40 Before 40

Yesterday I turned 35. I'm still trying to say that without throwing up a little.


Five years until the big 4-0. I decided this is as good of time as any to make my 40 before 40 list. Half-way through the list, I started getting the feeling that I have done this before. If so, this is my updated, new-and-improved version.


In case no one has noticed, I'm not really the adventurous, adrenaline-junkie kind of girl. I've always wanted to be, but it just doesn't seem to be happening. I was heavily dosed with the practical gene, and live on a budget. As a result, here is my somewhat boring, hopefully easily accomplished 40 before 40.

1. Catch up on my kids' scrapbooks.
2. Exercise faithfully. No more four weeks on, three weeks off. There is a reason no one markets that routine.
3. Go on vacation for an entire week with just my immediate family, and not because work sent us.
4. Read 5 classics recommended by my classic literature fanatic friend.
5. Go snow skiing for the 2nd time. The first time was okay, but everyone says you have to go a second time to really enjoy it.
6. Take my children to a professional football or baseball game.
7. Visit at least half of the States. So far I think I've only been to 15.
8. Develop and keep up a habit of drinking 6-8 glasses of water each day.
9. Landscape - or better yet, hire someone - to landscape our front yard.
10. Begin and maintain a well-tended garden.
11. Go through the entire house, basement included, room by room, throw out junk, and organize everything.
12. Go to the Mall of America.
13. Complete a family scrapbook - One that my husband and I actually appear in.
14. Read the Bible through in a year. I started this year, but at the rate I am going, I may hit the New Testament in 5 years.
15. See the Grand Canyon.
16. Get my Master's Degree.
17. Repaint all the walls in my house.
18. Remember my friends' and family members' birthdays by sending cards, calling, or at least sending emails.
19. Get new living room furniture.
20. Teach, by example, my kids to volunteer and think of others more.
21. Eat less sugar.
22. Begin recycling and keep it up faithfully.
23. Relearn to play the piano well.
24. See Niagara Falls.
25. Make a family recipe book. I come from a family, and married into a family, with slews of amazing cooks. It would be sad not to pretend that I like to cook and document all of their fabulous recipes.
26. Still be taking girls' weekends.
27. Lay on a beach. Since we love going to the lake, let me qualify this by saying a beach at the local reservoir does not count. I should not be able to see land on the other side of the water.
28. Write an adoption book for my son.
29. Have my entire wardrobe be in a single digit size for the first time since I was twelve years old.
30. Go on a mission trip, preferably a family mission trip.
31. Tell my kids everyday that I love them.
32. Spend more time putting others before myself.
33. Consistently do family devotions.
34. Visit my brother in Oregon.
35. Lead a workshop at a Teacher Convention.
36. Be able to run a 5K.
37. Try more food that ends with -ese....Chinese....Japanese.....
38. Spend an entire weekend at home without kids.
39. Water ski for more than a minute without screaming.
40. Practice saying "forty" so I don't pass out when the day arrives.

Let the Combines Roll

Harvest officially started yesterday.....for thirty minutes. Then we had an "everything froze up and the belts went flying" breakdown. Eight hours of labor later, and the combine is up and running again. It's been 20 minutes.

This will be our life for the next week:
**Lots of time at grandma's.
**No extra plans in the schedule in case help is needed switching fields, going for parts, or running food to the guys.
**Late nights.
**Sleepy kids.
**Combine rides.
**Swimming to pass a few hot afternoons.
**Tons of playtime with cousins.
**Helping plan and cook meals.
**Truck rides to the elevator for a lollipop.
**Playing in the wheat.

Our track record with harvest the past couple of years has not been that great. Here is what we are hoping to avoid:
**Trips to the ER.
**Breathing treatments.
**Steroids.
**Trips to the allergy doctor.

It will be tricky to make all this happen. One child will get to do all of the fun list. If the other child does all of the fun list, he will also be doing all of the 'things to avoid' list.

Twenty-four hours ago the above-mentioned allergy child was completely fine with staying at grandmas and not risking allergy-induced asthma attacks in the field.

Today he is crying because he misses seeing his daddy and he wants to be able to go spend time with him in the field.

Hmmmpph. This will be an interesting week.

Another Week Gone

It's 6:25 a.m. I've been up since 5:54 a.m. That should be illegal.

Another crazy week has passed us by. Here's what we've been up to:

**Bible School. Swimming lessons. Dentist appointments. Hair cuts. Swimming. Baseball. Sleep.

**The dog has been taken over by flies. They are biting her ears and driving her completely crazy. The vet instructed me on what to get for her and how to apply the ointment and the spray. I'm pretty sure I could sell tickets for all the entertainment potential this process provides. If it weren't for the kids, I would wave a white flag, let the flies take over, and let the dog go. ICK.

**Yesterday we told the kids we would take the SeaDoo to the lake as soon as the new battery was done charging. Our guess was around 2:00. "Charge Complete" at exactly 7:02 p.m.

**Since we had to cancel the lake trip, we headed outside to play baseball. My reward for this was a line drive right to the leg. I now have a sore leg and a lovely bruise the size of a.......uh......baseball.

**Harvest should be starting any day now....as long as the combine can float and cut wheat at the same time. It's not like I'm dying for harvest to start, but ripe wheat and tons of rain make for grumpy people.

**My favorite conversation this week -- while in the boys' bedroom:

4 year old: Isn't that cool, mom?

Me: Yes, it is.

Him: Isn't it extremely cool?

Me: Yes, extremely cool.

I still have NO IDEA what he was talking about. I just hope it didn't involve scissors, glue, or paint.

Licking the Bowl Clean

If you are someone who detests the thought of a child eating cookie dough or cupcake batter because of the raw eggs, close this window now.

I have read all the warnings and the research, and I am sure I should be more cautious about this....but I am not.

I sincerely hope I never have to learn the hard way.

This child loves to lick the bowl.


And not just a little bit.



Who needs a dishwasher?

And when the bowl is done, he goes back to the beaters for more! He has given new meaning to the term chocolate mousse. It flattens the hair right down.

It is definitely Daddy's turn to do bathtime.