The Best Of PA

Danny is taking a Sociology Class right now.  He gets to write all these fun papers.  I usually, strongly dislike editing and helping with his papers, but sociology topics are way fun, I think.  So I thought I might share his paper with you.  We are on the same page in our views.  Enjoy and comment, sociology topics are always, a bit controversial. Inequality for all                It is true that none of us are born into the same circumstances.   Everyone comes into different financial, relational, spiritual, physical and intellectual means.   In this sense, none of us are equal.   We are all individually unique.   Some of us are born with high IQ’s, athletic abilities, organizational talents, sociable skills, drive and perseverance.   Others may lack in these strengths and may struggle with them.   Two types of people can even come from the sam...

"Your not mad at me are you?" I swallowed hard and shook my head. But the pit was there. A blackness of shredded fury twisted, folded, grew. And not just anger, but hurt, I felt double crossed, swindled, cheated on. Loyalties were crushed. "No it's fine. No worries." I shouldn't be mad. I could see how excited she was, how this fire burned within her. It was her motivational high and I didn't want to stomp on it. But it was my story . Of course I only had six chapters written and I wasn't sure how long it would be till I got back to it. (unfortunately I am known for starting projects and abandoning them with careless vigor) But the idea was mine. I read her the first chapter and she fell in love with it. She requested she write it with me. I shrugged and agreed to it. I knew there was no real need for me to be so upset. We talked of a joint venture, that never really began. It was too complicated, our outcomes and characte...

I have a struggle. Some call it a sugar addiction, I call it baking and eating the outcome. I know it is unhealthy to eat too many sweets. But the whole experience is sublime. The mixing, the pouring, the aroma of melting chocolate and dripping sugar, forming into a rising piece of perfection. And then as if the experience couldn't get more euphoric, you take a warm bite and allow the flavors to mingle and burst on your salivating tongue. Elly gets to join in on the fun, pouring, measuring, creating a mess. And it is bonding moments. So long as I keep calm when the messes arise, as they always do. We giggle and taste test, check on our confectionary goodness through the dimly lit oven door. And I can't seem to give it up. It makes me happy. And my neighbors are quite pleased when I share. And that warm, rosy feeling radiates within, because a brownie, cupcake, loaf of bread or cinnamon roll spells out "I love you", "I care", "I too...

Last Thursday my spotting took a turn for the worse. It began right before bringing Elly to dance class. What was once occasional purple gook coming out of me was suddenly red and flowing. If that hadn't worried me, then the cramping would have. It felt like my period hopped up on steroids. And then the clots came, in huge dark lumps. I believe I was still in denial in the beginning changes "Maybe there is still a baby in me" It was a hope more, after all I bled furiously, clots and all with Elly, and in the end there still came a baby. She came while I was on bed rest, ten weeks early, but she was there. I had bled on and off from seven weeks till the day she was born in my 30th week. I was on and off of bed rest, in and out of the hospital with over night stays and contractions at 26 weeks. And then the remaining six weeks of my pregnancy with Elly, I was banished to the bedroom. We had our own home, but we moved into my parents in law suite so...

I am so grateful my girls have a fun young Aunt to play with. Mary loves doing their hair, taking pictures of them and just hanging out. Elly loves Mary, and Mary loves Elly. Aunt Mary is fifteen years old, and is busy with cheerleading, track and school, but she has made time for my girls. > >

It is easy to be happy with the weather we are having these days. Sunny and seventies with flowers in bloom. The school season is wrapping up, though I doubt that it will ever really wrap up for us with all the summer work books I've a crewed, summer camp to plan and plenty of books to read. There is much to be thankful for. I went to the doctors yesterday, I was spotting and it still irked me that I was not feeling ill. The results were less than complimentary. There was a sack in there, bunt was empty. No yolk sack or amniotic fluid that the specialist could see. "It is not measuring up to where it should be...it is much smaller. When was your last period again??" She already knew, but was checking up in hopes it was still early. The doctors said to wait two more weeks but that it was a 50/50 chance really. Too early to tell what was to happen. But it's okay. The sun is shining, I have two gorgeous girls I am blessed to stay home with. They...

I'm scared. I'm scared because I am five weeks pregnant and I have no symptoms that I usually have. I am not sick, smells are not revolting to me and I feel normal, just fine. Which makes me wonder, am I pregnant? Is there a live baby in there...or did I lose it already?? And I want another baby so bad, that this overwhelming fear weighs on me, and makes my heart heavy. Every time I see a newborn, those precious just from heaven babies, I melt. And the thought stirs me, I'm ready, ready for another baby. And I know I'm only five weeks along, but I I recall those horrible symptoms being nearly instantaneous. As crazy as it sounds, those symptoms also brought comfort. Like I always knew I was pregnant because the harsh reality was I wouldn't be throwing up like a crazy if I wasn't. Never mind I could not manage to take care of myself let alone Elly. Oh I am just scared and I don't know what to do about it. I called the doctor the other da...

