Waiting for snow

Hurray, Its snowing!!! I was taking some photographs this morning for an online class I am taking with Donna Downey and I had moved this penguin statue. As I went about some other things in the house I happened to look back at the penguin, the way I had placed him made me laugh. It seemed that he was trying to look out the window to see if it was snowing. I had to help him out and prop him up so that he could see, and as soon as I did the snow started coming down for real. I wonder if Jay will make me keep him like this for the rest of winter hoping we will continue to get lots of snow. 

Newark Museum

I found a little jewel in Newark, New Jersey, it is called the Newark Museum. I cannot believe that I had never been there before last year. They have the most amazing exhibits. Last year I found their Budist Temple exhibit. There is a true temple there, one that the DaliLama sanctified. It is beautiful. As Jay and I were talking about Christmas gifts for his dad and Rosie I suggested that we take them to the museum and then out to the Portuguese section in Newark. Rosie is from VietNam and is Budist. I thought it would be great to have Rosie share with us some of the things that are inportant to her and her faith. Althought the temple there is in Thailand style it is basically the same as Rosie's. I loved hearing about the many different things we saw in the temple and getting a better understanding of her beliefs. I am not sure how much anyone else enjoyed the visit ( I think I am the only museum person in that group) but I was thrilled. From the museum we headed to the Ironbound District in Newark and to a Portuguese restaurant. Jay's dad's family was from Portugal and we wanted to connect with his heritage too. We had a wonderful meal and I loved the conversation my father in law had with our waiter who was from Portugal. We were given lessons in pronunciation in Portuguese- we all had been mispronouncing the village Jay's grandfather was from. I cannot say how much we laughed through out the meal, I am so glad we did this. I am already planning our next visit, although I think the others will skip the museum part. 

new adventures

Last week I made a resolution that I would not play any more online games..I had become addicted to them. It is amazing how much I get done now that I am not jumping online to play Poppa Zoppa or some such game. My house is cleaner, not much but it is better, I have been getting some projects done (trying to catch up on all my Donna Downey class homework and then maybe get to Shimelle's class too,) and visiting more with my family ( I think they are looking for me to start playing again.) One more thing that I started this week was an online Beth Moore Bible study. How cool is this? I go online and download all the papers I need to take notes during her video class and all the homework I have to do during the week. Then I watch an hour class, taking notes as she promps me. This Bible study is on Believing God...Not just believing in Him but simply believing HIM, believing Him to do what He says He will do and to be who He says He is. I can see this class is going to be intense and I am really looking forward to see what she will teach me in these next 9 weeks. I kind of always thought my adventures had to be in remote places in the world and I am finding that now, since I am grounded with all the college and high school tuition bills, that I will find my adventure trying new things like these online classes.

Chinese New Year 2006

My friend Lisa invited Shelby and me to join her and her 3 daughters in NYC to celebrate Chinese New Year. I had never been before and decided it sounded great. I LOVED IT!!!! I can't believe this goes on every year and I have missed it. We stayed at the Off SoHo suites (cool European style hotel) and spent a few hours each day walking around experiencing the celebration. What follows are a few of the photographs I got of my experience. I can't wait for next year! 

Just how many red dragons are there?

I guess the next two weeks will be busy for this company, we saw lots of red dragons in Chinatown for the New Year. 

Dragon Dancers

One of the main things you go to see are the dragon dancers all through out Chinatown. You can hear the music from blocks away and see the crowds far earlier than you see the dragons but then all of a sudden you see them. The way the dancers move their dragons though the streets is magical. I love the dragon dancers 

With all the people it is hard to get close enough to the performers to really see what is going on but that is OK, the real performance is going on all around you in the streets. I love watching the people watching the dancers. 

 

Happy New Year!!!!

All throughout the streets you can find these confetti poppers for sale. $2, $5 all the way up to $24. Confetti is flying everywhere. It is so cool, I just love a good celebration. 

I had no idea just how many people go to Chinese New Year in NYC... It is amazing!! I am thankful that we didn't lose eachother with all the people around. 

At the end of the day....

....All that is left is a street full of confetti. God bless the NY Sanitation workers! 

Photos from the butterfly pavillion

 

 

 

Butterfly friends

 

Museum of Natural History

I went with Kyle and three of his friends to the Museum of Natural History one day during their winter break. I love that they would be into the idea of spending the day with me in the city. We had a lot of fun walking around checking out the exhibits. Of course the dinosaurs ruled the day. What is it about seeing the bones of these gigantic reptiles that brings out the kid in all of us? We spent a lot of time going through the various exhibits, my favorite was the butterfly pavillion and then headed out. What better way to end the day than a visit to Sependipity? We all found something to satisfy our chocolate cravings. I am so glad that I could spend the day with the four of them. 

One last picture to share- this is my view from my table where I will work. And just wait to see it when the trees are full. I love this big picture window in my room. 

crafting space

This is the upstairs in the addition, I like to call it "My Space." This will become the crafting room of my dreams. It will have sunny yellow walls and the lighting will be fantastic (Thanks to a friend who designs lighting for a living.) Now I will have a place to work without having to clean up for the next meal or move things over cause its time for bed. I will have space to invite friends to come over and crop and my sewing machine will have a permanent spot. Someone pinch me cause I am dreaming. And did I mention we are even adding a bathroom? With a shower? Is my family telling me something...I might not ever have to go back into the main house again. 

