Thankful Thursday #6

It's rainy and deary here with snow predicted by the time Trick or Treating begins.  I'm so not looking forward to walking around in the weather for Sprout to gather candy, but I am looking forward to dinner with the other parents of her friends.  We all get along well and it's been a bit since I've seen them.  I've been thinking about my list today and I'm a bit later than usual in posting it.

1. Thankful I have enough clothes to put on to keep me warm tonight.
2. Thankful I found a costume over the summer that will keep her warm tonight.
3. Thankful I will be able to go home to a warm house and a warm bed when all is done.
4. Thankful FarmBoy is trying to get things done for the season.
5. Thankful that Black Friday ads have started to come out.  (It's how I plan out the holiday budget.)
6. Thankful I have a work "cook out" to look forward to tomorrow.
7. Thankful that I can get out the Thanksgiving box of decorations tomorrow.  ( I have turkeys and a few other things)
8. Thankful that my kid still wants to cuddle with me and watch movies sometimes.
9. Thankful that math is starting to get to be less of a battle.  ( She's found videos from another teacher that uses her curriculum.)
10. Thankful I have a God who loves me even when I'm unlovable.  (I've been a bit grumpy since the weather has turned dark here.)

I'd love to hear what anyone else is thankful for today.

Tuesday and Halloween week.

It's Tuesday and FarmBoy is on days so I get up and leave with the house all quiet and asleep.  It's kind of nice.  I'm a total introvert and like to have a quiet relatively stress free morning.  I'm only worried about myself and getting out the door.   FarmBoy takes Sprout to school on these days so he deals with the kid crazy.  That's allllll going to change at the first of the year when she starts to ride the bus.  I'm not looking forward to that at all.

It's Halloween week and Sprout is going trick or treating with friends.  It's supposed to snow here so I'm so glad her costume is a care bear.  She can pile on the clothes under it and be fairly warm.  We are all meeting for dinner before they drag us around the neighborhood.  It's our last one so I'm glad she's going with friends.  In our family when you hit junior high you are done.  I'll gladly buy you a bag of your favorite candy, but that's it.  Sprout says she's going to help Grammy next year and I'm good with that.  If Grammy lets her go out without me knowing that's between them.  I'm not buying a costume though that's on her.

At Sprout's current school they take Spanish and it's starts in kindergarten.  They will be talking about dia de los muertos or the day of the dead.  They focus mostly on the tradition and not that the ancestors come back to life part.  It's good for them to understand other holidays and they talk about the difference between what we as Christians believe.  The more information you can give a child the more they understand and I think it's good.  I'm sending in taco fixings, well street tacos.  Just enough for her class.  She's excited and that's what matters.  I'm hoping we can carve pumpkins tonight and get them out on the porch.  It's one of the things I love doing.  I'm not a fancy carver, but it's still fun.

Tech and my craziness!

Okay I'm a programmer and one would think that I am more with it on how blogging works, but...  I just realized that there have been several comments over the last year on my blog.  I really started this just for Sprout to be able to look back and see what has happened with her 4H and our life in general.  I didn't really even look at my settings.  I feel a bit bad for those who have commented.  I really am grateful that people are reading my rants especially since I don't really go all out to get it recognized. I'm chalking this up to being a learning experience today and I'll do much better in the future. 

This week we have been trying to finish up harvesting all with a school field trip and FarmBoy working nights.  I'm the taxi driver in the evenings when I get off work.  Sprout is the combine driver when school is out.  She's really taken to the role and I'm glad.  All of my husband's farm buddies are so thrilled with her.  There are a few times when FarmBoy has to go back to the bins with a load leaving her in the field, but there's always another farmer in a close field to keep an eye out for her.  The 2 way radios are full of their chatter to her and it makes me proud at how there is no complaining.  She just puts her head down and goes knowing that this is a big deal.  She's learning more why dad is late sometimes.  It all depends on how things are running and how the machine is running, etc.  She gets it now. 

Sprout's field trip was to a local park and ornithology center.  She had a blast.  They got to dissect owl pellets and she just jumped right in and was excited.  Several of the girls didn't want anything to do with it and I get it.  It's not for everyone, but the thing we tell Sprout is if you don't try things you will never know if  it's your thing.  This is also why I blog.  I wasn't really sure I wanted people knowing what all was happening at our house.  Truthfully I'm a bit of an introvert so I'm quiet until I get to know people.  This is the total opposite of that in my opinion.  I'm throwing it all out there without ever really knowing who or where my audience is.  I'm doing a real leap of faith in even trying to publish this.  If it ever makes money great, but if not that's okay to, but it definitely moves me out of my comfort zone.

