2025

Various Winter Adventures

The post-holiday winter season brought a number of local adventures and activities this year. Huxley celebrated her 7th birthday at Jungle Joes with a bunch of her besties. The kids had lots of fun running and jumping around, fueled with sugar and pizza. Unfortunately we also had to say goodbye to the Cherokee. Turns out the phrase Jeep - Just Empty Every Pocket - was correct in our case. The engine blew one day after Dani drove into a gas station and it never started again. However, we did welcome a brand new Subaru Forester into the garage family on a sleet filled day in early February. We got to test the purported all-weather capability of the Subaru right off the bat. Relatedly, who could forget about getting some sledding in?! Although this winter once again left something to desired in terms of snowfall amount, the girls did have fun getting some runs in the neighborhood drainage ditch turned sledding race course.

Dad and Huxley attended her first family dance right around Valentine's day. They both had a blast hanging out with friends, singing, and dancing. Huxley and her friends even got to hold the DJ's microphone for a Taylor Swift song and sing their little hearts out. Another big milestone came the day that Knowles got his ear tubes placed. After what seemed like a 3 month long ear infection with no medicine seemingly able to clear it up, Knowles (and Mom and Dad) got some relief. Since tube placement Knowles has been ear infection free! Let's hope that continues for everyone's sake. Tubes are truly one of medicines' greatest triumphs. Liesl also turned 5! She is looking more and more like a kindergartner every week. Queue the sad/happy/proud emotion that parents know well.

Spring Break!!!

If you have ever wondered if you should drive from Michigan to Florida with a 7, 5, and 9 month old, the answer is a resounding...probably do it for the experience and the fun the kids will have but maybe wait a few years to do it again. We caravanned to Seacrest Beach in Florida with the Hudsons and Lingles for spring break 2025. We all stayed together in a big 3 level vacation rental home in the heart of Seacrest Beach. The top floor was a giant bunk room with three sets of bunk beds that fit all the kids perfectly. What a time they had up there.

We made the best of our time in the warmer weather by going to the beach, braving the cold pool, and exploring the area. Renting bicycles is apparently the thing to do around the area, so this gave some of the adults and kids a bit more freedom to roam. The weather for the first couple of days was a bit cooler, so we spent the time walking or riding bikes around to get a lay of the land and hanging out at some of of "town squares" with TVs, bars, and restaurents. One of our favorites was the "Big Chill" which we returned to again later in the week.

After that the weather turned a bit warmer and sunny so we were able to check out the beach and pool. We even had a fire on the beach one night complete with chairs, smores, drinks, and the fire tended by a shirtless young gentleman. The two day drive home after the vacation was much more glum than the trip down, but our spirits were bouyed by fond memories and full hearts.

Dad's 40th Birthday and Other Spring Things

The emergence from winter slumber is always a mixed bag. On the one hand, we almost always get some pretty decent weather in later February and early March. On the other, its not surprising to get night a frost into May. This year Easter was quite nice. The kids enjoyed multiple outdoor Easter egg hunts and collected way too much candy as always. Dad threw out about 10 pounds of sweets left over from Christmas and Valentine's Day to make room for the incoming stash. 

Liels celebrated her 5th birthday at Jungle Joe's, a Schell family favorite at this point. Its not clear whether she choose it because she like the bounce houses, or just wanted to stuffed snake given to the birthay kid get to match Huxley's from her previous birthday. 

Dad celebrated his 40th birthday by having a kid free night on the town with a collection of good friends. The group started the night off at Maru Sushi then headed to Bell's for a bit. As the crowd thinned the Hudson's tagged along for one last stop at Hopcat for a night cap consisting of a "Bump and a snort" (a tequila shot and a PBR).

Knowles has continued to grow and change at a rapid pace. He has started army crawling around on the floor with surprising speed and agility, prompting Mom and Dad to get with the program and rebaby proof some the house.

Summertime Living

How much ice cream and how many popcicles can I eat? That's the question that every kid sets out to discover at the dawn of a new summer season.

