Blingity Bad

Uh oh, watch out, The Park Wife is on a bit of a tear. Yes, it happens, just ask my husband.

Really, I try hard not to judge, it is a bit of a struggle at times, especially when I am in a situation where PEOPLE WATCHING could be considered a sport. I was at a big festival recently and since I had my camera with me, I thought I would share something that my friend Jenn and I have been ranting about for a few weeks now.

Butt bling, with crosses no less. Now, I love me some Jesus, and I am in awe of His majesty, His grace and His power (among many other things). HOWEVER, I am not going to put some bedazzled crosses as an advertisement for people to look at on my bottom. Um, what exactly would that be advertising?

                                             

These were not the tightest ones I saw that day, I had to choose one that was not like a blinking arrow sign to post. You are welcome.

I don't think the Lord wants this type of advertising, actually I am pretty positive that He is just fine on His own.

I also hear they cost well over $100, yes ma'am, we are in a recession, people are losing their homes, food costs are skyrocketing, unemployment is up, but they have some bedazzled bottom jeans.

Mercy, you can tell I am in a bit of an uproar, but hold on to your bling jeans, when this little lady turned around, she had on this shirt.



Yes, this might send me over the edge. Are you kidding me? This is just wrong on so many levels. I don't think I can even go there.

A cross is not a fashion statement, it is a way of life.

The Park Wife

Live Like You Were Dying

It's funny, in a strange way, how things effect you that you did not see coming.

When I was in college, I sat next to a brother and sister in my photography class. Anne and Stony were kind, generous, had a zest for life, just plain exciting and fun. I knew immediately that I wanted to be their friend and I was. It was an extraordinary season in my life.

Stony was into body building and he and Anne owned a gym. Years prior to meeting them, Stony had battled lymphoma and kicked its behind. He worked hard and did well in many bodybuilding competitions. Their dad lived in New Orleans and I spent time at their home on State Street. (no, I never dated Stony if you were thinking that, just friends) Anne had a cottage behind her grandmothers home in Poplarville, MS and we would go there for some down time. I loved staying there and enjoying the family vibe they had created. I have many fond memories that include them.



After I had graduated and started moving all over the South, Stony returned to college for architecture, graduated, worked with his dad (a very prominent New Orleans architect) and married a young lady that I have not met but have heard how extraordinary she is.

Although I have not seen them since college, I have kept in touch with them. I knew Stony was fighting the good fight once again on the disease that ravaged his body but could never ravage his spirit. The lymphoma was not through with him and unfortunately, he lost the third and final, fierce battle Friday.

I have prayed for Anne, Stony's wife and the rest of their family to be able to endure the pain of their loss and to feel the peace of our loving God who Stony is now lifting some heavy weights for in Heaven.

I have wondered all day why this has hit me so hard. I have not seen them or been in their lives for almost 18 years. I am not totally sure of the answer of why I am so overwhelmed, but I think it is because without a shadow of a doubt I know that Stony lived his life how we all should. He made every moment of his life count. He was full of joy, love and hope, and he touched everyone he met with his incredible enthusiasm and zest for life. He was the genuine, real deal.

So, tonight, I grieve for the beautiful man who was a gentle giant, a hero, and touched the hearts of everyone who was blessed to know him. And, I reevaluate how I live everyday. For taking advantage of my blessings, spending time and emotions on things that really do not matter, and not living like I was dying.

Tomorrow is a gift, what are you going to do with it?

The Park Wife

Seriously?

Watch out, a grumpy post.

It snowed on the first day of Spring in the South. Seriously? Bitterly. I hope my garden survives.

The Bachelor, Kate Without the 8, a Baywatch Babe, and 90210's Shannen Doherty (she scares me) on Dancing With the Stars? Serious. Oh yea, and they even have Buzz Aldrin, you think he will do the Moonwalk?

New statistics say that our children's life span is 10 years less than ours. Why? Because of fast food and processed food being the main diet in America. Sad. Did anyone see Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution last night? He shows up in Huntington, W. Va. – which is the unhealthiest city in the country according to the CDC – with plans to overhaul their deep-fried, over-processed diets. They were not too welcoming. The school lunch ladies were mean, reminds me of elementary school. Oh, be sure I will be blogging more about Jamie Oliver's quest and our food system.

Health care bill gets the votes. Really? I am sure you can imagine how I feel about that one.

And then:
I am in awe of the Mennonites in our area, with that said, one of the young ladies that was at our park festival selling baked goods this past weekend drove up in her black MINI Cooper. Seriously? Yes, with lots of chrome.

