First Grade

First grade started off in our townhouse which meant a new bus route and stop with a different routine. Bennett handled all the changes well, and was pumped to get back to school for 1st grate. Look very handsome in his school picture. 

Sophia was excited to get in on the bus stop walk and event attempted to walk to the stop in the afternoon in her barbie heels. She did it, but it was painful to watch!!

D-Team Buck Hill

Bennett's 2nd D-team comp was at Buck Hill. Travis and I had done plenty of prepping for the first one - the age groups are different, it is your first time with D-Team, you did great on the slopestyle and big air. But remember that their are A LOT of kids competing. And then he took first! WOW, I am pretty sure you could have picked Travis and I up off the floor after his name was called. After the results came out, we talked about his score - could the judges have mixed up? Or wrote sloppy and they didn't write the score correctly?!? Anyways, today our minds were convinced as he pulled off a 2nd place victory at Buck Hill. We are pretty proud of our little guy!!

Seeing Nana and Papa at the awards ceremony. 

2nd place feels pretty good!

Bikes

Bike fun was had this past summer. No only did Bennett ride in his first race in Stillwater, but Sophia got her very own bike to ride around. Pretty cute if you ask me!! 

Buck Hill

Some pictures from the competition today. Slopestyle and Big Air - Bennett had three great runs of each and took 2nd place over all. His 3rd run on Big Air he landed a 180!

The Gym

What is better than watching a bunch of two year olds attempt to do gymnastics? When you don't have to be out on the floor to help! Allison had the honors when the girls were here for Tio Don's funeral. Sophia loved it and Isabella and I could not stop laughing as we watched Allison who chased Sophia around for a half hour! 

Grace

4 times a year our Rotaract club serves dinner at Grace Place in New Richmond. This past October, we were on the schedule and I was part of the serving crew. My parents were out of town, Travis was picking up Bennett so Sophia and I were running as a team. She fell asleep on the car ride up to New Richmond. What does a mom of a 2nd baby do in that situation? Take the car seat in, of course! Now, one of the gals who was with and two of the residents, who are all first time parents were looking at me with crazy eyes. You are bringing her in, in the car seat. "Oh you bet I am. And she is going to sleep through the whole meal!" This was her after all the food was prepared and served. Still sleeping away right next to me in the kitchen. After the clean up, I loaded her car seat back up in the car, Sophia still sleeping and she woke up about 5 minutes from home. WINNING!!

3's a crowd!

Not really! The most recent sleepover left Bennett, Sophia and Zander having a great time watching a movie and enjoying popcorn together!

2nd place

You may call it a family tradition, but every year when I was growing up my parents would take me to the Halloween parade in Hudson at EP Rock. It is the longest running community event in Hudson, sponsored by the Rotary clubs. We have continued the tradition with our kids and this was the first year that Bennett gave me some push back. He didn't want to go, didn't want to walk in the parade, and certainly did not want to wear the "box" that I had spent hours making for him. He was the fire man in the fire station and Sophia was his dalmation. He reluctantly put the box on for the judging and parade. And to his surprise, when they announced the winners - Bennett Schneider was called for 2nd place. After he was done, beaming with pride, I told him "See, mom knows what I am doing sometimes." I am already planning out costumes for Halloween 2015. So far none are "Bennett approved." Stay tuned!

11 Founders Green

It was the house where Travis and I started our married life. Where we brought both of our babies home to. Where sleepless nights were spent rocking them, wondering if we would ever get a full night sleep again. Where the carpet helped cushion their falls from their first steps. Where the playroom got a little more full with each passing day as more gear and toys were needed. Where we spent many holiday's coloring eggs, setting out cookies and milk for Santa, watching fireworks out the windows. Where Bennett walked to the end of the driveway to get on the bus for his first ride to River Crest for the first day of Kindergarten. 

This house served us very well. We love all of the memories that we made there, but we know that what the future holds is even better! 

I'm back!

Yes, its about one year later, but let me tell you in that time a lot has happened. We listed our house on the market, sold our house, moved into a town house, started building a new house - which is almost done (20 days), Bennett's in 1st grade, Sophia is getting ready for the farm school in April… the list goes on and on.

Anyways, I am not going to go through the I will post, or how I need to post more. Instead, I will just talk about a fall day that we had so much fun. The kids loved helping Papa with the yard work, leaves are the best!!

And since we had no house for pumpkin pictures on the front step…