The Best Way to Spread Independence Cheer ...

Is singing loud for all to hear. When Hannah saw flags on the 4th of July, she broke into a "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Most people who were in her vicinity thought that it was cute. I know I did.

Since we first got married, Brian and I have been in constant negotiation about how to celebrate holidays. We agree pretty well about how to do Christmas and Thanksgiving, but still vacillate quite a bit from year to year about how to do all the others. This year we went out to lunch and passed by a place where Brian could get his cell phone fixed.

While Brian was in the store, Hannah and I played in this fountain. Then we came home had leftover spaghetti from the previous night's dinner. For the evening entertainment we walked around our neighborhood watching other people's fireworks. Other people really went all out this year. There were plenty of pretty displays to view. Kansas lets people set off fireworks that go high in the air so it was a great walk and series of free shows.

Saturday we loaded up a lunch, the camera, and our girl and rode to a nearby nature trail. The trail goes around a very small lake. At the head of the trail is a park. Hannah had a good time playing.

I haven't taken her to a climbing wall before but she did a good job with this one. I showed her how to grab onto the footholds and then she was scaling it. This girl has no fear.

The park was pretty spread out. The swings and the climbing wall were far from the slide so we had to hurry back and forth between amusements.

We had a good time sliding ...

And swinging. I am really proud that she can use a normal swing instead of a baby one this year.

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Wrapping up the Year (and Decade)

Christmas was nice. The weather was good and I was able to run like I usually do. I served a Thanksgiving Dinner because I spent Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania with my sister. It has been a busy decade. I only have two years where something major didn't happen. On to 2020. My list of Big stuff for the last decade. 2010—Finished Master’s degree 2011—Published Master’s degree as book 2011—Daughter born 2012—Book won award 2013—Moved to KS for PhD program (January) 2014— 2015—Published second book 2016—Finished PhD program (August) 2017—Moved to Albuquerque for faculty position 2018— 2019—Submitted mid-probationary dossier

The Year-Long January

The joke is that January is the longest month of the year. I thought it went quickly. Classes started and winter cold set in. We went to the eye doctor and Hannah waited for the doctor so long, she grew a beard. Ultimately she decided on glasses that would make her look like Supergirl. I think she really pulled it off. All month I was on pins and needles about the government shutdown trying to decide if it was safe to fly to a conference. Luckily for me, the poor TSA workers and federal folks were able to get back to work. However, the planes I took (4 in all) were mostly empty and I got a row to myself. There was also a polar vortex that didn't help air travel looks appealing. I got there late at night and the room they had left was a large hotel suite. I took it. My colleague Michael Dunn and I divided our presentation up. We both did well. I also found a few good folks from Kansas. Then, I left Indy. When I wasn't worki...

Graduation and Mother's Day

It was my turn to help with activity night at church so I brought my graduation robes and so forth and let the little girls take turns all dressed up. Here of the pillow announcing Mother's Day. As it turns out, there is an actual graduation song. I went to convocation and read the names again. Then, Mother's Day actually arrived. Here is my custom drawn picture.

Quick Successions: New Mexico Edition

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