Giving thanks

 

This week has been a tidal wave, and next week is thanksgiving.  I want to give thanks for:

1.       My parents

2.       My hubbie and cubbie

Jacob Thayer and Christina Shepard
Cubbie and mama bear

3.       Living in a country where I am free to choose my own religion

Christina Shepard and Daryl Odom
Mama bear and Bear, the original

4.       Living safely in the country I was raised

5.       Pumpkin pie ice cream J

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

-CRS-

Hosting Thanksgiving

Cartoons really are for adults, or at least this adult, as I truly adore them, especially Looney Toons and Charlie Brown.   Ww watch Charlie Brown Thanksgiving to get into the spirit every season.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions?

Appreciating the family I do have in Indiana to sit around the table and share a meal with this season.

-CRS-

Cascade Cadets Football

Cascade Cadets Homecoming game
GO BLUE!!!

As our Cascade Cadets football season sadly comes to closure, I wanted to mention, the Chippy's family owes a huge debt of gratitude to the football program, especially Coach Hagenow and Junior Varsity coaches for the daily energy they invest in the young men of the Cascade Cadets football players. 



Jacob Thayer, Cascade Cadets



Football has been crucial to the development of my farm boy.

Many thanks to the Cascade coaches, fellow football moms who are excellent cooks and time managers, and of course the players who are sweating it out like gladiators on the football field!

-CSR-

Washington, DC update

I left my beautiful garden during peak season for our family vacation celebrating the completion of Cubbie's freshman year.

"Da frat haus," also know as "the frat house," which is what I jocularly refer to our home as, was fortunate enough to meet Senator Richard Lugar (R) of Indiana while we were in Washington, DC.  Surprisingly, Senator Lugar was a Boy Scout, and he reached his Eagle Scout rank, very impressive.

One of the many sites we visited was the Vietnam wall, the reflection of the opaque black stone reminds us, it could have been anyone of us who died.  The death toll still has an impact on families today, not just in our country.

-CRS-

Washington, DC on Cardinal 50 via Amtrak

Hubbie has always wanted to take a train trip.  Over Memorial Day weekend (actually for about a week), we went to Washington, DC to catch the end of the cherry blossom season, visit our representatives and take cubbie and friend to the museums.  With lessons learned from this train trip, we may go to Chicago, or New York via train next time.

Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC

-CSR-

Kentucky Derby

Every season the Kentucky Derby begins, I am booked.  I have never been.  One co-worker was shocked, I did not know about Preakness, hubbie does not think I would like it, but who could resist wearing one of those adorable hats?  So if you see me randomly in a Derby hat serving food for the Boy Scouts, realize it is because I have only one body, one life, and wish to be in several places at one time.

-CSR-

Boy Scouts serving food at Cox Plant Farm in Clayton, Indiana

DON'T MISS IT THIS WEEKEND!



Troop 305, Boy Scouts Cook Out

Don't miss the Boy Scouts annual cook out at Cox Plant farm.  It is a tradition every May, and helps pay for merit badges, their camp outs and activities throughout the year.

Boy Scouts cook-out at Cox Plant Farm

Grand Canyon

Hubbie, cubbie and I traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona and took the scenic route to the Grand Canyon, for a little pre-spring break.

The canyon, (Theodore) Roosevelt said, is "the one great sight which every American should see."

 

-CSR-

April is Autism Awareness Month

April is autism awareness month. Children with autism are usually highly intelligent, and can be over-whelmed by sensory stimulates such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and so forth. Many times people do not realize they are addressing a person with autism, but if you know the non-verbal communicators such as lack of eye-contact, you can adjust to your audience.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION

• People with autism translate your words literally, so avoid metaphors, or figures of speech such as “save your breathe.”

• Sometimes if you touch a person with autism, even accidentally, it can upset them.

• While the person may be listening to you, they might not be looking at you. People with autism are usually aware of their surroundings; they just do not always react in a predictable manner.

• People with autism have a difficult time understanding your intent, or understanding the world from your point of view.

One bunny of working with children who have autism is they are incredibly creative. Because they do not always understand “common sense,” they try the universe, and are an inspiration to me both personally and professionally.

  Temple Grandin is a woman with a fabulous mother.  Kisses to her!  Temple revolutionized the meat packing industry, thus impacting everyone of our lives with her visionary engineering capabilities.

The biographical movie Temple Grandin, a HBO special starring the talented Clare Danes, is a universal must see, and not just in my opinion as it won seven Emmy Awards, evidence of how important autism awareness really is, and it’s impact on society. Ignorance hurts.

CSR

Easter Lilly

Easter is an excellent reason to add to the Easter Lilly collection, and this time I am not referring to gardening, although I think I have three Lillies in the garden now.

 Being an avid rose gardener, Lilly Pulitzer’s Margot Shift mar got me. All I need is a pink cardigan and a pair of Jack Rogers.

Whatever happened to plain white JR’s? My last pair are ratty, yet still in too good of condition to justify a retread.




