New Year's Eve - 2016!

WHEW!!  I made it!  Holy smokes, what feels like 837 blog posts later I'm caught up!  While there is no written rule anywhere for these to be done at year end I do put the pressure on myself to complete the task.  I try to print these books every couple of years and it usually ends on the even years.  So I'm really, really thankful that at the end of 2016 these posts are up to date.  I was waaaaayyy behind but did my best to remember details of each event as I posted it. 

For New Year's Eve the past few years the kids have been home with a babysitter or at Grandma and Grandpa's in WaKeeney.  That has been wonderful and the kids were young enough it worked just fine.  But this year they really wanted to do something together and our normal event of going to the Club was not taking place again.  So it was the perfect year to have a family-friendly party with the neighbors.  I'm standing at my dresser, typing these posts as I've done my hair, changed clothes, etc. determined to get this post up and am now ready to round up the troops to head across the street to the party. 

For the most part I get a real vibe that everyone across America is happy to see 2016 pass.  It was a stressful election, Donald Trump is now our President-Elect and Barack Obama is almost out of office.  There were many, MANY celebrity deaths this year.  And everyone is just kind of in a funk.  Royce and I just talked though, and we both agreed that not much of that trickled into our household.  We had many great accomplishments this year, many huge strides as a family, and overall we faced 2016 just as we had faced any other.  Our twins are older and now in full-time school which has matured them quite a bit and it shows at home.  They are growing so fast.  Chloe got to move her horse to Hays and we've enjoyed letting her have access so often to him.  Isaac's biggest growth has been in overall maturity, but broken down into sports knowledge and sense of humor as well.  In all of his sports so much *clicked* this year for him.  It's awesome to watch the wheels turning in his head as he figures out new plays and purposes for offenses and defenses.  He is also able to laugh at himself regularly now and not get frustrated or defensive at a mistake or goofy mix-up he may make.  He enjoys laughing at himself and that shows great maturity.  We are so blessed.  We do the best we can, praise God each and every step of the way, and just keep chugging along. 

I'll post any pictures I have of the night, if I take any that is.  I've really tried to just enjoy some of the situations we are in instead of viewing it through a cell phone window.  Pictures are great and clearly we have plenty of them.  But now at school concerts, sporting events, and family functions I really just enjoy absorbing the moment and catch every detail in real time.  However, if I'm able to grab a kiss from my son at midnight...something he may not realize is tradition...I'll be sure to get it caught on camera! 

Happy New Year!



Signed,

Megan, Meg, Mom, Momma, Aunt Meggie, Sis

Manhattan, KS December 30th

We enjoyed the week after Christmas by being lazy at home and playing with new goodies and gadgets.  By Friday we were a little stir-crazy so we got tickets to KSU's basketball game.  It worked out really well for a quick trip to Manhappenin'! 

Before the game the kids and I went ice-skating for a little bit.  And a little bit was all we needed! 

They realized it wasn't as easy as it looks on TV and there were lots of sore butts the next day.

Chloe did really well and Isaac made good ground.  But the twins were happy holding onto me and the wall.  No harm there!  It was fun for them to give it a shot. 

While at the game Caroline was completely disappointed at the lack of pink and abundance of purple.  However all of the disappeared when she FINALLY got to see Willie!

K..S..Uuuuu Wildcats! 

A run of Christmases!

 Our first Christmas was with Granddad on Christmas Eve Eve.  We enjoyed dinner at Gella's and then gifts and dessert at our house.  Lots of hugs to go around!

Mason stole the show with his new Cobra.  He and Isaac made more laps in our house than the dogs do!  It was so cute watching him make his car noises while cruising around. 

Christmas Eve we went to church at St. Joseph's with Hickerts and Mom and Ron.  Gifts at our house afterwards!  Never a dull moment with this crew!   

CHRISTMAS MORNING!

SANTA WAS HERE!!  YEAH!!! 

Isaac got his Nerf Hyperfire and an outdoor bicycle/skateboard ramp.

Chloe got a Grow-Up Greenhouse Kit, and new softball helmet, glove, and accessories.

Amelia and Caroline got purple and pink bicycles respectively and Wubble Bubble Balls

All footage of Christmas morning took place on the video camera.  It's always a joy to see their surprised faces! 

And the happiest face of all is this girl! 

Lucy's first Christmas with us!

Santa brings all creatures treats.  Goble got a new brush and the dogs got chewy treats.

We spent the day in Bucklin with Sandy's family and really had a nice time.  On the way home we stopped in Ness City and was able to give my Goddaughter Brooklyn her gift and Amelia and Caroline got gifts from their Godparents as well.  It's always nice to stop and see that crew...and all of them were there! 

Brunch with Santa - Starting Christmas 2016

The three girls were in the church Christmas program this year.  They've never done it in the past and did a great job as angels and a shepherd.  The pictures were from rehearsal. 

Christmas cookies!  Gram was kind enough to bake the cookies since there wasn't a time for us all to get together.  She brought us some of them ready to be frosted.  Since we weren't frustrated and burnt out with the baking process I decided we should try a new frosting method.  We tried Royal Icing and it was a lot of fun to learn!  The kids all had fun decorating. 

December 2016

December brought Caroline home with a sore throat and fever for a few days.  She had some pretty trusty side-kicks though.  Lucy didn't ever wander too far away from her. 

Amelia summed up the holidays quite well!   

We watched the Frost-Fest parade with our 4-H club as part of the December meeting.   

Rheta and Kayla were there too!  It was fun to see the lighted floats in the night-time parade! 

Mr. Jingles and Annie were up to their usual tricks too.  It was fun to watch them play this December.

Lexi's angel ended up in the Nativity set.  I'm sure there were dogs at Jesus' birth, right? 

This is the kids after their Christmas program at school! 

Amelia's gift for us was this wooden block reindeer.  The puppy-paw bow and shiny nose couldn't describe that little girl any better!  We love their crafts. 

50's day in Kindergarten and more of November

Amelia and Caroline got to celebrate the 50th day of school with a 1950's day!  I did make their skirts the night before, and while they aren't perfect they were pretty darn cute for my pink and purple poodles.  I think they had a great day! 

The Banner Road Hunt Club hosts some firefighters from Kansas City each year for a hunting weekend.  This year the fire fighters decided to meet in Manhattan for a K-State tailgate with Dan and Linda and invited the spouses so we could all meet each other.  It was a perfect fall day and we are happy that Wayne and Sandy could go with us!   

Isaac even got to go out to the lodge for one day of the firefighter's hunting weekend.  While he's hunted with Royce before, this was the first time he's made an appearance at the lodge on official hunting weekends that they are hosting people.  He was very excited!  Royce has similar pictures of his first hunts with big groups so this will be added to the wall at the lodge no doubt. 

Amelia was told to draw a picture and write about an animal, friend, and family.  While Stella is family first, it's awesome these kids think of each other as such close friends. 

We were able to go to two movies over Thanksgiving break.  The first was Trolls and we went as a family.  The second was Moana and my kids had cousins from both sides with them!  It was fun to have Grandma Sandy, Gina and girls, and Robynn, Stella, and Mason all in Hays together.   

After Thanksgiving we were able to decorate.  I put the lights on the tree and then left the kids and Royce to do the rest.  They decorated the tree very well and I didn't even move a single decoration.   

Then I'm not sure what the heck happened.  I left the room and came back to a mean rendition of the Chicken Dance happening in the living room with Lucy in the middle not knowing what the heck was going on!  I love these people.