Wwe would like to Thank Nana and Granpa for their totally awsome Thanksgiving Cards! And also Terrie from back in Michigan for the wonderful book -- thank you! 

Chris has duty tonight and so it is just the kids and I....  I took them upstairs  for our bedtime routine and I read them part of there new book "Someday, Heaven", which was sent to them by my mom's friend Terrie E. We read about where Heaven is (UP!) And how to get to Heaven- By having Jesus in your heart. Joey informed the girls that he already had Jesus living in his heart. I asked Sophia and Vangie if they wanted me to pray for them so Jesus could come and live in their hearts  too, so they could go to Heaven and be with Grandma one day. They both answered yes. "Pray for us, Mommy!" Was Sophias command. 
 
I prayed and they repeated what I said. It went something like this... "Dear Jesus, I love you so much. And I believe that you died for my sins and are the son of God. Please come live in my heart so I can go and live in Heaven with you  forever and ever. Amen" I kept it pretty simple since my audience was 6,5 and 3. Vangie looked so solemn when we were done praying, she looked at me with her big blue eyes. "Mommy" she said "I wuv Jesus." It brought tears to my eyes. God has blessed me with three beautiful children and I take my job to raise them as Christians very seriously. This life we live here is but a blink of an eye.... Heaven in our "forever home" and my Children will be there with me. Will you be there too?

I am not a "Black Friday" type of shopper. I guess I take after my Mom and I would rather not deal with crowds, and all the "crazies" that like to come out and are apt to trample you in Wal-mart or to beat you down in the shoe department over the last pair of fake-fur lined boots. I like to spend my black Friday sitting on the couch and sipping coffee while I watch on the news how the line at toys-r-us was 700 people long at 2am. 2AM!!!!  That is just unnecessary. Or IS IT? 

A couple hours after I made obvious fun of these "crazies" it occurred to me that there is only ONE toys-r-us on Oahu.... and they get a limited amount of product... there is also only One Target.....  There are actually two Walmartsbut I only count one because the other one is down town and I am too scared to go there being the only white girl so I won't go to that one.... But what about the TOYS that I need? What if it all got swept up  while I was being lazy and laughing at all the hard core shoppers??? What will my kids do when they come down stairs on Christmas morning to only some new underwear and a chia- pet?? I began to panic. I even ventured into a few stores late Black Friday and Black Saturday (oh yes, the madness ensues all weekend here...) and my worst fears were becoming a reality! All the good toys were GONE! And they super helpful store employees "didn't know" when the next shipment would be here.

It was now time for "INTERNET SHOPPING LAURA!" to done her cape and come out of remission. I am the kind of woman they invented Cyber Monday for. I LOVE to shop from the comfort of my home, taking all the time I want to mull over my decisions.  I LOVE comparing prices and every store I can think of, I LOVE LOVE LOVE to buy everything without lifting anything except my pointer finger! So today I got 99% of the shopping DONE. Just a few small stocking stuffers remain to be bought. Its all going to come to me in a nice brown box through the mail, my work is done. However;  I am a little perturbed that I don't qualify for Amazons "Super Saver Shipping" discount because I am in Hawaii- If anyone needs it WE DO! But whatever, its worth it to pay to not have to step foot into another toy store.

I made it through Thanksgiving without any real sadness about my Mom being gone this year. I was so busy with Chris being home and planning our own meal that I didn't have the time to sit and think....Living far away like we do the holidays are a bit different. We are not usually around family so to have her gone this year is not so obviouse here in Hawaii.... until today. Today has been hard. I have cried more today than in a while. 

My Dad called me, and he sounded so sad. He is at home, alone. He was telling me how he cleaned the house, he washed the windows and did the laundry.... He mowed the lawn. He says he needs to stay busy...  If your busy your don't have time to sit and dive deep into your sadness, the thoughts seem to be more manageable when your hands are accomplishing things. But my Dad's voice seems so sad, and it breaks my heart. I wish I lived closer so the kids and I could go visit him. I wish I could stop by to make him dinner, to take him to lunch, to have the kids there playing and laughing in that big old house. But I can't. And it's hard.

