Joys Part 2

After Brent told me about Karson and the cars hiding (read previous post first), I went to lay down on Karson's bed with him as a joke. I told him I couldn't lay down with him because it was too lumpy. Then I took the cars out and put them in the tub. I did leave him one without telling him. No problem. Then Brent and I stayed up talking for awhile and I decided to give him back his cars as a suprise in the morning. (yes, I know bad parenting but it was too cute and Brent just laughed it off and no one got in trouble) So, he is asleep and I go back in there to add cars under his blanket with the one I left. When I lifted the covers up, I didn't find just the one I left but 6 others. He had gotten more while we were talking. What a sneak!! What do the teenage years hold for us?? Sad part is- he is sneaky just like his dad was and got away with murder. YIKES!

Joys of Boys

This week has been a whirlwind. We are always on the go. We spend 3 fun, long days at Brent's brothers house working on their Caterpillar so they can clear their land. Karson had a blast playing with Kambell and riding their toy gator. We get home at midnight and up again the next day for Library, errands, etc. Long days with limited naps. Then on Wedn up early to go help Brent at the farm and home for quick baths, nap, and to tumbling and church. Needless to say, the boys have been off any form of schedule they were close to being on and are extremely tired. When they get tired, they fight naps. This happened after the time change and has struck again. They will lay in bed and play for hours. They get busted, toys and scooters taken away, food treats taken away, tv taken away, books taken away, you name it. One day they had one toy and one book for three days. Nothing seems to work not even rewards. Then one day they will start napping again. Anyway, today was one of those days. They tossed and turned for hour and half. Korbin finally went to sleep and then Karson did after 2 and half hours. Then they sleep for 2-3 hours. Horrible being stuck for that long!! Then tonight I had to tutor at 8. The boys and I went on a late walk with MeMe so it was late eating supper. Basically, they fended for themselved and had cereal and bananas while I tutored. So as I am working with 2 boys, they are climbing the cabinents, food is everywhere, Karson even attempts to get the milk out. Then they begin to play screaming and yelling. At one point my kitchen floor is covered with dirt from my plants they were playing in instead of sitting in time-out. I am ready to pull my hair out. The whole time Kelton is talking and screaming loudly with them. Finally students leave and the boys go to bed-no book, no Bible, no tooth brushing. Just bed and prayers and screaming fit. So I go clean up the kitchen. Here is the joyous part of boys!!!
Brent finally gets home from Odessa with the horses. He goes in to tell the boys goodbye and notices something hard under the bed. Karson has put 10-12 cars under his blanket(toys are in time-out). Karson looks up at Daddy, smiles, and says "Shhh, I'm hiding them." What can you do for that??? Brent just laughs and showers!!

Fun at Abilene Zoo

On Thursdays, the Abilene Zoo has a special day for preschoolers. We went in Feb with Kambell and learned about opossoms. We even got to meet and pet one.
Meeting the oppossom

Korbin is a opposom

Karson is an oppossom too

Our favorite part of the zoo- Giraffes. Check out that LONG black tongue. The boys enjoyed feeding them.

All smiles with our new friend

Kelton just along for the ride.

Caged Monkeys

What a crew!! Karson, Korbin, Kambell take a break to smile for the camera.

Horse Lessons

Korbin loves to ride horses and would ride all day if we let him.

We have finally decided that Dillon will make the perfect kid horse and have been letting Karson ride him ALONE. He has done great and enjoys riding especially in his saddle(one of Brent's old kid saddles). Karson is learning to control Dillon and "Be the Boss" of him. We have gotten in some spins since Dillon is a reiner but over all it is a great experience for us all. On the latest ride, Karson enjoyed sitting on Dillon by the fence and watching the cows. As we were watching them, we spotted two coyotes going after a calf. Daddy jumped off his horse and ran the coyotes off. It was an adventure for Karson to see. He loved it and still talks about the coyotes getting the cows.

First lessons from Daddy

True reiner!!

All smiles from this cowboy!

When not riding, the boys love to play with Rusty and jump and run on all the junk trailers. They love the farm and going out there. Karson always is looking for Grandpa to ride the tractor with. Korbin just plays in the dirt. Kelton is great to hang out or nap. Great farm Boys!!!

Schmidt Christmas

Kyle and Lindsey came over Saturday night for Christmas. It is always fun to get the kids together and play. Brent also learns a little more about girls when Kambell and Addison come. He lifted Kambell up and spun her around. She immediately began crying and wanted down. Girls are nothing like our boys!!
Kambell loves to wear dresses and hats.

Kelton getting checked out by Kyle and Grandpa. No one can believe his birthmark above his eye and has to do a double check.

Two littlest ones enjoying some wiggle time away from the bigger kids.

What a face!!

"My Present?? I got a horse!"

