A big thanks...

Just wanted to say...

A quick 

But very warm

Thank you to all who supported the tapping of Whipple Ale this past weekend. 

It was so exciting for us to see all of that hard work come to fruition.

However, the happiness expressed by all our loving family made it that much more meaningful to us. 

We were happy 

then you all made us proud

And humble at the same time. 

We had roots and wings on Saturday night...so thank you for your fellowship and your love. 

Thank you

Thank you

Thank you

Tenure

 ten·ure

ˈtenyər,-yo͝or/

noun

noun: tenure

1. 1.

   the conditions under which land or buildings are held or occupied.

   synonyms:

   incumbency, term of office, term, period of/in office, time, time in office, stint More "his tenure with the company"

2. 2.

   the holding of an office.

   "his tenure of the premiership would be threatened"

   synonyms:

   incumbency, term of office, term, period of/in office, time, time in office, stint More "his tenure with the company"

   • a period for which an office is held.

     plural noun: tenures
3. 3.

   guaranteed permanent employment, esp. as a teacher or professor, after a probationary period.

this is a great feat

especially when my students challenge me

on a daily basis

a few fun quotes from the mouths of teens

that mostly leave me speachless

(yelling) "MRS WHIPPLE, If you don't let me go to the bathroom right now I am going to empty my respiratory system all over your room"

Me: "go for it, I'll be sure to have an ambulance waiting for you when you are done"

 

Student: "I didn't throw the paper at him, I threw it at you"

Me:  "Why would you throw it at me?"

Student: "I wanted to see if it would stick to your hair, your hair always looks so nice so I couldn't tell if it would stick"

Me: "huh....A for honesty"

Me: "I want you to really dig deeper to support your claim by going back to the text and finding specific evidence"

Student: "pshh, Mrs. Whipple, you doin' too much"

Student stayed after class to talk to me

"Mrs Whipple, I just wanted to let you know that (boy who shall not be named) kept picking his nose and wiping the buggers under his desk. You might want to clean that up."

Me: "perfect"

"Mrs. Whipple I can tell your getting real mad right now, so I'm just gunna say ma bad. I'm sorry bra- nah seriously fo real I'll be better tomorrow, you see"

Me: "...?"

Me:"We don't say shut up in here"

Student: "I didn't say shut up"

Student: "Well I did say shut up, but I meant to say shut up please"

Student: "Or please shut up, I can't take you talkin' to me nomore"

Me: "..."

Me to a young female student: "You're being awfully spicy right now, we all just need you to take a deep breath and relax for a minute"

Student (angry face on, yelling):"I hate it when you call me spicy, I'm just mad and when I get mad I can be spicy if I want to be." 

Me: "...."

EN-velope not ON-velope- ongoing debate

Discussing stress management techniques.

"Mrs. Whipple: Is it true that you can have someone pee on you to sooth a jellyfish sting?"

Me: "...."

Me: "Your giving me agita, will you sit down and try and focus and get your work done please?"

 Student: "Oh agita, I love that song"

Me: ".....?"

Student: "huh?"

Student: "ya I would never be a teacher, I just don't know how you do it"

*sigh*

Student:"Mrs. Whipple, someday I feel like you should just punch someone in the face for being so annoying"

Me: "Well, that will ever happen"

Student: "I think it should, God knows I would deserve it"

Me: "So you want to be the person I hypothetically punch"

Student: "Well I deserve it" 

Me: "And you know this about yourself? Why don't you stop"

Student: "Sometimes I just like to push the limits"

Me: "....."

Mrs Whipple you dropped my grade by 8 points

Me: "Well, you EARNED 8 less points, you missed an assignment"

Student: "Everything is your fault"

Me: "I know" 

Best part is...there will be more...

published again...in a round about way

A big story was posted in the Democrat and Chronicle yesterday 

on 

hops being hot

front page news 

I wish someone 

had pointed out 

that 

HOPS SHOULD NOT BE HOT

not hot

cool 

I know this because all during harvest 

I was kept out of the hot sun 

and in the cool shade of the goat barn.

