Life's a Stage! February 2010

Hubert Humphrey Elementary school does a "Variety Show" every year in the spring. Where the kids are able to show off their "talent". Some you can really categorize as talents, and some just choose to do something fun that may not fall under the category "official talent" but the kids love to find a spot on the stage! Lydia has done it since she was a little Kindergarten kid! She loves to sing, so she has done a solo every year! Last year, she did a stunning "Castle in the Cloud", and this year she started out the show with "The Star Spangled Banner". She did a great job! She sang the first and third verse. It was awesome, because not many people have heard the third verse, and it talks a lot about God! Loved it! She was a star! Loralyn decided to brave it this year! She did her little solo debut as a Kindergarten Cutie! She sang "I am a Child of God", and just was adorable! I am always really proud of her, because she get a few more "butterflies" when she gets ready to perform than her sister, but she does it! And, she sings with the pure innocence of a little child. She has a really sweet little voice. And you just can't go wrong with the cute words and music of "I am a Child of God"! It was really cute, because she hit the notes, and sounded great, even though she stayed still as a statue with her little arms folded! She had picked out her performing outfit and hair do! It is funny how different she and Lydia are! I hope they will always embrace their differences, and learn from one another! Bobby decided for the first time in three years to jump into the action. Now, Bobby is starting to sing a little more, but he is not a soloist! So, we had to get a little creative! His was one that probably couldn't be categorized as "talent" so to say, but it was a show stopper! He decided to do the dance from Napolean Dynamite, and it was HILARIOUS! He practiced up really hard all day! The night before he was ok, but not great. But he had that day off of school, so he worked ALL DAY on the moves, and it payed off! We got the outfit from the Sloan family in our ward. Their son had been Napolean for Halloween! I am a very bias mom, but he really did shock the audience with how down packed he had the moves! There was gut busting going on left and right...he had the audience cracking up! He did the right moves at the right time, and it was just funny! I've got to say, it is moments like these, where you see your kids just trying to do things, when I think parenting is really worth it! Lydia is a natural performer and loves it, but the other two really stepped out of their comfort zones! I was so proud of all of them for their valiant efforts! It paid off! They were great little performances! (At least for this bias mom!) I am just glad they are willing to give life a try! I hope they will always be willing to stretch their "comfort zones"! It is only when we stretch that we can grow! Thanks to Grandma Schmutz for playing the piano for the girls to sing! And Grandpa and Grandma Hall for coming to the show! We are lucky to have grandparents so close for some of our little life's moments! Life is a stage, so get up there and do something! Way to go guys!

GREAT Grandpa and Grandpa Schmutz!

So I just wanted to put in a plug for how much we love Grandpa and Grandma Schmutz, and that our kids are so lucky to have known and know their GREAT grandparents, who really are great! Grandpa Schmutz passed away when our Ray was 1 years old. He is the Grandpa that Ray is named after, and they are quite similar! They both love life, are quite charming, and great at teasing! They both get a little sparkle in the eyes, when they see the opportune moment to make a perfect tease! And Grandpa Ray was a farmer and rancher, and Ray inherited his love for horses, cows, and farming! I am grateful for Steve's grandparents! I instantly fell in love with them, the moment I met them! They are such amazing people, and so willingly love! I felt welcomed and loved into the family! We are very grateful we still have GREAT Grandma Schmutz! She too has a great zest for life! She loves to work hard and play hard! She can still play a hand of cards with the best, and just loves the interaction with family! Our kids look forward to going to St. George, Ut, whenever we can! I tell Steve how amazing it is that they just love being with her! We don't do anything too fancy when we go. It usually consists of just being with grandma...and the kids absolutely love it! They are great role models for my kids, and I believe they are a major factor in etching a testimony in Steve's heart! I also know that a lot of his work ethic came from summers spent working side by side with his grandpa! Whenever we went to visit, Steve loved going out to work with his grandpa! Whether it was watering the garden, raking leaves, cutting trees, or just shooting the breeze while they checked on the garden...Steve loved the time and wisdom he always learned being with his grandpa! And I am eternally grateful for his heritage, and the legacy that I hope to pass on to my boys! They had a true love story! I told Steve I hope we are still holding hands and flirting when we are great grandparents! :) How blessed we are to have family and relationships! I hope my kids always treasure their bonds!

