The Blog Wraping Up 2013

2013 has been quite a year! Here are some highlights!

2013 Highlights:

-Paul and I went on our very first ‘vision retreat’. We got the idea from Jimmy Evan’s book “Lifelong Love Affair.” It was blissful. The Coil family allowed us to use their cabin at Woodcliff. We relaxed, talked, prayed and set goals for 2013. Looking forward to going on our 2^nd annual retreat this January!

-In February Theo turned 1!

-We spent the month of March in California- Paul did Google’s wellness clinics for 5 weeks so we traveled with 13 month old Theo around Cali. We made great memories, although being in my first trimester with Violet and flying with a toddler was not the best time of my life. Our friends the Grantiers met us out in Cali with their baby Wells. We are for sure life-long friends after the 6 of us crammed into 1 hotel room for a week (2 pack n plays!). We loved getting to spend some time at Bethel and be with Patrick and Courtney who still live in Redding.

-I loved having another summer with the Thomas kids 3 days a week. They are truly a second family. I remember when I started watching Meghan, Josh, Cameron, and Kaelynn, K was 7 months old. Now she is 9! She was Theo’s favorite person for sure. She did gloat about it- just a bit ;) So helpful having entertainment for Theo while I was super-pregnant…

-Another summer highlight was being pregnant with my bestie sister in laws Amy and Sarah. The 3 cousins were born at 5 week intervals- impressive timing! Loved that the Lanphier side went from 4 to 7 grandkids in one summer!

-Violets super-quick birth was very special. Both of my parents were present for her delivery.

-We purchased our first home in the Benson area.

-Paul and I started a prophetic Life Group through our church Waypoint and have loved growing in this area as well as building community with some AMAZING families.

-Our kindred-spirit friends the Grantiers came to Omaha for Thanksgiving! We had the best time!

-For Christmas 2013 all my Schenzel siblings were in town (Annie from New York and Turner from Cali). There is nothing like all being together. We had a sharing time Christmas Eve about what we were thankful in 2013 and this was so special as many happy tears and laughter was shared.

-The month of December, I spent every Wednesday with my mom and the babies. We did Christmasy activities and almost always got Starbucks. Wednesdays with my mom help me get through the winter with young children! I absolutely adore her. 

2014 you will be amazing..

The Blog (update) about Violet

    I am not a consistent blogger. I blame it on having a baby, while moving, with a toddler. But I love to write and I think its fun to remember so if you like reading blogs I’m going to attempt to keep up better (no promises!)

   For starters, anyone who has a daughter can attest to the fact that having a girl is, in fact, all it’s cracked up to be. As I continue to rotate out the 3 pairs of yoga pants I own, Violet’s wardrobe expands and grows. I realized today that I actually don’t ever think about what I am going to wear, but I do like to play dress up with my baby doll. Now, I don’t really spend money on her wardrobe, but I’m an avid consignment sale shopper and so I trade out the kids clothes to get new ones as they grow. It’s fun and affordable.

    Next, Violet still feels like an infant at 4 months old. This is a good thing. Theo was in newborn clothes for exactly 2 seconds and Violet actually wore preemie clothes the first month (I have magic prayers- I actually prayed to have a smaller baby since my chicken legs almost snapped while I was pregnant with Theo carrying around a 9 pound baby). She is so small and petite that I carry her everywhere and use my Moby wrap much more than I ever did with her brother.

    Violet is also much more durable then Theo. It is probably do to her getting unintentionally nailed in the head with foam balls all. day. long. Yes, everyone, Theo seems to have moved on from spatulas and now loves balls. The only problem? He gets about 4 inches away from your face before he winds up and throws them- and the kid has a pretty good arm! Violet has been the accidental brunt of Theo’s games of catch. She also has received far to many binkey kisses than I care to recount. Theo ADORES her and gives her kisses all the time. The only problem being having a plastic binkey jabbed into the side of your head is painful and uncomfortable.

    I am eternally grateful to have a baby who seems to think I hung the moon and stars. “Vi Vi” (rhymes with bye-bye) looks at me like I am the most perfect, wonderful thing to walk the planet- and it melts my heart. I plan on milking it for all it’s worth because Theo seems to prefer his grandparents to parents in this stage of life.

    Violet AnnMarie, you are a joy.