Monday and the holidays

Well it's Monday and since fall break is over it's officially the countdown to the holidays at our house.  It's a couple of weeks until Halloween and it's our last official trick or treat.  In our family when you are done with elementary school you are also done trick or treating.  The child will get a bag of candy of their choice as a gift ( yes my mother still gives me something ).  Since we live in the country (there are 5 houses on our road) we have never had trick or treaters other than kids we know like my nephews and niece.  My mother moved into town years ago and since she gives out candy I feel no guilt in letting my kid trick or treat in her neighborhood.  Sprout found a carebears costume over the summer at goodwill.

Sprout's school does some costuming for book fair week and she's in the process of trying to figure out who she wants to be this year.  There is usually a pajama day thrown in there as well as some others.  It finishes up on their last day before Thanksgiving break.  That is feast day.  Each of the classes brings in their favorite foods and parent and grandparents are welcomed.  The kids can dress as a pilgrim or native american.  Since we have ancestors that were on the Mayflower she has always been a pilgrim.  I'm not sure if the costume still fits, but if it does that will be what she wears this year.  I got the on call phone for the week before Thanksgiving so I won't have it any in December and I'm grateful for that.  I do have a class scheduled for a week in November and December so I've got to get my shopping under way soon. I do quite a bit on black Friday, but there are quite a few I can't get then so I need to get a move on.

December will be a bit hectic since we will need to be handling the paperwork for her school change so that when she leaves on Christmas break she's all set for the new school.  It seems so far away, but I know that it's going to come faster than I want it to.  I'm grateful that I have all of her Christmas break off.  It makes life so much easier at our house.  This year my sister is coming from California and my dad has requested that all of us come to his house for a day at the same time so I guess I'm going to Ohio for a day.  I have a feeling it will be the last holiday that is celebrated at the house since my step mother's dementia is progressing pretty rapidly these days.  It's hard for Sprout to see her this way.  She remember the Gram that read to her and sang with her and not the one who doesn't know her name.  It's hard for me too since she doesn't know my name either.

Harvest has begun!

I should have taken pics, but Sprout is officially running a combine.  She's doing pretty good too!  She's been driving a go cart and our Polaris Ranger for more than a year now so FarmBoy thought she was ready for running bigger equipment.  I think 11 is a bit early, but she's loving it and doing a good job.  FarmBoy will be paying her for doing this and she can't wait.  She's got her eye on and LOL doll house that I just think is too expensive, but if she earns it I'm all for it.  The things she buys with money she earns are generally in better shape. 

I'm starting to plan Christmas gifts so it's one off my list for sure.  This is the first year for no Santa.  I'm sad, but it saves me the hassle of trying to hid things.  Santa at our house only brought stockings.  The big stuff came from Dad and Mom.  I usually bought things like movies, books, and other small toys that would fit in her huge stocking.  Finding out wasn't a traumatic event and we discussed who Saint Nick was and why we continue the tradition.  For our family it was one way to teach faith.  She had to have faith that Santa would come and faith that he would leave what she wanted.  Now we get the chance to be Santa for someone else.  I'm not sure who that is going to be yet, but she's looking forward to it.  I'm thinking we are going to pick a kid from the angel tree from work and buy for them including a stocking.  She's excited to bring Christmas to someone else who might not get to have it and in doing so pass along a little of her faith to them.

FarmBoy and I used to go out just the two of us when Harvest was done to celebrate and now we get to include Sprout since she has helped a ton!  Hopefully when I'm not working full time soon then I can help more.  Now I occasionally run a grain cart or the combine, because it has to be after I get off work.  So much happens during the day that I miss.  It warms my heart that she's starting to see more of our life and enjoy it. 

Fall Break and Mom Guilt

Sprout is on Fall Break and where am I?  I'm at work.  FarmBoy and I took a week in January and went to Jamaica with some other farm couples.  It was the first time since Sprout came along that we went on a trip without her.  We needed the couple time and it was wonderful, but that means that my vacation time was eaten up.  I'm lucky I have been at the same company long enough to have 4 weeks of vacation time.  Usually I have a week for fair, 2 weeks at Christmas ( Sprout requests this every year) and then I have one week I divide up between spring and fall break and illnesses where she can't go to school.  It's been hard to not be able to plan something for her especially when so many of her friends are doing something.  It doesn't have to be a full blown trip to the beach, but something.  FarmBoy is on shift today and then in the fields the rest of the week.  He's promised to teach her to run the combine so at least there is that. 

