Pennies From Heaven

Julie and Julia

2009-08-12T22:12:00.005-04:00

I just took a walk through my house counting...as it turns out I have 84 cookbooks. But what I don't have is "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," the book that the entire movie is about.

I am floating right now! What a fabulous movie for someone who loves not just cooking, but reading cookbooks.

I tried reading the book "Julie and Julia" a few months ago and ended up putting it down because I just plain didn't like Julie Powell, the author. It's a rare thing for me to give up on a book, and I was disappointed because I was so sure I was going to love it. But I was still so excited about the movie and it did NOT disappoint. Tonight I fell in love with Julia Child. I remember my grandmother watching her on PBS once in a while when I was kid, way before the Food Network appeared on the scene and took over my existence. But I never paid much attention to her. What an amazing woman she was, and who better to portray such an eccentric and lovable persona than Meryl Streep. I also don't have enough good to say about Stanley Tucci, who plays Julia's husband, Paul. They were so in love and fun to watch. I was laughing hysterically as Julia and Paul cried while she sliced mountains of onions.

As the movie jumped back and forth between Julie's present day life and Julia's life in Paris, I was riveted watching Julie's quest to find herself while cooking through the book Julia was trying desperately to get published some 50 years before. What a wonderful story! I'm going to bed happy now, dreaming of boeuf bourguignon...

West Virginiaaa...mountain mommaaa...take me hooooome...country roads.

2009-07-31T19:15:00.003-04:00

I'm home from one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. I went to Northfork, WV and worked with an organization called Mustardseeds and Moutains to do home repair and build relationships with people in that county. I'll be blogging about it all once I get home from my MN trip to visit the Millers. But I wanted to take a minute to proclaim how much I love my beautiful kids and my wonderful husband. When I walked into my house it was SPOTLESS!!! It was vacuumed, dusted, dishes done, laundry done, folded, and put away. And places that tend to collect Mark's day to day clutter were completely empty. The kids had made me cards that were set up on the dining room table. On top of it all, Mark made dinner, did the dishes, and gave the kids baths for ANOTHER night, even though I'm home now. I am so thankful for them all.

So now I'm off to visit friends and will be gone for another week, but I am saying thank you again, to the people who helped support me going on this trip. It truly was life changing and I can't wait to go back! The picture above is our team from NewLife Community Church at the house where we stayed on our trip.

Embarrassed to Admit?

2009-05-21T12:46:00.003-04:00

So we all know that I love movies. I feel like my taste in movies is even diverse. I love blockbuster hits, I love indies, I love comedy, drama, romance, horror...I'll watch anything (except maybe Chuck Norris/Steven Segal stuff cuz it's just boring). Something that amazes me though is that for all the movies out there, one movie that I never fail to stop and watch when I catch it on TV is Tommy Boy. It has me cracking up through the whole thing. It's so stupid, but it's HILARIOUS!!! Anyway, this got me to thinking--what are my other guilty pleasures? What are the movies that I truly love and watch over and over, but wouldn't want to admit to fellow movies buffs and especially not to a critic? Hmmm, I'll mull it over and post again on this topic.

It's Summertime 2009!

2009-05-14T12:40:00.001-04:00

Every summer is a big deal for movie goers. There are always a few I look forward to seeing, but this year seems exceptional. Thank goodness I’m having a yard sale this weekend because I will be spending oodles of money on movies during the next few months. So, if you’re interested, here’s what is on my personal must-see list, by release date, and keep in mind that May is considered part of the summer movie season.

ANGELS AND DEMONS – May 15 – Loved the Davinci Code so on to the next big story, right?
THE BROTHERS BLOOM – May 29 – Looks creatively hilarious.
UP – May 29 – The kids and I never miss the summer Disney/Pixar.
MY LIFE IN RUINS – June 5 – It’s set in Greece, any questions?
AWAY WE GO – June 5 – One of my most anticipated…John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph…looks beyond fabulous.
500 DAYS OF SUMMER – July 17 – Looks different than anything else I’ve seen, and I love that.
MY SISTER’S KEEPER – June 26 – Will be sobbing from start to finish but I don’t want to miss it.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE – July 15 – Yaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!
G.I.JOE: RISE OF THE COBRA – Aug 7 – Because I was a kid in the 80’s and watched this cartoon daily.
JULIE AND JULIA – Aug 7 – Amy Adams blogging about cooking and Meryl Streep as Julia Child…I’ll be first in line at the first showing. =)
TAKING WOODSTOCK – Aug 14 – Most people who have known me well call me a hippie at heart…nuff said!
POST GRAD SURVIVAL GUIDE – Aug 14 – Being a fan of Gilmore Girls it’s nice to see Alexis Bledel get a shot in her own leading role.
THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE – Aug 14 – I haven’t found a trailer for this yet, but just the story alone looks amazing…based on a novel, which is usually a good sign.
THE BOAT THAT ROCKED – Aug 28 – Radio dj’s introducing rock to Britain in the 60’s…AWE(wait for it)SOME!

Of course my most anticipated movie of the year isn’t until November 20, but that’s another post for another time!

Star Trek

2009-05-11T18:39:00.003-04:00

I have a conundrum. Star Trek...to see or not to see? Okay so I was watching Movie Mob on Reelz channel today. For anyone who hasn't seen this show it's a very entertaining way to watch movie reviews. 9 different people go to see the latest movies and then review them on their webcams. They create these funny names and personalities and it's sometimes very funny and sometimes very annoying, but I'm hooked. Each week you can go online and vote for your favorite movie reviewer and the person with the least votes gets kicked off the show and a new one comes in next week. It's just an ongoing thing...not a competition show or anything. I never vote, but I do manage to catch the show every week as it is on multiple times all week long. Anyway all that to say, because this show has such diverse personalities, the reviews are always inconsistent and all over the place. Some people love what other people hate, as is usual in life. HOWEVER...today every person reviewing Star Trek LOVED IT! It got 4 or 5 stars from everyone and I was so surprised by that. The other common comment between them all was that it MUST be seen on the big screen. Star Trek is one of those major blockbuster movies that I wasn't all that interested in, and probably would have seen it as a rental. I might have even waited until it showed up on TBS or FX or something. But now that the whole world is loving this thing, I'm left wondering...Am I missing out on a major movie going experience? Should I spend the $9 to see this on the big screen? Thoughts?

Driving Miss Daisy

2009-05-07T10:13:00.005-04:00

Driving Miss Daisy is 20 years old, which means I was around 12 when it was released. It's kind of hard to believe I hadn't ever seen it, especially since it's on tv constantly. But the fact that it won an Oscar for Best Picture made me want to wait and watch it with no commercials. So last week I finally sat down with my library rental and gave it a try. I loved it! What a sweet story. I was already a fan of Jessica Tandy because of Fried Green Tomatoes which is easily on my top ten favorite movies of all time list. And I don't know a soul who doesn't love Morgan Freeman, so it already had a good cast going for it, but the story easily drew me in and left me feeling just a little sad, but very content and with a warmed heart. If you haven't ever seen this absolute American classic, give it a try on a lazy afternoon or evening and enjoy.

Rachel Getting Married

2009-04-06T15:39:00.003-04:00

This weekend Mark was away so it was the perfect opportunity to rent a TON of movies. I got to see “Changeling” and “Rachel Getting Married” with two friends during a very late night involving junk food. Two heavy movies for a girls' night, but it worked. And then I also saw “The Other Boleyn Girl,” “Definitely Maybe,” “Penelope,” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Lots of different genres…that’s a good weekend.

“Rachel Getting Married” was the standout to me in this collection. This was Anne Hathaway’s first Oscar-nominated role and let me say, rightfully so. I’ve only ever seen her play the good girl. In this she plays Kim, a recovering addict who comes home for her sister’s wedding. It was almost more of a study on family, rather than a story. There was no heroine or villain in this movie. I could feel pain for each character, and I also felt angry at each character at different times. It was very raw…from the awkward rehearsal dinner toast, to the mother’s withdrawal from her own daughters, to the dad trying desperately to hold his family together, to Rachel one minute hating her sister, but the next minute caring for her as only a sister can. Anne Hathaway was perfection. She’s an actress for the ages in my book.

As a side note, I also really enjoyed the uniqueness of the wedding and the eclectic group of friends throughout the movie. Also, the wedding musicians were always around the house, practicing for the big event, but that provided the movie soundtrack. It was pretty cool.

V For Vendetta

2009-04-03T08:34:00.002-04:00

“Remember remember the 5’th of November…”

So after finally viewing “V for Vendetta,” I realize it falls into the category of movies that takes over every male of my generation’s psyche…movies including Gladiator, Braveheart, and of course, The Matrix. What is it about guys and the rebel mind set?…fighting for a cause…etc, etc. Speaking as someone who never wants to hold a weapon in my hand, I suppose I’m glad there are actual Robin Hoods out there who are willing to stand up for freedom and what’s right. Especially considering how crazy our world is becoming. Funny what a serious tone this has taken, all because of a story from a graphic novel. But a good movie, whether it's based on reality or fantasy, allows you to experience something you otherwise wouldn’t, right? Just throwing a quick warning in though, since I know some of the people who read this and take my movie suggestions: it’s slightly disturbing in a holocaust kind of way. But if you’re up for it, it’s worth seeing. Wow Wow Wow!!!

Very politically charged movie…my next job is to talk my non-movie-loving, but political junkie husband into watching this. Maybe my job will be easier than normal, considering 2 of the 8 movies he actually likes are Gladiator and The Matrix. =)

Two Movies I've Recently Seen...

2009-04-02T14:22:00.002-04:00

In the past couple of weeks I saw two movies (well, lots more than two, but I’m talking about a specific two here). “Atonement” had a trailer for “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” and “Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day” had a trailer for “Atonement.” These are two completely different kinds of stories. I’m not saying trailers always show similar movies to the one you’re watching, but they do tend to show chick flick trailers on chick flick DVD’s, and shoot-em-up trailers on shoot-em-ups…you get my drift. I supposed it mostly has to do with the actual production company promoting their own movies. Anyway, here are my observations on these two movies. Both were based in England. One was a comedy, the other a drama, well tragedy may be a more likely word. Both had superb acting, so I suppose they also had that in common. I love anything with Frances McDormand (my favorite character being the somewhat wacky but conventional mother in “Almost Famous”). I also feel you can’t go wrong with Amy Adams, James McAvoy, Vanessa Redgrave, or Keira Knightly. The thing that stood out the most about both though, was the music. I loved how an old typewriter was used to build suspense by tapping out specific cadences in “Atonement.” And the soundtrack of 30’s jazz in “Miss Pettigrew” is not to be missed.

Top 10 Movie Theatre Experiences

2009-03-31T10:11:00.001-04:00

Definition: These are not my top 10 favorite movies. These are the top 10 movies that left me FEELING something…I sat in my seat speechless or left the theatre euphoric over the film I had just experienced.

1. Remember the Titans – Saw it with my Pennsylvania family (Mark, Jamie, Gretchen, Woody, Cliff, Ang). We all walked out of the theatre and immediately began freaking out. Left on a big high.

2. Slumdog Millionaire – Saw it with Faith. Getting through the grittiness of the Mumbai slums was so worth it as we sat speechless at the end with soaring hearts.

3. Fever Pitch – Saw it with Mark. Best date movie ever because Mark, who doesn’t like going to movies much, loved it as much as I did. Sports, romance, Jimmy Fallon humor, Red Sox winning…perfection!

4. Dan in Real Life – Saw it with Lydie. Laughed and hurt through the whole thing. Total resolution at the end…left feeling happy about life.

5. August Rush – Saw it with Lydie and Sam. Was hyperventilating and gripping the armrests during the last minutes as they came together.

6. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Saw it alone. Very needed as an escape that day. It fit my mood perfectly…wanted to be carried away by something not real and something that would make me feel.

7. The Other Sister – Saw it with Gretchen. Thought it looked silly, but after weeks and weeks of Gretchen begging me to go see it, I finally gave in and it was SO WORTH IT. Left theatre feeling euphoric about life.

8. Reign Over Me – Saw it with Kristen. Basically having convulsions trying not to sob out loud. Will probably never see it again because it was so hard to get through, but glad I saw it once.

9. Never Been Kissed – Saw it with Gretchen. I really don’t love this movie at all anymore, but seeing it when I was younger was awesome. Gretchen and I literally floated out of the theatre and still talk about how it made us feel. =)

10. Stepmom and Patch Adams – Saw them with Gretchen. Tied because we cried so hard at the end of both.

I saw lots of teeny bopper movies with Tishka, lots of chick flicks with Gretchen, and lots of anything and everything now. Indies have become my recent favorite…plan on seeing Sunshine Cleaning soon. Movies make me happy. =) I’d love to hear about anyone else’s experiences…

Top 40

2009-03-18T14:43:00.002-04:00

Okay, another blog tag. I was told to list my personal Top 40. There's no rhyme or reason to the order because with so many different genres, I couldn't possibly figure that out. All I know is these are the songs I've been coming back to again and again for most of my adult life.

