Winter hybernation...not so much

There have been a lot of ads lately saying, Humans weren't meant to hybernate...and we couldn't agree more! While we are by NO means winter outdoor enthusiasts, we try not to let the winter slow us down, but rather, allow us to spend more time with family and friends during a season where people tend to slow down and be around a little bit more. As winter finally arrived in Minnesota, this January we've done just that!

The thing that excites me most about winter in MN is BY FAR hockey season! We enjoyed a Gopher hockey game with Frankie and Gretchen earlier this season, which despite the Gophs losing to Notre Dame, was actually a ton of fun. We then celebrated 'Hockey Day MN' with our own version of 'Hockey Day Eden Prairie.' Every year that I can remember, my dad has built a hockey rink in our backyard during the winter.

That was up until 3 years ago, when Joe left for college. However, the rink has returned this year, as Kensley turned 3 in November, and in the McQuillan family, 3 is when you learn how to skate! My dad and brothers have also taken this as an opportunity to teach Mike some of the basics of skating that I haven't been able to in the past...like stopping for instance! I just twirl to stop, and he is not having that...his hockey stops are starting to look good :)

 

 We have also been lucky enough to spend some time hanging out with friends. From a road trip down to Iowa to visit Matt and Annie Brandt and their new place, to dinner with friends while Nick and Kaleigh Hitsman were visiting, we've really enjoyed the time spent with everyone! We're looking forward to many more weekends with friends and family this winter, as well as a few trips to escape the cold, including our Honeymoon in the Domincan Republic in February, and trips to Mexico and South Carolina in May and June to celebrate the weddings of friend. We feel so lucky to have so many great people in our lives to share the cold and warm months of MN!

A grown up 2012...sort of!

Ringing in 2012 started and ended with some more "grown up", we're in our upper 20's type activities, and the middle was maybe a little less refined, but hey, we are still in our 20s in general!

We kicked of NYE by hosting dinner for a group of friends at our house. We spent Friday night before NYE cooking a 3 pound brisket, which we then put in the crock pot the next day. I was a little nervous that it would dry out, but it ended up being pretty delicious! Everyone else brought some delicious sides and desserts, and it was a pretty great feast in general!

The night went on, and we rang in the new year with some cocktails and noise makers (note, turns out our fearless dog is in fact afraid of loud noises...who knew?!). Overall, it was a great night, and we feel so lucky to have such good friends!

On new years day, we had a trial run as parents, when my niece and nephew Kensley and Mason came over for the night! It was SO much fun, except maybe the party in Mason's crib at 3am, but I'm not going to lie, I did enjoy his cuddles in the wee morning hours quite a bit...plus his smile in the morning can make you forget anything that happened a few hours earlier!

We also had a fun dress up party while Mason was sleeping...she's going to be a dancer just like her Aunt Katie!! Overall, it was a great start to what we hope to be a fantastic year!!

Top 11 of 2011!

Mike and I thought that we would count our blessings and than share them with all those who read our blog! We feel so blessed to have had such an amazing 2011 and we cannot wait for the joys that await us in 2012! We wish the best for you and your families in the new year as well!

Number 11: New Buying Job at Target
This year I became a Buyer in the School and office department at Target. While I very much enjoyed my time in the hair care department (especially product testing) I have loved my new gig in the School and Office department. I started as the Writing Instrument, Planners, and Desk Organization Buyer in June of this year, and have been crazy busy ever since. I'm currently busy planning for next Back To School Season, so go and buy your pencils at Target in 2012!

Number 10: Deck Building

I would put finishing the deck...but we're almost there! Mike, his dad Jim, and a few very good friends dedicated many weekends to getting our deck put together...and almost finishing it! Looking forward to enjoying many nights grilling out, and enjoying a glass of wine while reading a book out there!

Number 9: Meeting the Neighbors
We feel so lucky that we were able to meet so many of our amazing neighbors this year! We are so lucky that we moved into a neighborhood with couples that are near in age, and so nice! We have enjoyed many progressive dinners, a cookie exchange, and even a Christmas Bar Crawl and a "short bus" ride back south of the river with these great people!


Number 8: Renting out Mike's house in Owatonna

We put Mike's house in Owatonna on the market in January of this year, and after several months and only 4 total showings, we decided it was probably time to try a new strategy. We listed it on Owatonna Rentals, and had 3 showings and one official renter in 4 days! It has been great being landlords and being able to save some money!





Number 7: Trips to Baltimore and Philly

 We were lucky enough to be able to travel to the east coast a few times this year. First to visit Frankie while he was training in Baltimore for the Secret Service. We were also lucky to be able to travel up to Philadelphia while we were the to visit our friends Stacy and Zach who moved out there for work last year. We went out again to move Frankie home, and made it safely, although we ended up driving through the storm of the century! You may remember hearing about this super snow storm that covered almost 26 states...we drove through 10 of them! :)

Finally, we went back one more time this October for a friends wedding in downtown Baltimore, and got to see a bunch of friends from ISU! We also roped in one more trip up to Philly to see Stacy and Zach, and this time a few more of my EP high schools and their husbands/fiances joined us. It was a great time altogether!


Number 6: Bowling and Softball Champs!
This year we again were the champs of the Sunday night Mixed Bowling League at Tuttle's in Hopkins. We bowl with our friends Amy and Dave, and have been lucky enough to somehow manage to win this thing a few times...despite by 115 average! This year we also recriuted some more friends to join teams, and are loving being able to get together more often with everyone! We also joined a softball team this summer, and somehow managed to win the regular season in that as well...before we got our butts kicked in the playoffs! We're both looking forward to the season next summer!

Number 5: Piper Turned 1!
And settled down...yeah right! She is just as much a puppy as ever, but she brings unending joy to our lives...see earlier post! :)


Number 4: We celebrated our 1st married Christmas together

 We started out the season by doing some holiday baking. We made my Grandma Glasses sugar cookies in her honor. This was our first Christmas without grandma, as she passed away in February. We had some extra yellow icing, so we turned these little men into Cyclones!

 We celebrated the Harper Christmas Ugly Sweater style! We had a nice lunch and gift opening, followed by a party bus with the Farmington people to the roller derby for a few birthdays! It was a great time all around! We did the extended family with a trip to Wisconsin to visits Mike's Grandpa and Grandma Eng. We had a great time visiting with them and showing them our wedding videos!

We did the McQuillan side in a few waves. We got to do both extended sides this year, which was great since we missed both last year! We celebrated with the McQuillan side the weekend before Christmas and did the glasses on Christmas Eve! We had some great food at both places! We did the McQuillan immediate family Christmas Eve night at 10pm mass and then brunch Christmas day. Lots of games and good times all around! Mike and I love being an Aunt and Uncle SO much!


Number 3: Trip to London/Ireland
We travelled to London and Ireland in August of this year to meet my little brother Joe after his study abroad experience in Scotland. It was the most memorable trip I've ever gone on, and also ranks on the top of my list of the most beautiful places I've ever been (Galway, Ireland).

Number 2: We became Godparents!
On March 10th, 2011, our nephew Mason Francis McQuillan was born. He is the cutest, sweetest, and most well behaved baby I have ever met...we are totally in love!

Number 1: We got Married!
Best Year EVER!