A Visit to the German Christmas Market

This weekend we braved the cold and headed to the city for the German Christmas Market. We took the train in...the girls always love riding the train and we enjoy not dealing with city holiday traffic!

The outdoor market is set up around City Hall and this is only it's 2nd or 3rd year. It is set up to showcase European crafts, but we also enjoyed vendors from South America and other parts of the world as well, and also some good old typical Christmas stuff. Steve and I were actually impressed with how nice the entire experience was.

We enjoyed window shopping with the girls, explaining about the arts and crafts, even watching some crafters at work. Our favorite vendor was a German vendor with a big heated tent...it was cold that day! The tent was filled with beautiful Christmas ornaments, finely carved displays, German carousels, and exquisite nutcrackers. There is just something extra special about enjoying works of art.

We also enjoyed a yummy German lunch...bratwurst, weisswurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, and some really delicious warm potato pancakes. I wish I had taken a picture of our food!

We finally got so cold that we found it hard to enjoy the market any longer, so we went in search of a coffee shop. The downtown Macy's had neato window displays that we enjoyed while we walked. We found a Starbucks on the other side of City Hall and enjoyed warming up while we watched all the shoppers bustling about. The horse-drawn carriages were in full swing, complete with sleigh bells. As Steve and I watched our girls taking it all in, we thought of these lyrics...

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style.
In the air there's a feeling of Christmas.
Children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile and on every street corner you'll hear.

Silver bells, silver bells
It's Christmas time in the city
Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas day.

It was a great day in the city! Here are some pics...enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Happiness~

The girls and I made good old sugar cookies last week for a Christmas gathering at our home. I think they turned out very nice...don't you? And they were just as yummy as they were pretty.

We used Alton Brown's recipe which you can find here. I really liked this recipe because the cookies did not puff up or out too much. They kept their shape really well. The girls had fun using all sorts of different sprinkles to decorate with.

Toffee Anyone?

Hello all...hope this finds you enjoying all sorts of yummy Christmas treats. I had a request to share my "toffee" recipe, so here goes.

I received this recipe from a co-worker way back from my days at Verizon and I've been making this recipe for 10 years now. Everyone always enjoys it and is amazed at how easy it is. One year I actually spent a lot of time making all sorts of beautiful and delicious Christmas cookies and treats and this was the one that everyone liked best...and, of course, it's the easiest...figures :)

I also love this recipe because you break it up to serve...very nice when you plan on shipping it...it doesn't matter if the cookies break :) Also nice when you're shipping around the world. I heard my brother was Big Man on Base when these arrived in Iraq.

You will need:
Saltine crackers
2 sticks of butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 package chocolate chips
1 cup nuts to top

Preheat oven to 350. Cover bottom of cookie sheet with the saltine crackers, salt side up. You may need to break up some to fill in the gaps. Heat brown sugar and butter in the microwave for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix very well until they are completely blended. This will take a minute or two. Pour butter/brown sugar mix over the saltine crackers and spread to cover. Put in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and put any floating crackers back into place. Pour bag of chocolate chips over the crackers. Put back in oven for just a bit (less than a minute) to heat the chocolate chips so you can spread them over the top. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate for at least a couple hours. Break up and ENJOY!

I've done lots of different toppings variations as well. I've used all sorts of different kinds of nuts, course ground sea salt, crushed peppermint candy (a favorite at Christmas), coconut, etc. How about some cranberries or other dried fruit or crushed up your-favorite-kind-of-candy? I've used white chocolate chips too and sometimes you can find flavored chocolate chips that might make a nice variation. I've also heard of using graham crackers instead of saltines...maybe I'll try that next :)

One other note: I use a cutting board to press my topping into the warmed chocolate layer...helps it stick a bit better.

Whatever variety you make, I can almost guarantee that it will be a hit!

Enjoy~
Rachel

I'm not a Seamstress...

...but I think the girls will like these anyway. I'm posting this because my mom asked to see pictures of my recent sewing project.