 Talking to my Dad has made my sit and really think about my Mom. Of course I tthink about her all the time- But today I thought about past Thanksgivings- the meals we would make together in the kitchen.... the time I almost blew the kitchen up.... the mashed potatoes she used to make.... how we would pick on her for her "3 ingredient meals" (every dish she made had a MAX of 3 ingredients, she was not one for adding anything "extra"!) I picture her in my mind, what she looks like, what she sounds like. Her laugh.... How much she loved my kids. And Me. No one really loves you like your mom loves you.... How she was always with my Dad. How every time we would drive home to see her she would be so happy, and waiting for us when we pulled up! She would open the door and be standing there, and the kids would run up into her arms... Chris would put our luggage away and I would sit in the kitchen and we would drink coffee and laugh and talk about our week. The kids would play and everything would feel right.  

My dad said something that made me break down and cry "We were best friends, we were with each other all the time... I am just so lonely." I know my Dad has friends and family around, but to find a friend that will be as close to him as my Mom was to him is going to take some time, and some prayers.  He will need to walk through the valley first. There is nothing I can do to fix this. Nothing. 

The song that is playing is what I think my Mom would say to me if I saw her again....I miss you mom, and I love you.

Yesterday we had a great day. We got up early and went for a Thanksgiving Morning Hike. We all (including stella!) hiked the 5 mile Aiea Loop. Chris loved the views and we all had a good time- and got a good workout! Then we came home and got ready for Thanksgiving dinner. We had some friends over and cooked and talked all afternoon. Dinner was a success!

This morning I woke up and came downstairs and all the Christmas decorations were up! Must be an elf was here in the middle of the night (or maybe Chris just likes to stay up late!) either way I was happy that I didn't have to do it! So now it is super Christmasey around the Schmitt house. Then later this morning we went hiking on the Makiki Valley loop- its a 3 mile loop with great views. Another good time. The rest of the day will be spent relaxing at home doing NOTHING!

Chris is HOME!  I got a call from him on Thursday that we would most likely be in on Saturday- so Saturday we drove to the Airport here in Honolulu- which is about 1 mile away- and picked him up from Foreign Arrivals at 7:30am. He grew his hair out and looks so good! The kids and I were so ecstatic to have him home. 

Chris saw the house for the first time and he loves it. It is going to take him a few days to figure out where everything is. "No, not THAT drawer, the OTHER drawer...." But it will be like a scavenger hunt for him. He LOVES the house, and is so very, very, very glad we didn't take the first house the Navy offered us and we waited for this one.

It is so nice to be a family again.

"This is a beginner trail which starts at the top of Aiea Heights Drive.  At the top of the drive is a park. After entering the park the road splits into a one way loop.  Park at the first parking area after the split.  The Aiea Loop Trail starts at this point.The trail makes a 4-1/2 mile loop around a graded ridge.  There are some great views of Halawa Valley and the H-3 tunnels.  This trail is also used by mountain bikers so be careful around blind corners.  The hiking time is 2 - 2 1/2 hours."

Today the kids and  I hiked the Aiea Loop Trail- we left the house at 8:30am (to the disappointment of Mr. Joseph, who just wanted to veg out and watch cartoons all day on this No-School  "Furlough Friday"  (Hawaii has no money and most Fridays the kids do not have school...) But I explained to him that I am the MOMMY and HE is the CHILD and we ARE going HIKING!!! And then I did what any good mom would do and told him if he didn't shape up and act happy his cartoon privileges would be suspended.  They ate a hearty breakfast of oatmeal with peanut butter mixed in and we met some friends and left for the trail. From our house it was about a 15 min drive, we kept driving up and up and up!  It was pretty easy to find as the trail starts in a park. We asked some other hikers where the trail head was and  we were on the Trail hiking at around 9:15am.

The kids were very excited at this point- the trail was very cool- lots of rocks to jump off, hills to climb, mud to jump in! Sheer drop-offs, steep climbs- just good little kid fun. Joey and Sophia each found a walking stick and kept a good pace pretty much the whole time. Joey carried the backpack with 2 water bottles and our lunch. Sophia carried her own water bottle in a special carrier. Vangie did what Vangie always does and rode on my back like a leach (a 30lb leach!!) But she never complains and is a good little rider.