Four days without power was enough to remind me of all the blessings electric can give.  Yes we kindled fires in the living room, cooked on the grill outside, even kept the fridge running and lights going with the generator; however having modern conveniences work at the flick of a switch in the comfort of a warm light filled home is priceless.   I don't realize the lack of effort I put into my very survival until I went just a little without.  It is no wonder the life expectancy of our ancestors was soo much shorter.  It feels like magic now, when I press a button and the room swells with light, warm air fills the spaces, burners boil water in seconds, hot showers steam and beat on an aching back...heavenly.  We are lucky, four days was not so bad with wood to heat usand the buzzing of generators chugging along.  No trees have fallen on our house, no flooding in our basement, every shingle on our roof stay...

Sometimes, many times, I have to take a step back and ponder what it is that makes this life beautiful, sacred, special.  I get frazzled and strangled by the many things on my to do list, my overpowering expectations and desires, kids whining, crying.   Anxiety builds, anger festers, blow ups occurr, until I STOP.  I stop and breathe...clear my mind.  This is not what it's all about is it?   There is no need to have this much PRESSURE.  Why am I sad, frustrated, scared, angry, alone?  STOP, BREATHE.  Hide in a closet and TALK with God.  THANK him for the minuete things, and then build into bigger parts of your life.  You can feel his peace, you will know his love.  I make a list, an endless, eternal thank you card to Heavenly Father.  This is moments of peace, solitude, calm.  And this is just the BEGINNING of my list.  This is turning a new leaf, a work in progress I wil...

We learned about the continet Africa, and made Swahili donuts This is Elly's lion....we read many books on Africa, and pointed at Maps and the globe. Life has been busy here with our new school schedule, I think I need to take a moment to breathe. Please someone tell me, as a homeschooling Mom do you ever feel like there is a endless amount of facts and lessons to be mastered and memorized?  Does your agenda and curriculum to cover in a year feel overwelming?  Maybe it is because it's my first year, and that I still don't quite know what I am doing- or how it's possible I am even doing this, but I seem to feel stretched and withered often. I am overwelmed, I feel the heavy burden of responsibility for my kids educations.  There are moments in time when I feel like I am drowning in a sea of my own expectations, worried if I have the gusto to teach my girls.   Just chilli...

I used to read blogs every day. I would post as many comments as I could to be supportive and blog five times a week, as well link my post to Facebook. My it was draining, but I had a dream to eventually become a published author of something. And I did shoot for the stars....but when you give your all to one thing, another falls to the back burner. My girls, just five and almost two were the victims. I found myself spending hours on the computer editing, posting several pictures, linking up to any blog I could find. I would ignore them for soo long till their tiny whiny voices cracked through. And instead of being joyful that they yearned, no needed my time and attention I lashed out "Just a few more minutes! I'll be done soon! Go play! Out of the room! I'll be out soon!" But five minutes always inevitably turned to twenty minutes, and in the end we wound up with an unhappy Mommy and girls. Un-necessary tears. My decisions needed to be re-eva...

I am back from Utah!  I had a ton of fun with my sisters, scouring the stores, taking walks, exploring the mountians.  But I will write and share pictures later in the week.  This is just a quick post....to let you know I am in fact still alive and well.  And to tell you a bit about my exhiliration about loving where I live. You see on the way home I was able to stay awake for a bit (despite the dramamine) and watch the scenery below.  I was able to observe the rustic brown mountains blend into dry flat fields, then stretching green patches, and finally rolling hillsides filled with trees, farms and grassy fields.  Sorry Utah friends and family, but I live in the most beautiful part of the world.  I love that flowers bloom sporadically, thunderstorms crash with the wind, the buttery sun peaks through fluff filled clouds and gentle breezes blow in the cool setting sun.   But most of all, I love the GREENERY!!...

Mmmm You know Summer is here when the rasberries are bloomed and beginng to ripe.  Really, is there anything better than rasberries fresh off the vine??  I LOVE rasberries.  Thankfully a few years back, we planted some in the back yard.  You know what else I LOVE....the summer.  The simple  and delicious pleasures of summer...like this fantastic weather.  Here in PA the weather has been AMAZING!! There is a constant gentle breeze, the humidity has been low, the sun shines and the sweet birds sing their tunes.  I am enjoying it for as long as it lasts.  I have To Do List for my Summer Plans, and they consist of this: - Picking and Eating Rasberries off The Vine -Strawberry Picking -Blueberry Picking -Bonfires -Star Gazing - Dorney Park Trips -THE BEACH!! -Free Movie Days @ the Promenade -Bouncing on the Trampoline with my Girls -Days in The Park -Rail Trails -Have another successful Summer Camp C...

