A Hook Out of Water – Wise Words Wednesday

A Hook Out of Water

Last week I had the pleasure of taking my niece and nephew fishing with us. They had not been fishing much and were VERY excited to go to Grandpa’s pond and reel in their first big catch.

My sister had lovingly chosen fishing poles for each of them. An Avengers pole for my nephew and a Moana pole for my niece. As I carried them to the kitchen table with my tackle box, my nephew looked suspicious.

“What are you going to do to my fishing pole?” he asked in his little voice.

“I’m putting a hook, weight, and floater on it so you can go fishing,” I replied.

His eyes got the size of saucers and he said, “A real hook? Yippee!”

My niece was equally excited about her “real hook,” but at nine years old she was too cool to say, “Yippee!”

The “Yippees” kept coming until it was time to put bait on those “real hooks.” Both of my guest anglers were appalled to tears that I would expect them to touch a worm. They wanted to used the fake bait my daughter had in her tackle box. I said, “Okay, but the fish don’t bite as well on them and those fake baits stink way worse than worms.”

“Worms are gross,” my niece informed me.

“They may be gross, but the fish sure love them,” I said. Continue reading “A Hook Out of Water – Wise Words Wednesday”

This Mama’s Heart

This Mamas Heart

This Mama’s Heart via Daily Prompt: Nervous

When you become a mother you give away your heart.You love stronger and harder than you ever imagined possible. That love grows with your child. The pains that come with it grow too.

This mama’s heart has grown and loved in so many ways since the births of my three kiddos. My heart has calmed and smiled at their peaceful sleep and joyful discoveries. It has hurt and beat to rocky rhythms when they have scared me with their  recklessness and angered me with their antics.

With each doctor visit or ER escapade, my heart has really taken a beating. Sprains, stitches, and broken bones leave their scars. However, the ache isn’t truly felt until after the whole ordeal is over.

In the last two years I have made six trips to the emergency room. Not all of the trips were for my kiddos, but the impacts on my heart were no different whether I was taking in hubby, my own mama, or one of my babies.

This spring my daughter broke her arm. Like all of our other trips to the hospital, I was able to stay calm and put together all of the information and documents needed to ensure beneficial care be provided. Similarly, my heart ached as I watched someone I loved lying in that hospital bed. Later that night I woke suddenly. My heart was racing. I could not catch my breath. I was shaking. Continue reading “This Mama’s Heart”

4-H – Showing Us the Future

Support 4H (3)

Ravyn showing in the ring.

It’s county fair season and the 4-H kiddos are showing us the future leaders and providers for our communities. My husband grew up showing hogs and cattle in the 4-H livestock shows and selling them at the auction to raise money for his future farming endeavors. It has clearly worked out, as we now have over 200 head of cattle and raise thousands of turkeys every year.

We are proud  and excited to support the 4-H tradition. Our county fair is held the weekend after 4th of July each year. It is always HOT and it always rains at least once. The 4-H Livestock show and other competitions are held on the first day of the fair. Starting at 7:00 a.m. members put a year’s worth of hard work on display.

Support 4H (5)

Kila showing her hog.

4-H members show steers, hogs, sheep, and poultry. Some show their workmanship in competitions for sewing, arts and crafts, photography, painting, pottery, woodworking, metal working, gardening, and other trades. Ribbons are awarded based on the successfulness of their projects and showmanship. Blue ribbons continue to be the coveted prize of choice. In the livestock show, presenters hope to be crowned Grand Champion. The Grand Champion is the choicest animal in the competition and usually brings the highest price.

Those that earn blue ribbons in the non-livestock competitions have the opportunity to move on to competition at the State fair. It is quite an honor.

Showing a fair animal starts a year in advance. The animals are selected when they are young so that the presenter has plenty of time to feed, care, and train the animal for showing. These fair animals become a part of the 4-H member’s family (almost), as they are a daily part of the presenter’s life. This is a powerful practice for developing future farmers and a strong understanding of dedication and hard work. After feeding, grooming, and practicing showing, the presenters often send out or deliver invitations to people in the community inviting them to bid on their animal. It is a terrific lesson in marketing and confidence for these young people. As the animals are judged, the livestock judges explain to the exhibitors and audience the qualities of a champion animal. (It’s a livestock learning experience for everyone.) Continue reading “4-H – Showing Us the Future”

If You Don’t Read My Work, It Doesn’t Hurt My Feelings

Unhurt feelings

via Daily Prompt: Bitter

Often when I mention my blog, people tune me out. That’s okay. Many times when I invite people to read my blog, they smile and say, “That sounds cool, but I don’t have time to read,” and then they tell me about something else they read on Facebook. It’s okay.