I read that this trail is for beginners- but its a workout! There were come sheer cliff drop-offs (beware if you are afraid of heights,  we were high up!) A few large fallen trees that we had to scramble under or over, ( A little tricky with a child on your back!) lots of exposed roots, branches.. I kept a close eye on the kids and they know when to pay super close attention to avoid tumbling down the mountain... "If you fall here, I don't know HOW I would get you back up here!" I would tell them " I'd have to call the police to send a rescue helicopter! "  

 All in all it was pretty much all shaded and the trail is very well traveled and maintained.  The hardest part was the length- 5 miles for a 6 year old and 5 year old, but they did awesome! At the 1/2 way point we stopped and they had some Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches ( PB&J on hot-dog buns- they are the BEST, no crusts this way!) 

It took us about 3 hours to hike the whole trail-- (I have a knot in my back from carrying the Vangie and have drank 2 diet Mt dews and taken 2 motrin to feel normal again)  Overall it was an AWESOME trail- lots and lots of cool vegetation and great views- breathtaking, really! The kids complained minimal. Also, there was a bit of mud in the beginning but nothing a nice hot shower didn't fix once we got back home.

I read this trail is very well hiked. We passed probably about 10 other hikers- not bad spread out over 3 hours.  I will do this trail again for sure. The kids may need a bit of time to recover, but if they can do THIS, they can do anything!

Today is Wednesday- my CLEAN HOUSE day... the kids only have a half day on Wednesdays, so I have 4 hours to clean, clean,clean,clean,clean. And I did, and its done! I also hung the LAST of the pictures on the wall... do I dare say all my "moving in " work is done- yes! I DO!

Vangie just loves her siblings, she and Sophie will play so well together, also she loves, loves loves relaxing with her Joey and watching TV- see pic to the right. Also notice their matching Christmas pajamas--- I had to threaten that there would be NO Christmas unless they wore their matching pajamas and smiled for the camera. Actually they really do like them. Every year for Christmas time I buy them matching PJ's, they are so darn cute!

On Monday the kids and I made some WELCOME HOME posters for Chris.... he will most likely be home before Thanksgiving and we want to be ready. We got the paint out and went to town.

On Monday we also hiked Diamond Head again- the kids are getting so good at it- and it is by no means a piece of cake, its a workout! After our hike we visited the Honolulu Zoo- which is such a pretty zoo! We got a year pass for all of us for only 35$ so we will be back. We only stayed for an hour on Monday and didn't get to see everything.

One of my moms favorite times of the year (if not her very favorite) was deer season. I got this email from my Dad today, and shed quite a few tears.  I don't think he would mind if I shared it with all of you--- we miss mom so much our hearts ache.....

Hi Laura, I hope your day is going good. I love you and miss you. I went deer hunting today. It was really hard going without your Mother. I thought a lot about Mom today.

I thought about how she would always wake up earlier than me and make breakfast and coffee. And how excited she would be when she got her buck. I thought about  her big pot of chilly and her big pot of sloppy joes, and how she had to take a picture of  everyones buck. I thought about how I would always walk over to her blind at about 11:00 am and see how she was doing and then we would go and get a burger and a beer somewhere and talk about all the deer that we had seen and how good a shot that we had made on the buck that we just got. Mom loved all of it! It was one of our favorite times of the year. I really missed her today.

Vachel got a buck today, I knew that he would he was in  The  Taj Mahal (thats what we call your Moms blind). I will be sure to get a picture of his buck tomorrow. Greg wasn't here this morning. He was at Nicole's sisters wedding last night so he had to drive back from Chicago this morning. It will be better tomorrow I'll try to spend more time with the boys at deer camp. We will tell a bunch of deer story's and stretch the truth a little. You can't tell a good deer story without stretching the truth. We will have a few beers, and the bucks that we shot will get bigger and the shots that we made more difficult. We will make more memories tomorrow, but I'll be thinking of all the GOOD old memories of hunting with your Mother and the boy's and Diana.

