Happy Birthday Mom!

Today would have been your 79th birthday Mom. You probably would have said that birthdays aren't such an event these days and it just means more wrinkles. But to me you were always such a beautiful person, inside and out. I miss you so much and there were so many things unsaid and undone.

Coolest You Tube Video

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today we should be celebrating your 87th birthday Dad. Unfortunately we are still mourning your passing over 3 years ago. The pain has lessened somewhat, but I still miss you everyday. I hope that you know how much you are missed and how blessed I was to have you as a father. Your love for your family was so strong and we knew that. Thanks for all of those wonderful memories and those wonderful trips to Maine.

According to our worthless weatherman

"A small snow event, mostly rain". HA! We are at about 3 inches already with it still coming down. I was listening to the local news on my 50 minute drive home (usually a 20 minute drive), and they were still saying it wasn't sticking and the road congestion is due to the evening rush. HA! I almost slid into the car in front of me twice and I had left plenty of stopping room. The roads were a mess. They really should have contacted someone in Bucks County to find out what was going on here because THEY WERE CLUELESS!!!!

Another troubling problem is that the car alarm in my car continues to go off randomly. The other day I was checking out at the library and continued to hear this car alarm going off. I started towards the parking lot and realized it was my car. Same thing at work 2 days in a row now. This really bites. I park my car where I can see it at work and just leave it unlocked. I have removed anything of value in it, but it still bothers me. Don't worry, Casey, it is scheduled to go in for repair next week.

Home from the vet

Today was the day for the kittens' first doctor check with Dr. Drew. I barely got them in the exam room when the technician took them out of the cage and proceeded to walk around the office showing everyone that "Lucy" and "Ethel" were visiting and to show them how cute they were. Sydney and Crosby (their real names) were content to be their cute selves. They checked out just fine and I learned that their brother was adopted and their other brother (who came in somewhat later and looked just like them) was also adopted. Hard to believe they are already 17 weeks old. They are growing just fine and have super long tails. My guess is that they are going to be long and thin. Yesterday, they discovered how to climb on the trashcan to get to the counter so that they can get to their food faster. We are having trouble keeping them off of the counters.

Mid-January already and there hasn't been any measurable snow yet. They called for 3-6 inches the other day and we got squat, nothing, nada. Those weatherman are idiots.

Mini Year in Review

All in all I have to say that 2007 was a pretty good year. We all maintained our health, our kids did well in school, and we had a nice family vacation to South Carolina.

January - Started WW yet again and lost 21 pounds this time around. Unfortunately it didn't stay "lost".

February - Went to visit Casey at Dartmouth and enjoyed snowboarding (Casey and Greg) and ice skating (all but Larry).

March - Greg goes out for the tennis team.

April - Master Kim died. Greg makes varsity tennis team

May - Greg and Larry go to Phillies game. Spent Memorial Day in Columbus and met Andrew for the first time.

June - Casey home for the summer!!!! Went to South Carolina and met up with John and Jim (what fun!!!)

July - New job for Joan - left FB (YEA!!!) Dani C.'s baby shower - saw Christi and Nathanel; Creating Keepsakes convention (I volunteered and Casey went with me) on the spur-of-the-month.

August - Started new job. Katie D.'s wedding in NYC. Celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Larry and kids to Illinois. New roof on the house.

September - Casey back to school (sophomore year). Greg back to school (sophomore year). Greg plays fall ball. Casey volunteers with Joe Biden campaign at the NH Democratic debate.

October - Greg takes PSAT. Apple picking. Dani has her baby - Evan.

November - Kitty to vet - lo and behold we ended up with 2 kittens. Sydney and Crosby join our family and Kitty loves them. The verdict is still out with Lucky and Chocolate.

December - Casey home. Christmas. Made lots of buckeyes.

I'm sure that I am missing lots of events and I will add them as I remember them. But for now, enjoy the cute kitty pictures.

Happy New Year

A long overdue update, but a very short one. I am working on a year in review blog entry for tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this picture of Chocolate:



He is in serious need of attention.

