VACATION!

I love vacation.  But who doesn't, right?  We just returned from a week-long trip to Branson, Missouri, where we got to stay in a lovely condo with a timeshare my in-laws allowed us to use for a great deal!  We truly had a blast, doing fun activities and adventures all day, every day, while we were there!  The kids loved playing in the condo, finding unique places to hide, coasters to stack, and cabinets to empty.  We went to the pool, the beach, and playgrounds, waited out the rain at a Starbucks, went out to a unique place for breakfast, got self-serve frozen yogurt, walked through the outdoor mall, danced to the fountain shows, had picnic lunches, went mini golfing and to an interactive nature center, played games of Candyland and Memory, and went to an amazing dinner theater experience.  We read books, drank lemonade, watched movies, took naps, and loved driving through the rolling, green hills.  We played games around the dinner table and spent time picking out words of encouragement for each other at bedtime.  It was fabulous.  Everyone that knows me knows that I treasure family time, that I love making memories, and that I am always up for an adventure, so this trip was perfect on all three accounts.  So thankful for this whole week we had together, without the distractions of the phone, the Internet, mail, and bills, without thinking about dust bunnies and to-do lists and errands and doctor's appointments.  There were no cloth diapers to wash, no meetings to attend, no plans on the calendar.  We just had eight whole days to play and be together, and I treasured it all.  Here are pictures from our week together...there are a lot, but believe me, I sifted through hundreds to pick my favorites!  Enjoy!

My little blondies!!!!

Our favorite breakfast spot in Branson

Peek-a-Boo!!

Our first Build-A-Bear experience!

Bass Pro Shop!

The horses at Dixie Stampede!

Sammy dancing to the music at the fountain show...

My three favorite boys!

Micah was the photographer for this one!

Daddy making the girls crack up on a walk through the parking lot!!!!

Our ice cream stop on our road trip home through St. Louis...one of Zach's childhood memories...Ted Drewes!

Happy Summer to you all!

Unplugging

This week has been one of those summer-to-the-brim weeks.  VBS at church for the boys, playdates, cooking club, pedicures with my sister, errands, and packing for vacation.  I have loved it all, although I will admit that I have collapsed into bed late each night, hoping my sleep will miraculously multiply for the next day's summer fun.

Zach and I and our kids are off to our little family vacation this afternoon.  My in-laws gave us an awesome deal we can't pass up to use their time share, so we are headed to Branson, Missouri.  The car is packed, the cooler is about to be filled, and the last-minute-list is getting tackled.  We all can't wait to be together on vacation for 8 days of togetherness.  I really, really believe in the value of spending time as a family, away from the day-to-day grind of life.  And, don't get me wrong, I love other trips we do with family or friends or to visit family out-of-state.  But there is something sacred to me about just the six of us spending time together.  I guard this protectively, and I treasure this time that we can build into each other, making memories and sharing so much time to talk and play and laugh.  Because our lives are full and busy, which is a rich and beautiful thing, I do love (and crave!) having 8 whole days to have no agenda, no place to be at a certain time, no mail, no cleaning, no errands, no scheduled activities.  The time is ours, and we can enjoy that sweet oasis as a break from our full lives.

To this end, we will be "unplugging" from social media for the week.  We may check emails or texts here or there, we may not.  But we definitely won't be checking Facebook or writing on the blog.  We are looking forward to filling some of our empty spaces with games of Candyland, decks of cards, impromptu trips to the pool, and late night movies and milkshakes on the couch after the kids are all in bed.

Happy Summer!

We are off to enjoy ours!

Much, much love,

The Schmidt 6

Family Camping

Last weekend, my entire family of 20 went camping.  Well, I say "camping" very loosely because we stayed in air-conditioned cabins, so not quite sure that can officially be considered camping.  Anyways, the 20 of us went to a Jellystone Park in Fremont, Indiana, and although any Jellystone is somewhat of a cheesy place, it was a perfect fit for this family with 10 grandkids between the ages of one and six.  The kids all had such a blast with non-stop playtime with their cousins (they kept saying to each other, "You're my BFF, my BEST friend forever!"), and the adults enjoyed the time together, too.  We ate and played and swam all day long, and when the kids were too tired to function anymore, we tucked them into sleeping bags and sat around the fire together at night.  Perfect combo.  We went mini-golfing, played at several different playgrounds, went to the pool, the splashpad, and the beach.  Some of the kids went fishing, and we ate many, many meals on picnic tables, plates overflowing with all the good food we had (WAY too much food!).  We listened to music, drank sangrias, and made smores.  We chased kids down the street, solved a few squabbles, and rescued them from mishaps at the pool (yes, yes, this would be my children and I  believe I am only able to joke about it because this is typing and not saying it out loud).  All five men went golfing one day, and the next day, all five women went out for an adventure of our own which ended at an ice cream parlor and an art gallery in the middle of a teeny tiny town in Ohio.  It was lovely.  All of it was lovely.  So here's to our time together!  Here's to cousins and camping and perfect weather and to generous parents who make this all happen.  Here's to summer and to family!  Very, very thankful.

Most places we walked, it looked like this... 

Train ride around the campground!

Jumping pillows in which children AND adults all had a blast jumping.  Lots of laughter here!  SO fun!

Yep!  This is my amazing and fun and gorgeous mama!

Sophia loved the pool...and she loves Auntie Katie!

Ella jumping off the side of the pool over and over and over and over....

Apparently we were laughing...

Sammy's favorite person to swim with was Auntie Kim.

Girls!

Fishing with Daddy!

All of the kids touching a fish Nolan caught.

Sophia helping with the bobbers.

Savannah's catch!

Campfire time...How cute are they holding hands???  Love.

Sophia so sweet in her camping chair RIGHT before she toppled foreword and face-planted into the gravel.  So so sad, but she was a trooper.

Parktime!  The beauty of camping: you can go to the park in your jammies and no one cares!

Dawson and Ella...our two peanuts sharing the stroller seat.

Beach time!

Sophia's own, personal kiddie pool at the beach.

ALL TEN KIDS!  This is an accomplishment, people! 

We let the boys stay up late to play mini-golf, go to the arcade, and do some sparklers by the fire our last night there.  The boys thought this was super cool.

So thankful for this time.  Lots of memories made!  What have you been up to this summer??  Do share!