Adding on

I took some photos today of the addition that has been put on our house. Boy does it look big in the pictures. I think it will take me awhile to get used to this. There is a new mud room that connects our home to a garage. For the first time in 10 years I might be able to park my car inside and not worry about cleaning off snow after a storm - that will be cool. The center bay is large enough that Jay can pull his truck right in, even with its snowplow attached. Very cool, no clearing off snow for him either LOL 

Christmas 2005

Well, did't plan things too well and my digital camera battery was dead, no pictures from Christmas so I will create my own verbal snapshots from our celebration yesterday.
1. 5:30 AM and I am up in my new Christmas PJs, sitting on the couch, tea in hand, Christmas tree lights blinking. All is quiet and I am writing in my prayer journal. It is a beautiful, peacful start to the day.
2. 7:00 AM Jay, Shelby, Janet and I are all sitting in the living room. we are waiting for Kyle to come home from an ambulance call. What a horrible way for someone to start this day - an ambulance ride to the hospital. We sit with Christmas stockings in hand and enjoy going through the little gifts inside, Kyle comes home and our celbration begins.
3. 7:45 AM The living room is strewn with gift wrap and boxes. Kyle and Shelby are wrapped in their new down comforters (who would think blankets would be such a big hit?) I have some Kathy Troccoli playing on my iPod that is sitting in my new Bose speaker thing. How great it sounds! Jay is looking at all his new underware and T shirts, How sad that this was the best gift for him LOL. Janet is looking at all the ribbon from the gifts and collecting it, envisioning how she can use it on her homemade cards. Everyone is happy and life is good.
4. 10:00 AM We are seated at the table, a pan of apple french toast, bacon and sausage before us. It is just Janet, Jay and me as the kids crawled back into their beds after the gifts were opened - ahhh, Christmas with teenagers.
5. 11:00 AM Christine arrives to exchange gifts, She seems to love the Mazzuzah we give her. It will go by her front door as soon as she learns the prayer/blessing that she needs to say as she hangs it. She is studying Judism and is loving it.
6. 1:00 PM I start to prep the Prime Rib for dinner. What a beautiful piece of meat. I haven't made one of these in 18 years, I am nervous that I will screw it up. As soon as it goes in the oven I start the macaroni and cheese to go with the meat. This will be my favorite meal...if it all turns out OK.
7. 4:30 PM well, the meat took longer to cook than I planned but well worth the wait, What a wonderful meal..definitely my favorite one ever. Can I make Prime Rib every night? Jay's dad, John and his friend Rosie are here and we share this wonderful meal filled with laughter and love. This is such a quiet Christmas for us but what a special one. I am really enjoying it.
8. 7:30 PM dinner is cleaned up, dessert is over and we are all pretty quiet now. Couch potatoes abound as we drape ourselves wherever we can find space. Is it really all over this soon? I am sad to know that Christmas is over for another year and so I sit in the living room, Christmas tree still shinning, and visit with Janet as she knits. Merry Christmas All!!

Christmas Party

Jay and I were heading out to go to a party at a friend's house and Kyle's girlfriend Meg took our picture. I love that after 20 years of marriage I still love going out with Jay and spending time with him.

O Christmas Tree

Here is our tree this year. Each time we go to pick one out I always choose one that is far too large for our living room and everyone has to remind me we don't have 20 foot ceilings. This year it took us all of 4 minutes to decide on this tree and get it into the back of Jay's truck and head on our way home. Shelby was disappointed by the tree and our old fashioned lights but I think it looks beautiful. Especially when the house is all quiet and I can sit with just the tree lights on. Maybe next year we will get two trees and decorate one with little lights for Shelby. 

Christmas photo 2005

I never thought I would become one of those lame people that would take a family photo each year and send it out with a Christmas letter but God has a great sense of humor and seems to show me how dangerous it is to judge things or people. So now, Yes I am one of those lame people and I love it. Thanks for the lesson God. This is 2005's picture, not the best one, I know, but it was the best I could get. Just wait for the Christmas morning one with us all in our brand new jammies - just how lame can I get? Just wait and see 

Setting the mood

What is it about firefighters and fire? As we were starting to decorate the Christmas tree yesterday Kyle first had to get a fire going in the fireplace. It was really wonderful and certainly set the mood. We do not light fires often and so it was so special to have this one going as we decorated away. 

Early this morning

I got the phone call at 5:30am calling off school for Shelby, and headed downstairs for my morning prayers. By accident I hit the lights on the waterfall and it was so beautiful with the snow illuminated. Pull out digital camera and shoot away. I love being up this early in the morning, especially on snowdays. 

snow time in NJ

well, Winter is here and the snow is coming!!! We love snow in this house. Now not just because snowplowing is a major source of income but because of how beautiful everything looks in the snow. The other day I noticed some birds playing in the waterfall behind my house. This redbird came and chased the other birds away and then stayed for awhile. I love watching the birds out there. 

John's birthday

Today we celebrated my father in law, John's birthday. Jay's sister, Mary Lou, organized a suprise luncheon for him. It was held at a small Italian restaurant in Oakland. I love being around Jay's dad and his family. There is such warmth and love between these people and you just feel enveloped by it when you are by them. A couple of John's friends were there along with family. His friend Pepe is so funny and the two of them together are like being present for a Martin and Lewis show. The gift opening was hysterical and I cannot remember laughing so much. Happy 70th Birthday John, may you have many more.