Christmas Morning!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Schantz Christmas Greetings 2009

Please click the card just below

to experience our Christmas message to you!

O Christmas Tree! - More Christmas Catch-Up

Hangin' with Rudy hopin' he puts in a good word
with his boss for them...

A Suburban Gothic - The Christmas Version

Ready to Cut!

Haulin' her in...


We and our tree 2008!

Starting Christmas Catch-up...

--Had a lot of fun playing with a sweet picture of one of
my favorite holiday memories this year...I thought
the result was pretty sweet...

Christmas Kisses are Magical...its fun to
post this picture of my boys and remember
their little puckered-up lips
FINALLY on Valentine's Day.

I got more beautiful kisses today...It's great to be me.

Merry HO hum...

-Dang germs makin a fella sick during
his birthday week! Please pray for Gusser.
If his temps keep running high they'll do a chest
x-ray to check for pneumonia. He's feeling punk.
Thankfully we learned that it is NOT whooping cough
which is rearing its ugly head in Westfield.
He's missing his school program tonight where
they were gonna sing "Joy to the World"
on the stage and everything
and his last day of school before Christmas
tomorrow. That's PARTY DAY! How
unfair is that? Shoot! Dern! Dag-nabit!

Paw Hates Christmas Tree Stars that DON'T Light Up...

So...I've been on this QUEST to find a
tree-topper that is a LIGHTED star...there's all
sorts of dumb ones out there but here's the closest
thing I could find this year. You'll hafta forgive
that it looks like we stole it from Superman's
Fortress of Solitude. You know, if you pull one of
the crystals out and put it in the Superman
player thingy then you can get a video
presentation of Jor-El, Superman's Father.
I reckon that'd be Marlon Brando and not
Glenn Ford...OH, go watch the movie!
My story is funny, trust me.

A funny if you ever experience the Christmas Crazies!

This Husband and Wife are not speaking since
this is how he responded when she ask him to
put up the Christmas Lights.

The Christmas "Holidays" can be so full of the wrong
things. I constantly struggle to keep it all in perspective.
This image helped me laugh and realize that nothing has to
be perfect as we go to celebrate the birth of Christ because,
really, nothing else can be. HE already is...
Perfect plan...perfect peace...
Praise HIM...

Don't let the "Christmas Crazies" getcha!

Angel Breakfast

Cold little lambs at Angel Breakfast this year.
Snow, SNOW, SnOw...
(check the halo over the toboggan)

There were sparkly lights and glorious angels
telling The Christmas Story with a really sweet
live nativity where we could pet the donkey, sheep,
and camels. We made Christmas ornaments and
had a yummy breakfast, sang carols and just
generally made ready to receive
The Holy Spirit at Christmas and celebrate
the birth of Jesus.

Isaac was so excited and flew through the halls from
one activity to the next. He's a blessedly happy
blur in most photo attempts but here's two shots
of some of The Lord's sheep...cold little sheep...

TrAaa-diTION!

Advent ribbons are a Schantz Family thing.
This is Matt's actual advent ribbon from when he was a kid.
I believe, when he was little, that Jan (Oma) tied candy
to his and Dan's ribbons but we've tweaked it a little so as
to not pump them up with sugar right at bedtime.
The numbered tags correspond to a story or movie or
activity or treat or small gift that we have prepared.
They, of course, love it!
I, TOTALLY, get all my "good daughter in-law"
brownie points for continuing the tradition.
Everybody wins and The Oma is happy.

"December 1st til Christmas is the longest time of year.
Seems as if ole Santa Claus never will appear.

How many days til Christmas?
Is so mighty hard to count.
So this little ribbon will tell the exact amount.

Untie a candy every night
when the sandman cast his spell,
and Christmas eve will be here
by the time you reach the bell."

Christmas at Nana and Paw's 2006

Auntie Dee came by on Christmas Eve
and brought little gingerbread reindeer kits
for the little ones to make.
Isaac and Nana had a ball rolling out the sweet dough!

