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My sister Amanda and her husband came for dinner yesterday, and I took the opportunity to take some pictures of her, I love the big belly!  She says this baby is the last, so, we want to carefully document the memories. . . .

Amanda has always been the smiley one. . . .

with dimples. . . . .

Now she’s waiting for her baby boy. . . .

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Sisters Forever

One with blond hair, one with brown. . . .

one with blue eyes, one with green. . . .

Memories

Two years ago. . . .

Summer afternoon at the park on Ahern Ave, with magazines,

our babies, and a quilt on the grass. . . .

At her wedding, kissing Dad. . . .

In New York City together. . .

March 2007. . . .

And yesterday. . . .

One of the things I am most thankful for is my sister.

I couldn’t do with out her!

So many memories. . .dancing on the lawn, giggles, sharing a room.

She was my maid of honor in my wedding.

She was the first babysitter I ever hired.

She is such a good aunt to my babies.

She’s a lot of fun, when we’re together we do nothing but laugh.

I hope I never take our relationship for granted.

My next project will be a scrapbook of the two of us.  It will be fun

gathering all the photos and memories together.

Jacob and Grace joined a children’s choir in September and on Saturday we went to their very first concert.  When I was in school, I had so much fun singing in our school chorus and learned so much from the experience, that it is really important to me to try to give my children the same opportunity.  I love the fact that they have such a fun, understanding teacher and were able to learn quality songs.  She managed to train them to sing so sweetly and beautifully.

The Jr. Trebles

Jacob and Grace are in the younger choir called “Jr. Trebles” and the older choir, which also performed on Saturday, is called “Treblemakers”.  It is all through a local University’s Community services and it’s a half hour drive for us.  Jacob’s violin lessons are also through them.  In fact, because he is a violin student, he was able to join Jr. Trebles for free.  We paid for Grace to join and in January when they resume classes, Ethan will get to join as well.  (for free because he will be taking guitar lessons).

It was sort of a risk for me to enroll them and I held my breath hoping that they would get quality training and thankfully, they are.  One of their songs was in German and one was in Latin!  They also were able to sing along with the “University Collegium Musicum” for one piece, with stringed instruments.  I was so happy for them,  I feel it is important to get musical training and experience because it is something that will stay with them their whole entire lives.

I’m so thankful for my awesome zoom lens, we sat toward the back because of Caleb, and yet I was able to zoom in and take these photos, all w/out flash.

They sang:  “Velvet Shoes”, “Vom Himmel”, and “In Dulci Jubilo”

“From high heaven I come.  I bring you new tidings.  I bring you so much good news that I want to say and sing it.  To you is born today a little child, from a Virgin besides, a little child so sweet and fine that he should be your joy and wonder.”  translation of “Von Himmel” lyrics that made me cry.

Singing “Von Himmel” with the stringed instruments and adult choir. 

Jr. Trebles joined the Treblemaker’s choir for the last piece of the afternoon, “Snowflake Song”

Something funny:  David (my five year old) was looking at all the people in the audience and he noticed a man with a beard.  Rich laughed when he leaned over and whispered, “Remember Uncle David?  He grew one of those big hair things on his chin, too!” 

Something not as funny:  We lost James the Red Engine at the concert.  I think I was more sad than Caleb, because we have had that train for years, he was all chipped and old looking.  I hope he’s having a good time, where ever he is.  Maybe he’s still in the concert hall enjoying beautiful music.

Jacob, right in front of the Director in the first row

Group photo with both Directors and Pianist, the one with curly hair is the Jr. Treble’s Director (on far left)

Now we can’t wait to hear them in the Spring concert!

Thanksgiving Day Photos

Mom and Me

Dad and Caleb

My brother Isaac

Sister Amanda and Brother David

You know this girl!

my niece, Naomi (and Davy-do!)

Brother David and his fiance, Maria

I had lots of kitchen helpers

Our abundant food

Mom and all the girls–Maria holding my neice, Makayla, Makayla’s mom Melissa, Amanda, Mom and me

All of us! 

You are my sunshine

my only sunshine

you make me happy

when skies are gray

you’ll never know, dear

how much I love you

please don’t take my sunshine away

He is a bright star in my life.  He sparkles and shines and makes me smile and laugh every day.  He’s impulsive, creative, loud, happy, and passionate.

Lately he’s been freezing things in our freezer.  We have a fridge that has the freezer on the bottom–and it pulls out like a drawer–way too convenient for busy 4 1/2 year olds.  First he was freezing bowls of water.  Then we found water with fruit loops.  (mind you, I never see him put these things in!!)  Yesterday he came outside with his own glass of frozen orange juice.  When he was done with that, he appeared with frozen chocolate milk!   I did catch him the other day mixing chocolate chips into a big glass of water–no doubt it was about to be another frozen foods experiment.

