Gratitude

November

Gratitude:  The quality of being thankful

When I think about the meaning of gratitude it immediately reminds me of Thanksgiving time and how we take time to reflect of what we are thankful for.  As our family reflected this year, we feel incredibly full of gratitude with how God is guiding us and the people he has placed in our lives!

 This dude has now lost 4 teeth.  Dad pulled both top teeth with pliers:(  The first one was not too bad, but on the 2nd one there was one more stubborn root left.  Poor buddy was shedding a few tears.  Those are the moments that sure tug at a mamas heart!  Incredibly full of gratitude though to have a healthy, energetic 6 year old:)

 Mike and I do our Christmas shopping every year together.  We have always gone in November.  We left bright and early for Lincoln and hit up Target first.  Of course we wanted a Starbucks and to our surprise their machine was down so we got free coffee.  Then our plan was to go to the Nebraska women's basketball game.  So, we decided to just buy tickets at the game rather than order on-line.  We did that hoping we could find a season ticket holder who was selling some good tickets.  Low and behold we got free tickets from a couple because they said they were not able to use them anyway so they did not want our money.  Come to find out they were right on the court just behind the visiting teams bench.  We definitely were filled with gratitude by all the kindness we had received so we are definitely planning to pay it forward.  Then after the game we hit up Blue Sushi, which was of course super delicious!  Finally, we finished off our fun day by having a beer in the Railyard by the big screen to catch the first quarter of the Husker football game.  We sure enjoyed our date together <3

 So incredibly excited for Alex and Leah and their new baby boy Miles!  I coach with Alex and am very thankful to have gotten to know them this past year.  Looking forward to coaching alongside him this year as his varsity assistant!

 If you cannot tell Reeve was in heaven and full of gratitude when she got to hold Miles for the first time:)

 For anyone that does not know Joden well he is such a goof!  As his hair got longer he wanted to mohawk it each day:)

 Reeve did not want to be left out of the picture taking!

Here is a snapshot of our team!  Looking forward to coaching these ladies and hopefully teaching them how to also be good characters throughout their lives:)

 Enjoying some family time decorating our Christmas tree!  We always do so the week before Thanksgiving as we are often traveling during the Thanksgiving weekend.  It is so fun to see how excited the kids get:)  We are full of gratitude that we are able to share these experiences together as a family!

 Finn and Piper came to visit us for the weekend!

 Reeve and Finn got to go experience Polar Express out at Stuhr Museum!

 We also had dinner group while Finn and Piper were here.  We went bowling to celebrate Nate's birthday.  The kids of course had a blast dancing once the black lights came on!

 Here are the dinner group moms!  I sure have loved getting to know these ladies over the last 7 years:)  Thanks for all the great conversations, advice, laughter, and good times together!  I am forever grateful to have you in my life:)

 The basketball girls getting to meet Miles!

 On our way back to Sidney to celebrate Thanksgiving with Mike's family we stopped at the lake to see how my mom was doing.  I got to love on my niece Anslee while I was there:) 

 Here is a picture of my kids with my mom.  She is doing fairly well, but will have a ways to go until she is fully healed!  She is such a strong lady-she has been through so much:(  Continually praying for her to get better with each day!

 We arrived in Sidney to be with the Schumacher clan.  We often play games when we are together.  Here is most of our group enjoying some golf:)

 Heather always ends up with a crazy due!

 This melted my heart!  Papa Schu taught Joden how to play checkers.  Joden loved every minute of it!

 Full of gratitude to be the mother of these two.  I know that ultimately they will become adults and make their own decisions, but I pray that God will guide Mike and I to teach them how to show great character and compassion/kindness for others!

 Our family on Thanksgiving:  Joden is 6 and Reeve is 4.  So incredibly thankful for this family of ours:)

 I got my Christmas gift early since we will not be with the Schumachers during Christmas.  I am super stoked about my gift as I have been wanting a set of these mugs!  Thanks Kati-love you:)

 Mike killed some pheasants and Reeve enjoyed watching Mike clean them :)

 So our crazy girls wanted to do a midnight madness type deal.  So we practiced from 10-12:30am, ate pizza at 1am, and stayed up until 5:30am in the gym.  Let's just say I have not felt that tired in a long time!

 Here were the coaches who stayed up all night :(

 Now that the kids are getting older we thought it would be great to have an advent calendar in order to help them understand the real meaning of Christmas!  We shall see how it goes and if we can keep up with this each day:)  Looking forward to keeping this alive for myself also!

