Emily's weekend...what a HELPER

Enjoying her lunch at mommy's work

Well, it is that time of year when mommy has to get her classroom ready for the upcoming school year. I am blessed to have Julyn as my sister as she is always willing to help me out. That comes in even more handy now that I have Miss Emily to bring along with me.

We spent 4 1/2 hours at my school on Saturday and 3 1/2 hours there today. My girl is a real TROOPER! She was helping collate papers, hang things up in the windows, carry book baskets, giving her ever so important opinion on furniture placement, and most of all having fun!  She got to watch movies in mommy's classroom, eat lunch in her new favorite space to eat (the cubbies), and play with some toys from the first grade area over in mommy's class, all while JuJu and mommy worked like busy bees setting up for the new class of second graders. Emily had fun visiting with mommy's friends and co-workers, AND playing on the playground at mommy's school!

Saturday, after helping at school for so long and being SO GOOD, we came home for a little break and then we were back out again to go school clothes shopping. THANK YOU grandma and grandpa for the money. Emily helped pick out eight new tops and seven new pair of pants for school. She also has four new pair of shoes since she continues to grow like a weed!

After school clothes shopping last night we got an ice cream cone, and Miss Em enjoyed her bright blue flavor!

Today at church the service was held outside! It was a beautiful summer morning, and as the music played and people sang, many of the children in the congregation got up and danced (Emily being one). She also had a blast sitting with her buds on the lawn.

All in all. a great yet busy weekend!
Love,
Kathy

Emily's new school clothes...thanks grandma and grandpa!

Blue ice cream tongue!

Fun with friends at church

Annual Blueberry Picking

Emily and Kira

Today we had our annual blueberry picking with the lovely Black family. We were joined by Michele and Kira. Kayla was absent due to a sleepover with friends and a fractured arm. We missed you sweet Kayla!
We met at our usual spot, Majestic Farms in Hockinsin, WA, and had a grand time as usual. Emily was all ready with her boots and bucket, and as soon as Michele and Kira got there we were off.

We headed down to the back rows that we were told were still filled with berries, and boy were they right! LOADED bushes is what we found!

The girls had so much fun together while Michele and mommy had a great time catching up!

Well, we are home now with 14 pounds of berries washed and clean. Although I believe we all ate about that much while we picked! Thanks Michele and Kira for a GREAT day!

Love,
Kathy

Emily all ready to pick berries

YUMMY

Sweet girls!

Yummy!!!

14 lbs. all washed and ready to eat!

Grandpa Mel's Garden

Emily's first hand picked apple

Last Sunday Emily had her first experience with a garden. We have talked about gardens and received zucchini from Titi's garden, but Emily had never been in a garden nor picked her own vegetables and fruit. My dear friend Heidi's dad, Mel, has a wonderful garden and fruit tree mini orchard on his property. We have been getting delicious yummy yellow plums and cucumbers all summer, and Emily was just wanting a chance to see and garden and pick something on her own.

Sunday after her nap we headed out to Mel and Judi's, and Emily had the time of her life picking blueberries, green beans, zucchini, onions, tomatoes and her very own apple from the tree. Probably her favorite were the blueberries and apples.

She of course, as many of you know with children, HAD to wear her rubber boots with her shorts and tank top because, "Grandpa Mel might have muddy garden."

When we were back inside, Emily also got to have fun with Auntie Heidi and a very old slot machine. She could have put nickels in forever just to wait and see if more would come back out! Too funny!

Emily also had fun going with Grandma Judi and Auntie Heidi to the neighbors to feed their Koi in the pond while they are gone on vacation, as well as play with Hershey, the chocolate lab. All in all, a very good day in the life of a five year old! What more could a girl ask for...rubber boots, picking her own fruits/vegetables, Koi feeding, playing with a dog, and slot machines!!!

Thanks Grandpa Mel and Grandma Judi!
Love,
Kathy and Emily

Yummy blueberries

She picked these all by herself

Auntie Heidi, Grandpa Mel, and Miss Emily

Can I try Grandpa Mel???

There you go, that's how to do it.

Her first zucchini

Delicious cucumbers!!!

Getting some tomatoes with Teri, Heidi's sister

Heading on to the next important item...

Slot machine FUN!

Photo Book

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Family Reunion August 2012

Wee...Mommy

Well, we had our annual Schroeder Family Reunion this past weekend. This year it was held at the Grandy Creek/Concrete KOA campground, about 30 minutes from Burlington, WA.

Thanks so very much to my Aunt Lei for all of the marvelous planning and for the use of your house. Since Julyn and I don't have an RV, and tent camping isn't really our thing, we stayed each night at my aunt's house, then each morning drove back to the campground to spend the day.

This place was great! They had a pool, mini golf, a huge jumping pillow, trails, bike riding, magicians, rubber duck races in the creek, big campfires, a little store, and lots of room for the kiddos and Ella (the dog) to run and play!

Thank you Aunt Pam for planning all of the crafts and activities for the kids to do! Emily loved painting a birdhouse, making her own stepping stone, and using her new dog paw print stamps. 

We all had a blast visiting and seeing each other, eating good food, laughing, playing in the annual cribbage tournament, and playing Bocce Ball. 

Emily loved swimming with Mommy in the pool for over three hours on Saturday while some other family members drove up to Baker Lake with Ella. We all had fun making smores over the fire, and the cousins had a blast playing on the HUGE Jumping Pillow!  Emily tried to get in some practice on her bike, but it was a tad difficult on the gravel roads even with Grandpa's help!

A couple of my older cousins, Tyler and Stephen, and Tyler's girlfriend Suzannah, were only able to come over one of the nights, but it was great to see them and enjoy their company as well. 

Enjoy the MANY fun pictures from our reunion! We all had a wonderful time with family and loved ones!
Kathy

Could do this for hours on end

Cousins...Alyssa and Emily

What's this Uncle Bill?

Two sweet girls

Grandpa, Ella, and Uncle Bruce

Sneaking up on Uncle Denny

Such a funny girl, Ella

Best Buds

So much fun...tickle, tickle, tickle

Mommy's darling girl

Waiting for the rubber duck race

Fun on the Jumping Pillow

Fun with Uncle Bill, Alyssa and Zack's daddy

Marvelous Aunt Lei, thanks for all the planning

Emily and Mommy

Fun painting birdhouses

Come Ella, come

PRECIOUS

Running with Miss Ella

Delicious Smores

Made their own Walking Stick treats

Mommy with Zack and Emily in the fun pool

YUMMY!!! Within the first 5 minutes

Grandpa helping Emily ride

Sweetheart

Alyssa sharing her toy

Emily, Aunt Pam, Aunt Lei, and Zack

SO GOOD!!

Here you go Grandpa...gooey marshmallow

Nothing cuter than Miss Ella

Go fish and a cribbage tournament

Kiddos playing Go Fish

Making Walking Sticks and Moose Lips treats

Sweet cousins

My darling girl

Waiting for that duck race

So much fun together

Jumping Pillow fun!

Giggles Galore

When will it start???

Whose duck will win???

Making her own stepping stone

Tyler and Emily playing Bocce Ball

Aunt Lei and Grandpa...expert Bocce Ball players...

Handing off my cribbage trophy to Cindy...Girls rock two years in a row

Tyler

Suzannah

Stephen

Thanks Aunt Pam for the Doggy stampers

Stamping fun

Funny cousins

Jumpy FUN!!!

Painting with Mommy

Bounce, bounce, bounce

Aunt Pam and Miss Emily

Entire Schroeder Family

A family reunion can wear a girl out!