1. Sweet Baby James - James Taylor

2. Over the Rainbow - Judy Garland

3. Daydream Believer - The Monkees

4. Feels Like Tonight - Daughtry

5. Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight & the Pips

6. Penny Lane - The Beatles

7. Angel - Aerosmith

8. If I Had a Million Dollars - Bare Naked Ladies

9. Born To Fly - Sara Evans

10. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond

11. New York New York - Frank Sinatra

12. Dancing Queen - ABBA

13. Boulevard of Broken Dreams - GreenDay

14. Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks

15. Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations

16. Defying Gravity - Wicked soundtrack

17. Real Fine Place - Sara Evans

18. 59'th St. Bridge Song (feeling groovy) - Simon & Garfunkel

19. A Wink and a Smile - Harry Connick Jr.

20. Save a Horse Ride a Cowboy - Big & Rich

21. Tiny Dancer - Elton John

22. September Grass - James Taylor

23. Ain't No Mountain - Marvin Gaye & Tammy Terrell

24. Baba O'Riley - The Who

25. Cowboy Take Me Away - Dixie Chicks

27. Come Fly With Me - Michael Buble

28. More Than a Feeling - Boston

29. Seasons of Love - Rent soundtrack

30. Caledonia - Celtic Woman

31. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

32. Wholly Yours - David Crowder Band

33. Mighty to Save - Hillsong

34. Blessed Be the Name - Matt Redman

35. No One Like You - David Crowder Band

36. God of This City - Chris Tomlin

37. From the Inside Out - Hillsong

38. Knees to the Earth - Christy Nockels

39. O For a Thousand Tongues - David Crowder Band

40. Hosanna - Christy Nockels

A Quandry

2009-03-06T08:23:00.003-05:00

Okay. I don't know why I haven't been writing lately. Ideas pop into my head, but I just don't take the time to write them out. Sure, I'm busier than I used to be, but I still have plenty of time at home in front of the laptop and tv. Then I started wondering, am I getting more private as I get older? My life has always been for the most part, an open book, but maybe I don't want people knowing the details on everything... But I don't think that's it either. I just looked back to the beginning of this blog and realized it's been exactly 3 years since I started. It was March of 2006--that's a long time! The past couple of months that I haven't been blogging, I've really missed my blog world. I miss posting on friends blogs...I miss checking to see comments on my own page. It's just another way to be connected to the people I love who aren't near me anymore. So I was thinking after 3 years of writing about the simple things in life (which I still love) and throwing stories about my kids in here and there, maybe I need to move on to something else. I mean, there's only so many times I can rhapsodize over how much I love fall and all that comes with it, right? So what are my other passions in life? That's the easiest question in the world...movies, cooking, and books! Hmmm....stay tuned friends. =)

6 Years Old!

2008-12-30T09:08:00.002-05:00

Today Jake turns 6! It's hard to believe he's been around that long already. Most people say that Jake is a mini-Mark...the spitting image. He has my eye color but it ends there. =) Jake is a really good big brother. He loves to share his candy from school or church with Rory and he checks to make sure she's okay in certain situations, which is hilarious. He's really big on hugs and I Love You's lately, and we're drinking it in because we assume it won't last. He's all boy, and thumps and bumps and bangs around the house, which of course, drives me crazy. He's stubborn (shocker) but quick to say he's sorry. He colors a lot, and wants to do more school work as soon as he gets home in the afternoon. Right now his world is consumed with Transformers, Superheroes, and Legos. Especially Legos. His little mind is definitely a builders mind. He loves all his toys that he can create with...Legos, Magnetix, Lincoln Logs, Bristle Blocks...anything he can build. Legos seem to have taken over our house this Christmas and birthday. We're so thankful for Jake...I can't imagine my world without his fits of laughing. I don't think there's anything I love more in this world than when Jake does his hearty laugh! =)

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-18T17:42:00.002-05:00

Twas the week before Christmas and what can I say
No blogging for weeks, but I’ll explain if I may.

I came home from Thanksgiving way too sick.
But December is crazy with many tasks to lick!

So I started in right away, decorating and baking
With no rest I got sicker—and I wasn’t faking!

Finally it was all done, my house looked cheery.
I could sit and enjoy the season through my eyes so bleary.

Now that I'm healthy there’s fun stuff to do.
Town festivals and light spotting are the first two.

We’ve been watching our movies and reading our books.
Got some pics of my kids with some pretty cute looks.

We decorated our tree and had a party or two
The kids sang in big church, to name just a few.

Busy busy busy, but with really fun stuff.
December is magical so it never feels rough.

The stockings are hung by the chimney with care
Gifts are bought and wrapped and I can’t wait to share!

I’ve been very out of touch and I feel really bad,
But there are special times with my family that are being had.

And since I’m sure this post will be it for a little while,
Merry Christmas to all and a very big smile! =)

Oh Christmas Tree!

2008-12-02T17:54:00.001-05:00

I know I indulge myself in a little bit of Christmas through November by breaking out the music and the mugs (and even some decorations if Mark will let me get away with it early). But I will admit that it is not truly the Christmas season until that cold, fresh, nothing-else-like-it smell of our balsam fir hits me for the first time. Aaaaaahhhhhh...the true smell of Christmas in my living room!

Counting Down

2008-11-21T09:12:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving Countdown & MySpace Layouts

Mulling It Over...

2008-11-21T08:13:00.000-05:00

When I was in college I remember my friends and I discussing what our favorite childhood Christmas record was. Yes, I am old enough to have used records as a small child. It was that one album that meant Christmas was here the moment you heard it. For one friend it was Barbara Streisand, for another Jim Reeves...you get the picture. We had a bunch that we played at our house, but my favorite by far was the Carpenters Christmas Portrait. A friend of ours was techno savvy enough in the early 80's to finally record it onto a cassette tape for us and that's what we played for years and years and years until the CD revolution, at which point (after receiving my very own CD player for Christmas), I went right out and bought my own Carpenters CD, along with one for my mom.

I was thinking about this the other day. For years now we've had Christmas radio stations at our exposure. I remember as a kid the oldies station would play Christmas music all day only on Christmas and we were so excited about it every year. Something different, something fun. But now, we have stations playing Christmas music starting as soon as Halloween is over and straight through New Year's (and online all year long if you want it). Now for me, this is great because my minivan is on the old side and only has a radio and a broken casette player. So the radio being my only option, I thrive on those Christmas stations as I drive around town. Another thing those of us blessed with DirecTV have is XM radio stations through our TV. I never listen to these stations, except when Christmas comes around. It's so convenient to flip on the TV and turn it right to the Holly station for some old and new Christmas classics.

But the other day as I was driving around singing Christmas songs with Rory at the top of our lungs, I realized that so far, my kids don't have that one special album that will always mean the magic of Christmas. Part of this is because of the two things I just mentioned, but another reason is because I have been a Christmas CD freak since college and at this point probably have over 40 different CD's. So if I do take the time to pop in a CD (or bring up iTunes on my laptop) instead of the radio, I'm playing a variety of music all season long, rather than just those few special albums over and over.

Is there a solution? I'm determined to make December as magical for my kids as I remember it being for me. But I like ALL my music and I don't want to leave any out. Maybe I can play the same CD every year as we decorate the tree, or maybe I can play the Disney one during breakfast every morning as a happy Christmas start to the kids' day...I don't know...I'm still mulling. Suggestions are welcome. Just once again thinking out loud to anyone who wants to listen!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-03T17:39:00.003-05:00

One of my favorite things about Halloween is that I get to eat candy that I would normally not spend money on when I'm at a store. Take Milk Duds, for instance. I LOVE Milk Duds, but I don't think I've ever actually bought them. I mean, do they even have Milk Duds in the check out line? I don't think I've ever seen them in a store at all, come to think of it. So as I sit and make the effort to chew my milk duds (not an easy task), I see disapproving looks coming from Mark. He thinks it's mean to dip into the kids candy buckets. I have many points to dispute this thought:

1) Mark doesn't like our kids to have much candy in the first place.
2) I am a self-proclaimed candy addict and it's impossible to see massive amounts of chocolate without indulging.
3) Our kids are getting old--we did 2 neighborhoods instead of just our development and both kids have a rediculous amount of candy.
4) If we don't help the kids eat it, it will last until January, and I personally don't even like the candy to infringe on our Christmas cookie season because there's already so much food to enjoy during December.
5) Isn't it the God-given right of every parent to dip into their kids Halloween buckets? I mean come on--my mom did it. It's the circle of life!

Anyway, we had a GREAT Halloween this year. Mark got to go trick-or-treating with us for the first time in years. Jake had a fun class party and school parade that Rory and I got to help with. And we had a blast running into so many neighbors and kids from school that we're getting to know. Sometimes suburban America is nothing short of wonderful. =)

Pumpkin Time

2008-10-29T07:59:00.003-04:00

I am a person of tradition. If something is done one year, it must be done the following year. My mom did it this way growing up, and I think it's just bred into me now. Although my mom does say that when we were kids, if she let something go or we skipped something, I was the one who demanded that things go the traditional way. I was not a fan of change--I think it made me feel secure and I liked knowing that our family did things certain ways. I feel it's really important to help create a feeling of security, fun, and festiveness in my kids lives, so they can look back at their childhoods and proclaim to all the world the way things were done in our family. I'm thinking this mostly pertains to holidays and special occasions, but I've seen it creep into other facets of our lives too.

So in saying all this, it's hard to let go of a traditional fall activity this year, but it's with good reason. We have carved a big jack-o-lantern every year since before we had kids. Usually it's the week before Halloween. Last year we made a huge event out of it, first carving the pumpkin, then having hot chocolate with pumpkin peep marshmallows, and finishing by watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown." Obviously, this is the most fabulous event in my mind because I'm so psychotic about fall, and I planned to make it an annual family evening.

BUT...I didn't count on life changing so much between then and now. First of all, Jake is in school, and on top of that, we are involved in so much more now than we were when we first moved here, and we finally know more people. This week, being the week before Halloween, is CRAZY! We had a costume party with our Young Adult (college/career) group from church, Rory has a Halloween party with her library story time class, we have a friends costume party and bonfire with a ton of people from church Thursday night, and then Friday Jake has his class costume party and parade at school, which Rory and I will also be going to. There was simply no time to carve a pumpkin! I'm willing to let go just this year and not freak out about it, because the kids are having SUCH a fun week with alternative festive events, instead of our little homemade one. But rest assured, it's in the back of my mind to pick back up next October. Maybe we need to do it 2 weeks before Halloween...

2008-10-14T08:52:00.001-04:00

21 days and counting until the constant beating over our heads that is campaign commercials comes to an end.

40 Things You May Not Know About Me

2008-10-06T19:16:00.007-04:00

Someone challenged me to do this and it was hard, but fun.

1. Green is my favorite color (okay, so maybe you know that one since practically all my clothes and half my shoes are green)
2. I grew up the oldest of 4 kids with a single mom.
3. I love hiking and canoeing.
4. I’ve had 8 holes pierced into my body, and only the first two are left.
5. I had my gallbladder removed in college.
6. I wear sneakers every day (although since Christmas, my Crocs are giving them a run for their money).
7. I saw a real Viking ship sale into Dublin, Ireland the only time it’s ever happened since the invasions thousands of years ago.
8. Once the weather is cool, I burn candles every day.
9. Ever since I was a little kid, I have fainted EVERY SINGLE time I’ve puked.
10. In 9’th grade after puking, I fainted, then simultaneously split my chin open on the bathtub, and burned my arm (2’nd degree!) on a radiator. =)
11. For someone who hates working out, I was a pretty good athlete back in the day and actually won athletic awards. (it’s okay—you can giggle at that one).
12. New Hampshire is my favorite state.
13. I love oldies.
14. Growing up, my walls were covered with hockey posters, but now I know nothing about it and football has taken over.
15. I took a cake decorating class.
16. My mom let my sister and I have friends sleep over just about every weekend of my life.
17. I used to play the piano, flute, and guitar.
18. I went to a boarding school in NH for my last 2 years of high school.
19. My sister is tall, blond, trendy, and runs marathons, while I am average, brunette, wear the same clothes forever, and hate exercising, but we make each other laugh a LOT!
20. I’m in love with New York City.
21. As a kid, I took ice skating lessons and gymnastics.
22. I'm a big-time morning person.
23. When I'm sick, I babble the ears off of whatever person is near me and don't realize I'm doing it.
24. I have 14 rubbermaid bins of Christmas decorations.
25. My cousin and I once spent 9 hours straight swimming and playing in a NH lake.
26. My favorite part of the day is choosing my morning coffee mug.
27. My laundry room walls are covered with pieces of my history and things that make me smile.
28. I still like toys and cartoons just as much as when I was my kids' ages.
29. My husband and I are extreme opposites, but a lot alike---it doesn't make sense, but it works.
30. I love sleeping with the windows open and piled with quilts.
31. In 8'th grade my friend and I used to go to Au bon Pain every Friday night and order a ham and cheese croissant and Coke for $3.33.
32. I always considered myself a city girl, but lately I'm wanting to live in the country (as long as we're close enough to drive to the city).
33. I realized recently that my love of old movies stems from the fact that my mom and my grandmother always did too, and I've become determined to pass this on to Rory (along with our love of books). She just watched her first Shirley Temple movie.
34. I biked for an entire day around Cape Cod and the next day, literally could not sit down.
35. My ringtone has always been "Over the Rainbow" with a few others thrown in seasonally.
36. For someone who's not that into clothes, I have 2 and a half drawers of graphic tees.
37. My favorite food is a really well done Italian sub.
38. I have a GIGANTIC collection of cookie cutters.
39. I watch all my Christmas DVD's in November so in December I can watch the movies that are on TV--I even love the cheesy ones on Lifetime every afternoon in December.
40. I eat popcorn about every other night.

My Favorite Month

2008-10-06T18:26:00.003-04:00

"October is the glory and magnificence of the year's late afternoon."
--Hal Borland (The Twelve Moons of the Year)

The Man With the Spatula

2008-09-23T15:29:00.003-04:00

Most people probably wouldn't look at Mark and automatically assume he's a cook. And he probably wouldn't call himself one, but I must proclaim to all the world that he has a gift. I think this gift involves spatulas. I'm telling you, anything he touches with a spatula turns to gold. Mark has been making pancakes with our kids on Saturdays mornings since they were old enough to stand on a stool. But it's his omelettes that have so impressed me over the years. I've been making my own omelettes since I was a kid, but once we'got married and Mark made me that first omelette years ago, I don't bother to make my own anymore. I don't know what he does to make them so perfect, and I think I've decided I don't want to know. I love cooking, but it's kind of fun that his are so much more yummo. The really cool thing is that he seems to have so much fun making them that he doesn't mind if I randomly ask for one. This weekend the spatula gift was confirmed. I was sick with a knock-me-over kind of cold and no food sounded good to me except for mild things like soup or english muffins. Mark made me the most delactable grilled cheese of my life. It wasn't anything fancy--plain white bread, one slice of american cheese--so I don't know why it tasted so good. I guess I'm just chalking it up to my husband's gift.

