Coming to See the Baby

You definitely know where you rank after having a baby!  It's been pretty funny to watch both of our families as G has come into our lives, and it's pretty funny to watch all the relatives and friends try to act like they want to see us when they really want to see the baby.  Please don't think I'm upset by this baby phenomenon because I'm not, just amused.  I'm very glad we have such loving, supportive families and friends.  I want our daughter to have as much love and support as she can get so if you've been coming by to see "us" (the baby), please don't stop!
People call to come out to see us, but as soon as they get here they scoop up G.  We barely get a hello as they beat a path to get her.  My parents came out a few times before their first grandchild entered the world, and now they find as many excuses as they can to come see "us".  Brian's parents used to be fine seeing me for a meal once in a while.  Now they call to make sure "I" can come over for a meal about once a week.
I now laugh when someone calls and asks if they can come out to see "us".  The truth has been unveiled!
 

Our Trip

This is probably the last post I'll do on our vacation, but I wanted to share a few more details.
We left Monday morning very early so that the baby could be asleep for a good portion of it.  About half way, we stopped for a late breakfast and to let G roll around on a blanket in a park at Manitou Springs.  It was a really nice break (other than the fact Brian and I decided to get breakfast burritos with jalapeno sausage-not sure what led us to think that was a good idea).  G had a great time rolling around and watching the squirrels before getting back in her car seat.
After getting there, the boys took off to pick some of the wild rhubarb (which grows way bigger out there in the cool temperatures than it does in my garden) so we could have rhubarb pie.  Shelby made excellent food the entire time we were out there, but her rhubarb pie was outstanding.
On Tuesday, we drove over the Continental Divide to Taylor Park which has several lakes and streams for fishing.  The boys fished while Shelby and I took the kids hiking around to look at wildflowers and take pictures.
On Wednesday, we took the four-wheel drive vehicle up to Alpine Tunnel which is the old tunnel blown through the mountain 130 years ago by the immigrant railroad works.  The road up follows where the old railroad tracks were. Scary!!! I wouldn't have wanted to be up there on a train.  The road is VERY narrow with sheer drops as sides, but it is amazingly beautiful.  There is part of road called the Palisades that is rocks notched together 130 years ago by Irish immigrants to build back up a ledge wide enough for the train.  Not one of the rocks has fallen out in all of those years, and the road goes over the today.  A really neat bit of history.
It was really a nice time in the cool temperatures!

Fishing in one of the lakes at Taylor Park.

Stream running through the Taylor Park area.

Fishing in a stream at Taylor park.

The Palisades from below.

Some of the gorgeous columbine flowers we saw.

Colorado

Sorry I haven't been posting as often the last several days.  I FINALLY convinced my husband to leave the farm for a few days (you have no idea how hard that is-it's almost an act of congress).  His college roommate and his family have a family cabin in a town outside of Gunnison and were up there for several weeks.  They had kindly invited us, and after much begging on my part, I convinced Brian to go.  It was amazing.  The temperatures were never above 80 degrees, and in the morning, were right around 40 degrees. Ahhhhh!!!! There were oodles of mountain trails to drive up that overlooked more mountains, streams, lakes, and forests.  The fields of wildflowers were absolutely gorgeous; I wanted to pick armfuls of them.  I also love that in those little mountain towns you don't have to mow your lawn; you can let it grow wild with flowers.
Over the next couple of days, I will post more about our trip and more pictures.  Here are a few pictures for today!

Monster Cookies

I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate so these are some of my favorite cookies!!!


Monster Cookies
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tbls vanilla
1 tbls corn syrup
2 t. baking soda
1 1/2 c. peanut butter
4 1/2 c. quick oats
1 c. m&ms
1/2 chocolate chips
Mix wet ingredients first, then add baking soda. Add oats one cup at a time, mixing between cups. Add m&ms and choco chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 min.
I always bake one dozen or so then ball up the rest and freeze them (put them in baggies after they're frozen) so that I have cookies when I want to have fresh ones around.