The only thing that David is afraid of is bedtime.  Okay, and maybe bees.  (he got stung 2 times the other day).

He is the one who reminds me to keep my heart light and happy like a little child.

(don’t ask me why I’m pinching him in this 2nd picture–but, it makes me laugh and laugh–poor guy!)

There is a poem that I really like, I think because I have 3 brothers and 4 sons.  (I simply have a weakness for little boys!)   It’s a little on the long side, but I think you will like it, too.  Sometimes a line will run through my thoughts when I watch David play.  I added a couple pictures of lil’ Caleb at the end, too.  He was hanging around watching me take David’s pictures and didn’t want to be left out of the fun.

John Greenleaf Whittier
1807-1892

THE BAREFOOT BOY

Blessings on thee, little man,
Barefoot boy with cheek of tan!
With thy turned-up pantaloons,
And thy merry whistled tunes;
With thy red lip, redder still
Kissed by strawberrys on the hill;
With the sunshine on thy face,
Through thy torn brim’s jaunty grace;
From my heart I give thee joy,–
I was once a barefoot boy!

Prince thou art,–the grown-up man
Only is republican.
Let the million-dollared ride!
Barefoot, trudging at his side,
Thou more hast more than he can buy
In the reach of ear and eye,–
Outward sunshine, inward joy:
Blessings on thee, barefoot boy!

Oh for boyhood’s painless play,
Sleep that wakes in laughing day,
Health that mocks the doctor’s rules,
Knowledge never learned in schools,
Of the wild bee’s morning chase,
Of the wild-flower’s time and place,
Fight of fowl and habitude
Of the tenants of the wood;
How the tortoise bears his shell,
How the woodchuck digs his cell,
And the ground-mole sinks his well;
How the robin feeds her young,
How the oriole’s nest is hung,
Where the whitest lilies blow,
Where the freshest berries grow,
Where the ground-nut trails its vine,
Where the wood-grape’s clusters shine;
Of the black wasp’s cunning way,
Mason of his walls of clay,
And the architectural plans
Of gray hornet artisans!
For, eschewing books and tasks,
Nature answers all he asks;
Hand in hand with her he walks,
Face to face with her he talks,
Part and parcel of her joy,–
Blessings on the barefoot boy!

Oh for boyhood’s time of June,
Crowding years in one brief moon,
When all things I heard or saw,
Me, their master, waited for.
I was rich in flowers and trees,
Humming birds and honey-bees;
For my sport the squirrel played,
Plied the snouted mole his spade;
For my taste the blackberry cone
Purpled over hedge and stone;
Laughed the brook for my delight
Through the day and through the night,
Whispering at the garden wall,
Talked with me from fall to fall;
Mine the sand-rimmed pickerel pond,
Mine the walnut slopes beyond,
Mine, on bending orchard trees,
Apples of Hesperides!
Still as my horizon grew,
Larger grew my riches too;
All the world I saw and knew
Seemed a complex Chinese toy,
Fashioned for a barefoot boy!

Oh for festal dainties spread,
Like my bowl of milk and bread;
Pewter spoon and bowl of wood,
On the door-stone, gray and rude!
O’er me, like a regal tent,
Cloudy-ribbed, the sunset bent,
Purple-curtained, fringed with gold,
Looped in many a wind-swung fold;
While for music came the play
Of the pied frogs’ orchestra;
And, to light the noisy choir,
Lit the fly his lamp of fire,
I was a monarch: pomp and joy
Waited on the barefoot boy!

Cheerily, then, my little man,
Live and laugh, as boyhood can!
Though the flinty slopes be hard,
Stubble-speared the new-
mown sward,
Every morn shall lead thee through
Fresh baptisms of the dew;
Every evening from thy feet
Shall the cool wind kiss the heat;
All too soon these feet must hide
In the prisons cells of pride,
Lose the freedom of the sod,
Like a colt’s for work be shod,
Made to tread the mills of toil,
Up and down in ceaseless moil:
Happy if their track be found
Never on forbidden ground;
Happy if they sink not in
Quick and treacherous sands of sin.
Ah! that thou couldst know thy joy,
Ere it passes, barefoot boy!

Have a wonderful weekend. . . . enjoy your loved ones. . .  By the way, here is our most recent family photo, taken with my self-timer on my camera on Labor Day (we had a picnic).  Speaking of David, he is the one who likes to do funny things as the timer goes off.  Then he jumps up and says, “Can I see it?  Can I see it?”

