Christmas Cookie Decorating

The day before Christmas Eve we decorated sugar cookies. The kids loved it. I think that they licked more frosting than decorated cookies. We made sure that there were two separate plates of cookies. One that the adults decorated and could be eaten. And one that the kids could eat!

Logan and Hunter--Look at the mess!
Nannie with cousin Landon in the background

Philipp and Cousin Cole

Christmas camera play

We are getting pictures done tomorrow so I thought that i would do a practice run with outfits and hair.  Hunters hair is a bit big but I love it.  Aiden did not want his picture taken so this is what I got!  

Decorating the Christmas Tree

This is the first Christmas tree that we have had in two years. Our children were so excited to decorate it. I was pretty excited too. We bought a tree off of craigslist which I really love!
Daddy handing Bear ornaments
Aiden hanging ornaments


The finished product

Hunters ornament pile. She, of course, would not spread them out.

I am thankful......

for my husband that works hard and keeps me at home

for my children that drive me crazy and help me to see life simply

for the gospel of Jesus Christ and my beliefs

for an awesome family that I was born to and the family that I added

for friends that help me laugh at life and get through each and every day

for me and my families health

for the life that I live

I love where I am in life and would not change anything. i hope that each of you are enjoying you thanksgiving and feeling the love!

Free Photobook

Simple mom has a offer on her blog for a free photobook. Try it and see if it works! I am!

Watch Out For That . . . WALL!!

Tara and I decided that tonight would be a GREAT night to take our kids out to the movies to watch Madagascar. We have these cards that we can get into movies that are two weeks old for only $5 each so we thought we could get them some treats while we were there. When Aiden and I went out in the middle of the movie to get a soda, it was kind of dark, and Aiden was excited to get a drink, so he began running down the ramp out of the theatre. Well before I could say anything I heard a THUMP . . . and saw him lying flat on his back. Apparently, he thought that there was some sort of door at the bottom of the ramp and continued to run (full speed mind you) into the wall. After I new he was okay I started laughing hysterically and we proceeded to go and get a soda. I am sure that I looked pretty bad laughing while my Aiden was crying, oh well. He ended up being fine and showed Tara after the movie what happened. She laughed until she had tears in her eyes. All in all it was a good night.

Happy 101 Posts to me

I didn't realize that in less than two years we have shared 100 event with our friends and family. That is 100 journal entries for our kids to see as they grow old! I love Blogspot!

Also-- I am currently trying to get everything over to gmail. If you have a private blog do you mind adding tarajo.schmidt@gmail.com to your list? I will try to add comments to the private ones too!

Thanks fellow bloggers. I love you.

My Babylove

1) Where did you meet? At church when we were 14. My first real memory with him is when we were driving home from an activity and he was teasing me about my child development fake baby.
2) How long til you got married? 4 years 11 months and 23 days
3) How long have you been married? 5 years 3 months
4) Your favorite feature of his? Eyes and smile
5) Your favorite quality of his? His ability to laugh at most thing
6) Does he have a nickname for you? Babylove
7) His favorite food? A good steak
8) What is his favorite sport to watch? Football
9) When was your first kiss? A small smooch the day after we started dating..we were young so we were really"going out"
10) What's your favorite thing to do as a couple? Camping or hiking
11) Do you have kids? Two
12) Does he have a hidden talent? Woodworking, most people assume he knows how to construct things because of his degree but are then shocked that he built something for me
13) How old is he? 26
14) Who said I love you first? He did
15) What do you admire most about him? His ability to learn
16) What is his favorite type of music? Country, but he listens to Phantom of the Opera a lot too( He is going to kill me for telling everyone that)
17) Do you think he will read this? Yes--Love Ya Babe...
18) What is his favorite article of clothing? Chacos, you will see them all winter
19) What is his favorite hobby? Fly fishing
20) How did you decide he was the one for you? I don't think I ever decided he was the one. We just clicked and stuck with it. We were best friends and have stayed that way since we meet. I never thought that he was the one because it never entered into my mine that he wasn't

Holy Batman and Batgirl!

Halloween week was crazy fun. It started off with a special Halloween story time at the library. The kids loved going to the library as batman and batgirl. They also loved seeing their friends!


Unfortunately batgirl would not wear her mask. I guess she wasn't worried about her secret identity!

