The Schmidt House

So today I was catching up on everyone's blogs when little man and I visited my friend Carey's site and read about how they make decisions in their home . JG was quite entertained by Carey's little J's Montana comment. We went about our day, like every other day here at the Schmidt house. JG was winding down for the night and just asked me when we can go on our trip to, "that state you know in that brog. What was it mommy?" I asked him to clarify because I wasn't following - it has been a long day. "Oh yeah. I know it. Hannah Montana, mom. When can we go to Hannah Montana?"

"There is no such thing as fun for the whole family." - Jerry Seinfeld Yeah, I think we proved him wrong...

We Schmidts are having a great vacation here in the Dells. Wisconsin really is a pretty state especially if you like beer and cheese (as DLS says). We went to town yesterday and went on a Jet Duck Boat ride down the Wisconsin River, all of us got soaked especially the home office. The kids (including our niece ZE) have swam non-stop, in fact they are at the pool again after a full day at Noah's Ark water park. I think I aged about twenty years in ten seconds today. AE decided she wanted to go down the Point of No Return with Uncle Dave, it is a drop slide where you are supposed to cross your arms on your chest, lay on your back and slide down. We watched at least 50 people drop doing it the "right" way until AE's turn. Always having to be different she got scared, didn't cross anything and did the drop sitting up. I thought I was going to throw up. Everyone went "OH" when she started down and held their breath. She was fine thank God, but scared. JG

We Schmidts are off to Wisconsin Dells with DLS' family for a few days, so we won't have any posts until next Wednesday at the earliest, unless I can find a PC (which seems doubtful) so there will be no holiday posting like K has done. I am sure I will have some tales to tells from our adventure to the "Promised Land" according to JG. He has taken quite the shine to the Green Bay Packers thanks to our good friends and Wisconsinites - the Roses. Our kid spends a few days over there and has become a Brett Favre zealot, much to the chagrin of his father. JG is so excited his Favre Beanie Baby gets to go "home". Once again, blasphemy (I love that word).

So the bathroom is finished. Finally. Just mopped the floor and had to take a photo before the home office's morning routine. I am trying to decide if I love it or if it is too busy. My mom found the mirrors at an estate sale, I painted them nickel and now DLS walks up to them and says, "Mirror, mirror on the wall...." They do kinda look like the Magic Mirror from Snow White. Don't want it to be so busy it turns into one of those old lady bathrooms with the crochet toilet paper doll hider thing . Does anyone remember those? What reminds me of an older person's bathroom; crochet and Skin So Soft bubble bath. Must be that nice old lady who used to babysit us in Rapid when we were little. Her bathroom was pink, pink and more pink all done up by Avon. I digress and must go to bed now. I will sleep well now that I have closure, but need to start on the basement tomorrow.

My good friend, former college roommate and fellow blogger Karen put this out on her site in honor of our new purchase I will pick up this afternoon. Shel & Nik - WARNING. Go to the restroom before viewing this. It is classic. I can honestly say there have been some days when my old van just may have looked like the "redecorated" van. I had all good intentions of naming my former new vehicle (aka pretty, shiny Yukon) "My Precious", however I just not feeling that name for the new Town & Country . Any name suggestions are appreciated, however I will not entertain either Sméagol or Gollum , just can't do that to the new car it hasn't done anything to me to deserve that other than take the place of "My Precious". Thanks Karen for making my day!

The kids learned how to tube this weekend. It wasn't all that challenging for little man, he just sat in the tube and bounced around. AE had a better go at it, she was thrown off quite a bit by her crazy driving dad. She even tried water skiing which wasn't a big hit in AE's book, I think we will have to try it again soon. All in all we had a great time, DLS said he had a nice Father's Day hanging out in the Chum Bucket with the family.

I have been writing this little daily journal of our goings on for about eight months now and I can honestly tell you it is one of the most therapeutic things I have done in a long time. I mean there are items I choose not to share, I write about them, get it all out and then delete the post, but for the most part we Schmidts - the good, the bad and the ugly are here in print. I have been trying to get my sister to read the blog because there are many things that only she can relate to, we really have this sick, twisted sense of humor, but she really hasn't taken much interest in our little Schmidt House blogging world until now. Amy has gone to the dark side and started her own blog... Presley Press (link to the left). The best part is in her first post she finally admitted I was right - which I knew all along, but I now have it in writing. Ha.

Happy Father's Day or as it is known around here: that day for dad. JG wrote DLS a card. It went a little something like this: Happy Father's Day. I love you lots. Can we go boating? I love you - will you let me drive the boat? While we are on the topic of men and driving... would someone explain this to me? Why is it only men (mostly men in large pickups) have the need to back into parking spots? I am at a loss.

I have been anticipating a new vehicle purchase for quite some time having thought I've had quite enough of the minivan scene. Don't get me wrong I have a completely tricked out family truckster, but you just do not get any respect in a van here in the Cities. I was anxiously anticipating purchasing our new Tahoe/Yukon and watching everyone get out of my way when I came through town. Today I had a little epiphany. I finally came to the realization I must continue my minivan driving mama stint at least for a couple more years, sigh. We went and drove the pretty, shiny Yukon this morning and by the time we left I had come full circle on the minivan thing. Our family needs the ease of a van right now in our life, I love not having to open doors for multiple children, dogs or groceries, not really having to worry about slamming little fingers in big doors and not having to get out in order to let someone into the 3rd row of seats. Also I couldn't fathom trying to go to the groc

Week one of summer is gone. We Schmidts had an action packed week of t-ball, golf, softball, tennis, swimming and basketball camp - and oh yeah dog sitting. Next week we're off running amok to The Avalanche Ranch ( VBS ) and many, many other things.