This taggie bIanket is for Sophia. She has one that is beyond well-loved that a friend made for her when she was born. She is very tactile and still loves to rub and play with tags. I hope she likes this one as much as I do.

I made this denim purse for Bella using an old pair of jeans. I saw one of Bella's friends with a similar purse and thought I'd try it. It was simple. I cut the leg of the jeans, sewed one end closed and added some pretty beaded fringe to the bottom end. I sewed on the straps and this purse even has a metallic button closure at the top. I found these felt flowers and ironed them on and added a few stitches for extra staying power. And, viola, Bella has a purse waiting for her under the Christmas tree. I hope she likes it :)

Well, I'm happy to say that my sewing machine and I are becoming friends~

Have a great day~
Rachel

Missing: One Front Tooth

Sophia lost her first tooth on Saturday, November 20th. It had been super loose for a long time, but she did not want anyone touching it and would not try to pull it out herself...so we waited. We had planned to head to the mall after Steve got home from work (yes, he works a half-day most Saturdays) so the girls could have their picture taken with Santa. Sophia was eating a cheesestick when he got home and she was super excited to show Steve just how amazingly loose her tooth was. She opened her mouth to show him...and the tooth was gone! I wish I had a camera ready to capture the look of utter surprise...priceless! So, where did it go? I checked the cheesestick...no tooth. I couldn't imagine that she had swallowed it, but I've heard of that happening. Then she started telling me about the "hard bite of cheese" in her cheesestick. She had bit into something hard and had spit it into the garbage. Thankfully, it wasn't very full or messy. I began to carefully pull things out of the trash and discovered one tooth just patiently waiting to be found. I was really happy that we found it so easily...so was Sophia :) Under the pillow it went and the Tooth Fairy kindly left her a $2 bill...the first tooth is special and therefore gets a special dollar according to the note that the Tooth Fairy also left.

And we merrily went on our way to the mall and had this photo taken a few hours later.

The close up was taken today...her new tooth is making good, crooked progress~

God bless~
Rachel

Proud to be an Air Force Granddaughter

Hello...I know, I've been a slacker. All three or four of my blog readers have turned blue in the face waiting for my next post :)

I am definitely behind in keeping up with my "electronic diary". I have lots I hope to post, and find time slipping away too easily. However, one reason for my slacker-ness was the first part of my pregnancy. The first trimester is well over and I am feeling so much better. So I've been trying to catch up on all sorts of things around here...like school for the girls and cleaning the house...blogging had to be put way on the back burner.

Um, Rachel, this is nice and all, but what does any of this have to do with the title of your post?

Glad you were wondering!

Our family traveled down to Raleigh, NC last month for the NC Veterans Day Parade. My dad, retired Air Force Major Yates, was the chair of the parade this year and he did a GREAT job organizing the event! He invited us down to participate in the parade. Well, there was no way that this homeschool family was going to miss out on an opportunity like this...history and civics at it's best!

In preparation, Bella knitted her own red, white, and blue scarf for the parade. I made a matching one for Sophia. I also taught the girls a bit about the history of Veterans Day and took them for a visit to the PA Veterans Museum right here in our little town of Media. We talked about family members on both sides of our family who have served in the military. It was interesting to see them connect that their own Uncle Chris is a veteran who has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Parade day was cold and chilly and a bit wet...thankfully the rain held off until right after the parade and ceremony were over. Dad had arranged for the girls to ride in a classic car...they actually got to be in the parade...wow! Steve and I walked along with them. It was a very special experience...one I'll cherish. We stayed for the ceremony and speeches following the parade. The girls listened, sang, asked questions...it was wonderful.

After the parade, we celebrated with a Veterans Day themed tea-party feast organized by my Mom, Sophia, and Bella...yum! Bella and Sophia each honored my dad with a speech thanking him and sharing with him how much they enjoyed the parade. This was their own idea and neither Steve nor I had any idea they were planning a speech...we were touched and impressed. Bella ended her speech with, "I'm proud to be an Air Force granddaughter"...I almost cried and I think my parents were very touched too.

