You Can Always Go Home

The fact that I haven't updated the blog since April is a little embarrassing, granted I am pretty sure no one missed me!   Being in PA by myself with the girls and preparing us for our big move back home has kept me pretty busy.    During the middle of this time where Hubby has been in Atlanta and us girls have been living here in PA,  it seemed like it was taking forever to get to our "move" day.   However, our final few days in PA are upon us and I would be remiss if I didn't say I am sad to leave this beautiful state.   

I am an extremely blessed woman - I have the most loving, giving, accepting family and set of friends imaginable.   So, I have not spent one day feeling sorry for myself or unappreciative of what God has given us.    This experience has led us down one crazy path that has opened doors for Hubby and put friends in our path that would not have come otherwise.   Some people go on shows like Survivor or the Amazing Race to test themselves.  We Deaks just like to move to a place on faith that is so far away from our "normal" only to leave and return home again 11 months later.   However, as a wise friend often reminds me of what her Daddy says "You can always go home".  And as another friends tell me "You are not the first and will not be the last to do this, so get over yourself!"  God bless those friends - they are so right!!!!!

So, our time in PA is almost up and I know I will not get around to saying goodbye to the many great people I have met while living here.   From my amazing neighbors, the strong "gym" girls, and the great mothers whose babies attend school with my girls, I have met some fantastic people!   I will not get the chance to hug the necks of those people one last time, so to you all I just say our door is always open in GA if you ever find yourself in Hotlanta.  

xoxo
Jennifer

My Bucket List (for Pennsylvania)

While we have only been in PA for a mere 9 months,  it feels as though we have done so much!  Because I knew our time here was limited and this was not a forever move, I decided early on to treat each day like it could be the last and get outside and enjoy all this state (or the eastern half of it) had to offer.  I must say I kept us pretty busy until the weather made me into a hermit :)

HOWEVER - I have so, so much more that I want to do before I leave.  Therefore I am creating my Pennsylvania Bucket List.   PA Pals -  feel free to read through and tell me to scratch things off or add to based on your expertise!   I am sure I won't get around to it all, but at least putting it down in writing acts as a sort of plan - I do love a good plan!

1. Visit Gettysburg
2. Philly Museum of Art - actually go past the Rocky steps and inside!
3. Take the girls to Hershey Park and the museum - who doesn't want to ride roller coasters and   sample chocolate???
4. Watch a regatta off Boathouse Row - especially since rowing is not a sport down South.
5. Run the 10 miles of Kelly Drive - I ran part of the Schuylkill last spring, but need to do the entire river!
6. Go inside Independence Hall - the line has always scared me off, but I need to see the inside
7. Sample more Philly Cheesesteaks - gotta find the best :) 
8. Visit Princeton (ok, technically New Jersey, but close enough)
9. Atlantic City, baby!
10. More time with the dear friends I have made here!  More time in the great outdoor spaces, farmers markets, parks, etc!

I know that this is goodbye for Pennsylvania, which is surprisingly harder for me than I had thought.  Given the short time here, I had not expected to feel such mixed emotions as the time of our move draws near.    I am thrilled to return home - where I feel most like me.  However, I have come to enjoy the sights, sounds and people in this area and they all will be missed.   Well, maybe not the winters!!!

I guess if I don't get this all done, it will give me more of a reason to come back and visit!

Kelly Drive - image courtesy of www.philly.com

Into the Details

I quickly realized (after several texts and emails) that I was pretty vague and didn't really get into the specifics surrounding our move back home and inquiring minds want to know what the heck!   That was purposely designed given the lack of details I was able to supply everyone at the time.    I will get into some details a little further down in this post.  For now, here's a little update on the last week in our crazy world!

Since Hubby started work with his new company, Experience, over A and M's spring break, we decided it made perfect sense to take an impromptu trip back to Georgia.   My biggest mission was to find a house so we could quickly get back to being under one roof since this new job is in Atlanta and we are currently Pennsylvania residents (small minor detail).   And spending the week with family and friends would be icing on the cake, so we loaded up and made the 14 hour drive down.

