baby it's cold outside...

We've been having fun with Cora's first cold this week...the resulting lack of sleep resulted in me trying to lock my office door (that only locks from the inside) with my car keys this week.

No, not the key part, the remote lock part.

Adventures in babysitting...,

J-Man and I having cocoa together...

and A-O rolling under the footstool...

oh well...1 out of 2 isn't bad.  

wait...don't I have a baby around here somewhere...hmmm.

this is why we can't be friends: nickname

Chatting with Andy online today...we are chatting about what meal we should fix to take over to my sister's for dinner on Tuesday...

Andy:

yep, sounded great

maybe we could make Italian beef sandwiches for MSJA

me:  

maybe

i emailed ash for the recipe

Andy:

we should come up with an acronym for them, like SOhJAM

 

JASMOH

me

i'll let you work on that

Andy

ASMOHJ

me

you are weird

Andy

your face is weird

 

this is why we can't be friends..

I'm special.

So I have my blog set up so that when I post a blog it sends me an email.  It is mostly so when I post from my phone I can be sure it works, etc.

So literally everytime I post a blog I hit "publish"

then usually pretty much immediately notice I have a new email and think..."huh I wonder who that is from"

then I look at it and learn:

yes. it is from me.  remember? I just published a blog.  

Seriously, this happens every time.

but not this time..this time I'm ready for it....mwuuaaa ha ha.  I got you good automatic blogger email!

i go to college: trophy

Jancey's find this morning on her way in to the office:

"Because if I had a truck I'd definitely have a trophy in the bed"

Maybe they were anticipating a victory on their last final?

and why wouldn't this fit inside the truck?

SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.

I'll have a blue Christmas....

I would like the thank the state of Kansas for sending me tips on how to "Avoid the Holiday Blues".  In an effort to pay it forward I am sharing their thoughts....along with some of my own plans to incorporate their suggestions:

What Causes Holiday Blues?

Many factors can cause the “holiday blues” - stress, fatigue, unrealistic expectations, over-commercialization, financial constraints, and the inability to be with one’s family and friends (or the inability to get away from one's family -- just kidding family of mine...or am i???). The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions, and house guests also contribute to feelings of tension (and people emailing you about having the holiday blues...that certainly can't help..). People who do not become depressed may develop other stress responses, e.g., headaches, excessive drinking (it's the holidays all year long for me, if this is the case...), over-eating (it's like they are talking just to me!!!), and difficulty sleeping. Even more people experience post-holiday let down after January 1st (these people are clearly forgetting the most exciting holiday EVER -- KANSAS DAY ON JANUARY 29TH.). This can result from disappointments during the preceding months compounded with excess fatigue and stress (and built up anticipation for KANSAS DAY).

Eliminate the Blues This Year:

Keep expectations for the holiday season manageable. Try to set realistic goals. Organize your time and prioritize the important activities. Be realistic about what you can and cannot do. Do not put your entire focus on just one day (i.e., Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day).  Remember, it is a season of holiday sentiment and activities can be spread out to lessen stress and increase enjoyment.

I will do this.  Realistic goal number 1: stop reading emails offering me "tips"   2: Prioritize by opening all of my gifts first.  3: try not to be especially happy on Christmas to avoid the let down.
 
Remember, the holiday season does not banish reasons for feeling sad or lonely.  There is room for these feelings to be present, even if the person chooses not to express them.

Just because it's Christmas doesn't mean I can't be sad if someone ate the last cookie that I wanted for myself.
 
Leave “yesteryear” in the past, and look toward the future. Life brings changes. Each season is different and can be enjoyed in its’ own way. Don’t set yourself up for comparing today with the “good ol’ days.”

Hmm. I guess no room for thoughts like "remember when I was a little kid and I woke up Christmas morning and was so excited to see that Santa had come and all the presents under the tree"  NEIN, no place for that at Christmas.

Do something for someone else. Try volunteering some time to help others.

Can I count this courteous posting?


Spend time with supportive and caring people. Reach out and make new friends, or contact someone you have not heard from for awhile.

This suggestion is silly.  I hate making new friends. I think I'll just ignore this one. 

NO WAIT -- what if I just give my current friends new names????  If I call you something different next time I see you this is what is going on.

Save time for yourself! Recharge your batteries!  Let others share in the responsibility for the holiday activities.

Yea, let others share the responsibility.   Buy yourself presents - - I'm getting a massage.

i go to college: finals

It's finals week on campus.  Let the procrastination begin...

case 1:  ag ambassador alerx was in my office just now....trying diligently to figure out how best to make the 8 Harry Potter movies fit into the 5 days this week...

For those of you procrastinating right now...here are some of my favorite December posts of blogs gone by:

  

Throwback to my finals days

the birth of hmmm. interesting

still don't get this...

why did i get married?

sorry boss, this was from a few years ago...

it is almost a burden being this funny...truly

Cora looks at me this way now...i'm beginning to think it isn't them...

I STILL HAVE FRED IN MY DESK!!

No, seriously, why did I get married?

enjoy...

oh you guys crack me up...

see, some people think i'm funny.

of course if you look at the picture below, she also finds me horrifying.  hmm.

do we add money to her college fund or her therapy fund?

