February 2021

 February was truly a good month, getting to watch both kids do what they love!  Amidst Covid and life being different, I am incredibly grateful for the blessings and opportunities God has provided us!

February started off with a trip to Iowa City for gymnastics.  We honestly felt like we drove there Friday, grabbed pizza and beer, swam at the hotel, did gymnastics, and then drove home.  The weather was not great though and we wanted to get home before more snow came in on Sunday.  Overall we had a great time and Reeve stayed behind with her friend Brynnslee for basketball!

This was not his best meet, but he did fight through and ended up doing well in some events!

Due to Covid we ended Junior Islanders early so Reeve played basketball at the Y with me as her coach.  It ended up being a coed team, but they really did get a whole lot better and it really was fun!  As much as it is not as competitive I really do think Reeve grew a lot.  It must have been meant to be:)

Reeve and I quickly attended the Ash Wednesday service prior to dance:)

Joden had a meet in Papillion that we were not planning on getting a hotel room for, but the weather was not looking so great so we went up the night before.  We ended up having a great time as a family.  We got the room for $86, got the pool all to ourselves due to Covid, ordered in some sushi, played Dominoes, went to the gymnastics meet, and then finished our fun weekend and Valentine's Day with a delicious meal at Early Bird.  Joden had a great meet also, placing first all around and as a team!

Reeve enjoys taking random selfies on my phone:)

Due to abnormally cold temps we got a day off of school mainly because they were not sure if they could keep the power going at all the buildings.  So, I hung my laundry up to dry.  Also, that same week I had professional learning and had to go to a doctors appointment, so I took my computer along with me in the car to listen.  It really is amazing how you can stay so connected to it all with Zoom now!

 

My sister came to town for the weekend so we met up!  Hopefully soon she will just end up living here:)

We had planned to take this to dinner group, but we ended up having to cancel due to a friend getting Covid.  So, we made it to enjoy at home instead.  It was fun and delicious:)

We also moved Joden downstairs and are turning his old room into our office.  We are loving how it has turned out so far!  Love that Mike is good at these DIY projects:)

Borowskis were finally ready to go on a date so we told them they had to go try the Odyssey.  It was a fun night and felt so good to hang out with them:)

We are in the thick of gymnastics season!  Next meet was in Council Bluffs and due to Covid it was held on a Friday.  Joden and I ended up going down on Thursday night and stayed with Kastens.  Then we went to his meet first thing Friday and met Aunt Lisa in Lincoln for lunch prior to heading home.  It was a great day together.  As for his meet it was the worst one he has ever had:(. He fell off the high bar, which was scary, but luckily he was okay.  It a nutshell, he had three events go well and three go not so well.  He is growing and I do think that is interfering some with some of his events.  

We finished up the month with a date night for a beer and a theatre show!  It was a good one:)

 

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

~Ephesians 5:20 

January 2021

 Life is hectic, so going with the top ten for the month of January!

I have been busy with work, added on a second job teaching a course for UNK, and coach Reeve's basketball and softball teams.  Also, there is the nightly activities, church on Sundays, gymnastics meets here and there, and we also squeeze in some fun from time to time:). Everyone always says you will miss it once it is gone, so it is important to embrace and learn what to say yes/no to!

My father in law gave me some cash for Christmas, so I went and had a facial done for some rest/relaxation after the crazy December we had!

Reeve used some of her Christmas money on a real life looking doll :)

Two work related highlights in January.  First one is I am starting a new role with UNK as an adjunct professor.  Thought why not give it a whirl.  Second one is my advanced education students have been given the opportunity to be practicum students out in classrooms this fall.  It is so amazing the opportunities they have been given!

 

After not getting to be with the Schumachers for Christmas, we got to enjoy some of them for a deer camp weekend!  It felt so good to spend time with our family:)

Date night to Mac's Creek vineyard in Lexington and while we were away Grandma Hiers took the kids to dinner with our niece Avery!

Final two pictures are gymnastics.  Reeve got to be the star student, which meant we got to come watch her.  Who would have ever thought that we would only get to see her once this whole year!  Then Joden had his first meet, but parents could not attend.  So sad, but luckily they did Zoom us in to watch!

