Ken + Jen

2009-03-30T17:40:00.001-07:00

We spent 10 days at the end of February in Cancun, Mexico. It was one long-awaited trip! We had a fabulous time and enjoyed every minute of it! The weather was absolutely beautiful - 85 degrees and sunny every day! It was hard to come back to -3 degree and cloudy weather, however we did come back. Here are a few pictures from the trip:

These were our spots on the beach every day

Ken driving the boat on our snorkeling excursion. He had entirely too much fun!

Flying In

Us on the beach

The view from our hotel room

You can see more pictures here if you want to look at more:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=226767&id=557755164&I=12df4e2e07

For Dad

2009-02-11T19:15:00.000-08:00

Dear Dad,

Thank you for the very beautiful Amaryllis you gave me for Christmas! I am enjoying it a lot! You should see how big it is! I did what you suggested and took pictures of it as it grew and now it looks like a flip book where I can watch it grow by going through the pictures quickly. I will be calling Grandma soon to find out how she makes hers bloom year after year. Here are some pictures - sorry about the paper towel holder - I had to prop it up as the flower was way to heavy and was pulling the bulb out of the ground!

I hope yours grows quickly, too!

Love,

Jen

Valentine

2009-02-11T18:52:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it - 2 posts in one day! I have still another to go, as well!

Tonight I celebrated Valentine's Day with 20 of my Bible Buddies. I teach the 3, 4 and 5 year olds on Wednesday evenings and I told them last week we were going to have a Valentine's Day Party tonight. Boy did they arrive tonight with a ton of energy (and a lot of candy)! Sorry parents - I did have them running lengths of the gym during game time, so I hope that helps offset all the sugar :) I did not contribute to the sugar highs, though, so do not blame me! I saw this idea in a magazine and also on a friend's blog last year and thought these were so cute! I took crayon pieces and melted them in a muffin tin. I then stuck them in the freezer for a few minutes, and here's what I got:

It was a very fun evening, and a great time was had by all (or so it seemed). Happy Valentine's Day a few days early!

A House By The Lake

2009-02-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

Whoever said you can't live in a house by the lake in the middle of the city?? Poor neighbor - we've been having warmER weather here and the snow is melting quite rapidly. We woke up this morning to our neighbor's yard looking like this from all the water running off of our yard! I sure am glad now that we had that extra dirt hauled in! Just for the record - his front yard looks the same!

Note to self...

2009-01-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

We went to Casa Mexicana with Ken's Family for my birthday back in December. Casa is probably my favorite restaurant in the area and I've had some interesting experiences at Casa, to say the least! That hasn't deterred me from eating there yet. Well, as at most restaurants, if you tell them it's your birthday, they will sing, bring you free desserts, etc...I've been out for dinner at Casa on other people's birthdays, and it's usually been the same - except for the huge sombrero they make you wear. HOWEVER, I told you my experiences at Casa are interesting! Well, I did get a Happy Birthday song, along with a dessert of fried ice cream covered in coconut (which Ken had to eat because coconut makes me gag). But, I thought I'd show you what happens if you go to Casa Mexicana on your birthday when they know as a regular customer...

Consider yourself warned!!!

2009-01-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

If there is still anyone who checks this, I must apologize for not posting! It seems that Facebook has taken over and even though I'm not a die hard facebooker either - I should keep up with it. I was reminded by one of the kids in KidQuest tonight that my blog is quite boring, so I'll try to spice it up a little bit. So, this is for you - you know who you are, wink, wink!

We had a most wonderful Christmas & New Years. Despite the treacherous driving conditions, we timed our driving days perfectly! We're very thankful for the safety and time we had with family. Ken's sister and brother-in-law, and our cute niece Lexi were here for Christmas, and it is always so fun to see them! We spent time with my family down in West Bend and we're not done yet - we've already had 6 Christmas Celebrations, and we have 3 more to go!!! I just LOVE Christmas. I love seeing family, I love time off of work, I love how festive it is, I love the decorating, I love the Christmas traditions and movies (especially How the Grinch Stole Christmas - the cartoon, not the new one) - it's just my favorite holiday!!! I have all of my pictures on our other computer, so maybe I'll post a picture of our Christmas Tree - maybe!

Boy oh boy, we sure had a ton of Christmas Tree needles all over our house. This year, the needles started falling the day after we put up the tree - and we had the biggest struggle getting the tree to even stand up straight! Try as we might, it leaned the entire Christmas season. It just makes this tree unique :)

Now we're back into the swing of things, and maybe I'll make time for blogging this year - I think it would be nice to have a way to look back over the course of a year. My Grandma keeps a journal every day. She has since January, 1981 - every day she records the temperature and weather conditions, what happened that day, etc...I can't even begin to tell you how many times her journals have "saved the day," so to speak, and they sure have settled many arguments! I don't think a time goes by at Grandma's house where she doesn't pull out a journal to see what really happened! Maybe someday that will be me! For now, the blogging will have to do - except I'll try to do more than once every 6 months!

