Nanny's Sweet Tea

 Growing up we spent a lot of time at Nanny's house. She lived about five minutes down the road from our house and she LOVED to see us. Nanny welcomed us in for just several minutes or overnight. No matter the length of time we had to visit she was glad to see us. Without fail within minutes of entering her home we would be in the kitchen getting a glass of iced tea and several cookies. Back then no one else made tea like Nanny's it was one of a kind. It was special. So much love and time was spent to assure that anytime someone stopped in they could have a glass (or two of tea). As Nanny's age increased and her health started to fail my sisters and I watched and studied carefully how she made some of our favorite things including tea. We measured and remeasured with the unique measuring tools she used. Nanny passed away several years ago but today we have her recipes and we love making them and remembering her legacy.

Nanny's Sweet Tea

3 Family sz Luzianne tea bags

4 Boston Mint tea bags 

5 1/2 T Lemonade mix

1 cup sugar

1 gal water

Pour 1 gal of water into large pot. Add tea bags and heat. Turn off stove and remove tea bags from water just before boiling. Add lemonade mix and sugar. Stir. Cool and refrigerate. ENJOY!

Best Friends

 The last week leading up to the end of the school year, I was an emotional mess. Truth be told I'm still not 100% yet. 

Goodbyes are cruel. 

In the fall, when I started back to work full-time for the first time in 13 years I never thought I would feel this way at the end of the year. My students became a piece of my heart. One student, in particular, became a favorite of mine mid-year. It's my understanding that her home life isn't the best, and at school her behaviors can be extreme. So when I heard her use negative self-talk I started repeating positive truths to her, "you are beautiful," "you are a good friend," "you are smart." I also started to pray for her on my way to school. I think it was in January she started telling me that she loved me. Sometimes, she would just randomly announce it from across the classroom. When she was upset I would just speak to her a quieter tone and a lot of the times she calmed down. The students in my classroom have an autistic diagnosis. Most of them do not have "friends." My favorite student though, loves swinging with the other girl in the classroom. She talks about her non-stop. She wants to know her location at all times. The other girl in the classroom makes her laugh with a laugh that can only be described as pure joy. They are "best friends."

The other student is moving on next year. I will miss her greatly! The last day of school my tears were not for the loss of that student but rather for the loss of that friendship. Oh how great a loss.

_________________________

What is the best friend?

How rare and wonderful that unexpected moment when somebody comes into your life and completely changes it. When conversation flows so easily. When all you want to do is share life with them. When you find that special friend who encourages you and builds you up. Someone who shares your values and gets your humor. Someone who feels like sunshine. Don't let them go. 

Best friends are rare.

(The above picture is if the "minions" another one of my students created)

My Emilia and Why I love her!

Yesterday morning, the meltdown was about how I tied her shoes. I calmly tried three times to tie her shoe before insisting she wear boots to the bus stop. Her argument still doesnt make sense to me, but apparently Eric and I tie her shoes wrong and she HATES the way her laces hang off the side of her shoe.

Today, The meltdown was about her hair.  First she wanted "Elsa hair" so I did the side ponytail with a braid that I always do while she watched in the bathroom mirror, but when I was done she yelled, screamed and ripped out the hair band correcting me. "No! I want Anna hair!!" And she pulled her hair into two pig tails and added "Like Madeleine's" So I gave her "Anna hair" and after she saw it in the mirror she also tore that out because she didnt like a bulge in her hair where the braid started. Ultimately, she wore her hair down. The multiple hair styles caused us to slightly be running late for the bus stop but we made it in time and after waving goodbye to Madeleine we started the journey to church to take Ainsley to preschool.