Stormy Sunday

Eleven hours without electricity - I wish I had accomplished more during that time other than feeding the fire and checking the generator. The grass looked like glass all around the tree.

Have to include a kitties picture as well.






Eleven hours without electricity - I wish I had accomplished more during that time other than feeding the fire and checking the generator.

More Cat Pics and Holiday Preparations

Check out the size of these kittens. Yes, that is a post it notepad next to them. They are still so tiny.




Made these rolls for Thanksgiving and boy were they a hit. The recipe came from a blog that I frequent. The recipe made quite a bit so I even made cinnamon rolls from the same batch of dough. Here's the recipe:

Bowles Rolls
Scald: 1 1/2 cup milk
(Scald=heat until hot...not boiling)
Add: 2 cubes butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Set aside to cool.
In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve: 4 Tbsps yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1/2 tsp. sugar
Set for 10 minutes (yeast will expand. Make sure it is in a large enough bowl to do so).
Beat 4 eggs and add to milk mixture. Add 4 cups flour and mix well (by hand with a wooden spoon). Add yeast, mix well. Add 3 cups flour, mixing after each cup. Let rest for 10 minutes, then stir. Cover with a towel or saran wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk (approximately 1 hour). Punch down and let rise 10 more minutes. Section dough into 2 pieces. Roll each piece out separately into a circle and brush with melted butter. Cut into triangles like a pie. Roll up each piece like a crescent roll. Place on a cookie sheet and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter. Feel free to shape dough in whatever shapes desired (simple round, etc.). These rolls are to die for. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen rolls. Good for cinnamon rolls as well.


Friday after Thanksgiving and we selected our Christmas tree. It's hard to believe how grown up the kids are. I remember when they were so much smaller than the tree! More holiday pictures to come.

Fun Friday

Looking forward to having a nice Thanksgiving! 4 days until Casey is home!!

Lest We Forget

Happy Veteran's Day Dad! Thank you for all that you did.

http://www.terry-kelly.com/pittance/pittance_en_video.htm

Last Baseball Game of the Season

Last night fall ball ended for another season. This was the best season we have ever had in Fall ball and it is due in large part to Greg's coach Mark. What an awesome coach and great baseball enthusiast. His team grew so much together in that even Greg said this is the first year that he knew everyone's name on the team and something about them outside of baseball. You could see it in the way they interacted when both winning and losing.

They finished the season 6-5-2 and Greg had a fantastic season mostly catching and playing 3rd until his coach found out that he could pitch. In his first outing he pitched 3 innings of no-hit baseball and only faced 9 batters (he picked the kid he walked off of third).

Watching how Greg was such a team leader made me smile every time I went to a game. You never saw him being negative - only wanting to play his best. The final game was no exception when it came down to bases loaded, 2 outs, full count on the batter with Greg behind the plate. The batter swung and missed at the ball in the dirt thus striking out. However, the ball skidded past Greg to the backstop. Greg hustled back to get it to underhand to the pitcher covering home plate for the out. The pitcher wasn't there!!! So what does Greg do? He full out slides head first into home beating the runner and sealing the win for his team. It was unbelievable, but just a final exclamation point on the outstanding season he had.

By the way, the temperature at last night's 8 pm game - 42 degrees. Boy was it cold!!

Autumn Love

Loving how our front entrance looks this year. The scarecrows were made by Kevin and Casey in early September and the pumpkins were picked out by Larry and Greg later on. The mums look better now that they are getting regular water (it's been pretty dry up until last week). Loving the new glass doors. I have wanted to have storm doors on there since the time we moved in (17 years ago). Now we have them and every chance I get I open the doors to let the light in.

