I Got Me a '79 John Deer Combine

On any Sunday morning, driving across Iowa, hit the scan button on the radio…

“At the top of the hour, we’ll have our traffic report, so stay…

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We got the beat, We got the beat, Yeah, We got the…

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Now will our ushers please come forward to take the morning offering, while we sing…

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It’s 74 degrees right now and it looks like we might have a chance for some…

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Hi. This is Joe. I got me a ’79 John Deer combine.  It don’t work no more, but it’s a beauty. And I got me a blue recliner with a cigarette burn hole in the arm, but it still rocks.   I’ll take $3700 for the combine and $35 for the recliner.  My number is 524-5547 and I’m here in Clarinda, but ain’t home on Tuesdays so don’t call then.”

There.  Don’t touch the dial. That would be it, my favorite radio show, Radio Tradio. If you’ve never listened to a radio tradio type of program, then you’re missing out.  It’s AM radio at its finest.  It’s basically a Midwest garage sale on the radio, without all the neighborhood traffic or lemonade stands.  Simply call in, tell them what you’ve got for sale, (and it can be ANYTHING and I mean ANYTHING) how much you want for it, and your phone number.   It’s that easy. It’s usually on any AM station across, Iowa, Nebraska or Kansas on a Sunday morning from 9:00-11:00AM.  The host is kind, usually as bland as warm water and never laughs at anything his guests offer up for sale. 

For me, it’s better than any comedy show out there.  I’m completely drawn in to the sincerity of the guests and the absurdity of the items they are actually trying to sell.  They try to sell their old washing machines that don’t work, the deer head that their wife can’t stand “no more”, their old alfalfa seeder, a box of old door knobs, a ’76 GE deep freeze that’s still kickin’, their grandpa’s old saw with a few teeth missin’, and even their three pet chickens that just make too much dang noise for their city folk neighbors.  All this for a few dollars and on a good day, they’ll throw in a bag of horse feed for free if you come by 2:00 PM that day.

I’ve never laughed so hard in my life listening to these shows.  It’s the most entertaining hour or two of any drive you’ll ever take across the Midwest.  (I can say that because I used to live in Iowa and there’s not much to see except corn fields and more corn fields. And, I can say that about Nebraska and Kansas too, since I’ve lived there as well.)  I don’t exactly know why I’m so fascinated by it, but it’s truly a piece of Americana that you can’t find anywhere else.  Promise me you’ll turn on your AM dial and hit the scan button next time you’re on the road.  I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.  Plus, you may just get yourself a copper boiler, a rusty birdbath, an old loading chute or three gently used cowbells you didn’t know you needed for a steal.  Oh, and don’t call Joe on Tuesdays ‘cause he ain’t home.

I Survived the Tent

Well, I did it.  I went camping for the first time in a tent under the stars and I have to say it wasn’t too bad.  When your nine year old is excited, you tend to get excited as well. This was something he’d been looking forward to for quite some time, so didn’t want to spoil any of his fun by complaining or being the wimpy mom on the trip.  I had to be on my best camping behavior, for him.  

We set up the tent at dusk, drove into town (which comprised of a 50 year old bait shop, a propane company run from a trailer and a pizza joint) and ate pizza at the pizza joint.  Once we were back at camp, the six boys, five dads and one mom (that’s me) set up our chairs, chatted under the stars and played ghost in the graveyard.  It was during this time that the temperature began to drop, I’m guessing about 20 degrees in a matter of minutes. I rounded up my scout and headed to our tent. He went to bed in his hat and gloves, jeans two pairs of socks, a long sleeve shirt and a hooded sweatshirt and in three minutes; my little guy was sound asleep. Forget about the pajamas and clean underwear or the toothbrush and toothpaste I had meticulously packed for him so he’d be comfortable.  We were camping!   You sleep in what you have on.   You don’t brush your teeth.  How was I to know? I, on the other hand, did not fall asleep in three minutes or three hours.

