Being guilty about saying goodbye to our animals is not something we have ever had trouble with. Our parents have a 300 sow farrow (babies being born) to finish (off to market you go) operation. Our parents try to ship over 6000 pigs a year which would be a lot of animals to say goodbye to, and a lot of names to remember! (No, we do not actually give our pigs names.)  Scott and I ship a little over 10,000 pigs a year, so we definitely do not get attached.

I guess I wouldn’t be the best person to ask about how it feels to own my own farm. What I mean is that yes, I own the farm, but this year I have not done very much work on it because I’m home all day with Hailey.  I do go on weekends to help Scott sort pigs for shipping.  Scott is the main decision-maker on our farm, and though someday I would love to help out full-time with it, right now I’m normally busy with Hailey and will be going back to work in January.

We have two pig finishing barns, and grow different crops such as winter wheat, corn, sweet corn, peas and soybeans.  I see horses and sheep in our future, mostly because Scott is obsessed with both and we have a nice area at home that I could see raising a few of each.  Right now we farm 440 acres (some rented, some owned) and Scott has dreams to work and own many more acres. I guess we’ll have to see where the future takes us.

(Visiting some cows down the road)

EDIT: I was thinking about my answer and realized I didn’t express how I feel about farming.  I love being able to call my family farmers, it makes me proud.  Growing up on a farm has made me hard working and strong. I feel lucky to live on a farm.

Is it acceptable etiquette in this day and age to return missed calls from unknown numbers asking if someone called them from that number?

In my not very humble opinion, I consider it rude and class-less. I am always appalled at the Retirement Home when I answer the phone to hear “Did you just call me?” I always tell them that if someone wants to get a hold of them they will call back thankyouverymuch and hang up on them. I mean, I’m always kind and nice and all that jazz, but what I really want to do is tell that person to get over and bleepity-bleep themselves. 

If you feel the absolute NEED to find out who just called you, try doing it with a little bit of class: “Hello, this is ______ ________ at (555) 555-5555, I recently missed a call from this number and was wondering if someone needed to get a hold of me.”

Perhaps it won’t make the person on the other end of the conversation wanting to shout expletives at you.  Trust me, if someone wants to get a hold of you, they will.

/end rant.

(But on the other hand, maybe this is actually acceptable behaviour and I am just old and crotchety. Thoughts?)

So here is is folks, 25 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Sunday.  These are from genpink’s source, Marc and Angel Hack Life and they have little explanations about each question:

1. What did I learn last week? – If you have trouble answering this question, it’s time for a change.  It doesn’t matter how old you are, you should learn something new every week.
2. What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week? – Reflecting on your accomplishments is a healthy way to raise self confidence and contentment.  It’s also an effective way to track your progress.
3. Which moment from last week was the most memorable and why? – It may open up your mind to new passions and goals, or simple pastimes worth revisiting.
4. What’s the #1 thing I need to accomplish this week? – Everything else is secondary, and should be treated as such.  Nevertheless, this question will also shine light on other noteworthy tasks.
5. What can I do right now to make the week less stressful? – Set reminders in your calendar, get your laundry done, fill the car with gas… organize yourself.
6. What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week? – The idea here is to learn from your struggles and better equip yourself for future encounters.
7. What was last week’s biggest time sink? – Steer clear of this in the future.  Setup physical barriers against distractions if you have to.
8. Am I carrying any excess baggage into the week that can be dropped? – Physical clutter, mental clutter… eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may shine bright.
9. What have I been avoiding that needs to get done? – Pencil in a time to get these things done.  For any 2-minute or less tasks, consider scheduling them first thing Monday morning.
10. What opportunities are still on the table? – If it’s still available and you want it, make a concrete plan to go after it this week.
11. Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to? – Regular communication can solve problems before they fester.  Always keep an open line of communication to those around you.
12. Is there anyone that deserves a big ‘Thank You’? – Take time each week to thank the people who have helped you.  Your kind gesture will not go unnoticed.
13. How can I help someone else this coming week? – The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want.  If you help them, they will remember you when you need help.
14. What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years? – You’ll never make any progress in life if you don’t setup realistic goals for yourself.
15. Have any of my recent actions moved me closer to my goals? – If the answer is no, something needs to change.
16. What’s the next step for each goal? – Knowing the next step is the key to accomplishing the whole.
17. What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? – The answer can act as a great source of motivation.  If nothing exists, schedule something to look forward to.
18. What are my fears? – Consciously address your fears each week and slowly work on resolving them.  It’s all about taking baby steps.
19. What am I most grateful for? – It’s a smart way to keep things in perspective, and something you should never lose sight of.
20. If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with? – Another helpful reminder… Life is short.  Spend more time with the people you care about.

Genpink added five of her own:

1. Who can I inspire this week?
2. Did I tell the people in my life how much they mean to me?
3. Did I make a difference with someone?
4. Did I learn something?
5. Have I done something creative this week?

