Happy Anniversary!

To me :)
5 years ago on Sunday (1/19) I started my current job.
That means 5 years ago today (on a VERY cold day) I was moving up to this area.
Crazy - time flies!!!

What a Nightmare!

You know it's been a long week of bad commutes when you start dreaming about it....
The other night, I was trying and trying to get to work, but every road between here and there was solid red on the traffic map.  No matter what way I tried, I couldn't get anywhere.
Thank goodness for the weekend!!

Exam Results

If you have not taken an actuarial exam before, you do not know the pain of Exam Results Eve.  Here's how it goes.

1) Try to forget about the fact that on the morrow, the results of months of exam preparation will be revealed.  Fun though the studying process is, you'd prefer to move on to the next exam.  After all, there are new fun facts and formulas to be learned.
2) If successful, it will be short-lived as many well-meaning coworkers will ask you "Are you nervous about tomorrow?" in which case all butterflies will return to their comfortable home in your midsection.
3) Survive the day at work.  (Being busy helps.  Not too bad yet.) 
4) Forget about it at home.  This is actually much easier.  Being busy with things you actually want to do is even better than being busy at work, turns out.
5) Go to bed.
6) Go to sleep.
7) HA!  Just kidding.  Actually, lay awake and think about exam results.  And how you should be sleeping, because you have to go to work tomorrow.
8) Eventually fall asleep.  Probably around 11:00 or so. 
9) Dream about exam results.  Dream #1 - your candidate number is 7377.  You are not on the list.  You failed.  Yikes!
10) Dream about exam results.  Dream #2 - you're not sure what your candidate number is, but you're pretty sure it has a '77' in it, so you scan the entire list for any passers with a '77' in their candidate number.  It's a little fuzzy on whether or not you passed this one, but good news - the SOA decided question #1 was faulty, and they threw it out.  Great!  I knew all along that was an awful question.  Things are looking hopeful, at least.
11) Wake up.  2:15 am.  Nope, not time to go to work yet.
12) Go back to sleep.
13) Dream about exam results.  Dream #3 - your candidate number is 7734.  They threw out questions 1 and 2!  And you passed!  Good job!
14) Dream about exam results.  Dream #4 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
15) Dream about exam results.  Dream #5 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
16) Dream about exam results.  Dream #6 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
17) Dream about exam results.  Dream #7 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
18) Dream about exam results.  Dream #8 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
19) Dream about exam results.  Dream #9 - who cares what your candidate number is.  You failed.
20) Wake up.  Well, that was restful.  Time to go to work.  Clearly this is going to be a productive day.

I won't drag this out any more.  Suffice it to say, the day is stressful as well.  But know when it's all worth it?  When you PASS.

That's right folks.  6 down, 2 to go.  The end is getting closer!!!!!!!!!

Do You Like My Hat? Part 2

This one didn't make it in with the earlier Christmas photos, and since Kyle and Kalynn had to go back to OK before the New Year's Eve celebration, they missed Hat Fest.  But don't you think Kalynn's hat is incredibly becoming?  I think she should've bought two of them.

The Most Thrilling Post You Will Ever Read

The one bad thing about the white stuff (don't worry, I still love it.  But we have to be realistic, it's not all roses) is what it does to one's commute.  Many drives to work in the beginning of January looked like this:

For a non-patient person, I do okay when the delay is due to snow :)

If you remember back to an earlier post... along with snow, I also like fog.  

Know what's better than snow or fog?  

That's right.

Snow and fog.

Another morning commute.  It was kind of bizarre to see the sun peeping out on the other side of the fog in photo #2.

Please be assured that I take all driving photographs at red lights.  Or at least while I'm stopped.  Around here, sometimes we stop at green lights too.

This one is a bit older, but while I'm posting pictures of driving in snow (which I'm sure are thrilling to all involved)... remember the post about holiday driving?  (Of course you do!  You're a huge fan!)  This is what several of those drives looked like.  What fun!

Congratulations, you made it to the end.  Sorry about this one.

Additional Glorious White Stuff

Know what has made my January very happy so far?

Shocker, I know.  This first shot is looking down my driveway.  My subdivision isn't the first to be plowed when it snows, and that's just the way I like it.  I know plowing the roads is more practical if you want to, say, drive on them.  But somehow it's not quite as magical when you have a strip of gray marring the blanket of white, and when you lose that muffling effect of the snow.  Ahhh... makes me happy just looking at these :)

Front yard.  Still snowing at this point - can you tell?

