Snow Fight!!

the Blankemeyer grand kids in the snow!!

Faith is trying to be an ice skater on the ice... the kids had a blast slipping and sliding on the pond

daddy is trying to get warm

faith and xavier

Glorianna was trying to make snow angels on her stomach!! heehee
Even Lincoln made it out in the cold. He made it down the hill in the sled with Daddy behind him.

The big hill at my mom and dad's is just awesome to sled down. We spent many winters sledding down that hill and then when we got older -- we got a kick out of driving the snowmobiles down that hill. Your stomach would lurch and there was an instant thrill. it is fun to see my kids having fun doing the same things mommy did as a little girl.

Xavier just loved having another boy around the house. Thanks will for being a boy that Xavier could be rough and tumble with a few days.

Uncle Kurt and Faith
After being out in the snow a short time I was chilled to the bone. So into the house I went to find this -- I just love it!!!

Lily just loves her little gym that she got from Grandma Pam... she is getting to the age where she sees more things and can focus

This little boy was a little cold when he came in from the snow... but grandma Judy had hot chocolate waiting!!

Uncle Kurt even got a little time with Lily

More snuggles from Aunt Kathy --
Mason is just soooo relaxed, such a good baby!
On Wednesday we hung out at Grandma Pam's. Lil Lauren was there and the kids had a blast playing around at grandma's. This is movie time (we watched Toy Story 3) they all sat and watched the whole movie!!
We headed back home to ottumwa on Thursday morning after a breakfast of egg burritos by Grandpa Bill. Yum! We decided to have people over to our house for New Year's this year so we wouldn't have to find a babysitter and so our kids wouldn't destroy anyone else's house. So as soon as we walked in the door Thursday night I was a cleaning machine. Everything got put away before we had company. The kids went to bed before the ball dropped so this morning we celebrated new year's with our own cheers with Sparkling grape juice. The kids LOVED it!! not to mention the cool party hats! mommy even let them drink out of my champagne flutes. (New Year's resolution -- be more lenient and not soooo uptight!! :-)

Here is some of the crew from new Year's... it was fun!!

2010 was a great year!! We were truly blessed with the finalization of the 3 oldest, lilyana marie's birth, being able to travel on a few vacations, and many fun family nights with just the 6 of us! I look forward to 2011 and the many new things that will bring. I don't know why I bother with New Year's resolutions because by Feb 1st... I have failed 90 % of them, but this year there are a few things I am definitely going to work on.

1. Of course working out more is the top of the list... but with 4 kids it will be a struggle. If anyone wants to help me with motivation let me know .. I can use all the help I can get.

2. To be a better mom .... more patience, being less uptight about little things, and being able to enjoy the moment more

3. To be a better wife and not let all my stress to be taken out on Nate. Because he is my husband as well as my best friend I tend to unload on him a little too much.

4. AND to be more Christlike and to really work on my connection to the Lord. I tend to lose sight of what really matter and get sucked into petty things and if I just slowed down and prayed about it things would seem alot less overwhelming sometimes.

SO this isn't a crazy list of things that are impossible, but a doable list of things to be constantly working and striving towards... I will give you an update Feb 1st to see how I am doing on all these resolutions. LOL

Happy New Year's Everyone!!

Blessed By God

Lily and Mason's baptism was on December 26th the day after Christmas. Most of the family was home, so we thought it was a great time to have this celebration. Lily ended sleeping throughout the whole thing -- even when Father Mark poured the holy water over her.

the grandparents

our family -- the kids were promised cake and ice cream if they smiled!! Bribery will get us everywhere!!

Mason and Lily on the altar

All the kids sang "Away in the Manger" to start off the ceremony

Rosetta was such a cutie!!!

Mason and Lily were such sweet babies the whole day. I think my sister and I are very lucky to have such perfect babies!!

Lily wore Nate's baptismal gown for her baptism. Mason wore his big brother Lincoln's baptismal outfit.

What an Angel!!!

Lily with her cake!! YUM... more food. Seriously this trip was hard on the diet!!

Mason's godparents -- Scott's brother Matt and My sister Kathy

Lily's Godparents -- Nate's sister-in-law Stacy and My brother-in-law Scott (he played double duty as father to mason and godfather to Lily)

I'll be home for christmas...

