The Farm Report

Category: mumbling

  • How do you like them apples?

    How do you like them apples?

    091008_01

    I'm off to a photography workshop this weekend, so Chris came over to help better acquaint me with my camera. I think we both learned a few things while flipping dials and playing with settings. I ran outside to the apple trees to test out a few different things, and I think I'm getting a sharpness to my photos that I've never had before. Yippee!

    Basket, Day 4:
    About 1/4 of the children's books we own which actually appear to be random weird coloring books, books that are falling apart, or ones that we seem to have duplicate copies of.

  • Yogurt tubes

    Yogurt tubes

    090808_01

    My children hate milk, so I'm on a constant quest for new calcium-rich items to enhance their diet. They adore yogurt tubes, but they're a bit higher in sugar than I'd like. We store them in the freezer and the kids think they're one step away from ice cream.

    One day I stumbled upon these silicone tubes which allow you to make your own. They're stupidly pricey, but I think they may save me money in the end if I keep on using them. So far I've only done strawberry, but I'm going to see what happens when I throw yogurt and other kinds of fruit in a blender and then freeze.

    Basket, Day 2:
    – wadded newspapers that were jammed by Neko into our fireplace nook (pointless, since we have a gas starter)
    – random stuff from dog drawer (old medication, half-eaten dog bones, more dog toys)
    – weird fleece-y item I don't recognize and am not sure actually belongs to anyone who lives here
    – various duplicate kitchen utensils

  • 30 days, 30 baskets

    We have too much stuff. I don't know where it came from.

    Okay, yes I do. Two people who lived 30 years on their own and then threw it all together in one house, creating duplicates of nearly everything. Two people who have an aesthetic appreciation for things. Probably too much appreciation. Shake-It Records. Playmobil. Three children and all those things that go with three children. Too many trips to Target and that strange Can't Leave the Register with Under $50 of Merchandise rule.

    Anyway, I'm on a 30 day mission. For 30 days, I will fill a laundry basket full of stuff, and by the end of the day it will be in a bag, ready to exit my home for one of three destinations: 1) the dumpster, 2) the recycling, or 3) some charitable organization.

    Please keep me accountable. (Although I'm headed out of town on Friday until Sunday, so I'm taking those days off.) Feel free to join me on my 30 day challenge if you, too, are buried under clutter.

    Basket, Day 1:
    – nearly a whole bag of trash from the kitchen counters (frightening)
    – 10 Oprah magazines from 2004, which were randomly shoved in some bin in the basement
    – a basket full of dog toys so old and gross I wouldn't let my own dogs play with them

    Ahhh…that feels better.

  • Rockers and pit stops

    Rockers and pit stops

    090508_01

    We spent a big chunk of the day on the front porch since we're painting the basement and the fumes are outrageous. The pool and the play equipment is out back, so that's our default hang-out. But today we wandered out front and rocked and yammered on about a whole lot of nothing. Boy, does Ellery love a good rocking chair.

    We headed out for dinner (see note about fumes). On the way there Neko drank an entire can of sparkling water, which we didn't think much of until on the way home she suddenly really had to go to the bathroom. We offered to stop by Grandma Barb's house, but she declined. And then we pulled into the parking lot of a coffee shop, and she declined. Finally we figured out she was holding out for a gas station bathroom.

    This probably sounds like a weird, and somewhat troubling, preference. But I think it stems from one of the gas station bathrooms between here and Chicago which had a power dryer similar to the Dyson Airblade, which is about as much fun as hand drying can be.

    Anyway, we declined to cater to the bathroom preference, so we had a really wiggly five-year-old in the back seat the whole ride home. She was doing okay until we turned onto our road, which has up and down hills that often give you that roller coaster feeling. As we progressed down the road, all of a sudden a she gave us a look of horror and wailed, "Oh, no, not the hills!"

    And Tom and I laughed until we cried. Probably mostly because we are so tired, but also because we've all been in that desperate situation where the littlest thing could tip you over into the realm of not quite making it.

    And, yeah, she was super-mad about us laughing so hard, so we spent the rest of the evening telling her tales of times when we had to go to the bathroom so badly we thought we would die. Like that one time the navigation took us to the wrong hotel in Boston, and just as Anne and Tom thought they might have a chance of not exploding, we ran headlong into a Mexican Pride parade? (They made it…but just barely.)

  • Note to my children

    Dear Neko, Shep, and Ellery,

    All this talk of Bristol Palin becoming a mother before celebrating her 18th birthday has got me thinking about what lies ahead. The fact that you will probably enter into teen relationships that might involve something other than…ahem…friendship.

