The Misadventures of Luna

Poor Luna, looking at her tonight she looks a little tired. Maybe she is catching up from her misadventures. Two to be exact. The first one began the day after Halloween.
We warned and threatened the boys that NO Halloween candy was to be in the basement, none, zilch, zero. Well as we settled in to watch a movie for the afternoon/evening Luna proceeds to get sick in the basement. Upon closer inspection the Dot box (whole) gave the clue that some how Luna had found candy, somewhere. Initially fibs all around, until she gets sick again and there are more whole pieces of candy. Teen finally fesses up when he says he had the pillowcase double bagged! Needless to say when I "accidently" leave the article on the computer up about how candy can KILL dogs, he offers to stay up with her. Thankfully the next morning she feels better.

The second misadventure was unknown to us until we happened upon a neighbor in Target today. She sees us and says, oh did you know your dog came to visit the other night-ran right through our house. Ummm no we didn't. I then remember coming home at 6 and teen telling me he and a friend let her out around 4 and, ummmm forgot she was out there, until right when I got home. Apparently as girls were arriving for a birthday party, she followed the in the house, ran around to all the rooms and made an exit.

Not sure if this may be why she is tired, I am wondering if she just can't wait for all of us to go back to work/school!

Yes I am here!

I had a mild panic attack when I couldn't get into my blogger account. I had to text my two bestest blogger friends and tell them just in case they were checking on me daily...as I am sure they are. Just as I do for them:)

I don't really have anything specific, exciting, exhausting, frustrating, or super wonderful to talk about. Which is a good thing I guess, but also doesn't lead to deep blogger posts. I do have to say that work so far is wonderful. I don't talk about work here, with good reason and professionalism, but I would have to say that in retrospect, I did not know how awful last year was until this new year started. I can't even imagine now how I made it with my sanity.

Big Fry and Small Fry are moving along with their big transitions to high school and middle school. Big Fry doesn't love high school but seeing a smile on his face when he comes home is enough, as we had none of that last year...another blog for later. Small Fry survived cross country, or should I say I survived it. All I could think about was please don't be at the back part of the pack, he was. And then how Carey and I did cross country for fun, or some weird reason and remembering it being just as hard as it looked for these kiddos.

We are sad summer is over as we didn't really have a fall...and that being my favorite season and all. But we did get a few pics that I forced everyone into, since no one was very cooperative. I know I shared on Facebook, but I always like to share with some people who matter the most...

 Surprisingly Big Fry was happy to oblige with pics....

 Small Fry only after I threatened death by boredom

 They were totally hamming it up for me after I almost threw a toddler-like tantrum, even fake, it made me happy

 A boy and his dog, that was not fake, and it made me even happier

 "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." A favorite quote...

 I was a little perturbed a the silliness, but looking at the pic later, really, would I expect him to be any other way?

And finally one of the two of them together, not the "money shot" I like but what can I say, tween and teen

Here we are, the first week of school out of the way. An unusual start to the year with our hottest temps of the year being these last few days. Had to work at not being a little bitter about that one. Overall Big Fry loves his horticulture and forestry classes and is running up a lunch balance that I hope we can keep affording. Who eats 2 sub sandwiches and a piece of pizza in one sitting? I am informed by hubby that every time he picks him up there is a gaggle of girls with him. Sigh

Small Fry has moved on to middle school and woke me up promptly at 6:30 on SATURDAY to tell me he was going out jogging...um who does that? The getting up early on a weekend AND running. Luckily for you two people I couldn't go back to sleep so now blogging early.

I have a good feeling about this year, after last's years trials and not-very-fun time being the best and nicest way to describe it. Now if we can just sustain that optimism it will be a great year!

Summer is here

Well my friends (ok my two blogger friends). I feel a little ashamed that I haven't been keeping up with the J Boys or the happenings in the Back Forty. I am so glad I checked them out, and realized just how long it has been since I posted. We just got back from 12 days of being gone. 12 Days, I am hoping to now bust out 5 days of summer to-dos and be done with it. Needless to say I am still working on laundry from being gone.

We are in the full swing of camping and fishing and basically hanging out. I have referred to it as detoxifying my brain. I sorely needed it. I am not sure which needs more of my attention, my brain or my body sometimes. I don't know if I have time to make both as good as they could be. My brain gets pretty heavy and well you know....

