When a Weird Man and an Odd Woman Fall in Love...

You get this motley crew: Oh my...

I normally would not think for Grady to be the most normal of the bunch, but he was just modeling his Halloween costume( Thanks Kristin!)

This one?

Well, lets just say I am fully aware that I have some very difficult years ahead of me. As I type, she is singing"I'm a Barbie Girl" at the top of her tiny lungs.

But ya gotta love those socks.

10 years of Wedded Bliss and a Very Happy Wheatland

We had no intention of going to Wheatland this year. Just getting back from our big family vacation, and the fact that most of our group was taking a year off due to other vacations and a cross country move. We had my Aunt Julie to watch the kids for our 10th anniv. and we just couldn't decide what we wanted to do. Well to make a longish story short, we suggested going to our friends Ian and Leslie, and decided to give it a go! This would be so different than years past, only 2 couples in our group as opposed to the usual 8 or so.

It left us the chance to camp somewhere new(and completely awesome). We also got front row middle seating for the music Friday night. Just totally a different experience.

If you've seen my facebook pics, these will all look familiar. I forgot to grab my memory card, so I could only take the 20 pics that my camera holds in internal memory.
Some of my fav art pieces...

Oops. bad focus! But you get the point.

My new favorite band, Crooked Still. Turn on the music for a couple of their songs. So So good!

The stage a night, from our spot on Saturday. We were still closer than we've ever been! Thanks to the boys. They were so good to us.

Sadly, we worked entirely too long to get a good self-group shot that night. Apparently using the timer was too much work for us. I just happen to think that Ian and Les are camera hogs.

Another fab band, The Deadly Gentlemen. They are so different, I can hardly explain. Like banjo rap( as if that makes sense to anyone). They even do a version of "Bust a Move" that was soooo cool.

The Cajun Dance. Crappy pic, everyone is moving to fast and the lighting is bad. But just to give you an idea as to the amount of people down here after midnight. I have to admit that I hate the Cajun dance. It has turned into a giant,gentler mosh pit. The year some girls stuck a flashlight down the back of Jason's pants kinda did me in. I prefer to stand back and watch, listen to the music and avoid any groping;)

Ten years last Friday. I can hardly believe it. We've thrown around the idea of celebrating with a fancy vacation or big gifts, but not only is that difficult on one income with back to school expenses and tons of new medical bills, its just not our style. We don't need it. The long weekend together was one of the best times I've had with him. It doesn't matter to me where we are. I am just so completely content and happy. I really love this guy.






Jason and Ian. Its really great that the both of us still have such good friends from our childhoods. I guess we have all been through so much together, that its always easy to pick of where we've left off.

The "Cranderson's" . Really enjoyed the weekend with these two. The kind of laughter that leaves your stomach aching. I believe Leslie has been going to Wheatland as long as we have. Its possibly when I met her 9 years ago.

I also discovered that these two are actually very alike. Like one would say something really funny and smarty-pants, then the other would walk up and seriously say the same stinking thing. Scary, and I adore them both:)

Great weekend. Funny how much can change in a year. Friendships disintegrate, people get married, people move, babies are born, and much more. Makes me wonder whats in store for next year.

Looking back now, I can't believe we were not going to go. Crazy talk. And if I say that next year, somebody slap me!

Teagen's 1st Day

I shouldn't be surprised.

Its happened to me before.
I send a baby to school for the first time, and they come home a kid. A chattering, busy, in-love-with-the-routine-of-school kid. It happened today, and only took 3 hours.

She is a different girl. And she LOVED every moment. Jason was going to take today off just as a day to catch up after Wheatland, but got to go for Tea's first day. At this point I sould mention that Grady really believed that he was going to class too. When he finally realized that it wasn't the case, he was very sad. So so sad.

My first day girl. A little outfit drama last night. Lets hope this isnt just a hint of whats to come, but I think its a pretty good indication.

Finding her locker. Its huge! She fits right inside there!

All the kids did great. There was one sad one, but then he started to play and was fine. Teagen never looked back. I was so happy for her! And proud too.

