2016 Highlights (Prepare for a Picture Overload)

Hi people!

Most bloggers have published their year-in-review posts already.  But obviously not me.  I haven't even done any monthly review posts.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into that or not.

But, I figure I'd give it a try.  I mean, a whole year has gone by. 365 whole days.  This is worthy of a year-in-review post, is it not?

*nods* yes, it is.

If there was one thing I learned this year, it was that Abraham Lincoln was a very wise man.  My dad likes to quote him:

It is far better to keep silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

Wise words, Abe.  This quote has become my new motto.

I've opened my mouth way too much this past year, and hopefully I've learned my lesson.

So, on to the big part of the post.

Highlights of 2016

January:

Kordell's cows, Sally Mae and Viola (compliments of Hank the Cowdog), had their calves!

Dixie

Dolly

As you can see in the second picture, we got snow!!! :D 

February:

-We went to visit cousins in OK.  Had a great time going to ball games, playing dodgeball (best game ever!!), and hanging out.

-A trip to the zoo.  I hadn't been to a zoo in years, so this was awesome. :)

March:

I participated for the second time in the Golden Belt Vocal Festival.  GBVF is a choir made up of homeschoolers from all over Kansas.  We start practicing in February and the concert is in March.  It's an amazing opportunity for me to sing and meet people who loves music/singing as much as I do. :D

-EASTER!!!  We had a sunrise service Easter morning, and 'twas beautiful--except for the fact that it was cloudy so we didn't get to see the sun rise. XD  But, the night before, it had snowed!  A wonderful reminder of how Christ's death washes us white as snow.

April:

My brothers (Kordell & Birdo) went turkey hunting for the first time!

-My sister and I performed in our homeschool co-op drama production!  It was an allegory of how to get to heaven.

May:

-Kordell got some adorable bucket calves! (You can read all about them in this post)

-My brother Chowboy (yes, that's a pseudonym) got goats!  My dad has never had any goats.  In fact, I don't know of any goats in the history of the Krispense family.  But, Chowboy decided to diversify, and now we have 5 does: Lauren, Moby, Charlotte, Anne, and Ashleigh.  They'll kid any time now.

-I won 3rd place in the Writer's Unite Contest with Katie's War.

June:

-Wheat harvest.

-I got to personally meet Jesseca, a good blogging friend of mine!! :D

July:

A picture Birdo took for the occasion

-Independence Day.  A day we celebrated the freedom of our country, as well as our freedom to worship God.  That day we had a cookout with our church, and then afterwards went to a friend's house to shoot off some firecrackers.

-Our family went to a KC Royals baseball game!  It was Faith & Family day at the K (Kauffman Stadium), so after the game was a Casting Crowns concert.  'Twas awesome.

August:

Our family went to an air show.  To put it simply, it was awesome. :D

September:

-Corn harvest!

-Chowboy finished restoring his 1978 Ford Pickup!  It used to be my dad's, and Chowboy brought it out of being in the shed with packrats and redid the inside, repainted the bed, etc.

Old Blue

-Jesseca's family went camping near us, so I got to re-meet her.  :D

October:

-Bean harvest.

November:

-I got my braces off!

-Thanksgiving.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my mom's side of the family (which also includes the annual football game), and celebrated an early Christmas with my dad's side. :)

December:

-His Little Feet came to town!  We got to have three girls and a leader from Ethiopia stay with us for three days, and it was a blast. :D

-I participated in the 12 Days of Christmas Linkup hosted by Faith @ Stories by Firefly.  It was an excellent opportunity to find some other bloggers. :)

-The Krispense family (well, most of us) went to western KS to give a Christmas program with the Living Hope String Quintet!  

-Christmas Eve, we did the same program at our church.  You can find some of the songs here.

-Christmas!!  Celebrating the birth of our Savior, God's Son sent to earth.

Happy birthday, Jesus!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ok, there you have it! 2016 in a nutshell. 

(Ok, that was a rather big nutshell, but that's the gist of it.)

And now, I shall leave you, saying to never forget that yesterday was the past, tomorrow is the future, and today is God's gift; that's why we call it the present.

~Kaitlyn