Monthly Archives: July 2012

Monday – Funday 3 things for July 30, 2012

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I have had a week to once again think of all the things that make me smile.  Even in a world where turning on the evening news makes me want to cry and pray, I keep looking for the little things that bring me joy.

Not our actual camper but one very similar.
Photo credit RVs.com

1. Camping – We had the opportunity to go along with some friends on an annual camping weekend at Storybook Land in Aberdeen, SD.  If I were completely honest, I would admit that we almost backed out at the last minute.  This was not due to the company we would be keeping, but more a by-product of our frenetically paced life. In fact, I enjoy every moment we spend with these friends, and this trip was no exception.  We had a great time as a family just simply being present.  We did activities when we felt like it, or we just sat around and visited.  As we weren’t exactly roughing it, it was so much fun to eat like royalty with garden bounty. But of course, it would not be communal camping without nibbing at all the other family tables too.  Sometimes, I have non-camping friends who ask what exactly do we do while camping.  It a 3 word sentence answer: We have fun! This weekend was no exception. When you have 8 families with sixteen children ranging from 3 to 15, there is ALWAYS something that can be done.  Watching how all of the kids interacted was awe-inspiring; this included the teenagers making sure to hang out with the little ones.  Aside from just having quality family time, my most favorite moment came when the littlest among us learned how to “re-teach” Huck, his one and only trick.  After watching Daniel, S placed a treat on Huck’s nose, told him to wait, and finally gave the okay signal.  Huck, like a pro, caught the treat midfall.  S turned around and said with conviction, “I did that!”  Seeing a little boy’s eyes twinkle with the same sparkle Reed had when Huck first learned that trick gave me a warm heart and a few tears, but it was also worth a giant smile.

 

Avera St. Luke’s Hospital

2. Having a great sense of humor.  Since camping and fun are synonymous in our book, it must be said that you can sometimes have too much fun.  On Friday, one of our friends nearly sliced the tip of his finger off.  I served as ambulance driver and chauffeur.  Then during a rousing baseball game on Saturday featuring daddies versus kids, Sawyer had a mishap resulting in a sprained ankle. Since I already knew the route to the ER, a friend and I took Sawyer there for Saturday night’s festivities.  I hadn’t noticed the parking signs the night before but they stood out the second night.  The ER parking has beautiful sign pointing to a lot next to the helipad.  Now I am rephrasing this but there were then signs that said, “Park at your own risk, you are next to a helicopter landing site.”  I laughed aloud thinking that perhaps the hospital was “drumming” up business.  As Sawyer’s visit finished up, I got a giggle when the doctor told us that he was happy to help our merry band of travelers for a second day.  That was followed by, “If you so feel the need, we are open 24 hours a day.”  As I was standing next to the nurses’ station upon discharge, I asked if I could get a punch card for future visits.  When life hands you lemons, kick back with a great sense of humor and smile!

Courtesy of 4-H

3.  It’s fair time! Today was judging day for general fair projects for Lyon County 4-H.  It is so much fun to see all the 4-Hers hard work come to fruition with the incredible exhibits.  Seeing kids flit about from judge to judge in a synchronized dance makes me think of Lake Wobegon where all the kids are above-average.  (But in this case, it’s true; these kids amaze me with their creativity, hard work, and talent!)  It’s fun to eavesdrop as the kids (not my own) speak to the judge about their project. I adore watching the faces light up after the judge hands over a ribbon. As an educator, I am often dismayed when I overhear people making blanket statements about the lack of initiative or work ethic among today’s youth.  I am guessing that if those who make those comments came to the 4-H building, they would see kids passionate about learning and doing, and that definitely makes me smile.

Until next week, keep looking for the little things that make you smile!

I miss Mayberry

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Photo found at Hollywood How To blog (based on USA today article by Ann Oldenburg)

In my family, some of our best conversations and heart-to-hearts occur when we are travelling in our van.  It is also the place where I glimpse what is going on in my children’s world by listening very carefully to their backseat chatter.  One such time occurred when I had a van full of boys and one sweet little girl.  It was quite a few years back, but I remember the moment as if it happened yesterday.

My sister-in-law’s family along with my mother-in-law came on a surprise visit to be at our house when my husband earned his MBA. Following the afternoon graduation, I took my kids and two of my nephews swimming at the YMCA.  It was a December graduation; so, it was quite cold when I loaded all the kiddos in the van for the short trip home.

