Our first date, and first time meeting in person, we spent April Fools Day exploring the food and sights in Milwaukee. This is from our afternoon coffee break.

This is the only photo from our first date either of us has with someone in it. I (Kate) didn’t want to have a photo that I’d have to delete later if things didn’t work out. Matt on the other hand just didn't think to take a picture.

Our second excursion date took us to Chicago! We spent the day eating good food, enjoying the sights on an architectural tour, and going to a wine tasting. Still no photos of us together, but we did have our first kiss that night.

Kate goes to visit Matt in Myrtle Beach over Memorial Day weekend! Matt was excited to play tour guide.

Spent the day in Charleston taking a horse drawn carriage tour, eating good barbecue, and going to a mixology class. I (Kate) drank a little too much of other things, not enough water, and got sick - thankfully Matt was an excellent nurse.

We decided to visit a sculpture garden on the hottest and last day of my visit. Matt had officially asked me to be his girlfriend the day before (Finally!) after I met his family.

Matt came to Kenosha for the Fourth of July and Kate’s birthday. It’s Kate Day! My birthday morning we had a build your own breakfast burrito brunch with my family. We stopped by other friends’ parties and were so tired we skipped the fireworks.

We enjoyed a Kenosha Kingfish game as part of Kate Day weekend.

We met friends in Milwaukee for dinner at a food truck park.

We spent the weekend in Milwaukee and discovered a fun bar with amazing cocktails.

We wanted to road trip in August, so we picked a few locations and made powerpoint presentations for friends to vote for their favorite. I (Kate) won and I started to book our trip to Baraboo/the Dells/Spring Green. We were excited to tour Taliesan, Frank Lloyd Wright's Wisconsin home, to learn about prairie style homes and early mid century modern design.

Immediately after touring Taliesan we went to the House on the Rock. What a contrast between the clean lines and nature to curated chaos!

We took a morning hike out at Devil's Lake after a great diner breakfast.

The afternoon was spent touring Driftless Glen distillery.

Our last day was all about the circus! We went to the Circus Museum in Baraboo. I had to take a picture with the snake lady, because I remembered it from a childhood vacation stop at the museum.

On our way to the Dells and Baraboo, we had stopped in Madison for dinner and ended up getting tiny tattoos at an event near the restaurant. Matt got his first tattoo. I've stopped counting.

Labor day weekend was spent in Myrtle Beach and on Myrtle Beach.

We visited an old plantation for history and tea.

Of course we hit up a Myrtle Beach Pelicans game in weather that could only be described as "sweltering".

We celebrated Oktoberfest in New Glarus, WI.

Daisy is steadily warming up to Matt. She especially likes it when he lets her scout the way in the car and when he shares his food.

Dinner at the local super club, a Wisconsin tradition.

Ten year anniversary party for DayBreak, Kate's church in Kenosha.

Pumpkins arent going to carve themselves. After pulling the seeds out, Matt strategically retreated to let the Alderks sisters carve award winning pumpkins (seriously, they won a contest at Matt's work).

Chinese lights festival in the Wisconsin chill.

On a roadtrip, Matt and Kate spent Halloween at Dolly Parton's Stampede - surprisingly this day was their christmas show, complete with angels from the ceiling and a live nativity broken up by horse riding tricks and a pig race. Pigeon Forge lived up to its name.

Along this roadtrip, Matt and Kate stopped in the Smoky mountains. Where live chickens invaded the rest stops, an elk stopped traffic on the highway, and the information center featured live banjo music.

Twas the night before the nutcracker and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring… at an underground tiki bar in Chicago

Christkindl Market in Daley square to connect with our Germanic Christian heritage

An evening at the Joffrey Ballet for the nutcracker.

Behold! A Christmas Party at Grandma Jeannine’s, where a festive time was had by all and Matt met even more relatives.

A Christmas Miracle! A delayed ring means an engagement shoot on Christmas Day - strategically hiding the left hand.

Chicago Botanic Garden and magical winter lights with special hot chocolate and endless plant themed sights. Ben and Charlotte stole the show.

Roadtrip with a very happy passenger. Daisy enjoyed constantly attempting to climb into Matt’s lap.

BrookGreen Garden is magical around the holidays - live bands and champagne.

So many giant trees, so many lights.

We bought a house! Construction should wrap up at the end of June (right after the wedding!)

Sold!

The Ring! A ruby set in yellow gold designed by Kate and her sister Maddie. On the drive back to Wisconsin, Kate found out the ring was done! Matt somehow didn’t and she had to tell him - which left little in the way of surprise - but no less in the way of excitement.

Sh said Yes! Even after Matt wiped out on an outdoor ice scalping rink alongside chilly Lake Michigan.

Axe throwing, just like our first date. Kate was much improved, not that anyone remembered her struggling to throw axes previously.