I am thoroughly impressed with my dad and the wonderful job he did organizing the parade. Thank You, dad, for all your hard work. The parade was wonderful and an honor to all the Veterans and their families. You can see more of the parade at www.ncveteransparade.com

Here are some of the pics I took...enjoy!

God bless~
Rachel

Is it Too Early for a Christmas Post?

I realize you may still be experiencing sugar shock from Halloween, but I though it timely to share anyway. I, personally, am glad that Halloween is over. I'm ready for the next round of holidays...I'm ready for the Thanksgiving turkey...I'm ready for the Christmas decor to take center stage. With that being said, here's an essay I recently wrote...may God inspire you this holiday season.

Two Catalogues

Ah, yes...Christmas is just around the corner. I know because I have started receiving all sorts of interesting catalogues in the mail. Some of these "extended advertisements" are fun to flip through; festive decorating ideas, gifts discovered, new recipes to share.

I was very much struck, though, last week by two catalogues that arrived in my mailbox. The difference between these two catalogues is startling and should cause all of us to consider how we spend our money.

One was for a very fine, very expensive clothier. I don't even know how or why I got on their list because anyone who knows me knows that fashion simply is not a high priority for me. Some might even say that I am "fashion challenged" and I'm okay with that. The other catalogue was the World Vision Christmas Gift Catalogue. This catalogue is filled with things that you can give to children and families, sometimes even villages, all over the world, that make a true difference in the life of the recipient(s). Gifts like seeds, farm animals, fish ponds, and water wells...gifts that change and sometimes even save lives.

I do not want you to misunderstand me. I am not saying that having or enjoying the nicer things in life is wrong. I do believe, however, that we must examine our desires and that we should present them before our Lord for His evaluation. I imagine that you would find that many "must haves" in our consumer culture would not be as enticing when evaluated in the Lord's light. I imagine He would have you consider others more important than that overpriced coat or the latest gadget.

Let us not lose sight of the truth of Christmas. Please be praying about a gift to help the less fortunate. Would our Lord have you give to a family in need? Or to a ministry that clearly shares the gospel? God will lead you where He would have you give. And if you're interested or aren't sure where to start, here are two of our family's personal favorites: www.worldvisiongifts.org and/or www.covenantmercies.org

I love the holidays and I love giving and receiving gifts. I also love how the Lord allows my family to feel His special pleasure when we are able to share a gift with someone in need. It really is wonderful; He blesses us for blessing others. What at first may feel like a sacrifice, He turns into joy and a treasure! May you enjoy the extra blessing of knowing that you faithfully followed the Savior into His Christmas season.

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6: 19-21

"Honor the Lord with your wealth..." Proverbs 3: 9

"...blessed is he who is generous to the poor." Proverbs 14: 21

Have a blessed day~

Rachel

Our Little Announcement

39...and pregnant...

I definitely never thought I'd be having a baby when I was 40. But here I am and it's exciting! I never thought I'd have a near 6 year gap between kids. But there will be and it will be just fine! There are so many things about having another baby that might not seem to make sense, but Steve and I are simply trying to walk in faith and trusting God as we follow Him. And, no, this baby was not a surprise, an oops...just in case you were wondering.

Steve is very excited and the girls are happy too. The girls are already negotiating with me about jobs and wondering about diaper changes. Bella has agreed to handle poopy diapers if I pay her...I'm sure we'll be able to work something out :) Sophia is hoping for a boy because "if it's another girl, Daddy will be so outnumbered"...those were really her words. Bella wants another sister. Thankfully both say they will be fine if they don't get what they want :)

Steve and I just want healthy. It would be so nice to have another son, but that is not why we decided to have another baby. God has done much healing in our hearts concerning Elijah and we knew that if we every had another baby it would not be to try for a boy. For some reason I can see us with another girl. Maybe it's simply because I've been raising girls and that's what I'm used to. Maybe it's because we have a beautiful girl's name already picked out. And another girl could make use of all the sweet pink, flowery, ruffled clothes we still have :) Oh, there's just something about little girl clothes that melt my heart and make me smile! But it would be fun to start checking out the little boys section too. God knows exactly who will best fit into our family...we are trusting.

