Every last child in double digits.....Happy Birthday Simon!

Well folks I have tried all morning to be in denial and wish for the best but it seems no matter how hard I try, Simon has turned 10.   Let me just remind you all of the mini breakdown I had when Bailey turned 10, just something about those double digits.  Its a big thing...a milestone...a no turning back... man I feel old...I don't have much time left experience.  So here goes a cheesy birthday post from a blubbering, overflowing with pride, sad yet happy mother of a wonderful kid named Simon.


My three double digit kiddos.  Bailey 15, Benjamin 11, Simon 10


Where do I start?   When I look at Simon I still see my sick little premie.  Born almost four weeks early you were tiny compared to Bailey and Benjamin weighing in at only about 4 pounds.   We were told that you couldn't breathe right and you were at risk for several problems later on in life, however compared to the 18 ounce babies next to you, you looked Ginormous!

It seems at times you were born to bring laughter to our family.  I know God loves me when I look at you.  When I hear your cackley laugh I love the way it makes me feel.   You have come a long way from the boy who jumped down a flight of stairs to prove to yourself that no matter what anyone said, you could indeed fly.  Perhaps when you hit the wall at the bottom and missed your stack of pillows you not only realized you weren't spiderman, you realized your amazing ability to just be a fun kid.

I don't know that you have changed much.  Your heart is ALWAYS for the underdog.  When you were a baby and you heard crying you would take off to help.  You have a heart for people in general and a deep love for family.  You are even keel, the first to forgive and oddly enough usually the first to be a turd, but always say sorry.   When I hear the floor creak in the middle of the night I know its you and I know that you are convicted of something that you have to confess before you feel free.  I have never in my life seen a more honest child.....EVER.

You sometimes stike me as the spitting image of my brother and I love how that makes me feel.   Just like Zach you are amazing at everything you try.  You have a natural gift for sports.  Everyone you meet is your friend.  Which reminds me of the time we were at the drive in and we came back from the bathroom to see some kids in the truck bed with you eating your popcorn, you simply said he was your new friend, you didn't even know his name! 




My Birthday Boy!


I get you.  You wiggle and wiggle and find it hard to focus.  You are random and wild, which I relate to.   While homeschooling you was a bit hard, I understood exactly where you were coming from and how to get to you.  You have your dad's calm spirit, you are non reactive steady and faithful.  You have your moms zeal, energy and love for people who need help.  You are the best of both of us Simon, just like Bailey and Ben. 

So go ahead and turn 10, grow up and be an ARMY guy firefighter who plays professional football and has the cute tiny wife he can "BREETECT" aka protect. You get big, take what you have learned and be the best daddy, husband and lover of God you have ever seen, nothing could make me more pleased.  I love your little self Simoney HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

My Ghoul and boys.....Mwah ah ah

Ok...firstly, I debated over whether to celebrate Halloween with my kiddos this year yet again, and we decided that our kids know enough to know what is real and not, and what their convictions are.  We told them not to do anything they were convicted of being wrong.....that being said I feel like we had so much fun this year with our kids.  It really was a time of new things and experiences and lots of just plain hanging out as a family and enjoying each other.   I am in awe of how old they all are and how fast time goes.   Here are some pictures of our weekend we wanted to share with you!

Ok so I have to put this one first because I love this picture.  Dave was cutting the tops off of the kids pumpkins and giving some pointers.   This was fun, I think the last time we carved pumkins bailey may have been 6.  Dave is such a cute Dave!  and just look at my cuties I love my family!

The kids gutted and carved their own pumkins they picked out.  The then put all of the guts in my kitchen sink and separated out the seeds and pulp.  Pulp was trash, seeds took a bath in butter and ranch seasoning and baked for and hour at 300.  The result was quite amazing if I do say so myself!

Cute little boogers!  Bailey carved and owl, Simon a skull and Ben did a bat.  I was happy to see none of them poop out before they were done!  Very awesome pumpkins.  However we decided that since our area is a bit on the questionable side, we would be best off bringing the pumkins inside.  So we did!

