Thursday Thoughts

Today I am thinking about...


...slowing time. Seriously. I am quite uncertain how it was May yesterday and now we are on the brink of August. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE this time of year...autumn is close enough to taste...back to school is closer and closer...but I am finding that these days are passing way too quickly. I know that there is no way to stop the passage of these fleeting summer days. I know that. So, I am making a vow to do the next best thing. If time won't slow down, I will. I will make a conscious effort to slow down every single day. I will challenge myself...and this is a big one for me...to live IN the moment. To sit still and watch my kids ride bikes. To sit on the porch and just be. I will stop the planning and racing and organizing in my mind. I will use the month of August to soak in all that I can of warm days and long nights. Of littles eating ice cream cones and staying up late. Of family meals grilled outside and afternoons spent watching movies. Join me won't you? Let's slow down. And just be. : )


Here is what we have been up to the past week here in our little corner of the world...

We went to a wedding on Saturday.

And here's me smiling because we were all ready on time!

We ate yummy pie on the porch...and this little guy was all about having some too!

Have you tried the Blackberry Lemonade at Wendy's?

You should.

You're welcome. : )

Summer.

That's all.

We have been enjoying watching old game shows on GSN.

It is so fun!

We are loving Card Sharks and The $25,000 Pyramid. : )

New wallpaper in the laundry room.

Made me happy!

We had grilled summer meals...

and Peyton's perfect brownies too.

My little lady worked hard outside...

and then came in and had a warm bath followed by my very favorite smelling Baby Magic Lotion and fresh jammies and nighttime milk.

Ahhhhh. Childhood.

Happy Summer Weekend, friends!

When Life Gives You Farm Fresh Vegetables...

...make pasta! Last week, a friend of ours dropped off some fresh veggies from the garden. And I knew exactly what I was going to do first!!!

Aren't they pretty?

 

 

I washed them. I sliced them. And I threw them in a pan with some olive oil.

( I used squash, zucchini, peppers, and baby tomatoes.)

I had no fresh herbs, but dried Italian works just fine.

So I added that.

 

 

Meanwhile, I boiled some pasta.

Whatever I had on hand worked well.

 

 

Then I drained that pretty pasta...

 

 

and added it to those yummy veggies. I sprinkled it with fresh parmesan cheese.

And life was good.

 

 

When one is serving fresh summer veggie pasta, one must also have fresh Mixed Berry Pie, don't you think?

 

 

Me too. ; )

 

This pie is super simple...4 cups of berries...I used strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries....mixed with 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup corn starch, and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Let that sit for half an hour. Bake in your favorite crust for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees.

 

 

Happy Summer Eating, my friends!!!!

 

 

 

 

Flynn Grace...A Birth Story

Thinking back on the day our Flynn Grace was born always makes me so very happy. We had waited so long for the baby of our family, and that day was a culmination of our dream. My mother joined Steve and I early in the morning of November 19, 2009 as we set out for the hospital for our scheduled C-section. I was so happy to see our favorite nurse and friend who had arraigned for us to have a private suite at the end of the hall. I remember willing myself to take in every single detail. At 40 years of age, I realized this would more than likely be the last time I would be experiencing the joy of having a baby. It truly was bittersweet.

I remember the all the prep with a nice nurse. I remember being fine with it all. Until the catheter. I remembered how much I hate that feeling! And suddenly, I decided that I couldn't do it. And my mom smiled and reminded me it wasn't really an option. : ) I remember our friend who was the anesthesiologist arriving and calming me down before we headed to the operating room. I remember as if it were yesterday lying in that room, watching my blood pressure, which had been an issue the whole pregnancy, and my sweet doctor coming in and cheerfully saying good morning. : )

Steve arrived, and sat beside my head. Before I knew it, it had begun. It was time to meet our baby! I feel nothing during my C-sections. Not even the pulling or tugging they warn you about. The needle in the back before...now that is another story. But soon enough, Steve stood up. I heard a cry...our baby was here! It was 8:24 AM on November 19, 2009. She came out facing away from my doctor, so Steve got the first view. He was the one who exclaimed, "IT'S A GIRL!!!!" And my nurse said, "She is beautiful!!!" And I remember asking if everything was alright. And they all replied that she was perfect. There was so much happiness in that room at that moment and I will never forget that moment I laid eyes on our baby for the first time. Ever.