Did you know that when you sleep in the woods, it’s very quiet?  Quiet enough to hear everyone whisper in their tent at 2:00 AM and debate whether or not to wait it out or walk the tenth of a mile to the bathroom.  It’s quiet enough to hear everyone turn in their sleeping bags all night and quiet enough to hear every nocturnal animal within 500 feet of your tent.  I was thankful for the full moon, an instant nightlight in the tent, but as the night passed (at the pace of a sleeping turtle I might add) the temperature kept dropping as was evidenced by the frost on our blankets, tent and cars the next morning.  Yes, there was dew on our blankets, inside the tent!!! Thirty-three degrees.  It was cold.

We made our breakfast over the propane stove and had turkey bacon, eggs, pancakes, hot chocolate and orange juice, then got ready for the day and waited for the other scouts to arrive and set up their tents.  

My husband and older son joined us in the afternoon for day two, and the rest of the day was spent fishing, playing capture the flag, hiking uphill both ways, geocaching, making dinner for the group, singing songs, telling jokes and performing skits in the kiva around the fire.  We ended the day with smores made in the fireplace at the lodge complete with a second round of hot chocolate. (We have bears in our area remember, so no food outside! This is camping rule number one and my worry number one.)

We headed back to the tent and crawled under our nineteen layers of blankets and once again, the boys, in their shirts covered in fish blood and slime, dirty socks and jeans, fell fast asleep in minutes. I decided that I would try to make myself more comfortable this time and put on my camping pjs in hopes of falling asleep this time.  Have you ever tried to take off jeans bent over while standing on an air mattress, trying to be quiet so as not to wake the rest of camp and get redressed again all in 35-degree weather?  It’s not easy.  It would prove to be a waste of time essentially, because I didn’t fall fast asleep, despite my exhaustion from the day and hiking uphill both ways (wait, did I already say that?). 

Morning finally came with the hoot of an owl and a choir of morning doves and I couldn’t have been more relieved.   Still wearing my mother smile, we dismantled the tent, packed the car, had breakfast, sang a song or two in the lodge and then headed home (first ones to leave I might add).  I couldn’t wait to get into the shower and wash the three-day layer of dirt off my body.   My little guy slept on the way home and before nodding off, said he had a great time and loved the hiking (uphill both ways) the best.   I smiled and knew that it was all worth it in the end.  He had a good time and I never once wimped out on him or showed him my “do we have to” face!  I was a trooper and am glad I did it. 

Just for the record, however, I will not be subscribing to Camping Life magazine, nor will I be purchasing an outdoor stove anytime soon. 

Roughin' It

I am the mom of a Webelo this year.  You know what that means, don’t you? It means we have the pleasure of going camping, twice this year. (Did you notice I used the words pleasure and camping in the same sentence?  I’m trying to be positive about this.) For those of you who know me, I’m not much of a “roughin’ it” type.  I’m not above doing it. It’s just not on my top one hundred ten list of things I enjoy. 

I prefer this type of camping.

 

 Not so sure about this type of camping.

 

I’ve only slept under the stars one time and it was in our fenced in back yard a few years ago.   Not a horrible experience, but I did have access to running water and the bathroom 15 steps away if I needed it.  For the camping event this weekend, we’ll be going to a Boy Scout camp in the mountains complete with bugs, snakes and the occasional bear (although they swear they haven’t had one in a long time). Plus, in our neck of the woods, fall has arrived and the weather isn’t 95º during the day and 75º at night. It’s more like highs in the mid 70s and lows in the 40s.   (Note to self.  Don’t forget to pack extra socks and a scarf.  Ugh. What am I getting myself into?)

I know that once we get there, it will be a great experience for us and that we’ll have a good time hiking, geocaching, fishing and roasting marshmallows around the fire.  I just need to keep reminding myself that I’m doing this for my son.  His enjoyment. His happiness. His sense of accomplishment.  We’ll set up the tent, blow up the air mattress (that I borrowed from our good friends who have all things camping), help set up the rest of camp and have a great time with the other scouts and parents earning belt loops, pins, and badges along the way. 

And, who knows, maybe I’ll learn the name of some new constellations, watch a falling star, enjoy a ghost story or two and earn my “roughin it” belt loop.  I will earn a belt loop, right?  

photo credits

But My Actions Don't Show It

I’ve started this post three times over the last ten days and keep deleting it.  I don’t know why.  Perhaps my guilt has finally caught up with me and I need to get it out of the way!

I do not recycle.

I do not clip coupons.

I waste water.