It was a fantastic week that included celebrating a dear friend's birthday (much love to ya, CSA) and watching A turn 7 and sharing her big day with some of her dearest pals and family.    In lieu of a party this year, she just asked for "envelopes of cash" and a day at the American Girl store so she could spend it all!  We had planned a trip into Manhattan for her birthday, but with our trip to Georgia we had to rearrange and fortunately, there is a store in Atlanta (yes GA friends, I know that Alpharetta isn't really Atlanta, but the RHWOA claim it to be, so I will too for the sake of my Philly friends).    Needless to say, she burned through her money, which is very easy to do there, and wound up with a new doll and other overpriced items that I am sure she will love for years to come, right??  Since we lack a home in GA right now, I entertained some of her pals later that afternoon at the local girly salon for some mani/pedi action.     All in all, A was quite pleased with the rearrangement of her birthday plans and didn't seem to mind at all that we skipped the trip to Manhattan.    We ended the week by spending Easter with family and even managed to squeeze in a date night to one of our local favs, C&S Seafood and Oyster Bar - (thanks Amy for keeping the girls).

The week with all my favorite people made me realize just how much I miss being home and am so excited to return.   Praying these next months fly right past!


Now for the details:

• Hubby - new job as mentioned above and he loves it!  As if he didn't watch and talk enough sports before, this just took him to a whole other level!!!   He is spending the weeks in Atlanta and will get home as often as he can.   I am trying not to be jealous as he gets to enjoy flip-flops a lot sooner than the rest of us!  Just going to focus on the prize :)
• House - we found one and are under contract!  Back in East Cobb  - different elementary  and middle school, but still Walton High.  Now just praying it passes inspection and appraisal!
• Dates - our close is set for June 12th, so the following weekend we will pack it all up and say goodbye to the great northeast!
• Vacation - yes, I will need one heck of one after this is all said and done!  I mean two huge moves in less than a year - thank goodness for good hair coloring because the gray hair just keeps on coming!

Birthday Girl

Sweet Friends (missing E)

Nail Time

Egg Hunting

Say What?????

Pardon my laziness in updating the blog - life above the Mason Dixon has been far from uneventful.   Over the past month, we have been on a little bit of a roller coaster and I can't think of a better way to summarize why that is the case than to share this video with you all.

If the above video doesn't work for you (always trouble for the iPad and mobile device), check it out on YouTube

We have lots of details to work through.  The biggest one is done - Hubby starts a new job next week and he couldn't be more excited to be back in Atlanta working on a great product with some wonderful people.    Everything else will work itself out - just need to find us a home right back in our old hood of East Cobb and then get the moving trucks loaded!    Just that simple, right?  It was this time last year that I was going through the same motions and craziness of a move and am pretty sure there are many a gray hair as a result of the stress.   But for now I will just bask in being elated, estatic, pumped, etc... to be moving back home.   Afterall, it's where the heart is :)

Rocky Mountain High

First off, this post is coming via my iPad, so please excuse any craziness you may encounter while reading! As much as I adore it, the iPad is no substitute for my trusty MacBook! But I am without it for the week, so work with me here ;)

I am finally coming off my skiers' high to write about our recent family vacation to one of our favorite places - Telluride, Colorado. I am sure there are other resorts that rival it, but I just cannot imagine! It is a haul to get there, but so very worth it. Beautiful mountain scenery blends with no lift lines and long, uncrowded runs to make a fantastic ski experience! Once we ski our first few runs, we quickly forget that it took two plane rides and a 2.5 hour drive to arrive at the resort!

This year's trip was super special because we met up with our best family out there and even brought the kids along to ski this year. We love spending time with the P family and are so thankful that we were able to arrange the trip together! My girls were in absolute heaven to have five days with their best friends from back home, M & E! They were a sight for sore eyes!

I knew the time would come when my kids were better skiers that me and it happened while on this trip. Especially, A - that girl has absolutely no fear, unlike myself who can't help worry about how our family would survive if I broke a limb! Since she doesn't let fear interfere with a good time, she just goes and goes! M enjoyed herself and skis well, too. However, there were a few mornings spent coaxing her into ski school and she was the first one to break out of her skis and boots at the end of the day. She told us that she would prefer a beach vacation next time! Regardless, all four girls had a good time, as well as us parents. After a full day of skiing, the evenings were spent relaxing our sore bodies in the hot tub while the kids found a second wind and would swim in the heated, outdoor pool. I am pretty sure they all slept harder than ever over those days - E would practically beg to go to sleep she was so darn tired!

It was a great five days and we were all super sad to see our ski trip and time with the P family come to a close. I think I saw more sunshine over those 5 days than I have seen in the past two months here in PA! Now, I am ready for something tropical and warm - I have had my feel of cold weather for quite a while!