So tell me folks, do you have any questions that you ask yourself to take inventory of your life/week?

And you might just think this is another complainy blog, maybe you are three sentences away from clicking “mark as read,” but it’s not. Promise. I had a big big big interview on Friday for the exact teaching job that I want and spent last week as a nervous wreck preparing for it. My lovely in laws (recently retired teachers) picked me up and brought me there like I was a child on her first day of kindergarten and made sure not to say anything to make me even more nervous (not possible.) For various reasons I have a lot of hope about it and while positive is a strong word… well the more I think about it the more nervous about it I get, so I’ll stop there. Anyways. Let’s just pretend I do get the job.

Now my question – do blogging and teaching mix? I know a few bloggers who are teachers, some post pictures, and most use their real names. Some share stories about their students, many write things I doubt they would want their students reading. I don’t know if they take any precautions; make sure co-workers don’t know about their blogs, keep their blog secret from anyone they know in real life, but I know I couldn’t do any of that at this point. So many of our readers are real life friends and family, and when I worked at a bank my co-workers would make sure to inform me during the day if someone had updated our blog. I really like it being part of my real life, not a secret thing that I have to be careful about.

Also, even if I decided to keep my posts student-friendly, this is a shared blog and my sisters are of course free to write about whatever they want. Not that my sisters are writing about anything too out there, but do I want my students reading about my sisters’ roommate problems or work problems, for example? Not really. And I don’t think the school would appreciate it either. It’s a big school board, not just a small private school so getting fired would really not be preferable. Not that it ever would be.

So where does that bring me? I guess I have three options – keep blogging here and hope for the best, stop blogging, or start my own blog. I would be interested in starting something like Young House Love or Cupcakes and Cashmere, something that can feed my creativity and talk about my life without going into anything personal. If I do have my own blog I want it to be something I feel comfortable telling my students about. We don’t have an old house that we’ve fixed up into a masterpiece and I don’t have a wardrobe or fashion sense to die for, but we have our cute little apartment and will hopefully buy a house sometime this year. I could work on the wardrobe thing, especially if I did have a teaching job.

So tell me what you think – what would you do in my position, knowing me well or not knowing me at all? Or what would you do if you were in this position?

Boy or Girl? 21 Old Wives’ Tales That May Tell You

Sleep Position
Pay attention to which way you lay down in bed tonight. If you prefer sleeping on your left side, you’ll have a boy. Right side? You’re pregnant with a girl.

BOY-  when I first lay down I prefer to sleep on my left side. But I do toss & turn from my left to right throughout the night.

Upset Stomach
Little girls aren’t always sweet. Extreme nausea means you are having a daughter.

GIRL- ohhh the nausea.

Soft or Dry Hands
If your hands are dry during pregnancy, you are having a boy; soft—expect a girl.

GIRL

Food Cravings
Your favorite pregnancy foods may tell you what sex the baby is. If you’re craving citrus while pregnant, you’re having a girl.

GIRL-  I don’t really crave anything, but I have ate many oranges and apples.

Adult Acne
If altering hormones makes your skin break out, expect a girl.

GIRL-  acne=so not fun.

Graceful or Clumsy Pregnancy
If you feel as though you’re gliding through they day, you’ll have a girl. Stumbling? It’s a boy.

BOY- I drop things about 10 times a day, and then re-drop them while trying to pick it up!

Face Weight Gain
If your face gets fuller, it means you’re having a girl.

BOY- I think?  I have noticed my face filling out a bit, but no one else seems to see it?

Sugar and Spice Food Cravings
Craving salt during pregnancy? Potato chips, pretzels, and popcorn means a boy is on the way. Need a little something sweet? Ice cream, chocolate, and candy means you’re having a girl.

GIRL- CHOCOLATE!

Mood Changes
If you’re experiencing pregnant mood-swings, expect a baby girl to arrive soon.

GIRL- I’m the queen of mood swings. poor Scott

High or Low Pregnant Belly
If you’re carrying the baby low on your stomach, expect a boy. If it’s high, you’re having a girl.

GIRL- but I have also heard that carrying high means boy?

Baby Weight
If you’re carrying baby in front, it’s a boy. Is the baby weight spaced all around your middle? It’s a girl.

BOY- see me from behind and you wouldn’t even know there’s a baby in there.

Pendulum Test
Dangle a chain with a charm over your palm. If it swings back and forth: boy. In a circle: girl.

BOY- but it was hard to tell if it was going in circles or back and forth.

Model Your Hands
“Show me your hands.” If you would hold your hands palms up it’s a girl. Down? You’re having a boy.

BOY

Toddler Advice
Get baby advice from a nephew or friend’s little boy. If a toddler boy shows interest in your belly, you’ll have a girl. If he ignores you, it’s a boy.

