Buhl Farm Park - The Jewel of Our Valley

As many of you may know April is "Keep America Beautiful Month" which is a non-profit with a mission to build and sustain vibrant communities. Recently I was contacted by Tiffany Pham, the community manager of Dropcam, which is a cloud-based Wi-Fi video monitoring service which makes it easy to stay connected with places, people and pets, no matter where you are. Tiffany asked me if I'd be interested in participating in Dropcam's new campaign by sharing on my blog what I consider to be my little 'Slice of America'. She asked me to explain what it is that makes my neighborhood or town so special. I immediately responded with a resounding "Yes!" and I knew exactly what I wanted to share with my readers.

My family and I live in western PA about 70 miles north of Pittsburgh. There's a wonderful community park in our town that I, along with many others, consider to be the jewel of the Shenango Valley.
Buhl Farm Park is a 300 acre piece of land that was donated to our local community in the early part of the 20th century. Frank and Julia Buhl’s stated purpose for acquiring these lands was to create a park for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.

Back in 1996 my husband and I bought our house which sits directly across the street from this beautiful park. Our kids were babies when we moved here and we always felt so blessed living so close to the park. Here's a photo my husband took a number of years ago while walking in the park....

When our kids were very young we had a variety of play areas from which to choose on a daily basis. Over the years we spent as much time as we could taking advantage of this beautiful spot. Plus it's a great way to keep your kids active.

Now that our kids are practically adults we don't frequent the playgrounds anymore. But my daughter and I walk our dog almost every day. The outer perimeter of the park is about 2.5 to 3 miles long so we can get some serious exercise in as often as we choose and at any time of the day. Buhl Park has it's own police that drive around the park throughout the day and night so we never have to be concerned for our safety. We normally don't walk late at night, but in the summer it can get pretty hot and humid so it's nice to be able to walk after dark and not worry. Here's a photo we took a few years ago while walking in the evening...

For several summers we bought family swimming passes and were able to swim as often as the weather permitted at the park pool.

Buhl Park also offers summer recreation programs for kids grades 1 through 6 and, of course we made sure to sign our kids up for this wonderful program! The cost is minimal and it kept our kids occupied on those lazy summer days when there's not much to do.

There are so many more things to take in while visiting Buhl Park. The heart of the park holds a pretty little lake...Lake Julia, named after Mrs. Buhl...that is home to lots of ducks, geese and a couple of swans. Here's a cute picture my husband got a few years ago of the swan mommy with her babes...

We also spent many hours at the lake fishing with our kids over the years. My youngest son still spends time there fishing with his friends. Here is a picture of our little family fishing from about 10 years ago...

They have a beautiful performing arts center where, all summer long, they have free concerts a couple nights each week.

They recently built a sweet butterfly garden that sits along the paved fitness trail in the center of the park. And speaking of the fitness trail, a few years ago I decided to try jogging and I used the trail for my early morning runs. That form of exercise was short lived! But, hey, at least I tried! My plan now that the weather has improved is to go to the trail in the mornings in place of going to the gym. This time, however, I'll be walking not running!

Another unique feature of the park is a huge open field in one area that the locals call the 'Kite Field'. We call it the Kite Field for obvious reasons...it's such a huge space and it's open with only a few small trees along the perimeter. Because of it's placement it's perfect for flying kites on a windy day. We took our kids there several times when they were younger to fly kites. Aside from kite flying many little league teams and soccer teams will use a small section of this field for practice because of it's large size and openness.

There are also tennis courts that you can use. You can take a walk through a beautiful flower garden that sits at the south end of the park. Many wedding parties, prom and homecoming dance attendees go to this beautiful flower garden to take group pictures.

And I have to mention a very important feature of this beautiful space...there is a golf course where you can golf for FREE! Yes, I said FREE! Buhl Farm Park has a 9 hole golf course and it's the only FREE golf course in the country! Thankfully my son is on the high school golf team and he can walk down the street to this beautifully maintained golf course and not have to pay a dime!

One other feature of the park that I have to share is the 'Casino'. No, this is not your typical casino where gambling takes place. From my research I learned that many years ago the word casino was defined as a building or large room used for meetings, entertainment, dancing, etc. I'm sure this is the definition of 'casino' when referring to this beautiful structure in Buhl Park. Here's a photo so you can see how gorgeous it is...

While the lower level of the Casino is used for park administration the upper level of the Casino can be rented for parties, meetings, weddings and more. The Casino was recently renovated a few years ago and, while it was always a beautiful building now it's absolutely stunning!