We pushed the two sofas up against the air mattress. This was so fun!   Lights out pumpkins lit, Simon picked our first scary movie of the evening.  Get this......"Mega Piranha".  Let me just say that this movie was NOT scary.  I am convinced that out of any movie in history I am amazed that this was even funded, or ever taken seriously.  The main star was Tiffany.....remember the red head wonder who remade the Beatles song, "I think We're Alone Now."   It was TERRIBLE AWFUL and Simon LOVED it of course.  Dave and I spent the movie texting to each other how miserable we were.  Then we watched a movie called House of Fears, not scarey but the kids sure thought it was the finished it off with an edited version of Bram Stokers DRACULA MWAH AH AH.

My scary kiddos.  Bailey is some sort of cutie pie 80's Zombie.   Ben is a mummy (see below) and Simon is the Dashing Vampire in the middle.   Let me say I spent exactly NO money on costumes, my kids were on their own and I was pretty impressed with their creativity.

Ok so lesson to learn here folks?   Saving money buying Scott tissue works great in the bathroom but not as a costume, it fell apart and lasted exactly one minute.   Poor Ben!



Frick and Frack



Kyle's Beautiful Familia

Larry on the run from the cameras

My beautiful nephew Caleb who said his first sentence on Halloween and I quote, "Summer you are my most favorite auntie in the whole world and I love you."  I was so proud, he is definately advanced.  HEE HEE

Other than Halloween, David and I have been going nutso trying to keep our house presentable.  We placed a contract on a home in Bradford, (six houses down from Dave's parents), and they accepted a contingent offer.  We are so very happy!  The house has a lake in the backyard, family close by and it has been well kept.  We ask that you continue to pray for our current house to sell.  Also we would love to find our own buyer because we would then only pay a 1% commission.   Someone is coming to look tonight so PRAY PRAY PRAY!    Here is a picture of the house we are shooting for!

Also David is trying to sell his 1999 For F-150 V8 pickup.  We are then hoping to pick up a more economical car and possibly a little junker for Bay's first car.  So hopefully this sells too.  Here is a pic if you are interested.  We have it listed at $4300.00 on craigslist.  It has about 133,XXX miles on it and is a nice truck. Holla if you're interested.

Peace Out From the Schoenhals Gang!

Random things....

First of all I just want to say that I felt old when Benjamin turned 11, no doubt.  This week something happened that made me feel ancient to say the VERY least.  I will post pictures that of this moment below for your viewing pleasure.....

Yes folks I did loose my mind and dye my daughter's hair pink...

and I rather like how it turned out...

 and here are the expensive "heels" that Bailey elected to wear, I loved it....the little white dots are little skulls, really was a TOTAL Bailey fo shiz.

This is Bailey's "ancient mom" waiting for her daughters first real date to come pick her up...

This is a pic of Courtney, Bailey's BFF, and Kaleb our new favorite boy that Bailey has ever had a crush on.  He is really a nice kid, needs a haircut, but he is a nice kid. I took this like a nerdy mom, outside of the car window after the dance, Bay was like "OMG mom seriously?"

All that being said I was and am proud of Bailey through this whole thing I was dreading.   She was sensable, her dress was only 30 dollars at NBC, and she was herself.  The boy she went with is smitten over her and so nervous to meet me it was adorable.  I was so nervous when he got here I introduced myself to him and held out my hand for Bailey to shake.....all in all Bailey digs this guy, a good guy.  They decided since they are good friends they want to stay that way and not date for now.......CUTE.

This is a great pic of what the boys did while Bailey shopped for homecoming   PRICELESS.

We went to my sister Heather's house on my Birthday to watch her son Jacob (the Ashton Kutcher look-a-like) and his football team freakin smear their opponents at their homecoming game.  It was rather choice.  This pic was of Judah.  I was amazed at how much he loved football.  Mostly of course,  I am ALWAYS amazed at how beautiful this boy is.  Nice work Kyle and Drew, can't wait to see baby DOS.

                                                      Crappy pic I took at Jakes Game.

My beautiful sister Heather.  I love this picture!  And I love Apple cake SO VERY MUCH..Thanks!

A random picture of my kiddos....so sweet.

