Windy Spring Day

 Today I have realized that my two year old Siberian Husky would not last one minute in Siberia.  Today is a very windy day and when I opened the back door to let her outside she just stood there in fear.  She flinches and jumps every time the wind blows.  

Oh, Brooke!  You amuse me.  

And Happy Spring, everyone!  We have made it through winter.  Living in the middle of farm country means this is the time of year when the smell of cow manure permeates the air as they begin getting the field ready for the season.  It's gross.  I wish there was a way I could put that smell on this post just so you know just how bad it is.  It's a smell I'll never get used to; however, I can appreciate it because this means we will be blessed with plenty of vegetables to eat.  Thank you, farmers!  

I hope this season of Spring brings you many blessings!

March-ing On

 Hello, friends!  We have now begun another week and like the months before, March is moving very quickly.  In the last few weeks I've sat staring at a blank page on my laptop wondering what I should type.  I feel my blog is lacking in any purpose and it is definitely without some sort of routine.  I feel stuck in a rut and unable to share anything that's outside of my typical day to day life - which is very monotonous and repetitive.  I also tend to go all over the place in my writing but that's exactly how my brain works.  So, I thought about itemizing my thoughts, just as I've seen many other bloggers do.  Maybe it will help keep things going in a more organized way.  

Daylight Savings:  This time of year meant we had to move our clocks one hour ahead which caused us to lose sleep but it also means the sun stays out a little later in the evening.  In Pennsylvania we experience all four seasons and sometimes it seems we experience all four seasons in one week.  One day it's a brisk 40 degrees and the next day it reaches into the 70s.  We've been blessed with the 60s and 70s in the last few weeks with sunny skies and a reminder that winter is soon ending.  Then again, in the past we've experienced intense snow storms in the middle of March so I'm not holding my breath that this warm weather will last.  But I'm hoping.  She's hoping too ... 

A not so typical husky sunbathing on the back deck.  

Back to Baseball:  Oh, yes, this is my favorite season for sure!  Not only are the professionals gearing up for another season ahead but here in my hometown I get to sit at the field watching my own son play.  This year he made Varsity and on the first game of the year he was the one who made the first run for the season.  He's been playing ball since the age of 5 and although he hasn't been the best on the team he's worked very, very hard and that's more than enough reason to be proud.

And Now Track, Too:  Last summer Matthew found a love and gift for running when he joined the cross country team.  Some of his teammates tried talking him into joining track for the spring season and he really wanted to but he also did not want to give up baseball.  After talking to the athletic director and coaches they agreed to allow him to do both.  The only one in his school to be a dual athlete in the same season.  I've been nervous that it's going to wear him out but he insists he'll be fine.  So far, he is.  In his first meet his team got first place in the 4x800 and he got second place in the individual 800.  Unfortunately, I was not there to see it because I had to take Brianna to her dance classes but I do plan on being to as many as I can.  Rob was there and he was able to get video and pictures.  

March Unofficial Holidays:  Fat Tuesday is traditionally celebrated by Catholics and some Christians as a way of preparing for Lent.  Some know it as "Mardi Gras" which is French for the words Fat Tuesday.  Some call it Shrove Tuesday, which in German means "the eve of the fast" or "fastnaught."  There are different ways of celebrating Fat Tuesday but the idea is to eat as much food as possible before Lent begins the next day.  Where I live we traditionally celebrate it the PA Dutch way, which is called Fastnaught Day.  A Fastnaught is a donut-like dessert, which is usually but not necessarily made from mashed potatoes and other things that can be found in the pantry.  I have never made fastnaughts but I do buy them from the local grocery store and it's something we all enjoy.  In our home we don't celebrate Lent but that does not stop us from indulging in a little Pennsylvania tradition.  

Another thing we amusingly celebrate is on March 14th.  Can you guess what it is?  Since 3.14 is the first three digits of Pi someone came up with the idea to make it National Pi Day but even to those, like me, who are not even close to being math scholars can find enjoyment in turning it into PIE day.  Every year I make pie and it's usually a chocolate pudding pie because that's the only pie the kids will eat.  

Brianna wanted to recreate the picture I took five years ago.

