Ten Things I Can't Do Anymore

As the senior (yes, I mean oldest) sister, I probably had an easier time coming up with 10 things that I can't do anymore than my younger friends would. That's right, this list is not just 10 things I can't do...but rather 10 rare gifts or talents that are no longer in my repertoire. Sad, I know. Please hold all tears until the end of the post. Here we go...


NUMBER ONE...I can no longer do a back bend from a standing position. Not since high school. I used to be able to bend backwards and place my hands on the floor behind me and then kick my feet over, not in one fluid movement like a gymnast or anything but I was proud of it. My question is...if I had done a back bend once a day, everyday, from high school on, would I be able to do it today? Something to ponder.

NUMBER TWO...I can no longer run. If something big and hungry was chasing me I might have to rescind this statement but for exercising purposes I really can no longer run. I tried this past spring and it wasn't pretty. Lulu was running a timed mile in gym class and wanted to try it at home. I agreed to go along. I figured I could run a mile, maybe not quickly, but I really thought I could. Apparently my lungs forget how to work when I run because after about one minute I could no longer breathe! I will stick to walking. And for the record I was on the cross-country team for 1 year in high school and the track team for 4 years so there is proof that I did run, once upon a time.

NUMBER THREE...I can no longer stay up all night. The mayor and I frequently stayed up all night in college, cramming for exams. We used to go to Perkin's in Buffalo and get a table and some coffee (tea for me) and stay there all night studying. Now, if I have less than 5 hours of sleep in a night I am pretty much handicapped for the rest of the week.

NUMBER FOUR...I can no longer watch a scary movie. I used to watch tons in high school and we would laugh at the scary parts. Now they freak me out! I think the last scary movie I watched was Signs and I still can't think about that scary alien leg that you glimpse in the rows of corn...aggggggg!!!

NUMBER FIVE...I can no longer chew sugary gum. It makes my teeth ache and also makes me feel really guilty. My teeth are one of my best assets after years of braces and I feel like I need to preserve them. My freshman college roommate came to school with a tub of Bazooka bubblegum from Sam's Club. We chewed like 15 pieces a day for the whole first semester. Needless to say I went home for Christmas break and had my first and only cavity! (See, you are learning a lot of interesting things about me that you didn't know you wanted to know!)

NUMBER SIX...I can no longer do any complicated math. I can barely help Lulu with her homework, not that she needs it often. And this from a girl who took 4 semesters of college calculus. I do think that is sad, all that knowledge gone from the old noodle. Instead, now I know what deckle scissors are. If you don't know that, then you need to do less math and more crafts!

NUMBER SEVEN...I can no longer have plants in my house because my cats will eat them.

NUMBER EIGHT...I can no longer keep my house as tidy as I would like it to be. There is just too much going on, and too much stuff coming in the door everyday. Stuff like school papers and dirty laundry from sports and I barely am staying organized at this point in the game. Hopefully it is just a phase. I remember the days when the kids were little and all you had to do was pick up a few toys after they went to bed. Now, I spend time signing permission slips, making lunches, checking homework, drying out swim caps, sorting papers, sewing scout badges onto uniforms and driving back and forth to a lot of activities! Plus, we have three cats which makes for a lot of hair to clean off the floors and chairs and couch and stairs and...

NUMBER NINE...I must admit I can no longer fit into my wedding dress. I will leave it at that, except it probably has something to do with not being able to run (see number two.)

NUMBER TEN...I can no longer swim in the ocean. This however is more of a choice than a loss of ability. I have fond memories of snorkeling with the mayor on vacations during the newly wed years. But since then I have watched a few too many shows during Shark Week and have no desire to go in past my ankles!!

Okay, that was fun! Everyone post one thing they can no longer do in the comments so we can all laugh at you too! Love you guys!!

measured in inches

My husband snapped this photo of a fist-sized turtle we found on a recent hike of ours. He was so tiny I almost stepped on the poor guy! He was just sitting there, right in the path. Don't turtles know that is dangerous business?!

At first we weren't sure if he was dead or alive, and he looked quite dry and parched, so I gave him a small douse of water from my canteen. That perked him up! I thought for sure he would scurry back to the grass since he was close to the edge of the pathway, but instead, he started slowly following the path. The way he was going did lead to the lake, so I'm sure he was in the right direction, but he had quite a ways to go, and for a little turtle like him, that could be quite a perilous journey!

I looked at my husband and asked him, "should we help the tiny turtle get to water?" My husband was confident in the tiny turtle though, and was sure he would make it there on his own. Inch by inch...(queue the Patch the Pirate song)...

The sky was getting dark with rainclouds as we watched the turtle slowly but surely pad along the pavement. "Go turtle go!" I yelled as we ran off to catch our car before the raindrops started falling on us.

