"Cookie" is here!

The first story I have to share about "Cookie" our current foster is a good (but kind-of long) one.  I think you'll enjoy it though.

My mother-in-law is getting older and is in need of some assisted living care.  This is a recent event for her and needless to say, she is not having an easy transition.  One of the things that has helped to ease her mind about the change is the promise of foster grand children.  Well, she didn't have to wait long.  "Cookie" arrived on Tuesday and very quickly Johnnie was asking if we could get her to a store so she could buy her a "big, fussy doll".  We stopped by her apartment last night for dinner and then she insisted we go to a store for that doll!  The closest store was TJ Max and right inside the door was a display of Halloween decorations and costumes.  We three ladies lost our minds at the beautiful girl's dresses on display.  "Cookie", a huge Frozen fan,  spotted a blue number that had ME drooling.  It was a long, hoop-style skirt with opera gloves, a white "fur" stole and many more extras.  It truly sparkled!  "Cookie" gushed and Johnnie fell hard.  After we tried it on, Johnnie said in a firm voice, "I'm getting this for her."  I am glad she said that, 'cause it was such a perfect dress, that if she didn't get it, I would have.

Now the two of them are walking up to the checkout stand.  "Cookie" leading the way in a very expert fashion holding onto the front of the gown.  She was going slow because she realized that Johnnie needed her to take slower steps.  Johnnie saw that "Cookie" was dragging the bottom of the gown a little, so she picked up the bottom and carried it for her, following close.  I followed at a small distance, and could hear the two of them chatting about princesses and Johnnie explaining that this was how royalty really walked, with a commoner carrying the train of their dress.  As I followed them, I was smiling and giggling at the sheer cuteness of the scene.  But what was even better, was watching the reactions of all the people they passed.  It is easy to say that these two made almost the entire store happier that evening!

And, in case you are wondering, "Cookie" found a "fussy" set of Frozen dolls that also made it home with us courtesy of a recent, spoiling-type of foster grandma!

RIP sweet Ginger...

Ginger came to our home as a rescue.

Ginger was tied up to a telephone pole with a note that read, "I have seizures.  Find me a good home."

Ginger found a good home.  One she shared with us for over 11 years.

Ginger suffered from grand mal seizure clusters at least four times a year.  Usually every six hours anywhere from one to twelve days in a row.

Ginger was on three different anti-seizure drugs, twice daily.  One made her forever hungry.

Ginger was well known at both our vets office and the emergency vets.

Ginger got lost from our home in Tampa twice.  Once was the most amazing event I've ever lived through.

Ginger had a number for surgeries.  Two of them were VERY close calls.

Ginger was known by many as "the miracle dog".

Ginger was the sweetest little girl ever.

Ginger loved to sit on her Mommy's lap.  Mommy loved that too.

Ginger would sit with Daddy in an emergency - like if Mommy was busy.

Ginger was the best at helping foster children get through troubled sleep.

Ginger was the best at helping her worried daddy get to sleep.  He just rubbed her belly.

Ginger loved to run, but only for short distances.  

Ginger loved to walk in very tall grass.

Ginger loved moving from room to room to sit in the sun spots.

Ginger loved mommy's home cooked dog food.  VERY much.

Ginger barked only if there was food around.

Ginger loved to play tug of war with her favorite Bill Clinton doll.

Ginger wasn't a fan of snow, but was a trooper when we moved up north.

Ginger could usually be found in any room her mom was in.

Ginger loved sleeping in too-big-for-her dog beds.

Ginger shivered a lot.

Ginger never figured out how to burrow under covers.

Ginger wore sweaters from October to March while living in Pennsylvania.

                           

                                      

Ginger started getting sick on a Sunday.  On Monday our vet told us that she had cancer.

Ginger had too many complications with seizures to make surgery or treatment an good option.

                         Ginger left this world sitting on her Mommy's lap.                                          

Ginger's spirit is missed every day.

Ginger's absence can be felt in the house.

Ginger's Mommy and Daddy are heartbroken.

Ginger...We miss you terribly.  Wait for us or find a way back.

George the Housewife

The following is taken from a GREAT book that Stacey gave me one year called George the Housewife, published in 1964.

This is taken from the household tips section:

Here are a few facts that bear study by women both married and unmarried.
Four out of ten girls now in high school will go to college.
Nine out of ten girls now in high school or college will work for for a government or in business sometime in their lives.  One out of eight people in the United States now works for city, county, state or the federal government.
Nine out of ten girls in high school or college will marry.
Eight out of ten girls in high school or college will have children.
A woman today married or unmarried has a great choice of work that she can follow.
The higher education a woman has, the less chance there is that her children will drop out of high school or college.
Women marry younger than they used to and usually work until they have their first child.
One in five women with preschool children hold full-time jobs.
Four out of ten women whose children are in school hold full-time jobs.
Six million women past 45 have full-time jobs.  This is a nine times increase in the past twenty years.
Many of these facts prove, beyond any doubt, that if you learn how to do your housework, cooking and washing correctly with the fastest possible methods, you can have time to spare for a full-time or part-time job.

Hey ladies!  Glad for that tip, huh?

Try the Opposite

Sadly my mom had some serious problems that impacted her life everyday.  For her own reasons, she chose not to get help for these problems and ended up suffering with them her whole life.  At least for all the years that I knew of.  One of the things she suffered with is agoraphobia.  This is what the Mayo Clinic says about it's symptoms:

Typical agoraphobia symptoms include:

Fear of being alone in any situation

Fear of being in crowded places

Fear of losing control in a public place

Fear of being in places where it may be hard to leave, such as an elevator or train

Inability to leave your house for long periods (housebound)

Sense of helplessness

Overdependence on others

A sense that your body is unreal


In addition, you may also have signs and symptoms similar to a panic attack, including:

Lightheadedness

Trouble breathing

Dizziness

Excessive sweating

Rapid heart rate

Flushing

Nausea

Upset stomach or diarrhea

Chest pain

Feeling a loss of control

Trouble swallowing

I can tell you that my mother showed every one of these symptoms.  One or more of these everyday.  As a child I had no idea what was going on.  As I grew up, since my folks were of a different generation, we simply didn't talk about mom's "ailment".  So I didn't realize that driving over a bridge wasn't a bad thing, shopping in a mall wasn't terrifying, being alone in public was really OK.  It was totally normal when we took stairs instead of the elevator, my grandma and/or great aunt had to go with us everywhere, you never went to a restroom alone and we never drove on an interstate.

