My new Canon Powershot SD1200 IS

My favorite husband gave me a camera for the holidays. It's just what I wanted! Here is my fisrt attempt to capture some shots while I was X-C Skiing this afternoon on top of Mt. Hood. What do you think?

Music to my ears

Eric's learning Banjo...Jace on guitar...and I am learning Mandolin. All we need now is a fiddler, harmonica and a metal tub bass and we have ourselves a Schroder Jugband christmas.

Stepmom's are speaking out!

I discovered tonight that there is a HUGE internet society of stepmom's like me! There are actually stepmom mixers, conferences and meetup groups. Where have I been?!!

If you are reading this and want to join this not-so-secret society, then check out these very cool sites:

Stepmothers Milk

Stepchicks

Stepdivas

Blended Family Soap Opera

....and not to forget ALL the stepmommy bloggers. This is like gold to me.

A nice homecoming

Wow, I was gone a LONG time. I missed my family so much, that this trip seemed exceptionally long. Do you want the good news first or the bad news? Lets start with the good news....

I got promoted! I am changing positions within my company. I have taken a position as a Field Trainer. I am really excited about it and am ready for the change. The other good news is that my husband and stepson were very busy while I was gone. My car is fixed (from a recent accident involving a raccoon of abnormal size) and Eric put in some new bells and whistles! The renovations are in full gear. Jace got awarded Employee of the Month and managed to bring home ALL A's and B's this quarter!

The bad news is that it is reDICULOUSLY cold here right now. Waterfalls are frozen mid-air, windows are draped in cloth, all of the heaters are on, and the pipes are freezing. This is just how cute my husband is...he wrote poems so we would remember.

How much wood can a woodchuck chuck in 11 days?

Dear Maine,

As you know, my employer is based in your fine state. So I am very lucky that I get to see my family more often than I would if I was employed by a west-coast company. The challenge that I face is how to fit everything and everyBODY in during my trips to your state! I leave tomorrow for a total of 11 days. Within that time...I have 2 days of travel, 7 days of work, 2 days with the Felders, and every evening filled with dinners schmoozing with colleagues and reconnecting with old friends (my personal favorite). Since these days are typically long, jet-lagged, and calorie-filled, I have to get my workouts in early morning. No joke. My days are like 16hrs long. So to all my friends that I missed during this trip, please accept my sincerest apologies. You didn't make the cut this time. I'll try to schedule you in next time.

Love,

Isolde

I heart SIRIUS satellite radio

I am going on 4 years with satellite radio and I would like to consider myself a longtime listener. 4 years and I am still never bored with the stations and the programs. It's where I get all my new favorite bands and try to stay moderately cool and up-to-date. Here are a few favorite radio shows that can't get enough of:

Rosie Radio: Her morning show is great! I never thought I would like listening to Rosie O'Donnell...but she's SO good on the radio. I especially like her points of view on parenting teens and family relationships. She has poignant and inspiring guests and I am constantly impressed on how intelligent and passionate she is. I also like that I laugh out loud constantly! I suggest checking out the show.

Theme Time Radio with Bob Dylan: No, it's not a station of Dylan songs (snore). It's a funny and quirky Spectrum channel program narrated by Dylan's deep slurry voice. He picks a theme for the hour....say "Love", for example. Then he'll play all his favorite songs from the 40's and 50's about Love, with interludes of clever facts and music trivia about that era or artist. What a great show!

Broad-Minded on Stars: Don't be fooled by the title. It's show narrated by two broads...hence the name. It's like reading US Weekly or People Magazine without actually reading it. They are super shallow and star-crazed broads. It's intelligence killing...but entertaining.

Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and Fresh Air: You can also catch these on the NPR channels from your traditional FM radio or online. Wait Wait is so funny. I love that the winners on the trivia show win a voice recording from the semi-celebrity panel member that you can use on your answering machine. Do people even HAVE answering machines anymore? Would you have to give them your password to your cell voicemail?! As for Fresh Air....well, I like to listen to the celebrity interviews. I get a little sleepy listening to the interviews with authors or politic figures. I am trying to stay awake behind the wheel, remember?!

For all you iPods....you will never take the place of my satellite radio player. I will always prefer real-time entertainment with uncensored music and spoken word.

