It all started in 2012 when Kaylee entered 7th grade and secretly always had a crush on Mitch, who was a senior at the time. Fast forward several years and both attended The College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, with Mitch graduating just one year before Kaylee started her freshman year there. Although they missed each other by a year in college, they happened to bump into each other once or twice along the way. One night, Kaylee went out to eat at Red Lobster in Duluth, and Mitch was her server! They talked about their classes and experiences at CSS that night, specifically the American Sign Language class as they soon realized they had the same professor. Neither one of them ever thought they would ever end up together at this time!

Fast forward to May of 2023, when Mitch decided to randomly snap Kaylee one night after a couple drinks of liquid courage and a pep talk from Troy. Their first date was to Looney’s bar for a couple drinks and then to Kaylee’s cabin to hang out with the dogs. It really made for an ice breaker as Dalvin chased Luna right into a tree the first time they saw each other. It also made for a great memory when Kaylee’s Aunt Heather and Uncle Joe pulled up to the cabin and busted Kaylee and Mitch hanging out before anyone else knew they were a thing. Kaylee remembers having coffee and talking with Joe afterwards and he told her “daughters always find someone who reminds them of their dad, and now I think you’ve officially found someone like your dad!”

From here, Kaylee and Mitch enjoyed summer activities at their family cabins like jet skiing, hot tubbing, and hanging with their dogs of course. Kaylee lived in Duluth at the time and Mitch was back home in International Falls, so they did long distance for a few months before Kaylee, Dalvin, and Dot moved in with Mitch and Luna in October (although Kaylee denied she was moving in with him for a while). From here, they enjoyed the fall together by taking the dogs bird hunting, 4 wheeling, and even visiting North Dakota to go pheasant hunting. They also adopted another kitten along the way (Elmer) and soon Mitch joined Kaylee in being a crazy cat person.

On the night of February 27th, Mitch asked Jimmy to come over to the house for some oatmeal balls and to look at the newly renovated wall and stairs. After months of Jim grilling Mitch about buying a brand new snowmobile, Mitch finally confessed why he hadn’t bought one- he bought a ring instead. Mitch waited about an hour after asking Jim before he asked Kaylee to marry him in their house. He confessed this wasn’t his original plan, but it was hard to wait any longer. Both Dalvin and Luna cooperated so nicely and were sitting down beside Mitch when he asked (there may or may not have been their favorite toy involved with getting them to cooperate). It couldn’t have been a more perfect moment!

We cannot wait to celebrate our big day with all of our loved ones!