Montana, Baby!

Most people know already, but I suppose it's time to officially share the news here! Jim has accepted a tenure track position as Assistant Professor of Music at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana!  The next couple of months are going to be sooooo crazy for us, I can hardly believe it!  He's working frantically to finish his dissertation and remarkably his advisor has read all three chapters since November (amazing considering it took him nearly 2 years to read the first chapter).  Jim will walk in graduation in May, however it sounds like he won't be defending until mid June/ early July.  His appointment starts August 15th so we're hoping to get out of Wisconsin sometime in July because we're hoping to see some sights (Yellowstone, etc.) before school starts.  I've been quiet about it on my facebook account because I'm waiting until June to tell my employer.  It's been a challenge to not share this happy news with people I see most everyday, but considering I just started at this job last August, I think it's best to keep it from them at this time.

There's such a rush of emotions with something like this.  The most bizarre is how incredibly fast it seems to be going (never-mind the fact that he's been working toward this for the past 9 years!).  Finding housing has been a headache since we hope to find something without actually having to go out there before we move.  So far the plan is to rent a year in order to learn the city/school districts and then we'll think about buying.  I can't believe we're thinking about buying a house in Montana!!?!!?!!? I've always wondered where we'd end up, but I really never imagined Montana! Did you know the whole state only has 1 million people??!?! Billings is the biggest city in the state with 106,000! That's SOOOOO insane!?!?! I'm having a hard time believing it.  And here I was thinking Wisconsin/Minnesota was the middle of nowhere.  

February and March were very stressful for us.  Jim interviewed at Rocky Mountain College (RMC) on Feb. 14th then they turned around and offered the position on Feb. 17th.  Initially they gave him a week to decide, which would have been Feb. 24, however he was to leave on Feb. 23rd to interview at Nazareth College in Rochester, New York.  He was able to push the Rocky Mountain deadline back to March 7th, but that still complicated things because he was scheduled to interview and Louisiana State University on March 10th and then SUNY Fredonia later in March.  He ended up cancelling those interviews because it felt too risky to turn down RMC  waiting for another offer.  And really, what can be better than Montana?!?! We will be one hour from Red Lodge which looks amazing - see a quick link here: http://www.redlodge.com/
We'll be about 3 hours from Yellowstone. Wow!  Come visit, we'll be your own personal tour guide :)

Don't get me wrong, it will be hard to leave Madison.  We've loved this city from the very beginning, so it's hard to imagine not calling it home.  Words can't express how much I'm going to miss our hockey league and then I find myself missing ridiculous things like not being able to find my favorite India flat bread (Paratha - try it - it's amazing) or Trader Joe's Lavender filled dryer bags (there's not a Trader Joe's in the entire state - *sniff*). The thought of looking for a new job that fits our needs makes me anxious - not to mention figuring out childcare.  Change is hard and uncomfortable, harder when you have a little one in the mix.  There are lots of silent pep talks going on in my noggin. 

Another interesting tidbit that's surfacing as I mentally prepare for this move, is the very obvious traits of my Dad manifesting within me - as a professional worrier.  I can't help but think about my childhood and all the shenanigans we drummed up in Northern Minnesota.  Aly Smith and I would scale every acre of woods around our "neighborhood"  and I can't help but think of Little David and the mischief he could get into in the mountains.  Nothing bad can really happen to you in Nevis, MN but I find myself worrying about David falling off cliffs, waterfalls, getting lost in the wilderness, getting eaten by a bear.  I joke (kind of) about getting a tracking chip implanted.  Is that legal?

We're trying to squeeze as much family time in as we can before we move.  David and I are looking forward to a 5 day visit at my brother's in April.  Fortunatly my mom with be there too.  In May my mom is going to Pennsylvania with us for a five day trip.  We're going for the wedding of a friend, but we'll be taking David to Sesame Place (http://sesameplace.com/en/langhorne/).  He loves Elmo and is hopefully going to LOVE IT!  I've been wanting to take him to this since I saw this article more than a year ago! (http://www.ivillage.com/must-see-places-take-kids-theyre-grown/6-b-454632#461297).  How convenient to have friends who are getting married in Reading! And isn't it cool that Yellowstone is #2 on the list!?!    In June, Jim's mom (and hopefully sister and niece) will be going to Green Bay for a Thomas the Train event.  David LOVES Thomas so I'm really looking forward to talking him to this.  There's a life sized Thomas - how cool is that!?!? David will freak - it's going to be sooooo awesome! Here's the link: http://www.nationalrrmuseum.org/dowt/main

Then I think we'll take it easy until we move. :)

Since the last post we've been keeping ourselves busy doing the same ol' things: Children's Museum, "Pay Pace" (toddler free time at Legacy Academy), hikes in the arboretum.   We're really enjoying the warmer weather.  Following are some photos of that last couple of weeks.