I have a feeling when that tiny turtle reached the water, he was so very proud of himself. Hopefully my words of encouragement helped him! hehe.

I realized one night when I was feeling a bit discouraged that....ding ding ding, epiphany! I'm not the only one in the world feeling that way!! No matter how discouraged I can get to feeling, there are thousands more who are measuring their journeys in inches. Do they have a God to find peace in? Do they have a blog with their sisters (in Christ) to keep them laughing? Do they have letters that they wait expectantly for in the mail from close friends? Does someone pray for them? I hope so.

I hope that when they are close to giving up, that someone comes along and gives them that tiny douse of canteen water they need to keep going.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Splash!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Go tiny turtles, go! Plod on....

♥ pumpykins ♥

...it's that time of year, when pumpkins are on the brain...i mean, am i the only one who's thinking of all things pumpkin?...nah, so i decided to share some newly found favorites, that i most recently stumbled upon...in hopes that i might jump start your pumpkin celebration :)

...something pumpkin i'd like to craft...

...something pumpkin i'd like to bake...

...something pumpkin i'd like to have...

...something pumpkin i'd like to drink...



...something pumpkin my kids think is "SOOOOO CUTE!!!"...


next week...apples :P

Under the weather

I am truly sorry to all my sisters. I am very much under the weather today. Please tune in next week. I promise to make it up to you!! :)

Good Morning Sunshine

Good Morning Sunday!

What a beautiful day...and a perfect start to my perfect day. My day would be simple things...waking up next to the love of my life, with the sun shining in through the curtains...hearing my daughter talk to herself and squeal in glee...being surrounded by those I love makes each of my days better.

what kind of day do i ♥ ?

Ingredients for the most ♥-ed day...

no alarm clock...the yummy smell of mat stacks @ joann's...crispy honey chicken...a truck load of yarn...pens...lots of pens...nel & lulu's pool...gingersnaps...anything in rainbow order...my girls cheeks...couple pages of redeeming love...lots and lots of DisneyWorld...clean, crisp sheets...breezy fall day with pretty colors...etsy...my kitchenaid mixer...smell of my Honey...homeade pasta...unlimited quiet Bible time with no interruptions for "snacks"...minnie mouse...valentine's day (with tons of cute ♥'s)...already magically organized craft stuff...casting crowns....barnes n noble...time....

all these things together make for a perfect day...

Our Perfectly Magical Day

Lulu and I decided our "perfect day" would have to be spent at Disney World so let's wake up at the Grand Floridian Resort!! (We'll figure out how to pay for it later!) It is a gorgeous day, not too hot, just perfectly sunny and bright. We are well rested and no one is the least bit cranky.

We begin our day with a delicious breakfast of Mickey shaped waffles and fruit, maybe it will even be a character breakfast with Mickey and Minnie. After breakfast we go for a quick swim in the pool which is just the right temperature, and I look great in my bathing suit so it's ALL good!

Mid-morning we hit the parks, we go to Epcot because that is our favorite. Guess what?..there are no lines, there are other people at the park (so it's not creepy) but we don't have to wait for any rides. Everyone is very polite and courteous, no one runs into our heels with their strollers! We have tons of fun and take heaps of pictures. We have mickey shaped ice cream bars for lunch. When we have done everything we care to do at Epcot we head to Downtown Disney to shop a bit and eat dinner at the Rainforest Cafe. Again, there is no wait for a table and the service is outstanding. We are done in plenty of time to go to the Magic Kingdom for the SpectroMagic light parade and fireworks show. We get a great seat right on Main Street and have a great conversation with the family sitting next to us. We watch Tinker Bell fly down from Cinderella's castle...magical at any age.

After the show we board the monorail for the quick ride back to our resort. Everyone is tired but happy. We crawl into wonderfully comfy beds with crisp sheets and fall asleep thinking about our perfectly magical day.

Lulu's smile for the week: Pink flowery fake nails for the wedding :)
Lulu's frown for the week: The bush! (swim team told to run to the bush and back over and over!)

Nel's smile for the week: Supposed to be in the 80's today :)
Nel's frown for the week: Why do Tupperware containers never come out of the dishwasher dry :(

My perfect underwater day

My Perfect Day.....

My perfect day would start off with the perfect cup of coffee. You know, the kind that you sip and just close your eyes as you savor the flavor and smell the fresh coffee as the steam rushes over your face.

Then! It would be off to the ocean for a day of scuba diving with Kev. I have never been scuba diving before so I'm not certified, but it is something that I have always wanted to do. There are so many beautiful things to see.






Of course, no day trip to the depths of the ocean would be complete without a sighting of a gorgeous manta ray!! They are so majestic.

After taking in the underwater sights, it would be dinner by the beach with Kev listening to the sound of the surf. Lighting some candles once the sun set and falling asleep with a slight smile of satisfaction on my face.