My mom was also the ultimate "say" in all situations.  If any of us (dad included) would have a different opinion, feeling, thought, whatever and you expressed that to mom, she would freak out.  She wouldn't yell or anything, she would simply ignore you, quit talking to you and when that didn't work start in on the guilt.  One of her ideas of "guilting" someone was to respond as if she was physically stricken with "breathing troubles".  I have sat in the middle of countless restaurants when my mom wasn't getting her way that she would gasp loudly, clutch her chest or throat and breathe so heavily that anyone around us would ask if we needed help.  She would continue this until someone apologized or made things right for her.  (One time, I swear, it was over the fact that there was too much baking soda in the pancakes.  All of us tasted them and couldn't taste anything wrong, so the gasping started.  It ended when I called the waitress over, sent them back and ordered her something different.)  Sometimes she acted so impulsively or irrationally that, in the moment, you just stood quietly hoping that she would quit.  Knowing that anything you said or did would just make it worse.

My mom's agoraphobia "taught" us to panic when we drove over bridges and railroad tracks, to never be alone in public, driving on interstates were too dangerous to risk, the familiar was so much better than new, staying home was better than going out and don't do anything to draw attention to yourself.    

My personal "ah-ha" moment happened over, of all things, iced tea...  

We were a VERY southern family.  Southern Baptist church twice a week.  Show manners to your elders.  Be hospitable to those around you.  Collard greens, ham hocks, grits, red eye gravy and it wasn't iced tea we drank it was sweet tea!  Tea brewed from Lipton tea bags with just enough sugar to make you smack your lips.  There simply wasn't any other kind of tea in our house.  Well our neighbors, the Sain's, drank instant tea with lemon.  When I visited them I would get that "treat" and I liked it.  Not better than sweet tea, but as well as sweet tea.  I asked my mom if she would pick me some up the next time she was at Winn Dixie.  Well, let me tell you, it was as if I asked her to pick me up a jar of polio at the store.  Simple answer, "No".  As any good teenager, I wondered why and was told we just didn't have THAT kind of tea in our house.  The psychology of this moment has confounded me to this day, but it was a seminal moment in my life.  It was the moment that I decided that my mom was flat out WRONG about most things.  That her basic view of life was not for me.  Now I know that her "ailment" stemmed for some very real and some very ignored trauma, but it wasn't MY trauma, so I didn't need to act on it as if it was.   It is what I would later come to call my "George Constanza Moment" - that moment when he decided that in order to be happy and successful in life, he had to do the opposite of what he would normally do/feel most comfortable doing.  Well, this was long before Seinfeld, and I my personal mantra became, "What would mom do?  I'll do the opposite!"    

Starting in my teen years, when faced with big or everyday decisions I would ask myself that question and then plan on action...

Mom says to stop shaving at the knees - up the razor went.
In a new town, out of groceries, home alone, staying put - I think I remember a Publix up the road.
Mom wears clip on earrings - hello Piercing Pagoda.
How would mom act with a new boyfriend? - where is the closest Planned Parenthood?
If dad had to change jobs how would mom react? - "Charles, I don't care where we move!"
Would mom stand on a stage and perform? - Dancing, singing, acting, selling stuff live on-air to millions of people...I'll try it all!
How does mom handle conflict? - "Hey.  We need to talk about this."
"Too scary!" - "Where does the line start?!"  

This philosophy has served me well over the last few decades and I am pretty sure I can attribute my life view and personal happiness & contentment to that George Costanza Moment.  I don't really think about doing the opposite anymore, it is just an organic part of me, but every now and again, I'll get an odd panic-ey feeling that I can't understand and have to work my way through it.  But yesterday I had a big in-your-face moment during a conversation with Charles.  One where I ended up being pretty dad-gum proud of myself.  Charles has been out of town for the last three nights.  He flew to South Carolina for a business trip and his co-worker who originally took him to the airport wasn't able to bring him home.  This was not told to me before the trip, it was sprung on me last night that today I'd have to pick Charles up at the Philly airport at 11:30 pm.  *gulp*  Driving into the BIG city alone?  Driving into the BIG, SCARY city alone in the middle of the night?!  Driving into the BIG, SCARY city alone, in the middle of the night to a NEW destination?!!  *double gulp*  But here is the thing, I DIDN'T think *gulp*, DIDN'T react *double gulp*, DIDN'T say simply, "No."  I asked, "What airline and flight number?"    

Old habits DO die.  Sometimes you just have to push them over the edge of the highest bridge you can find!         

Cinnamon Ice Cream

A few years ago I gave into an impulse while shopping at Walmart.  Not really anything new, but it turned out to be a great purchase.  I got a bright red, electric ice cream maker when they were running a summer sale on them.  I got a couple of bags of rock salt to go along with it so I'd be ready to make ice cream the moment I got home.  And, boy oh boy, did I make some ice cream!  I experimented with base recipes and then worked on adding in different ingredients.  The below is my very favorite base recipe.  It is thick, rich and custardy.  Just lovely!  It is great plain, but when I channeled my inner Ben & Jerry, I added caramelized bananas, pecans and crushed heath bars.  Oh.  My.  Goodness!  That was fabulous ice cream!

Enjoy.

Cinnamon Ice Cream



1 cup white sugar

1 ½ cups half and half cream

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the sugar and half-and-half. When the mixture begins to simmer, remove from heat, and whisk half of the mixture into the eggs. Whisk quickly so that the eggs do not scramble. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan, and stir in the heavy cream. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and whisk in vanilla and cinnamon. Set aside to cool.

Pour cooled mixture into an ice cream maker, and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Making New Friends

I'm sitting here in my new house in King of Prussia, feeling a little sad that I don't have any local friends.  It's been about 2 months since moving here and I am having a bit of trouble "hooking up" as it were.  I came across this photo that I took of one of the good friends that I had to leave behind in Covington and thought that I might cheer myself up with a blog post about how we became friends. 



When I was a kid it was easy to make friends.  You had lots of great "pools" available for you to meet and pick your friends from.  The neighborhood, school, sports, family, church, summer camps, dance class, etc.  It was pretty easy to have a good group of kids to hang out with.  When I think back to my childhood I believe that one of the reasons it was such a happy one was because I had TONS of friends.  Growing up?  Same places to meet friends.  Add in jobs & parties.
 