The ice castle I built for David.  It helped me to not be so miserable during those -20 days. This is me making "mortar" out of a slushy snow/water mix.

Unfortunately he slipped early on while playing in it.  It was evil from that point on. 

The neighborhood kids played in it more than David. :/

Babysitting a friend's little guy.  David was delighted to have a baby in the house.

Working on brushing teeth

Camo on camo on camo

"Pay Pace" (play place) with "Gah-when" (Gavin)

I can't handle the cuteness!

Having lunch with Elmo

Hiking in the arboretum while Dadda was interviewing

More cuteness to brighten your day

It's getting warmer!

Puddle Jumper

We walked to meet Dadda from work.  David missed him and wanted to hold hands. <3

Signing the RMC contract

Fancypants RMC

Making Papa Johnson's favorite pie for pi day

The hair is getting a little unruly. 

He's such a snuggle bug

Little Badger Family

Fun at the "Pay Pace"

Going down the slide!

Fun at the children's museum

making "pizzba"

Whoops.  5 second rule.

He looks like a little stump jumper here :)

Now he'll smile on command (kind of).

Running free!

Enjoying the Arboretum - look closely - it's snot his fault. 

"Momma, what are you doing up in a tree?!?"

 Until next time, be well!

Love,
Kim, Jim, and David

Thank you Blog!

I'm calling this my Thank You! blog

Thanks to my brother and sister-in-law! Last weekend they agreed to host David's family party.  I'm so grateful that they continually open their house to the entire family.  We had a winter themed party and it was great fun.  And double kudos to my brother, who has built a super sweet ice rink this year.  See the pictures below.

 Auntie Alicia pulling David and Zacky in the sled.

 This is actually when I was heading in with the little ones.  They had fun, but at this point they've had enough.

 Teaching cousin Lizzie how to skate.

 She's getting the hang of it!

 David's friend, Gavin, couldn't get enough of the snow! We kept him away from the yellow stuff!

 Eating!

 Presents! David got a balance bike from Momma and Dadda

 The rink from the living room

 David's cake

 David enjoying his cake ;)

 David's friend, Gavin, and Zacky sledding.  Unfortunately David slept through this part.  

 Zacky and Lizzie sledding.

 Uncle Ryan and Zacky sledding.

 Look at that view!  Gorgeous, isn't it? I try so hard to live in the moment, but I gotta say, whenever I'm at my brother's it makes me wish we could fast-forward a couple of years to when we have a place where we can put roots down.  Exciting news regarding this in a bit...

 Gavin LOVED sledding!

We brought David's friend with us because his Dad had surgery the Monday prior and was having lots of pain.  The boy's father is also is a music theory PhD student and his or his wife's family were not able to come up and help out (they are from California and Illinois), which is how we ended up with two 2 year olds for the weekend.  I used to say that I wanted twins, but I think I've been cured of that bug.  It was an exhausting weekend!!! But oh, so fun!

We've been keeping busy doing our usually things.  We haven't been able to make it out skiing again but David and I do lots of sledding on a little hill in our apartment complex.  We've been also doing lots of hockey things.  Playing, obviously, as well as taking David to skate with the lady Badgers and attending the Wisconsin Whalers and Badger men's games.  We saw the badger men beat Minnesota on Thursday.  It was awesome!

 David got to watch us play! Apparently he yelled out "Momma!" and "Dadda!" lots from the bleachers.

 Cute little family <3

 Watching the Wisconsin Whalers

 Obviously we had to teach David how to say "hockey chicks" (Slapshot reference)

 First time we've actually had him on the ice.  Lovely day.

 Notice a resemblance?

 At the Men's Wisconsin vs. Minnesota

We scored some sweet seats, right on the glass, just to the left of the blue line.

Speaking of living in the moment, man it's hard.  It sounds like Jim is going to be graduating this semester, which is AWESOME! Paying tuition is getting really, really really old, as is living in our tiny little apartment. Even better news is that he's been getting some decent attention from prospective employers too.  More about that later - I don't want to jinx anything! 

Here are a couple more pictures of Davey Babe - because he's cute! :)

 Can't get enough of that sweet little face.

 Here he is helping to make pizza for Daddy.  He's really quite good at making pizza.  Here's a video of him helping a while back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6PpxJY4sUY&feature=youtu.be 

What else is there to say? Nothing really...I'm excited because I'm dropping down to 70% at work this week so that means 7 days working (not in a row) and 7 days off in a 2 week period.  Hopefully this will help me feel more balanced.  I'd really like to do 60% which would be working 3 days a week, but we won't be able to swing this until Jim is working too.  Man, that job can't come soon enough! Keep your fingers crossed!! 

Much love to you,

Kim, Jim and David Bungert