So Much Reason to be Thankful

Oops. It's the last day of the month and the day that I scramble to get the blog updated so we can have at least one update each month. I think I left off somewhere along the lines of wanting life to slow down a teeny bit before the holidays...?

...at least the weather cooperated! Levi loved going down to look at the piggies, and they seemed to like his company, too!  

Well, for trying to slow down, we certainly had our share of activity! But all of our blessings in life are what keep us busy, so we are very thankful for all that God has given us: family, travel, church, friends, health, time, food, music, nature, and much more!

Levi helped Grandma make cookies! 

This is the outfit that all of my brothers wore for their nine-month pictures, so I tried to remake the pose with Levi. He is a wee bit smaller than any of them were! 

The day after I wrote the last blog post, Matt called from work and asked if we could go with him to MIPSYCON (an annual engineering conference) the next week in St. Paul. Ummmm....sure!!

Whew. Phil & Kelli and Krista (about six months old) were also along for the ride. Nothing like keeping two babies happy in downtown St. Paul for four days! Monday night, while Levi cried in his pack-n-play for a half hour before falling asleep and I worried about the guy next door planning his revenge, I thought I had made an awful mistake in going. However, things did get better from there and I think it was better than the alternative of being at home all week by myself. :)

Meanwhile, in America...election day! Matt and I had some excitement Wednesday night when we heard shouting outside and looked out our hotel window to see a Trump protest make its way toward the state capital. 

Kelli, Krista, Levi, and I spent Tuesday shopping with two other engineers' wives from Lester, and then Wednesday was our "break day" when we stayed in the hotel rooms most of the day with sleeping babies. Thursday morning we went to the Mall of America until the men finished their conference at noon. As for the evenings, Levi and I joined the Stanley men for dinner on Monday night, on Tuesday the babies and mommies joined several couples from church at a restaurant called Xavi, and Wednesday night we went to church for supper, singing, and service.

Watching the rides at the Mall of America! 

Overall, it was fun to get away from our normal routines at home. Levi was certainly thankful to be home and have his own space again!

The elephant is his favorite toy!! 

Enter: One day of break!!

That weekend was Brianna and Eric's wedding in Mediapolis. We enjoyed keeping guests overnight and seeing all kinds of new and familiar faces in church. Every wedding weekend is such a blessing to remember our special day three years ago and to be encouraged in strengthening our own marriage!

The next week and a half consisted of random plans throughout the day, one being my 28-week OB appointment and another being Levi's 10-month check-up. We are very thankful to report that both of our babies are doing well! :)

10 months old! 19#1oz; 28in long

Thanksgiving provided plenty of opportunities for eating and relaxing with family. Thursday we attended services at church, a noon Thanksgiving meal at my Mom and Dad's, and an evening meal with the Lanz family at Uncle Keith and Aunt Tonya's with around eighty in attendance.

Friday morning, Matt went shopping with Levi while I did dishes, laundry, and packed for a weekend getaway to a hotel in Cedar Rapids with my family.

Might I add...this kid was SO excited to go bye-bye with Daddy! 

The weekend was spent snacking, eating, swimming, playing games, and spoiling Levi. The game "DING" could probably be purchased from one of the Massners for a great price, if anyone is interested.

Levi enjoyed swimming in the pool! 

We drove straight to church from the hotel Sunday morning. That afternoon we were all very tired and took naps until suppertime.

I spent the past two days working in the kitchen. For some reason, I thought it would be a great idea to combine my Sunday church serving duties with my Christmas baking, and it turned into a bigger project than intended. I only have one more pan of bars to make between now and Sunday, so I decided today was going to be my day off.

The last of yesterday's cookie decorating endeavor! 

And today I woke up and wrote "November 30th" in my journal and wondered what had happened to his month. Surprisingly, I didn't feel nearly as overwhelmed by November as I did by October. December, on the other hand...that month is just going to happen one day at a time.

In case you wondered what Matt has been up to...just the normal: projects! This is an insulated box for the cattle tank to keep the horse's water from freezing over the winter (the horse is Trevor's, but makes its home in our pasture). 

At least the flying time makes this pregnancy go by quickly! It probably helps that I am not nearly as impatient with this one. The memories of childbirth and the exhausting postpartum days are still fairly fresh in my memory, and this time it will all happen with a twelve-month-old in tow. I am contenting myself in these peaceful days and restful nights while they are still around! (Though we are certainly looking forward to holding our new baby in our arms when the time comes!)