Except for when I needed to use the bathroom 

then I sat in the corn field

in the sun

Anyways its a pretty nice article

Chris and Justin are mentioned.

Chris has a quote.

The article links to our website

that I need to update. 

so please ignore that. 

Or make some wonderful suggestions 

as to what you would like to see appear on the site.

 

 

 

 

A loop

It was in the middle of a class conversation

that a student said

"yea its like when I was called a loop"

"a loop" I replied?

"Yeah Mrs Whipple....you know a loop. Like girls get called loops, they loop from guy to guy...basically calling a girl a slut".

And I looked at this beautiful 15 year old girl

with a knot in my throat and said

"you have to believe you are not another person's words....you believe that right?"

she shrugged and then looked down at her iphone

because do we really believe that we are not?

It all goes back to the age old phrase

sticks and stones....

sticks and stones hurt just as much as words

and words hurt without measure.

But that is just the thing

they aren't just words

they can be others perception of

YOU

YOU the person that is supposed to be most natural 

the person that is supposed to love you despite the bad

the person that is supposed to catapult yourself to success.

When there is a belief in the words of others

confidence can be shattered.

I feel as though the older and older I get

the more I am experiencing 

problems with words.

Not just in others

but my own as well.

How do we cure our language and our expressions

so that the understanding 

stands

that words are not just words.

They cost something.

The price of words should not be cheap,

words are feelings 

and they carry a weight

heavy enough to reach the depths of our souls. 

Words should we like well thought out purchases
considering all options
before picking the shiny new car.
Too bad society doesn't have time or interest to complete the market research
on words

As teachers we can lead by encouragement, and example

but we can't do enough to fix the sadness in kids

not all kids

not all the time

and not enough to shape

their perceptions of themselves.

 To solve the problem entirely...I don't know
it seems

the best that we can do 

is to share words 

that make the hurt a little less

the weight a little easier to carry.

So I leave you with this...

As we worry about the economy

or the government

or how our many minutes we have to relax in a day 

take a minute

and worry about someone else,

Don't
be
cheap 

don't save your words up.

Spend them all on someone who needs them 

Wrap them in a positivity

encouragement

admiration 

love 

and celebration 

And maybe just maybe 

they will "loop" back around.

Ode to Apples...

I have been thinking about Apples lately

apple pie

apple sauce

apple slices

caramel apples

apple pie

apple cake

dried apples

apple butter

apple farms

apple crisp

apple pie

apple candles

apple trees

apple pie

I've just mostly  been thinking a lot about apple pies

I love apple pie

and to hold myself accountable

I am going to tell you

I ate an entire apple pie 

from Wednesday to Sunday 

all 9 inches of it 

each piece was warmed

and topped with vanilla ice cream. 

On one special occasion 

caramel too.

I am not even ashamed of it 

maybe if I were 30 I would be ashamed

nahhh who am I kiddin'

I was so happy Wednesday to Saturday

that I have another one in the oven 

as 

we

speak.

 My cooking is done for the week .....

ahhh

bliss

 

 

Just a quick bit of news...

We have been published! 

Our first farm article came out last week.

You can check it out at:

http://nehopalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/June-2013.pdf

We have gotten a LOT of positive buzz from the article and we are looking forward to more from other local growers. Our hope is that we can get other local growers on board to really utilize and make our new processing equipment a great success!

Also we almost have out website going so I'll let you know when to check for that.
In the meantime you can also "Like" our facebook page at:

http://www.facebook.com/WhippleBrothersFarms
 

Otherwise have a great weekend party people!

I am no longer pregnant...

There I said it. 

And it hurts.

Bad.

I am going to talk about it now
and then not again.

We planted a Dogwood tree in memory of both our baby and our marriage. The Dogwood tree is also known as the Whipple tree, it is the same tree we planted on our wedding day. A special thank you to our family who lovingly made the tree a possibility for us. We love you so much!