Feeling Like a Bear

I am starting to understand the principal of hibernation - a little too much.   January has been cold and mostly grey, leaving us as a family to just stay inside and have "jammy days" on the weekends.  Add in the fact that it gets dark early and I find it really hard to leave my warm house when it is snowing and below freezing outside!   I do manage to force in some running despite the fact that I can't feel my face when doing so.  Cabin fever? Yeah, we might have a little bit of it up here!  So we are making it a priority to get out, at least a little :)

A couple of weekends ago, we took the girls skiing in the Poconos at Blue Mountain.    We figured it was a great way to test out all of their new ski equipment before we head off to Telluride later this month.   They girls had a ball in ski school while Hubby and I enjoyed some runs - just the two of us!  We haven't had a "day date" in quite a while!   And it resulted in a quiet night back at home since A & M were worn out from all the hard work.   Since it is a quick 1.5 hour away, we will do this more often - win for all.

This past weekend, Hubby went to pay his respects to his late Uncle in Ohio.  So the girls and I stayed behind and spent one of the days visiting the Please Touch Museum in Philly.   This museum reminded me a lot of Imagine It in Atlanta, but it was much bigger and even has a century-old carousel inside of it - which has some serious history and was the highlight of the trip for the girls.   
And finally,  I was invited to spend a day volunteering at a wonderful organization Cradles to Crayons with some women from St. David's Church.    This non-profit takes like-new and new clothing from donations and works with social organizations, nurses, teachers, etc., to help children in need.    I was impressed at the sheer volume of donations that were there and how efficiently running this warehouse was in which to help.    I really enjoyed helping here and am looking forward to returning with this group again next month and maybe taking A & M.   That is one of the things I liked about this group is that they encourage children to come volunteer in the warehouse.  

Outside of school, work, and the girls' gymnastics and most recently, ice-skating lessons, we have been enjoying ourselves at home a lot.   It is nice for us to spend time together as a family and I know as soon as the ground thaws out, we will be back outside and getting busy.   So I am going to enjoy these lazy weekends while we can!  Seriously - who would pass up drinking red wine by a fire in your jammies????  Not this peach!

Carousel at Please Touch Museum

Piano from the movie Big

Silly girls

Ski Hubby - "Not quite Colorado...but it will do"

Mangia! Mangia!

What???

Why the weather outside is brutal right now, I won't punish the great north east for it.   At least not yet - it looks like there is some relief next week from these below freezing temps!   Instead I will focus on the the positives of the Philly area - my personal favorite being that there are Italian influences everywhere - most notably the restaurants!!  And really good ones!!

Despite mentally knowing that my heritage is primarily German & Scottish, my heart would like to think there are some secret Italian roots buried deep within my soul.   I adore so much about the culture - from just the sound of the language, to the love of family, and of course - the love of food!!  And living in this area really allows me to buy some great Italian food, cuts of meats, delicious cheeses, fresh veggies, etc,.  So if not dining out on an Italian feast, I can try to make one at home.

One of my favorite dishes to make on a cold day is Pasta e Fagioli.   There are a gazillion recipes and ways to make this soup.  Is it ground beef or sausage?  With or without kidney beans?  Fresh versus dried herbs?   Any which way it is made, it always comes out delicious and comforting on a day when Old Man Winter rears his ugly head!  So here is my favorite recipe in case any of you are a human popsicle like myself and need a little soup for the soul in order to defrost! 

Pasta e Fagioli
1 lb bulk hot Italian sausage ( I use turkey sausage myself)
2 large carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs rosemary, stems removed and chopped
4 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper
8 cups chicken broth or stock
15 oz can canellini beans (white kidney beans)
1 cup ditalini pasta (or other very small pasta)
A few handfuls of spinach (you can omit if you don't like - most traditional recipes don't call for it but I add for the extra nutrients)
grated parmesan cheese
crusty bread, for serving (we always get sourdough)

Heat large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add sausage and stir, breaking into small pieces as it browns.  Cook until browned, 3-4 minutes.  Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic to pan.  Add small bit of olive oil if there are not enough drippings from sausage.  Add bay leaf, rosemary, and sprigs of thyme.  Cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Add in chicken broth, 2 cups of water, and canellini beans.  Cover the pot, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Stir in pasta.  Lower heat to a simmer, and cook until pasta is al dente.    Discard bay leaf and stems from thyme.   Add spinach here if you like and stir a few times until wilted.

Serve with crusty bread and top with shredded cheese.

