Into the Future

It's planning season here on the farm.  Which means I have BIG dreams and plans...and Hubby has reality.

I tend to think anything is possible.  He refers to it as my "eternal optimism".  Hubby knows that anything could go wrong.  I refer to him as the "voice of reason".

And when Eternal Optimism meets Voice of Reason, that's where we find a farm plan.

For example, I think we should do 50 turkeys next year.  Hubby says 30.  Which means that it will probably be 30.  (Unless I can convince him that the hatchery made a mistake and sent 50...)

The problem with moving is that the post office doesn't forward seed catalogs so I've had to go on each companies website and request new catalogs.  As of today, only one has shown up.  So at a time when I've had my seed lists done and orders made, I still don't have a clue of what I'm doing for seed.

We're waiting on a boar for Patsy Swine.  He's an Old Spot boar and we're pretty thrilled to farrow our own pigs this year.  There's also a couple of Berkshire and Hampshire gilts available that we are talking about.

Anyone else doing planning for 2013?

It's always the one who laughs

I have a college degree.  Which would lead some to assume that I have been to college.  And perhaps that I learned something at said college.  One of the most important things I learned had absolutely nothing to do with biology or geology or communication or English literature or even teaching.

Oh no.  It had to do with the Law of the Laugh.

The streets of my hallowed institution were notoriously icy.  Sidewalks were skating rinks.  One walked like a penguin if one wanted to cross a particularly nasty corner by Stevens Auditorium.

When you have an auditorium that holds 450 people, there is bound to be someone who slips and falls flat on their back, spraying books and pens, papers and phone hither and yon.  And when that poor unfortunate soul takes their slip of shame, the very last thing you should ever do is...

Laugh at them.

That's right.  Because if you laugh, if you even snicker, you, my friend are next.

For that is the Law of the Laugh.

This law was so ingrained in our minds as students that if one was unaware and let out a chuckle, a chortle, or even a snicker everyone surrounding them would take a giant step back.  We weren't going down with that ship.

Yesterday, at the grazing lands conference a different, but not altogether unrelated law was witnessed.  The Law of the Glare.

Cell phones have been around a while and still we have people who cannot remember to turn their phones on silent during a presentation.  As I sat in the back of the room, I heard an awful lot of phones ring.  And saw an equal number of dirty looks being given to owners of those phones.  But the classic moment was when the dirtiest-look-giver's phone would go off.  Oh my, the irony. The karma, as they would startle and grasp desperately at their pocket.  One poor chap even dropped it under the table.

But of course, I absolutely did not laugh...

Dreams Come True

Last night and today I am attending the ND Grazing Lands Coalition annual workshop and meeting.  Learning with these folks is a dream come true for me.

But yesterday afternoon, whilst I was in the BIG city, I hit my favorite kids re-sale store for a huge sale.  50% off and then I had a coupon for an additional 20% off my entire purchase.  Yes indeed!

Kiddo1 got three pants and three coordinating shirts.  Kiddo3 got a new shirt, two new pants and a new dress.  Kiddo2 got new, tags-still-on-them, John Deere lace-up cowboy boots.  I paid $8 for them.  They're $60 in the store.  The are a little big, but should fit this cowboy when his current boots become too small.

But the biggest score was a pair of bright pink cowgirl boots in Kiddo1's size.  They even have flowers on them.  I called her to tell her what I found.  She squealed and said, "Oh Mama, I have been dreaming about something like that!"

I know, sweet girl.  And mama got 'em for $5.50.  And she's been dreaming about that.

And Not to Be Outdone

So yesterday I told you that I love my four year old because she is funny.

And then her brother had to go ahead and bump up the level of funny we have around here.  As you know, he is a cowboy.  And he talks like a three year old version of John Wayne.  Slow, with pauses and a slight drawl....he'd fit in perfectly in East Tennessee with his uncle.

Here are some of our favorites from Kiddo2:

"Dad?  I kinda think you should maybe make me some breakfast.  Yeah, I like breakfast a little bit."

His new words are 'awful' and 'difficult'.
"Mama, I can't get my pants off.  It's awful difficult in here right now."

Me:  Good morning Kiddo2!
Him:  I'm not Kiddo2, I'm Gil Favor, trail boss.

Just yesterday, my new assistant was getting into her red car.
Kiddo2 calls out to her, "Do you have a red car there?  I like red cars and I have a plan for sharing things."


And, in the category of things I'd never thought I'd have to say to my children (that I've said to him):

"Your sister is not a coyote!"

"Put down your gun so you can pee!"

"I'm sorry John Wayne, but you cannot take your gun into WalMart."


Finally, in the category of melting his mama's heart:

"Mama, you are just like Big Bill.  You make me good things to eat!"

"Mama, can you just hold me a little bit?"

When asked what his mother's name was:  "I kinda think it's Honey.  Yeah, it's Honey."

She Cracks Me Up

Do you know what I like best about four year olds?  (Besides the fact that the crying/whining/sniveling is almost non-existent.)  The ability of my four year old to crack a joke.  On her own.

We wash dishes together at least once a day.  I wash, she rinses.  About a week before Christmas, Kiddo1 leaned over and scooped up some soap suds and rubbed it on her face.  Then she turned to me and said, "Look!  I'm Jana Claus!"  (This may come as a shock to you, but her name really isn't Kiddo1.)

I about fell on the floor laughing.  It was hilarious!

Yesterday I captured another 'Jana Claus':

She cracks me up.  And that's what I like best about four year olds.

Our New Years Tradition

Back in my wild single days, I hosted a New Years Day brunch to watch the Rose Parade.  Yes, that's how wild my single days were.  That was my New Years tradition.  After five years of no TV, that tradition, understandably, has died.

This New Years Eve, we spent doing some home improvement.  Specifically, purging our house of 40 year old carpet.  I'm not a big fan of carpet and 40 years is a good run.  It had to go.

We had wanted to do it before we moved, but that didn't happen.  We weren't sure about the condition of the floors underneath.  Dad had told us before he died that there were hardwood floors under there that Grandpa had put in around the late 1940's.

We started in the hallway.

And in just over an hour, this is what we found!

And if you think I did a happy dance right then and there you would be correct!  They are gorgeous and in perfect condition.

So we moved on to the living room.

This is our wild New Years Eve.  Wild with perfect-hardwood-floor excitement!

On New Years Day Kiddo1 and I made some pie.  Hubby bought me a french rolling pin for Christmas so my previous one went to Kiddo1.  Now we don't have to share it and she can roll her own crust.  She wanted to make a chocolate pie and she made it all herself.  Four years old and making her own pie...if you think she was pretty excited, you would be correct.  She called both her grandmas to tell them of her "very delicious pie".

And our New Years meal was Olive Garden Topper.  That will probably be a tradition as well.  

Along with home improvement and pie...

The Word For This Year

I'd given up on resolutions years ago.  But I feel like my life should have a focus each year.  Just a word or phrase that gives me perspective.

This year my word is LOVE.  As in to love better.  To express love better.  To make those around me feel more loved.

Hubby gave me Joyce Meyer's Love Out Loud devotional for Christmas.  A daily scriptural reminder to love better.  He also gave me a five year journal to record those moments and be able to look back on them each year.

I am also going to start a 365 photo project.  We take a lot of photos, but I like the discipline of taking a photo a day.  I'll share them at the end of the month here on the blog.

What are you doing this year?