walking in the woods

Posted on November 13, 2017 by Shanda

***

We decided to go on a family walk through the woods. Rich had to caution Seth several times because a broken collar bone doesn’t slow him down anymore. Gentleman Gray made us all happy by coming along with us and being a funny cat. We followed the trail. David brought one of his sharp knives which gave me anxiety about someone getting accidentally cut but all in all it was a nice little walk.

***

This morning I almost forgot to get David and Caleb to their physicals. I had just enough time to shower, go get them from school, and take them. They are old enough that I sit in the waiting room. The nurse took them back first to get their weights and heights, and check their ears and eyes, then she took them back to the doctor. She returned to the waiting room to tell me, “I just love your boys, I had to tell you, they are such good boys.” Of course this made me proud and happy so when David came out, done with his appointment first, I told him what she said. “I’m sure she was referring to ME,” he said with his nose in the air. “I’m sure you’re right,” I said rolling my eyes. “You gave birth to warriors.” he continued………. (I really gave birth to funny people)

***

I found several good recipes in the Family Circle magazine while I waited in the doctor’s office. I took pictures of them; Roasted Kale and Butternut Squash, Pork with Cauliflower and Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Jamaican Coconut Collard Greens. I’m trying to eat lots more fruits and veggies. I had a smoothie for breakfast; canned organic pumpkin, ice, milk, frozen banana, cinnamon and nutmeg. YUM

***

I need to get myself organized for Thanksgiving dinner, which I am preparing this year for my family. One good thing is that I’ve done it enough to know what I’m doing. I just have to get that big grocery shopping trip done. What are your plans for the day?

***

The first photo is of *the first ice of the season*, which is always celebrated, on the stream. The children said it looked “like South America.” Sarah has been going outside every day to skate around on a frozen puddle at the end of the yard.

***

Rich is working late tonight. David has already told me he wants to make dinner; spaghetti with meatballs. And no doubt we will watch some of Monday night football.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

18th for Grace

Posted on November 10, 2017 by Shanda

Beautiful Grace turned 18 on November 4th. Her dear Caleb gave her a lovely piece of jewelry as a gift but she was the most thankful for the gift of time the two of them spent together. They had the whole day together and then met us at Steve & Joanna’s house for dinner and cake.

“I look like I belong,” she said when she saw this photo.

Joanna’s family has welcomed her into the circle.

They were looking forward to meeting Caleb. Now he’s in the circle, too.

Dear Birthday Girl;

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.

I Corinthians 1:7-9

doxology

Posted on November 9, 2017 by Shanda

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It’s Saturday afternoon. Joanna and I go back to her house and find her son Eti in the kitchen busy with dinner preparations. Beebs the baby is playing with the trains I gave him. Jeff is working on the computer and the girls are playing. Her husband Steve has taken good care of everyone all day long while we were at church.

There is just enough light left outdoors for some photos. We want to take pictures of the girls in their matching clothes.

The children are happy all around us and us two mamas are laughing….we try and try for just the right picture. And then we hand our cameras to them and let them try.

I think about 20 years ago when I first met Joanna at Bible college. I marvel at the longevity of our friendship and all the things that have happened since then; marriages, births, adoption, moves, and all the other events of living both big and small.

The biggest blessing of all to me is the soul and depths of two women sharing with each other what they are learning deep down in their hearts. Truthfully enjoying motherhood, deeply loving our husbands, joy-aches, sorrow-aches, emergency prayers, understanding, wisdom read, copied, scribbled on slips of paper, sent through the mail, saved, savored, felt, journaled.

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We add the moments of this very afternoon to our collection of friendship memories with the knowledge that life is short, and full of holy experiences. Our hungry eyes search for them all, each one worth praising God for; the innocence of childhood, the smells of good food in the kitchen, a loving man, adoring happy daughters, steadfast sons, a friendly dog, crunchy leaves underfoot, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness.

******

Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him all creatures here below
Praise Him above all ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

for the children

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Shanda

A wickedly lovely Halloween to you and you and you. . . . . .

I asked Sarah if she was a little witch today and she said, “You can be the witch. I will be your cat.”

Therefore, I’m snuggled on the couch with a Sarah-cat on one side and a real-cat on my lap. The real-cat is not Black. When I ordered him from my Witch-Supplies Catalogue, I was certain I had checked off “Midnight Black”, but when he arrived he was as gray as the most foggiest of dismal mornings, but otherwise the very best witch’s cat companion as could be, so we kept him of course.

The sun is slowly coming up in a cloudy sky, clouds as gray as my gray cat.

