Not excessive... just plain AMAZING!!!!

I've been blown away in the last few weeks by two totally amazing structures.  The first one was built by the Falk family; the second by the Schmidt family.  WOW!!!  I'm proud to say they're all in MY family.  I do believe the bigger Schmidt family's mantra should be "Go Big or Go Home!!  Both of these structures show super creativity along with a lot of planning and hard work.

I can just imagine this full page spread in the covers of  "Doggies" magazine, advertising for a luxurious retreat....

Nestled among the fragrant pine and spruce trees

you will find this peaceful oasis awaiting you.

If you crave some peace and solitude, this beautiful

cedar cabin offers a spacious and beautifully decorated

interior for relaxing with a good chew toy, or just 

putting your paws up for another afternoon nap.

After a day of exploring the great outdoors and checking

out the wildlife in the surrounding area, treat yourself

to a wonderful dinner, dining al fresco on the covered patio.

Nearby, you will find the main lodge, which offers all the

conveniences you may desire, along with a staff of 5 who

are more than happy to meet all of your needs...

And here we have another retreat for the three 2 legged creatures in the Schmidt home!!  All I can say is  "hi yi yi"!  These have got to be the luckiest kids in the neighborhood.  I'm thinking there will be some overnighters happening here!  I'm wondering, are they gonna have to pay taxes on this residence??  We'll be sure to book ahead early to make sure there are openings available for our next vacation!

Well, that's 2 out of the 4 Schmidt families.  Now it's up to us Hiebert's and the Hildebrand's to keep it up!!  Mom and Dad always "go big".... I wonder what they'll surprise us with next!  They did mention they need to rebuild their garage....hmmmm!

Schmidt Legacy

My Grandma Schmidt will be turning 103 on Monday!!  What a story she could tell!!!  God has certainly blessed her with many days.  I have memories of visiting her place when I was growing up...she lived just down the street from us...I remember doing lots of smiling and nodding - she spoke only German and I was not great at it!  So using lots of non verbal cues was what we did.  She baked the best "Brune Kuchen"  or brown molasses cookies - big, soft, chewy cookies that she never needed to use a recipe for.  Another time I spent the night there (I remember she had pink Dove soap in her bathroom - maybe that's why she still looks so young!!!) and for breakfast she made these amazing thin crepes stuffed with raspberry filling.  She just kept making more and more, and I kept eating them.  I guess she understood the verbal cues of me eating them to mean "just keep making more"!

How special it was to take pictures of Oma Schmidt with Nate a few weeks after he was born!

 

Here is our 4 Generation Picture - isn't it hard to believe there is almost 103 years difference?!

I just had to add this picture...it is absolutely one of my favorites, and makes me smile every time I see it.  I'm sure the journey has been long for Oma Schmidt, and she is tired - ready to be with her Savior in Heaven!  Nate is just plain tired and ready for a nap!

Play "Find the Nate"

We took Nate in to get some photos taken this week.  We did similar poses to the ones we had done for Brady at around the same age (Nate is 2 1/2  months in these).  We've always thought the two looked similar, but comparing these pictures sure proved it!!  See if you can find Nate in these pics!  

Sorry the resolution isn't great in these - they are just photographs of the actual pictures!

Okay, if you just check the receding hairline on Don, it may have given you a clue!!  The top picture is Nate, the bottom one is Brady!

Well, that one is a bit of a "gimme"!!   Nate's blanket was quilted by my sister Michele.  Brady's was knitted by my knitting friends - Deana, Renae and Lena.

These boys are going to be Flyers fans one day!  Or maybe they'll choose different teams, just to make their Daddy crazy!

Top one is Brady and bottom one is Nate.

So, these boys are brothers for sure!  Nate has a bit of a rounder face (courtesy of Carole), while Brady was always a bit leaner.  None the less, it was fun for us to see!

Baby Fat and the Best of Intentions

Some of you have been there...putting on the baby fat is all good and totally acceptable.  Then your beautiful baby is born - and that baby fat is STILL there!  For the first few weeks, the extra little belly is quite acceptable...but not for long! 