Before everyone left, they wanted a last bit of chocolate cake. Of course, Grammy said SURE. Kambell really enjoyed it!! Where is your shirt and dress????

Christmas Day

Christmas day was a quiet day for us. After Santa came, the grandparents came over for lunch and to watch the boys open presents from mom and dad.
Three Handsome boys wish you Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the Schmidts

Kelton tells Great Granddaddy Durward all he got

Dad stayed up too late watching a movie

Kelton got into opening presents too. The boys were not fast enough opening his so he decided he would try to get into them himself. He was pretty successful!!

After opening presents the paper was way more fun than the gifts!

Whoa, Gene!! Easy with the scissors- we'll get you a different present next year!

Two of a kind!! I am very thankful for a terrific mom. She is wonderful with the boys and a great help. She is willing to drop everything and help me. She also is great about suprising me with a clean house and clothes ironed. We will miss you when you move a few blocks over. People always claim we look alike (even since I was younger). I couldn't ask to look like a better person. You're the best, MOM!!

Kelton turned into Kramer!!

The boys got sleeping bags for Christmas. They had a campout Christmas night in their new bags. Korbin hasn't quite figured his out yet.

Santa's visit

Santa's Little Helpers are dressed and ready for bed. Karson was ready to go to bed so Santa would come visit. The went to bed early but sat around playing in bed. Unfortunately, we had to use a little force to get them to sleep!! Even bribing with Santa wouldn't work.

Ms. Jackie knew that Karson was worried about Santa getting into our house since we don't have a chimney so she bought him a Santa key. He hung it on the door as he set out the milk and cookies.

Santa supported John Deere way too much this year

Boys looking at their toys. Karson was up first after mom and woke up everyone. He looked at the presents and then said that Santa didn't eat the cookies. He was not happy!! Santa did eat one and took a bite out of the others. Maybe next year Santa will be hungrier!! OOPS!! Korbin was so sleepy he wasn't too sure about it but really liked it when daddy got the tractors out.

Still thinking about it all or wondering when can I get back to bed

Drag time

On the go

Making hay bales and loading them up to take to the cows. True farmers just like Grandpa

Kelton finally woke up to find his gifts. Tractors for all!!

December Happenings

Another month has come and gone. We look back at all the exciting memories we have made in 2008 and anxiously await the new year and all it has for us.
Bright eyes is happy ALL the time

Those boys!! Two of a kind share ice cream and give momma a hard time

Mr. Fireman will charm the girls one day with those eyes

Wiped out- Love how Kelton is sleeping so peacefully

These two have been really fighting naps and bedtime lately. They are driving us crazy. They play and toss and turn for up to 2 hours. It is just so hard for them to wind down and close their eyes. We have tried everything but will still take any suggestions. Tonight they finally fell asleep together. How Sweet!!

Karson still loves to play with his train track and today he built an awesome track totally by himself. I came back in the room and he had created this. He is quite the engineer like his daddy!

I cleaned out part of the boys toys and closet today knowing it would be full again after Christmas. Karson found a cash register I had bought at a garage sale and wanted to play with it. When I returned it was full of money. He had emptied the piggy bank to fill it up. Smart boy though, because he emptied Korbin's first and then his. Mom caught him doing his so it is still full. Later I found Korbin's and realized what had happened. Sneaky big brother!!

We found our toys and love to pull and tug at them. So happy!!

Timber-Falling Tree

The cat (Karson's birthday present last month) loves to climb our tree. We have had the tree up for about a week with no ornaments and it climbed up it everyday. I was smart enough to know not to put glass ornaments on it this year. We finally got it decorated one night when Brent was home. The next morning we were sleeping in and heard Karson get up. He was in the living room and was shouting "NO, NO, No, NoKitty- Stop that!!" Then we hear BANG< CRASH. We go in there to find the following picture and screaming child. Do you see that splash of orange in the middle of the tree?? That is Karson's shirt. He is totally under the tree. The cat was in the tree and he was trying to get him out. Luckily, only one ornament was broken but I easily glued it back together.

Trimming the Tree

The boys helped us decorate the tree this year. I don't have a very elaborate tree so it was wonderful that they could help. I really am glad that I have been able to control my urges to rearrange the ornaments and make it look better. Several of the ornaments were on the same branch and most were towards the bottom. Karson did get a chair and we got more towards the top. Just looking at it reminds me of the boys and how special they are. These memories are way more important than a pretty tree!!

MeMe and PaPaw have been really busy with work, school, and fixing up their new house and didn't have their tree up yet. We finally called them and told them if they would put it out, we would help them decorate. They agreed and the boys helped decorate the tree. PaPaw was more paticular about where to put the ornaments than I was but the boys didn't mind and loved helping.

Korbin really had to stretch to put the ornaments on or so it seems!