Ok, so I fell off the blog wagon a while back.  I have found this very disappointing because I was secretly using the blog to help me remember some of the cute stories / sayings the kids have.  My memory has never been the same since having kids.  I feel like I won't be able to recall all the "little moments" that were so adorable "I could have squeezed their heads off".   We went over past blogs last night and the kids loved hearing the stories from when they were little, especially Noah.  The time frame I'm missing, sadly, is when Hannah was saying / doing all the cutie little things.  Oh well, I must move on and try to pick up and try again.

All of you mom's who blog, coupon, work, clean, work out, college, and have more than one child are amazing!  I just don't have that balancing ability!  Wish me luck and enjoy!

2010
Uneventful beginning of the year
Hawaii w/ kids in May
Bought boat in July
Went to lake every opportunity we could
Bought boat slip at the end of lake season
Hawaii just JD & I in October to see Ironman Championship!
Winter uneventful (at least what I can remember)

2011
Joined CrossFit Springfield February 14th, changing our health!!!
May tornado devastates Joplin - St. John's hospital was destroyed
Lake, Lake and Lake - which was about all that could be done w/ 104 degree teps
Noah starts Pre-School and learns so much!
enjoyed a mild fall / start of winter

2012
Uneventful New Year
Noah plays basketball on a team and does well for never playing before
One year of healthy habits pays off!
Little to no winter weather.   Still have the tags on winter wear we bought for kids.
Very mild spring.
Hannah is in gymnastics and loves it!

I think that brings us up to date?!?!

What's New?

Well, since it has been months since my last post I have no idea where to begin. Here is a very brief synopsis:

• December was a month of home updates, appraisals, and refinance stuff - which was very very chaotic and made preparation for Christmas last minute.
• Christmas was a blast (despite the crap in the above stated events).
• New Years was uneventful and no resolutions were made.
• We took our first every family pictures (Me, JD, and the kids)! Thank you Sesha!
• January was full of work, work, and more work.
• February as been full of SICKNESS and it's not even 1/2 over yet.

We hope you have a lovely Valentine's day and great end of February.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I hope you get to share this holiday with your friends and family and refelct on how blessed you are. My gratitude posts kind of tapered off as my posts became more and more infrequent. I'll list some of the things I greatful for, although many of them are cliche they are no less true!

• My children and wonderful husband.
• Jobs (mine and JD's) that allow us to have a ton of time with our children while they are young
• Our family who was incredibly supportive while we started our business.
• The men and women in the armed forces (current and veterans) who sacrifice so much to protect our country and liberties and freedoms and rights. Thankful for Dusty's safe return from his 2nd tour in Iraq.
• Very close friends that I can rely on for anything at the last minute!
• A mini-vacation to VEGAS.
• God's continued provisions for our family.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU ALL!!!!

Happy BELATED birthday in November. This list is absolutely huge. If it didn't get to speak to you in person know I was thinking of you ON your birthday!

Leann Schmidt, Kathryn Maberry, Joy & Ava Monico, Steve Schmidt, Brandon Graff, Rory Fisher, Hoppy & Butch Stockton, Braeden Spellman, Kelly Schmidt, Melissa Kenney, Nicole Grover, JD Schiman, and Derek Kelly. (15 total and there were more, but they don't read this blog so I didn't list them - wow it's a busy month)

Where did October go?

Well - it came and went in a flash!!!!

I still wanted to recognize the birthdays in October:

Dusty Schmidt

Jeff Kuxhausen

Rob Mobley

Braden Fann

The weather was crazy wet so we had some cabin fever issues.

Halloween was very fun this year. We went to another neighborhood because our's SUCKS for trick-or-treating. Hannah was very tired, but insisted on being a big girl and walk as much as possible - thanks to the rest of the gang for waiting for us at every other house. Noah fell after about the 5th house and had a huge bump on his forehead, but was a champ through the night. At the family Halloween party Hannah won the costume contest for the kids! We are just now getting through the candy.

Birthday wishes for September

Our wish is that you do something special for yourself on your birthday!

Brandon Kennedy

Maggie Terry

Shannon Schmidt

Michael Terry

Ethan Staab

Happy Anniversary to Dave & Brenda Schmidt.

There are some missing, I know there is - I just can't pull them from the depths of my memory.

Busy August

This year I'm so thankful that there are no school requirements in August. This has been a busy month which leads to time passing super fast. Here are some of the things we have been doing.

St. Louis Zoo, Noah's 3rd b-day and party, Noah's first bike ride and near nightly rides since then, Madi Phillips' 3rd and Ashyln Matthews' b-day parties, Photo booth event x 2, two funerals, and the Price Cutter Charity Championship golf tourney where Noah got a golf ball signed by Roger Tambellini (PGA golfer) and wants to be a golfer himself.

September will slow SOME and we are looking forward to football games & fall weather!!!

We hope everyone is doing well and we will be seeing many of you soon!

August Birthdays O'Pleanty

HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!

Noah John Schiman turns 3!

Kris Tate

Zach Schmidt

Alicia Schmidt

Paul Wilson

Madi Phillips

Ashlyn Matthews

Jason Spellman

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Joy & Kathryn Maberry!