I may just be another fish in the sea....
but I sure am happy the way God made me!

the most spectacular day

It's a Friday on a warm September day and I don't have to work. I wake up to the smell of the hubs' never-to-be-bested scrambled eggs and bacon cooking in the kitchen. Feelin’ comfy in my sweatpants and t-shirt, I join him for a tasty breakfast that’s topped off with some swiss miss hot cocoa with whipped cream on top. Underneath my plate after I finish eating, surprise! A love note from him! xoxo


After breakfast we lay around on the couch and probably watch the nothnagle show of homes because it’s the only thing on while we talk about what we want to do that day. Then it’s time for a long hot shower (as long as I want!!) and another comfy tee, jeans, and… flip flops or sneakers? The best day is all about the perfect outfit too.

It’s probably about just the right time for a long walk along the canal with the doggies, and then to Abe’s for an honest meal (I’ll bring along a gluten free burger bun, unless on the best day ever, they have them already….not likely, but it’s MY best day, right?). We’ll scarf down our lunch out on the patio picnic benches with the dogs beggin’ for every last morsel (and ok, they get a few).

After the long walk and lunch, it’s definitely time for a pedicure with the girls (aka my sisters and mom). My nailpolish color is going to be navy blue (hubs’ favorite color) and the pedicure is naturally followed by a trip to Starbucks for double chocolaty chip frappachinos. I’m feeling tired, but beautiful by this point (I hope I chose flip flops…) so it must be time to go home to the hubs!


When I get home, I decide to bake peanut butter brownies in my lovely kitchen, and while their baking, crochet a little while in some peace and quiet. Once the brownies are done cooking (and have been taste-tested for quality), it’s time to bring them to the beach to meet up with friends to grill out and watch the sun set (on the perfect day, this would consist of the seven sisters, old college roomies, fam, etc…).


There’s frisbee (and I’m good at it), gluten free s’mores, pink lemonade, a bonfire, etc. Basically a lot of food, fun, and fellowship! At the end of the day, right at sunset, there’s a glamorous fireworks display, while we’re all sitting on big blankets, on the beach, ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing.’ It’s the perfect ending to my perfect day.

Now, who's coming along?p.s. toasty marshmallows inbetween oreo's are pretty darn yummy....

my p♥rfect day?

my perfect day is........................................Saturday
when i'll tell you about my perfect day...................

in the mean time...check this out.... http://ana-white.com/

Beautiful Day

What would I do on my perfect day? I am quite sure I have never answered this question until now. In fact I doubt this question has ever even crossed my mind since I had my two little girls. My life is beautiful with them, so of course they would be a big part of my beautiful, perfect day. To start with my perfect day would have to be in the fall, when it is cool, the leaves are changing, and I can wear warm sweaters and scarfs.

First my day would start out with sleeping in, but just until 8 am. In my house that is defiantly sleeping in! I would wake up to find my little L snuggling with me and my honey. Little E close by in her crib. Little L would give us kisses to wake us up, and in our most comfy pajama's we would make our way downstairs. Breakfast would be a big deal and little L would pull up a chair next to the counter to help me make it. While daddy got little E up for the day, little L and mommy would be cracking eggs and making french toast. Once we ate our wonderful breakfast, sipped on our coffee and talked about our perfect day, daddy would do the dishes and clean up the kitchen while little E played and giggled and Little L and mommy made a picnic lunch. Once we packed all our favorite things and I got dressed into my most comfortable jeans, sweater, scarf, and of course a pair of fashionable shoes; we would get out our maps and find the most beautiful hiking trail around where we could see all the changing leaves.

Once we were hiking with little L leading the way I would hold hands with my honey and just enjoy the walk and the loves of my life. All along the way looking for the biggest pine cones we could find. We would find the best place for our picnic lunch and enjoy it together. Once back home the girls would lay down for their naps and my honey and I would make a fresh pot of coffee and enjoy a few moments together while the girls napped.

Talking about what they will be like when they grow up, and how to keep all the boys away! Yes, we need to plan this well in advance!

Once the girls woke up from their naps daddy would get out all the smocks, paint, and glitter to jazz up all the pine cones we found with the girls on our hike while mommy made dinner and a yummy desert. After making some yummy treats for dinner I would head on over to one of my seven sisters houses for a night of crafting! This would end my most perfect beautiful day, on the most beautiful perfect note. Eating, laughing, and crafting! (in my most fashionable shoes!)

Theme Week!

Seven Sisters has officially declared THEME WEEK, this week, all week long!

We hope you enjoy learning more about us this week as the theme is to describe our perfect day. Join along with us in the comment section and tell us what your perfect day looks like!

