komo mai

life...

2011-11-27T19:31:00.008-05:00

...is an interesting thing. Just when I think I have it figured out, I get blindsided! It was a year ago that my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away (Dec. 6 actually) and I remember thinking last summer how I was ready for some calm waters...little did I know that the tides were changing to tsunami force....and here I am still feeling the effects. What a year it has been! Regardless, I am back on my life journey, and ready to tackle the next wave....(although Jamaica claims no waves...yes, my Jamaica plans are still on, so in 2 weeks, I'll be basking in the sun again....) Looking forward to a breath of fresh air.

Happy Birthday Frannie!

2010-12-26T17:56:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday to my beautiful Christmas Angel! 9 years ago my life was complete when you decided to enter with a bang! I love the person you've become and how you wish for Peace on Earth! You are so sweet, funny, and loving...you bring smiles to everyone's faces! Happy 9th Bithday! I especially loved your PEACE party! (And the cake that YOU decorated!)

And the Stockings were Hung....

2010-12-26T17:31:00.009-05:00

So, this year was a tough one for many reasons...losing my mom just 2 1/2 weeks ago is still hard to comprehend...But it really sank in at church when I listened to the music, and thought about not being able to see her this Christmas. I bawled my way through the service, only to be comforted by some friends afterwards who felt my pain...but gave me strength. I'll miss her terribly, and this year was probably the toughest Christmas I'll ever have. (And that includes 9 years ago when I was in labor!!!) Love you Mom!

But it was also hard for another reason, and that was my kiddos not sleeping! Bedtime was 10:00, but many footsteps were wandering around for the next 2 hours!! It wasn't until midnight that I think my eyes finally closed....only to be woken up at 4:00 to open presents!!! UGH! Seriously?? I was just getting to sleep! These are my kids at 4:00 AM....

And this is me...(notice the forced smile on my face? I was really not thrilled about the hour, but still it was fun to see the excitement in my kiddos)!

We played all day and consumed copious amounts of coffee to stay awake (tho I must admit I did nap for about 2 hours at one point)...here is Stephen donning his new snow hat and personalized Jaguars jersey....

And it wouldn't be a Christmas if Jona didn't put some Legos together...this one is Star Wars Hoth....he's amazing at those!

And here I am after some coffee...a little more bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.....(but still thinking about SLEEP!)...

It was a busy day and we rolled right into Frannie's birthday celebration and finished with watching Despicable Me in 3-D (that the elves brought us Christmas Eve!)

Merry Christmas!!

Reading Fair 2010

2010-11-11T09:44:00.002-05:00

Going to the Reading Fair became a tradition last year when my kids decided all of a sudden that they actually ENJOY rides! Up until then, this daredevil mom couldn't bribe them to get on a ride! But leave it to Mimi...she took them ast year, and they LOVED it! So much so that they begged to go back the very next night! (And, what kind of mom would I be to say "no"?? haha..it was just another excuse for me to go on rides myself!) Anyway, when this year's fair came to town, Mimi brought Adele (my niece) along, and we all had a great time! I can't remember the number of times we hit the tilt-a-whirl, but it was too many to count! And even too many for me! The highlight was getting stuck inside the Gravitron though, which was pretty scary. You know you're in trouble when the ride attendant jumps down through the escape hatch to pry the door open with a crowbar! All I can remember thinking was how HOT it was in there! Looking on the bright side, we managed to get 2 back to back rides on it though! Anyway, my mom and I love rides, and up until last year, she was my only buddy who'd go on them with me! Thanks to her, now I have a few more ride enthusiasts! (Now if I can only talk them into a Costa Rican zip line!!!)

we moved.

2010-11-08T20:14:00.003-05:00

At the end of September, we moved here....

It still seems like so many more boxes are left to unpack, but it feels good to be here. We miss our friends and neighbors from our old house, but know that those friendships will last a lifetime, and 4 minutes away isn't so far after all. We love it here. (let the painting begin!)

Joey V graduates!

2010-11-08T20:00:00.002-05:00

Back in July, we celebrated with the newest high school graduate---JOE! HOORAY! We had such a blast partying together, singing karaoke, and dancing the night away! Lord only knows how I managed NOT to sprain an ankle dancing like a fool for hours in those espadrilles!!!! The cousins had fun too; Rachel and Haley spinning around on the merry go round, and Jess and Ally doing acrobatics, while Jon and Fran played in the sandy volleyball court! Not only did we have reason to celebrate Joe, but Sue had some exciting news of her own....SHE's getting married!!!!! Wa-Hoo!

