A Chore Memory

Okay, since Cameron didn't contribute on the chore challenge, I'm going to contribute a memory of him and chores.

I know you all think we Moll kids hated outside chores, but you have to understand something. For the first 9 years that we lived in Antioch (and remember we lived there a total of 14) the entire backyard was a weed-fest. And we're not talking wimpy weeds. We had a deck, and those weeds grew higher than the deck every year - so we're talking 4-5 feet high.

And every year, every stinkin' year, Dad would make us weed it or mow it, or whatever to it, and he'd tell us, "This is the last year we have to do this, we're going to have a backyard next season." And the year would pass, and of course those weeds would grow back again. In fact, for at least one year, we kids were going to take matters into our own hands, and we were going to get dumploads of sand and make the backyard a beach volleyball court. The only thing that stopped us, actually, was the fact we'd have to put up nets over the fences because we knew the one neighbor, Sam, and the one behind us hated our balls ending up in their yards.

So anyways, during one of these years of worthless weeding, my Dad set us all up outside, and told us all we had to do for that day was a row of weeds. He put us all next to each other, so we each had about a two foot wide swath, and we had to weed from the back of the house to the fence, about maybe 20 feet. Cameron was on my right, Erik was on my left, and Jared was next to him.

So we all, grumbling, started in. After going about a foot or two, the three of us noticed Cameron wasn't there anymore. I'm not sure, but I think at that first point, Cameron had gone in and tried to convince Dad to let him just mow the weeds down, but he said no. So Cam came out and worked a few more minutes, and then he was gone again. He came back with the roto-tiller. He was going to till it all up and then pull out the weeds. This could have been a rather brilliant idea because the dirt was clay clumps, and pulling weeds out took a heck of a lot of strength.

The roto-tiller didn't work, though, so he took it back to the garage. But the thing was, we didn't see him come back. And we didn't see him come back. And the three of us were getting about halfway down our row, and still no sign of Cameron.

And of course, we grumbled at him, because we figured he'd found a way, again, of getting out of a chore, and "it wasn't fair!" Still, we dug on, and the three of us, sweating and achy, finished our rows. We then cleaned up and went and played with friends.

Where was Cameron? Well, if I remember right, he spent the rest of that Saturday trying to fix the roto-tiller. And nope, he didn't weed his row.

Even though that experience bugged me then, it was such a precursory to Cameron's key to his successes in life. He was and still is always looking for the better way of doing things. He sees a task that is totally asinine (like that stupid weeding was) and he says, "There's got to be a better, easier way to do this." And then he goes and finds that way, and people thank him for it. I mean really, if he would have gotten that tiller working way back when, I think that whole Saturday would have been a totally different memory.

-Karissa

Big Man on Campus

Erik got a promotion/transfer within his company!!! He is now the Vice President of Treatment Standards. He will be doing some travel and working out of the main headquarters. We are moving to San Antonio when school gets out. We are working at finding a place to live now and are excited and nervous for this new adventure. Erik is really excited about this opportunity and the change on his resume for future use. He has worked so hard and has really impressed Airrosti.

Couldn't be more proud :)

Yay, Jared!

Just wanted to post for everyone that Jared just got a promotion.  That's not really the big news although we are so happy to making a LOT more money.  The big news is that Jared scored a 90 on his performance review.  This is the top score you can achieve and only a handful of employees get it each year.  Of course, Jared downplayed it as much as he can, but I could tell how excited and pleased he was.

He has been doing an amazing job at work with more responsibilities and projects and his employers really value him. But in doing all this at work, he is still getting A's in classes on at accelerated rate allowing him to graduate a whole semester early.  When he comes home, he starts in on the family man role by helping get dinner on and playing with the kids and continues this role until they are tucked in.  Often he does this alone since I am usually out for a run or trying to finish up my chores for the day.  But once the kids are asleep, he is studying and doing homework coming to bed around 11 and leaving for work before I even notice it's the next day.

I am not bragging.  I am tooting the horn that I know he won't.  I am so proud of Jared and I know coming from a family like this that all of you have had similar experiences.

My Flashy Family

Here's something I heard this morning from Emmett:

"Mom, Ella's flashing me!"

