Fun Friday and Love Notes!

This summer I have decided to dedicate Friday's to doing something fun with the kids!

We are calling it 

Fun Friday!

Life is going by too fast and these little lives aren't going to be little for long.

Soon they wont want to hang out with me.

Last Friday we loaded up our bikes in our beast of a farm truck and headed out to

 Fort Stevens State Park.

We rode from Coffenbury Lake to Battery Russell and then onto Peter Iredale.

They were sure to ask me if the shipwreck was there when I was little.

I think all kids think adults are SUPER old!

This morning I shared with the kids our plan for Fun Friday and they were jazzed!

I found this website a year or so ago and I just love the concept of spreading love all over.

The World Needs More Love Letters

is just about spreading love, giving someone a smile or even a little hope.

Writing a note and hiding it for a stranger to find can change a persons entire day!

If you know me at all you know I love love.

Love can be shown in so many ways.

A tender touch

A tight hug-my favorite

In words

Even in silence

I think if we loved more and pointed fingers less we could change the world.

I was surprised as I gathered the cards that the kids were so excited to get started.

We talked about Random Acts of Kindness and how maybe we would help someone that was having a bad day feel a little bit better

.

It's amazing how a lesson like that comes to light for kids sometimes so quickly.

On our way to guitar lessons today I stopped for coffee at Starbucks and the car in front of us paid for my coffee. 

Thanks Heidi!

Jameson excitedly said "HEY! That was a random act of kindness!"

We paid for the car behind us and Jameson beemed.

I love those learning moments.

Ryan, Madalyn and I  wrote out our cards while Jameson was at guitar and Jameson did his in the car.

We did 18 in all.

We labeled them like this so people would know they were for them

Mad even added some extra to hers

All the cards were written with zero prompting from me.

I didn't get to read all of them, but I did sneak a peek at some.

We headed to places in Warrenton and Astoria.

The kids were giddy in the car and couldn't wait to hide the cards!

I hope whomever finds them knows they were written with love in mind.

We then headed off to the pool for a swim!

The Linder/Stenblom kids are like little fishes.

I have planned for future Fun Fridays some geochaching, a trip to Tillamook Cheese Factory, a ride on the Rockaway Beach Steam Train and a day at Jasper Farms for a field day hosted by our 4h club.

We also have a few camping trips and our first Clatsop County Fair for Jameson.
We will probably be doing more love letter deliveries too because the kids loved it!

We are planning to pack as many memories into this summer as possible.

These three kids are only going to be 

8, 10 and 12 for this summer so we need to make the most of it!

Blessed is me...

One reason Mrs. Kraft is a bad ass

This beauty here is Jean Kraft.

She lived on our farm into her early 90's until she fell and broke her hip and had to be moved to assisted living in Seaside.

She lived alone at the farm when Johnny that big stud of a man leaning up against the tractor went to be with The Lord in 1994.

Oh, and she is also a bad ass.

Here's why.

When we bought the farm from her we also got to keep quite a few of her things including this mower

She pushed mowed our yard that is approximately the size of gigantic and very steep well into her 80's

In addition to the yard she also push mowed our driveway that is really long

Now, I have mowed this yard and driveway many many times.

On a riding mower!

Early this week I wanted to push mow some areas that the riding mower just can't get to.

I had never started the push mower before, but let's be honest how hard can it be.

Well, it was harder than I thought because I was doing it WRONG!

The Farmer was out tedding the hay field so I was on my own.

There are bars and levers and I didn't know what was what.

After trying what felt like a million pulls of the cord I gave up and hoped on the rider.

When The Farmer came home I informed him what a piece of junk the push mower was because I couldn't get it started. 

He informed me that it was not a piece of junk and that
"if Mrs. Kraft can start it you should be able to"

Oh..

I didn't know it was Mrs. Krafts mower.

So tonight I planned to conquer the mower and start that thing on the first pull!

And, I did.

I make my way down the driveway doing quite nicely getting as close as possible to the fence posts.

then..

Sputter sputter dead.

The mower was out of gas and I was at the end of the driveway.

I make my way to the barn for a gas can, thinking 

"that stupid mower I should just leave it there and get the rider! NO! If Mrs. Kraft can do it I can too"

Fill up the gas tank give the cord a pull and I'm on my way again.

I get the driveway done and the small grassy area by the stable and thought I should just move onto the yard!

NO NO NO 

I should NOT have.

