Putting on My Rose Colored Glasses

[our little ewok]

Oh my... I just for the first time looked at my stats on my blog and was so super excited. I have had 2, 933 views on my blog since it's inception! Yippee!!! AND that does not include how many times I view it -- that's a relief because I would have been disheartened if half of those views were by me! :-( BUT people like me, they REALLY like me. Now, I know that is not alot of views for the blogs that I follow that have that many hits in a day or in like 2 hours. But for me who started this blog mainly for myself as a way to stay connected to family back home it is. The blog has grown into a journal for me to keep track of what we do on a daily basis in our busy household. I really like to come down to my dungeon in the basement and think about the things we did that day -- or share funny pics of the kids. It is my - me time!

I have been informed though that I am in a dream world when I write this blog. Yes, I come down to my computer put on my Rose Colored Glasses and then write about what we have been doing as a family. I glance at the pictures that I have taken since the last time I wrote a blog post, and the words spill out of me about the great times that were had by all!! The funny thing is I can put all the yucky moments out of mind -- just like that. The pictures are usually all the happy moments caught in action and not all the temper tantrums, whiny moments, headaches, .... the moments that do not make me a very "good" mommy. We have no pictures of mommy rushing out the door Monday morning bringing Rosetta to school still in my pajamas because no one wanted to have mommy comb their hair, or Glorianna throwing a fit on the floor because she wanted a cookie and mommy gave her an apple instead or the touch and go moments right when Rosetta comes home from school {the precious minutes that delegate whether this is going to be a good afternoon or an afternoon that I will later want to forget} Many of the blog postings are about our adventures on the weekend because those are the happy times when daddy is home and mommy is at her happiest!! It is so much easier to parent when there are the two of us. I tend to blog about all the good things, and who would blame me. If I wrote down how a typical day goes in the Schulte household during the week then I would get many comments on how I should have handled each situation better. And though criticism is great (said sarcastically) I am doing the best I can. There aren't many days that i don't go to bed thinking I should have done something differently, I know this. The perfect mother I am NOT!

Now don't get me wrong, 9 out of the 10 moments during a day are perfectly pleasant and put a smile on my face just thinking of them. It is those sour moments that can just ruin a day. That said.... you couldn't believe the rotten day i am having today..... Just kidding!

We have had alot of fun lately skyping with the family. On Friday afternoon we got an unexpected call from our little lauren. Rosetta and I were playing matching game upstairs when I heard the computer give a little ring -- telling me someone is trying to skype. Rosetta and I hurried downstairs to see Luren at the computer talking to us. It took us a while to get her sound working since she couldn't hear us but we could hear her! I had to text her dad in another room to turn the sound on..... what would we do without technology?!?! So Rosetta and Lauren sat in different states in different time zones eating snack after school with each other and telling each other how their day was. Hillarious jus to be a viewer to this interaction.
That morning, Xavier and Glorianna had to do some homework to bring to school for the month. I use the word homework loosely since all they had to do was decorate a piece of red construction paper to become a section in a chinese dragon. We emptied mommy's stock of craft items and selected glitter, markers, some spices and glue to decorate our dragons. We shook some dill weed and celery seed on the paper to create cool patterns. Bummer that mommy had just cleaned the kitcen and swept all the floors and had to get the vacuum out AGAIN that day.... but we had fun doing our "homework".

Xavier had a basketball game on Saturday morning. It amazing the difference a year makes. he made 2 baskets at yesterdays game. Last year he didn't want to get into the cluster o other kids to get the ball, and this year he isn't afraid to get to the ball. And he can dibble so much better too! Here is his follow through after one of his buckets!! LOL we will have to work on that!!!

They matched kids up with the opponent that they would be gaurding. Xavier and this little kids shook hands until the whistle blew!

There is our boy going for the rebound! I don't think he will be playing a post position! But he sure is quick.

Daddy is helping coach the team, nate even got in the team photo. I think this the beginning of a beatiful thing!! :-) Daddy has adjusted his work schedule to be at all his games & practices so far.