Once I became an adult, married Charles and jobs took us to different cities, I had friends that I had to leave.  I didn't realized how hard that would be.  And ultimately how much I needed to have friends in my life.  I love having the friend who can just walk into your house anytime she wants to visit or knows that a half sweet tea/lemonade from Chick Fil A will make my day.  I am just a happier human when I can call up a bud and meet for lunch or a "quick" trip to Michael's.  I am a really happy human when I have regular friends who meet for Girl's Night Outs and weekends away!  Let me tell you, it is harder to make friends as an adult than it was as a kid.  I mean, using a pick up line like, "Do you wanna come over and play Barbies?" just won't work today.  Even if I replaced 'Barbies' with, lets say, 'Bocce Ball' I can't see me walking up to a what looks like a nice lady, laying down my line and then her saying, "Sure."  The closest I got to actually using a "line" to try to find a friend was this nice girl who I worked with at Michael's-Dawn.  I was doing some work in her office soon after we both started working there and I said (being new to the area), "Do you know anywhere to join a raquetball league or anyone who plays raquetball?"  Thankfully, she was looking for a friend too, and replied, "I've never played, but I would love to learn."  Thus our friendship was born and my new Tampa-friend network began. 

Again we had to pull up our stakes and headed out of Tampa.  I miss those guys and as much as I love keeping in touch on FaceBook, it just isn't the same as being in the same town.  So, I was faced with making friends in a VERY small town in Pennsylvania.  This was a town where everyone knew something about just about everyone and I was really worried about fitting in or finding friends to take to this odd "flatlander".  I think I got lucky this time, because Charles lived in the area for about 9 months before I moved and being an outgoing sort of fellow, he made friends.  Friends that he was excited to introduce me to.  One of them was Linda Bovaird.  Linda....

Charles moved to Mansfield from Tampa.  He lived alone with his Chihuahua.  He took his Chihuahua all around town.  He would even take her into the local bars.  The normal men's fashion around Mansfield is camo, Carhart, jeans and plaid.  Charles' normal fashion was khakis, oxford button-ups and his ever-present Bluetooth.  To say that he stood out would be an understatement.  To also say that his wife's gender was in question would also be true.  (Did I mention that he refers to Kiwi's dog-carrying tote as her "Diva Bag")  So when he told all of his new friends that his wife was moving up soon,  a number of people were kind-of waiting to see what I was like...

One day Charles sent me some really beautiful barn star Christmas tree ornaments that he had picked up from Bearly Enough (a local shop that sells gifts, country decor, etc.).  He told me that I was going to love the owners Heather and Linda.  A mother and daughter duo who he would spend a good deal of time chatting with.  I believe it was the last part of the first week that I had officially moved north, that Charles insisted that we go meet Heather and Linda.  He was sure that I would love Heather, a woman who was close to my age, was super sweet, had a nice family and was a teacher.  We walked into their shop, with our dogs in tow, and met the ladies.  It couldn't have been more than 5 minutes into the introduction that Linda starts telling funny stories about folks around town and she pulls me aside to show me her new, very folksy looking, stitched sayings that she was making for the shop.  There were different sayings-cute, inspirational, classic, but she holds up one to me that she is sure I will love.  It reads, "For my next trick I'll need a volunteer and a condom."  I look at her, she looks at me, I am sure for that split second we were both sizing each other up and then we both just started laughing.  Ta-da!  New friend!  We talked that day for almost an hour about everything, about nothing.  It was fun.  She was fun.  As we were leaving, she walked to the car with us and she confided in me, "You know when you were in Florida and as Charles was visiting and describing you to us, well...um...well...I just have to tell you that...YOU'RE NORMAL!!  Thank goodness you are normal!"  I stood for a few moments wondering what she meant and then, "Charles and his dog.  You and your dog.  The stuff he says about some of the stuff you do.  I was a little worried-but you are just fine.  Normal."  I smiled and realized that I liked my new friend.  The mother of the lady who is actually my age.  A little weird, but it worked.

Over our years in our little "hometown" we quickly lost our "flatlander" status and became "honorary ridgerunners" and our circle of friends grew.  But the times that I spent with Linda were priceless.  She has a very bawdy sense of humor.  Visiting her shop was like walking onto the set of the Steel Magnolias beauty parlor-complete with all the neighborhood "news".  Hearing her call out her nickname for me when I walked into the store.  ("Shitty Pants" - I guess from my love of hearing and telling goofy stories about people pooping themselves.  Oddly, working in retail you see A LOT of that!)  Learning from her some truly northern ways of doing things helped me navigate my new lifestyle.  But most of all I value our talks.  Always filled with laughter, the repeat stories that we'd forgotten that we'd shared and our true love of life. 

So, I've been working and wondering on the KoP friend-meeting strategy.  But mostly I've been feeling homesick, just missing the company of my friends.        

You think that the dryer is bad...?!

Nothing strikes fear into the heart of a toddler teacher more than hearing the words, "Where are so-and-so's socks?"  You may wonder why, but when socks go missing, it is our job to locate them.  If we don't before the day is over, we have parents showing up wanting to take their child home WITH the socks they came with. 
(Go figure...)

We spend quite a lot of time talking about darned socks in our classroom:
    -What did you do with your socks?
    -Did she have on pink socks today?
    -Were they ALL pink or just pink on the toes?
    -Where is  your other sock?
    -Please don't play with your socks.
    -Where did your socks go?
    -Who's one sock is that in the middle of the floor?
    -Are these your socks?
    -How did we end up with extra socks at the end of the day? 
    -Please put your socks in your cubby.
It seems never ending.

We've tried making the kids keep their shoes and socks on at all times. 
Yeah.  That worked really well...

We've tried repeating over and over to the kids for them to remember to put their shoes and socks in cubbies when they come off of feet. 
That generally works for the older kids only.  When they're in a good mood...

We've tried only allowing kids to take off shoes and socks upon arrival,  time out if we catch anyone with shoes and socks off, praise and/or treats for kids who find and return lost socks in the room...but still there seems to be lost socks every day!! 

It is so embarrassing at the end of the day when you have to tell a parent that we cannot find so-and-so's sock(s).  Honestly, we feel like terrible teachers for not being able to keep track of something as common as socks.  To any parent out there who has had to hear from their child's teacher that they cannot find their socks, trust me-we've looked!  High and low.  Possibly all day long.  More than likely all the teachers have looked.  We've also probably offered some kind of reward treat to any child who locates the missing sock(s).   We may try to offer you a pair from our  "emergency sock" stash to try to appease you that we simply cannot locate that special pair of socks that said "Saturday" on them.   And know for certain that we have asked both ourselves and each other numerous times, "Honestly. Why can't so-and-so just keep their socks on their feet?!!"