Here's, Paw, the Head of the Table or is he in time-out?

Here's Ashley and Shelby and their IPods.
If you look closely, you can see Tom and Lisa stealing a smooch
in the background. OooohhHHH! Smoochy, smoohy!

This year we started a new family tradition called
The Sharing Show where everybody reads or plays or
shares something special with the family.
Phillip, our trumpet player did an excellent job!

Here's Eli getting back to his roots picking out
Jingle Bells and Jolly Old St. Nicholas on his
hammer dulcimer!

The Smiley Accordion Player...

Shelby and Kristen shared a special reading
about the origins of Silent Night.

There were bell ringers too and Nana and
Paw made special Christmas Carole Books
for Everyone. Lisa won the best in show
with her slide show presentation of
family pictures set to special music. It was wonderful fun
and something we plan to do every year!

Paw and his player...

Loungin' Around in Polar Bear PJ's...

Why look, it's little Sophie Schantz, Isaac's twin.
Isn't her little pig-tail on the top of her curly head
so very cute! You sure couldn't tell her and Isaac
apart without that pig-tail!

Little Sophie and her hairdresser cousin Ashley.

You better watch out for these two number twos!

Santa says cheese!

Eli and the bigger kids were mere flashes in the
background for most of the day. It was quite peaceful
with them all glued to Eli's Wii and Phillip's PSP or listening
to their MP3 players all day. Here's a final shot
of A Santa Schantz after everyone finally packed it in
and went home. He crashed on the couch with the Santy Hat on.
Merry Christmas!

Christmas Morning at Home 2006

Ooooh...Santa Baby...OXOXOXXO!

Eli figured out Santa last year and so...
this year he was promoted to
Santa Bubby and after his stuff was under
the tree, he came down to help finish
putting together his brother's stuff!
He's a magic maker!

Who knew that Santa and his Elf were so
ridiculously cute!

Under our tree...

Well...Eli made it until Isaac woke up and here
they are getting ready to open up what Santa left
to celebrate Jesus' birthday!

Eli got his new game system the Wii!
He was estatic!

Stockings were full...

Matt LOVED his present! It was Flight Simulator 2006!

Jeri was SO surprised with her present! Wow!
It was a flash for her camera...

Christmas in Ohio 2006

Caleigh's pull along snake turns out to be
super yummy too!

Isaac helping Grandpa open his presents. Isaac helped
EVERYONE open their presents this year...

Uncle Daniel and Aunt Lori.
Eli and Isaac will tell you that they are also
known as the tickle monsters! They're also
Baby Caleigh's mom and daddy.

Isaac opening his shape sorter school bus!

Eli opening Miss Gwen's present.
Every year she gets the boys a special book.
She buys the most special books ever!
We had a Merry Christmas in Ohio but we sure
missed Miss Gwen who was working at getting all better
at Bethany Village nearby. We got to go visit her
in her room and take her presents to her.
We pray she gets all better very soon!

Christmas Time's A Comin'

Here's the boys' creche that sits near the tree
for them to play with. Isaac especially enjoys
it calling the shepherd, "farmer" and Mary, "girl".
He gets the animals right and knows, "wise man".
Joseph is "daddy" and you should hear him say,
"Babee Jeesus".

Speaking of Baby Jesus, above is the wee bit
of painted wood that symbolizes The Great Gift of Christmas
to all mankind. I keep wondering if it's sac religious to giggle
every time I have to go digging through the trash to find
him. Isaac likes to SWIPE Baby Jesus and hide him
in peculiar places. Our fear, each time we go on
a Baby Jesus hunt is that Isaac has hidden him in the trash!

Eli made the beautiful angel for the top of our tree this year.
Isn't she great!

One of our new ornaments and our fondest Christmas Wish for you!

Christmas Time at our house means that there's
gonna be some candy making!
Here's my fellas with their respective spatulas
covered with fudge!

Cheesy Fudge Faces!
Christmas Time's A Comin'!