On Halloween was our ward party and trick or treating. This year Aiden was really excited to be able to go door to door. He was one of the leaders of the pack. For some reason he really wanted to go to the scary houses, but always freaked out after he got the candy! Hunter bear just loved it all. I was so grateful for warm weather this year and good friends!

Half of Nico the jedi, Christian the jedi, Jackson as Bumblebee the transformer, and half of Batman

Lexie the leopard

Batman

The whole gang- all as noted before plus Hunter James as Buzz, Chloe as Ariel, Clair as Briar Rose and Hunter bear as Batgirl

The trick or treat rush!

PS- If you have any cute pics of Bear email them to me. She wouldn't stand still for me!

Happy Birthday Tara!!

Apparantly when it is your wifes birthday you are supposed to make a post telling her HAPPY BIRTHDAY. Well I wasn't able to yesterday (or I didn't think of it until I got home and was reminded), so Happy Birthday Tara. Your are such an awesome mother to our kids and an excelent wife. I hope that you had a wonderful birthday yesterday. Don't worry 26 isn't that old you still have a few good years left in you. j/k. Aiden, Hunter and I love you and appreciate all that you do and sacrafice. Thanks for being a part of our life.

Love,
Christopher

Carved Pumpkins

So we carved said pumpkins tonight! This is how they turned out. Please ignore our mostly naked child. She didn't want to get dirty. Like that ever happens. the littlest one is one of the 5 for a dollar ones!

Pumpkin Patch(s)

This weekend while I went out with the girls Christopher took the kids to a pumpkin patch. They had tons of fun riding on the rain barrel train, at the petting zoo, eating cotton candy for the first time. I am sad that I missed out on that fun but had fun of my own!

Today we went to the local pumpkin patch. Really it is just a staged pumpkin patch. It did have a kid appropriate haunted house. And a tinny tiny hay maze. But the kids had fun and they picked out really little pumpkins. 5 for a dollar how can you beat that!

I got a New calling

I was called to serve as the Relief Society Second counslor. What am I going to do?

Eleven years has flown by....

I was fourteen when my best friend was killed in a car accident. Her funeral was held on my 15th birthday. Every year I still mourn the death of a person that knew my very soul. I think that we should have been sisters. It is funny to me that someone I knew for only a year an a half would touch my life so completely that I would still be thinking about her on a daily basis. I wonder what her life would be like. I think about her family and visit them as often as i can, Usually twice a year.

This picture is taken when we went to girls camp in 1997. The Summer before she died. I think that is one of my favorite memories of her. The last night that we were there we snuck out into the trees between camp and the bathrooms. Then when people passed in the dark we would jump out and scare the living day lights out of them. SO FUNNY! We also snuck out that night and raided the fridge, stole underwear and made a general nuisance of ourselves! The best thing about our friendship is that we didn't have to have a lot to do. Most of our hanging out consisted of us walking around the block in circles for hours just talking. We had notebook after notebook of notes. The July before she died her family moved to Idaho. We wrote 20 letters back and forth in the space of 3 months. Plus weekly phone calls(The days before long distance was free on everyone's cell phones!). I really do miss her.

I am so thankful for a gospel that tells me that I knew her before I came to this earth and I will know her later. Love ya Chelsea.

One Word

One of my friends, Erin, tagged me with the "I love your blog" award which means I get to try to answer these questions in one word.

1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Where is your significant other? couch
3. Your hair color? Brownish
4. Your mother? Nutty
5. Your father? Gone
6. Your favorite thing? Family
7. Your dream last night? Nonexistent
8. Your dream/goal? Happy
9. The room you're in? Basement
10. Your hobby? Running
11. Your fear? Death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? practitioner-- So I stole Erins but I want the same:)
13. Where were you last night? Home
14. What you're not? Emotional
15. One of your wish-list items? debtfree
16. Where you grew up? Colorado
17. The last thing you ate? Mashedsweetpotatoes
18. What are you wearing? Jeans
19. Your TV? Debate
20. Your pet? Mice;)- Thirteen and counting....
21. Your computer? Slow
22. Your mood? Content
23. Missing someone? Family
24. Your car? Big
25. Something you're not wearing? Rings
26. Favorite store? SuperTarget
27. Your summer? Awesome
28. Love someone? Forever
29. Your favorite color? Blue
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today( Read Ambers blog)
31. Last time you cried? Yesterday

I Tag anyone who wants to but I would really love for everyone to do it!

