Busy bottles

Here's a super-quick project that's kept my boys entertained today. I call it a busy bottle. (The idea for this might be floating out there in cyberspace, but I dreamed it up on my own, so let me be happy with myself, ok?)

I do things in twos around here: change two diapers, get two bottles ready, give two baths... you get the point. So I made two of these in about 5 minutes.

I started with empty water bottles. I filled them 3/4 of the way full with baby oil (I thought the items would float slower in baby oil than water, but it turns out the baby oil wasn't as thick as I thought it would be, so it didn't do much, other than bubble when it's shook up.) Then, I added some goodies. From my craft room, I took small beads, felt pom-pons, and foam shapes. I put them in the bottle, and then I added water to fill it the rest of the way up. I ran a line of hot glue all around the top of the bottle, which holds the lid on tight, so none of the small items escape. 

So far, the boys are occupied!

Married to a farmer

I have a confession to make: I get a little irritated when people complain about their spouses' work schedule. If they think they have a rough schedule or think they work a lot of hours, they should try being married to a farmer.

Ironically, when I started typing the title of this blog post, I left out the last "er," so it read, "Married to a farm." In a lot of ways, we are married to a farm, but I wouldn't change being"Married to a farmer," for anything.

I'm so glad that my husband gets to do something he is 110% passionate about every day. Sure, it means long hours, but I know there's nothing else he would rather do. He is making a difference, right here within a few miles of our home. I hope one day our boys will be able to farm, if that's what they choose to do.

For other farm wives out there, I know this time of year is tough. Long hours and short fuses can get the best of us if we let it. Instead, let's focus on staying positive, and remember there are perks to this job. Where else do you get views like this?

It's a beautifulllllll day.... (blared in my best Bono voice)

I have this bad habit of thinking about life in song lyrics. Not necessarily a bad habit for everyone, but I can't sing. Thus, I usually keep it my head. Which is why Bono's "Beautiful Day" is running in my mind right now. Maybe I should just start iTunes.

Anyway, today's blog topic is "5 Things That Make You Happiest." This is going to be short and sweet. In no particular order, here goes:

1. Listening to my adorable little guys talk to each other: Well, it's more like making sounds, but maybe they really know what they're saying. Who knows. I love listening to them; they always sound so happy.
2. Watching Greg play with Dwight and Jordan: He's a natural. Even though he works tons of hours and has stuff he needs to do when he comes home, he still takes the time to play and cuddle. Their smiles when they're having daddy time are priceless.
3. Our church: The teaching is top-notch, and the worship is amazing. I'm glad we found some place where we feel so comfortable and can get so much out of the service.
4. Having a clean home: I don't know why, but I feel so much more relaxed and productive when our house is clean. Maybe I should clean more often, huh? There's something about everything being in its place that makes me happy. 
5. Crafting: I'm not extremely crafty, but I love the challenge of tackling a new project and seeing it through to completion, especially when it's something I'm going to gift.

Pretty straightforward. Now, I need some feedback. What makes you happy right now?

Letter to Me

Hi there. Today is day two for me and the blogging challenge posed by Cassie at MILFF. Today's prompt is five lessons you would share with your 16-year old self. Automatically, Brad Paisley's song, "Letter to Me" came to mind.

As I listened to the song, I tried to remember life at 16. I turned 16 in November of my sophomore year of high school. I drove a 1990 red Ford Ranger. It was manual. I didn't quite have the finer points of driving a standard vehicle down, so the first day I drove it to school, I coasted through every stop sign for fear that if I stopped I would stall. FFA was a huge part of my life, as were yearbook, speech/debate, and the school newspaper my friends and I started. I looked forward to the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month (4-H camp counselor and Jr. Fair Board meetings), because then I could see my good friends from other schools. I was convinced I was going to be a veterinarian when I grew up, and even though I didn't have a job at the time, I raised a menagerie of animals that provided a little extra income. I thought I knew most everything, but in hindsight, I was pretty clueless.

Cassie said it best: "I would tell myself a million things. Learn how to sew. Take value in all you read. Listen to the wisdom that is all around you. Do everything in high school you possibly can. Cherish your friendships. Be nicer to your family. Stop procrastinating! You end up with a great guy. Your children are going to be perfect. Save your money. Stop wasting time on people who don't think you're worth the same. Do things whole heartedly. Take out the trash for mom. Study! Don't stay up so late. Take unique classes. Volunteer. Learn how to change your own oil. Walk with purpose. People see everything you do."

I ditto that, but, without further adieu, here are the top five things, in no particular order, I would want me to know at 16.

