2016

2016 was a very busy year...

JANUARY & FEBRUARY meant trips to Nebraska and Minnesota to cheer on the Wayne State College Wildcats! (Dena's brothers have been coaching the women's basketball team there for the last 8 years.)

Kylee received a much anticipated letter congratulating her on being admitted to the University of Iowa Athletic Training Program.  She was ecstatic and relieved (after a very grueling application process) to find out she was one of 18 to be accepted out of 100+ applicants.

MARCH highlights included Kaden being confirmed as a member of St. John's Lutheran Church in Hubbard and Kaydi being crowned Hardin County Little Miss Pigtails.  

Chad and Dena spent spring break chaperoning Kaden's 8th grade class trip to Washington D.C.  Experiences included Gettysburg, Mount Vernon, National Archives, Ford Theater, Smithsonian Museum of American History, Jefferson Memorial, Roosevelt Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, a Capitol Tour, Library of Congress, Holocaust Museum, Lincoln Memorial, the White House, Marine Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Washington Monument, Arlington National Cemetery, Pentagon Tour, Pentagon 9-11 Memorial, Museum of Natural History and Air and Space Museum.  It was also memorable as we were able to meet up with Dena's cousin Randy and wife Rebbie.

 Kylee spent spring break in San Antonio, Texas seeing her boyfriend Gerrit VanMaaren graduate from Air Force Basic Training. 

APRIL started another year of spring planting for Chad.  He continues to farm with his Dad and brother Brent.  He stays busy with his pig nursery, cow-calf herd and farm ground.  He's still the secretary for the church voter's assembly, a member of the county pork producers and a 4-H leader.

MAY meant Kaden's graduation from 8th grade and no longer riding to school with his mom.  (Although he didn't mind as it meant he got to sleep in longer than if he would have rode the bus all those years!)  May also included a trip to Missouri to visit Chad's sister Tara's family and attend our nephew Konnor's confirmation.  May ended with welcoming our first niece, Riley Nicole Zoske, to the family.

JUNE= SUMMER VACATION   I'm always thankful that summer brings more time with the kids because I swear the schedule is even busier than the school year.
Kaydi attended several basketball camps including one in Wayne.  She enjoyed spending 4 days with her uncles Chris and Kelly.  When they weren't in the gym, time was spent at the swimming pool, parks and watching many movies.  She's already asking to do it again this summer.  June also meant Vacation Bible School, t-ball games, swimming lessons, library story time, lego club and parades representing the pork producers for Kaydi and baseball games, drivers education, volunteering at the library and countless hours of mowing for Kaden.  Kylee spent her days working at the pool as a lifeguard.

At the end of June, Dena and her parents, along with Kylee, their friend Justin, and Kaydi road tripped to Biloxi, Mississippi, to visit Gerrit where he was stationed at Keesler Air Force Base.  We enjoyed site seeing in Memphis, Tennessee, Biloxi, and New Orleans.  We spent time on the beach, watched dolphins play alongside the boats and learned about the local history including Hurricane Katrina.  As much as we loved this trip and area, we are extremely grateful that Gerrit is now stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska.  Thank goodness it is within driving distance from Iowa City!

With JULY came 4-H and county fairs.  Dena judges at numerous fairs and volunteers as the Hardin County Youth Committee Chairperson.   Chad volunteers as a leader for the Tipton Grant Toppers Club.  Kaden continues to show steers and Kaydi continues to love all animals and showed a pig, bottle calf and her dog Oreo.

At the end of July, Chad, Dena's Dad, and Kaden went on a week long Canadian fishing trip.  They stayed at Lukinto Lake Lodge near Longlac, Ontario and fished at a different lake each day.  Both the weather and fishing were good.  They ate fish every day and brought home their limit of walleye and many fishermen stories.

AUGUST = Back To School
We moved Kylee back to Iowa City to begin her second year at the University of Iowa where she is double majoring in Athletic Training and Dance.  Her hip seems to be doing ok; it hurts the most when she stands for long periods of time.  Thankfully it hasn't given her the problems that it did two years ago as she has stated many times that she can't survive without dancing.  She also continues to run for enjoyment.  This fall she LOVED having practicum experiences with the Iowa football, basketball and gymnastics teams.  Spring semester will find her with the Iowa City West High basketball and wrestling teams, the Iowa field hockey and tennis teams and at Apo Inc. working with prosthetic patients.  We know she will do well with these athletes and patients as people always bring up her friendliness, smile and positive attitude.

The day we moved her into her sorority we had a spur of the moment surprise.  Chad's cousin Borge and wife Sean invited us to their home in Homestead for supper.  We greatly enjoyed this evening visiting their family.

August also meant back to school for Dena who began her 21st year as a teacher at Hubbard-Radcliffe Elementary.  She has 34 preschoolers that she loves to spend her days with.   Evenings are spent keeping up with Kaydi.

Kaydi turned 9 in August and is in 3rd Grade at Hubbard-Radcliffe Elementary.  She stays very busy with gymnastics, volleyball, t-ball and basketball.  When she's at home she's busy crafting, baking or reading to her dogs.  She asks daily to see her baby cousin Riley.  People always comment about her humor and genuine kindness.

In SEPTEMBER Kaden turned 15!  He has passed all immediate family members in height except Chad but I'm sure by the time I write next year's letter he will have his Dad beat.  Kaden is a freshman at South Hardin High School.  He stays busy with 4-H, FFA, basketball, baseball and working on the farm.  He faithfully follows the Cowboys, Cubs and Spurs.  (wonder where he got this from?!  I think he talks to Dena's brothers more than she does!)  He's very quiet (compared to his sisters) and easy going; that is until he and his Dad start laughing and joking around.

OCTOBER belonged to the CHICAGO CUBS
Chad and Dena, along with Dena's brothers,  enjoyed a quick weekend to Chicago to see the Cubs win game 5 of the World Series.  Besides attending the game we loved taking in the Wrigley atmosphere before and after.  BEST GETAWAY EVER!!

November - more trips to Ames and Wayne to cheer on the Cyclones and the Wildcats along with games for Kaden and Kaydi.  We also went to a women's Hawkeye basketball game (gasp!) to see Kylee work her first event as an athletic training student.  Speaking of Kylee, she turned 20 in November.  Can't believe she is no longer a teenager.  Where has the time gone?

We hope this DECEMBER finds you having a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!