Which team do you cheer for?

I typically like college football. But there are two weeks in Iowa that are two of my least favorite Saturday's of football. It is the two weekends of Iowa teams playing each other for bragging rights or something along those lines.

I was born and raised an Iowa Hawkeye. My dad was an avid Hawk fan and I'm sure he is still cheering for them. I looked at all three state colleges and was accepted to all three but a deciding factor for not choosing two (actually three, Loras College in Dubuque also qualified) was the comment my mom made one day to me regarding she and my dad stopping by if I was in college in Iowa City, Cedar Falls or Dubuque-because they were close! Yes that was one of the deciding factors in choosing a college. I knew I needed to be far enough from home not to run home every weekend (or have my parents stopping by!).

I honestly feel an allegiance to all three state colleges for a variety of reasons, and not just because everyone else is on some kind of band wagon or some other ridiculous reason.

When I was in school I attended events at both Iowa and UNI so I grew up at and am comfortable with both. My dad, as I mentioned, was an avid Iowa fan. He was especially fond of men's basketball purely for the reason it was a winter sport and he had time to watch and attend games. Football was harvest time and he didn't have the time to watch or attend. His passion for the Hawks still warms my heart, he loved to watch them.

Iowa State is another favorite because of family and the Cyclones at times remind me of the Chicago Cubs before last year's World Series. ISU is at times the lovable losers. They are either up or down, it seems there is seldom an in-between!

UNI is a quiet force that always takes a backseat to all the hype Iowa and ISU seem to get and probably has to do with size as well. They are kind of like the forgotten little sister-you forget they are there at times.

Regardless of who is playing who I am pulling for the team from Iowa, except for the Saturday's when UNI plays ISU and Iowa plays ISU. Can't everyone win?! I do not like the crappy banter some fans post or say during these weeks of play-both before and after play. Some fans are really crappy losers. And I'm not going to bash or side with one team's fans or another. All teams have their share of crappy fans. BUT there seems to be more dip-s$@% fans for one team than the other two.teams. Regardless it is all just a game. It has notaffect on world peace nor is the cure for cancer or ends wars. We are all Iowan's, living in the same great state. It is just that, a sport, a college sport and it gives one-third of the state bragging rights for 12 months until next year.

So regardless of the outcome of last week's game or this week's game I'm still rooting for all three teams. And if you say that's not being a fan then you need to open your eyes, broaden your perspective, get a life...it's just a sport. It's just a GAME. Look that up....game-noun-1.  a form of play or sport....

Lists

Some people are list makers. My mom always wrote a grocery list. I put my grocery list on my phone and IF I do write a list I try to remember to take a picture of that list with my phone or else I forget that crazy list when I go to the grocery store. My grocery lists are a far cry from the ones my mom made. I grew up in a house that most of the food on the table was homemade. We seldom had store bought, from the cookies in the jar to the meat and side dishes at each meal, there was very little box mixes or frozen meals served.

Some people have bucket lists, and I have started a sort of bucket list. It only has a couple of things on it, nothing major or too impressive. But it's a start.

I also have a list on my phone of books I want to read-I'm nerdy like that. And another list of things to do...go to a friend who now coaches college basketball game, and go out to eat with another friend and his wife. That list is pretty short and not too exciting.

I have a third list on my phone, restaurants I want to try. That list mostly includes eateries in the city. And the list is compiled from articles I've read or suggestions from what other people have enjoyed and told me. That list is a bit longer and includes a variety. I hope to try most,  if not all on that list.

I some times do  "to-do" lists Usually it is things that I need to do or I'm asking other people to help me with. (It is very hard for me to ask others for help). I keep a very small list of things I'd like to get done or to do-usually things around my house or to my house. I don't share this list very often usually because the items on that list require extra help and/or man power...it's more of a "wish list" to me. Oh well.

My written lists are reminders, so are short term....lunch in the fridge or take a check for lunch money or take back pop cans and bottles to the redemption center, or meeting after school- are just a few of the things I write down to remind myself so I have a note on my counter by my keys in the morning...things that I often forget because I'm hurrying out the door in the mornings or have too many other things on my mind when I get home from school in the afternoons. They help keep me on task or at least remind me that they need to be done....that doesn't mean they get done or I don't forget!

I always make a list for holiday meals. And every time I sit down to make these meal lists I promise myself not to cook myself into a frenzy. But guess what, I start out very focused and end up with four vegetables at Thanksgiving dinner or six different desserts and three kinds of soup for Christmas eve. I want to make everyone's favorite and it becomes food overload! There are worse things-at least that's what I tell myself!

The lists I need to remember to do more often are the list of people and things I am blessed with and what I am thankful for. These are lists that help keep me grounded and more focused and certainly don't need to be written down.
I am blessed with...my family, my health, my freedom, clean water, food on the table, a roof over my head and many, many more things.
So many blessings and a list that I need to remember daily and appreciate more often.