Good Morning!  Guess what......I have another blog....gasp!  Well truthfully I have two more blogs, but never mind that, because today I am introducing my Inspirational one.  Now don't get sad or anything, I will continue to blog on here.  After all, this is pretty much my family journal.  Anyways, I was looking to expand my writing aspirations, and came up with a plan.  Here it is: http://www.alittlsparklealotofgrace.com This blog has Inspirational/Christian posts, that myself and those in my writing group have written.  We are so excited to tell stories from the heart.  And I would REALLY LOVE if you would check it out.  Right now we post about once or twice a week.  So please check it out!!  Have a fantastic day!   

She drags the lilac quilt behind her.  It goes where ever she does, through grass, dirt, and cool wooden floors.  I watch her stop and put the purple material to her nose.  Brinely breathes in it's aroma and closes her eyes.  She has a great love her for blankie...or is it addiction?  She can not sleep without it, and she insists on taking it everywhere.  It is adorable to watch. I can't help but feel like that blanket sometimes.  As as mom, there are days, minutes, hours when I feel, drug through the dirt, trampled on, ripped at the seams, worn, and without a break.  Sometimes I wish for a long relaxing, uniterrupted nap, or a few minutes to finish cleaning the kitchen or sort the laundry.  But then sometimes there is nothing better than feeling like a blankie, cuddled and kissed, adored and loved, small conversations filled with giggles and smiles, having a pair of tiny hands in yours, hearing the lovely words "I l...

Is it just me or are the weeks getting shorter? Not necessarily the days, because let's be honest, sometimes a minute can seem forever, like when a certain toddler is having a rolling on the ground having melt down.  Then again, a good day can whizz right before my eyes, like the weekend.  This past weekend seems like a lovely distant memory, even though it was only 48 hours ago.  We celebrated an early Easter with the Cooper grandparents.  Our time was filled up with walks with the nieces and our kiddos, feeding the chickens, swinging on the porch swing, filling up on sweets and steak, an Easter Egg Hunt and cable TV. We also caught a bit of General Conference when the sessions were on, though I have to admit I only caught a few of the talks.  My mom will be so disappointed in me-yet not so surprised because we do this every General Conference.  For those of you wondering what on earth General Conference is: well our church...

photo from: http://www.123rf.com/photo_10797075_vintage-treasure-chest-with-some-jewels-inside.html "Do you think I'm poor or something?" I looked at Bridget, her lips curled into a smirky smile. Countless times I've heard her say interesting things about money. "Elly don't expect gymnastic lessons, it costs A LOT of money....Don't worry Danielle, if you save your money up, maybe eventually you can go to Disney....Danielle playing an intsrument and taking lessons cost a lot of money, you might want Elly do something else." I find it to be rather entertaining her bits of wisdom for me. But I've never viewed myself as poor, AT ALL! I often wonder why Bridget views us as "po folk". Was it because we didn't have cable? Is it our lack of fancy cars, or the obvious old worn furniture and painted kitchen cabinets ? I was baffled, and so when another: "yeah, skiing is probably to expensive for you" comment flew ...

Not much of a blog post today. Ellyanna has been crying all weekend about her throat hurting and claiming she could not hear from her right ear. This of course caused me to feel an enormous amount of guilt because I was frustrated with all the crying. I would attempt to cuddle her but after sporadic melt downs she would be summoned to her room. Yesterday afternoon my glands began to swell and ache, my back and legs felt woozy and it killed to swallow my own spit. I began to empathize for Elly BIG TIME!! I felt miserable. I "NyQuilles" it, and gave the girls tylenol. There was not much sleep last night. I must've woken up four times due to Ellyanna wanting a drink, having to go to the bathroom and not feeling well. Finally she joined Danny and I in bed.This poor girl, I could only imagine how she felt, because sleeping for yours truly was tortuously painful. It hurt to move, swallow, lie down. Well I took her to the doctors today only to find out that Ellyanna had a 102 ...

   Well I can say that it has been quite the challenge to blog this past week...or whenever all this computer shennanigans began.  But alas I am on here......or at least till something breaks down, which can be at any moment. There is so much to write about, but I have decided put off sharing our micro date for a later time.       This morning was the first meeting of a writers group I put together.  I invited all my  "wanna be author friends"  for a meet and greet, some critiquing and a pot luck lunch.  It seemed to be a success.  After all, it has performed it's purpose: to get us all writing, and to try to better our work.  Oh I just love writers groups.  You go in there, ready to share your work.  You think, this is great stuff, I just know they are going to gush over my talent and wonder why I am not a best selling author already?!?!  Oh yes, you THINK, yo...