My Favorite Conversation

My favorite conversation started last fall as we were delivering dinners to the field.

Me:  "Hello, Rachel."
Rachel:  "Hello, Mama."

It was the first time she didn't just repeat what I had said.  Every once in awhile after that, I'd see if she'd give me a "Hello, Mama" and she usually would after she gave it a little thought.

Now it comes out as naturally as can be and I still love to hear her "Hello, Mama" whether it is starting the back-and-forth or answering me.

I read an article recently that said it raises a child's IQ if they are spoken to often as babies.  I may have done a few things wrong over the years, but that is one thing I have definitely always done right if the study is correct.  I'd talk to my babies as we rocked, as we drove, and as we shopped for groceries.  Did they know or care if we needed green beans?  No, but I talked to them about it anyway and returned their tiny toothless grins.  So, I guess I shouldn't blame them for being conversationalists as they found their own words. I sort of created it.  :)

I hope you have noticed over the years that I do complain about that less now.  The toddler years were not my favorite, and many days I didn't know how I'd make it out alive, but now that we can play games together and they have their own interests to talk about, instead of just screaming/whining/fighting, it is much more interesting and fun for all of us to talk to each other and carry on a conversation.

Rachel is learning new words every day, even though her favorites are probably "Remote More Olivia or Donut Man (her new love).  But, "Hello, Mama" will always be my favorite.

That's for sure.

Bringing RACK-O Back

While we're on the subject of treasures from our grandparents, when David's Grandma Melius passed away, our family was the recipient of her game closet contents.  

I was surprised to see this game among the dominoes, Chinese checkers, and Bingo, since I played Rack-O while I was growing up.  I thought it was a new game of the 90's.  Turns out it dates back to 1961!

We usually don't have time to play games on school nights, but since the kids were dismissed early yesterday and we ended up cancelling religious ed because of the wind and cold, I talked the boys into trying out Rack-O.  

They didn't believe it could be fun, but they humored me.  Guess what?  Nathan said it really was fun and asked if we could play again!  So, we played Rack-O two nights in a row.  

Every player starts with 10 randomly numbered and placed cards that range from 1-60.  The object is to, through discarding and choosing from the pile, to get your numbers in order from least to greatest.  A game takes us about 10-15 minutes, which is perfect.  

A good game just never goes out of style!

More treasures. . . .

I did receive a few more treasures from my grandma's house (including a big pile of buttons that will make it into a craft project--someday)!  

One treasure was her set of good dishes, that she only used when all of the family was together for dinner.  The entire set is intact.  Its wheat pattern is symbolic as they were farmers and Eureka was once known as the Wheat Capitol of the World.  

But, I have to say I was mostly thrilled to find this left behind in a kitchen drawer.  It's Grandma's old wooden potato masher.  This is something I got to do every time my sister and I were at their house for dinner.  She always made mashed potatoes with a little butter and cream.  I mashed them with this.  In German, it's a Kadofle Stasia (forgive my spelling, Germans).  

When I brought it home and showed David, Nathan came around the corner and said, "You got a MARACA?"  No, just a potato masher. :)  

Although I always mash my potatoes by hand, I plan to retire this masher in a place of honor in our kitchen.

Toffee Bars

It's been a little while since I've posted a recipe, so why not today?

I made these bars for the first time Sunday for our Well-Read Mom meeting.  When we were done with our discussion, the pan was licked clean!  

They do taste surprisingly toffee-like and are super easy.  I didn't have Hershey Bars on Sunday, so I frosted that batch with 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, which was just as delicious!  

Toffee Bars

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla, then flour and salt.  Press into a greased 9x13 pan and bake for 20-25 minutes.  

Immediately after you take them out of the oven, place 6 Hershey bars on top.  After they have melted, smooth them over the bars to frost.  Cool and cut into squares.  

The Well-Read Mom

"The pleasure of all reading is doubled when one is with another who shares the same books."

- Katherine Mansfield

Last summer, my friend Deb asked if I would be interested in a book club called The Well-Read Mom.  The name alone intrigued me, because, I DID want to be a well-read mom!  I am so thankful that we did indeed gather a group of wonderful women and form a book club through this program.  I absolutely ADORE our time together one Sunday afternoon a month.

The Well-Read Mom (wellreadmom.com) decides on a list of books for each year.  This year is The Year of the Mother and each selection includes some aspect of motherhood, whether that be physical or spiritual.  They have ranged from short stories by Flannery O'Connor to The Odyssey.  The books are not necessarily overtly Christian-themed, but the discussion, also supplied by WRM, is.  Even if we haven't finished the book, it isn't necessarily necessary for the discussion.

