The Schwarthoff Family 2012

Welcome to the Web Site of the Boise Schwarthoff Family!

Please check back for new pictures once a month!

December, 2012

Does the world go round and round?

Same procedure as every year, the Schwarthoff Family sends Christmas Greetings to all ye family and friends in the whole wide world!

Santa is getting a lot of help from mom and dad this year, suspiciously. Let's see if having a second tree in the boys' room gets us more presents. Also, he needs cookies now.

The whole family went out into the forest, to cut our first tree ourselves and take it home.

The second graders have spent their fall in school building their own little school economy, complete with jobs, salaries, currency, and the first market day, where sellers could offer spinners, home-made purses, origami art, "gently" used books, and valuable paintings to their fellow students. There will be applications for advanced positions next.

Helena, besides trying lots of letters, is learning that bossing around her class mates doesn't always work so well.

November, 2012

Playtime.

Some new facial expressions there. Not much outdoor time anymore, so the weekends have such opportunities.

So, how about the adults express some of their own ideas. The new sofa:

Yes, the old one had holes.

Thanksgiving 2012 makes us thoughtful and give thanks to all the blessings given to us. We also hope that you have many of those - Happy Thanksgiving!

October, 2012

A distant memory are the warm summer days. The camper is mothballed for the winter; it's with a different neighbor now, because last season's location was not acceptable to the owner's insurance anymore. We are lucky to have found a replacement.

The school year has hit hard: When are we going to do homework? The kids come home at 4:30 pm, that's 16:30 in German time, when dinner has to get started. Only the weekend provides opportunity to sit down for an hour around the table, to work through the First Communion preparation program. Take note, the boys are scheduled for First Communion on April,28, 2013.

Now, Petra also comes home with stories from work, after school. A young school that has many challenges.

Noah's recent exchange with mom: It is Sunday morning before church, and Noah comes to the breakfast table, wearing military shorts. Mom: "What are you wearing?" Noah: "You told me to put on nice pants!". Now we know what "nice" means to him.

September, 2012

There was a time to celebrate the late Summer birthday.

So, camping did leave a mark, as she asked for a birthday party in the backyard, with tents and a camping theme.

It remains warm this month, though the smoke from the fires continues to dim the sun on many days. Three children leave the house at 7:45 in the morning, to go to school. Two in second grade, and one in Kindergarten. The boys have found the joy in reading, which they exercise most nights in bed. Captain Underpants!

August, 2012

Superb summer, we are biking the city, visiting the pool, enjoying a cool drink. The land is dry now, with fires staring everywhere. If we can find a spot that is free of the smoke that is covering the valley, we go camping on the Payette River.

Church picnic with mass outside under the trees is today. Wednesdays, we meet at the fountain downtown to live music, kids' play, and a beer.

July, 2012

Back home, 108 degrees (yes, 42 Celsius all you Germans), time to float on the river, or escape into the mountains with the camper. This time, it's Baumgartner Campground in the Idaho mountains.

June, 2012

Come, let us be done with school and go on vacation. We pack up the whole family and head south, to see the Utah National Parks.

First, see discover the Sandstone windows in Arches National Park.

This is where we encounter the Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (a female during mating season in fact, possibly carrying lots of eggs in her belly).

Next is Canyonlands National Park. The area around Moab is 105 degrees hot, so we climb to the higher elevations to see ...

... Natural Bridges National Monument, with newly acquired hats.

We come to Capitol Reef National Park and, finally, Bryce Canyon National Park. The orange hoodoos lead the kids to call it the Fantasy Land.

Did you know that Bryce Canyon is not really a Canyon? It is actually the eroded edge of a high-altitude plateau.

This and many other things we learn from Rangers, Visitor Centers, and hikes, ending up with a collection of Junior Ranger badges.

Just for fun: this is what a normally pretty flat bag of potato chips looks like at 8000 feet elevation.

Now, summer is in full swing, the river floating season is open, and we are looking forward to dinners on the patio.

May, 2012

The month is pretending to be summer, giving us beautiful warm days that send us out biking along the Boise River and living outside. Helena had to dance ballet in pink outfit (unavoidable).

Here are the three, ready to head for school. No, it's not really cold, but everyone has his/her own perception.

Next month is vacation month!

April, 2012

Spring break is one week, then back to school. Easter comes, though it's just a normal weekend, followed by school on Easter Monday.

Shortly thereafter:

Twins' birthday.

Doing a slalom on a bike train in the Boise foothills contributes the objective: a bunch of tired kids and many fun memories.

Happy Birthday!!

March, 2012

Hello, Spring. Yes, the ski hill is still open, but for two Sundays this month, it feels like summer. The potato farmers have sent the big potato on its way through the country, after Helena, Abraham and Noah have admired it in Boise.

Where there is sun, there is summer. Plenty of opportunity to create mud puddles in the yard and fill them with whatever we can find.

Slowly, very slowly, Abraham and Noah's teeth are pushed out by new ones. The dentist said they need to do better brushing.

February, 2012

Miss Sophie has retired, as all are zipping up and down on the slopes. Ski School for the short ones, practice for the others.

Check out last year's pictures to see the difference.

We have a returning teacher in the house. One and a half hours every day, four days a week, at Sage Middle School. Music of course. The school is a black hole (for time).

January, 2012

Gosh, it's January 1, and no snow. The ski hill is bare.

January 7, no snow.

January 14, no snow.

What's going on?

La Ninia keeps it all bottled up in the Arctic.

January 18, hurrah!! Ski hill is open, albeit very soggy.

January 25, and it's raining on the ski hill.............

...In the mean time, Abraham is building space ships.

Happy New Year, Miss Sophie!

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