There are also a number of picnic shelters throughout the park that you can rent during the summer for picnics, parties, etc. Plus they have an indoor Activities Building that we've rented on a few occasions. My oldest son's high school graduation party was held there...here are a couple photos we took prior to the party...

We have this same building reserved for our daughter's upcoming graduation party that will be taking place this summer. I'm sure we'll do the same for our youngest son when it's his turn.

I could continue on and on, but I'm sure you get the gist of our beautiful park. There are so many things to do no matter the season. Almost every time I'm in the park I try to remember to offer up a simple 'Thank you!' to the Buhl's for the generous gift they left for the people in our town! Here is one more photo that my husband took years ago of our daughter standing by the memorial statues of Frank and Julia Buhl...

I also have to add this wonderful tidbit of information that is more proof of how beautiful our little slice of America is. It just so happens that a few days after I posted my initial story about Buhl Park this was the headline in our local newspaper, "Family Friendly - Forbes Ranks Area 5th Best Place in U.S. to Raise a Family"! And the photo on the front page was that of a family walking in Buhl Park! As you can see my sentiments about the park are the same as many others in our area.

In closing I will say that no matter where life takes us I know that the memories we've made at Buhl Park will be tucked away in a special place of our hearts!

More sharing on the way...until then,

Today's Yin is Yesterday's Yang

Yesterday we had an early day. Our morning schedules overlapped each other and everyone needed to be ready and out the door by 7:40. Sunday evening we put our heads together and figured out a shower schedule and decided who was getting in the shower and when.

Monday morning came and went perfectly. I dropped the kids off at school and as I was pulling back into the driveway my husband was pulling out and was headed to work. I thought to myself, "This morning went off without a hitch...how perfect...how peaceful. A great way to start the new week."

Today, however, was the exact opposite. GGRRRR!! I use my radio as my alarm clock. I didn't sleep well tossing and turning most of the night. I finally fell asleep and didn't wake up until 6:50. I am usually up by 5:45. I saw the clock and thought maybe I was dreaming so I jumped up and ran to the dining room to look at the clock out there. No luck...it really was 6:50. I couldn't figure out why my alarm didn't go off. After investigating I learned that the volume somehow got turned down so I never heard it. Regardless of that issue I woke the kids up and within minutes everyone was moving around. Yes, the chaos ensued.

When all was said and done everything worked out fine. Even though it was a rushed morning I dropped the kids off at school in plenty of time. But as I was driving home I had to laugh. It's so ironic how you can have such a smooth morning one day then 24 hours later you are running around and freaking out.

But isn't that life? Isn't that what happens all the time...even with things you don't even realize? As I was making the beds I contemplated the concept of yin and yang. Everyone has good days, everyone has bad days. You can't have light without the dark. You can't appreciate your health if you've never had sickness.

Over the past few years I've realized that bad days don't have to upset us or piss us off. I try to look at it this way--perhaps crappy, stressful days can be used to our advantage and can help us appreciate the good days.

As I get older and my kids reach adulthood I've learned to look at things through a balanced perspective...or at least I try to do so. I try to appreciate everyday, good or bad.

Contemplating my moments of yin and yang reminded me of a name sign I made a couple of years ago...

Yes, "Balance" (and, of course, the Holey Pokey)...that's what it's all about!

More fun to come...until then,

Ozeri Rev Digital Bathroom Scale

Every year in January I get my life back on track and I work hard at focusing on healthy eating and exercise. After taking the last few months off from working out at the gym I am more than ready to get back into my healthy routine. This year I am taking part in a weight loss challenge with a group of friends and it's nice knowing I'll actually have an accurate weight to report. You see, last fall I took part in a similar challenge and I had to use our old rickety scale that we purchased several years ago at an estate sale. While I am into antiques and I enjoy vintage items this scale was a bit too vintage! I constantly questioned if I was reporting my accurate weight each week.

Thankfully we recently got a new bathroom scale--the Ozeri Digital Bathroom Scale--and I absolutely love it! Our new scale is sturdy, sleek, beautifully designed and very modern. Yes, I have to add that last detail--modern!

Another detail about this scale that I like is the size. My husband and my sons are all pretty tall...6' and taller...and they have big feet...shoe sizes 11, 12 and 13. The platform of this scale is large and they can stand on it without having toes or heels hanging off the edges. A good advantage for taller folks who have a large frame and a wider stance.

