WE'RE MARRIED: The Ceremony

As some of you may have heard, Megan and I got married back on June 26, 2010 in Rochester, NY.  


These photos are all from James Schuck Photography.  He did great work and we're very excited to share them with you!



Megan as the bride



Grandma Kraus and the groom's father, Ken



Dave Bell and Rodd Moon



Sandy and Ron Behan



The groomsmen, Richard Bell Jr., Dave Bell, Rodd Moon, Mike Nummerdor, and Ronan Carroll.



Father Jack and I hanging out



Here comes the bride...  in Dolly the Trolley (completely the best way to travel by the way).






Bride's father, Richard Bell Sr. with Groom's mother, Luanne






As the sign says, these are ladies...  Liz, Angela, and Katie






Megan overseeing Marisa reading to Rachel









Waiting for the show to get started



A little bit of rain ended up working to our favor.  Ask our photographer!



The Dearcops



Marianne and her daughters



Groom's Aunts Maureen and Suzanne 



Grandma Kraus and groom's father, Ken Kraus



Groom's mother, Luanne, and Mike Nummerdor.  What happened to Rodd, wasn't he suppose to be here?



All the dudes...



Katie



Marisa



Angela



Lisa



Liz



Rachel (aka Tachel)






Sarah, the maid of honor






Father Jack and I decided we better come out and join the party.  There's nothing wrong with being fashionably late.  Rose Dandan has a nice picture of us running across the alter before the bride gets there...



SHE'S GOING TO BE MY WIFE!  Oh la la













Me and Mike Nummerdor





This is what I would have been doing if my wife-to-be didn't ban our camera from the wedding.  I'll show her how many photos I can take on the honeymoon...












Maureen Bell Hyde 



St. Thomas More Church



Suzanne Tallarico



Phil Konczyk doubles as a groomsmen and cantor.  What a deal!



Sorry guys.  We didn't get a picture of the "heavy metal stainglass."  Maybe I'll get that the next time I stop in.



Father Jack surprised us by hiring a singer to come up and sing Raise You Up by Josh Grobin.






all the ladies in the house















Mary is getting married soon in Florida!



Ron and Sandy bringing up the gifts






SHE'S STUCK WITH ME NOW!  















For one day only:  Mr. and Mrs. Kraus!



Sarah Marche (maid of honor) and Mike Nummerdor (best man)



Liz Donnelly and Richard Bell Jr.



Lisa Kraus and Dave Bell



Angela Lewonczyk and Rodd Moon



Marisa Marquez and Phil Konczyk



Katie Hammond and Ronan Carroll



Marianne Bittner, Richard Bell Sr., and Luanne Kraus



Grandma Marlyn Kraus, Ken Kraus, and Suzanne


Megan and I would like to thank everyone again for sharing in our special day!  For all the support, help, travel and everything else.  It meant the world to us.  Thanks again and more photos to come!!!

So Much Snow. So Very Much Snow...

Last I saw, we've received 41.7 inches of snow so far in 2010 in Rochester.  That's just 10 inches away from the record snowfall in December with expectations near 60 inches total for the month.  As for the "Golden Snowball Trophy" Syracuse is in the lead with 55 inches.  "What is this trophy?" you ask.  Well, it's a nature driven competition between Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, Binghamton, and Albany to see who gets the most snow.  Go to http://www.goldensnowball.blogspot.com/ for more information/



Oh bike.  How I won't see you until June.



It's been a long time since I've lived in a snowy climate.  Chicago gets snow, but not like Rochester or Muskegon.  What makes winter awful there is the bone chilling wind off the plains or Lake Michigan and the complete lack of wintertime activities because they have flat land as far as you can drive.  Maybe my wife will get me a sled for christmas...






So, I had 4 job interviews in a week.  All seemed to go well and were interesting in their own ways.  Certainly won't hear anything about them until after the holidays and the 2010 budgets are done.  Megan is out shopping tonight for gifts.  She'll be done by Modern Family is on.  Buffalo this weekend for dinner and It's A Wonderful Life on the big screen.  


I'm off to draw some pictures or something...

The New East Wing of the Eastman Theatre

The Eastman Theatre had their Grand Opening Dedication Concert for the new East Wing last night http://www.esm.rochester.edu/evolution/.  Above is a sculptural glass work by artist Dale Chihuly: http://www.chihuly.com/

Outside of the Eastman Theatre in downtown Rochester

New entrance to the East Wing 

The party

The food

the music

Kodak Hall (formerly Eastman Theatre)

During the construction, the theatre was also renovated

More views of the Dale Chihuly glass sculpture

Lots going on these days.  I've had three job interviews in the last week.  Interviewing seems to be my full time job, which is a good sign.  Dog sitting this weekend.  Going to Buffalo to see It's a Wonderful Life on the big screen next week.  Another job interview on Monday.  Lots of Christmas stuff to do.  So, keeping very busy...

It Isn't X-Mas Until They Light the Liberty Pole

In Rochestarian tradition, they lit the Liberty Pole for x-mas.  If you are like me, you ask "what does a pole have to do with liberty?"  Apparently, during the American Revolution cities that supported the cause would erect a wooden pole in their main squares.  Before this pole, there were two wooden ones at this site.  Here is a link to an overly exaggerated history: http://www.thelibertypole.org/history/history.htm


Here comes the tuba!



Festivities inside the warm Sibley Department Store Building



COUNTDOWN TO LIGHTING THE LIBERTY POLE!



TA-DA!






Megan and I's first Liberty Pole lighting together



The snow looks like stars



The parade to Manhattan Square Park



Rochester Mayor (Lieutenant Governor Elect of New York State) Bob Duffy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Duffy_(politician)) with Megan's friend Erica and her son Noah.  It's really nice to talk with a mayor of a city and he thanks you for moving to his town.  Well, you are welcome.  



Western New York is a lot like western Michigan.  I forgot what it was like to never see the snow stop falling...



Megan and I looking for the perfect Christmas Wreath for our little home at the Public Market






MEGAN FOUND IT!


Other than a couple of job interviews and finding out Megan is directly related to William the Conqueror, that's about it.  Now to watch the Bills...

CONGRATS TO MEGAN!!!

CONGRATS!!!

I promise this will be the last congrats to Megan on her job situation.  Promise...  She was the interim executive director of the Marie C. and Joseph C. Wilson Foundation (Xerox Family).  Then, was offered the Event Coordinator position at another great organization on a permanent basis.  Well, she did such a great job at the Wilson Foundation that they decided to not let her go.  She'll be the permanent Executive Director from now on.  So, everyone send Megan your best wishes as this is an opportunity of a lifetime.  I'm proud of you!