 Yes tomorrow will be better, I will see more deer and maybe I will get my buck, and while I'm sitting in my blind I'll be thinking of all the GOOD TIMES that your Mother and I had, and I'll be thinking  of how blessed that was to have her as my best friend, companion and lover for 34 years.Tell the kids that Grandpa loves them very much.

Love,

Grandpa 

Today the kids and I, along with our new group of hiking friends hiked Diamond head.  For everything you've ever wanted to know about Diamond Head and more, click on the link to the right---
It was a great hike, Joey and Sophia did the whole thing, with energy to spare!!

I was able to borrow my friends child carrier backpack (Thanks Alison!) And Vangie rode up and down on my back.... so I got in a really  good workout since I was carrying an extra 30 pounds. I was unsure of how the kids were going to do, since this was the first time they had hiked and only the second time for me- it was a complete success, so more hikes to come! 

The views from the top were amazing! I knew there was a reason I wanted to move to Hawaii and I think I found it!

A few weeks ago I met a lady at the pool named Alison- we have been planning on getting together to do a hike... well we finally did yesterday. Alsion has two little girls ages 1 and 3 and hikes all the time and all over! She has a backpack for the 1 year old and the 3 year old (will be 4 in January) hikes all over too! The number one reason I have not hiked yet is I was not sure where to go and how safe it is.... Well, Alison knows her hikes!

Yesterday we did The Makapu'u hike- it is a 2 mile paved scenic hike that climbs the windswept cliffs above the easternmost point of the island. Along the way we saw some amazing scenic views,  the Makapu'u lighthouse ,and  a whale lookout (saw no whales, I need some binoculars!) SO its basically one mile UP (pretty steep in spots) and one mile down. At the top we sat and ate our lunch. I took the stroller for Vangie (the other two were in school) she walked some of it but needed the stroller a lot of the time. I am looking for a hiking backpack for her on craigs list so we can be real  hikers like Alison! And this morning, my legs are sore! It was a good workout! I am excited because the door has been opened to me and there are TONS of beautiful hikes and amazing views all around the island. I cannot believe I didn't realize this before!! Since it is not so much fun running on Oahu Vangie and I will be doing more HIKING! Tonight around 4pm we are going to do Diamond Head- Joey and Sophia are coming too.

I posted  another Mom Story- go check it out!

Joey is doing his homework right now- he is labeling these very weird shapes. He is asking me for help. I am clueless. Hexagon? Trapezoid? Rhombus? We need Chris home STAT!

In other news, our church is participating in Operation Christmas Child. Basically you fill a shoe box with various items that a child in a 3rd world country who doesn't have a lot, or maybe won't be getting anything for Christmas would like. Such as small toys, harmonicas, snacks, tooth brush and paste, pencils, pads of paper, solar calculator, etc.  I picked up three shoe boxes- one for each child and today after school we went to Target and got some really cool stuff to send to our Christmas children. Joey even commented on how it was "fun" to get things for someone else. I spent a LOT of time trying to explain how some kids have nothing NOTHING!!  I am not sure if they fully understand but by the end of the shopping trip they were excited to pick out the items and pack their shoe boxes. I even included a framed picture of the kids so whoever gets these boxes will know who they are from. I am trying to teach the kids about GIVING--- sometimes it isn't easy, but we will continue to work on it!

First of all- Check out the Video link ABOVE- This is Vangie today at her gymnastics class, which she  loves.  She was running around like an animal- burning off tons of energy, she dressed herself today, which is why she looks like a bumblebee. I take no responsibility for my children's clothing and what they are wearing. They all all strong willed and dress themselves. Any attempt on MY part to get them to change results in tantrums and hissy fits. In fact, I just organized the girls clothing- and some items that they wear all the time I, I put in the DONATE  box- because even thought they are still perfectly fine, I cannot stand to look at them any longer! This will actually force them to wear something that I haven't seen in a while! 

Secondly, My dad has been sending me some great stories about my mom.... I am posting these mostly for Chris's family- and for those who maybe didn't really know my mom and what an amazing, Strong person she was. I will be adding more later. But enjoy this one first!