I started our pretty strong around the trees and the fence line making a big circle of the yard making sure that all the trees and flower beds were nicely mowed around.

Now, you must be very very careful going down the hill because the mower will want to take off like it is in a NASCAR race and will drag you behind not caring if you fall or not.

You must push very very hard going UP the yard because the mower suddenly becomes the weight of a large tank.

As I am making my way around the yard The Farmer comes out from finishing his dinner and says
"What are you doing? Why don't you get the rider? Oh, are you trying to prove that if Mrs. Kraft can do it you can too?!"

To which I replied

"No, well, maybe I NEED TO GET BACK TO WORK!"

I started the mower at 5:30 and I didn't finish until almost 8:00

I also ran out of gas AGAIN.

At some point during the mowing I thought I really should just get the rider, but talked myself out of it.

The closer I got to getting done the more I wanted to quit and just leave that piece of crap in the yard until I had enough diesel to BURN IT!

Light it on fire and not even care!

When I pushed that mower over the last blades of bright green grass I felt like Rocky Balbo at the end of a winning fight!

I wanted to jump up and down with my fists in the air!

Until I had to push the mower up to the carport.

That is when I noticed my feet felt like I had walked of shards of glass that had been dipped in hot lava. 

My feet had been sliding back and forth in my shoes as I made my way up and down the yard about a hundred times making them a little raw.

My legs were shaking like I had just run a marathon and my hands were vibrating like I had run a jack hammer all day long.

I was sweating in places I didn't know you could sweat from.
I am not sure If I should wash or throw my tow strap of a bra and the rest of my clothes that are sweat covered.

As soon as I came inside I stepped into a nice hot shower so I could wash all those grossness right down the drain.

The scalding hot water never felt so good.

It was glorious except the feeling of hot glass shards on my feet.

I know, I know some of you are thinking I am just a sissy lala.

I assure you I am not.

But, if you still think I am 

I offer up this challenge to you.

Come mow our yard and driveway.

I will make sure the gas tank is full and the can is out for refilling.

It will need to be done again in 2-3 days and then in 2-3 after that and again after that.

You get the picture.

Our yard needs to be mowed a lot!

From now on I will be doing it on the rider and I have plans for The Farmer to bring home and excavator and dig up some of the yard so there is less to mow!

*hint hint Farmer

My only one explanation for why Mrs. Kraft could mow this yard

It is because she is truly a

Bad. Ass.

There is no question about it.

Blessed is me...

Our Teachers

There is so much in the news about public schools, education and teachers.

Common Core, union contracts, budget shortfalls, class size and so much more.

There is a lot that needs attention.

 There is also SO SO SO much good that we rarely hear about.

 

We have great teachers. 

 

Our kids have attended school in the Astoria School District since kindergarten.

Each year we hope for a teacher.

Sometimes we get the teacher we hoped for and sometimes we don't.

 We have always been over the moon with who our kids ended up with despite not always getting our wish.

These teachers have helped shape our kids, helped them to learn new skills, loved them when our dog died, they share in life lessons, they celebrate achievements.

They have become people our kids know they can count on.

 

For Jameson:

Mrs. Laugle helped him get over the fear of the first day of school by getting down on his level and comforting him.

 

Mrs. Brewington will always be one of his favorites. 

I'll never forget the day we saw her grocery shopping. Jameson tells me "there is my teacher can I go say hi?"

He swiftly, almost running, went over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She hugged him right back.

This showed me that she had a profound impact on him.

 

Mrs. Beiderman stretched his writing skills by entering him in a writing contest without him knowing.

 He was terrified when he found out, but as we sat in the public library and he shared with me that he really wanted to win.

He did win first place and 5 dollars.

He was really proud of himself.

 By the end of the year he was also reading out loud in class.

Mrs. Gardener let Jameson move through math as fast as he wanted even though she didn't always have time to teach him the extra things.

 She let him do it anyways.

Ms. Herr provides such a safe environment that Jameson shares about his weekends in morning meeting. 

This is huge because as you know he isn't a sharer of much.

She also lets him go ahead in math and he is currently working through 5th grade math while in 4th grade.

For Madalyn:

Mrs. Stelzig helped form a firm foundation of structure and fun.

Madalyn wishes that I could talked like Mrs. Stelzig.

I can't

She has a quiet soft voice.

Madalyn will still go over for a hug everytime she sees her in the hallway.

Mrs. Brewington had both our kids and we were so lucky to get her twice. 

