Our Weblog

a bunch of things

pumpkin patch

halloween

cousin jordis' visit

ruby's 2nd birthday

crispy cat news...tree huggin treats was voted *company of the year* by www.vegnews.com magazine.  this is probably the greatest award we could win at this time.  it is awesome news.  read what they wrote about us here.

escuela

so what if 5 months have passed and i haven't kept you all up to date on our family.  geesh.  seriously, that is a ridiculous amount of time for me NOT to have blogged, or posted new pics of the kids.  i am sure you are all chomping at the bit, eagerly and anxiously awaiting my post and photos. 

so here goes.  instead of trying to recap all the fabulous and fascinating experiences of the past, i will just write about the present. 

molly started 2nd grade at the same school, claxton elementary.  she is thrilled to have 4 of her close girlfriends in her class.  there are only 5 boys, out of 19, in her class this year.  poor poor boys.  she seems very happy so far so we are just hoping it remains a positive and productive year.  she actually has quite a bit of homework but her teacher keeps it very well organized and makes it easy for us parents to follow.  thank you mrs. wells. 

molly lost a few more teeth this summer so while her piggy bank is filling up, (thank you tooth faeries), her mouth is quite empty.  she looks adorable though.

we are in the process of feng shui-ing her room, as she is getting a *real desk* moved in there this week.  we really want her room to be a positive, healthy and calming environment for her, so we though that focusing on something tangible, like feng shui, might motivate her to keep it clean (er) and less cluttered.  it really is a mess in there. 

she says she just gets lazy and doesn't want to take the extra 30 seconds to put something away.  and then it all piles up and then it gets overwhelming.  i understand completely.  been there.  done that.

as for spunky ruby, she is a trip and a half.  what a cutie pie roley poley cherub of a kid.  she makes us all laugh all the time.  she is super happy and brings joy to everyone she sees, whether at the Y, or the bank or the grocery store.  people are drawn to her and love her big smile.  it makes my heart all warm inside.

she has started school as well at a bilingual montessori called casa dei bambini (house of the child).  while the name is in italian, they speak to the kids in spanish.  she goes 3 days a week until 12:30.  my plan is to take the real estate course starting at the end of september, and at that point, she will go until 2:30.  so far, she seems ot enjoy it, but she has only been 3 days.

yes, you read it correctly.  i plan on getting my realtor's license.  the market is pretty slow these days, even here in asheville, and there are more and more realtors around, but it is something that interests me and i can't see it being a bad thing to have.  i have shown so many people around town, and i have actually sent people a bunch of listings for houses, i figured i may as well make some money for doing this.  there is also a possibility that i will work for tree huggin treats in the near future.  so everything is sort of up in the air at the moment.

as for the biz, it is booming.  starting in september, we will have national distribution all throughout canada, and in october, through most of the US.  this is just the beginning.  joel is working like mad, still, but we see a little relief coming shortly.  his brother ari, and ari's wife ali, and their new baby max, are moving here next week!!!  ari will take over a huge chunk of the work that joel has been doing.  whew!!!  we are so excited for them to live here.  not only will ari be a great asset to the company, but i get to see my nephew all the time.  and molly and ruby get to grow up a few miles from one of their cousins.  we are all thrilled to have them here.  oh yeah, it's not so bad having ali nearby either.  she is a great friend and even better sister-in-law.  or a great sister-in-law and even better friend.  whatever sounds better, that's what she is.  wow ari, how did you find such an amazing woman?  (it was me.  i set them up.)

if you haven't voted for the *best of* yet, please please please go to www.vegnews.com and vote for us in question #2 (best bakery), and more importantly, write in *CRISPY CAT CANDY BAR* in #7, the chocolate cateogry.  the only way we can be placed into the chocolate category for next year, is to get enough votes this year.  some how we ended up in the bakery category.  if you want to see a little more about what's going on, go to www.treehuggintreats.com.  as always, thanks for your continued support.

so here are recent pix of the girls.  aren't they precious?  there will be more uploaded soon.  we spent a few weeks in miami this summer and i need to go through the photos.  also there are some from our family trip in destin, fl but neither joel, ruby or i were there.  however, there are some great shots of all the other cousins with molly.  so stay tuned.

schantz fam update

it has been quite a while since i've updated our blog, so here goes...

ruby just turned 15 months old (on feb.6) and i have just realized that molly's 7th birthday is in 3 weeks, so i gotta get on that!