Last day of Summer 2010

2010-11-07T21:03:00.007-05:00

The last day of summer vacation 2010...Mimi and I took the kids to Camden Aquarium and spent the day with a bunch of slimy critters! Actually there were some really beautiful exhibits that we could have watched for hours! One of my personal favorites was the jellyfish exhibit! I certainly wouldn't want to get stuck in the tank, but watching them maneuver from the outside looking in was pretty awe-some! I think Mimi liked the penguins..they were pretty comical; we watched them for awhile. Jon and Fran really got a kick out of all the "touch" tanks...its a good thing that Piranha tank wasn't one of them! (Especially after this summers stupid Pirahna movie I went to....eek!)

She's BACK!

2010-11-07T15:07:00.004-05:00

For all my friends who have doubted my allegiance to this blog, (Jenn!) I'm here to prove you wrong! Just a crazy summer and wildly insane fall. But, a little more motivated now than ever, so here I am! I have so much to post, and can only do so much in a day, but will try to stay more current. (Mom, if you're reading this, I hope these posts give you lots of smiles when you can't sleep at night! :-) )

Here are a few pictures from Halloween.....before trick or treating, we had some friends over and I made "Spooky Eyeball Punch"! It was yummy, and all the kids (and grown-ups) loved it! We had dinner, and then went out for some candy! Frannie was a peacock (again)-it's good to know all that hard work I did last year is getting some mileage!- Jon was a ghoul with light up eyes- and Stephen decided sort of last minute to be a spook! I LOVE it! Halloween comes and goes too fast, so I decided next year to have a party...I miss dressing up, and since it's probably my favorite holiday, there's really no reason to hold back! So, start planning your costume, because next year, you're invited!

Sparklers....

2010-06-19T13:37:00.003-04:00

Like I mentioned in my Memorial Day 2010 post, I used to do sparklers at my grandparents' house as a kid. Lo and behold, I found these photos of exactly that! The first one is my brother and me (most likely on their porch, using a blow torch to ignite the sparlers!! I'm not sure why we did that, but I guess the constant flame made it easy to light??). The second is just me, I think at our house-I was probably 5?? And finally the third picture is mom-mom and pop-pop relaxing on their famous front porch. Don't you just love the ashtray on a stand?? Oh and my grandfather's thermal shirt...he lived in these! I think every holiday opportunity I gave him new ones, but he insisted on wearing the old "comfy" ones!!

On their porch (not pictured) were these black metal decorative columns that went from the cement floor to the porch roof. I remember I used to climb up and down these all the time when I was little. Eventually when I grew tall enough the climbing became no fun...I could only go one or two steps up, and I could reach the top!

It's official...

2010-06-17T22:25:00.006-04:00

...we are moving!!!!

We've decided to build a home in the same school district (but different elementary...much to Frannie's chagrin!), and hope to be in by September! Our house just got listed, so keep your fingers crossed for a quick and easy sale!

Here is a drawing of what will be our new residence this fall.....

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T20:44:00.009-04:00

Though I had to work today, it was my honor to conduct a flag changing ceremony for our residents this morning! We had music, soldiers, poems and prayers....all to celebrate our men and women in uniform who dedicated their lives to make this nation what it is! God Bless them all! I don't think there was a dry eye among the 50 or so residents that sat in the 90 degree heat to remember our heroes!

Yesterday, we had our backyard picnic with the neighbors....it was a full day of playing, swimming, cooking eating and celebrating! Here, Frannie takes a break to catch up on some reading...?

Is there any other way to grill than on charcoal??? The neighborhood was filled with envy smelling our tasty goodness!

Ribs and bacon-wrapped scallops to start.....

Watermelon all day long to stay hydrated....

Throw in some potatoes and a glass of merlot, and you're all set...

But, don't forget about the grilled corn on the cob!!!
mmmmm-mmmm

Lickin' my chops, for every tasty morsel....

Hey don't mind me...I'm all about messy, when the eatin's THIS good!!!!

