It's 2020!

...so let's wrap up the final month of 2019. I think I left off after a busy first few days of December. It was followed by some more eventful days.

Friday night we got to see Grandpa and Grandma Schulz again! Grandpa got a kick out of Joanna trying to ride the toy tractor. 

Saturday we headed to Peoria to celebrate Christmas with my dad's family and Grandma Knobloch! Here are all the great-grandchildren (sorry for the blurry picture)!

Joanna modeling Levi''s new safety goggles that came in a tool set he got from Grandma.

That night, Andrew, Hannah, and Rebecca came over to install the trim on our egress windows downstairs.

Sunday was Burlington Church Christmas caroling, and we were in charge of arranging the caroling portion of the evening.

Monday was our first of ten foster care classes. Talk about finding ways to make our schedule more hectic...adding in Monday evening plans from 5:30-9:30 was a crazy idea.

Me and the three kids brought the two cats up to the vet to get their shots. Corralling three little children and two terrified cats into the van to the vet was another wild idea, but I couldn't think of another way to get the job done. Snowbell got weighed and then just sat on the scale until Dr. Seth pulled him off. Ash hid in the back of the closet the entire time until Levi pulled her out by her ears. I think the nurse was quite impressed by how gently our cats are treated by the children.

Making more use of Levi's new tools, breaking up insulation leftover from the windows.

With some imagination we found a way to clean up the bits of insulation laying everywhere afterward. Credits to the best Daddy ever. 

Wednesday evening we sang for Norm and Maryann Frank before church. Friday evening was our Young Couples Christmas dinner. Saturday Zach came over to help Matt out for the day and they finished the egress windows!

I also might add that one random night Joanna puked and a few nights later Levi also threw up several times. At one point Matt was certain he had contracted strep throat a third time, but we fought it off with vitamins and ACV treatments. Lest you think we were totally healthy for the whole month of December.

Sunday were the Burlington and Mediapolis church Christmas programs. Monday was class night again. Tuesday we enjoyed singing for Uncle Al and his family at hospice. Wednesday evening we got to hear the testimonies of Ray and Alice D. and were thankful to welcome them into our Burlington church family.

Almost at Christmas now. Friday the 20th was the Myron Schulz Christmas at the fellowship center. Saturday we attended Uncle Al's visitation and then the Joan (Ed) Lanz Christmas at Grandma's with somewhere around 150-175 in attendance. 

New fuzzy socks!

Myron Schulz family: A. Janette, U. Roger, A. Peggy, Dad (Gary), A. Lorna; Grandpa and Grandma in front

Grandpa and Grandma surrounded by their grandchildren and great-grandchildren! I think Eric, Brianna, and Lucas were the only ones gone, but I could have missed someone else.

A few Schulz girls:) Joanna, Adriana, and Rebecca

Adrienne and Joanna entertaining us at Grandma Lanz's

Snack time at Lanz Christmas! I didn't realize until after this picture that Micah has like five cookies on his plate. He got really sad when he learned that all those cookies had sugar in them. Because, of course, he is well aware that "Sugar makes me get sick. If I eat sugar, then I will get sick. And if I don't eat sugar, then I won't get sick!"

This girl never misses out on food!

Sunday the 22nd we spent at Mediapolis church and attended Uncle Al's funeral in the afternoon. We went from there to Massner caroling for the evening. 

Monday was class again. Tuesday, Matt came home early and we had our family Christmas. We made ice cream, ate supper, opened gifts, ate the ice cream, and that was about the extent of it. 

The boys seemed to think the ice cream maker was really loud...

Ready for gifts! My minimalist overhaul found its way into Christmas this year. I didn't want to get them anything that wasn't wearable or disposable...and they are all young enough that the funnest part is just opening the presents! :) One of Joanna's gifts was a box of blown up balloons! Micah's favorite was a new pair of church shoes. Levi got a storybook that he was excited about.

Levi got a dot-to-dot book that he loved!

Wednesday morning we went to church and spent the rest of the day at Mom and Dad Schulz's with Matt's family. Festivities included lunch and supper, outdoor kickball due to the spring weather, a nativity play, and a gift exchange. 

It's not too often we get to see this kind of outdoor play on Christmas day!

Kickball!

Who knew boys could have so much fun together?!

A few pics from the nativity play...

Rebecca got to be the baby!

The angel dance...

Levi and Garret were wise men.

Our cowboy and pilot!

Three cowboys...Micah, Abram, and Weston

And...Matt, my deer.

The older grandkids all got pajamas from Grandpa and Grandma! 

Corbin gave Levi a Lite Brite that he loved!

A new workbench gave the boys and Daddy some good bonding time. 

Friday was Matt's day off so I went to town for groceries and then we went to Andrew and Hannah's for supper to spend the evening with Steve and Julie! Everyone else there had been feeling sick in the past day or two. Somehow we still have not caught whatever went around. Maybe our family already caught every bug there was to catch over the last two and a half months and now we can just have a healthy winter from here on out. :)

Saturday was my family's Christmas at Mom and Dad's...another day full of family and tradition!

The annual Christmas table photo! I think this is the first year that none of our children were napping during lunch. 

LEGO creations from G & G Massner

Micah's fire truck!

After Christmasing ourselves out, we were ready to crash. I feel like that is the summary statement in all my blog posts these days. I'm ready to crash...then I get all my pieces picked back up and put back together just in time for another marathon. Maybe I should say we were ready for a break. We joined a very small gathering at Burlington Church on Sunday, then spent the evening at home. Monday evening we had our evening class again. Tuesday evening we welcomed in the new decade by going to bed early and watching our eyelids drop.

Our first outing of the new year was to Norman Frank's visitation. Friday night we returned to Lunnings Chapel for Dean Massner's visitation. And people wonder why my kids are playing funeral all the time. We made the most of our trip to Burlington and got groceries as well. 

Matt was in charge of the funeral singing on Saturday, so he attended the funeral and I listened from home with the children. It was a nice funeral. Unfortunately, the speaker in the assembly wasn't working which created another disaster. They were able to rent a speaker for the funeral, and then Matt returned to town later in the afternoon to meet with a guy and get the problem fixed. We spent Sunday at Mediapolis church to help Mom serve lunch. 

Then this week happened. My details are getting boring but we finally have had three nights in a row without plans. It's been great.

This girl called me into her room after her nap to show me her new trick! If one pacifier is good, two must be better! 

I ordered some sprouted wheat flour to try making my own sprouted bread rather than buying the sprouted grain bread at Aldi. It turned out well but I don't think we saved ourselves any money (or time!). I was excited about it though. :)

A sweet boy giving the dolly a nap.

Last night we were thrilled to hear the news of a new baby cousin for our children and my first flesh-and-blood nibling! Russell was born to Bill & Vienna and we can't wait to meet him in person!

Sweet Little Guy:)

We hope this new year finds you blessed and seeking God's grace in whatever may come. It is amazing to look back at how far we have come in a decade and to wonder what God has in store between now and 2030! If all goes smoothly, we will already be into the teen years of parenting by then. Hopefully time goes by slowly! These sweet moments with our little ones will only be memories by then.