Her loving firm tone is just was Mad needed to keep her chit chat to a minimum. 

We Linder girls are a teeny bit talkative.

Mrs. Beiderman and Mrs. Grauff are job sharing this year.

I wish every teacher could do this.

This year she has got to learn about gardening which she loved.

Mrs. Grauff is fluent in Spanish so she is teaching in both English and Spanish

Mad thinks it is really funny to call her dad a potato by switching how you say papa or potato.

This has been one of my favorite parts of 2nd grade. 

Mad comes home and teaches us the Spanish that she has learned.

We are hoping to continue it through the summer for both kids.

Mrs. Beiderman loves teaching the kids about the Underground Railroad.

Mad LOVES this. She can tell you all sorts of information about it and has checked out books in the library to reread information she has learned.

Both kids have/had also had Mr. Babbitt and Mr. Lambert for PE and various reading teachers.

 

I'll be honest it makes me a little sad that this is our last year at Astor.

So much has happened in those hallways.

Friendships have been formed with those teachers not only by our kids, but with us too.

I can't say enough good things about our teachers and their passion to fill our kids up.

They go the extra mile when they don't have to.

They reach out when they know that our kids need an extra push.

They love when we aren't there.

They encourage when our kids are discouraged.

The cheer on achievements and give correction when needed.

To us they are champions in their field.

 They have all set the bar very high for our future teachers.

To Mrs. Laugle, Mrs. Stelzig, Mrs. Brewington, Mrs. Beidermand, Mrs. Grauff, Mrs. Gardener, Ms. Herr, Mr. Babbit, Mr. Lambert and all our reading teachers

we tip our hat to you.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you do for our kids.

We appreciate you more than you will ever know.

 

Blessed is me...

Barn boots and bliss

Today after I brought Mad to dance I drove in the driveway to see

chickens pecking all over the yard cleaning out every last bug and slug they can find,

Duck who thinks she is chicken scurrying all over the yard and

Dottie with her calves laying in the backyard.

I came inside our home which was empty.

I sat down with a cup of coffee for a little quiet time before making dinner.

I hear the back door open and Jameson burst in out of breath.

He just rode his bike back from Papa and Grandma Moos where he had been showing the goats to our friend and her kiddos.

He quickly gets his clothes changed and his boots on and yells "I'm going back to the farm to help daddy feed and move the bull!" the door slams and he is off again on his bike.

As I watched him peddle his little heart out down our long driveway tears well up in my eyes.

I can't believe this is our life.

We are living our dream.

A dream where our kids can run outside, climb trees and get dirty.

They get to tromp through the woods on adventures.

They get to lay under our giant maple tree while gazing at the sky.
They can run from the stable to the barn with their pseudo business set up selling goat harnesses they have made from baling twine.

They wake up to birds singing and are lulled to sleep by the frogs evening song.

They get to see the tender quietness as babies enter the world inside Papa's barn.
They get to eat dinner in the fields during hay season.

 Lessons are learned daily
 Like  how to get a goat to nurse a baby that wasn't born to her
 How the placenta attaches to the mother and holds the baby
How to care for sick animals and the work it takes when a momma dies.

the work it takes digging post holes and running wire for fence,
getting cows to go from one place to another on the road while cars wait.

Lessons about where our food comes from and how it should be raised.

We have only  lived here just over two years, but I feel like I have been here my entire life.

This place is where Mad learned to ride a bike
 where Jameson found his confidence
and where The Farmer and I had our toughest year in marriage.
We have had numerous celebrations here.
Growth has occurred here.
The stretching of our faith has happened here.

Love lives here.

Today I was asked if I ever imagined that I would be a farm girl.
The answer is no.
I don't think The Farmer imagined it either.
Now I can't imagine living anywhere else.
I can help birth, vaccinate and castrate a goat.
I can preg check cows
and butcher chickens
all while, wearing earrings, full make up and Zella leggings
because let's face it a girl has to look good.

When I step into our barn it feels like love.
I can imagine the work that Johnny and Jean did inside those walls.
They loved this place.
They put their heart and soul into every inch of what is now ours.
I think they would be happy with what we have done and are doing.

When we have children over who have never held a chicken or gone to find eggs in a coop it warms my heart to see their eyes light up.
When a little girl squeals in delight that a cow just licked her face it makes me giggle.
The kids are always excited to share about their barn boots.
I'm told Johnny and Jean loved having kids at the farm too.