Spooky beings fly by the house, not on brooms, but in cars.

It’s scary out there.

But the most scariest of all??????

No school for my little offspring. “BOOoooooooo” they cry.

The weather was positively scary on Sunday night, the wind moaned and pushed, and as tree-pruning by wind power is most unpredictable, the roads are covered in debris— no school Monday or Today.

*********

So I write with inky words, the tale of Aunt Amanda-Witch’s Halloween Party.

Aunt Amanda-Witch

She isn’t scary ALL the time, just some of the time.

She planned and she planned, she visited a few stores and bought supplies 70 percent off! Good witches always spend their money wisely.

She set to work, happily making her party as nice as she could, and invited good little girls and boys to attend a most wonderful party. Good witches work hard and shower children with love.

A Black, Red Eyed Rat

ready to bite anyone who went upstairs.

Gorgeous light, draped in the blackest netting……….

The table was set with skeleton cups from the dollar store, pumpkins, black garland over a sparkly gold table runner, orange pumpkin paper plates. . . . . .

Cobwebs completed the look.

“Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children.”
— Charles R. Swindol

“The soul is healed by being with children.”
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“I added touches of sparkles–they always pop at a party–and the kids love the little details, too.”

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These spiders could be clipped on anything and were a favorite item from Michael’s. She found most of her decorations at Michael’s and Dollar General. She bought the spray paint (must be oil based so it sits on the water for the hydro-dipped pumpkins) and the piñata from Walmart.

Come to the party, four o’clock on Saturday, said the invitation sent by Magical Text Messaging.

The children had so much fun! They hit a piñata, and either carved or painted their pumpkins.

Aunt Amanda-Witch thought of everything, she had even researched Youtube for exciting ways to paint the pumpkins. Search HYDRO-DIPPED pumpkins and MELTED CRAYON pumpkins.

And then there was a boys against the girls Bobbing for Apples contest!

They ate donuts off strings!

There was also Halloween music playing (iTunes kid bop Halloween), a cheerful campfire, string of lights, and yummy s’mores for when it became dark outside.

And a very spooky menu:

Mummy Hot Dogs
Veggie Skeleton
Ghost Fruit Kabobs
Zombie Boogers
Mummy Mini Pizza
Deviled Spider Eggs
Spooky Jello Jigglers
Dirt Worm Cups
Apple Cider with Eyeball Ice

At the end of the party, each guest received a special gift bag to take home, along with a caramel apple and their pumpkin.

Aunt Amanda-Witch and her husband Uncle Jason-Warlock really outdid themselves with this special party. The children absolutely LOVED it. When we had to leave, Sarah ran and frantically questioned Aunt Amanda-Witch if she was going to give any more parties sometime. I think Aunt Amanda Witch should consider a side-job in party planning, don’t you?

What we remember from childhood
we remember forever —
permanent ghosts,
stamped, inked,
imprinted, eternally seen. ~Cynthia Ozick

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a wonderful weekend for Grace

Posted on October 24, 2017 by Shanda

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.
Ephesians 1:16

Grace’s boyfriend Caleb has been far far away in Texas. He graduated from Air Force basic training in June and then spent the rest of the time in tech school for security forces. Meanwhile, in Connecticut, Grace graduated from High School, spent the summer working, and began her freshman year of college, in Pennsylvania. Despite the distance, the two of them were in constant contact using their smart phones, even going through several books of the Bible together during their own personal Wednesday Bible studies, and using FaceTime and texting to keep in touch. But it just wasn’t the same. They missed being together. It had been too long. Six months and five days, to be exact, according to Grace.

So of course, this weekend, when Caleb was finally coming home to his parent’s house, Grace was going to try her hardest to get home, too, and had an AMAZING and GENEROUS friend drive her back as a surprise for him. He walked into his house Saturday evening and found not only a “welcome home” party with friends and family but also……coming in the side of the room last, as a surprise……Grace. As soon as he saw her, he took her into a hug and walked a few steps out of the kitchen into the dark hallway and….. there they stayed for quite a long moment. I wasn’t there to witness this, but I saw the video and showed it to her Dad, too. It made him feel awkward watching it as the seconds ticked by and by. “What are they DOING out there?” I laughed at him. Oh Grace. You’re in love and it’s sweet.

The next day Rich was away at our sons’ college in VT for a wrestling clinic. I had football games to attend for Seth and Caleb, and Seth was going to a birthday party that afternoon, too. I was able to spend some time with Grace that morning and then again, briefly, when I came home to pick up Caleb and Sarah.

