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.

Kleinlife builds a house: Getting lit

Lighting! Yay!

Kleinlife builds a house: stage of paint

We're finally painting... Which means we are neck deep in the stages paint color acceptance:

1. I have chosen the perfect color swatch!

2. I have calculated how many square feet I need!

3. Paint purchased!

4. Gather supplies

5. Look for supplies I'm missing

6. Eat a cookie

7. Find missing supplies

8. Yay! Time to start painting

9. Remember I forgot something

10. Find supply I forgot.

11. Start cutting in

12. Freak out about how the color looks

13. Keep working on cutting in 

14. Get paint on ceiling

15. Swear

16. Repeat 14-15

17. Really freak out about color

18. Decide to start rolling

19. Continue freak out

20. Realize you have 5 gallons of potentially ugly paint

21. Keep going

22. Think maybe color is okay

23. Nope it's awful... You wasted an entire day on this stupid color

24. Keep going

25. Start thinking it looks okay

26. Almost done

27. Wow. This is the best color ever. I am such a good color picker!

28. Repeat for every room in the house

Hello? Pick up please.

Ah. Parents.  People that have cell phones but apparently find it unnecessary to use them.

ANSWER YOUR TEXT MESSAGES.  NOW.

Kleinlife builds a house: update!

So...I guess it's been a while since we did a house update....

In the past few weeks we have the lot graded, all the concrete work done, the drywall installed, and with a few minor touch ups ready for paint, the sub floor sanded (remember the 12 inches of rain we got without a roof last summer), and the septic system installed.

I dumped all the photos off my phone last week so all I have to show you are these pics of the driveway and front steps I took last night.

So we are practically done.  Only 1,300 things left to do....

sigh. still waiting for the magical house building fairies to show up and finish while we sleep....

kleinlife: camp bode

We celebrated Bode's big day a few days early.