If you don’t read my posts, it doesn’t hurt my feelings.

I write for myself and for those who do need the messages I compose.

I write for the opportunity to share my experiences and the lessons learned in daily events.

I write for other educators and farmers. We have the toughest careers there are. Someone has to get our message out there.

I write for the moms and dads who find joy and frustration in the role of parent and hopefully provide comfort in knowing that we’re not alone in our parenting struggles.

I write for those who suffer from self-doubt, worry, and guilt. We need to let that stuff go and hopefully my posts help others (as well as me) move on from that negativity. Continue reading “If You Don’t Read My Work, It Doesn’t Hurt My Feelings”

Miniature Golf Moments – Not so Mini

Miniature golf is an activity that is love by millions. The whimsical landscapes and creative challenges posed by the colorful pastime provide families with fun and memories that are anything but mini.

To beat the heat, I took my boys and one of their buddies early last Monday morning to play some put put. They were enthralled. From choosing their ball color to which putter they were going to use, just getting started was a thrill.

Lost Focus Golf

My son’s discarded ball and putter found a few holes away from where we were playing. He was too busy with the water hazards.

Each hole of the course offered fun distractions and attractions. While the two six year-olds were eager to compete at getting their balls in the hole first, the four year-old was way more interested in the features surrounding each putting area. I didn’t feel any need to rush. There wasn’t anyone behind us to let play on or anyone in front of us to distract. It was an ideal adventure.

As we made our way around the course, the boys wanted to understand the rules of the game and were fascinated by the aspects of how each hole was designed. They loved trying different techniques for success at each green and were really excited when one or the other made their shot. It was a wonderful experiment in sportsmanship. Continue reading “Miniature Golf Moments – Not so Mini”

Why Moms Need Capes – Wise Words Wednesday

Moms with Capes

Moms are the ones who need capes.

Recently I rescued a little boy from the top of a climbing wall at the local park. His cape was hung up on the back side of the wall and he couldn’t get it over. His arms were draped over the wall behind him at odd angles. It was a frightening moment.

The incident was not, however, unexpected. I had witnessed the boy and his mother arguing about the need to take off the cape while he played. She said, “Take it off.” He said, “No.” It was obvious that she wanted to enjoy their time at the park so she let him have his way.

When I heard his cry for help, I was only about 20 feet away. Without hesitation I ran to him and said, “Don’t be scared. I am a mommy and I am going to get you down.” I lifted him high enough for the snag of the cape to release and his arms to fall down to me. Gently, I set him down so as to not scare him or invade his space too much. His poor mother was coming our way. She thanked me and said, “Wow, you were fast.” I told her it was no problem.

The boy still would not take off the cape. He ran and climbed up to the top of the playground. His cape caught on the slide as he slid downward. Another scary moment. His mama took the cape this time. He cried on the side of the playground until he decided it was better to play than pout.

As I packed up my own little villains, I walked past that poor mom. She thanked me again. I replied, “Moms are the ones who need capes.” She said, “You got that right.” Continue reading “Why Moms Need Capes – Wise Words Wednesday”

What do you see? – Thoughtful Thursday

What do you see

When you look at this log peeking out of the water, what do you see?

On a recent trip to the creek, my daughter was walking across a partially submerged log and discovered this cool formation sticking up from the water.

“Mom, what do you see?” she asked pointing to this unusual tree.

After giving it a moment’s thought, I said, “A turtle head sticking out of the water.”

She replied, “Me too!”