We have our group set up to be very family-friendly, and that has been 90% of its success, I believe.  All of our families meet for dinner at Deb & Doug's house on a Sunday afternoon.  The women seclude themselves in their own room, the men visit, and the children (sometimes over 20) occupy themselves for a few hours.  It's been a blessing for all involved. 

This next month's selection is Jane Eyre, a book I read on my own in college and absolutely loved.  I've found I've forgotten many details, so although I rarely read the same book twice, I'm looking forward to this one.  My favorite so far was The Hawk and the Dove, by Penelope Wilcock.  It's something I never would have discovered if not for this program.

If you are looking for good, quality literature, I really recommend you visit the Well-Read Mom site and check out their reading list. 

It's always good to be well-read, even if you aren't a mom. :)

Notes from my childhood

Growing up, I had the wonderful privilege of living close to both sets of grandparents.

My Grandma and Grandpa Joachim (and Great Grandpa and Grandma Pfeifle) lived in the same town.  Although I went to daycare, my Grandma and Grandpa Joachim kept me at their house, too.  If I remember right, it was on Mondays.  I do remember our routine quite well, and coming from good German roots, the routine did not deviate very much. I suppose I have them to thank or blame for my love of routine. :)

It was on these days that I would sing in the backyard as they watered the garden or hung clothes on the line, or play in the basement as they did laundry with the wringer washer (yes, they owned an electric washer and dryer, but they never used it), walk uptown with Grandpa in the morning to visit my dad at the farm store and a trip to the bar where I could have either a pop or candy bar (I always chose the candy bar), come home in time for The Price is Right, which was promptly followed by lunch at 11am.  After that, I would play school in the living room, watch Sesame Street or try my hand at the pump organ as Grandma sewed or traced and cut quilt blocks from old fabric to make into new quilts. 


Sometimes Grandma would play the pump organ for me.  She was a church organist in her early days and played this organ nearly every day late into her life. 



My Grandpa passed away at the very end of 2000, and my Grandma, who is nearly 95, recently entered the nursing home.



It was decided several years ago that when she passed away, since I was the only one who played the piano, I would inherit her pump organ.  Well, it arrived in its new home this past weekend, and it seems I have the best of both worlds for the time being as Grandma is still here with us. :)

After my dad delivered this very special treasure, I asked him about the song books that were stored in it.  He may or may not have thrown them in the dumpster.  I may or may not have suggested he dig them back out.  (Actually, I volunteered to do it, but he did it before I had the chance.)  I'm very glad he did since among the German song books and hymn books was my Great Grandpa Pfeifle's German Bible.  I can't read German, but I can tell this says The Prophet Jeremiah.  

So, although the passage of time becomes very real in these times of change and, it has been comforting to look back on these special childhood memories and to have an important part of that childhood in my home now.

Gott Ist Die Liebe

(God Is Love)

The Winter Olympics

What is it about the Olympics that brings out the athlete in all of us? 

Or is it just me?

I have barely an athletic bone in my body, but each time the Winter Olympics arrived while I was growing up, I just knew I had missed my calling.  Surely if that ice skating rink in Eureka, SD, had been just a bit bigger, I could have turned into an Olympic speed skater like Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen.  As it turned out, I was just able to skate ovals (in my figure skates) and imagine what it must be like to win gold.

I loved the figure skaters, too--Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan--but I was at least a little realistic.  I knew there wouldn't be any triple axles happening in my lifetime. 

As I told David the other night, "I could be more of a speed skater, with probably not that much speed." 

That's right.  I'm 35, past speed skater retirement age, and haven't put on a skate in over 12 years, but I'm still living the Olympic dream. 

My children have turned into Olympic fans, too.  It isn't difficult to get my boys to want to watch snow boarding and ski jump, but they've figured out that if I say "no" to all other TV, I will most probably say "yes" to watching the Olympics.  Even if it isn't something they particularly want to watch, it's better than nothing. 

This past weekend, Nathan was attempting to use my baking racks and their small folding table as ramps.  He would have tried them out if I hadn't stopped him just in time.

Yes, his Olympic dream was stolen from him.

But, it was either that or a hole through my wall.

Most of us have to give up the Olympic dream eventually.  Maybe I'll give up mine in 4 years.  On second thought, there was a skiier from Mexico in his 50's!  Maybe there is still hope for me.

I hear Cresbard flooded their rink again this year. 

I've always wanted to go to PyeongChang. 

On Courage

I don't know if this is a follow up to my recent posts on bravery or if it is just a crazy coincidence (only "crazy" because it is from my favorite Crazy Aunt Carol), but I just had to share.  I admire her courage as she begins life without her husband of 39 years.  I admire all of us who climb out of our warm beds each morning (way too early) and face our days, whatever we they may bring. 

