The Yellow Subaru

So, we had a week left before school started in August, and I decided I wanted to do one last trip! To get out as much "play time" as I could before the kids were in school, and we couldn't just leave whenever we want!

Destination Decision: My sister Kristyn's house, in Spanish Fork, UT.

It worked out perfect, because my friend Tori needed a car to be driven up to her, and that meant I could leave early, and Steve could bring up Tori's car when he got his work stuff done!

Well, as all Schmutz trips go, I didn't get off until Thursday...(in my mind I originally wanted to go on Monday, so I wouldn't feel rushed in hanging out in Utah.)
On our drive up (which we wanted to leave mid-morning, and ended up leaving early evening) we were able to see this unbelievable sunset in Shiprock area...these pictures don't do justice to how pretty it was! I even called Steve, and told him how gorgeous it was. I love when you see magic, and are reminded of how amazing this beautiful world the Savior created is! It always makes me have a "cup runneth over" moment! My heart just swells with gratitude for everything...my life, my husband, my kids, my family, my friends, the yummy Diet Dr. Pepper with Vanilla drink I had earlier...EVERYTHING! And then I realize, that is why Heavenly Father gave us these magic moments! Just to remind us: He's there, He loves us, He is aware of us, and He gives us all we have!
This one I was driving, and just snapped, but I love the way it turned out! :) Anyways, so I had a very nice drive! Steve had convinced the boys (minus Brigham, of course), to drive up with him the next day. So, it was Lydia, Loralyn, Brigham, and me! And we made great time, and had a really enjoyable trip up!

Now to the reason I had to post these pictures! So, Steve and I have this on going dislike for Subarus! Now, it is not the car, but the general "vibe" that most the Subarus we see have! They are usually full of liberal bull crap bumper stickers like, Obama in every creepy form, or "the earth needs our love", or "it's the woman's right to do what she wants with her body", or anything that makes no sense, but liberals love to advocate! And we have come to our on conclusion that it is the closest thing to an SUV that they will allow themselves to buy, since they can't buy the ones that they claim are ruining the environment! Anyways, so you can imagine what a laugh I got, when Tori told me it was her dad's subaru we were bringing up, because I knew it was Steve driving it! (And to the defense of subaru drivers in Utah, Tori had no idea about the liberal bull crap bumper stickers, so it may be a New Mexico thing!)

I told him, "I have to get a picture of that!"

He, of course, said I didn't, which only fueled the need for one!

We met in South Jordan, where Tori worked, so she could just drive it home, and we could go to a dear friend's surprise b-day party (the Green family, whom we love!). I waited on the curb, until the moment the yellow subaru appeared! In all of it's glory, with Steve at the helm! :)
He didn't see me taking pictures until he got closer!
And then he tried to "block your face", like most people trying to hide something do! :) I was laughing while taking all of these pictures!
Still trying to evade the Paparazzi!
And the "oh, that's really funny" sarcastic laugh and face! I was just loving it all! Steve just cracks me up!
And, the surrender! What cute boys! We were sure glad to all be back together! After all the hugs, and "glad your here"! I took a look at my boys, and realized they were in the same "travel clothes" I had put them in the day before! I asked Steve, "Have they just worn those clothes the entire time?" Yep, they had! :)

So, I just had to blog our little inside story of the Yellow Subaru! And to those of you who DON'T have annoying liberal bull crap on your subaru, but do drive a subaru, we thank you for not being...well, liberal! There are way too many of them out there as it is!

And a funny note about Steve's adventure: He told Tori when he got there, "You are going to hate driving a yellow car." Why? Because when people call the cops on a "yellow subaru driving wreckless", well, it means it's you! Because there are just not a lot of yellow subarus on the rode at once! Yes, Steve got pulled over outside of Price! He didn't get a ticket. Steve tried to say, "how do you know it was me" but the quick response was, "you have been the ONLY yellow car that has come out of here." So, if you like to drive like a drunk driver or like you are racing in the Iny 500...don't buy a yellow subaru! :)

