Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The First Annual Kneipp Family Christmas Newsletter
I have always operated well under pressure.
Scratch that. I have always operated well under the pressure of a writing deadline.
In school, I always had every intention of starting my papers early, but it never quite worked out that way. I still remember the time I wrote over 350 pages total for the end of a semester at WSU and managed to do it all over the course of about 2 weeks. Obviously since that was almost 10 years ago and I haven’t forgotten it. It was quite traumatic.
Yet, here I sit. At the computer on Christmas Eve, writing the first annual “Kneipp Family Christmas Newsletter/Yearly Family Update”.
It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. In fact, I have been pondering and wondering in my mind for several weeks what I should write.
Do I want to try and make it a humorous look at the failures and foibles of our family?
Do I want to have some sort of catchy hook? Like the year LP wrote a Christmas letter in the form of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”? Maybe a poem?
Do I want to put out a traditional, chronological “Brag Fest” in which I wax eloquent on how beautiful and gifted all of our kids are? And how wonderful Mitch and I are too? I mean, it would be true and everything, but is it something people would enjoy reading?
And then it hit me.
Sometime in the late evening last night, as I was trying to get to sleep, it came to me. Like a gift from the “A Christmas Story” movie Gods:
I will write a THEME! A good, old fashioned Elementary School classic writing assignment. I may have hated them during my days at Walt Disney Elementary School, but I think it will fit the bill.
Please take a moment, grab a warm drink, settle in and prepare to be dazzled.
“What I Learned Since Last Christmas”
By
Veronica D. Kneipp
Since last Christmas, December 25, 2007, I have learned many things.
I have learned that no matter how bad things seem, they can always get worse.
My pregnancy with Tanner taught me this. I threw up every day from August 5th, 2007 until March 7th, 2008. Many times I thought to myself, “I have never been this sick in my life. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I might die. No, seriously, I am seeing the white light.”
Then on March 7th, Tanner shot into this world after an 8-hour drug-free labor.
I have learned that children are resilient.
The pregnancy was hard on Lexi and Tucker too. I was out of commission for so long that I grew concerned that they would develop resentment towards me and the new baby. They didn’t.
Just hours after giving birth, Lexi came to the hospital to meet her new baby brother. In a moment of complete honestly and sincerity that only a 5 year-old can muster she looked at me and exclaimed: “Mama! Now that you aren’t sick anymore you can cook us good food!!”
Good to know that I was missed.
I have learned that we can all be doing more towards living a “green” lifestyle.
Little things do add up. Diligent recycling, changing out your light bulbs, conserving fuel, using reusable shopping bags, etc.
What didn’t add up for me was our garden. Little did I know that you have to plant more than a 4’ x 8’ plot of vegetables to be able to feed a family of 5 for any length of time whatsoever.
I learned that Mitch and I are bad a** lip syncers.
For evidence of this fact, our videos can be seen both on this blog and on YouTube. Just search “mvkneipp”.
I learned that you never know who is reading what you put out on the Internet.
What I haven’t learned is how to get people to subscribe to my blog so that they know when I have updated. Oh well – there’s always next year.
I learned that although it’s nice to wish for a “White Christmas”, you better be careful what you wish for!
Last, but not least, I learned how truly blessed we are.
We have great kids, a great family, wonderful neighbors and many special friends, both online and in real life.
I am grateful for all of the lessons that I learned this year, and I look forward to what the next year brings!
To all of you and yours,
Scratch that. I have always operated well under the pressure of a writing deadline.
In school, I always had every intention of starting my papers early, but it never quite worked out that way. I still remember the time I wrote over 350 pages total for the end of a semester at WSU and managed to do it all over the course of about 2 weeks. Obviously since that was almost 10 years ago and I haven’t forgotten it. It was quite traumatic.
Yet, here I sit. At the computer on Christmas Eve, writing the first annual “Kneipp Family Christmas Newsletter/Yearly Family Update”.
It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. In fact, I have been pondering and wondering in my mind for several weeks what I should write.
Do I want to try and make it a humorous look at the failures and foibles of our family?
Do I want to have some sort of catchy hook? Like the year LP wrote a Christmas letter in the form of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”? Maybe a poem?
Do I want to put out a traditional, chronological “Brag Fest” in which I wax eloquent on how beautiful and gifted all of our kids are? And how wonderful Mitch and I are too? I mean, it would be true and everything, but is it something people would enjoy reading?
And then it hit me.
Sometime in the late evening last night, as I was trying to get to sleep, it came to me. Like a gift from the “A Christmas Story” movie Gods:
I will write a THEME! A good, old fashioned Elementary School classic writing assignment. I may have hated them during my days at Walt Disney Elementary School, but I think it will fit the bill.
Please take a moment, grab a warm drink, settle in and prepare to be dazzled.
“What I Learned Since Last Christmas”
By
Veronica D. Kneipp
Since last Christmas, December 25, 2007, I have learned many things.
I have learned that no matter how bad things seem, they can always get worse.
My pregnancy with Tanner taught me this. I threw up every day from August 5th, 2007 until March 7th, 2008. Many times I thought to myself, “I have never been this sick in my life. This is the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I might die. No, seriously, I am seeing the white light.”