Just over half way into our 30 minute trip the van was peaceful with the exception of Ainsley who was singing praise songs at the top of her lungs from the back seat. Emilia must have been deep in thought when she politely asked me, "What is Nanny's name?" "Well her parents named her Hazel, but we called her Nanny," I answered. Worried that it wasnt the answer she was looking for, I waited for her to yell at me, but instead she continued to sit quietly. "Were you thinking about her Emilia?" I asked. "No," she replied, "I just wanted to know her name so I can ask Jesus where she lives when I get to Heaven"

And that's why I love her!
My little girl lives life with such passion and love that often times I think when things are not just as she has dreamed her big heart cant handle it.
 
She's My Emilia! Full or heart with the attitude to sometimes go with it and no matter how dramatic the outbursts become I will continue to love her for everything she is!

My Father's Daughter

Last night at 11pm, I found myself watching out my bedroom window for an hour as the police knocked on our neighbors door and ultimately entered her house after she failed to respond. Apparently she was talking to a family member on the phone when she suddenly stopped talking. When she no longer answered her phone they became concerned and called the police. Shortly after the officers broke in and entered her home the ambulance showed up but thankfully she ended up walking out to the stretcher on her own. She said she was feeling better but seemed disoriented. 

As I watched and waited, I remembered back to my teenage years when I turned on the kitchen light at my grandparents house and found Pappy watching the neighbors out of his kitchen door. He quickly told me to turn out the light so they wouldn't see him. 

And then there is my father, his son, who has recently learned how to use Lancaster Communications website and who has been known to follow an emergency vehicle or two. During all of the excitement it occurred to me that this is why Eric was able to fall asleep while I stood watch, I am my fathers daughter, this type of behavior has been inbreed in me :/

A tribute to an amazing woman

Tonight, we gathered as a family to celebrate my grandma's 99th birthday. I would lie if I did not say the day was bittersweet. A week and a half ago we were called in to be with her and told she was dying. Our family gathered around her, held her hand and prayed as she struggled for hours to breathe. Miraculously, her heart kicked into gear and she made a comeback. By the next morning she was up eating and walking the halls of Willow Valley. But Nanny is actively dying. She has begun seeing loved ones who have already passed, as if they are waiting to greet her in Heaven. At times she does not know who we are and shes sleeping most of the day. 

My poor family has seen me crying a lot. I have explained to Madeleine that Nanny is dying. That soon she will be going to Heaven. I have tried to explain that while I am happy and excited for Nanny, I am crying because I love Nanny and that I am just going to miss her.

 I am going to miss her a lot!!! 

I am so thankful for the time I have had with Nanny. When my much older cousins graduated from high school, Nanny and Pappy gave my parents our graduation money because they never thought they'd see us graduate. Instead Nanny saw my high school graduation, wedding, college graduation and birth of 3 children. I am so thankful for the Tuesday lunches I had with her during college. Truth is I planned my college schedule around those lunches. I am thankful for the chance to spend lunches again with her last year and the wonderful oppertunity to really study how she cooks. As a result I've learned how to make pea pot pie and potato soup like Nanny. I am thankful that I got to watch her rock my babies to sleep. 

She loved to rock my babies, especially Emilia.

I am thankful for the time recently to just sit with her and soak in her presence. I just hold her hand and soak her in because I know my time with her is limited. 

I think of Nanny when I cook. Especially when doing simple things like peeling potatoes, dicing celery and smelling spring onions. I think of her when I hear morning doves cooing, because without fail I remember a pair of the cooing outside my window at her house during childhood sleepovers. I think of her while watching the Phillies, her favorite team. 

I think of her and will remember her with love. 

The things childhood is made of

For awhile now Ainsley has been hiding in various corners of my house. I might be sorting laundry in my room and she just slips over to her room and positions herself between her wall and dresser. Once I found her in my closet, quietly calling out my name every few seconds. And then the other day just before we were getting ready to leave Madeleine opened the door in the dining room that leads out into the garage and let Ainsley escape out there. I saw her enter the garage but when I walked over to find her she was hidden so well I couldn't see her. I had to start calling out her name before she finally emerged from beside the ladder. She's AMAZING! 