September, Here We Come!

2008-09-03T21:41:00.003-04:00

Since having my kids and becoming a stay-at-home mom, my life has been very slow, for lack of a better word. I've had all the time in the world to do things. Once we moved to Columbus, it became slower than ever because of not knowing many people. I became involved more than ever in my online world, which involved numerous blogs I read, browsing for any and everything, and of course, facebook. Suddenly, life isn't like that anymore. For the past 6 or 7 months, we've been busy, but it seems since July, busier than ever. It's a good busy though--getting Jake started in school and all the meetings that go with that, starting with the Young Adult group at our church, doing a rediculous amount of fun area things with friends to get us through my most hated month of the year (swelteringly miserable August!). I guess all this is to say that I hate the fact that each blog entry seems farther apart than the last. As I go about my day, so many things pop into my head and my brain starts automatically writing my next entry, but then I don't get a chance to sit down and actually type it in, or when I do, I'm tired and I just want to vedge. It's frustating because this is such a fun outlet for me. Anyway, if you're still checking this silly but hopefully slightly interesting blog, I'm hoping things will even out sometime soon, maybe after my mom flies home next week and we're finally settled into a normal routine around here.

Here We Go Again

2008-08-13T19:49:00.003-04:00

Just bear with me here, people, as it is time for my very annual lament about how summer is too long and it’s time for the magic of Fall.

I’m ready for jeans.
I’m ready for Ohio State football.
I’m ready for Jake to start school.
I’m ready for my brown sweater coat.
I’m ready for leaves to change color.
I’m ready for socks and sneakers and boots.
I’m ready for apple picking.
I’m ready for clean crisp air.
I’m ready for my green puffy vest.
I’m ready for pumpkins.
I’m ready for hay rides.
I’m ready to wear my first ever official OSU football jersey on Saturdays.
I’m ready for warm spicy candles.
I’m ready for pumpkin bread and apple crisp.
I’m ready to change my living room décor to autumn stuff.
I’m ready for a new TV season.
I’m ready for flannel pj pants and hooded sweatshirts.
I’m ready for homemade soups and stews.
I’m ready to wrap up in quilts in my cold house.
I’m ready to swap our American flag with our OSU flag for a few months.
I’m ready for the fact that once fall is here, the magic of Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas closely follows, but with enough time in between to revel in each one.

So very much to enjoy...

2008-08-06T09:33:00.002-04:00

I got to share the Lord's Supper last night with some girls in a very intimate setting. What a unique experience...to sit and take communion with a group of girls who I barely know yet, but who I feel close to because they are my sisters...

Little Things That Make Me Smile

2008-07-29T14:41:00.004-04:00

"Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address..."
--Tom Hanks in the movie You've Got Mail
I know I've used this before in a previous post, but it's honestly one of my favorite quotes of all time. And it's getting to be that time of year. Not fall yet, unfortunately, but since it's almost August, the stores are packed to overflowing with school supplies. As a kid, one of my favorite things in life was shopping for each year's supplies. I loved choosing a fun tissue box, a new pencil case sporting whatever I was obsessing over that year, and I still remember every trapper keeper I ever had. What's better than fresh pencils and crayons? Now that Jake is starting Kindergarten, once again I get to relive fun things through my kids. A few weeks ago he picked out a Batman backpack, and last week we got everything else on his supply list. I can't believe he's old enough that his existence now requires a batch of #2 pencils! So this is a fun new phase we're entering, but something I've been doing in August for years now is restocking our own personal house stash of crayons. You know how it goes...after a while you have a plastic shoebox size container of all broken crayon bits and pieces, complete with stray papers that have been ripped off the crayons along the way. Well, every August I stock up on 10 cent boxes of brand new Roseart crayons to last us another year. And hey, if you're feeling crazy, go for the 22 cent Crayolas!!

Reasons I Haven't Been Blogging Lately...

2008-07-18T11:51:00.005-04:00

--3 week vacation to PA and Boston

--Picnics at the park

--Painting projects around the house

--Lots of kiddie pool time in the backyard

--Pool and ice coffee time at friends' houses

--Christmas shopping (that's right...have you seen the clearance toys out there? June and July are goldmines!!)

--Spending time with Mark before he started his summer job

--Painting polka dots on Rory's toenails

--Fun crafty projects with the kids

--Guitar Hero with Mark and quality Wii sports time with the kids

--Saturday morning farmer's market

--Library reading club

--Dinners with friends

--Quality time with ice cream cones

--Grilling outside instead of cooking inside

--Summer movies at ornate old theatres, in the park, and at the dollar theatre

I have to say, for someone who claims to "hate summer," I sure have been enjoying myself!

2008-07-06T03:29:00.006-04:00

"Though inland far we be

our souls have sight of that immortal sea..."

--William Wordsworth

"Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us

think things we like to think."

--Robert Henri

"Those who live by the sea can hardly form a single thought

of which the sea would not be a part."

--Hermann Broch

"A person should go out on the water on a fine day to a small distance from a beautiful coast, if he would see nature really smile..."

--Augustus William Hare

"There is indeed, perhaps, no better way to hold communion with the sea than sitting in the sun on the veranda of a fisherman's cafe."

--Joseph W. Beach

I am very happy here in Columbus. I've fallen in love with the city itself, but I do have one complaint--it's inland. This has been a problem for me and probably always will be, no matter how at home I am here. I once read that if you're born near the ocean, your connection to water never goes away. I find this to be irrefutable...

Out!

2008-06-12T13:18:00.002-04:00

So much happening, so little time to write. We're heading on our annual journey to the hills of Pennsylvania this Saturday. As usual, Mark will be working 3 weeks of basketball camps, and the kids and I will be off on adventures to Boston, the beach, visiting old friends, and many peaceful mornings on campus, feeding the psychotic geese, blowing bubbles, riding bikes and whatever other whim takes over us. I already checked my dozen books out of the library (I do a LOT of reading on this trip), bought all our fun vacation snacks, and have the kids little backpacks filled with all sorts of goodies and surprises.

Something a little extra exciting for me this time around is that as of tomorrow, I'm done with my babysitting job. I am so thankful it came along when it did because it was an absolute answer to prayer. It's been 4 months of Monday through Friday 7:00a.m. to 5:30p.m. And now, IT'S OVER!!!!!! I can't explain to you how thankful I am to be spending the rest of my summer with my own two kids. The older they get, the more fun I'm having, and I am psyched to be just us again, and to have the freedom to say yes to whatever comes along because I won't have 4 or 5 (depending on the time of day) in tow.

So we're ready to get our lives back, we're ready for a fun vacation, and we'll be really ready to come back to Columbus and jump right back in to the fun and contentment we've found here.

An Ice Cream Awakening

2008-06-03T12:58:00.004-04:00

I guess every area I've lived in has their own local ice cream place from Richardson's in MA to Mannings in PA. I finally got a taste of Columbus' Graeter's. I'm a creature of habit and that habit usually goes for a coffee chocolate chunk (Starbucks Java Chip...the best there ever was) or mint chocolate chip. But my friend told me about Graeter's famous black raspberry chip and I don't know if it was the weather or my mood or Lydie's excitement, but I was convinced I had to try it. I don't know if I will ever get anything else at Graeter's. It was HEAVEN ON EARTH!!! Black Raspberry Chip melting out of my waffle cone is a great way to spend girls night out.

Take Time for Summer's Pleasures

2008-05-13T14:30:00.002-04:00

That's the slogan for Country Time Lemonade. Doesn't the name Country Time Lemonade conjure up familiar images? Things like big yellow houses with porch swings, kids running through fields in summer, and lemonade stands on street corners with misspelled signs. I think Country Time's advertising department was successful since I'm pretty sure these images are memories of old tv commercials. Every summer of my life I've reconnected with this drink. Growing up my grandmother (who lived across the street) always had some in her fridge. As kids we always managed to mooch something off Gram at least once a day. In the summer for me it was the lemonade. It was mostly pink lemonade, but sometimes she went with the original. Grammie was a brand name kind of lady so there were no generic substitutions in her house. When it came to the lemonade, I was glad about that. Over the years in my own house I've tried to carry on this tradition of making sure there's always a pitcher of lemonade available during the summer. I've experimented here and there with cheaper brands, especially since I'm a faithful cheapo Aldi shopper but always end up coming back to Country Time because I don't like the koolaid-esque taste of the others. Don't get me wrong--I love Koolaid, but for the fruit punch and berry flavors. Lemonade is something you just don't mess with. I hit the jackpot today because a local store is having a Buy 1, Get 2 Free sale on Country Time. I bought 6 and calculated that they cost about 76 cents each! That should get us through at least the rest of this spring...

My Little Bro

2008-05-07T08:31:00.003-04:00

My youngest brother Tommy turned 21 last week. Being 10 years apart with other siblings in between, it's almost like we grew up in 2 different families, but I think all 4 of us kids were always close back then. It's so hard to believe he's this old. In my mind he's still the 6 year old kid he was back when I left home for boarding school, dribbling the basketball like a pro, never without a baseball hat, dressing up like every movie character he ever saw, and taking his wagon around to all the neighbors yards pretending to be a landscaper. =) To this day he is still the coolest kid I've ever known. I think the majority of people who read this blog know Tommy's history. He needs Jesus. Keep praying.

Since they both love cartoons, Jake has always loved watching movies with Uncle Tommy. =)

Here's the Story...

2008-05-06T10:57:00.003-04:00

I recently introduced my kids to an American Institution, but not purposefully. For my birthday I got The Brady Bunch Complete Series on DVD (I bought it myself, of course) and it's now one of the most fun things I own. It's a special collector's set and comes in a green shag case--SO COOL! The Brady Bunch, you may ask? Yes, the Brady Bunch. I have loved this show since I was a little kid and remember watching it almost everyday after school for years. Now whenever I catch it on TV Land, or whatever channel it's currently showing on, I realize how much I still love it. The music, the voices, the story lines...everything about it is rediculously familiar, and therefore, is just plain comforting. So I decided to take the plunge. Since I bought it, I've been watching a couple of episodes here and there for the past few months, and didn't realize that it would reel in my two preschool age kids. Only the earlier seasons seem to keep their attention, probably because the kids on the show are younger so the story lines are easier to follow. They know the words to the song, and seem to have a special interest in Bobby and Cindy. =) They especially like the classic camping episode when the tents fall down on them, the one where Bobby enters an ice cream eating contest, and also the one where Bobby and Cindy get lost in the grand canyon. I have to admit that I'm glad they like it and considering how things on TV have changed quite a bit over the years, I know it was money well spent.

Childhood Attachment

2008-05-05T14:48:00.009-04:00

Meet Cinderella. She's been Rory's best friend since last September, when she received her birthday present from Grammie. Rory sleeps with her every night, plays with her everyday, and sometimes, is even allowed to take her in the car or to the store. Cinderella has been a great friend, and has taken quite a beating. She's already had a patch job on her rump and her gloves have needed restitching too. I firmly believe that the Disney Store puts out a quality product, but when a little girl's love is this deep, even Disney Store products need some fixing up. Cinderella's been getting dirtier by the month and finally today I decided she needed a bath. Rory handed her BFF over to me with a very serious and concerned look when I told her Cinderella needed a ride in the washing machine to get clean, but her look also said, "I trust you." I'm so not kidding. So here we sit, with baited breath, hoping the gentle cycle doesn't do too much damage.

Rory opening up her present

The first hug

A child's love...right before I took her for her first bath =)

Another Friday...Another Movie...

2008-05-02T20:23:00.001-04:00

"Life is an occasion. Rise to it." --Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

"See that girl, watch that scene..."

2008-05-02T08:04:00.002-04:00

Mark has always been somewhat picky about the music he listens to. He likes mostly the latest in Christian or worship music (your basics: Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Jeremy Camp, David Crowder Band, Hillsong, etc.) He also, being an athlete, likes your basic Jock Rock--anything that gets you pumped up--a little Van Halen, a little Def Leppard, a little Eminem, a little House of Pain. You get the idea.

I have always liked pretty much anything and everything except for R&B. I love rock (harder rock, indie rock, folk rock, soft rock, classic rock, alternative rock...get the idea?!), oldies, country, eclectic, classical, showtunes, crooners...I don't claim to love hip hop, but even I have my weaknesses for certain songs.

So imagine my amusement this morning when I woke up to my big tough guy husband whistling and singing along to Abba's "Dancing Queen" (which was loudly playing on my clock radio) as he went about his morning. My groggy first words upon waking up to this brand new day were, "Wow, nobody can resist a little Abba."

Eat, Pray, Love

2008-04-28T16:45:00.003-04:00

Disclaimer: This is not a Christian book.

Those who know me best know I don't read a lot of Christian authors. Mostly because I don't prefer Christian fiction, and I am by nature a novel lover. I have started reading a little more non-fiction by Christian authors, mostly because the older I get, the more I realize how clueless, helpless, (insert another synonym here), and lost I am when it comes to the fact that I am actually responsible for 2 human beings on this earth.

