December 20, 2011

The Graduate!

I am oh so proud to announce that Mike Traxel is a college graduate! AND he has accepted a full time position with Colorbiotics here in Ames as a QC Chemist (one step higher than the entry level position we thought he'd be doing)!!!








December 6, 2011

2011 Highlights

Okay, I don't have my calendar from before August, so I'm hoping I haven't forgotten anything major. Click on any of the pictures to see them larger. Merry Christmas!!


January: Were 3 weeks engaged and began taking Marriage 101 at Cornerstone.
February: Continued Marriage 101, and set our wedding date for August 13th
March: Began counselling with Don at Timberline, Grunder's spent spring break at Honey Creek
April: Engagement pictures with Britney Hudson (that's already weird to say), Mike's 21st birthday.
 
May: Finals at ISU, Kylee and Garrett's wedding, Stood with Ryan and Britney as they became The Wilsons :)
My favorite picture from R&B's wedding 

June: Melissa's birthday and graduation, Jenny and Tyler's wedding (which I got to unofficially second shoot) in RI, my bridal shower at CBC, Jenny and Tyler's Iowa reception, Grunder Campout and Cedar Point in Ohio

(my favorite of my pictures from J&T's wedding)
July: 4th of July in Mount Vernon, building a fort, Emilie and Matt's wedding, Alisha and Garrett's engagement, Grunder "Mad-hatter" shower, Mike started working for Colorbiotics in Ames.
Yeah, we're that cool.
August: Moved Mike into our apartment, WE GOT MARRIED!!!, mini-honeymoon in Cedar Rapids, moved in to the apartment together, I turned 21 and we began classes at ISU

September:  Adventureland with the small group and Mr. Tometich's company. Began having "Gilmore" dinners with Melissa and working in the older 2's nursery at Cornerstone, Celebrated Jon's 27th birthday at Ledges State Park, and went to Mount Vernon for a very rainy Lincoln Highway Arts Fest

October: Celebrated Britney's 20th birthday with a "surprise" party at the Hudson's. Pumpkin patch with Jenny and Tyler, trip to Minnesota to visit Grandma Hilarion


November: Trivia night at JEFC, began the membership process at Cornerstone by taking Intro to Cornerstone, started meeting every Sunday with our awesome small group, watched ISU beat Oklahoma State 37-31!!!, saw Wicked with the Grunders, celebrated Thanksgiving with the DeWaards, survived Black Friday (despite Best Buy only having 3 registers open) then celebrated with the Grunders.
Our small group at our wedding
The rushing of the field after the ISU win over #2 OSU

December: Amanda turned 16 last week! Aah... I'm old. :-P Decorated for Christmas, and now it's Dead week, which is anything but dead with 4 assignments, 2 quizzes and a term paper due. Sunday we are signed up to compete in the intermural 500 card tournament to kick off finals week. On Friday the 16th, Mike graduates and then we go straight into a busy Christmas break- DeWaard's on Saturday (as well as Amy and Matt's wedding, CONGRATS), Mike's family on Sunday. Mike (most likely) starts his new full time position that Monday and we'll be in Mount Vernon/Pleasant Valley over Christmas weekend.