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7/2/2000 11:20:00 PM
Boulder Creek, CA
In the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Redwood Forrest

May/June 2000

After our 1 week tour through Yosemite we split up, the 4 of them went on to Vegas, LA and Hwy #1, and the 5 of us went back home

Hallo everybody!

Once again I motivate myself (today is Wednesday June 28, 2000) - I really want to be on time but the circumstances (named Sebastian and Benjamin) don't "allow" me at the computer during the day and at night I am almost always too tired. We'll see how much I can get done today without going back too often and loosing my concentration.

My last report ended with the story of our motor home trip with Roberts family, which was not the end of their visit and I'll continue right there. After our 1 week tour through Yosemite we split up, the 4 of them went on to Vegas, LA and Hwy #1, and the 5 of us went back home. Unfortunately all of them except Roberts brother caught the kids ear infection and Roberts sinus infection (that he had in the beginning of our trip). Therefore they spent some more time and only came back the weekend after. Saturday we spent totally relaxed at home (not so much for Katharina and Elli who had tons of wash, and Katharina also treated us with an excellent dinner of Onion roast and Beef Burgundy). On Sunday we all left again for a day to San Francisco, we visited Fisherman's Wharf and the 4 of them continued on the next days to explore the city and the Napa wine country. Thursday and Friday we really did nothing at home and finally enjoyed some sunshine, Robert's dad was nice enough to help me on some gardening and cleaning up around the house (there were still bits and pieces left from the construction..), Katharina flirted with Sebastian and Benjamin and Elli and Werner took one more shopping trip. Well and on Friday night they had to leave back to good old Europe. As always we very much enjoyed our visitors, specially family. Even tough we now live far apart it s nice to spent so much time together during those days and weeks, its almost like you get to know each other better than living at the same spot. Nevertheless saying good by is never fun (especially for me, it must be a female thing...) but like my Grandma always says:" Don't be sorry that it's over, be happy that you lived it!"

The beds did not stay untouched for very long, right the next day our "constant guests" Hemma, Christoph, Lucas 4y. and Mia 3mos. came for the weekend. Christoph needed to escape the valley and wanted to come to the "mountains" and we all enjoy each others company. Christoph likes to cook and so therefore it never is much work for me when they come. He really knows my kitchen well by now and I have to say he also is a very tidy and clean cook! On Saturday he did a real Austrian pork roast with cabbage salad and bread dumplings (I did those, so I did not feel too awkward not doing anything). Just that weekend we had a heat wave (up to 112!) and we spent most of the time indoors, we still enjoyed it and the boys had some great extended play hours together.

During the week we keep quite busy with pre-school that Sebastian attends Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9-12, twice a week swim class and meeting lots of friends, we also now have real nice contact with a few moms in Boulder Creek. Sebastian finally enjoys swimming, but had a real hard time in the beginning. He was used to me being in the pool with him, which I also did the first lessons, but since Benjamin had a really tough time in the water I decided that he needed to be a "big" boy. By now he has no problems what so ever and loves his teacher. He does great arm and leg movements and has no fear to put his face under water. He certainly still needs help either by an adult or swimming device, when the teacher takes care of her other students. Robert came along today and also took Benjamin for a swim again, he did not cry! So now they both enjoy it and we will sure continue over the summer. Mid June summer break started and so that we don't get to "bored" Sebastian now also goes to gym class once a week. He loves jumping, playing and hopping around and using all the gym equipment, it is great to see how those little guys learn to coordinate their bodies. Sebastian absolutely loves that class and with all of that we will keep busy over the summer.

Benjamin finally is also mobile (since early June) and nothing is save anymore...! He's got a real funny crawling position, once leg standing up front and the other laying down on the ground. I am always amazed how fast he can move forward, specially because his one leg is all bruised and scratched open, he doesn't seem to mind. He now is a happy and jolly guy and has lots more mischief in his head than Sebastian at that age - or may one tends to forget the "bad" things and only remember the good ones. Benjamin loves his brother dearly and always gets very excited and happy around him. He also very much likes Broesel and she has been really good with him, even though his "loves" are more "pulling fur"... A few days ago he started feeding himself, which is a bit of a disaster and I am glad we got Broesel, that saves me a lot of vacuuming.... Benjamin is still quite little and strangers sometimes cannot believe that he is almost 11 month - his size and weight looks more like a 7-8 month old. Nevertheless he is a very healthy baby and in his motor skill development right on target, certainly some kids can already walk at 11 month, but Sebastian also was only 13 month, so I don't worry at all. A few pictures attached will show you how much they grew up - specially Broesel!

