Where to begin?

OK, I have failed miserably in keeping my blog up.  And I am sad about that.  I know not very many people read it, and I am totally fine with that, because I don't blog for that reason.  I blog so my kids can enjoy looking at it and reading their mother's point of view on everyday life. I blog so I can have a record of big things and little things that go on in my family's life.  I am not good at writing in my journal.  I did write in it as a teenager and then I went back in my mid-twenties and reread them and threw them away or ripped out and destroyed most of the pages.  (Obviously, I wasn't proud of all the things I had chosen to write about)  But, now that I am 39, I feel I have a better grasp on reality than I did when I was 17, and can express myself much better...I love that about getting older. 

 

 

Anyway, where to begin?????  Well, we got a missionary out in the field!!!

This is Elder Schramm.  Cute, huh?

The family at his farewell.  Red eyes, but happy eyes.

 

 



 

Look what we got last week! A picture!! We were so excited to see that face!  He says everyone says he is so tan, and now I can see why.  He is loving it and is working hard.

 

 

In other news, Bridgete had a field trip to Rhoad's School.  It was great.  It is one of my favorite field trips to chaperone.  I love seeing all the kids dressed up in their 1890's outfits.  Bridgete looked like she would fit perfect in that era. 

 

 

Bridgete and her best friend Briella were chosen to do the flag salute.  They were adorable and took their roles very seriously. 

Here is Bridgete playing with hoops.  She LOVED it.  Can you tell?  Once she got the hang of it, no one could catch her.

 

And here we are together.  I love this girl!

 

 

One job, what's that?

A huge change for this handsome devil today.

  He is no longer Doctor Schramm, just Deputy Schramm.

We are celebrating tonight. It's been a long six years of him doing both jobs.

  We have missed him.  I know his patients will miss him.  He is a fantastic, honest talented chiropractor and let's be real...he is easy on the eyes.  I think that may be why most of his patients were women.  Sorry ladies, you had him for 23 years.  He is all ours now!!!!

He now will be around a lot more to do more of this^.

 And you don't even want to know the visions I have had of my honey-do lists getting done and not feeling bad for asking!.  (Pace yourself Caryn, all in due time.)

I love him.  He is such a hardworking man who takes great pride in providing for our family so I can stay home.  I am so blessed. 

 

School Starts!

I am trying really hard to catch up on my blog.  Obviously, it isn't working so well.  I am a terrible journal keeper, so this is it for me.  And so, it is for my posterity that I am playing catch up. 

 

August 16, 2012

First Day of School

 Filippo just couldn't wait to have his picture taken.  Yeah right!

  He is now a sophomore at Elk Grove High School.

 

 

My sweet Spencer.  He is now in 5th grade at Feickert Elementary. 

 

 

My beautiful Bridgete is now a 3rd grader at Feickert as well. 

 

 

And who do we have here?  Little Miss Sophie.  She has been counting down the days all summer long to start preschool.  She goes to FBC preschool twice a week.  They were so excited to have her since they had Spencer and Bridgete there, too.  They remembered when she was so sick as a baby and they would pray on her behalf.  Such a great little preschool!

 

Jenny is working six days a week at Chick-fil-A and saving up some good $$$.  Evan is going to the local junior college, Consumnes River College.  His biggest pet peeve is all the driving back and forth.  He HATES spending money!!! especially on gas.  He and Filippo still have their lawn mowing business going strong. 

 

And that is the news around here!

 



Donner Lake Camping

Over Father's Day weekend, we went up to Donner Lake and camped for four days.  We had never camped there before.  We loved it!  Loved the history (even though it is tragic history), the museum, the lake, the store that was close by, and the hot showers and toilets.  The hot showers and toilets that flush are a MUST. 

Tucker LOVED Donner lake.  So did a lot of other Labs.  They were all in heaven.

Spencer, Bridgete and Sophie having fun in the tent trailer.  Sophie found a way to dress up even when camping (the head band made her feel a little more fancy:).

Hubby and me.  The only time we ever have our picture taken together is when I have no makeup on.  Oh well.  And hubby still had the scab on his lip in this picture from a skin cancer he had removed.  It was hard not to kiss him for a few weeks, but alas, the skin cancer was completely removed and his lip looks like nothing ever happened to it and we could all kiss on him again.

Bridgete, Hubby, and Spencer on the wave runner.  They LOVED it, especially Spencer!

The troop going on one of many hikes.  Sophie kept up the best she could (probably didn't help that she picked up sticks nonstop).

Spencer, Hubby and Evan hanging out at camp.

