Friends and Family,
They say one is an “original” and two is a “trend,” so, like Beyonce or that Sad Faced Blob Fish, I think we’re trending. It’s our 2nd DIGITAL version of the Schoemer Family Christmas Letter. #BlameItOnJenn #StopTravelingInDecember
There are more than 525,000 minutes in a year, and ours were filled with a lot. They were spent at home, on soccer fields, at movies and out to dinner (invest in Noodles and Company stock, people); at CrossFit, work, school and on land, water and in the air.
And life, despite all the things the crazy people on Facebook want to tell you, is good.
Kamden is busy being “one of the most popular boys at Big Woods Elementary” as he’ll tell you. Yeah, we’re working on humility. To be fair, fourth graders are “kings of the school” and the staff there knows him REALLY well. And the kid’s got a lot of friends, which is great. They tagged along to his 10th birthday party last summer and were a riot. Fart jokes and gut punches galore, man. Yes, 10-year-old boys are still disgusting. I’m still working on airing out the minivan. Kam had a great summer of soccer, finding his niche as a goal scorer. He tried football this fall and will hit the hardwood for some basketball this winter. Football is his true passion – our yard had more divots than my local golf courses from the boys playing on our home turf. And he’s sure the Seahawks and Packers are going to be scouting him soon here in Albertville.
Mattie Mayhem ALMOST went a year without horses. ALMOST. The barn she normally rode at burned down (no, she wasn’t there at the time, but we don’t blame you … ), but we found her a new spot over the October break. Again, we’re told, she’s a natural. Which makes perfect sense, because you know, Jenn and her jackass riding experience. (Ref: Schoemer Christmas Letter 2004, Paragraph 4). She rides really well and is wonderful with the horses, she also doesn’t mind doing some of the “dirty work,” which is what you have to do if you want to be part of the stables. Away from the farm, Mattie also hit the field in soccer and was NOT the kid playing in the dirt this season. She’s really liking soccer and will try traveling soccer next summer. She loves school and is getting great grades, which means to her at home gets to be as irresponsible and defiant as she pleases, for some reason. I often say we get Mayhem, they get “Matilda Jean.”
Ellie is going to tell you all about kindergarten. Here we go. Hope you have THREE HOURS to listen to her talk. Yes, words are STILL Ellie’s thing. She will literally get in the van, talk 90 percent of the road trip to the cabin, mall or whatever destination you might have, and then pass out for the last 10 percent of the ride. She may have a future in talk radio. She does love kindergarten and her teacher, who she said at first was “my Mini-Me.” Uh? What? Turn it around Ellie Jo. Ellie had her first summer of soccer and she WAS the kid playing in the dirt. She has more of Jenn’s competitive spirit, which is to say she’s not that competitive at all. She did have a lot of fun, though. Here, she’ll tell you …. (three hours later). Side note: Yes, she’s Jenn’s “Mini-Me.” And for a true experience, try riding in a car with both of them. #CantGetAWordInEdgewise
Mike and Jenn still have jobs. We like jobs. Jenn travels. Mike CrossFits. Life moves on. The Cubs won the World Series and the Broncos got the Super Bowl, so 2016 was pretty sweet for the sports fan here. Oh, and Jenn learned how to make great Moscow Mules, which changed everything!
Our summer weekends – when we’re not staring at a soccer field – were up at the cabin. The kids are all teaching each other how to fish off the dock, and swimming off the dock has become more popular. So it’s kind of a relaxing place for us now, instead of imagining the 2,291 ways our kids could get injured or dead at the cabin, the way it used to be.
We were lucky enough to head back to Disney World in December, this time with Ellie en tow. The kids had saved for FOUR YEARS (that’s as close to a political reference you’re getting this year) to bring her and it didn’t disappoint at all. We crushed all four parks (Magic and Animal Kingdoms, Epcot and Hollywood Studios for you newbies) and even snuck a jaunt over to LegoLand, which is the old Knott’s Berry Farm. It was filled with fireworks, fun and a day at the pool. We logged a ton of miles walking (Ellie riding) and did more roller coasters and rides than I can remember. My stomach is still somewhere around Kissimmee. If you know Jenn – and I think you do – we packed in everything we possibly could. Everything. Yep, we did that. That, too. Trust me. Everything. We even saw an alligator or two – or a crocodile, if you ask Mattie. It was a vacation full of memories and the kids, yes, want to go back. So that’s a good sign.
These three crazy kiddos – and yes, our dog is still here (Hi from Gertie) – keep us on our toes, and at each other’s throats from time to time. But they remind us of what’s important, that’s for sure. In fact they remind us all. The. Time. It’s getting annoying.
So, before this turns into one of Ellie’s soliloquies, let us just say this: We are so thankful for our families and our great friends. You make our lives so much fuller each day. And, if it starts getting “REAL” this holiday season for you – swing on over. Jenn will whip you up one of those Moscow Mules.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy 2017!
The Schoemer Fam