Then on March 7th, Tanner shot into this world after an 8-hour drug-free labor.
I have learned that children are resilient.
The pregnancy was hard on Lexi and Tucker too. I was out of commission for so long that I grew concerned that they would develop resentment towards me and the new baby. They didn’t.
Just hours after giving birth, Lexi came to the hospital to meet her new baby brother. In a moment of complete honestly and sincerity that only a 5 year-old can muster she looked at me and exclaimed: “Mama! Now that you aren’t sick anymore you can cook us good food!!”
Good to know that I was missed.
I have learned that we can all be doing more towards living a “green” lifestyle.
Little things do add up. Diligent recycling, changing out your light bulbs, conserving fuel, using reusable shopping bags, etc.
What didn’t add up for me was our garden. Little did I know that you have to plant more than a 4’ x 8’ plot of vegetables to be able to feed a family of 5 for any length of time whatsoever.
I learned that Mitch and I are bad a** lip syncers.
For evidence of this fact, our videos can be seen both on this blog and on YouTube. Just search “mvkneipp”.
I learned that you never know who is reading what you put out on the Internet.
What I haven’t learned is how to get people to subscribe to my blog so that they know when I have updated. Oh well – there’s always next year.
I learned that although it’s nice to wish for a “White Christmas”, you better be careful what you wish for!
Last, but not least, I learned how truly blessed we are.
We have great kids, a great family, wonderful neighbors and many special friends, both online and in real life.
I am grateful for all of the lessons that I learned this year, and I look forward to what the next year brings!
To all of you and yours,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from the
Krazy Kneipp Klan.
Whoops.
I just signed off the Christmas Newsletter from the “KKK”.
We’ll have to work on that.
Enjoy some pics from the year below:
I just signed off the Christmas Newsletter from the “KKK”.
We’ll have to work on that.
Enjoy some pics from the year below:
Monday, December 22, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
ARCTIC BLAST 2008
It's official. We're in a blizzard out here in the 'Shoug. I braved below freezing windchill and frozen snow drifts to bring you this coverage.
I smell a Peabody.
I smell a Peabody.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Prepare yourselves...
I have had an epiphany which has led to the marrying of several different software programs that I have and I think I may finally be onto something.
Sit back and enjoy this blast from the past...(OK - so it was only a couple of months ago - so sue me!! ;-)
Sit back and enjoy this blast from the past...(OK - so it was only a couple of months ago - so sue me!! ;-)
Monday, December 15, 2008
WASHOUGAL BLIZZARD 2008
Winter has arrived, people!! It is a cold one here in the 'Shoug. I snapped some pics outside our house, but it really doesn't give justice to how bitterly cold and windy it is here today. When I got up this morning our outside temp was 15...and that's not counting the wind chill. Good news is that school is closed - and it would appear that they will be all week. Since my little tots were sick last week, it is conceivable that they will return to school in January having not been there for a month. I hope they don't forget everything they've learned so far! ;-)
The other thing I have noticed about this unusually early winter storm is that I am out of the practice of dealing with harsh winter weather here. Suddenly I have turned into a "weather freak". I feel that I MUST check the news periodically just to be sure there hasn't been a "significant change" of any kind...I have been sucked into the madness that is our "Winter Weather Coverage" here in the PNW.
For example, my station of choice, KGW News, is touting this as the "ARCTIC BLAST" - complete with terrifying sound effects and graphics. You would think the Earth was coming to an end and we were all going to freeze to death just by thinking about the storm!
And then my favorite part of all...the beat reporters that they send out to stand in the most ridiculous of places, freezing their hineys off...there really should be a drinking game for it.
Every time the station anchor mentions that they can "hear the wind" out in the field - drink. Every time a field reporter bangs on the street with their mic to show how icy the roads are - drink. Every time they interview some "man on the street" who hasn't seen the inside of a dentist office in his entire lifetime - drink. (I'm not being mean...it's just how it is!!)
You'd be hammered in about 11 minutes.
For any one who was concerned about us Krazy Kneipps, we are doing OK. We're hunkered down in the house staying warm. We've got enough peanut butter, jam and bread to keep the kids alive for months, and so far our Dish TV is still coming in just fine.
Speaking of which, I better check the news again...it's been 20 minutes and there's no telling WHAT could have happened by now.
Stay classy, Washougal. Stay classy.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Celebrity Status
When we went to see Santa last weekend in the 'Shoug Mitch and Tanner were MOBBED by the paparazzi!
Please click the link below, and check out the 3rd picture in on the "Christmas Tree Lighting" slideshow.
Sometimes we wish we could just have our privacy...but that's just not how we roll. ;-)
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Our Budding Artist
Normally I try to abstain from shameless bragging about the greatness of my children. I know I am extremely biased. However, I thought I would share the latest creation from our little Lexi.Her class publishes books of their artwork on a fairly regular basis and then the books are sent home overnight for the kids to share with their families. We always enjoy seeing all of the kiddies artwork. It's fun to see how they are all so different.
Anyway - enjoy!! 
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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