Bonding with old buddies

Jack's first and oldest friend, Jaxson, came over to spend the day yesterday, along with his younger brother, Holden, who celebrated his 4th birthday that very day. The five boys had a fun day playing and romping and being silly. Just like old times when they could see each other's driveway from the back porch :)

2014 Resolutions

1. Complete the Master Conservationist program through Iowa State University & Polk County Conservation (already signed up! Runs April-May--woot! Because having degrees from Drake and University of Iowa aren't enough, I need to add something from ISU, too. Heh heh heh)
2. I'd like to say that we'll complete a will this year, finally. But the intention is always there and the answers aren't clear. So it gets put off. Even so, I'll vocalize the intent. Again. 
3. Keep gardening, keep reading, keep working on balancing technology & unplugged time. 
4. Finally get our new discipline/incentive "ticket" program up and running for the kids. 
5. Maybe tackle one--just one-- of the long-term projects that don't get much attention. Such as:
1. organize all my iPhoto pictures that are in one giant lump of chaos on this computer (sigh)
2. scan in my old physical photos that got saved from photo album pillaging 
3. begin to create blog-to-books from this blog as a way of keeping this journal in hard copy for years to come
6. Get back into running for physical exercise, even if not for racing. Because I have not been a runner since October 20th, when I ran 13.1 miles. No joke. Not even once. (See how I did okay with marathon goal/deadline, and then dropped it like a hot potato the second it was over?! {New Mantra: see this as a strength, see this as a strength, see this as a strength....})
7. Work on being more affectionate with Jack. For whatever reason, I'm much harder on him than I am on the younger two. I get frustrated faster, and show less affection on a daily basis. I don't want him to feel like he has to work to earn it. I need to figure out why I have a shorter string with him, and really try to face that and get through it. 

I've been throwing around the idea of working toward a globally-minded resolution. The first thing that came to mind was a commitment to omit any goods made in China from our household purchases this coming year. It seems like it could be a *very* difficult endeavor, which is why I'm shying away. But it keeps resurfacing. No more inexpensive clothing from Target. No more purchases from Norwex! And it would bring about a host of slippery slope questions:

• If a shirt is made in Cambodia or Thailand, is that better? Do I purchase it? 
• Do we gently urge grandparents to observe this "rule" and refrain from buying the kids toys/gifts that were made in China? or is that a little too rigid (probably...)?
• Is it possible to tell the difference between something made in China in a U.S.-owned, cheap labor factory or something that is legitimately made in China in a responsible way? 
• This will require total due diligence, and also tons of research. And probably eye-opening discoveries. I wonder if it's even possible to know where all the ingredients of a certain item are coming from. So then how picky do we get here? 

An alternative I considered is trying to avoid all things made of plastic. Toys, household goods, even choosing bar soap over shower gel containers. This might be a tough one to stick to 100%, too. I already avoid using plastic bags at the grocery store, and try to choose wooden toys over plastic ones, or glass Pyrex containers over Tupperware-types. But 100% non-plastic would be a BIG shift, and a tricky one to stick with when we have kids who break things. A lot. 

I'm sure there are lots of bloggers out there who have taken on both of these challenges and I could probably do a search and find lots of answers right away. I'm not really a blog reader (ironic, since I keep my own), and I'd like to do much of this on my own for the point of the learning process. But I may have to do some digging and come to a decision. 

2013, End of the year reflections

Two days left until we begin 2014. It feels like that time of the year when I yearn to reflect on what's happened over the past twelve months, and I've been doing it mentally for about a week. It always helps to work it out in journal form, so that's how I've landed here.

Looking back at the end of last year, I'm reminded that I didn't have a long list of resolutions for 2013. I was mainly intent on having a garden. I did, and I call that a success. I was wildly engaged with the garden this summer. Being out there, pruning, observing, picking, and even weeding provided me with so much joy. As someone who has always considered myself a black thumb, it was very encouraging to have a successful garden. I know that not all years will go so well in that department, but this one was so enjoyable. The canning did take over my weekends for months on end, but cracking open a jar of homemade tomato sauce for pasta when it's 5 degrees outside has reminded me that the hard work pays off in continued joy throughout the colder months. I hope to keep "garden" on the resolution list for years to come.