Finally!

2008-06-30T16:10:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are still checking this blog (or see an update on google reader), I must say thanks for still reading our blog, and I also must apologize profusely for my lack of updates! We have been busy with work and more work and then just when we seem almost caught up, then there's more work! Not that I'm complaining, because I'd much rather be busy than have nothing to do! And, I'm just an "on the go" type of person - I read everyone else's blogs, but never update my own! So here we go!

Since January 24th (my last post), we have ANXIOUSLY awaited the summer! We have passed the 1 year mark of living in our house (already!!)) Where does the time go?! If you know anyone interested - we're hoping to sell it in another year or two! We have leveled all the dirt in our yard, then planted grass seed that has grown into what looks like a beautiful lawn from a distance. Up close it's really a lot of weeds, but I'm told that's normal, although that doesn't make me like it any more! I can't wait till it's a nice green lawn without weeds. It all takes time.

We've been taking advantage of the small town by riding bikes a lot! It's been so fun and we've really enjoyed being able to go out on bike rides in the evenings. Believe it or not, I can keep up with Ken!! We've also been running, and we're hoping to run in the Fishy 4 this year! It's a 4 mile run around town during Liberty Fest! Chetek sure is busy this week with the 4th of July coming! I love this time of year when the town more than doubles in size! It's rather festive, and it's also WONDERFUL to have a free day off of work :) Ok, I'll admit that's one of the biggest things I'm looking forward to!

I've been in the process of taking over a new position at work. I've taken on the Accounts Payable department, payroll department, and am in the process of creating a Human Resources Department. It's been a challenge, but I'm really enjoying it! I'm learning SO much! I love the challenge and the projects and being able to learn!!!! I"m still at the branch a few days a week, but am praying that changes too, soon!!! We shall see. I know the Lord has brought this at the perfect time, and He's given a lot of strength and understanding and wisdom, and for that I'm so thankful!

I recently finished a book study through our Ladies' Ministry at church. We read "Living the Cross Centered Life" by CJ Mahaney. For those of you who haven't read it, I must say it's probably one of the best books I've read. I was so challenged and so encouraged and so reminded of God's Great love for me. I would highly recommend it (and it's not hard reading!).

On that note, I'll save the rest for another post with pictures! I'm off to a cookout! Happy 4th of July to you all! I'm proud to be an American!

2008-01-24T09:48:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I can't even believe how long it's been since I posted on our blog. Praise the Lord for the "remember me" option because I don't know if I even remember my password! I wouldn't be surprised if no one even checked this blog anymore. For those of you who do, I'll try to do better...TRY, is the key word! But then, I wonder - WHERE ON EARTH DOES THE TIME GO??!!??! I mean, I totally remember sitting down and posting that Shoppers In Disguise post and it doesn't seem like nearly 6 months ago....yikes...And after all that time of not posting, you'd think I'd have something really exciting to post about, huh?! Sorry.

We had a great Christmas this year. I loved being able to decorate our new house for Christmas! We were able to spend several days with my family in West Bend, and then several days in AZ with Ken's family. We got to meet our niece, Lexi - she's absolutely adorable! My favorite part of the trip was picking oranges which we ate tons of there, but then also boxed up and travelled back with them (each box weighing in at 49.5 pounds...whew....I was not about to pay extra for overweight luggage). Oh what I wouldn't give to go back there for a few days now that it's -22 degrees here this morning. UNBELIEVABLE! Tomorrow is supposed to be the turning point from this freezing cold weather, but we'll see...30 by this weekend will be a heatwave!

We got a new computer and I have no pictures saved on this one yet....They're all on our other computer, so I'll have to figure out how to switch them all over, but that also takes lots of time! I'll try to work on that and then get some pictures uploaded of our trip, and lots of other random things.

Have a happy day!

Shoppers in Disguise

2007-07-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, sixteen people from our church disguised themselves (sorta beyond recognition...definitely beyond ordinary) for a Teen Activity. The teens had to find is in the mall and identify us! We had a blast.....Here are some pictures from the whole event!

The Whole Group

Bikers... (and yes, the pregnant belly is part of the disguise, just for the record)

2007-07-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

Hmmm......You two look like you're up to something....

DOUG (there's nothing else to say...)

Teenagers!!!

This was the best diguise - No one identified them!

2007-07-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

A college student typing a paper in Starbucks....

"Normal" Shoppers in Disguise....(if there is such a thing)

A Survey Taker and A Gloria Jean's Coffee Worker....

Kid brothers.....