Needless to say Madeleine and Emilia have also caught on to the fun of hiding from me. This morning after some begging I decided to stop what I was doing and play hide-and-go-seek. We all took turns hiding for close to an hour. It was so much fun! Most of the time I was the one finding the girls, occasionally I helped the girls hide from each other and then finally I hid twice. My final hiding place stumped the girls. I could hear them looking all over for me, until finally Emilia and Madeleine begged me to come out. 

Then this afternoon when Madeleine got home we headed outside for some much needed playground fun and fresh air! We played outside together until Daddy came home. Then I headed inside to prepare one of Emilia's favorite meals "pea pie" aka pea pot pie.

Today was filled with the girls childhood is made of

Ainsley trying out her new tricycle. Her legs still need to grow a bit.

 This little girl LOVES sliding!

Madeleine found a group of friends to hang around with

Today...

...Ainsley discovered chai tea. 

There are some simple pleasures I like to keep just for me. In the fall and winter months, Chai is one of them. Many nights after I give the girls their baths I will make a cup and sip it quietly in the kitchen. There is just something so wonderful and comforting about it. Its like a little hug. 

Today, because she's cute, I let Ainsley enjoy a few sips with me.

My favorite mug for chai tea. I find it extra comforting!

When life hands you snow.. make snow men!

I have lost track of the number of snow days we've had this winter. When it snowed on my birthday, in December, I was excited! I loved having a snow day with the girls! I loved making a snowman with Emilia and I loved having our impromptu snow ball fight when Eric got home from work. After a winter of snow storms the excitement quickly wears off though, especially for someone who prefers flip flops to snow boots. 

When I woke up this morning and saw the freshly falling snow I decided to pull it together and make the most of yet another snow day. Knowing Eric would most likely stay through at work to work a total of 16 hours, I bundled up the girls so they could play in the snow with Angus(our dog), while I shoveled the driveway, sidewalks and Eric's parking space. 

The oldest two girls LOVE the snow! They could play in it all day! Ainsley, who is 18 months has not yet developed a love for the snow. She prefers to walk where I have shoveled or be carried. Its because of this that when Eric is at work we have to have our snow fun in mini sessions. 

 

Sometime after I got the call from Eric confirming he would be working overtime and before dinner, I got the brilliant idea to complete another pintrest idea I had pinned a while ago. I should have recorded the girls responses. Emilia, giggled like crazy when she saw the snow man pancake and Madeleine praised me saying, "You are the best mommy ever! I am so lucky to have you!" And there it was....  I made the best of a day that I would have preferred be filled with sunshine and warm weather and it resulted in snow filled memories of playing in the snow and eating snowman pancakes for dinner. 

DYNAMITE! A fun way to practice sight words

This year Madeleine started Kindergarten and while at first I worried about her readiness, she has blossomed! 

The thing that I am most excited about is reading. Before having children, I worked for several years as a TSS and so often I saw that students who struggled with reading struggled all around academically. There will always be reading in social studies, science and math. In order to solve math problems you have to be able to read and understand the question. Too many of the students I saw just couldn't grasp what they were reading and in some cases couldn't read at all. 

Since about October, Madeleine has been working on sight words. We started with 5 words and now at best guess we have over 40 words we practice on a daily basis. Madeleine is also bringing home books every night, which we also read. While watching her learn is exciting, flashing the same sight words in her face night after night can get boring.

Flash cards I made with Madeline's sight words

So thanks to pintrest I was able to find a fun little game called "Dynamite" which I put together to spice things up a bit. Madeleine, like most children, LOVES games! She is very competitive and therefore LOVES playing "Dynamite" for a chance to beat me. 

Its very simple. I wrote some of her newer sight words on Popsicle sticks and wrote the word "Dynamite" on two of the sticks.  

Then I placed the sticks in the "pencil holder" Madeleine made at Rawlinsville Camp Meeting.

