Happy WINTER!

Happy December!
We love this time of year! We have being doing the Advent Calendar and enjoying each day with our Christmas Tree in our family room. We've been baking treats and singing songs - We just love Christmas time!

Here's a photo of the kids with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Joe's Barbershop Christmas Show.


Here's sweet Morgan as we get ready to go to the Angel Christmas program at the kids' Pre-School.


Here's Joey playing one last time in the leaves before the snow arrived the next day!


And here's the family at Dull's Tree Farm - a tradition we have done since before Joey was born - we cut down our Christmas Tree!


Although it was sunny, it was quite a cold day - the kids are dressed nice and warm and enjoyed playing in the snow while we searched to farm for a tree!


We wish you all a very blessed Holiday Season - I am sure there will be more photos before this month is done!

Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan and Baby Boy Schmidt

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

The first week in November took across on an airplane ride across the country to Huntington Beach, CA. The kids did great (it was Morgan's first flight!) and the time change didn't affect them much either...

Joe and I spent Monday through Friday at a Sports Leadership Training in San Diego, while Uncle Tom and Aunt Debbie played with the kids.

It was a fantastic trip for all of us!


Morgan at the Long Beach Aquarium (pretending to swim through the coral).


Morgan and Aunt Debbie really enjoyed each other.


Uncle Tom & Aunt Deb were fantastic hosts and the kids just LOVED spending time with them!


Morgan loved her first visit to the ocean at Huntington Beach - but the water was cold!


Joey was much more interested in sand castles than going near the salty cold water.


JT Schmids is a wonderful restaurant in Anaheim that also happens to nearly share the name of Joe (his initials are JTS - but it turns out the owner's name is actually Jared...still a cool photo!)

There are many more photos to download that were taken while we were away at the conference each day, but I wanted to post those that I had taken as soon as I got a chance.

Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan Schmidt & Baby J.W.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN (and an update to the kitchen too!)

Happy Halloween!
Here is Princess Morgan and Pirate Joey at their Pre-school Pumpkin Party!



My Dad (and mom and brother) came down last weekend to help move along the kitchen renovation - which was at a complete hault since May! Slowly...very slowly...




(that's a counter top -finally! and the microwave and dishwasher have been put in..no power to that side of the kitchen yet...but boy do they look good!)

Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan & baby J.W. Schmidt

WHAT A FUN OCTOBER!

We have had such a fun fall!
The kids and I visited Lucas Oil Stadium with the Moss kids for a tour.


We waited with Payton at the Pro Shop for our tour!


The kids were all geared up for the tour!


Joey and Morgan stood on the field for a photo.


This is a view from the stadium's highest point - the Press Box.


The whole family spent this past weekend visiting Waterman's Pumpkin Farm


Joey found his pumpkin!


Mom and Morgan enjoyed the hayride back from the pumpkin patch - it gets dark early now!


Here are the kids waiting to enter into all the fun at the gate!

and then ZOO BOO at the Indianapolis Zoo. The kids got to "trick-or-treat" throughtout the zoo in their costumes! And it's only midway through the month - we've had so much fun already!


Ahoy Mate!


Our sweet princess.






Hope you have a great October too!
Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan and baby brother Schmidt

It's a BRICK HOUSE!

So, after nearly a year of destruction and construction...the front of our home is nearly complete. The brick is not a perfect match to the original house, but after some power washing, we'll probably be pretty close!



Now...the goal is to finish as much of the inside as we can before Baby #3 arrives in February!
Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan & Baby Brother Schmidt

2 Tickets to PARADISE!

So, with short notice, Joe and I were offered an amazing opportunity to hop on a plane and join our friends in St. Croix in the Virgin Islands for a long weekend!!!

It was the most beautiful place! Crystal clear water, white beaches, warm sunshine, wonderful company and the kids were home with MO (G-ma Williams) and Uncle Ry Ry!

The photos say it all:














Along the Boardwalk in Christiansted.


This trip was so GOOD for Joe!


Can you believe how close it is to Pittsburgh!?


We are at the most eastern point of the United States here at Point Udell.


This is one of 10 Radio Telescopes scanning the United States and their territories.

This is in the rain forests of Saint Croix.

It was a trip of a lifetime!
Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan & Baby #3 Schmidt

IT'S A BOY!

We are very excited to announce that Baby #3,
Due February 5, 2009
IS A BOY!

That means, there is a real good chance where ever our kids go to high school, they will playing for a state championship in Joey's senior year with the Schmidt Twin Tower Duo (playing 2 and 3 guard like their daddy did!)

We couldn't be more excited and we've got all Joey's baby clothes saved, so this one is set! Now, if only I could somehow grow another arm to manage 3!!!

Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan and Baby BOY Schmidt

August Summer FUN!

What a wonderful summer it's been!

And we ALWAYS look forward to August because it means the STATE FAIR!
On opening day, we wake the kids up before dawn and drive to the fairgrounds to watch a hot air balloon race. It's our second year of 6am wake up call and a 6:30am departure of over 30 beautiful balloons taking off into the sunrise! It's definitely going to remain a family tradition as this is an experience for all ages!







The Wonder Trail at the State Fair is a MUST DO for the kids! Here Joey is working in the garden and found a carrot!


And Morgan found an onion - thank goodness they were "play" vegetables!




Playtime at Home:
The kids enjoy playing in their "nest" - our big blue chair.


Another fun activity the kids love to do together is play "parachute" as mommy makes the bed!


Taking a "Boat Ride" is always fun too - unfortunately, it makes for wrinkly clean clothes!


A Family Visit:
We had a great time visiting the Children's Museum while our cousins Stacie, Ray and their daughters Maura and Tristan visited for the weekend.








A Family Outing:
We went to the zoo with the Dumas kiddos - Andre (3 1/2yr), Drew (2 1/2yr) and Alexandra (1 yr) joined Joey and Morgan at the Splash Park - they had LOTS of fun!


Now September is almost here, which means the first day of Pre-School for Joey! Many more pics to follow, I am sure!

Joe, Megan, Joey and Morgan Schmidt (& baby #3)