What a great day, neither of us shed a tear:)

1st Day of 3rd Grade

Warning, these photos are not great. Actually very poor quality. In my defense, I had a very cranky toddler either hanging on me or running as far away as he could. In that respect it was a terrible morning. Really really bad. But I am over it. And I am lovin my new third grader:) How long until those jeans turn to floods? I am guessing by the end of the school year.

The teeth that grew in over the summer vacation. And the hair that grew a lot too.

Playing before the bell rings...

And there goes my girl.

I have a lot of memories of third grade. Moving to a new school, having a difficult teacher, few friends, and worse. I really hope things are easier for my kids. Summer is just so sweet and sensitive. Its sad that other kids her age already know how to take advantage of that kind of personality. I think she has gotten a bit tougher over the summer, but only time will tell.

Good luck to the moms like me who miss their kids when they are in class. I will say that it's getting easier. What I don't like is being at the mercy of a school's schedule. Drives me crazy! My kids have to be at two different schools at the same time. This should be interesting....

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking...

Thanks for all the cupcake love on the last post. I found the idea back in June on Bakerella and knew since then I was doing that for his party. I am sure if I had done the Transformers cake he had asked for, I wouldn't be attracting so much attention! Because grey frosting is so yummy looking(yuck!).


So my baby is now 3. Teagen is starting preschool, and Summer is starting 3rd grade. We went to a school meet and greet last night. I should say that Me and the three kids went. Jason still has golf. controlling Grady is a bit of a challenge with that many people around, but it went OK. I met Summer's teacher, who already knew her( I love a tiny school!) And we really like her lots! Found her seat and her hook for her things. Saw some old friends. Should be an interesting year. I remember a lot of my third grade. Some good, some not so much. I am thinking Summer's going to enjoy it.

Teagen has her meet and greet next week. I have a lot more concern for her since she has developed some serious shyness issues. Lots of hiding from adults and clinging to me. It is so opposite of Summer and Grady that it starts to really frustrate me. She met her teacher last spring and loved her. But the shyness thing just started, so we'll wait and see. Trying to not get too worked up about it.

We had our last Wednesday beach day yesterday. Again, its like in the sixties inland, but the beach was so hot. But I have really enjoyed getting together with my friends and their kids for our regular date. Obviously, things will be different with our kids in school, but we are already making plans for other playdates, so that makes it better. Still, I am really gonna miss spending so much time at the beach. So spoiled!

I will say that my life is begging for routine. I am staying up too late, and then sleeping too late. Need to get on the back to school schedule, pronto. Putting Teagen in morning preschool was one way of forcing this on me. Afternoon would have been way easier. But gotta do what we gotta do. at least this way I can still go to both kids Halloween parties and all that jazz.

Basically, I am doing my best to not be sad that they are all growing up, and be excited for the new beginning of the fall and the school year. I am looking forward to some one on one with each of the kids and especially Grady for a few hours when T is in school. We have never had that.

So its like the saying...
The only thing that stays the same is that everything is always changing.
I'm just trying to keep up.

Its good to be Three

I seem to be getting a reputation for birthday cakes. Heaven help me if I choose to get a store bought cake one of these years!
I found these on a website, and gave it a try....
They are yellow cupcakes, with brownie "meat" and frosting ketchup, mustard and lettuce.

Fries are made from sugar cookie dough with frosting"ketchup" for dipping.

The sesame seeds really top it off.

And even with the cruddy weather, it was actually pretty hot down at the lake at my Dad's. Good enough for swimming(if your a kid!)

They were catching minnows and crayfish.

Their playground has a slide of terror. Its a waterslide and VERY steep. I got these shots of Kristin's girls launching into the air...

Cal, my Dad's dog, flies off the dock for her ball and will swim way out to get it. the kids loved it as much as she did.

Baby Brayden's(Troy's baby) 1st lake day:) Looks like it was pretty relaxing.

The elusive birthday boy. Love that kid.

Reid. Tummy and eyelashes. Pure sweetness...

Grady has really been looking forward to everyone singing to him. Although, I think he was singing the loudest.