ruby is finally walking (and trying to run) after our last trip to atlanta a few weeks ago.  i really think she was inspired by her 2 cousins, ali and sydney.  all us girls were there and we had a blast.  the kids played great together and to me, it seems like they know that they are all related.  molly was an amazing big cousin (and sister) as always.  she is really incredible.  we also got to spend time with some of our friends who live around there.  sandy and her 2 girls, and amy and mel and their baby girl, ryan.  it was a GIRLS ONLY weekend.  see atlanta photos here.

and some random (but recent) ones of the schantz fam here.

molly started taking kung fu last month and is really enjoying it.  she has gotten really good too.  i hope she sticks with it.  she is still doing very well in school, has lots of friends and loves to read books, etc.  she is an awesome kid that we are so proud of and literally awed by every day.  she's wicked smaht.

joel is working like never before to get the new and improved tree huggin treats candy bar, the CRISPY CAT, off the ground and in the stores.  he is wearing about 12 different hats at work but handling it well.  he will also be traveling a lot the next few months.  all business realted.  we are IMpatiently waiting for his brother ari to come work for the company and relieve joel of at least 3 or 4 of those hats.  ari is on a 3 week cruise with ali (his wife) and her uncle.  they are planning on moving to asheville next fall, a few months after their first baby (boy) is born.  i am sooo excited to have a new nephew on the way.  and if they make the move to asheville, it will be that much sweeter.   

we can't wait for you all to see the new labels and packaging of the new bars.  to start, 3 flavors will be introduced.  they are roasted peanut, toasted almond, and coconut mint.  the bars are being manufactured in a factory in quebec.  as soon as they are available, i will let you all know.

our new warehouse here in asheville is where we will ship the bars from.  sales, design and marketing, and all the other business dstuff will also been done there.  it's super cool.  we have the best employees that have really helped make it all possible.  thanks guys!!!

joel is also still playing music.  he plays in 2 bands, the hitmen (www.myspace.com/hitmen11) and the diaz brothers, and right now, he is filling in for another band's guitar player.  he rocks!!!

i am busy being mama and trying to cook (prepare) a few meals a week for my hard-working husband and trying to do other domestic duties, as well as keep up with our blog.  such a hard life.  not really.  i get to go the gym 4 or 5 days a week and spend the rest of the day with ruby, until we get molly from school.  we have lots of playdates with our friends and i get to go out with my girlfreinds pretty much whenever we can get it together.  i have a great life.

happy valentine's day to you all.  joel and i have an actual *date* tomorrow night which will be our early vday celebration.  enjoy!!!

lots to celebrate

halloween was a week ago.  it is definitely my favorite time of year.  we went trick-or treating in a nearby neighborhood that really does it up.  molly went up to a few houses but doesn't get overly excited about any of it.  ruby was thrilled.  she was practically jumping out of her stroller.  i am sure we'll be chasing her down the streets next year. 

we let molly eat some candy that night and then she put the rest of it in a bag and left it outside, next to our jack-o-lantern (that she carved) for the *sugar sprites*.  they picked up the candy and left her a present:  a pack of juggling balls that she had said she wanted.  pretty cool that the sprites knew that.

molly is still doing awesome is school.  she got her first report card for first grade and it was perfect.  (except for needing a little improvement in PE.  she can't do any pull ups and only a few sit-ups).  she is reading on a 3rd grade level (at least) and is just an awesome kid in every way.  anyway, see some photos of my neglected child, molly, here.  it's been quite a while since i posted some of her.  like a year!!!

ruby had a birthday YESTERDAY (november 6th)!!!  it is so hard to believe that she is already a year old.  she is cute and sweet and adorable and funny and super attached to me.  that gets a little old but i am trying to enjoy it as much as possible.  she LOVES food more than anything else i think.  here are pictures that say a lot more than i can in this blog.

WE *HEART* OCTOBER

halloween is my favorite holiday and the weather in asheville this time of year just does something wonderful to my spirit.  there is a constant joy in the air this time of year.  it's awesome.

here are photos of the girls choosing their pumpkins and playing in the leaves.  and see other recent photos of ruby here.

on thursday, ruby was standing, holding onto me with one arm and holding an object in the other.  she let go of me and held the object with both hands and remained standing for a few seconds.  and later that day she squatted without holding onto me (or furniture).  so she is really getting it. 

last night i asked ruby if she wanted to eat and she made the sign for *eat*.  i know that is only one concept, but it is so nice to be able to communicate with her. 

happy october, everyone.