Most of you already know

probably not from me 

but from others 

who through the grapevine passed the word along

when I just wasn't strong enough to utter the words myself

I thought for a long time about this post 

but I also thought for a long time 

"I will never be able to go back to my blog. My last post was all about my first two months of being pregnant"
"I had already composed my entire account of the third month"

Then I thought

"do I take my last few posts down?"

"do I delete them into cyber oblivion?"

The pain of looking at them was too raw and too deep. 

But guess what ...

my first months of being a mother were inexplicably wonderful and beautiful.

And while I would love to delete this memory into oblivion 

I can't 

It would be the inappropriate way to end something so sensational

While it hurts, pregnancy was the best thing I didn't mean to do. 

 Life teaches you the most difficult lessons when you are least expecting them.

For a while I thought
how unfair the whole experience was
to be pregnant by surprise
to accept the pregnancy
to have just enough time to start dreaming
It really just seemed so wrong
And while each day gets easier
I still think about it everyday

The only thing that I believe to justify the experience is this...

Maybe here on earth we need to lose our babies. 

Maybe 1 in 5 women need to suffer the pain of miscarriage
for a greater purpose and reason. 

I think of all people who never have had a chance to experience the joy of family.

I think of all the little girls and boys who lost their life too soon,

they deserve a family too.

I have to believe that this whole experience

is so that those in heaven 

might have a little darling to raise as their own. 

If Mary can watch her only son die on the cross 

so that we can have life 

then I can send my child into the caring arms of God and his sweet angels

 so they can experience life. 

Maybe I'm wrong 

maybe I'm right 

that's the thing about these difficult lessons

you don't really know until your day has come
But it helps me get through my day

 And while each day we will admire our tree
and think of our sweet darling
we will wait 

until the day we are called home.

And when we get there

we will hold tight to our blond haired blue eyed boy or girl 

who lives in radiance
and is being rocked by the sweetest of God's angels....

My First Two Months of Pregnancy in Review...

Now that that cat is outta that bag I'll fill you in on the pregnancy 

Things of note (in no particular order)..

1. SUPER weird being the only ones to know your pregnant and not telling anyone. They should write about this in pregnancy books. Like a how to thing---For example: "How to lie to your family and friends and tell them that you are not pregnant when you are really about to be a balloon belly". Because my responses to questions like "So when is there going to be a baby Whipple running around?" was an awkward smile looking off to a corner or I would just turn and walk away. My momma told me it was no good to lie.

2. Energy. You might as well just forget about that because it don't matter how many fruits and vegetables or fresh air walks you take---you don't have any and bedtime becomes 5:00 when you get home from work---ok 7:00 but still!

3. I might hate myself later for typing this let alone admitting this but---Thank God---no morning sickness! I have been really lucky to just have small quick bouts of nausea in the morning but no real morning sickness.

4. While you are pumping your body with carrot sticks your husband is eating pizza 5 out of 7 days a week you are going to get real jealous and you are going to give your man a real stern talkin to. Be prepared gentlemen.

5. Fresh air is all you need. I crave it like I think people crave pickles or chocolate. Walks are the best these days even while I am at work.

6. Don't EVER watch a birthing video while pregnant it will take you to the deepest darkest terrors that exist in the depths of your soul. And as I mentioned before you WILL cry (potentially uncontrollably---Ok maybe I tend to be a little dramatic but that **** is scary)

7. I have always loved fruit but now I LOVE fruit- fruit smoothies, fruit for snack, fruit all the time. I almost love fruit as much as peonies but I don't want to get too carried away.

8. I have the most amazing husband in the entire world. I say that with the utmost sincerity- no one's husband is better than mine. (na na na na boo boo) Because we were not planning (see previous post back in January---whoops) on a baby he has embraced this and my wild emotions with such amazing poise. He is calm, cool, collected, and sooo freaking sweet when he smiles about our baby. I can honestly say that he has been the best part of all of this. I think about that Jason Aldean song "Laughed until we cried" because even though I was already crying when we found out the MOST amazing feeling was holding onto him tight and laughing until we cried together. Not to mention I get it now why people are married before baby because HELLO you need someone to reassure you and make you laugh during the whole thing.