There, I said it.  Now why don’t I feel better?  These three things have been weighing (4th grade spelling word this week) heavily on my shoulders and I think it’s because I’m supposed to be doing something rather than just letting the thought wander into my head and then quickly drift out again.

Let’s start with the first one, RECYCLING.

I throw away a lot of trash.  Too much if you ask me.  I throw cardboard, plastic, paper, aluminum and the list goes on and on.   I’m lazy, I guess.  Having so many different containers to put the trash in, just isn’t my idea of neat and tidy.  I don’t want to bother taking an extra step to mess with trash.  I have so many things on my “to do” list that adding one more to it will require me to carry around a ream of paper tucked under my arm.  Not real convenient!  But, those are all excuses.   I’m smart enough to know that I’m contributing to the landfill problems of the world and the last thing I want is some poor dolphin to eat my Starbucks cup and die.  I care about the dolphins.  Really, I do, but my actions don’t show it.  

Let’s take a look at the second one, COUPONS.

I come across 30-40 coupons a week and just flip on by them and go on to the next page in my magazine or flyer as if saving $1 wasn’t good enough for me.  The convenience of it is my excuse once again.  You have to find the scissors (which in my house can be a day long event) cut it out, find a place to keep it AND most importantly have to remember to take it with you to the store and actually use it.   Too many steps. But, those are all excuses. I know that 15 coupons at $.75 each is $11.25 in my pocket.  That’s two new pair of soccer socks, or lunch with a friend, or two bargain books off the Under $4.95 table at Barnes and Noble.  Why isn’t this important enough for me to take action?  I care about money.  Really, I do, but my actions don’t show it.

Let’s take a look at the final item, WATER.

I like my water.  I water our yard, I drink it, I cook with it and indulge myself by taking a bath almost every night.  I leave the faucet on when I brush my teeth and when I’m rinsing dishes and run my dishwasher when it’s not all the way full.  Shame on me, I know.  How could I when there are truly children who don’t have water to drink?  That one tugs at my heart knowing I’m not helping conserve this precious resource that I am so privileged to have at the tap of a finger.  I should be more careful.  I care about our world.  Really, I do, but my actions don’t show it.

I think it just comes down to being completely lazy.   It’s an ugly word to use to describe myself, but as the saying goes, “If the shoe fits, wear it.”  I need to make some changes.  I need to make a phone call to my local trash company and find out about their recycling program. I need to buy the Sunday paper and create a “coupon station” in the kitchen to keep and store them in.  I need to shorten our sprinkler system cycle times, turn off the water when I brush my teeth and cut my bathing down to once a week (ok, so maybe just showering instead would be good enough).  I am an intelligent woman, but my actions don’t show it.   By this time tomorrow, I will be a “green”, coupon-clippin’, water-conservin’ team member of the world and my actions will show it. Just you wait.

Date Night

It was Saturday night and everyone was in bed after a busy day of umpiring, chauffeuring, cooking, a baseball game, dining with family, entertaining guests and my husband and I decide to (pause, wait for it) do algebra in bed.  Yep, that’s right.  You heard me right.   At 10:35PM everyone was asleep and listening to their radios when I snuck back into my son’s room and grabbed his homework to take a look at the two problems he was stuck on.  I’m a college graduate. I know how to add and subtract. I understand the standard order of operations rule. I wasn’t about to let little x’s and y’s take me down without a fight.  

I tossed the worksheet and his “study guide” onto the bed and took a quick bath, dabbed on some perfume and told my husband that there were two problems our 8th grader was stuck on and wanted to see if I could help him out.   Before I knew it, we were both sitting in bed with the worksheet in between us grabbing pencils and paper trying to figure out how to write a system of equations with two variables from a word problem. 

We each took the same approach and tried our hand at solving it alone, each in our little space of the bed (secretly trying to outsmart each other by coming up with the solution first).   We knew what the answers were, but to write them in an algebraic expression using two variables was a different story.  No easy task when you haven’t done algebra in thirty-some odd years.

We laughed and talked about it, erased and started over a few times.  Laughed some more.  Discussed the high expectations of eighth grade these days, reminisced about our school days and laughed some more. Finally, with neither of us solving it on our own, we googled the term “system of equations” and within 45 seconds, we had our answer.  (A special thanks and shout-out to our good friends Larry Page and Sergey Brin - the founders of Google.  We love you guys.)