A Quote I Like

"Embrace this right now life...take your bites with bravery and boldness since the learning and the growing are here in these times, these exact right nows. Capture these times. Hold and kiss them because soon it will be very different."
-----Jill Scott

Today's Sunrise

Getting up and out by 6:30 am every morning has made me remember how beautiful the sunrise is. This morning I grabbed my camera (actually Greg's since mine died), and captured a few pictures. I have stopped using my ipod in the morning because it is very dark and I want to be able to hear what animals are lurking in the yard. Yesterday, Kitty and I came upon a herd of deer on our sand mound. Of course, Kitty wanted to follow them through the evergreens, but my fear of getting stomped by a buck stopped us from following them.
I have to learn how to take good pictures in the dark. I haven't figured out the settings on Greg's camera and I probably won't since I know I am getting a new camera for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, I started my Holiday planner today so that I can really enjoy the season without too much stress. I just have to keep it from prying eyes. I want to try some new things this year (recipes, crafts, traditions) so I need to start sooner.

Also, I am trying to find my "passion" in life. I am passionate about my family, but I'm not so sure what else I'm passionate about. Those early morning walks allow for lots of time to think about this. I'll update if I find out what my passion is.

So Lucky They're Mine

Before Casey went back to school in September we celebrated her 19th birthday. About a month before, Larry and I were in Superfresh and decided to order her a pirate birthday cake. She had seen it before, but never in a million years thought we would get it for her birthday. So the night before she left for NH we had a special dinner, opened some of her presents and had cake. This was probably the richest cake I have ever had - but boy was it delicious. The icing as about an inch thick and being that icing is my favorite, I overindulged. The left over cake was taken to school with Casey and enjoyed by her and her friends (even though it didn't travel very well in the heat and was dropped in the parking lot[in the container]).


Casey is back for her sophomore year and I miss her. We had a nice trip up to school and worked hard to get her dorm room all set up. I think her room was full of character and a nice location.
Since the beginning of September we have been busy going to Greg's baseball games. This is about his 5th year playing fall ball and I have to say one of my favorite coaches. His coach Mark is such a nice guy and thinks the world of Greg. Of course, Greg is so coachable and willing to play any position and play it well. Mark has had him mostly catch and play third, but last Friday he had Greg pitch. Greg pitched 3 innings allowing 0 hits, facing 9 batters, and only throwing about 33 pitches. A fantastic outing. Mark was shocked.

The next day they had another game and Greg caught the entire game and played exceptionally well having many plays at the plate and catching a popup to end the game with a victory. He pitched again last night with less success, but his team's defense did not help him at all. He had 2 singles and a triple (which once again Larry missed because he got there late). The game ended in a tie, which was fine for as hard as both teams played. One thing that was so nice about this was that I was trying to take pictures of Greg through the netting and the other team's coach at third offered to take them for me. I passed the camera to him and he stood there taking pictures of Greg. I thought that was so nice.

I Miss You Dad

Hard to believe it's been 4 years. I miss that smile of yours and how you were always puttering around the house. Whenever, I work in the garden I think of all of the gardens that you planted and how you took such pride in it. Those years after your stroke must have been so hard on you when you lost something so dear to you - your ability to be out in the yard and the neighborhood.

This picture was taken when Dad was stationed in Japan. If you look closely at his shoes, they are Japanese slippers. The picture folio it was in is full of Japanese writings.

A long overdue update

Boy does life ever have a way of quickly passing by. September draws to an end and I haven’t even recorded what I have spent the month doing. Greg started his sophomore year of high school and was surprisingly happy to be back at school. I think it is such a social thing for him that he misses his friends over the summer (everyone is off to camps, working, etc.). He has a full course load once again, but is already saying that it is too easy for him. He loves AP Stat and Chemistry and is even taking Journalism. He is working for the school paper, mainly concentrating on the national sports scene. He signed up for fall ball in Flemington once again and is enjoying that. It just isn’t the same without our friends, the Mercolinos, but it is still enjoyable sitting in the cool evenings under the lights watching baseball.

