Year in Review / 2016

Happy New Year, friends! It is that time again. Here's a quick summary of some of the highlights of our 2016. Our much anticipated trip to Hawaii happened in late February. It was a great trip! I think my favorite thing about Hawaii (specifically Kauai) was the control we had over our experience. We weren't restricted to the safety and security of a resort, we didn't need to pay to see the beauty of the island or rely on public transportation and shuttles to get there. We went where we wanted to go, saw what we wanted to see and ate where we wanted to eat. The experience was uniquely ours and that was the best part!

We had a lot of fun in April celebrating Mom's 50th birthday in Minneapolis. We went to a Twins game, the Mall of America and out for a nice dinner. Mom and I decided to celebrate her birthday in a BIG way by jumping out of a plane. We went sky-diving in Winsted, just west of the cities. It was definitely an interesting experience. The strangest thing of all was that I wasn't scared to jump out of the plane. My heart wasn't racing, I wasn't sweating or panicking inside. I felt an odd calmness. And Mom said she felt the same way. The free-falling was interesting ... I definitely felt a shortness of breath and a lot of pressure on my face. Once the parachute was released, we began to "float" toward the ground. I actually enjoyed this part more. It was peaceful. This was something I've always wanted to do and now I can say I've done it. Did I enjoy it enough to do it again? Nah. But, if you have the urge to do it, I'd say go for it!

Earlier in the month, for my birthday, we went to Des Moines with Brett and Susan for a wonderful dinner at Flemming's Steakhouse. It was a great little weekend away with great friends! Ryan spent his birthday, as he likes to do, in Remsen, helping in the field.

We said good-bye to Granny (Lois) Loutsch in late April. She was 92 years old and was at peace with leaving this earth. Granny Loutsch (as Ryan has always called her) lived a life that wasn't without heartache. Her husband, Ryan's grandpa, died in his early thirties, leaving her with five young kids to raise on her own. She eventually re-married and became a step-mom. Both she and her husband Earl experienced the pain of losing a child, with Lois losing Ryan's mom Kris, and Earl losing two of his four children. Shortly before Lois passed, Earl broke both of his legs. His health continued to decline, and he passed away in July. On a brighter note, while Ryan was back for the funerals, he was able to see most of his cousins. Catching up with family, no matter the circumstance, is good for the soul.

Ryan went to Garth Brooks with his siblings and Wes in late April. Ryan has always been a big Garth fan and has always wanted to see him in concert. Now he has seen him twice!

We went to Book of Mormon in May with Kara and Cam. It was Ryan's first musical. He was skeptical like I was with my first musical, but I think he enjoyed it! They really are fun, and I'm glad Kara convinced us to go!

Steph and Kyle came to visit in May. We went golfing and out for a nice dinner. It is so great having them visit. We always leave our time together wishing we lived much closer and could hang out whenever we wanted to!

Eric decided to take a promotion with his company in Louisiana in late May. He moved down there, driving all 12 hours by himself. A very big move for him, and we're very proud of him! We plan to visit this upcoming spring.

We spent Memorial Day weekend back in Remsen. The whole family was back so Dad organized a day of fishing for us. We also spent time with Mom's family, as her sisters were both back. It was a fun time!

To kick off summer, we hosted a luau party for our neighbors and friends. We made some dishes that were reminiscent of what we enjoyed in Hawaii ... mai tais, fish tacos, pulled pork and macaroni salad. All capped off with leis, grass shirts and tiny drink umbrellas.

The Krier Century Farm was held in late June. Ryan helped them set up and prepare for the big event. They catered in a meal and had a keg truck for all to enjoy. Ryan finished his tractor project just in time for the celebration. He had it on display, along with Kriers' antique tractors. While there, I got to meet Paige, my friend Craig and Jacque's newest baby girl. What a little doll!

Over the fourth of July, we went to Des Moines for a couple nights and spent time with Kara and Cam and Ryan's family. It was a fun, relaxing weekend - spending quality time with people we love!

We visited Yellowstone in July with Mom and Dad. What a beautiful place!

After getting back from the great outdoors of Wyoming, we enjoyed more time outside, camping with Steph and Kyle. We kayaked at a nearby pond and my sister Paige stopped by to catch up. Another successful camping trip in the books!

