July 2021

 July had to have been the fastest month this whole year.  It was likely due to all the  amazing memories we made with friends and family!  

Enjoyed some Hiers family time getting our nails done and enjoying a sleepover with AJ!

Fourth of July fun included the annual get together at the Olsen's house, then brunch with my parents and the Borowski's in St. Paul where we ran into this old lady with a confederate Medal of Honor, and then church on the actual 4th!  It was a pretty low key, yet fun holiday.  Now that we have more family in the area we don't have to travel as much, which has definitely created a change of pace in a good way!

End of the season softball swim date at Lincoln Pool!

On a whim Mike and I went out for a date to a theatre show.  We enjoyed a beer in the car before we went!  It was cheesy, but not too bad for our small theatre group here in GI!

Two food pictures:

1-My parents helped us do a shrimp bowl for dinner group at our house.  It was delicious and there was more than enough food.

2-Reeve made me breakfast in bed one morning.  It was a sweet gesture.  She was basically feeling bad when I told her I was stressed with all the things:). 

Last minute get together with my family one afternoon at McKinney's!

Karisa last minute invited us to a concert in Hastings!  It was a fun band who used no instruments, just their voices.  We enjoyed a beer at First Street Brewery, then got Odyssey to go and ate it at the Reno Tavern, and then went to the concert.  Once we got back to GI, I stayed at Karisa's way past my bed time-ha!  It was worth it though-we had a great time!

Joden made the all-star team and they played a few games in Kearney, but sadly lost them both.  It was a fun experience and we are grateful he was given the opportunity. 

We are looking forward to next season of baseball.  He is planning to be on more of a travel team.  It will be fun to see the boys mold together and hopefully get better as the season goes on.

With our RCI membership we had a week at Steamboat Springs, CO.  We had never gone there, but it was really fun!  The first part I did a girls trip and got this picture of Reeve losing her tooth at Emmy's while I was away.  

Us girls enjoyed a rodeo Saturday night, then a hike Sunday morning, and finished Monday off with a food tour, before they left Tuesday.  It was such a great time and a great group of women!

The girls dropped me off for some yoga in the botanical gardens before Dan, Lisa, Liv, and Reeve were to arrive later in the day!

On Tuesday night Dan and Lisa went on a date while I laid low at the house with the girls.  Then on Wednesday we went for a hike at the same place that us girls did.  Then late Wednesday the boys arrived and on Thursday we went to the Hot Springs Water Park and had dinner downtown that night, which is the picture below.

Friday we then did the Land Up which was super fun!  We got to putt putt golf, ride the ski lift, and then do three mountain coaster rides.  It was definitely a fun way to end our Colorado trip!

We are so grateful Dan, Lisa, and Liv were able to go.  We made some great memories and they had an amazing time they said:)

Mike of course hurt his toe the very first day in Colorado at the pool.  He scraped it on the bottom of the pool.  He is concerned it is infected.  Time will tell I guess:)

Reeve and I enjoyed our annual back to school shopping trip!  We usually shop and then finish out our trip with a theatre show.  We saw Mama Mia and we thought it was super fun!  Love that she enjoys doing this with me:). 

End of July included some girl time!  Got to do our book talk on the paddle boat at Karisa's and then she hosted a bread party at her house the next night.  They just remodeled her kitchen and it's beautiful!  So incredibly grateful for her friendship:)

This guy got to spend a whole week at gymnastics camp at UNL and he had a great time...probably too much fun.  Proud of his willingness to go and do these types of things!

Last week of July we got to watch Olivia for the weekend and met Blair at the pool for some cousin fun.  It really is great having them all closer to us now!

June 2021

 June zoomed by and we created some amazing summer memories!  

Dates:

1.  Bike ride/Dunkin Donuts with Reeve.  We had not been there at all yet and had some time on a Saturday morning, so we thought why not:). Always, always will love one on one time with my kids!

2.  Mike and I celebrated our 14th year anniversary in Hastings.  We checked out Steeple Brewery and the Reno Bar.  We had a great time and enjoyed each others company!  Definitely feeling blessed to still be madly in love with him after this many years:)

3.  College World Series with the kids and Dan, Lisa, and Liv.  I wanted to take Joden last year and then the pandemic hit.  So, we were out east for softball and thought why not squeeze it in then!  We had a beautiful evening and enjoyed the game.  I love watching sports and hope to pass that love on to the kids:)

Fun with Friends:

1.  Mexico with the Michels!  We were supposed to go last May and then that of course did not happen.  So, we were able to squeeze it in this May, but sadly the Halpines could not join us.  We seriously had the smoothest trip and thoroughly enjoyed each other's company.  A few highlights were massages and snorkeling.  Love traveling buddies and look forward to many more adventures in the future:)

2.  Dinner group for June was at the Olsens and we did a Hawaiin theme.  Food was great and the kids enjoyed some fun in the water and some backyard soccer.