Early June (to be accurate on the 3rd)  Robert left for 2 weeks to Europe and left us behind... He spent the first week in France to prepare a training he was giving the second week in Germany. It all went well and he seemed to be successful, even though HP sometimes is not the easiest client (which client on the other had is...?!?!) he had a good time and got along fine with everybody. Robert likes to travel a bit and see new things, but he also agreed that 2 weeks is a long time and that he missed us a lot. During the 3day weekend he went paragliding, since he stayed at Grenoble one of the finest spots in Europe for it and enjoyed some good French cuisine. We also missed him a lot, specially Sebastian who had a hard time understanding how long 2 weeks are:" Today Papa is coming home, right!?" I had troubles being "alone" in the house the first few days, but gotten used to it and had no trouble at the end. Broesel certainly watched out for us and it feels good to have a big dog in the house. The days went by pretty quickly, the first week Benjamin had was a bit sick, throwing up a lot. First I thought it was new food, then choking, and after a few days I decided to see the doctor, who then diagnosed it a stomach flew - by then it was almost over - but not my wash! I was looking forward to less washing while Robert was gone and with that I had triple the loads, changing him and me at least twice a day. Well, it went by and on Sunday my friend Huberta (Hu) and kids (Terence 5 and Francis 3) came to stay overnight, since her husband also was gone for a week. We had a nice time and finally got to chat once the kids were in bed! Thursday June 15th I had tickets for a Ringo Starr Concert, that I had booked a few month back not knowing Robert would not be here... I was so much looking forward to a night out that I decided not to give the ticket away but invite a dear neighbor and friend (Maura), who also looks and takes care of Broesel a lot - Sebastian also loves to go for walks with her, who also happened to have her 50th birthday two days after. It was a real nice evening, we had dinner before, and even though the music was not a 100% my style (too many hard rock'n roll songs) the atmosphere was great and Ringo Starr an absolute energy bundle! On Friday my friend Hemma came again to stay overnight (she only brought her 3 mos. old baby) and we got some girls talk going, and on Saturday Christoph and Lucas also came - cooking...! The 4 of them stayed another night and by midnight we were all complete since Robert returned from his trip. Sebastian had stayed in our bed the full two weeks and couldn't believe  when Robert crawled under the blanket. He did not let go of him and followed him everywhere the next day, too cute! Sunday we had a big BBQ at our house, our friends Andy, Hu and kids joined in as well, since they were leaving next day for Austria and when they come back Hemma and Christoph will be gone for 6 weeks, so we won't get together until September. We also had to celebrate fathers day and my birthday the next day.

Which brings me to say thank you to you for your greetings per mail, e-mail and phone. I was sooooo happy to hear from you and talk to so many of you personally. First 2 friends invited me over but since the weeks before were so busy I really did not feel like going anywhere and that was the right decision. I would not have had the time to talk to all of you and my kids gave me the biggest birthday present ever - a 3 hour nap at the same time - so I could be on the phone without being interrupted!!!! My own present was to do no housework whatsoever and the ones knowing me, know that I always have to fiddle around something, but it felt so could for once to do absolutely NOTHING! Even the dishwasher stayed untouched as well as Roberts wash and clothes from his trip had to wait. For dinner the four of us went out for Sushi and it was nice to be together again that day!

Robert has gotten into paragliding again since his trip to France and so we decided on short notice Thursday night to go to Lake Tahoe, where there are great conditions and sights for it. The scenery is so wonderful up there, the boys and I stayed at the beach on Saturday with a view of the blue lake, the mountains around topped with snow! Sunday we joined Robert on one of his best flight days! He was the only one that day (nobody that launched before or after him found the right thermals) who got a drift up and he got as high as 14000 feet! It must be a great feeling to see the world from so high up only having air around you! He said it was pretty cold but totally great and exciting. These 2 hours were wonderful experience for him and I am sure we will see him more often this year going up into the air.

Well, this is the last day of June and I am proud that I will be able to mail this report somewhat on time. I will also attach some pictures and once they are done I will come back with my ending. Considering the time and my level of concentration I think I better go to bed being happy finally writing to you again (mission accomplished!) Have a good night - until soon!

Well it is Sunday and we managed to take some pictures and Robert just put them on the computer. It got a bit big and I hope your computers won't have too many troubles opening it. Please let me know if it was too much for you, so next time we send less or smaller photos. Just a few comments:

Bath picture: they love to take a bath together - it shows on their smiles! Sebastian the carrier: He takes good care that Benjamin doesn't fall off the steps - and the little one loves to be carried! Sebastian mean: he wanted to look like this and send it with the report - just a show off! Benjamin crawling: the illustration to my above explanation Broesel: Robert unshaved and Broesel not in the mood to get up from her nap (Robert also did not want to take another picture where he possible could smile...)

Tomorrow we will spend a couple of days with our friends Hemma and Christoph and celebrate the 4th of July together, more about that in 1, 2, 3,... months - I promise I will write again!

We wish all of you a nice summer and vacation at home or somewhere else - we send you lots of sunny hugs and greetings

The  4 Schmids und Broesel

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