Small and Big Fry are growing, it is a little scary. High School and middle school next year. I am being dragged kicking and screaming into this world of teenagers. KICKING AND SCREAMING.

Summer is my favorite time and here are some pics so far...I would take pics of my yard like Bobbi does, oh no never mind, my yard looks nothing like that!! I have vowed to take more pics this summer, no matter how much the children KICK and SCREAM

This first one, just had to. As we were out camping it came through. I was shocked when I showed to elder child (who ummm resembles me just a little) and asked him to find me. He couldn't. Interesting.

This never, ever gets old to watch. Never

Soccer

Do you remember years back when I complained about baseball? When my Small Fry social child feels the need to try the organized sport thing, and he drags us along kicking and screaming with him?

Well soccer was no exception.  A year ago, we finished rec, you know the fun easy, no coaching league. He changed his mind and set his sights on Challenge-the try out for it team. He made it. We had a rough start last fall, lots of kids who live and breathe soccer, came out of the womb with the middle name Pele. More parents for me to meet, groups of people I hardly knew to be social with. Screaming parents from the sidelines.

We finished this weekend with a downpour of rain for two days straight playing in a mud bowl. The team of 20 boys was split into two. A gold and silver, newbies on the silver so they could get more experience. That would be small fry. Long story short, his team was undefeated until this morning when we played a team we beat yesterday. It was a suspense filled game...0-0, first half, then 1-0 them, then 1-1 us, in the last two minutes. Down to a tie breaker, them 2-1, and us trying so hard to no avail. With yours truly yelling the loudest

Small Fry had been so determined, as was I. Two weeks ago the kid was on his bed crying saying he was quitting. He had a heart to heart with the coach (at my request) and changed his mind. Now who was being dragged kicking and screaming. We went to Sheridan for a  road trip just the two of us, it did his soccer confidence good, and for me a much needed break from work did my heart good.

I am a little sad to see it end for summer (see I said a little, not a lot). I have learned all kinds of vocabulary, like "man on", "go wide", "offsides", and "keeper". And that some soccer moms are down right fun to talk to. Some...

Congrats Small Fry, you may have not one first today like you wanted but you are first in my heart.

5 Days Away

It is so close I can almost smell it. Last week, a day with temps in the 80's. This weekend, lots and lots of rain to make everything green. 6 days until opening camping trip of the summer, camping list waiting to be drafted. Summer to do list drafted-with hopes that at least half of it gets done-that is the usual percentage of success. End of the year school events to close it all down.

5 days until no more students and summer officially here (even if I have to work a few days), and I can't remember a summer more deserved than this one.

Next week, flowers and planting.

Yes, so close now.

14 days

Well, here we are peeps, with 14 days left until summer freedom. I cannot even begin to describe how this year has been, except the desire to run and grab a Starbuck's application and become a barista has crossed my mind more than a few times. Many more.

14 days left until a summer spend with a child leaving middle school and going to high school and a elementary student going to middle school. Not sure who I am more worried about, Big Fry, Small Fry or me and my sanity. I think I am going to find my calm easy going son to be the one who gives me the gray hairs. Living with an overthinking person is just down right exhausting. Living with an over thinking tween is even worse. I hope we all make it.

I already have the box of hygiene supplies for the camper, looking at summer clothing and swim gear for the boat, and keeping track on the calendar until our first trip to camp in Pierre.

Yes, 14 days cannot come soon enough.

Snow day???

On Monday teachers were all in a twitter and pondering if there would be school on Tuesday. I, in my usual fashion poo pooed this notion and maybe even referred to them as ninnies. I even may have thought just, pack your dang flip flops and capris away and be ready to shovel

Well 2 DAYS later I had to eat my words. I have had two days at home with drifts as high as my waist, sledding, snowboots, snow pants and shoveling and more shoveling. I will say the beauty of it yesterday was spectacular and cocooning up felt good. Now all I can think about is 2 MORE days in May. Two more days added to a school year that has thus far has been far from stellar, fun, and at times down right miserable. And now two more days to add to the fun at the END.