This scale also has a daily alarm, but I don't think I'll be using that feature. In my opinion it's not a good idea to weigh yourself every day while trying to lose weight. Doing so is too discouraging since your weight can fluctuate greatly from day to day depending on a multitude of factors such as what you eat to the amount of fluids you intake to female hormones issues and so on. But some people may very well like that feature so I'm sure it would be an advantage for some people.

Overall, I'm very happy with our new scale. Aside from being very pretty it shows both a dial reading and a digital reading. This will be helpful for my weight loss challenge...since it's a competition between friends every little ounce will help get me closer to a win. Yay!

While it might sound crazy, I am actually excited to start this challenge so I can weigh myself on this new scale! Every little bit of motivation helps when you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, right?

More interesting things to share soon! Until then,

Ozeri 8" Textured Green Earth Pan

We recently got a small 8" fry pan manufactured by Ozeri. As we've only had it for about a month I will admit we haven't had tons of time or experience using it. But so far so good. My husband does most of the cooking in our family--lucky me--and he is very happy with it.

I've noticed my teenagers using it to cook their eggs and I've asked them their thoughts on it. They all agree that it's a very nice pan and it cooks their eggs quickly and easily with little need of spray oils.

I'm a very visual hands on person and I always pay attention to how things look and feel. This pan is very solid and heavier than most fry pans. And from an artist's point of view I also like the green color!

Even though my husband does most of the cooking, I do most of the cleaning! I will say that this pan is very easy to clean. I read a review on it where someone said they don't wash it with soap. I do simply because as a working mom I might not get to the dirty dishes as quickly as I'd like, so the pan may sit in the sink for a few hours before I can get to it. Plus I didn't realize you shouldn't use soap to clean it. Oh well, perhaps I missed something from one of the inserts in the box when I first opened it. But, on a positive note, I probably did miss some of the reading materials because I was so impressed with how nicely made the pan is.

So in my opinion this pan is top rated and I would definitely recommend it. Perhaps given a few more months I will come back and give a follow up review if anything happens to change my mind.

More fun on the way. Until then...

Breathing Life Back Into My Blog!

Goodness! Have I been lost in my own little world or what?!?! I'm sorry to say that I can't blame my lack of posts on being overwhelmingly busy filling orders. Oh, sure, I always have orders to process, but as of late they are trickling in since the holiday season passed. But that's okay...I'm very grateful that my little business is still moving along and not dead in the water.

However, since it's been calm and quiet regarding orders most of my attention has been directed toward getting my home life together...something that was a big necessity! We recently bought a new dishwasher and a washer and dryer. Next on our list is a new refrigerator. I never thought I'd be so excited over new appliances, but most of them were getting really old and worn out.

Along with the new appliances my husband relocated his office space right after the new year so that took my time and attention, too. But that's how life is...change...change...change, right? There's always something! Needless to say, the result of my redirected focus has left me with a very neglected blog.

But I am getting myself back in the game now and I plan to keep my nose to the grindstone regarding my business. I love to create and share things on my blog and I plan to get posts out on a much more regular basis. Fingers crossed that I can keep my word!

Meanwhile, I've decided to share a painting I created a few years ago that reminds me of someone 'living in their own little world'! I call this little story book house painting 'Curly's House'...



Okay...on my way to do some laundry in my new washer and dryer! Woohoo! More sharing to come soon...until then,

Artificial Christmas Trees

When I was very young...around 3 or 4 years old...I had a serious allergic reaction to our family's real Christmas tree. I have a very vague recollection of waking in the middle of the night struggling to breath. The next thing I recall I was sitting in the emergency room with my parents. I remember being very scared. Thankfully my parents got me to the hospital in time, the allergy shots quickly went into gear and I was fine.

Having this allergic reaction resulted in our family having to get an artificial tree. To this day I have never had a real tree in any of my homes. But I don't regret it. I do enjoy how a real tree can look...we have many friends who trek out every year to the tree farm and get these sweet, sometimes 'Charlie Brownish' looking trees. They look very sweet. But as for my family we have the good, old fashioned fake tree. But I truly don't mind!

My daughter and I get into the holiday decorating mode the day after Thanksgiving. My husband and our two sons go up to their friends' hunting camp for a couple of days while we stay home and set the stage for the upcoming holidays. We don't need to rely on any man's muscle to stuff the tree into our van, drag the tree home, carry it into our house and complain as they set it up. We simply go down to our basement, unpack it piece by piece and get it done on our own! Yes, we are women...here us roar!