Worst Forecaster Ever

I am the worst weather woman EVER.  My unofficial job is to watch radar and text the men when they need to tarp grain carts, get off tractors, etc.  The weather out here in western Kansas is very unpredictable, and I have decided to just quit watching radar and get a weather rock.
I can watch a storm on radar follow a path that looks like it is going to pound us, and then disappear at the county line.  I've watched storms make V around us.  I've seen storm after storm disappear around us only to reform just to the east of us.  It's crazy, and it makes predicting when others should quit field work very exasperating.  After watching a storm build at the county line, texting the men to get out the tarps, and then watching it dissipate before getting to us, I told my husband to hook the rock weather station to the front of his equipment.  It will be more accurate than I am.

Country Church

You know the picturesque country churches you see on postcards?  That's the type of church we attend.  It's a little white church in the middle of nowhere at the crossroads of some country roads.  It's a simple place with simple, country people who radiate the love of the Lord.
When we first visited the church, we giggled at the minister's Mickey Mouse tie and the speaker's overalls, but we could see in the people and message that this was the church for us.  The tie and overalls are now a small part of why we love the church.  There's nothing fancy, no projectors, screens, or booming sound system just the Bible and the word of the Lord through our pastor.  I know we are not mainstream to like our church so simple, but it's what works for us.  There's always something in the sermon I find speaks just to me.
The people of the church have welcomed us with open hearts and supported us through the trials of finding out our daughter has Down Syndrome.
Every time I leave, I feel challenged to grow, and I hope that everyone can find a church that makes them feel the same way.

Weighing his Options

We are STILLLLLLLLL harvesting so Brian is out in the field until late.  Grandma makes them sandwiches every night and takes them to the field along with a jug of tea, chips, and some sweets.  After the ridiculously long harvest we have had, the men are getting to the point of never wanting to see a ham sandwich again. EVER.  It will take him until next harvest before he can call a ham sandwich palatable.
The other night he called me at 8:30 and said due to breakdowns they were calling it a night;  did I want to feed him or should he go to Grandma's?  I wanted to see him, but I had no meat thawed and had planned on fixing myself an egg salad sandwich (keep in mind-no meat, no meal is his theory).  He wasn't thrilled so he said he'd see what Grandma was cooking when he switched pick-ups at her house.  About fifteen minutes later, I got a call from Grandma.  "Your husband is heading home as fast as he can.  He left a few minutes ago."
Me: "What are you fixing for supper?"
Grandma: "Fried ham"

New Activity

As a teacher, I know how important learning activities are for kids, and as a mother of a child with Down syndrome, I want to provide as many learning opportunities as I can so I've been working on an activity for  my daughter that helps her explore her world through tactile experiences.
G LOVES feeling things; she rolls across the floor to scratch the linoleum, finger strings endlessly, and pets Daddy's chin stubble.  The other day while feeding her, a big blob of oatmeal/mixed vegetable goo fell on her tray, and she had more fun playing in it.  I decided that I need to make sure I gave her plenty of "feeling" experiences since she seems to be a tactile learner.  I let her play in her food (yes, I know it was a bit of a waste of food, but it was only a spoonful) and talked to her about how it felt.  Then I wiped her hands off and gave her some dry baby oatmeal and let her play with that and talked to her about the differences (if you try this, make sure you are supervising so your child doesn't put a handful of dry oatmeal in his/her mouth).  I know she can't understand what I'm telling her yet, but it is a start in her being able to compare and contrast and tell similarities and differences which are skills tested all throughout the school years.  Besides, talking to your child is very beneficial to brain, social, and communication development.
I am also working on a bag of "feelies" for her to continue her exploration.  I am putting in velcro strips (both sides), fine grain sand paper, strings tied together, silky ribbon, bumpy ribbon, different fabrics, some plastic spoons, and some metal spoons (this is only an activity I'd do when an adult is beside the child so they stick something in their mouth and choke).  As she gets older, I'll stick in smaller items like marbles, rocks, grass, etc, and have her tell me how the item feels, how it feels like or different from the next item she pulls out.

GQ's Response

I was very pleased to have gotten a response from GQ magazine yesterday, and since so many of you ask me to share if I got a reply, here it is.


