30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 10: Reunions

CarolynCares Reunions

Growing up in a large, close knit family was awesome. On my dad’s side, we would get together for Christmases, graduations, Confirmations, birthdays, anniversaries, 4th of July parades, and reunions. We lived 3 hours away from my grandparents and the majority of dad’s family, so our trips typically started early, and ended late. There were many times when we would get home after 10:00 pm on a Sunday night. We never wanted those weekends to end.

This past January, I lost two uncles. My dad’s oldest brother, and the husband of dad’s oldest sister. Many of the cousins were at one or both of the funerals. We realized how much we missed seeing each other, and plans were made to have a reunion in August. We all felt we needed to gather for a happy occasion.

Over the course of the weekend, 73 members of the Bredlow clan descended on Thornton, Iowa to share stories, play games, and reconnect with one another. There are 65 of us in the photo above, taken by my cousin, Judy (check out her photography blog here). Looking at this crowd, and knowing that many members of this bunch were missing, was kind of amazing. I started counting, and I believe we number somewhere around the 99 to 100 mark now. I can just imagine my Grandpa and Grandma being so pleased, and loving every single one. That’s the kind of people they were.

When we get together, we are a little loud at times. We all like to chatter, and we all have pretty much the same sense of humor. If you can’t handle puns and sarcasm, you may not enjoy our gatherings as much. Some of us went on a tour of the places Grandpa and Grandma had lived. I had never been to the site of the last farm they owned, so that was super interesting to me. We also went to the two houses they lived in after they retired. So many memories of holiday gatherings, 4th of July parades, and summers spent with cousins came flooding back. After the tour, some went golfing, while others visited. We closed out our reunion on Sunday morning with a very meaningful worship service. I believe that our family is so close, and so strong due to the faith foundation that we have.

I am so thankful to be a part of this crazy family. We may not always agree on things – I mean, some of them are Packers fans if you can believe it – but when we get together, there is so much love. I am also thankful that we had a reunion this year. I can’t wait until the next one!

 

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30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 1: Family

CarolynCares Family Blessing

The best decision I ever made, was to accompany my college friend on a night with her cousin and his friend. Her cousin was coming up to our small Christian college in the Twin Cities to introduce her to his friend. She was uncomfortable hanging out with two boys, even though one was a relative. Her solution was to invite me to tag along, since I pretty much had no social life. (Small campus, and I was quite shy at the time. Really!) My instructions were that if she liked her cousin’s friend, then I could hang out with her cousin. If she didn’t get along with him, than I could hang out with him. Either way, we all would have fun.

The night arrived, and I met both of these college guys for the first time. We started with small talk, then went for a walk around campus. I’m not really sure how my friend’s evening went with her cousin’s friend. I really didn’t care. Her cousin and I hit it off immediately.

Jonathan and I have now been married for 25 years. It hasn’t been easy, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. When we were first married, and we moved into a tiny house on a gravel road in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, I had a bit of culture shock. If you have read the book, “How To Talk Minnesotan”, you would understand that moving to Southwest Minnesota was like moving to another state. Being three hours away from my family, friends, and church family, I was very dependent on Jonathan as a spouse and as a friend. We did a lot of growing up in the first few years of our marriage.

Jonathan is the calm one in our marriage. I am so thankful for his patience in teaching me how to run farm equipment, and for believing in me when I was sure I would fail miserably. After 25 years, that hasn’t changed a bit. I still hate not being perfect on the first try when I’m working outside with him. I like to worry and fret and get my undies all in a bundle. He reminds me that all we have are blessings from God. We can’t worry about what the weather is doing, if we have a breakdown, if the crops are not yielding as expected, or if the Vikings defense isn’t stopping the opponent on 3rd downs. He loves me unconditionally. That is the best gift!

We have three beautiful daughters, who bring such joy to our lives. I love when we are all together. Mealtimes bring laughter, jokes, and bad puns. The girls all have their own interests, yet they enjoy getting together as sisters and as friends. I am so thankful for each one of them. They make me a better person.

I am so thankful for this family of mine! We may be a bit nutty, we may get the giggles in church, and we may be a bit loud at times, but that is exactly how I like it.

