Happy Holidays to everyone! This year was, well…
Big.
Very big.
But let’s start from the beginning, because Aarica and I had an amazing, challenging, sometimes-stressful, and all-around life-changing year, and we have a lot to cover!
We knew since I proposed at the end of 2016 that we would be getting married in 2019, when Aarica’s family would be returning from Japan. This gave us time to save some money and get Aarica’s braces off, which she was very excited about! They were officially removed in January.
As soon as we knew they were coming off, we set up a time with Kristi from Hillside Studios to take our engagement photos in February. I think she would be justified in calling herself the Rice family’s official photographer at this point. She did a fantastic job!
Aarica finished her first year of teaching in May with the fourth graders at Shawsheen Elementary in Greeley. As such, our schedule still bows to the whims of the school year, but we were able to use Spring Break to go on a road trip to the Grand Canyon.
We stopped by the Four Corners as well, which was exceptionally well-labeled.
And stopped by Albuquerque to revel in all of the Breaking Bad locales!
We went to the candy store that made the “blue meth” for the show (I’m cool and you know it)
Then we went home and gave Emmett more attention than he probably wanted.
This is when we started house-hunting, because we got the insane idea in our heads to get married and not just buy, but build a house in the same year. But we didn’t worry about the repercussions of our actions, we were busy meeting Catana and John, creators of Catana Comics! They were at a convention in Denver in April.
In May we saw Rise Against on their acoustic Ghost Note Symphonies Tour, which proved that they can actually do anything and are, objectively, the best band ever (again). We also saw a Beatles tribute band and Misterwives in concert this year.
In June we had a quiet celebration of our four-year dating anniversary. But quiet is who we are and how we like it, so it was kind of perfect for us.
Emmett didn’t want us to leave. He was alarmed at the thought, in fact.
And then the wedding was almost upon us. For the bachelorette party, Aarica went to a paint-and-sip at Pinot’s Palette in Fort Collins with her bridesmaids, our moms, and her grandma.
For the bachelor party, my friends Nathan, Ian, and Ryan went white-water rafting, go-karting at Fort Fun, and played some fairly-aggressive rounds of Mario Kart with me.
And then, after all that waiting, the day was here! Aarica and I got married on August 3 with our friends and family in attendance. It was everything we ever wanted!
How did I get so lucky, again?
After the wedding, it was back to the old grind for us. It feels like we have been working on a never-ending todo list ever since! Aarica got her name changed (no small feat) and landed a job as a fifth grade teacher at High Plains K-8 school in Loveland, a much shorter drive from home. I took on new Developer Lead responsibilities at Radial, and am now the Lead on Plan to Eat, the smartest meal planning app around; WorkGrades, a job reference tool for candidates, employers, and recruiters; and Homer Energy, a solution for optimizing renewable energy systems like solar panels. Also I paid off my car, got a raise, and Radial doubled its revenue and staff size year-over-year, so that was cool.
Throughout all of this, we were also checking in with our realtor and the builders working to make our first house a reality. At the very end of October, we moved out of our Loveland apartment and into 3635 Candlewood Drive in Johnstown!
Emmett did not want to move at first…
Maybe they’ll unpack and put it all back if they can’t find me!
but his new climber and litter box made him warm up to the place pretty quick.
In November, we went to a Monet exhibit at the Denver Art Museum for Aarica’s birthday. I’m not very cultured when it comes to fine art, but Aarica very kindly showed me what’s what when it comes to Impressionist painting.
We also tried to stay engaged with our family and friends despite how crazy the year was for us, and how crazy it was for many of them! My dad, my sister Caitlin, and Aarica’s siblings, Karrisa and TJ, all got new jobs; Aarica’s family, Caitlin, and my mom all moved; Aarica’s family and Caitlin pursued new educational pursuits; we attended three weddings (the Sanders’, the Smiths’, and the Clouds’); my youngest sister, Meghan, moved out of our spare room and went on her religious mission; Aarica’s cousin, Felicia, had a baby with her husband, Jake; and Kat, my best man Nathan’s wife, is pregnant.
Taken on the trip to Estes Park with Aarica’s family
Busy enough for everyone? Wow. All the same, we squeezed in time to make breakfast for my mom and grandma for Mother’s Day, visit Estes Park with Aarica’s family, have Thanksgiving with my dad, grandpa, and uncle, and have a slightly-early Christmas party with Aarica’s aunt and uncle in Greeley. No wonder we’ve been ready for a break for months now!
Pictured: millennials smiling through their existential dread
All around it’s been an outstanding, but very busy, year. We are excited to see what our first full year of married life holds for us. Thanks again to everyone for their love and support!
Post number 63.