2007-06-15T15:24:00.001-07:00

My goodness, you know it's been a long time since you've been on your own blog when you don't even remember your login name and password! I do apologize for the long siesta from blogging. We've stayed so busy lately. We are in the process of getting all settled into the new house, which I LOVE (I'll post pictures soon), Ken's busy starting summer jobs, and things at the bank are picking up, plus the usual summer activities. So all that pretty much explains my lack of blogging. I do not see an end to the busy schedule any time soon, however, I will try to keep this somewhat updated. We are looking forward to seeing lots of family and friends over the next month or so!! Have a happy day and we'll be back soon!

2007-05-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS PROTECTION!
That's all I wanted to say today

2007-05-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

A surprise for my Ken:

No, I didn't buy a new vehicle! I just washed and vacuumed out the truck while

you were gone! I love you and will see you Friday!

Jen

I'm back

2007-05-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

We are back up and running! We were able to get the fan in our computer replaced! We are so thankful it was a very inexpensive fix! It's been a busy few weeks here at the Schmidt house. We are moving into our house this coming weekend, Lord willing. The plumber is finishing tomorrow and then it's just the closets and a tiny bit of trim work. My dad and brothers are coming up to help and I am OH so excited to see them!

Ken's sister and brother-in-law were here for a friend's wedding this past weekend and it was SO wonderful to see them! I can't wait till they're back in July so we can spend a little more time together! It was just a quick weekend, all around, but then...weekends usually do go too quickly for me =o)

Ken's working up in MN this week, so I'm finding things to do to fill my evenings...like PACK =o) Hopefully I can get a lot of the kitchen stuff moved over and into cabinets! I'll post some more pictures soon.

MD, I hope your digging goes well today!! HAPPY CONSTRUCTION!!

2007-05-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogging Friends,

I am sorry that we haven't updated our blog in so long. The fan on our computer died. We are still deciding whether to have it fixed or to just get a new one, however, in the mean time, my blogging will be put on hold. We will be back soon, hopefully! Keep blogging - I'll check yours whenever we get a chance!

Ken and Jen

2007-04-14T07:08:00.000-07:00

HOORAY FOR THE 7th INNING STRETCH OF THE BREWER'S GAMES!

Good Times

2007-04-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

Downstairs Bathroom

2 Downstairs Bedrooms

2007-04-13T08:20:00.000-07:00

The Entry Way

Basement

2007-04-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

The Master Bedroom

The Office

It's All Painted!!

2007-04-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

So here's how I spent my week of vacation (well, Monday through Thursday). Friday will be spent shopping! Here are some pictures of the house now painted...sorry some of them are dark. And, sorry - the pictures wouldn't upload in order...this is supposed to be the first set....bear with me!

The Great Room

Bathroom

Wowie Howie

2007-03-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

And the question I have for you is not Deal or No Deal, but rather Howie? Or Ken?

Step 1

Ewwwwww.....

Getting Better....

Finishing Touches
And now you must answer: Howie? or Ken?

I guess we'll never know

And some pictures of the rest of the game.....

The Contestant, Max

Ladies, open the purses please

Hibernation

2007-03-26T14:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring! My winter hibernation from blogging is now officially over...I am so sorry. I do have lots to report as we've stayed very busy this past month (well, Ken has...I already told you I was hibernating so I haven't been busy at all.........)

1. I am going to be an aunt!!! Ken's sister, Kim, is having a baby! She's due in October and I am OH SO EXCITED!!! I will have to start shopping soon. (but that's not usually a problem for me....)

2. I had a wonderful weekend in Hayward at our Ladies' Retreat. It was so spiritually encouraging. The theme was "The Simplicity that is in Christ...," and the Lord showed me several areas I need to change. The biggest thing I took away from the retreat is that My Picture of my life is not what is important - things don't always happen the way I expect they should, but God has already set the picture for my life, and I must choose to follow with the right heart and attitude, because He knows what is best for me and He loves me and I CAN TRUST HIM! I'm so thankful that when God shows us areas we need to change, that He doesn't just leave us and make us do it on our own - He is so faithful, patient, and loving, and will help us change!!

I also had a wonderful time with some of my most favoritest friends! It was so great to be able to get to know new friends as well! I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, lack of sleep and all!!!

3. Our house is coming along well. The drywall is all hung, taped, and will be textured tomorrow. Then the painting starts!! My work is now cut out for me (maybe I shouldn't be promising to blog again so soon...)

4. SPRING HAS ARRIVED!!! Today reached a high of 78 degrees according to the bank thermometer!! How wonderful it is to have the snow gone and the nice weather to enjoy! Thank you, Lord!

5. That's all I can think of for the moment - Ken and I are working on siding the house tonight, so I must go. Thanks for still checking our blog...

WINTER

2007-02-25T05:39:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share what was outside this morning when we woke up...

...which is a lot of snow, to be sure. HOWEVER, this is only about half of what was piled on top of my car yesterday morning! Church is cancelled today, so we'll enjoy a quiet day at home! Happy shoveling...

