Family Time at Christmas

We all hope everyone had some special time with their family and friends during Christmas.  Our last couple of days, certainly have been packed.  Christmas Eve day both Ben and I had to work.  Luckily enough both our jobs let us out earlier than our normal departing times (Ben got out earlier than me though...*phewy*).  

Christmas Eve we headed over to Ben's parents house to have Christmas with them and his sister and her family.  It's always a fun occassion at the in-laws and I'm truly blessed with wonderful in-laws.  I've always said that I couldn't of married Ben if I didn't love his parents as much as I do.

Then Christmas day, the morning is spent here at the house with just Ben, myself and C (oh can't forget the kitties too!) opening gifts and having fun.  By mid afternoon we are off to my parents house to have Christmas with them.  And then early evening it's just a jaunt across my parents drive-way to my grandparents house to have Christmas with my whole family.  It's always HECTIC there, but the kind of hectic that you love!  Everyone jumbled around coming, going, talking all at once.  Drinks being poured, food being consumed waaaay tooo much and laughter....always laughter.  And my aunt Jo always making her faces or stuffing some kind of BIG spoon into her mouth....see for yourself here.  Gotta love it when you can catch them in the act!! 

Back to work on Friday for me at the second job....retail hell on the day after Christmas...everyone returning, using the gift cards, and complaining they didn't get what they wanted!  Ben wonders why I can't get into the Holiday spirit like I used to.  Working retail just sucks it right out of you....I thought it was just me but when you talk to everyone else they have the same exact thoughts.  It's amazing how RUDE human beings have become, and how it's "all about me, me, me" anymore.  Oh well, as long as I can still stay true to my values and we can raise C to good morals and values.....

Today ended the Christmas rounds of family at Ben's aunt and uncle's house for the annual post Christmas/New Years celebration.  Lots of people (aunts, uncles, cousins...new babies this year too!) and again lots of food and the Christmas yankee gift swap that's always a good time (and maybe even a little payback time or two...hehe!).

~danine 

Surprising a Rhino for Christmas

We hope everyone had a blessed Christmas!  Santa surely made his stop here quite wonderfully!

So two years ago we sent forth on trying to build a computer for C that would hopefully last him until his high school graduation (we got the computer free put had to pay for some upgrades etc...), well that poor little computer tried it's hardest but couldn't keep up with the technology and the growing that C did...hehe!  So this year we pulled our resources together, got the grandparents involved and got C a new Dell computer (thank you Dell!!).  It was so hard not to spill the beans as the weeks prior to Christmas C's computer kept giving him problems and you'd hear him working on a school project and say "dang it...stupid computer".  Needless to say, now he's just been drooling!

The funniest thing and this backs up how appreciative C is, the new computer came with a new key board and C has been needing a new one of those too.  Ben's also picking on C that he has "clacky fingers" because the keyboard is so loud and some of the keys don't work unless you really pound on them.  

Well we wrapped the keyboard seperately and just gave that to him with all his gifts first (we really played it up and gave him all his gifts, opened all of ours gifts and made it seem like we were done before we pulled out the big guns....oh we are soooo dementing him) and he was more than appreciative of just a new keyboard.  Not even expecting a whole new computer to go with it......makes a mom proud!!!

danine

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! A little early wishes from us to all of you. We all hope Santa spreads his cheer (not the reindeer poop!).

with much love,
Ben, Danine, and Christian a.k.a. "the teenage rhino"

Don't forget......

to check out my photography blog at

backtodanine.blogspot.com

OLD versus Young

I've come to realize how OLD I really am compared to how young and tough C has become!

It was never a problem for me to wrestle with him and we've always truely wrestled, rough housed and I was able to toss C around. Well last night I started to rough house with C and to my dismay.....*gasp*...I couldn't budge the rhino! I can't pick him up anymore! I can't throw him off the coach! I can't bundle him up in a blanket like a pig! Now the rolls are reversed and he's kicking my arse, *sigh*.

The only advantage I have.....he's still severly ticklish everywhere and heck yea I'm going to use that every chance I get!