Ok enough complaining...and here is what the snow days existed of, besides the constant footprints of snow, human and beast! I fitted in some yoga, uninterrupted work for two hours-that never happens in the office, Avatar with popcorn and a Small Fry. Very good wine, umm maybe starting at 3 in the afternoon. A couple of really good recipes, and eating too much of them. Shoveling to work off the excellent cooking, shoveling with a Big Fry who actually said thank you,  sleeping in and possibly the best thing, no school! No crying kids that weren't mine, no angry parents, no pushing, shoving and scuffles to deal with, or tantrums by 5th graders (not mine)!

No agenda or plan...without the guilt, sometimes those days are the best.

More Sights of California

First as we leave the hotel we see the buildings and streets and a man on the car, describes all of the buildings as we pass them. We come to the grounds where San Francisco will hold the Panama Pacific International Exposition in 1915. Then we come to the park called Golden Gate Park. It contains 1013 acres, and two dutch windmills furnish the water, one is 120 feet from tip to tip of the fans and the other is 80 feet. There is a small lake only 18 inches deep so small children can play in it. We see peacocks in the trees and an ostrich. They have a large buffalo heard. The man said if we saw one, we would see all, sure enough they were there, can you guess what they were? Well it was elks.
Next we come to the Presidio, it contains 1542 acres.
We could see the Alcatraz Island and the Military Prison of the U.S. Then we came to Sutro Heights Private Garden. We got out of the car and walked through it we went to the edge where we could see the seal rocks, we saw one swimming around in the water. A ways out in the water was a buoy, it was shallow waters there. Then we came back and get in the automobile, and started in the Sutro Heights we had our own picture taken, then as we came back we got them. We went through the park again, we saw the children's playgrounds where there were swings by the hundreds. We came back by the place where there was a lot of children playing, the man said now don't be offended if they children hollor rubber necks at you. Sure enough we got there they hollored rubber necks, rubber necks, because we were in a car that they called rubber necks. We got off at our hotel.


Just a little visual for your circa 1900's

All I Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten

Our first year of the adventure of all day kindergarten in Rapid City. It is March and right about now we are seeing the line between who was really ready for all day and which kiddos still need a nap.

It reminded me of one of my favorite books, like all time favorites. I mean so much that if you don't have it, tell me and I will buy it for you! The one that is called...you guessed it, Everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten. You know, he has that nice "hold hands", "look both ways", "eat milk and cookies" warm fuzzy stuff in his chapter about kindergarten. Well, let me tell you friends that is hogwash, and defintiely not until first grade maybe even second.

THIS is what we really learn in kindergarten....

First month of little cold and hot pack lunches...Tears followed by "where are the McDonald's Nuggets and fries", and we are still trying to figure out that we open the milk where the ARROW is, not where it ISN'T

What's your name? Umm honey what's your name?? Drag kindergartener to office (because I was redirecting her) and ask secretary, "What is this kid's NAME" Teach your child to say their name, PLEASE

That it is ok to punch my math partner because...She took all the red chips

That it is ok to punch the person who asked me to share the swing.

That if someone steps on my shoelace (obviously untied because my parents don't believe in that magic stuff called velcro) and then causes me to trip, that it is perfectly ok for me to jump up and tackle them so bad the Fridge from Chicago Bear's days would be proud.

If you keep a pretend bubble in your mouth in the hallway, it is supposed to keep you quiet, notice supposed to.

That for the 100th time, no you can't make a gun with legos or the math cubes.

That you can't take that football home and pretend you got it from the treasure box.

That hiding under a desk and crying because someone cut in front of you in line will always get you a trip to see Mrs. Daniel. Always.

These are the things we really learned in kindergarten, and the most important one, that some you just still need a NAP!!

Happy Tuesday Ladies

I know you are all out there. Busy with hockey, crafting, taking care of family members with blended food. I hope you each have a great Tuesday. This week's word at school that I shared...

Patience

I am seeing that my weekly word reflects what I NEED for the week.  AND that most weekly words come from within.

Wishing you patience this week, if you need it. If not, send it my way:)

California

We have lots of journeying yet ladies, keep staying tuned in.