As I drove back down the road to go to the game, I pulled over to take a photo of Grace and Caleb, who were out walking in the beautiful fall day with Tessa and Myranda (Grace’s excellent friend who drove her home).

Grace and Myranda had to leave that afternoon, and Caleb plans to visit her again next week. He’ll be based in New Jersey, which isn’t THAT far from Pennsylvania. 2.5 hours, according to Grace.

She sent me this photo later on in a text:

“If there is anything that is a miniature picture of heaven upon earth, it is a pair of
Christians happily united, whose children grow up in the fear of the Lord, and render
to them increased comfort and joy every day. Oh, how much some of us owe to the
gospel for the happiness of our homes!” ~C.H.SPURGEON

Grace, your Dad and I pray for you (and Caleb) each time you come to mind. You and your siblings truly bring us “increased comfort and joy every day”. Thanks be to God.

grandma wants to stay home

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Shanda

Saturday morning.

I have bread dough rising. I’m wearing a cute outfit and feeling young and healthy. My daughter Sarah is in her own little world on the floor and I hear her say to herself as she busily works at taking a fancy dress off her doll, “I’m going to teach Bitty Baby to do a CARTWHEEL.” I get the camera because she’s cute and she holds up her babies and sings, “Hi Grandma!!!!!!”

It takes me a second and then I realize.

She just called me Grandma.

I’m also annoyed because my dough has an hour to rise and my husband just told me I have to ride along all the way to the airport so he can pick up a big van from the rental place and drive it home. (I say annoyed but we are laughing about it. I’m whining, “I want to stay home!!!!” and he’s not listening to me and saying, “Too bad!!”)

this morning

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Shanda

(woolly bear caterpillar on the road)

Amanda came over for a few hours this morning. She brought her dog Lloyd. The three of us went on a nice walk together.

The air was crisp and clean. The kind of morning when you want to breath deep.

my sister ~ my friend

scenes from the neighborhood

“For there is no friend like a sister
In calm or stormy weather;
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands”
~Christina Rossetti

“How beautifully leaves grow old.
How full of light and color are their last days.” ~John Burroughs

My sister almost stepped on a lizard!

I was so thrilled and promptly took photos from every angle.

I looked it up when we got home and discovered it was a “Spotted Salamander” and Connecticut’s largest salamander.

Just look at the spots!

Maybe it was trying to find a little warmth on the road? But the road is a very unsafe place to be, so I saved its little life by putting it in the leaves on the edge of the woods.

heading back home

I made pumpkin cookies this morning, too, from a 1972 Pennsylvania State Grange cookbook.

If anyone knows Mrs. Robert Conaway tell her I used sunflowers seeds instead of nuts, and I also included one egg. They were delicious.

sarah’s hair

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Shanda

Everyone knows that one of the many job descriptions of “MOM” is “HAIR STYLIST” whether she wants to be or not, it’s inevitable.

As I look through the recent photos I have taken with my phone I see a theme developing. It all started on Monday night when my young daughter/hair client came to me with a case of the grumps AND tangles.

“Get a brush, Sarah, and I’ll brush your hair nice and soft,” I said.

I brushed and brushed and she just loved it. It was very relaxing to sit and have a super wonderful mom hair stylist gently brush her long hair.

I admired how pretty it was, clean and sweet smelling, with little waves and a variety of color, everything from blond to dark brown.

I took a picture to show her how long it was getting.

I held up the blondest piece and the brownest piece and took another photo. I even called Rich over to look, “Rich, look how pretty Sarah’s hair is.”

We remember when she was a toddler and she was practically bald, it took years for her to get any length to speak of. In fact, her siblings called her “Baldo” now and then.

Sarah went to bed that night feeling much better.

The next evening after school she walked over to me and raved, “Moooooooom, Ariana came to school today with bluuuuuuuuuue hairrrrrrrrrrr.” Sarah had been quite impressed by it. I knew what was coming….sure enough, I found her five minutes later, digging through the crayons looking for her hair chalk that we bought a couple years ago. “I found it! Can you put blue and pink in my hair before school tomorrow?”

“Only if you pay me in a five minute hug, a happy smile, and a kiss on the cheek.”

(A good hair stylist ALWAYS prices her services accordingly.)

Naturally I had to take a photo to show my youngest client her hair and to make sure it was just what she desired. I only get paid if it’s done right. “It needs a little more blue, please.” I colored a few more streaks and off to school she went.

When she came back home, I noticed the pony tail was out and her hair was all over the place again. She and her brothers grabbed a snack and then ran next door to play with the neighbors.