I'm surprised to see that I didn't vocalize anything about wanting to try and shop locally as much as possible. All year I worked off of the assumption that this was a year's goal. Intended or not, I am very happy with how much we purchased locally this year. A few years ago we joined a CSA, which we still participate in during the warmer months. All of our meat is now local, thanks to our membership with the Iowa Food Cooperative. We also get laundry detergent, make-up, soap, flour, and many many other things through IFC. It's been the best discovery. I try to buy gifts locally, and use a local coffee bean roaster. We aren't 100% locavores, but we do a pretty decent job.

I took a peek back at my 2012 resolutions. While I don't want to place my focus backwards, it's nice to see where I've gone in the longer term from where I wanted to head two years ago.

• We still have no will. We just cannot answer the question of who we leave the kids to if we both die together. This is infinitely hard for me, but still, we seem at a wall. It's even harder when we are on a plane together. Not that it happens often. Happily, though, it will happen in 18 days! 
• This actually brings me to another 2012 resolution that didn't happen; going on a week-long, childfree trip for our 10 yr anniversary. In 2014 we'll be celebrating our 12th anniversary. A week just isn't possible from what we've surmised from all the issues we have in finding childcare for that length of time. But thanks to my mother-in-law, my brother, and two very amazing friends, I will get to join Mike on a long weekend in Amelia Island, Florida in a couple weeks. Outcomes is sending him there, but luckily he only has one presentation and he anticipates not having to do lunch meetings or the usual schmoozing. So this might work as our belated trip together to a tropical place :)  Now if I can just work on not getting strep throat on the plane ride there...
• I have been consistent with reading. It's still not vigilant thing, but it's consistent, and I have finished 5-7 books a year the past couple years. That's feeling huge for me, given the small amounts of time I spend alone (in silence) :)   I'm now doing a short-term book club with my mom through Polk County Conservation, where we meet once a month to discuss nature/human interaction-based books.  I'm also in a book club with a couple friends. 

This year, at age 35, I have accepted several things about myself with relative ease. It's refreshing to me that with age, I find myself more confident and less anxious. I have been able to embrace various characteristics about my personality without judging them, or placing (de)valuation on them. I seem to see my strengths and weaknesses more clearly now, just as they are, without viewing the weaknesses as failures.

One characteristic I've come to accept and embrace is my lack of interest in long-term goals. I don't really have any "goals," so to speak. I have no idea what I'll do five years from now when my kids are all settled into full time school. Unlike some friends of mine, I don't have a bucket list that I want to accomplish before 40 (45, 50.....) I have no plans to travel to X country on my 40th birthday, nor do I really even know what I want to do when I grow up :)

But I'm super committed to short-term goals when I put my mind to them. Deciding to do Farrell's, and working my butt off until I won the $1,000....deciding to run a half marathon, and committing to the 20-week training, committing to run projects for my children's schools, and so on-- these are things I excel at. I'm really good at living in the moment, and I think I embrace the present in a way some others strive to do. I don't do as well with maintaining long-term interest, though, which is why I can't seem to come up with a life professional goal. I'm very focused on what's happening around me, and passionately throw myself into those circumstances. When I was pregnant and nursing for 4 straight years, I saw myself moving forward to get certified as a doula, or a La Leche leader. As those parts of my life passed, so waned my interest in hanging around in those areas. Right now I'm passionate about getting my kids outdoors, and getting involved with their schools in order to raise my voice about the importance of "No Child Left Inside," and the need for kids to be in nature more than they are now. But as my kids grow, will this interest fade into something new? Possibly. I've decided to accept and embrace the knowledge that this is how I am. It's a strength and a weakness, and I can roll with that as life moves forward.

Here's to more self-acceptance in 2014. And to a few more short-term goals :)

A little convincing

Knowing we were going to have pizza for lunch on Saturday for our belated holiday celebration with my parents, we had to do some major convincing with the boys to get out of having our usual pizza-&-a-movie Friday night. It took a little food dye and some Dr. Seuss talk, but they were satisfied with green eggs and bacon. 

End of 2013 Winter Fun

Learning to fly their wooden propellers

Jack and Grandma Suzi were feeling pretty good about their foosball skills.

