Photo Session

I took the boys out the door for a fun fall photo session. The weekend before my niece Maddy was here and I snapped a few of her too. Here are a few of my favorites.

A little getaway

The end to our crazy summer brought a fun little mini-vacation to Coure D' Alene and surrounding area. We played in the water A LOT since the temps were in the 100's. Coure D' Alene Lake had Kaleb convinced that it was an ocean. They loved the sand and water and sun and fun. We went to Silverwood Theme Park and played at the splash park all afternoon and then finished it off with a few kiddie rides. It was wonderful to get away for some fun - especially after having gone through a marathon summer of transition. We let the boys pick out a toy at Toys R Us and they were so impressed and overwhelmed with the experience. They got it narrowed down finally after a lot of time in there and both ended up picking a remote controlled excavator.

2nd Year Celebration

Our little boy turned 2 on August 26th. We celebrated with a cake, which he ate none of, and then went on a 4 day mini-vacation to Coure D' Alene playing in the lake, taking in Silverwood and the Splash Park, eating out and just enjoying the 100 degree weather at the end of a crazy-busy summer.

Our New "Back Yard"

An early September trip up Branham Lakes to do a little fishing and playing in the lake....absolutely stunning!

PK1 Flag Football

Coach Eric and Mike (my brother) took on the task of coaching the Panther's PK1 team this fall. Kaleb was an active participant until he ran the ball during the first game and got his flag pulled. From that moment on he wouldn't participate. We weren't exactly sure why he wouldn't play any longer until the last game when he said he didn't want anyone "taking his flag." So, for the last game we convinced him to play defense and not wear a flag. It wasn't the reaction we expected from Kaleb. We thought his competitive and athletic spirit would kick in and he would love playing football......but that wasn't the case.....this year.

Howdy Pard'ner

Maverick II

Maverick

Maverick Mountain has been our source for family entertainment the past 4 weeks. Besides the paramount snowfall on "The Rock," it's also a fairly family friendly place. Kids 5 and under ski free and half day lift tickets are $20. It's affordable, nearby, and well quite frankly, one of the only thing to do around these parts in the winter. I'm not much of a cold weather person, but this recreation is definitely growing on me. The fresh air, beautiful scenery and exercise are enough to warm this anti-cold weather heart. Beyond that, it has been pure joy (and some moments of frustration) watching Kaleb learn to glide on his new skis.

It's hard to understand the mind of a three and half year old though. He is never excited to go skiing, but once he gets going, he is delighted and unstoppable. If it weren't for the licorice ropes hanging in the cafeteria, we wouldn't have a bribe to get him up there. It's good for him, his morale, and excellent for a good night's sleep.

And what about Jaxon? Well, he tags along too. In fact, he probably has the best spot there is. He is nestled behind Eric on his back.

The Schuller boys are bound to be good skiers. If it's not in their blood - it's going to come from Eric's determination to teach them sound fundamentals and no fear. As a mom, I'm learning to embrace the spirit of the boy and just make sure their helmets are fastened well.

Resolving Resolutions

I'm not a big New Year resolution kind of person. I've tried in the past, only to make it a few months, ending with failure and a lack of stick-to-it. That is just part of my personality (just ask Eric). I think it's funny how everyone goes gang-busters in January, resolving to do this, and do that.

In the past I've tried the typical eating better, working out more...yada yada yada. And like everyone else, it works - for a while.

I've been pondering a good New Year Resolution and I have lots of things I would like to do (in no particular order)

-lose 10 more pounds
-use the treadmill more
-eat healthier
-spend more quality time with my kids
-spend more time in the word
-spend more time in prayer
-be more organized
-make more time for friends
-go on more dates with my hubby
-de-clutter my life, house, car
-get more sleep
-drink less soda
-drink less coffee
-recreate more
-pursue my hobbies

The list really could go on and on.

As I reflect on these I started realizing these are things we should do all the time - making a "resolution" more than just once a year. Perhaps we should have more resolutions in our life on a more consistent basis. Maybe every six months or every quarter, maybe with the turn of each season.

And once again, for me, it all boils down to balance. How do you balance all the things you feel convicted to do or be and live a fulfilled quality of life? Doesn't everyone have the tendency to do really good in certain areas of life, while the others lag behind? Ultimately, life is a balancing act and I know everyone else probably feels just like me. So, my resolution, though general and non-specific, is BALANCE.


Everyday I pray for grace and wisdom and I will continue to do so. Hopefully God's divine plan for all of our lives will become clear to us in 2011 and allow us to focus our energy and attention in the things that are the biggest priority. Happy New Year to all. I hope your resolutions are successful and that balance prevails in your life and mine.