Spencer, Bridgete, and Filippo walking towards the huge monument dedicated to the fateful Donner party.  The monument was constructed at this height to show how high the snow was the tragic winter of 1846-47.  I could not even fathom their suffering. 

It made me so grateful for all those who came before us and all the hard work and sacrifices they made.  We are so blessed. 

Beach Trip 2012

This year we went to Seal Beach for the (annual) Bishop Beach Vacation. 

 The weather was great. 

 A little cool at times, but it didn't stop anyone from spending all day, every day, at the beach. 

 Evan and Filippo surfed, Spencer, Bridgete and hubby boogie boarded,

and Sophie played in the sand. 

 It was great.

  The place we rented was right on the beach.  It was literally a 30 second walk to the sand.  

We loved it.  The kids are already counting down to next year.

Here are just a few photos I snapped of the constant action.

Evan-The High School Graduate!

On May 16, 2012, Evan graduated from Elk Grove High School. 

 We are so proud of him and his accomplishments. 

 He is such a great kid. 

 His brothers and sisters adore him.  Everyone adores this kid. 

Congratulations, Evan Tyler Schramm!

(Yeah...that's right, Sophie has no shoes on.  Taking a three year old to a graduation might not have been the best idea.  By the time I took the picture, I wasn't about to fight the shoes after what we had already endured:)

Look at these handsome boys!  They look up to their older brother (even though Filippo is taller:)

Happy Easter

Happy Easter from our family to yours. 
I love the hope
that Easter brings.
I love the happiness
that Easter brings.
I love the miracle
that Easter brings.

All day I have been singing one of my favorite hymns
(my family is sick of it, but oh well)
"Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Alleluia!"

I love this picture.  Bridgete looks so much like her Grandma.  So cute.

And yes, I did brush Sophie's hair... just for the record.

Birthday time



Hey...Who is the handsome devil who just turned the big 5 0?
That is my sexy hubby.  
 He is dating a waaaay younger girl than me in this picture.
I snapped this before he and Bridgete headed off for their daddy daughter dance/date.


For his birthday I whisked him off to the Sonoma Coast for the weekend.  Just the two of us.  His sister Suzanne watched the kiddos for us.  It was wonderful. 
 It already seems so long ago. Why is that?



And who is this princess who just turned 3?
It's Sophie, and now that she is older she wears high heels ALL the time. 
Hey, she is an older woman so, you know.
She got dress up clothes from her Grammy and wears them constantly. 
I draw the line in wearing them to bed, though.


I can't imagine our family without her.    
I love her so much.

Pinewood Derby

What's that? 
 Who won all six of his heats? 
Spencer!


What's that? 
 No one else won all of their heats?
Hmmm...that means
Spencer got 1st place!!!



Quite possibly the happiest day of his life.



New Year's Eve

So this is what happened on our New Year's Eve. 
 Bet you can't top that! 
Evan turned 18 on December 27th, and was baptized on the 31st.  It was sweet and simple.  Bridgete gave the opening prayer, Spencer played "He Sent His Son" and Filippo said the closing prayer.  I made cookies and Sophie was sort of well behaved.  Evan wanted it really low key...like how Evan is...but there was quite a turn out.  The room was packed and every chair was full.  It was nice to see all the love and support people have for Evan. 

Family picture.  What a good looking group if I do say so myself.

And here is Evan, Dave and Filippo in front of the Sacramento Temple. 

 It worked out perfectly that our ward was scheduled to do baptisms on the 12th.  It was a Thursday which is the only day Dave has off.  And Evan was just baptized so he could go.  So all three of them got to go inside together.  They were beaming.  Evan would never fess up to that, but it is true:) 

So I'd say that 2012 is defintely off to a good start.

2012

I forgot about blogging for a bit.  Holidays came with gusto and getting into Jenny's room (which is now empty and ready for house guests because she is rocking it at BYU-I) was not so easy.
 So here we are.
Christmas went way too fast.  Maybe because we had that dreaded stomach flu.  It started on the 19th and ended on the 26th.  Jenny couldn't even open her presents and Dave was in the middle of making our favorite sausages and ran upstairs.  No one even ate the sausages.  Well Tucker helped himself to them while I drove Filippo to the airport to spend the rest of Christmas with Charles.  Merry Christmas Tucker-I am sure you loved all 2 dozen sausage links. 

So I am sad Christmas was on stand still.  We were supposed to have all of Dave's family over Christmas Eve, but that didn't pan out.  We always get milkshakes and drive around and look at lights on Christmas Eve, but that didn't pan out.  We always act of the nativity, but... you know.  We did read the story of Jesus birth and watch Mr. Kruger's Christmas and Joy to the World DVD's put out by the church. The spirit was sweet and subdued and reverent.  It was nice.  Dave had to work so I was super busy.  Three hours sleep is enough, right?  Luckily everyone was feeling better (except Jenny and Dave) Christmas morning.  Everyone was happy. Everyone loved their gifts.  Everyone remembered Jesus. 