Birthday Cake

So we had cake and ice cream in Spanish Fork, for Ray's b-day a week earlier, but Ray was ready for another celebration! :) When he saw me baking the cake he said with an enthusiastic smile, "Mom, is that burday cake for me and dad? Do I get to have anoder potty for my burday?" So, I couldn't resist! I combined Steve's b-day cake with Ray's so the family here in Albuquerque could sing to him too...and as you can see, he LOVED every minute of it! :)

Steve was singing "to you" in the song, and so he tickled him, and Ray was already just giggling away at the chorus in his honor! :)


Happy his "blow" was a success, and now ready for the wishes to come true! :)
How I LOVE my August birthday boys! It is really nice to have them just a week apart! How appropriate too, these two really do enjoy so many of the same things! I didn't take pictures of all the guests, but we were glad the Nate Hall Family, the Eschers, and Grandpa and Grandma Hall were able to come celebrate with us!

Happy 33rd to Dad! August 21, 2010!

Steve's birthday came and went in the whirlwind of getting kids back in the school mode...well, kids and mom and dad! We're always grateful for getting some sort of schedule back to our lives, but miss the freedom to come and go, and play, play, play! :) Anyways, in the busyness of it all, I didn't get to posting Steve's celebrating his life until now! But, I am so grateful he was born, and that I have been lucky to be his wife, that I had to put in some pics that are totally Steve in a nutshell! This first one is Steve's life during Spring Baseball/Softball season! This happens to be Ray on his back, but he was doing the same with Brigham the last two Springs! He is such a great hands on dad, and always is the one willing to tote the babies! Thank goodness, because my back is already pretty shotty! :)
The infamous "baby standing trick" that he has done with each of our babies, from the moment they can stand in his hands...which is pretty early, since we have 2 month olds at birth! When I use to nanny for a lady who had a son Lydia's age (I started when they were both 4 months old), she was amazed that Lydia was standing in her dad's hands already! It freaks out my sisters, but he hasn't dropped one yet! :)
Daddy's girls! We took this on Mother's Day a few years ago, and I just LOVE it!
And two of the three boys! Course Ray and Brigham look enough alike, you can image just what he looks like too! I sure hope they learn a lot from their dad, on how to be a good provider, and having a great work ethic!
And there is dad with Brigham! We've almost warn that back pack out!
Steve has always been a much better ice skater than me! Our first "unofficial dad" ( it was unofficial, because he had a girlfriend and I had a boyfriend, but it was just us two together at the rink) we went to an ice skating rink. He was so nervous to just be with me, that he was just lapping me, over and over! :) Seems he had every right to be nervous! :) Anyways, when we go ice skating, he is the one who helps the kids...since I am no help at all! Most the time I don't mind being the one documenting the experience as opposed to being part of it!
He LOVES to take the boys on the father and sons camp out! (even the dogs...since they are boys too! :) He tried to take Bobby, when he was an unweaned baby, because he was so excited to have a son to take! The boys are always excited to camp with dad too! Male bonding really is a necessity!
And more standing! I just love it, because the babies are always ear to ear smiles! So proud of themselves!
Baptizing Lydia...how quickly time is getting away!
Hiking up in the Jemez! Our babies always go on extreme adventures with dad, if they are the ones in the backpack! Including rock climbing! Scary, but he always brings them home safe!
I always tease that Steve and I are on opposite ends of the adventure scale! :) I am extremely paranoid, and he is extremely brave...or crazy! :) Here he is cliff jumping in the Jemez!
Surrounded by nieces, nephews, and friends at one of he and Ray's duo birthday celebrations!
There is nothing like a good dad to lay on, on a Sunday afternoon! Dad with his little Roo!
We'd gone biking as a family, and the sky opened up and just poured towards the very end of the ride! It was amazing how wet we got! Once again, Ray is on the adventure with dad. That is how Steve use to carry his siblings, back when he was a little boy riding his bike in their neighborhood!
He's always great to teach the kids how to do things! I love to watch him let them just jump in and learn.
Still in love! After 11 years of marriage! Enjoying Dions after a play!
I always joke that Steve is worse than any of my kids when you get him out sledding! He never wants to go! He and Lydia just keep going up the hill to do "one more run"! I am grateful he enjoys these type of things with the kids! They love to have dad to do all the adventures with!
Thank goodness Steve is a fish! Our kids all learn to LOVE the water early, because dad loves to swim! And, like the snow...it is hard to get him out once he is in! He's been great to teach our kids how to swim!
SO CUTE! The boys all bundled up to play! :)
Steve just LOVES his grandparents! They had a lot to do with who he became! His grandpa Ray passed away three years ago, but thank heavens we still have grandma! And I am so very grateful for their influence on the type of person Steve chose to become!
I just put this one in, because I thought it was a "sexy in the snow" shot! :)
This is an old shed behind my parents house in Snowflake! I just LOVE this picture of all the Schmutz men in my life! :) I LOVE how Steve is holding Brigham's foot, and he is holding Steve's hand!
Steve and I got to go to San Francisco to take pictures at a friend's sister's wedding! It was a lot of fun! I love any excuse to be with Steve! He cracks me up, because he hates the not knowing where he is going, so at the beginning of any of our trips he is frustrated and I am just taking in the sites! I was born to be a vacationer! :) He will rope me in to reality and say, "Babe, can we figure out where we are and where we are suppose to be before you start just enjoying the sites!" We're a good match!
And what is a dad, without the chance to be the "donkey" in the Christmas Nativity! Steve is great to play horse a lot with the kids, during all seasons of the year! Tysen and Lydia make a great Joseph and Mary!
Steve with the kids, when we saved his grandpa's saddle from the pawn shop! How grateful we are we got it! Now, we just need to get a horse to wear it! :)
And we are still loving to be in love...July 4th in St. George!
Lydia and Dad enjoying the 4th of July at the Escher's house last year! Dad sure imprinted his genetics on that little girl!
Hanging out with Ray in the backyard, after they had been running in the sprinklers!
One thing I have always LOVED about Steve, is he just loves babies! He will take and hold an love on any baby he can get! And, most babies just love him right back! This is Steve with Ray, JJ, and Benson.
Steve in his element! Here he is out on our property in the east mountains! I can't wait to move out there, because he will just absolutely LOVE it! :)