While we were waiting for the van’s engine to warm up a few minutes, a conversation started regarding funny television shows and movies.  There was quite a repartee regarding which shows a group of elementary boys thought were funny.  They swapped funny scenes and eventually everyone settled on their favorites (although not a single one of them agreed). Ah, boys! But what was note-worthy was a small declaration from a sweet little red-head in the back-seat.  “Hey guys, do you know who the best comedic actor in the world is?” No answer came from the peanut gallery, and even I was stunned that he knew the word, comedic.  Finally, he gave us his answer, “Don Knotts!”  I had to chuckle from the front seat, because I knew the origin of that comment.

The previous summer we had visited my grandmothers, and Mama (pronounced maw-maw) Cloie gave my kids all of her videotapes and DVDs of “The Andy Griffith Show”.  Once back home, we watched every one of those episodes.  Each show caused my kids to erupt into peals of laughter – sometimes we laughed so hard we had tears running down.  Reed, in particular, had his funny bone tickled in every watching – often watching particular episodes over and over again. For Andy Griffith fans, think exploding goat!

At the time, I don’t think I ever really appreciated what that show and Andy Griffith meant to my family.  I fondly remember watching Andy, Barney, Opie and Aunt B every night when we had supper growing up.   I have always been a nostalgic romantic loving anything involving simpler days and times, and Mayberry was one of those places that my imagination could easily appeal that desire.  Later when I lived with my Mama and Papa in graduate school, our afternoon routine involved the recapping of my day at the chemistry lab while watching “Matlock”. So Andy (and later Ben) has always been a part of my family’s culture.

Many conversations centered around the various lessons that Andy’s friends and family needed to learn.  Of course, always present was Reed’s infectious giggle especially when the conversation steered to something that Barney (or the oafish Otis) did.  My family alone could  give testimony to the show’s timeless appeal. How many shows today could hold the attention of four generations – at the same time. Despite having aired originally in the 1960’s, the characters drew in my little boys more than forty years later.  With all the other noise on television today, I loved that my boys were just as enamored as I with the simple, but honest relationships that Andy shared with everyone in Mayberry.

With the passing of Andy Griffith, I was deeply saddened. I wanted to curl up on a front porch with ice cold Coke in a glass bottle and one of Aunt B’s famous cakes or pies.  If I use just enough imagination, I can picture a sweet little redhead  hand-in-hand with the legendary sheriff as Andy got a VIP tour of the best fishing holes in heaven.  Over the clank of fishing rods hitting the pail, I can hear the soft tune of the two of them whistling.

Confessions of the Zucchini Faerie

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One day of bounty from our garden

As promised from yesterday’s blog, I plan to give you more insight into my history with the illustrious (at least for me) zucchini.  For all who know me personally, I have a pretty healthy sense of humor.  Hence,  no one in my family was surprised when while perusing for zucchini recipes I let out a serious belly laugh that resulted in tears flowing down my cheeks.  What tickled my fancy so much you might ask.  While searching for a zucchini saute, I noticed a little link on the side of the page.

When I opened it up (which I encourage you to do so – right now), I guffawed even more.  http://allrecipes.com/howto/sneak-some-zucchini-onto-your-neighbors-porch-night/detail.aspx?msg=2#comments  I love “invented” holidays – like “Watch the Last Sunset of the Year” which is a Team Stevens family tradition; thus “Sneak Some Zucchini onto Your Neighbors’ Porch Night” was right up my alley.  It was part good-natured fun, part It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown with a little mischief thrown in the mix.

What really spoke to me about this holiday was the notion I was way ahead of my time as a college friend and I were trailblazers in this movement. While reading the article, I was transported back to a night in the fall of my senior year of college.  Both of our dads taught at the college we attended; so we made the frugal choice to live at home and save our money.  Late one night while studying for Physical Chemistry in my friend’s basement, we heard a small voice coming from the top of the stairs.  “Girls, could you please come up here for a moment?”  Considering the time was already approaching 11 pm, we did not delay in our ascent upstairs.  Upon our arrival in the family kitchen, we discovered bags cluttering the counter. Yes!  Bags of club sized zucchinis!  “Girls, when you are done with your studies I would like you to kindly walk around the neighborhood and deposit these bags on the neighbors doorsteps.”  My mind was racing – “Did I hear her correctly?” and “Is this even legal?” were the most prevalent thoughts floating around.  Growing up in the South, I hadn’t quite embraced the Midwestern flair for neighborly love and sharing, because I know some neighborhoods where that type of generosity would be more than frowned upon, particularly at that hour of the night.  However being sweet college chemistry majors, we obliged the matronly request as if Mother Earth had whispered to us a siren call of sharing her bounty from the family’s garden.  In the chilly North Dakota darkness of a fall night, we ran with bags overflowing up and down a certain 1st street in a small town bequeathing beautiful, bountiful squash.  Vividly, I remember the adrenaline rush of our commando mission in the crisp air and the reverberations of our giggles throughout the neighborhood.

