Happy Birthday Papa!
Talking to my favorite Aunt Mandi! 
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Thanks for the Shades
Our deck project.
Bath time for River made easier with Ava's help.
New shades, Montana State shirt, Tutu, and new underwears
Thanks, Aunt Jan and Uncle John for my new shades.
Thanks, Aunt Jan and Uncle John for my new shades.Saturday, February 12, 2011
Ava turns 2
Well I can officially say celebrating two was much more fun than her 'birth' day. No major pains, no hospital lockdowns, no staying up all night because we were too excited to sleep. Instead we had a request for cake to start the day. We transformed that into mouse-shaped pancakes which were a hit. Dan and I got her a slide to play on inside so we slid, and slid and climbed and slid. Her cousin Katie sent her a card with Katie singing her rendition of 'Happy Birthday.' We listened to it a lot. A dinner of enchiladas, salad, and cake rounded out an amazing day. We are blessed to be Ava's parents. The last two years have been crazy; however, she is fantastic and on days like today we just sit and smile at our daughter.
Ava's Kitchen
Dan and I made Ava a little kitchen for Christmas inspired by my cousin, Erin. I started last summer, and well it was done Christmas morning with some late night help from Santa.
Weekend Away
The end of January Dan took Ava and I on a surprise weekend. We went to Elkhorn Hotsprings. He rented a little cabin, we skiied, hiked, swam and had a fantastic weekend. Thank you, Dan for the surprise.
Yellowstone in the Winter
For my Dad's 60th birthday, my family rented two snowcoaches to travel through Yellowstone. It was a beautiful day with snow, sun, family, love and seeing Yellowstone in a new season. A snowcoach is a van on tracks similar to a snowcoach. We travelled from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful had lunch and watched old faithful go off and travelled back to West Yellowstone.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Need Some Perspective
Rain in January has made me feel a bit of the grumps. Some days I feel like all I do is clean and my house is still in complete chaos. All I really want to do besides feel overwhelmed by my crazy house is...
Drink hot cocoa after sledding.
Go fishing with Dan and shoot photos all day.
Listen to live music.
Pretty much anything with Ava when she isn't whiny and break molars.
Color with my niece.
Hike.
Wine tasting in CA.
Watch my nephew's infectious smile.
Complete an unfinished project with my mom.
Help a child have an 'i get it' moment.
Watch a thunderstorm with my dad.
Laugh with my sis.
Dance in the kitchen with my hubby.
Listen to music while reading to start a great day.
A nap in the sun shining in the window.
Sit by the woodstove and sing with Ava.
Have Ava ask to hold my hand for a while.
See wildlife.
Visit Michigan.
Cook out.
Play games with my family.
Learn a new skill.
Find a new recipe that actually can be made.
Well, I guess there are a few great things I could do instead of cleaning tomorrow.
Drink hot cocoa after sledding.
Go fishing with Dan and shoot photos all day.
Listen to live music.
Pretty much anything with Ava when she isn't whiny and break molars.
Color with my niece.
Hike.
Wine tasting in CA.
Watch my nephew's infectious smile.
Complete an unfinished project with my mom.
Help a child have an 'i get it' moment.
Watch a thunderstorm with my dad.
Laugh with my sis.
Dance in the kitchen with my hubby.
Listen to music while reading to start a great day.
A nap in the sun shining in the window.
Sit by the woodstove and sing with Ava.
Have Ava ask to hold my hand for a while.
See wildlife.
Visit Michigan.
Cook out.
Play games with my family.
Learn a new skill.
Find a new recipe that actually can be made.
Well, I guess there are a few great things I could do instead of cleaning tomorrow.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
January Winds do Blow
Well with a month to go before Ava turns 2, I sit and reflect on our crazy lives. I listen to the wind blow and try not to notice the keys that Ava popped off my laptop.
We have a very close friend we met in Willow Creek who has been battling cancer and has just found out that cancer is most likely going to win this battle. Today Dan called once to talk to him and he was at the homeopathic doctor then he was going to the dentist. Tonight Dan called back, and he was at the Ridge working out as he just hadn' t done much today. May I find his vigor and enthusiasm in my life. My heart breaks that we are going to loose him, and yet I once again rejoice that I have known him. We are blest to be able to hear him play the piano tomorrow night and then attend a concert with him and his wife afterwards. Thank you, Lord, for bringing our lives together with Glen and Shirley. We are rich.
Ava loves her kitchen that Dan and I made her for Christmas. My aunt made her a little mini apron to add to it. Grandma and Grandpa gave her some wooden food and Aunt Beth and Uncle Jason gave her some accessories. So cooking is going well at our house. She loves to read, sing and dance. She has just learned "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" I sang both for an hour on the way home tonight. It's funny how repetition to them just doesn't seem like too much. She is still busy from sun up to sun down. She has learned the art of stalling bed time. We've started having a play date with Claire and Ella and Amber once a week which has been great to help burn off energy. She talks about it all week. She has a bit of drama and is sweet as the day is long (well sometimes.) She also has a bit of a firey streak in her and knows what she wants and when she wants it.