We run in the snow sheds, we are in them, when dark comes we were still in the snow shed it was almost like being in a tunnel. Once in a while we could see out. We passed a lake called Donner Lake it was 5 miles across and it didn't look like it was a quarter of a mile we were so much higher than it was. Grandma and Della sit up to see Sacremento but the rest of us went to bed, in the morning we were in Oakland. We got up and went down to the depot and on the other side a big ferry boat was there. We got on it and rode across the bay 7 miles on water, it was on Sunday morning, it just takes us 20 minutes to cross and didn't seem like we were going fast. I like to watch the little sea gulls ride the waves. Going across we saw several other ships, some with sails and some with masts. When we got off we went through a large depot and a bus met us there and taken us to the Grand Hotel. The Hotel was 5 stories high, were were in the top one. After they showed us our rooms we went and got breakfast. We layed down and rested for we were tired of riding so much, we had been on the train for 11 days and nights.

Just before noon one of Aunt Clara's friends Mrs. Baugus, came to the hotel after we had our dinner we went down to the engine house where one of their friends works. He took us up stairs, we went up the winding stairs and showed us their bedroom then up another story to their gymnasium. We came back down the bedroom they have a brass pole about 4 inches thick just as slick as can be. He says now you watch me go down the pole, "now this is the way", before he had hardly said it he was down to the foor. We went down to the bottom again he showed us the fire engine and harness that hangs up you just put the horses under the by the tongue and the harness drops on them and they are ready to go. We now go back to the Hotel for we have to hurry we are going on a sight seeing trip in a runnerneck car or a 7 seated automobile.

I am HERE

Oh my goodness, I can't stand it when I cannot see what you are all up to! If you ever think your blogging isn't making an impact or not worth your time...well IT IS!!I miss you.

My computer internet explorer is not working so can't access those bookmarks. Make sure and check your Facebook messages so you can send me a link to your blog, Thanks to Bobbi, who already did.

I wish I had a great story but I don't, barely have time to sit and rest for 2 seconds, work has been it's usual crazy self! Hope you are all doing well and hope to read you soon.

Brrrrrr

Here it is blogger friends, your chance to donate for a good cause. We are especially proud of our theme!

http://www.firstgiving.com/process/teamarea/default.asp?did=0&teamid=223266

Train To California Continued

...it is the mouth of the Arkansas river, we are now going up grade, it is so gradual that we don't notice it. One engine can not pull all of our train, so they cut our train in three sections we are on the third section. We raise our car window and look out, we can see our engine and the back car when we go around a big curve. Our engine stops along the way to wait for the other sections to get ahead. The river is pouring over rocks, making all kinds of noise. We pass through a bridge, a swinging bridge supported from overhead. It is furried into the walls of the granite, the walls are just right straight up in the air for 5,288 ft., just think, over a mile. It is now getting dark, I hate for the night to come. We go to bed, I do not know much about Salida, we passed through there at night.

In the morning we were at Grand Junction, after we leave there we strike the Great American Desert in Utah. We would see bones of animals where they had died, overcome by the heat and thirst, not anything growing here but sage brush. Green River is a small station just at the edge of the desert. We pass several little towns along, just after dark we got into Salt Lake City, the capital of Utah. I wanted to see the Tabernacle awful bad, but just got to see the light on the top. It looked like a big ball of fire.

Then after we leave Salt Lake, about 9 we come to Ogden, several from our car got off at Ogden. Uncle Cleve, Aunt Clara and cousin Della got off to walk around. They have a place where you go into and they won't let you out until your train comes, they began to think they wasn't going to get back on their train car at all but they did.

About 10 we come to the Lake, we sit up to see it. We went about 30 to 40 miles and we left the lake, we thought that we were across but pretty soon we come to it again. They put rock and dirt to the bottom of the lake and then built the tracks on top of that, it is 80 miles across it. Now we go to bed. In the morning we are in Nevada, along about Palaside. There isn't much to see along here in Nevada, mostly Prairie country. In the afternoon about 4 o'clock we came to the grave of the Donner party who was over come by a snow storm. A large white cross was by it. We are now in California.

And the word is...

