Gardening at the Schmidt House

These past few years, I think I have developed a new hobby.
I love to garden!
I can't say I am any good at it.
I can't really take much credit for the fact that you move some dirt, put in a seed, let rain and sun on it and then...you have a plant.
I DO take credit for the labor and sweat it takes to get said soil prepared (and each year expanded about 4 feet!).
I DO take credit for choosing to plant perennial plants like rhubarb and asparagus that require VERY little effort!
And I am thankful I have a rain barrel - that's a helpful addition too.

But the ONE thing I am PUMPED that I have figured out how to do (which really is not that big a deal) is to save seeds and plant them! HA! I am beating the system! I literally took seeds from spaghetti squash and butternut squash, dried them for 3 days, then planted them in the ground....we'll see if they get me any squash :) 
But so far, it's working!

ECC Spring Sing & Cake Create

Another fun tradition within our family because of the great preschool we attend is ECC's Spring Sing and Cake Create.
There is a COMPETITION for cake creation - and the kids perform as classes by singing a fun song.
JJ helped make a basketball cake - his idea! :)

It was a great night and JJ earned a certificate for his basketball cake!

Joey's Birthday

It's hard for me to believe, but Joey is 8.
He is smart, kind, tenderhearted, passionate, curious, and constantly in thought about a million things. He is a joy and at times a challenge, but we couldn't ask for a better son!

We had a "space" theme - with planets hanging from the ceiling (I tried to be as proportionate as the balloons allowed!)

He wanted to go see the IMAX movie called Hubble 3D - so we invited all the boys from his 2nd grade class (and his buddy D, our neighbor) and we met at the Indiana State Museum.  It was fun and a great way to celebrate our science loving boy!

SPRING FLING 2013

One of my favorite events of the entire school year is Spring Fling at the Oaks Academy.

Students are to dress up in things that represent the year of school they are in and what they have learned about. The students parade down Park Avenue in front of the school. All grades go in order, from PK to 8th grade. The event closes with the Middle School students performing formal dances (waltz, twist, etc). It is such a sight. So beautiful, innocent, and pure. They have worked hard to learn the steps, they have dressed up for this special night, they are preforming in front of hundreds in the crowd and they provide an beautiful example to the younger students who will, one day, be out there dancing too.

Morgan and her entire Kindergarten dressed as Nursery Rhymes. Morgan chose to be (and then recite in front of the class and their parents afterwards) Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. This is a song I sing to her every night before bed (along with 2 other songs). She was a beautiful star. It was a fun night for her.

Joey and his second grade class learned about Ancient Egypt this year.  They dressed as Egyptians and after the parade ended, they performed a play - where each child had lines to memorize, along with an overview of many of the scriptures and poems they learned throughout the year.  I was blown away by the 15 eight year olds reciting the 10 Commandments, then later, the Beattitudes....just amazing, really.

Throughout the school, there was one piece of artwork hanging created by every single child in the school - so we found Joey and Morgan's and got a special photo with their works.