To play the game Madeleine and I take turns drawing sticks. If you say the word correctly you get to keep the stick. However, when you pull the "Dynamite" stick. BOOM! You have to place all your stick back in and start over. The winner with the most sticks at the end WINS!!!

 whomp whomp!

Let me know if you try it with your kids! OR if you have any other fun ways to practice sight words or reading :)

Redeeming Love

I did it! I read a book. Sadly, its probably the first one I finished since I read "Marley & Me" when Madeleine was a baby. Upon hearing that one of my goals for the new year was to read more, my sister and best friend from high school were quick to recommend " Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. It took me just over a week to read the 468 page novel. It was an easy read and I found myself making time throughout the day to read it even forgoing my attempts to complete the next level of Candy Crush.

my sisters and I at the Hershey Spa, book in hand!

 

 

Redeeming Love was a love story about unconditional love that I have only seen lived out a couple of times in my life. Its rare but its real! Set in California during the Gold Rush the author tells the story of a prostitute and the man who loved her. It parallels Christ love for us. I highly recommend this book!

 





bath

1.2.14

 

New Year's Resolutions

This year like every year I have set some goals for myself. This year I have considered I want out of life, what I need, and what I am missing.

My 2014 Resolutions are:

- to write
- to read
- to run 750 or more miles this year.
- to utilize the U.S. Postal System more
- to take one picture a day



In the past few months, but especially the past few weeks I've done a lot of thinking about my life. I found myself reading back through old journal entries and discovered that while I was a teenager I did ALOT of writing and since then I've devoted little time to it. For the most part, I have journaled about my girls from pregnancy through childhood. I've recorded precious memories and dates of those precious "firsts."  But I rarely write about me. About my feelings. I've always enjoyed writing. Always found it therapeutic. I need to write more.

With writing, goes reading. I have a couple of hours every day where I have time for just me. Often times this time is spent on facebook and watching TV. While both are great escapes, neither are productive. This year I will spend more time reading.

Also in the 2014, I will make more time for me. I love running! When I run I am happier and healthier. Currently, I find it hard to get in a running routine. Even when training for a big race, I struggle with finding all the time I need to get in my long runs. This year, I am going to focus on total miles rather than completing one large race. My goal this year is to log 750 miles.

In 2014, I am going to send more mail. I LOVE getting mail! I am always hoping for fun things to arrive in the mail for me, so this year I am going to give others what I love getting... mail!

Finally, I am going to take a picture a day. It might be something wonderful like jumping in the waves at the beach or it might be as simple as Ainsley waiting by the front door for Eric to come home. Whatever it may be, I am going to capture daily moments.


Please join me this year as I work on my resolutions! Follow me, support me, encourage me and join me along the way!



Here are the pictures from my first day of 2014

Emilia showing me her muscles!

Emilia showing she has no fear!

Madeleine almost reaching the top!

Happy New Year!!!

Don’t go far off

Don’t go far off, not even for a day, because –
because — I don’t know how to say it: a day is long
and I will be waiting for you, as in an empty station
when the trains are parked off somewhere else, asleep.

Don’t leave me, even for an hour, because
then the little drops of anguish will all run together,
the smoke that roams looking for a home will drift
into me, choking my lost heart.

Oh, may your silhouette never dissolve on the beach;
may your eyelids never flutter into the empty distance.

Don’t leave me for a second, my dearest,
because in that moment you’ll have gone so far
I’ll wander mazily over all the earth, asking,
Will you come back? Will you leave me here, dying?