~danine

Ralph Waldo Emerson was dead on

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remember C, to be you.  You've made us proud from 1st grade when you stuck up for Jenny by telling the other nasty little girls how mean they were to today spending time shopping for homeless children.  Yes, you've had some "Wilbur" moments along the path but I'm very proud of you and my heart overflows.

143

Mom

~

What does Rhino do when it's cold outside?

what else play video games!

(i like how both C and Ben are kicked back, feet propped up on the coffee table, the jar of candy between them.....aw what the life of the men in my household....spoiled rotten!!)


~danine

Season might be over but......

that doesn't stop us!

Don't worry NASA it's only our house!

Ben was at it again last night! Adding Frosty the inflatable (not a fake frosty but the "real" frosty) to the yard and MY NEW GIRAFFE!!!!!

I came home from work and was totally shocked to see a jolly jingle giraffe sitting at my back door all plugged in waiting for me to love him. I screamed like a little school girl went bouncing into the house to quiz C on it (I already knew him and my mother were up to being the little elves!) the second thought immediately was "oh crap Ben is going to kill me and we have NO where to store this after Christmas". Oh well, I love giraffes and have never seen a Christmas giraffe before, maybe the little elf who delivered it will also allow for storage????

I can say our house this year isn't as bad as it normally is. I'm thinking as the hubby gets older NASA is safe from seeing that from the international space station...hehe!

~danine

The Christmas tree has sprung

Well our Christmas tree has made it's arrival today. Ben and C dug it out of the shed and carried into the house and assembled it. Yes we have an artificial pre-lit tree.



Ben grew up with an artifical tree and I grew up with always have a real tree but since I'm allergic to evergreens and the allergy keeps getting worse as I get older, our household has an artificial tree (I must admit, I really like not having to climb under the tree to water it and not have to pick needles out of the carpeting for weeks on end!).



As you can tell, C got into his usual spirit and decorated himself up too! I can't even say he got into too much eggnog all I can say is.....that's my boy, lol!

Friday night Santa arrived in town here. This year, our little boro decided to start a kinda of winter festival. They had a little parade and tried to get the local business owners in on it. One of C's best buddies' mom owns a shop right down town and she got C and her son (we call him Eggie) to dress up in a snowman costume she designed and made herself. The boys had a blast! They ran around main street for about 3 hours entertaining the traffic and the kids, adults too (and by C's accounts I think him and Eggie had as much fun has the kiddies!!).



Unfortunately I had to work that night but I asked Ben to go down and take pictures. Here's one of C in the snowmen costume with Eggie and another one of his buddies. Rumor has it that C and Eggie have requested to do it again next year and have asked Eggie's mom to make a penguin or a gingerbread man costume also so they can both go at it together. God help the town next year!!


~danine

Hoping the roots stick!

The world is a great mirror.

It reflects back to you what you are.

If you are loving,

If you are friendly,

If you are helpful,

The world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you.

The world is what you are.

A wonderful co-worker and friend (thanks again Lisa, boy it's seems like you've been saving the day alot lately!) posted this on her blog and it really touched home. We've tried from day one to teach C to treat others how you'd want them to treat you, not judge the book by the cover, and all those wonderful things BUT as we all know no one is perfect and WE ALL have our down times. Again another lesson for C (and this one he's come to realize fully!) Karma comes around. I pray in the years to come that C can reflect back on these words, in tough times and in difficult times and keep to who he truly is, not who society, friends, family, his job, etc..want him to be.

Keep being you C, remember our talks and the promises made. Remember your roots and alot of times the bum on the street has more in life than the millionaire in the mansion. 143, mom.

~danine

Catching up

Things in the household have calmed down in a sense.  We're not running around as much since soccer season is done and 6 of the 7 days of the week are not taken up with soccer.  I think C and I are both lost sometimes with having time to do whatever!  Ben on the other hand, I think is happy that the home cooked meals are back and we're not scrambling for left overs and take out so much.  I'm also thinking he's glad to have his wife back in the house hold (and the house back under control again) more often than not!