Its a well known fact that Chris hates bumper stickers... So, I cannot WAIT for him to return from the boat to see the beautiful blue bumper sticker on his Acura "Proud parent of a Student of the Quarter at Aliamanu Elementary". I think he'll be pleased, don't you?

Also, When the heck did it become NOVEMBER??  living in perpetual summer does something to you so that  you don't even realises that time is passing. I need to start planning Thanksgiving!!! I need to make my menu, to plan my decor.... to shop!!! And so, I am introducing the countdown to Thanksgiving  counter on the right, in case you were sitting there contemplating the days left to Thanksgiving, NOW YOU KNOW! Don't thank me, its my pleasure to keep you all informed.

The kids and I have started something that I HOPE becomes a habit for us- in the morning we circle up and hold hands and pray right before we walk out the door- well, as for right now I pray and they listen. I basically thank God for each of them and pray for their protection, that they can be a good friend to someone that day and that they can live for Jesus. It puts us all in a calmer, better mood- because anyone who has small children they need to get to school in the morning KNOWS how stressful and unchristian-like it can be! Or am I the only Mom who turns into a screaming, raving lunatic when I am running late and the homework isn't done and someone doesn't like the breakfast options and someone else doesn't have a clean school shirt....

I got an email from my Aunt Keri today- she was telling me about her running, and how she has this beautiful 4 mile loop that she will run in the winter- how the snow will encapsulate everything, making it a silvery white magical place- and in my head I can SEE Michigan in the winter. The white skies that meet the white earth- how you may not even be sure where the sky ends and the earth begins. The glistening icicles that sparkle in the sun. The complete barrenness of the landscape- white upon gray upon blue- until you come across one of those bushes with the SPLASH of red berries... So breathtakingly beautiful you just have to stop running and stare.... Oh, how I miss the change of season. I am stuck in a perpetual summer.

In her email my Aunt Keri stated how the views on her runs in Michigan were probably nothing like the views on my runs in Hawaii. Oh, how I digress. You see this picture on the right?? That is Vangie in the stroller on our run this morning- that is a freeway over another freeway. Gray. Loud. Dirty. Smoggy. And one of the only places that I can really run pushing a Jog stroller- because under that freeway, beside the other freeway, is a bike trail. So Vangie and I run this route. We run on all pavement (which my knees HATE) and we long for the open country roads of Michigan.

If you check out my "Running" page you will see a beautiful picture of a mountain, how peaceful! How calming! Until you realize when I took that picture I was standing on the edge of a super busy road-- nothing peaceful and calming about being super alert so you don't become roadkill- When we first moved here a young sailor on Chris's sub was hit on his bicycle and killed on one of those wndy mountain roads. Gone are my days of long 20 mile runs where I don't see another soul but maybe a wild turkey or squirrel.... and how I miss them. One day.... one day I will off this rock and back on the mainland--- near a dirt road, and running happily.

The other day I told Joey that peanut butter was made from peanuts- he was enthralled with this new information. I guess he never realized this and it put his little brain in motion. "Mommy" he said to me "If peanut butter is made from peanuts, then I KNOW what Jelly is made out of!.... Jelly fish!" How smart is that?

Also, Joey opened up to me yesterday and told me that at school, a "Frog" is a special punch where you hold one knuckle up a little bit to make it extra painful.... A "corn-dog" Is a knee to the butt... and Joey said to me "I'm not going to tell you what a 'Hot dog' is, mommy..." Well, Mommy wasn't born yesterday so I guessed that a 'Hot Dog' was a knee to the private area... he was amazed that I guessed that one right.  I am thinking that first grade is a very physical place!

My kids also call escalators "Alligator Water" .. As in , "Mommy, lets go up the Alligator Water!" Where they got this, I have no clue. But I think its cute so I don't ever correct them.

I think Sophia may grow up to be an author. She loves to write and draw. She has a notebook she takes with her all over and practices writing the alphabet- her name and she will also put down random letters in the hopes of making a word. Usually she doesn't and I will have to tell her that XGFR doesn't spell anything.... but she tries!

