A WEEK AT SHANTY CREEK

On our self-guided tour around Michigan, we stayed at a great place called SHANTY CREEK.
Shanty. Shanty. That's kinda fun to say. Shanty. Oh, I gotta take a Shanty. Would you like some more ice cream. Sure! But just a shanty! Anyway, Shanty Creek is in the "mountains" of Michigan. It's right in the middle of two beautiful golf courses, and is the local ski resort. It was beautiful.
We had a wrap around deck that faced the 17th green. Ian was in awe! Until he turned and saw the peculiar rock on the wall of our deck! Hmmmm....shanty!

BIKES, HORSES, AND YOUR OWN TWO FEET ARE THE ONLY WAYS OF GETTING AROUND MACKINAC ISLAND

As much as I know you all will miss seeing the horses,
I decided to update my blog.

Ians parents came to Lansing to visit us.
Lansing - not so pretty.
The State of Michigan - BEAUTIFUL!!
So for a week, we toured the state!
First Stop: MACKINAC ISLAND Craig and Diane at the Grand Hotel.
Famous for many reasons.
The Grand Hotel, not Craig and Diane!
Although I've heard Diane is famous for her
Christmas morning blueberry muffins,
and Craig for his ability to build stairs.

Mackinac Island is where the movie
SOMEWHERE IN TIME was filmed,
starring Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour.
Diane, Ians mom, was one Janes nurses
when she was pregnant with her twins.

From the island, you can see the Mackinaw Bridge
which connectsthe Upper Penninsula
to the lower state of Michigan.
The Great Lakes are surprisingly beautiful!!

We found a great place to stay for three days
with our timeshare up in Bellaire Michigan.
It was perfect - and huge!
You can see the sunset reflecting off of the sliding glass door behind us!

C and D 07

IAN'S PARENTS CAME TO TOWN.
GUESS WHERE WE WENT?

HAIRSPRAY!!!

NYC O7 is this weekend! I am so totally excited!!!

While there, I plan on seeing a Broadway Show.

Maybe WICKED, or LION KING, or MARY POPPINS...

But then I've also heard such great reviews about

HAIRSPRAY!

From the looks of the PROMO FLYER...

it's gonna be GOOD!!!!

100 YEARS OLD!

http://www.deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,660211376,00.html

I don't know what's wrong with me. I can't stop reading the Deseret News Online.

I think I would have liked this guy!

http://www.legacy.com/DeseretNews/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=87147839

GLOBAL WARMING???

BULL!!!

It's SNOWING in Michigan!

There is NOTHING warm about it!!

GLOBAL WARMING????

I'M ALL FOR IT!!!

10 YEARS AGO...

10 YEARS AGO TODAY, I RETURNED HOME

FROM SERVING MY MISSION IN

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

It might have been the hardest thing in my life up until that point...

but dang, I sure looked good doing it!

Perm and all!

To enjoy this picture in person, please visit the ENSIGN, November 1998 Issue, Page 80.

But don't tell Nalani you think it's me. She wont believe you!

RED ALERT! RED ALERT!!

YOU MUST PROCEED TO
LINDSAY AND KEITHS BLOG - NOW!
DO NOT DELAY!!!
Well, you might want to go to the bathroom first...
because you just might end up peeing your pants if you dont!

I can't do it!!!!

Besides, MAKE ME, my other favorite phrase just happens to be, I CAN'T DO IT, I DON"T KNOW HOW! And Ian absolutely loves it when I used any and all of those lines! But it's true. I can't do it! I can't remember everyones blog addresses and thus my links are incomplete. I don't want to be responsible from hindering people from spying on other peoples lives...that they've never met...but are now totally invested in the daily happenings of total strangers! So don't be mad at me.

DID YA MISS ME?

So, did ya miss me?

IT'S OFFICIAL - I quit SODA!

I am not going to drink any more soda this month!!

Good bye Dr. Pepper that I loved so dearly with a bag of pretzels. I will miss you.

Good bye Rootbeer, that shared nearly every pizza with me! I will miss you.

Good bye Diet Coke/Cherry Coke mix! I'm sure my love for you will grow stronger every day that we're apart!

Farewell Mt Dew, the one who got me addicted in the first place by running across the street to get .25 cent refills at Craigos Pizza in 1993

Until next month, my dear carbinated friends!
(btw - You better get you Visiting Teaching done today, it's the last day of the month!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER (and best friend) MILES!!!