Anyway, I just finished reading this non-fiction piece of secular writing and I couldn't put it down. It was an adventure. It was eye-opening. It was a lot of crazy world views. Although there is so much I disagree with in this book, I have to say I agree whole heartedly with 2 major themes:

1 -- Food is divine (and I wish I could experience more)

2 -- Everyone should discover their purpose and their place in this lifetime

A Perfect Afternoon

2008-04-28T09:54:00.008-04:00

We had a fabulous day last week. I haven't mentioned much about it here, but I've started babysitting my neighbors' kids fulltime, and because of that, I don't get out anymore. Having 5 kids everyday makes it impossible to be on the go the way I once was. But it's only temporary, so it's okay for now. Anyway, I had a day off last week because Jake had a Kindergarten visiting day. It was only a couple of hours, and since I had the entire afternoon off, my friend suggested we go to the park for a picnic and then over to Slate Run Historical Farm. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend my one free afternoon! We had the best day. First of all, it felt so good to be out in the fresh air, eating a picnic lunch, which the kids and I love to do. It was our first one of 2008 and I'm looking forward to lots more. Second, I've been hearing about Slate Run since I got to Columbus and we just hadn't made it there yet. It's the coolest place for my kids ages and they had a blast. I felt like the day was our kickoff for spring and summer this year.

Rowan (the little guy), Ella, Rory, Jake, Silas, and Quinn

These are our new friends. Their middle two kids are the same ages as Rory and Jake, so we have fun together. Jake and Quinn claim to be best friends, which is very cute.

Kid Conversation

2008-04-18T08:05:00.004-04:00

Pretty much the only thing that could drag me from watching The Office last night was my kid losing his first tooth. This really snuck up on me. I've never even mentioned teeth falling out, tooth fairies, or anything else on this topic. It started yesterday afternoon during lunch when Jake was crying telling me his mouth hurt. We've had a house full of criers lately so I was pretty unsympathetic and told him to just keep drinking water to make it feel better. Then yesterday afternoon, Jake found me to tell me that his tooth "broke." HAHA! Meaning it was loose cuz he was showing me how he could move it around. And by the way, OOPS, about the unsympathetic lunch. So I acted like it was so cool and tried explaining how teeth fall out and then grow back when you're a little kid. Who knows how much of that he actually comprehends. The 6 yr. old I baby-sit everyday told Jake that if he put it under his pillow the Tooth Fairy would bring him "3 dollars or 4 dollars or 5 dollars or 6 dollars." Huh? Things sure have changed since I was a kid! So I told McKensie that I was pretty sure the Tooth Fairy was still working with coins, not dollars in the Chapman house. Anyway, last night Jake calls downstairs from bed and tells me he has something to show me so he comes running downstairs proudly carrying his tooth in his hand. Mark said we should put it under his pillow right then, but I, of course, needed to give this auspicious event its due, so said we'd hold off until tonight instead. I have a fun book to read called "The Night Before the Tooth Fairy" by Natasha Wing that I've been saving for this very occasion. And we need to make a big deal and have fun with it all day. Any chance I get I have to make some magic around here. So this morning Jake was all excited when he woke up and told Mark again that his tooth "fell off." It kills me what wording kids come up with on their own. So Mark mentioned putting it under his pillow tonight and asked if Jake knew what would happen. Jake said, "the tooth fairy will put my tooth back in!" Again, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

A New Day

2008-04-07T13:32:00.002-04:00

I think spring has sprung here in Columbus, Ohio. We've had two gorgeous days and a couple more are on the way. There's also a ton of rain, which is fine with me because I like my surroundings green! My windows are wide open and fresher air I've never breathed. Maybe the germs we're fostering in here will be gone with the wind and all the crazy sicknesses we've been dealing with will leave with them.

With the spring comes the bi-annual task of sorting through kids clothes, finding what still fits, and of course, re-stocking flip flops. Since they're all my kids wear througout the spring and summer, we go through quite a few pair by the time fall comes around again, but it's okay with me because they're wonderfully cheap. And of course with flip flop weather comes toenail polish, so Rory and I took care of that paint job yesterday afternoon.

The other thing I'm especially thankful for today is my deck. We built it on at the end of last summer, so we barely used it before winter hit. I feel like we have another room on our house now that we're out there so much.

It's nice to know that tonight during the kids' soccer practice, instead of shivering on the bleachers for an hour, I'll actually enjoy it.

Mmmmm

2008-03-28T19:51:00.000-04:00

I love Oreo Cakesters!

Second Star to the Right

2008-03-26T14:08:00.007-04:00

I love Peter Pan. I have always loved the animated Disney version (did you have any doubt?) and I thought Hook was pretty good. Then of course, Finding Neverland was both wonderful and heartbreaking. But I just discovered the 2003 version of Peter Pan and it's so magical, they should slap the name Walt Disney on it! I'm still trying to figure out what I was doing that year, that I didn't realize this movie existed until recently. After reading up on it, I found out this is the closest version to J.M. Barrie's plays and novel (which I have a vintage version of...SO FUN!). The narration sounds eerily like Lord of the Rings narrator, and the actress who plays Wendy is phenomenal. As both the real world and Neverland decide, "I DO believe in fairies," there is nothing short of chills!

As a kid, I remember being torn between wanting to grow up and wanting to stay a kid (hmmm, sounds a lot like a certain tale...) I loved my childhood. There was no shortage of heartache, but there was so much happiness too, as it was full of friends, family, books, movies, music, delicious food, big imagination--all the things that still make me happiest. Now that my own kids are at an age where they can use their imaginations, creating worlds to play in, enjoying the timelessness of childhood, I'm determined to hold onto that for them as long as possible. But knowing that someday they have to grow up, I hope they take some magic with them, as I have tried to do...

Erin Go Bragh!

2008-03-17T09:41:00.010-04:00

IRELAND FOREVER!

Now that I've been to Ireland, I feel more connected than ever to all things Irish and my heritage. This St. Patrick's Day season has been so fun.

I love Celtic knots and all things gaelic looking.

These images stir something in me.

As usual, the kids and I like to do it up big.
Happy St. Patrick's Day 2008!

Spring is Here

2008-03-14T13:29:00.003-04:00

I just finished one of many Cadbury Eggs that I will be consuming this spring. There is nothing like them. They are pure chocolately, sugary goodness and I love them more than any other candy in life. It's probably more a dessert than candy because you can't just pop it in your mouth. It must be experienced. I have encountered a lot of people in life who hate them. I think Cadbury Eggs are like Peeps...you either love them or hate them. There's no halfway. I do have a couple of friends though who I have enjoyed many an egg with. We'd sit there, nibbling on them, licking out the smooth sugary middle, not saying a word since the chocolate is so velvety it makes speech pretty much impossible. Maybe the fact that they're seasonal makes them even more desirable.

Pure decadence.

Kids...

2008-02-29T15:11:00.002-05:00

Kids little brains amaze me sometimes. Jake brought his latest creation out of bristle blocks up from the basement a few minutes ago and told me it was a building from Ratatouille. I said, is it the Eiffel Tower? Of course, he doesn't know what the Eiffel Tower is so I went and got the DVD case out and showed him and he said that's what it was and seemed excited that I knew what he was building. It's so fascinating seeing how they develop into their own people. Jake is 5 and has to memorize Bible verses for Cubbies every week, and he struggles with that. And there's Rory (who is 3) in the background basically memorizing them no problem because she's always listening in. And she helps him. Freaks me out a little bit and makes me feel a little bad for Jake, not that he really cares about that stuff yet. Then yesterday I was trying to teach them about clocks and telling time from these cute Disney flashcards I picked up at the dollar store. Rory caught on right away while Jake just kind of listened and watched. But look at what his mind does...creates a famous structure out of toys! We've always had lots of building stuff around the house--bristle blocks, magna logs, lincoln logs, small, medium, and large legos, and magnetix (which, by the way, if you don't have magnetix and you have a boy 5 or older, GET SOME cuz they are so cool and fun and seem to make kids be really creative!!!). Anyway, it seems like Jake has become quite a builder in the past few months. It's become his favorite thing to do and I love seeing what he comes up with. Kids are amazing!

To Love a Couch...

2008-02-25T19:53:00.004-05:00

Sometimes my couch wraps its arms around me. I am cozy, I am warm, I am taken care of by my red cushy couch and my very faded and soft blue quilt with the flannel back. I love moments like this when I feel overwhelming contentment with my simple life...just me and family at home, the kids playing upstairs, me reading whatever novel I currently have my nose buried in, knowing Mark will make his way home to hang out with us before the day ends. This is why I love winter. To be able to burrow into my home for days on end is not a bad thing. So here I sit, book in hand, my latest cookbook next to me on the coffee table in case I need a change of pace, and a fire going to take the bite off the air. The wind is howling, more snow is expected, and I say bring it on. My cozy couch (and piles of quilts) will keep me warm.

Family Sing Along

2008-02-18T15:08:00.003-05:00

Does anyone else love those freecreditreport.com commercials? There are three that I know of and I'm almost ashamed to say this out loud, but all four of us know them word for word. Why the obsession? I have no idea. I just know that I giggle uncontrollably when my kids sing the the pirate restaurant version to absolute perfection. I tried to upload them here but I'm getting errors, so just go to YouTube and search for freecreditreport.com

First Timer

2008-02-12T15:18:00.000-05:00

I just finished my first sewing project! This winter I've been really antsy to do something with my hands. I don't have a hobby, other than cooking, and I've wanted to find something else to help keep me busy. As many people know, my mom is a quiltaholic, so when she was here in January, we went shopping and got all the makings of a quilt. It was so fun choosing fabrics that I really love. And I just happened to have a sewing machine on hand because Mark bought me one right after I had Jake. I have gone back and forth for years on weather or not I want to try sewing, but now that I have, I realize using a machine is really addicting. I started my quilt while my mom was here and I'll be working on that for a long time. I'm really excited about it, but I also wanted to try something that I could finish quickly and see an end result. So I found a simple pattern for a tote bag online and just went for it. Even though it's sloppy I love it! Sewers of America, count me in!

Elizabethtown

2008-02-08T22:39:00.000-05:00

A couple of posts ago I mentioned I'm passionate about movies that move me. I love Cameron Crowe movies--he has such a poetic way of telling stories. His most popular film is probably Jerry McGuire, but my two favorites are Almost Famous and Elizabethtown. I absolutely can't resist Almost Famous--I am always mesmerized as I fall into that world of classic rock. The goosebumps never fail when everyone on the bus ends up singing along with "Tiny Dancer."

But tonight is about Elizabethtown. I saw this movie two years ago, sitting in Abby's cozy little apartment on a frigidly cold snowy night in Minnesota. I remember freaking out after seeing it, as I have a tendancy to do when I fall in love with a movie. I just sat there, rehashing everything with Abs, and wanting to get into my car and drive across the country. I also remember being really tired that night and not catching all the details.

I have an ideal movie situation. I get to indulge myself a lot during the winter, with Mark being gone for basketball so many nights. I have a routine...phone ringer turned off, limited lighting, waiting for the kids to fall asleep, a lone candle on my coffee table, beverage, snacks, and chapstick ready and waiting so I don't have to get up for anything. Tonight was a night with zero interruption so I was able to fall completely into the story.

I don't think I remembered how amazing the soundtrack is...peppered with sprinklings of Elton John, Patty Griffin, Tom Petty...really wonderful stuff. I checked out Amazon and saw they had to jam the soundtrack onto 3 separate CD's! For me, this movie isn't about the romance of the characters, it's all the underlying symbolism and stuff that's hard to write about this late at night...and the highlight is by far the road trip, followed closely by me simultaneously laughing and crying during the Moon River tapdance routine.

I feel like this post isn't flowing so I'll just end by saying that Elizabethtown is a movie that moves me.

Half Empty or Half Full?

2008-02-06T16:02:00.000-05:00

In the last two weeks...

Our red car needed new brakes.
Our water heater kicked the bucket.
Our basement storage room was completely flooded from the stupid water heater.
Rory flushed her Cinderella phone down the potty, making it unusable.
Our van is now smoking and smells like foul burnt rubber.
My kids drove me crazy.
The Patriots lost the Superbowl after a perfect season.
We felt alone and vulnerable.

On the other hand…

God provided a job for me that will not take me away from my kids.
Some men came down from another church to help install a new water heater.
The only stuff ruined in the basement flood were the yard sale boxes--hazzah for plastic bins.
Mark’s dad dismantled the toilet, fished out the phone, and put it all back together.
A friend here may be able to fix the van.
My kids are a gift and make me laugh out loud every day.
At least we had the Red Sox this year.
New friends seem to be at every turn.

Invaluable lessons are being learned about God’s faithfulness.

8 Things

2008-02-04T16:52:00.000-05:00

A blog tag, huh? Well, this is the answer I’ve been looking for because apparently, my creative self has taken a leave of absence as there has been nothing to write about in the last month or so. Here goes…

8 Things I’m Passionate About:
My little family
People using their gifts within their church family and in life in general
Holidays
Movies that move me
Food
Hosting a memorable party
My kids becoming readers
Coffee

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
Influence someone toward God
Know my grandchildren
Take culinary classes
Run a business of my own
Eat in the Mediterranean countries
Go back to Ireland because I need to spend more time in that magical land
Live in a picturesque place that inspires me daily
Visit Daylin

8 Things I Say Often:
What time is practice tomorrow?
I need a smooch.
What are you guys fighting about?!!
I don’t know what to tell ya.
Are you gonna be home tonight so I can go to Barnes & Noble?
What cartoon do you want to watch today?
Nice to meet you.
Is that me or what?