The Sock Hunts in our Toddler Room are legendary.  Sometimes they last for days.  Most socks are found, but sadly, we have lost some good socks through the years.  When the calls goes out that there is a sock missing, we all know to start at the cubbies.  Usually a child will have good intentions of putting their socks in their own cubby, but they simply miss.  So the cubbies on either side of so-and-so's cubby is checked.  Then the cubby search expands.  Once we've looked through each cubby, including all bags, totes, shoes and bedding we move into the room.  We check out the dress up area next-it is really easy to scoop up a sock with a fairy costume or a construction worker vest.  Just last week I found a pair of socks put on the feet of one of the doll babies.  If no sock shows up, we'll enlist the help of other teachers or  the kids themselves.  The climbing rainbow is another spot that socks get stuck in.  We will run our hands down in the creases of the steps.  If we only pull out puzzle pieces and the missing wheel from the 'Mater truck, then the search continues.  If a quick glance through all the shelves doesn't produce the missing sock, then we have to empty out all the toys.  No luck?  We then have to open up all the doors of cars, doors in the play kitchen, lift lids, open drawers and cabinets in all the play stuff.  We have been surprised many times at how kids and will stuff socks into the smallest holes. 

I am sharing this story because today, after sending a little so-and-so home without her socks for the second day in a row and after having our second attempt to find her last pink sock, on a massive Sock Hunt, Miss Gail opened up the doors of the doll house sink and 'viola!  There, all tucked away was that blasted sock!

In a toddler room that is full of crazy fun, we teachers will take our victories, however small, wherever we can!!

Black Bean Salsa

I'm sorry that I have been so behind on posting some of the recipes from the Hello Muddah Crop that I've been promising y'all. This is one that I've gotten a bunch of requests for, so here is the first recipe.

Black Bean Salsa (from my friends Karen & Tom R.)

Ingredients
1 can black beans drained
1 can black eyed peas drained
1 can white corn drained
Small jar of pimentos (I didn't use)
1 green pepper chopped or any color
1 red onion chopped (I used half of a large red onion)

In a pan, combine 1 cup olive oil or any other oil, I cup sugar and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar.
Heat until the sugar melts.
Pour over the other ingredients and soak overnight. Drain before serving with chips.

Jen's notes: You can EASILY half the oil, sugar and vinegar. This will make less marinade, so you'll have to stir it more so that the flavor soaks in really well.

Enjoy!!

Art A La Carte Crafting Event

Announcing my first "monthly" crops up here in Pennsylvania!

All of the information is below in a flier. Please feel free to read, print, share, forward to anyone and everyone you might think is interested!

The event will be held at the Mainesburg Community Center and you MUST pre-register and pre-pay to attend.

I'll be serving a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner. Drinks will be provided all day long. I'll be doing a fun, unique make-n-take featuring some cool products and techniques. You will have the opportunity to order the products featured in the make-n-take. I'll also set up a swap table. To participate in the swap table, you bring in some of your own gently used products (stickers, papers, magazines, etc.) and place on the table. Then if you need something during the crop, you can go to the swap table and "shop" from it for something you need/want equal to what you put down. If there is anything left at the end of the crop on the swap table (unclaimed items) I'll donate them to the local Hospice.

Below the flier is the REGISTRATION FORM. You need to click on the image and print it out. Just fill it out and send it to me with your check. Or, if you live close by, drop it by either home or at my work!

Cannot wait for all the FUN!!

Hello Muddah 2012 Menu

Hi all!

I've listened to your requests for menu suggestions and here is the list of the yummy things we'll be eating in just a few short weeks!

Thursday
Lunch: Chicken Salad Sandwich, Veggie Chips, Orange Slices, Cookie
Mocktail Hour: Planter's Punch “Mocktail’, Spinach & Cheese Spirals and Saucy Meatballs (regular and veggie) (You'll need to bring dark rum if you want to spike your own punch!)
Dinner: Veggie Chili, Cornbread & Chocolate Cola Cake with Fluffy Frosting

Friday
Breakfast: Canoli French Toast with syrup & Sausage (regular & veggie)
Lunch: Shredded Pork Tacos with toppings, Black Bean Salsa, Chips & Tres Leches Macaroons
Snack: Strawberry Chocolate Bruchetta
Dinner: Chicken Parmesan over Linguini, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread & Chocolate Mousse with Whipped Cream

Saturday
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Cheese, Grits, Hash Browns & Biscuits with Jen’s homemade jams & jellies
Lunch: Grilled Hot Dogs with Chili, Sauerkraut & toppings, Loaded Baked Potato Salad, Corn on the Cob & Apple Cheddar Turnovers
Snack: Pita Wedges with Homemade French Onion Dip
Dinner: Bourbon BBQ Chicken, Corn Spoon Bread, Assorted Roasted Veggies, Dinner Roll & Malted Milk Ball Blondie Brownies
Late Night Snack: Popcorn and Rootbeer Floats

Sunday
Breakfast: Yogurt, Granola & Fruit Parfaits
Lunch: Golden Gate Grilled Turkey & Cheese Sandwich, Sherried Tomato Soup, Chips & Southern Pecan Crisps

Again, I post this menu to let you know what we'll be serving so that if something isn't to your liking you'll know in advance. If you need a little 'fridge space or to heat someting up, just let us know at check-in. The town is located about 20 minutes away so fast food isn't all that fast. As a lacto-ovo vegetarian, I always have a veggie version of the same meal available, please let me know ASAP if you are also a vegetarian and I can make sure to have ample.

Thanks and see you all soon!

Contest Winners!

The question was: Which is my favorite Christmas song/artist from my PlayList and there were 3 entries. Just 3! And sadly not one of y'all guessed correctly. They were great guesses, but my favorite is: Elf's Lament by the Barenaked Ladies. I LOVE that song! I play it over and over! Charles on the other hand is very sick of that song!

BUT, since I LOVE to give out prizes and there were only 3 of y'all who guessed....EVERYBODY GETS A PRIZE. Ella gets a prize (she posted on FB), Janie gets a prize and Laura gets a prize! Please just email me in private with your address and I'll get something fun out to you soon. I do believe y'all will be getting a prize winning jar of jam or jelly in your prize box!

