Merry Christmas

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas!  We celebrated both in Holland and Cadillac this year.  We are so blessed to have such amazing and loving families!

Some of the memorable events from this Christmas:

• Sam and Annie Lou got giant floor sized puzzles including a solar system puzzle.  We were amazed to hear all about space from Annie Lou.  She is a little genius!
• Bruce got terribly sick and threw up about a dozen times.  Right before we were going to take him to the emergency vet he threw up a stuffed animal leg and about a fist sized ball of stuffing.  After that he was cured! (Dumb dog)
• Josh's mom finally got an iPhone.  I think she was the last adult in the United States to not have a cell phone.  Excited to be able to text her!
• We got to watch Yan and Kai open some of their presents via Skype.  I am thankful for this technology, but wish I could have seen them in person too!
• Gas is under $2!  I can't even remember the last time I saw this.  It's a Christmas miracle :)

'Tis the Season

Sunday, December 7th, 2014

Wow!  It has been quite a while since we have updated.  Thanksgiving has come and gone and Christmas is just around the corner.  We had a double Thanksgiving this year.  We began by celebrating at my Aunt and Uncles house (thanks for letting us use your house Norma and Tim!) and followed it up by having another Thanksgiving in Cadillac.  

One of the things that I have struggled with living in our tiny duplex is not being able to do much holiday decorating.  We don't have room for a real tree, but we have made do with a small 2ft tree and a few scattered decorations.  Stockings are hung on the window sill and hoping that one day we get a fireplace.  Maybe next year!  

-Laura and Josh

Happy Halloween!

Monday, October 27, 2014

While I have had many different costumes throughout the years, some good, some terrible (Josh will never let me live down the year I was a Christmas tree), Josh has been a pirate every single year since I have known him (10 years!).  This year he decided to change it up and we splurged for a couples costume.  Josh came up with the idea of a greek theme and we settled on "Medusa" for me and "Greek Man Turning to Stone" for him.  We dressed up for a Halloween party last weekend and had a great time.  We are already planning our next year's costume!  Here's a pic of this year's costume and a flashback to a college Halloween (notice the pirate...)

-Laura

A Night at the Raceway

Saturday, September 20, 2014

We went down to Hazel Park (or Hazel-tucky as some say) to visit Jesse and Michelle.  While we were there we went to the Hazel Park Raceway to watch the horse races and do some betting.  We thought it was going to be a bad night after the first horse we bet on threw his jockey off right out of the gate. It ended up being a great night.  Although we didn't beat our record of winning six races in a row, we did come out ahead $3 and had a lot of fun.

-Laura

Wrapping Up the Wedding

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Our final wedding activity took place a few weeks ago in Cadillac.  At first I thought it was kind of strange to have a shower after the wedding but it turned out to be perfect.  We even had a chance to play the wedding video of the ceremony so people who weren't at the wedding got to see that special moment too.  Thanks to all who attended the shower and a special thanks to Karen (Josh's mom) who planned a great shower!

-Laura

My Sweet Summer is Gone

Sunday, September 7, 2014

It was so sad to say goodbye to August.  It was such a wonderful month full of fun events and of course our wedding! It was also full of scary/sad events like Dad needing surgery to remove his gall bladder and the passing of Crockett, Josh's family dog.  Overall though, I just can't believe the summer is over.  It seems like yesterday we were just starting to plan the wedding!

Things are getting back to normal with both of us back to work now.  We were able to enjoy a fun weekend visiting Lauren and Andrew and meeting their new puppy Ollie (short for Olivandra).  Josh got some love from her roommate's pup.  Here's to more fun fall weekends ahead!

-Laura

Wedding Photo Booth

Sunday, August 10, 2014

We are so happy that Lauren, my maid of honor, was able to set up a photo booth for the wedding reception.  We just got a chance to look through the pictures tonight and they are hilarious!  I think about 90% of the pictures were taken by Sam or Annie Lou :)  Click the link below to see some of the pictures!

-Laura

Click HERE for Photo Booth Pictures

Wedding Photo Preview

Friday, August 8, 2014

The wedding photo preview has been posted on our photographers blog.  Click the link below to see the entire set of preview photos.  We are so thankful that Jacqui was able to be our photographer.  She did an amazing job and captured the beauty of the perfect day. As I look through these pictures I realize it is going to be so hard to pick a handful to have printed and framed.  They are all so beautiful!  When I get the entire set of photos I will post our favorites.

-Laura

Click HERE to see the rest of the photo preview!

The Homestead

Monday, August 4, 2014

Josh and I just finished enjoying a mini honeymoon up in Glenn Arbor at The Homestead Resort. We attempted the Dune Climb (we made a pact to try to make it further next time) and enjoyed skipping stones on Lake Michigan at sunset.  The Homestead was absolutely beautiful and we enjoyed having the place practically to ourselves. Back to real life now, but with tons of lasting memories!

-Laura

Mr. And Mrs. Leask

Saturday, August 2, 2014

It's official!  We're married! More pictures to come later :)

-Laura

Rehearsal

Friday, August 1, 2014

Wedding weekend is finally here!  We had our rehearsal today followed up with a dinner at Lakeside Charlie's.  I think the most memorable moment of the rehearsal was Bruce chasing Sam (I suppose it would be quite scary to see an animal over twice your size running full speed after you). He recovered quickly though and enjoyed playing in the minature garden with Annie Lou.  We are ready for the big day!

-Laura

Leask Family Reunion

Sunday, July 20, 2014

 We had a wonderful weekend up in Alpena at the Leask Family Reunion.  It was so great to see everyone and to enjoy some time on Long Lake.  Bruce spent the entire weekend having a blast with the kids and eating numerous table scraps (we caught him with an entire venison sausage!).

Before leaving Alpena we had to make a stop at Rockport State Park.  Josh said he could have stayed there for hours looking for fossils and enjoying the scenery. It was beautiful!  Til next time!

-Laura

Fourth of July

Friday, July 4, 2014

Happy Fourth of July from Higgins Lake!

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