Casey enjoyed a quiet early September before heading off to school last weekend. Her boyfriend came for a visit and we went apple picking and made scarecrows (something we haven’t done for a few years). She won the Common Knowledge – Jim Kramer Mad Money scholarship contest and earned $500 towards college tuition. Just a drop in the bucket, but every little bit helps. Her and I enjoyed a nice weekend taking her back to school and getting her dorm room set up. I miss having her around – not only was she a big help to me, but we enjoyed nightly walks together.



In wrapping up the summer projects accomplished, we had our new storm doors installed yesterday and what a difference it makes. I just wish we had done this much sooner. Lucky likes to sit and look out the doors.

This weekend I am busy stocking the freezer in order to have quick prep meals during the week. My recipes include homemade pizza sauce (made from the bounty of tomatoes my neighbor gave me), Cincinnati chili, beef stew, chicken and broccoli fettucine, roast chicken, and cookie doughs. I am trying out some new recipes and using some old favorites. My plan is to spend every other weekend doing some cooking prep so that we always have something to pull out of the freezer. We’ll see how long this lasts!!! Maybe next weekend I will make Dad’s spaghetti and meatballs in his honor.

Yes, it is that time of year when Dad and Mom’s death hits me pretty hard. Even 4 years later, it still hurts to believe that they are gone. I remember Mom asking me to pray for her and Dad and I’m happy to say that I do that every night. She also asked that I keep on top of the family history. I haven’t done too much of that unfortunately. I did resubscribe to the Rumford paper in the hopes that I can keep track of those family members. I can’t beat myself up about this, but I know that I should be doing more. I think it just overwhelms me at times.

September 1 and Missing My Mom

It is so hard to believe that it was 4 years ago today that Mom left us to go to a greater place. I miss her everyday and hope that her and Dad are happy in heaven together. I really miss those long telephone conversations that we would have. It was so similar to the conversations she would have with her sisters in that we could talk about anything for quite a long time. I always knew that I could pick up the phone if I saw something on TV that she would get a kick out of. We discussed everything and the time would just fly by.

Mom was a very smart person and never let any of us settle for less. I know that my strength today comes from her (and Dad, of course). Often, I will see something and the first thought that comes to mind is "Boy would Mom have loved that". She would have loved the technology to do genealogy, all of the new stores available, and the old tv shows on dvd.

I made her a promise that last day I saw her before slipping into a coma that I would continue to keep the family history going. Unfortunately I haven't done nearly as much as I should have. I plan to change that immediately. She did so much work and left such a rich collection of photos and notes. I just want to add to it and keep it updated.

Thank you Mom for the 43 years I had with you. It wasn't enough but that was all that I was given. Someday we will meet again and until then, my memories of you will have to do.

Another Weekend, Another Ball Game

We hit the road again this weekend and drove 2 1/2 hours to Baltimore to catch the Red Sox/O's game. I have never been to Camden Yard and it was very nice. We got to see Curt Schilling pitch for the Red Sox. The O's won in the 10th inning, but unfortunately Casey and I didn't see it as we had decided to leave in the 7th inning so that we could walk along the Inner Harbor area and get cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory (YUM!!!).


I enjoy going to baseball games and this year I have been to a Phillies game and an Orioles game. Larry and the kids will be going to a Cardinals game in St. Louis when they are there next week. I know Greg is excited about that.

As the summer comes to an end, we still have lots of things going on. Our new roof starts getting done this week, we are planning a trip to Ohio/Illinois, our new stove was delivered last Friday (pictures to come) and our microwave will be delivered on Thursday (the one delivered on Friday was damaged and sent back).

I like my new job but going to Manhattan weekly may start to wear on me. Hopefully it is just for now and won't be as necessary once I get going on projects. I do happen to love the relaxed atmosphere of the office and enjoy not having to answer somebody else's phone or do copying. It is a good thing that I am an independent worker because my job seems to require a lot of independent working and thinking. I like that.