Over the years my kids have complained about having an artificial tree exclaiming that they'd like a real one. But honestly, once we get our tree up it looks so beautiful! Here's a photo from Christmas a couple of years ago:

Ahhh! I just love looking at that picture! In my opinion it oozes the essence of this sweet and wonderful season!

Aside from the fact that I'm never in the mood to deal with a serious allergic reaction I really do love artificial Christmas trees. I've heard people complain that they can be a bit pricey when you first purchase one, but over time they definitely pay off. Plus they are beautifully shaped and the size is included on the box and, if you prepare yourself, you figure out what size will fit your home. Our friends always guess at what size they need and, over the years, they've gotten a few that we were too tall and they ended up having to cut off the tree tops. Another positive point in favor of an artifical tree is you don't have to worry about watering it. Needles don't fall all over the place as the tree dries out. And one year I recall another family we are friends with brought a few bugs in with ther tree! Yuck!

We've had prelit trees since they came out with them a few years ago. One year we pulled our tree out, put it together and plugged it in. And guess what? The lights didn't work! Now mind you, I was all snuggled up at home and wasn't about to run to the store and try to find a new tree after putting this one up. So I went down to our basement found a couple strings of old lights and put them on the tree. Voila! We were set!

In my opinion there are many more positives to having an artificial tree. They're always gorgeous, less expensive in the long run, safer from fire hazards and we don't need any men around to help us carry it home and set it up!

So as the days get shorter, the nights get longer and the weather starts to get much cooler my excitement starts to rev up. Halloween is right around the corner and then Thanksgiving. Before we blink it will be that time again and I can hardly wait!

But okay...I've been focusing lately in living in the present moment! I'll try to enjoy the here and now and not get too far ahead of myself. But every once in a while I can daydream about what's ahead, right?

Well, I better get in gear as I have a busy day. I'm sure I'll have more to share soon. Until then,

Proper Maintenance for Hardwood Floors

Wholesale wood flooring, like those from ProSource wholesale floorcoverings, can be a great way to redo your floors without having to spend a lot of money. Hardwood floors are known for their beauty and durability, but not many people know that they can add value to your home as well if you maintain them correctly!

Hardwood floors are one of the easiest flooring options to keep clean. Basic maintenance of hardwood floors includes sweeping, vacuuming, and going over with a dust mop.

Be on the lookout for these common hardwood floor damagers!

Sun – Can fade your floors quickly! Be sure to keep curtains closed during peak sun hours.

Dirt – Dirt if left on the floors can scratch and stain your beautiful hardwood floors. Adding a welcome mat or any type of mat at your front door for people to wipe their shoes on can cut down on the amount of dirt on your floors.

Water – Water is left on the floor for long periods of time, can cause your floors to warp. Water can also damage hardwood floors if used to clean the floors! You want to use a commercially available wood cleaning project to mop with.

Furniture – Don’t drag your furniture across the floors when moving it! You can purchase pads that go beneath the furniture or grab a few friends to lift the furniture! You also want to avoid rough housing that may jolt your furniture across the floors.

You can use an area rug to cut down on the space where dirt and sun can damage. Area rugs or runners can also be used in areas with high foot traffic to reduce grooves forming in the wood.

Using these tips, you can ensure your hardwood floors remain beautiful for years to come!

Dragonflies...

I am intrigued by dragonflies because they remind me of my dad.

Several years my husband bought my daughter a book called "The Secret of the Dragonfly, A Story of Hope and Promise". I fell in love with the story which, in a nutshell, is about how a grandmother uses the life of the dragonfly to help her grandson understand how they will always be together even after her death. It's a sweet story about transformation that displays how even after death we are still together.

It has always meant so much to me because I was still in the grieving stages of dealing with my father's passing when we stumbled upon this book.

Then to tie things together even more...my dad was a fisherman. He loved going fishing with his brother up to Lake Erie. He had a little trailer there and spent lots of time over the summers doing what he loved. And if you've ever spent anytime by a body of water...whether large or small...you will see lots of dragonflies.

We live across the street from our local community park and over the years we've taken our kids there to fish in the little lake located in the heart of the park. Every time we would fish I would see so many dragonflies and I always felt it was my dad saying hello. We were doing what he loved with some of the people he loved most so it made sense that he would want to be with us.

So this explains why anytime I see dragonflies I feel like it's my dad saying hello.