About 45 minutes later, the Dad next door came to the house with Caleb by his side and Sarah walking a few steps behind looking distressed, with her hand on her head. They stopped to explain what had happened but Sarah kept going into the bathroom. I noticed a long piece of hair in Brian’s hand. “I was in the house when the boys came running to tell me that Sarah needed help. She was on the swing and her hair was caught in the chain. I got her all untangled but……yeah, she has a little bald spot on the top of her head now.”

Brian and Caleb left to go back next door and I reminded Caleb to come home in 10 minutes for dinner…………

Then I turned to go check on Sarah’s hair. I may or may not have been laughing. I encouraged her that it really wasn’t that bad and I knew just how to fix it so no one would know. Soon she was happily playing on the kindle with her hair brushed back into a pony tail, with lots and lots of hair spray in front.

(As this was a true need, I didn’t request payment.)

Here is a photo of Sarah’s bald spot before school this morning, right before her most talented hair stylist worked on it.

And here is a photo of her happy smile afterwards; priceless.

beginning with the nighttime moon

Posted on October 10, 2017 by Shanda

“Oh, if there’s only one song I can sing,
When in His beauty I see the great King,
This shall my song through eternity be,
“Oh, what a wonder that Jesus loves me!” ~Philip Bliss

This hymn is stuck in my head this morning and I’m just so happy because today I have absolutely nothing pressing…..in the last week this family has had a total of 10 appointments (mostly dental, one doctor, and others) and I’m ready to have a peace-full morning instead of getting ready to go…….I’m a home-bird…..

I have a steaming Scarlet fiesta mug of green tea on the coffee table in front of me, and a curled up chocolate lab snoring by my side on the couch and I’m ready to let my fingers tippety tap along the keyboard….I love blogging…everyone should do it. Life is so interesting.

Last week, Rich was gone on a business trip for five days straight and our college son Ethan was home for the week, too. After Caleb’s dentist appointment and right before his doctor’s appointment, we had time to sit at the bookstore and drink hot coffee beverages.

(Caleb had no cavities but was put on antibiotics for a sinus infection).

(a page from the latest Victoria magazine–I was so tired last week that I had to read this quote like 5 times before it made sense. And… Seth, waiting for the bus one morning).

Hanging out on the porch with Sarah. She was blowing the whistle CONSTANTLY.

She gets to learn how to play the recorder next year at school and the whistle is a tiny recorder. So she would blow and then take a break to say things like “Can I buy my own recorder, Mom?” “I’m going to get a pink one.” “Did Caleb buy his?” “Where is it?” “What color was it?” “Seth doesn’t bring his home.” “He doesn’t like to play it.” and so on.

These muffins were yummy.

Rich took this at the football games on Sunday.

Reading on the porch with my kitty.

Ethan was home all last week and so (because I’m a good mom) I thoughtfully made him a dentist appointment for a cleaning. (he was less than thrilled because has bad luck always at the dentist). He drove himself. I was at the grocery store when they called me, “Hello we have Ethan here and he has a couple cavities that he didn’t get filled last time and the dentist has time to do them now if you’d like us to do that?” And naturally I said, “Oh yes, that would be awesome, and please have the Doctor check Ethan’s gray front tooth.” Then we hung up. After another hour or so, Ethan came home with his eyes sad and face blank. He put his papers from the dentist down on the counter. Ethan doesn’t talk much so I had to pry. “What did they say about your tooth?” “They said the roots are a little shorter and it might fall out eventually so I have to go to a specialist to get it looked at.” I ran over to the referral paper, and called the number right away just to see if perhaps they could get him in while he was home. And yes, they were able to get him an appointment on Thursday.

So Thursday came. The appointment was at 8:30 in the morning. As soon as the kids left on the bus at 7:30, Ethan and I got in the car to head to his appointment, which was on the other side of Hartford. Ugh busy city traffic. We had no time to go through the Dunkin Donuts drive- thru. So we battled on through the traffic and got to the Endodontist with just enough time to park, find the office, and fill out papers.

Ethan was called to the back for his appointment and I followed, simply because, like I said, Ethan doesn’t talk much and I wanted ALL the information. The dentist took an X-ray, and tapped on his front teeth. Then he held a tiny piece of cotton with his dentist tongs and sprayed icy cold air on it. “I’m going to put this on your tooth and you raise your hand when the pain is unbearable, okay Ethan?” He pressed the cotton on Ethan’s gray tooth and Ethan never raised his hand. “The reason you feel no pain is because that front tooth is dead,” the dentist explained. “You will need a root canal and then eventually we can bleach the inside of the tooth the next time you are home from college. I can’t just put the bleach in it this week or you might end up with a brilliantly refrigerator white tooth and that would be worse than the gray. I need to check the bleaching process every few days so we can take the bleach out once that tooth matches the other ones.” Wow, this was getting interesting. Ethan didn’t say a word.

