Schmidt 2013 in Review

Our year was full of excitement, as usual. 

We have definitely simplified and gotten focused on the ways we serve, live and love others.

I (Megan) began 2013 motivated to work on all kinds of things in my life - setting goals, reading books monthly, organizing our home, blogging often...etc.  I had a higher expectation to pull this off in 2012, but this time around I gave myself Grace.  My one main goal was to capture memories and get them into this blog....which I did.  It's amazing how often I now rely on my cell phone to capture life instead of my camera.  Either way, most photos and events of the year were photographed, uploaded and placed onto the blog (and now the book)...and definitely on Facebook!

Additionally, my time has been spent in my second year of serving in a very fulfilling way  - at our "bigs" school as a Co-Chair of our Family Tree Organization (FTO). It's kind of like a Parent-Teacher Association of other schools - but the main focus is on community building, teacher appreciation and for me, leadership development and finding/using the gifts and talents of our parents.  The Oaks Academy strives to "know and love" our children - I trust and KNOW that occurs with every teacher & staff with our kids within our school....  BUT, my focus in taking on this leadership role has been to tap into our parents' passions and giftings and using them for His Glory.  Hopefully, others have been as pleased as I have been with our efforts thus far.  I have a rock start leadership team and 3 other Co-Chairs that really carry the load with me.  It's such a blessing and I truly feel I (too) am using my God given Talents and Giftings in serving our school in this way.

I still serve for 3 months in the fall as the PreSchool Co-Teacher with a friend of mine at our church - Common Ground Christian Church.  It again was a rewarding and fun season of serving.

I have also greatly enjoyed a book study with a group of "Wise Women" on Tuesday nights that continues to be life giving and a great blessing to me.

Joe is best described as BUSY.  Entering his 9th year at IMPA, he has taken on some big projects and excels at everything he does there.  On top of his full time job, he is well into classes for his MBA at Butler University.  (IMPA has fully supported and funded this endeavor! Praise God!)  It has him in classed a few nights a week with lots of papers and studying after the kids go to bed. 

His one love that I would not let him give up is his barbershop quartet - RipChord.  They are a very talented group of men.  We have definitely become even closer as a "family" with both the men and their wives and just really enjoy each other's company.

Another thing he has taken on this year (with my FULL support!) is coaching basketball at the Oaks Academy for the JV A team - which is with 5th & 6th grade boys. We are choosing not to focus on the Win and Loss line and instead focus on developing fundamentals, playing together and competing positively. 

If Joe isn't working, studying, coaching or singing - he's spending every minute with his kids while fixing, digging, moving or burning something around the house - in the name of Home Improvement! 
He just amazes me.  I am SO THANKFUL for him!

Joey (8 years old) is in third grade at The Oaks.  He LOVES school.  He excels in reading and math.  He is a sponge with any topic that comes along. Third Grade focus is on Ancient Greece.  He's read every book he can find at the library, insisted on us visiting the Indianapolis Museum of Art to see the "amphoras" section and asks us to record anything related to Greece that comes on PBS.

His favorite things are Riddle and Joke Books, books on magic, books on Greece, writing in his journal, playing the piano (he's in weekly lessons), and has a good time being a part of Water Wizards this fall. (one level away from swim team)

Morgan (6 years old) is in First Grade at The Oaks.  She LOVES school too - but more so because she gets to play, organize, lead, talk, and hang out with her many many friends.  She is our social butterfly (I have no idea where she gets it!).  :)
She is doing well with her reading, spelling, writing, and loves her teachers and classmates.
She is passionate in her story telling, and concerned and involved in the friendships and relationships in her life.  She loves to create, cut with scissors, color, paint, play in mud, play in water and get messy.  She loves being outside, barefoot, hair everywhere, gathering leaves, potting soil, digging in dirt and collecting rocks, feathers, tumbleweeds and shells.  She is also in Water Wizards and is quite a little fish in the water.  She is even having her Birthday Party at the Rivi this month (her birthday is 4 days after Christmas). 