Valentine's Day

2007-02-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

I hope your day was happy! Ours was. In a switched around work schedule, I am covering this coming Saturday for one of my coworkers who has to go to a funeral, therefore, I only had to work until 11:00 on Wednesday. I had no idea what Ken had planned. I got home and he had a card for me telling me that he had taken the day off of work and we were going to spend it together. It was BY FAR the best gift he could have given me. He told me we could do anything I wanted to do. (No, I didn't make him watch any girly movies or go shopping...) We thoroughly enjoyed our day. We did have a meeting with our Lamperts man, but other than that - we made dinner together, laughed, looked at house ideas, etc... I am so thankful for my Ken.

I thought I'd share this picture. It was taken on our first date at Northland 3 years ago! Fun memories

So, how was it???

2007-02-10T12:55:00.000-08:00

The Chris Tomlin concert was fabulous! I wish you all could have been there with us. It was an incredible time of worship as God was so highly exalted. Louie Giglio spoke about the Glory of God in creation and the human body. It gave me goosebumps as he showed amazing pictures of the galaxy and stars and DNA and to think that our God created all of these, yet He loves me!! And, to think that from the farthest galaxy - millions and millions of light years away - down to the very depths of the ocean, it's all held in the span of God's hand...An amazing thought - How great our God is!! Truly amazing. I would highly recommend going next time he comes to this area! Do not miss it (be sure to take off of work, Poppy...)

After spending some time truly trying to get my little brain around that huge concept, I thought about this song on Chris Tomlin's latest CD:

You are the first, You go before,
You are the last, Lord, You're the encore
Your name's in lights for all to see
The starry host declare Your glory.

Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest
Glory in the highest

Apart from You there is no god
Light of the world, The Bright and Morning Star
Your name will shine for all to see
You are the one, You are my glory

And no one else could ever compare
To You, Lord,
All the earth together declares ...

Glory in the highest ... to You, Lord
All the earth will sing Your praise
The moon and stars, the sun and rain
Every nation will proclaim
That You are God and You will reign

Glory, glory hallelujah
Glory, glory to You, Lord
Glory, glory hallelujah
Hallelujah

So, in case we've left any room for doubt, THE CONCERT WAS GREAT...

The 5 Things About Me...

2007-02-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Since I was tagged by Poppy last week, I have finally thought of 5 things to share...

1. I once (not so long ago) fell off my chair while opening a new account at the bank. I was trying to scoot the chair closer to the desk, and before I knew what happened, I was on the ground. All I could do was laugh (as did the new customers and all the employees that popped their heads out of their offices to see what all the laughter was about)...

2. I lived most of my life in the same house. I never moved (except for going to college - which doesn't count) until I moved to Chetek.

3. My knickname when I was little was "The Butter-Nipper" as I would eat butter just by poking into it with my finger. I don't remember this, but I hear that my aunt used to feed me butter just so she could watch me eat it....how gross.

4. When I was young, I had a "fuzz" collection. The fuzz came from all sorts of things - carpet, blankets, insides of sweatshirts...yes, it's true, I loved anything that would eventually make "fuzz." My friend and I would see who could collect the most fuzz during our kindergarten nap time (who needs to sleep in kindergarten). I'd take it home every single day in my lunchbox and would keep it in a coffee tin. I do remember the day my mom threw it away - oh how I cried!

5. I don't like touching feet (even my own) or having feet touch me. Do you know all the places they have been???

Oh, For Spring To Arrive!

2007-02-06T19:31:00.000-08:00

What do you think of the new look? There are so many new fun things to do with the new blogger - I definitely like it, but I'm sure it will keep changing - I can't seem to settle on these types of things! Ken's been out of town for a conference since Monday, so I've been trying to stay busy around the house - this has been one of my "projects"

I must say that I did try to do the housey things - as every good wife should do while her husband is out of town...however, I can sort of relate to you, Jenny O, because I thought I'd get caught up on laundry tonight - and much to my dismay the water is frozen!! I can't do laundry, or get water out of the dispenser on the refrigerator door...Thankfully the dishwasher still works ...and the showers...I do hope it warms up soon or I'll have to get out my trusty old hairdryer and get busy thawing water lines. How does one thaw water lines, I wonder?? Any suggestions?

I must say, right now at -1 degree, it has warmed up 20 degrees since this morning! Yesterday, we had troubles with the ATM machine freezing (no doubt it was 25 below zero...). So, being the smart one that I am, I figured it needed to warm up. I cranked the heater up to 85 degrees in the machine, and let it thaw while I waited. Then I stepped back outside and yes, there was a 100+ degree temperature difference...yikes...

Did you have any favorite Superbowl Commercials? I must say the Doritos ones were my favorites.

