Reminicing

I spent today..not all of it, reading through my blog from 2008 and all the stress I was dealing with trying to get the house purchase complete. LOL, I am so glad I am finally in our house and content. I can totally feel what my sister is dealing with in trying to find a house and get settled...all around the holiday's. Here's to hoping her process is easier than ours was.

Where has the time gone? I can still remember Jakes first day of Kindergarten, I can see him with every teacher he has ever had, I can pinpoint every struggle he has ever encountered during every grade...and tomorrow he begins his adventure at LMMS. Sixth grade already. I'm wondering right now who is more nervous, Jake or me...lol. I know he's a little hesitant, just by the way he is behaving, he wishes he didn't have to do this in the morning, but I'm trying to reassure him that Mom and Dad will be with him as he gets his schedule, walks the routine he will walk during school...and all the other fun stuff that's in store. Here's hoping the day go smoothly and Jacob does not wake up with a headache.

Terrain at Styers-Lunch with hubby

On Thursday of my husbands vacation, he had this entire day planned of things he wanted to do, visit, see...you name it, he planned it out. Most of our day consisted of things I had done before, a trip to IKEA, Trader Joes and Whole Foods...but some of the day was made up of new and exciting adventures, all of which I will detail here.

Our first stop was to a place called Terrain at Styers. I can only describe the place like this, grungy meets new and funky....it was such a neat place, I think we spent two hours in total here, both shopping and eating. http://styers.shopterrain.com/ I've included the link so you can see for yourself.

We got a few ideas for our own house while browsing the store, lots of funky type jars, soaps, salts, tons for eating and lots for decorating. As we wandered the store we came upon the spot hubby was telling me about, only he did not explain it in the detail it deserved. This was the cutest spot for lunch, a glass greenhouse with bamboo type shades on the ceiling, full of plants, all sorts of plants and old structures torn out of buildings..just the neatest place to eat our lunch. Hubby had crab cake sliders and I enjoyed a tomato, mozzarella and prosciutto sandwich, both were on freshly made bread. While we waited for our lunch to arrive, we were given a little flower pot...with some tabs of homeade butter, sprinkled with a purpleish color salt and wine...so cute, and oh so yummy...I will be making little loaves of bread in the flower pots one day soon. That was the best freshly made lunch I have had in a long time...pictures above!

We wandered off to find an old campmeeting after lunch. With hubby being so much into the campmeeting history..I figured I might as well let him explore a bit. We found this Chester Heights campmeeting and wandered through there...it was a bit sad, the place looks really run down, cottages are falling over yet there seems to be some sort of group trying to make a go of it...some of the cottages were so cute..and then others...well...not so cute.

After that we drove over to IKEA to check out some bathroom items, we found the base vanity we want as well as the accesories.....now it was off to Trader Joes and Whole Foods...after that we were starving, so we checked out Chipotle...wow...such yummy food, we so need one of those here in the Lehigh Valley.

We were now home and exhausted, but what a fun day it was

It's Ceiling Time

In 2008 when we purchased our house, we also purchased all the tin tile and molding we would need for our kitchen ceiling....and we did nothing with it, until NOW.

With hubby having the week off, our initial intentions were to take some day trips together while the kids were visiting with their Aunt and Uncle. When Friday rolled around and we realized we couldn't get in for our lunch like we wanted, I mentioned the tin pieces sitting in the basement and off to Lowes's we went.

We settled on a hammered brown rustoleum spray paint for the tiles.....started with two cans to see how far it would take us, one can will cover 6 tiles......we are now on can 12......lol..that's alot of paint.

I've attached some photos below, you can see how gross the ceiling was, and how cool it now looks.

Learning To Let Go.....

It's been very hard for me this week to "let go" of my first born child. Jacob isn't a little kid anymore, he's almost 12 and he's maturing emotionally so very quickly....too quickly for his Mom....I'm learning this week that sometimes, I have to put the well being and safety of my children in the hands of others. For a parent, that's one of the hardest things to do.

I spent the first day or two of this week in utter worry...why? I have no idea, I have nothing to really worry about, except for the fact that my soon to be 12 year old is 45 minutes away....in a place that I just loved for three summers of my life...a place where if i could go back in time...I would go back to 1987-1989...Twin Pines Camp....those were the years where I learned to have confidence in myself, where I taught other children about the love of Jesus Christ, and where I made some of the bestest friends...friends I've lost touch with...and have now reconnected with in some way because of...you guessed it...FACEBOOK!

Jacob is now half way through his first full week at Twin Pines...in the woods...with a good friend from Church..and I'm hoping they are having a blast with all they get to do this week.

I've gotten over my worry and it's only Wednesday! I look forward every morning to signing on and viewing the photos from the previous days events, anticipating seeing Jacob in the photos.

I'm learning this week...learning to adjust to the fact that my 11 pound first born baby is now an almost 12 year old middle schooler who can do alot without his Mom....

9 years ago today

My sweet Emma was born. Nine years has gone fast...faster than I would have liked, but she is growing up into such a neat little girl....she gives us our fair share of minor torment, but she is such a sweet heart, from her caring side of always asking about a friends little girl named Caitlyn, to her giving side when she is "looking" for things to do around the house for mom, to her adventurous side of checking out the mulberry trees in the yard for berries...she is my little sweet Emma.

We knew Emma was a girl from the start. We wanted a girl to complete our little family. Our experiences during the pregnancy were scary none the less....from the umbilical hernia surgery while 6 months pregnant, to two hospital stays once she was here.....and then the whole insulin dose every day...she was worth it, well worth it.

She's grown up so much the past two years alone, I can hear her voice changing, her questions becoming more serious, her reading becoming more intriguing.....she's definitely forming her own little personality...one that I will enjoy watching mature over time.

I'm going to surprise her tonight with a little store bought cake, since we already celebrated her birthday this weekend and I put most of my effort into making her cake already, I think she would enjoy a little cake on the actual day of her birthday.

Happy Birthday little Emma, I love you so very much...you have no idea.

One more day....

At the beach and then we head home. It's been eventful, I can say that for sure, changing by the day, that's a fact....but it's been spent with family, and nothing can compare to spending quality time with your family.

It's been nice and cool with no humidity the past two days so yesterday we visited the OC MD boardwalk. Had our lunch on the boardwalk, came home and Scott made us dinner. Mixed a few bike rides in there and some walks to town. Last night we played on the beach while Pop and Wendy listened to the band concert on the boardwalk.

I went for another walk to town this morning, I think this is one of my favorite things to do here. Town is so darn close and everything is within walking distance, I love this place. Spent the day on the beach again today, wasn't real hot so it was nice to just sit and relax.

Scott took his new "old" video tape recorder out and used it a bit to practice shooting while I took the bike for a spin. Later in the evening we walked up to town and listened to the army band again, saw dad go up and stand while they sang a song to the veterans. Had some really yummy ice cream and custard at dickies....yummmmmm.

Now were back at the house and were tired, especially with getting up early in the am, I mean, a girl needs her coffee...right?