It wasn’t dinner and a movie (and making popcorn next time might not be a bad idea), but we had a good time and in the end, we finished the problems. (And, for the record, I don’t think it officially counts as doing your child’s homework because he didn’t ask us to do it.  So, I think we’re off the hook in that regard.)  For us, it wasn’t about picking a movie or a restaurant, it was just simply hanging out together, laughing and enjoying a modern date night, the algebra way!  

The Positive Side of the Number Line

I think as a mother of two remarkable boy wonders and a wife to a wonderful, loving man, I have a pretty good job.  I don’t really have any complaints as such. When I hear other women’s comments about being a stay at home mom, they tend to be heavy on the negative side of the number line rather than the positive side.  They complain about not having enough time to relax or read a book and that the house is always a mess because the kids don’t put away their toys.  Hearing these things makes my ears burn.

I do the laundry, cook dinner, buy the groceries, clean the bathrooms, empty the cat litter boxes, mow the lawn, attend every soccer and baseball practice and game, take kids to school and pick them up, go to the gym (not happily I might add) and somehow still have time to go to coffee with friends, shop with my Mom and most definitely read.  Maybe I’m just more organized?  Maybe I just like to be busy?   Maybe I just like my job?

When I hear these women talk, I always think to myself, “Hmm.  They didn’t go to the same Mother/Wife school that I did.” (Now, don’t get me wrong, I am by no means claiming to have this position completely figured out and have the golden key to parenting and all things wifely.  I don’t.)  I went to the school that taught me to believe that if you pick a profession that you love, then life will be fulfilling and the rewards that come to you will be great. I honestly think that some of these ladies must have skipped class and just worked on their tans.

My biggest pet peeve is when I hear a stay at home mom/wife complain that the “pay” is terrible, they never get a day off and the benefits are questionable.  I don’t seem to have that problem.  I am paid every day.  I get hugs, kisses, love and a lovely assortment of “Mom, where are my baseball socks? Where are my shin guards? Honey, thanks for ironing my shirt” type of comments that make me feel loved and needed. I take the day off when I need to and have time to myself if I need it.  And, my benefits allow me to be home to greet my boys every day and to get that first reaction to whatever happened at school that day. I get to eat dinner with my husband on the deck and share our days and learn about the latest field hockey news.

I signed up for this position willingly and without reservation. Were these other women forced into their positions?  Makes me wonder, that’s for sure. I love my job and all the long hours.  It’s rewarding in so many ways.   I hope that when you talk to me, you'll always know that I stand on the positive side of the number line.  Always.  I'm grateful for this position and love my job.

Auspicious Symbols

Remember the book I told you about, The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin?  It’s become more of a textbook for me lately and really gives me food for thought on being happy. One of the ideas she discusses is how Buddhism has eight auspicious symbols to represent the teachings of Buddha and reaching enlightenment. When I think about my life, I’ve acquired symbols that represent me without even knowing it.  So I wanted to share my own list of auspicious (yes, I’ve used that word twice already, but it’s a beautiful word) symbols and what they mean to me.  I’ve always known these things were important to me, but never thought much of it until I did this exercise and put them down in writing.   I hope it will inspire you to think of what represents you and your life and to surround yourself with them to inspire and encourage you on your road to finding happiness in your life. 

Stephani’s Eight Auspicious Symbols of Life

Rain

Rain washes away the old and freshens everything around us.  To remind me that we have many opportunities to start again and begin something new.           

Heart Shaped Rocks

Love is everywhere and in all things, even a rock.  To remind me that love is always there and you just have to keep your eyes open to see it.

Books

Knowledge, hope, inspiration and guidance are there and available at any moment in books.  To remind me that we are never too old to learn something new or to feed our souls with information.

Pears

The color inspires me to be who I am.  To remind me that I am unique.  Just like the Pantone color 578.

A New Notebook and Pencil

Each day is a clean sheet waiting for the writing/creativity to be placed upon it.

To remind me of all the possibilities in the world.

A Bird

Even the smallest of creatures bring joy to the space around us.  To remind me that the little things matter.