November...where have you gone?

We have been busy around here:

  A room painted, a bunk bed assembled and new curtains added. 

 A mom sick, a hubby with a cute scar from skin cancer, and a painful vein procedure for me.

Lots of homemade soups, warm pj's, and yellow leaves everywhere.

Choir music, rehearsals that paid off, and more music to sing.

Three whole presents bought for Christmas, some photo shoots, and never ending laundry.

A grateful heart, an excitement of Christmas and

A POTTY TRAINING GIRL!

She is getting the hang of it....she loves her Yo Gabba Gabba panties

 but she cant see the picture because her cute belly gets in the way:)

11 years

Today, my hubby and I celebrate our anniversary. 

 I love him. 

 He is such a great hubby.

  He is a great daddy. 

 He is a great...well everything. 

 I am crazy about him.  Six weeks and 11 years is how long I've known this man.  Boy, was I blessed to find him.  Six kids, a dog and a cat later, we are happier than ever.  Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing me so much. 

Goodbye Summer

This is a perfect summer send off picture. 
I am ready for fall to arrive. 

Sophie is officially 2 1/2.
Look out world.
Now I know why she made it when she was so sick.
She is a fighter.
There is no holding her back.
Lord, help us.
(But oh how I just love her:)





Bridgete's baptism

"When Jesus Christ was baptized down in the River Jordan,

 three members of the Godhead were present there in love. 

 The Father spoke from Heaven when Jesus Christ was baptized, the Holy Ghost descended as gently as a dove.

And now when I am baptized I'll follow his example,

 be baptized by immersion through sacred priesthood power. 

 Then I will be a member of Heavenly Father's kingdom

and have the Holy Spirit to guide me every hour."

(When Jesus Christ was Baptized from the Children's Songbook)

A perfect song for baptism.

Bridgete was baptized on Saturday.  It was so sweet and special and the spirit was strong.  Just like Bridgete. 

 All the family that came to share Bridgete's special day with us.

Look a family picture.  Miracles do happen:)

Bridgete, we love you and are so very proud of you in making this big decision.

Vacations Galore! Part Three of Three..Thank Goodness!

Ahhhh Yellowstone.  We loved being there.  We loved all of the marvels we saw.  We saw God's hand in the beauty and wonder of Yellowstone. 



Oh hello Mr. Elk. 
 We saw you once and never saw you or any elk again for the three days we were there.




Yeah...that is Dave in the driver's seat and a couple of bison buddies wondered by to say hello.  We were dying with excitement!




Yellowstone had so much water! 
And it was moving fast.  It looked cold and dangerous and just beautiful.




There she blows!...Old Faithful!
  So amazing.  There were hundreds and hundreds of people waiting faithfully for her.




Dragon's Mouth. 
The sound of it sounded like a dragon...or some other big creature.  It was fascinating to watch and listen.  You could feel the heat from it.





My aren't you a big beautiful buffalo. 
Lovely scenery, huh?

 

Overlooking the upper falls.
  Now you can't possibly look at that and not believe in God and in his creations. 

Bridgete and Spencer with Old Faithful in the background.

This is the Triplet geyser, but the big one is the Grand geyser.  We stumbled upon it on our hike and within 30 seconds of standing there it went off.  People had been waiting there for 10 hours.  We were so fortunate to see it.  And it kept going and going.  It went off three times and that never happens!  Everyone was cheering it on.  It was so exciting!

Spencer and the Churning Cauldron.
  Hot and super stinky.  Many of the hot spots were super smelly.  Lots of sulphur.  We would get back in the car and we would just reek of sulphur.  It wasn't bad...reminded me of Easter:)



Some young male bison hanging out by the road.



They were troopers!  It was hot in the sun, and this was when we were by a lot of hot spots (notice not a lot of trees).  The best treat ever was Yellowstone's ice cream.  It made all our hiking worth it.

It was a wonderful vacation.  The 18 hour drive was not that horrendous either.  The kids slept through half of it so that was nice.  What I miss most is being all couped up in our 30 foot cab over Cruise America motor home.  There was barely any fighting and just lots of laughing and reading and talking and eating.  Of course, we were probably one day shy of all the melt downs and fighting.  So glad we went.  We traveled through Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  Not bad for a 5 day road trip. 2,200 miles all driven by my hubby.  We aren't driving anywhere for a long time...his orders.