Someday our barn will be filled with life and the smell of fresh cut hay.
Someday we might even be real farmers
Someday our grandkids will be the ones riding their bikes to our house to help Papa.




I wish every kid could mix up a bottle and feed a bummer calf or see a baby be born while sitting on a hay bale.
I wish all kids could sit and hold a chicken or be licked by a cow.
If you ask me there is no better life.

Tonight as my kids are tucked snug in their beds and my hubs watches his daily dose of news
I am overflowing with gratefulness.
I hope we never take for granted the gifts that have been given to us.

Blessed is me...

5 days post gluten and a new to me bike

It has been 5 days since I have eaten gluten.

Well, except when I was making Mac n' Cheese for the kids. 

The noodle timer beeped my natural instinct was to pop one in my mouth to be sure they were ready.
I chewed it up, realized what I did and spit it out!

If you are wondering why I have quit gluten you can catch up here.

Now, I must confess.

My Mother In Love has been preaching that no one should eat gluten and I thought it was just a bunch of malarkey.

She has talked about it WAY before it was cool to be GF.

I am sold.

I feel so good.

I have had none of the daily upset stomach that had become the norm.

I have virtually zero pain other than when I wake up in the morning.

I can't sleep in our bed comfortably yet, but that will come.

I am not exhausted by the end of the day.

I don't have the bloated feeling in my stomach and I have lost 3 pounds.

I also feel energized!

 

This last weekend I worked in the yard, planted flowers, cleared our yard of all the sticks that blow from the woods during storms, cleaned the chicken coop, pitched straw, cleaned house, placed pavers in one flower bed and much more.

These are all normal weekend chores, but all of this in two days would have had me totally exhausted and barely functioning.

Yesterday I went to Mikes Bike Shop in Cannon Beach and bought myself a new to me bike.

It is a cute little shop packed full with a ton of bikes, helmets and gadgets.

Jameson asked "are you sure you even know how to ride a bike?"

He and I enjoyed a trail ride from Netul Landing to Fort Clatsop while Madalyn was at a friends house.

It was fun and Jameson grinned ear to ear the whole time.

It's moments like that I don't want to miss because I don't feel good enough to participate or for fear that it will knock me down a couple days.

I can't wait to go again with sister.

Tonight after dinner Jameson asked if we could go on a family bike ride.

We saddled up and headed to check on the cows and goats at Papa Moo's because he is out making tractor deliveries.

I would guess it's about 1/2 mile one way.

There we got to see a fresh calf and we are double excited for tomorrow because Dottie West the lone Jersey Cow appears to be in labor!

We pedaled our way home and I dropped the family at the driveway so I could continue on for another mile or so before heading back home.

I tried to pedal the entire time even if it meant I had to pedal slow.
I pulled in just in time to meet The Farmer headed back out the driveway because Papa's cows were in the road!

I sit here thankful for all the encouraging words, texts to see if I am ok, offers to take our kids, suggestions, love and prayers.

There is zero doubt that the Linders are truly a blessed bunch.

Now, if I could just figure out a way to make water taste as good as coffee!

Blessed is me..

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

I love to bake so I plan on testing out some GF recipes so I can still have the same yummy treats I have always enjoyed!

When you Google any GF recipe approximately one bazillion pop up.

Most are disgusting.

 

I have made many GF desserts in the past, but since it looks like I am going to be making a shift from

rootin for gluten

to 

just say no to gluten

I thought I best get to compiling a list of tried and true recipes.

Today I found this banana bread recipe and since my bananas were turning a lovely shade of brown and yellow polka-dot it was a perfect time to try it out!

I made a few substitutions

I used:

Duck eggs instead of chicken eggs

and

Olive oil in place of canola oil

My choice for the GF baking mix was Pamela's baking mix

In my past GF dessert making I have found that some baking mixes taste beany.

I don't love that.

 Pamela's doesn't have any hint of bean.

I also made muffins instead of bread because they are easier to grab on the way out the door and our kiddos love muffins.

I baked them for 20 minutes and it made 24 muffins.

I also didn't go to the trouble of using two bowls. 

I whizzed up all the wet ingredients, salt and soda in my blender then dumped the baking mix in.

This is a double bonus for me because I can pour the batter right into the muffin cups without many drips and I only have one thing to wash.

When you have an almost Amish kitchen with no dishwasher minimizing dishes is a must!

