Schmitz Family Est. 1999

PLEASE, fence us in!!

Here are the fence phases....we are SO happy to have the fence now. The house is coming together. The front has a few changes from when we moved in.....gutters, painted door and shutters, fence, a tree.....the list goes on and on.....as does the backache! The dirt pile in front will magically transform into a raised flower bed come Springtime!! There weren't plans for a raised bed until we tried to plant the tree in the front and were "welcomed" by clay, clay, and more clay. Ugh.

Jumpin' around

When the old neighbors in Iowa City gave us the trampoline they also hooked us up with a tent that goes in it. Reagan went off to play with the neighborhood girls and left Brett sad and alone at home so I put the tent up for him. It was fun, but I wouldn't let them sleep in it that night....sorry kiddos.

While messing in the future flower garden in the front of the house we found a toad. The kids had fun capturing him and letting him free in the prairie area off the back of our yard. Brett didn't elect to carry him in his hands as he didn't want to get peed on....I SO remember that as a kid....catching toads and getting peed on....fun! Tonight Reagan and I spotted a tree frog on the front porch. I often find them eating up the bugs...yay for frogs and toads!!

WWII Veterans Honor Flight

Reagan's Girl Scout troop told us about the WWII Veteran's Honor Flight that was returning to New Bern last week. They wanted folks there to greet the men and their family members as they returned from Washington D.C. where they visited the monument that was completed in their honor for fighting for our freedoms so many years ago.

I decided that it was something we should all witness. I figured there would be some people there but was FLOORED when the traffic was at a stand still waiting to enter the local airport! Hundreds of people were there! It was simply put, amazing! We lined up with our flags with the others and listened to the Marine Corps Band play patriotic tunes as we waited. The flight was late, go figure, put when the band started to play 'God Bless America' everyone turned to the band and started singing.....again....AMAZING!

The kids were a bit clueless but we explained that there would be men that looked like grandpas coming out of the airport after their trip to see a monument made in their honor for fighting for our freedoms many years ago in World War II.....just like Daddy and the other Marines do now. They were excited to see the veterans and I made sure to point out their expressions of pride, honor, and just plain feeling special. They each got to meet and shake hands with a couple of the men....Reagan stated she was never going to wash her hand because she had touched a hero, how incredibly cute. The experience was as rewarding for us and it was for the veterans.

Nap time snack for Brady

So I let Brady take a ball to bed with him one day at naptime......this is what was there when I checked on him......won't do that again.

uh, no thanks....

Yep, a snake....the third snake, actually.....
The neighbors, Jasson and Amy have had 3 snake sitings in the last month....I'm hoping it's they saw this same snake 3 times. This is a baby rat snake...yuck. To make things worse, it was in their garage! Brett naturally thought it was cute....SERIOUSLY, BRETT! This prompted yet another lecture on reality vs. pretend. His comment...."the ones and the zoo and science center were nice, we could touch them." Ok, Brett.....the snakes the ladies are holding at the zoo can only be petted there at the zoo. Any snake you see at our house or in the yard are DANGER...no questions asked. Boys!
FYI, Jasson killed the little sucker. Blaha......makes you want to visit, huh?