Pearls

Nature is an amazing place to just “be”. God has created so many wonders for us to enjoy.  To remind me of all things natural and gracefully put upon this earth.

A Tree

A tree is strong and supported by its roots.  To remind me that you can do anything you want with the love and support of your family and friends around you.

photo credit

The Rewards are There

Our family is busy.  We don’t set out to be the busiest and most involved family on the block, and I’m sure there are other families out there who’s schedules don’t fit on a 8 ½ x 11 refrigerator calendar like ours does, but we have things going on, well, almost everyday.  This weekend for example, was one of non-stop activities. We had baseball practice, a school dance, a baseball game, two soccer games, friends over, nerf gun wars, volunteering, a cub scout service project, studying for a science test, a sleep-over, craft room painting, lawn mowing, weed pulling and still managed to fit in a 30 minute nap in there. Yeah me!  Needless to say, I’m a little slow this morning and don’t have quite the energy I was hoping to have.

In spite of our schedule though, we still have a meal or two together in there, play a round of Apples to Apples before bed and have two days a week that are completely blank on the calendar! It seems like a lot some days and there are days it’s really just too much to be quite honest.  But the rewards are there.

On Saturday, I took my oldest home in between my youngest son’s soccer games.  He hadn’t been home since nine in the morning and just wanted to be home for a bit before he headed to volunteer at the Y.  On the drive home, he was a little quiet, then out of the blue said, “You know, Mom, I pretty much love baseball and think it’s my favorite sport now.  I had a really good game today.”  I quickly corrected him and told him he had a great game today. He had two hits, (a single and a double), stole four bases, pitched 46 great pitches (not that I was counting), threw a guy out at first and smiled the entire game.   All the driving back and forth to practice, going early for the games, was suddenly not such a big deal.  The confidence in himself was strong and it made me feel great knowing that.  The reward was there.

With him home for a little bit, I drove back to the field and thanked Pam for watching my youngest while I was gone and prepared for round two of soccer.  The team was huddled for a cheer, when the coach realized we had twelve players and they only had five.  She quickly asked for volunteers to play on the other team to help even up the numbers and avoid having seven of our players sit out.  My son’s arm went straight up and volunteered to play for the Vikings instead of the Titans.  I was so proud of him.  He realized it wasn’t a big deal and it could be fun to play against his teammates.   

Again, in the car on the way home, the discussion is always about the “action” of the game. Not only did he score a goal, but played goalie for the first time and had a blast. My little guy was all smiles and said that was the most fun he’s had playing in a long time.   I told him how proud I was of him volunteering and he just smiled. He knew he had done a good thing and was proud of himself for doing so.  The reward was there. 

Even though the weekend was packed with driving here and driving there, in the end, everyone was happy doing what they enjoyed and both looked forward to their next game. So, perhaps being busy isn’t such a bad thing.  As long as the smiles are there, then I’m still ready and eager to chauffer them to every meeting, to every game, to every friend’s house, to 7-11 for sunflower seeds, to the Y to volunteer and to every  school dance to do the chicken dance with friends.  The rewards are there.

My Digital Daughter

I’m a Mac girl thanks to my brother.  I couldn’t live without my digital silver compact and all its bells and whistles.  I don’t have a name for her, but probably should since I spend so much time with her and am over protective of her in every way. 

No one is allowed to take her for a walk, unless her screen is shut and she’s securely fastened and in the locked position (holding her for dear life with both hands). No one is allowed to eat near or have a glass of water within spilling range of her, dare a few drops of moisture come near her tender little keys.  And, no one is allowed to hit “download now” unless they ask me first and it’s homework related (two bits which hardly ever go hand in hand).  

Well, the other night, we were sitting together in the living room so I could hear the boys playing outside when she came down with what I thought was a small case of the hiccups. She hadn’t been ill, nor had anyone broken any of the commandments (that I knew of). This worried me greatly.  I tried the few steps I knew and upon her restarting, she indicated that she needed to be in “safe mode” for some reason.  I didn’t like this one bit and immediately called her doctor (my brother) who patiently listened to the ranting mother and how her poor baby was sick and how it came on so suddenly with no warning whatsoever.  He calmed me down and suggested a few simple clicks, keystrokes and restarts, and in a matter of minutes, her episode had passed and was perfectly fine.