Plus I also love dragonflies because I've seen so many colorful ones over the years. I recall being up at our local dam with our kids when I stopped to take a break and sit on a bench to rest for a minute. As I sat there a very colorful dragonfly came and rested on the back of the bench. It was bright blue and had some red on it as well. I couldn't believe how colorful it was. Since I love to use lots of color in my artwork I am drawn to dragonflies from that perspective as well.

Meanwhile, a couple weeks ago after running to the store I pulled into our driveway. As I walked around the van to start grabbing grocery bags I saw this dragonfly sitting on the tip of my husband's car antenna.

It was unreal how it just sat there and didn't fly away as my kids an I hovered around it to take pictures. I got very close to it and I honestly believe it had a smile on it's face. I tried to zoom in on it's face but it fluttered away before I could get to it. The cool part of this is that my dad was always smiling! That was one thing that everyone always said about him...he had a great smile! Here is a picture of my dad, me and my sister around the year 2000 or 2001. Look at that smile! It was always so bright! I sure do miss seeing it.

So I really believe it was my dad stopping by to see us once again.

You may think I'm crazy to feel this way, but that doesn't matter to me! Everyone has their way of coping and this is one of my tools to help keep me from falling into the sadness of knowing that my parents are both gone now.

To each his own, right?

Okay...I better get a move on. I have lots of work to do today. I'll be sharing more soon so stay in touch! Until then,

Invitations for Birthdays

Right now I am enjoying a much needed family vacation at the beach in North Carolina. My family comes down here every year and because my kids are still in high school...well my oldest just graduated...we have to take our yearly vacations during the summer months. For some reason it always works out that our vacation week coincides with my youngest son's birthday. We've celebrated a number of his birthdays down here and sometimes I feel bad. I often think that we should pick a different week for vacation so we can throw him a nice party at home with a bunch of his friends. But other times I figure he has nothing to complain about. I'd love it if I could spend my birthdays at the ocean!

So every year I promise him that one of these summers he'll be able to have a big birthday bash at home. (I really hope I can keep that promise!)

This summer we waited until the last minute to make our vacation plans which gave me some time to at least consider a party at home for him. I came across a website that sold a large variety of party invitations and fortunately they offer beautiful invitations for birthdays. Being that I do a large volume of printing on my own home computer I could easily print some of my own. But heck...it seems so much more fun to buy them!

They offer so many different types of invitations at Invitation Box that I was a bit overwhelmed when making my decision. After my initial searching I narrowed it down and considered my son and how he likes to spend his time. He plays a variety of sports with baseball being his favorite so I searched for a sports theme invitation. He's turning 14 and since some of the styles were for much younger boys I decided to also look into the adult themed invitations, too. Luckily I found a nice variety that suited my son's tastes.

Meanwhile, as I continued on through the website I remembered that next year my husband will be celebrating his 50th birthday. Hmmmm...I definitely have to keep this website in mind! I've never had a big bash for him and I know I could find something that would work for him.

So even though we had to celebrate my son's big day down here at the beach and we didn't have a party at home I'll definitely keep InvitationBox.com invitations for birthdays in mind for my husband's up coming big day.

Okay...I'm off to relax a bit more at the beach! I'll have more interesting things to share with you soon...until then,

Online Coupons for Frugal Folks Like Us

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "My husband and I are a couple of tight wads!" Some people will find that irritating, but many will have a bit of respect for us. We've managed for the past several years to survive on a tight budget and the only way we've been able to do that is through frugal living.

With that being said I want to share my thoughts on online coupons, where to look for them and how we've fared with them in the past.

Best Online Coupons has a huge variety of online coupons shared on their site and I'm confident you'll find some of your favorite stores listed there. I see Macy's, Old Navy, QVC, Dell, 6pm, Target, Best Buy and Dicks Sporting Goods just to rattle off a few. They offer newly released online coupons, expiring online coupons and a variety of hot online coupons. And what makes it so easy is you can see the online coupon code right there along with the expiration date. I added that site to my Favorites right after I discovered it!

And how about travel coupons? Over the past few years my husband and I saddened our children by announcing that we weren't able to take a family vacation because money was too tight. However, by mid summer we seemed to have a change of heart only because we were able to find some pretty good travel deals. If you are like us in that manner of thinking then check out this link--Expedia coupon code 2012. You find a large number of discounts offered on airfare, hotels, car rentals and more. In a brief scan of the page I see lots of 'last minute' deals which are right up my husbands alley! I saw one for Las Vegas and got a bit excited. We went there two times many years ago before our kids were born and we always talk about going back. Now that the kids are growing up and becoming more independent I would definitely feel more at ease leaving them at home with my sister or mother-in-law.