I still feel the guilt of being at work and not with her.  I'm making time in the evenings to do special things, but it's not the same and I know it.  I'm trying to be patient and wait on the lord for me to quit my job and find something part time when she's in school so that I have more flexibility.  She doesn't say much about it, but I know she loves having me at home teaching her new things.  It seems like there is so much to teach her these days.  Our house is almost paid off and once we don't have tuition payments then I don't need to make so much money.  It's just really hard because I know that she's growing up so fast and I know I won't get this kind of time with her again.  I also know we need to have the house paid off so that all we have is a land payment or the farm just can't survive.  I'm working on cutting back on what we spend and over this next year I'm going to get even more frugal to start preparing for the time when I just can't spend.  My biggest issue is spending on Sprout.  She's not quite done growing so clothes get expensive and I can't always get things at second hand stores anymore.  I know the social pressures that can come with the wardrobe and I'm trying to figure out what I need to do so that will be a big exploration in the next year, but for now I'm off to get her from the sitter so we can do each other's nails tonight and watch movies. 

Fall is here and changes are coming.

Fall is definitely here where I live.  The nights are getting cooler and the days not so warm.  This weekend the real cool weather is supposed to move in and it may be here to stay.  I like fall and sweaters and such.  FarmBoy has gotten the combine out and run it for some testing, but what corn we have is too wet.  Hopefully things change in the next couple of weeks.  This is always a tough time for him.  He wants to get harvest under way, but the crop just isn't quite ready.  It's also later than usual because of the wet spring we had.  I'm just trying to keep up a good spirit and cook some good food.  It's time to pull out the recipe books and look for some fall items to cook.  I can still grill some, but not nearly as much as I do in the warmer months.  I'm planning on smoking some beef and maybe a pork roast this weekend so that I can have lunches and dinners for the next week.  I try to plan for things that can be easily heated up once harvest really starts because nights are late and going out is costly and not all that healthy.  Besides we live far enough from a town that fast food is very limited.

Sprout has decided after Christmas break that she wants to change schools and not wait until next year.  She's struggling this year with her teacher and how her accommodation plan is being implemented.  I'm still praying on this one.  I get that things aren't going as smoothly as she wants, but life doesn't go smooth so is it better to make her gut it out or change and maybe she will have a better result on learning her math.  She's my only child and I hurt for her when things like this come up.  She's facing some peer pressure that I think should be quashed by the teacher that isn't being quashed.  We are working through that with her.  I don't want to encourage her to run when the going gets tough, but I can see her frustration growing each day.  She loves to learn and other than math is very advanced.  Her teacher last year always had extra things for her to do when she was finished with her regular work.  She did this for several kids.  It gave her something to work towards.  She couldn't rush her normal work, but had to finish and it be checked before moving on to the additional items.  This year is not so much that way and she's having trouble with it. 

This will be a big change for her since she has never had more than 20 kids in her class and knows most of the kids in her school including ones in other grades.  I attended public school for all of my schooling so I know a bit of what she's going to face and I'm trying to prepare her for it.  I fully expect for there to be some bad days, but I also know she's smart, bubbly and really loves to learn so I just pray things will be good for her and it's a move to stretch her and not hold her back.  This totally changes the plans for Christmas gifts for her since she will go from a most strict dress code with collared shirts to much more relaxed dress code.  Fashion will definitely be more important so I may need to include some clothes in the gifts.  I guess life is really changing and moving on, but I'm also not sure I'm ready for it.

Sad season of life

Last week I got a message that an aunt had passed away and unfortunately in the last few years it's not the first.  I realize I'm heading into the season where my elders are slowly leaving us.  I'm grateful that my dad is still here although he's not in the most wonderful health.  Mentally he's great, but physically the body is slowly going.  My kid is still pretty young and it's one of the harder things to have to tell her every time another one passes.  My uncle was a particularly hard one.  Gruncle (her great uncle) was close to her and she still misses him.  I have a pretty large extended family and have been pretty close to most of them.  I know it's just a season, but this season is not my favorite.  Most were Christians and I'm sure I will see them again, but each family get together there are fewer and fewer of them.   I'm not ready to be one the elders at these events, but I realize that I am.

This last week has been a bit depressing and since I've had a sinus infection it all just kind of fell in on me.  Sinus infections always increase my migraines so I'm just in general miserable.  I'm slowly on the mend, but still a bit fatigued.  Hopefully by the weekend I'll feel better.  The weather is definitely changing here with cool nights and the days slowly getting cooler too.  Harvest has slowly started in my area.  The late planting season has really stretched out the harvest.  Usually it's well on it's way, but not this year.  I'm ready for sweater weather and for bonfires and hayrides and such.  I've got some winterizing to do this week and one last review of my pantry before I say it's all good for winter.  Predictions in my area are for quite a bit of snow so I want to be ready for pretty much anything.  I'm hoping for some before her Christmas break so that she can have a sledding party.  She's at an age that it would be a ton of fun, but for now it's just a prediction and a dream.