Times are tight. People are trying to get the biggest bang for their buck. At times, they might even have to, well.... settle. See, The Pioneer Woman is a little busy with her new book coming out, so that is where The Park Wife comes in.
I will be speaking at various conferences this Spring, yes, I speak for cheap. Or, my talk is cheap, whatever. Just offer food, heirloom seeds for my garden, a day away from the ins and outs of motherhood, and I am your gal.
Here is a list of where I will be speaking, I would love to meet you so come on out!
February 25 - Arkansas Farmers Market Association Conference, Little Rock
March 5- Arkansas Women in Agriculture, Little Rock
May 21 - Arkansas Homeschool Convention, Searcy
There are a few others in the works, I will let you know when and where in case you are so desperate for entertainment that you want to come out and heckle me.
Yada, yada, yada,
The Park Wife
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Letter to My High School Self
I will be 40 in a few months and I might be having a bit of a freak out. I am not sure why because I have an extraordinary life, wonderful things are happening, I think it is just the number, is my life really half way over?
A group of girls from high school are meeting up in April (unfortunately I have a conference I am speaking at that weekend so I can't go) and it made me think back on high school, where I have been and what I wish I would have done differently. Of course, all the choices I have made led me here and God has had it all planned from the start. But, have you ever thought if you could go back and write a letter to your high school self what it would say?
So, as I approach the big 4-0, I have enough experience, wisdom and now a little clarity to give myself advice had I known then what I know now. Here it is, a letter to my peppy, fun, spastic high school self.
Dear Park Wife (you will figure that name out, but it will be years from now),
You will look back on growing up in this small town with fond memories, and the good news is that you get out, live all over the South, travel all over in your jobs, and at the age of 40 have a beautiful life in a wonderful place.
You are a good friend to people from all different "cliques", continue this (even though you are chastised by the "in girls"), you will be happy about it when you look back. Right now you are a good friend to someone that has trouble being friends with people. Continue to be her friend even when she is not a good friend to you, this is training you for relationships in the future with bosses, family, and friends that have to be dealt with. You can not always walk away from people that are not like you nor nice to you. You will have "sandpaper" people in your life, this is to make you better, it is not really about them.
When you put on your cheerleading skirt this Friday night, enjoy it, this is the best you will ever look in a skirt that short. Do a few extra back flips too, after you have kids those stomach muscles are not the same.
I know your mom and dad drive you crazy sometimes, but know that they love you and sacrifice for you daily. Spend more time with them on the weekends rather than cruising around with your friends trying to "fit in". They are your biggest fans and you will miss your dad's hugs, jokes, eating Chinese out with him, and his endless sacrifices for you. Thank him for loving you as if you were his own and never treating you like you weren't. Memorize every step as he walks you down the aisle and holds your first-born.
Be who you are, you will spend many years worrying about what everyone else thinks about you. Stop it, they aren't, they are too busy thinking about themselves and worrying what others think of them, putting on a show not being who God created them to be. Use your energy for good, be authentic, you are a pretty cool chic.
High school boys are a waste of time, your love/relationship training ground will not start until college. There are guys that are put into your life for a season and definitely for a reason. You will learn many lessons that will prepare you for the incredible man God has planned for you. He will be SOOOOOO worth the wait. He will be your true companion, the love of your life, more than you think you deserve. The two of you will be blessed with two of the most extraordinary gifts, be diligent as this is your legacy.
Don't be afraid of being "normal" because you crave the attention of being exceptional. I'm not saying don't be exceptional, I'm saying don't crave needing to be recognized for it. This will be your greatest obstacle.
Don't eat fast food, you will not believe what they put in that stuff, wear sunscreen when you live in Destin, wear your retainer, big hair and a thick gold chain is not something that you really want to have in your high school portrait, you will never like ironing or putting up dishes but you will be a great keeper of the home, asking questions is more important, and honest, than having all the answers.
Try to secretly learn a lot about the Internet. Then, start an online community where people can join, create profiles, post status updates, give virtual thumbs ups, and poke each other. You’re confused? Don’t worry, you’ll get it someday. Oh, and buy stock in Google, trust me on these two.
Know that everything you go through, every experience you have will add to you. God will use the good times and bad to teach you, strengthen you and bring you closer to Him. Soak it all in, write it all down. Don’t stress about the future because no matter what you envision as your future it will not turn out how you imagined, it will be more than you could have ever asked for.
Stephanie
Take the time to write a letter to your high school self and share with us all!
A group of girls from high school are meeting up in April (unfortunately I have a conference I am speaking at that weekend so I can't go) and it made me think back on high school, where I have been and what I wish I would have done differently. Of course, all the choices I have made led me here and God has had it all planned from the start. But, have you ever thought if you could go back and write a letter to your high school self what it would say?
So, as I approach the big 4-0, I have enough experience, wisdom and now a little clarity to give myself advice had I known then what I know now. Here it is, a letter to my peppy, fun, spastic high school self.
Dear Park Wife (you will figure that name out, but it will be years from now),
You will look back on growing up in this small town with fond memories, and the good news is that you get out, live all over the South, travel all over in your jobs, and at the age of 40 have a beautiful life in a wonderful place.
You are a good friend to people from all different "cliques", continue this (even though you are chastised by the "in girls"), you will be happy about it when you look back. Right now you are a good friend to someone that has trouble being friends with people. Continue to be her friend even when she is not a good friend to you, this is training you for relationships in the future with bosses, family, and friends that have to be dealt with. You can not always walk away from people that are not like you nor nice to you. You will have "sandpaper" people in your life, this is to make you better, it is not really about them.