FROM 0 to 6 in 2 WEEKS

ruby now has 6 teeth.  4 up top and 2 on the bottom.  they are still really small and hard to see but soooo effing cute.  she hasn't had any problems with teething so i feel pretty lucky about that.

molly, ruby and i spent last weekend in atlanta visiting my brother, daren, and niece, ali.  ali is an amazing toddler with a strong will.  she started to warm up to me and obviously adores molly.  she even started saying *molly*.  we also got to spend some time with our friends amy, mel, and their love bug, ryan.  i am so in love with her.  she is the sweetest, most adorable baby.  she is so happy all the time, and if you give her some love, she gives it back ten-fold.  see all the photos from that weekend here.  we all had a great time.

and some other recent photos here.

snaggletooth

i just wrote and tried to post a nice long informative letter of everything that's going on, but for some reason, it was deleted before it was saved.  bummer.

i will quickly recap, although this won't be as cute and adorable as my first attempt. 

ruby got her first tooth, probably 2 weeks ago.  i only just noticed it because it's on the top, next to her 2 middle ones.  bizarre, but cute.  i guess she likes to do things her own unique way.  that's my kid!  and now she has another bottom middle one coming through and it's as sharp as a knife.

she's crawling around like crazy and getting into everything.  we are mostly baby-proofed but still deciding on whether or not to completely gate off the kitchen with a 7+ foot gate, or secure all the cabinets and drawers and stairway to the playroom.

molly is fab.  greatest big sister ever.  can read pretty much anything you and i can read, assuming that you, the reader of this post, can read anything.

more info on the business progress later.  and new photos too.  too tired to post them now.

STILL NO TEETH

ruby is nearing 10 1/2 months and we are just now seeing the beginnings of teeth buds.  nothing has broken through yet.  not even close.  maybe when she turns one she'll have a tooth.

BUT!!!!...she started crawling a few days ago.  WOO HOO!!!  she already has a bump or 2 on her head and a lovely scratch under her eye from thinking she is baby kneival.  total opposite of molly.  so our lives have quickly (or not so quickly) changed from being really easy and carefree to totally crazy.  i really don't remeber how we dealt with the transition from immobile to mobile with molly, but i am suddenly having a hard time figuring out how to go to the bathroom without taking ruby with me.  and even then i have to make sure she is occupied with something enough to keep her in my sight.

we'll figure it out soon and all will be fine.

see some new photos here.  enjoy!

Roniya Bracha

last weekend we had friends and family come into town for ruby's hebrew baby-naming ceremony.  we chose *roniya bracha* as her hebrew name.  it was a fun, but very busy weekend. 

enjoy the recent photos, including some from that weekend.

ruby is kinda maybe sorta starting to almost possibly try a basic pre-crawling movement.  she barely gets up on her hands and knees but it only lasts about a second or 2.  at least we are seeing a tiny amount of progress.  FINALLY! 

still no teeth.

molly started 1st grade and so far, so good.

tree huggin treats is still in the process of a transition and we are negotiating with a factory in canada.  joel is going there in a few weeks.  i am sure we will know more soon.

until next time...

8 MONTHS

i think most people feel that *time flies* pretty quickly.  when you have a child, specifically a baby, it seems to fly at the speed of light.

we cannot believe that ruby is already 8 months old (almost 8 1/2) and that we will be planning her 1st birthday in about 2 months.  she is still a bundle of laughs, joy, wonderment and entertainment.  she is such a happy baby.  she only fusses if she is tired, and takes naps and sleeps at night without any problems.  she sleeps an average of about 15 hours a day.  every day she drinks 4 bottles with about 7 ounces, 2 jars of fruit or vegetables mixed with rice or oatmeal, snacks on pieces of soft fruit, cheerio-like cereal, avocado, sweet potato, unsalted pretzels or dinner rolls.  the rolls pretty much just keep her busy at restaurants and such, and when she is done, her hands and face (and clothes) are so sticky with flour and water (saliva), it hardens like elementary school paste.  FUN!

she still has no teeth.

she just rolled over, from her back to her tummy, TODAY!  actually, we knew she had done it before a few times when she started crying from her crib because she flipped over and got her fat leg stuck in the crib bars, but we never actually witnessed her rolling over until today.  so, she is a little behind in the gross (large) motor skill development, but we don't mind at all.  she sits and plays and doesn't go anywhere.  it makes our job a lot easier.  plus, we think she is working on developing her cerebral and vocal skills, like molly did.  who needs mobility?  we know she'll have all that soon enough.

check out these photos from the last few months.