Vangie is the typical youngest child. At over 3 years of age I still carry her everywhere. She loves to torment Sophia and Joey--- I keep telling her that when Joey and Sophia were her age I was making them carry things for ME! She just laughs.... I am already praying that her future husband me an extra kind and giving person.

I couldn't leave my Bad Mood post just hang out there for too long-- especially since today is a brighter day. The kids and I went and did several returns this morning and I finally found curtains for the girls rooms! At Wal-Mart- Thank you Wal-mart, and you didn't charge me and arm and a leg, how nice of you! Then we came home and had lunch- chicken nuggets for the kiddo's (shaped like mickey mouse heads, even more yummy) and a protein shake and egg whites for me-- yummy? well, lets just say I was hungry!

After lunch the kids took a nap and I cleaned the house and FINISHED HANGING CURTAIN!! I am officially DONE with all the move in stuff. And , its November 6th, I have been here exacly 1 month. Whew, it has flown by. I have taken pictures of the house and they are on the ALL THINGS HAWAII page- so mosey on over and take a look- the camera couldn't capture how warm and cozy and homey this house it, but I hope you at least get an idea of what the place looks like. I have also been preparing for my babysitting adventure tonight! My friend Jen and her marine husband Leland are going to the Marine Corps Ball! I am watching their 3 extremely well behaved children- and I am not just saying that because she may read  this blog, they really are! They say things like "Yes Ma'am"!!! How come MY kids don't say Yes Ma'am???  They have three beautiful girls ages 2,4 and 7- and my three kids play with them a lot so they will have a blast tonight. We are going to be making homemade pizza! And maybe some cookies if everything is going well. - I have learned to take one thing at a time these days!

I also received a few emails from my hubby this morning, so even though his home coming is pushed back a ways it was so nice to read some letters from him- I feel so much better than yesterday- Thank you to those who sent a cyber-hug and sympathy!  Well, I am off to put the pictures up- go take a look!

I am in a mood. A BAD mood.  A horrible, no good, rotten, very bad mood. There are a few reasons to this mood. And in order to sort through them and get them off my chest I will blog all about them in hopes if getting some sympathy.
 
The first is I received news today that Chris is not coming home when he told me he was coming home. Honestly I am not surprised- the Navy is well, the Navy and things rarely happen when you think they will. I pretty much figured the kids and I would be alone for Turkey Day but a tiny part of me was hoping to have him here the entire holiday season. This is not the case. So I just add a couple weeks to the countdown, but I am still bummed out.

The second reason takes a bit of explaining. Right after my mom was diagnosed with stomach cancer I made an appt with a GI specialist- I have had lots of abdominal pain for pretty much my whole life-- lots of bloating and gas and all that wonderful fun stuff.  I pretty much figured everyone felt horrible after they ate- and after inquiring with others I realized this was not the case and I was just FED UP with feeling bad. After I got back from my Moms funeral I had an apt for an EGD- the Dr. stuck a tube down my stomach and looked around. He looked for A) stomach abnormalities that could possible be cancer or lead to cancer and he also checked for food allergies.  So the good news is that I do not have any stomach cancer  or pre-cancerous cells that he could see- but I need to have a new EGD every 3 years to keep on top of it- not only did my mom die of stomach cancer her dad also had stomach cancer and he died because his heart was too weak when they removed his stomach. So, that is a joyous genetic ball of fun I get to live with- but whatever, if they catch it early enough they can just remove your stomach and its gone- my mom lived with a painful stomach for YEARS which is why by the time they found it, it was stage IV and into her lymph system and bones.

The other news that  turned up is I am allergic to Wheat and Dairy.  This explains why whenever I eat pretty much anything I feel horrible. Why I bloat up like I have a basketball in my stomach and why I am in pain about 70% of the time- and why often time meals cause me extreme stress--- I hate feeling bad but a girls gotta eat! You would think I would be happy now that I know what causes me issues so I can avoid these things- but if you stop and think about it, Wheat and dairy are in pretty much in everything.  E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!! 

Okay, maybe I am being over dramatic. They are obviously not really in everything. Just 90% of everything. I was looking at a website on wheat allergies and the author said it is a good idea to right down what you CAN eat, and then you'll always have a list.  Joy.