I am going bed until Spring. No, not when the calendar says, but when it is not snowing and is sunny and warm (some morals, values and integrity in America would be nice too).

May God Bless America,
The Park Wife

Food, Inc. - Hungry for Change

It is almost time for our state’s annual farmers' market conference and I am so excited. Last year, we started a farmers’ market in our town and it was a blast. I got to sell our garden extras and bond with people who are like-minded when it comes to growing and eating healthy, nutritious food. It is amazing what you can learn sitting around with a farmer on a Saturday morning. These are some of the most wonderful people I know, they know what is important in life and are not consumed with an over-scheduled, keep up with the Joneses lifestyle.

So, that brings me to my latest recommendation: go rent Food, Inc. TODAY. Really, don’t wait, get on Netflix and put it in your queue or pick it up at your local movie rental store.

After Big Buckaroo and I got married 10 years ago, he started talking about a man named Joel Salitan and his Polyface Farm, a family owned, multi-generational, pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. We bought all his books and a video of that he made of his farm and devoured them. So, I had read many books and articles that talked about what is included in this documentary. I also saw this which I blogged about on Oprah a while back that hit on some of the same things. But, watching Food, Inc. will change the way you view those little chicken nuggets you pick up on the way home for your kiddos.

One of the main messages from this film is to educate yourself where your food comes from. It is not as simple as it seems either. The government and giant food companies work very hard so that we have no idea what happened to the food before it got to our plate. Film Producer Robert Kenner did an amazing job at uncovering the veil that has been placed in front of us for so long.

The movie was what I expected it would be: Incredibly thought-provoking, sad, horrifying, very emotional…yet inspiring.

Here are some of the important issues touched on by the film:
Factory Farming: Approximately 10 billion animals (chickens, cattle, hogs, ducks, turkeys, lambs and sheep) are raised and killed in the US annually. Nearly all of them are raised on factory farms under inhumane conditions. These industrial farms are also dangerous for their workers (they frequently get infections), pollute surrounding communities (manure, anyone?), are unsafe to our food system and contribute significantly to global warming.

Pollution: The average food product travels about 1,500 miles to get to your grocery store. Transporting food accounts for 30,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

Cloning: In January 2008, the FDA approved the sale of meat and milk from cloned livestock, despite the fact that Congress voted twice in 2007 to delay FDA’s decision on cloned animals until additional safety and economic studies could be completed.

Pesticides: Cancers, autism and neurological disorders are associated with the use of pesticides especially amongst farm workers and their communities.

Genetic Engineering: Some of our most important staple foods have been fundamentally altered, and genetically engineered meat and produce have already invaded our grocery stores and our kitchen pantries. Today, 45% of U.S. corn and 85% of U.S. soybeans are genetically engineered under a government-regulated system. In the 2008 election cycle, the food industry donated $65 million to candidates for federal office.
(Source)

As consumers, we have the power to influence the market. If there is a demand for organic, sustainable, and plant-based products- the super companies will deliver. Wal-Mart now carries many organic products because there is a demand for it. Don’t be naive, I personally don’t think Wal-Mart cares about me in particular…but it is all about the bottom dollar for these super companies. If we demand it they will produce it.

Remember, farmers' markets are popping up everywhere! What a wonderful way to buy local and fresh, meet the farmer who actually grew the food you will put on your table.

We can harp all we want about Big Food, but until we start teaching ourselves and our children how food grows and where it comes from, we are fighting an uphill battle. Every time you eat, you are voting for the type of food that you want to see on the store shelves.

Have you seen Food Inc.? What were your thoughts? Did it change how you ate or how you viewed the food industry?

Not wanting a Big Mac (ever again),

The Park Wife

Transportation Industry Downsizing

Washington can twist words, use their fancy rhetoric, but we are headed for economic disaster. We are in a recession and people are losing their jobs! 85,000 lost jobs in December alone.

And, now I hear talk that China is becoming the dominant superpower.

Scares me and makes me sad because this is our children's future that is at stake.

It really hit home when I saw this while traveling in the north part of our state.



Yes, the transportation industry is hurting too. A dramatic slowdown in consumer demand has been crippling the Nation's trucking firms.

What will happen when the Walmart trucks slow down? Where will you get your milk, eggs, bread? Or, your soap, toilet paper, razor blades?

Did you know that 11,000 Walmart warehouse (Sams) employees were laid off UNEXPECTEDLY a few weeks ago. And, 300 administrative positions at the Arkansas headquarters were laid off yesterday. You know it is scary when Walmart is laying people off.