How do you feel, Rachel? Thanks for asking...

I am tired...tired, tired, tired. Thankfully I am not sick and rarely nauseous. I had a few weeks where I was kind of not feeling so well regarding food, but it was short lived and not too bad. The fatigue, though, has felt pretty overwhelming at times. I often go to bed when the girls do. Naps or rest time have become pretty common for me too. I have not slept well since I was about 3 weeks along simply because I have to get up and use the bathroom every 2 hours...all night long...every night...every single night. I have also greatly reduced my caffeine. And since I consider myself a Lover of Coffee, I am sure this has affected my energy level. It is funny though, because coffee barely appeals to me now...and the thought of a mocha turns my stomach.

I am still trying to get to the gym, although my workouts are not what they used to be. I have reduced my weights in Body Pump...that's when I have the energy to even consider taking the class. I am still spinning...again, when I have the energy. Last week I didn't manage to take any of my regular classes and only walked the track...but something's better than nothing, right? I really am determined to have a healthier pregnancy than I have in the past concerning weight gain, so to the gym we go.

Well, that's the little update about our little announcement...God bless~

Rachel

Blessed...By a Washing Machine?

When I married Steve he already had a good washer and dryer...bonus for us because we were just weeks away from moving into our new house. A man with his own washer and dryer...a wonderful thing!

That washer and dryer moved to Colorado with us and then moved to PA with us too. They were a powerhouse pair (Kenmore, I believe) and they worked great...but they were electric. Our house in PA has a gas hook-up for the dryer, so we knew we would be needing a new dryer. We negotiated with the sellers to leave their washer and dryer with the house. Their appliances were newer, so we thought we were making a good deal. On moving day, it so happened that one of the movers needed a washer and so we simply gave him our older (but workhorse) set since we had newer ones waiting for us at the house. It felt good to bless someone else with something we no longer needed.

Well, we soon learned that the newer appliances were very basic, bottom end appliances, but they were working fine, so no worries. I did miss our other ones at times, but for the most part, it was no big deal...plus we were going to have to change to a gas dryer anyway, so no use moaning for something that I wouldn't have been able to use anyway.

That washing machine worked for 2 years...and then it died. Steve was able to figure out the problem, but the parts to repair it were expensive and it just wasn't worth it. Being in school means we have no extra money...definitely not the kind of money you need for a new (worthwhile) washing machine. We didn't panic and didn't really worry about it either. For about a month I lugged our laundry to my friend's house or did loads at the laundromat...not very convenient, but it was working. We checked into renting a machine and just about the time we were ready to have a machine delivered we got a call from my same friend who had graciously been sharing her machine with me. Her husband's co-worker's neighbor (did you follow that?) had a washing machine sitting outside with a FREE sign on it. For some reason the co-worker called our friends to see if he knew of anyone who needed a washing machine. Steve was working late that evening, so my friend's husband drove over, picked up the machine, and dropped it off at my house! WOW!

Steve installed it the next day and the laundry piles began getting smaller! Now, it did not take long to realize that this was another bottom-end machine, but beggars can't be choosers and I was choosing thankfulness:) We've had this machine for about a year and it's done pretty well. Sometimes it decides not to spin and Steve and I have wrung out sheets over the garden because the machine was being difficult and acting up...and then it's fine again. But because it does act up from time to time, there are some things that I don't even try to wash in it anymore.

Like comforters. So when Sophia had a puke fest a few weeks ago, I knew we were headed to the laundromat. Thankfully, the machine was willing to wash all her sheets and even a light quilt that night, but I knew better than to even try her comforter. So we headed to the laundromat.

The girls actually enjoy going to the laundromat...crazy, I know! They have fun with the baskets and I usually let them get an ice cream at the McDonald's across the street. It's not a bad deal.

