Married Christmas! – Our 2024 Christmas Card
Hi everyone from the Koelzes!
We started off the year not quite at that point but with great friends from church none the less. We also enjoyed one good outdoor skate this year with them.
I (Katherine) had a wonderful time hosting a galentines get together at my home for church friends just after Valentine’s Day, complete with tea, cookies, and other delicious treats.
Unfortunately in February we also said goodbye to Grandpa Parkin, praise the Lord we were able to all go see him as a family just before he passed. Just 3 months after Grandpa G’s passing.
February brought my family’s side (Glader/Parkin) bridal shower along with my bridesmaids, such a wonderful time together.
March included a lovely Koelz side shower, and a wonderful church shower at GracePoint.
Nicholas and I even got the chance to go to a Swing Dance at the Mall of America just a couple weeks before our wedding!
April was our wedding! It was such a beautiful celebration and we’re so thankful to be moved into our home together! We loved celebrating our wedding and getting so many friends and family together.
Just a couple days after our honeymoon we left for our honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas and Grand Cayman! It was so nice to be in the sun and enjoy great food throughout the trip! We even enjoyed a great afternoon in Miami prior to boarding our ship!
Once we got back I was thankfully able to leave my job, it was nice to be a stay at home wife for a little bit and get our home organized and put together.
Thankfully in late May I found a bank teller position which has been great. I have great coworkers, and a pretty good commute.
In June we enjoyed a camping trip to Taylor’s Falls area. Our first camping trip together, and a first camping trip for me in probably over a decade, and the first for him in probably about 5 years.
July brought our nephew Zeke’s birthday party, it was fun to celebrate and I (Katherine) got to even spend time with both my grandmas at the party – cause let’s be honest – they’re the ones who bring the party.
In late July I (Katherine) enjoyed a evening at church where the congregation got to enjoy riding bikes, scooters, and for me, my unicycle around the church parking lot, I even got my unicycle blessed by the church’s affiliated chapter of Christian Motorcyclists Association! I also got to enjoy a MNUFC match with my new job at the credit union with Nicholas, my folks, and Jean, his mom. It was a beautiful night and our team even won 🙂
August brought a day trip to camp for me (Katherine) and my Mom and her Sister to Koronis (IYKYK) it was a beautiful day at camp and we even got to stop at an antique store while in town. It was great to see friends and family and enjoy time out on the water 🙂 in late August Nicholas and I took an evening ride to the MN state fair to enjoy just a few favorite eats.
Not to mention the other nephews birthdays in August! We enjoyed a beautiful afternoon on the creek in the backyard of Mackenzie (his sister) and Logan’s home, celebrating and seeing family.
We also enjoyed church volleyball during the summer months. We took a quick evening trip to the fair, as well as a wedding at the end of August!
September was a rather full month starting with a wonderful boating/camping trip to the beautiful Apostle Islands with Nicholas’ family for his littlest sister’s birthday, we had beautiful weather, the whole family was able to go, and we even got to cliff jump on Madeline Island!
Also during september we got to celebrate both my parent’s birthdays as a family, complete with pickleball, and pingpong.
Not to mention a wonderful friend’s birthday as well (below 🙂
October included a, thankfully short, trip to the hospital for Nick to alleviate some of his ongoing pain, thankfully he’s been feeling much better since, and praise the Lord he was home quick!
In October we enjoyed bonfire night at church with family and friends.
We also enjoyed a trip to the pumpkin patch.
November was wonderful! We enjoyed an election night party for our friend who ran for office with my parents and some of Nick’s close friends.
We were thrilled to host the first ever Swing Dance at our church GracePoint, we taught a short lesson and then enjoyed a social dance with friends and even some folks who had never been to our church before, what a great outreach opportunity it was!
In the middle of the month was our weeklong trip to Tennessee! We enjoyed museums, historic estate tours, many a Honky Tonk, antiquing, and so much great barbecue!
We enjoyed a Glader/Koelz Thanksgiving morning brunch, complete with the parade on the tv.
We got to go to Nicholas’ uncle’s home for turkey dinner and then went to my folks to join the Parkins for dessert.
We’re very thankful for a wonderful year, it’s had it’s hard times, but there’s been a heck of a lot of good too.
So wherever you’re at right now, whether you are single, adding to your family, seeing your kids grow up, newlyweds, or anything in between we wish you a merry Christmas from our first married Christmas.
With love, Nicholas & Katherine Koelz