After last post lamenting complete crap day, thought I should look on the bright side of having a few extra hours, so thought I would try to get a few more things done around the house. However I have learned the hard way not to do the following after opening wine: Hang wallpaper or pictures Balance family budget Caulk kitchen sink - again Watch these videos from Britain's Got Talent and expect to get through without crying (videos are a bit long, but worth the time). This just may fill my American Idol void. Paul Potts, shy, phone salesman from Wales: Tony Laf, 26 year-old, surrogate father from London: Lastly, 6 year-old Connie. Wow...

Ever have one of those days where you feel like the fates are against you every step of the way? Well, today was my day to have the powers that be shine on me. It isn't even 8:00 p.m. and I have opened a bottle of Malbec and am going to go to bed very, very soon. Here are a few highlights: Started day by losing contact, finally was resolved to open the new pair when I found my old one stuck to the top of my foot. Dusted it off, but it is just not the same will need to open new set tomorrow. Maybe being able to see properly will make everything all better. Dropped breakfast on the floor while carrying the bestest bagel with cream cheese and boysenberry jam to the table. Dogs loved the snack, however was not too upset because had one more bagel in reserve which I forgot about and incinerated. Dogs didn't love second bagel as much as first. Dropped all of AE's clean shorts in dog's water dish, have now rewashed, but somehow a kleenex made its way into second load and will

AE and her friend AB decided to pull together a neighborhood book swap after both of their mothers nixed the idea of them going door to door selling their wares (friendship bracelets, necklaces etc.) The swap was a success and I think we just may do another in the middle of the summer when the kids say for the billionth time, "we're bored."

JG was bit yesterday by a horse fly while playing outside...no good. My poor little man.

Our master bath has been the Partridge Family bus for the past TWO years. Yes, two years, I can hardly believe it myself. Two years ago, to the month, I stripped the wallpaper down and continued my ongoing search for the perfect serene gray/blue/green tint I saw in Martha Stewart's pantry. I had at least five plus attempts at the right color in a checkerboard on my wall when I enlisted the neighborhood designer for hue help. After much deliberation we ended up with gray, yes gray, or actually it was Subtle Hue from Sherwin-Williams. So, two years ago I went and bought a gallon of Subtle Hue to color our world and spent a fortune on a wallpaper border to boot. To make a long story short, Subtle Hue and the wallpaper have sat on a shelf in the store room for two years because I honestly believe I couldn't bring myself to paint my bathroom gray, yes gray. Yesterday for some reason I woke up and decided to take Subtle Hue off the shelf and begin painting, finally (yes, Nik - fi

This is our slogan for Schmidt Summer Fun 07 Let the fun begin. It's gonna be fun....right?

JG's best buddy NB brought over a dragonfly in his bug catcher this morning while we were waiting for the bus. JG is taking care of Mr. Dragonfly while NB went to the mall with his mom. JG just informed me that the dragonfly is really angry and is making this face because JG spun him around on the office chair and made the dragonfly really dizzy.

This morning JG snuggled in bed with me and listed off the rules of our household as he understands them: No throwing pillows No throwing pillows at lamps No throwing pillows at glass mostly water glasses No hitting your friends or sisters with hockey sticks, bats, dowels, kitchen things (utensils) or pillows You must keep your clothes on at all times unless you are in the shower because no one wants to see your underware - that would be way barassing (embarassing) Do not pour Tang in the refrigerator Frush (flush) the toy-it (toliet) No frushing toys or toothbrushes in the toy-it Tell mommy when I go outside in front, but I not go when mommy is in the shower cause she gets mad and she is wet Do not give the dog a bath with the hose and hand soap No drinking beard (beer) cause you can get sick I honestly do not know where Rule #11 came from. I asked JG who told him that and he said he just found it out in his head. Let's hope that little voice in his head speaks to little man REAL

The mutant roses have done it again. They are taking over the house, no matter what I do to tame them they have a mind of their own. I am going to take this picture into my favorite rose lady Marilyn and ask what I should do. We cut them waaaayyyy back last fall and once again chaos. However, now that I think about it why should my roses act any differently than everything else in our house...amok, amok, amok. Here is my organized chaos.

It is Tuesday. Tuesdays are supposed to be quiet days, but in our home they are rather chaotic due to over scheduling - thanks to mom (me). Chaotic Tuesdays will continue for the summer, again thanks to over scheduling mother who the home office says has no concept of time hence the overbooking of all members of the Schmidt house, excluding the dog. Mimi is wide open on Tuesdays if anyone would like to visit her she will be here alone in the laundry room because her family is out running amok. Events for Tuesday, June 5th: AE is attending her end of year picnic and is very excited. She is upstairs doing her hair for the third time this morning. She also cannot decide what to wear. Don't know why this trip to the park is causing so much clothing angst... JG is off to last swimming lesson for this session at Foss. He is doing really well and daddy will be going with him to watch him swim like a wild man. He is then going to go hang out with his buddy KL. I am off to tennis, first ti

We Schmidts have had a busy weekend. We left Friday before noon to go to my youngest cousin's ordination in Duluth. Everything seemed fine until we stopped at my folks and I realized my clothes for the weekend were in the laundry room closet... at home. I had handed both of my dresses to the home office to put with his stuff, however I was not specific enough to also add, "Please put in the car with your clothes as well." So, the minute we reached Duluth I was off to Miller Hill Mall to make a quick purchase . I accomplished the mission in 47 minutes there and back, not bad if I say so myself. The ordination service was quite interesting, the kids were kept entertained during the nearly 3 hour mass by the music from a Kenyan choir, two of the priests ordained with Thomas were from Kenya. After mass we went to a reception where they served goat, in honor of our friends from Kenya. JG asked the woman in the buffet line for either a cheeseburger or pizza , unfortunately h

My goal for the summer is to have fresh flowers on this little table almost every day...