A cookout wouldn't be complete without the s'mores for dessert!!!

Jona with his PERFECT marshmallow! (hey, he takes his s'more making seriously!)

And now for the sparklers......I used to do these at my mom-mom and pop-pop's house when we had picnics growing up, and I STILL think they're fun!

And, after all the sparklers were done, it was time for the fireworks show!!! Steve and Stephen were the pyrotechnicians, and the rest of us were the audience oooo-ing and ahhh-ing at every burst of light!!!

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Day of....Pool!

2010-05-30T08:23:00.004-04:00

Tuesday we were ready for the First Day of Pool in 2010!!! The pool was open, crystal blue, and cold as anything! But that didn't stop these three nutjobs! Swimming is swimming, regardless how cold it is! This year we will be adding a small deck for better flip jumping....and me to sit at the edge in the splash zone! We are officially ready for our Memorial Day grillin' party! (Which is Sunday because I have to work Monday!) Better go get some food!!!

Phils Phans

2010-05-25T20:24:00.002-04:00

Laying in Mommy's bed is always a treat for the kids, and this night was a treat for mommy! I don't know if it could get any cuter than this....Frannie snuggling w/bb (her blanket) wearing a Phillies hat watching cartoons! Of course I had to grab my camera-no brainer there! Maybe she'll turn out like her mom and become a real Phils Phan...and have posters of (the 'new') Darren Daulton, which is Cole Hamels to me! Yum!

You can dress her up...

2010-05-25T19:51:00.005-04:00

I love this picture of me and my sis in laws....we were at Steve's dad's retirement party and it's always a riot when we get together! I absolutely LOVE to laugh, and always do in their company! What is super cool is that we always have a blast together (especially with a few Coronas!) This picture was supposed to be us giving the devil horns sign, but who's the real dork here? Uhhh, yeah! That would be ME who instead gave the LOVE sign in sign language! I can't even get THAT right! I guess Joannie thought I had a clue, cuz she did the same thing as me! See? That's why I'm the life of the party.....I'm an easy target! hahahaha

The other funny part of this photo is that we are standing on a hill...I am the tallest of the group (or at least even w/ Joannie who is next to me). Karen and Sue are about 6 inches shorter but it doesn't look like that in this photo! I like how we are all eye level here...

This summer we all have a grad party and wedding to look forward to and I am very excited to hang out again....so start chilling those Coronas now!

Tikicat

2010-05-22T22:09:00.003-04:00

Last Thursday was a very sad day for us here...our sweet Tikicat died early in the morning after 12+ years. When I picked her out at the Humane Society, she was this cute little kitten with a red collar, and climbed right up onto my shoulder, and sort of picked me! She grew into the prettiest cat I've ever seen, and still climbed up on me almost daily as soon as I would sit down for the night, and always found me wherever I was.
Last Wednesday night she was sick, and I knew it was serious and I was afraid of the inevitable. In the morning, the kids and I said some prayers, cried a bit, and said goodbye. I knew when I took her to the vet I was going to have to make a tough decision, but it was a blessing I didn't have to, she passed away before I got there. The veterinarian said she had cardiomyopathy, and looking at the symptoms, I bet she was right. Anyway, it feels very different around here without her, she was my cat, and I will surely miss her!
July 3, 1997-May 13, 2010

Findings

2010-05-22T21:10:00.002-04:00

Last week in my front yard was a chirping Robin just sitting there...at first glance I thought he was hurt...turns out he was just yelling (probably because I was staring at him!) But I got my camera and went out the back door and came around to the front of the house and snuck up on him so I could get close enough. Tho I used my 200mm lens, I wanted to be close enough to see his furry eyebrows! Aren't they cute?? He reminds me of Sam the Bald Eagle from the Muppets! So I took a few pictures, and then when the kids realized I was out there, they came out too and he got spooked and scurried away! Poor thing.

And in my flower bed I found this tiny oak tree growing right up out of an acorn! We have woods behind our house, so it's not unusual to find acorns, but I've never seen one actually sprout! So I planted it in a pot, and left it on the back deck, and after one day, it was already gone! stupid squirrels.

