Kleinlife 2016: A year in review

2016 -- the year our blogging slowed...then stalled...the died.

For us, 2016 is summed up in 5 words.

"we worked on the house."

But we've also had a few other things happen...here's our 2016 year in review:

January:  

Cabinets arrived a the new house....here is the first one going up!

and more and more and more!

We also enjoyed one of the only snowfalls of the year...

And officially ate in our new dining room on an actual (kids) table!

Andy also started a NEW JOB -- as a Water Quality Forester for Kansas Forest Service.

February:

February saw our (nearly) completed kitchen... 

and lots of little things happening!

March:

(Andy's) Uncle David and Aunt Carol were able to come down and trim out the house for us!  Amazing how having things like window trim...and ya know, doors, makes a house feel real.

It was also a great thing to finally get a railing and no longer have a baby death trap in the middle of the floor!

We started unpacking a few things as the kitchen and trim were done...

And spent the first night in the house on Easter Eve.  

We were worried that waking up to candy all over the house after our first night there may have set some unreasonable expectations...

but we were all so excited to finally be living there, it didn't matter.

April: 

After moving in there was still a TON of work to do...the kids became full time supervisors.

May:

In late spring we began to enjoy all the outdoor space at the new digs

June:

June is always a busy month for work and play..and the work on the house continued.

lots of fun outside!

July: 

With most of our bigs projects getting close to wrapping up we took our first vacation in 2 years and spent some time at the family home in West Virginia.

In house news...our clock finally came to live with us:

August:

In August we continued to get the house organized, cleared enough boxes out of our basement for Cora to set up here play area:

We, of course, loved the olympics:

and beautiful Kansas sunsets.

Cora also started pre-school.

September:

Our favorite spunky girl turned 4!!

We all finally started feeling settled in the new digs.

Spent A LOT of time riding bikes.

and traveled to Virginia for a dear friend's wedding.

October:

We enjoyed lots of warm weather as summer ended...still getting lots of time to play outside.

And used the earlier nights to work on getting the house organized.

Of course K-State football is always a part of our fall.

I also started a new job as Assistant Dean in the College of Agriculture.

We FINALLY OFFICIALLY closed on our house.  bye bye construction loan.

And we got into the halloween spirit.

November:

Bode is TWO -- somehow...

We were excited to spend more than full week in Minnesota for Thanksgiving and had lots of snow to play in!

December:

We are having so much fun decorating for Christmas and celebrating in our new home.

Still a lot to do, but our own schedule now.

It's been a busy, fast, exciting year!  We are excited for 2017!

No lunch. No socks.

One of those days.  A kid in your bed when you wake up and dress in the dark, morning events that result in a quick shower for the 4 year old, rushing out the door to make an 8 o'clock meet.

equals no time to pack a lunch...and realizing half way to the office you forgot to put socks on.

TGIF.

she said she said

while driving to church.....

Cora: What are you doing momma?

Me: Looking for a kleenex.

Cora: why?

Me: Why do you think?

Cora: What did you say?

Me: Why do you think?

Cora: What did you say?

Me: Why do you think?

Cora: What did you say momma?

Me: silence

Cora: Momma, what did you say?

Me: nevermind.

Cora: tell me what you said.

Me: silence

Cora: Momma, I want to know what you said.

Me: I said, "what do you think?"

Cora: about what?

.......

Andy: <>

Cora: what are you doing?

Andy: getting momma a kleenex.

Cora: she already got one.

Andy: no, she couldn't find one.

Cora: why?

Andy: I'm getting her a kleenex so she can...wash her hands.

Cora: no, kleenexes are to blow your nose.

ALL DAY. EVERY DAY. WITH A ALMOST 4 YEAR OLD.

Clearly too much time...

So two people have asked in the past week if there is a way to get emailed when new posts are added to the blog...

clearly they have too much time on their hands and need to find a hobby.

but who am I to judge if they want to waste their time here?

Remember guest bloggers for "hmm interesting" and "I go to college" are always welcome! :)

Sign up over here -------------------->

this is why we can't be friends: the next generation

Cora likes to sing in the car.

She's mostly into "mashups" where ya know, she pieces different songs together at will.

This week on the way home she said, 

"you know what song we haven't sung in a long day?"

(please let me always remember that she said "long day" instead of "long time)

Proceeds to sing song she made up that I've never heard....song mostly made up of the word: choo choo

"Do you remember that song, Momma".

Uh no.

"SING IT!"

Uh, okay.  <>

Immediately hit with intense verbal assault about how I'm singing it wrong.

repeat for ten minutes until we get home.

meet this is why we can't be friends the next generation.

This is why we can't be friends: phat

Tonight:

Andy: I'm getting fat, I weighed myself.

Me: how much did you weigh?

Andy: almost 170

Me: Most of that is probably beard anyway

Andy:.... I never thought of that. Now I'm just proud.

TIWWCBF

(This is why we can't be friends)

155 never looked so good!

Kansas is 155 years old.  It is Kansas Day, the day of days.

Kansas Day has become sort of "a thing" in my life.  Not just because I remember all the fun things we used to do in elementary school for Kansas Day -- Kansas Day songs, making butter, dressing up as pioneers, vising the museum, putting on plays, etc.  but because sharing the Kansas Day love with college students has sort of turned into a tradition.

Of course it really started here; then of course last year there was this: 

This year the tradition has moved to a new generations of students...from Missouri....who kindly left what I can only assume are Missouri turtles (they all seem very unhappy) all over my door.  Although, I have to say I really appreciate the dedication our Missouri friends take to learn more about our great state!

I also received a great card and even better phone call from the original Missourian ringleader of this whole thing.

And lastly some pretty sweet Kansas gifts from a good friend.

on top of that...61 and sunny in January.  A pretty great Kansas Day!

I go to college: fight or flight

By the time you are a super senior there are a lot of things you don't care about anymore.  Fitting in, doing what everyone else is doing, etc.  You feel more free to go your own path...

Like student A, who was leaving class and you notice an "exit" door closer to where he was no one else seems to be using.  So casually walks up to the door.  Doesn't notice an "emergency exit" sign.   Sim he opens the door, and an alarm sounds.  <> but alarm is still going off.

He can hear people talking about the alarm and has to make a decision.  So of course, like anyone would, he decides to make a run for it.  So he bolts.  Out of the door...where he has to push away snow built up on the other side.  Jumps the low bushes on the outside of the exit door and runs.

So if you were walking by and saw some guy running breakneck speed away from a building with an alarm going off...what would you do?  Yup, so some girls start running too.  Now they are all running ..so they ask him "what's going on?"

"nothing...NOTHING...just,running..ya know running to class"

ducks into library and walks around a bit before discreetly slipping out.

"looking back I obviously would have done things differently...but in the moment...ever wonder if you have a fight of flight instinct?  I KNOW WHICH ONE I HAVE"

Gonna miss this one -- never a dull moment.  Had tears in my eyes by the end of this story.