I always tear up at this moment...another year gone by.

As expected, red frosting is a bit of a mess. But the kids had a blast.

Lots of great presents. He's huge into Transformers. The girls all sat nice while he was opening, but then spit when he was done. All the boys hung around to see the stuff out of the packages. This is so different for me. I am really used to all the pink. NO pink to be found yesterday!

His gift from Papa Rocky and Gramma Cindy. Papa's great find.


This morning he was wearing it and it has a voice changer mode, and he was hiccuping into the microphone!

Fabulous day. Today, he is still buzzing from all the sugar, and spending hours working on all his new toys.

Me, I need to take a moment to think of the fact that my little guy is now three. A fact I am having trouble comprehending!

UP Vacation

That's Michigan's Upper Peninsula for you outa staters. Jason's dad and Joan plan a family vacation every 4 years instead of traditional birthday and Christmas gifts. The family is getting so big that the best plan is really renting a large house and going on adventures together and on our own. There were 17 of us this year. Troy his new wife and baby stayed back. Troy's new 11 year old step daughter came along and got the full Schultz experience! Lucky girl! Hahahha!

Anyway, I'll try to condense this the best I can. We left 5am Sunday morning, so that the kids would sleep part of the super long drive. We stopped at lots of rest areas and a Mc Donalds too.

Couldn't resist him stepping out of a gas station with our name on it.

We spent some time in Mackinaw City. had lunch at a fab fish joint.

Crossing the bridge is always a bit of a "thing" for me. A bit scary.

Out first stop in the UP was the Garlyn Zoo. Very nice and surprisingly lots of different animals.

These little babies were so sweet.

These babies were a bit less sweet.

Then it was to the House to see where we would be staying the next week of our lives...

Ummm...BEAUTIFUL!

We did find the there was a family of 30 -50 BATS living under the sign on the garage. The guys took care of that right away. Ewwwe gross.


Some of our outings...

Big Spring is awesome. You cross the spring on a raft that you can see to the bottom of the crystal clear water.

The 12 and under gang. We were out numbered. 10 kids to 7 adults.







Then Fayette. An old ghosts town. Absolutely beautiful.

Summer and I snuck down to the shoreline for some exploring.

One night Jason and I got away alone for a bit and he drug me down some two track to check this place out...

Uhhhh...creepy.

And its just not vacation for us if there is not a beach day. Even with the lake a mile from the house, we still needed to see our beloved Lake Michigan for a day.

Another day trip was to take a shipwreck tour on a glass bottom boat on Lake Superior.

It was really lovely. Not a lot of photos because about half way through, Grady fell asleep in my arms.

Jason was thrilled to learn that in Munising, they serve Pasties with gravy. I personally prefer the Yooper-style with lots of ketchup.



Some waterfalls there...

A different day trip to Tahquamenon Falls.

And again some falls in Munising.

Couldnt resist this one of after the kid went to bed one night. Note Brandon's tiny coffee cup. there was NOT COFFEE in there.

Pictured Rocks.

Bob, my FIL.

One of my personal favorite views;)

The Schultz Men.



Another adventure to Oswalds Bear Ranch. Very cool place. Apparently its so nice, wild bears try to get in there!

My rain drenched family with Mary the cub. As the guy was handing me my camera, Mary licked Teagen right up her face!

Nick doing his bear impression.

And here are the vacationers...

Bob and Joan.



Brandon and Laura.

Us! Jason and Jenn.

Owen( Alesha's youngest)

Jeremy, Dillon and Nick.

Jeremy again.

Jessica.

Teagen, Dillon and Summer.

The "big" girls, Celina and Rachael.

I think all I am missing is Alesha. Owen was a bit high maintence that week so I think she was pretty busy with him most of the time. I cant believe I dont have a shot of her!




Art project time...

The day we left, there was some icecream left that would never make the trip home. So it was icecream breakfast for the kids!

A well packed Jeep.

A few goodbyes...

On the way home it was between a stop at the Mystery Spot or The Deer Ranch. We went with the deer.

Great trip, wonderful time.

But as always, there's no place like home!!