Fall 2015

Fall came with Labor Day weekend being a busy and fun one for us.  First we traveled to Madison to see Michelle and have some yummy food at Taste of Madison.  We had a great time walking around the capital and eating a lot of great food.

Enjoying Taste of Madison.

Ice cream at Taste of Madison.

On Labor Day we went to the Walworth County Fair.  It's a really cute little fair with a lot of kids activities.  We went with our friends, the VanDenLangenberg's and London was able to take a listen to a baby cows heartbeat.

London hearing a baby cow's heartbeat at the Walworth County Fair.

London and Will at the fair.

The next day London had her first day of dance class.  She was a little nervous at first, but ended up loving her first class and her teacher Miss Becky.  We can't wait for her recital in May!

London's first day of dance class.

The next week John headed to Las Vegas for Adam's Bachelor Party while Amber and London stayed back and had a mommy-daughter weekend.  We walked to the park and even visited a quarry.  London liked looking at all the big machines, but didn't like riding in them very much.

Movie night during girls weekend!

London and Will at the quarry.

Amber and London at the quarry watching all the big machines.

The next week we headed up to Appleton and dropped off London so that we could go to the Monday night Packers vs. Chiefs game.  It was a little rainy, but it was a great game with the Packers winning.

Packers vs. Chiefs Game.

Pretty soon it was October and we were celebrating our birthdays.  Amber and John both turned 32 this year.  Amber's mom and stepdad came down for a few days to celebrate with us and Adam came for a night too.  We went out for dinner on Amber's birthday and had an ice cream cake to celebrate.

Celebrating Amber's birthday.

London had fun hanging out with Grandma that week.  They went shopping, baked cookies and went to the library for story time.

London before story time at the library.

For John's birthday he went golfing with a group of friends while Amber went wine tasting with some friends.  We all meet at Glen Erin for a few drinks and then watched the Packer game.  While Amber and John were gone London went to the pumpkin patch with Auntie Michelle.  It was a great birthday week!

London and Auntie Michelle at the pumpkin patch.

The next weekend we went to Devil's Lake to have some family pictures taken.  It wasn't the warmest day, but the rain held off while we took pictures and the colors were amazing.  The pictures were great for our Christmas cards.

Fall family photo shoot.

Fall family photo shoot.

We then went to the pumpkin patch as a family and got a pumpkin to carve as well as some yummy pumpkin and apple cider donuts.

John and Amber at the pumpkin patch.

London at the pumpkin patch.

London was able to go trunk-or-treating at Amber's school on October 30th and trick-or-treating in our neighborhood on Halloween.  She was Princess Anna.  We also carved our pumpkin on Halloween day.

Carving our pumpkin on Halloween.

Trick-or-Treating with Princess Anna.

Checking out all of her loot!

The next weekend we headed to Milwaukee to celebrate the marriage of Adam and Becky.  We attended the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner on Friday and then had a great breakfast before the ceremony and partying the night away.  London was an amazing flower girl, John was a great usher and Amber sang beautifully.  The wedding was wonderful!  We had a great time and are super excited to add Becky to our family!

London practicing at the rehearsal.

"I'm a flower girl today!"

Adam and Becky saying their vows.

Family photo at the reception.

The next Saturday the Becker's and the Beeman's came to Janesville and we all had a play date with the kiddos.  We try to do this a few times a year and I love that we can make it work to get together with our kids a few times a year.

Cristina, Amie and Amber.

London, Vivi and Aidan pretending to sleep.

The next week Amber and her friend Melissa went to their first paint and wine class.  They had a lot of fun eating, painting and drinking and came away with an ornament painting to hang up during Christmas time.

Amber and Melissa with their masterpieces.

Thanksgiving weekend came with the end of fall and we traveled to Appleton to celebrate.  John and Amber walked in a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and Grandma Betty had everyone over to celebrate.

Amber and John ready to Turkey Trot.

That's all until our next edition.  Until then...Go Pack Go!

Summer 2015

Hello again!  June came in with warm temperatures and school for Amber ending very soon.  To celebrate the beautiful June day we decided to go golfing.

London golfing on a beautiful June day.

Grandma Diane, Papa Steve and Uncle Adam came for a visits during the second week of June.  We celebrated Adam's birthday, had a picnic at Amber's school, went to the Madison zoo and Steve helped us create a garden space in the front of the house.

 Uncle Adam, Grandma Diane and London at Amber's school picnic.