Dan has started his new job. He is working with same counseling program but in Bozeman, 45 min. from Ennis. He works at Bozeman High School and Alternative School which has 1800 students. It brings with it a pleasant environment as well as new challenges. His first day on the job he was called in to help convert the alternative school to a standards based program as we taught in one in Alaska. He is also taking a graduate course about teaching with a standards based curriculum. Needless to say he's happy and having fun with the new challenges.
The Madison River is gorged to the extreme this year which means no fishing for Dan for quite a while. This also means I better be creative or he may be begging for another trip to Florida to fill the void. If you see me along the river with my blow dryer, I'm simply trying to melt the entire river so that my husband can move beyond withdrawls.
I am starting a part-time job at a Montessori school tomorrow. I will be in with 19-20 2-year-olds. I checked my list of things to do in my lifetime; teach 20 2 year-olds was somehow left off of that. Thank you, Lord, for knowing my life dreams before I do. I have enjoyed getting some sewing done - projects completed include a hat for Ava, a couple of table runners and some hot pads for Ava's kitchen. Not teaching has added a little financial stress to our lives but has given me the time to get my feet under me again. I smile more, laugh often and have been so blessed to watch Ava grow and develop. Dan gets an unburnt meal now and again, and we all just seem more settled. I started a challenge about a month and a half ago to fold 1,000 paper cranes for peace. I have folded 12 so far. 9 went into a mobile that I made my aunt for Christmas, one went to my cousin and 2 to my uncle and Diane. I am choosing people who I think may need healing/peace of some sort or who have helped in my healing and peace. Folding cranes is one of the only activities I find that makes everything else truly disappear.
We are a fortunate family and so happy that you all are checking in on us. We look forward to what 2011 will share with us. Hopefully this weekend I can get some updated photos posted to share.
Love,
All the Schrocks in this Household
We have a very close friend we met in Willow Creek who has been battling cancer and has just found out that cancer is most likely going to win this battle. Today Dan called once to talk to him and he was at the homeopathic doctor then he was going to the dentist. Tonight Dan called back, and he was at the Ridge working out as he just hadn' t done much today. May I find his vigor and enthusiasm in my life. My heart breaks that we are going to loose him, and yet I once again rejoice that I have known him. We are blest to be able to hear him play the piano tomorrow night and then attend a concert with him and his wife afterwards. Thank you, Lord, for bringing our lives together with Glen and Shirley. We are rich.
Ava loves her kitchen that Dan and I made her for Christmas. My aunt made her a little mini apron to add to it. Grandma and Grandpa gave her some wooden food and Aunt Beth and Uncle Jason gave her some accessories. So cooking is going well at our house. She loves to read, sing and dance. She has just learned "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" I sang both for an hour on the way home tonight. It's funny how repetition to them just doesn't seem like too much. She is still busy from sun up to sun down. She has learned the art of stalling bed time. We've started having a play date with Claire and Ella and Amber once a week which has been great to help burn off energy. She talks about it all week. She has a bit of drama and is sweet as the day is long (well sometimes.) She also has a bit of a firey streak in her and knows what she wants and when she wants it.
Dan has started his new job. He is working with same counseling program but in Bozeman, 45 min. from Ennis. He works at Bozeman High School and Alternative School which has 1800 students. It brings with it a pleasant environment as well as new challenges. His first day on the job he was called in to help convert the alternative school to a standards based program as we taught in one in Alaska. He is also taking a graduate course about teaching with a standards based curriculum. Needless to say he's happy and having fun with the new challenges.
The Madison River is gorged to the extreme this year which means no fishing for Dan for quite a while. This also means I better be creative or he may be begging for another trip to Florida to fill the void. If you see me along the river with my blow dryer, I'm simply trying to melt the entire river so that my husband can move beyond withdrawls.
I am starting a part-time job at a Montessori school tomorrow. I will be in with 19-20 2-year-olds. I checked my list of things to do in my lifetime; teach 20 2 year-olds was somehow left off of that. Thank you, Lord, for knowing my life dreams before I do. I have enjoyed getting some sewing done - projects completed include a hat for Ava, a couple of table runners and some hot pads for Ava's kitchen. Not teaching has added a little financial stress to our lives but has given me the time to get my feet under me again. I smile more, laugh often and have been so blessed to watch Ava grow and develop. Dan gets an unburnt meal now and again, and we all just seem more settled. I started a challenge about a month and a half ago to fold 1,000 paper cranes for peace. I have folded 12 so far. 9 went into a mobile that I made my aunt for Christmas, one went to my cousin and 2 to my uncle and Diane. I am choosing people who I think may need healing/peace of some sort or who have helped in my healing and peace. Folding cranes is one of the only activities I find that makes everything else truly disappear.
We are a fortunate family and so happy that you all are checking in on us. We look forward to what 2011 will share with us. Hopefully this weekend I can get some updated photos posted to share.
Love,
All the Schrocks in this Household
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