BELIEVE

Definition of BELIEVE

intransitive verb

1

a: to have a firm religious faith

b: to accept something as true, genuine, or real believe

in> <believes in ghosts>

2

: to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy, or ability of something <believe in exercise>

3

: to hold an opinion : think believe

so>

 

 

So here is my word. I would like to say it just came to me, well ok it did. But I had to think about it a little bit. I had to think about the "why" it is MY word before I could really make it my word. The connection started out pretty shallow I must admit. At Christmas time we watched the Polar Express, my all time favorite holiday movie. I love it so much that the men in my house groan when I proclaim Christmas doesn't start until we watch it. If I remember it right when he punches the boy's ticket that is the word "Believe". Now the beginning connection may be silly, but then I really thought about.

 

What makes every human on this earth tick? We could say motivation, we could say family, we could say desire, love, hate and on and on. But really when it comes down to it, isn't it about what each of us believe? If you read the definition isn't it about faith? Faith in SOMETHING. Isn't about accepting something as true, whatever that truth may be. And then again it is to have a conviction and be firm and steadfast with those convitions. As the last one says, doesn't just about everything that we do as an expression of ourselves maybe come from our opinions.

 

Each human being believes so strongly in what they hold dear in their mind and life that they fight for it, make war for it, make peace for it. I love hearing what people believe, even when we differ. I love talking about what I believe in. I don't think we ask each other enough "What do you believe in?" and really listen to them, without judgement.

 

So there it is, my word. Believe. I believe in inner strength, I believe that the power of the mind is more powerful then the body. I believe in love. I believe one can always do better. I believe that everyone has a story, and they are all fascinating. I believe that not everything can be easy, without the struggle we wouldn't know what to believe.

 

In my line of work I believe that each person, adult and child is a gift and has gifts. They just need to be opened at the right time, by the right person, and those gifts will have meaning to someone, in someway.

 

So there is the word I will wear proudly, not just for jumping in icy water, but as a word to remind myself why I do what I do, day in and day out, both at work and at home. Because I believe that I can...

 

 

 

 

And the words is...

I think I have it

Quote of the day

Me: Before you go to archery  you really need to wash your
You know who: No I don't, it looks gooooood
Me: Umm no it doesn't it looks oily and greasy-hormones you know
You know who: Ummm no that isn't oil, it is shimmer, my shampoo gives me shimmer

Colorado anyone?

We are now in Colorado is where we left off I believe..

We see a large body of water I asked the conductor what it was, he said " It was a reservoir, 2 H miles square used to irrigate with". We pass miles and miles of prarie country, we get to Denver and change cars. The platform is so crowded that we can hardly get to our train, we take a tourist car. Long about 10 o'clock we come to Castle Rock, a little station and on one side is a high hill with a rock on the top called castle rock and a man is standing on it. Go on a little further and come to Palmer Lake. A little boat sailing around on it with three men in it. And we pass a rock in the shape of an elephant called Elephant Rock, it is sure wonderful along here. Then Colorado Springs, the city of sunshine, it is a beautiful city of 30,000 people, 6 thousand feet above sea level. At the foot of Pike's Peak is the entrance of the sunshine garden of Gods and picturesque Manitou. While we are at Colorado Springs we can see Pike's Peak, it is 14,147 feet above sea level. It is the Observatory and Unites States Signal station one of the highest in the world and covered with snow. We pass through Pueblo, we did not stop there long enough to see any of the city.
Its beautiful country along here.
Then we come to Canon City, a city at the eastern entrance of the Famous Royal Gorge, it has soda springs hot and cold.
We go on a few miles, it begins to be rough and rocky, banks on each side of the track just solid rock...

Snow day

Well snow day, with no snow. At least not yet, or that is what they are telling me. As I sit here at 4:30 AM waiting to call staff, I think I will take a detour and head for California...

We pass some more small stations, we go through a tunnel between Rapid City and Deadwood. We change cars again before we get on our next train we go to a hotel and get dinner, before we go in the depot again we go out to a truck and eat snow off from it. That is quite a sight to the Californian people. Our train pulls up we get in. We glide along by hills covered with evergreen trees and snow on them. We pass a large hill with a rock right on top, it looks like petrified wood.

The next large town we come through is Hill City. Our train stopped long enough to get water, another one of our friends Mrs. Jack Lile meets us we didn't have time to go her house but we saw it. The Porter hollars All aboard we bid her good by and go back in the car, it was 5 o'clock when we left there

Along in the evening we come to Edgemont Mr Jim Ellis got on the train. We sit up and talk a while except Uncle Cleve and Mr. Ellis went in our sleeper and went to bed.Uncle and Mr. Ellis went up in the engine and rode untill about 12 o'clock he got off at Alliance. In the morning we ran into Brush. We are now in Colorado.

