Traditions at HCR

We now return to the regularly scheduled programming...

Since my parents moved out to South Dakota and opened Hay Creek Ranch, we have made a yearly trek to see them.  This is usually the only week of the year that we get to see each other.  Several traditions have sprung up because of this.  It goes with out saying that we ride horses since it is a horse camp.  I always try to get a trail ride in with my dad, and the kids get their little rides around the camp.  However, in addition to this there are a few other things that just “have” to happen in order to meet everyone’s expectations. 

 Car Ride- During the ride we have to get snacks at each stop.  A “RedBox” movie is rented at some point in the travels and dropped off at the next stop.  A stop in Omaha at the zoo is a requirement on the way home.  This usually includes a night in a hotel with a pool.

Food- Yes, we all have to eat.  However, when at HCR there are menu requirements for the week. 

• We must go to the Sugar Shack at least once.  They have the best burgers in the Black Hills.  It says so on their sign, but I will guarantee it.  It is one of those places that you have to make a point of going into very hungry, or you won’t come out just stuffed, you’ll come out BURSTING. 
• We must grill at least once.  If you know my dad, you know that he is an expert when it comes to preparing any kind meat.  This year, I found out that my brother has inherited that skill.  We had an amazing tri-tip one evening.  Nothing makes this girl happier than perfectly prepared beef!
• Jell-O salads. Period.  Mom makes the best combinations. I don't care if the outside world (anyone who isn't a Worthan or a Lindgren)  thinks they are strange.   They are just one of those things that you have to try before making a judgment.  Could I make them myself? Heck yeah.  Is it better when she does it?  Of course.  It is always better when mom makes your childhood favorites.
• S’mores- No explanation needed.  HCR is a campground.  There are campfires. Duh! 

Tourist Attractions- Visiting an area attraction or two is something we typically do.  We have been to Mt. 

Rushmore (or Mt. Rushmort, as Joe called it) more times than I can count.  Joe loves the presidents, especially Abraham Lincoln.  This past summer was the first time we didn’t make that trip.  Dan and I were pretty thrilled.  It is an amazing thing to see, but once is enough.  However, we did make a repeat trip to Hill City to the dinosaur museum.  If you want to see hundreds of fossils in one place, I would recommend it.  One other favorite of ours is the Mammoth Dig Site in Hot Springs.  It is an active site where scientists and students are currently uncovering the remains of several mammoths and other extinct creatures.  There is also an activity for kids to join in a “dig.”  They are given their own section and proper tools to dig in a pre-made site.  Each kid uncovers replica fossils of part of a mammoth.  Two summers ago Joe found a jaw and Lynn found a “mammoth ribbon.”  It was a rib bone.  Rib bone, ribbon, you get it. 

            Our little excursions usually involve some kind of learning or chance to be awed.  It is really amazing to have my parents experience that with their grandkids.

And last but not least...

 The Un-Birthday Party- I have been told that my mom and I are a lot alike.  “You are Jody’s daughter, aren’t you,” is the first thing out of the mouth of nearly every person I encounter for the first time at HCR.  Not to mention, I have answered the phone many times in my life and had people talk to me about all sorts of stuff before they realized that it wasn’t my mom they were talking to.  So we look alike, we sound alike, and we

have proven that sarcasm is genetic (if I have to explain this, you don’t really know us), but we have some other things in common as well.  One commonality is that we get a lot of joy out of watching people open gifts we have bought or made for them.  Sending a gift through the mail is great and often necessary, but seeing the face when a person opens a gift is really the best part of the gift giving experience.  My mom doesn’t have a chance to experience this very often with my family, and because of this she decided that every year we need an “Un-Birthday Party” during our stay at HCR.

  What’s that, you say? Well, there is only one day a year that is your Birthday, but the other 364 are your Un-Birthdays.  You might as well party on at least one of them with a little cake and some presents.  The first year Mom did this it was a surprise, the second year the kids wondered if it would happen, and since then our arrival in the driveway sounds something like this, “Hi G-ma and Papa.  When’s the party?” The gifts are never big, but they are always just right.  We sing Happy Birthday to everyone and each kid gets to take a turn spitting on,

I mean blowing out the candles individually. 

 This party is the best tradition to come out of having our family spread out across the country.  Bringing joy to our selves by giving it to others is what life is all about.  Well, and the cake.  We like cake, too.

Infographic Experiment

Slight interruption to  the "Remembering Summer" series.  I wanted to learn how to make an infographic so that I could encourage my students to make one.  Here is my first go at it.  I have done what I am going to ask my students to do.  The kids have used several close reading strategies in class, and they are going to choose the 3 that they feel are the most helpful.  They have to create a visual explaining why they use the strategies and how the strategies help them.  I am hoping this will be something fun for them to create that they haven't ever done before.