This reminds me that we are all braver than we know.

I love it.





When Courage is Not an Option
by Fr. John Catoir, Catholic News Service

We often think of courage as a battlefield virtue. However, another kind of bravery exists in more familiar circumstances. Day after day, real courage often takes place at home, in the form of patient endurance, loyalty, constancy and the will to face a scary future with grace and determination. These qualities are all signs of the kind of courage that women possess in admirable proportions.

One of the most important qualities anyone can master in life is found in the art of putting on the will to bear discomfort. The golden rule requires it, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

In order to be charitable, we need to become less preoccupied with our personal needs. This requires sacrifice.

Mothers are famous for their ability to perform many difficult and monotonous duties. They practice privation. Privation occurs when one gives up the comfort of feeling free to do as one pleases.

Of course, men possess this noble virtue, too, but women excel in it, especially the mothers of young children. They persevere in difficult times showing us over and over again the noble virtue of love in action. As they try to love their children and husbands without counting the cost, they make the necessary sacrifices to keep the family alive and well. We are in admiration of their courageous commitment.

Admittedly, not everyone succeeds in being as brave as they wished they could have been. We do not judge them. Any human being can be overwhelmed at times by the crushing burdens of life. This truth makes women all the more praiseworthy. By the grace of God, many have persevered. Others have not.

To understand the nobility of courage more fully, we need to look at the relationship between courage and cowardice. The two are direct opposites. Cowardice is found in those who shirk their duties and descend into the quicksand of escapism. They always seem to blame others for their failures. When they do wrong, they refuse to own up to it and have a curious inability to say they're sorry.

Many cowards suffer from addictions of one kind or another. For them, repentance is a remedy they despise. Acknowledging the wrongs they have done and making amends in a spirit of genuine atonement is the only way to gain back their self-respect, but they are repelled by the thought of it. The 12-step program lays this out for recovering addicts.

One can only hope that they will experience that shocking moment of recognition called "hitting bottom." Until they wake up to fact that they're in danger of death, the addict is lost in a blinding fog. The truth that their habit is self-destructive is either hidden from their eyes or they have a death wish so far advanced that they have unwittingly become their own worst enemy.

When one descends into such a state of deep denial, he or she is blind to the sad truth that death is near. Everyone else around them sees it too clearly, which is why crisis intervention is so necessary. With God, all things are possible. Every saint-in-training has a past, and every sinner has a future. Never give up!

This is why we come to see that, after all is said and done, courage is not an option.


 

Luke's Story

The blogger at MissMamma has written a beautiful story about Luke and his family.  Check out this link: http://missmamma.blogspot.com/2014/02/our-luke-his-lamb.html?m=1. 


We truly do remember Luke every day and are thankful for his time with us here. 

Babies

We barely shipped off last year's calves to Grandpa's farm and a new batch arrived!

Landen loves taking care of them and knows each of their personalities.

This year so far we have Diamond, Sammy, Bubbles and Curly.

 

The first game

David and Nathan had their first 2nd grade basketball game this morning.  They played Faulkton, and lost by 3, but they still did a great job!  As you can see, Great Uncle Orin was a ref, too, so it was a Melius family affair. :)

Can't get enough OLIVIA

 

Through the past 10 years, we have gone through many favorite TV show phases, Sesame Street, Curious George, Dora the Explorer, Diego, Scooby Doo, Max and Ruby, Arthur, The Dukes of Hazzard, Walker Texas Ranger (thanks for that one, Grandpa), to name the top ones.

 

Now that Rachel is home alone and has complete control over the "remote," a word she says very well, she has settled on her favorites.  Until recently, she was 99% Super Why.  She would watch an episode of Olivia, but ONLY after a Super Why. 

 

Well, this past week, she obviously feels very confident in her letter recognition and reading abilities because she has switched to ALL Olivia ALL the time.

 

If she's not asking to watch Olivia, she is asking us to read one of her Olivia books.  I don't know if she likes it just because or if it's because they share a name (we do call her Rachel Olivia quite often).

 

We're just all glad that her favorites have been good ones to have--educational and not at all annoying--yet.

 

 

 

Bravelets

My Bravelet has arrived! 

If there is a special cranio child in your life (and if you are reading this, I know there is!), order your purple Bravelet today! :) 

Or, find your own favorite cause at www.bravelets.com. 

 

The 100th Day of School

Today was the 100th Day of School, and the K-2nd graders were asked to dress like they were 100 years old.  I have to admit I wasn't all that hepped up on the idea at first, but thanks to Grandma Melius' stash of clothes, a few things from our closets, and a little eyeliner, we got them looking pretty close to 100 anyway.

 

Happy 100 Days of School!