Steve left with the nurse and the baby. I asked him not to tell the children what she was until I was there. It seemed as if it took forever to finish my surgery...I guess after four C-sections there was quite a bit of scar tissue...but finally I was back in my room with Steve and my mom and our new baby girl. I remember holding her. I do. I remember the nurse asking  what her name was. I said Flynn. Flynn Grace. She was here. And she was ours.

I remember my mother being there and being so happy. Our priest came and gave me and Flynn a blessing when she was but an hour old! And I remember my neighbor bringing cupcakes and pink icing for the kids to ice when they arrived. It was a magical morning.

We called the kids and told them they had a sister. They were so happy, and were quite interested in her name. : ) I found out later that my Rhett was disappointed that he didn't get a brother. But I will never forget the moment Steve brought the kids to meet their sister. The minute seven year old Rhett laid eyes on little Flynn, he fell in love. I actually saw it in his face. : ) They kids were thrilled! They took turns holding her and rocking her and even helping the nurse change her diaper. In fact, the nurse that taught Madison how to change Flynn's diaper was the same nurse who was with me thirteen years earlier when Madison was born.

I remember being so happy. So very happy. I looked around that beautiful hospital room and saw my dream. I saw my husband and all my children and my sweet mother there celebrating a new link in the unending chain of mothers and babies and life and family. I knew this moment was fleeting. And I knew we were blessed. Blessed beyond measure with our new baby Flynn.

Our baby...Flynn Grace. : )

Thursday Thoughts

Today I'm thinking about...


...summer. And how much I love it. Summer means different things to different people. And that is good. To some, summer means days spent at the beach or the pool, soaking up the sun. To others, it means parties and picnics and entertaining outside. To us, summer is some of all of that, mixed with mornings on the porch sipping coffee and milk, afternoons together watching classic movies like Jaws and The Poseidon Adventure, and dinners filled with grilled chicken and fresh produce from the Farmer's Market, followed by hours playing outside and enjoying warm nights with dripping ice cream cones.

My memories of summer as a child are wonderful, and I hope to provide my own children with happy memories of their very own. These are some of the things we have done this past week to add to our collection of summer memories, stored deep within our hearts...

We spent some fun time at camp...

and back home, read books and drank tea on the porch.

We cleaned out the garage, swept yucky cobwebs away, hosed off bikes and scooters, and got summer toys ready to go...

so that when it was finally hot enough, we were ready!

We ate cupcakes for breakfast...

and marveled at the beauty God shares with us.

(These nights always make me think my Dad is saying goodnight.)

And we said goodbye...for now...to this guy...

He has spent the past six weeks here and these two had the most wonderful time getting to know one another. We are so happy to have shared our home with such a nice, respectful, fun young man. : )

My Madison and her Nicolas. : )

Have a great weekend, my friends!

Celebrating The Fourth of July

Years ago, when I was young and energetic, I planned and hosted a huge Fourth of July party at our home for friends and neighbors and family. And it was good. Now...older, wiser, more tired, and less ambitious...I plan and celebrate with our little family and sister and mom. And my bestie Marian. And it is better. : ) Here is how we celebrated Independence Day this year...

Still a menu planner...because that is how my brain works...

Simple but festive table decorations...

Brownies. Because...why not?!?!?!

Littles on swings...barefoot, of course...

Some porch sitting...

Cake eating...

Fireworks watching...

Sparkler playing...

Happiness.

Fourth of July 2015.

Good times.

Ok, summer.

You can slow down now. : )

Thursday Thoughts

Today, I'm thinking about...


...The Fourth of July! Because it is here! I love this holiday. It is like third place behind Christmas and Halloween. : ) I like it because it is simple. There is food and fireworks. That's it. We just enjoy. Our town has fireworks on the evening of the Third of July, so we celebrate with family and friends that day. The Fourth itself is always a quiet family day with food, sparklers and movie marathons. Whatever you and your people do this Fourth, I hope you have fun, stay safe, and make memories! Here is a peek at the week past in our country home.

We returned home from our cruise, and I resumed my daily coffee on the porch...

and making dinner, which both make me very happy. : )

Summer mornings...

and summer evenings. Off to the movies to see Inside Out. Which, by the way, got a thumbs up from this crew!

And despite the calendar saying it is July, it feels more like fall here is Pennsylvania. So what's a girl to do, but make pumpkin pie?

And finishing up with a few more cruise pics...

We made a wonderful friend in the ship's magician...

He visited our table every night and did the most amazing tricks...

this was my girl as she watched him! : )

Happy Weekend, my friends!

Happy Fourth of July!!!