I'm still working the second job (note to remind myself to take a break during soccer season next year so my house doesn't explode!) and with the holiday season in full swing the mall hours are longer so hence my hours are longer but just think of all the male bonding time that C and Ben get to have (yea right, it's more along the lines of who can stink who out of the computer room with the farts!).

Snow and cold weather has settled in upon us, making me wonder why I still live here (I hate, hate snow).  But I'm trying to get through it with getting back to photography and I also have a photo buddy too (thanks Lisa!).  C has been over to a couple friends houses to hang out and sled ride, etc.  Hopefully we all can make it up to Aunt JoJo's house for our annual sledding competition to see who can make it the furthest and to see if anyone can finally make it out into the horse pasture (I'll promise to take pictures!!).

School is still going well for C.  The girlfriend is still illusive for him but there are some prospects in the future.  He's become more confident and "adult like".  I'm loving our conversations that we have.  He's always been my best friend but now he's really my best friend!!  You all might think it's funny but I'm trying to brace myself for the upcoming college days when he's not going to be around so much.  It's not that I haven't cut the apron strings, it's that I truly LOVE spending time and talking about life, social, music, history, reality, THINGS with C.  I love to hear his perspective on issues.  I guess all I can say is thank goodness for unlimited "in calling" and free nights and weekends!!

~danine

Soccer Banquet

Last night we attended our first soccer banquet. I can say I can't wait for next years and truly had a good time reminiscing about the season and watching the video they had put together. I'm already scheming in my little beady brain of the most embarrassing pictures I can given the soccer boosters for Christian's senior year....aww to be a parent, what joy!





Anywho, the kids enjoyed themselves and it was great to see all them together again!

~danine

Winter wonderland or in my case winter yuck!

Well father winter has hit us here in lovely NW PA and hit us hard he did! Now our little town didn't get hit as hard as some others but being one that does not like the winter a 1/2 inch of snow makes my skin crawl. Yes, I know I live here (born and raised here too so I know what to expect) so suck it up and quit whining.

Well last Monday in the hopes of trying to find some winter spirit (and I have to say it was really lovely outside with all the heavy wet snow and it wasn't the normal bitter cold) I ventured out with camera in tow to take pictures. Here's some I thought I'd share.














This is usually how I feel about winter.....someone just shoot me, shoot me now!

One of the trees in our yard never looses it's leaves until the last minute! As you can tell, it's being weighted down heavily by the snow!


























Here's one I couldn't resist trying to shoot. The church cross and clock through the snow covered tree limbs. I think it turned out pretty cool.

~danine

Veteran's Day...THANK YOU!

From our family to every single veteran out there we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts everything that you've sacraficed to give us our freedom.

I grew up watching my Papa walk out every day to the flag pole in his yard, hang the American flag, host it up the flag pole and give it a salute. This from a man that fought hard in WWII, and doesn't talk at all about it (we've gotten a snippit from him in all of the 50+ years!). When we bought our house, we made sure that the flag that Papa and Nana bought for us was hung out everyday and every since one still hangs there!

I grew up with the deepest respect for our Veterans and the American flag, still have it, and my son was taught that same respect. So again THANK YOU for allowing me and my family to live!

~danine

A house full of teenagers...YIKES!

I think I need a day at the spa...oh wait let me rephrase that....I need a day at the spa, any spa, I'm not going to be picky!

Seriously, C and a bunch of his friends have been hanging out on Saturday nights, doing the normal "teenager things", eating pizza, watching movies, etc. Well last Saturday after picking him up from one of the girls house, I mentioned to C that he could have everyone over here......WHAT WAS I THINKING??


I did really enjoy the night. They were a great group of teenagers...a little loud at times but hey there's worse things they can be than loud! It was a mix of boys and girls and they just all hung out, devoured pizza, watched 2 movies, played some cards and Guitar Hero.


I think our cats have recovered and Ben is grateful for is lack of hearing but I on the other hand have realized how SMALL our house really is....we definitely need a good 1,000 square feet added on or a sound proof room, lol.