This weekend already is filling up with several activities. I am so looking forward to my Ken coming home tomorrow afternoon, it's kinda lonely around the house with no one to talk to - it's totally different when he's just across the block working, then Friday we are headed to St. Paul for a Chris Tomlin Concert, then I am scheduled to work on Saturday. We're definitely excited about the concert. I'll update the blog and let you know how it went!

It's about time

2007-01-24T19:42:00.000-08:00

Hello All! No, I haven't completely forgotten about blogging, it's just been rather busy here lately. So much going on! When I think of all that we've been doing, it seems like I should have such a lot to blog about, but the truth is, I really don't. I have been checking everyone elses blogs, though - you all have posted excellent posts, I must say! The Lord has been teaching us so much about trusting Him these past few weeks. He is providing work for Ken - just one job at a time, which is an amazing answer to prayer, especially with taxes due shortly. It's so wonderful to rest in Him knowing He promises to take care of our every need!

We are very excited that the new season of "24" is well underway! It seems like it should be an exciting new season - as usual. I shall not say any more as there are several friends of mine still catching up! A word of encouragement - Keep pressing on, Dahls and Poppe's and Helms!

I do have some updated pictures of the house for you. It's coming along well and every day it is looking better and better! The inside is completely framed up. I love it! I cannot wait to move in!! The siding is called "cypress." It's green (not to state the obvious, but the pictures sort of make it look grey due to the white ground and lack of sun, which leads me to the next topic...after the pictures).

According to the weather report, tomorrow's (Thursday's) forecast calls for sun! I am so excited as the days have been rather dreary here. I am amazed at how the lack of sunshine it affects people's attitudes. I have seen it a lot the past few days with several of the customers and overhearing complaints. I am thankful that our joy does not rest in whether or not the sun is shining or it's snowing and cold! I'm thankful that "THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH"!

I also have been praising the Lord for the wonderful friends he has given me! I was able to enjoy a brisk Sunday afternoon hike at the Ice Age trail with 3 of them! I would definitely love to plan that again - perhaps on a regular basis. Not only does the fresh air and exercise feel so good, but it was such a great time to talk and enjoy each other's company. Thanks girls - you know who you are!

2007-01-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

New Post Coming Soon - I promise!

2007-01-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

Today will be another day filled with accomplishing many things on the house. This is how I like to help out =o)

Calling all "24" Fans

2007-01-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

Come One, Come All

There are just a mere 9 days until the Season 6 premier of our favorite "24"! Two full nights of two straight hours of 24!! (keep pressing on, Dahls - you sure do have a lot of 24ing to do by next Sunday!) Anyway, we are greatly looking forward to this next season to see Jack Bauer save the country - yet once again!

The "Jack Bauerisms" sure made us laugh, and if any of you are also "24" fans, you might break a smile on some of these!

The Basic Truths about Jack Bauer

Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.

"If everyone on "24" followed Jack Bauer's instructions, it would be called "12".

Nobody says 'hit me' when Jack Bauer deals Blackjack.

Upon hearing that he was played by Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Bauer killed Sutherland. Jack Bauer gets played by no man.

If you wake up in the morning, it's because Jack Bauer spared your life.

Jack Bauer's calender goes from March 31st to April 2nd, no one fools Jack Bauer.

Superman wears Jack Bauer pajamas.

It's no use crying over spilt milk ... unless that was Jack Bauer's milk. Oh, you are in trouble.

1.6 billion Chinese are angry with Jack Bauer. Sounds like a fair fight.

When life gave Jack Bauer lemons, he used them to kill terrorists. Jack Bauer hates lemonade.

If it tastes like chicken, looks like chicken, and feels like chicken, but Jack Bauer says its beef ... then it's beef.

Let's get one thing straight - the only reason you are conscious right now is because Jack Bauer does not feel like carrying you.

Jack Bauer played Russian Roulette with a fully loaded gun and won.

Jack Bauer was never addicted to heroin. Heroin was addicted to Jack Bauer.

On a high school math test, Jack Bauer put down "Violence" as every one of the answers. He got an A+ on the test because Jack Bauer solves all his problems with violence.

Jack Bauer doesn't miss. If he didn't hit you it's because he was shooting at another terrorist twelve miles away.

If you're holding a gun to Jack Bauer's head, don't count to three before you shoot. Count to 10. That way, you get to live 7 seconds longer.

Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.

Every mathematical inequality officially ends with "

If Jack Bauer misspells a word, your dictionary is wrong.

When Google can't find something, it asks Jack Bauer for help.

Superman's only weakness is Kryptonite. Jack Bauer laughs at Superman for having a weakness.

When Jack Bauer was a child, he made his mother finish his vegetables.

Simon Says should be renamed to Jack Bauer Says because if Jack Bauer says something, then you better do it.

Jack Bauer's favorite color is severe terror alert red. His second favorite color is violet, but just because it sounds like violent.

Jack Bauer killed 93 people in just 4 days time. Wait, that is a real fact.

