Winter Wear

Forgetting something?

A little snuggle with Grandma Katy.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Heart's Day to all! We have snow on the ground and a sun in the sky. Perfect day for enjoying my two handsome Valentine's. This week was a blur. I was thrilled to get home to my boys after a long week of meetings in San Diego (don't ask about San Diego. I never actually saw it). Luckily, Katy came to help take care of Aaron and Gus and it sounds like they had a great time. Time to eat some chocolates and smooch my valentines. Have a lovely week.

Clothing Optional

Gtunes

Gus loves our i-touch. He thinks its great that it puts out music and he can carry it around.

Unfortunately he thinks it is an iphone and talks on it as well.

Rhyme Time

We have bad luck with "Rhyme Time". We have attempted it twice and both times Gus was sick. In fact, we could start using it as a diagnostic test for how he is feeling. When he slumped in Aaron's lap and merely watched his buddies jump around we knew he was "off". Later he had a temperature and today he has RSV. AGAIN???

At least we got to check out his first set of library books. Aaron and I each picked out one for him and I have been reading to him while he eats in his highchair. He seems to pay more attention that way. What a great resource. Guess we'll try Rhyme Time again next month!

COOKIE! Num! Num! Num!

We can blame the talking cookie monster he got for Christmas or we can blame ourselves. Gus loves cookies. I think it really started at Mimi's when he got his first taste of oatmeal cookies. He kept going back to where he saw us get them on the counter and pointing and grunting and if he won he would do a victory dance.

Now he knows where we keep his favorite snacks - in our pantry. He dances around it and points and grunts and if that doesn't work he actually grabs me by pants or robe and leads me to it, giggling like "I can't believe you're making me do this".

Honey Bee

Gus wearing his Savannah Bee Company Honey House shirt. He discovered raisins this weekend - fed them to himself, to dad and tried to treat the dogs as well before I stepped in. Since he couldn't feed his pups he dumped a huge container on the ground and stomped on them.

Horsing Around

Gus, Aaron, Dad and Clayto, dad's ranch hand during our visit to KY after Christmas.

Clayto has made these "tops" since he was a little kid in Mexico. He makes all sizes and can spin them along his hand and pull them up from the ground to his hand with the string. They're really cool. They are so well made and perfectly balanced. Sad to think kids in the U.S might do things like this if they weren't in front of televisions and computers all the time!

He was very interested in the horses and vice versa.

He even duplicated the "motorboat" lip sound they make and nodded his head like them.

Disc Golfing with Gus

While in my home town in Oklahoma we got to literally surprise some people with a visit after many years. It was such fun. I walked into my aunt's place of work and started talking to her casually and she did a doubletake and then saw Gus, whom she hasn't met and it was so much fun to witness. I have missed my family very much.

Although the town hasn't changed much, I was surprised and impressed that there is now a disc golf course by our airport. Strange but great. We stomped through the long wheat colored grass, Gus' hair a perfect match blowing around in the Oklahoma wind.

He carried around dad's discs and even tossed a few very deliberately after watching his dad intently to see how it was done. I hope he and Aaron enjoy playing rounds together as he gets older.

Silly Stripes

He did this himself and was so pleased to have it on his head. He gets this serious look that says: what? Is something odd? when he puts, say pasta, on his head. Such a joker.

Happy New Year!

Its here. Normally I get a little down about New Year's but with the work stress and family stress of December I must say January is seeming promising to me. I have had so many things on the "List To Do" that rather than make a resolutions list to break later we have started many projects this weekend to get us into the first work week of the year feeling accomplished already!

Here is this weekend's list:

1.) Clean out junk drawer while watching movie or listening to music.

2.) Get rid of some of the piles of paperwork, etc.

3.) Stash away Christmas decor in organized manner.

4.) Organize storage closet outside.

5.) Re-hang the dining room pictures that have been bugging me for at least 6 months. I don't like to be bugged with something repeatedly first thing when walking in the front door!

6.)Hang bedroom mirror - also been bugging me!

7.) Stash baby items in attic

8.) Clean fridge

9.) Go through Gus' room to edit his clothes, toys.

10.) File away 2009 paperwork

Sounds ambitious but I have crossed off many items and am feeling more in control and refreshed already! Of course I have the major goals to follow later......

Christmas Cheer

Gus getting help from Mimi opening his present from Jake. Although he was still a little young to get the opening presents thing, he did enjoy pulling out and shaking the loosely wrapped presents in his stocking.

Peeking into mom's present

He paid more attention to this bow than his presents for 5 minutes. He liked sticking it to his tummy. You can tell by the little smile on his face that this pleased him very much.

His first remote controlled car. He stood perfectly still while he operated it. We couldn't tell if he was scared of getting run over by the car or that he was afraid if he changed positions it wouldn't work!

The Boys

In Loving Memory

Michael M. Schettler, known to many simply as “Mick”, was born on July 15, 1949, and left this earthly life to be with God on December 11, 2009. Born in Carroll, IA, Mick always loved being outdoors and frequently visited parks and wilderness areas. Everyone knew Mick as a humble and gentle man, an avid reader who loved to share favorite authors, books, and ideas with others. As a young man he was a high school English literature teacher in Iowa. He later changed careers to become a professional painter, like his father, Cyril L. Schettler. His children, Sunessa and Aaron Schettler, from his early marriage to Kathleen Kiley, were blessed by his love of nature, adventure, and literature. He enjoyed family vacations to scenic natural areas in Oklahoma, Colorado, and California with his children, wife, and with his grandsons and their Boy Scout Troop #909. Mick treasured his family and enjoyed their reunions/holidays where he shared and made memories with his brothers and sisters.

Some of his greatest joys were the marriage of Aaron, his son to Stacey (Wells) Schettler on the Island of Kauai in 2001 and the arrival of their son August “Gus” Reid Schettler on July 14, 2008, the day before Mick’s 59th birthday. Our memories of Mick as a Christian father, loving husband, generous friend, and kind-hearted man will live on in the many people he knew in Tulsa, OK, where he lived since 1976. In 1985 he married Denine (Armstrong) Schettler and they shared 24 years of marriage together. He is survived by: his son and daughter, Aaron and Sunessa; his wife, Denine, her daughter, Marci (Means) Parkhurst; his grandson from Aaron, Gus; and his grandsons from Marci, Sebastian and Christian Parkhurst. He is also survived by: his siblings, Chuck, Darrell, Emily, Bill, Bob, Mary, Dave, Ben, Cecilia; and was preceded in death by: his father, Cyril; his mother, Marion; and by his brother, Milton. Mick’s many siblings, relatives, and friends will always remember his deep, belly-laughs and sparkling eyes. Mick’s ashes will be spread in the Smokey Mountains, where he had planned to take the next family vacation in nature’s majesty.

Gifts for Gus

First Hair Cut