Celebrating Uncle Adam's birthday.

Carousel ride at the Madison zoo.

Polar Bear exhibit at the Madison zoo.

London proudly showing off her garden.

The next weekend we all headed to Milwaukee to see a Brewer game together.  The Brewers lost, but we had a fun time nevertheless.

Fun at the Brewer game.

For the next couple of weeks London had swim class.  The weather was pretty chilly during those weeks which made the water pretty cold, but we managed to learn some pretty awesome swimming skills.

All ready for swim class!

Looking for treasure under the water.

One the last weekend of June the church across the street from our house has a big festival with fireworks.  We had people over for a taco dinner and the fireworks and everyone loved the prime fireworks spot.  We're making sure to make this happen every year!

Watching the fireworks from our front porch.

The next week we made a quick trip up to Stevens Point.  We meet some old friends, played at the park and had Belt's ice cream.  It was a short trip, but very fun!

London playing with a new friend at the park.

Dinner and catching up with Greg and Ellen.

Belt's ice cream with Grandma Mary and Auntie Michelle.

That same week we headed to the Madison zoo again.  This time we meet Michelle and some friends and celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary with dinner at El Jardin.

Auntie Michelle and London at the Madison zoo.

Carousel ride at the Madison zoo.

The next week Amber and London traveled to Appleton to visit Mema Betty, Grandma Diane and Papa Steve.  They visited another zoo, went swimming and tried on flower girl dresses for Adam and Becky's wedding.

London holding a baby bunny at the special moments zoo in Greenville.

Going down the big slide at the pool.

So excited to try on flower girl dresses!

Grandma Mary and Papa Mike came down to Janesville the next week to take London to "The Minion" movie.  The next day we meet up with Amie and Aidan at the Milwaukee zoo.

Feeding goats at the Milwaukee zoo.

Train ride with Papa Mike and Grandma Mary at the Milwaukee zoo.

Amber, London, Amie and Aidan at the Milwaukee zoo.

That weekend we all traveled to Mauston to attend baby Solomon's baptism where John and Amber became his godparents.  We are so honored to be such an important part of Solomon's life!

Proud godparents with Solomon.

The next Wednesday Amber and London went to Madison to meet Michelle and some friends for concerts on the square and of course have some ice cream!

Chocolate Shoppe ice cream on State Street in Madison.

We also went to the Rock County 4H Fair where London got to see a lot of farm animals, play in the corn pit and go on the carousel and we all got to eat some yummy fair food!

London looking at the sheep.

Playing in the corn pit.

London and Amber on the carousel.  

On August 1st we all went to Green Bay to run in the Kickoff to Training Camp 5K.  We pushed London in the jogging stroller and had a great time.  After the run Amber and London stayed in Appleton for a few more days.  They went swimming and to Bay Beach.  They also held a bridal shower for Adam and Becky.

After our 5K run.

Alex, Brynna, Grandma Diane and London on the carousel at Bay Beach.

London driving a car at Bay Beach.

The next weekend Amber went to Mauston to visit with her St. Norbert "music girl" friends.  They got pedicures, went to the beach, went wine tasting and spent a lot of time talking and visiting.  While Amber was away London stayed in Madison with Auntie Michelle while John was working.  Michelle took London to the splash pad and the children's museum.

Cristina, Mallory, Justine, Amie and Amber getting pedicures.

Wine tasting in Wisconsin Dells.

Auntie Michelle and London at the splash pad.

London making a masterpiece at the Madison Children's Museum.

The next week we went to Chicago to visit Great-Grandma Toni and head to the Shedd Aquarium.  Uncle Adam even came down from Milwaukee to go to the aquarium with us.

London making popcorn with Great-Grandma Toni.

Checking out all the fish at the Shedd Aquarium.

Adam, Amber and John waiting for the show at the Shedd Aquarium to start.

The last weekend before Amber went back to work we went to Milwaukee to stay with Amie, Brian and Aidan.  Megan, Avery and Lilly came down to hang out too.  The kids had fun playing and posing for pictures.  After that we also went to Briton and Maureen's to see their new house and meet their daughter Lydia.

London, Lilly and Aidan.

London meeting Lydia.

At the end of August Amber went back to work.  We were grateful for the exciting summer that we had, but sad that it had to end.

Amber, John and London all sad because Amber has to go back to work tomorrow.

Until next time...Go Pack Go!