Welcome to the Scharrer family's real life story! Most of our story is written for, and about, our four kids and the spice they add to our lives. It's our story of happiness, craziness, and sometimes ridiculousness. We've journaled through childbirth, the terrible two's, private school (and our public school experience), an autism diagnosis, medical school, residency, and long-term mission work in Africa.

Now we're following a new adventure, which involves a 45 foot motorcoach, homeschool, and as many ski slopes as we can go down in one year.

For posts from while we were living in Zimbabwe and updates about our future plans in Zimbabwe, please see our mission blog...

www.ourzimbabwejourney.blogspot.com.





21 December 2013

Thanksgiving 2013

There is no one I'd rather be with than with my family.  I don't know how I got so lucky, but I got two of the best parents who are the biggest support and encouragement to all of us, three of the coolest siblings who married great additions to our family, and the absolute greatest nieces and nephews who just happen to be nine of my most favorite people in the entire world.  It hasn't always been easy in our family and there were times when we had a very broken home, but what we have made out of it all has been wonderful.  I love that this is the type of family my children know and are growing up in.  

We were so blessed to have most of my family come to our house this year for Thanksgiving!  Erik had no time off for the holiday and since I didn't want to leave Erik alone, my family decided to come to us.  We actually slept all 17 of us at our house, instead of getting hotel rooms, so we could be together as much as possible.  I loved it every single minute of it.


Our nights were filled with games and movies.

My niece Brittany brought her bunny, Furbie, and he just ran around the house most of the time.




 The women all pitched in to help make the Thanksgiving meal.  I love cooking with my family!



 Erik actually got some time off on Thanksgiving Day and he did the honors of cutting the turkey.

 He insisted that the turkey, even though was cut, needed to still look like a turkey.  Ha!  He did a very good job cutting the turkey and displaying the turkey.


 The kids' table - Maida, Skogen, my nephew Kellen, and my niece Natalie

 The old folks table  :)  - Klaasen Burke, my mom, my dad, my brother Tony, Tony's wife Melva, and my sister Kim


The cool table.  :)  Hehe - my sister-in-law Nancy, Erik, me, T, my niece Brittany, my brother Jay, and my niece Sarena

After we ate most of the afternoon, we went on a family walk around the neighborhood and then ended in the city park, which is in our backyard, for a soccer game.

That night, we went Black Friday Thursday shopping!  This is the only picture I took the entire night - the kids' school uniforms for next year!  It was 50% off everything in Old Navy, so I stocked up!

On Friday morning, the girls all went for pedicures!  Awwww relaxation.




You can never go wrong with pedicures.

 We totally didn't take a family picture of all of us together (BUMMER!), but I'm thankful we got one of me and my siblings.

On Friday afternoon, I gave the fam a quick tour of the clinic and hospital!  We even ran into Erik at work and he showed us the newly remodeled emergency department!





Friday night we squeezed in a bowling game!









 Nothing better after bowling and below zero temps than homemade ice cream from a famous locally owned homemade ice cream shop!!!



On Saturday morning, everyone except my parents and my sister had to leave.  My mom and sister and I were able to do some shopping that afternoon and then my cousin Myra, who was traveling through town, came for an overnight visit.  Sunday morning after church we ate lunch at the Olive Garden.

On Sunday afternoon, I was interviewed by a local news station about how our family monitors screen time with our children.  It was very interesting to be on the other side of the news.  They also filmed footage of the kids.  The story aired that night - the kids were thrilled to see themselves on TV!!!


My sister's plane back to Arizona was supposed to fly out around 7pm on Sunday. It was delayed 4 hours, so we decided to go get our Christmas tree!


I had so much fun decorating with my sister and wish we lived closer to all of my family so we could spend more times like this together.

Christmas is coming soon and we are looking forward to Nana, Erik's mom being here with us.  How did I get so lucky to marry into such a great family, too?  We are so so so so so so blessed!

November in Pictures

Erik and I helped host a popcorn bar and talent show at church.  It was super fun!

I started running at the gym again.  Only made it a few days, but it was a start.

Skogen reading to his little brother



Love these snuggly boys just out of bed!

Whenever we have a babysitter over bedtime, Torsten insists on going to sleep with Maida.  It is so sweet.

We forgot to take a picture on our date night and this is all Erik would give me when we got home.  Silly guy!

Pizza and movie night!


On Sunday mornings I teach the 3-5 year old boys.  We have been learning about the armor of God.  This is my class in their helmets of salvation.

Erik took this picture at work one morning of the Mayo helicoptor.

Second snow!  First snow that actually accumulated to anything.

Snow ice cream!!!!

Torsten approved!


Barkley! wanted to be out playing with the boys.

Skogen thought it would be really neat to put on 20 shirts at one time.  It was fun until he started getting super hot and then we couldn't get them off quick enough and he panicked.  I don't think he'll ever try that again.

Klaasen thoroughly enjoyed our Costco run.

Went to visit Daddy at work so that Torsten could get his ear checked.

Tried to take a picture before church.  This is the best we got.


Torsten's first time going potty in the pot!

Tuckered out Torsten

Best friends

Milk and cookie date at McDonalds with Klaasen Burke

The boys told me they were, "going to Grandma's" in this tub and it would take them "several hours to get there."



T's first time playing with playdoh

Torsten was playing with his brothers, fell off the bed, and bonked his head.  :(

A few of my Bible class boys waiting for the other classes at Pew Packers on a Sunday morning.

Stud Muffin

Afternoon coffee with a sleeping husband.  Just thankful to have him home instead of at the hospital.
Helping Daddy get the skies ready for the season!

While preparing the house for Thanksgiving guests, I discovered a new homemade grout cleaner that works SO WELL!  Grout color before on the bottom of the picture and grout color after on the top of the picture.
November sunset

Eating spaghetti



Another beautiful November sunset

Amazing.

We write to taste life twice, once in the moment and in retrospection.”
~Anais Nin