Well, my daughter just woke up and wants to do some scrapbooking with momma -- so I am going to go have some fun!!! Let's see if I get anything accomplished? Later....

say cheeseburger

Okay had fun this morning (daddy thinks I am psycho!) but had an informal photo session with the kids to get a good pic of all 4 of the kids for valentines day. We had a blast last year doing the photos -- the kids got all dressed up and smiled for the camera. This year we added lily to the mix which makes it a little more difficult with a small baby.
But still the kids are so great in front of the camera -- that we had alot of fun!! Of course I have to get feet pictures!! I love their little toes

Taking lots of pictures also means hanging out in my dungeon and playing around with the photos when I am finished. Me TIME!!!

I had all the girls hair done this morning since we had baths last night and their hair was ready to be flattened and curled. Glorianna's turned out really good today -- to bad it only lasts a few minutes before it is "heat miser" hair again!!

Even dodger couldn't stay out of the room, he wanted his picture taken.

Oh I just love these kids -- they are the cutest kids in the world.

Lily wasn't very fond of the hat when she pulled it over her eyes. Not a big fan -- but Aunt Bethy the outfit is adorable!!!

LOOK -- we even got lily to smile!!! yeah daddy for jumping in and helping mommy take the picture while I acted silly to get the smiles!!! Daddy had to venture upstairs to see what all the ruckus was about!

And here is Rosetta blowing everyone kisses. My little happy girl sharing the love!! I can't wait to play with the pictures some more and scrapbook all these pages in all 4 scrapbooks. I am so excited because Lily's scrapbook just came in the mail yesterday. I don't know why I ordered it when I have the other 3 kids scrapbooks to finish before I can even start lily's, but it is good motivation to get scrapbooking. YEAH!!!

Growing WAY too fast

Has it been a week since I blogged last?? Seriously where is the time going? This week was a news flash into how fast all my kids are growing up. I got in the mail yesterday a letter from Xavier's school explaining Kindergarten roundup (where he will go and sign up fro kindergarten and meet the teachers) Can you believe it! I can't believe next year he will be going to school all day with his big sister Rosetta. He also has feet that are growing like crazy... I had to go out last week and buy him all new shoes after I saw that he had blisters on the tops of his feet after basketball from too small of shoes. Lily is growing like a weed too. We now call her chubbs, chubbers, or moose. I try to hide her third chin with turtlenecks!!! LOL No, really she has started to put on her baby fat and loves every ounce of it. She is a very happy baby!!!

All of us are getting our arm workouts in by lifting her and carrying her around.

The kids are still in LOVE with all their new Christmas gifts. We have been playing alot of the board games, the color wonder books, playing dress up.... even Xavier gets in on the action. i caught him one day playing princesses with glorianna in the morning. The picture would have even been better if I had caught him before he kicked off the high heels! I am just glad they were getting along. ;-) I have been impressed with their imaginations lately...I can remember only 1 1/2 years ago when I was concerned with their lack of imagination. Now they can play house, princesses, they even reenact movies. Just the other day they were playing Pocahontas. Rosetta was Pocahontas, xavier was John Smith and Glorianna was a "savage" (they were singing the song from the movie. I was just giggling in the basement. I had to pull the plug on the playing when xavier starting putting glorianna in a head lock -- he claims they tried to kill him.

Mommy has been drawn into many games of UNO and match game. I have stopped counting how many times we have played this game. -- thanks whoever got this for the kids for Christmas, it was a big hit!

Glorianna is a stud when it comes to the matching game. She has a GREAT memory. They also have learned not to get mad at each other and try to help each other find matches. Good teamwork!!

Daddy has been working ALOT lately. The kids don't get to see him much. We get maybe about 1-2 nights of supper with him a week. Each moment he gets with the kids is precious and I definitely see that Xavier misses daddy the most. Xavier does gets alone time with daddy each week when daddy brings him to basketball. Daddy is helping one of our friends coach the team. At the first practice, Glenn told the team their name was the 'lil hawkeyes' and Xavier said no. Glenn said just for the games they will be the 'lil hawkeyes' and xavier said no again. nate had to convince him it was okay just this one time to be called a hawkeye -- but really we are buckeyes! hilarious, he is a true buckeye!! Lily just keeps getting more aware of her surroundings. She now knows when mommy leaves the room and is entertained my her brother and sisters. She also has fallen in love with an app on our iphones and if she is fussy , Nate knows how to calm her by playing this little video for children in black and white shapes and funky music.