I wanted to share this story, because to me, it's a strange and wonderful example of how God does care about the details. I want to be careful, because I don't believe that an indication of God's blessings is by how many material things you have. Obviously, we should be thankful for all the blessings in our life, material and otherwise. But we must also be careful not to measure out Lord's love by prosperity; the Prosperity Gospel is a dangerous thing. To be honest, I saw the broken washing machine as an irritation and an inconvenience, but not really as something to even pray about. I'm not sure if that's completely okay, but it just wasn't a big deal to us and in the bigger picture (orphaned children, homelessness, poverty, hunger) it just didn't seem like a very important thing to be concerned about. I was simply amazed at how God provided for us anyway...it grew my faith.

There are so many ways that God has cared for my family. He has especially been revealing Himself to us and changing us since He's had Steve in graduate school. I hope to share more stories of the kindness and care of our Lord...

...but in the meantime, enjoy these pictures of the girls from our latest visit to the laundromat.

What a week!

What a wonderful and wacky week we've had! What a fun week of school:)

On Friday, Sophia had an appointment at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She was referred to an ENT specialist simply because she has very large tonsils and they needed to evaluate if anything needed to be done. The good news is that she is fine and her tonsils do not need to come out...it's always good when surgery is not required. Our short, little experience at CHOP was actually very pleasant. And they validated our parking ticket so it only cost $3 to park in the city for the entire day...major bonus!

So we went across the street (literally) to see Steve. Steve's chemistry building is right across the street from CHOP. We got to have lunch together...a rare treat. We also completely splurged and took the girls to a place called Naked Chocolate...doesn't the name say it all! We let them each pick out one treat...it took them a long time to pick because everything looked so wonderful! Steve and I split a peanut butter cupcake...it was AMAZING!

Then the girls and I took the subway across the city to the National Constitution Center. It was the 223rd anniversary of the signing of the Constitution and they celebrated with a free day. They had lots of activities...it was great! The building is so beautiful and the exhibits are very well done. We enjoyed a live narration of a movie-in-the-round which was a great history/civics review of all the girls and I have been studying with school. It was well done. The girls loved wandering around the museum...I love this kind of learning. A gentleman with the NCC even took some photos of them dressed up as judges at one of the Supreme Court exhibits...maybe they'll be used for a brochure or something...they were mighty cute! We participated in a Bill of Rights "gameshow" and B even got up on stage to read one of the questions to the audience...I was so proud of her...she did great! One of our favorite parts of the museum was Signer's Hall...filled with statues of the signer's of the Constitution. S even recognized Benjamin Franklin...I think it's pretty neato that she's learning big stuff too.

We took the subway back to the other side of the city and then hung out on campus while waiting for Steve to finish up his day. The girls LOVE the courtyard behind Steve's building simply because there are lots of squirrels and for whatever reason, they love to chase squirrels. I have no idea why :) Those poor squirrels...we were there for over an hour and the girls ran around almost the whole time...they both fell asleep easily that night!

It was a GREAT day!

On Saturday, we headed over to the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge for the Cradle of Birding Festival. We have been there a couple of times and have really enjoyed it. I figured the festival would be fun and that I might even be able to count it as a school field trip. It was so much more than I ever expected!

We were there for 5 hours and still didn't see everything! They had all sorts of tables and booths set up...all sorts of organizations were represented. We visited table after table and kept gathering more and more info. The girls did all sorts of things...identified animal skulls, used microscopes, learned about feathers...the list goes on and on. We also enjoyed Philly Zoo animal seminars where the handlers brought some of the zoo animals to show and talk about. The got to hold lots of exotic birds and see birds of prey up close. We went on a kid's butterfly and bird walk with some experienced birders...they brought their scopes and set them up for the kids...it was so fun! They finished an "information treasure hunt" and won a puzzle. The PA Game Commission had a booth that let the kids help build a bluebird house and they got to bring it home too. One of the highlights was an artisan woodworker. He made such beautiful things out of wood. He showed both girls how to chisel and so they each brought home their own carved piece of wood. They drew the design and he helped them carve...B was able to do most of it on her own. They are really neat!

It was another GREAT day!

