 Mark your calendars because on December 20 th 1989 a beautiful bouncing baby girl entered the world named Elise Joy Schmidt (that’s me)

 Caucasian  Female  Middle/lower Class  Ethnicity › German › French › Polish

 Respect  Accountability  Appreciation  Art  Assertiveness  Cleanliness  Encouragement  Faith  Organization

 Who am I? › I am a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, and a cousin.  I set the stage being the first born on both sides of my family.  My parents friends were always a huge part of my life and I was the first child born into that “family”.  I have nine cousins and I brother who I ruled over.  Being first born I got a lot of attention and took the job of talking for those younger than me.  Close family who praised every move I made growing up giving me the confidence to be me  Being the oldest I believe gave me my caretaker personality and my want to help others

 My mom was the authority › My mom let me be me and express myself › I always got to pick out my clothes and wear what I want. As a child I could go shopping looking like a princess, I could dye my hair any color, I could get any piercing I choose, my room was my room I could listen to any music I choose to paint my walls cover them with magazine clippings, paint on them, write on them,

 Mom’s Side › My moms’ side of the family, The Lapers › My mother had three siblings  Older brother Todd who had mental retardation and passed away about four years ago  Lived with my grandparents  Younger sister DeAnna  Married my uncle Paul and had three children together, Adrian 15, Samuel 13, and Alexis 10  Younger sister Laurie › My grandparents were farmers › My great grandparents lived with my grandma and grandpa when they were no longer to live alone

 My father › Influenced my taste in music › Owns his own business, Schmidt Masonary, so he worked a lot › Taught me one of my greatest lessons in life that attitude is everything, if you have a bad attitude you're not going to get anywhere. › Love of traveling, hunting, and started my love of decorating

 My fathers’ side of the family, the Schmidts’ › My father had three siblings  Younger brother Mike who married my aunt Lonnie and had my cousin Sabrina who is 9  Younger brother Marcus who married and divorced my aunt Jolene and had my cousin Alyssa who is 16 and my cousin Amber who is 13  Younger Sister Missy who married my uncle Mark and had Zachary who is 19, Brooke who is 16, and Hunter who is 7  Missy was 13 when I was born so I was extremely close to her, she was my role model  I am Hunters’ godmother › Very close to this side of the family even though they all lived about an hour away while I was growing up

 My brother › Friend or foe?  Friend, one of my best ones › We go hunting together, to concerts, and he comes over just to hang out › Different personalities; he's more passive than I › As children I was his voice

 The boyfriend aka baby(s) daddy › Mutual respect › Trust › True love

 Children › Evan Donald and Owen Matthew › 5 years old › Had at 19 felt like I aged to fourty

 Live in the country › No neighbors › Quite and privacy › least 30 minutes for a wal-mart etc  We eat every meal possible together  Bed time stories and prayers together every night  Our chores and hobbies are their chores and hobbies

 Christian › WELS Lutheran  Instilled values  Not to judge others because they sin differently than you  Gives me hope and peace of mind  Find comfort in prayer  Sunday School, Vacation bible school, confirmation, youth group, choir  My religion is accepted and I can easily find a church

 Influenced how I am with my children, how they are raised, and the traditions they take part in

 Sun Shine Nursery School › Ages 3-4  Markesan Elementary › Kindergarten – fifth grade  Markesan Middle School › Sixth – 8 th grade  Markesan High School › Freshman-Senior  Marian University › One semester  ********educational break********* Moraine Park

 Small town where you knew everyone in your class, had personal stories about everyone in your class and probably at least two classes ahead of you and at least one class below you

 Control  Importance of time  Independence  Optimism  Openness  Seeking pleasure

 Christmas Eve › Church- Christmas program › Family Christmas with Lapers

 Christmas › Wake up open presents › Go to two or three family christmases

 Baptism