10 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME:

1. I come across really reserved and quiet, but deep inside, I've got a cackle of a laugh that can deafen even the very deaf. Actually, it's so loud, the deaf might actually hear it. Don't worry, I don't use it very often. Like I said, I'm really reserved and quiet.

2. I have amazing will-power. If I see a chocolate cake, I WILL eat it, and not just one piece. I WILL eat as much of it as I can get away with without it looking like I was the one who ate ALL of it. And if I get blamed for eating it all, I WILL deny it. See, that is power!

3. It's been said of me over and over that I can't sing very well, but the truth be known, I'm pretty darn good! Just ask anyone at Miles' Work Christmas Party. I was the only one who was NOT drinking, but I'm the one who got up and started singing! Now you might be thinking, "where were Miles and Ian to stop her?!?!" Well, Miles was accompanying me on the piano, and Ian was trying to adjust the spotlight to make sure it was entirely on me! That's right. I am now a singing legend in Columbus Ohio! Well, at least to an intoxicated audience!

10. I am the most loyal person you'll ever come across - in work, and in friendships. I believe myself to be loyal, honest, trustworthy, thrifty, brave, hungry, loyal, honest, faith, choice and accountability, good works, and integrity, one nation, under God, loyal, and finally, honest.

There you have it! And just maybe, just maybe you learned something new about lil'ol'me! My name is Natalie.

Is it an UPDATE you're waiting for? Just wait longer!

It's a Christmas Miracle!

We spent Christmas as Miles and Toms house this year. Only, Tom was out of town visiting his family in NY and Ian was visiting his family in UT. So I was just ME & MILES on Christmas morning. Well, since we wanted to wait for Tom and Ian to open up Christmas gifts, we were left with only one thing to do Christmas morning: we prank called a few of our family and friends with Christmas Carols early, early in the moring. You know that had to be a real treat for whoever stumbled out of bed to answer the phone! Yes, we sang, then hung up, then laughed because we thought we were so funny! Ah, a Christmas to remember!

THE YEAR OF THE FOOL!

"Son, is that a panty on your head?"

There's nothing like doing FOOLISH things just to make people laugh!
That sums up the New Years Party with the Schroeder Family, bringing 2006 to a close! We foolishly ate way too much pizza, drank way too much ...soda, ate way too many Hersheys Nuggets, made and ate homemade icecream with all the fixin's, we tried to potty train a 2 year old before the year was over, we found pure joy in a box of knee-hi nylons, gave markers to children under 4, had an eyebrow plucking session, built a city around a train track, watched a bit of football, and we completely sugared up a 4 year old GAGE, and a 2 year old TALON, and expected them to act like angelic children while depriving them of sleep until after 12:00 midnight while waiting for the ball to drop! Needless to say, our night was full of fun and laughter and tears, most of the tears from too much laughter!

Here's to the NEW YEAR! I'm hoping 2007 is full for the same, if not more FOOLISH things! Goodness knows, I enjoy a good laugh! After Ian finally put Gage down, believe it or not, Gage asked Ian to "do it again"! Hilarious! Pizza from Zion Pizza Party!
(Take note: New paint color on dinning room walls. Do you like?)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LINDSAY!

WHO IS READY FOR SNOWBOARDING / FIRE SEASON?

"My Boys", Luke and Issac, came over for another slumber party with Ian and Mallie! Ian had all of his snowboarding stuff out in preparation for his trip to Utah. Because we (luckily) haven't seen much snow this year, the snowboarding boots became Fireman Boots, and they loaded up in their very comfy Fire Truck Recliner, and Ian spun the two Firemen around until I was sick for them! I do love a good party with my favorite 4 year old and two year old!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Since we don't send out Christmas Cards, we decided to post our Family Christmas Picture for all to see! Obviously, picture time is a big ordeal at our house!
HAPPY HOLIDAY!!!

Picnic in Sunny Arizona ... in DECEMBER!!

70 degrees in AZ in December!

Whitney, Elliot, Stella, Lindsay, Keith and I had a picnic on Saturday in sunny Arizona.

We played a very competitive game of 500 with a frizbee and football. Obviously, my efforts could not be matched by my competetors!

When I finally reached 500, and it was my turn to throw the football, I found that my once good throwing arm could no longer throw the distanced I once measured in 6th grade. For some reason, no one thought it was fun to stand less than 10 feet in front of me, so they made me kick the football to them instead.