1. Don't Take Yourself So Seriously- This is a lesson I really didn't learn until I was in college, but I wish I would've known it sooner. 16-year old Rose, you don't have to be perfect. Nobody is. Take time to laugh at yourself. Be conscious of your imperfections, but don't dwell on them. Have fun. Smile more. Be you.
2. Look for the Good in Others- Yes, there are idiots in the world. You went to high school with a good number of them. However, everyone has strengths. Focus on those. It can be hard, but instead of dwelling on what drives you nuts about other people, look for the things you admire. Ok, I admit, I'm still working on this one.
3. You Can't Change Your Family, But You Can Choose Your Friends- There are things that about your family that you don't like, but you can't change. Deal with it. They're still your family, and they always will be. Accept them for who they are. Your friends, you can change those. Take time to choose your friends wisely, and invest time into building those relationships. One of my biggest regrets is letting friendships slide that used to be so important. 
4. Have Confidence- There is nobody who is a better you than you. Don't worry about what other people think. Be confident in your personality, in your appearance, and in your abilities. The people who don't like you aren't worth your time. Carry yourself with poise and grace, and don't spend so much time shirking in the corner. 
5. Learn Something New Every Day- It doesn't matter what it is. Don't waste a day not learning. Learn about others, learn about yourself, learn random facts, learn how to do new tasks. It keeps your mind sharp and makes you more unique. 

So there you have it, five things I wish I knew at 16. Don't be a lurker, leave a comment so I know you were here! Tell me what you would add to this list.

Two little boys and a craft for a girl

So, the last time I blogged, I was finishing up a craft for the twins' nursery. Little did I know they would make their appearance just a few short days later! Dwight and Jordan entered our lives on April 7.

This is them at one month; Dwight is on the left and Jordan is on the right. The first three months have been a heck of a ride. They are so much fun, and Greg and I often look at them and think, "Wow. They're really ours."

More on being a mama later. The boys are sleeping, and I want to share a simple, cute idea for a little one in your life.

I was glad to be able to make this easy project for Greg's cousin who just an adorable little girl.

The original idea came from Pinterest, but the link has since been deleted, so I can't give proper credit. I didn't take pictures as I went, but believe me, it was a piece of cake!

First, I took an old picture frame and removed the staples from the back. I painted the frame with acrylic paint. (I tried this on another frame first using spray paint. Bad idea. It ran like crazy. Save yourself the headache and use acrylic or latex.) After the paint dried, I measured the open space on the back of the frame and decided how far apart I wanted to place the ribbons. I put a dot with a Sharpie at the top and the bottom, and I measured the ribbon before gluing it on. The ribbon is fairly tight. This is the only picture I took, so you can see where I hot glued the ribbon.

The small strips of ribbon are hot glued in the groove of the frame where the glass would go. The ribbon for the hanger is glued onto the outside of the frame.

I turned the frame back over and put dots for the cup hooks. I pre-drilled with a bit, which made the hooks go in very easily. Then, I jazzed it up with a few silk flowers. And, voila!

So, if you haven't figured it out yet, the vertical ribbons are for hair bows. The cup hooks are for headbands, necklaces, etc.

I hear stirring babies, so that's all for now blogosphere...

Making a house a home... part 2

Earlier this week, I blogged about making a house a home. I talked about my desire to have everything perfectly decorated and cozy.


And then I cleaned.


What a difference sprucing up the house with some elbow grease makes! I like to keep a clean house anyway, but there's nothing like the smell and feel of pristine floors and a scrubbed shower. I make an effort to spot clean every other day or so, but a good deep clean does wonders.


This week I tried some new recipes for supper, too.


It's not rocket science, but good, wholesome food is almost comforting. I love that Greg and I sit down for supper almost every night. We set the table, we have a meal (even if it's leftovers), we pray, and we talk about our day. It's just plain nice.


So, maybe having a "home" doesn't need to cost a fortune. Why not start with the simple stuff?

Making a house a home

I did a quick Google search for "making a house a home." Lately, I've been almost restless. I have this innate desire to have a perfect, Leave it to Beaver type house. Of course, my current addiction to Pinterest does little to help. 

We've lived in our home for a year and a half now. I'm really proud of how Greg and I have worked together to fix little things here and there and make it just what we want it to be. Yet, I feel like I should be doing more. 


As I Googled, blog after blog of Do-It-Yourself and home improvements came up. However, it was the fifth website that caught my attention, from www.bible.org. It was an article titled, the Influential Woman: Making a House a Home. 


While I didn't completely agree with every aspect of the article, I did agree with the timeless passage from Proverbs 31:10-12:

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

Perhaps making a house a home isn't about having it decorated to a t, immaculately cleaned, or perfectly presented. At the end of the day, a house filled with love is a home. This year, I'm going to attempt to be more like the Proverbs 31 woman. 

But, I'm still not giving up Pinterest. :) 

Back to school and other fun, fall stuff

I love Sunday mornings. Since Greg and I typically attend our church's Saturday night service, I have Sunday mornings to myself. Greg goes and feeds cows, and I sit at my computer, catching up on the week and drinking coffee. Sometimes, if I'm feeling really crazy, I'll even read a book. Yes, life is good.


I just finished my second week of school at Mohawk. I love it! I have a wonderful group of students. My classroom is just how I want it. It's a nice district. Etc. I miss my Bellevue kiddos, but overall, it's been a good change for me.