We received your letter and absolutely understand that we have caused many of our readers and their loved ones pain. Hurting anyone’s feelings or being disrespectful or cruel was certainly never our intent, but your letter helped us understand how poorly chosen our words were. What we initially posted was insensitive and ill-informed, and we’ve removed the offensive language from the website. We deeply regret our error in judgment. There is no excuse. We are both very sorry.
Sincerely,
Sean Fennessey, editor, GQ.com
John B. Thompson, writer, GQ.com

Thank you to all you emailed GQ in response to their article and to all those you read the blog yesterday.  I also wanted to let everyone know PlainPrairie is now on Facebook.  Please look us up and become a friend!!!!

Ignorance is Not Bliss

Writer John Q Thompson takes aim at people with Down syndrome with his comment "Boston suffers from a kind of Style Down Syndrome, where a little extra ends up ruining everything." This line appeared in an article from GQ magazine.  I realize it was meant to be cute and cheeky, but ignorance is not bliss.  The writer would be in huge trouble if he said this about gays, people of color or other nationalities, or people in wheel chairs.
Yes, my daughter has Down syndrome.  Yes, her life will be different, but it's not ruined.  There are around 400,000 people in the United States with Down syndrome.  Most of these people are working, some are going to college, and all are loved by their family and friends.  This article demeans them and promotes that it is ok to make fun of them.
Please take a moment to send comments about this article to: letters@gq.com.

Super Yummy Breakfast Casserole

It's recipe day again!  This is my very favorite breakfast casserole.  During the school year, I make this on Sunday morning, and then we reheat it for several days during the week.  It also freezes well if you wanted to freeze individual portions to reheat on crazy mornings.

7 eggs
1/2 c. milk or cream
1 tsp. salt
1 lbs. cooked and crumbled sausage
1/4 of an onion
1/2 c. chedder cheese
1 tsp. cumin
2 tbls minced garlic
4 slices bread
If you have it, some jalapeno pepper diced up.

Tear bread into small pieces and put into a 9x13 baking dish.  Cook sausage; add onion, garlic, and jalapeno (if using) towards the end.  Mix eggs, milk, salt, and cumin.  Add sausage mixture over bread.  Sprinkle with some cheese over the bread and sausage mixture.  Then pour egg mixture over all this.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 min.  I usually melt a little more cheese over the top towards the end of cooking.

Where's the Hairspray

I'm pretty low maintenance in terms of amount of time it takes me to get ready these days.  I throw my hair in a ponytail EVERY day; on the very rare occasion I decide to do something else with it, everyone about falls over in disbelief.  Make-up makes my face itch so if I wear any at all, it's just mascara.  I never paint my fingernails, and I wear the same color on my toes until the bottle runs out.  I'm definitely not fashion model material.
This is all fine and dandy to my husband most of the time, but recently after walking through chigger filled grass, he wanted some hairspray or some clear nail polish.  Hairspray and nail polish cut off the oxygen to the little boogers, and he was looking desperately for some to coat his red, bumpy legs.  Unfortunately, I have neither item.  I guess beauty products have their place, and I should purchase a few (for the the chiggers).

What's your remedy for chigger bites?

Giddy for garage sales!

I LOVE a good garage sale!  We don't have much in the way of garage sales in the town I live in so I occasionally load up the baby (and her numerous supplies) and head east to my parents.  I carefully comb the advertisements, picking which sales I want to hit.  The hardest part is deciding which ones I want to hit first..I get sweaty and indecisive with the thrill of the bargain hunt.
I hate buying new stuff when I can find barely used stuff at super cheap prices.  I've bought Gracelyn's clothes for the next year ( I super love finding clothes new with tags for under a $1); I loaded up an entire trash bag with clothes that still had tags for under twenty dollars.  I found brand new toddler toys that she'll be ready for before next garage sale season.  Still on the list are a dresser, a book shelf, and who knows what hidden treasures I'll find to add to the list of things I want to bring home.