My Cute kids-- Not for the Faint of Heart

Amber-- you are going to LOVE this.
She is so cute right. NOT SO.. Read on...

We are at the park today. I look over by the stairs and Hunter has her pants around her ankles. Great! I walk over there to help her get her pants up but her tells me that she pooped. AWESOME. So I am expecting there to be a huge mess in her pants but there is nothing...oh wait... what is that on the wood chips? You guessed it. She pulled down her pants and pooped on the ground. I was mortified. I was on the phone when it happened, That is my excuse for not knowing exactly what was going on. I did pick it up though. Luckily I had a plastic bag for wet accidents that I could use. That is how my day at the park went. How was your day?

Handbag Planet

So if you haven't read in everyones blog that Handbag planet is giving away 24 hand bags in 24 hours. Sign Up on handbagplanet.com!

Potty Trained!

Hunter is offically potty trained! Yea! We have been putting her in underware ever once in a ahile just to see how she would do and if finally stuck! She has an accident a day it seems like but all is going great. Aren't girls easy!

Quirks

Definition of quirk:n. 1. A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy: "Every man had his own quirks and twists" Harriet Beecher Stowe. 2. An unpredictable or unaccountable act or event; a vagary: a quirk of fate.

Rules: Link the Person who Tagged you. Mention rules on your blog. Tell about 6 quirks of yours. Tag 6 fellow bloggers to do the same. Leave a comment to let them know.

1- I have to shower as soon as I get up. It bugs me not too.
2- I am obsessed with time. I always have to know what time it is and it bugs me when I don't know what time it is.
3- I always lock the door when I am home. Even when people come over. They are locked in my house.
4-I have to have a plan. I hate it when I don't know what I am doing or what the plan is. I am starting to accept that life doesn't go to my plan for it. Ever.
5- I can be guilted into any job. I just can't say no.
6-I put the toliet paper so that it folds on top and not from the bottom. I never noticed this until my mother-in-law and my sister-in-law were talking about it.

I tag-- Nycole, Amber, Emily, Carrie, Kelly and Amy

Not for those who don't like the word Wiener----

So in the car today Hunter announces that she is a girl and Aiden is a boy. I agree then she says that she is a boy. Aiden gets mad so I step in.

Hunter, you are not a boy, You are a girl.

I am a boy was her reply.

Boys have wieners hunny and you have girl parts ( we still have not decided on a name for that. I just can see her announcing it in church-- I have a....)

I want a wiener!

At this point I was about to crack up so I asked her where her wiener was. She then told me-- You cut it off.

I wanted to roll on the floor. Too bad I was driving. The next three minutes of the car ride and the walk to the house consisted of Hunter crying that she wanted a wiener. Where do they learn this stuff????? How do you teach a girl that she is a girl?

Where's ME?

Hunter is getting to that age that she really understands a ton. This morning CHristopher was reading Aiden and Hunter a story called My Father and Me. He was reading it with Aiden's name and Hunter kept asking Where's me. She was pretty upset that the book was about a boy and his dad with no Hunter! She is so stinkin' cute!

Aiden's First Soccer game

We had Aiden's very first soccer game this weekend. Nannie and Grandpa came to visit and we all hung out on the soccer fields. I know, I know soccer isn't cool but it is the only sport around here that 3 year olds can play. He absolutely loved it! He didn't really get that you had to take the ball from the other team but he was the only kid that wanted to play the whole time! I think that Aiden is better suited for track but at least he can run. Even if in soccer he doesn't get that you have to kick the ball.....

Aiden going after the ball

Aiden's Kick off-- the WRONG Way


The Correct Direction!!

Our Soccer Star

More Camping Pics

Here are more pics as promised. I will try to explain each one.

This is at Lake Estes. Christopher is helping hunter fly fish. Notice the Stanley Hotel in the background.



Some of the kids at the lake. The girl in the front has bandages all over because she fell in the fire the night before. She was doing ballet by it and tripped. She had second degree burns!


This is such a cute picture. The twins, Claire and Chloe, Hunter James, Aiden and Hunter-bear all sat down on this step to eat Cheez-its. A total commerical pic for cheez-its. The first 4 are all with in a couple of months of each other in age!


Christopher, Bear and I one night.