Soup's on

It's my favorite time of year for soup. The winter rain has started, ugh. So I cook soup. If there was a breakfast soup, I would eat that, too. Eric is my taste tester for my hot pot creations. For those of you who aren't familiar with Hot Pot....it's an asian thing. My old roommate, Amy, turned me onto this a couple winters ago when she took me to a restaurant called Hot Pot City. It's when you put a pot of broth (your choice) on a stove burner or portable burner for the table, then you have dozens of fresh ingredients that you keep adding to it. It's so delicious and fun. At home, I typically choice a low sodium chicken or vegetable broth with lots of asian-inspired ingredients, like ginger, lemongrass, cilantro, fish oil, mushrooms, lite coconut milk, rice noodles, lime, shrimp, bok choy, and whatever else I can find! If I am not doing a hot pot creation, these are my favorites to cook: Tom Yum Goong (LOVE this when I have a cold), Brazilian Seafood Stew, and Chicken Curry Soup. I try to make the soups with lots of extra broth, so I have a tasty new broth to work for the next time.....however, my taste tester tends to finish off the batch before I can store it for later.

Walnut alert

It's that time of year when we look out our window at our beautiful walnut trees.....then we look down to strange ladies, with cigarettes hanging from their lips, filling their buckets and baskets with our NUTS! 2 particular ladies walked out of here with 3 of those 5-gallon buckets FILLED. So now we are on full blown nut-watch. No more freebies for the neighbors. Step away from the nuts, people!

the HONEYMOON!!!

1 week in Kauai, 1 week in Maui, 1 jellyfish sting, 1 tandem bike, 2, beach cruisers, 14 sea turtles, 1 shark, 30 bugbites, 115 photos, 30 beaches, 1 surf board, 1 sailboard, 18 papaya, and whole lotta love....

Wedding slide show...more just added!

As we are sifting through the hundreds of professional photos (Thanks Jay Carroll!)....here are some combined home photos shot by our friends and families, and some pro-photos. Love, the Schroders.

Introducing......Mrs. Schroder!

We did it. We got married this weekend! It was so amazing, beautiful, emotional, exciting, stressful, happy, fun, exhausting, fantastic, perfect wedding. There are hundreds of photos flooding in and I will be posting a lovely album as soon as I get back to earth. Thank you everybody for your love and your presence with us. Sharing this with all of you was unforgettable.

7 days until the Wedding

It's just about showtime! We are down to cleaning the house, mowing the lawn and waiting for the families to show up. Eric, Jace and I are so excited. No freak out, either. I guess that means this is the way it is suppose to be. I can't wait to show my family my home and introduce Felder to Schroder. It's been so much fun planning for this week. So what's next to plan? Eric says that we begin the real construction on the house after the honeymoon. YAY!!! More space and I get to keep decorating our life. This is a photo of where we are getting married on Saturday.

Gone West, Love Isolde Schroder.

Freshman year...the year of the crazy crushes

Jace started his freshman year at our local high school. He comes home everyday and tells me how many girls he talked to and who he likes today. He used to talk about his teachers and how lame his classes are. But NOW...it's all hormones at this point. Dinner has become a yelling match, because he is so aggro and pent up with lust that he doesn't know any other way to cope. Being a girl, I never realized how badly boys had it. No wonder such great music and art came from young men....they are just SCREAMING on the inside.

Fortunately for us, he is getting really good with his guitar and when the aggro angst sets in....out comes some really great tunes.

Forest fire

As the summer ends, the fires begin. We don't get rain all summer. In fact, my town hasn't had rain since May, I think. This particular fire is going on as I type. I can see the flames from my house, as it burns through the town of Mosier. The helicopters are buzzing non-stop and the sky is all haze. It a sad sight to watch nature go up in flames.

Here is the local news story

Quality time Pre-Wedding

Our final rendezvous at the beach this summer. Next time, we will be husband and wife.

The Lewis River

One of my favorite Mtn Biking and exclusive swimming spots is the Lewis River in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. We spent 7 hrs biking, hiking, swimming in waterfalls, climbing boulders, floating down the river, and having an amazing day. I wish I had a water camera so I could have taken more photos from the amazingly clear pools.

Wedding countdown is on!!

56 DAYS AND COUNTING....

I can't believe it. I look back over the last few years and am still shocked on how dramatically my life has changed. It's been so much fun planning this wedding. I wish everybody could come and celebrate with us. Only a few minor details to take care of now. The rest is done; location, band, invitations, caterer, cake, flowers, clothes, rings, photographer, rehearsal dinner, linens, tables, chairs, bar, hotels, flights, honeymoon. I am sure I am missing something...but who cares!

July 4th weekend 2009!