Snowshoe class at Easter Lake Park

Christmas 2013

Christmas eve already!

I made this as a last minute dessert addition to our family meal just a few hours ago. I'm so tickled with how it turned out, that I think it might have to become a tradition.

My family often did lasagna on Christmas eve and shrimp on Christmas day. We weren't turkey people, for which I'm thankful because Thanksgiving is really enough, in my opinion, for cooking a whole turkey. This year I started pondering what foods might we want to eat as our own family tradition, since we haven't started that. This caused mucho pondering for me because it is ALWAYS about the food for me. I have no care of gifts, but tell me what we're eating in great detail.

Since my kids refuse to eat anything these days that doesn't include hot dogs, pb&j, or chicken strips (foodie parental failure), deciding what to eat gets to be all about me. And a little bit about Mike. So I decided that, not being much of a meat gal, I would focus on my favorite vegetables. Shredded brussels sprouts with truffle oil and parmesan and layered eggplant baked with tomato sauce I canned back in August were the winners. I added crescent baked brie and chocolate cake (and a few Trader Joe's appetizers). I'm not sure what, if any, of these will hold ritual and become family traditions, but to say the least, I will be gastronomically  happy this Christmas.

Seasonal bits

Sometimes I come into a room and see things like this, and it makes me worry about the cats....

Gingerbread baking

Gavin & Benjamin had little interest in meeting Santa, but they did send Jack as the elected official for the team. He asked for 3 skakeboards, 3 Wii games, and 3 ninjago costumes. Santa was very responsible and asked if they'd be wearing helmets and padding if they got skateboards. Appreciated. But sorry, boys, you are too young for that. And no Wii games. You'll have to be satisfied with 3 ninja costumes (not Ninjago--do you know how much the brand costumes cost??!)

Mom & daughter day in Ames

Eating at The Cafe

Let's be honest....

this cat puts up with a lot.

Everyday life

In the throes of everyday life, I try to savor the moments of beauty and gratitude that can pop up amidst the chaos.

My kids aren't good with vegetables. Period. But they sure love their fruit!

Leo (often called Dijo, Puff, or for some unknown reason, Doombus) remains the fluffy favorite around here among the little people, and puts up with a whole lot of hauling.

A couple weeks ago I put down some corn stalks (graciously brought over in two bales from my father and brother-in-laws) in lieu of straw over my strawberry bed for overwintering. No sooner had I gone inside, when I looked out to see that the morning doves were particularly appreciative of a warmer place to roost. 

Thanksgiving 2013 & 2nd Annual Trip to Mahoney

I hope you all had a wonderful, warm Thanksgiving, surrounded by the family, friends, and foods you love. We enjoyed having Mike's family over on Thanksgiving for a "pie" party (pot pie, shepherd's pie, pizza pie... not a bad food in the bunch). The next day we headed for our 2nd annual Thanksgiving trip to Mahoney State Park outside of Omaha, and had a great time again this year. We once again drove through the wildlife safari park, spent a lot of time at the indoor activity center (no ice skating yet--the kids are still too nervous about that adventure), and visited the horses each morning. The best part of the trip was having my brother and his girlfriend come for a day, and my parents got to meet Jenna for the first time. It was so nice that day that my brother taught us all how to play frisbee golf. Jack continued to play for all 18 holes! He's definitely the sportsmen in this family.

The cats admiring our family gratitude tree

Many animals to be admired on our drive through the Wildlife safari park:

This sandhill crane was super loud. They were also very used to people, and kept trying to put their heads under the railing to snack on our coats.

Bison crossing

This funny pelican wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch. He kept swimming again and again into a ledge of ice, unsure of how to get up out of the water. He'd swim away from the ice, turn around, and swim fast straight into it over and over again. I felt kind of bad for him, but it was pretty funny to watch. We named him Lenny.

The swift fox is my new favorite animal. So. Cute.

 Goofs.

Can you see the porcupine looking at you?

The grounds of the state park are beautiful, and we enjoyed early morning walks in the cold air. This little stream runs alongside a frisbee golf hole.

Four PhDs at this gathering...and not one that can prescribe some penicillin!!

All in all, a really great Thanksgiving holiday this year.