Lowcountry Love

I took a little trip below the Mason Dixon this past weekend for some much needed girl time and warm weather!  Charleston, South Carolina is one of my most favorite places to visit, not just because of its historical charm and geographical location, but also because my longtime bestie, AL lives there!   She coordinated a girls' weekend with some pals from around the south (including another longtime bestie - TTD) and we were blessed with some of the prettiest January weather to top it all off - just what I needed after being chilled to the bone for the past few weeks living up north.   However, it could have been freezing in Charleston and I wouldn't have cared.  Spending time with these gals, a few whom I have known since middle school, was all I needed.   We have seen each other though the best and worst of times, been a part of each others milestones and even supported each other through the "Friends" era, where we all decided to get "The Rachel" hairstyle (which one of us really thought that was a good idea?)  You can't put a price tag on that kind of friendship!

Whenever I visit Charleston, I am always left wanting to live there.   I don't think I would ever tire of the vibe that city has - it marries the best of old south with a fresh, college feel!   People are laid-back, good natured and seem to always have a good time.   There are always new and upcoming hot spots and restaurants, so we had to take in one for dinner on Saturday night.  Whether I was just famished or the food was that darn amazing, I very much enjoyed the meal that The MacIntosh served - seriously juicy glazed pork shoulder that just melted in my mouth and the pork ravioli were to die for - highly recommend this place to anyone visiting!  And Charleston has plenty of oldies, but goodies too - I am never served a bad meal at High Thyme on the island and my shrimp and chorizo grits for brunch was amazing!!   You could really eat your way through the town - and drink!

And no girls' weekend would be complete without hitting a few nightspots and trying to feel young again - especially when you visit a bar that is dubbed "college bar".  The music was good and drinks cold, so we didn't mind hanging even if we were 10+ years older than most inside!   After watching these "twenty-somethings" do their thing, I decided I like being "thirty-something" and am more comfortable in my own skin now than ever.   I wouldn't go back to that time for anything (well, maybe for a few lazy mornings of sleeping in and the ability to stay awake past 10 pm every once in a while!)  

Aaaaah - what a great, relaxing weekend with some of my favorite people.   And I have to give a shout out to my amazing hubby who recognizes how good weekends like this are for me and encourages them!   I am very blessed to have such an awesome Mr. Mom while I am away having fun - makes it a little easier to get on that plane and come home, leaving friends, the beach, and warmer weather behind!   But the weekend wasn't fully complete due to some dear friends who couldn't make it, so a redo is in order - any reason to get back to Charleston!!

The Wonder Years (well just our twenties)

 

 

 

Like fine wine, right? Miss you IUC!

Rooftop bar in January?  Yes, please!

Holidays...Part II

This post is coming a little (well, more like a lot) later than I had planned...

As mentioned in previous post, Christmas ended and one family rolled out and we made room for our second set of family guests here to visit Philadelphia for the first time.   Hubby's sister, her hubby G, and our nephew D had made plans shortly after we moved to come and we had really planned to show them the city and surrounding areas....but if you ever want to test God's sense of humor, just make a plan!  

Our visit was altered slightly - first when my sweet sister-in-law broke her ankle on Christmas Eve.   She is a trooper and was relentless about not letting her walking cast and crutches hinder her sight seeing.  And I was impressed and amazed at how well she maneuvered with just one good working leg!! 

Then, on the day I had planned for us to see Amish Country, Mother Nature decided to bring us some snow!  At first I was bummed that we weren't able to share beautiful Lancaster Co. with them, but after a few hours of steady snowfall - it was really nice to just watch it come down and see the kids having a blast in the snow.   We ended up with around half a foot of snow and for us "Southerners" it qualified as a blizzard.    While seeing a horse and buggy is kind of neat for the kids, snow is so, so much more cool and fun!

To round out their trip, we made it into the city for a little Philly sightseeing, complete with the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Art Musuem (Rocky and his steps) and of course - a Philly cheesesteak!   I guess the third time is a charm because Jim's on South Street was amazing and well worth 15+ minute wait in line just to get our order taken!   It is a no frills and no funny business - cash only kind of place.   But served the best cheesesteak I have had yet in this city, complete with provolone, onions and sweet peppers!   If your mouth is watering, they will FedEx you one :)

Again, super sad to see family leave....especially given that it might be summer before we are all back together again.  To pass the time, I will  stay focused on making this year a fantastic year for our family.   2012 started off extremely rocky with the passing of my wonderful mother-in-law, then Hubby left his "work family" of over 10 years to start out on an new adventure that moved us right on out of our comfort zone, then the loss of another family member when Hubby lost his uncle, and there were lots of other "little" things in between.  So it was a year packed with change, a lot of sadness, and crazy anticipation of what is to come for us.  