Her diagnosis. “Crumbitis”.  I know! I was shocked!  Seeing how I follow the commandments faithfully, I couldn’t understand how she could have come in contact with such a disease.  Where had she been when I was at book club?  Had she snuck into the kitchen cupboards?  Apparently so. What else could have happened?  Evidently, she had a cookie or cracker one afternoon and a crumb lodged itself under her left shift key causing her to cough and wheeze.  I know.  It’s just too hard to believe.

I immediately told everyone in the house to be on the lookout for anymore of this type of behavior from her because apparently she has a liking for crumbly snacks after school. I put everyone on high alert to ensure she didn’t sneak anything else from the kitchen.  Everyone understood the alarm it caused mom and vowed to make sure she never ate another cracker or Oreo again. 

I was so thankful her doctor was on call that night. I don’t like calling him so late at home, but he’s always so gracious and willing to help. Plus, his bedside manner is flawless. Cool, calm and most definitely collected.  I hope this was just a little episode and won’t need his digital doctoring again any time soon.  So for now, my little girl seems to have recovered fully and have since backed her up three times and updated her baby book so that she’ll be able to share her story with her children one day. 

Dust on My Dresser

Yesterday was a busy day for me.   Nothing pressing really, but just tried to do too much.  I’m an overachiever and think I can do everything in one day.  It’s not a good trait, but have always tried to get the “icky” stuff done first, then the “fluff” is more enjoyable.  This was my goal yesterday.

In the process of doing and putting away clean socks and other unmentionables, I realized that I haven’t dusted the two shelves of my dresser in quite some time.  I immediately thought to myself, “As soon as I get the calendar finished on my computer, I’ll get up there and dust it.”  Well, you know what?  I didn’t dust it. And guess what else?  I didn’t explode.  The world didn’t come to a screeching halt.  Martha didn’t come knocking on my door to do a dresser inspection either.

Why do we fuss over the little stuff that just doesn’t matter?  I find myself doing this all the time.  Why?   Is it the perfectionist in me?  Is it fear that someone will see my dust?  Pretty silly if you stop and think about it.   

When you were over at your friend’s house last time, did you take a quick peek in their bedroom to see if the dresser had been dusted?  I didn’t think so.  Did you look in the closet to see if their hats and gloves were color coordinated and stacked in neat piles?  Nope, me neither.

With that said, today I am going to relax and do what needs to get done, like the white load and the meat sauce for spaghetti. What ever else happens to get done today, will be the happy face on my plate.  I do know that I’m not planning on sneaking into anyone’s bedroom on dust detail any time soon, and don’t think anyone I know of has me on their list of places to white glove check either. So, I will enjoy the dust on my dresser and remind myself that there are more important things to do and be concerned about.   I hope you will let your dust settle today and let dust be dust.

Dare I Say, Friends?

We recently went out of town for Labor Day to a friend’s cabin.  It’s not very far from our house, but it still let’s us feel like we’re out of town and on a trip.  This wasn’t an extravagant trip or a vacation of a lifetime, but it was time away together and for the first time (for 3 consecutive days mind you) my boys didn’t fuss once.  I know they’re old enough to get along, but inevitably they argue about the leg room, someone’s arm being on the pillow or just the air that is between them, but not this time.   They were gracious, polite, laughed with each other, and played games in the car and at the lake like they were pals.  It was great and I praised them for this observation on the car ride home (thinking I would only jinx myself and have the loving atmosphere come to a screeching halt once I uttered the words).  It was wonderful to witness.  Truly.  I hope this is a sign of things to come.  We’ve been waiting for a while for this time to appear in their lives.  Could this be the year?  Could they turn into more than just brothers?  Dare I say, friends?  I hope and pray it to be so.   But, just in case, I’m still planning on keeping my fingers crossed as well.  

His Confidence is Showing

Do you remember a few weeks ago when I bought my youngest son a Yoda shirt?  If you don’t, you can read about it here.  Well…..they say a picture is worth a 1000 words.   This is my son watching tv before school this morning.  

I was shocked, but didn't dare say ONE word.   Sometimes, we just have to let them come into their own on their own.   Should I tell him that his confidence is showing?