Now I did have the best of intentions....trying to eat healthier, getting out for walks - but let's face it - life with a newborn and a 2 1/2 year old results in eating whatever and whenever you can!!  If you need that extra boost to get you through the day, a bag of milk chocolate Hersey Chipits sure fits the bill!  Everyday can be a new day and a new resolution to "start fresh" and try harder.  Until you send your husband out for groceries.

Suddenly your kitchen is filled with your absolute favorite and completely impossible to resist - Rolo Ice Cream.  But that's not all.  Now sitting up on the kitchen counter, tempting you with it's healthy fruity name is the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, which of course can not be eaten without creamy vanilla ice cream!  And right above all the cereals, in a cupboard I visit daily, is the biggest and baddest bag of Cheesy Nacho Doritos.

I rest my case.

Tomorrow will be my "fresh start".   That pie is calling my name.

Good Night, Sleep....comfortably?!?

Brady makes us laugh all the time!!  Recently, a lot of chuckles have come after seeing the way he has fallen asleep.  Just thought I'd share a few of these priceless moments!  Hopefully you'll get a little chuckle out of them too!

Schmidt's at Wilderness Edge

The day we had our appt with Nate in Wpg was the same day my brother Kerry, Kathy and children were arriving in Winkler for 2 weeks of holidays.  It was so good to be together as a family that evening, praying together and enjoying catching  up with each other.  The next few days proved to be difficult for Don and I.  However, we had a fun weekend to look forward to, courtesy of Dad.  The entire Schmidt Clan, except Adria who was at staff training at camp, headed out to Wilderness Edge in Pinawa, MB.  What a fun weekend!!  Watching all the little cousins interact was so great!  It was super relaxing as all of our meals were prepared for us!!!  A weekend with NO dishes to do!!

A little scary seeing a toddler experiment with a juice dispenser, but oh so fun for them!!! 

The air hockey table proved to be a winner with the kids.  The 'older' kids enjoyed playing pool.

The suspension bridge near Pinawa.

Grandma spent lots of time with all the grandkids - attempting story time in this picture.

 

The first day of the rest of our lives...

Two weeks ago, at Nate's routine 6 week check up, our doctor discovered a heart murmur.  Erring on the side of caution, she sent us to see a pediatric cardiologist  in Winnipeg.  Five days later, we were at the Variety Children's Heart Clinic.  Nate had an echocardiogram (he was just awesome, laying very still for about 20 minutes!) and an ECG and some related tests.  As we waited to see the cardiologist, we felt very optimistic.  Many babies have murmurs for various reasons, which resolve themselves with time.

We found out Nate has a Ventricular Septum Defect (VSD) or hole in his heart where the left and right ventricles meet.  That in itself could devastate a  parent.  However, the doctor said that wasn't all they found.  That's when our hearts dropped.  She went on to explain Nate's situation.  He has Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries.  It is a congenital heart defect that would have happened at about 5 weeks gestation.  You can 'google' it to find out more about it, but basically the pulmonary artery and the aorta are around the wrong way, but it has been corrected by the fact that the ventricles are also around the wrong way.  It would appear that the blood is going to the right places, but there are many other complications that arise from the weaker ventricle doing the hard work and the stronger ventricle pumping blood at a higher pressure to the lungs.   They include surgery to repair the VSD, surgery to correct the arteries and ventricles, inserting a pacemaker, etc.   We got a crash course in the heart that day - and I have to admit, I'm still trying to understand all the implications.

We left that day feeling heart broken for our little Nate.  It really did feel like the first day of the rest of our lives.... you can never go back to how you felt before, after getting that kind of news.

Our Family

Since I seem to be addicted to other people's blogs, I thought I should really start my own!  I am the proud mother of 2 adorable boys - Brady Neil (2 1/2 years old) and Nate Jacobson (8 weeks old).  

Don and I have been married for 7 1/2 years.  We are living in our third house.  I love renovating and decorating which explains the first two house flips.  We're really enjoying our current home and I can see us staying here a little longer!