Outside of school, life charges on. Greg and I (well, he claims it's mostly my project) planted indian corn and pumpkins this year. Now, I don't believe in doing anything small, so we have roughly 3/4 of an acre of pumpkins and gourds and about the same of the indian corn. Yesterday, we picked our first batch of corn (600 ears) and bundled them into groups of 3. It was hard work, especially in all the heat, but it was a little bit of fun, too!


Stay tuned for pictures!

Things I've learned this summer

While Greg and I were dating, I spent a lot of time with him on the farm. I vividly remember the summer before we got married, when I was taking a couple classes and working at an internship in Columbus. Most weekends, as soon as I was done on Friday, I was driving north. I camped out on a futon in his parents' basement until the crack of dawn on Monday, when I trekked back to Columbus for an early morning class. That summer, we learned a lot about each other, as Greg worked ground and planted fields, and I rode along in the buddy seat.

Fast forward three years to the summer of 2011. I'm amazed at how learning is truly a lifelong process. I'm still learning so much about myself and the world around me. This summer, because of a job switch, I've been more available to help on the farm. In addition to the remarkable farmer's tan I've acquired, I've absorbed some pretty incredible lessons, as well.

For example, I've learned that American ingenuity is not dead. One of the things I admire about Greg is his ability to look at a problem and come up with a creative solution to solve it. Point in case: the hay rake. Raking hay is on ongoing job on a dairy farm. In any given summer, each field of hay will be cut and raked an average of four times. That's a large time investment just to rake the hay! So, this spring while the rains poured down, Greg and his brother Jason fashioned up this beast:

To the naked eye, I'm not sure what it looks like. However, to someone familiar with hay equipment, it is two rakes connected together, which allows the person raking to work two rows at one time. This little contraption reminded me that there are people in this world interested in increasing productivity and problem solving. PS- Two rakes provide twice the opportunity to catch barbed wire and drag it a hundred yards, but that's a post for another time. :)

Another important lesson I've learned this summer is how intertwined family and work really are in rural America. Sure, I've known this for as long as I can remember, but now I'm actually experiencing it. Almost every day, Greg goes to work and checks in with his mom or dad. They're working side by side to build their business and to provide for their families at the same time. One of the reasons I've enjoyed helping on the farm so much this summer, is because it's given me a great opportunity to get to know his family in a different setting. One of my favorite things to do when I have some extra time is to walk to the farm in the evening and help his mom feed calves. It's such great quality time. For a girl who didn't grow up on a farm, I'm only beginning to understand the complexity of farm family bonds.

Finally, I've learned to appreciate the simple things in life. That sounds cliche', I realize, but it's oh-so-true. Greg tends to work pretty long hours, especially during the busy seasons, but there are few things I enjoy more than meeting him at the farm after a long day and riding around on the four-wheeler checking crops or than heading to the pond to watch the sunset. This summer, more than ever before, I've learned how important it is to appreciate the small blessings in life. I've always loved traveling, and I probably always will, but there are some pretty incredible things to experience right here at home with the people I love, too.

Resonating thoughts

Today, we visited Greg's grandpa in Alliance. Since he lives about two and a half hours away, we don't get out to see him as much as we'd like. I always enjoy visiting, nonetheless, because he's a pretty smart guy. I love hearing him recount stories (some times the same ones over and over again!), and he always seems to make me think. Here's a picture of Bob with Greg at our wedding:

Somehow today we got on the topic of the public's perception of agriculture. Bob is a dairy farmer and has been all of his life (except when he served the U.S. in the Korean War.) Leading up to this conversation, Bob was sharing how growing up in the 30s, there wasn't much extravagance around. People had what they needed, and that was about it. As we talked about today and about how people don't understand agriculture, he said something that has stuck with me: "The problem is, people today have never been hungry long enough to think about where their food really comes from."

It took me a second to really grasp this concept, but after I did, I realized how true it really was. In the United States, we have the cheapest and most abundant food supply of any developed nation. For the most part, the bulk of our country never has to worry about where our next meal is coming from. (Don't get me wrong, I know that hunger is an issue in the U.S. and that there is a chunk of our population that doesn't have access to a safe and reliable food supply.) It is no wonder that people don't appreciate agriculture; as long as the food is available at the grocery store, they never have to think about the farmer that sacrificed to grow the product.

Contrast that thought with people in developing nations. Here is a family our group met when I studied abroad in Uganda.

You better believe that these people understand agriculture. They may not be sure where their next meal is coming from, but they know that in order to eat, someone must work hard in the fields, probably themselves. They are connected to agriculture on a personal basis.

We have so many blessings living in the United States, but how much do we take for granted? Just like Bob said, people don't appreciate agriculture, because they've never been hungry. We could continue and say that people don't appreciate people working in car factories, because they've never been without a vehicle. Maybe they don't appreciate warm clothes, because they've never had to spend a night on the street. The generalizations could continue. At the end of the day, though, I know I'm counted in the "theys." How much do I take for granted, because I've never had to do without? And more pointedly, how do I express appreciation for what I've been blessed with?