What Not to Do Next Year for Christmas (Note to Self)

Ok, I tend to overdo it. Those who really know me are not surprised by this. I did it again this Christmas... I spent too much, I baked too much, I worried too much, I ate too much. Next year will be different, right? Here's what I don't need to do anymore:

1. Feel like my gifts to others need to be their "wow" gift. Something little and thoughtful is enough. I don't need spend a lot.

2. Less is truly more with the kids. They don't need several gifts to be happy. One thing each is enough. Besides, Grandma makes up the difference :-)

3. I think that by the time we get to Christmas morning, they would actually prefer fruit and beef jerky in their stockings rather than loads more candy. Remember all the pie and cookies at Grandma's the night before? Also, pies and cookies Christmas Day... Candy is NOT needed, or appreciated!

4. I don't need to bake Christmas cookies. Again, Grandma makes up for it.

5. I don't need to make lefse, unless I make it with a group of friends and it is a fun event. Otherwise, it is just more fat and sugar I feel compelled to eat.

6. Don't go shopping with only a list of names and no ideas. This is bad. :-(

7. Don't go shopping alone. I need a chaperone!

8. Don't buy wrapping paper. I have enough.

9. Don't assume I have bows, ribbon and tape. I don't.

10. Don't get so busy I forget to spend time with Jesus, my family and friends. They are the point of the whole holiday, right?

Cute Kid Story

John just turned 5 on Dec 1st, but all of a sudden seems so grown up. First of all, let me tell you about his dream. Every night when I tuck him in, I pray that the Lord would reveal himself to him in his dreams. John has always said that he has never had a dream. Wednesday morning, I woke up to hear him laughing out loud in his bed. I asked him why he was laughing and he said, "I had a funny dream!"

"What was your dream John? What happened?" I asked.

"I dreamed I was climbing on a big rock and everytime I climbed up, the rock asked me, 'Do you love me?' "

"John! did you know that one of the names for Jesus is The Rock? I think that the rock in your dream was Jesus and he was asking you if you love him! That's really neat!" I exclaimed.

"No-o-o!" John said while laughing, "It was the Robots video game!"

Arrrgh! I HATE video games!

Then, later that same day we were on our way home from the dentist, following the snow plow. It was spreading sand and salt on our road. Hannah asked what he was doing and I told her that the sand helps you not to slip and the salt melts the snow and ice. When we got home and were getting out of the van, I noticed John crying in the backseat. I asked him why he was crying and he replied, "The snow! I can't go sledding anymore!"

He thought that the snow plow's sand and salt would make ALL of the snow go away! Too cute. He was very relieved when he learned the truth.

Adventures in Sewing

It's weird how sometimes you get a crazy idea to do some project and then you find out that two, or maybe even three of your close friends or family had the same idea. No? this never happens to you? Well, it happened this week and it's just strange. I'm sure it means something deep and profound, but I can't quite figure it out. I don't believe in coincidence... only providence.

I decided that I wanted to sew. Now, you have to know that my sewing skills are rather limited and I tend to be the sloppy, just git-er-done type of worker. So I have learned to enter into sewing projects with caution. My end product will NOT look like the one on the front of the pattern. I have to be okay with that. Anyway, I decided that I would make matching mother-daughter aprons for Hannah and I. I went to the store, got the pattern, material, and supplies. I dug out my sewing machine, set it up, and even washed and IRONED the fabric. I started to lay out the pattern and had to call my mom for help. She said it was very strange that she had just decided that she need to teach Laura (my youngest sister) how to sew. Just that week she bought a pattern and material for her and was just thinking about starting on it when I called. (Twilight Zone music in background).

Mom came over and stuck with me through the whole first apron. We had a wonderful time talking and having tea while we girls worked on the project. It was very nice to have a quiet evening at home to visit. The next day as I was finishing the second apron, I called her for some phone advice and my Grandma Jule was at her house for coffee. Mom had told her about my sewing project and she remarked that my aunt Rosie had called her that very same week to tell her that she had decided that she wanted to sew aprons. She bought the material and a pattern and wanted to come to Minnesota to learn how to sew (Twilight Zone music gets louder).

I have know idea what will come of this, if anything. It was just so remarkable, I had to share.

I have so far completed 3 aprons and am really enjoying learning how to use my machine and visiting with my sewing gurus seeking their wisdom. We'll see if my skills improve.

Life is Too Short to Spend it Busy

I'm feeling a little out of control lately with family obligations, family emergencies, work, homeschooling, keeping things sort of managed at home, etc. Please keep me in your prayers to get through the month of October and that the rest of the winter will be uneventful. I am looking forward to cold winter days when the hibernation begins.