Introduction to the 30 Day Challenge

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Wordless Wednesday – Halloween Before Pinterest

This is maybe a Semi-Wordless Wednesday… How did we find ideas for making Halloween costumes before the days of internet let alone before Pinterest? Thankfully, there were some good parent magazines, and Golden Story Books. We had three blonde little girls. When they were little we dressed them as the three little pigs one year, and the three blind mice another. Sadly, I can’t find a photo of the mice. So, here are the three little pigs:

The Three Little Pigs
The Three Little Pigs

Throwback Thursday – A Bit of Old Family Fun

I’m pretty thankful for the humor that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Olson family. I came from a long line of pun loving people, and married into a family that enjoys laughter as much as I. It makes life a lot more pleasant when you can laugh at your mistakes, or just simply enjoy a good joke.

This photo is of Jonathan’s Uncle Bob, Aunt Fern, and his dad, Kenny. Kenny is the little one in the bicycle basket. I love this photo. The look of joy on all the faces, and the fact that the baby brother is in the basket is not at all surprising if you had the privilege to know their mom, Jonathan’s Grandma Myrtle. She was a fun loving, spunky lady.

Uncle Bob, Aunt Fern, and Kenny
Uncle Bob, Aunt Fern, and Kenny

So, if you get tired of us having a Pollyanna attitude, or of us joking around, I’m not totally sorry. I invite you to join in on the fun! Life if much better when you can laugh.

Throwback Thursday – Back to School

A few posts ago, I shared a photo of my second day of kindergarten. I think it’s only fair that I share a photo of Jonathan and his sisters on their first day of school.

Anita, Jonathan, Sally 1st day of school 1973
Anita, Jonathan, Sally
1st day of school 1973

I just love looking back at photos from our school days. It reminds me of a simpler time of life when the biggest thing we had to worry about was what to wear on the first day of school, and who we were going to sit with at lunch. Sometimes I wish for simpler days, but then I sit back and take a look at all the blessings in my life. Life is good.

25 Years Later, Still in Love!

Today Jonathan and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary. I am so thankful that God brought us together…and that Jonathan was wanting to be a pig farmer and not a dairy farmer. I am so not a morning person.

August 20, 1988
August 20, 1988
December 24, 2012
December 24, 2012

Our hair may have turned a bit gray – or thinned some. We’re both a bit fluffier – me more than him. We move a little slower after a day of filling the planter. But I think it’s safe to say, we’re still in love after 25 years. I love you, Jonathan!

If you want to read more about how this city girl became a farm wife, read my very first ever blog post, Why I Care.

 

 

Cousins – Then and Now

There is a photo from a family gathering years ago that both my mom and I just love. We have no idea what prompted the pose – if it was just a quick there they are lets take their photo moment, or if we were told to pose there. However the photo came about, it is one of my favorites.

Then:

Connie, Judy, Carolyn, Pam
Connie, Judy, Carolyn, Pam

I want you all to notice how my outfit, socks, and shoes match. I still like matching shoe colors to outfits.

At our family reunion this past weekend, we chartered a bus to take us around to the places where our Grandparents lived. Two lawn chairs made the trip with us.

Now:

Connie, Judy, Carolyn, Pam
Connie, Judy, Carolyn, Pam

We had an awesome time at our reunion weekend. I loved hanging out with my cousins, and look forward to the next get together.

Now, however, it is back to reality. Wheat harvest starts this afternoon. I am pretty sure I will be thinking over conversations and laughing to myself while I’m sitting in the combine. Oh, how I love my family!

 

It’s Family Reunion Time!

I spent most of the week at Farm Fest, a three day farm show in Minnesota. Farm Bureau has a pork chop stand (tent) where I help out. I’ve spent three very full, tiring, awesome days hanging out with MN Farm Bureau staff people that I absolutely love. It is one of those I-am-so-tired-I-can-hardly-function-but-I-can’t-wait-to-do-it-again events. Today, I slept in until 8, and it felt so good. I’m starting to feel the time crunch now, though. I have a mountain of laundry to do, a recipe to attempt, and a salad to make…oh, and I need to pack. Why? It’s family reunion time!

This year started out kind of rough. I lost two uncles on my dad’s side in a span of about two weeks. All of the cousins agreed that we really needed something else to bring us together – something happy.  We set a date, started a family Facebook page (okay, my very organized cousin took charge, and I’m very thankful she did), and started dreaming of what this weekend would look like. After all of the RSVP’s were in, the excitement really started to build for me. We’ll have over 60 members of the Clarence and Annabelle Bredlow family descending on Thornton, Iowa in the next 24 hours.