Last week I took Bailey to get her Learners permit.  This proved to be no easy task.  After waiting in line for hours we discovered we had the wrong paperwork.  Then we ran home looked forever, found what we thought was correct.    I took this pic of Bailey and I was like FINALLY we will be done.   DENIED.   Her birthcertificate and social security card had conflicting last names FOR THE LOVE OF PETE.  So we will go again when the right things come in the mail and brave the lines.  All of this so Bailey can have a legal way to put herself and others in jeopardy with her no-so-up-to-par driving.   WHOOT WHOOT.  Go get em tiger!

 These are some more crappy pics of a big day for Ben.  This is his new viola teacher, Howard.    Howard and Ben are a good pair.   We got the official word that Ben has indeed gotten into the gifted program at school.  We are very proud of him.   One of the things Ben regrets about skipping two grades is that he missed out on orchestra at school.   His school agreed to let him in next semester if he takes private lessons, so he goes to Senseney once a week with Howard.  Its really cute and he really is picking it up fast.

For Ben's accomplishment David and I took him to Ya Ya's a fancy pantsy place to celebrate.  Here are some pics of Ben living high on the hog LOL.  He ordered the KC strip steak and a pina colada and a chocolate flower stuffed with Bavarian cream for dessert and ate it ALL.  He said it was the most fun he had ever had....so cute.   Then we walked around the waterfront before coming home to cuddle up and watch a movie.

 David's boss got married in Vegas last week, and I got to make her bouquet.  On a last minute run to Hobby Lobby just before they closed I rounded up what I could and came up with this.....Not too sure about it but at least it was something and it wasn't orange which was mostly what they had (for fall).

Jelly had a puppy out of no where... we picked her up from a kennel and heard she may be pregnant.  When she didn't get any larger and her due date came and went we didn't think anything of it.   Then one morning....she had a baby, Just one!  We call her "Jelly's Bean".

Bring home the big bucks PUP!

For some reason Simon's football team is getting it.   They have pulled off three consecutive wins in a row!  They even smeared Derby all over their fancy feild  WHOOT WHOOT.  So after the big Derby game we had Trevaun and Saulito spend the night and ordered pizza.  They are so adorable and none of my windows got shoot out this time!

And last but not least I celebrated my 35th year of life with a stupid hat and getting whipped cream smeared across my face by singing Mexicans at Playa Azul.  Bailey is so going to get it on her birthday....Nuff said.

11 year old Ben??? NO WAY

OK well it happened and I didn't even cry (on the outside).  Benjamin went ahead and turned 11 despite all of my requests to stay 10 forever.  He wakes up, walks into my bedroom and plops down on the bed just waiting for me to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY, but all I could do is just look at him and smile.  Seems like just yesterday that he was born.

Ben was the kind of baby everyone wants.  I admit to taking him to the doctor on occasion insisting that there was something wrong with him because he didn't cry.  I thought maybe he was deaf.  I could vacuum under his crib and he would just keep sleeping.   He ate everything under the sun, laid down with out crying, took two naps a day and slept all night long.  Perfect.    He began toddling around and we contemplated helmets as he tried to balance his head (slightly out of proportion to the rest of his body to say the least).

 He would sit in baskets and crunch on ice at nanny's house and snuggle up to Simon (his future best buddy in history).  His favorite shows were Barney and bear in the Big Blue House and he loved dancing around the living room with Bailey.  His favorite toy?   HOT WHEELS.   Not to crash into each other like other kids.......just to line up in perfect bumper to bumper order all around the house by color.   

So these are the things I thought of looking at him and David says over my shoulder "Happy Birthday buddy!" because I couldn't get it out without becoming a blubbering idiot.  My Bennie turned 11 anyway. So since I have no control over it I just go with it.  Looking forward to the man he will be one day holding on to the baby he will always be in my heart.  I watch him grow so fast, set new goals, fit right in with kids two years older at school, try new things, and I am just so full.  What a great kid!  What a great God I have to give me Ben.  I am so thankful.

A little side story because I told Ben I had to blog on it......We went to the park in Derby last night so Ben could go for his Language Arts class.  On the way there he and his friend Delaney (She is Ben's BFF as school) were shopping at the gas station.  She is standing there and pointing saying "ooo I love those and these are my favorite, you pick...I have to go to the bathroom."  Ben thinks she is gone and laughs saying, "This girl is gonna make me broke!"  Over his should she says "I heard that Ben!"  I thought I might die laughing I had to leave the store.   