8 TV Shows I’ve Recently Watched:
Gilmore Girls
The Office
The Today Show
Everyday Italian
Barefoot Contessa
Lilo & Stitch, the Series
How I Met Your Mother
October Road

8 Artists I Never Tire of Listening To:
James Taylor
Sara Evans
Dixie Chicks
Michael Buble
Wicked soundtrack (not an artist, but the CD case is always on my kitchen counter for easy access)
Some old Passion conference CD’s
Lillith Fair type girl power chicks (Indigo Girls, Jewel, Sarah McLachlan---yaay for the 90’s!)
Ellis Paul

8 Things That Attract Me To My Friends:
Down to earth
Fun
Things in common
Loyal
Openness
Sincere
Quick to laugh
(Basically, I stole Gretchen’s list cuz she nailed it!)

8 Things I Learned in 2007:
Transformers and Magnetix are a mother’s best friend because little hands stay very occupied.
God is my Father.
Lonliness really stinks.
God grows us together.
The 2008 election will take more of a toll on me than the 2004.
Homemade vinaigrettes win out every time over bottled dressings.
Being 30 rocks.
How to truly love my neighbors.

Who Am I Gonna Tag?
My blog circle has already been tagged so just keep em coming.

Children of the 80's, Unite!

2008-01-07T16:34:00.000-05:00

I admit, I'm a total sucker for nostalgia. Being born in 1977, I got to enjoy my childhood in the 80's. I was always so glad I wasn't a teenager during that decade because as silly as some of those early 90's trends were, nothing is worse that the 80's. I can live with seeing pics of myself as a teenager with the flannel shirts (loved the grunge era!) and the huge oversized sweaters.

But I will admit that as hideous as those 1980's were, being a kid rocked...the toys were great, the Saturday morning cartoons were great, little trends like snap bracelets, leg warmers, and banana clips were so fun for kids, and Punky Brewster was the coolest. In the last few years, toys from my childhood have made a huge comeback...Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, and Transformers, to name just a few. Whoever decided to do this is a marketing genius because those of us who played with this stuff as kids now have our own kids. I am such a sucker for all of it. My kids have their fair share of this stuff and we love it. We just rented DuckTales Season 1 from the library and I think the kids get such a kick out of the fact that I know all the words to the opening song. I would kill for Boomerang, the network that plays all those old Saturday morning cartoons like Smurfs and Snorks and Pound Puppies, but alas, DirecTV has to dangle them in front of my face without putting it into the basic package.

So, all this to say, did anyone else watch the comeback of American Gladiators last night? Twenty years later, and there Mark and I were, watching those goofball gladiators as if we're still 10 years old...

Thumpity, Thump, Thump!

2007-12-07T13:19:00.000-05:00

These are my two favorite children's books EVER! They are so fun and imaginative, not to mention beautifully illustrated. Today in the spirit of magic, we made our first snowman of the season. I have to say it is the rockingest snowman I've ever seen in real life! Thanks to my mom, who gave us a special little treasure box that is a Snowman In a Box kit. All you have to add is snow. In our case today, we added a real carrot instead of the wooden one it came with because we happened to have some in the fridge and Jake was begging to put one in. And Jake also found the arms. He was adamant that he have stick arms. =)

Yes, that is a pipe in his mouth. My favorite part of the morning was when Rory proclaimed with as much heartfelt feeling as Tiny Tim, "Mom, this is the best Christmas day EVER!" Did my heart melt? Oh, you have no idea. It's amazing when you see or hear yourself in your kids. That was absolutely something I would have said outloud.

The kids felt the need to sing Frosty the Snowman during the picture taking, that's why their mouths are open here. Hee hee!!!

Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus

2007-11-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I just really wish Santa was real. I love the thought of a magical dream world that is the North Pole. I love the thought of a fat jolly grandpa-type guy who is quick to laugh sliding down chimneys. I love the thought of flying reindeer. I love the thought of elves making toys.

I watched Miracle on 34'th Street yesterday--the remake, not the original (I am a huge fan of both versions)--so I guess that's where this thought comes from...

"Let's Go to the Movies...Let's Go See the Stars..." (song from Annie)

2007-11-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

"No form of art goes beyond ordinary consciousness as film does, straight to our emotions, deep into the twilight of the soul." --Ingrid Bergman

If you're wondering who Ingrid Bergman is, she's one of the mos celebrated actresses of all time...Casablanca, Gaslight, The Bells of St. Mary's, to name just a few. Anyway, I love this quote so much because it perfectly describes how movies affect me.

It's no secret to those who know me that I'm a movie freak. There are lots of things that make me happy...books, cooking, precious times with friends, my kids laughing, seasons...but today I'm just thinking about movies and how they make me feel. I would probably see most movies that come out if I had the time and the finances to back it. There was actually a time of life when I did that--a year with Gretchen and another year with Tishka when we saw whatever we wanted whenever the mood hit--many Friday and Saturday nights were spent sitting in a dark theatre. Oh what a time that was. =) As life moves on, things become different, family grows, and there are a lot more important things to pay for than the latest flick, which is completely understandable. =) I went quite a while there without seeing anything ever, even renting went out of the picture. But lately, it seems like I've been able to get to the movies that I REALLY want to see. I manage to scrape some extra dollars together here and there, and my loving husband who could not possibly care less about movies but knows how much happiness they bring me, gave me a gift card for my birthday last year that got me 3 precious friday nights out with a friend for a show.

I guess these thoughts stem from the fact that I've seen two great ones recently. One that left me laughing and floating, and one that did what movies SHOULD do...made my heart burst. At the end of both these movies, the crowd clapped! I had never seen that happen before, and then it happened twice in a row. You know a movie has done its job when you're left shaking, crying, smiling, and cheering. I'm also thankful for Mark who, when I come home soaring, floating, spinning around ranting and raving like a lunatic, listens to me and smiles even though it's not one of his loves. What great movies have you seen lately? I'm curious!

That's Amore!

2007-11-05T17:24:00.000-05:00

Pizza has been a Saturday night staple for as long as I can remember. My mom always made homemade pizza on Saturdays and I decided to carry on the tradition in my own family, starting right from the first week we were married. It didn't come very easy though. It took a while for my stones to get seasoned, so the crust was iffy for a long time. And I didn't get my sauce recipe right or my cheese combination figured out for a long time. Basically, it took a year of trying to come out with a pizza we love. My pal, Gretchen, is known for being a pizza lover and she's always done experimenting with different crust flavors and a variety of toppings. I didn't get experimental until recently (I'm a pepperoni and onion girl), but now I'm hooked. I think I tried making barbecue chicken pizza a little over a year ago and I like it nice and thin and crispy. Then a few weeks ago, I tried buffalo chicken pizza. I used Rachael Ray's recipe, well, her sauce recipe anyway but I tweaked the cheeses and toppings. Let me just say I have never been more in love with a food in my life. I simply cannot get enough. If you're interested, the recipe is probably online (http://foodnetwork.com) I've started doing pizza buffets for Ohio State football games. I have 3 pizza stones and now I realize it's still not enough. I asked for a fourth for Christmas because if I'm truly going to offer a buffet, I need more options. Until then I'll borrow an extra...this Saturday the fourth pizza will be pesto, tomato, and chicken...my mouth is watering. Gotta love Saturday night!!!

Gotta Love October 31!

2007-11-01T12:08:00.001-04:00

As the kids get older, Halloween just gets more and more fun. We did a lot of great seasonal stuff this year...I love having kids who get just as excited as I do. I hope they keep that trait as they get older.

This was our Family Fun Pumpkin Night leading up to the big day. We carved this big ol' pumpkin, had pizza and chocolate milk in special mugs, and finished the night off by watching "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

Goofing off, trying to hold off until sunset.

Getting down to business with the costumes...it's time to head out!

Where Are My Beloved Maples?

2007-10-30T13:40:00.001-04:00

Fall means so many things...OSU football, gorgeous colors, pumpkins, apples, scarecrows, trick-or-treating, turkey, cider...I can't even begin to list it all. This year I will even go so far as to say the World Series. We all know I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan (I'll take football and basketball first), but when you're born and raised in Boston, the pride is always there. Well, the heartbreak until a few years ago, but now, definitely the pride. That's not what this post is about, I just had to throw it in there. I was noticing the other day that the trees in our little Ohio hamlet are different than what I'm used to. Growing up in New England and then spending another 10 years in northeast Pennsylvania, I guess I was spoiled by the foliage. There were maples and poplars and dogwoods at every turn, the hills are covered in reds, yellows, oranges, rusts, and tans, the streets are lined with fallen leaves. Maybe last year I was too preoccupied by our recent move to notice the details around me, but this fall I've noticed that yes, there is some color, but there are also tons of evergreens. It's weird. I'm used to blatant color with no interruption, but here it's more a sprinkling. Hmmm...

Pushing Daisies

2007-10-17T20:04:00.000-04:00

I was intrigued by the commercials all summer. As the new TV season got closer, I realized I wouldn't be able to watch it because on Wednesday nights Rory and I take Jake to Cubbies and stay up in that area until it's time to pick him up since it's a 25 minute drive, not to mention, it's around the corner from Easton, our amazing shopping area so there's plenty to keep us busy as we waste time waiting. Well, as it happens, I've seen the first 3 episodes because one person or another has been under the weather for the past 3 Wednesdays. I love this show! It's the most original series I've seen out there in a while. It's quirky and weird, sure, but it's whimsical, colorful, and interesting. Plus I love things that are narrated. If you liked the movie Big Fish, watch Pushing Daisies. Maybe I can catch the rest of the season in repeats next summer...

The Halloween Countdown

2007-10-15T09:49:00.000-04:00

It's so funny to me that I've been blogging for over a year because it's interesting to look back and see what I was writing about this time last year. I wrote about their halloween costumes and how I would always try to find something homemade for them to wear (mostly for budget reasons). This year started out that way. I have the makings of a ladybug costume for Rory, thanks to my mom finding some fabulous ladybug wings for $3 after Halloween last year. Just a few additions and I have her all set. As far as Jake goes, I thought for sure he'd be a pirate, not only because there's a general pirate obsession with boys under a certain age in our country right now, but also because we have tons of pirate accessories from the dollar store floating around our house. But for some reason, Walmart had a major sale on costumes last week and I saw a Spiderman full body costume for wicked cheap! I HAD to get it. I simply could not resist it because of how much Jake points out spiderman toys, spiderman commercials, spiderman books, etc. The kid is obsessed (and this is without ever seeing a cartoon or anything...I think it's just inbred in boys or something.) So I caved and bought it. Because of the busy week we've had (lots of relatives popping in and out of town and lots of fun fall activities) I had forgotten about it until last night. I ran to get it to show Jake and Mark...I have NEVER seen my little boy happier EVER! The joy that came across his face was priceless. He put the mask on right away and ran to look in the mirror and just stared at himself---I could tell by his eyes that he was grinning. When he got his fill, he ran to show Mark and Mark got so excited and freaked out, for Jake's sake. When he went to bed last night, his prayer was simply thanking Jesus that he gets to wear spiderman for halloween. =) Since he woke up today, he hasn't talked about anything else. Am I glad I spent that 8 bucks?? Oh yeah. Every smile has made it more and more worth it.

YUMMO!

2007-10-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Last November I wrote a post called Around Town and this most delicious creamer was mentioned. (I was getting a big chuckle when re-reading the comments because they're from all our MN friends and their personalities are all evident in them...digression...) Anyway, my mom was visiting this past weekend and while we were out shopping, we spotted these in the creamer case. Our eyes got wide, I grabbed the Peppermint Mocha while she simultaneously and quickly said "GET THAT!!" How happy am I while drinking coffee this week??? PRETTY DARN!

(Side note: it might be cheesy to put this picture up, but my camera was nearby this morning, and who doesn't love a visual?)

Humor Me

2007-09-24T14:34:00.000-04:00

Here I am, in Ohio, in the northern part of the country, and it's over 90 degrees at the end of September. This week is supposed to be the last week of heat here, and then we should start cooling down. I am doing my best to hold off on fall activities until then because who wants to go apple picking in a heat wave??!! Until the crisp wonderful fall weather gets here, I dream of it.

"Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address..." --You've Got Mail (movie)

"Give me the splendid silent sun with all his beams full-dazzling, give me juicy autumnal fruit ripe and red from the orchard." --Walt Whitman

"Autumn is the best season in which to sniff, and to sniff for pleasure, for this is the season of universal pungency." --Bertha Damon

"The heart of autumn must have broken here, and poured its treasure out upon us." --Charlotte Fiske Bates

Another season

2007-09-08T22:57:00.000-04:00

Jake is playing his second season of soccer this fall. He played this past spring and had fun, but didn't actually do much playing. He was the clueless kid out there looking at the sky, picking up sticks, etc. By the end of the season, he was finally running with the pack, at least. This team is a lot different...he has a friendly coach which I'm psyched about (his last one was just an unhappy person), there are way more girls on his team now, and they're wearing red instead of blue (Jake constantly points this out to us).

Jake is doing much better than in the spring. He ran the whole game today, doesn't ever really touch the ball cuz he's definitely not one of the aggressive ones, but still following it at least...and when he was sitting the bench, he actually asked to go back in. Here's the new team and Happy Coach Jason.

This is Jake's best buddy, Darren. They were on the same team in the spring and immediately hit it off. They were so excited to see each other at that first practice cuz we had no clue they'd be back together.

I'm really looking forward to a fall soccer season. I haven't been to a nice chilly soccer game since the old college days...And the best news is that the first game of the season today was the only game that coincides with the Ohio State football games, so Saturday life can carry on as usual. Side note: we're living in a place where practically every parent and kid in the bleachers has on Buckeye gear...this city rocks!

I'm trying not to obsess about it, but...

2007-08-01T15:02:00.001-04:00

I NEED FALL!!!