I love the infographics for teachers on this blog, and I wanted to know how to do it.  I was so excited when she posted a "how-to."  The close reading strategies I used came from this snapguide.  If you want to know how to do anything, you can probably find a Snapguide for it.

Without further ado...

Hay Creek Ranch, SD 2013

This is the first installment recapping my summer of "Family."  There is more to come on the South Dakota trip, but I've been feeling poetic as of late.  Here are three pieces highlighting some of my awesome family members.

Christmas in June

There’s this Guy I hadn’t seen for so long

Distance and dollars can be a wall

Did some extra work

Had some extra cash

Thought about the boots I wanted

Really? I don’t need that

I need him

One phone call with a crazy thought

Let’s surprise them all

I’m sending the cash

Hey Bud, use this, buy the gas

Waited 6 months

A hug from my brother

Best present ever

Treasure Hunt

G’ma Jody is up to something

Find the first clue

They are off and hunting

Prizes for Joe, Lynn and Braiden, too

Follow the notes

Office, barn, and trees

Look for the arrows

And soon you’ll see

Plastic snakes, farm animal toys,

Army men, glasses that magnify

Dollars and quarters bring great joy

Three sweet kites that fly so high

The hunt was so fun

Let’s make our own, they say

Papa, Guy, and Dan, come on

This is for you on Father’s Day

Coincidence?

H’lo Libby!

Come on kids

Dollar's ready

Our whole family is sure

He never makes plans

He isn’t going to be on time

But it never fails

If we're at Hay Creek

So is he

H'lo Uncle Dennis

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss

     I have finally come to accept the fact that summer is over.  Four days of teacher in-service and two weeks of school have solidified that in my mind.  I have sent my sweet kiddos off to Kindergarten and 1^st Grade, and we are all settling into the new routine.  Honestly, I am already worn out, but memories of the summer continue to motivate me.  The summer flew by and was filled with all things family.  Each event was worthy of its own blog post, and so it will be.  To keep myself in my happy “summer state of mind” I am going to devote each of my upcoming blogs to one of the family events from the summer.  In the end, my family is why I do what I do.  In reminding myself of this every day, I find even the most exhausting of days easier to get through.   Many blessings to you and yours!

Coming up next….South Dakota Adventure 2013.

4th of July

After we hit the parade in Parkville and before we cook up some hotdogs and s'mores at Auntie Jill's, I will get some hammock time on my deck.  The weather is gorgeous.  How could anyone resist?  

Hammock Haiku

bring on the sweet tea

ready to swing and relax

hammock on the deck

slow and gentle swing

new striped hammock is the place

sway the world away

35

Yesterday I turned 35.  It was honestly one of the best birthdays I have ever had.  I am truly blessed to be able to list 35 great things about my day.  Just as a side note....this list is really for me to remember how great my life really is.  I plan on coming back to it when I might be having "one of those days."  After seeing the list, it is clear that the little things are the creators of amazing things.

1. 4:30 a.m. "Happy Birthday" from my sweet little girl.
2. "35" Lego build waiting on my nightstand from my precious boy.
3. Breakfast (homemade donuts and cinnamon rolls.)
4. Coffee
5. Jewelry stamping hammer
6. Jewelry stamping metal plate
7. Jewelry stamping letter set
8. Laminating machine
9. Excitement of the kids to show me my "big" gift.
10. My new hammock.  I have had an obsession with hammocks since childhood.  One of my many dreams has come true.
11. Joe proudly telling me that they got my hammock on sale.
12. Snuggling in the hammock with Lynn.
13. "Telling secrets" with Lynn while we were wrapped up in the hammock.   Her secret was, "You are the best mommy in the whole world."
14. A generally calm trip to Costco.  I love Chocolate Covered Pomegranates. 
15. Oak Park Mall  American Girl Store
16. Lego Store- I wanted to go, and I got a set for myself.  (3 in 1 House.  I will be building the Windmill version.)
17. We happend to go into the Disney Store just as they were beginning "Scare School" for the kids  as a promotion for Monsters University.  Joe and Lynn can officially roar!  As if we didn't know that.
18. Chick-Fil-A lunch
19. Surprise order of a gallon of sweet tea from Dan.  He knows the way to my heart.
20. Facebook birthday messages
21. Texts from my brother, my sister-in-laws, and from my new nephew.
22. Texts from friends.
23. Picture texts of my Birthday shot at Bar Louie the night before.
24. Phone call from my Uncle Dennis.  He always calls on my birthday, and I treasure that.
25. Phone call from my mom and dad.
26. Dad singing "Happy Birthday" in the background in his beautiful voice.
27. Joe's T-Ball Team Party
28. New friends made through T-Ball
29. Wine spritzers
30. We didn't have to cook dinner or clean up.
31. Cupcakes from Hy-Vee
32. Hearing my family say "Happy Birthday" randomly all day long
33. Lynn falling asleep on the couch
34. Reading Dinosaur vs. Bedtime with Joe
35. Ending the day on the deck in my hammock, listening to Dave Matthews, while playing Words With Friends with my best friend, Dan