~danine

Local History Burnt

A local historic covered bridge was sent upon fire late Friday night/early Saturday morning due to arson. C got a text message from one of his friends with a picture of the Gudgeonville Bridge and letting us know. All I can say is we all were astounded and in shock!

Years ago another covered bridge, Carmen's bridge, was thought to have been set on fire by arson but after investigations, it was found out to be a lightening strike. It doesn't make it any easier but you can handle it better. Knowing that the Gudgeonville Bridge was done by arson is beyond words! Lets just hope that justice will be served.

The Gudgeonville Bridge is a piece of everyone that lives around here. As a teenager you grow up with hearing all the ghost stories, waiting your turn to be able to hang out there on Halloween night, and yes even put your name on the bridge. It's always been known to have been spray painted with kids names on the inside but no one ever touched the outside or wrote nasty comments while I was growing up but in the last couple years....unfortunately things have changed. Needless to say the Gudgeonville Bridge may no longer be structurally a bridge but it will always be in our hearts!

Here's a link to the local newspaper story, if your interested also.


~danine

Support for Friends

A co-worker just lost her 24 year old son on Sunday unexpectedly. Needless to say it's a tragedy to all. I'm hearing there is a benefit being planned at our local comedy club Jr's Last Laugh on Thursday, November 13th to help Kay and her family pay for the funeral expenses.

If you can, please join us on Thursday. I can guarantee you'll have a good time and big bonus of helping out a very gracious family in the time being!

Thanks!!
~Danine

Where's Rhino?

How can you hide a teenage rhino? By a huge pile of leaves!!


Ben and I were out raking the leaves in our yard last night for the billionth time (well Ben and C's done more than I have this year, I'll be truthful here!) and C decided to come and to come out and chat with us. Well about 3 minutes of being out with us, C states "I can't take it anymore I gotta jump into them". Glad to know that I haven't completely lost my little boy yet!

But then again it was tempting I couldn't resist either so............



Who say's you have to grow up?







~Danine

What do we do on a nice weekend?

We couldn't of asked for a better weekend for the end of October/beginning of November here in Northwestern Pennsylvania. The last week as been bitter cold with snow (I hate, hate, hate SNOW!!) but by Friday the weather had warmed up for all the trick-or-treaters and the weekend was just beautiful. Yes, this is the usual array of the up's and down's of fall weather in NW PA, one minute your shoveling your driveway and the next your sunbathing.

Anyhoo, I talked the boys into go for a walk in the woods at our local boro park on Saturday. I grew up going there to swim in the creek, see baseball games, have taken C there from the time he was little to swim in the creek but I've never taken the time to walk the paths through the woods. Let alone I never knew most of them existed. We had a great time in our little jaunt, which we actually set out for to take more pictures of just C and I for my mother for Christmas because she will not like the ones of us in our PSU shirts (she's very hard to please so hopefully this will do the trick). I think we accomplished our goal as you can tell by these pictures!



C actually spotted this little waterfall from the path that we were walking on. We had make our way through the woods and prickers to get to this but way worth it! I'm thinking you'll be seeing more pictures from this spot!

As usual, the boys had a great time egging each other on and then ganging up on me the whole time we were in the woods too! We can't go anywhere anymore without being a "normal" family. But then again, I love every minute of it (well maybe not when C and Ben decided they want to see who can punch who the most in the stores.....argh!!) Speaking of normal, I talked Ben into posing for a few too at the waterfall BUT of course it had to be in our "normal" hubby and wifey way, lol, only us I swear!

On Sunday, C was off to do his slot car racing with P.D. (Papa Dan) for the day and Ben decided it was time to play Clark Griswald! You see, Ben LOVES Christmas and decorating for Christmas. He starts looking in September in the stores for the Christmas lights, decorations, etc. We finally had to set rules as to when officially the Christmas lights could come on (the day after Thanksgiving) because again living in NW PA, we decorate the outside with lights when hopefully it's a nicer day outside and our fingers aren't frozen together!! So hence today Ben became spidey and did the roof line to the house. I'm telling you, my electric bill goes up by at least $15.00 a month during Christmas season and I swear the international space station can see my house when it's all lit up. Ben actually admitted today (when he was buying more lights!) that he'd cover the entire house with lights if he knew he wouldn't blow the breakers and/or need to add another line of service (nothing of this was never mentioned in the whole "till death do you part" deal *sigh*)! So I apologize to anyone that's partially blinded while driving by our house during the holiday season but DO NOT take on the responsibility.....it's all due to the hubby getting elbowed in the head to many times while playing basketball...yea that's it!

