Rhino Pajama's

I saw these little boy pajama's at Target and had a good laugh --- for those that know the significance of rhino's in the Schroeder house then you understand why I was laughing - I was really tempted to buy it just to cut it and stretch over some canvas for the wall... actually I kinda wish I had, its just too fitting

Some Photos

The kids grow fast. 

And I know before long I wont remember the details of our days when they were young. Their silly little facial expressions that they seem to make all day long will soon be a fading memory. There’s so many little details I never want to forget. The way they clap when they see Daddy’s car coming down the street, and the sparkle in their eye when he opens his car door. The times when (every) night they poke their head out their room and say “I want water… I want a kiss…. I want…anything but to go to bed” (okay they don’t say the last one but that’s what they're really saying), I know those moments, although at times feel so frustrating, won’t last. Soon we’ll look back and miss their excuses for more Mommy and Daddy time. Or how every night Shortie colors us a picture and drops it down the stairs for us to find when we go to bed. Heck, I know I’ll even look back with a little sadness on the moments with all five in car seats and how going for a drive always meant loud nonstop chatter.

Just the other day I was giving the boys a bath and bent my head down to wipe something off the tub and Conrad filled their bath bucket up with water and dumped on my head. Clapping. Loud happy clapping followed. He was so proud of himself thinking he was washing my hair or doing me a favor – because that’s exactly what we do to him --- It was so funny and precious I couldn’t do anything but laugh and clap along with him – he got me. Its moments like that I wish I could have caught on tape or never forget.

So I take lots of pictures – trying to help my memory remember all these times – the good and the bed (yup, I try to take pictures of when jam was tracked all over the house, when paint was smeared all over the basement, when my brand new expensive lotion was squirted all in the toilet… can’t forget those moments too…. If not for anything but evidence to show the kids when they are older). We are so blessed and the photos can serve as a nice reminder of just how blessed we are.

the boys

silly faces

more silly faces

eating celery

(hehe. future blackmail) helping me cook

playing keys together

Berry Picking

For part of the boys birthday (okay, honestly, we had been wanting to go anyway, but to make it seem even more special we told the boys it was for them) we went to one of the local farms and picked blackberries, raspberries, and dug up potatoes. The kids had such a blast! (so did Jon and I - we cant wait to have a bigger property and create our own farm). I loved that kids really got into and even with the potatoes they were all in the dirt digging - Conrad was trying so hard to climb over the plants he lost his pants at one point. We probably could have stayed all day but it was in the mid 90s and with the humidity it was just killer.  We are looking forward to going back during the summer and fall to pick even more awesome fruits and veggies...oh and beans!



Zekie picked several not so ripe blackberries, but he still ate them and had fun!



Schroeder family out berry pickin

they love the farm

pants are falling off

happy Graesynn - she loved the potatoes

dirty booty

trying to help dig up the potatoes - so cute!

Boys Birthday

Happy Birthday to my Birthday Boys!

the boys birthday wreath (its part of our birthday tradition - every Schroeder birthday gets a balloon wreath to match their theme, and its up for at least a week)

Yesterday Bubba turned 5 and Zekie turned 3!

We had wanted to do a huge party - guitars and trains - but another family from church was doing a party at the same time and we would hate to have our friends have to pick - so we cancelled our party and just had a super fun family day and we'll be going berry picking this weekend to celebrate.

We have a tradition of decorating the house during nap time. So the three boys took a nap and us girls decorated! Shortie was so excited to show the boys their decorations and presents all wrapped up.

We also had a great skype party with Gaw, Papa, Great Grandma and Harleigh Dog. (It wouldn't feel like a birthday without a skype party... technology is amazing)

Zekie wanted a chocolate cake with frosting - yummy! thats my kind of cake! (I made our really yummy vegan chocolate cake -- it was one of the first vegan baking recipes I ever tried, and now I can't imagine any other type of chocolate cake) We put the trick candles on the cake and at first he wasn't sure if he was fond of them, but then he really started laughing and having fun with it. Eventually everyone was trying to help blow them out - unsuccessfully. The last one wouldn't stay out until Jon flipped it upside down into the cake- eww, I made sure to avoid that wax filled piece...

Bubba wanted a vanilla bean cake (it was vegan too --- very sweet, so they loved it). They all had fun getting in on his trick candles.

I still can't believe Bubba is five! Zekie seems older to me, so being three was only odd, because I felt he should have been four. I mean, think about it this way = 4 months after his first birthday Conrad was born, and then 5 months after his 2 birthday Graesynn was born --he just turned 3 and he already has two younger siblings trying to chase after him. That just seems insane to me, so we keep thinking he must be older!

I love my birthday boys and we are so blessed to have the opportunity to celebrate 5 and 3 years worth of awesome life together!