A Walk in the Park

2010-05-22T20:22:00.004-04:00

Taking the afternoon off from work is always great when its a beautiful day for a picnic! We grabbed hoagies and slushies from Wawa, and headed off to Gring's mill with Scooters in tow. While eating, a ladybug landed on Frannie and she loved every minute of it! Keeping both the ladybug and Frannie still for a picture was nearly impossible! But I managed to get one...

Stephen grabbed my camera and took a few of his own, and Clown Jonathan had to be "that guy" in the photos and give me bunny ears! I pretended I didn't know...
After we finished lunch and put our shoes back on (picnics are always better barefoot!) it was time for a scooter ride, and walk along the river. Go figure, just 5 minutes into the ride it was time for a pit stop at the job johnnies! I think the boys have now toured just about every bathroom in Berks County!

Further along the trail, Frannie and Jon eyed a patch of buttercups and ran to see if the other one likes butter! Shocker-they do!

Here Comes Peter Cottontail!

2010-05-22T20:07:00.001-04:00

For Easter this year we went up to Steve's parent's house and celebrated Easter with them. The tradition in the Polacheck house is to enjoy an Easter breakfast after church. Breakfast consists of cold ham eaten on Gramma's homemade (and extremely delicious) paska bread, some hardboiled eggs, red beet horseradish (that I ate for the first time this year and liked!) and serrik (homemade cheese), Fortunately for us, the Easter Bunny knew where to leave the Easter Baskets, and the kids couldn't WAIT to get home to see what the big bunny brought this year.
(And Mom couldn't wait to get home and schedule haircuts!!! sheesh!)

Remember When??

2010-03-28T19:00:00.002-04:00

For my b-day my mom gave me pictures of me from when I was a wee little baby to my early teen years....these are some of the photos I liked. Those early teen years ones are questionable tho!! What you see are; one of me from when we were in VA on a camping trip, one of baby me and my dad, one of me with my stylin' mom (gotta love the 70's!!), and baby Tracy alone. I'll keep searching for others that are not too embarrassing, and post eventually...(that's gonna be hard because those were the awkward years of my life! HAHA) enjoy.

29...again??

2010-03-21T12:37:00.004-04:00

I just turned 29 ....again. For the ninth time in fact. Not that I have much of an issue with getting older, but more the number that goes along with it. I certainly don't feel older than 29...so for this decade of my life, while I still feel like I am, I decided to be 29. In a few years, maybe 39 will sound ok, but for now, I'll stay 29.

My celebration started on Friday at work, where some great folks made my day with banners and cards, tandycake mountains and pies...plus numerous well wishes for a happy day. That night some girlfrinds and I headed out to Toscani's for some celebrating...3 of us have March birthdays and we always have fun when we are together, and Friday night was no exception...especially after enjoying a few of their signature drinks...the "Spring Fling"...! Great conversation, many, MANY laughs, entertainment, and of course, GREAT food!

Saturday (my real birthday) we went to Shady Maple for breakfast, and I was sick for the next 3 hours (I am NOT a breakfast eater)! Afterwards, my mom and I spent the afternoon doing some shopping (a favorite pasttime of ours) and then headed home for cake and presents. But of course, since I am not a cake person, my hubby makes me a delicious cherry pie (my absolute favorite) every year! Frannie is the only one who'll join me in the cherry pie feast, so he made a 2nd dessert for the boys, and that was the marble cake pictured below. Frannie knows how I am about the 29 deal, so it was her suggestion to buy those candles...! Smarty pants kid!

After the celebrations came to an end, I unpacked my new purchases and realized one of the sweaters I bought was not in the bag! Apparently they never gave it to me after I bought it! So today I ran back to the store, expecting a confrontation, but to my surprise, they remembered me, and didn't give me any trouble, and handed over my sweater...whew! So the weekend is almost over, and I couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather.....70+ degrees isn't common this time of year. Looking forward to getting outside and ride bikes and play with the kids today...

So, another year logged in the books, and many more chapters left to write.....
happy 29th birthday to me.

Leprechauns!!!

2010-03-21T12:21:00.004-04:00

The evidence speaks for itself! The leprechauns were here! We woke up on St. Patrick's Day to disaster set forth by some mischievous leprechauns...the chairs were out of order, lamps upside down, furniture positioned backwards, cabinets and drawers left open, and the true sign of the Irish Devils...GREEN TOILET WATER!!! But not all is forlorn...they left a bucket of chocolate goodness plus a trail of marshmallows to another itty bitty pot of gold...these were in the form of $money$!!!

icicles

2010-02-15T20:18:00.002-05:00

Here are some HUGE icicles that were hanging at my mom's house this morning! Even the little birdhouse had some! WOW! These are some fierce daggers!