    And don't get me wrong, I know it's a rite of passage, dipping your toes into the world of romance. And that sex thing? I'd prefer you'd wait a while, and I'll be happy to go through all the reasons why I think that's a good idea. But when it comes down to it, the choice is in your hands. But teen pregnancy? PLEASE DON'T GO THERE.

    There is a time and place for being a parent. For some it is in your twenties, for others it's your thirties or even forties. But I think most of us would agree those teen years are often less than ideal.

    Sometimes I think this blog makes parenthood look too rosy. It's not all pirate ships, afternoon crafts and cozy hugs. It's excruciatingly hard work, akin to being a waitress, activities director, accountant, imagineer, doctor, and UN negotiator all at the same time. And the clients? They're stubborn, challenging, and often forget to say "thank you" for all your hard work. And did I mention how tired I am? I am SO TIRED.

    I adore you all. You are my proudest achievements. And although there's almost never a "perfect time" to have children, if you had been born earlier in my life, I don't think I would have done as good a job. I wouldn't have had my head in the right place. I would be remorseful about the experiences I missed out on. I would have done my best, but I wouldn't have been able to give you the attention you deserved.

    I'm not saying this about all teen parents. There are plenty who have done an outstanding job, and wouldn't undo it even if they had the chance. But, lordy, that's a tough road.

    I want you to get your driver's license. Go to prom (or boycott…your prerogative). Breathe in the smell of fall leaves as you walk to class on a college campus. You should have too many drinks, make a few bad decisions, and get your heart a little broken. You should do all these things without having to hire a babysitter.

    The best advice my mother ever gave me is that most things can be resolved with a sincere apology and making amends, but there are a few things in life you can never take back. These are things that you can attempt to mend, but it will never be as it once was. Driving drunk. Being a bad friend. Causing physical or emotional harm. Getting an STD. Having an unplanned pregnancy. We all make mistakes, but please try not to do these things.

    So, yes, I will hand out birth control when requested. Or I will support your choice to wait. Whatever your decision, I will pat you on the back for being responsible for your actions and your future. Because, ultimately, isn't that one of our primary goals as parents?

    I'm sure Bristol Palin will be fine. She will most likely be a good mother and live a happy and fulfilled life. But the weight that sits on those 17-year-old shoulders today? I ache for her.

  • Someone slept through Marketing 101

    Someone slept through Marketing 101

    083108_01

    Why should I buy a newspaper to benefit a children's charity?

    Because a grown man in full make-up holding a paper about identity theft has told me to.

  • Note to self

    Note to self

    083008_01

    When everyone goes down for quiet time, I need to remember to take a moment, step outside, put my feet up, and sit still. Breathe the air, listen to the birds, and watch my blood pressure plummet.

    So good for the soul.

  • The upside of kindergarten

    The upside of kindergarten

    082908_01

    Last weekend I had a chance to clean out the mudroom. Today, thanks to two napping children, I had a chance to clean out the pantry. So the mudroom and the pantry are clean and organized AT THE SAME TIME.

    I'm fairly certain this is a sign of the Apocalypse, so you might want to pack up your valuables.

  • Nie Nie Day

    I'm a big fan of other bloggish crafty mamas. I poke around their blogs and pick up ideas and inspirations. While surfing the other night, in an effort to overcome my sentimental first-day-of kindergarten woes, I discovered that a crafty mama, Nie, and her husband had been in a serious plane crash. They are currently in the hospital being treated for critical burns, facing months of recovery and countless expenses. While we might not see eye-to-eye on religion and politics, she's the mother of four young children with a love for photographing her children, her life, and all things crafty, so this hits close to home for me.

    In an effort to help, today has been declared Nie Nie Day. Bloggers across the web are holding silent auctions to benefit the family. I encourage you to poke around the list of auctions and do a little shopping for the cause. Or simply make a small donation here. I'm sure thoughts, prayers, or whatever your spiritual convictions move you to do are greatly appreciated.

    Then go squeeze your family extra good and tight. We are all so lucky to be standing in our shoes on this very day.

  • Packed and ready to go

    Packed and ready to go

    082508_01

    Tomorrow is the first day of school. It's been crazy busy around here, which is probably good because it's kept my mind on how different our life becomes tomorrow. Shep is giddy about his turn to go to school, and Neko excitedly helped us pack her lunch for the morning.

    Out of the group, I think I'm the most nervous of all. But the exhaustion is getting the best of me, so I'm falling into bed instead of writing a schmaltzy entry.