Pablo Neruda

Thirty-two

Today, I turned 32 and had one of the best birthday's I can remember. While I do not like snow, I LOVE snow days! I was so thankful to be able to sleep in today thanks to the snow and canceled schools. It was so nice to not have to drive the girls around and plan my day around school starting and ending times. Our morning started with pancakes.  The girls had chocolate chip :) Shortly after breakfast, I got a call from my dad and 98 year old grandma who sang, "Happy Birthday." Priceless! A sort time later, I received another wonderful "Happy Birthday" call from my forever and ever best friend, who failed to sing but still made me smile. Shortly before lunch, the girls and I made chocolate chip cookies. Yummy!! After lunch, I got Ainsley ready for her nap and then bundled up Madeleine and Emilia to head outside into the snow. It didn't take me long to figure out we had the best snow for making a snowman. Emilia was so excited to help make her first snowman. She sat in the snow with me and packed it into a  three sphere like shapes. Madeleine chose to play/chase Angus instead of helping us until most of the work was done. I think Madeleine's favorite part was decorating or dressing our snowman.

Eric also got home from work as our snowman was just about done. After some pictures of our completed snowman, I started a snow ball fight with the girls. Eric quickly jumped in and before long we were all covered in snow. SO MUCH FUN! We came inside when the girls started to get cold. I got an awesome birthday card from my dear friend, Jolene. Next, Madeleine chose a stack of Christmas books and we sat on the couch and read through them followed by family cuddle time on the couch. 

I am so blessed! I have a great family! I love my husband and girls so much! So thankful that I got to spend my birthday with them making memories.

reading and a new friend

Since almost the first day of school, Madeleine has had a new friend that she met on the bus. He actually lives a few doors down from us. Finally this week, he followed through on his bus promises and came over to play after school. Madeleine could not be more thrilled and Emilia also seems to get a long with him. Now I am finding myself in a new position. We do not know his family very well and while I am sure they are a loving family, I do not believe they have some of the same values we have. Madeleine has told us that her and her new friend sing on the bus and he does not know the song "Jesus loves me" but does know "wheels on the bus." Then today as we walked home from the bus stop, He realized he lost a paper on the bus and said "holy shit!" Yea... I was not a fan. So we are setting some ground rules. The friend can play at our house or with the girls outside but Madeleine is not allowed to go to his house. In the mean time I will continue to figure this whole thing out. I am hoping that our family can have a positive influence on her friend while keeping Madeleine from being negatively influenced.

Madeleine has also started reading :) I am so excited for her. At kindergarten orientation Madeleine's teacher said that in October she'd start sending home reading homework to the students who are ready. Tonight Madeleine got her first book "My Backpack" I loved sitting with her as she read the book tonight. So proud of her!!

settling

In the spring during my senior year of high school I had to take one final requirement, a world history class. I remember picking one that I thought would be easy so I could just complete the requirement and move on towards graduation. About a week into the class the teacher pulled me aside and told me that the class was really beneath me and recommended I switch to the upper level class. I politely declined his suggestion and proceeded to finish the semester earning some of the highest grades in the class.

In college, I remember skipping A LOT of classes, showing up in sweats, sleeping during lectures and MAYBE opening a total of 2 books (only to complete assignments). And yet I graduated.

Looking back on my life I can't really think of a time I've given 100%. I can't think of a time I have truly challenged myself. I've always done what I needed to do and some cases settled for less than my best.

I wouldn't say that I haven't been passionate about some things I just lack ambition.

With Madeleine starting school this year I have really noticed her love for learning. In some ways she can be a perfectionist. And she's really smart. This week Madeleine was showing my dad one of her newest skills the other day and he made the comment to her that her mommy was really smart but never applied herself. His hope for her was that she applied herself.

This week I have done a lot of re-evaluating what I want in life. What I value. What I love. I am done with being less than all of me. I am done not putting effort into life/relationships.

sweat

Workout:
Warm up 4.0 for one min incline 2

Sprint 9.0 for 30 seconds incline 2
Rest   4.0 for 30 secondsincline2
Repeat for 6 sets

Sprint 9.0 for 30 seconds
Rest   4.0 for 30 seconds
Repeat for 4 sets

15 burpees

Its a BEAUTIFUL Day!!!

It should not come as a surprise to most people that I LOVE summer!!! I cant get enough of the warm, sometimes humid weather. And today I finally feel like I got to experience some of it!