Have I ever mentioned the ribbon I won in Punt, Pass, and Kick in 8th grade? That's because there never was one.

MY BEAUTIFUL SISTERS!

I'm back in sunny Arizona to spend some time with my baby sisters Whitney and Lindsay. Being here in the sunshine makes me wonder if I should actually return to Michigan. I mean, seriously, Ian only has a year left. I'm sure he'd be fine without me for just one quick year!!! This picture was taken last March for Sisters Week in AZ when we all came to help little Lindsay after her 3rd Open Heart Surgery. Now that her 4th and last surgery has been a success, we just might have to think of other good reasons to get together.

I went with Lindsay to get an echocardiogram on Monday. The Tech performing the echo kept complementing Lindsay on the condition of her heart, telling her that from her perspective, it was hard to tell that there was ever any defect. She kept saying, "It's amazing!"
Yes, it's true - inside and out - my sister Lindsay is amazing!

4 GENERATIONS!

Great Grandma Jean

Grandma Diane

Holly Dee

Baby McKenzie

NEW BLOGGERS IN THE FAMILY

Miles and Tommy have started their own blog!
Rumors, Gossip and Innuendos!
Now we have a new link to click on - lets hope they update more than the rest of you slackers!!!
TomandMiles.blogspot.com

TURKEY DAY!

Miles and Tom are visiting us from Ohio to celebrate all we are thankful for. We are thankful that the big delicious meal is done and over with so we can get on to better thanksgiving day things...like NAP TIME!!!!

THE BROTHERS! and HOLLY & HOLLY

ETHAN IS 8!!!

A Utah visit to see The Monkey

Last the Best of All the Games!

My sister Lindsay is the baby of the family. She is the cutest, the funniest, and...the cutest! Because of her personality characteristics and placement in the family, she rightfully became the PRINCESS of the kingdom! This beautiful Princess Lindsay had her 4th and final Open Heart Surgery on Thursday. They finaly switched the major vessels in her heart to opposite sides, something they didn't know how to do 26 years ago when they performed her first surgery at 3 months old. Now she should be able to run, jump, play, clog, have babies, skip, dance, pretend like she's the lead in every musical, and everything else this little princess wants to do! Because she is so strong spirited and strong willed, she has had quick recoveries in the past. We are all praying for a healthy and speedy recovery for this LAST and final surgery. Keep my little Lindsay in your prayers!

My Shweetie Ran A Marathon!

A very sad day for Natalie!

I am so sad! My BEST FRIEND moved away...and he took his parents with him.
I will miss my MONKEY Corbin and his Mommy and Daddy, Tiffany and Coby. The boys, hard at work, loading the moving truck.

Believe it our not, we have already had our first SNOW of the season! It snowed about 2 inches in Lansing, and up to 8 inches by the end of the day in other parts of the state on October 12th.

They say we beat the First Snow Record by one day back in 1909! Sweet - we're in for a long winter...and I'm so excited!

I'm as excited as a kid who's ready to get a whipping for lying about eating all the fudgesicles.

UNKA!

We had a welcome visitor today!
My Uncle Steve, lovingly known as UNKA,
happened to be in our neighborhood and stopped in for a visit!
I decided I should use this occasion to actually fix a meal. So we had dinner, then took him on a quick city tour to see Ians Law School, the MSU campus, and all the run down houses in our hood! Quite enjoyable!
Note: We made sure he was a Tigers Fan before returning home to the State of Washington!

I have the best sisters in the whole world.
The other day, I was talking to my baby sister, Lindsay, and she happened to mention the book "The Five Love Languages". Being the great communicator I am, I cut her off and started telling her MY story about the book. I told her how it was recommended to me a couple of years ago by a wonderful friend, and that I new it was awesome book, but that I had never read it.

2 days later, I got the book in the mail from my baby sister! I LOVE YOU LINDSAY! You are the best! (I'm using words of affirmation).

Along with my other two, isn't she the best sister in the whole world!!!!!!

ANOTHER CAMPING TRIP

Every year, Ian and a small Cooley group like to go night fishing up north. So, we packed our bags, (and an electric blanket this time) and went camping and night fishing.

The Fall Season is so beautiful in Michigan, so we decided to take a few pictures of our beautiful selves in the beautiful surroundings.

As you might have noticed, the camera must have been broken, because the surroundings, and ourselves aren't so beautiful in this picture!

Maybe next year we will miraculously become a photogenic couple!