Andy Holt Has Graduated!

Hooray! Andy Holt has graduated and is very ready for the next chapter of life. Here are some cool pix. Featured are Andy and gal pal Anna, who introduced me to a wonderful Starbucks hot chocolate salty caramel expresso (thank you, dear Anna)! Also shown are Andy's friends John and Jeremiah, whom we felt quite at home with during an outing at Natt Spil in Downtown Madison, the Friday before graduation. The "foggy" Capitol and GEF 3 buildings provided a magical backdrop. The family picture after the ceremony includes Judy, Craig, Isabel and Zoe Zeman, Andy, of course, Ken and me. Iz and Zo made it through the entire ceremony! Thank you, Andy, for responding to text messages, so Iz could envision where you were seated! Finally, the tron image of Andy captures only the carefree joy, but not the huge cheers of the audience. Congrats, Andy. We are proud!

Ta Da!

So much fun opening presents and playing at the Zeman house, celebrating Christmas 2010! Below are pictures of Papa Jim, Ken, Isabel and Zoe. The Girls are shown enjoying Mama Judy's gift of Minnie Mouse pajamas. Zoe had fun playing peek-a-boo with tissue paper. Papa Craig, Grandma Kathy, Uncle Andy and Aunt Anna (not pictured) enjoyed laughing at the shenanigans!

Videos in Virginia

Here are a couple videos we've made. One is a video tour of our new home. The other is a Halloween video. Fabulous fun!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUH1t7w6KDg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6RBNtz4kn0

California is the Place To Be!

Here are Ben, Brianne and Ken at a restaurant/winery owned by Francis Ford Coppola. Yum! Grandma Kathy enjoyed entertaining Mackenzie and Madison with her hamonica and songs during our September visit.

Hanging Out in Sonoma, California

Not only did Mackenzie love the swings, but so did her daddy. Madison wondered why this strange woman was so happy holding her all the time.

Baby Madison was hungry again. During our visit, we could tell that Madison and Mackenzie are best buddies.

Bodega Bay

We hung out at the shops at a place on the Bay. Mackenzie LOVES her cookie. Madison LOVES her daddy!

September in California

Oysters! We had fun at a spot where oysters are caught and sold to the public. At grills at the site, customers can enjoy preparing their oysters and adding them to their picnic. Here Ben does the chef duties, while Brianne and Mackenzie go exploring.

Baby Madison takes a snooze. She also enjoyed dinner at the restaurant where Daddy used to work, in Healdsburg.

Beautiful Sunset

We are lucky enough to see beautiful sunsets off our deck. Quite refreshing!

Halloween Fun In Virginia

Ah, the joys of Halloween. Here are the entries for our neighborhood Halloween Party at the campgrounds. Our entry is at the far left; the winning entry is next to it. We had great fun playing a new game to us, Corn Hole. It was a costume party, and there were many laughs.

The President!

President Barack Obama came to the UW Mall in late September. I took the day off, to journey with Ken to see the event. If you look carefully, you will see a man in a white shirt addressing the crowd. Note the security detail on top of the library. It was a delighful, invigorating experience! Later, when we went to watch Andy's ultimate game, we saw Air Force One fly over the field.

Zoe's Birthday Party - Three!

Cupcakes and fun at the Country Inn Suites, in honor of Zesty Zoe! She enjoyed opening many presents, including a wonderful artist's box and some Minnie Mouse gifts. Isabel had fun decorating her mouth with the cupcake frosting!

The Holts

Baby Madison has not yet hit the scene, but here are the three lovebugs shortly before Madison's birth.

The Happy Sisters

Happy Days are here again! The two Holt sisters are grooving already!

Beautiful Sisters!

Madison and Mackenzie are good friends already! Mackenzie is a very good helper in caring for her dear baby sister.

A New Baby!

Here's Daddy Benjamin with his newborn daughter, Madison Brooke, born June 14, 2010. A beauty!

The Birthday Boy!

Ah, the joy of a birthday. Beautiful Brianne and Cutie Pie Son Benjamin hang out with family and friends to celebrate Ben's birthday. Mommy and Kando wish they could have been there.

Sweet Kenzie

Busy at play, Granddaughter Mackenzie has fun at her home in Vallejo. Soon she will be living in Benicia - hooray! Grandma Kathy and Gumpy miss her soooooooooooooo much!

Rest In Peace, Harold Popple

My father passed away at a nursing home in Beloit on February 6, 2010. So sad. He led an eventful life as a teacher, traveler and adventurer. Although he did not leave this earth with a coffee cup in one hand and the newspaper in the other, as he wished, his death was not painful. He was surrounded by his children hours before he passed. Sister Michele and I sang many songs to him. He is direly missed, but I am grateful he is at peace, dancin' up a storm up above, holdin' Mom's hand.

Picture Display

Many picture boards were viewed by over 100 people attending Dad's wake in Beloit.

Hangin' Out at Grandma and Gumpy's

Here are son Craig and daughters Zoe and Isabel on a visit. The girls are watching a video. Zoe loves her "nay-nay," and Isabel loves her pink blanket. Daddy loves to read, as he doesn't have much time to read at home!

The Zo-Zo Busy At Work

Zoe is a good helper! Here she is wiping up our kitchen floor after she accidentally stepped in the cats' water dish.

The IZ Loves Biffy Boo!

Isabel loves to create special forts for our cat Biffy. Biffy is quite a good sport.

House of Burgesses

Ken and I enjoyed a tour of this old building. It was quite entertaining, in that the tour guide was dressed in period costume and engaged the tourists in role-playing.

Williamsburg, Virginia

Note the name of the mapmaker - Henry Popple. This map is on the wall of the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg. Ken and I enjoyed a tour of the historic area of the city in mid-March. Henry is an ancestor of my father.

California Here We Come!

On New Year's Eve day, Gma Kathy, Gumpy Ken and Uncle Andy traveled to California to visit son Benjamin, Brianne and Mackenzie during the grand opening week of the restaurant Lucca Fr in Benicia. Here's Gma Kathy standing outside the front of the restaurant. You can see the splendid restaurant logo on the brick wall of the interior.

Uncle Andy and Mackenzie

Uncle Andy and Mackenzie enjoyed hanging out with Grandma Kathy and Gumpy Ken at their Ramada motel room for a couple of hours on New Year's Eve afternoon. We picked up Kenzie at her daycare, meeting her teachers and classmates.Uncle Andy and Mackenzie check out one of the many cool books Kenzie has in her collection.

The Proud Parents

Below are Benjamin and Mackenzie at Lucca Fr. Ben stands at his post overseeing the kitchen staff in his role as head chef and expediter. Sweet Mama Brianne and Beautiful Kenzie are shown at their table in the restaurant. The restaurant's front door would be at the back right of the girls' picture.

Clamming IT

Below, Brianne buys some clams at a popular spot where she and Ben and Mackenzie had visited before. There are facilities to grill the clams right on the premises, plus a sandy beach to frolic in. That evening, Brianne and Andy grilled the clams on the patio of Ben and Brianne's duplex. Yum! They were served on a layer of goat cheese on toasted baguettes.

Let the Games Begin!

Here Gumpy Ken and Mackenzie enjoy a game of cards. Cousins Isabel and Zoe gave Kenzie several fun Princess games for Christmas. Kenzie caught on quickly to the games, and there were a lot of smiles and fun playing them...Bingo, checkers, Old Maid, etc.