9. I have lost a little bit of sleep over whether or not our child will ever have a "real stuffed animal" because our dog can destroy something like that in .5 seconds flat. Ohhh the woes!

10. I've said it before and I'll say it again "we are so incredibly lucky" so far I have a healthy happy pregnancy.

11. No bump yet!

Spring Clean up

Today I went outside to do some spring clean up with Justin 

Bean (our cat) and Stu (our dog) joined us

Mice were hiding everywhere!

Our tally:

Bean---3 kills

Stu---4 kills

Justin---only one stinkin' kill

I killed 3--- just stomped right on um.

Screamed once 

Gagged for the entire hour we were out there 

This is my life- 2 1/2 months pregnant  

Ain't nothin' Redneck bout it

Well we have some other news for ya'll

So the story goes a little bit like this...

A while back I was crying a lot 

and when I say a lot 

it was like 

A LOT!

and it was for no real or apparent reason 

For example: 

our little dog stuart came home with a bloody sore paw (he broke his little toenail)--I started crying

For another example: 

Driving on my way to work in the morning listening to the news---sobs- I can only imagine what the people in the lane next to me were thinking

AND THOSE VIDEOS PEOPLE KEEP POSTING ON THE BLOG!
Do not even get me started!
"What is love"
"Yes to Love" Issac and Amy 
I have cried enough tears over those videos
to fill our water tanks
that is 400 gallons people!

Soooooo

I attributed this to my level of stress with grad school, work, the house, and the farm

all while maintaining a great hair-do
;)
wink
wink

Fast forward a week 

I was in the middle of teaching 

my human development class 

~THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE~

mind you this is not ALL I teach about 

but it did happen to be the topic for the day  

 we were going through the cycle 

the girls in the class were asking what seemed like a zillion questions 

when 

right there in the middle of class

It hit me

this menstual cycle that I was teaching about

was not MY menstrual cycle
and out loud
I said
"Oh My GOD"

in fact I had not had a menstrual cycle 

and I was all like 

"WHAAAATTT????!!!!????!!!!

So I walked directly over to my desk 

and I sat there for the rest of the class 

because let's just be honest 

I was starting to crying

So lets fast forward a few days

I for whatever reason

thought it would be a good idea to show my human development class 

a video 

entitled 

"The Miracle of Life" 

 it was a good thing the lights were off

because I cried through the whole thing

and again
I was like 

"WHHAAATTTT???!!?!!?!!"

Needless to say I shared my issues with Justin 

to which his reply was

"Ehhh, I am sure you will be fine" 

and I was all like
(crying)

"WHAAAATTTTTT???!!!!!??"

and then I realized that he was a guy 

so he could be like 

"ehhh whatever"

So two weeks after my woes began 

I went to Rite Aid and bought a test

and when I got home we had a conversation that went a little bit like this

Me: "Hi babe"

Justin: "Hey how did your errands go?"

Me: "Fine"

Justin: "Sooo did you get a test?"

Me: shrugging shoulders "yea"

Justin: "well go take it"

Me: "WHHHAAATTT???!!!???!!!  I'm not taking it---you go take it"

Justin: J"ust go take it"

Me: "Nahh-- I don't feel like it"

Justin: "Just go" 

Me: "Fine, but you go first"

SOOO drum roll please

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!!!

JUSTIN IS PREGNANT

I know amazing right 

I started crying right away.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Ok so the real end to the story went like this 

 Me: Nahh I don't feel like it 

Justin: Just go! 

Me: Fine, but I am not looking at it

Justin:Fine--Just take it!

SOOOOOO needless to say 

he looked pensively at my little pee stick 

and exact quote
because I will never forget this EVER

he said 

"Huh......(Insert long pause)  Exactly how accurate are these little things?" 

as I am sitting at the kitchen table sobbing 

 then he got a big huge smile and said 

again
another exact quote
because I will never forget it 

"Looks like we are going to have a little mini me running around" 

And there is your news folks

there is going to be a little mini us 

 arriving somewhere around October 23, 2013

So please keep us in your thoughts and prayers
and for the love of God people
no more emotional videos on the blog!
because I am swearing off Issac and Amy videos until this child is one

 

So this funny thing happened...