Thanks for playing!

First EVER...blog give-away!

I love Christmas music! Love it VERY much. It is a huge task for me not to start playing holiday music before Thanksgiving. So, I cheated this year and started playing Christmas songs a few days early and have updated my blog with my Christmas Playlist (on the side, in green). I have LOTS of favorite songs, but only one REAL stand out that I listen to over, and over, and over and over...until Charles puts the 'ole kibosh on it! My favorite song is listed in my Playlist, sooo....

...here is the BLOG GAME/GIVE AWAY:

You'll have to do two things, first pick which song and artist you think is my favorite and second you have to read the "How to Build a Community" poster on the sidebar. Post a comment on this post stating
YOUR FIRST NAME,
THE SONG THAT YOU THINK IS MY FAVORITE and
YOUR FAVORITE DIRECTIVE FROM THE "COMMUNITY" POSTER.

The first person to guess it correctly AND have all three things in their post will be sent a HOMEMADE goody (or two) from me! Your goody will be a surprise. It might be something holiday-ish, something practical or something to eat! Never know, but it'll be GOOD!

Have fun, enjoy the music and GOOD LUCK!

I Hate My Coat!

We have had a nice, warm fall. Not a lot of cool days, hardly any snow. But last night that changed. It snowed and the temperatures dropped overnight. I do not have many winters under my belt, but I have started to dread the arrival of snow and lower temperatures. Not because I am not liking winter itself, but because I HATE MY WINTER COAT!!

Back in 2004 we were planning our Christmas trip to London and Paris and being a true Floridian, I didn't own a proper winter coat. In hindsight I realize that I made two critical errors in my coat purchasing decision:

1) There are no stores in Florida that would stock the kind of coat that I needed, so I was forced to order on-line-which means that I couldn't try it on.
2) My husband's advice was the only advice that I sought out for the specific things that I needed to look for in a proper winter coat. He gave me a list of things that I "needed" in a winter coat. Things that I've never considered like "thermal lined", "sealed seams", "temperature rating" & "storm flap".

Because I always try to look for the positives, I CAN say some nice things about my coat:

1) It is nice and warm.
2) It's black, so it matches everything.

That's it. That is all I have in me to say nice about my blasted coat!!

Let me tell you about this coat and just why I hate it so...

First of all, it is water-proof. Have you ever worn water-proof clothes? They are stiff and make noise. My jacket's material sticks out in all directions, it crumples in odd spots and when I move it rubs on itself, so it makes a scrunchy sound. Yuck.

Second, it's zipper goes up VERY high. I suppose that the collar is high on purpose so that it keeps one's neck warm, but I have a short person's neck and that bloody zipper, that if it went all the way up, it would fall just about a 1/2" shy of my forehead. So, I fold the collar down and zip up to just my neck. This makes the excess collar stick straight up and pokes my cheeks. Honestly! It pokes my cheeks! Nice...

Third, it has elastic sleeves, an elastic waist and lots of "thermal" protection (padding). These three things combined, on this plus-sized gal, makes me look like the Michelin Man out and about, wearing a water-proof, black coat. I've destroyed every photo of me in that coat.

Fourth, it is a jacket and not really a coat, so it can NEVER go from throwing snowballs in the yard to a casual dinner out. In other words-It's UGLY!!!

Fifth, it was expensive. This is why I have not parted with it yet. Yet...

I am happy to say that this weekend I am going coat shopping! I am headed to Burlington Coat Factory in Horseheads and am gonna come home with a proper winter coat that I don't give the squink eye to whenever I take it from the closet. And if it happens to not be water-proof (AKA-snow proof) then I'm gonna put a rain poncho in my car and if I ever need to be 100% waterproof, then I'll slip it on over my beautiful new coat and jump into a impromptu snowball fight!

AND...some unsuspecting, plus-sized gal is going to be shopping the racks of the Goodwill in the near future and see a black, water-proof, Land's End coat on the rack and say, "Oooh! This is a nice coat! Wonder why someone got rid of it?" To her I say, "Good Luck and I hope that the zipper-in-the-cheek thing doesn't drive you too crazy!"

Remembering...

Today is a day we remember what happened 10 years ago. Everyone has different thoughts, feelings, remembrances of this shared experience. But last night I got to look at this event from a very different perspective. Thanks to a dish that wasn't communicating too well with it's satellite, I had limited choices on TV to watch and I picked the History channel. They were running a 9/11 special which was called "Voices from Inside the Towers". It featured recordings from people stuck in/evacuating from/headed into the towers and recollections from their loved ones. It was sad and hard to watch. But it did have a simple and ultimately uplifting message. One that reminded me of a quote from one of my all-time favorite movies, Love Actually. (It is at the beginning of the movie, in a voice-over done by the fictional British Prime Minister.)

Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport. General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't see that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends. When the planes hit the Twin Towers, as far as I know, none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge - they were all messages of love. If you look for it, I've got a sneaking suspicion... love actually is all around.

So my simple joy today on this very sad and emotional day is LOVE. Pure, complicated, unconditional, fleeting, unrequited, passionate, sweet, trusting, blazing-hot, tender, inspiring, messy...LOVE. Keep it, share it, give it away, shout it from the mountains, hold it close...treasure it until your last moment on this earth.

We are in need...

Charles and I are in the final (yippee!) stages of becoming foster parents and we have a few needs. I have been trying to collect some non grown-up things for the child coming into our home in a very short while and since we do not know the exact age or sex it has been kind-of difficult. So let me explain...

-We will get either a boy or a girl between the ages of 0 to 6 years old.

-When we get "the call" it will be hours before the child will be placed in our home. Depending on where we are it could be at work, at home, at the store, deeply asleep! We just don't know.

-They will come with SOME personal items, but not nearly enough, or any of the "big" things.

-We will be first time parents. "No experience required", my fanny!

-We are planning on being foster parents for a long while, so my ultimate goal is to have an inventory of items for children in that age range. That way when we get a call, we do not have to scramble for anything.

-There is no children's consignment shops in our town. One Goodwill the next town over.

So, you see, we need some things! If you are parents, you'll know what we need much better than we do, but I'm guessing...