Monday's are Lily days, so the girls and I headed down to my parents this morning to hang out with Lily. Ainsley and Lily took turns napping while Madeleine and Emilia blew bubbles and rode bikes in my parents driveway. When Killian came home we ate dinner (Taco Mac-n-cheese) on the deck, before heading to Silver Mine for a quick walk and Pine View Dairy for ice cream. It was just an all around BEAUTIFUL day.

The girls and I finally got home just after 8pm. I bathed all 3 of them, gave the oldest two a quick snack and then it was off to bed. It took Madeleine less that 5 minutes to fall asleep, a new record!

I felt like I had accomplished so much today, while nothing was crossed off my "to do" list that after Emilia fell asleep I got in a quick work out.

Workout:
Sprint 9.0 for 45 seconds
Rest   4.0 for 45 seconds
Repeat for 6 sets

4.0 at a 4 incline increasing incline by 2 every minute until reaching 10

ran 6.0 for 2 mins

Sprint 9.0 for 30 seconds
Rest   4.0 for 30 seconds
Repeat for 4 sets

15 Jump-up Burpees
DONE!!!

 
Seriously it was a BEAUTIFUL day!!!!

A Conversation with Emilia

Last night Madeleine had a sleep over with Aunt Erin and Killian. So I got to have some more quality time with Emilia.

I love Emilia. She is a many things: middle child, spicy firecracker, opinionated but more than anything she is affectionate and very sensitive. At times Emilia can be trying but she's so darn cute.  I love her to pieces!

I decided to take the time last night to have some un-interrupted conversation with her. We just talked about things she like doing, like going to the beach and playing in the sand. We talked about her family and who loves her. And then I decided to ask her questions such as "what is your favorite color?" I thought I'd share some of her answers with you

Me: Emilia, what is your favorite color?
Emilia: Blue
Me: Emilia, how much do I love you?
Emilia: So much!
Me: Emilia, who do you love?
Emilia: Mommy.
Me: who else?
Emilia: Daddy, Madeleine, Ainsley, Angus, Mum- mum, Kelly, Erin, Killian
Me: Emilia, who is your best friend?
Emilia: Dustin
Me: What to you want to be when you grow up?
Emilia: A cow!
Me: Emilia, what comes out of cows
Emilia: Poop
Me:(laughing) whatelse
Emilia: umm pee
Me: Emilia does milk come out of cows?
Emilia: no

LOVE HER!!!!

Pretzels, Hoveround and Laundry

Today the girls and I went out to run some errands. I had a return to make at Target, Madeleine needed Valentines for her preschool class and she's also been asking for a hand santitizer holder for her backpack, so off we went.

First stop, Target... My girls love the store with the red balls. The past two times we've gotten the largest cart there. Its the one with two seats that face the actual cart. (see picture below. Note these are not my kids)

  

Anyway the thing is massive but it manages to keep them, for the most part, in one place. Target was a success. My return was done quickly, There was minimal whining about wanting sparkly dresses and all things Dora rocks. And Madeleine and Emilia both scored Hello Kitty lipgloss.

Our next stop was Park City. Madeleine was excited to chose a sparkly anti-bacterial gel holder for her backpack at Bath & Body Works. She was equally excited that I allowed her to "pay the payer." From there we walked to the center and decided to get Auntie Anne's prezels in place of a fasnacht for the day. While eating our pretzels I saw one of the most AMAZING sites!!! An elderly gentleman helped his wife into her Hoveround which was then pulled by his Hoveround via a hitch. I complemented him on such an amazing piece of machinery and he told me he made it himself when the battery of her Hoveround started to die. Genius!! Seriously hes on to something!!!

After Park City we headed home and I put the oldest two upstairs for naps. As I am typing this, however, I can hear whispering indicating my little cherubs are not making good choices. So Ainsley and I are going to do some yelling followed by several loads of laundry.