Miscellaneous

Well now I couldn't have a page about our life without a picture of Duke. This post is a tribute to all of the Schleede family animals - countless fish, countless gerbils and hamsters (Uncle Henry I & II come to mind), Squeaky the guinea pig, Henrietta the guinea pig, cats: Kiki, Sammy and Rascal, and the siamese my parents had their first years of marriage, dog: Tobi and Duke and of course the current loves of our lives: Zeus, Sassy and Max.

Below is a picture of Duke with his first litter of puppies. He was not a good father as he got too jealous of the attention we paid to the puppies!

John's early years

Dad as a baby with Jack and Edna Schleede

John with brother Carl and sister Susan

Dad started to run in 1979 and hasn't stopped since. After countless marathons and races he has slowed down a bit, but he is still trucking. Matt and I run now.

Family Photos

The Schleede Family - somtime in the 80's

The Schleede family - in Oregon sometime early 90's

The Schleede family - sometime early 2000's

The Schleede family -2002

The Schleede family - 2006 Oregon

Memories from Matt and Laura's wedding

The Schleede Family

Linda, Grandpa Krack and Barb and Carol

Mom and Dad and the bride and groom

The new Schleede family of 5

Linda and John dancing

Dad and Grandma Schleede

John and Kristine - I remember specifically getting turned down the first time I asked Dad to dance and then finally we danced at end. I'm still baffled by that somewhat....

Schleede Family photos

Grandma Schleede and John, Susan and Carl

The Schleede women

The Schleede men

The whole family

Holidays

For any holiday or big event, my parents made sure that my brother and I were the center of attention. They made things fun and we were certainly spoiled!

Birthdays
A typical birthday would start out with present opening in the morning. Usually Mom made sure we got whatever we wanted for breakfast, lunch and dinner. After school in the evenings would be the special requested dinner and cakes. I remember when we were young, Mom would drive to a baking store and we would be able to pick out a cake pan and a theme for our birthdays that year. Then Mom would bake the cake and decorate it -- not sure how she was able to do all of that. Each year we would have a birthday party.

This was my first birthday cake that I don't remember, but I specifically remember a red gumball machine and a She-ra cake at some point in my life.

A perfect example of skills - Matt's G.I Joe cake with Em looking on.

I specifically remember when we were old enough for sleep overs and Dad coming down and yelling at my friends and I to 'BE QUIET'. Well that was no fun! I also remember a birthday where I got my red bike, my first 2 wheel bike with training wheels. Dad's cousins in New York owned a bike shop and had sent it partially put together, or they were supposed to. But when it arrived it wasn't right and Dad had to spend time putting it together. Needless to say there were interesting choices of words on the patio as my father tried to figure out how to get the bike put together right. In the end he did and he slowly taught me to ride without training wheels, after countless falls and looking back to make sure he was right there, I am now a bike rider.

Easter
Easter was always celebrated with the Kaisers. I have specific memories of Easter egg hunts at the Kaiser house and usually they hosted dinner as well. Our Easter baskets were always full and we always had at least 1 large chocolate bunny and 1 Cadbury egg. To this day Mom still makes sure that Matt and I receive an Easter basket, even if it is through the mail.

July 4th
On the 4th I remember a lot of trips to Bay City, MI to see the fireworks. In later years we stayed in town as Mt. Pleasant started their own fireworks, but I remember traffic delays, late nights, glow-in-the-dark bracelets and a lot of fun.

Halloween
Each year Halloween was also a big ordeal. Mom is big into sewing and besides dressing us up in cute clothes she made, she would make us new Halloween costumes every year. I remember some good ones: princess, 80's rock-star, Central cheer leader and pumpkin. After dressing up there was trick-or-treating. Nolan always handed out full Butterfingers. After trick-or-treating we had to go through our bags and review the candy together as a family. And then my brother and I got to the trading of the candy and eating it :)

Me dressed as a pumpkin

Same year - Matt as a bat

Thanksgiving
Thanksgivings were the one holiday that I have more memories with family rather than the Kaisers. When we did spend Thanksgiving in Mt. Pleasant, the Kaisers were usually involved. Most Thanksgivings were spent driving to Indiana to spend time with Susan, Jim and Jason. I can remember snowy days in and Jason refusing to play with me because I was a girl and Jim entertaining me. The day after Thanksgiving we always went shopping. Since most years were spent in Indiana, I don't have a lot of specific memories at home.

Christmas
Ah, Christmas was our favorite holiday time of the year - great food, family/friends and at least 2 weeks off of school! Each year we would spend Christmas with the Kaisers in Mt. Pleasant (with the exception of two in Oregon - these two years I desperately missed the Kaisers and couldn't wait to return to them).

The holiday would begin with Aunt Jean (Nolan's sister) and Aunt Lil (Grandpa Krack's sister) traveling into town. Mom and Dad would always take us on a trip to a tree farm to pick out a real tree. We would get it mid-December and spend the evening decking it out. Each year my brother and I got a new ornament and usually they were 'Mom-made'.

Christmas Eve was the largest part of the holiday for us, each year the kids would be sent to the movies to get out of the house while Mom prepared for the big dinner. The Kaiser kids accompanied the Schleede kids. As time passed, the Christmas Even dinner included close family friends - Denise and the girls, the Magnels, the Kruskas, and Mrs. Clare. We all dressed up in our Christmas best, Mom prepared the ham and gathered round for a fun evening. When we were younger presents were involved between the families. Mrs. Clare and her sweatshirts with interesting prints on the front. After dinner we passed onto church for the late evening service which always ended in candles and singing 'Silent Night'.

And then the anticipation of the morning. Santa always came to visit, I remember when we were young one year, Mom had put snow boot prints from the fireplace to the tree, it baffled me for years. The cookies and milk were always gone and the tree was loaded with packages. What fun we had! One specific year Nintendo had come out with their first game box and it was THE present to have that season. Matt and I wanted it so bad! We opened every gift and Dad asked if we had gotten all that we wanted and we said yes in unison and looked at each other - no Nintendo. Then Dad said, what is that behind the couch, Matt and I looked at each other and scrambled over to find a gift behind the couch - THE NINTENDO! Needless to say that made the gift that year and we played Mario Brothers and Duck Hunter and fought over who was going to play what and when.

After gift opening, we always had a big breakfast of scrambled eggs and whatever else was desired. Dad made the food, Mom dressed the table up in China.

Christmas Day evening was always spent at the Kaisers. During the day there were phone calls and exchanges of exciting news of gifts. In the evening we went and drank Terrie's homemade egg nog and shared stories and played in the basement.

The day after Christmas the ladies had a tradition of shopping the specials for the next year. I wasn't involved until later one but I will remember one year it was just Em, Terrie, Mom and I at Agnes' for breakfast and Hallmark downtown afterwards.

I couldn't of asked for more special memories that those that I shared and certainly am happy to say that my family and the Kaisers were and still are a special part of my life.

Not sure where Em is but below is Matt, Mart, Claire, Holly Jen and I during a Christmas Eve gathering

Mom and Grandma Krack - Christmas in Mt. Pleasant

Dad and I picking out a tree

Quote of the day

There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company that a good marraige.

Martin Luther