I know not everyone will embrace this holiday as much as I think I just might.  It has the potential to become an annual summer festival around my house. (Just to clarify, however, I do not plan to employ all the suggestions for revelry including, but not limited to, running naked or wielding a machete.)  Personally, I think this would be a much better countdown than the number of days until back to school.

So here’s to 15 more days until . . . the Zucchini Faerie strikes again!

Things that Make me Smile

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On our trip back from Florida, the kids and I listened to the first three books of my favorite book series – The Mitford Series by Jan Karon. It was fun to share my favorite characters with them, and the revisiting of “old friends” warmed my heart.  One of the things I had forgotten was how one of the characters, Cynthia Cavanaugh, is often asked by her husband, Father Tim, “What do you love?”.  Cynthia seems to always have a triple answer roll right off of her tongue.  I have always been enamored with her ability to find 3 things that she adores in the blink of an eye, and I have decided to follow in her footsteps by creating a new category for this blog.  It will be known as Monday – Fun Day where I will post things that make me smile.  This will be a hodge-podge of items; so, don’t expect a routine response (My fictional model never says the same three things in her responses either.)

So here goes on our maiden voyage:

1.  Unexpected visitors – Midweek, we saw a vehicle slow down and stop in our driveway.  Because of a crazy numbering system for our neighborhood, we seldom get too excited about a vehicle stopping by.  Because we both have house numbers of  206 on a weekly basis, we get our neighbors’ items which include things like mail, furniture, pizza, visitors, and flowers.  That last one really stunk because once I was having a bad day, and POOF! here came a dozen roses delivered to my door.  I opened the card to read, “I love you, Caroline.”  Bummer, dude!  But I digress . . . because this time it was an unexpected visit from friends who were between appointments in town.  It was wonderful!  We had a whole hour to visit, catch-up, and have some time together that we would have never had otherwise.  I am so thankful that one of her sons made the suggestion to stop by, because it made my day to see them.  I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such wonderful friends to share this journey, and that will always make me smile!

Not my actual garden

2.  If you follow my Kan-Do group on Facebook, you know that yesterday, I waxed poetically about zucchini and our harvest so far this year.  We have been enjoying zucchini in just about every fashion you can.  Since it is my favorite squash, I am trying all kinds of new recipes as well.  Think zucchini and smoked sausage saute as well as eggplant-zucchini bolognese.  Y-U-M-M-Y!  Every minute spent weeding and watering has been worth every every single bite!  My love of zucchini (and a good laugh) will carry into tomorrow’s blog. I think my love of gardening stems from the times spent with my parents and grandparents digging in the dirt, planting, tending, and finally harvesting.  Despite the dry and hot weather we have been experiencing, every new blossom in my garden reminds me that God still has a plan even in my small patch of ground, and that makes me smile.

3.  I am always amazed when someone thinks I have a good, creative project or idea, because truthfully, I read a lot.  I mean A LOT.  So many times, I have seen something in a book, blog, or magazine, and then I tweak it to fit my needs or desires.  I enjoy having eclectic tastes and striving to find something that stands out even if it is a small detail.  So when I ran across this blog entry, I knew that I would have to try it myself. http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/?s=mermaid+nails Even though I don’t believe I will become a mermaid anytime soon, I can at least pretend with some really fun nails.

Mermaid nails (Photo from Cupakes & Cashmere blog)

 

My first run at this style was for Erin and her friend, and they were adorable.  If you read the blog, you can certainly see how the sky (or the sea) would be the limit for the creative ways you could change this style.  After my trip to Florida, I realized how the Gulf of Mexico is etched deeply in my heart.  When I stand next to her, I realize how small I really am.  And yet, in my smallness, I know that God loves me B-I-G, and that too will always make me smile! I wish for you to find the the things that make you smile – on a daily basis.