Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Ending 2013- Bringing in 2014

2013 has come to an end. It has definitely had it's ups and downs Some things that occurred in 2013:

Had more success with Kara's Kakes
Started working at Nestle Nutrition as an Associate Food Technician (And LOVE it!)
We camped in the U.P.  several times between May and October (Memorial Day was sunny & in the 80's, Labor Day was rainy and cold, Snow in October)
I graduated in the top 5% of my class!
Joel launched 2 cross bows for Velocity Archery.
Joel and I both traveled for work- Joel even went to Switzerland!
My nephew, Caden, was born Sept. 22nd.
We put an offer in on a house closer to work (In Hesperia) and it was accepted!
We had an offer on our house!
Ended the year with Joel having health issues.

Things to look forward to in 2014:


Resolving Joel's health issues
Moving to Hesperia
Trying to regrow my business in a new area
Going back to school for my Bachelors degree.
Spending time with Family!

Here's to 2014!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

*Sigh* Another fall has come & gone

I am really falling behind in posting. I guess that just goes to show how busy we are. So, here's a quick update:

Labor Day weekend we went to the U.P. to camp. We made plans to Visit my aunt & uncle who live about 2.25 hours further into the U.P. then our cabin on Monday. All weekend it was cloudy and rainy. Monday morning rolled around, we stopped for breakfast in Newberry, and then finished the drive to Manistique. It down-poured so hard, we couldn't see where we were driving. Needless to say, we weren't going to be water skiing, swimming, and boating like we thought. We did go on a pontoon ride around the lake, four-wheeled around national forest, and have a nice visit with family! On the drive back home, Joel stopped at Castle Rock in St. Ignace. I've wanted to stop for the past couple of years, and we finally did! It was a total tourist trap, but we enjoyed it!

On September 22nd, my nephew Caden Luke Steffes was born! He is such a little cutie! He's bigger than Alex was, and so far he's looking like his dad. Alex didn't understand having the new baby at first (He was only 13 months old) and was rough with him. The two are just the best little nephews! Joel had a fantastic trip to Switzerland, but he left the day before Caden was born, so he didn't get to meet him right away. Joel did, however, bring home some wonderful gifts for me! Swiss chocolate, Rembrandt tulips from the Netherlands (actually picked the bulbs up on a layover), a Nestle tote bag, and more chocolate!

My work trips were very tiring, but still fun! We went out for nice dinners and I had a blast at the culinary training! We cooked some great dishes! I learned a ton! It was nice to visit one of our co-manufacturers and see how food is produced on a large scale.

October was packed with Joel traveling for work and hunting. The morning of the Colorburst tour, my car wouldn't start due to a dead battery. I had to have it towed and a new battery put in. I was very upset about missing my ride, but maybe next year. We took another trip to the U.P in the end of October. It was rainy again, with a snow flurries a couple of times. We kept a fire going in the cabin all weekend and watched a lot of movies. We always love the time we spend up there!

November brought a new step in our lives. At the end of October, Joel's contract was renewed with Nestle. We decided to start looking for houses closer to work. We found one in Hesperia that has 20 acres, a creek that runs through the back yard, is surrounded by the Manistee National forest, and a fantastic kitchen. We put in an offer, they countered, and now we are waiting if they accept our final offer.

Today is December 3rd! How crazy is that! 2 weeks and I turn 24 & Joel 29. Then Christmas is right around the corner! Tonight we also had a crazy experience with a squirrel getting stuck in our basement. We tried chasing him out and he kept jumping right at me to go in the opposite direction! My poor little heart was racing! Too much excitement for one night!

Culinary training


Castle Rock, St. Ignace. Great View!


Aunt Kara with Caden, Sept. 22nd, 2013


Brotherly love! Too cute!