Best Sales Tactic Ever

Yesterday a friend invited me to coffee at our town's new coffee place, and I realized that the owners have found the best sales tactic ever.  The man who operates the coffee shop runs it in the corner of his wife's store.  The store has all kinds of neat house decorating items, gift items, a jewelry section, a screen printing business, and sports shop.  All it needs to be one-stop shopping is bait and tackle, groceries, and beer.  I love to look through all their items but usually end up finding something I "need" so I avoid the store unless I need a gift for someone.
After finishing my Milky Way coffee drink (yes, that's right...chocolate, vanilla, caramel, coffee, and whipped cream!!!!), I of course,had to take stroll through the shop where I found the cutest ever pink barrettes that I decided my daughter "needed".  After purchasing the barrettes, I realized that this was going to be a problem.  The Siren song of the coffee would lure me in, and then poof there I'd be in the middle of all the shiny, pretty items.  Perhaps, I can just take in enough money to buy the coffee or maybe develop some self-control.

Never Say Never-A Lesson in My Expectations

I learned an important lesson about my daughter, myself, and my expectations towards the end of last school year.  I think about it quite often and wanted to share it.
One day I was having a hard time dealing with my emotions about our daughter having Down syndrome.  I was watching some kids in my classroom do very mediocre work and use very little effort.  I was talking to the para (a person who comes into our classrooms to help students)  in my room about my daughter, Down syndrome, and how frustrated and angry it made me to watch these kids not use their abilities and intelligence the Lord had given them when my daughter would never be able to do some of these things.  The para then said to me, "Never say never; don't limit your child. You don't know what she can do.".  This may not seem so profound; many people say this, but this was different.  This para has a child with a severe disability.  To have this person whose child can't communicate, show love in a "normal" way, and needs constant care tell me that affected me more than I can tell you. As parents, we can be the greatest limitation to our children or the base from which they shoot for the stars.   I think all parents should remember this and expect the most and the best at all times and never limit what our children can accomplish.

Sharing the Farm

I always loved going to visit friends who lived on farms when I was a kid.  I loved seeing the animals and running wild in the open spaces.  My friends always thought I was crazy to love coming out to the farm so much.  Now that I have my own farm, some of the novelty has worn off, but I love the wonder of farm life in visitors' eyes.  Over the weekend, we had some visitors who have an eighteen month-old son.  It was so much fun to watch him chase our chickens, look for fish in our stock tank, ohhh and ahhh at the big cows, make piggy noises at the pigs, and feed the bottle calf.  It makes me so excited for our daughter to get older and learn to love the farm and bring friends over to share the fun with!
Here's some picture from the visit.

Walmart's Grammar Problem

I'm not sure why this bothers me so much, but it does.  Can you find the homophone problem in the picture below?

Do to cart damage should be due to cart damage. GRRRRRR......no wonder I can't teach kids grammar!

Easy Chicken Recipe

While we are mainly a beef and pork eating household, we do occasionally like a good chicken dish, and this is one of our favorites!

Easy Chicken

4-5 chicken breasts
1 bottle of Russian salad dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 jar apricot jam

Mix salad dressing, soup mix, and jam.  Pour mixture over chicken in an oven safe dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 min.   Serve over rice.

I usually serve this with green beans and Grands Southern style biscuits from the freezer section.

Sheet Wars

My husband and I have an ongoing battle: how long to go between sheet washings.  He'd go a couple of months between sheet washings, and I like to wash sheets once a week.  I think during college he washed his sheets once a semester (ewwwww gross), and it's possible he's just telling me that to make me feel better.  I love the feel of clean sheets, and if I had enough get-up-and-go, I might wash them twice a week. Every time he heads to bed on a day I've washed sheets, and I haven't gotten around to making the bed, we have to have this argument.  Brian would like to compromise on once a month.  I've been willing to go every other week, but after that, I'm ready to feel clean sheets when I slide under the covers.
How often do wash sheets?  If you're married, is your significant other on board with the amount you wash them?

Conversation Overheard

This may be too much information about cattle for some of you, but I thought it was pretty funny.

My husband has a friend who is looking to have a few cows to raise as grass-fed beef.  He was wanting to buy six cows and have them AI'd (artificially inseminated) so he could sell the calves. The friend called Brian to ask what it would cost to have it done.  Brian informed him that AI'ing was only like ten dollars a cow, but that the semen could get pricey depending on what bull he wanted to use from.  We had a bull collected several months ago and have the semen stored in liquid nitrogen in the barn so Brian offered to sell him some of our bull's. To that offer, the friend asked, "how much does your semen cost?"  Right at that moment, the friend's wife walked into the room.  Not being around cow breeding lingo very often, she apparently gave her husband a rather creeped out look.  He quickly had to explain what he was talking about.