Enjoy the pics~
Rachel

3 Students, 1 Teacher

We started our "official" homeschool year a couple of weeks ago. B is now a 3rd grader and S is a Kindergartner...and Steve is beginning his 5th year of grad school. This is the first (and hopefully the only :) year that Steve will be in school at the same time as both our daughters! Life is interesting with 3 students to care for. I want a really good teacher gift at the end of the year :)

This is the first year I have to report to the state on B's progress as a student, so our year will look a bit different than in the past. I find it is necessary for me to be more organized, which is really good. I had to submit legal paperwork to my local school district declaring our intent to homeschool along with our objectives for the year. I have to keep a portfolio of samples of her work and progress during the year and submit it to our school superintendent at the end of the school year. B also has to undergo state testing near the end of the year and we have to hire an evaluator who will assess B's progress. PA has some of the most stringent homeschool laws in the U.S., but I am also thankful for the accountability.

S is simply delighted to officially be in Kindergarten this year! She is especially excited because she can officially participate in our homeschool co-op...she's no longer in with the Preschoolers. I am her teacher this month at our co-op and she thinks it's pretty special to be the teacher's daughter...I'm just thankful she likes me that much!

I am also thankful that we live in a country that allows parents to make the school choice they feel is best for the child and/or family. Homeschooling has been a good choice for us so far. Only God knows His plans for our homeschool years. We are open to changing how we educate our children if called to change, but also hopeful to homeschool many more years.

Blessings~
Rachel

Sharp Dressed Man~

Clean shirt, new shoes,
we don't know where we're goin' to.
Gray suit, red tie.
Been working hard, but it's time to fly.
They come running just as fast as they can,
Cuz every pharma's crazy 'bout my sharp dressed man!

Steve has his first job interview tomorrow at Penn. I am SO excited!!! As you know, he's been working on his PhD in chemistry for 4 years now. He'll be done next year, but fall recruitment is here...interview season is finally here...yippee! That was me you heard shouting for joy from the rooftop!

His interview tomorrow is with Novartis, a pharma company based in Boston. If you think of it, we (he) sure would love your prayers...his interview is at 1:30.

We went suit shopping this weekend...and we hit a great sale...bonus! I don't get to see Steve dressed up very often and the last suit he bought was more than 12 years ago, so it was time for a little updating.

And here today, (almost) Dr. Gonzales is sporting a Tommy Hilfiger paired with a red power tie by Ponti which handsomely accents his oxblood Bostonians. His is looking HOT and HIREABLE!

When Sophia saw him today, she thought he was so handsome that she said I should marry him!

I love you, Steve...you're going to do great!

Have a great day~
Rach

A few more pics of my Hottie!

An Amusing Day!

Hello! Hope this finds you enjoying your day!

Let me first say THANKS to my dear hubby who let me take his laptop out to Starbucks to enjoy some time alone and write. Wow...I feel so cool...sipping tea, blogging, using his very nice computer...thanks honey...don't worry, I have a lid on my tea and, for extra protection, it's on the floor, far away from your sweet laptop:)

We had the wonderful opportunity to go to Knoebels last week. What is Knoebels? Glad you asked!

It's an amusement park here in PA. It was so fun! It's an older park in the mountains of PA, about a 2.5 hour drive from our place. We started out early and got there late morning. The park does not have an entrance fee; you just pay per ride. The girls both got the almost-unlimited-everything-you-want-to-ride daily pass...they had saved their birthday $$ specifically for this trip. Steve and I just bought some ticket booklets and we were set for FUN! One thing to note is that this was our girl's first trip to an amusement park :)

The first ride was the Roto Jet...a rocket ride...the one where the rider gets to control how high off the ground they go. Steve joined S for her first few rides...she was a little unsure at first. But B never hesitated! It was so fun to watch them...big smiles, small sweet hands waving at me...I was glad their first experience on this ride was better than mine...