I am going to put this in my blog and try to remind myself to do this weekly - start working on the genealogy. I promised my Mom that I would do it when I saw her for the last time and I feel pretty guilty that I haven't done as much as I should. She left a treasure trove of information that needs to be added to and distributed. I think the problem is that there is so much information that I am not quite sure where to start. I need to start small with one person and go from there. Each month I put this on my monthly goals, and each month I fail to do anything. Not anymore. Maybe I need to document what I am doing here so that I am more accountable. We shall see!

Where Have I Been Lately?

It's funny that we have lived in this area (2 hours from NYC) for over 17 years and I can count on 1 hand the times we have actually been in the city. During the past week, I have been to NYC twice.

Last Saturday we went to St. Malachys church near Times Square to see a friend's daughter get married. These were friends from Pittsburgh and Southern California and we haven't seen them since there son's wedding 4 years ago. It was a great wedding, the church was beautiful and the transportation terrific. We drove to the Meadowlands Sheraton and were bussed into the city for the wedding and then bussed back to the hotel for the reception. It was a great reception as Katie is an actress and most of the young people at the reception were involved in theatre, dance or singing. The reception danced floor was it's own broadway performance. St. Malachys is known as the Actor's Chapel as it is in the theatre district and a favorite place for actors to wed.

I started my new job on Monday and think this is going to be a good fit. I have to say that in my nice dress pants and shirt I was way overdressed for the office. Jeans, capris, or shorts seem to be the choice of dress. That's okay with me! On Tuesday, my boss asked if I would go to NYC to meet the NY office of the company as I would be working closely with them. Of course, I wouldn't say no, so Thursday morning I caught the 8:19 am train from Princeton to Penn Station and arrived in NYC at 9:15. It was very hot in the city but I only had a 8 block walk to the office. The people were great and the office looked out at the Empire State Building. The energy in the office was so different from the PA office, but I liked it. My dress clothes were appropriate for that office!!!





My boss knew that I was nervous to go into Manhattan, and he was quite relieved to see me on Friday. Did I mention that as I was leaving to catch the 4:39 pm express to Princeton, the co-owner (and I guess my NY boss) said "see you next Thursday"!? It looks that I will be going into Manhattan once every few weeks especially at the start of this job. I don't mind too much, but I think it will become old soon. Maybe I will only have to go once a month. I did like the people and the office, so that isn't a problem.

Tomorrow morning we are off to Baltimore to see the Orioles play the Red Sox. We have had nothing but whirlwind weekends lately. Maybe next weekend we can stay put so I can get other things done.

More to come.

August Already!

Wow, where is the summer going? It seems like just yesterday that Casey and Greg finished their respective first years (college and high school). Casey doesn't go back until the end of September and Greg starts the day after Labor day. As for me, the new job starts on Monday. Only a year ago at this same time, I was looking forward to my new job at the car dealership. How quickly a year passed and how things changed from the first 2 months on the job. I am excited about this new phase in my career development and hope that this job lasts quite some time and is enjoyable.

During my 2 week break between jobs, we have been quite busy. We have been to Reading for shopping, went to a Phillies game, played some tennis, did lots of yard cleanup, and much more. I also volunteered at the Creating Keepsakes convention in Valley Forge and took Casey with me. Afterwards, we had dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (YUM!). Friday I take the first part of the A+ certification, so if you were in my neighborhood you would see me walking around with review questions in my hand. The first part is a 2 hour test and then the second part focuses on a particular concentration based on my choice. I'm not sure which second part I will be taking yet so I am holding off on that one.


On Sunday, we said goodbye to our friends for the last 16 years. They are moving to North Carolina. We will miss them, but look forward to visiting them next summer on a trip to look at southern colleges with Greg. We talked about that time when maybe all of us will be living in North Carolina.

I need to end with a picture of 3 wonderful young women who have made such an impact on my life. Nikki, Christi and Dani came into our lives shortly after moving here in 1990. All 3 of them were babysitters to Casey and Greg and quickly became a part of our family. I can't imagine not having them in our lives. Speaking of time quickly passing, these three young women are all moms or soon to be mom and I couldn't be prouder of them. The picture was taken at Dani's baby shower and I loved watching their interaction with each other. The love among these 3 sisters is so evident. Their Mom should be so proud of them.

