Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Beach
I want the pink one!

Bethany Beach, DE

Bethany Beach, DE
June 2011

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Fun (and not so fun) Times!

I'm attempting to get all of the recent fun (and some NOT so!) times here, just so I don't forget my blessings.

We spent a great Thanksgiving day with friends in York and had the most amazing food, along with super company! We brought the apple chestnut stuffing, Conan's yummy mashed potatoes, and our family's favorite peanut butter chocolate ganache pie!!! We learned some good games, too (like Dutch blitz!).

On black Friday, we skipped the mall and instead took Emma to her amazing piano teacher's house to decorate a magnificent gingerbread house. This wonderful woman makes nearly a thousand houses to donate to a school she began in Brooklyn, NY, and also enough to give to all of her (MANY) quite fortunate piano students. Then the kids and I hopped in the car and drove the 6 hours to North Carolina to spend a few days with Renee', our mom (who was visiting), and cute niece! They had just moved in, minus brother in-law Ashley who was working his ridiculously long commuting job to Bulgaria... (talk about jet lag!) Anyway, he's home now for a few weeks- yeah! We had a fun filled weekend- it was beautiful and mainly we just laughed a whole bunch. After we made the trek home, braving D.C. and Baltimore traffic with gritted teeth and thankfully,Christmas music blaring, we waited and waited to find out if we are moving to a new place- thanks to mold growing in ours... ugh.

Meanwhile, Emma still suffering with unidentifiable stomach pains, which began while taking a strong antibiotic last month for bronchitis, came down with another awful bronchial infection. Our poor little girl has been suffering. She has missed 24 days of school so far this year... She has now experienced blood tests, chest x-rays, the ER, inhalers, and lots of medicine. That's been the not so fun part... She is finally back to school, as of yesterday, and is in good spirits again.

As of today, we are for sure moving, (like next week) which thought kind of makes my skin crawl, but (oh joy), to a beautiful home not too far away where we will stay put for a LONG time. There is always a silver lining... As I attempt not to give in to anxiety over it all, I remember that things always work out somehow, and continue to feel immense peace. It's so amazing to know that we are being watched over and looked out for. Especially in the darkest hours... At such a wonderful time of the year, I am humbled and grateful for the trials which always seem to turn around when we think we can't handle them another minute (and usher in the blessings...).

Monday, November 22, 2010

Christmas Music Already???

This morning I climbed into the minivan to take Emma to school, and on to Monday morning stuff, when I hit the stereo power button... I was pretty much shocked by what I heard! No, it wasn't the usual profanity or annoying lyrics of today's music, but the sound of Bing Crosby singing "White Christmas" that completely threw me off! Whatever happened to Thanksgiving??? Are we just skipping it altogether this year? Wow... What a disappointment. I LOVE Christmas music! That's not the problem... But when I consider what my ancestor, William Brewster sacrificed to come to this land on the Mayflower, all that was lost in the pursuit of religious freedom, all of the peril and trial he and his fellow shipmates endured (for years); I feel a little loss at the prospect of a forgotten holiday that celebrates gratitude for the gifts God so lovingly bestows on us.
So, that's it for today. As thrilled as I always feel when Christmas time approaches, I truly cherish Thanksgiving. For the bounty, the blessings, the time with family and friends, and the pause to thank Heavenly Father for all of his love and mercy; for the many things we take for granted. I am focusing this week on living in gratitude daily (as we were so gently reminded recently by a living prophet in General Conference) and for living in the present, not dwelling on the past or waiting for the future. That's all... Gratitude!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Halloween!

(Since I always forget to blog, I'm in the mood and am attempting to catch up a little!)
We were happily surprised that here in Pennsylvania, when this lovely holiday falls on the Sabbath, many of the townships schedule trick-or-treating and festivities for the preceding Saturday night! Our very own township did just that, so we were able to dress up our girls for friends' parties and send them out to collect many pounds of sugary treats. Conan spent two hours going back and forth from the front door to Christian's room down the hall where they were video gaming, while I spent a good hour devouring a favorite mystery book, then visiting with our good friends who stopped by with their adorable little 2 year old "elephant" (daughter)! Elizabeth, being a teenager, wouldn't finish her cat makeup until she arrived at the party, so I never got the completed picture, and Emma was extremely comfy in some newly acquired footy pajamas! Christian and his friends put on masks and raised their deep voices an octave or so in an attempt to collect some candy bars (by sounding 13)! This was after they lined up on the back deck with air soft guns, shooting into the back yard... such boys! It was too fun!!! Pumpkin carving was slimy as always and we roasted some of the seeds coated with butter and the amazing Mediterranean sea salt I brought back from Mallorca this summer! Yuuuuuumy!