What a summer. In addition to all the standard wet and sugary-filled summer activities Mom and Dad decided to add a large deck to the back of the house. What project that turned out to be. Quite a few evenings and weekend days were spend drilling and cutting boards, but the finished product came out great! Rails and stairs for the deck...that's next year's problem. 

Out baby boy turned 1! The goal was to be finished by Knowles' first birthday party, which, as the pictures reveal, was successful. As is typical, Knowles was more curious about his smash cake at first, but quickly dug in once he realized what a delicious treat was in front of him. Lots of family and friends attended this dual birthday/house warming party and it was great to see lots of familiar faces in once place.

We also spent plenty of time hanging out at home, with friends, and at the cottage. The girls got to try tubing for the first time behind Uncle Chadd's new personal watercraft. Everyone loved it and it made for some exciting days at the lake. The 4th of July fireworks went off without a hitch, Dad especially had a wonderful time (see photo below). 

Back to School and Cooler Weather

It's that time of year again, school starts and harvest time activites get planned. Liesl started Kindergarten this year with Mrs. Castro, while Huxley entered second grade with Ms. Nickle. After a bit of normal anxious energy Liesl made the transition to school really well and enjoys her classmates and teacher very much! Huxley has settled into 12th street elementary and loves telling Liesl all about how elementary school operates. 

Halloween costumes were a mixed bag this year with Liesl as Stich, Knowles as Scrump (Stitch's stuffed toy), and Huxley going as Rumi from K-pop Demon Hunters, which is a BANGER of a soundtrack. We once again trekked to our old neighborhood for trick or treating with friends, coming how with way too much candy and sugar. Knowles was a trooper and made it most of way, probably because he was fueled with way too many suckers. Knowles also had a great time at Schultz's fruit farm eating tons of apple and picking out his own pumpkin for the first time.

Dad also had a chance to go on a (hopefully) annual camping trip up north with some friends and Huxley finally got to host a back to school party which she had been asking for all summer. 

Florida...Again?!

Never did we think we would be spending so much time in the Sunshine State, but we can't say we don't enjoy it! The trip this November will be hard to top as we stayed in a giant 10 bedroom house with almost 20 people. The Hudson's, Schurr's, Schell's, Brule's, and Amy all gathered for an epic week of fun and sun.

We mostly stayed around the house, enjoying the pool, all the amenities, and the community waterpark. Huxley was practicing more and more swimming without her life jacket, jumping in, diving for rings and swimming the length of the pool. Knowles loved the water. We strapped on his floatie ring and he would run back and forth across the wading area bumping into whatever was in his way and giggling non-stop. Liesl, as always, enjoyed the hot tub. 

We did go to Disney (Magic Kingdom) for a day with the Hudson's. The kid's generally did amazingly well waiting in lines and being patient. Huxley and Reece rode their first "real" rollercoaster, the 7 Dwarves Mine Ride. The girls also wore their princess dresses and got to meet some of the characters from the movies. Knowles was a trooper for most of the day as well. 

All in all this was an unforgetable experience with family and friends sharing meals, laughter, and fun!

Holiday Fun

The snow started flying a bit earlier than typical this year with a fair bit of it dropping in December. The kids enjoyed running around and being pulled around in it. Mom and Dad enjoyed they workour from hauling them around. Of the three kids Knowles was by far the most mobile in his snowsuit at a young age. No complaints from him when we plopped him down outside on the ground or in the sled! 

Since we had vacationed to Florida earlier in November we got to stick close to home for the holidays for the first time in a couple of years, and it was certainly nice to be worry about packing and traveling with all the other business of the season pressing down upon us. We enjoyed hanging out around the house playing with presents, seeing friends, and family, and recharging for the upcoming second half of winter. 

Santa ended up making an appearance at Dave and Cheryl's house this year, conviently right during the friend's Christmas party! Jolly Old St. Nick and Mrs. Clause sure know how to make an enterance.