And enjoying whatever horse he can get his hands on! This is a horse of his sister's brother-in-law in Idaho! We sure have enjoyed their family! Steve enjoys anything having to do with horses, cattle, and cowboying! I always tease him that he wanted to come back in the cowboy days, but I told him I needed tampons, deodorant, and a hospital to deliver our babies, so he compromised and came now! :)

Ray's 4 yr. Birthday Saddle!

For Ray's 4 year birthday we decided to get him his very own saddle! We happened to be in Spanish Fork visiting my sister Kristyn and her family, so we looked on KSL.com, and found a cute used saddle that would be perfect for Ray!
I think it was just as much fun for Dad as it was for Ray! When we got home, they began cleaning and oiling the saddle! It really was so cute to watch them together! I had to grab the camera and take a few shots! Notice the smirk on Ray's face! He is just giddy over his saddle! It only makes me SO EXCITED to get him a horse to go with it! :)
I love this shot of Steve showing him how to clean it right, and Ray soaking it in! These two really are like two peas in a pod! It will be fun to watch as Ray grows up, because I think he and his dad will have a lot of fun doing the things they both love to do! I am sure there will be a lot saddle cleaning, manure scooping, and dirt collecting for these two!
Watch out for this US Marshal! :)
Just loving that he is one step closer to being a real cowboy! :)
I just can't get enough of my cute Schmutz boys!

And the next few are just Ray being Ray! :) Our little ham! I told Steve I just LOVE to take pictures of Ray, because he hams it up for the camera, and he is just so full of so many expressions! Here's to my "Ray-Ray Precious Bay-bay!"







Here's Ray just watching dad clean his saddle, with full anticipation for it to be done, so he can play US Marshals on it!
Jumping in to get the job done! I love his little hands all oiled up!
The concentration was more than I could take! He didn't even know I was taking these pictures, because he was making sure to get the job done...and done right! I hope he ends up being like his dad in that way too! Steve is so great at not just doing it and getting it done, but doing it right! I love when the boys get to work with Steve, because he really has a lot of great things to teach them...especially when it comes to good work ethic!