Pi Day 2025

Pi Day 2020

St. Patrick's Day:  Today is our favorite official holiday of March.  It's when we wear green and the kids wake up to find an individual container of Lucky Charms and their own package of Skittles and chocolate coins.  When they were little I would pretend they were left from the leprechaun but they have now reached the age of knowing better.  I still enjoy keeping up with these silly traditions.  It is my hope that my children will look back on their childhood and remember these little traditions I gave them.  My mother always made corned beef and cabbage America's signature St. Patrick's Day meal.  As much as I like it my husband and kids don't so I go with an authentic Irish dish called "Bangers and Mash," which is sausage and mashed potatoes.  Since I'll have to go from watching Matthew's baseball game to running Brianna to her dance studio there will be no time to prepare the meal this evening so I'll have to figure out how to get it done ahead of time and everyone will have to heat it up when they are home.  It's the life of having children with after school activities!  

Wishing you a bright and happy week ahead!  3 days until SPRING! 

It's March

 I spy with my little eyes some Saint Patrick's Day decorations ... 

My husband and I both have some Irish in our ancestry, although we don't usually make a big deal about it -- except for Saint Patrick's Day.  Now that it's March all of my Valentine's Day decorations are put away and all the green stuff comes out.  

March also means it's time for high school to get back into spring sports and my son has his baseball tryouts after school.  This weekend most states, including ours, will turn the clock ahead one hour.  We are on the countdown to spring and it's going to be a busy one.  This week, particularly, will be filled with doctor appointments for the kids.  Today is a typical Monday where I'm cleaning up weekend messes and menu planning for the week.  Between busy evening schedules and having picky eaters meal planning is never fun but it's an important job and someone has to do it.  I've just really been struggling with it.  On Friday my husband asked what was for dinner.  I really was not in the mood to cook.  My depression was kicked into high gear and I was struggling more than most days.  My husband did not seem like he was in the mood to cook either and after a long day of work I wasn't expecting him to.  Then an idea hit me.  We were given a gift card to a diner for Christmas so I asked if he wanted to go on a date.  We could order pizza and snacks for the kids and allow them to have an evening to themselves.  He, obviously, agreed.  Date nights for us have been few and far between since having kids.  Having a chance to get out of town and have someone else cook for us was a real treat.  The bad blogger in me has no pictures of the meal to post.  

On Saturday I watched as Rob and the kids ran in another race.  It was the last of the winter series and both my husband and daughter ran the 1 mile while my son did the 5k.  Again I say, I'm so proud of them.  They are amazing.

Then my daughter and I spent the afternoon visiting my parents.  With our busy schedules we don't get to see them very often.  It's been difficult knowing how much they are struggling physically as they age and I don't know what to do.  I'm caught between having a job and raising two active kids while having parents who can use as much help as possible.  The rest of the family lives on Long Island and, they too, have busy schedules and can't easily make a trip to visit.  It has made me question God many times as to why my parents made a choice to move to Pennsylvania years ago.  In that time they were younger and healthier, unaware of the what the future was going to hold.  My grandparents (dad's parents) were also here in Pennsylvania too.  While we were there my dad asked if we could clear all the pinecones from under his tree.  

Sunday was church, lunch at the church after service, and home to enjoy the rest of the weekend.  Sundays are phone free days in our house since it's something we all could use a break from.  

It is my hope that March brings you a lot of sunshine and blessings!  

Goodbye February

Happy Friday!  Not only have we made it to the last day of the week but we also made it to the last day of February.  

Last night we attended the middle school benefit concert and watched both chorus and band put on a wonderful performance.  Bri gave up on chorus midway through this school year because she wanted to focus on band.  She traded in her clarinet for the french horn and has been doing great with it.  She is already signed up to join the marching band in high school.  High school?  My baby is going to high school?  Whoever came up with the term "time flies" obviously was a parent.  

I hope everyone had a great February.  I know I complain a lot about the cold weather but I have also learned it's a good excuse to stay inside pretending to be a hermit crab.  Recently my husband asked me how many times I have gone through the Gilmore Girls series.  Admittedly, I don't know but this has been a good series for me to keep on during the cool fall and winter days when I'm home alone getting housework done.  I'm almost on the last season and then it will be time for warmer days spent outside and less television watching.  

And while another episode is playing on my living room television (thank you Netflix) I'm getting through some more laundry and housework until it's time to leave for my afternoon van run.

I hope February was great for you and I pray March brings you lots and lots of blessings!