Over at Deals2.com it's unreal the online coupons and coupon codes you'll find to help save a few bucks. Regarding travel they also have a large variety of links and I saw quite a few listed that we've used in the past. Their Expedia coupons range from Disneyland Resorts and Maui Hotels to car rentals. Right from your computer you could check out a vacation package and book it, Then click back and book your car rental! Or if you like to take cruises they have cruise packages as well.

Another list of Expedia coupons includes offers for destinations such as Galveston Island, Los Angeles and a few more deals for Las Vegas! Woo! I'm really going to have to take a look at these offers. My sister just got back from Vegas last week and hearing her talk about her trip and share her stories really has me ready to get back there.

I'll be sure to share my decision with you soon. Although I'm drooling over the thought of a trip to Vegas for just my husband and I, I have a feeling we'll be doing our regular family vacation this summer. I've shared with you that my oldest son is heading to college in the fall and the thought of taking a vacation with out my kids at this major life turning point doesn't seem likely. But who knows? Maybe we'll take two vacations! With all the deals I'm finding we might be able to swing it!

Okay, more sharing on the way soon...until then,

   

Man Cave

The Author of this post is Solomon Dejesus

We just bought a new house, and believe it or not, my dream to have my very own “Man Cave” is going to come true. We’ve always had to use any extra space for the kids, or the office, or the guest room, but this house has the perfect little spot that is too small for any of those things, but just the right size for a Man Cave’s essentials: couch, mini fridge, and a tv. Once I saw this room, and my wife agreed to letting me fulfill my lifelong dream, I was sold. That is all it took. I knew we had to have that house. I went out and bought myself a mini fridge, and a nice, comfy, totally ugly couch off Craigslist, and now I’m researching Satellite Television in Georgia. I tell you what, this is seriously a dream come true. I can just chill alone in my cave after work for a little while and relax. I really crave the solitude and so I am beyond thrilled about my cave.

Song for a Fifth Child

A customer shared this poem with me today. She inquired to see if I could create something with one of the verses on it.

I never heard of it before and immediately fell in love with it. As I've mentioned quite a bit recently, my oldest son is a senior in high school and will be heading off to college in the fall. Perhaps you're familiar with it? But, regardless, I have to share it...

Song for a Fifth Child
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due (Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue? (Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

My babies 10 years ago!

I get so teary eyed reading that last verse! I'm in the stage of motherhood where I see my children growing older and getting ready to leave the nest. I encourage them to go and do what their hearts want, but I feel sadness at he thought of them leaving. I can't believe how fast the years have gone by.

I gotta go and grab some tissues...more sharing on the way...until then,

Bizzarro weather today!

Just this morning I wrote a post about SAD and included a photo of our backyard today compared to last year at the same time. We had tons of snow last winter and this year we've had very little.

Lo and behold, after a mostly sunny day the clouds got very dark around 4:00 p.m. and it became very windy. A few minutes later I looked outside and it was almost a whiteout...snowing like crazy. It looked so bad I even sent a quick text to my husband who is working that he needs to be careful on his drive home...I wasn't even sure if he realized the weather had changed. Then literally 15 minutes later I looked out the window and saw the sun shining again.

I thought, "What the heck is going on?!?!" It was so strange but beautiful at the same time. The sun was shining and reflecting brightly off the top half of the snow covered trees while the bottom half of the trees and everything else was gray and dismal! I took a few pictures to share...

  

  

  

I guess it's not entirely 'bizzarro' as I titled my post, but this has been such a strange winter for us here in PA. As I said in my post from this morning I'm much rather have it be muddy rather than snowy. But I have to say that the snow can be so beautiful at times!

Okay...more to come soon...until then,



Getting back into the swing of it!

Goodness! I don't know what my deal is but this week I'm having a hard time getting back into my routine.

I think it's simply the same thing that happens after we get back from our summer vacation...I need a vacation from my vacation!

So, I'm back to work, but only partially. I decided to take a few days to figure out my new year routine. We bought a family pass to a local health club as a surprise for our kids for Christmas. Our kids are so inspirational to me because they seem to be developing a serious desire to exercise. I guess I can take some credit for that since I've been a devoted walker for years. Then this past spring I actually started running which is something I hadn't done since my early 20's. But that only lasted 3 months. I really don't like running! I'm a walker.