 While a little late,  CHEERS to a HAPPY, HEALTHY & BLESSED 2013 (cue the red wine)!

M and Uncle G putting on the finishing touches

Have sled, will travel!

The awesome snowman Uncle G made!

Kids paying their respects to Rocky

Christmas Recap - Part I

Now that the hustle and bustle of the season has passed, I can finally sit down and sum up our past couple of weeks.   While I have haven't had much alone time between our visiting families and the girls being home from school, we were blessed to have our families here and couldn't have been happier having them all in our home for the visits.   It really made our first Christmas in PA so much better!  So here's Part I....

Flower Tree

My parents and sister came in a few days before Christmas, but failed to bring me some warm weather and sunshine!  Instead we introduced them to their first white Christmas.   We spent Christmas Eve at Longwood Gardens (for my southern pals, think Biltmore Estate with less house and way more gardens).   I had been told by several PA pals that this was a "not to miss place" at Christmas time and it did not disappoint.  The gardens and conservatory were filled with beautiful flowers and lit up as the evening sky darkened.   It was truly a beautiful place that was only made more magical as the snow began to fall during our tour of the estate and grounds.   It was once owned by the du Pont family and the history of the place dates back to the 1700s - a little of the history can be found here.   It is worthy of a repeat visit and cannot wait to do so this spring when many of the flowers are in bloom.

The girls had a great Christmas morning - Santa was good to us all this year!  A received her pink guitar and has been in singer/songwriter mode ever since.   M is enjoying all the American Girl gymnastics equipment and clothes for her doll.   And as much as I tried to fight it, we ended up with a giant 3 foot piece of plastic most commonly known as the Barbie Dream House.   I give that gift about 1 month of playtime and then will be used as a giant doorstop!  And I failed to capture a single Christmas morning picture - yikes!   Hubby got it all on film, so crisis diverted. 

After all the gifting, we spent the remainder day nestled by the fire and just enjoying our time together as a family.  We had great plans to travel to Washington Crossing, PA to see the reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware river, but between the snow, wind and blistering temps - the decision to stay in was not difficult to make!  Maybe we will try that next year....  Instead, we ate, drank and enjoyed staying in our jammies just a little longer than normal.  

It was hard to see them all leave, knowing it would be a while before we are all back together again.   We were only lonely for just a couple of days before our next set of family arrived....that adventure will be posting in Part II.

I really can't get two girls smiling at once anymore!

I aspire to have a table set to this extreme!

The family

Christmas light, music, and fountain show

"Home" for the Holidays

Tomorrow marks the 5 month mark for us living in Pennsylvania - it is really is hard to believe it is passing so quickly, but also feels like we have been here longer too!  It is feeling like home to us more and more each day -  Sidecar is doing well and Hubby is very pleased by the progress they are making on the sales front.   The girls have really settled into their surroundings and are starting to use "northern" phrases when they talk.   Like "cart" instead of "buggy" and "soda" instead of "coke" - check out this map if you have time!   And I am enjoying some new friends and getting a little girl time in too! 

There are a few things that will take some getting use to...such as lack of sunshine!!  Even on the days the forecast call for sun, it is just party sun!  And the fact that the sun sets at 4:30pm - M always says that A gets off the bus around bedtime.  Oh and still haven't found Sister Schubert rolls.   I was never expecting to find Duke's mayo, but no Sister Schubert???

But there is plenty to enjoy here -  we have found the people to be super, super welcoming and nice! Granted, my family doesn't lack in small talk or in being outgoing, so strangers have no choice but to talk to us!  And the scenery and small town feel of the area is fun to enjoy during this time of year.   For instance,  Malvern Victorian Christmas - our little borough of Malvern hosts an adorable kickoff to the season with a weekend of activities to help celebrate.    Lots of residents dress in victorian - style clothing, the town tree is lit in the park, churches put on various plays and nativities, and the shops are all lit and decorated beautifully.   For the girls, the highlights were riding in the horse-drawn carriage around town, seeing A's music teacher and students from her school carol in the streets, and watching the nativity and choir at St. Patrick's Church.   And of course, no celebration can be complete without a visit from old St. Nick.    It was a charming weekend and really helped get us into the holiday spirit.

