35 of 52

 

Me and Lilly, being so silly,

while Daddy reads,

and I sneak in for a snuggle!

I'm a little late to the link up but all of the other Moms were right on time, go see them at Forever in Blue Jeans, if ya fancy a gander.

********************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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34 of 52

I did it! 

I finally attended and completed the Course 3 cake decorating class by Wilton. 

I learned fondant and it is all I had hoped it would be.  Using frosting to make flowers is an exact skill done with a careful hand, something I seem to lack.  Whereas fondant can be made and remade until it looks just right, it is fussy and so am I, a perfect pair!

For our final class the instructions were to make and assemble a two-tiered cake.  In light of the painful fact that I am getting sick of cake and have no desire to have it sit around my house, tempting me at every turn, I decided to make it for Thanksgiving instead.  Well, I really wanted to make an adorable sky blue cake covered in little fondant flowers, but that does not say "holiday" to me and thus felt the need to create a fondant turkey.  He turned out so cute.  Note: it does not bode well for the piped on border if you have had a few tasty 007 mixed drinks, which my dear sister Angie mixed very strong... and my hand was a bit unsteady

My play-doh like cake frosting medium inspired young Topher and he spent hours (no kidding) working on his own Thanksgiving turkey.  I baked him a special little cake to perch his artwork on.

A big thank you goes to my strange, yet loving little brother for snapping the pictures of our Thanksgiving cake adventures.  He couldn't resist being seen with the turkey bling.

Visit Forever in Blue Jeans for fun photos of great Moms.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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33 of 52

Making the wedding bliss last another week - here is a snapshot of Patrick and I at the reception.  Nothing fancy and no kids but a picture with me in it none-the-less.

Carins boys are having a lot of fun over at Forever in Blue Jeans, give 'em a visit.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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32 of 52

I {heart} weddings, especially when the person getting married is by far the most deserving person of everlasting happiness. 

I met my dear friend Meggan over 10 years ago when we both worked Guest Service at Target in Mt. Pleasant.  We were both attending CMU at the time and quickly became great friends. 

I am so touched by Meggans happily-ever-after because she is the most unselfish person I have ever met.  She listens with uninterrupted curiosity and asks questions that show she is really listening to what you have to say.  Patrick and I have always spoke highly of Meggan and her ability to be an amazing friend to so many people.

Despite the distance, she came to visit after the birth of each of our children.  She always made it a point to come visit us and meet the newest Schweri.  She visited Lillian nearly 4 years ago, and with the decision to stop with that gem of a baby girl {God has one heck of a sense of humor} it meant that was the last time we had the opportunity to visit with her.

Until this past weekend, that is. 

Meggan surpassed the image of a beautiful bride and I found myself holding back tears as she exchanged vows with her amazing groom.  He is truly a lucky man and so deserving of such an incredible woman.

Every detail was thought of from the wedding to the reception.  So much so that by dinner Patrick and I could hardly eat because we had been so well fed up to that point.  The meal was amazing, we were served small portions of both Grand Traverse Chicken (with an incredible cherry gravy) and Filet Mignon.  Even the presentation was remarkable. {uh, huh - you betcha I took a pic of the food}

I was so happy to spend this incredible day with Meggan and her new husband.  Though they live in Nashville now I hope to visit her in the near future, perhaps when she has her first child. 

There are a lot of busy moms, go see their fun posts at Forever in Blue Jeans!

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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31 of 52

Trick -or- Treat

Goofy 'ol kids!

and a naughty Old Dad.

Visit Forever in Blue Jeans to see more moms.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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30 of 52

 

Hayride fun with my little guy on his 2nd grade field trip!

Visit Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans to get a glimpse of all the Mom's in front of their cameras.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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29 of 52

  Saturday we ventured north to Montague for the Pumpkinfest.  For $2 the kids picked out a pumpkin and registered it for the famous Pumpkin Roll.

In the small town of Montague there is an exceptionally large hill, which was newly repaved, just right for rolling things down like, oh say, pumpkins.  Come to think of it I wonder what other things I could have brought along to try my hand at rolling down the mighty hill... hmmm - I'll have to make a game plan for next year. 

This incredibly steep hill, especially if you are hauling a cumbersome plastic wagon filled with all of the things your children refuse to carry, is blocked off from traffic {duh!} and numerous hay bales create a pumpkin barrier at the bottom.   

Hundreds of kids, no joke, smoosh together in the street at the top of the hill waiting for their age group to be called.  Lilly was in the 0-3 year old group, of which there were the most contestants by far.  Do you wonder if there are any 0 year olds there, rolling pumpkins, on a freezing October day... yeah, I don't think so either- a bit of overkill Pumpkinfest Committee, just a bit. 

The kids go in heats of about 25 or so kids and when the lady yells "GO!" the tykes shove their pumpkin down the hill as hard as their chubby little hands will allow. 

It is at this point that each and every adult with their 0-3 yr old ignores the good advice the "GO!" lady gave them just moments before the start, that being "wait a minute before following your pumpkin so they all have time to clear." 

So, since my view was obstructed with every adult rear-end that just knew the "GO!" lady certainly didn't mean them, I decided to listen and just waited. 

Many of the uber intelligent adults who ran ahead, I was happy to see, ended up getting nailed by a pumpkin or two on the way down.  Karma, perhaps?

So we started walking down the hill, trying to see the number on Lilly's pumpkin to free it from the curb if need be...

As we walked down the hill we heard over the garbled loud speaker the winning pumpkin number being called that soundly incredibly close to the one written on my little Lilly's oddly flat pumpkin.  Certain that I was hearing it wrong we continued to take our time down the hill.  Her pumpkin was so "un-round" that I just knew it would not do well. 