Now, I know this was just a funny trucker with this on the back of his truck. I did find it hilarious. Then, being a mother of boys, I knew that was a Tonka tractor, yep, made in China.

Praying for our country,
The Park Wife

I Want It All and I Deserve It!

This was originally posted in December of last year, but as I left the department store, this was on my mind again. I wonder why?

I know, I should be posting on all our wonderful Christmas plans, traditions we have begun, and the REAL reason of the season, but something has been on my heart for a while and frankly, all my friends around here are probably tired of me ranting about it. So, I thought I would share with my blog friends. I know, The Park Wife on her soapbox again! Just indulge me, it is the holiday season. Oh wait, indulge…that is exactly what I want to talk about.

As the holiday season approached, I was in several stores and overheard many conversations between parents and children, heard many tantrums in the aisles over not getting what the kids/teens wanted, and so many more things that disturbed me about the generation we are raising. It seems that young Americans in this day and age have a sense of entitlement that far exceeds those of previous generations. Where did this come from? How do I, as a mom who is trying to raise men of Godly character, guard against getting sucked into this? How do I, myself, guard against feeling this way?

Going into debt to buy Christmas gifts, making sure they have the latest fashions and gadgets just like their friend Suzie, making sure they get to play in a game the same amount of time as the other kids, oh the list goes on! We are hurting our children and society as a whole. We are not allowing our children to develop character. Instead we are raising kids who can not cope and have unrealistic expectations about life.

We are sending the message that they deserve things for facing adversity. They feel entitled to getting things because their parents feel guilty. Believe it or not, children are very intuitive to our motives and learn how to manipulate at an early age, hence the tantrums in Wal-Mart, and absurd demands for large sums of money as a reward for doing nothing.

When I was young, we "tried out" for the school athletic teams. And only the best made it on. That's as it should be (and I'm sorry for the folks who are clumsy or otherwise unable to play sports well... but God gave you a separate set of gifts). Nowadays, everyone is "entitled" to play. In real life, the professional teams don't take everyone that tries out. We aren't rewarding excellence in those children who do exceptionally well at something (whether it's chess club, drama, sports or whatever). If we don't reward excellence, then why should anyone pursue it?

This does not just pertain to the 8-year-old in the electronics store not getting the latest greatest gadget or the kid on the soccer team who never showed up for practice and only a few games, but got a trophy for their “hard work and determination” during the season. I have heard repeatedly from many friends and family out in the workforce that workplaces are poisoned with attitudes and entitlement. Many adults whimper at the slightest inconvenience, delay, or restriction. Why? Because, like toddlers, they are convinced they deserve what they want when they want it. They are accustomed to being served and do not know what real hard work is. They are never satisfied and do not understand why they are not being recognized for their minimal effort work. Where is their trophy for showing up? And, constructive criticism is not an option, their defenses go immediately ~ because of course, they know it all ~ isn't that what they have been allowed to believe their whole lives?

In organizations across the country, I bet you will hear:
"What have they done for me lately?"
"This company owes me more than this as an annual raise. After all, I put in my eight hours a day." (Never mind performance)
"They're not being fair."
“I just graduated college, I can’t believe they did not give me that CEO job of Google.”
“I deserve a publishing contract from the publisher I sent my completed novel to. I "tried out", didn't I? You mean everyone doesn't get to "play"?”

Would you like a little cheese with that whine? It's no wonder that bankruptcy filings are up (you mean I'm not entitled to buy whatever I want? I can afford an $85,000 home, but I really wanted the $350,000 home, so I bought it. What do you mean they are going to foreclose?), crime is up (If you have it and I want it, I get to take it - whether that's your purse, your car, or your life), and work ethic is down, down, down (companies can hardly fire a substandard worker for fear of a lawsuit).

We're all different, with different gifts. I want to show our kids how to be the best they can be, not the best their neighbor can. But if we don't give them a reason to excel, why should they? We want them to know the difference between right and wrong. We want to show them how to do their best and to help them figure out their strengths. We want them to be hard workers, not mediocre, I showed up, reward-me-kind-of-people that refuse to take the blame when things go wrong and are always trying to take the praise for others hard work. Our goal for the Buckaroos is not to make them happy by immediately gratifying their natural lusts; we want to build character. This is hard work and we don’t always get it right. We pray for the insight to be able to do this successfully for much depends upon it.

Thank you for INDULGING my soapbox rant.

Boycotting the mall,
The Park Wife

These are a Few of My Favorite Things/Happenings from the Past Month

We have had a busy month around here with school starting, family visits, birthday parties, working on our cabin (more photos coming soon on that), the list goes on.

