Deja 2015

JANUARY

We started off January at a party with friends. Champagne, games, food, and laughter. It was a good omen for the start of the year.

As a family, we took a ski trip to the UP of Michigan. It got Beerman and me back on skis, and showed C-man that there are some bigger hills out there than he was used to. Unfortunately, it was brutally cold, so we cut it a little short.

The big part of our January was about wrestling. It was a new sport for C-man, and dominated our weekends. Thankfully, he really enjoyed it, and it taught him a ton. Thankfully for me, it was a great group of families we really enjoy.

Also very important was our trip to see the Packers beat the Cowboys in the playoffs. It was also great for C-man to experience true Packers tailgating in Big Blue (the van) and a local funeral home parking lot.


FEBRUARY

In what is typically a slow month, this February was not really all that different. I did get a work trip to Northern California, with the chance to visit Facebook's inner workings - a dream come true.

And, of course, there was a lot more wrestling. C-man was inexperienced, but tough.

MARCH
March brought us Beasley the Old English Sheepdog. We didn't really like him, and he didn't really like us, but he did love his runs at the park. Which was great, because he was fat.

C-man turned 10. And broke his finger in wrestling. Both things he was very excited about when they first happened. (The cast lost its luster pretty quickly.)

The weather was typically February, but it was warm enough for us to take walks along the lake and start to emerge from our hibernation - always a welcome event.

APRIL
In April, we took advantage of a staycation Spring Break here and there and Chicago.

And then C-man got his cast off (FINALLY!). It might have been the best day in his life.

And meant he could do more than just catch in baseball. Which was nice, since the season officially began. And something clicked this year, because he was great.

Beasley's love for both the park and us increased, as his waistline decreased.

And then I sponsored a confirmation.

MAY
May was for baseball, and C-man continued to hit a ton.

Since May is my month, I got a bike with a basket for my birthday.

It also meant the installation of three new packages of bees, after having lost both of mine in the winter.


It also brought the annual school Jr Olympics.

And incredible band concerts.

JUNE

In June, we said goodbye to 4th grade.

Played more baseball.

Started to adjust to Beasley as a full member of the Rysewyk family.

Watched the bees grow and do their thing.

And start to really enjoy our Summer.

JULY
We spent the 4th with friends on the Lake.

Said goodbye to this year's baseball team with an All-Star game.

Hung out at the beach.

Added honey super boxes to my bees.

And went to San Francisco with my Mom and Sisters.

AUGUST
In August, we went to Packers training camp.


And State Fair.


We also got a 5th grader.

Who was back to playing football with more enthusiasm than ever.

And then I harvested some delicious honey. (No stings!)

SEPTEMBER

September got crazy with some football.

So we made some special time together as a family.

We fished and geocached.

And then watched C-man get his first-ever touchdown.

And I, well, I was in another play. Rumors, this time. (Never again!)

OCTOBER

October was yet more football.

And a Super Blood Moon Eclipse.

We had a great time with friends at another annual Fall Fest.

We saw the Packers win against the Chargers.

I went to NYC for work for a few days.

We ended the month by ending football in the cold, miserable rain.


And we celebrated Halloween with good friends.

NOVEMBER
We set up and took our annual Christmas card. Beasley got into it as a complete Rysewyk now.

We walked the Jingle Bell Run with a large group of supporters.

Taught C-man how to win at Cribbage.


And capped it off with a wish.

DECEMBER
We had the Pelot Christmas.

Beasley ran in the rain, and I documented it with my brand new camera.

We Chippewa-ed

And now we're skiing and heading to a friend's house for New Year's cheer. (But I'll share those photos after we're home.)

This year flew by in a blink. We were constantly busy, and C-man's sports made things, at times, frenetic. But we were fierce. We added Beasley to our lives, when we weren't sure we had space in our hearts to add another pooch for a while. We saw C-man attack new things with more maturity and intensity than we'd ever seen. And we laughed and loved more than ever. And we sports-ed. Boy, did we sports. So while next year looks to be about having adventures and experiencing newness, this year was about strength. And I'll take that.

If we are as blessed in 2016 as we were in 2015, I will have zero complaints.