WOW -- i cannot believe that 2010 is over and done with. It has flown by sooo fast,
the kids have grown up so much in the last year and I don't know if I can catch up. December went by in a flash. Of course we had a great holiday!! We had alot of fun this year with the kids and seeing their little eyes light up with every new tradition! Rosetta had a special birthday party the Saturday before Christmas. Her kindergarten friend who turned 6 had a princess birthday party at the Iowa School of Beauty. The girls had to wear a princess dress and got manicures, hair done and makeovers.... I am not ready for this yet! She looked so grown up and loved every minute of it!!!
Their party favor was a single rose -- like Beauty and the Beast! This kind of party puts Rosetta's little 3 hour giggle fest to shame! I am going to have to step up to my "A" game next year in the birthday party category.

Look at our little Princess all dolled up!! Watch our daddy she is going to be a cutie!!
Before we headed to Ohio for the holidays I found my old stocking (the one I came home from the hospital in) and had to get some sweet shots of Lily in mommy's stocking. I took a few minutes out of 4 day packing extravaganza to be a photographer. Then on to more packing. You would have thought we were moving out of the house if you got a load of all the luggage!! We celebrated Christmas eve at Nate's parents house. The whole crew was there. We all attended Christmas children's mass -- where R and X brought up offertory and were all very well behaved considering the 2 hours we were in church! After we feasted on a supper of homemade chicken noodle soup and mashed potatoes, it was time to open the gifts!! R was very excited to open her biggest gift from dale and Stacy....

Rosetta received an American Doll from her Godfather Dale for Christmas. It is completely adorable.. mommy is a bit jealous because Santa never brought her the Samantha American Girl that she had asked for when she was a little girl... but I might have been on the naughty list!! ;-)
Aunt Stacy got a little cuddle time in with her goddaughter...
so did mommy!!
A Schulte tradition is to get a picture of the family before we open gifts.... the grand kid picture has expanded quite a bit in the last few years. And we aren't done -- Jeff and Ash are adding to the crew any day now!!
Miss Glorianna was ecstatic over her gift from Uncle Neil!! A princess tiana doll and a princess tiana dress. She was all smiles and Uncle Neil has become her new best friend -- even though she says he tickles!!
After we opened all the gifts and played (a bit too rambunctiously) we headed back to grandma Judy's to get to bed so Santa would come. We almost forgot to put out cookies and milk, but Rosetta remembered and then they were all tucked in and sleeping before you could say "ho-ho-ho". Christmas Morning we had 3 very excited children. They were very patient to wait for everyone else to get up and going to watch the opening of gifts.
Xavier had to show off his new v-tech to both grandmas.

Little miss lily didn't get much out of the opening of gifts... but next year it will be fun to see her tearing into the gifts much like her older brother and sisters. Grandpa & grandma spent alot of time making Lily smile.

Glorianna's loot from Santa included: a ice cream cone station, a barbie corvette, aquadoodle, and her own digital camera (pictures from her camera to follow!) She loved everything she opened EVEN clothes. She is such a sweetheart!!

Christmas day the kids and the "big" kid were engrossed in their new video games.

The "big" kids also participated in the Nerf wars that happened in Grandma Judy's basement.
Dennis and Nate had a little too much fun -- here they are picking up the ammo.

The bar was used as a hideout .... I couldn't stop laughing the whole time i was down there watching it. Luckily no one was seriously injured.

Faith took a little time away from Nerf wars to hold her new baby cousin, Lily.

Lynn Denise, and Lincoln

Brooke and Lily

My brother Kurt didn't get much time to relax before being shoved into the festities. Kurt, Kate and Will got to Mom's the day after christmas from Florida. We were very glad that their flights were not delayed too much that we couldn't open gifts and hang out all together.

here is the kid's table enjoying Grandma Judy's lasagna. Yum Yum

Lily got her christmas meal as well!! :-) My brother Dennis and Lily

Rosetta had picked out her own gifts for her brother and sisters, mom, dad and the puppies. She went to a santa's workshop at school and bought all the gifts herself. I was very proud to see how happy she was to see each person open the gift she picked specifically for them. [never mind the bandage on Xavier's head -- it was from a Nerf injury!! :-)]

Mom, Dad and Mason
My niece Brooke brought her boyfriend Brad to Christmas this year.
Glorianna was a cute little chef, thanks to godmother Brooke!! Needless to say the kids were spoiled rotten by everyone -- but it was so much fun. We got to see all the family members and many friends. It was a week full of great food and LOTS of laughter. I am sad to see it go by so quickly but look forward to many more memories in 2011.