We left with a root canal appointment for the very next day. Ethan’s bad luck at the dentist continued but you know what? It had to be done and it is all done now. The two of us had breakfast together that morning and then went to the mall and consoled ourselves with new shirts (Jcrew for him and Anthro for me). Rich came home that night and took Ethan the next day for the root canal and now he’s all set until he can get his tooth bleached.

Why was his tooth gray in the first place you might ask? He cannot remember the injury, but at some point when he was younger he bumped the tooth hard enough for it to die. With seven children and five of them boys, it’s a wonder any of them have white teeth. Seth had a gray tooth for a time, too, but it was a baby one and fell out. My brother David says Ethan should just get a gold tooth and be done with it.

I bought this vintage wool hook rug at an antique store this weekend….it’s now on the pantry floor and I love it. I’ve been waiting for just the right throw rug for my pantry. The outer part of the rug is dark gray, then a beautiful dark blue and light blue design, with light gray after that and a bunch of bright flowers in the middle. The blue matches the blue glass bottles in the window.

YESTERDAY it was Seth and Sarah’s turn at the dentist……(and tomorrow is my turn).

For prizes, they got teeth.

And then we went to the grocery store. I made them leave the teeth in the car and when we were checking out, Sarah turned to Seth and cried, “Seth, we can go to the car and put our teeth in now!”

Back at home…… (with a fogged up camera lens again, it was so damp and rainy)

David was on the roof.

He was bouncing a small basketball off the house and trying to make a basket down below, with the help of Caleb and Seth. He made it once.

(I took this one through the window)

It was pouring rain.

Last night my husband went downstairs to check on Seth, who was crying in the basement. He and Caleb had been fooling around. David and I looked at each other with alarm when we heard Rich yell, “DON’T PLAY FOOTBALL IN THE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!” and Sarah came running upstairs laughing. “What happened? Sarah, tell me!” “Seth hit his head again and it’s bleeding a little bit right here,” she pointed to her head, “on the side of his head.”

Sure enough, Rich marched Seth upstairs, who already had a goose egg forming next to his temple on his forehead, and got him an ice pack.

This morning it already looked much better, but you can see the remainder of his injury next to his eye. (he had a bump up higher on his temple, and a scrape by his eye). I mean, at least it wasn’t his tooth.

7:15 this morning as I put away the dishes. “Mom, take a picture!”

Kids left on the bus. All is calm, all is bright.

The sun is shining! After a long weekend of rain, it is pure delight.

We end with the morning moon.

Happy Tuesday, friends.
You are loved.

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home happenings

Posted on October 9, 2017 by Shanda

Good morning! It’s good to be home, my children are home…..for it’s Columbus Day.

“One misty moisty morning, when cloudy was the weather……”

That’s us this morning, rainy and cloudy, cozy and cool inside, oh so beautiful outside.

The colors are always so vivid with a washing.

EVERYTHING outdoors is covered in a fine coating of dew. My camera lens instantly fogged up, making a lovely “filter” for these orange flowers in the garden.

I wanted to show you the trenches in the lawn. Rich wants to heat the garage with propane and I said, “Only if you bury the tank.”

We are also having the upstairs bathroom remodeled and it is currently gutted down to the bare boards.

Seth and Caleb both had a game this weekend, and as their parents we were so very proud of them but alas both teams suffered losses this time. And as it was damp and a little drizzly, we spent most of Seth’s game sitting in the truck. The weather for Caleb’s game was nice so we sat in our chairs, side by side, while Seth, Sarah and David ran around and played with their friends. I ate TERRIBLE yesterday……not only a dunkin donut but also a reeses pb cup. My chin feels a little extra dumpily today. But oh, so good.

After Caleb’s game, Rich went right down to wait for his son, ready to comfort and encourage after a tough loss.

“The gardener knows the seasons better than other people, for he tells time by Nature’s world, by what the garden yields each week or month. It has given us a purposeful feeling to complete the cycle, to know the beginning and the end.” ~Home Gardener’s Cookbook

I found this 1974 vintage cookbook/gardening book recently. It made a pleasant “porch read” this weekend while sitting in my rocking chair. (Along with the book Gentleman Gray used as a pillow). Always have to be reading…..how about you? Any engrossing recommendations?