It was me and a bunch of boys this weekend. Check out the photos from our trip to Gold Beach Oregon!

Promotion

No, I didn't get a promotion. Jace did! He got promoted to high school. He also received 3 acedemic awards this semester: Math, Science, and Language Arts. Not a bad way to finish his career at Middle School.

Jace and Keaton

River and Jace (Jace's cousin in the back right)

Proud father thinking, "only 4 more years till he's out of the house."

I didn't get the musically and artistically gifted gene

My brother, Malcolm, is on tour right now. His project is called LINELAND. I went to see his performance last night. I realized that I am an idiot. It was so unique, mesmerizing, and creative that it was above my mediocre brain. I highly reccomend seeing this act live and in person. The music combined with the visual stimulation was really cool. I have never seen anything like it. You can check his website for dates or downloads!

A lovely long weekend

Memorial weekend was really fun. If you haven't been to the southern oregon coast..you MUST put it on your list of must see's. According to Eric, it was lit up and stupid windy. I got myself a killer windersurfer tan (face and hands) while the wind kicked up enough sand for a great microderm peel. Here are some shots!

Let the DIY construction begin! (Again)

Well, here we go again. Time to start our regular trips to the lumber yard, the big orange man-store, and the hardware store. It's time to begin round 2 on the home upgrades. Now this little house was never meant to be a mansion or a luxury home or even a modern dwelling. It's just a simple little corner of the earth that keeps us dry, it's comfortable, and it's safe. Someday our dreamhome will come...and near the beach, of course!

For those of you that don't recall last years' projects...they included: New kitchen, new living room, new bathroom, and new Jace's bedroom. We can't forget the new roof!


This year...we are converting the board-shop into our master bedroom, and turning our current bedroom into office/guest space. The board-shop is moving into a new shed (our old carport) and the big toys are moving into a new shed behind the house. That reminds me! I gotta go pick up the piant and paint that shed before we hit the 80s today.

New found freedom

Jace turned 15 this weekend! This young man has a newfound freedom and it's called Amtrak. Yes, that's right. He can now ride, get on AND get off the Amtrak without adult supervision. What does that mean for us?! No more pick-ups and drop-offs to Portland ever other weekend!!!!! Whooopppie! O happy day. The best part is that the station is 3 blocks from our house.

Last days of snowboarding

This is the last open weekend at Mt. Hood Meadows. There is still over 10 ft of snow to enjoy. However, the days are too warm, even on top of my local glacier, to keep the snow cold enough to be slippery. Eric and I took our final runs of the season yesterday, but we were happy to put our flip-flops back on when we got to parking lot. See you next season Mt. Hood Meadows!

Fresh picked blueberries

I convinced Eric that we needed to have some blueberry bushes on our property. So I dragged him to a farm in 85 degree weather, so he could work for hours digging out the bushes that I chose. I helped carry the tools and bag the roots, though!

My first Mother's Day

This year, I am giving myself an honorary mention of motherhood. Jace and Eric would agree, I think. But before I start thinking about how I am going to spoil myself, I need to throw my soon-to-be-stepson, a 15th birthday party. What does a 15 year old boy want for his birthday? He wants a drumset...no....Cold hard cash for an i-touch....no....some new Nike street sneaks, new clothes and a guitar c-clamp....YES! Oh, and let's not forget the pizza, cake, and a dozen other teenage boys on skateboards at the local hangout during First Friday.

As for me; well, I think this non-traditional mommy will take some real windsurfing lessons and keep the mom-jeans at bay.

California Spring Break

We are back from vacation! Here are some shots from our trip to Laguna Beach.

Quicky Update

Here's the latest on the Schroder/Felder goings-on these days:

Spring has sprung! The yard is ready for mowing, the flowers are blooming, and we are hardly lighting the fireplace these days. FINALLY! We are getting some spring snowboarding in when we can. Mt. Hood is giving us a good time.

The wedding plans are coming along nicely. Everything is falling into place.

Jace is doing excellent in school. He got his first shaving lesson a couple weeks ago. He is feeling (and looking) pretty grown up. He even had a really nice girlfriend for a couple months.

We are all heading to Southern California this weekend...including Tabatha! It's spring break and it's Eric's birthday. So we will be spending our week playing on the beach, visiting friends, and just taking a long needed vacation from daily life.

Gotta go. Eric just barbeque'd some salmon. Yes, I eat salmon now. Let's EAT!

Vday 09

Here's some photos of our rainy, but really fun weekend in Mendocino, Cali.

Let the planning begin!