And of course, the proximity to NYC is great and allows for some pretty cool day trips, such as the past weekend.    Going into the city for the day is pretty easy from here and we were amazed when we parked right by Bryant Park and didn't hit a bit of traffic!  We took in the Christmas sights such as the window displays around 5th ave, Rockefeller Center and the highlight was seeing the Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Spectacular.   The Christmas Spectacular was just that - spectacular!  It was quite magical and a very good production that the girls really enjoyed.   A has been practicing her high kicks ever since :)  

Did I mention that we chose the weekend of Santa Con to visit NYC???  At first, it looked like the Santa Pub Crawl that hits Midtown ATL each December.    There were so many Santas, naughty elves, scantily clad Mrs. Clauses - lots for the eye!  However, when I saw that Justin Timberlake was tweeting about how the lower east side of Manhattan was covered with Santas,  I realized this much much more than a neighborhood pub crawl!   As Hubby always says "Good for them" :)  I think he was somewhat jealous he wasn't in on the action.

I started this journey by counting down the months until we return back home....now, in just 5 quick months, I am thinking about what we will do next Christmas here.

 Enjoying Rockefeller Center

M's reaction when I said no to waiting 3 hours to skate!

Waiting for the show!

Tis the Season

There is so much to see and do around this time of year in Philadelphia - especially if you are new to the city and seeing it all for the first time.   I imagine my posts over the new few weeks will include lots of holiday activities and today marks the first one!   I really can't get enough of the sights and sounds that accompany this time of year, so we are going to take in as much as we can before we are exhausted and someone starts bah humbugging.

Hubby had to go into the office on a Sunday today so we tagged along and saw a few of the sights that Philadelphia has to offer.   We took the advice of a few local friends and started with lunch at Reading Terminal Market, where you can at one time be both excited and overwhelmed by the vast array of vendors selling and tourists eating.   It is a landmark that has been around since 1893, so you just gotta see it.  And or course, sample some of the food!

After we fueled our tanks, we popped into the Macy's, which is located in the historic Wanamaker building and features a huge organ that is used for concerts twice a day.   It is pretty cool hearing an organ play while doing a little shoe shopping.  But today, we came to see the light show and then to visit the Dicken's village.   The village comprises of 26 scenes from the Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol and spans over 6,000 square feet.  And at the very end is good ol' Santa.   Here is a video recorded by some random gent, but does a good job of showing you the last few minutes of the lights and just how large this Macy's really is!

Hubby then headed off to work, so the girls and I made our way to the Comcast Building for their Holiday Spectacular - which is movie that displays on the  3’ x 25’ Comcast Experience video wall in the Comcast Center lobby, which is the world’s largest four-millimeter LED screen with incredible resolution that’s five times that of an HDTV.    My pictures do not really capture how cool this wall really is so check out the video I linked out to so you can see for yourself.    The best part, according to A & M, was when they made it snow indoors with some fancy bubble machines.  

It was a great day and we are just getting started exploring how PA celebrates the holidays!   We have stuffed lined up every weekend and through the New Year.  I hope I can make it :) 

Photo op at the entrance to the Dicken's Village

one of of the scenes - Ghost of Christmas Past

HDTV wall at the Comcast Building

Southern Comfort Zone

I am in LOVE with the Brad Paisley song "Southern Comfort Zone" for many reasons:  I love Brad Paisley, love country music, but most of all it is somewhat near to my heart these days.   My life is not nearly as extreme as the lyrics and actually there are some similarities here that make it easier and easier to call PA home now.   But still - there are things -yes, "things" - that just are not the same.  Cue the white noise because I have sung this song before so I know you are tired of reading about it.

Anyway, it was so relaxing to be at home over Thanksgiving and around familiar sights and sounds.   Nothing is more comforting than hearing a good southern accent on others besides myself or feeling the hug of a loved one.    I cannot put into words how these things just put me at ease.

We had a whirlwind trip and felt a little like gypsies - starting off our journey by visiting Hubby's sister and family in South Carolina.  Then off to see dear pals in East Cobb, where we managed to have a little party for M's 5th birthday and her birthday twin, Mr. J!  After which, we headed to spend Thanksgiving with my loving family in Newnan.   And to top it all off, we were hoodwinked into staying in town a little longer and go watch UGA beat up on those Yellow Jackets!  I cannot turn down an opportunity to watch the Dawgs play in Athens - worth sticking around for and to spend a little more time with friends!