Like mother, like daughter?

No, seriously. I feel like I have to stop myself from making this same face like 10 times a day.

It's like "what are you doing?" + "get away from me" + "you are horrifying me with your presence" + "I think you might be a zombie sent here to attack me" + "what could you possibly be thinking"

Wordizzle from baby j: growing up

Our little guy is growing up...

Hmm interesting: we bought a zoo

Saw this driving down the interstate today... SO many questions. One can only assume its for an African animal themed Christmas display...

Cora says...

SHHHHH! Evelyn, don't move or make eye contact and they will go away...

Holy sweet potato, batman!!

Cora is thrilled that this sweet potato is almost as big as her. SHOCKINGLY, she was not QUITE as thrilled as her daddy was.

Christmas gift idea...

Looking for a gift for all your loved ones this Christmas... Check out this great do it yourself idea my sister-in-law found...

I really have to wear this hat? Seriously?

Stages of waking up...

thank you Kansas wheat field farmer...

So it is hard to eat with a 6 week old constantly demanding your attention...so I decided to package some snack bags for myself to grab easily....

mid way through my snack packing I realized I was packing:

Wheat Chex

Wheat Thins

Frosted Mini Wheats

......

I may have a problem.  What can I say, wheat is delicious.

i go to college...

"I go to college" contribution from my super funny friend Tyler, who I currently rocking physical therapy school....

So the YMCA is opening a new parking lot across the alley from our school. Like any college, parking is limited.

 I do not know how this happened. The lot is NOT open yet, so NO cars were parked in it. A first year PT student was driving across the EMPTY lot...... and somehow ended up like this.

How do you not see this? How fast are you going to get your little car over that ramp? How embarrassing is it to come ask your peers to help you lift your car out because you can't drive it out?

Er.... How did you get into PT school?

So many questions.

Mommy is...

So funny.. (insert eye roll)... Earlier today she said I was "working my tail off" during tummy time. Then she laughed because I was wearing these ridiculous pants with a cow tail...

So of course I had to pretend to laugh....

But really I was thinking...sheesh..I don't know how many more days I can take stuck with this lady....

who's your daddy?

Trying to decide what to call this new blog feature...for now it is "who's your daddy"....it will be dedicated to those events, occurrences, and ideas spearheaded by Andy that will probably scar Cora for years to come...let me know if you have ideas for what it should be called!!

Exhibit A: giving Cora a mustache with my hair...Andy went through a phase of trying to get me to do this all the time...and he just realized Cora would be unable to stop him...

if you build it....

The shop building is coming along...

Even Cora is getting in on the action..

smokin' 2012

Cora's first road trip was our annual pilgrimage to Atwood for the Smokin' on the Beaver BBQ contest.  We all had a great time --

Stayed at some great cabins by Lake Atwood:

A great location to walk to the BBQ contest. 

 Of course there was plenty of good food from pancakes to caramel brownies to all the smoked deliciousness...

Getting his ribs ready to turn in..

Jake preparing one of his entries:

Smoked turkey for dad's open class entry

Shawna and J-dizzle having fun

The whole crowd having a great time!

Can't wait for next year!

don't drink and drive

My cousin Andra teaching the kids valuable lessons about drinking and driving...

This is why we can't be friends: road trip

So we are on our way to Atwood for the annual Smoking on the Beaver BBQ contest... Andy is passing the time by telling us how many people with the same first name he has in his phone contacts.... Apparently our non responses only encourage him to continue.

He has 8 people named William in case you were wondering. What? You weren't? ME EITHER.

This is why we can't be friends.

Sent from my iPhone

That's how we roll...

Our stuff for our trip to A-town this week end... From left to right -- Andy's bag, my suitcase, Cora's stuff... Plus he carseat and diaper bag...

That's just how we roll these days...

Baby gameshow

New baby game show Cora and he cousin Alex are playing with me....called who made that noise?...And which end did it come out of?

Sent from my iPhone

Picture this

It's fairly amazing how many different photos that are pretty much exactly the same I NEED to keep taking with my phone... Here is a little sample...

Sent from my iPhone

Baby weight

Hard to believe Cora is almost a week old! And because we couldn't wait 1 more day to see her weight at the doc...Andy rigged up our kitchen scale.

Classy? Yes. Yes, we are.

Sent from my iPhone

Cora Jean Klein
7 lbs 2 oz
September 3, 2012

She's still trying to figure out who these weird people are...

Sent from my iPhone

this is why we can't be friends: what's in a name?

So, we are still working on the whole naming our baby thing...

(yea, we know, time is getting short)

Last night Andy said, 

"So I have a new strategy for naming the baby"

Me: ......

Andy: "Do you want to hear it?"

Me: .....

Andy: "Okay, so I was thinking that we should look for names that mean "one with the beard" or "one with a beard"

Me: .....

this is why we can't be friends.

this is why we can't be friends: jokes

Email from Andy today:

What is black and white and blue all over?

A skunk in the north pole!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha! I know you’re laughing really hard too.

oh my. this is why we can't be friends.

I remember laughing when we planted our corn this year that it would be ready to harvest at pretty much the same time the baby is due....

So, yea, last night we picked and froze corn...

eek.