My youngest son said it was as lizard. My oldest son said it kind of looked like a horse with a really short snout. My husband said we all had way more imagination than him. 🙂

While this log provided a fun family discussion on our creek exploration, it also created opportunities for a number of Intentergy lessons.

png 1 What do you see? Share this photo with family or friends and strike up a conversation that is based purely on nature and imagination. These can be terrific conversations.

png 1 Appreciate the opportunities nature provides us. If you can stand the heat or when it cools down, get outside. Walk. Journal. Photograph. Play. Nature is free and a wonderful gift to share with your loved ones.

png 1 Take a break from the obvious. Allow yourself to see something new in your surroundings. Whether it is finding fun shapes in the clouds or discovering beautiful new shades of color in the leaves, you are guaranteed to find inspiration and escape in allowing your outlook to change.

png 1 Learn from the different view points of others. When we talk about how we see things differently, we learn about one another and how to communicate effectively. Understanding different view points also develops healthier relationships and fosters kinder and more loving interactions.

Put some imagination and communication into your intents today. Positive energy is sure to flow and you may see things as you have never seen them before.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. I really do want to know what you see in that picture.

 

 

Worry About Today’s Peace – Wise Words Wednesday

Worry about today's peace

Peace. Each day we look, hope, and pray for peace in our lives.

What do we do right after we wish for peace? We worry about all the things that are disturbing our peace. There seems to be a plethora of disturbances in the peace at our home right now so I thought, “Worrying doesn’t take away tomorrow’s troubles. It takes away today’s peace,” was a perfect quote for this Wise Words Wednesday.

As hubby and I have attempted to plan a small vacation, my mind has been consumed by worry over the trip. What is wrong with me? I am planning a vacation. Vacation is supposed to be a stress reducer, but I am letting worry over details I cannot control consume me. It is definitely taking away from today’s peace. I need a vacation from worry.

My children are in a healthy routine of sibling conflict. At this point in the summer, most siblings are in a constant state of “I’m telling Mom.” My children’s inability to get along has me worrying about my success as a parent. That worry prevents me from finding the humor in the boys calling each other a “Tootie McTootieson.” I just need to make peace with the fact that they are going to fight, no matter how many toys, TV channels, or games they have. Continue reading “Worry About Today’s Peace – Wise Words Wednesday”

There’s a Biscuit in the Bath Towels

Biscuit in the Bathtowels (1)

I don’t remember why I went to the linen closet. I was too surprised by the biscuit in the bath towels to remember what had guided me there.

After announcing that there was a biscuit in the bath towels, I saw a shy grin form on the face of my six-year old. “Mom, sorry. I left it there when I was getting my band-aids yesterday.”

This made me smile because the band-aid situation had been pretty funny too.

The previous day my son proudly made his way outside to play without wearing a shirt. There is just something liberating for little boys when they discover that they don’t have to wear a shirt in the summer time. Any way….

Our dog jumped up and scratched my son’s side. He came in showed me the battle wound. I asked if he would be okay and he said, “Yes, but I might need a band-aid.” I replied, “No blood. No band-aid.” Continue reading “There’s a Biscuit in the Bath Towels”

Humor Wins Every Time – Wise Words Wednesday

Humor Wins Every Time

The ability to laugh is so simple yet so powerful. “Every time you are able to find humor in a difficult situation, you win.”

Sunday I found myself battling a terrible stomach ache at the end of a fun day at the parish picnic. As we drove home, I advised my husband to take the county road home; I was not feeling well. Per my prediction, we did not make it home before I got sick. We had to stop twice in a very short stretch of the road so I could get out to puke.

Upon entering the car the second time, my youngest son was crying. “Does your tummy hurt?” my husband asked him.

“No, I didn’t get to see mommy throw up.” was his angry and pitiful reply.

All I could do was laugh.

My laughter seemed to calm him and led to giggles from my husband and other two kiddos. We rode silently home the rest of the way, except when my husband checked to see if I was okay.

My tummy definitely didn’t win that day, but humor did. In being able to laugh, I showed my kiddos I would be okay and that we don’t need to get upset about little things (like mommy puking). 🙂

While I don’t encourage laughing at sick people, I do encourage you to find the humor in the rough spots of your day. Who knows the laughter you bring to a tough situation may be the catalyst for change. Your joy may be the one thing that was needed to get past a sticky situation or a downward slide. Humor wins every time.

By: Melanie A. Peters

P.S. The picnic didn’t make me sick. It was just a virus.