Saturday Morning Chores

Saturday morning cartoons were postponed due to chores!  It is a windy morning, but the calves were happy to see us.  AJ is in the field and needed us to help out.  I'm lucky I have two happy helpers.  :)

Big Toys

Planting 2014 has officially begun!  If you follow me on Twitter (see right), you saw that we got out into the field yesterday afternoon.  Of course, we all got a ride! 

Do you remember when you were little and you got a new toy? You couldn't stop smiling or thinking about it? Well, AJ got a new planter, and he can't stop smiling (believe me, it isn't for me, it's for the planter!).

We aren't a family that favors one 'color' of equipment over another. The brand of this planter is White, but it is custom made.  This means that it is the only one in the world like it!  We bought it from someone that put it together using different components from different planter companies (think of it like putting a car together using a Ford , Toyota, Chevy parts).  Some of its highlights are:
 

• It is mounted on the tractor (3 point) rather than towed behind the tractor
• There are no wheels at all on the planter which is desirable because it is hard to get to the row units to work on.
• It folds forward rather than backward when moving from field to field (easier/safer to maneuver)
• It has 24 rows (60 ft. wide)
• We load the seed in the middle of the planter and the planter distributes the seed to each row from air pushing the seed out (blowing).
• More adjustments can be made from the seat of the tractor to help with more precise placement of our seed.
• Variable rate drives: this allows us to put different seeding rates/population on without stopping.

We are excited for spring! 

 

Soccer Mom: Coach Update

I was going to write about spring progress on the farm. Then it snowed (I hope you feel the disappointment that I’m trying to convey…). 

I decided to update you on my Coach Status for soccer. First off: my team is great! They are an excited bunch of 3 and 4 year olds, and their excitement is contagious!

Our first practice was great. We only got through 2 or 3 things on my list from Soccer Mom. Apparently, a half hour goes fast when you are having fun!  Instead of kicking a certain number of goals, we used it to warm up to each other (and to the soccer ball).

Last Saturday was our first two games…and pictures. It was a long day for preschoolers!  Also, out of our 6 on the team, only 4 were there.  So, not only was it a long day, but they had to play most of the time (especially when Charlotte didn’t really want to at all the second game!). 

I laughed pretty hard when they kicked the ball off in our first game, and then, NO ONE MOVED.  They looked around at everyone yelling like, “I kicked it, now what?”  Also, high-fives were something that they didn’t understand either.  So, last night at practice we worked on high-fives and scrimmaged! 

We don’t keep score for this age of soccer, which I think is a good idea.  The main thing is to (as my Grandpa George would say) get your nose hard, and HAVE FUN!  Like I said, my team is great :)   

Now, if we could keep this Iowa weather constant...

Soccer Mom

Spring is here, and I am officially a soccer mom.  Not only that, I am a soccer COACH.  I didn't really sign up to be a coach.  However, when you have 2 kids on the team, you are somewhat obligated.  :)
 
I am the pee-wee coach for 3 and 4 year olds.  2 out of the six kids are my own.  This should be interesting!  I don't really have much experience with coaching, or soccer for that matter, but I do have a 'game plan.' 

I'm planning to start off by giving the parents information and introducing myself.  Hopefully, that will make them more comfortable being there as well.  I'm thankful for Pinterest because I've already pinned some ideas.  I was also able to talk with some other pee-wee coaches at the kick off meeting to get some other tips.  Here is my first practice plan: 

• To make sure both the parents and the kids are comfortable with me. 
• Tell them the rules (main ones being:  no hands, when they hear the whistle - they need to stop playing, treat one another nicely, and HAVE FUN). 
• Stretch & Warm-up (jumping jacks, running the length of the field)
• Ice Breaker drill:  stand in a circle and kick the ball to one another.  When the ball comes to you - say your name.
• Goal kicking:  line up and kick the ball in 15 times (count together)
• Red Light - Green Light (with a ball):  I will let each one of the kids lead
• Scrimmage:  we will only have 1 practice before our first game, so hopefully this will help them get the idea of what they need to do. 

If anyone reading has any experience with 'herding' preschool children, coaching, or any other sort of advice, please give it! 

I tried to get my kids to play soccer with me the other day.  Charlotte was happy to take pictures, but was not happy to kick the ball.  Wyatt kicked the ball for 5 minutes, sat down and said "that's enough."  I think my own children will be my biggest battle!

 

 UPDATE:  Read through my coach update after our first practice and game here!