~Danine

Penn State.......ROOOAAR!

Penn State kicked some O'crap State arse this weekend!! (Go Joe Pa, Go Joe Pa, Go Joe Pa!) In the meantime, I think our cats got alittle bit into the action, lol. Here's some candid shots I thought I'd pass along for fun.
The Nittany Lion (yes that's his name but we call him Nitters!). Hey when you're a PSU fan nothing is beyond being named Nittany!! C is lucky we didn't name him Nittany.Cole (the black cat) and Sundae girl going at it. For some unknown reason these two decided they wanted to spar. Don't get me wrong, our cats have their moments but never anything like this so I just had to grab the camera and get in on the action!
Why is it that I'm always doing laundry? (other than living with a teenage boy who was active in sports!) Cole has gotten into a habit now of jumping into the nice warm basket of freshly washed/dried clothes. This basked I just pulled from the dryer and was so full of clothes he was trying to wedge himself into the corner as much as possible....argh!!

Celebrating 1st!

We got the pleasure to help our little cousin Madi Kay celebrate her 1st birthday this weekend! (her actual birthday is on Tuesday). She's the cutest little thing and looks soooo much like her mommy Kari, Aunt Nik (mommy's sister) and has her daddy's beautiful blue eyes, I'm thinking that Wil and Kar better start stock piling up the ammunition now!


Here's a picture of Papa (the eldest in our family) with his little great-granddaughter birthday girl Madi Kay (one of the youngest in our family)


Madi's gotten the squish the cake part all down! Her great-grandmother grammie Millie baked Madi her own 1st birthday cake so she could destroy one all by herself!














Here's Madi doing her impression of Pooh's "think, think, think". Frosting in the hair mom, makes the hair softer!

Soccer season has come to a close :(

It's official soccer season has come to an end, boo! I can't begin to say how immensely I enjoyed being a soccer mom and traveling all over this year to all the games, even sitting through the sun, rain, and yes I'm going to say the 30 degree weather at the end was a bit much but hey I just kept adding those layers of clothes!

I can't wait for next year (and I know you all are sitting on pins and needles waiting for the next round of pics...hehe!). It's like each one of those boys becomes your own and even though Thursday was our last game, I already miss everyone of them!

(all 6 of the Senior boys Varsity soccer players at Senior night receiving their jackets!)


Senior night came and went and as posted before, C was excited for senior night for the chance to start because the announce the JV starters names BUT there was a hitch this year! The JV game never got played during Senior night. The girls soccer team needed that time slot to make up a game that had previously gotten cancelled. We were all bummed. I know C was quite disappointed, but we all know there's next year!


I can say though, that on our last game of the season C got to start (pictured here)! I was excited for him and loved to see that all his hard work had paid off. He got to play for almost all of this game.


We are so proud of you C by the dedication, hard work, sportsmanship and all around great team player you displayed during the year!! We couldn't of asked for a better teenagerhino soccer player! We love you!!

~ Mom and Dad

Fall Ball (with pics)

Well the infamous Fall Ball has come and gone and we still DO NOT know who the mysterious two girls where/are that like C. Oh well, their loss because look at how deviously handsome he cleans up to be (do wish I could of gotten him in for a haircut before hand but hey......)

C had a good time as much reporting as I got out of him and by the sounds of things nothing "major" happened. There's talks in the works of a winter formal, yes formal, which means he would be wearing a tux!! I haven't seen him in a tux since our wedding day over 7 years ago. This one will definitely bring on the tears!! Guess I need to be stocking up on the Ben & Jerry's as we speak!


~Danine