It is a known fact that when Time magazine awards "The Man of Year*", there is fine print on the bottom of the cover that says, " *besides Jack Bauer."

In 96 hours, Jack Bauer has killed 93 people and saved the world 4 times. What have you done with your life?

Jack Bauer arm once wrestled Superman. The stipulations were the loser had to wear his underwear on the outside of his pants.

Finding Nemo would have been vastly more exciting had Jack Bauer been looking for him.

Jack Bauer can get McDonald's breakfast after 10:30.

When the boogie man goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Jack Bauer.

You can lead a horse to water. Jack Bauer can make him drink.

When Jack Bauer goes to the airport and the metal detector doesn't go off, security gives him a gun.

Jack Bauer doesn't play the game SORRY. Jack Bauer apologizes to no one.

Due to Jack Bauer, no one looks forward to the weekend anymore, they look forward to the weekend being over, and watching 24 on Monday.

What color is Jack Bauer's blood? Trick question. Jack Bauer does not bleed.

In kindergarten, Jack Bauer killed a terrorist for Show and Tell.

There are three leading causes of death among terrorists. They are all Jack Bauer.

There is the right way, the wrong way, and the Jack Bauer way. It's basically the right way, but faster with more deaths.

In poker, Jack Bauer doesn't need to bluff. He looks at opponent, tells them to fold, and they do so. Always.

2007-01-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Happy 2007!!

This is my first time blogging this year!

It's been a while since we've updated the blog! We caught the flu bug at our house, so I came home from work early today...it's definitely just yucky. I hate being sick. I'm starting to feel better now, though.

We had a wonderful Holiday season! We spent some time with my family over Christmas and then with Ken's family over New Years. His sister and brother-in-law were here, as well as his grandparents, and it was so wonderful to see them. Thanks, Dad, and Bruce & Tammy for a wonderful Christmas.

It's been quite exciting here lately - between a couple of ladders slipping on ice, almost emergency room runs, stitches in a finger, a check engine light in the car, and then one of us wearing a tray of soda at a restaurant...(yes, it was Jen)...we've had a busy and eventful couple weeks! We are very thankful that none of the events were as bad as they could have been. God is good!

We rang in the New Years with some friends eating Nachos and playing a crazy game of Cranium. We laughed and laughed and I think Cranium has quickly become my absolute favorite game. Thanks Dahl's for a wonderful evening. We'll have to do it again sometime!

The house is coming along well. Since Ken hurt his finger, he has been able to spend a little extra time working on our house, which is a blessing, too, as it's exciting to see progress. Just in case you're wondering a little bit more of what the inside looks like, here are some pictures. It's coming along and we're hoping to be in by mid-April. Happy viewing!

Latest Pictures

2007-01-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

The Other Upstair Bedroom/Ken's Office...

The Front Door...

More Pictures

2007-01-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

The Living Room...

The Dining Room and the Kitchen...

The Bathroom...

Our Bedroom...

2006-12-23T05:34:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all! We hope your Christmas is most wonderful this year as you celebrate the birth of our great Savior!

Love,
Ken and Jen

2006-12-20T18:35:00.000-08:00

Thank you so very much for the happy birthday wishes! I had a most wonderful day. I got a new winter coat (which I get to pick out this weekend), a cookbook that has pictures of incredibly beautiful desserts that I am excited to start baking, perfume, an adorable snowman decoration with our names painted on them, and then Ken surprised me at work with the most beautiful bouquet of roses! He's so sweet!! We had a delicious dinner with Ken's parents, and I spent the evening relaxing! It was wonderful.

The best part was that we caught our pesky mouse today! This mouse happened to eat half of one Christmas present and tore open a couple others. Needless to say - I have some rewrapping to do! And just when I thought I was done... at least the little fella is now gone - he kinda gave me the heebee jeebees. Let's just hope we don't have any more (the traps are still set just in case...)

Anyhow, here's a picture of Ken and me with my most favorite Dairy Queen Cake... Thanks, Bruce and Tammy!

25 years ago today

2006-12-19T09:55:00.000-08:00

I was born!

Here's pictures of me my daddy and with my mommy. I couldn't find any newborn, newborn pictures, so these will have to do for now.

And then 24 years ago today, I looked like this:

Beta Blogger

2006-12-18T15:00:00.000-08:00

Has anyone switched over to the new beta blogger, and more importantly, do you like it? My regular blogger keeps asking me if I want to switch, but also warns me that I can't switch back...what do you think?

2006-12-15T05:33:00.000-08:00

Julian Beever ( The Amazing Art of Julian Beever )

I saw this on a friend's blog and thought it was amazing! I hope you enjoy it!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree....

2006-12-12T18:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the Schmidt's very first Christmas Tree!

(The white circle on the wall near the top of the tree is merely a reflection.)

