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