Retro Mama

I am sad to report that my dishwasher did not survive the zucchini bread making marathon. You can't rinse zucchini shreds out of all the dishes used and I guess it was just to much for the old gal and she choked. After the eighth time of washing, drying, then putting away the dishes, I decided I'm really not enjoying this retro-mama experience. Even with my retro apron on, I cannot smile.

Dewey, the appliance repair man who now is on a first name basis with all of us here (this is the Year of the Appliance), came with his appliance ambulance, loaded her up and took her to his hospital. His parting words were, "I don't think I'll have it done this week, but next week for sure!"

That sounded rather vague, don't you think?

The thing that aggravates me most is nothing makes my kids and husband feel like fixing a snack like an empty sink. Every time I turn around it's half-full of dishes! ARRRGH!! I need to create a menu that does not involve dishes. Like trail mix and water...

Where I Would Rather Be

Where has this summer gone? Maybe it's just me, but it seems like it has been three months of chaos and I really never got any down-time. We booked a week at Fenske Lake for some Boundary Waters canoeing and then we cancelled after getting hit by the tornado in July. Now I am really regretting it. This picture is what I am longing for. Quiet lakes, loons with their babies, the gentle splashing of the paddle, no errands, no garden weeding, no beans that need to be canned, no work calling and asking me to come in on my day off, no fighting, tattling, or hitting. The lawn doesn't need mowing, the projects are all done, the kids are all clean, smiling, and quiet. Michael has no work to do, the checkbook is balanced and in the black, dinner is made and everyone likes it, everyone is healthy, the laundry is done, the dishes are done, the floors are clean, and I can really, truly let my mind relax. Please don't wake me!!

I think that I grossly underestimated the importance of summer vacation and now that fall is upon us and we are back to school at our house I find that I am not ready for summer to be over. I WANT MY VACATION!!

Michael and I do have a date tonight...hopefully that will help.

No Doubt About It... I'm a Farm Girl!

I have to warn you... this post may be gruesome. Men won't want to read it at all. Alright, you've been warned.

It all started July 5th when we got a call from the local FFA director asking us if we would take the three little pigs from the kiddie barnyard at the Cannon Falls Fair. We didn't want them, but we took them. (that's another story...) Anyway, it turns out that one of the pigs we didn't want was an intact boar, meaning he needed to be castrated in order for the meat to be any good. Usually this is done when the pigs are 2 days old as they are smaller and MUCH easier to handle. After the events yesterday, we agree that this IS the best way to do it.

After the discoverery of "the twins", we began to discuss our dilemma with various farm gurus we thought might be willing to help us out and perform the "procedure". As time went on, we realized we might just be on our own here so we best study up. Michael did research on how to best de-masculinate the poor guy and I shopped for supplies. At least my 3 yrs in the operating room proved of some value! We decided Saturday was "D-day" and we got up early expecting a long morning of hog wrestling. I called all the neighbors to warn them of the almost assured blood curdling screams they might hear and that no one was being murdered on our property (though Matthew argues a bullet to the head would be preferable in his book). We left the kiddos safe in the house watching the Olympics and set out for hog wrestling.

Michael used a garbage can to corner and catch him. Head first in the garbage can then tipped upside-down. Next grab the back legs and tie up to a beam on the ceiling of the barn. We left him with front feet touching the ground, but still in the garbage can so he couldn't kick around so much. I got my soap and scrub bucket, donned my gloves and prepped our patient. Next, a betadine paint to the surgical site and then the pig pooped. Several times. Ok, so I cleaned and prepped as best I could, got my scalpel, prepared to make the incision, and froze. "You do it." I said to Michael. "No." was all he said and I knew I was it. Yikes! I've never done anything like this before! I began thinking about the blood, what if I could find them, what if I really hurt the poor piggy, and maybe it would be easier and more humane to just shoot the pig and be done with it.

After much deliberation about the best technique according to Michael's research, I made the first cut. Not as easy as I thought. I had to go through three layers and chase them around a bit before I finally got the first one out. It worked, one out, one to go. As I was rejoicing, Michael had to go lay down in the grass for a while.

"Hey! Come back and help me!" I yelled. He did come back and hold one leg that slipped out of the rope and I made the second incision. He left again. I waited, got the next one out easily, then did a final scrub with betadine and let Mr. Bacon free. There was virtually no blood. I was amazed! We checked on him several time throughout the day and he seemed tired, but fine. He does seem absolutely docile when I'm around him, though! As though he is saying, "I submit!"

I never want to do this again, but we felt pretty proud that we were able to perform our own vet procedure with success and feel we have earned our "farmer" badges.

I am sure we will laugh about this years later...