The "E.T. KISS"....Bobby with his Great Grandma Sweat! 2003

This is one of those priceless captured moments that I love! This is my Grandma Sweat (my Mom's mom) when she was living with my mom. It was such a blessing to all of us, to enjoy her witty sense of humor and love for her grandkids...and great grandkids! We would take the kids over to visit, and Grandma's little body couldn't bend very far. So, she and Bobby came up with this "E.T. kiss"! She would kiss her older, service bent pointer finger...he would kiss his little chubby toddler finger, and they would meet in the middle! How grateful I am for the life and legacy my grandma gave to me. She was so great to be aware of everyone, and help in any way she could. She also was very good to make the best of her circumstances. She needed help to get on and off the toilet. One time she had done a stinky, and Steve went in to help her. She wittingly said, "So you've come to smell the roses?" So amazing! Lydia was little, and would sing that Primary song to her that goes...

"You give me a hug. You give me a kiss. You smile when you see me too.

I wish every child in the whole wide world had a grandmother just like you!"

She ended up singing it at Grandma's funeral, and it was more than I could take. That little tiny 3 year old singing her heart out with her little lisp! I know Grandma Sweat was smiling down from her well earned spot in heaven! How grateful I am for life's moments that truly are captured forever in time!

"NITTLE NUCY"...translation..."Little Lucy"

So I just had to post these pictures of Ray with "Nittle Nucy"! She is an adorable little girl in our ward, and we all just love her...but Ray just completely adores her! And it is so cute, because we all call her "little Lucy", and because he has a few speech issues, his comes out, "Nittle Nucy"! She loves him too! She enjoys all my kids, but the boys she tends to favor! That little flirt! :) And Ray is such a little charmer and loves to get reactions, that it is so cute to watch them interact! When her mom brought her over for some pictures, I had to get a few shots of Ray and her together. Who knows... maybe in a distant future she'll be "Nittle Nucy Schmutz!" I know, I know, I am out of control with the match making, but I just can't help it...it is in me! If I like people, I want them to be part of my family! And, I am a little paranoid about my boys finding good girls! It makes all the difference on how they turn out, and especially if we'll get to be part of their lives! It's a known fact, the girls naturally stay closer to their family! So, if I am ahead of the game, and find families that we are all hanging out anyway...it just seems logical! :) Actually, I am really lucky, because a lot of my best girl friends have had cute little girls all around my boys ages! They may just grow up thinking of each other as "cousins", but I can always hope! Don't worry, my fingers are crossed! It is very sad, because Lucy is moving this summer, but we sure wish her dad a lot of luck in grad. school, and I just know we will keep in touch, so I don't have to be devastatingly sad!

Welcoming our Newest Family Member April 2, 2010

Well, we had to put down Cody, and it was very sad. He was our little naughty boy, but we sure loved him! He will always be Cooper's "sidekick" in our minds! Steve buried him on the top of our hill out on our property in the east side of the mountains.

I was gone scrapping with some friends for the weekend, and had prepared myself to have to wait until we moved out to land, before Steve would let me get another dog. So, you can imagine my shock, when I got home to find Steve looking on line for another Aussie! I don't know what happened in those last moments with Cody, but he pulled through for the team... somehow, that dog that nearly daily got Steve's blood boiling over something, somehow tugged hard enough on his heart strings in the end, to make Steve realize how much he really does love our dogs! I told Steve I knew he loved him, when he didn't throw him over