Hurray For Paint!!!

I was so completely horrified by the state of the walls in our new place; covered with patches of spackle and builder-grade flat white paint! So, while my hard working husband was out of town earning a living, I moved everything to the center of the family room and after pouring over hundreds- maybe thousands, of paint colors, just went with the colors calling out to me, the ones I loved! I kind of gulped, bought the 3 gallons, one for each room, and broke out the rollers and drop cloths. After an agonizing 4 days (you know how it is... trying to live with everything in disarray, running out of paint with half a wall to go... etc...) I had a beautiful new home! Really, that's what it felt like. I'm relishing in the deliciousness of robins-egg blue for the family room, a yummy cinnamon hued kitchen, and every time we come and go, loving the dramatic deep blue-green entryway! Since we are relegated to renting at the moment, it's all I can really do to make the space my own, and it makes a dramatic difference in turning a house into a home! It just feels like me! By the way, I LOVE the new Martha Stewart paint at Home Depot. It covers entirely in one coat, and has an amazing depth to it- for about $25 a gallon! NICE!

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Looking Back at Summer!

I really am shocked at how long it's been since I've been on here!!! It's insane! Anyway, we've had some really crazy last several months and I'm finally sitting down to do some updating... Here's the condensed recap: we moved in June in an effort to return to our kids' former schools, couldn't find a house, so we shoved all of our belongings in a huge storage unit! July 1st, the kids and I (and dog) took off in our blue minivan and drove to Provo by way of Nauvoo, IL, then to Mesa, Tucson, then across the southern U.S. to Mississippi, then returned to PA!!! Quite crazy! That took some time... I kind of stayed extra long in Utah because of a stubborn infection that got me down.. I had to be back in PA by the 2nd of August to board an airplane out of Philadelphia heading to Spain! Emma and I got to experience life on the island of Palma de Mallorca (quite a destination!), then Renee' and I were fortunate enough to head off to London for a weekend of great food, comfy bedding, the Tube, and LOTS of walking! We had a blast! After returning to Spain for several more days, we came back to the states (very grateful to be able to understand those annoying airport announcements, and not having a 4 inch cockroach try to attack my feet while USING a public bathroom-yep it happened in Mallorca...). Unfortunately, Conan still couldn't find a house while we were gone; fortunately we have some amazing friends who took in our lovely teenagers while Conan and I were both gone (his business trips..) Hence, an extended hotel stay... fun, fun... We all survived!

Now I'm thinking about it all and wondering HOW we actually survived, but here we are, in a new place with some really super memories... I have the best husband and children in the world along with extended family- my mom, siblings, parent's-in-law, husband's siblings, and even a few random strangers who took care of us/entertained us over our homeless summer! Thank you everyone... I'm still attempting to load pictures onto my computer from London.. having technical difficulties... I'm confident I will get them here soon!!! I love our families!!!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Hurray for snow... and letting go!

We did get a few feet of snow over the weekend, and I am done apologizing for my blogging (or lack of) skills... This is a new goal I have- to be kind to myself! So far it is going very well... I actually scheduled and got my OWN haircut, and I'm not saying awful things about myself when I look in the mirror! No more berating myself for not exercising EVERY DAY, and when I eat something yummy, but way too fattening, I'm enjoying it without reservation. Along with that, I am eating better and actually wanting to walk the dog. What is it with us women expecting ourselves to be perfect, then when we fall short (big surprise), we beat ourselves up thoroughly? I found myself feeling guilty for laying in bed- WHEN I HAD THE FLU!!! Okay, come on, that is too much... So, I saw a book at the library about caring for ourselves from the inside out, I promptly checked it out and opened it up; within the first chapter there is a challenge to make a pledge to yourself (type it up and save it) to treat yourself as your own good friend! Wow, what a concept. It's not like I've never heard of it (try, "Love thy neighbor as thyself...") but for some reason I just forgot about it. Maybe it's just a natural cause and effect of having children who we would do anything for, even give up our own needs (selves) for. Well, there has to be some way to balance it out- so we take care of our own real needs first, then we are better able to function and take care of those we love. In my pondering and studying, I have realized that I can easily neglect myself, criticize myself, and become way to hard on myself because of it all. Maybe it's the age... Or the fact that my oldest child is approaching adulthood himself! I read somewhere of the irony of our children struggling through the teenage years, right when we mothers start struggling with our own sense of identity. I am letting go of unrealistic expectations of myself and enjoying life more on a day to day basis, because it's good for me. More reaching out to others, more forgiveness of my own weaknesses, more love for God (and just as important, accepting his unconditional love for me) and more gratitude for the magnificent blessings he gives to me... Ahhhhh, it's divine! (Along with all of that white powdery stuff we have tons of!)