And the third and last reason is  that I am trying to hang curtains in Sophia's room and it is taking forever, the only curtains I can find that I like are at Target and cost as much as a used car- seriously, why so much money, Target??? $30 for a single panel??? (at 6 panels for Sophia's room thats a lot of money!!!) I can get a panel at Ross for $10--- but the don't have anything pretty so I am just tired of everything today. I am beat down.  I think I will go turn my gospel music up, and look for cheaper curtains on amazon.com- and they better ship to Hawaii or else!

Yesterday Sophia and Joseph BOTH had a special letter in their backpacks  when I picked them up from school- They were BOTH chosen to be the STUDENT OF THE QUARTER for their classrooms! They are both going to be honored, along with the other classes students, on Nov 9th in a special ceremony. How lucky am I to have two amazing students? I am so blessed! They both do very well in school , they both love their teachers and are making lots of friends.

To all my friends and family- If it seems as though I have fallen off the face of the earth, I HAVE! I am stuck between closet organization and furniture rearrangement- NOT a fun place to be. Thankfully I have already gone through picture placement and curtain hangment. Ha ha ha.
 
No seriously, I am closing in on being in this house 1 month- (on the 6th) and my goal is to be DONE, FINISHED, completely organized, folded, hung and compartmentalized. I want someone to walk into this house and think we have lived here for years. No half completed projects, no boxes left to be unpacked. I think it is s hazard of being military wife to have a compulsive urge to be completely moved in. I do not have the luxury of a year to dilly dally around and slowly get it done- because I only have 2.5 more years before I need to start packing up again!

So, today Princess Vangie (as she is fond of being called) and I have returns to make, curtains to buy, a storage unit to assemble, things to organize and projects to finish-- and the kids only have a 1/2 day because its Wednesday AND we have Bible Study tonight. We can do it, ready...set...hut!

Happy November!  Halloween was a success at the Schmitt house! Last night we first got a Halloween package in the mail from Papa Perkins! The kids got some great little toys and puzzles which they have been having fun putting together. Thanks Papa! They ALSO got cards from Nana and Great Grandpa! With money that today will buy a Happy Meal-( the most coveted ,but rarely purchased, of all meals.) My kids are so blessed to have the family that we have! 

So after we opened all of our awesome mail we got dressed in our costumes! I had Mr. Joseph take a picture of the girls and me- Sophia and I did, after all match!  And then at about 6pm once the Hawaiian sun had gone down and the temperature was no longer boiling we headed out into the neighborhood in search of candy!! Joey and Sophia did a great job running up to the doors and saying "Trick or Treat!" Vangie elected to ride in the stroller but she still got enough candy.  At first I was feeling a little silly all dressed up but I saw several other parents dressed up too- and lots of people loved how Sophia and matched- I told them she was my protege and she was a wonder woman in training.

Our neighborhood was filled with lots and lots of kids trick or treating- houses were decorated, it is a wonderful family neighborhood and I LOVE living here! The kids were done Trick-or-Treating after about 30 min of walking- and by then they already had a good amount of candy so we headed home. Once at home the girls made a bee-line for the table and started eating! Joey stayed outside and passed out the candy that I had bought to many, many,many trick or treaters- he did such a good job!!! This freed ME up to help the girls and get them cleaned up and out of their costumes- Joey is such aa "Little Daddy" and such a big helper! The Lord blessed me beyond words when he gave me Joey as my first born son! 

I am so happy that November is here- it is the month of my favorite holiday- Thanksgiving!! This year has been a very difficult year, probably one the most stressful of my life- Chris and I will have spent about 5 1/2 months of it apart (these past couple months and the 3 months from May-July) We moved across the world, and my beautiful mother went home to be with her Lord and Savior. But no matter how difficult it has been I still feel very blessed and thankful for all God has given me. Since my Moms passing I have experienced  the Holy Spirit more in the past few weeks than in my whole life. And THAT is the most amazing thing I can experience.  I have always been a Christian and have known Jesus since a small child- but I have never given my life totally to Him until a few months ago, and in doing THAT I now live my life for God- and I have never felt more alive, more full, more at peace or more grateful!