A word

Karen posted on her new year's resolution, that is not really a resolution and then talked about some other ideas. She maybe mentioned a "word". An idea to think of a word that grasps you or tells about YOU. I had to tell you this small snippet about knocked me over.
Each year I pass out some little gift to staff, the first year was rock, the second year and ormanment. And on these little objects I write one words. All kinds of words. Then they pick their very own that means something special to them. I love it, they love it. Never gets old.

Early in the fall when I was at my wit's ends with kids for sooo many reasons, and none of them nice, I got to thinking about HOW. How can I impact in some small way for kids to understand that character IS important. What you do and say is CRITICAL. I came up with a word of the week. I thought of words like caring, believe, appreciate, strength, and so on. The first word was "think". I spent time finding the defintion, paraprhasing it, summarizing it and providig a little lecture all in paragraph form and I read it over the intercom each morning. As I tour rooms I ask kids about the word, are they practicing and so on. Student council carried it further and made posters titled "Be One" as in BE A THINKER, BE CARING, and so on...

So when it came to the annual Polar Plunge this year, and I laid in bed endlessly thinking of a theme, which really is the most important part. I wanted it to be unique, easy, catchy and yet profound. A cross between cool costumes like capes but yet meaningful. And at about 12:40 AM it hit me.

"One Word Wonders"
Black tees, black bottoms, maybe some funky knee high socks or funky leg warmers
And on the shirts each jumper shall have a word. Any word. Be....and their word. A word that tells us about them, or what they want, what they believe in. What keeps them going. Just a word.
Oh and maybe just a small cape.

So there it is the connection, a longer post than I had planned, definitely more than a word. But like Karen said maybe the long drawn-out lofty goals aren't always  best. Maybe simpler is better. Maybe one word, one step is all we need.

So, what's your word. I have 5 weeks to think of mine. I am sure it will come to me at 12:40 AM

Just plain old good news

Ok, so after the above deep thinking post, here is non-deep. Just a plain old, want-to-share moment.
Last year Big Fry started 4-H archery. A little painful to watch at first, arrows flying, arrows thunking. In the bulls eye, not in the bulls eye, and once or twice in SOMEONE else's bullseye. He barely made the minimum score to make it to state.
Fast foward to this year he doesn't get pe (see below) and therefore is upset because he can't try out for the archery team for the school when they do the archery unit. He proceeds to go to PE teacher and tell him he wants to try out. The teacher shrugs, says well you haven't done the unit you probably won't do well, but show up tomorrow with your bow. I take him. The kid not only shows up, he rocks. He tells me after hitting the first bullseye, then the second, then the third, the teacher tells him he doesn't need to see anymore.
They head off to the Lakota Nation Invitational tournment where he comepetes against all the other middle school teams, probably at least 100 kids or more. He rocks it, takes 4th-with a broken sight and all-he reminds us. Ha ha pe teacher

Second good news, Big Fry has to take dreaded math intervention, he did not inherit his father's math prowess. He grumbles, he whines. You see in order to take math intervention you lose a fun class, like ummmm pe. Today math intervention teacher calls me, tells me she would like to give him the opportunity to go it solo. He has worked really hard she says. We say go for it.

Third good news. While on the phone with same math teacher, who happens to have her kindergartner go to my school, she thanks me. Her little guy had a tough time on Friday. Getting his name on the board just didn't agree with him, and it was all downhill from there. He and I talk about "oops" life is full of them, so don't let the "oops" get you. He dictates while I email his dad (also a teacher) who was distraught by his beavior that all is good. A thank you from a parent, those are few and far between and the last piece of good news.

Here is wishing you some good news this week.

The three questions...

So Bobbi asked three very deep questions in her last blog-deep questions and reflection as we all do as the new year rolls around.
I figured if I wanted to respond deeply then I better do it now before my daily work grind sucks me dry of all my deep thinking ability. Hmmm maybe that should show up in one of my answers.