Anyways, my husband and I went in yesterday for the first time. I have to figure out when I'll fit this workout time into my days. Over the spring, summer and fall I always make time to walk in our local park and I feel good about the amount of exercise I get during the warmer months. But it's so hard to get out for a walk when it's so cold and snowy! So I committed to myself that I will make it to the gym at least 3-4 times a week over the next few months. I have to do this...I get so lethargic in the winter and being that I'm in my mid 40's the weight is coming on and it's getting much harder to take off. I have to get this time in or else I'll be struggling with my weight forever.

Once I get myself back on track I will tackle the orders that came in during my holiday vacation.

I'll have more to share soon... for now it's time to get ready to go to the gym and regain my energy level!

More fun to come...until then,

Wow! It's Been A While!!

Yes, I am still here folks! Just like most of the world I've been overwhelmed with the crazy holiday festivities! But it's all good...very 'busy crazy' but good!

My brother was here for a few days with his son and we had a great visit. Once they left to go back to Illinois then it was 'regroup time'. I had to pick up the pieces of the busy holiday weekend. I am finally feeling like my house is somewhat normal again. But it really won't be all the way normal (whatever that means) until the kids get back to school.

This Saturday is New Year's Eve and we'll be spending the evening with our close family friends.

Then on New Year's Day we'll have football games on the t.v. while our crock pot slowly cooks up our traditional New Year's dinner of pork and sauerkraut to bless our new year with good luck!

I hope you all are having a joyous holiday season!

I'll be in touch soon with more fun...until then,

Self Publishing a Book

  
   Self publishing a book is something I've looked into in the past. A friend of mine wrote a cute holiday story for children and about 10 years ago we collaborated our talents. Our plan was that she was in charge of the writing and I was going to do the illustrating. We spent months researching the idea of submitting her story to well known book publishers. Worried that the story would get overlooked or worse...rejected...we thought perhaps self publishing was the way to go. But through our research we learned that it was pretty costly and back then we had to order tons of books ahead of time. We didn't have the money to invest in a large number of books. And even if we did have the money we feared we might have hundreds of books left on our hands if they didn't sell.

   Those facets of self publishing a book were enough for us to make our decision. But another other issue with self publishing is that you have to do all the marketing yourself. As I said, this all took place more than 10 years ago and our children were all so much younger than they are now. There was no way I would have had the time or energy to go out and work at selling a book.

    The mother of another very close friend of mine self published a book and I know she spends quite a bit of time out of town. She travels to various book stores across the country and many times she leaves her book signings only having sold a few books. It's not an easy gig.

   However, time has marched on and my kids are older and much more independent. Every once in a while I think of that darling story...especially now that the holiday season is upon us. Maybe I'll have to get in touch with my author-friend and start talking again about this business idea. Who knows?? The new year is closing in on us...my business will slow down after the holidays have passed...I might just have some time to devote to a new business. That might be interesting!

   Okay...gotta put a stop to my day-dreaming and get moving. Our high school boys football team is making it's way to the state playoffs and I will be spending the evening with my family cheering them on!

   More fun to come...until then,

I got the...

...new Kindle Fire and I love it!

I like to read at night before I fall asleep and ever since the first version of the Kindle came out I really wanted one. But they were pricey and I couldn't justify spending the money on it. So, like many, I waited it out.

Then last week while Black Friday shopping I broke down and bought the Kindle Fire. I'm still learning how to use it but so far I am really enjoying it. I bought my first book for .99 cents! I've been buying book for years...usually from Amazon. I'd buy the used books which were pretty inexpensive. I literally bought a couple that were only a a few cents but you still have to pay for shipping so in the end I was still spending  more than I will using the Kindle.

And my kids love it, too. They've downloaded a handful of apps and they check Facebook all the time. As a matter of fact two of my kids are playing a word game on it as we speak.

So if you're like me and thought about buying one for a while I say, "Go for it!"

Okay...I've been super busy the past few days working on getting holiday orders completed and ready for shipping and I'm tired! I'm going to get ready for bed then grab my Kindle Fire and go relax and read for awhile. I hope you're having a great week!

More on the way...until then,

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be busy over the next few days getting ready for the big day so I wanted to touch base while I still have a minute...