When you put on your cheerleading skirt this Friday night, enjoy it, this is the best you will ever look in a skirt that short. Do a few extra back flips too, after you have kids those stomach muscles are not the same.
I know your mom and dad drive you crazy sometimes, but know that they love you and sacrifice for you daily. Spend more time with them on the weekends rather than cruising around with your friends trying to "fit in". They are your biggest fans and you will miss your dad's hugs, jokes, eating Chinese out with him, and his endless sacrifices for you. Thank him for loving you as if you were his own and never treating you like you weren't. Memorize every step as he walks you down the aisle and holds your first-born.
Be who you are, you will spend many years worrying about what everyone else thinks about you. Stop it, they aren't, they are too busy thinking about themselves and worrying what others think of them, putting on a show not being who God created them to be. Use your energy for good, be authentic, you are a pretty cool chic.
High school boys are a waste of time, your love/relationship training ground will not start until college. There are guys that are put into your life for a season and definitely for a reason. You will learn many lessons that will prepare you for the incredible man God has planned for you. He will be SOOOOOO worth the wait. He will be your true companion, the love of your life, more than you think you deserve. The two of you will be blessed with two of the most extraordinary gifts, be diligent as this is your legacy.
Don't be afraid of being "normal" because you crave the attention of being exceptional. I'm not saying don't be exceptional, I'm saying don't crave needing to be recognized for it. This will be your greatest obstacle.
Don't eat fast food, you will not believe what they put in that stuff, wear sunscreen when you live in Destin, wear your retainer, big hair and a thick gold chain is not something that you really want to have in your high school portrait, you will never like ironing or putting up dishes but you will be a great keeper of the home, asking questions is more important, and honest, than having all the answers.
Try to secretly learn a lot about the Internet. Then, start an online community where people can join, create profiles, post status updates, give virtual thumbs ups, and poke each other. You’re confused? Don’t worry, you’ll get it someday. Oh, and buy stock in Google, trust me on these two.
Know that everything you go through, every experience you have will add to you. God will use the good times and bad to teach you, strengthen you and bring you closer to Him. Soak it all in, write it all down. Don’t stress about the future because no matter what you envision as your future it will not turn out how you imagined, it will be more than you could have ever asked for.
Stephanie
Take the time to write a letter to your high school self and share with us all!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Freezing Fun
Now, this is what I call fun. Hanging out with your brother at top speed, singing a little song at the top of your lungs, bouncing through a pasture and laughing. Life is good. But, wait, this is even.......
Especially when you have a dad that over-indulges all things boy and will stand out and freeze so he can push you when the snow gets too deep. Yes, life is good, especially while I am watching this through the window by the fireplace.
I love to watch the snow falling, play with the boys in it for a few minutes, then, after a snowball fight or two, it is time for me to head inside and drink some hot chocolate (and start washing the 12 loads of clothes that accumulated since the first flake fell).
I would be a horrible Yankee for so many reasons, and let me tell you, snow is one of the main ones.
Brrrrrrrr,
The Park Wife
BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Especially when you have a dad that over-indulges all things boy and will stand out and freeze so he can push you when the snow gets too deep. Yes, life is good, especially while I am watching this through the window by the fireplace.
I love to watch the snow falling, play with the boys in it for a few minutes, then, after a snowball fight or two, it is time for me to head inside and drink some hot chocolate (and start washing the 12 loads of clothes that accumulated since the first flake fell).I would be a horrible Yankee for so many reasons, and let me tell you, snow is one of the main ones.
Brrrrrrrr,
The Park Wife
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Low Tech, Big Brave Fun
Our boys have big dreams, dreams of being the hero, of beating the bad guys and even slaying dragons if need be. At our house, training for their daring feats is not done in front of a video game or computer screen, it is done in our yard.
In the past month, Big Buckaroo and the boys have built a potato gun (note: do not use raw eggs just "to see if it works"), a mangler (which is what Hiccup used in How to Train Your Dragon to catch dragons), and now, for their Christmas present.......
In the past month, Big Buckaroo and the boys have built a potato gun (note: do not use raw eggs just "to see if it works"), a mangler (which is what Hiccup used in How to Train Your Dragon to catch dragons), and now, for their Christmas present.......
Is it wiring for a super dooper computer system? Um, no, not our Wild at Heart guys.
A zip line! Yes ma'am, no need to go on a zipline through a jungle or rain forest once on a vacation when you can go out in the yard everyday. The recipe for fun around here is pretty simple: Add to any activity an element of danger, stir in a little exploration and speed, add a dash of destruction, and you've got yourself a winner.
Yes, that is our 5-year-old who climbed right up and jumped on. Yes, my heart is in my throat every time he does this.
But, I know his dad is standing under him and His Father will guide and protect him while preparing him for the battles that lie ahead. Moms of boys, learn to step back and let their dad's guide them into warrior's. It is in a mother's nature to coddle them and that will only hinder their journey. I read this recently and would like to share.
"It is my belief that our culture has hijacked many of the components of biblical manhood. They have blurred the lines of what defines a man, leaving our boys and men confused and suffering from an identity crisis of sorts. Many men have abandoned their roles as providers, protectors, and spiritual and gender roles have been redefined. The fallout is great, and today we are experiencing a shortage of real men. If our sons are to be real men, we must first help them cultivate the warrior spirit within. We must prepare them for the battlefields of life and groom them to be warriors, not wimps." - Vicki Courtney
Have a blessed New Year,
The Park Wife
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