What are you going to keep? I am a total copycat, I have to go with the relationships. I don't see how a person can not invest the time in this. And I think my home relationships could use some attention. Not that they are "bad", but as we enter the threshold of two teens, one starting high school and the other middle school, my mental and physcial ability to give more to the kids in my house than those at my school is a must. I can say mentally, one has received far more time than the other. Which leads to...

What are you going to let go? Being liked. Four years into this job and slowly but surely I worry less about being liked. We all know deep down we want to be liked, and I am one of the worst people pleasers I know. It may not always seem that way I know, with my honest-to-a-fault talk and sometimes lack of filter. But when I have invested time, sweat, and tears in human capital and THEN am not liked, it is a little hard to swallow. BUT if this is my long term career I need to let go of the pleasing. Letting go of the pleasing and agonizing over it, will help with number one immensely I believe.

And lastly going to take on? Wow, I am good taker-oner, is that even a word? I don't care I like it, reminds of the "Onceler", to all of you Seuss fans. I can take on more exercise, better eating, more time with so-and-so, more reading, and the list of taking on goes ON. Here it is, I am NOT taking anything on. I am going to relax. There it is. I am going to give myself permission to relax and read all day. Or take a nap. Lay on the bed and play words with friends. Or sit and just sit. And not even the body-at-rest relax, but the really brain-at-rest relax. Because you see, if I can take on this small task- #1 and #2 will be soooooo easy. I just know it.

So there it is, Gosh I really hope I don't look at the blog from a year ago and see the same "take on" task. Uggg that would mean a multi-year goal. Exhausting!!

Treasures

You will be proud to know I went thrifting, well not really, but I did help hubby go through his grandma's old farm house. You may wonder what you find in the house of someone who has lived 98 full years? Amazing things I tell you, amazing. Oh and some junk, umm maybe more junk-no disrespect there Wilma.

Knowing a few of you blog friends like I do, I just had to share. And I hope you see why, it is weird how each time I picked up something, it made me laugh, cry, smile. or speechless. And here a few...with really lousy pics but I couldn't wait to share.

Little weather diaries, you know those little free calendar books banks used to give away? Well we found LOTS of those. Do you know what was written in those? Weather..."fair day today", " a little warm but overcast", and so on....I guess when what you eat out on the farm and ALL your day to day work and entertainment occurs outside, this may be an important thing to remember.

Then a suitcase...turqouise! It turned out to be a little carry on/jewelery type case! Just who did I think of?? I had to bring it home...and I may just ship it Bobbi's way, who better to love it and give it a home. Hubby agreed

Jars...some really cool jars, again turquoise. Sorry peeps, keeping those after the cobwebs are dusted off. I did think of my mom, I may send one her way, I remember hiking in the woods or rummage sales and finding old bottles with her. I remember thinking "what junk, let's gooooo mommmm". Yes we all turn into our moms at some point. By the way I only took the ones that DIDN'T have canned goods from who knows when still in them.

Then lastly something for the word and story lovers, you know who the two of you are. The writing begins on faded brown, lined paper. Cursive, delicate, all written in blue and black pen and sometimes pencil. Dated September 25, 1012. If you look real close at the pic you can see the heading....

"The rode to  California as I seen it...."

People!! Do you just about want to fall over?? I did, and am still waiting for just the right time to sit and read every word. I sat there in the cold farmhouse, breath showing from both hubby and I, huddled among the suitcase, jars, and boxes of black and white pics and skimmed through the pages. A young girl's gentle and careful notes of a trip. Not glamourous or poetic writing. No embellishment for a blog, or one line statements for facebook or twitter. Just writing and telling of what she saw....
I will leave you with a little treasure....

"September 25, 1912
We got up at 3 o'clock in the morning and got on our train at 5:20. When we left Philip frost was on everything. And when we got into Cottonwood it was there to. And next we came to Quinn, then at 10 minutes past 6 we could see the Badlands. They looked like they had snow or frost on them, but it was only the color of the soil. We glide along now through small stations then we come to Rapid City we get off the train for we must change cars. We go in the depot and wait a while, pretty soon our friend 'Miss Doris Daily' meets us and we go down to her house for a while until time for our train. We get on train no. 9 after bidding her good-by. "


So my friends, who wants to take a train to California over the next few weeks with a 13 year old young lady from 1912?