The Pumper's Wife

Life gives us TONS of frustrations, right?  We start learning about frustrations at an early age with things like: homework, flat tire on a bike, rained out baseball game, snow day that should have been, spilled milk, you know the stressful list.  Then we get a little older and those frustrations become a bit bigger:  broke down car, sick kid, washing machine on the fritz, etc.  Oh, just writing these things down makes my stomach upset!! So what do we do about these frustrations?  We work through them.  We deal with them.  We wish they wouldn’t ever happen again.  But here’s the thing…they teach us.  We become better for them.  Frustrations make us appreciate when things go good.  If not for frustrations, everything would be hunky-dory all the time and we’d never really appreciate how wonderful life is!! I know personally, being the wife of a septic pumper this means calls when I don’t want to be called or a working husband when I don’t want him to be working…like on Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (break)… Everywhere you go…there are dishes left out from snacks Toys cluttering up walking paths And Mommys fighting kids on sugar over load!! This may or may not be your current home condition.  I have to admit there is a reason those words popped into my head as I started writing this post…they rang a little true for me!!  Now that I am a home-based business mom, conducting business as normal while the kids are home on break can make Christmas a little more interesting!  If the phone rings, I must answer in my normal business tone despite the cat running for it’s life from the latest hunting game that just ensued upstairs, or the misplaced Lego piece that I didn’t see as I walked around the office.  (Seriously, I swear those tiny little things are the MOST painful toys when stepped upon…) So, this week will be an interesting one.  And it’s not like my boys don’t understand our home business situation, but they are 8 and

It’s that time of year that comes with some wonderful cinema favorites!  I don’t know about you and your family but we have several Christmas movies we like to watch… The Christmas Story Miracle on 34 th Street Elf Charlie Brown Christmas Frosty The Snowman White Christmas A Christmas Carol We love all of these listed above, but my all time favorite Christmas movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life” – in my opinion it just doesn’t get any better than that movie.  And it’s not just because of some of the great lines… “You look like the kind of angel I’d get” “Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people” “I’ve been saving this money for a divorce if I ever got a husband” CLARENCE: No, we don’t use money in heaven GEORGE: Well, it comes in real handy down here, bud! Yes, the lines are great, but more importantly is the message it sends.  We don’t often see characters like George Bailey anymore.  Those types of selfless people truly are becoming a thing

So as we all know, Christmas is upon us!  I truly love this time of year.  I love how everywhere you go there is the air of Christmas all around.  There is Christmas music, Christmas decorations, Christmas candy, Christmas everything!  No matter where you go or what you do, there’s a little bit of Christmas everywhere.  Even grocery shopping is filled with the Christmas spirit as baked good ingredients seem to scream “buy me and the smell of Christmas will permeate your house!”  Everywhere it’s Christmas.  There’s just something different about this time of year that really does sing, “it’s the most wonderful time, of the year…” But as fun as I find Christmas it never ceases to amaze me how fast my December fills up with things to do, attend, and prepare for.  It can get overwhelming!!  And, being overwhelmed can get me grouchy making my “bah humbugs” ring out louder than my “Merry Christmas’s.” I will even go as far to admit that there have been Christmas seasons when I started o

Did you know that septic systems make for an AWESOME science project topic?  You didn’t?! Obviously you didn’t have a science teacher who knew how to incorporate the word “poop” into ordinary classroom conversations….ha! As I have mentioned before, I used to teach middle school science.  (BEST. JOB. EVER.)  And though my body may not be in a classroom anymore, my heart and mind still are.  FORTUNATELY, I still get to play teacher with my own children when they bring their homework home at night, but what thrills me the most are SCIENCE PROJECTS assignments!!  Yay!! Seriously, this is my addiction in life.  (Well, that and coffee…but I digress…) My oldest son in 5 th grade recently had a science project assigned to him.  He brought home paperwork describing what he could do to fulfill the requirements of the project.  In that, he was told he could research something or perform an experiment.  As we were reading through some of the ideas or examples his teachers listed, one

This time of year has many of us thinking about all the many reasons to give thanks.  Because Thanksgiving is this week, I’m going to list the many things I am thankful for – you may have already done something like this, but if not, I would encourage you to do the same.  I know what I typically find is the more I think of things to be thankful for, the more things come to mind – it has an exponential effect, if you will.  So, here’s my list 1.  I’m thankful for my Lord and savior and the forgiveness he gives me every day – because He knows (and you may know too…) I need it! 2. I am thankful for my family.   I am lucky to be the wife of a hard-working and wonderfully-providing husband along with two very energetic and healthy boys.     I am also blessed by my extended family of parents and in-laws who always seem to be there when we need them to love and support us in good and bad times. 3.  I am thankful for my country – though I don’t agree with everything that happe

I recently had this conversation with my youngest son… JUNIOR :  Mom, why did God invent the “fake middle finger”?  It doesn’t do anything and it’s really hard to move, so I’m just wondering why do we have it? ME :  The fake middle finger?  What finger is that? JUNIOR : You know, you have your thumb, your pointer finger, your middle finger, your fake middle finger and your pinkie.  All the other fingers do something or are easy to move, but not the fake middle finger.  Is that why it’s called “fake” because it just doesn’t do anything? ME :  (bewildered) Well, I’m pretty sure you’re the only one I’ve ever heard call it the “fake middle finger.” – so your perspective on this whole ordeal is completely original.  JUNIOR :  What do you call it? ME :  My 4 th finger or my ring finger.  See, I wear my wedding ring on it. JUNIOR :  Huh, so you mean, I’m going to have to get married before this finger will work for me? ME :  I guess so, son.  I guess so! Yes people – t