the wall

after he had broke the blinds for the 2nd time (clawing his way in the house during a storm...he was phobic of storms!) and peeing and pooing all over our living room rug...and topping it off by killing the family bunny in the back yard! Of course, all of it happened when we were out of town, so thankfully my brother took care of the family bunny. It was when we got home, and Cody still had his home that I knew Steve really did love him! Anyways, it was the funnest puppy buy yet, because Steve was totally involved. Now, he did pick out Cooper in the litter, but reluctantly. He wasn't quite ready, or so he thought, for a new pup after Molly died. And I have got to say, that was a perfect match. Cooper is totally a match for Steve. He doesn't lick and jump up, and just hangs out near Steve while he is working...but doesn't get in the way. So, we checked out a local breeder, who had some really cute puppies, and she seemed like a great breeder, but we really wanted a blue merle. So, we got on line again, and I found Tex. It was really scary for us to do it that way, because we weren't sure what his personality was like. But, when the breeder told me she has 13 kids, and the youngest was 18 mths., I knew he would fit right into our clan! We decided to surprise the kids for Easter! I went to go pick him up at the airport, and it was 100% without a doubt, LOVE at FIRST SIGHT! He was not only just so cute to look at, but he had so much charm and personality! He came right up to me wagging his little stubby tail, and just melted my heart! Anyone who knows me, knows I am a sucker for puppies, but this one fit the bill! He is exactly what we would have picked, if we had a hundred litters to choose from! He also had just the happiest little eyes! Cooper has always had wise eyes, but this little Tex just had happy to be alive eyes! I brought him home, and he had the same effect on Steve! Then we took him out to the backyard where the kids were playing, and they were thrilled! In a matter of maybe 2 seconds he had won us all over! They were a little confused at first, because I had showed them Tex on the computer, but then told them he had been sold (I just didn't mention it was to us!). So, Lydia was saying, "But I thought you said he was sold." I told her, "He was! To us!" Once she got it all put together, they just loved and loved on that little puppy! We took him to Lydia and Bobby's game that night, and he has just fit right into the whole groove! In fact, Bobby fell asleep on the floor with him, because he just didn't want to leave the puppy! And Loralyn and Ray fell asleep on the arm of the couch watching the puppy and Bobby! Brigham was hilarious! He was just trying to figure out the puppy, and would give out excited squeals now and again. He tried to feed the puppy his food, and then when the puppy didn't eat it, Brigham did! Then he force fed Cooper with the puppy food too! He was in seventh heaven with his new little buddy! It will be fun to have them grow up together! We could not believe how great Cooper has been with him! He just plays so gently with him, and completely protects him! I really think Cooper missed Cody. He had never really been alone, because I had bought Cody so soon after Cooper. Cooper had become pretty insecure, and just lonely! Tex has been the perfect medicine for him too! There really is nothing like a new puppy to bring a lot of life back into the family! I told the breeder what a perfect addition to our family Tex was, and she was thrilled! There is just something so loyal and kind about a good dog...even the naughty ones win you over with their unconditional love!

Buddies, Bunnies, and Blowing out Candles

"Two is always better than one!"

"The more the merrier!"

"Better to have too much than too little!"

All phrases the Schmutz family lives by, and Easter 2010 proved them all true! It was April 4, cousin Shaylie's actual birthday, and Lydia's was the next day, so we decided to make it a real party! We had a yummy dinner of ham, sweet potatoes, funeral potatoes, and veggies! What a yummy tradition! :) Then we went into "easter bunny" mode, and got the front yard all ready for hunting! The kids were so thrilled, that I think they got it all picked up in less than 5 minutes! I couldn't even snap pictures... they were all running in different directions, with one mission in mind...getting the most eggs they could find! And hoping they got one of the money eggs!

When the egg hunt was over, they quickly accumulated in the family room to look over their spoils! They hit the jack pot! Lots of yummy treats!

Then it was time to celebrate the youngest Escher and the oldest Schmutz! And so appropriately Shaylie had a princess cake, and Lydia had a softball on grass cake! The candles were lit, wishes made, and big blows to make sure the wishes came true! The kids always have a blast getting together with cousins, and this was two nights in a row! Even though we missed Grandma and Grandpa Hall this year, we were glad to share them with cousins out of state, because we get them all year! We sure partied hard though!

Thank heaven for little girls! They grow up way too fast!