I'm not a professional at the list making, I'm more of an on-again off-again lister, and I will admit if I write something down (rather than make a list on my phone) I am more likely to remember it! (So it is true that if you write something you remember it better!).

So with a holiday tomorrow and a short week ahead I have a list of things I would like to accomplish this week and what meetings I have to go to. And I'm betting most of the items on that list and schedule will get done and be remembered because I wrote it! Yay me!!

So to those who are constant list makers, I am in awe and bow down to your organization skills. I wish I was more like you. But for now I'll be the occasional "lister" and do the best I can when I don't make a list and forget more than I remember!

Summer thoughts and ramblings

Well, where did the summer go? I will admit that it honestly seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. But looking back it was fun.

-June included birthdays, short road trips and summer baseball. It was all part of what summer should be. A new routine and schedule took some adjustment to get used to but that's just life.

-July and the 4th kind of signifies that turning point where summer is on the down side. And yes it was. My sister was here to visit-what a journey she has had over the past year. She is a brave and independent woman. I admire her perspective on life. I wish I was more laid back and calm like she is.

My dream of road tripping and having my whole family all together without it being a wedding or a holiday came true. It was a lot of fun and we got through it with air mattresses and rain! And we made great memories. It seems like we planned that trip for a long time and it was here and then we were on our way back home. BUT...the only regret, we never got a family picture. I wanted something outside, not in front of a Christmas tree or dressed for a wedding. Next time we take the family picture on the first day...okay maybe the second day!


-August, and here we are on the verge of going back to school/work. Days of getting things done at home are all but over. The freedom of jumping in the car for a short or long road trip are done. And it makes me sad.

Our last visitor of the summer left on Saturday morning, child #3. Having any of my kids home is always great, no matter how long or short the visit is. I look forward to those visits for days or weeks and they always fly by.

My daily schedule changes tomorrow. My morning walking partner goes back to school and I will miss our a.m. walks and talks. Our walks do as much good for the heart as the mind and soul. We don't solve the worlds problems on our walks but we discuss life. And we get healthy too. Now we will have to change our walks to evenings.

So as another school year rolls around a new routine will become the norm and life will get busy with schedules and events and other things that life brings.

I'm always appreciative of summer and the freedom and quiet and the opportunities that it brings. Thank you to everyone who played a part in my summer. Slowing down, making memories and relaxing happens all too seldom it seems. Life goes by way too fast.

Looking back while moving forward

Where does the time go? This past week I have been reflecting back to this week one year ago. You see one year ago today we had our first family wedding of three in five months. And honestly those five months were some of the happiest of my life and three days in particular were some of the best days of my life. To see your kids find someone they love and those people are genuinely good people and love your kids back....well it makes this mom's heart happy, very happy.

A year ago today we celebrated the love between my daughter and her now husband. We saw friends and family we had not seen in a long time. We witnessed, we toasted, we celebrated and we made memories.

People's reactions during the past two and half years with three kids getting engaged within three months, then planning three wedding all within five months was funny and I developed a standard answer..."It is a very happy and fun time for our family," it usually did the trick of stopping further conversation! Because most people wanted to point out and talk about how overwhelming it all was. Yes it could be if I stopped to think about it, but that was not how I was going to remember or go through this fun time.

Each wedding was unique and fun. Each made my heart happy and overflow with love.

So today I once again say a prayer for the couple and in my heart ask God to bless them with many, many healthy, happy and loved filled years...the future it your's, together.

4th of July memories

I will be the first to admit that the 4th of July (followed closely by April Fools day) used to be my favorite holiday.

I grew up in a house that did a variety of things for the yearly holiday. There was not a set menu but it always included grilling and lots of delicious food. We ate outside and used paper plates-so clean up was easy. We didn't have to get dressed up-it was usually hot and we dressed accordingly and wore red, white and blue, if you had it! Friends, family, anyone was invited to the holiday meal. And of course there was red, white and blue type of food and watermelon, of course. It was just a good time, lots of great memories and no expectations like other holidays.

My hometown is known for the great festivities they put on every year for the 4th, after all it is named Independence! A top notched parade. An airshow, cookouts, ball tournaments, concerts and entertainment and the list goes on.

I was in the parade a few times as a kid. It was fun and of course always hot. But it is July in the midwest. The holiday was just fun and left me with a lot of found memories.

I've tried to carry on the same traditions as an adult. But living too far from my hometown and the closest thing to 4th of July celebration lacks...big time, and that's putting it mildly. Pathetic the best way to describe it.

The only thing I can control is the food and the together time. I try to put together a big meal for the 4th of July. Some years it has included lots of people, other days are smaller-like this year. And it does not matter how many or who, it's making the most of the day. Celebrating our independence. Good food. Relaxing and fun times spent with people.

Appreciate this day and what it means...we take our freedom for granted.

The great TP incident

I'm not too particular about somethings. Yes I am choosy when it comes to coffee or the gin in a gin and tonic or how I want my steak cooked--rare. But there are somethings in life I really don't give a second thought to..and I recently found out that maybe I do care or should care about somethings more than I should.