In my completely overwhelmed state, I, at times, forget to stop and appreciate the simple pleasures of life. I am very blessed and I think at times I get so busy that I don't delight in my blessings. So, in an effort to change that, I compiled some things from the past few weeks (minus first day of school at the lake and cabin pictures which I will post soon) that made me smile.


Lucky, whose real name is Deuce, is still alive, yes, lucky to be alive after eating 3 of our chickens. But, he has been good for a few weeks so he gets a spot on my list of favorite things. Now, that could change quickly with this dog.

Meet Long John Silver, yes we are into pirates big time! Of course our boys do not do anything half-way, they have to dress up and act out their favorite pirate adventure which happens to be Treasure Island. I am alright with that, it is a classic, can I count that is homeschooling for the day?

Oh mercy, I love me some Zapp's chips, they are delicious. They are made in Louisiana, of course, there is some great food coming out of that state. I was fortunate to have someone give me this bag of chips, it reminds me of my times in New Orleans. If I would have had a Sundrop while eating them I am not sure I would not be packing my bags and moving further South where these products are easier to obtain.

Speaking of good food, Littlest Buckaroo is into cooking big time. Yes, his brother has him cooking pirate stew most the time, but he has other specialties too. This has been a wonderful way to teach him numbers and measuring, again, can I count this as homeschooling for the day?

Cousin Buckaroo had a birthday party a couple of weeks ago and all he wanted was a Larry Boy costume. Never fear, Aunt Park Wife is here. I am all about kids being creative and imagination. He has been wearing the hat everyday and everywhere they go.

And, my most favorite thing from the past few weeks???? Grandma came for a visit and we had a ton of fun (plus she helped me deep clean my kitchen, woo hoo). The Buckaroo's love when their Grandma comes from Mississippi, she plays with them and gives into their every whim. Big Buckaroo and I like it when she is here too, I wished she lived closer! hint, hint Grandma.

Everyone stop and appreciate your blessings today!
The Park Wife

Food Supply, Economy, and Oprah!

How can The Park Wife weave food supply, the economy, and Oprah into one blog post? Oh, never underestimate me friends.

I have a love/hate relationship with Oprah. She has some ridiculous shows on and then there are the jewels like today's show that will educate people on how their food gets to their table. Lisa Ling takes a look inside some of America's farms. I believe if you watch it, your diet may change after the show. You will be horrified to know how the meat you eat is raised and how much you are paying for these practices.

Many people think that if they don't have a farm they are destined to buy overly processed, chemical infused, highly toxic foods from Walmart. Most of the food the average American eats bears about as much resemblance to its natural state as a chicken nugget does to a barnyard hen.

Did you know that each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles? If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week! That is not gallons, but barrels. Let's hear that in the next Presidential debate, now that is solution and change people!

As far as our house:
For meat, we just raised four hogs (one for our family and the other 3 for friends and family). Tonto fans, she is still here don't worry.

We customarily run about 100 meat chickens, pastured poultry a year (which we split with one other family). What that means in layman terms (for the non-chicken owners out there), we raise chickens directly on green pasture which allows the birds to receive a significant amount of pasture forage as feed. They are moved on to fresh grass twice a day in a floorless pen so they are raised in a cleaner, healthier environment. Then, after about 6 weeks, it is slaughter day. This is not my favorite day of the year, but it is worth it to have healthy, non-steroid, arsenic, and whatever else filled chickens. Yes, we do have the equipment so don't think I am sitting there plucking chickens, now that would be something to tell my high school friends.

We also have laying hens for eggs, right now we had a slaughter by a skunk and possum, leaving only 2 hens, so we will get new ones in the Spring.

I have tried real hard on my garden and can grow zucchini, squash and jalapeno peppers like crazy. I have had a hard time with tomatoes which is the one vegetable that we would like to have a surplus of. My brown thumb is turning tan, but, hey that is progress because it started out as a black thumb, not brown. The garden has also been a wonderful teaching tool for the Buckaroo's. They know the feel of soil in their hands, how to plant seeds, water and harvest. This not only teaches them that our food comes from the ground, not the grocery isle, but that it takes hard work.

You can do this for your family too! Well, maybe hogs in your backyard if you live in a neighborhood is not a good idea. But, there are things you can do!

If you don't have acreage for a garden, you can have a container garden or you can visit your local farmer's market. Not only will you score on locally produced food, most of the farmers that back their pick-up trucks to the market are more than happy to share/teach your kids about the process of how their produce started as a small seed and what went into it before it arrived their that day.