 We ended November with a visit to Red Lobster to celebrate my sisters birthday-yummo!

  Gratitude:  The quality of being thankful
Looking back at this definition reminds me that no matter what we all may be facing in life it is so important to find gratitude in some way!  Reaching out to others, spending time with those you love, doing something for yourself, spending time with God, praying, exercising, being kind....whatever it may be... take some time to find gratitude because it can be so uplifting for you and those around you:)  

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! 
 

Pumpkin Time!

~October was a month full of beautiful fall weather, which we spent with many of our friends and family<3

Due to Mike having a cousin getting married and it being Octoberfest weekend we decided to make a trip out west at the beginning of October!  Joden ended up hanging out with his cousin Owen and skipping the tent.  Reeve went with us and oh my did she enjoy dancing on the stage:)  

 

 Here were all the family members we got to see and my dear friend Meagan:) Sure wished we lived closer to all these people, but since we do not we are incredibly thankful for the times we do get to be with them!

 The Octoberfest bash in Sidney includes a parade Saturday morning, so of course we had to go!  This seriously is the coldest day I remember in October this year--at least that I had to be outside for:)

 

 Papa Schu staying warm with some coffee...aka Mike's dad!

 And Mike's mom :)

 And randomly seeing a groomsmen in our wedding and his family:)

 Then there is Piper in her cocoon!

 The boys patiently awaiting the parade.

 Trying to stay warm!

 The kids were so excited to see Aunt Heather!

Ready for some lunch after having so much fun at the parade and Mike and Piper were exhausted:)

 Next up was Mike's cousin Ty's wedding.  We had to drive to Sterling, CO and it was outside on a chilly day.  It truly turned out to be not too bad and it was beautiful!  They served warm drinks during the wedding and here is our two nieces, Natalie and Lainey, enjoying a warm drink:)

 The groom with his mom, Mike's Aunt Cheryl.

 The groom and his dad, Mike's Uncle Dave.

 The happy couple<3

 Reeve with 6 boys :)  I love it!

 Trying to stay warm again:)  Also, we left Joden in Sidney again with his cousin Owen-Reeve sure got some good mom/dad time!

 One of my wonderful sister-n-laws!  We always have a blast together:)

 Reeve loves to dance and she loves to be near the bride-even if she doesn't really know her:)  I look forward to getting to show her these pictures some day when she is older!

 Mike is always having a blast with all the kids! 

 This party girl was wore out!  And I know-not the safest way to sit in your carseat:(

The next October outdoor activity was the Pumpkin Patch!  The kids of course had a blast and it sure was a beautiful day for it:)

 Enjoyed a Husker game at our good friends house and thought this was a cute photo of Mike reading with the kids:)

 

This girl sure does love her mom and dad and of course we love her so very much too <3

 Joden sang at church with his Sunday school crew.  He sure has come a long ways with being able to handle being on stage.  I used to have such anxiety knowing he was going to be up front because I was afraid of what he was going to do:/  He did awesome this time!

Enjoying some time with my sisters!

 

The third outdoor activity included some fun at the park with all the cousins in town:) 

 All six kids on my side of the family :)

Mike and I went to a Halloween party and went as a pair of boobs:)  What we thought would be a simple costume was actually quite complicated and uncomfortable!  

He lost his 3rd tooth!  It is funny to watch him talk now-he looks sort of goofy:) 

 They truly do love each other so much <3

They got to join me for some Octoberball! I just love how they are getting to be in the gym with me:) 

 

 Pumpkin carving!  The kids drew Mike a picture of what they wanted and Mike carved it for them.  It worked out great:)

 Joden's pumpkin!

 Reeve just wanted a happy face she said:)

 
 Reeve and I both dressed up Friday for school.  I was the tree from Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Reeve was Elsa of course:)  It was a tad extra prep in the morning so I was a teeny bit late for work:(

Papa Schu sent the kids a Halloween gift and of course they LOVED it!





 
Aunt Kati was passing through so we got to enjoy some time with her<3


 
Michelangelo was warming up while Elsa was getting ready!

 The kids were just a tad tired before we even started trick or treating-we did survive though:)

 Here is a snapshot of our whole day.  We did also go downtown to trick or treat that afternoon with Reeve's friend Adeline from preschool:)  They were so cute together!  Then we enjoyed some mummies for dinner:) It truly was a fun day!

I will praise the name of God with song, And shall magnify Him with thanksgiving. Psalm 69:30