I'm thinkin' some talk of spa days and craft extravaganza's may be in the works....

Look for more theme weeks in the future as well, you'll know it's here by the banner at the top of the page :)

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Maybe Jenn and I are having similar weeks but here it is, my day again and I've got nothin'!!
However, I was in Kohl's yesterday and for some unknown reason I was humming the song from the Sound of Music about "these are a few of my favorite things". Maybe it was the excitement of actually being at Kohl's with a 30%-off peel away thing in my purse that had Julie Andrews singing to me. I was only there to pay my bill but a cute necklace and matching ring still managed to find me! They go well with the dress I plan to wear to my brother-in-law's wedding on Saturday, the dress that will look best if I don't eat anything between now and Saturday but perhaps every one's vision will be blurred by my dazzling new jewelry! Anyhow, I started making my own list of "a few of my favorite things"...here goes...
Seashells and beach glass...fountains, especially ones that are lit up at night like at Disney...really neat and tidy landscaping (probably because mine isn't! That is another thing I love about Disney)...okay, Disney World!!!...clean sheets...painted toe nails and flip flops...corn on the cob...the color of a swimming pool...sun tanned skin (I know, I know, it's bad for you but silver jewelry looks so pretty with a tan)...the smell of mowed grass...big front porches with chairs...pens (oh golly, I had to go there J, sometimes I am late for work because I can't decide which pen I want to use for the day!)...paper of any sort... reading in bed...chocolate milkshakes...when babies sleep with on their bellies with their little bums in the air...tea, hot or iced...brand new make-up...getting a letter in the mail...laughing really hard...the big bouncy trampoline at Brown's Berry Patch (it is hilarious and makes you almost pee your pants)...a Christmas tree at night...the song service at church...the library...the tomato, basil, orzo soup at Wegman's...organized drawers (like when I opened a kitchen drawer at Mar's and it was beyond perfection!)...the way my kids can crack each other up...drive-in movies...bird feeders...ice cubes (I like to chew them, it's very annoying to those around you)...stickers...watching my cats stretch (they look like Halloween kitties when their backs arch up)...grandfather clocks...daffodils...lip gloss...fluffy towels...the mayor (that's J's nick name for my better half)...and staying up late!!! Make your own list, it was fun!!
Lulu's smile for the week: ?
Lulu's frown for the week: ?
I don't think Lulu had time to frown or smile this week, she is one busy girl, hopefully she will be back on here soon but for now she is working hard being a student and a swimmer and a dancer and a oboe player and a Saturday soccer player and a bible studier...you go girl!
Nel's smile for the week: Jenn's blog post, definitely!

Nel's frown for the week: our pool is down to 65 degrees...boo!

By Popular Demand

I do apologize to our dedicated blog readers for not having something prepared for this week. So, by popular demand, here is me in the mini-closet. Please remember that God does not want us to covet when you look at my pink fuzzy slippers. I hope this brings some joy to your week because it sure brought a smile to my face.

countdown to love

The hubs and I were invited to an engagement party clam bake this last weekend. I often find that when it comes to engagement parties, I am usually stumped as to gift ideas. Is it appropriate to bring a gift? If so, what to bring? Are they registered yet?

Well, fear not my etiquette conscious friends! Behold, the engagement countdown calendar!

This was a lot of fun to create. I've seen these types of calendars originally on Lollychops, and again at YoungHouseLove, (you can also find them on etsy at the end of the year- lots of creative ones!) and took those ideas to create a personalized countdown calendar for the couple. The hubs and I sat around and thought of fun, wedding/love related cliche's or sayings. Ex: "ball and chain" for October, down the aisle, tie the knot, "mawage" (think The Princess Bride, hehe) and even some personalized ones.

Then I created a template using MS Publisher (seriously, it's just a bunch of text boxes lined up strategically and an aesthetically pleasing color scheme, this could have also been done in PowerPoint).
Once the template was complete and personalization done, I created a PDF of the file and brought it to our local Office Max where they can print it out on their fancy printer (for best quality) and on nice cardstock.
From there it was as simple as cutting it out, punching some holes, and adding ribbon to hang! It could be hung from a doorknob as shown, the fridge, a corkboard, cupboard, etc.
As the days drew nearer, I added the number of days left to the day of the month as well. Time flies when you're planning a wedding!
And of course, I had to make sure it was packaged up just right! Isn't it pretty?(And of course the couple loved it too!)


Other countdown ideas include:
A DisneyLand countdown, just cut out and put it on your fridge!
A vacation countdown, albeit a little more involved, but gorgeous!

What are you counting down the days till?

P.S. Happy Birthday Mar!
Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharepenth the countenance of his friend"
So glad I have a sister and friend who I can study God's word with and who "sharpeneth my countenance" (or at least keeps me on my toes ;) )