Nieces and Nephew - Fall 2014

Just to keep Becky happy  :-)  I will try keep it under 1 year between posts.  LOL

Here are some pictures of the nieces and nephew...

Olivia and Alex - What a difference 6 years makes!  

Olivia and Alex - First Day of School 2014

Halloween 2008 - Alex and Olivia

Cali, Johanna and Jay - also growing up way too fast

 

The cousins just being wacky

Siblings - Jay and Cali

Goddaughter Johanna

Vacation in Minnesota - August 1-8 2014

I started a new job March 1st as a Web Developer for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) at the University of Iowa.  With this change of jobs, it is now easier for me to take vacation in June/July/August.  Before I couldn't because our busiest time was during the Fiscal Year End, which for the University is the end of June.  So in IMFO (the finance department where I worked), June and July were the busiest months. 

So this year we took an actual week-long vacation in Deer River, MN.  Michael's mom's college friend (Joan) and her family have a cabin and lodge in Deer River.  We got to stay in one of the spare bedrooms in the lodge.

It was a great vacation - we did NOTHING.  4 out of the 5 days we took a pontoon out on the lake.  Michael "fished" and I read Harry Potter books.  In the evenings we had meals with Joan, her husband Dennis, her daughter Shelley, and her brother-in-law.  We ate like kings - stuffed chicken, steak, ribs, pulled pork and Italian Beef. 

On our last full day we went to Ithasca, MN to the start of the Mississippi River.  I almost slipped and fell on my butt trying to "walk across the Mississippi River"  Luckily Michael caught me - but I really scraped up and bruised my toe.  I was limping at one point.  I'm glad it was toward the end of our trip. 

While there we also saw baby loons, baby deer, humming birds.  We even saw a bald eagle swoop down and catch a fish from the lake.  But the poor thing dropped the fish before he could it and and when he went to land in a tree the whole tree branch broke. 

Michael catching me before I fall

Getting ready to play some cribbage

Shelley and Joan

Lis' Graduation & Schwake's 40th birthday parties - May 17, 2014

This is a little out of the timeline, but I didn't want to forget!  We hosted Lis Erickson's PhD graduation party and David Schwake's 40th birthday party.  The party was a great gathering of some Wisconsin friends and a lot of Wartburg alumns.  It was almost like a wedding reception.  It was a great party - great food and great weather.  People could be outside eating, playing bags or ladder golf, kids playing on the swingset.  The food was great too - smoked chicken with homemade mole sauce!  Mmmmm.  The Graham's put on a great party.  :)  I don't have any pictures on the party, though.  But I do have a picture of us making the homemade mole. 

Lis and Michael straining mole sauce. 

Johnson County Fair - July 23, 2014

We went to Johnson county fair with Barry and Lisa Greenberg to the talent show.  The Johnson County fair is a far cry from the Dubuque and Jones County fairs that I am used to going to.  For being outside of a larger Iowa City, the fair is quite small.  But we still managed to have a great time.  Here we are with a dairy we found that was very close to our heart - or at least our last name. 

Melissa's in Milwaukee - July 19 - 21, 2014

After visiting the Schuette's in Greenville, Michael and I went to see Melissa in Milwaukee.  While there we went to Festa Italia at the Summerfest grounds.  We went for a few walks because once again the weather was a bit cool for July but it was just BEAUTIFUL!  We also went to the Public Market to have a look around. 

We also had some AWESOME food.  On Saturday the 19th we went to Cafe Centraal in the Bayview area and had some great tappas and amazing drinks.  Watching the bartenders there was just mesmerizing - the drinks were so complex and they made it all look easy.  Sunday night we went to Good Kind, also in the Bayview area.  It was a beautiful place to eat.  We got to sit in a sort of alley-way turned outdoor restaurant.  It was decorated with lights and even had a band playing.  Once again, the weather was beautiful.  We really lucked out this vacation.  Thanks for such a great time, Melissa!

Festa Italia by Millie's Spaghetti Factory

At Good Kind in the Bayview area

Visiting the Schuette's - July 17-19, 2014

It's the long-awaited trip to Greenville, WI to see the Schuettes! 

Michael and I left Thursday, July 17 to head up to the land of the Packers.  We got to Becky and Darin's mid afternoon.  While waiting for Darin to get back from a work trip, Michael and I just chilled.  Once Darin got home we went to a Timber Rattlers baseball game.  The Timber Rattlers are a Class A Affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.  It was an awesome night for a baseball game - clear and cool.  Actually, the weather was great the ENTIRE time we were at the Scheuttes.  A little cool for mid-July, but we were not going to complain.  

Friday night, Becky, Darin, Michael and I had an "adults only" time.  We went out to eat at the Appleton Beer Factory and had some great food, including some mac n' cheese bites - you can't really go too wrong with a cheese dish in Wisconsin.   After eating we played some euchre and some cribbage.  So much fun playing card games.  Haven't played euchre since euchre nights in Mt. Horeb.  I miss those time, so this was my favorite part of the trip. 

Lizzie, Becky, Kate and Darin in the Leinenkugel's beer chair

Now Becky and Darin

Michael and Jen's turn in the chair

And Lastly, Becky and Jen

At the Timber Rattlers game - Kate, Darin, Lizzie, Becky, Michael and Jen

Tony and Gina Clemen Wedding - May 31, 2014

Tony and Gina Clemen's wedding was another opportunity for the Clemen siblings to get together - siblings, in-laws and all. And when they all get together, well, the video explains it all.

 

 

And one where we actually got them to stop talking and smile.  :-)

And here is a non-serious..

And a quick picture of the cousins that made it out for the wedding

 And a picture of Michael and Me