And now...Christmas! Somehow, Christmas seems to last the entire month of December. We are hoping to try the day-at-a-time strategy for the next month so we can enjoy our blessings and avoid getting too "wrapped up" in the details! Wishing you all a blessed holiday!

Everything

For every thing there is a season...and that season seems to be fall. We have had a very busy month of October, and hope for a bit of a reprieve now before the next "season" arrives.

Toward the end of September, we spent a weekend working on landscaping at church. It looks so nice now and will hopefully look even better when spring comes! 

The next weekend, Matt got to meet our newest nephew, Weston! I was home with Levi, who spent the weekend with a high fever. 

Little Weston is growing fast! I think he looks like a Schulz. :) 

We had a cousin get married here one weekend, and then two weeks later we drove to Morris for another cousin's wedding. In between, we had a lot of evening plans, several appointments, and other projects and events consuming our time. 

One of Matt's "projects" this month was creating this fishing pole rack for our garage. It looks so organized and is very handy! 

We celebrated our third wedding anniversary on October 20th! Of all three years of marriage, the third required the most patience, understanding, and effort to maintain a good relationship. Becoming parents was a big adjustment for us; from months of prenatal and postpartum hormones, to many sleepless nights, to the constant care and attention required of parents. But by God's grace, it has been another joyful year with many blessings.  

After three years of marriage, his pancakes are still heart-shaped... 

...and the fresh flower vase rarely sits empty! His anniversary bouquet included three roses to celebrate three years! 

We were very excited to have an overnight getaway to Bentonsport, IA and Van Buren County to celebrate our anniversary. Levi stayed with my Mom and Dad, and the two of us enjoyed our first bed and breakfast experience at the Bentonsport Village B&B. It was a nice place with a lot of history and very gracious hosts!

For some reason, this was the only photographed documentation of our trip.

It was a blessing to spend some time together as a couple. Saturday, we drove through some of the villages, stopping at the Dutchman's store in Cantril, the Milton Creamery, and Dutch Country near Bloomfield. We also made a short stop to visit Tim and Laurie. I had still not met Weston and Matt had not been to their place since the big house transplant and remodel project. It was good to see them for a bit and celebrate Garret's "half-birthday!" Our final stop was to ride a potato harvester near Tim & Laurie's with some friends of ours. A new experience for the books!

Meanwhile, Levi must have enjoyed his time at Grandpa and Grandma Massner's! The boys carved pumpkins Friday night, so Levi got in on the action and painted a pumpkin, too. 

I was thankful I didn't have to deal with a baby's painting mess afterward! :)  

Sunday afternoon, Matt, Jesse, and Quinn had a successful afternoon of fishing! They kept about fifteen of them to fillet. 

And now, the part of the show where Levi comes out and shows his smiles.

Levi LOVES the kitten! 

Yay for yummy lunches! (Ugh for cleanup time...)

It only took a few bites to realize a red pepper tastes different than a red apple. 

Nine months old! 

Levi got his first haircut last week, in two installments. The first time, I trimmed the sides and a tiny bit off the top. On Saturday, I decided the top looked like a mo-hawk, so I shaved that off too. Now he finally looks all trim and proper.  

Though I have not documented everything we did this month, it was full and I yearn for a break. I have been so tired, perhaps in part from pregnancy, but also because I have been putting my energy into too many things. Some people thrive on a busy schedule, but I do not. It is too easy for me to spend all of my energy elsewhere without saving enough for my husband, my son, and my Savior. Thus, I hope November provides a chance to slow down. I suppose the chance is always there, I only need to take advantage of it. 

Except I just made the mistake of glancing at the calendar, and there is something on the schedule every night for the next week and a half. I suppose we will just take one day at a time, and get our rest during the day.

I am having trouble bringing this post to a close. Thus, I shall cease my murmurings and acknowledge that God has been faithful, He has been present, and He has been good. Though I feel like I say it often, we really do have so much reason to be thankful. Though busy, we have been blessed this month with many good times and wonderful memories. We know God will be faithful in November, too, and we hope to be useful in fulfilling His work! 

Little Man Levi! (7 Month Photos + 8 Month Update)

I got around to taking some pictures of Levi last month, so I thought I would share them and give an update now that he is eight months old and all grown up!

The past four months of this boy's life have been a little less smooth sailing than the first four. Levi started becoming a bit fussier around the same time that I learned we had another baby on the way. At around six months old, he started shaving hours off his nights and getting crankier during the day. I eventually started adding formula to supplement his diet, which really seemed to help. 