Just love this little girl's grin.
The kids think she can play with their big toys too --- I caught xavier playing toy story with her the other day. buzz is almost as big as her!

I am also staying with the exercising.... need alot of motivation everyday though. the kids are having fun playing wii fit with mommy. Here is Glorianna showing mommy her muscles she just got from doing push ups!

Xavier's favorite part is doing planks -- it makes mommy feel less self conscience when I am laughing at my kids doing the exercises!!!

I hope to keep up this -- the last few days I have really needed the caffeine to get moving. I am just lucky I didn't get kicked of the biggest loser game this week -- will try to do better at the weigh in next week! Feel free to call me in the morning to get me going, I need it most days... this cold weather makes me want to stay in my pjs. Wishing I was in the Florida sunshine with mom and dad --mental note: need to plan vacation in January to visit Kurt and Kate next year to avoid all this cold weather. Anything is better than 5* three days in a row!!!

A New Year!

Can you believe that January is almost half over?!?! Where is the time going? Well we have been a very busy and very happy household. We started off the new year's at home and that is when little miss Lily decided to sleep through the night. (Mommy and Daddy are sooo pleased!!) And Lily has kept on sleeping through the night. She has got her schedule down like clock work and is starting to coo and smile sooo much. It is precious. Last Monday she had her 2 month checkup -- 10 weeks She is now 12 lbs. and 5 oz. and 97% in Height for her age. She got some of her vaccines -- it was hard for mommy to see her little girl get poked. She is such a happy baby and I hate that the mean old nurse lady made her cry! :-)

But all seems to be going well as far as Lily sleeping through the night. Now only if we could get Glorianna to sleep 8-10 hours too! The last 3 nights she has been getting up in the middle of the night and coming to wake mommy up. I ask -- why don't children come and wake up daddy and want him in the middle of the night??? Huh? She has also continued to wet the bed almost every night. I was hoping I would be done with the pull-ups... but it seems we have not figured out this problem yet.

Since January came, we have had some great snow flurries. The latest was the 6-8" we got on Monday night. The kids were so excited to play in the fresh snow Tuesday. We had a snow day so Rosetta was home to play too!

Even mommy with the camera was not immune to the snow ball fight!

Dodger and Archie are not liking the cold snow one bit -- they go out do their business and are inside in a flash.

The fresh snow was perfect for snow angels!!!

And all the extra clothes and snow coming the house make a busy mom have even MORE to clean up!!! UGH! it is impossible to keep a clean house when the kids are home from school!!

Tuesday was a BIG night! Daddy turned 32!! We celebrated with meal at home and a delicious "Yummy's" cake. Yum-Yum. The kids got daddy a Ohio state fleece jacket and mommy got daddy a hammer drill for some projects around the house! The kids were in heaven with the cake and ice cream and then daddy surprised them with letting them play the Wii.

Another exciting thing happened Tuesday -- Rosetta lost another tooth!!! We had put the kids down for bed... and the next thing I knew she was down stairs with the tooth in her hand. We put it under her pillow and low and behold.... the tooth fairy showed up!!! Rosetta had gotten $2.00.

The next morning she came downstairs with her money and gave it to me and said

Rosetta: "you get $1.00 mommy, and daddy gets $1.00. "

Mommy: "why aren't you keeping your money and putting it in your pretty piggy bank?"

Rosetta: "because I want you and daddy to have"

Mommy: "...but why?"

Rosetta: "because you say you have no money to take us to McDonald's and NOW you do! isn't that great! "

Mommy: (trying not to laugh) "Rosetta how bout you keep your money and put it in your piggy bank you deserved it with losing your tooth and we will think about going to McDonald's sometime."

