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! :)