Who knows what to do for the guys, it’s always tres tragic when they wear nice clothes to drive a tractor, or worse, repair a tractor.




And too bad Cubbie is off becoming a man, and there are no little cubs in the house, as Country Bunny by Du Bose Hayward is the best book for Easter.

Cubbie gets Grillz

Cubbie get Grillz.




The Cubmeister got braces this week.  He did not believe me when I told him it would hurt, and still refuses to even take Advil.  On day one, I was able to persuade him to take one Advil so he could eat some spaghetti noodles.

Tomorrow we are going to the movies, and I wonder what he is going to snack on since popcorn will no longer be an option... for him.

Raising a gentleman

Personally, I have not completed this task, as my young gentleman just entered high school. As a mother, this time of his life is when I am most dependent on the male influences in his life, rather a finishing school for men. How to raise a young man into a considerate young gentleman with good moral fiber?

Jacob performs the duty of Ring Bearer.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
•Being a good role model is paramount. {Always work on your own development as a parent.}
•Mentorship: I truly appreciate my husband who is quite literally a hero. Also, I appreciate the Boy Scouts for their contribution, as my young gentleman is surrounded by other aspiring young gentleman.
•Don’t just learn to be independent, learn to be dependable.
•Practice goal setting and carry your goals with you.


EDUCATION
•Getting the most out of your education. Invest in yourself or no one will invest in you.

Postcard from mom.

•Travel at every opportunity.
•Learn to play an instrument.
•Learn a foreign language.


WARDROBE
•Take good care of your shoes. This means buying good quality shoes and knowing how to polish, or wash your shoes.
•Learn how to build a wardrobe. Knowing where to shop is helpful, considering elements of quality will save you a fortune.
•Keeping care of your clothing is very important. Learn how to iron a shirt, a lost art.
•Having an item, like a watch, handed down from your grandfather is always a nice touch, but not mandatory.
•When the weather is bad, a gentleman will be the one wearing the appropriate hat and using an umbrella.


PHYSICAL FITNESS
•Every young gentleman should know how to ride a horse, how to hunt, and hold his own at archery.
•Display sportsmanship during competition.
•Every young man should play golf, but get lessons!
•Do not smoke. It once was considered gentlemanly, but not anymore. We need you alive!


ETIQUETTE
•Etiquette is not just for ladies, and without etiquette, a man is just a barbarian. Get a good used copy of Emily Post, or follow the golden rule: “Do unto others, as you would have done to you.”


RANDOM ADVICE FROM MOM:
•Honor your family name.
•Honor your wife or future wife, by not doing anything now that will hurt her later.
•Practice honesty and fairness.
•Attend the theatre.
•Support your favorite cause or charity.

CSR

Family Top Ten for 2010

1. Our soldiers, myself included, returned home safely from a year long deployment to Iraq.



Fort Rucker, Alabama



2. Cubbie started high school at Cascade and is doing well. He loves his school, especially Introduction to Engineering.

3. Hubbie did what hubbies do best, farmed and built huge projects.

Our yard

4. Chippy’s Ice Cream Parlor survived another year.  We added sandwiches, to go drinks, and energy efficient windows. We now have 152 “likes” on our Facebook fanpage, with a pledge to donate $100 to Sheltering Wings when it gets to 500 “likes.”

5. We went on a one week family vacation to Pennsylvania and visited: Hershey, Philadelphia, Gettysburg, Lancaster, and so forth. While Gettysburg was highlight of the trip, I could live off of Hershey chocolate. The town of Hershey is all brick, clean and beautiful. Pat’s King of Steak, the Liberty Bell and plodding through torrential rain in Philly were unforgettable events. As was the fact, you can travel faster on a bicycle than with a vehicle due to the congested traffic. Lancaster was much like Shipshewana, Indiana, but less familiar and perhaps why I spent less time there. However, on the way home, we spent a lot of time at Cabella’s, the one store I can shop at where Cubbie and hubbie actually like the outdoorsmen style clothing.



6. We also got to go on an unexpected one week family trip to Mobile, Alabama, original home of the blues, and explored the entire area. We were able to visit Bellingrath Gardens and home tour, the zoo, the art museum, the naval vessels, fresh squeezed lemonade, the downtown, the trolley system which takes you on a tour of the entire historic area, and the seafood restaurants.


7. My dad was able to visit us for Thanksgiving dinner.

Cub and Grandpa Shepard

8. Cubbie started guitar and Boy Scouts, just like his grandfather.

Grandpa Shepard in the Boy Scouts, circa 1960.

9. We got 25 assorted heavy brown egg layer chickens from McMurray Hatchery, which have been the joy of my day. I call them “my girls.” Hubbie says he thinks one is a rooster, but is possibly gay as it is such a good looking and affectionate bird.



The girls



10. Having Christmas and New Year’s at home this year, as cheesy as it sounds to some will be a luxury for us.





Favorite New Year's in Gatlinburg with my mom.



Warmest Wishes this Holiday Season