Jameson (4 years old) is in 4s Preschool at the Early Childhood Center.  He is our 3rd child to have the same amazing teachers and he loves it. 
He is rough and tumble, yet sweet and sensitive.  He is a servant - always listening for ways to help others and provide whatever is needed before even being asked. 

He LOVES sports - He played basketball last winter.  He played T-ball this spring and he played soccer this fall.  He scored about 3 goals a game - he's a stud!
Basketball is his favorite sport - you should see his follow through! Especially now that Daddy is coaching, he insists on shooting hoops with Daddy everyday after he gets home from work (or practice) - we have a hoop in our garage.  He and I are at the Rivi, almost daily, shooting at the gym there, as well. 

Jackson (just turned 3 in November) is our silly, noisy, funny, playful cuddle bug.  He has a sense of humor that no child at that age should grasp yet...the looks, the delayed response...almost like punch lines! 
He loves to laugh, play, push around trucks, or hot wheels or trains.  He builds and plays with his big brother JJ really well (until he bops him on the head or scratches his back). 
He is just a joy and we are so thankful our family is complete with our JackJack.
We had some real health issues with our sweet Jackson last year, but this year, just being gluten free (for the most part) has made for an uneventful and healthy year for him.
He is in a Mom's Day Out for older 2s at the same preschool as Jameson (ECC).  He enjoys his teachers and classmates. 
He definitely makes this family complete!!

We hope this letter finds you well!
Here's wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Visit this blog or become "friends" of Joe or I on Facebook!
http://jandmschmidt.blogspot.com/

Or check out stuff we're a part of:

www.theoaksacademy.org
www.butler.edu
www.cground.org
www.facebook.com

Happy 2014 to you!

Joe, Megan, Joey, Morgan, Jameson and Jackson

Thanksgiving Weekend tradtions

The last night of school (Tuesday) before Thanksgiving, the Oaks hosts a Skating Party at Skateland.  It's one of the most well attended events of our school year.
Here's few photos of Morgan and Joey enjoying their time at the rink!

Our kids we off school on Wednesday, so Joe took off work that day too.
We took the kids to the Eiteljorg Museum (known for it's southwestern art) and visited JingleRails.  It was as sight to see!  We HIGHLY recommend taking the kids and checking this place out!  We have never gone before, but because it was pretty quiet (we considered Children's Museum, which would have been SUPER packed with people!) and because it's trains ran through many National Park replicas built out of natural materials....it has now become a MUST DO the day before Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving morning, Joey and I have started a new tradition last year....we run the Drumstick Dash in Broad Ripple.  It's a 2.5 mile course (or you can do a full 10k) and it benefits Wheeler Mission.  We "move our feet so others can eat".  This event is the 6th largest race in the state - with nearly 18,000 people participating.  This year is was CRAZY cold!  The high was 21 degrees.  But the sun with shining and our friends Christine joined us...so it was another fun race!

We had a wonderful time on Thanksgiving - spending the evening with family at Bammie and Bampie's house.

Then, on Friday (another day off work or school!), we have the tradition of heading to Dull's Tree Farm.  It's a special place for us.   It takes a good hour to get there.  It has barns with animals, barns with slides and hay mazes, food, a huge slide down a hill on a burlap mat and of course, the most important part....you cut down your own Christmas tree!
It was the perfect day to go (and hundreds of others thought the same thing!).  We picked out the perfect tree and enjoyed our time at the farm.

Schmidt Top 10 of 2013

 

Schmidt TOP 10 of 2013

10 - different kinds of veggies growing in our garden (beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, green peppers, rhubarb, asparagus, cucumber, zucchini, raspberries)

9 - years Joe has worked at IMPA

8 - amazing friends that make Rip Chord a quartet (husbands AND wives!)

7 - camping trips this summer

6 - Super Heroes!

5 - different sports our kids took lessons (Swimming, tennis, basketball, soccer, T-ball)

4 - years Joey has been taking piano lessons


3 - semesters left until Joe graduates with his MBA from Butler University!


 


2 - nights of Johnny Socko!

1 - NEW FRONT PORCH!