The muffins are SUPER moist and don't fall all apart like some GF breads do.

I slathered on some butter and ate one right after dinner.

It was DELICIOUS and Madalyn gave me a thumbs up!

Blessed is me...

Tired of feeling crummy and what I am doing about it!

Next month marks 3 years since our big move to the Kraft Dairy.

When we began working on the house and property I began experiencing some pains in my joints.

They would come and go.

Sometimes it would hurt a little sometimes it would hurt a lot.

Sometimes I felt like I was almost dragging a leg!

We chalked it up to a lot of things:

hormones

pms

work-since I stand most of the day

wrong shoes-listen a girl has to look good and I love wedges

The pain would come and go; not ever staying very long.

Then it started to come and stay longer, but also started affecting my muscles.

It didn't feel good, but I didn't think much of it and I didn't have time to deal with it.

I chalked it up to being work related.

I would complain to The Farmer because it is his job to listen to incessant whining from his wife about how she just doesn't feel good.

The pain began to become more frequent lasting a week or more at a time.

It was getting increasingly worse and it was starting to include weakness in my hands and legs.

A couple months back we spent the weekend doing chores and butchering chickens.

By Monday I could hardly move.

I was exhausted. 

Not just tired, but totally spent. 

It took me days to bounce back.

If I was a celebrity I would have surely been admitted into a swanky hospital to recover.

Alas, I am not a celebrity so I laid on the sofa as much as I could and The Farmer would build blazing infernos so I could lay in front of the fireplace under blankets trying to get warm..

I was a hot mess 

which is not a good combo when you have two little kiddos and a business to run.

Then, 5 weeks or so ago I was coloring my first clients hair and my feet went numb and felt hot.

I also was experiencing numbness in my arms and hands if I raised them very high.

I texted The Farmer who said he thought I needed to get to the dr. 

I then texted Dr. Schacher who said the same. "get to the dr within the week"
I did.

There our Dr looked me over and said
"it sounds like fibromyalgia, but we are going to start with blood work because the weakness isn't usually associated with fibro"

He wanted to rule out things like diabetes's, thyroid, arthritis and a bunch of other stuff I thought only old people got.

Enter the vampire.

Hands down Dr. Baxters nurse is the best at drawing blood.

Not. Kidding.

We waited.. and waited.. and waited..

all tests are within normal range.

I'm not gonna lie I was a little disappointed everything pointed to normal because it meant we still didn't have answers.

This week I went back for a follow up

More blood work, poking and prodding.

It hurts a whole big bunch if you touch certain parts of my body. 

For instance: my arms, back or thighs.

Poor Dr. Baxter poked the front of my thigh and I smacked his hands without even thinking.

It hurt and it sends shooting pains through wherever was touched!

The places he touched were all fibro tender spots he tells me.

Then he said:
"I think you have fibro and I want you to cut out all GLUTEN for the next 4 weeks and start exercising. Call and let me know how you are feeling in 3 weeks"

He also informed me that the best medicine for fibro is 2 hours of exercise a day!

A DAY!

Who on earth has time to exercise 2 hours a day???!

So today I am on day 2 of gluten free eating and I am doing a-okay.

Oh, but believe me on Wednesday when he said no more gluten I figured that since I already had gluten that day I might as well gorge myself on Fultanos breadsticks and pizza!

It was delicious and it will be missed.

So will:

Cinnamon Life cereal

Dave's Killer toast- I have a serious love for toast.

Pasta from The Supper Club

Fortunately for me Grandma Debbie has been preaching GF for years, so I am pretty familiar with what I can and can't have.

I have also become a pretty good GF baker.

I have also added in some Young Living oils as well as supplements and vitamins.

 I'm looking for a bicycle, considering yoga and am trying to eat more veggies.
Luckily for me I work with the best massage therapist in the county.

She has relieved a weeks worth of pain with even 30 minutes of massage.

Water, water, water I have to drink MORE water!

Let's face it I am ready to feel better.

I want to sleep an entire night without wrestling around trying to find a comfortable spot and I would like to be able to sleep in our bed again!
I want to spend days working outside with The Farmer and letting the kids climb up on my lap without having to tell them to be careful.

I would like Dr. Baxter to be able to give me an exam without him having to fear being slapped!

I don't want to spend my weekends off recovering from a busy work week that has taken it's toll.

I'm ready to not feel like an old woman!

So here is to making changes and feeling a whole lot better!

Blessed is me...