Grandpa (Clarence) and Grandma (Annabelle) Bredlow
Grandpa (Clarence) and Grandma (Annabelle) Bredlow

The photo above is exactly how I remember my grandparents. Grandma was almost always in a dress, and if she was in the house, she was barefoot. Grandpa had a ring of hair, with tiny little prickly hairs on the top of his head. I don’t remember how it started, but I always greeted him with a “pinch” and a kiss on the top of his head, then I would rub the little prickly hairs. Weird – probably. I also have a zillion memories of him rush through my head whenever I smell the combination of Doublemint gum and used motor oil. Grandpa worked at the Standard Oil Station in Clear Lake, Iowa when I was young, and always carried a pack of Doublemint gum in his pocket.

I also remember all the wonderful Christmases and summer visits we had with Grandpa and Grandma Bredlow and the “Iowa” cousins. Some summers we would all gather at Grandpa and Grandma’s house for Independence Day, and watch the parade go by in front of their house. Christmas was always a big deal. We would head down to Iowa, sometimes late at night, to make it in time for the Christmas celebration. The hosting duties were spread around, but many times I remember sitting at a very long table in Grandma’s basement, or sitting at the kid’s table in Aunt Letha’s basement. There was always a ton of laughter, love, and food.

Bredlow Cousins at Christmas
Bredlow Cousins at Christmas

I am so excited to see my aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings..and all the in-laws that come with them. I am looking forward to spending a weekend with all the people who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. We may be a bit rowdy at times, but there is so much love in this bunch. I can’t help but think about how amazed and proud Grandpa and Grandma would be of this crew.

Bredlow Cousins, January 2013
Bredlow Cousins, January 2013

Now, I really need to get some laundry done! Have a great weekend!

 

 

Fun Fact Friday – What’s Going on in the Corn Field?

Jonathan, Anna, and I returned from vacation late Saturday. We had only been gone for four days, but the crops had changed a lot in those four days. On Sunday afternoon, Jonathan and I took the Ranger out for a little crop tour.

We checked the sky before we left. Sunshine to the north, a few big clouds, but no rain.

Checking the sky before we went on our tour
Checking the sky before we went on our tour

We took the Polaris Ranger so we could drive through the ditches or on the edges of the fields a little easier. Ok. We took the Ranger because it’s fun!

Riding in the Ranger
Riding in the Ranger

We looked at the barley and field pea field first. Jonathan was hoping it would be ready to harvest on Monday. It was too wet, so only the edges have been combined. Next, we went to one of the corn fields that appeared in our flame weeding video.

Jonathan brought a tape measure out, so we measured a few stalks of corn. They measured 9 feet tall!

The corn is as high as an elephants eye...or 9 feet
The corn is as high as an elephants eye…or 9 feet
Corny...
Corny…

After we measured the height, we went looking for the baby ear. To find the ear, we looked near the base of a leaf, and near a joint in the stalk. You can see the the very top of the husks peeking out.

The baby ear, before the silks emerged
The baby ear, before the silks emerged

We peeled back the leaves to reveal the corn in its husk.

Baby corn husk
Baby corn husk

Next, we peeled back the husks to find the mini ear. You can see the silks and the tiny kernels.

Silks and tiny kernels are ready for action
Silks and tiny kernels are ready for action

Even at this early stage, you can see how many rows this cob of corn would have. There should be an even number of rows. This one had 16.

Counting the rows
Counting the rows

Even field corn tastes sweet at this stage. I prefer to eat sweet corn, though!

IMG_9847b
Scouting can make you hungry!

After our tour of the corn, we went over to one of the soybean fields. We selected a random plant, and checked it over for signs of soybean aphids, root health, and nitrogen nodules on the root system. Thankfully, all things looked really good. The soybeans are blossoming here, so we’re hoping for nice rains and moderate temperatures.

Soybean plant
Soybean plant

Our last stop was the wheat. It is a bit behind the barley & peas, so it won’t be ready to harvest for another week or two yet.

Wheat field
Wheat field

That semi dark cloud that was over the windmill? It started raining on us when we were about 1/2 mile from home. It rained just enough to get us wet, then the sun came back out. Figures!

Please check out my friend’s blogs. Dairy Carrie wrote about Corn Sex, and Brian Scott wrote about Corn Porn. Both are great at explaining how corn is pollinated. Give ’em a read, you won’t be disappointed!