I have no one to try this with! So we’re going green for neutral.

Eat Garlic
Guess the baby’s sex by eating garlic. If the smell seeps out of your pores it’s a boy. If there’s no scent it’s a little girl.

BOY- I smell garlic long after I’ve eaten it.

Key to Pregnancy
If you pick up a key by the round end, you’re having a boy. If it’s by the long end? A girl.

BOY

Even and Odd Numbers
If your age and year of conception are both even or odd, it’s girl. One even, one odd means a boy.

BOY- 24, 2009

Baby’s Heartbeat
If the baby’s heart beats more than 150 times per minute, you’re pregnant with a girl. Less than 150, it’s a boy.

BOY- it’s always been 140 or lower.

Stress Test
A child tends to be of the same sex as the parent who is less stressed at the time of conception.

BOY- Scott is rarely stressed- I’m a total stess pot.

Dream Meanings
If you dream about having a girl while pregnant, you will wind up having a boy and vice versa.

GIRL-  but I have dreams about having a girl as well.

Breast Size
If your right breast is larger than the left while pregnant, you are having a girl. If the left is larger, it’s a baby boy.

BOY- I think?

RESULTS:

BOY- 12

GIRL-8

??- 1

What are your guesses???

Me at 36 weeks pregnant.

Needless to say, I have had cold feet for abouuut 2 years, and I have not had adequate footwear to help with that.  In first year I got some Emus-

and they were warm for about a month, until it started snowing and getting slushy, and THEN they packed out and I had to wear socks and oma slippers in them in order for them to fit/be moderately warm.  I was not impressed, but I stuck it out for 2 winters and both adventures above, have now decided that it’s time for a new-GOOD- pair of winter boots.  Ottawa winter-proof!  I’ve been looking around on the internet and at Rideau Centre.  I didn’t really find anything at Rideau, but I’ve found 3-4 online that I’ve been thinking about and guys, I need advice!

Pair #1

Timberland’s Mount Holly Earthkeepers- I saw these at Rideau, but I didn’t try them on because it was at Town Shoes and all the people around me were trying on stilettos and it just felt weird, haha.

Timberland’s Design Your Own Boots- I just designed my own (the tall version), and they had pink on them, and they were cute and I loved them.

Sorel’s Joan of Arcadia.

Sorel’s Helen of Tundra…

And the boots that started this all,

So tell me what you all think! Do you have amazing boots to share?

Ps. I have the coat in #2 at the Community website.  The Technical hemp hooded parka.

I was with a couple of other people and the three of them instantly could pick out that one song that describes exactly who they are as people.

I was stumped. At first I though maybe Paul Simon’s “You Can Call Me Al.” But I realized that is just a song that makes me incredibly happy and put me in a dancing mood, no matter where I am or who is watching.

But I kept thinking about it, and later in the night, when I was laying in bed (I do my best thinking right before I fall asleep at night), It came to me.

This, my friends, is The Song That Best Describes Who I Am As A Person.

Enjoy!

How I relate to the song:
-the upbeat, catchy rhythm that makes me want to, at the very least, sway my shoulders a bit speaks to my overall personality and attitude towards life.
-the thought behind the song that you should “give a little bit of your life” and love to and from other people resembes my general outlook on humanity, that we should share what we have, and take care of the people around us (also why I am a social worker and probably too nice to people a lot of the time).
-the lyrics “see the man with the lonely eyes, take his hand, you’ll be surprised” bring up one of the biggest lessons I have learned throughout my entire life – never assume you know what is going on behind closed doors.
-it brings me back to one of my fondest memories – driving in the car one summer on my way home from work at our family’s golf course, it was one of the best summers of my life and it was a perfect day and I was driving with Micaela home from work, and that song came on the radio and I just rocked out to it while driving through the country with the sun shining on my face.

Now I am posing this question back to you: What is the song that describes who you are as a person?

It’s in cleaning the house and keeping it that way for more than 24 hours, in brushing and flossing twice daily, in washing my face daily and paying more attention to my beauty routine, in making doctors appointments for myself, keeping budgets, and exercising regularly, it’s in cleaning and vacuuming Tim’s car, in making my bed every single day, and in doing groceries on my own. It’s in sitting in a popular bar with my best friend discussing literature. It’s in being on time on a regular basis, and scheduling my days so I can be the most productive, and even in paying more attention to my appearance and the way I am perceived by others.  It’s in going to see a documentary on a Saturday evening, and being told by your tax specialist that you didn’t seem your age, because “people your age usually don’t care about the details, they just want the money.” It’s in thinking about how my actions affect other people, and in finding myself thinking deeply about the things that are important in my life, and what I am looking for in all of my relationships.

I feel it in being more aware of my surroundings and of the life I am choosing to create for myself, and the difference I am making in the world.

So tell me, was there a moment or period of time when you really starting becoming an adult, or felt grown-up?