Recipe of the Week

Here is a very healthy recipe for using all of those zucchinis that your neighbor gives you.

Baked Zucchini Chips

2 med. zucchini cut into 1/4" slices
1/2 cup seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 tbsps. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
3 egg whites

Preheat oven to 475 degrees and grease a large baking sheet.

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic powder, oregano, and pepper in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg whites.

Dip each zucchini slice into egg whites and then into dry ingredients mixture. Place on greased baking sheet. When sheet is full, lightly spray each slice with PAM spray.

Bake for 5 minutes in preheated oven, then turn over, very lightly spray with PAM, and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes until browned and crispy. Makes 4 servings.

ENJOY!!!

Trying Out Some New Things

I have to admit that I am loving this 2 week break before starting my new job. I am accomplishing so much. Yesterday, Greg and I completely rearranged the living room. It looks much bigger and my internet connection is stronger because it doesn't have to go through so many walls. Today Casey and I helped drag big tree limbs to the yard waste piles after Larry trimmed the evergreens. I also washed the wood floors, cleaned out the pantry, cleaned out the plastic container drawers, changed bedsheets, studied 2 chapters for my A+ exam (only 2 more to go), sent some emails, and took quite a few walks with Kitty. Still on tap for tonight is tennis under the lights. It's almost like a nesting taking place, but that is definitely not a sign of anything else.

I added the link on the right side to Greg's sports blog. He is doing this for school but also because it gives him an outlet for his sports knowledge and opinion. We have all refused to go into long sports discussions with him unless he is updating his blog regularly. I am also experimenting with Google AdSense. It is something that I am learning about lately.

A Quick Update

It's been pretty busy lately since returning from our SC vacation. I haven't even had time to upload or print any pictures. My tan is already starting to fade - can't have that.

Well, first off, Kitty went to the vet for her yearly checkup and 45 minutes and $400 later we found out that she has a double ear infection (those long beagle ears) and Lyme disease. She is now on ear drops nightly and medicine for the Lyme. She will have to have a follow up blood test in a few months to make sure it's gone. Pilling her isn't too hard as long as the pill is wrapped in meat or cheese. The first night she had it in peanut butter, but won't eat that now.

I had my 4 hour dentist appt. this past week and for as nervous as I was going in, it turned out okay. After over 12 shots of novacaine to completely numb my entire facial area, and the use of tens (muscle stimulators on my jaw) I started the procedure. The dr. did 9 crown preps and 1 root canal and scaling on all of my teeth to take care of the gum disease. It was a lot of work, but I am actually doing pretty well. I am on antibiotics to ward off infection and painkillers every 12 hours. My teeth feel great, but I have a lot of facial pain from all of the shots. I go back in 2 weeks for another root canal and the bonding of my appliance to my teeth to straighten out my jaw. I have told everyone who asked that I highly recommend this dentist for any serious work. He was very patient, thorough, and professional.

Larry is in Illinois with his brother to move his mother to a nursing home in Texas. They have a 16 hour drive tomorrow to get her into the home on Monday. He will be back on Wednesday after an emotional and long journey. I can certainly understand what he is going through and it is bringing up some not-so-happy memories of 3 1/2 years ago.

Job hunt continues and so does the trying to make money on the side. More on that later.

Happy 4th of July

Back from vacation and already enjoying another holiday from work (paid,I might add). We had a very nice family gathering in Litchfield, SC. We had lots of good food, lots of laughter, lots of sun, and lots of water. I love this picture of Greg and John. Greg is my family guy - he loves being with family and even agreed to visit a plantation because he would get to spend time with his uncles. I love that!!!! He talks about his uncles all the time and you can tell he just thinks the world of them (who would have thought that!).



We enjoyed a meal of Dad's spaghetti and I know Mom and Dad would both be very happy to know that we make it important to get together. I just wish Joe would think the same way as we do.

More to come later and even more pictures.