-Car Seat ("seats" for different ages/weights)
-Crib
-High Chair
-Eating & Drinking Stuff (not food, but the dishes, etc.)
-Toys & Games
-Books
-Clothes
-Grooming Supplies (I couldn't think of a better way to say that...)
-School Supplies (not "consumable" items)
-How-To books (for US!!, like the "What to Expect" series)

If you have stuff that you are not using anymore, would love to purge, would loan it to us until you need it again or would just like to pay-it-forward to a good cause, then we are your people! Because we need so many different items to get us set up for so many ages, we wouldn't be able to pay a ton of money for the items you have, but if you could email me privately with what you have, we can talk. Also, if you live near us and know of a good children's consignment store, please let me know of it.

The very much appreciative Pecks!

mavenjen@yahoo.com

Aah, country living!

Another story from the country...

Today I came home from work to discover that a few of my plants on the steps and front porch were tipped over, so I righted them and put the potting soil back in and went to get the dogs. We head back outside for a potty break, Kiwi on a leash, Ginger running free. When we get to the spot where the plants were knocked over, Kiwi goes crazy with the smell. She really wanted to just stay and sniff there for awhile. But necessities await. We are near the flag pole/planting bed you see in the below photo when, I hear the unmistakable sound of cracking underbrush. And from the sound of it, it was something large in the tree line ahead of me. In the photo below, it is to the left of the driveway. I realize that we are not alone and pick up Ginger who has yet to go potty and wait to see if it moves on or stays put. I am watching the tree line as a really big bear moves out into view and just stares at us. (Gulp.) I know I'm not supposed to turn and run and I really don't want to 'cause Ginger still needs to go potty, so I just take a few steps backwards. The bear, seeing me move, decides to turn and run (Something that I am quite happy for them to do!). Unfortunately, it runs into the road just at the end of the driveway as a car was just going by. The car misses the bear, but spooks him to turn back around and start running towards us!! My sensible back-up, baby steps turn into a full fledged turn and run maneuver. The bear is headed towards us. The car that spooked the bear sees what is happening and backs up and watches (My hope is that they wanted to lend a hand if I got into trouble!). I make it to the front porch and see that at bear has turned off and is now running parallel to the road/stream, across our front yard and back into the woods. But he is going slow, so we all got a good show of it.

Now the old terrified-of-bears me would have turned tail and gotten back into the house as soon as she had heard the cracking in the woods. Or, would have figured out that those plants were probably knocked over by a bear and not ventured out at all for the rest of the day. But, no... The new embracing-all-parts-of-country-living me knows that bears are all around us and has decided that she is not all that scared of 'em anymore. Respectful, but not scared!



Oh, and PS-the foot prints in the grass leading away from our front porch were from a bear. A really, giant bear since those footprints/impressions remained in the grass for days.

Hello Autumn Menu

Hello All!

I have been working hard on putting together a yummy menu for our long weekend in the Pennsylvania countryside. There is a full kitchen with all the bells and whistles on site and I am going to use that baby to make us up some tasty meals.

I always post the menu ahead of time so that in case my menu doesn't meet any of your dietary requirements or if something isn't to your liking you can make other arrangements. There is a 'fridge space in the kitchen and in the crop room, so feel free to bring something you might need. As always, there will be PLENTY of food, but if there is a snack that you MUST have to crop with, then by all means bring that along. I will have coffee service set up all day long as well as iced tea, lemonade, water and a few sodas. There will not be a TON of soda, so if there is one that you need, please bring it along. I always prepare a vegetarian (not vegan) option to every "meat" meal, so please let me know ahead of time if you are a vegetarian. All the food is prepared together, so I cannot take any special requests at mealtimes.



Whew...with all that said...here is the menu!

Thursday

Breakfast-Scrambled Eggs with Cheese, Grits, Biscuits with Jen's Homemade Jams & Preserves
Lunch-Posh Cheese Sandwiches with Roasted Peppers, Mixed Green Salad with Jen's Homemade Blackberry Dressing and Mini Brownie Banana Splits
Snack-Chips & Salsa
Dinner-Olive Chicken over Linguine, Crusty French Bread and Chocolate Bread Pudding with Whipped Cream

Friday

Breakfast-Caramel Sweet Rolls, Thick, Smoked Bacon and Melon Salad
Lunch-Vegetable Quiche, Cheddar & Cauliflower Soup and Lemon Drop Cupcake
Snack-Peach Bellini Floats
Dinner-Toasted Almond Chicken, Whisky Glazed Carrots, Creamed Spinach, Parker House Rolls and Baked Apples with Jen's Homemade Cinnamon Ice Cream

Saturday

Breakfast-French Toast with Berry Butter & Maple Syrup and Sausage
Lunch-Grilled Turkey & Cheddar Panini with Chutney, Spiced Cabbage Slaw, Chips & Assorted Chocolate Truffles
Snack-Homemade Pretzels with Cheesy Mustard Dip
Dinner-Pumpkin Penne, Green Beans, Roasted Tomato Bruchetta and Peanut Butter Mousse with Whipped Cream

Sunday

Breakfast-Made-to-Order Omelets, Hash Browns and Fresh Fruit
Lunch-Grilled Goat Cheese & Tapanade Sandwiches, White Bean & Wild Mushroom Soup and Cheesecake Tartlets with Blackberries
Snack-Fruit & Cheese Plate
Dinner-Meaty Moussaka, Marinated Vegetables, Greek Salad and Baklava

Winter in Summer?

When I told all my friends and family that Charles and I were moving to Pennsylvania, I had a bunch of mixed reactions. But almost every person wondered how I would make out in winter time. Being a clever Southerner I made sure that all my "up north" visits were made in the summertime and thus had avoided seeing snow up until our move up here. There was cause for their concern. Heck! Even when I was wearing my most optimistic pants I held a small dread for (gulp) snow.
There was one fellow down south that really worked hard to convince me that I would hate snow. That I might think it was nice at first, but I wouldn't get used to it, wouldn't like it and would never be able to stay up here. He pounded me with this every time I spoke to him or would relay anti-snow messages to me via his wife. It got to be downright pesky.
Now I consider myself a pretty positive and upbeat person, and for the sake of my husband and my sanity, I told myself that I was going to make the best of the big changes that were coming into our lives. So with arms (and mind) wide open I have embraced our new rural lifestyle-winter days included. In fact, I have either put up such a good show that I have convinced myself or it is more possible that I actually do LOVE it up here! I find myself telling folks ad nauseum just how much I am enjoying life as a Northerner.
I so wanted to tell my friend that for me, it wouldn't matter the season I was living in, that I would still be ME. I would still think the same, enjoy the same things, love the same, create, socialize...that I would just have to do it all in snow boots!