---- Oh my the things that they say -- apparently my plan to not go to McDonald's was figured out!

Instead of eating McDonald's, mommy has been cooking alot of meals at home. And not the processed foods that I can just throw in the oven..... for daddy's birthday we made double stuffed chicken breasts, last night I made enchiladas, tomorrow i am making chimichangas for lunch and beef and noodles for supper. We have been trying to eat our vegetables too. Sometimes it is too much fun to play with our food. Like Xavier trying to be a snake with his celery.

As for the new year resolutions.... I am not doing too bad. I have been working out religiously. In fact since New Year's I have only missed 2 days of fully working out -- but that doesn't include on those days being a mom which makes me sweat most days! I pulled out the Wii fit and Xavier and Glorianna enjoy working out with mommy and following along with Jillian michaels on the screen. As for being a more patient mommy.... I am working on it. Most days I am doing really good, it has helped that I am spending more time playing with them during the day. The only one this backfires on is Rosetta. I spend at least 45 minutes with just her everyday after she comes home from school -- doing things like: writing words, doing word searches, playing uno, playing princess and the frog on the Wii (just the two of us), filling out her valentines.... but then she won't leave me alone for the rest of the night. I then have to do everything with her or she gets all upset. Not sure how I am going to teach her that sometime mommy just needs to get some things around the house done. i just hurt her feelings soooo bad.... and she totally forgets the one on one time I just had with her 15 minutes ago! UGH!! Any suggestions I will gladly take them.

Well -- I just got done skypeing with mom and dad (that is a sentence I never thought I would say! ) LOL The new year has really got us keeping in touch with the family back east through skype. The kids have had fun seeing grandma and grandpa and have even asked in the car coming home from school if they can skype! So if you have a computer and a webcam.... get skype so we can talk!!! Okay now I am off to bed. Can't get enough of that these days. I think it is the cold weather ... doesn't make me jump out of bed in the morning. And who ever said working out gives you more energy... I say bull larky. It doesn't make me any perkier, but I am not going to stop even with the bags under the eyes.

uh, oh ... sub pump and heater both kicked in -- can't hear myself think -- time for bed!!! Mental note: need to sound proof this room!

A View from Glorianna's Eyes

Santa brought Glorianna her own digital camera... so cool just like mommy's. She was in heaven (and so were who brother and sister who love it as well). Here is just a glimpse of the world through the eye of a 3 year old. Fascinating. I am thinking of giving her the camera more often because she could get alot more people to smile than I can! Do not be distracted by the blurriness of the camera -- it is not the quality it is that the camera does not stop moving so she must take pictures in motion. When held quite still it does take a good picture. Get a good laugh!!

There were many self portraits taken by the camera (at least 200!!) many are of her feet... I don't know if she is fascinated by her feet of accidentally takes a pic while the camera is down... who knows??

She is thinking "what does it look from this side of the camera... wait I am blind!!!" :-)

Mommy gives a good smile for the camera moments after the present is opened. Glorianna is slightly distracted from opening any more gifts after this!!!
Lincoln what a cutie
Cheese
Grandpa Bill looks soooo tall from down here!
"stand still Uncle Neil"
Xavier in a heated game of Guess Who

"Smile Grandma"

Someone needs a diaper change...LOL

"Uncle Kurt look what I can do!!!" -- a little close up!

Awwwww... so cute

Look at Aunt Bethie's pearly whites!

The boys... Will and Xavier
Then mommy made the mistake of showing Glorianna what she can do with the camera. ADD STICKERS to the photos. This gets really funny. The kids all got a kick out of adding antlers, pacifiers, and moustaches to people's pictures.

Look at this BIG baby!!!
Daddy with a little facial hair!!!!

It's my birthday!!!

A little off center, but we are learning

You are sooo pretty grandma

Uncle Kurt needed some soothing
I just can't help laughing at all the 568 pictures she has taken already!!! 500 are pictures of the floor, a hand, or the wall .... but I will make her a photographer yet. More goodies to come!!!