If only I had taken a moment to picture a car tire in my mind... not incredibly round are they?  Instead they could be considered flat on two sides, much like the pumpkin Lil' picked.  She is a genius, she had a pumpkin wheel!  Wouldn't you know...???

She won her heat and received a cute button with a pride-inducing blue ribbon attached!

Back up the hill we waited in the crowd for the 7-12 age group and the boys gave it a go.  While both claim to have come in second there is really no way to know.  The pumpkins fly down the hill and the smaller and flatter they are the better they do.  The curb looked like a Nascar race, with pumpkins zooming past, all vying for the front spot.

It was a fun day at this neat little festival.  The boys tried pumpkin seed spitting,

face painting,

and pumpkin painting.

I would like to take a moment to mention that the pumpkin roll pumpkin cost $1 each and yet the painting pumpkins were free... if only we had done it in reverse order we could have shoved the FREE ones down the hill.  

Nathan and Topher both painted eyes on theirs so it would have looked like severed heads racing down the street - hmmm, we could have awarded 1 point for every 0 yr old who cried.  Next year, next year.

We will definitely be making a trip to Pumpkinfest again!

Visit Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans to see lots of Mom's up to the same monkey business.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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28 of 52

 Frilly purple princess dress? Check!   Matching purple tights and fuzzy purple purse? Check!   Happy smiles for the camera before we left?  Check!

Princess Lillian sashed and crowned?

Check!

Happy smiles for the camera before the event began?

Check!

Party over before it barely began?

um, yeah - a big 'ol Check-a-rooni on that one!

Maybe next year....

 

 

Visit Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans to see da other Mom's, 'eh?

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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27 of 52

Today is Thursday.  Yes, it is.  Don't argue with me, if I say it is Thursday, well, then it darn well better be Thursday.  Don't make me come over there... Okay, now that we are on the same page - Happy Thursday! 

On this lovely Autumn day, I can't help but wonder - Does this child ever smile?  Bribes don't work, threats don't work {ahem, not that I'd try that...}, hugs and kisses only make her more angry.  Where is her smile, I continue to wonder... 

A-ha! 

It is hidden beneath the bubbles.  Who knew...

Visit Carin at Forever in Blue Jeans, she is the genuis behind 52 Weeks.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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26 of 52

 New-To-Us Skates!

I found these gems at our local Good Will as I hunted for bits and pieces to fashion each child's requested Halloween costume for this fall.  I paid less than $10 for both pairs, so when they get bored with them after a few days it won't break my heart.

 

Helmets securely fastened, we took to the lot, but both Topher and Lilly soon found their skills lacking.  Mom to the rescue!  I unbelievably found the patience I needed to repeatedly walk both kids around and around the parking lot, giving pointers and guiding balance.

Lilly's skates are way too big, so it was pretty great entertainment to see her try so hard with such an impossible task.  Thankfully she has years to learn and plenty of room to grow {her feet anyway}.

Skate to Carin's at Forever in Blue Jeans, she is always doing something fun!

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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25 of 52

Thirty again!  Yes, that is right - I am going backwards in age so when my birthday rolled around {as it seems to have the pesky habit of doing so every year...} I was delighted to erase a few years from my birth certificate.  Go me! 

We started a super fun weekend with the visit of a speedy ice cream truck... well, more of a sad looking Astro Van which closely resembled a rusty bullet as it sped down our busy street.  Luckily with 8 arms waving wildly at the end of driveway we summoned the gal back and perused her wares... which were sadly limited and packed in dry ice.  This picture of Nathan is exactly what it looks like - said young man managed to get his tounge STUCK to his ice cream bar.  {What a look of compassion Topher has for his brothers pain} After a bit of patience and his warming breath he was free and managed to enjoy the treat without further incident.  Whew!

On Saturday we packed the fam in to our sleek, rust free van and sped off like a bullet to Grand Haven for the day.  I {heart} Rays from back in my High School days, so we stopped in and the kids experienced that fun little hamburger stand which we quickly took to the State Park and enjoyed on the sandy beach.  For the first time this summer we enjoyed a hot, wind and seagull free day, now that is sayin' something.

Each of the kids took turns digging large holes and filling them back in with their bodies and loads of heavy sand, similar to small tombs - don't really see the appeal myself.  Lilly couldn't resist getting back at Topher for all his naughty big brother crud he is always pulling on her... it was pretty funny to see how upset the little bit of water made him only after he saw who was pouring it. 

Monday morning, the day of my birthday, the kids woke me up with breakfast in bed {which looked oddly like Mr. Magoo}, a GIANT card that spoke to me and a very nice gift of bath bubbles.  Since that day I keep wishing a quick death to the battery of the card because it causes hours entertainment for Lilly now... *sigh*

After breakfast we headed out to the John Ball Park Zoo in Grand Rapids.  Fun!

Could it be that Lilly was in a bad mood...again...even after a fun day at the zoo?  Um, ya, which is usually the case anymore - I am so not looking forward to her teenage years if this is what her toddler years are like.  Seriously.   

 We ended our fun-filled weekend with a yummy ice cream cake and two too many candles... I'm going backwards, remember?  Guess I'll have to talk to the management about that one.  Sunday night Patrick arranged for the kids to go to The Wonderful Sherry's {her new title from now on} house for about 4 hours so we could have alone time and go to dinner - so I vote this year as the absolute best birthday ever. 

Forever in Blue Jeans is another fabulous place to be, go on over and check it out.

******************52 Weeks********************

52 Weeks is a year long challenge for YOU to be in a picture once a week for 52 weeks. We are always the ones behind the camera, this is YOUR chance to get out in front and be in the pictures with our family. We are glad you are joining this challenge. More importantly your family will really enjoy having you in the picture. Thanks for playing along! Oh, you can just jump in now with 1 of 52, you're not getting off that easy! Now go take a picture!

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