...my parents took me to Disneyland when I was young. I don't remember how old I was...actually I don't remember anything about that trip except for my time on the Dumbo ride. I remember being traumatized by Dumbo. All started out well at first; the ride began, around in circles I went, excited to be flying with Dumbo. Then I pulled on the lever and up we went, Dumbo and I were having so much fun; flying through the sky, enjoying the excitement of going round and round! But then Dumbo would NOT come down...and I panicked! I remember trying to get him to come down and realizing I didn't know how. I began crying and trying to get help from my parents each time I went around. They were probably trying to tell me what to do, but I couldn't hear them. I actually remember being afraid that I would never be able to get back down again. And then my turn was over and Dumbo, who was no longer my friend, finally returned to the ground. And that's what I remember about Disneyland.

The really funny thing here is that Steve's experience on the Dumbo ride was only a bit better than mine. He rode with some bully kid who wouldn't let him come down. Every time Steve tried to change Dumbo's height, this kid would jam the lever and make them stay up.

Well, the good thing is that we both survived and our girls had a great time on the rockets!

I was beyond impressed with B...she was fearless and had a blast. S was also pretty brave, but she often held back and watched the ride first and made sure her sister survived...then she would go. B's favorite was the little roller coaster and S really liked the swings. I love the log ride...and Knoebels has a great one. Steve's favorite was the Skloosh...the log ride on steroids...we all got soaked! We didn't make it onto the wooden roller coasters...this time.

We also enjoyed some really good treats...funnel cake...cotton candy...yummy!

It was a great day and so fun to watch our girls have so much fun! Here are some pictures from our day~

Rachel

O My Such Good Apple Pie!

Steve tells me that all you chemists following my blog will understand the title...some kind of mnemonic for remembering acids...or something like that. He started naming them, but I don't speak chemist.

What's that...oh...I only have one chemist who actually reads this blog...oh, well...it really is good apple pie!

Yesterday we went apple picking at Linvilla Orchards and today we made apple pie. I say "we" loosely...Steve and the girls made apple pie while I tried to document the event through photos.

The pie is delicious...especially with some vanilla bean ice cream...my mouth is drooling just thinking about it. WOW!

But we did discover that both our children have some odd tastebud defect...neither of them really cared for the pie!?!? How is that? Steve doesn't seem to mind too much...more for him :)

Here are some pics~

Rach

Apple Picking

What a great day!

Today we went to Linvilla Orchards and had a blast! We went specifically today because it is opening day for Honeycrisp apples...the absolute best apples in the world! And we were not disappointed...we picked a half bushel of these beauties and then headed over to the peach orchard to finish our bushel. The peaches were excellent too. I'm thankful they don't weigh the pickers before and after...we definitely enjoyed a snack while picking!

After our time in the orchard, we headed to the playground. The girls had a blast running around, being crazy, and conquering the maze! We enjoyed our picnic lunch and then walked around checking out the animals. The girls even got to feed some of the deer...apples, of course :) We saw all different kinds of chickens, some goats, and some emus too.

Then we headed over to the market. Steve got some hotsauce...poor guy's been out for a while...he's happy now!

All in all, it was a wonderful day! Here are some pictures for you to enjoy~

Rachel

Anyone up for molecule building?

My husband is an organic chemist...I only know how to say it...I personally found chemistry rather difficult and avoided it at all cost. Until, of course, this very handsome chemist and I became friends...and then closer friends. Suddenly I was very interested in listening to him talk about his work and draw me pictures of his work...of course, I just listened to his foreign language and pretended to know what all those doodles were. It all worked out in the end...he promises to take over the upper level sciences for homeschooling :)

Anyhoo, he recently brought home a molecule building set for the girls and they opened it this morning. What fun! It's like a better version of tinker toys...everyone should have one of these for their kids :) I loved watching the girls get creative! B wants to know what molecule she created...I told her she'd have to ask her dad. S also loved it...she wants to hang her creation from the ceiling...we'll see. I love this kind of time with the girls...it is wonderful watching them learn and create.

Enjoy~
R

A blog for us~

Well, hello!

My first blog post and I'm having writer's block :)

Really, I've been thinking about blogging for a while. I am intending for this to be a way to record our life and share with family and friends.

Here we go~ Rachel