It felt so nice to be back and know where everything is...you easily take little things for granted like which bakery for the best birthday cakes in town and those cute little boutiques and gift shops that you only hear about via word of mouth because from the outside you really can't tell what they sell.   Yeah - I miss that, but have met some great people who are steering me in the right direction up here.  

So now we are home and I must admit I am enjoying sleeping in my own bed and getting back to a routine.  But I do miss that Southern Comfort Zone!  Enjoy a few pics from our visit down south!

A, Cousin D, and M

Best Pals

Birthday girl and her best pal E

Gotta make time for the Santa at Phipps!

What Are You Trying to Tell Me?

I am posting this and will more than likely live to regret it.    There is a YouTube video entitled "Sh%T Southern Women Say" and it has now been sent to me several times in the past two weeks.  I mean directly to me with comments like "This made me think of you" and "I have heard you say several of these" and the best being "I think you might know the girls in this video".    Anyway, I am posting here for you all to see that I am aware this video exists and you do not have to send it to me anymore!     It is pretty funny, especially if you are really from the South.    While some of these are pretty much stereotypical, there are many that I have heard come not just out of my mouth, but from the pieholes of my friends and family - bless our hearts!    And for my new northern friends, Sh%t is a two syllable word back home!

And when we visit Georgia next week, you can bet I will be picking up some Duke's mayonnaise!

Enjoy and you might not want to share this with the kids :)

Sh%t Southern Women Say

Halloween with a Hurricane

"Hey girls - we are going to sleep in the basement tonight".  To which A responded, "Why? Are there tornadoes up here, too?" 

Yep, I really thought our basement sleeping days were behind us or at least reserved for the rare instance or a northern tornado.  Little did I expect our first major weather system in the north to be one from a hurricane and nor'easter colliding.  However, when the weather channel predicted the winds to be in the 60 - 80 mph range, we were taking no chances with all of the large, old trees around us.   Especially since we have had friends with trees falling through their homes from past storms and that leaves quite a impression on the kids and myself.

Thankfully, we managed well and can't complain when a 4 hour power outage and tons of rain and wind were the worst of what we saw at our home.  Well, and the kids being home from school for two days!  I am feeling blessed especially when there are trees and limbs down all around us and still many without power here along the Philadelphia area.   Not to mention the complete devastation of towns along the coast up here.    Mother Nature can sure rear her ugly head.

Halloween had quite a dramatic buildup and was really the last thing on the minds of many.  A few of the townships around us have even postponed trick or treating until this weekend and when power can be restored to many of the home.   However, our township kept it going!  We enjoyed dinner with our fantastic neighbors, then the kiddos all hit the ground running to collect some loot!  I was quite surprised by how much chocolate was given out - well, surprised and saddened.  My favorite part of Halloween is going through the girls' bags once they fall asleep and taking my fair share of Twizzlers, Skittles, and Sour Patch Kids.   But there were none!  None!  Just lots of Milky Ways, Twix and Kit Kats and I am not really a milk chocolate girl.   I guess God was looking out for me in other ways than through just the hurricane :)

We hope you and your families are well!  Enjoy a few pics until next time...

Even Lucy got in to the spirit!

Loaded on carbs from Anthony's and ready to go!

Oh So Busy....

It has been a while since I posted and mainly because we were without our laptop for a week.  My love of photos really ate up our memory and space, so had to get a little upgrade to keep on going.  Now that the MacBook is back in the house, we are up and running again.  I do love my iPad, but it really does not replace a good ol' computer!

Life up north has really taken shape and we are settled into a good routine now.   Using the GPS less and less each day and even managing to find shortcuts to avoid the dreaded Lancaster Ave - which is really a lot like Johnson Ferry but much longer and with more traffic and lights.  Avery is rounding out the last few weeks of cheerleading, while Madeline will continue on with gymnastics for a while.  The volunteering with events at the girls' schools has kicked in and we are finding ourselves plenty busy.   It is starting to feel like home and that is both wonderful and scary!

The highlights of the last couple of weeks have been visiting with family and friends we haven't seen in four months.   My parents came for a long weekend and we enjoyed the many sights, sounds, and tastes of Pennsylvania.   It has been really nice and mild for the most part up here, but they did manage to come into town the weekend we had some super cold and windy temps.   My parents thoughts were mainly "It is so beautiful up here.  We could live here IF it wasn't so cold".   Sadly, they didn't even experience a smidge of what it could (and most likely) will be like in a couple of months!  None the less, we had a great time and it filled my heart to be with my parents for a few days.