Liebster Award

My friend and fellow blogger, Julie, nominated me for the Liebster Award.  Of course, I had to google to find out a bit about the award.  The origins are elusive, but I found one blogger who seems to have done her research.  Here is her take.  The current rules, as they stand, follow.  The rules can change because that is one of the rules.  Cool!  Just FYI, no one actually wins anything:)

After being nominated, you have to do the following:

• Acknowledge the blog that nominated you in a post.
• Tell 11 facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger created.
• List 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers that you believe deserve some recognition.
• Post 11 questions for them to answer.
• Notify all the bloggers selected that they have been nominated.
• And finally, you can’t nominate the blog who nominated you.

11 facts about me:

1. Coffee became an addiction after I had my kids.

2. I really love teaching, but I'm finding it harder to love the students.

3. Books are an escape for me.  There aren't too many things that I would rather do than read.  I get a little anxious/slightly depressed when I don't have a book in progress.

4.  My parents and my brother are awesome people.  I love them, of course, but more importantly, I like them.

5.  I teach English, but I don't know any grammar rules beyond the basics.

6. My son putting on an old DeKalb hat of my grandfather's made me cry.  

7. I treasure old things that belonged to my family.  Old pictures and cards are my favorite links to the past.

8. I would choose a Thrift Store over a mall any day of the week, even if I had all the money in the world.

9. The beach is on my mind constantly.

10.  My family is my reason for doing everything I do.

11. I volunteer to wash coffee cups at my church.  I have to go do that now...

...and I'm back.

Answers to 11 questions:

1. If you could relocate anywhere in the world, would you?  If I had money to  pay for private school for my kids and could pay for my retirement with no problems, I would go to a beach in South Carolina tomorrow.  I would also need movers....I hate the actual act of moving.
2. Are you happy?  In general yes.  I have everything I could really want.  I only feel a little less than happy when I'm not able to be creative, or when I feel like I'm not giving enough back to everyone that I have.
3. What are you passionate about?  The things I think about the most are reading, writing, sewing, my family, and coffee.  I guess those are my passions.
4. Who is your favorite author?  Diana Gabaldon  Her Outlander series is amazing!  I can't explain it because it has everything.  Just go get Outlander and start reading.
5. Is the movie ever better than the book?  If you answered yes, give an example. NEVER!!! 
6. Dog or cat?  I have a cat, and I love dogs so much that I don't have one.  I know it wouldn't get the care it deserves from my busy family.  There isn't a dog out there that could replace Trudy anyway.
7. What is a typical Friday night for you?  Pizza from Hy-Vee and a Redbox movie with the kids. Baseball on TV to go to sleep to.  
8. Do you believe in God? Yes!  
9. If you could go back in time and change one thing in your life that would rechart your life, would you?  And if so, what would it be?  There are things that I wish I had or hadn't done, but I wouldn't change anything.  I am here in this place that I love being, and I would hate to be missing this "big picture" just to change something that I probably learned from.
10. What was your favorite high school subject?  I loved all of my English classes.  Novels, my senior year, was my favorite of all time.  I also really liked History.
11. iPhone or Android?  Have an Android, want an iPhone.

11 Questions for you:
 
1.  What was your major in college?
2. Did you ever, or are you still using it in your current career?
3. What was the best vacation you ever went on?
4. What is your dream vacation of the future?
5. Guilty pleasure?  (Mine is Pop-Tarts.)
6. Who or what has influenced your feelings about the role of women in society?
7. What do you worry about the most?
8. What writing do you do other than blogging?
9. If there was no way to fail, what would you try?
10.  Were you a girly-girl or a tom-boy as a kid?
And most importantly.....
11. Toilet paper- over or under?

Now I am supposed to nominate 11 bloggers.  Ummm....I don't follow that many blogs, but I do follow these two, so I am nominating them.  (Breakin' the rules, woohoo!)  One is very established and cracks me up with nearly every post, and one is brand new and very promising.  Both ladies are excellent writers.  Go check out Karen and Almeda.