3.  A neighbor friend of mine initiated working out with some other ladies.  We have been doing it once per week and are loving the company, as well as the push of each other.  We have all noted that the workouts would likely not be ones we would do alone:). Again, love all the amazing people we have met here in Grand Island!

4.  Allen Capital Group is who we do some of our financial 'things' :) through.  They had an event downtown, which included free food and drinks.  So, of course we went and met up with some of our close friends!

5.  Mike was gone for a week long trip to Utah with some buddies for a hiking adventure.  These amazing friends met me for some dinner and drinks.  It was such a beautiful night sitting on the patio at Kinkaider and chatting about life!

Softball/Baseball:

1.  Well I am going to be honest here--softball has consumed me from November through June and I am grateful for the experience, yet so glad it is over.  I was led to be the head coach of this group, not really wanting to do so.  My heart was intent on assisting, but there was no one else to fill the head coach role.  It has taught me and the girls a lot, which is always beneficial.  God always leads on paths he intends for us!

2.  Mike coached Joden's baseball team.  This was his last game and Mike was in Utah.  They had an okay season.  Their team consisted of several younger kiddos and also one of the older boys got hurt during the season.  Joden has now moved on to the state team and will continue baseball through the month of July.  Proud of his hard work and looking forward to more baseball to come:). *He even had some special visitors-the Michel boys!

Summer Camps:

1.  VBS started off the summer fun!  Joden was in the God Squad, which he loves and does a great job at.  Many others share compliments of how well Joden does, which of course is very kind of them.  Then Reeve enjoyed her last year of being an actual participant.  Next year she can be a helper:)

2.  Reeve had a cooking camp and had a blast!  She was full when I picked her up:)

3.  GISH basketball camp was also during this busy week.  There is a new coach so I assisted him a bit to help in terms of the Junior Islander world.  My hope is that we can rebuild the program little by little.  

4.  Reeve enjoyed her first overnight camp with her good friend Brynnslee at Hastings College.  Reeve has no fear when it comes to this type of thing and asked me when I was going to leave her:). I am afraid she will not cry at all when I take her to college:(

Cousin Fun:

1.  We got to watch Blair for the day and took her to swim at the pool.  She loved it and Reeve was an amazing helper!  We are so grateful she lives here with us:)

2.  Liv got to stay with us for the weekend and we took her to Cinderella at Yaney Park.  She had a great time and got naughtier as the night went on:). She brings a smile to my face all day.  Can't wait to have her back!

May 2021

 This May sure was different!

Although this May was much more joyous because we got to wrap up the school year as we normally do, the thought that we were just chilling at home last May sounded somewhat glorious at times-ha!  I always try to remind myself that these years are going to fly by and before we know it, they will only be a memory.  Therefore rather than longing for them to be over, I try my best to enjoy it all, soaking in the joy that each one brings.

May included many celebrations starting off with Aunt Kati's 30th birthday celebration:)

At dinner group we celebrated Brad winning an award through work!

Another celebration was two of my students earning the path back scholarship, which means they will be guaranteed a job in GIPS once they finish school!  So proud of them.

And always worth celebrating is the end of the school year:)

 

My students suggested we try Los Hermanos and it did not disappoint!

 

Soccer season ended with a 2nd place finish.  Then, baseball and softball kicked off!  It has been so fun watching the kids get better with their sports as they have grown up.  

Had such a great time attending some graduation parties of my students!  Again, so proud and honored that I got to be their teacher:)

Celebrated my dads 68th birthday!  Got him a fun new toy-a suvee cooker.

Celebrated finishing my UNK class that I taught and the end of the school year with some friends!

Got a new toy and officially have ended our 12 year membership to the Y--crazy/sad, but it is so convenient to just work out at home now!

Love this kid and the joy he brings to life.  Yes, he sometimes stresses me out, but he LOVES to live life to the fullest.  He is so fun to be around and I always know he will bring a smile to my face-I think God often for blessing me with him!  I have really loved being a boy mom:)

 

We wrapped up May with a quick trip to Greeley, CO to celebrate our nieces graduation from high school.  We also got to squeeze in a quick hike at Backbone, which was amazing!