, there’s a piano teacher who lives right behind me! (Hi Alissa, if you’re reading this!) I hope to start Jake soon, but I’m not in an incredible hurry.

The soccer was a bit more difficult. Two parents told me that we were just a TAD late for Bellevue Soccer Club and Little Rascals Soccer open registration, but I could inquire about indoor leagues starting after outdoor soccer ends in November. I made a few phone calls…talked to a few other parents…and Jake’s future in soccer fell into two categories.

1.) He needs to be 9 years old for most indoor soccer leagues.
2.) He can go onto a waiting list for the local leagues that have already ended open registration.

Discouraged, I placed a phone call to the Bellevue Soccer Club representative to ask about how long the waiting list is. The gentleman was very nice and told me that if I acted fast…as in, within the hour, I could still get Jacob on the waiting list. He told me where to download the registration form on the web, and said to fill out the form and drop it at the Bellevue Soccer Club fields mailbox by 5pm (we were talking at about 3:50pm). At 5pm the coaches were going to assemble the lists and if there were still openings Jake might just make it.

So I acted fast. I had to pick up Howie from a grooming appointment anyway, and the BSC fields were on the way.

Today at about noon someone called to say that Jake made it onto a U6 team, please send the check to a particular address. Yay!

Jake is definitely nervous about starting in a new league, and an outdoor league, at that! He’s been playing indoor soccer since his 4th birthday. He’s really good when he isn’t under pressure, and is just starting to develop quicker decisionmaking. Unlike Dreamsports in North Carolina, this group will practice and play twice per week.

As for Timmy, aside from his preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I’ll probably get involved in a MOPS group in Papillion (the next town over to the west). They start up in September and meet on Wednesday mornings.

Nebraska Discoveries 1: The Offutt AFB Airshow!

18. August 2008 · Comments Off on Nebraska Discoveries 1: The Offutt AFB Airshow! · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: , , ,

We didn’t want to fight the crowds, so we watched the show from the levee of Papio Creek on the bike trail near our house. We had a great view of the Thunderbirds show, Dave and I have seen it enough times that we didn’t need the narration anymore 🙂

A Big Red Gamble

15. August 2008 · Comments Off on A Big Red Gamble · Categories: Uncategorized · Tags: ,

Would you do this? This is a Nebraska Furniture Mart promotion between now and the end of the month.

Fortunately we aren’t in the market for a new TV. Our existing one, circa 2004, came through just fine.

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