Thankful for you

“Have you brothers or sisters living anywhere in this great world?  Have you allowed the friendship to grow cold or the ties to be forgotten?  Have you permitted all intercourse to be broken off?  Lose not a day till you have done the right thing, taken the first step, to gather up the shattered links and reunite them in a holy chain.  If they are far away, write to them words of love.  If they are within reach, go to them in person.  If you are still living in the old home, and if your life together has not been close, intimate, confiding and helpful, seek at once by the wise arts of a loving heart to make it what it ought to be.”  J.R. Miller

One Wednesday, I had already begun getting the kids ready for prayer meeting when Rich called and said we weren’t going.  Since Ethan looked handsome and Grace looked so sweet, I decided to take some pictures.

Grace in mid-sentence.  This is a typical occurrence.

Patient Ethan, enduring a hug from sister.

Sometimes being a brother is even better than being a superhero.  ~Marc Brown

There’s no other love like the love for a brother.  There’s no other love like the love from a brother.  ~Astrid Alauda

A sibling may be the keeper of one’s identity, the only person with the keys to one’s unfettered, more fundamental self.  ~Marian Sandmaier

A sister is a forever friend.  ~Author Unknown

I hope and pray that my children will always be close friends.  That is how we train them–to love each other and to be best friends.   I was asked by company once if my kids ever fought with one another and I laughed and said, “We don’t allow it”.  I was only half-joking.  

I, who have no sisters or brothers, look with some degree of innocent envy on those

 who may be said to be born to friends.  ~James Boswell

I am the oldest of five.  I feel blessed to have 3 brothers and a sister; David, Amanda, Nathan, and Isaac.  How about you?  Do you have siblings?   

On August 11, 2007 we had a family reunion at Aunt Colleen and Uncle Roger’s house.  I was so excited to see all the familiar faces.  Besides talking and laughter, there was FOOD and lots of it.  How special to eat Aunt Carol’s famous Three Bean Salad and have her sitting right there as I ate it!  (This year, she grew her own wax beans in her vegetable garden).

I added some special family recipes to this post.  I hope you like them!

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses. 
~Joyce Brothers

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.  ~Anthony Brandt

Aunt Colleen’s Chicken Marinade

1 cup cider vinegar
1 cup oil
1 Tbsp. Poultry seasoning
1 tsp. dry parsley flakes
3-4 shots Frank’s Red Hot
1/4 cup salt (or a little less)

Whisk all ingredients together until blended.  Pour over chicken and refrigerate according to the following times:  spiedies marinate for 1-3 hours, skinless boneless chicken marinates for 2-4 hours, and chicken halves marinate for at least 3 hours.  Baste chicken with marinade while grilling.

My Great Grandma’s SISTERS

My Mom’s Oatmeal Rolls

2 1/3 cups water, divided
1 cup of dry oatmeal (any kind)
3 T. butter
2/3 cup packed brown sugar (which you may reduce to 1/3 if desired)
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. dry yeast
5 to 5 3/4 unbleached flour

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to boil.  Add oatmeal and butter.  Simmer 1 minute.  Remove to a large mixing bowl and let cool.  In small bowl, add yeast to 1/3 cup of warm water to dissolve.  To the slightly warm oatmeal mixture add brown sugar, white sugar, salt, yeast mixture and half the flour.  Beat well, until smooth.  Add enough remaining flour to make stiff dough.  Turn out onto a floured board and knead 6-8 minutes, or until smooth and elastic.  Add additional flour as necessary.  Place dough in greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise until double, about 1 hour.  Punch down.  Divide in half and shape each half into 12 balls.  Place 1″ apart in two greased 9×13 in. pans.  Cover and let rise until double, about 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until golden brown or sound hollow when tapped.

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Jyllian’s First Birthday

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Aunt Mary Ellen’s Broccoli Salad

2-3 heads of broccoli
1 lb of bacon
I cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup onion chopped fine
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sugar

Fry bacon, drain and crumble.  Combine bacon with cut up broccoli and onion.  Mix vinegar, mayo, and sugar together, drizzle over cut up broccoli mixture.  Top with cheese.

Aunt Carol’s Three Bean Salad

1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can cut wax beans
1 can cut green beans
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
1 pkg. Good Season’s Italian dressing (prepared per directions)
1-2 Tbsps sugar–or to taste–

Open and drain cans of beans through a colander and place in bowl.  Do not mix any beans, etc. until the very end of they will break into mush–try to be as gentle while mixing as possible.  Add green pepper and onion to bowl.  Add sugar to Italian dressing in cruet and mix by shaking in jar until well blended–immediately add to salad and mix gently.  Refrigerate for at least 4 hours–tastes better the next day so go ahead and make this the day before.  Enjoy!

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories.  ~George Eliot

I used to babysit these two!  What a fun summer that was!

7:30 in the morning on Friday.

David got himself dressed, found his glove and ball and begged his dad to play catch.