In late July, our neighbors and us packed up and traveled to Lost Island in NW Iowa for a weekend of outdoor fun. Amber was able to swing down for the first night. It was so great catching up with her. Definitely a fun weekend with friends! Ryan missed out on the second day of fun as he traveled from Lost Island to his annual four-day fishing trip in South Dakota.

Paige got a job in Des Moines as a copywriter for Prairie Meadows Casino in early August. She found and rented her very own studio apartment in the Sherman Hills area, near downtown. Des Moines is a great place to live, and I'm excited for the opportunities it will surely bring to her. I visited her in early fall to celebrate the new job and enjoy a little time together, just the two of us.

Grandma Rodesch had double heart valve replacement surgery in August. She had the surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. Grandma has had quite a long list of health issues over the years but this, by far, was the most serious. Although the surgeons were confident they could repair her heart, I didn't want to chance anything and traveled to see her before the surgery. Jess and I stayed overnight and waited at the hospital until Grandma was out of surgery. No one likes to be in this type of situation, but I definitely found it to be eye-opening. I now have a greater appreciation for nurses and doctors and all that they do! I'm thankful Grandma made it through the surgery without any complications and is feeling like herself again.

Ryan rode in the Gran Fondo bike race in late August. The race was 60 miles long and went through a number of small towns in the area. Our neighbors Shannon and Ron participated as well. The ride wasn't without rain, slippery trails and strong headwinds. It definitely was a challenge (not one I was going to do!) but I think Ryan still enjoyed it and likely will ride next year.

We went back to Remsen for Labor Day and made a quick trip down to Omaha for a night for our fourth anniversary. We hadn't been to the Old Market area of Omaha in recent years and enjoyed taking it all in again.

We both ran the Park-to-Park 5K in early September. I had a goal of running a 5K all along this year but didn't expect it to be this particular race. I was actually signed up for the half-marathon. However, with our summer trip to Yellowstone, followed by foot pain, my training suffered. I had decided to transfer to the 5K and run that instead. It ended up being a good decision as Ryan and a couple of our neighbors joined in on the fun. I hadn't run a 5K race since taking up long-distance running in 2012. To put in perspective how far I've come with my running ... in 2010, when I was 25, I ran the Dam-to-Dam 5K in 28:53. This year, at 31, I came in at 26:02.

We purchased a new table and it arrived in September. The experience of getting this table was quite the ordeal. From trying to find a store that carried the table (I had found it online at the manufacturer's site) to getting two flawed tables and a discount ... it was as if fate was keeping me from getting this table. I do love it though and find it worth all the hassle and waiting.

In early October, Ryan went to Minneapolis to take in the Ryder Cup Golf Tournament with some friends. Ryan loves having golf on TV all day on Sundays, so it only made sense for him to finally see a tournament in person. He had a great time! Speaking of golf, Ryan got me lessons with the local golf course's pro for my birthday. I had four lessons over the summer. I wish I could say I'm better but I'm not sure that would be an accurate statement!

Mom and the sisters spent the weekend at our place in October. This has become a bit of tradition as Mom comes to visit while Dad is busy in the fields. The weather, unfortunately, was yucky, but I still enjoyed the company.

Ryan and I also took a day trip to Prairie du Chien area. It was a beautiful day so we took in two separate hikes. I've come to realize I really enjoy hiking. I like that we're getting exercise while taking in a scenic area.

Steph and Kyle welcomed Emmett Gray on October 28th. I'm over the moon for them. I got to meet him a few weeks later. I'm looking forward to the next time I get to see his sweet little face.

We traveled to Minneapolis to be with Ryan's family and extended family for Thanksgiving. We traveled to Remsen to celebrate with my family on Saturday. Lots of road time but it is worth it for family time and delicious food.

We had Ryan's company holiday party in early December. While down there, we got to celebrate Kara and Cam's big news ... they are expecting a baby in May. I'm very excited for them! We also got together for our Annual Neighborhood Christmas celebration. Always a hoot!

We celebrated Christmas with my family over the holiday and will celebrate with Ryan's family the first weekend in January. We had a great time with my family ... but it flew by, as is always does. The food and gifts were top-notch!

Hope you all had a wonderful 2016 and are looking forward to 2017. We have a handful of events already planned that excite us. Stay tuned to hear about them!