You could also participate in a CSA (community-supported agriculture) program, where, in exchange for paying a portion of a farmer's costs each season, you'll receive a portion of his harvest. This keeps your dollars local, boosting the economy of your area.

I do still have to shop at the local grocery store, but we are trying to do what we can to put healthy food on our table and not give so much of our money to the huge retailers.

This kind of life is a choice, sometimes a daily choice. It may sound like a "simple" life to many. But, I have found that living a "simple" life does not mean you are somehow inadequate or you are "poor". I feel like one of the richest women alive.

For the best local sources of grass-fed beef or organic produce, check out LocalHarvest. Another great site is Kitchen Gardeners International which helps backyard gardeners increase their food self-reliance and link up with a worldwide community of people who grow their own ingredients.

Don't settle! Get out there and put good food on your table!

Eat well,
The Park Wife

The Little Black Dress

Since I do not have girls, I have become part of our AWANA girls group at church and work with girls grades 3 - 6. The majority of our girls come from the surrounding neighborhood of our church and are not as fortunate as many of the girls that regularly attend our church. They all have such sweet spirits and it is fun for me to leave my house full of boys and hang with the girls every Wednesday night.

Last night, we had a "Lock-In" for the girls and had a BLAST, the black circles under my eyes will eventually go away, right?. We did everything from a cool craft, to cooking, to counsel time, to my area (oh so appropriate for the Southern Belle in me), etiquette. We ate way to much pizza, pigs in a blanket, popcorn, cookies and yes, I drank a ton of Dr. Pepper. tsk.tsk. I will have to pay penance by only drinking water for the next 5 days, I mean hours.

Although I do not have girls, I often see how young girls these days are not taught even the basics of etiquette. I do not expect Miss Manners or Amy Vanderbilt level manners, but I do think that a girl should have some guidelines to follow that are appropriate rather than today's celebrity "role models" who are so obviously lacking in the class area. It makes me yearn for the Golden Age of Hollywood where Audrey Hepburn was who the young ladies wanted to emulate. Audrey Hepburn is the little black dress while the Brittany and Lindsey's of today are just leopard skin tights and neon parachute pants. Sure, leopard skin tights and parachute pants are fun for a while but eventually something new comes along and replaces it while the little black dress has been a classic piece decade after decade.

I just hit the basics such as having a positive attitude, showing respect, having good posture, proper attire, and a lesson on table manners. The girls had a blast, especially walking around with books on their heads.

All I can do is try to offset the negative influences of TV, movies, and entertainment news with a positive adult role model to these young ladies (at least The Park Wife tries to be a positive role model, let's not bring up the Dr. Pepper weakness) At the end of the day, or late night actually, I hope that they left there with something - be it which fork to use, cellphone courtesy, how to not slouch nor sit with your legs apart, or even preparation to be in the Guinness Book of World Records for walking the longest way with a dictionary on their head.

Most importantly, I hope that they will begin to depend on and value their actual character as a definition of success and know that being a lady will never go out of style. I hope and pray they choose the little black dress.

The Park Wife

What is this bloggy world coming to?

O.K. Let me first apologize for my computer unsavvyness (I know that is not really a word, but I like it). It is amazing, just 5 short years ago I was a professional public relations practitioner that even redesigned, wrote content for, and launched the Intranet for my international organization along with writing content regularly for our Internet site. So, how is it that my blog world throws me for loops? Did the 2 Epidurals zap out all knowledge that I had acquired up until that rainy night in December 5 years ago when Little Buckaroo was born?

This brings me to Adsense, or for me, lack of sense. I have had some completely inappropriate ads popping up, like cheebing wibes (spelled incorrectly so that it will not pull anything like that up again), Fee Wibe Personels, etc. If you a have read my blog for any amount of time, you know that these types of things are in direct conflict with who I am, so let me apologize for this. I am trying to filter these types of things out. The total of 61 cents I have earned is not worth my integrity, so if I can not remedy this, I will just lose my sense or cents. Thanks Renee from Seattle for informing me of these ad mongers. I appreciate my readers, all 5 of you!

Update: I am singlehandedly going to clean up the Internet! So, view my story Hot Park Rangers.


We are off to throw a surprise birthday party for my MIL in Texas today. So, if anyone reading is from Texas, I will wave at all of you bloggy friends as we are meandering (good Texas word) through your parts.

Have a great weekend and remember to stop to appreciate all of the blessings God has given you, big and small.

The Park Wife