The World Traveler

2006-12-10T19:34:00.000-08:00

This past weekend, Ken and I took a vacation. It was a wonderful break! We headed down to West Bend to spend a few days with my family. It is always so great to be there. We laughed and laughed at old (and embarrassing) family videos, memories, and had an all-around great time. Thanks Dad!! From there we went down to Illinois to attend Ken's "cousin cousin's" wedding! Congratulations Jason and Andrea! The wedding was beautiful! I didn't have my camera there with me, but I'm sure Poppy or Mommy or Jodi will be posting pictures very shortly. We had a wonderful long weekend and are now gearing up for Christmas!!! Exactly 15 days....

Anyway, after talking with one of my new cousins, a discussion about blogging prompted me to share all the places we've "recently been"....Thanks, Teresa!!!

This is Ken and me at the North Pole...

Here's me in front of the Eiffel Tower This is a picture of me at the StoneHenge in England

2006-12-03T11:06:00.000-08:00

Today is our 1st Anniversary!!!!

2006-11-13T05:31:00.000-08:00

Happy Anniversary Poppy and NC!

Our Seven O'Clock to Noon

2006-11-11T16:13:00.000-08:00

7:00 am

(ok, this was really the other day, but I wasn't over at the site early enough to get a picture of it this morning at 7 - the bright sun gave it away...but it looked just like this only darker =o)

8:00 am

9:00am

10:00am

11:00am

Noon

YEA!! The trusses are up and it now looks like a house. Praise the Lord!
I'm sad to say I didn't take a picture of the whole entire finished product today. I was so cold and ready to get inside. I'll post one soon. Of course, it changes so much day to day, but I'll see what I can get for you! Good Night!

Lessons

2006-11-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

A few others are doing a Thankful Thursday blog, and I'm not copying, honest! I was just sitting here thinking about how much I've learned these past few weeks, so I thought I'd share a little bit (and it just happens to be Thursday!). There have been a lot of learning situations, and some not so easy, but I was just thinking about how very thankful I am that God never gives up on me, even when I am slow in learning.

I'm so thankful for the Bible Study I have been a part of at church. We've been studying "Lies Women Believe," which I used as a textbook for a class in college, but this time through it I'm enjoying it a lot more. I have seen several areas where I have been living a lie (even though I wouldn't outright say I believed that lie). It's been so freeing! I'm glad God gives grace and strength to grow, and that He shows us where we're living in bondage to a lie. It really is no way to live when compared to the abundant life He wants to give us! I've been thinking about this quote I heard in college (sorry I don't remember where or who it came from)..."If at any point in our Christian lives God ceases to be supreme, central to our daily lives, and that which our souls depend on to meet every need, we miss the point of our existence and settle for far less than we were created to enjoy."

I'm also thankful for my husband. I know God brought the perfect man for me across my path at the perfect time! It's been so wonderful this past year (minus one month) getting to know each other better, growing together, learning to communicate, and learning to love. I wouldn't trade this year for anything. I am starting to understand a little bit of what women mean when they say that they love their husbands more now than they did when they married them! Weaknesses and all! It amazes me how God can make two people so perfect for each other. I'm just thankful for my Ken.

I'm also thankful for my job...yes, you read right - my job. It has been a difficult road but God is using it to teach me a lot about myself, which can be yucky, too. I am thankful that God gives me the strength to CHOOSE to do what's right even when it is so very hard and that He gives endurance and promises to teach us lessons through the difficult circumstances. As much as I struggle, it's been wonderful to have that struggle drive me to Him. He really is enough!

So, this week has just been a wonderful week of "tasting and seeing that the Lord is good."

2006-11-05T15:27:00.000-08:00

Since I haven't blogged in quite a while, it seems like I should have more to write about, but the funny thing is that I don't. The house is coming along well and I have some pictures to show you. It is really getting exciting now that it's looking like a house. I have a hard time imagining everything in my head, so now really being able to see the rooms is helping me quite a bit. Here's what is done up through yesterday...

See, it is looking more like a house now! Don't worry - the windows are all covered by sheets of OSB right now. And the one wall sticking off of the right side is one of the garage walls. You'll have to drive by and see it sometime!!

Other than the house, there's not much else to blog about. I am in the process of picking out paint colors and carpet, wood floors, and tile - which I am excited about, but I think my sister better come up soon and help me out! I'll let you know what we come up with. Decisions, decisions, decisions...

All In A Day's Work

2006-10-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how much can get done in one day! We had great help (thanks, dad)!!! The extra set of hands was a huge blessing in getting a good start on things here at the worksite. I have before, during, and after pictures for you.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

AND JUST WHAT DID THE HOMEOWNERS THINK OF ALL OF THIS???? Look below to find out...

For those in Northern Wisconsin

2006-10-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

I have decided that it's officially cold here. As I am typing this, it is a mere 35 degrees according to my weather.com desktop thermometer. I just came in from working out on the house with Ken and my toes are frozen...it's very windy. It even snowed a little bit in the past few days - much to speak of, but October 11th was officially the first snow fall of the year!