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be sharing more fun soon...until then,



Poconos Family Resorts

For those of you who may not be familiar with Pennsylvania let me tell you that our state is rich in culture and filled with surprises. We have big cities, such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, but we also have a variety of quaint small towns tucked all over the state. We have beautiful mountain areas, lush forests, sandy beaches along Lake Erie as well as historic battlefields in Gettysburg.

But one place in PA that is well known to many is the Pocono Mountain area. Nestled in the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania the Pocono Mountains have always had a great reputation for skiing. And, as I recall, it was considered a beautiful and secluded spot for honeymooners. ;D

Meanwhile, as I spent the past several years of my life in my own little world on the opposite end of the state, the Pocono area grew--greatly. Much more so than I ever realized. A family friend spent most of her summer as a nurse at children's camp in the Pocono region. It was through her that I learned how this area has changed and grown. The Poconos area now offers a large variety of family attractions as well skiing. I was completely surprised at how much there is to do!

And if you've ever tossed the idea of a little family get-away to the Northeast then you must consider the Great Wolf Lodge as it is one of the leading Poconos family resorts.The Great Wolf has a fabulous water park which was designed with every age in mind...from very small children to teens to grandparents! My kids would love it!

Beyond the water park the Great Wolf also offers great dining options plus some great retail therapy--Shopping! (My favorite!) They also have a spa for adults and even a spa for kids. How cool is that?? My daughter would be in heaven! Then for the health conscious visitors they also have a fitness center. You can work off those extra calories that you take in at their fine restaurants.

Plus the entire Poconos area has a variety of other attractions. As I mentioned earlier they offer skiing, as well as snow boarding and snow tubing in the winter. Then in the warmer months you can take in the incredible natural beauty of eight different waterfalls in the area. You can go canoeing, kayaking, biking and horseback riding. And for the golf enthusiasts they also have gorgeous golf courses! There is also a wild animal park nearby which is fun for every age. Or if you love history, you can visit a living history farm. Plus they have a local theatre which presents some very popular shows. Goodness! There is so much to do and the options never end!

Okay, I need to close for now. But I have to say that sharing all of this information has seriously got me yearning for a vacation! I need to talk to my husband about planning a trip to one of the top Poconos family resorts this winter! We have a little time off after the holiday season so maybe...just maybe...we can plan a get-away!

Okay...more interesting topics in store...until then,

Window "Pain"

Like Eminem sings,

"Maybe that's why they call it window pain..."

I have a fairly large picture window in my living room. Every morning as I sit and drink my coffee I look at my window curtains and think about how I need to replace them. But everyday as usual I get moving through my day and that priority gets put on the back burner.

This morning was no different, but since it was Sunday and we didn't have to rush out the door super early I had some time. I made it a priority to look online for some new curtains.

First of all we live on a pretty busy street so I need sheer panels because I don't like the feeling of people seeing clearly into our windows all day long. And on top of the sheer panels I need to get a nicer heavier set of window curtains--usually light blocking panels-- for the same reason. We live on a busy street and at night time with our living room lamps turned on it's very easy to see through the sheer panels.

So I know what I need to look for. Now I have to figure the colors. I have some pretty neutral earthy colors throughout my living room therefore I need to stick with that color scheme...sage green, brown, deep red, yellows, a touch of blue and hard wood floors. Okay...that's fine. I like those colors and I want to stick with them.

Now, do I want florals in the design of the curtains? I don't know...I think I'm sick of florals. Maybe I need to go with a more contemporary pattern? Or maybe I could find something that's not too contemporary but not too florally. Or how about something in a solid color but that has a particular look to the fabric...like a suede type of material? Or maybe a simple cotton duck fabric. Hey! Here's something that might be an idea--Bamboo panels! How cool is that?? But are they heavy? Would they be too heavy for the rod I have? Hmmm...they should be okay, but I'm not sure. Oh geez! Here we go!!

Maybe this is why I keep putting of getting new window curtains! The selection is huge and overwhelming! And some days, I'm not too good at making decisions.

Maybe I should stick to painting pictures of windows like the one I did a few years ago!

Maybe I need to calm down a bit! Good Lord! It's only window curtains, Jane!

This IS painful...and now I'm back to Eminem's words...

"Maybe that's why they call it window pain!"

Okay...I am really showing my true colors here. It's obvious I need to take some time and think about what I *really* want for my living room windows before I make any big decisions .

Meanwhile, I'll just sit back, sip my coffee and do some online 'window shopping'! (Pun intended!) And sometime soon I'll finally be ready to make some decisions!

More interesting stuff on the way...until then,