My lesson here came in the form of toilet paper. Yes, you read that right, toilet paper. I typically just stroll through the TP aisle at the grocery store and pick up what looks like it will do the trick and get on with life. I occasionally make this purchase through a warehouse store, meaning I bring home a ginormous amount of toilet paper and we are set for a few months or more. I've never been very particular about my purchases of this particular item. But last fall I made a purchase at a warehouse store and really didn't give it any thought to what I picked out other than it was a big package! That is until I got home and opened the huge package a few days later. Big mistake. I work for a public school system and the TP at school is like using sheets of paper...paper, like sheets of notebook paper kind of toilet paper. Well this bulk package of TP was just like the notebook paper I live with everyday at work...awful. So last fall and through the holidays I had this crappy, shitty or however you want to describe it toilet paper. It was not fun and I found myself kind of embarrassed about the whole situation as the holidays and family came home. I bought a better kind of TP putting it out when we had company and I would switch back to the notebook TP for the rest of the time. Well here I am seven whole months later and FINALLY the notebook toilet paper is almost gone-Alleluia! I'd like to do a toilet paper happy dance but it just seems a bit over the top.

So the life lesson learned here is to pay attention when making purchases that are close to you! And if you take something for granted, think again before you buy 45 rolls of it and you are stuck using it for seven blessed months...unless you are planning on handwriting a novel and want to do it on a roll...many, many, rolls!

Keeping your passion

We all have things we are passionate about. Things that we love to do. If your work is your passion and you look forward to going to work every day, then you are very, very blessed. For others passion could be a hobby like reading or fishing or mountain climbing or movie watching. We all have our "thing".

For me it is dance and it has been for years. Dance makes me happy. No I probably don't move like I used to and I've put my love of dance into coaching. I have for 23 years. I have both fond and happy memories along some less than happy memories from those years. But I'd like to think that for those few tough times I've got 100+ times and memories that are happy, the good has always out weighted the bad 100-times over. The laughter and smiles I've seen from "my kids" make those tough times worthwhile.

But as we all know times, kids and parents have changed. We have a society of "experts" coming in the form of kids and parents or kids who have been told they are the experts by said parents. Those who think they know better and the parents who want to run the show. I will be the first to admit that the past couple of years have been tough. From very poor behavior coming from one of my athletes to girls and their mama's who are, well....just plain mean girls. The moms are still living in their high school years...and they act pretty poorly but that is their business. The sad thing is they are raising daughters who have no values or character and continue to act just like them as adults...follow the same path. This in turns make working in education and coaching tough.

And what my coaching future holds is my decision. Yes, I have a few people around me telling me what they think I should do. But honestly none of them have walked in my shoes. I'm not going to argue with them about their perspective. But it is easy to give someone your opinion. For me walking away is heartbreaking. With 20+ years of blood, sweat, tears, laughter, smiles and happy memories it would be a tough thing to let go. Letting someone win is not how I do things. I'm not in it to win anything but I'm also not in this to let a couple of "mean girls" get their way. Yes, it's a matter of pride but it's also for all those kids who have touched my life over the past 20+ years. The girls and boys who I still see and hear from. I'm not sure what I've taught all those athletes over the years, I hope they learned something from Dance Team. But it's just as much for me what I've learned from them. The smiles when they dance in front of home fans. The pride when they earn a trophy at state competition. Or the friendships they've formed from teammates they otherwise may have never gotten to know. All these kids have crossed my path and I've lived and learned from all of them. More from some, than others.

I'm honestly torn right now...my heart and head are saying one thing while a few around me say otherwise. The lack of support is disappointing and sad to say the least. My heart is sad because of the lack of support and the fact that where I go from here I will be doing alone without support-but lack of support in education is nothing new. I avoid the subject around a few choice people because they've made their feelings know and I know I don't have the support.

The phrase "one more year" rolls thought my mind. I'd rather have six good, hard working, good hearted dancers than lazy athletes who only make things a priority when they want to. I don't want the past year or two to define me, decide for me. I also don't want to give up just because the going has gotten tough.

When I took this program over 23 years ago it was a small program with a half dozen performances during basketball season. I've fought tooth and nail for respect and a ton of hard work and I've made it a little bit bigger. Has my program run it's course? Is this just a rough patch? I don't want to give it up and hand it over to someone who will destroy it and I leave because of a few bad apples. I feel like I'm running from a fight rather than standing strong. There will always be haters. That's life.

My lack of dance in my life has made me sad and has an affect on my creativity-big time. I'm one of those people who has to create every day. I mean every single day. This can range from organizing to creating something. I need it, I live for it, it's who I am. I still 8-count music and feel the tempo. I still envision moves in my mind with music as well....

The phrase "When the going gets tough, the tough get going" just keeps coming to mind. I'm pretty sure I'm tough as I've made it through every tough day that's came my way in life so far, so I've got a pretty good track record, but so does anyone who is still alive!