What's funny is that they were both in the bath at the time. And he actually was saying that she was "splashing" him. But his "sp" sounds always come out "f." So Spiderman is Fiderman. And a spoon is a foon.

What's even funnier, is he was standing up in the bath at the time he said that, so in actuality, he was flashing her, for real.

;) Karissa

Retaining Wall (Jared)

re-tain (verb)
  1. Continue to have (something); keep possession of
  2. Not abolish, discard, or alter
  3. Absorb and continue to hold

Ahh, the retaining wall.  At least it was properly named.  It continued to have weeds, would not discard them, and it continued to hold onto them year after year. 

Mom already brought you down memory lane in regards to this treasured side of our Antioch house, but I'm going to bring it up again...and again...and again.  It's only appropriate that the retaining wall come up again just like the weeds did every summer.  Honestly, I thought I was going to die up there.  It would only be appropriate - I could just lie down right there next to the lot of our deceased animals.  But, fortunately each summer I escaped, though only after much hardship clearing the weeds. 

I remember that as summer approached every year I began to wonder when the mandate would be given: "This Saturday we're going to clear the weeds from the retaining wall!"  I think the first few years of clearing weeds we actually gave it a good effort, and I remember we all discussed (and got somewhat excited about) what we would do with the space.  But, after a couple of years, we each started to lose hope as we recognized that it was more of an annual workout than an attempt to do anything with the space once the weeds were cleared. 

As the years went on, our efforts turned from "clearing" weeds to merely just turning them over.  Step 1: insert shovel, and lift.  Step 2: if there is a big clump of weeds that's easy to grab (and doesn't have anything prickly), pull it out and throw it in the bucket.  Step 3: otherwise, turn the shovel and immediately dump.  Step 4: kick and spread the dirt to hide the overturned weeds.  Step 5: repeat.

Though I must say, the retaining wall actually wasn't half as bad as the space between the wall and the house.  That stretch of space felt like our own little jungle and it even made the view outside my bedroom window feel a little more "exotic".  I remember many tennis balls disappeared in there and we even almost lost the kayak back there.  Even poor Molly wouldn't even go near that side of the house!

The Burrup way

I have to be real quick so I can go do my chores...or really it's prepare my talk but still considered a chore.

Coming from a big family we were not given individual chores but all required to participate together.  And my mom required her house to be clean and organized while my dad required a beautiful yard.  And they had the man power so why not.  I used to say that my mom had 7 kids so that she had people to clean her house.  Not a very gracious thing to say.  Childish, perhaps.

But I hated pulling weeds every Saturday morning while the neighbor kids started out on their bikes or to play ball.  One way out of it was to complain about allergies only to be sent it to clean house with my mom.  So our only real way out was to do a good job the first time.  My dad came around and checked our work before dismissing us.

Now I despise doing the dishes.  But like my mom I need a clean and organized home to function properly so I make sure that, like Nelleen, I clean as I go.  That is probably the only reason Jared and I do not enjoy making beautiful culinary masterpieces together.  But just like pulling weeds, I've learned that the only way out of chores is to do them and be done with it.  Well, I do have one trick.  If I'm really desperate, I ask Jared to do it and he is such a sweetheart that he does it.

Erin

Hm...chores.

Well, quite honestly, I don't remember HATING any chores. It wasn't my favorite thing to do but I knew it was expected. The boys went outside to do yard work and I cleaned the bathrooms and my room and often times the kitchen. I do remember complaining that I had more to do then them but that's a different story.

The one thing I disliked the most about chores has become a family joke. Kevin would disappear to the bathroom after dinner every night when it was time to clean up the kitchen and do the dishes. We'd tell my parents he was faking it but they never believed us and in order to avoid arguments, wouldn't make him come help. He did this for ten years! Now, it's a big joke and Kevin admits that it was completely on purpose. I hope his kids do that to him someday ;)

As an adult I have a hard time doing anything involving floors. I hate mopping, sweeping and vacuuming. Not really sure why, it's just not something I think about very often and hate the prep-work to mop. Erik knows I don't like to unload the dishwasher either so he can always tell when they're clean cause the dishes will start to pile up in the sink :) Don't worry, it still gets done every day!!!

Sorry I'm kinda boring huh. Wish I had some fun story but I've recognized that the Moll parents must really like straight lines....yes?! :)

-Lisa