Rent

2007-07-31T10:54:00.000-04:00

I saw Rent (the movie, not the show) about a year and a half ago, and I’ve wanted to blog about it ever since, but never quite had the words. A very close friend of mine saw it before I did and she was horrified. She couldn’t understand why we as Christians would want to watch a movie like that. I GREATLY respect this friend’s opinion and I understand fully what she was saying, but I had wanted to see it for so long and loved certain parts of the soundtrack so much that it didn’t stop me from seeing it. As a side note, I kind of learned from the whole Harry Potter phenomenon that I need to find out for myself what I think about things that people are swearing off, instead of just going with what others are saying. Needless to say, I'm a big Harry fan and Harry Potter vs. the basic Christian opinion could be a whole blog topic in itself--side note over. A few minutes ago, a couple of songs from the Rent soundtrack came up on the playlist I was listening to, and I felt today was the day to put down a few words. The impact Rent had on me was huge. This movie is hard to deal with. It deals with heavy issues, the biggest being AIDS. Rent is a 90’s rock version of the Italian opera, La Boheme. If I have my facts straight, La Boheme is a story about bohemians (poets, artists, writers) living in 1800’s Paris, considered the worldliest place during that time. Some of the characters ended up contracting a fatal disease. In comparison, in Rent, the characters are living in the East Village in NY in the 90’s, considered a pretty seedy place at that time, and a few have AIDS. They live for their art, they live for today, they live for love. It’s gripping. In trying to figure out why this movie haunts me, I came up with this: in the very safe Christian world I grew up in, no one uttered the word AIDS, no one knew anyone who was living lives of sin and destruction (ie, gay lifestyles, drugs, rampant sex) and that’s what the characters in Rent are doing. But it shows their minds, their insecurity, and most of all their hearts. I saw the other side of their lives; I loved these characters. I’m telling you, God used this movie to make me love PEOPLE. I never had an overwhelming desire to share my God with others—just chalk it up to immaturity, I guess. Because of this movie, my entire outlook on the people around me every day has changed. I want people to see the beauty and the art that is God. I want to see it more myself. I don’t know how to end this…I don’t think I’ve put into words exactly what I feel or what's going through my mind…

I’m ending now.

My Life Reflected On TV

2007-07-24T10:20:00.001-04:00

Okay, I’ll say it out loud. I like tv. Those who know me best would attest to this. I think in the past, I felt like I shouldn’t like tv as much as I do, but at this stage of my life, I guess I really don’t care anymore. I have tons of interests—yes, I am also a movie freak, but I’m also an avid reader, a cook by hobby, and an adventurer (in my own small Columbus world kind of way.) I love getting out and enjoying life with my kids. I think I have enough balance in life to admit that yes, I do love tv. These thoughts started coursing through me with the revival of an old tv favorite of mine—Kate and Allie reruns on the WE network. For those who don’t know Kate and Allie, it’s an 80’s sitcom about two divorced moms who bring their families together and live their lives in NYC. This was my mom’s favorite show when I was a kid. This was our life. After we lost my dad to cancer, she had 3 small kids to raise on her own so she had one of her single friends move in with us. Sue lived with us off and on for a while and because of our unique little household, they got a kick out of Kate and Allie. I’ve heard that the show was considered pretty ground breaking at the time because in the 80’s different kinds of families were still pretty unusual. The crazy antics happening in their lives on tv were not that far off from my reality. I vividly remember my mom and Sue getting into huge bubble wars while doing the dishes, chasing each other though the house, and collapsing on the floor from hysterical laughter. They laughed a lot, they talked a lot, they probably cried together…Sue was just part of our family. I didn’t realize how much I love this show still, until I heard the oh-so-familiar piano notes played during the opening credits. A very warm glow spread through me.

Continuing on, as kids my sister and I loved The Facts of Life. Now when I watch it, it’s very silly. It’s bad acting, it’s bad drama, and it’s goofy comedy. Nevertheless, I still love it. For my junior and senior years of high school, I went to a boarding school in New Hampshire. I LOVED it. It was strict and the teachers were a little weird, now that I look back, but it’s still one of the best experiences of my life. I made my first real friends there. Girls there accepted each other even though we were so different, unlike the mean girls I had grown up with. It was fun, they taught me to be crazy, to make memories, to have adventures, to appreciate different music than I’d ever heard…the list goes on and on. So on that note, you can see why I relate to the Facts of Life.

Now on to the present. I get teased about my Gilmore Girls obsession and part of me can understand. For people who don’t watch it, it’s just yet another teeny bopper drama on the CW with no substance. Those of us who watch know it’s smart comedy and complicated family drama. Friends who also watch have told me they can see why I like it because the Lorelai and Rory love books, movies, music, and food---my four major loves in life. They live in New England, they love going to town events, they create events out of even the tiniest happenings in their lives. This is me to a tee. I realized this morning that is means more to me on another level--watching them sometimes is like remembering my teenage years. Without a dad around and me being the oldest kid, me and my mom were always together, and very close. I was always old for my age and very protective of my family. My mom says she thinks I ended up being her adult companion as much as I was her teenage daughter. We watched zillions of movies together, we are both readers, she taught me to appreciate old musicals, we loved to eat… And on top of that, growing up, she always turned everything into an event. I have a tendancy to do this myself. Last week, instead of inviting friends over to watch a movie, I had to turn it into a “Movie Night.” All the kids had to wear their jammies and bring their sleeping bags. I made huge bowls of popcorn and other snacks. The kids had their movie in the basement and us adults had ours in the living room. What a great night! If we decide to go to the park, we GO TO THE PARK! We pack picnic lunches, we bring bubbles, etc. And of course it has to have a title, something like, our End of the Week Park Adventure. A couple of years ago, I wanted to have a bunch of girls over for fun. Instead of your typical girls night, we had a Girls Godfather Movie Marathon. I made really girly appetizery foods for our night of serious guy movies. Then last year in MN, instead of just having people over for a Christmas movie, we had a Christmas Movie Extravaganza, watching an old classic and a new classic (It’s a Wonderful Life and Elf). And of course we had a ton of festive food. And it goes without saying that when superbowl time comes around, I’m just giddy. I guess I’m saying all this to explain to you that I love turning simple things into events, and it’s definitely part of my DNA cuz I got it from my mom who also loves to do it up big. =) For those who don’t watch Gilmore Girls, this happens on a regular basis. Instead of just watching Willie Wonka, they have to hit the store first and get obscene amounts of candy and junk food, in order to properly enjoy the movie. Every year, during the first snow of each winter, they take time out for a mother-daughter walk with their coffee. How great is that? I so relate to this. I’m thankful my mom passed this goofiness along to me.

This is a pretty long post, about nothing particularly important, just putting my thoughts out there, because I can… and probably because I'm sick today and just a little bit delirious. =)

Church (what a weird word!)

2007-07-18T09:06:00.000-04:00

Our family attends New Life Community Church in Canal Winchester, OH. We’ve only been there since January, and in just that short time the church has been changing and evolving into something different. As a church family they have experienced some real trials in the last year, but because of them, they are reevaluating, searching the Scriptures, seeking God’s face in ways they haven’t before. They are very open and honest about this from the “pulpit” or stool, in this case. They want to be a family, a community who gives to the community around us. They are INVOLVED in life here in Ohio. Mark and I are excited about this because we’ve reevaluated how we want to raise our kids and how we want to be involved in life around US. This church family fits right into what we’ve personally been convicted about as a family. I wish I could explain to you the heart of this church—the heart that we see on a weekly basis. This past Sunday we experienced the presence of God. You know how at certain times you can actually physically feel God’s presence. New Life is an extremely contemporary church, music-wise. We love it. Our preference at this stage of life are these wonderful and amazing worship songs. But Sunday we ended with “It Is Well With My Soul,” a very familiar old hymn. And I have to tell you that God moved during that song. With hands raised in worship and hearts so full, there weren’t very many dry eyes in the room. God was there. What an experience, to sit with a room full of people that we mostly haven’t met yet, and feel connected and to know we’re with our brothers and sisters—I am part of the body. I am so thankful for His leading us to New Life.

Another Movie Suggestion

2007-07-13T21:03:00.000-04:00

I'm writing this while my eyes are still wet. Go rent "Akeelah and the Bee"--I haven't been inspired by a movie in a long time. I'm too tired to write a real review tonight, and I haven't had a chance to watch the specials features yet (I am quite a features addict) but I had to shout from the rooftops what a great story this is!

Locks of Love

2007-07-11T17:39:00.000-04:00

It was finally time. After years of the gigantic ponytail, I've made a change. My hair is gone, off to Locks of Love (which I'm very excited about) and instead, I have this person in the mirror that I don't recognize. This is absolutely not the style I asked for (and had a very clear picture of that I handed to the stylist), but it's a cute cut, so I can dig it. It was supposed to be way choppier and overall more funky. Instead, all the stylists were telling me how professional I look. So apparently I look like a secretary, once again, instead of my inner rocker. But that's alright, I'll just try to improve on it next time.

This is my attempt at two tiny pigtails (shout out to Abby!). I will definitely like when my hair grows into those a little more.

Exhaustion

2007-06-17T23:47:00.000-04:00

We're here in PA! What a long day we've had. Mark drove from his weekend basketball camp in Cinn. this morning and as soon as he got home, we all hopped in the car and headed out. But that wasn't until 1:00, so we knew we'd get in pretty late tonight. On top of that, we hit traffic 3 or 4 times and just crawled along the highway forever. So our 8 hour trip took a little longer. When we got here, we realized we're on the top floor of the dorm, so on top of being tired from our trip, our suite is swelteringly hot (yes, I know I'm spoiled from my central air at home!), and we are walking up stairs outside and then stairs inside to get all our stuff unloaded. FINALLY we got everything in, got our AC into the window, got the beds made, got the kids to fall asleep, got most things into place, and now we can finally sit. It's almost midnight. Must go to sleep. But I'm so wired just knowing I'm here in my beloved Clarks Summit and that I get to spend the next three weeks with old friends who make me smile. I can't wait to talk and talk and talk. But before then, another drive. This time a shorter one--5 hours tomorrow morning up to Boston. I feel bad putting the kids back in the car, but it will be worth it to spend time with my mom and Gramps. But before then, REALLY must get some sleep...

Movie Milestone

2007-06-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

I got to experience the magic that is “The Wizard of Oz” with my kids last Friday night. Rory’s room is decorated with Wizard of Oz stuff, we’ve read the book many times, and we sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” all the time (it’s our mother/daughter song). She knows who Dorothy is because she’s all over her room, but she still hasn’t seen the movie. Some may think both kids are too young. I’m actually the person responsible for poor little Johanna Show’s nightmares from a few years back. I let her watch it at my house eons ago and she didn’t sleep for weeks. Oops! But I’ve found that my kids don’t scare easily. They’ve seen their share of witches because of Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Snow White, and so on, so I knew the Wicked Witch of the West (who is, in my opinion, the most authentic witch ever portrayed in film history) wouldn’t be a problem. Mark had reservations about the flying monkeys, but when they showed up, the only response from the kids was an excited exclamation of “MONKEYS!!!” I’m telling you, our kids don’t get scared of stuff on tv. I think I watched my kids’ faces through half the movie. Rory took it all in stride and there were parts that kept her attention better than others—she is still two, after all. Jake was mesmerized the whole time because he’s a movie freak like me. So even though this movie is ancient (released in 1939, an amazing movie year which also produced the perfect “Gone With the Wind”), and my kids are watching crazy technology daily, I knew they would love this classic that has been near and dear to my heart for as long as I can remember.

Nothing Like Fresh Strawberries

2007-06-05T11:45:00.000-04:00

I took the kids strawberry picking for the first time today. The weather was PERFECT! It's the first time we've had a cool down in weeks and it was partly sunny. I think they had a blast. It took them a few minutes to catch on to the fact that they were supposed to pick the red ones, as opposed to the many pink and white ones out there. I just kept repeating "the big red ones, guys...only the big red ones!" to remind them. We came home with two big buckets of juicy goodness. I was taking quite a stroll down memory lane while we were out there. I grew up strawberry picking because of our family business, which was a big produce stand and garden center. My mom took us to the fields all the time every June, and once I turned 13, and started working myself, I somehow became the strawberry person. I sat in those fields all day long every June, assisting customers in the Pick Your Own Strawberries field, weighing, ringing them up, etc. And when business was slow, I had to be out there myself, picking pints and quarts for the store. I didn't mind the job, unless it was blazing hot out there. But I ate to my heart's content too, which was a great perk. I did that for years. It felt great to be out there with my kids today, smelling those familiar smells, and taking that first bite of a fresh berry smack in the middle of strawberry season. Nothing like it!

Another quick memory...the small farm stand sold old fashioned candy sticks and I haven't seen those anywhere since we sold them at Spence Farm. I grew up eating those--we were only allowed to have candy on Sundays, so it was always exciting to pick out a flavor each week. They've only gone up 5 cents since the 80's. I couldn't resist taking a picture and letting my kids each pick one out to take home.

Memorial Day

2007-05-28T19:55:00.000-04:00

We went to a Memorial Day parade in the most picture perfect all-American town today! I am absolutely infatuated with Worthington, OH and would love to live there. Unfortunately, it's on the other side of Columbus so it's not a smart idea since Mark works east of the city. Oh well. In the meantime, we had a great morning. I love the patriotic holidays. And in my old age, I'm getting sappier as the days go by. I could not help getting teared up seeing the Vets pass by throughout the parade, especially the older men. (If you haven't read Tom Brokaw's book, "The Greatest Generation," you should.) And I think a big part of that was seeing people stand and clap for each and every group. I am proud to be an American, and even at their young age, we are teaching our kids to keep their flags off the ground, to clap for the soldiers, and to stand when they hear the national anthem. I love seeing them in their red, white, and blue!

Counter Culture

2007-05-26T18:59:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching a two hour documentary on hippies. What many of us have suspected for some time is true...I was born a few decades late.