So it's official. The venue has been booked! The wedding day is confirmed for Sept 12th. It was so much fun discovering this place. Eric said I was having as much fun as he was shopping for a car.

Old Friends

I spent last week in Baltimore, MD for our annual sales meeting. It was non-stop meetings, agendas, smalltalk and sleeplessness. My favorite part of the week was spending time with two of my favorite colleagues and friends. With Dawn living in California and Crystal in Chicago...I was so lucky to see them everyday for a week. I didn't realize how much I missed them. We have been friends for the past 8 years, I think. Somebody caught this shot from their camera phone. Dawn on the left, Crystal in the middle, and yours truly on the right.

While you were out

So for the past 2 weeks, I have been pretty much gone on business trips. My fiance has been a very busy man! I am still amazed at the job he did remodeling Jace's room. Before the finished product there was graffiti and holes in the walls, stained carpet, no suitable furniture, windows that didn't open and a floor that was sliding downhill. Let's not forget the SMELL. Years of a boy eating, farting, burping, sneakers, and god knows what! I can't wait for Jace to come home today to see his new room. Of course Jace will complain, because that's what he does best and he'll act like it's no big deal, so not to damage his 14 yr old coolness status...but I know he secretly will be beaming. These guys worked hard to get this room done so fast.

Amsterdam bound

Looks like I am off again to Amsterdam! City of canals, Anne Frank, the Red Light district, bicycle lanes, tall dutch people, that weird smell coming out of "coffee shops", and....Idexx! Be back soon.

I love Mexico

My first trip to Mexico was in 1990. I was 13 and my parents took me to the Yucatan. We spent one week touring the ruins, snorkeling, riding public transportation and sharing a room with my brother. The 2nd week of the trip was just my mother, sister and I on a small island, Isla Mujeres. I probably was a brat the entire trip, but I have nothing but fond memories and knew I wanted to go back.

The next time I went to Mexico, it was almost 10 yrs later. It was 1999 and I was living in Phoenix. Some girlfriends and I took a long weekend across the border to a party town called Rocky Point. I still don't know if that is the real name or not. I just know that I was 23 and I don't remember much of that trip accept that I liked being in Mexico again.

My 3rd trip to Mexico happened 5 years later in 2004. I was dying to check out the west coast. So Tabatha, Jenn, Mandie and I met in San Diego. We bummed a ride into Tijuana, down to Rosarito and ended up in Los Gaviatos at our rental condo. We spent an entire week hitching rides, laying on the beach, dancing, and being girls. It was my first trip with a group of really close friends and I knew that this was the way to do it.

My 4th trip to Mexico happened just 2 years after that, in May 2006. I wanted to revisit to the Yucatan this time. So me, and my childhood best friends (Tab and Michele) booked an all inclusive 5 night trip to Playa Del Carmen. Even though I came down with a cold, my face was swollen and I got sun poisoning, I still loved the trip. I laughed so much on that trip, that my ribs were bruised. I think Tabatha won the award for most entertaining.

My 5th and most recent trip to Mexico happened in Dec 2007. I had recently moved to Oregon, I was in love and my roommate at the time had convinced me to check out this surf town called Sayulita. So I flew with Amy and her boyfriend at the time to Puerto Vallarta. We decided to go big on the rental, since we collectively had 5 people staying with us. Wow. I have never stayed in a more beautiful place in my life. A NYC friend, Ariana, flew to meet us and then a couple days later, Eric flew in to meet me. This was a big step for us as a couple. It was our first vacation together and it's where I confessed my love to him. (cheesy, I know). I still dream about being there with him. It changed my life. We both share the same passion for that country.

Right now, I am planning my 6th trip to Mexico. We leave at the end of March. This time it will be with my new family, Eric and Jace. We are returning to the Baja for a week of playing, surfing and adventure. I am hoping Tabatha can join us, since she and I have been exploring Mexico together for 5 years now. I also need a girlfriend there so we can laugh on the beach and pretend to be 23 again.

Here are some photo memories. Click it for a bigger version:

14 years old is a tough age

For all of you out there with teenagers....I FEEL for you! I am having my first real dose teenage angst. attitude and on-going power struggles. OY VEY...what a challenge. If you have kids and they haven't reached puberty yet, get ready. Here's a good documentary to check out. PBS aired this a few years ago, but I think it still applies.

Teen Brain

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/



I have to hand it to my parents. I know I was a horrible teenager and I made their lives a living hell. This is my karma coming back to teach me a lesson.