I am not a big fan of change.  I get used to what I’m used to and change irritates me!  Even when I know the change could possibly be good, I still don’t want it, because it will be different.  And, different takes so long to get used to again.  Different changes my routine or habits in life.  Remember when the sitcom FRIENDS ended?  None of us knew what do to with ourselves Thursday night at 7 pm.  For two or three years after the show ended, we’d sit on our couches Thursday at 7 and watch disappointing show after disappointing show.  Nothing could replace FRIENDS.  Our lives were changed forever.  Yes we survived, but the struggle was real as we suffered through in the process…. Okay, I MIGHT be over dramatizing this, but I still say change is hard.  However, what life is teaching me is that change is a part of life whether I like it or not.  Right now, I feel like change is ruling my life and though some are extremely superficial, when you add them all together, it’ just

I’ll need to look at my schedule. What’s your schedule look like for next week? Can we schedule that for sometime today? Our schedule has just been jammed packed! Business schedules Family schedules School schedules Sports schedules Church schedules Conflicting schedules Schedules Schedules Schedules Ugh. Do you feel my pain? I realize our life must have structure and order, but lately it seems like schedules rule our lives.   And it’s not all bad.  I mean, if there wasn’t some sort of plan, would anything ever get done?  I know if I didn’t have a list of things to do or certain times scheduled to do this or that, my life would be a big, hot mess…well bigger and hotter than it is already But at what point do schedules become overwhelming?  When are we able to take time to smell the roses?  What about relaxing evenings?  What about slow mornings drinking coffee?  What about a weekend not jammed packed with activities? Is it crazy to think tha

Why is it everything at night is more horrible, scary, and awful? For instance, when my boys were little and would wake in the night with a fever, I was ten times more afraid of their condition than if the same temperature happened at say 10 am.  A fever at 2 am obviously meant meningitis, whereas a similar fever at 10 am meant a cranky baby until the Motrin could kick in. Even now, when I have a sleepless night, my mind doesn’t wonder towards pleasantries….no, no…not at all!  My mind takes a trip straight past Logic Lane and beelines for Crazy Town.  Case in point: Just two nights ago, I was awake and couldn’t get back to sleep.  After tossing and turning, I finally just sat in bed and let my thoughts wonder.  Every worry and complaint I could think of came to mind.  I started with complaining… Gosh I hate my job now!!  I’m alone all day, sitting at a computer, talking to people on the phone who just call to complain!!  I would kill to be working with junior high kids

Did anyone else think you’d be 64 before your body started aching all over?  I sure did.  I never paired my 30s with pain.  I came across this little meme today and though I laughed, I also sighed… I don’t know about you, but this is what I feel like most days.  And as of today, I’m far from sixty four. Relating to this though, kind of irritated me.  I don’t want to be the frumpy, tired, grumpy adult that gets all negative about life whenever anyone asks, "How are you?".  I like to think of myself as the “glass is half full” kind of girl, but lately I feel like my glass is half empty… and has a crack in it. Lately, I find myself thinking back on my own childhood and early adult life and remember how easy it all seemed.  As a kid, my parents did all the worrying…all I had to do was wake up every day and breathe.   As a young adult, I didn’t have much, but I also didn’t worry much either.  (I mean, I could grocery shop using only a basket!!  A basket!!  You kno

You know it’s post season, right? For those of us crazed baseball fans things are starting to get interesting especially if your team made the cut. Our family has watched its far share of playoffs, but this year has me in a quandary.  I am telling you, a lot more is going on than just the playing of baseball games.  As many people know, baseball players and fans have ridiculous superstitions, beliefs, and customs.  For instance, players won’t launder their socks because they think it could possibly stop a winning streak or they won’t shave because ever since they missed a day their team started winning.  Whatever the beliefs you may have heard of (or possibly believe in yourself) this year a couple of the postseason teams have some intriguing ideas and stories to consider.  First up, the Kansas City Royals.  As you may know, the Kubiks are big Kansas City Royals fans.  Both my boys have the “Hos” haircut (after the 1 st baseman Eric Hosmer), we have a cat named Salvador Perez

The hubs and I recently took part of a trade show sponsored by an organization called WasteCaps Nebraska.  Their goal is to encourage recycling and any other measure that might aid in helping our environment.  Though many think pumping septic tanks is quite dirty, we are actually recycling wastewater.  After we haul the septic contents away, it is then treated and released back into a river –by this time it is safe and good for the environment.   Really when you think about it, septic systems were among the first recycling systems ever invented – our first attempt at reusing water.  While at the show, we enjoyed hearing the keynote speaker, Mitch Hedlund, who is the founder of Recycle Across America.  She presented recycling in a way I had never considered before and stressed the importance of standardizing our recycling methods.  Let me explain.  If you consider the different places we put items to be recycled, what do they look like?  Are they the same?  I would venture to say n

No doubt reading this title brings back memories of Marty McFly and Doc Brown (or Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd depending how you remember the characters).  It has been a favorite movie for some time for my kiddos.  I think I could quote it word for word if that gives you any idea how much we’ve watched it.  In fact, for many years, my oldest asked that his school picture be sent to Michael J. Fox, he was so smitten with his character.  (We now possess an autographed picture of the actor which he keeps proudly displayed in his room).  Our dog is officially named Marty McFly Kubik.  (Yes, we need help).  There are some other BTTF bits of craziness we have in our family, but as you can infer with the few examples stated above, we no doubt qualify as “fans” of the films.  That being said, those movies have truly become a part of our pop-culture-history.  There were lots of ideas presented in the sequel of what our possible technological advances might be.  Obviously, every