This was in Rocky Mountain National Park. Christopher could hand feed the chipmunks. Our Friend Stacie absolutely hated the chipmunks and would freak out every time one came near.

James, Hunter James, and Aiden on a log by a really pretty river!

Us at the top of the Mountain. Aiden and Bear were sleeping , as was Hunter James. One family had gone home by this time too. With that all said we were still a large group. we definitely got some funny looks!

Christopher fishing

All of us walking through the grass. Breathtaking views!

Labor Day Camping

What is labor day with out a little camping. We decided to head out to Estes Park with some friends from our ward. The girls and the kids left Friday at 4:00 am to get a site. Good thing we did too, because when we got there at 5 am there were only 4 sites left and we took three of them! In total there were 4 families-- 8 adults, and 11 children. Talk about crazy!!! It was so beautiful up there though. Definitely worth the early morning drive!

On Friday the girls set up camp by ourselves. The boys didn't get up there until 5 that night. we hung out, played with the kids, took a nature walk, you know the normal camping stuff.

Saturday we went to Lake Estes. It is a lake in the Middle of the town of Estes park. Right nest to our picnic table was this monster of an elk. it just laid there for about an hour. We fished at the lake and waded in it. It was freezing cold so we didn't really get that wet. We did get to see the hotel that was the inspiration for the book by Stephan King, The Shining.

The Stanley Hotel

Our Monster Elk

On Sunday we went to Rocky Mountain National Park which was breathtaking. We followed a road that went up to 11,000 feet and had a overlook. The next two pictures our of Christopher and I on the overlook and the view. They are a little dark. Sorry about that.

On Monday we just packed up and came home. We were so tired. I will post more pics of the kids as soon as my friend emails them me!

Sermons We See by Edgar Guest

So I heard this poem at Insitute the other day and I thought it was great. We should always teach by example and not by lecture or words. A lesson I need to learn.

Sermons We See by Edgar Guest

I'd rather see a sermon
than hear one any day;
I'd rather one should walk with me
than merely tell the way.

The eye's a better pupil
and more willing than the ear,
Fine counsel is confusing,
but example's always clear;

And the best of all the preachers
are the men who live their creeds,
For to see good put in action
is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it
if you'll let me see it done;
I can watch your hands in action,
but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lecture you deliver
may be very wise and true,
But I'd rather get my lessons
by observing what you do;

For I might misunderstand you
and the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding
how you act and how you live.

When I see a deed of kindness,
I am eager to be kind.
When a weaker brother stumbles
and a strong man stays behind

Just to see if he can help him,
then the wish grows strong in me
To become as big and thoughtful
as I know that friend to be.

And all travelers can witness
that the best of guides today
Is not the one who tells them,
but the one who shows the way.

One good man teaches many,
men believe what they behold;
One deed of kindness noticed
is worth forty that are told.

Who stands with men of honor
learns to hold his honor dear,
For right living speaks a language
which to every one is clear.

Though an able speaker charms me
with his eloquence, I say,
I'd rather see a sermon
than to hear one, any day.

Seriously So Blessed

If you want a good laugh you should check out this blog. It is a girl that satirically writes about her perfect Mormon life. It is seriously so funny.

We survived our first Tornado

9news picture of the tornado, I believe that the houses in front of the tornado are in the subdivision that we live in. It wasn't really that close to them

We had our first experience with a tornato this weekend. It was raining really hard around our house and all of a sudden a cop was driving around the neighborhood on his loud speaker. There is a tornado in the area, he was saying. I couldn't understand him but I knew something was up. Just then our friend Sam called our phone and said that there was a tornado by our house and he was coming to our house. We never really saw the tornado because it was raining and hailing too hard for us to see. Nothing major was damaged and we only got strong winds, tons of rain, and lots of hail. Our cars have some small dents but nothing to severe. We kind of wished out black avalon got hit so we could get a new paint job but sign, no luck. I think that I can offically check off living through a tornado off my life experience list. Next, maybe an earthquake......

This is the edge of the storm

Hail after one minute

5 years married, 10 years together.....

August 23rd marked our 5 years of marriage and the 31st we will be together for 10 years. I love you, babylove.




I love you!

Happy Birthday Hunter Bear

So this slide show has a lot of pics but it doesn't take too long, okay so it does! but she is cute. It is walk with Hunter from Birth to Two!