So, today, during this most wonderful summer season that I was looking up some summer quotes when I found this one that I would like to share with that negative dude down south...

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. -Albert Camus

Hello Muddah Sleepaway Crop 2012

Announcing for March 2012...

Hello Muddah Sleep Away Crop!!



Thursday, March 8th through Sunday, March 11th

Starting at 12pm on Thursday and going until 3pm on Sunday afternoon!

Your long weekend will include:

-A huge cropping room with plenty of personal space!
-Accommodations for your weekend stay!
-All meals, drinks and snacks all weekend long!
-Games and shenanigans (look for the Talent Show to return)!
-Small goodies for everyone, with a unique twist on the "goody bag"!

Cost for the long weekend:

-$220 (Scout Cabin)
-$250 (Leader Cabin)

**REGISTRATION WILL BEGIN ON SATURDAY, JULY 2ND.**

(This is a long post with LOTS and LOTS of important information in it. Most of it is exactly the same as last year, but there are a few differences. Please read it all!!)


We will be staying and cropping in Florida's beautiful O'Leno State Park in High Springs.

This park is located along the Santa Fe River and is full of natural charm. The park has a wonderful suspension bridge over the river that along with the cabins and surrounding buildings were constructed in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
We will be staying in a large cabin loop that is for our private use during our visit. Our area consists of 17 rustic cabins, one large arts & crafts building, a pavilion, two restroom facilities with showers and a very large dining hall. The dining hall has windows around the room and two very large fireplaces on either end of the hall. It also has a huge kitchen where all your meals for the weekend will magically appear from!

Speaking of food, it will be our pleasure to be cooking for you all weekend! Your weekend fee will include: lunch, dinner and late night snack on Thursday, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on Friday and Saturday and brunch and afternoon snack on Sunday. There will be drinks available all day long. If you are not familiar with my cooking style it is good, old-fashioned "make you happy" meals. There is no diet food at crops! (Unless you pack it in yourself!) I always have a vegetarian (not vegan) option at every meal, but cannot take "special requests" at meal time! There will be a menu posted ahead of time so that you can make other arrangements if something doesn't strike your fancy or doesn't meet your special dietary requirements. If you need a bit of 'fridge space, please let me know in advance. The park does allow alcoholic beverages as long as it remains in your cabin or in our rooms. Basically, our camping area. So you can feel free to BYOB! (And specific mixers your require!)

About the cabins! Yes, I know that some of you are worried by now about that word "rustic". I would love to paint a spectacular picture of these cabins, but they ARE "rustic"! They were built in the 1930's. They do NOT have AC or heat. (This is why this trip is not in the summer time!) They DO have electric and electric plugs. The do NOT have bathrooms in the cabins. They DO have doors and windows-some are screens, but they ARE doors and windows. They have bunk beds. Most cabins sleep between 6-8 people. Depending on the number that I have sign up, I will assume that most everyone wants a bottom bunk. So unless this crop is extremely popular or you have a large group that wants to bunk together, I'm shooting for bottom bunks for all!!
About the bathrooms! Again...y'all worry too much! There are bathrooms in our cabin circle. There are two bathrooms in the crop room. If you've ever been to a state park you know what the bathrooms look like. They are concrete buildings with men on one side and women on the other. Both of the bathroom facilities have showers stalls. The showers have a row of sinks with mirrors and electric outlets. Then it has a row of private showers. They have bench seating just outside each shower stall. There IS hot water!
More about cabins and bathrooms! There are actually two types of cabins. "Scout" cabins and "Leader" cabins. There is a LOT of "scout" sleeping accommodations, but only a few "leader" beds. There are actually 3 leader cabins. Leader cabins do NOT have AC or heat either and DO have bunk beds, but they DO have their own bathrooms. I would like to offer these cabins up to those who are a) "infirmed", b) "old" or c) "sissies"! (I have just officially cracked myself up at those last comments!! Honestly! I cannot stop laughing...) But, if you feel like you would only be able to come if you had an indoor potty, then these spaces are a little more money and are on a first pay, first get basis! You can email me for room/bed configuration for you and/or your group. I will also take on a first pay, first get basis requests to be in the cabins closest to the bathroom facilities. There are four of those cabins, so once they fill I will move out from there! Unless you have something else you want to be close to!

About the weather! I have no idea what the weather will be like the beginning of March 2012! I CAN give you the last four years in weather history from that area according to Weather Underground. 2011: high 80/low 40, 2010: high 73/low 39, 2009: high 80/low 47 and 2008: high 66/low 40. Suffice it to say it will be much warmer than January! If the night time lows are too low for you to sleep without some kind of heat and since the cabins are not heated you will might need to bring nice warm bedding and/or a heater or electric blanket. Each cabin will only take one heater, so once we have cabins assigned you can talk amongst yourselves about who has a heater! (If you plug in more than one heater, you MAY blow a fuse! They draw a LOT of electric!!)

Even more about the cabins! You need to bring your own bedding and towels. Each bunk has a mattress pad (upgraded since the last time I was there!), but you will not, I repeat NOT want to use that as your only pad! I would suggest getting one of those egg crate mattress pads in a queen size. Fold it in half to make a super, thick twin size. If not all the bunks are filled in your cabin, you are free to use a pad from another bed to make yours nice and full.

About the area. I cannot tell you just how beautiful this area is. This crop will be a great chance to escape the everyday and recharge with friends, this hobby we love AND nature! There are great opportunities to just sit and be one with the beautiful Florida landscape. Hiking trails which in January were very popular, the river, canoeing or just sitting on the porch in a chair and relaxing. This location doesn't disappoint...
O'Leno State Park is about 30 minutes from Gainesville and about 5 miles from "downtown" High Springs. This is where the closest area restaurants, grocery, etc. will be located. You can come and go from the park but if you come back after dusk/the park has closed, you will need a gate entrance code to get back in. IF you should want to come to the event, but really cannot see yourself plunging into the camp adventure, you could check out hotels in the High Springs area. You will not hurt my feelings one tiny bit, but you will also still be paying the same event fee as well! But it is an option!