Miami Ink

2007-05-16T15:36:00.000-04:00

This show is my latest TV interest. This winter, with Mark coaching so much and not knowing too much of the city yet, I spent more time than usual watching reality tv. I don't get into the games and competitions, but I have an unhealthy fascination with watching other people's lives. It seems like just about every network has a couple of versions of just watching people, and I readily admit that it's a pretty big waste of time. But I like tv, what can I say? My favorite right now is Miami Ink, on TLC. It's about a tattoo shop in South Beach and all the people who work there. Some of it is about their personal lives, but I think the really fascinating part is hearing what the customers' tattoos mean to them. Most of them come in knowing exactly what they want to have done. And it's always very personal--anything from a girl's journey to becoming an American citizen, to guys' siblings taking their own lives, to a father who loves his daughters, to a woman coming out of an abusive relationship, to a guy who feels peace everytime he looks at the ocean, to a young mother who wants to be a strong role model for her kids...it's really interesting stuff if you're looking to waste a half hour of your day!

Summer Is Calling

2007-05-09T14:06:00.000-04:00

It's getting to be that time of year again. Lost of bubbles, sidewalk chalk, riding bikes, wagon rides, whiffle ball, and this year we've added soccer balls, orange cones, jump ropes, frisbees, and a few other odds and ends to the growing box of outside toys. We're outside as much as possible, so I'm loving the dollar store here because I've found quite a few little treasures to help keep preschool minds occupied while getting fresh air.

It's also time to start planning for our three-week excursion to the Pennsylvania Hills for basketball camp! It's only a little over a month away. As usual, I have long lists and a box started of snacks, pullups, extra bubbles, chalk, etc. I'm really looking forward to it this year, in a different way than last year though. Last summer I was still so homesick for Clarks Summit, my home of 10 years. We had been gone for a year already, but I just couldn't shake it. This year, I'm happy to say, God has given me peace and has begun to fill my heart with a feeling of home here in Columbus. I'm sure one of the major differences is that I actually GAVE Him my homesickness this time around. You'd think after 29 years I'd finally figure out that God is everything, but my human mind will forever be learning, I suppose... but I digress. What I was saying was that I'm looking forward to camp again this year, but for different reasons. Last year I was craving time with good friends there that I missed so much and also some mental regrouping for myself since we had moved twice in 10 months. This year, I'm really excited to just be with my kids on campus. The longer I'm gone, the less people I know. I have a few friends I can't wait to spend time with, but mostly, I'm just psyched about the fact that both my kids are getting bigger and will enjoy so much there. AND there's less baby stuff to bring--no pacifiers, no wipes, no booster seat for the cafeteria, no sippee cups... What an amazing feeling!

I feel the rest of summer sneaking up on me too because a couple of weeks after camp, Mark's brother and his wife are coming down for about 4 days to help us build a deck! Yaayyy! Then a few weeks after that comes our Ireland trip, and then summer is almost over. This is really going to be a great few months. In the meantime, we have a very relaxing and fun May planned, so for now, I'm kicking back, doing a little planning here and there, but mostly just enjoying this time of life. God has given us so much and I plan on NOT taking anything for granted. So bring on the lemonade, the Memorial Day parade, some casual cookouts at the park, and whatever else blows our way. Like I love to say, it's the simple things...

A Good Movie

2007-04-23T17:33:00.000-04:00

I saw Reign Over Me this past weekend--the Adam Sandler/Don Cheadle movie that's out right now. I don't really have much to say about it. It's one of those movies you have to see for yourself. It was amazing. I love Adam Sandler in serious roles--he's a phenomenal actor. And well, Don Cheadle--what do you say about him? How can you not love him in absolutely everything?! After sobbing my way through the rough parts, I came out feeling uplifted. I didn't expect that, but that's definitely the feeling I left with. See it, and then be in the lives of people around you.

Hmmm...

2007-04-13T12:23:00.000-04:00

I can't think of anything particularly interesting or witty to talk about today. But I'm feeling very guilty after reading Jamie's post about facebook taking over his blogging world. Since I think I belong to a "blogging clique" as someone once called it, I feel the need to at least post written words today. Let's see, what's happening, what's happening...

Well, we've had lots of things happening around here since my last post--St. Patrick's Day parades, Easter egg hunts, meetings at our church to get involved in ministries there, lots of soccer practices for Jake, Mark's spring break, lunch with new friends, visits from old friends (Och, Mattox's, and Show), an overnight visit to Mark's parents, meeting 3 neighbors, another visit to the zoo, a great Life Group every Wednesday, drives downtown to campus to look around, just because we can...

Wow, I guess it's been a pretty busy month. We're definitely settled into our new city. That fact makes me smile.

Spring Cleaning

2007-03-15T19:17:00.000-04:00

I thought today was the day. I decided that I would embark on my spring cleaning for this year a little early. Probably because we had a couple of days this week that were almost summer-like, so I was in the mood. Plus it takes me a good long time to get everything done that I want to get done because there are certain things that I will only do once a year (like washing curtains, etc.) But then I realized that I can't start without my lists. A long time ago (when I had lots of computer time on my hands at my many secretarial jobs) I made lists of everything that needed to be done in every room in the house. I made a master list, then printed out several copies to use over the next few years. I know at this point whoever may be reading this has come to the definite conclusion that I'm a mental case. But I thrive on organization...so just love me for who I am! Anyway, my lists are no where to be found. I'm assuming they somehow got lost in one of the two moves we made in the last year and a half. But alas, I cannot begin cleaning until I have lists in front of me. The contentment of a clean house is not complete unless I have crossed things off my list. I get so much satisfaction from the "cross-off." On top of that, as the day progressed I ended up with a doozy of a cold and now I'm just down for the count. And also, it was snowing by lunchtime. That immediately threw me out of spring cleaning mode and back into cuddle up on the couch mode. So it seems spring cleaning is not in the cards for this week. But one day soon, my lists will be made, my windows will be thrown open, the house will smell of pine and lemon, and every closet and drawer will be resplendant with reorganization.

Turkey Day

2007-03-08T09:40:00.000-05:00

Now I know you're thinking, Turkey Day in March? Yes, that's what this is. Every year I buy a huge turkey when they're on sale before Thanksgiving and keep it in the freezer through the winter. Turkey is our favorite meal around here, and we definitely get our fill of it during the holiday season. But just once or twice a year is not enough. So every year, at the end of the winter, I haul out the huge bird and make an entire turkey dinner complete with all the trimmings. I guess it's a kind of farewell to the season we call winter. We love winter while it lasts, but we're always happy to see spring ushered in. So tonight we'll feast on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, etc (ooh--don't forget the mouth-watering gravy). And in doing so we say see ya to winter and WELCOME to spring!

The Yard Sale Bug

2007-03-05T18:54:00.000-05:00

“Digging through a cellar or an attic is like archaeology of the soul.” –Anonymous

It’s getting to be that time of year again. I have the itch—the yard sale itch. Every spring I can’t wait to pour over the classified section of the paper looking for yard sale ads. Every Saturday I love to while away the morning hours going from neighborhood to neighborhood, looking for hidden treasures. I think this bug started because for 5 years, I lived in the Yard Sale Land of Plenty, also known as Clarks Summit, PA. There were always friends to go with (Gretchen, Laura, and of course Judith--who taught us to haggle) I realized the bug was back last week as I was flipping through Craig’s List online, looking for outside toys for the kids. Jackpot—I got a little tikes picnic table for just 5 bucks! Then I realized just how bad my bug is: the fact that I was going through not just the Columbus ads, but the Cleveland ads too. I knew if I found anything worthwhile, I could get my in-laws to pick it up for me (they’re just great like that). And low and behold, I found my perfectly priced picnic table in Cleveland! It’s sitting in Grandma and Papa's garage as we speak. I got even more excited last week after talking to my friend, Lydie. She told me about amazing multi-family neighborhood sales that happen annually in certain upscale towns, and we already have a date to leave the kids with the daddies and hit those up! So until the spring weather actually comes and the newspaper starts filling up their ad section, I’ll get it out of my system by scouring craigslist.org. Ya never know what you might come across.

“It is the beholder who lends to the beautiful things its myriad meanings, and makes it marvelous for us.” –Oscar Wilde

He will quiet you with His love

2007-02-27T18:46:00.000-05:00

"...He will quiet you with His love..." (Zephaniah 3:17). I have never read this before. The worship leader at our new church mentioned this passage in passing on Sunday morning, and for some reason, it was like a fog horn in my head. The phrase kept repeating itself to me (I'm assuming that was the Still Small Voice, Gretchen) over and over throughout the service and the rest of the day. The rest of the verse is just as amazing as the middle phrase--"The Lord our God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." I simply cannot get enough of this right now. Isn't it the most amazing thing? I'm speechless.

Rest and Oscar

2007-02-22T09:58:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I spent a glorious Sunday afternoon holed up in our basement. Sundays are the only days that Jake still takes a nap and for some reason, this past Sunday both kids took really long naps. I went downstairs and curled up on the futon with a quilt, my pillow, a book, and glass of water, and some chapstick (just for you, Jamie!). The original purpose of our basement was for Mark's sports memorabilia, the treadmill, a playroom for the kids, and storage. But it's turning out to be more than that. It's still all those things, and it's by far the kids favorite place to play. Probably because we have tons of bookshelves down there full of toys, blocks, activities, etc. But it's turning out to be a little getaway for me too. We have a nice comfy futon down there, a lamp to turn on when I don't want overhead lights, and it also houses all our books, since we don't have space for bookcases up in our living area. I love being surrounded by my books--it automatically makes for cozy living. We also put our old tv down there along with a $17 DVD player (LOVE black Friday!), so now it's the official place for kids movies. And on Sunday afternoons, it has become my safe haven to watch old movies. Sunday afternoon is always reserved for sports on the bigger tv upstairs. I have no problem with that--it's the American way. Maybe it's because we spent every Sunday afternoon at my grandparents' house while I was growing up, and because they always had old movies on all afternoon (they had cable a long time before us!), but I am so content to just sit down with an old musical or a black and white movie and loll the afternoon away. So last Sunday, after reading a few chapters of Harry Potter (I'm re-reading the whole series in honor of the final book coming out this July), I settled in with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck for an afternoon of "Roman Holiday." If you haven't seen it, SEE IT! It's a classic. We are talking pre-My Fair Lady, Sabrina, Funny Face, Breakfast At Tiffany's... It was Audrey's first movie and she won an Oscar that year for Best Actress. I love the Academy Awards, but don't like to put Mark through the torture, so I'll probably settle in on the futon once again this Sunday night for the Oscars. I just love when Sundays turn out to be what they are intended for. Rest...

Trip of a Lifetime

2007-02-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure how many people I've had a chance to share this with but I'm going to Ireland!!! My mom has always wanted to take my sister and I there because we have a strong Irish heritage (don't forget I'm from Boston--the only people I knew growing up were Irish or Italian or both!) and last year she mentioned actually making legitimate plans. We talked about it here and there, but I guess in the back of my mind I didn't think it was actually happening. Well, over Christmas we talked about it more and settled on this summer, but we still had no ligitimate plans. Then this past week my mom got snowed in here in Columbus, so we got out the guidebooks I had bought on eBay last fall and just started making plans. We even bought our plane tickets (August, by the way)! We're spending 5 days in Ireland and 3 days in London and Mark and Ryan (my sister's huband) are coming too! As it turns out, the entire plan and itinerary is pretty much falling on my shoulders because everyone else is too busy to take care of such a detailed trip. And I gotta say, I don't mind one bit. I have a lot of time on my hands, I'm an internet addict, I love researching, and I especially love organizing everything in life. I'm in heaven. So I've spent the last two days online and with my nose buried in my travel books looking at ticket prices, hotel reviews, restaurant suggestions, train schedules through Ireland, day trip bus tours, festival dates... My sister thinks I'm psycho cuz I keep calling her and asking questions and opinions trying not to leave her out of the planning process and I keep using phrases like, "well, I'm working on Phase 2 of the trip..." I'm just being silly, but it makes it more fun and elicits a chuckle out of her. I'm hoping to keep a rough journal of the trip while we're there, and then post everything on a new blog and that way be able to share everything and all our experiences with our friends. I'm just giddy with anticipation, but keep in mind too that I've never been out of the country before. This is all new for me and beyond exciting!

(FYI, I'm listening to my new AG Silver CD right now and I think they have a new fan--Thanks Abby!)

30'th Birthday Weekend

2007-02-12T20:13:00.000-05:00

My amazing husband treated me to the best birthday ever. It was a full weekend inluding dinner at Mongolian Barbecue, spending time with Mark, chai from Barnes & Noble, my wonderful and amazing friend Abby's "surprise" weekend visit, a razzmatazz latte from Cup-A-Joe, quality cafe time with Abby, a surprise party complete with family and Columbus friends, a REAL surprise visit from my mom, Mark's exciting game win, Mark taking care of every meal the entire weekend, peppermint mocha from Starbucks, surprise gifts from Mark, fun gifts from friends, including lots of Starbucks gift cards, many many pounds of Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks coffee, an extremely special gift from my long distance but close-to-my-heart friend, Gretchen, and two phone calls from my kindred in Germany, Daylin (which I missed, sniff). I am blessed. I am thankful for what God has given me and for the people He has put in my life. Turning 30--not such a huge deal. Spending time with and hearing from people I love--the best deal in life!