Laws of Harvest

1. A 20% chance of rain means it WILL rain.  The rest of the year a 70% chance means it's unlikely, but during harvest......

2. If it can break down, it probably will.

3. If you blow a tire, the tire shop will be out of the size you need.

4. Don't plan on getting anywhere quickly.  Every road, trail, and highway are filled with moving, hauling, and cutting equipment (all of which can squish a normal sized vehicle like a tin can and not even notice).

5. Do not plan on seeing your husband except early morning and late night.

6. Do not plan on eating supper before 10:00 pm.

7.  When you're sent to look for a part, take it with you-much easier to explain the thing-a-ma-bob you need when you have it in hand and the salesman doesn't look at you like you're a nin-com-poop.

8.  Buy LOTS of allergy medicine.

9.  Never try to plan a vacation around harvest.  It will come earlier, come later, or last longer than you expect.

10. Be thankful for all the grain going into the bin!

Love It, Hate It

Harvest.....love it, hate it.
It's a beautiful time of year.  The wheat is that perfect golden color only wheat can be; it waves and rustles in the wind.  It is amazing to watch the beauty of a ripe wheat field.  It's also amazing to watch the harvesters run massive combines through a field, fill their bins with the tiny kernels, and then dump into a semi to be hauled to town.  I love watching the crop come full circle.  I watch as it's planted in the fall, sprouts up green and soft in the spring, and ripens to amber waves rolling across the prairie by midsummer.
I hate the allergies that come with harvest.  I sneeze, itch, and swell.  I can't ride on the combine without getting hives.  It's really lovely for a rancher's wife to be allergic to what he farms.  It's also very irritating to try to drive anywhere.  Farm machinery does not move quickly and when every farmer in the county has several combines, grain carts, tractors, and support vehicles going field to field, driving down a country road (and sometimes highway) becomes very SLOOOOOOW.
Harvest is over within a couple of weeks so what I hate I only have to endure for a short time, and what I love isn't around long enough to get old, and I get to look forward to it the next year.

Things I Didn't Know

Since finding out Gracelyn has Down syndrome, I've spent many hours reading information.  I find the things I'm not informed about scare me most, and I think that's true for many of us.  We are scared of what we don't understand and sometimes deal with that by ignoring, bullying, or making fun of the person or idea.  I believe I have an opportunity to help people understand Down syndrome so that hopefully it doesn't scare us so much and perhaps help my daughter and others avoid some the less kind effects of our fear.
Today I want to share a few of the things that stood out to me right away.

1. Down syndrome is chromosome condition that is not caused by anything the parents did.  It is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.  There is nothing that could have been done to prevent Down syndrome from happening.

2. There are three types of Down syndrome.  The type Gracelyn has is the most common called trisomy 21.   Translocation Down syndrome is where the extra chromosome is translocated from another chromosome and can mean that a parent is a carrier.  Mosiac Down syndrome occurs after fertilization and only effects some cells, not all like the other two types (originally we thought this was they type to hope for, but our Down syndrome specialist says that this can cause major problems).

3. Most of the babies born with Down syndrome are born to mothers under 35.  I thought the likelyhood of having a baby with Down syndrome at my age was rare, but it's not.  It is somewhere around 80% (I believe) of babies with DS are born to mother's under 35.

4. Most cases of Down syndrome result in mild to moderate (not severe) mental retardation.  With the positive support from family and friends, high expectations, and early interventions, people with DS are able to have jobs, live on their own, and take care of themselves.  Expect the most.

5. Some colleges are offering programs for disabled students so students with Down syndrome are now able to go to college.

6. Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition.

7. There are many support organizations across the United States (and other countries) that support families from day one, provide activities for kids to get together, put on proms just for kids with disabilities, and support research efforts.   I've listed a few on my favorite websites that I follow (either their websites or have like on Facebook).