Levi wanted to help me illustrate how he felt in those days. 

He soon began to eat solid food, and it did not take long for him to learn that he liked our real food much better than that flavorless pureed goop. He now eats everything straight off our table, with a few exceptions. Since he consumes plenty of solids now, nursing seems to be sufficient and he no longer needs the extra formula. Our baby feeding bill has gone down again for now, until he gets a bit older and starts eating me out of the house!

Did I ever mention how much Levi loves his fingers? 

The past week or two, he has transformed into a very happy boy who sleeps all the way through the night again!

Levi's latest milestone has been crawling, and he gets around more every day now...to the point where I actually have to peek in on him now when things get quiet (although often he cries when he is doing something he shouldn't and is asleep on the floor when he is being quiet...what a perfect little boy ;)).

 He is so curious and energetic and loves to discover new things!

This was his "curious" pose. 

When fed and rested, Levi is usually full of smiles, loves to be around others, and knows very few strangers. He loves to make noise, read books, play the piano, play outside with the cats, dance, discover everything, learn new tricks, and EAT. He LOVES to eat.  

The best part of Levi's day is when Daddy gets home from work. Let me tell you, that moment is pure JOY for this boy. All of the clouds suddenly go away, the sun starts shining, and arms start flailing in excitement! I think it also makes Daddy pretty happy to know his little buddy is excited to see him, too! 

It is so much fun to see this boy's smiling face in the morning and watch him grow as he learns more about the world around him! We are so thankful for the joy and blessings Levi brings.

Eight months old this week...turning into a little man! 

Baker's Man!

Levi was excited last month to share the big news that he gets to be a big brother soon! Life is about to get really busy but we are so excited and thankful to welcome another addition to our family!

As mentioned in the last post, I spent much of my summer feeling nauseous again, but am now experiencing the renewed second trimester energy. Baby's official due date is February 5th, which makes me about nineteen weeks along now...and...we found out the gender this time! However, we do intend to keep the rest of the world in suspense until baby's arrival. :)

Thanks to God for His wonderful blessings!

The Fruit of August

We returned home from vacation to find an abundance of peaches and blackberries in our little orchard out back. Two weeks of picking, canning, and freezing were followed by another week of salsa and a week of grapes! We are thankful for the abundant harvest, though it is so nice to be done! Until apple season in another month, of course.

One delicious product of the blackberries: Jesse made a fresh blackberry pie! 

Three days' worth of peaches and salsa

Levi has started eating real food and he loves it! Peach season was a real treat for him! 

We got to visit (Great) Grandpa and Grandma Schulz a few weeks ago. Levi wore his "Grandpa is the Best" shirt to butter up Grandpa...it probably didn't take a special shirt to impress him, though. 

Seven months old and starting to crawl...yikes! At Levi's "six months and three weeks" check up, he weighed 15lb 9oz, which puts him in the tenth percentile for his age. Seems to be growing like a Schulz! 

We were excited to have overnight visitors when Laurie, Kyra and Garret came to visit this month. This past Sunday afternoon brought the exciting news that another boy joined their family! We are so excited to meet little Weston! 

School has already started again, and along with that came a new schedule for us with seven piano lessons fitting into the late afternoons again. Levi usually does pretty well, especially when he is getting lots of attention from the kids!

A beautiful day last week provided some nice outdoor time! 

Preparing to turn the calendar to September made me feel a little hesitant. Where has this year been going?? I quickly determined it has gone to my baby(ies). Survival mode in the newborn stage; watching Levi change, grow, and learn in the next stages; being sick and pregnant all summer (again!)...but that excitement can wait another week until my next post...

Though not always referenced in my writing, the title of this blog comes back to me often. We are so thankful for all of the precious times God gives us to enjoy one another and the Creation around us!

We Have This Moment 

Hold tight to the sound of the music of living, Happy songs from the laughter of children at play; Hold my hand as we run through the sweet fragrant meadows, Making mem'ries of what was today.

Tiny voice that I hear is my little girl calling, For Daddy to hear just what she has to say; And my little son running there by the hillside, May never be quite like today. 

Tender words, gentle touch and a good cup of coffee, And someone who loves me and wants me to stay; Hold them near while they're here and don't wait for tomorrow, To look back and wish for today.