I remember your wedding reception & the stupid dress I was wearing with the ridiculous headband. Aaaahhhhh the 90's!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Kris & Jen Tate. I remember your wedding and reception and the dress I wore there too - it was much much more fashionable!

We hope everyone celebrates themselves in a very special way! We are thankful for your special place in our lives!

Happy Birthday Noah John!!!

On the eve of Noah's birthday we made a trip to the St. Louis zoo and had a great time. Our very own private viewing of the hippos (who we think were attracted to us by Hannah's screaming fit) was the highlight of the trip.

On Noah's birthday he was surrounded by his favorite friends at Chuck E. Cheese! He hid under the table when Chuck came out for the party stuff. We managed through it and still had a wonderful time! We hope everyone else did too and thanks for the great stuff.

All the cliches are true..... time passes in the blink of an eye, there is nothing more precious than a child, they grow like weeds, etc. I just can't believe my first born is 3 and before you know it the post will read: I just can't believe my first born is 5....16....18.....21.....30 - wow, it just doesn't seem right.

Noah 20 days old in JD's helmet

Noah age 1Noah age 2

Noah on his first bike for his 3rd birthday. This bike was broken and exchanged for a new one. The 2nd bike had the same problem and now the poor kid has no bike. He has taken that fairly well, knowing that he gets to go to the bike shope, like dad, and get his very own!!

Happy Birthday to you in JULY!

Happy Birthday AMERICA (land that I LOVE)!!!!

Denise Terry

Teresa Baker (and happy anniversary)

Jeff Schiman

Kailey Tate

Melissa Schmidt

Brian Fisher

Baby D'Amore

Angie Staab

Kenzie Phillips

We hope you all celebrate YOU this month and we send our best wishes for your birthdays!

Stayin' COOL!!!

We broke down and got something other than a splash pool. Here are a couple pics from the first day of play! Noah still loves to wear his swim cap and goggles - Hannah has to do everything Big Brother does.

Hannah Turned 1 !!! (back in May)

Happy Birthday to my sweet angel.

Our party for Hannah was a blast. We enjoyed everyone's company and are so greatful to have such wonderful family and friends to surround our children with. Thank you all for coming!

June Birthday Wishes!

We send our best to all of you who are celebrating their special days.

Jessicca Oehlschlager
Grandpa Klahn
Payton Oehlschlager

Back log photos

I have this obsession with not posting unless I can get the pictures uploaded too - I think that has kept me from posting since FOREVER ago. Here are a few from Feb-May.

Family pic was the Circus in March.

Noah picked me "beautiful flowers".

Mindy & Hannah at the air show on Mother's Day.

Noah's new motorcycle (garage sale special).

Sucker Day Parade with the Tates.

May birthday wishes!

Wishing the "Happy birthday boys and girls" the best b-day ever!!

Bert Staab
Erica Schoen Smith
Hannah Schiman
Jane Stockton
Jaclyn Clifton
Clayton Hummer
Sean Gasper
Jayden Tate

Happy April Birthdays!

Happy Birthday to you and you and you in April.  I issue the same disclaimer every month - if you are not on the list I didn't intend to leave you out, I probably didn't know your b-day at all.

Jerry Schiman

Drew Williams

Sesha Shannon

Vaughn Schmidt

Sidney Oehlschlager

Hope you all have a very special "me" day! 

Happy Easter!

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. Easter just didn't seem like Easter since it was so dreary and wet. Saturday we went to Mt. Vernon and had an Easter egg hunt at Gary Ewing Park. Several of my fondest Easter memories are of similar hunts! Here are a couple pictures from Saturday. I will be back logging some pictures on the next post. We hope everyone enjoyed this special holiday.

Food for thought

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work, hope, fidelity, kindness, rest, prayer, meditation and one well selected resolution.

Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkle of play and a cupful of good humor.

Where did January go?

It came and went in the blink of an eye!

We stayed busy with the business, some incliment weather, work, work, and work.

The kids are taking growth spurts and learning so much. Hannah is saying ma-ma and ba-ba (which we think is bottle). Noah loves trying to teach her to day ma-ma and da-da. Noah's vocabulary at reached a whole new level. It's absolutely amazing. Here are some of the cutie things he says. There are more, but I just can't remember them all.

Bum Bob Quarepans (SpongeBob Squarepants)
That's Awesome My Man (very clearly)
What Shakin' Bacon? (very clearly and answers....)
Nuttin' Button!
No angels (Snow angels)

He likes to recite the 5 little monkeys jumping on the bed and other miscellaneous books we read.

We hope everyone made it through the last wave of ice and snow. We totally enjoyed our time outside with the kids. Noah loved making snow angels.

Today I'm greatful for the internet, chocolate chip pancakes, and light lunch!

Happy Birthday to you!

We wish all you birthday boys and girls a GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!

Connie Schmidt (Mom)
Jen Tate
Mike Fann
Tracy Williams
Dakota Williams

Today I'm greatful for wonderful weather (66 degrees) in January!!