Mum and Abby

Julie and Brian (Mark's brother and his wife)

Katie, DJ (Jamie Miller's sister and brother-in-law and also who Mark is coaching high school basketball with) and Brian or Big B as our kids call him

DJ, Brian, Mark, Rory, and Mom C (Talan and Jake in front)

Mikayla and Rory

Me and my wonderful new Columbus friend, Lydie (Mark's cousin's wife)

Rory, Grammie, and Jake watching The Aristocats

Me and Abby

Abby and Rory

New CD's are Definitely Pennies from Heaven

2007-01-29T12:25:00.000-05:00

I love Amazon! I just treated myself to a little pre-birthday present. I got Carly Simon's "No Secrets" and Carole King's "Tapestry." I'm totally in a funky 70's chicks phase right now and we're talking the original albums--the ones that made them legends--not the greatest hits or new recordings. The classics. Fun.

January Piercings

2007-01-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I don't know what it is about me and January and nose rings, but it's on my mind again. I want to get my nose pierced! For anyone who might be reading this not knowing the history, last January I got a nose ring--just a tiny diamond. I LOOOOOOVED it, and it was so fun having Abby along for the ride and moral support. But I had to take it out 4 days later because of infection and I was devastated. I haven't considered trying again because to have it pierced was no big deal, but to have it removed was excruciatingly painful. But here I am, a year later, considering...If I had money in my pocket, I'd probably go today...

You're only young(ish) once.

"Lady In the Water"

2007-01-23T13:49:00.000-05:00

I finally got to see M. Night Shyamalan's latest today. I'm a big fan of his movies, ever since "The Sixth Sense" scared the bejeezes out of me. This one was the usual Shyamalan fare: slow moving plot, lots of silences, interesting camera angles, etc. I LOVED "The Sixth Sense," liked "Unbreakable," thought "Signs" was okay, until they actually showed the alien, which basically ruined it for me (although I did appreciate the twists at the end), and then LOVED "The Village" again.

As far as "Lady In the Water" goes, Paul Giamatti is amazing, as always, and I'm loving that Bryce Dallas Howard (Iris from The Village) is in this too because I just think she's an interesting actress. This movie was different from the others in that it didn't have a major twist or surprise at the end. In my opinion, the theme of this story is that the goofy people, the boring people, the weird or interesting people, the people that you may look right through every day around you--they all have a purpose. There is a meaning for everyone. Everyone has their own little piece of the larger story.

M. Night Shyamalan actually used to tell this to his daughters as a bedtime story, then had a book published, then turned it into a movie.

It took a while to get into it, but by the end, my heart was full, my spirit was soaring. What a weirdly inspirational movie!

Game Over

2007-01-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

First the Ohio State Buckeyes, now the New England Patriots. Football is a fickle friend...

My Heart is Full!

2007-01-18T16:02:00.000-05:00

It's snowing! So far this winter we have had NO SNOW, and I don't know if I can explain to people just how difficult it has been for me living in a place with no snow. We had a few flurries one day in the fall, and since then, nothing. Even now, it's only flurries, but at least it's still light out and I can watch while it lasts.

MY SNOWFALL
My eyes behold its beauty
As my hand Reaches out for its touch,
While my face
Feels that certain tingle
That makes me love
Snow so much!
My heart embraces its coming
The way a child frolics In the fallen snow!
My beautiful snowfall
Brings joy to my spirit
And sunshine to my day.
It doesn't matter
Whether it be a blizzard
Or a dusting of flakes,
Snow falling from the sky
To me looks the same
Any old way!
Snow, my ever lovely snowfall!
Be it Valentine's Day, President's Day,
And yes, Be it Groundhog Day!
Let it snow I walk in it,
As well as sing in it!
I play in the snow
And build my favorite snowman,
Then chase
Each falling flake
As fast as I can!
Each breath of air
Feels crystal clear
Making Winter so very dear!
Each descending flake
Falls as if it were
A blessing from the angels,
Appreciating this gift
Of nature from God,
More than any other
Man created pleasure!
Let it snow
As well as
Let the winds blow!
I wait for the snow every year,
And can't stop smiling
When it finally appears!
Snowfall, my snowfall!

--Holly Bianchi (Age 11)

Rut Be Gone!

2007-01-17T09:54:00.000-05:00

I've been a cooking maniac lately! It feels so good to be out of a rut and be on to bigger and better things. My goal has been at least two new meals a week, since I have all these great cookbooks, but this week I did four. I've been cooking with fresher ingredients, and it actually makes cooking more fun. To have to chop up the rosemary, smash the garlic cloves, etc--that's way more fun than getting dried herbs and spices out of the cabinet and my bottled minced garlic out of the fridge. So here are the new meals we ate over the past week:

Penne with spicy chicken alfredo
Chicken piccatta with whole-grain mustard roasted potatoes
Risotto with tuscan chicken
Garlic roast chicken with rosemary and lemon with pesto smashed potatoes

Some of them are keepers and some of them aren't, but it's great trying new things and finding out!

Coffee Timeline

2007-01-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

I realized the other day that my relationship with coffee has been an ever-evolving one. I don't know what got me thinking about the details of me and coffee, but here's what I came up with. In high school, I drank it once in a while, with a friend here and there, or on really cold days while slinging Christmas trees. Once I got to college, it was purely social. I didn't need coffee everyday, but I drank it mostly nights, when I went out with friends. There were many late nights at Perkins, Daylin with her pitcher of tea, Diana with her pitcher of decaf, and me with my coffee pitcher straightup. It was also in college that I was introduced to the wonderful gas station cappuccino, which is a little too sweet for me now, but delicious when combined with half regular coffee. This is still a road trip staple for me. Once I started working full time, that's when the everyday coffee came about. Not because I needed the caffeine, but because it was nice to have my mug waiting at my desk for me everyday, ready to be sipped all morning long. It was just habit. I got into bad habits though--drinking about 4 cups a morning and once in a while in the afternoon. That ended when I quit my job to have a baby. I went down to two cups a day, which I maintain to date. I still didn't need the caffeine, it was just love of the flavor and of being able to hold a mug everyday. Holding a mug provides a lot of comfort, for those of you who don't know because you don't drink hot beverages (Mark!). Once I had a second kid, THAT'S when the need for caffeine kicked in. I needed that jump start in the mornings. I still do need the caffeine, but I realized this week as I was thinking about this, that more than anything right now, for me, coffee holds the promise of a new day, a fresh start... Maybe it's because my kids are getting bigger, and there are so many changes around here. They need constant interaction, they are constantly learning, and they get that from me--all day long. I have been learning that I mess up as much as they do. I have a short fuse, I am learning to be a teacher since it doesn't come naturally to me, and I'm learning how to love my kids for the fact that they are little people with huge personalities, not just because they are my children to raise. So I try to sit with a cup of coffee every morning, not just sip on the go as I do things around the house. My kids are starting to figure out that for 15 minutes, Mom can sit and not get up--no filling cups, no changing pullups, no untangling necklaces or helping with lincoln logs. And as I sit there sipping, I'm thinking, What will we do today? Everyday is an adventure and everyday I have a fresh mug and a clean slate.

I can't even think of a title...

2007-01-10T21:19:00.000-05:00

I have writer's block.

Post-Christmas Yum

2007-01-03T18:38:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm up to my ears in 11 new cookbooks this Christmas. So much happiness here. =) Hmmm, where to start, where to start...

A Red Bucket

2006-12-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

Last night we took a family trip to Walmart. Mark's been gone so much with practice and games for the past couple of months, so the kids were really excited to go somewhere with him. Mark gave each of them a dollar and told them if we made it through the store with no whining or fighting (there's been a lot of bickering lately and I'm sure there are people out there who disagree with the bribing, but hey, desperate times call for desperate measures!) they could buy something that they picked out themselves. At the end of our successful shopping, the kids picked out boxes of little Christmas tree cakes. With Mark, everything is fun and exciting, so he showed them how to do the self check-out lane and had them insert the money themselves and then of course came the excitement of seeing the change come out the little slot. Jake was excited to put his change in his Ohio State piggy bank at home, and of course Rory imitates and talkes about everything that Jake does so she got excited about her Dorothy and Toto bank. On the way out of the store, Mark asked if they wanted to put their money in the red bucket instead. We explained to Jake how that money would help buy something for another kid who didn't have very much. I have no clue how much of that he understood. Most likely they were just excited to drop coins into the swinging red bucket (very cool!), but as they did, Jake yelled out "Merry Christmas" to the friendly man ringing his bell. My eyes filled with tears that he gave his little treasure away so easily. It was a huge reminder to me that it's my responsibility to teach these two little people about loving people (which is a new concept for me in life since I did not grow up this way.) Just an unexpected kind of blessing during my favorite time of year.

Holiday Books

2006-12-10T14:57:00.000-05:00

I love books! I love old books, I love new books, I love the smell of crisp pages, I love the sight of old book bindings sitting on a shelf. And most of all, I love the tradition books create in a family. I grew up with a great old pop-up version of Twas the Night Before Christmas, and of all the Christmas objects we unpacked out of bins every December, that was my favorite thing to see each year. My mom even has a video of me reading it to Trina and Wayne when I was about 8. And I still have that book. I think my mom understood that it was most meaningful to me, so I got to take it with me when I got married. It’s sitting on my shelf of Christmas books right now, waiting to be read this season. I actually bought a new Twas the Night Before Christmas book a few years ago from Hallmark because it was so pretty—it’s a Santa and Coke version and I love the illustrations.

Some of my best memories of being a kid are road trips and my mom reading out loud to us from the Bobbsey Twins and Little House books. We took lots of trips to visit cousins and we always read our favorite family books along the way. I’ve been collecting vintage Bobbsey Twins books for a few years now, and I still have the Little House set that was mine as a kid. And I have found some great versions of American classics like Pollanna, the Little Princess, Swiss Family Robinson and other stories I loved as a kid. And I have extremely vintage copies of The Wizard of Oz (my favorite story ever, well, tied with Little Women) and Charlotte’s Web (shout-out to Gretchen and her annual book report!). I have boxes and boxes of children’s books.

Now that I have my own family, I’m trying to create holiday traditions through some books with them too. I’m probably going a little overboard though. I found great books of little poems for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky. I also found Twas the Night Before Halloween, and other Twas books for Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, first day of Kindegarten, etc. by Natasha Wing. And I also bought a couple of other random books about the Pilgrims, Christmas and other things that just seemed so cute. I spend more online time on Amazon than anywhere else—books, movies, and music—my three favorite things on one great website.

People have told me I better hope and pray that Rory is a reader because I’ve been collecting classic books since before she was born. Well, so far, she IS! She’ll sit with books all day if she can. She loves being read to, she loves reading to herself, so far so good. =) And Jake is starting to come around too—the more he sees Rory with books, he seems more interested. Needless to say, we spend a TON of time reading together on the couch. Time will tell if they love their holiday books as much as I did.

Tim Horton's

2006-12-08T11:31:00.000-05:00

Okay, okay, I finally tried Tim Horton's coffee. My honest assessment is this: the coffee was just okay, but I appreciated the festiveness of their cheery winter cup. (I'm now bracing myself for the comments to come...)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

2006-12-04T22:51:00.000-05:00

Well, we've had quite a Christmasy weekend. I've had the house decorated for a week or so now, but Saturday we went to get our tree and it was really fun because the kids actually knew what was going on. It was great watching their little faces in awe as the guy cut some off the bottom of our huge douglas fir and then netted it up and tied it to the top of our car. It feels so good to have a real tree again. Mark grew up with an artificial and thought that was the way we'd go in our own home. And those who know us know Mark is definitely the one who runs the show around here. But a real Christmas tree was not something I was willing to give on! It's in my blood. For over 70 years Christmas trees were our family business in Massachusetts, but this year is the first year it no longer exists. The business shut down last year and it's pretty sad to see it gone. But I digress. Anyway, last year was the only year we had a fake tree and that was because we lived in an apartment complex that didn't allow real trees. I'm so happy to have our huge real tree smelling all amazing in our living room.

After picking up our tree Mark and I set off on our afternoon adventure of putting up lights outside the house. We felt like the Griswolds. Mark was up on a ladder with staple gun in hand and I was fooling around with the extension cords and outlets trying to get everything to fit in somewhere and work. With all the icicle lights, the potted trees on our entry way, lights wrapped around bushes and a wreath in every window, it took us all afternoon. We had fun though--it's yet another memory of our first home.

Today I spent literally the entire day baking cookies. I haven't even chipped the iceberg yet--I am trying a bunch of new kinds this year, so I plan to bake a couple more days this week too. I've been stocking butter, flour, and sugar for two months now, so I'm extremely prepared. And I'm making double batches of our favorites, now that I have my new freezer in the garage. I've really missed cooking ahead with no extra freezer for the past couple of years.

When Mark got home from ball practice tonight we decorated the tree. It was pretty funny because the kids put every ornament I handed them in the same exact spot. There was a whole front bottom section of the tree laden down with ornaments and the rest of the tree was empty. Of course, my obsessive compulsive self had that fixed as soon as they went to bed, but it was fun watching them do it.

I was thinking back to last year's Christmas Movie Extravaganza (is that what we called it, Abby?) wishing I could do it again this year. But since we still don't really have a circle of friends to entertain yet, I'll have my own. I told Mark that the one good thing about him having late practices every night and me being home alone all the time is that I can watch Christmas movies any night I want to. And since we have Directv back, it's not hard to find one. Lydie and I have plans to go see The Holiday for a girls night out, so that will keep me in my tradition of seeing whatever Christmas movie is out every year.

So the holiday happenings are keeping us busy around here. Hope everyone else is having fun!

Thanksgiving Trip to Boston

2006-12-01T09:39:00.000-05:00

Me and the kids goofing off with Christmas decorations.

The kids chased this rooster all over the tree farm we visited--it was hilarious!

Grammie took us to a Christmas shop for donuts and coffee.

Uncle Tommy and Jake sacked out watching a movie.

Auntie Treen and Rory--she's the spitting image of Trina as a little kid!

Grammie and the kids smelling the amazing New England Christmas trees.