Then, this past weekend I celebrated my birthday present from Stan by flying to Florida to seem some of my favorite people from back home.   It was a laid-back, sun-filled, girls' weekend and I couldn't have been happier to have the time with my dear friends.   And of course, it was even better with none of us hearing the word "Mommy" for three whole days!!!   As if my heart wasn't full enough from my parents' visit, this time with my gals really put my happiness on overflow!

We have a busy few weeks ahead before we head back home to Georgia for Thanksgiving.  More visitors coming before it gets too cold for those southern souls :)  Looking forward to sharing this beautiful state with our company - the fall foliage up here is spectacular!  Hope you all are enjoying the changing leaves youselves.

Until next time - hugs and kisses!

Beautiful Valley Forge in Autumn

Reality Check

Well, we built our first fire last night.  I am pretty sure I could hear people laughing as us "southerners" bought wood and lit a match to warm our trotters.   However, it was cold yesterday and again today!  I think the Indian Summer is behind us here in PA and it is officially time to don our jackets, mittens, and boots for the year.

I am realizing that we aren't in Kansas anymore!  Some noticeable differences were when Costco had an entire section devoted to "snow survival gear", including snow blowers, shovels, seat warmers, flannel and fleece sheets sets, and snow suits for the entire family.   It actually put me into a frenzy and I quickly started to panic and crazy thoughts invaded my head - "Oh my goodness!  Do I really need all of this"  "What happens if it snows and we don't have any of this?"  "Buy! Buy! Buy!"  Well, my rational side took over and I left it all on the shelves, but did have a frank conversation with Hubby regarding what all we need to have and be prepared for up here.   I was told it snowed as early as Halloween last year!!  Oh my!

And the corduroy!   It may be in all the stores down home too, but I am pretty sure I was on fire just thinking about it, never really owned much.   But now I am thinking it is necessary and I see why Banana Republic, JCrew, Loft, etc. are carrying loads of it up here!  Not to mention wool sweaters, pants, etc.   I will be prepared for what mother nature brings my way.   Going to buy Uggs knowing my feet won't sweat in them like they did in Georgia :)

Oh, I am a big wuss - I know this.   It isn't even really cold - yet, anyway.   I just can't help but look at the 5 day forecast for my new home and compare it to my old - like a 20 degree difference.   One positive to the cold weather - haven't had to worry about a pedicure lately :)  To much info???

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Surprise! Surprise!

Last week was so much fun and filled with some great surprises.  My dear Hubby never ceases to amaze me when it comes to celebrating my birthday, which has been termed "birthday extravaganza" for many years now.   Simply because it always seems that my birthday lingers on for about a week instead of a day.   And that is exactly how last week went for me and I couldn't have been happier with it!

It all started with what I thought was the best birthday surprise - a plane ticket to spend a weekend in Florida with some of my favorite friends in Georgia.   I was estatic, as I miss C, C, and L so very, very much!  Mentally,  I am already on the beach with drink in hand and sand between my toes.   I couldn't have asked for more...

Until Thursday rolled around and I got another huge surprise!  I really wasn't expecting anything else - ticket and some new perfume from the girls was plenty enough.   So on Thursday, two days past my birthday, I really was taken off guard and by surprise when my sister and cousin W flew in from Atlanta to spend the weekend with me!  I mean seriously - when I thought it just couldn't get any better!

So we spent the weekend touring Philly and the surrounding areas - the leaves are starting to change and give the slight hint of color and it is just beautiful this time of year.   We ate some great food, drank some delicious wine and did a lot of chatting! Just perfect!  I think I wore them out by the time their visit ended.

To end the weekend and after all went back home, we hit the ball field to see the Phillies host the Braves.   We had been warned by many a Phillies fan to be on guard if we were to wear our Braves' gear to the game.   And we did - I mean I have to root for my home team!!  And by pleasant surprise, the Phillies' fans around us could not have been nicer and so full of advice for this southern girl.   Besides the Braves' shirt, it was a dead give away that I was a foreigner to this land when I ordered my cheesesteak with provolone cheese.   Big No No - only Cheese Whiz for the locals and the only way to go!  And then to visit and eat one from Steve's - apparently the best in the city!

Let's Go Bravos!

There really is no better gift than to be with family and friends.   While not everyone in my family could be here on my special day, I still heard their voices on the phone and am anxiously awaiting for their visits really soon.  And of course, the girls' trip in a few weeks ...  I am one happy girl!  Looking forward to a fun, busy October.