Can I trade you in?

Nick is proving to be extra challenging these days. He still breaks out his "mad eyes" and the other day he told me that The Incredible Hulk had mad eyes and if he could turn himself into The Incredible Hulk, he would. This morning on our way to daycare this is how our conversation went and keep in mind, Nick was upset about something, not unusual these days.
Nick: "I want a new mommy."
Mommy: "Gee, Nick, that isn't very nice to say to mommy. How would you feel if I said I wanted a new little boy."
Silence from Nick
Jay: "Yeah, Yeah, do it, mom, do it."

Those Boys!!!!!!!!

Summer Days & Nights

We went to buy flowers this morning. Here are all my boys unloading my van and packing up thier trailers!

Mike bought Jay his own B.B. gun. Jay LOVES it! They take their guns out every night and shoot them in our back yard. Nick (with his favorite safety goggles) usually joins them. I love this time of year!!

What a smile

When Nick isn't running into windows or tripping over trucks and scraping his forehead he can be quite adorable!

Daddy's Home

I realized I did not honor my husband on Father's Day (in my blog anyway). Mike is truly a wonderful dad to our two boys. He is patient but firm. He is fun but serious when he needs to be. And he makes his boys his number two priority (I'm the first!). Mike has been gone the last two nights working. The boys go a little stir crazy when he's gone. Tonight when he walked in the door the boys were all over him, begging him to take them outside. So, outside they went, hence me being able to blog at 6:45 in the evening.
It has occurred to me that hurricane season is approaching. Last September, Mike was called out on storm duty for three weeks. I remember it like it was yesterday and not fondly, I might add. It was the most challenging three weeks I've ever experienced. During Mike's absence, I realized and appreciated the fact that he is the main foundation of our family. To give myself some credit, I managed (with the help of my mom and sister) but it was a rough three weeks.
Happy Belated Father's Day, Mike! Jay, Nick and I love you lots!

I forgot to add this picture!!! This is the entire Schmidt clan minus my cousin, Max, who lives in Nebraska and could not make it back. We're quite a group!

Family Reunion

My grandparents turn 80 this summer! We all got together on Father's Day to celebrate!

A Good Day and A Bad Day

Jay goes to day camp every Tuesday and he loves it. I'm pleased over this because day camp is cheap, fun and well organized. I'm so lucky to work for the company that I do as they offer this day camp. I've often said that giving birth to Jay was easier than getting information out of him but tonight, he didn't hold back. The police department brought in the K-9 unit to camp and Jay told me every detail about it with such excitement. It was fun to hear and fun to watch him describe the dogs. The funny thing is, I worried about Jay at camp all day today because it was pouring down rain. He didn't seem to care one bit. He said that since it wasn't lightening out he got to swim in the rain and learn about attack dogs...........Truly, one of Jay's best days ever!!
Nick, on the other hand, did not have such a great day. My daycare provider, Christy, who never says a negative word about my children, confessed today that age three is not agreeing with Nick. She was able to laugh with me at the end of the day (as she always does) but we both wondered where our sweet little two year old boy went. Apparently there was an incident today between Nick and Christy at the library. It involved some kicking, yelling and running, all on Nick's part. Poor Christy! That woman is a saint. I'm sure Nick ran her ragged today. Christy and I both talked to Nick about it and Nick promised us that he would have a better today tomorrow. I'm hoping for the best.

Stanford Indians Baseball

Jay is playing baseball in a small town close to ours. I've discovered that the sport of baseball is very time consuming as has Jay. Jay is pretty much a home body and baseball practice and games is cutting into his riding the tractor around the yard, playing in the sand box and jumping on the trampoline time. However, he isn't complaining too much as Mike and I made it clear to him that since he started this (and wanted to play) he must finish it. However, he told me tonight he has no intention of signing up again next summer. Go figure.

I have to admit, Jay's team and even Jay isn't very good. They all put forth the effort which is all that matters but even Jay said tonight after his game............."Man, mom, the other team smoked us." Jay was able to hit a ball tonight and so did the rest of his teammates so he was able to make it all the way home, something that NEVER happens.

Nick's Clumsiness

I took Jay to baseball practice tonight when Nick and Mike unexpectedly showed up. Mike said there had been too much excitment at home so he and Nick decided to join me. That "excitement" consisted of Nick running into and shattering our dining room window. Now before I proceed with this story, I am happy to report Nick is okay. His wrist is cut but he did not require stitches and Mike bandaged it nicely.
Nick is known for just running into things. Last week we were at the beach and he was running, not paying attention to what he was doing, and slammed right into the slide. Then, just three days ago he was running a truck around on concrete when he tripped over the truck and skinned his forehead. Tonight, he was running through the house like a wild man and like a freaking bird smacked right into the window. Thankfully Mike was right there and as soon as it happened he told Nick to freeze (as Nick did not have any socks or shoes on) so Nick did not cut his feet. I was glad I was not home when it happened because I probably would have freaked out. Mike, on the other hand, handles those situations beautifully. He's always remains calm.
As bad as I feel about Nick's accident, I have to laugh because he's so me! When I was in second grade, I was running in the gym and couldn't "stop" and ran smack right into the gym wall, breaking my arm. When Nick was in utero, it's like the good lord took all my clumsy genes and put them all into Nick. Poor Pickel! I love you son, hang in there.....life won't see as clumsy in a few years.

Age 80 and still having fun

My grandpa turned 80 today. I called him this morning to wish him a Happy Birthday. I asked him how he planned to celebrate his special day. He replied he was already enroute to his golf game. I told him that I can only hope that when I turn 80 I will have as much energy as he does.

Nick's big boy bed

I'm a little late getting Nick his big boy bed but it finally got done. He is over the moon about it! However, I did notice that Nick has the most comfortable bed in the house now. How is it that my three year old has a better bed than Mike and I? I can't believe my two kids are out of the crib/toddler bed. Mike made the crib that both the boys slept in. It was bittersweet to watch him pack it up and put it away (hopefully for grandchildren one day or the boys can use it for their own children).
P.S. Notice Nick's forehead. Unfortunately, he has my "grace" (or lack there of). He was pushing a truck on the concrete, tripped over it and scraped up his forehead.

Groundhog Day

Have you ever seen the movie, "Groundhog Day," with Bill Murray? He keeps waking up to the same day everyday and doing the same thing over and over again. I sware that is what my life is like sometimes. Jay had a baseball game last night and b-ball practice tonight, both in Stanford (a small town close to our home). Getting up and going to work everyday presents itself with the Groundhog day "syndrome" but when you get into nightly activities, it's a whole new ball-game, literally. When I got home from work last night I gave Nick and Jay a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to eat on the way to Jay's baseball game (not one of my better parenting food choices) and tonight when Jay and I went to his baseball practice I gave him a corn muffin. Same food crap, different day. Good lord! I drive the same stretch of road, sit in the same spot on the bleacher and watch the same kids play baseball. I enjoy it, once I'm there, I just have to laugh at the daily routine. I am happy to report we do not have baseball tomorrow night but we'll be back at it on Thursday night.