Just how many things can be crammed into a weekend?

OK so fisrt things first, lets all wake up at the crack of dawn (8:00 at my house lol) let's eat some granola bars because mom is too lazy to cook breakfast or go shopping for milk.  Then lets do a mad dash through the house to get it cleaned up just in case we show our house while we are gone (which never EVER happens).  Simon will come downstairs fully dressed to leave for his football game (which isn't for twoo hours but he looks so cool he can't resist the urge to be in full pads while cleaning the house).  David will take Simon to practice before the game (because the four day a week practices aren't quite enough) Ben will tag along and chill at South High and wish he would have waited and came later with mom.  Mom and Bailey zip around the house making sure everything is perfect when NO ONE comes to look at the house yet again.   Dawna drops of Shaun (so we have an even number of riding partners (more later).  Mom, Bailey and Shaun zip over to Dick's sporting goods (where we should by now own half of the stores with the money we have spent) to buy Simon a girdle because we now have our 3rd hernia to represent the third year of competitive sports. 

Moving on to the Game where mom, Shaun, and  Bailey arrive to find we are too late for Simon to put on the girdle CRAP.  We get our borrowed lawn chairs (thanks Sam) situated ready to watch Simon play to find out we are too close and need to move back so the team doesn't get flagged.   In football language this means "please move your chairs back so we can stand in front of you so you can't see for the entire game".   We commense to watch Simon's team get slaughtered, expcept when the almost score near half time and mom gets so excited she jumps up and plops down into her chair and breaks it (sorry Sam).  The game was agrivating and the coaches were, to say the very leas,t hacked that the boys didn't know their positions, at this point mom reserves her swearing and all other appropriate commentary.

Moving right along........we leave the game come home, throw some powder on simon and call it good.   Then time to load up in the car.  Ben and Simon have decided that for their birthdays they want to combine and take a trip to KC to conquer Worlds of Fun ....so off we go.

The excitement is cute all the way to Emporia at which point we begin to threaten them that we will turn around and come home if one more sound of fun or excitement makes its way to the front seat.  So nap time it is.   Then we get to the hotel room and set up.  David really enjoyed this part, but not near as much as Simon.

Simon and Shaun are glued to the window where they are able to take in a threatening view of the MAMBA in all of its glory.   Suddenly they become very quiet and no one is bragging about riding "everything".   Or not chickening out of the Mamba....together they decided they are still cool even if they don't ride all of the rides.   Bailey and Ben had fun with this .

The kids went to swim and David and take off to Walmart to buy dinner and sunscreen.  Then time for chow and cake for Ben.

After everyone is just about done with their cake and we have all sang Happy Birthday to Ben, like good parents we realize we forgot Simon.  This was to be his party too.  So we make do...

..Nearly setting the place ablaze.  Simon doesn't care at all. Mom feels like a jerk.  Then we head upstairs like good parents, bribing the children with an early bed time that will make the morning come faster.  They all fell for it, even Bailey.   SUCKERS!  Up bright and early to binge on the free breakfast, reminding the kids that this was more of a brunch so to get full.  Simon ate a donut,shaun ate a muffin, Bailey a Bagel and Ben a boiled egg and then the great "I am Full"  which means "I am so nervous I am about to puke and am afraid to eat.  Time to leave for W.O.F.

Like good guardians of Shaun we plop him on the Patriot and tell him not to worry.   By the time the ride is over, our kids are all pumped.   Shauns lips are white and his hands are shaking so badly he can't unbuckle himself.  However, he swears it was a blast and declares that he may not ride the Mamba because it looks "boring". 

awwwww

Simon and Shaun Stewing.....

Ride conquered, Party on!  Once this was out of the way they were on every ride over and over, thankful for the short lines, we rode the Mamba 6 times.  All the while mom and dad learn that we aren't as young as we used to be.   With stiff necks and churning belly's we resort to better things like the train while we let the kids run wild, again exhibiting our excellent parenting skills.

Park closed at 7   dinner done at 9 home by 11:30 Dog tired.   To find out Dad was being nice the whole weekend and had been sick the whole time and didn't say anything.....what a guy.

Next weekend I vote for sleeping   WHEW!