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

~Matthew 6:33-34

December 2020

 Well December did not go quite as planned, but we still were able to make some amazing, unexpected memories!

Love how they decorated our church this year for Christmas:)

Dinner group at Olsen's was a gift exchange and soup with cinnamon rolls. It was a fun night had by all and the cinnamon rolls were delicious!

Reeve was in a volleyball clinic and one of the days Kelly Hunter came so I had to get a picture of the girls with her.  She was a standout setter for Nebraska volleyball.    Love these experiences Reeve gets to have, even if she did not know her :)

Love when friends are like cousins!  The Michel boys hold a special place in our hearts and our kids love them like family!

Liv turned 3-she is SO cute!

So we had you guys open your gifts early because we were to be leaving for Mexico, but long story short we did not go.  I started to feel weird on the Sunday before the week of our trip and as the week progressed I began to feel worse.  Another factor was my parents both got Covid and we were nervous about how they were going to handle it.  Then the final straw was that a friend of mine sent me some information on how her sister in law had a hard time getting into Mexico.  So, we cancelled our trip and felt we should do something for you guys because the trip was your Christmas gift.  So, we switched gears to go skiing because Joden had just recently mentioned it to us.  

So on that Tuesday I had a negative Covid test, but still felt horrible on Wednesday-probably my worst day of the whole stretch.  Called back to the doctor and they made me take another Covid test.  Due to the results not coming back until after we would leave to ski, Mike said we must cancel it because what if my results were positive.  Long story short, we didn’t go anywhere and I have felt weird on and off for almost three weeks.  Still no clue what was/is wrong with me.  BUT we will still go on both trips!!  Mexico will be the week of spring break and skiing will be Easter weekend.  So, in the end you actually got a second trip out of the deal:)

Got to squeeze in a few hours with Blair!

Reeve ended up actually have one other basketball tournament in Columbus!  We ended up going 2-1 and got 2nd place.  We still have room for growth, but we have improved a lot in a year!

My students taught each other some lessons and had a blast with it!  Love how hard they worked on this and how much they got into it:)

We were supposed to be in Mexico here.  We were disappointed, but we felt it was the right decision and will still get to go!

Lots of time at home together over break!

Kinkaider has $5 flights before 5-yummo!

Festive getup for church and an unexpected gingerbread contest since we ended up with extra time at home.  We had a great time and had Instagram vote on our houses.  Reeve placed first and mine was second :). Mike and Joden got 0 votes.

                                                                1st place

                                                                2nd place was the teepee house

Finally got some drugs-I do think they helped some!

A quick date to the Chocolate Bar with Miss Reeve and Aunt Ashley.  Just helps to get out of the house some for me :)

Christmas Eve all ready for church!  It was a quick service due to Covid.  It started at 3 and ended by 3:39 I think.  

Next change of plans was that to make another very long story short, we were to be with the Schumacher side for Christmas and due to their concern about Covid we did not spend the holiday with them at all.  Dad’s work environment is worse than being in public, therefore dad said if you are concerned then we are not going to be around you guys!  It was sad, weird, and broke my heart, but we will have many more to celebrate in the future and will most likely hardly remember that this ever happened.  Luckily, my sisters were getting together so we went to Hermesch’s on Christmas Eve and then went out to Nick’s late in the day on Christmas.   

Christmas Day was unlike any we have had before.  It was just the four of us and we had so much fun taking our time, really enjoying all the moments.  Although it was not what we had hoped for, it really was an unexpected blessing.  

 

Pictures from some of our Schu Crew celebrating Christmas!

We enjoyed mimosas too :)

Christmas night at Nick's!

I am in love with my new phone case and Reeve is showing off her new bracelet she got from Blair!

One of the Schumacher siblings decided to make these masks of Mike's dads face :). They are HUGE!

The week following Christmas we hit up the library, had a sleepover with friends, did some shopping at TJ Maxx, I of course worked out, Joden had gymnastics, and we have watched several classic movies as I like to call them.

 

We ended 2020 with our dinner group!  Us adults enjoyed dinner at Kinkaider and then headed back to our place for a Murder Mystery.  We had no clue what to expect, but it really turned out so fun!  The kids did great with it and it made for another great memory made with our dinner group!

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Numbers 6: 24-26