Today, 

I laughed so hard 

I cried 

and black tears 

fell down my cheeks

 Today we started our human sexuality unit at school...

Should I say more?

Well each time we do this unit 

I start with the basics

The name of parts

their functions

where the parts are

whether they are male or female

the PROPER name of parts

the slang names of parts

etc...

Needless to say 

this is my favorite unit

I love watching kids 

squirm in their seats

makes every other day of the year 

 TOTALLY worth it

So today went a little bit like this....

Me: "The clitoris sits between the labia"

Across the room I see a hand shoot into the air this boy asked the following questions.... 

I will not name his name

 

Boy: "Mrs. Whipple, don't some people name their babies that? Clitoris? or something like that?"

Me: "uhhhh"

Boy: "No I could have sworn that I heard of someone who named their kid that...Clitoris"

Me: "Well...I'm not sure"

Boy: "Yeah, it's something like that clitoris or like fetus or something?"

Me: "Do you mean that they name their kid Cletus?"

Boy: "Ohhh yea thats the name Cletus"

I cried right then and there.

The big reveal!

Are you ready to end your sleepless nights?

Are you ready to stop your wondering?

Are you ready to stop thinking that its not fair that I know the secret and you dont?

Wellllllll 

many individuals have thought that it was this....

but it isn't 

that is just some Google baby

that I stole a picture of

I can barely even make out where that baby is.

It was weird though 

a lot of people touched my stomach 

meaning I sucked my gut in a LOT

I will never again touch a pregnant mother's belly unless I have explicit permission 

or shes nine months and ready to blow. 

It is sooooo strange to me because as I was writing the original post 

it never crossed my mind that is what people would think.

SO 

I learned a lesson that I am going to share with you....

I am really not ready for the baby page.  

But it makes sense because many people automatically think

marriage=baby 

soon after marriage.

But not for all 

and I am one of those "not for all" people.

 THEN I got to thinking what about those newly weds who want a baby soon after?

but it doesn't happen soon after

or even later after?

Is it fair that we assume

that a baby is next?

I can imagine heartbreak if I wanted a baby and it just wasnt happening

because realistically 

that could be me 

maybe now 

or maybe later 
 

So here is my other resolution I will ask a new wife the following questions:

I will ask her what she and her husband have found to be their favorite hobby together

I will ask her who takes care of the laundry
I will ask a new wife if her sex life is wild 

I will ask her what the most annoying thing that she does to her husband and what is his reaction

I will ask her if she is loving relax time with her husband
I will ask her if she would she allow her husband to hang half a dead deer on the wall of their new home?

I think my new found resolution will fit all wives..

and without further ado....

HERE IS THE NEWS....

We purchased ANOTHER farm!

OMG!!!!

I know

We keep buying land!

We are like farm hungry mongers

I will say though that this is a very similar situation to the last 

A man approached Justin and said
"I heard you are growing hops, I think my land will be a good fit for your farm"
and the boys jumped at the opportunity again!
best part is...
the new land is DIRECTLY behind the land we purchased last year meaning we have one big plot of land to really work

The other neat things to note:
1. It has a perfectly manicured airplane strip on it...anyone who wishes to fly a plane can take off from our land hehe
2. It has a pond! Which the dogs will LOVE during the hot summers. Anything that makes my doggie happy makes me happy
3. There is the potential to buy more land on the same plot over the next few years
4. Justin said I could get a new puppy-----------Most exciting part of buying a new farm
5. We are also renting another 60 acres this year to farm MEANING we are bringing our land grand total to farm this year to 152.5 acres....last year at this time we had 3....what in the world?!

So there you have it...
the surprise is
that we are continuing to grow the our dream
together
we are working to make it in agriculture 

and we couldn't be happier about it!