Old Fashioned Summer 2016, part 1

Monday morning (August 29th - the day after we arrived back from Suz's wedding), we boarded a plane for Minneapolis. The best thing ever is the quick direct flight from Spokane to Minneapolis. We flew out at 7am and were in MSP by noon and hudson before 1. Not bad! The kids were thrilled to see everyone! 

before long I was taking creepy pictures of myself with babies. Here is Lynnie (around 5 months) - Pete & Margit's 3rd. She is a doll and has a bit of a badger in her so she puts up a fight when it comes to sleeping, but thankfully I know a bit about taming those tricky babies and got her to conk out. 

less creepy because it is taken by Laura. Happy place - holding Lynnie and having a glass of wine. Charlie was already in his swim trunks (he didn't take them off for another 5 days). 

Meeting Janie was the best - she is 3 weeks old (Mary & Elliot's first) and such a sweet baby. Bill was instantly trying his baby techniques on her.  

Laura with Jane - she is only angry when she is HUNGRY!

Tackling Uncle Elliot when he arrived. 

Charlie was in heaven with the babies. Lynnie loved him. Especially after his face was all painted from Auntie Margit. 

Charlie with Jane. 

This picture is the best! Love Claire's smile!

Almost made me think about another one. But then I saw all the work newborns were again and embraced the auntie job fully.  What great cousins these kids are. 

Ellie turned out to be quite the little babysitter. She LOVED being with the babies and helping with everything! 

Dinner time with sleeping babies. Me and Margit. 

Me entertaining Lynnie. She loved to be doing fun things! 

Girls being girls - hanging out on Laura & Tom's big bed looking at important internet things. 

a couple of mornings I took a mini run/hike. Love coming up their driveway - you leave the forest and enter into the sunlight everytime. 

This is Old - Fashioned Summer. On the beach, hanging with cousins. Just perfection!

 Uncle Pete brought home tons of Schmitt Music balloons. Kinda wanted to kill him, but the kids were delighted. They made an enormous mess, but were happy!

Claire - Ellie - Charlie - Paul (Timmy is missing a lot in these pictures...hmm wonder where he was...)

Tom got the kids all set up on fishing rods. 

playing with minnows!

Claire fishing. 

Ellie having more fun with minnows than fishing. 

Auntie Dotes was so sweet letting the girls feel like they were "helping" her while she was feeding Jane. I don't think I would have been that relaxed with a 3 week old. The girls were in heaven!  

They loved when Jane got a bottle instead of nursing because they got to help. 

Ellie in charge. 

Claire on a peaceful morning. 

bonfire morning and mini lake. 

Ellie on the deck. 

always a crowd around Jane. 

more to come...

Suz & Grant Say I Do!!!!

August 27, 2016 Suzanne and Grant were married! What a fabulous time it was! I was beyond thankful to Bill for encouraging me to go a few days ahead of everyone to Bozeman to help prepare for the wedding. He drove 7 hours with the kids Friday to arrive in time for the rehearsal dinner and the kids were just delightful! 

a gorgeous view from my parent's house in Bozeman. 

Grant's parents arrived Tuesday night prior to the wedding. Grant's dad made him and my dad a special whiskey. 

Rehearsal time! 

the drink station and Kevin - Grant's brother in law. 

my hair for the wedding. 

Ellie and Claire after their hair appointments. they sat great! 

so pretty!

with our dresses on!!

the girls were watching Suzanne get ready and it was precious. 

Here Ellie is whispering to Claire about what Suzanne is having done. "Claire claire she is putting on LIPstick!!!"

My favorite picture!!!


their turn!

all ready to head out for photos!

smelling G Pop's flower. 

LOVE this picture of my dad and the girls! 

My beautiful mom and the girls watching Suzanne.

How gorgeous was Suzanne?!?!?

hanging out during pictures.

Claire and Ellie! 

The kids ROCKED going down the aisle. So proud of them! 

a pano of the scene. 

Happily married! 

we took a wagon ride to the reception.

cocktail time the kids were able to hang out and there was this beautiful stream. The girls looked perfect. 

the head table - it was beautiful. more pictures will come, but these are from my phone. 

My brothers - Dan and his wife Meg. My brother Tommy on the right. 

Seestors! love her so much. 

Such a fantastic wedding. Suzanne was relaxed and it was a delight to be the matron of honor. Love you guys!

 more pictures to come!

August happenings...

Fun times playing at our friends pool. So thankful for Kelley and Tyler and their kids who share this beautiful place!

 Charlie lost another tooth while he was sleeping! Can't really see it, but it was one of his baby canines. 

my gorgeous rose bushes!

the first weekend in August we went to Family Camp with our chuch. It was a blast - the kids thought they were in heaven. We have incredible families at our church and the older kids couldn't be more kind to the younger kids and they all just go off and play. Such a blessing to spend extended time with these families!

 we had some short chapel times led by different families. Here is our pastor - Carey - holding up 5 to get everyone to be quiet. ha!

Ellie and Claire working on their Bible journals. 

Every night there were games that the kids played together. This is one where they Youth pastor - Andrew and his helper Micah would drive around remote control cars and if you get hit you are out. The kids loved it, but I think the drivers loved it even more. Every dad was chomping at the bit to try it out. 

we had to spend some time recovering after family camp and thankfully the olympics are on. Loving the dark, cool, lower level and the big screen!

Another Schmitt baby is here! Mary & Elliot (Bill's sister and BIL) had their little girl - Jane Esther Robia on August 12th. We are so excited we get to meet her in 2 weeks when we go back!!!

August 12-14th - we went camping with about 8-9 families from our church. We had 50 (!!!) people at this campground. I don't have all the pictures from that so I will post those later. 

As if that wasn't enough - Bill took off Monday and we took the kids to Silverwood the amusement park and water park about an hour away from us. Charlie had been begging to go because they get a "free" ticket from reading at school. 

We started off in the water park area. The kids could have played here all day! But we had rides to go on! 

there were beyond excited running around like the 3 amigos! 

We did a few bigger water slides. A couple of tube rides and then the big family tube ride. The lines - even on a monday - were long! 

After lunch, we headed over the amusement park part. After making a loop we decided to just wait and go on Tremors first. It is one of the biggest rides there and the girls could go with adults. 

If this doesn't make you nervous I'm not sure what will. The sign behind them is warning the kids not to stand up or you might be decapitated. 

Charlie is a champ and went with another girl that was in the line ahead of us. Look how little Ellie was. The seat belt was SOOO tight on her lap. 

after the ride - Charlie and Ellie were stunned! Claire and I went in the ride behind them so they waited for us. 

Claire said it was scary, but she didn't cry and we kept talking about it being fun. Hope we didn't scar any of them. It was definitely not an easy roller coaster! 

After the intensity of Tremors - we let the kids go on the Elephants. No line was a plus!

While the girls and I got snocones for us all - Charlie and Bill went on the panic plunge. Charlie loved it! 

What a fun and busy August! We have much ahead with Auntie Suz's wedding and then spending 10 days in Hudson with family it feels like we have a lot of summer left. So thankful for the late start of Sept 19th so we can soak up as much of summer as we can with the kids.