Parking area by the garage.  Good luck with that!

 Back yard.  Might be hard to get in the shed.  Hmm, wonder what's in there.  Oh right, the lawn mower.  In that case, I think I'm okay.

"Still snowing... Saturday afternoon.... this is a perfect day for a walk."  I said to myself.  Handily enough, there were no arguments.  So off I went.

Looks like we've had at least a little snow.  Wonder if these neighbors are as happy about it as I am?

View of the lake through the neighbor's gate.

Arrival at the park.  Doesn't look like too many other people have chosen to enjoy this fine weather here.

 Boat ride anyone?

 I was trying to show how deep it was.  Turned out to be a little difficult to reach that far down while still holding the camera far enough away to get the pic.  Not a bad problem to have, eh?

 The lake.

Quite the profitable day!

Ball Drop 2014

Midnight brought us our own version of the ball drop.

The audience gathers.

 The countdown begins.  10...9....8...

Get out of the way!

Action shot, courtesy of Mom.

Happy New Year!!!  Hope your 2014 is splendid :)

New Year's Eve - Relay Style

Each year, we try to come up with a couple new games that are good for all ages.  (Ideas frequently provided by the MO branch of the family - must give credit where credit is due.)

This year's Relay #1: the Crazy Waiter.  

Styrofoam plate with 3 ping pong balls on it.  A team lined up, single file.  Plate goes on one palm, keeping it above your ear.  Weave in between row of teammates.  Drop a ping pong ball?  (Or two or three.)  No problem - you get to start over.  Finish, run to end of line to become an obstacle for the next crazy waiter.  Good luck!

A few of the teams - ready for action.

 The kids' line is also ready!

 Doug gets us started, with a look of serious concentration.

 Go Paxton go!

 Anya starts off her turn - mixed levels of teammate interest.

 Some more serious concentration from Laura.

Elizabeth serves with a smile!

 Grandpa gets in on the action.

Relay game #2 - no official name for this one.  The crazy tights game??

Take a pair of child's tights.  Insert a tennis ball into the toe (one side only).  Put tights on head.  Must knock down a row of water bottles with tennis ball, keeping hands behind back.  Set up water bottles and hand off the tights so your teammates can also have fun!

Dad demonstrates proper technique.

 On your marks... get set... go!

 Aunt Beth got to skip the setting-the-bottles-back-up step, courtesy of a young friend.

 Does this look right?  Also, when is my turn??

 Phew!  Finished!

 This game is great for keeping everyone entertained, even those not participating.

 Spectators Katie, Katia, and Krista

 More spectators

 Aww.. Grandma found something to do!

Oh yeah, and one last game that's not a relay... the humming game.  Slips of paper with a song title on it, hopefully a familiar song to everyone.  Every song title on 2 pieces of paper.  Everyone gets one.  Hum your song, find your partner with the same song, and take a seat.  Last ones standing get to sing their song :)

Ready, set, hum!

Do You Like My Hat?

One of my favorite gatherings of the year: our annual New Year's Eve celebration at the school where Mom works.  Friends, family, food, games.  What more can you ask for? 

This year's celebration asked that you wear a hat.  I felt like I had stepped inside the Go Dogs, Go! book.  You know, at the end...
"Do you like my hat?"
"I do not like that hat."
"Good-bye."
"Good-bye."
"Hello again."
"Hello again.  Do you like my hat?"
"I do!  I do like that party hat!"
Or something like that.  What, you're not familiar with Go Dogs, Go!?  Check it out.  It's a real page-turner.

Anyway, I digress.  I bet you want to see pictures of all of the fine party hats!  Good news if you keep scrolling.

A little modification on the wearing of her hat helps KB hear better.

 Anyone recognize those crazy.... mosquitoes??

 Cara looks quite proper.

 Aunt Beth and Cathy

 Can't see the hat so well, but couldn't pass up this great shot of Katia.

 A whole crew of hat-wearers

 Junior hat-wearers.  Note Sam's Jughead hat, nose, and even a hamburger.  One of my favorites.

 Several good ones in this shot.

 Barb and Dad

 And here we have it... the ultimate Go Dogs, Go! party hat.

Read on for games and fun :)