8. There are Down syndrome specialty centers across the United States.  We go to the Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children's Hospital in Denver.  Doctor's, nurses, physical therapists, counselors, etc all trained specifically to help kids, adults, and families of those with Down syndrome.  Our doctor and the counselor at the Sie Center also have children with Down syndrome so they understand on a level not all medical staff do.

9.  Early intervention services make a world of difference and are provided (at least in the state of Kansas) free to families.  Our service center provides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech, and other services from the time they are born through school age.  Please let our legislators know how important it is to keep these services when they are wanting to cut them.

10.   In studies I've read, well over half (in one study it said 9 out of 10) of prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome result in abortion.  If you've received this diagnosis, please check out the support groups and meet a few families with children who have Down syndrome before you make any decisions.  It's hard to swallow, it's a long road, there are lots of fears and tears, but my daughter is a beautiful person who I would not trade for anything in the world.

Cornbread Taco Bake

Another super easy, tasty meal.

1-1/2 pounds ground beef

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained

1 can black beans drained

1/2 onion, chopped

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/2 cup water

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 package (8-1/2 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix

 shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef then add water and taco seasoning. Stir in the corn, onion, black beans, and tomato sauce. Spoon into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Prepare corn bread mix according to package directions for corn bread.  Spread over beef mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 20 minutes.  Top with cheese and bake for another 2-4 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve with salad or some sort of fruit.

Parenting Strategy

My husband is the youngest (by quite a bit) of four children so we've gotten to observe several sets of good parenting strategies.  Recently his oldest sister, who is sixteen years older, was out to visit with her twin seventeen-year-old boys; their family ranches in Missouri.  These are two of the best teenagers you'll ever find.  They know how to hold a conversation with adults, look you in the eye, be respectful, responsible, get along with peers, and work HARD.  You've never seen two boys who know more about engines (they've been taking things apart since they were eighteen months).
Their dad was raised on a dairy and gets up before the sun comes up, and he believes in gettin' up and gettin' to work.  He lets the boys "sleep in" until seven, and then they're up hauling square bales, working cows, plowing fields, and fixing equipment.  They have chores before and after school.  When their dad had to pay a speeding ticket for one of them, the boy worked it off with extra work.  The boys have time for fun, but they have responsibilities that they must take care of first, and there's not so much free time that they're coming up with trouble.  When asked what their father's parenting strategy is, the unanimous answer is "have you ever seen the show Hell's Kitchen?".

Finally Lost It

I'm sure my husband has thought I've been on the brink of losing my sanity before, but last night he thought I'd just fallen right off the edge.  I try to keep things picked up and in some sort of order, but I have small house with insufficient storage so organization isn't my strong suit.  I'm ok with our disorganization and stacks, but last night I'd reached my limits.
While my husband was in the shower, I was trying to pick up.  I had to keep walking around our growing pile of trash that we can't burn because there is a ripe field of wheat within feet of our burn barrel, tripped over the stroller that won't fit in the boot and coverall filled closet, and stubbed my toe on the vacuum that sits right in the way of my washing machine because it has no other home.  Then I went into the bathroom where my husband was showering to brush my teeth.  Approximately three weeks ago I set three small totes of his in the middle of the bathroom hoping he'd take care of it without me having to nag.  Walking around items doesn't bother him so I was the only one going crazy.  Reaching for the toothbrush, I knocked over his glass of tea because there was no room to maneuver.  That was the last straw.  With tea running down the cabinets, I decided to pitch it ALL.  I started throwing anything in the way into piles, marching it out to the shed to be taken to the dump, and hauling furniture that takes up too much room to our unfinished basement to be sold later.  With a bewildered look on his face, Brian tries to tell me that 11:30 at night is not the time to start a project like this.  Then he asked if I'd like to sit down and have a rational conversation as he grabs things from the boxes I was storming by with.
After I had fizzled down, he asked why I'd put the boxes in the middle of the bathroom any way if it was going to irritate me so much.  I explained that I though he'd put his stuff away without me nagging if it was in his pathway.  His response, "what in our marriage led you to think that?"
I guess I'm back to nagging!