Take the blue of the sky and the green of the forest, And the gold and the brown of the freshly mown hay; Add the pale shades of spring and the circus of autumn, And weave you a lovely today.

We have this moment to hold in our hands and to touch as it slips through our fingers like sand; Yesterday's gone and tomorrow may never come, But we have this moment today.

(Words and song by Bill & Gloria Gaither)

Michigan Vacation

We spent last week in Boyne Falls, Michigan with my family. Levi turned six months old during the trip (we took the photo a couple days early), so we obviously had to have a half-birthday celebration with everyone present! 

Everyone needs a half-birthday cake on their half birthday! Mommy couldn't watch! :) His uncles were a little jealous that he got half of the cake to himself...although they did split up the slobbered-over cake when Levi was done. 

We arrived on Saturday with enough time for supper and grocery shopping. Sunday evening we explored the area a bit. Our house was part of a ski resort, so we got to ride the chair lift to the top of the mountain! The rest of the family went disc golfing down the mountain, but we took the easier way back down the lift. :)

View from the top! 

On Monday, we visited Mackinac Island and enjoyed biking around the island. Once again, the three of us took the easy route while the rest of the family explored the hilly areas. Levi did pretty good, but enjoyed being out of his seat the best! The Island was beautiful! Of course, we had to try the famous Mackinac Island Fudge before we left...delicious! 

Ferry ride to the Island 

Enjoying the scenery! 

  

No motor vehicles are allowed on the island. We learned that this is the only state highway in Michigan where vehicles are prohibited. :) 

Tuesday was pontoon day on Lake Charlevoix! We again had beautiful weather and enjoyed our time tubing, swimming, and cruising on the lake. 

Our Chauffer

Tubing! 

Levi wan't a fan of the bulky life jacket he was required to wear all day, but he did manage to enjoy himself a little! 

We spent Wednesday enjoying activities around the resort. The boys played tennis and I took Levi swimming in the pool. Later, we visited the beach on Deer Lake. It was so shallow that we had to go a LONG way out before the water was above our knees!

This is my brothers inventing a balancing act game... 

Levi and Grandma 

Thursday we drove to Petosky State Park and went hiking and then to the beach (this time it was actually Lake Michigan, so we can say we stepped in it!). Afterward, we went to Kilwin's for a "free" chocolate tour that ended in purchases of ice cream and fudge that certainly did not qualify as free...but was quite yummy!

Hiking at Petosky

Friday was similar to Wednesday as we stayed around the resort. Tennis, kayaking, swimming, and shuffle board filled our day. 

Matt and Levi enjoyed a good nap on the beach! 

In the evening, we walked from our house to the top of the chair lift and then rode the lift down to the resort. We experienced a hay rack ride, s'mores, and ice cream before heading back to get packed for the way home!

Hay rack ride! 

As for our house, it was perfect for the week! The boys all stayed downstairs, and then the rest of us had rooms on the main floor. There was a fire pit out back where we roasted marshmallows one night, and a trail out back that headed up the mountain. We made all of our morning and evening meals, and packed lunches for the days. The beautiful weather made the trip very nice! 

The boys enjoyed their foosball games in the basement! 

...that is, until Mom turned it into her drying rack. :) 

And, obviously, Levi got spoiled. It has been an adjustment getting back to life without constant attention! 

Saturday morning, we took a couple last pictures before splitting up and heading separate ways to the same destination of Grand Rapids.

Mom and Dad and the boys went to Sleeping Bear Dunes. Assuming we could find something more baby-friendly, we headed to Grand Rapids and ended up at the zoo for the afternoon.

Yes, Levi went into the petting zoo basically just for the sake of a picture. But while he was petting the goat, another one stole the map out of Matt's back pocket and ate it! 

The final highlight of our trip was spending Saturday night with Aaron and Laura, Matt's cousin. We got to see Heidi's Farmstand and Bakery and tour their operation, and it was very interesting! They also have a little boy who is two months older than Levi. 

All dressed up for church! Kellan was feeling much more photogenic than Levi that morning. :) 

We met back up with my family at church in Alto, and were thankful for the love shown to us by the people there. We got home late Sunday night and were glad to sleep in our own bed again!

Lots of peaches, blackberries, and tomatoes welcomed us home this week, so we are getting broken back into life around here. And Levi is really struggling with the harsh reality that he isn't getting the constant attention that he enjoyed on vacation.

We were thankful for safe travels and a relaxing trip to spend time together enjoying God's creation!