About the crop. After January's roaring success and with so many of y'all trying to hand me deposit checks for 2012 I figured we should go back again. And since January was a wee bit too cold, we are trying for March this year. This will still be a "budget" crop-same as last year without all the hoopla. Everybody loved Thursday, so that stays and kept the cost super low! As per the original poll, there will be no lavish goody bags and no door prizes. No give-aways and no make-n-takes provided by me. There will still be games and fun organized things to participate in at your leisure! The really unique idea on the goody bag/make-n-take notion was also a GIANT hit, so again, thanks to Dianne and Kathy who came up with this idea and to all the January croppers who astounded us all with their talent the goody bag "trade" remains. I will set a theme, pick the colors (and possibly a line from a specific company) and the album size and anyone who wants to contribute a handmade goody for each of the croppers is highly encouraged to do so. You could make a tag, a page topper and embellishment, a title...whatever! You would just have to make enough for everyone. Then we will swap and hopefully we will have enough stuff to make a killer album! More on that to follow. At the last crop, we had some "think outside of the box" people whe brought homemade cookies, hand warmers and treats.

I am also opening up the big arts & crafts room to any of our croppers who want to teach a class! If you are interested in this, just email me and I'll get you the information. So that means if we have anybody who wants to teach, we'll offer classes at an additional fee. More on that as it happens! Maybe I'll even try to talk Lance into coming back. He was such a FUN addition to our group.

If you are a direct-sale merchant (like CM, CTMH, SU, MK, PC, etc.) and want to be heard from, just email me quickly and we'll talk! There will only be one person representing a company, so contact me soon!

Just a few more tips.

-You can easily walk between your cabin and the crop room, but if you prefer, you can drive!
-This is the Florida "woods". You may encounter wildlife. Deer and raccoons are very common in that area.
-We have to respect the other campers and keep our party to a dull roar.
-If you bring extra lighting, you must bring your own extension cord.
-Hobby Lobby is on the way up from the Tampa/St. Pete area!
-More tips will come as it gets closer!

The registration form is at the bottom, so if I have convinced you that this will be an unforgettable and fun adventure or you've been waiting with baited breath since the last crop for me to announce 2012, then print out the flyer and send it in with your payment.
I take checks and money orders. There is a payment plan if you like. You can pay in full-easiest and you will be my best friend! Or pay $70 now and the rest in three installments. The fee will depend on the cabin type you get. BUT that payment is what holds your spot!! So if you want to get a leader cabin or a cabin near the potties, you must get that deposit to me ASAP. Once I receive your payment/deposit I will notify you on what cabin you got. So if you are making payments, you will know how much to send.

**READ BELOW ON NEW REGISTRATION "RULES"**
Because the Leader cabins were very popular in January, and they might be again in March, I have come up with the new way to register. This really will only pertain to you if you are hoping for a Leader or specific cabin. You will still be mailing checks or money orders (no, I didn't set up the PayPal...too many fees) I will be checking all envelopes for the CANCELLATION DATE. It must be Saturday, July 2nd or later (NOT earlier!). Once I receive all the registrations from the 2nd, then I'll start assigning cabins on a first CANCELLED, first assign basis. If by some wierdness, I get more registrations than I have Leader space, I will then put all those registrations into a LOTTERY and do a drawing to assign space. If there are more "special request" spaces leftover after the 2nd cancellation date, I'll move onto the 3rd, etc. NOW...if you are traveling in a group and want to all bunk together, AND if we must go to the LOTTERY method of cabin assigning, then EACH AND EVERY person who is in your group must have the same DATE CANCELLATION on their letters and if I pull one person from a group, they will all get the special request. So...I have a few suggestions:
-If you are traveling with a group, maybe have one person register/mail them in together.
-Take your letter to the post office on Saturday and have it hand cancelled. That way you are 100% sure it is done on the day you mail it!
-Do not, I repeat, DO NOT try to be sneaky and send your registration in early. Any letters that arrive with a cancellation date earlier than the 2nd will be moved to the END OF THE LINE!

Crop cancellations-A full refund will be given if the crop is cancelled before February 8th. If you need to cancel the crop after February 8th then no refund will be given. Crop registrations ARE transferable.




Please call, email or holler any questions you might have. (My personal email is: mavenjen@yahoo.com) I am REALLY looking forward to this adventure! We are gonna have a grand time and remember this...“Art flourishes where there is a sense of adventure.” -Alfred North Whitehead

Project Life

It sure has been awhile since I've posted any photos here. I guess that working 9 hours a day, 5 days a week has put a dent into my blogging time. But here are some of the latest happenings up here in beautiful Pennsylvania!

The girls at church serve up cupcakes they decorated for the "Games for UU and You" game night.
10 below! This winter sure was mean to this poor Florida girl!
This is a carriage house with above living space that is currently under construction that Charles designed.
My first visit to Starbucks in over 9 months! I am one happy camper.
Charles and I post at the little park near our house. We were exploring it with the Peace Kids. (AKA: The girls in my Sunday School class)
The first of the raised planting beds that Charles built.
The eggs in the play yard "hidden" for the toddlers.
The Peace Kids have a slumber party at Miss Jen's house and we go for a hike in the PA Grand Canyon.
The weather is turning warmer and the kids don't need their coats, so they are all lined up on the fence in the play yard one morning.
My tomato seedlings.
Ginger goes to work with Charles for a few days during one of her seizure bouts.
A little Easter home decor project I did this year.
These are the cute name markers I made for the toddler room.
It is funny to me that I'm up in PA buying Plant City strawberries. This might only be funny to people from Florida!
Serving up Blackberry Cheesecake Tartlets to the girls from Stepping Stones at our monthly training meeting.
The car all packed up for a day of scrapbooking at the library with the Blossburg Girls.
Check out the snow that is piled up on the window sill! Holy crud!!
Kiwi poses near a waterfall that we found on an impromptu hike.
The girls from Stepping Stones head to Cast & Crew to celebrate Miss Karen's birthday.
First bear sighting of 2011 is a doozy! A mama bear with four cubs spend about 3 hours in the yard playing and climbing trees and eating the last of the birdseed.
This picture shows just how close they are to our bedroom window.
This is a charming movie theatre in Blossburg that we've been going to since it's re-opening. It has it's (still operational) popcorn machine from the 30's! Love this place!
I love all the trees when they are budding in Spring.
This cracked me up...shopping for potting soil in Lowe's Garden Center while pushing my buggy through piles of snow.
Morning Star Farms brings back their wonderful veggie corn dogs!!! This made my year!
Ginger discovers the joys of an electric blanket. She spent many hours curled up on it this winter.