I was thinking that it would be a good thing to bring back the summer a little bit, so for all of you here in Northern Wisconsin where it's quite chilly here's a few pictures from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico:

These came from the roll of film developed last week and I'm VERY sad to say that there were still pictures from our honeymoon on this roll. That's how few pictures I've taken this past year. These flowers were everywhere in Mexico and they were most beautiful as there was almost every color imaginable. Is it a hibiscus? I think that sounds right. But, I thought we Northerners could use a little warming up! The pictures of the flower and the palm trees made me think of Mexico, and Mexico made me think of warm, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Phase 3 - Cement

2006-10-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here's the Cement pouring. I must say I have really enjoyed this process so far - it's been so neat to see everything happen. I would highly recommend watching a cement truck pour cement and watching the cement layers smooth it out ... it was very cool! Here's some pictures of everything that took place this weekend:

We also are having some dirt brought in...Ironic, isn't it - we just took A LOT of dirt out, and now we have to bring some in. That's the way it works, from what they tell me!

All About Me...

2006-10-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

Here's several things you've probably never wondered about me, but can find out anyway--the idea came from Helm's Deep (and several other blogs I've looked at). If you'd like to play along, cut and paste the following list to your blog and bold the things you've done. It's a lot of fun - I've laughed and laughed thinking about all the fun I've had!! If you join in, please leave a comment letting me know I should visit your blog and view your list.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment – who hasn’t?
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played Touch Football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life.

Compilation of Pictures

2006-10-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

Boy it has been a busy couple of days here! The hole for the house is dug! I must admit it was quite amazing watching that back hoe dig that huge hole. It was like a huge arm and an extension of the operator's hand!

Also, we had the "Taste of the 50's" at our church on Saturday evening. It was so funny to see everyone dressed in clothes from the 1950's! There were some great outfits. KBS and I were some of the waiters and waitresses at "Mel's Diner" and then there was a talent show! I wish I could explain how funny they were - it was hilarious. But, I'm sure you're wondering how KBS and I went to this event so I'll show you...

And, if that weren't enough for one blog post, we also attended the Minnesota Twin's game last Friday evening. Don't worry - I'm still a Brewer's fan through and through. Even though the Twin's lost the game to the White Sox, we had a great time and excellent seats! It sure was an exciting game...

Ready....Set....

2006-10-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Now we're just waiting for the "GO"...

Today KBS and I measured out the house and staked each corner, and then the man doing the excavating came and took the top layer of ground off. Everything is set to begin first thing tomorrow morning. If you look closely at the middle picture, you will be able to see the white stakes we used to mark out the house and garage. Only a few of them are visible in the picture. KBS really likes the CAT in the bottom picture! He's looking forward to the digging part tomorrow.

This last picture is one of me standing at our front door...Just where I'll stand and wave when you come visit once the house is built!

Check back in soon for another update....Lots of digging pictures coming soon! BIG EQUIPMENT FOR KBS!!!

285 Nielsen Lane

2006-09-26T16:23:00.000-07:00

This is officially our lot! We are scheduled to break ground on Monday, October 2!! Oooo, I am so excited I can hardly stand it! KBS is gone tonight getting the final plans and touching base with all the necessary people. I still cannot believe that we are building a house, but as it draws closer, the more nervous yet excited I get. There sure are going to be a lot of decisions that will need to be made. I'll keep you posted.

Tennis

2006-09-24T19:47:00.000-07:00

Today we went on a date! We went out for lunch after church, and then decided to play tennis (since we had bought tennis rackets at the beginning of the summer and had not yet used them). More time was spent chasing down the stray balls than actually playing, I think. We decided that neither of us are very good at serving. Once we get that down, we'll do fine, however the serving just is tricky. It was so beautiful today to be outside, though. I am afraid the nice weather is going to be coming to an end, so it was wonderful to enjoy today. I have muscles in my forearms that I didn't know were there, but even typing this, I can feel them stretching! I think it's going to take some more practice, but tennis definitely is a fun sport to play!

Exciting News

2006-09-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Today we got our loan approved and are going to break ground on our new house in 2 weeks, Lord willing. Today I went to the local lumber yard and got samples for the siding, facia, and soffit (I felt very "constructiony"... I'm even learning the "construction lingo"!), so now the decisions are starting...We are definitely excited. I'll be sure to keep the news and pictures updated as best as I can. It truly is amazing how God has worked out the details so far, and how He has provided for us to be able to build this house. I'm so thankful that we have such a Faithful Father who loves to provide for His children!

2006-09-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is...Who would have thought I'd ever start blogging...After talking to several friends, I decided to give it a try - I might even enjoy it! I am going to see what else I can make this program do!