Tragedy and Triumph: Schneider-Farris Family Updates

I think that my life and my family’s life may be the most complicated or confusing ever.

Let’s see if this update can help clear up the confusion.

At the beginning of the summer 2021, my plans were to spend the summer in Sun Valley with my son Joel so that Joel could work on and pass his gold dance tests.

The problem was that I’ve been taking care of my dad for the past seven (almost eight years) and my dad needs me. My brother Billy didn’t really want me to take my dad with me to Sun Valley (he felt he should be in either his Long Beach or Colorado home), so my husband Dan and I had made plans for Dan to take care of my dad in Colorado while I was in Idaho.

Those plans didn’t work out the way we planned, so Dan and I ended up taking my dad to Sun Valley for about a week, but then Dan ended up taking him back to Colorado. Then, I ended up leaving Sun Valley on July 9 and meeting my husband, who, spur of the moment, got in my dad’s car in Colorado (with my dad) and headed out to Long Beach. Dan wanted to see his 97 year old mom and other family members and we knew my dad would do better in California.

So…that is how I ended up in Long Beach and not Sun Valley for the summer. I am sad I missed the summer I’d been looking so forward to in Sun Valley, but I must admit I have had a nice summer in Long Beach. I’ve enjoyed attending Temple Israel, going kayaking and stand up paddle boarding, I’ve enjoyed biking and scootering on the beach bike path, I’ve enjoyed doing some things with friends, and I’ve enjoyed seeing family. I’ve enjoyed ice skating at some ice rinks in Southern California too and especially have enjoyed skating every Tuesday morning with the Iceland Paramount Adult skaters.

Ben and Annabelle at Huntington Beach

I had planned to have my dad fly back to Colorado with my daughter Annabelle last Thursday 8/26 after she and her boyfriend Ben visited Long Beach, but my sister Lynnellen really wanted my dad to stay longer in Long Beach, so he is staying until Saturday 9/4 and I fly back to Idaho on Monday 9/6. Dan will take care of my dad for the month of September in Colorado.

I must get back to Sun Valley since my car, my dog, and my favorite mountain scooter is there. I also can’t wait to skate at Sun Valley’s beautiful outdoor ice rink again and hope to go to Redfish Lake with my son Joel for some outdoor water fun. I did Airbnb my condo in Sun Valley while I was away and it’s been almost totally booked which has been very cool.

Updates on the rest of my family:

Joel did not work on his gold dances and ended up just skating for fun all summer, but also ended up working a lot. He has worked at both Elkhorn pools as an attendant, lifeguard, and pool maintenance guy, but also he was hired by the hotel bell service, so between the two jobs he is alway busy. Our sweet dog Duchess is with Joel and I miss both of them so much.

Notice our dog Duchess on the bed!

Rebekah spent her break between ice show touring in Colorado, but is now back on the road with Disney On Ice. This week she is in Orlando, Florida, but has no intention of going to Disney World. Instead she will probably go to the skate park and do aggressive skating. She is jumping ramps in almost every show.

Watch video and see Rebekah do a front flip on ramps during rehearsals on skates!

Annabelle spent the summer as the Art Director at the Ramah in the Rockies adventure camp. Her boyfriend Ben had the title of Operations Manager. After their summer of hard work, they came to Long Beach for a week and together we enjoyed Huntington Beach, bike riding on the Long Beach bike path, scootering around Belmont Shore and the Naples Canals, eating vegan food, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, and swimming. She and Ben are back in Colorado and Annabelle has begun a semester long EMT course of study.

Dan is back in Colorado working from our house. He will retire at the end of September 2021. We talk for hours every day via our Facebook Portals. When I return to Colorado in early October we will be together again and in one place and the two of us will take care of my dad together in either Long Beach or Colorado, but I definitely plan to spend the winter skiing in Sun Valley!