..more...WHAT???!!!

2010-02-14T22:47:00.009-05:00

This is what it looked like out my front door at about 8pm Wednesday night...24 hours after the snowfall began....We ended up with another 20 inches or so on top of the 15 from Saturday! It was so still and quiet...we then took the kids and dog for a walk thru the freshly fallen snow IN THE DARK! It was so cool, not a car in sight (driving I mean)...they were all buried in the snow! The second picture is Perba peeking out my dining room slider...being a mountain dog, she LIVES for snow! The deck was covered so high, I couldn't see the birds at the feeders!

This Saturday our niece, Diane (who's getting married in Sept! woo-hoo!) came over to go sledding with the kids, and go over a few details for the wedding. It's always great to see our family, and the kids always have fun with their cousins!

colors

2010-02-07T18:05:00.006-05:00

This is a view of (in order): 1. Some Gerbera Daisies that Steve bought me to fill a pitcher I bought (and whined about no flowers to put in for several days, until he got the hint!), 2. My favorite place to be...on the chair in my living room, under my comfy throw, sipping a Keurig coffee in my Las Vegas mug, and 3. My living room...the one room in my house that usually stays clean!

I love colors. These ones in particular emote happiness in me. The gerbera daisies are absolutely beautiful, and remind me of spring, which I always look forward to...not just b/c my birthday happens to be the first day of spring, (well maybe a little!), but especially in the dead of winter! I enjoy being in my living room because of the colors infused in it. Orange is one of my favorite colors, so when I saw this furniture, I HAD to have it! And, I found this retro ottoman at a separate store, but thought it was too cool to pass up! A few years ago, the kids and I painted the oil painting that hangs on the wall. Stephen was studying surrealism in 3rd grade art, and brought home a picture he did, and naturally it gave me ideas!!! So, we drew the design, and painted in each space with different colors (Tho, I believe in true surrealistic fashion, you can only use one shade of each color, and they cannot touch...we used a little artistic license with ours!). I LOVE this picture, because we did it together, and is unique to us.

Whether it's watching my favorite show, Survivor (yes I am a diehard!), or playing with Photoshop on my laptop, to reading bedtime stories to the kids...this is my favorite place to be, and I spend most of my time right here in my living room, because it makes me happy.

February Snowfall

2010-02-06T19:22:00.003-05:00

The snow started to fall about 5pm last night. By about 3:30AM I looked out the window and saw maybe 6-8 inches total. Since they were calling for a foot, I figured it was another weatherman blunder. Lo and behold, Frannie woke up at 7AM and jumped in the bed excited about all the snow! Sure enough, when I looked out, we had double what I saw earlier! What a fun surprise! We measured about 15 inches here.

So, of course, in my mom's tradition, I made French Toast for breakfast, and immediately afterwards, the kids bundled up, and ventured out, knee-deep in snowflakes. I stayed inside for round 1, taking a few pictures from the doorway, but waiting until the snow was done falling to make my appearance. The kids and Perba had a lot of fun making tunnels through the snow. After lunch, they were ready for Round 2. This time, pleading for a fort. So I let Steve get a head start, until it was 3/4 done (hey, I'm not stupid!), and then lent a hand. The fort was cool; it had a waterfall, a place for animals, a tunnel, peep holes, a lookout tower, and secondary wall. One of the neigbors joined the effort too, and just as we finished building, everyone wanted to come inside! Go figure. I guess the snowball fight will have to wait until tomorrow! (Although, both boys took the opportunity to get me when I was armed only with my camera!)

Happy Birthday Frannie

2010-01-01T15:40:00.002-05:00

It's hard to believe it's been 8 years already since my littlest baby was born! As you might know, she came into this world on Christmas Day 2001. For the past 8 years, our Christmas also includes birthday cake! Anyway, Frannie is quite the dog lover. This photo of her looking at the stuffed dogs was taken last summer at FAO Shwartz in NYC. She has LOTS of stuffed dogs, but always appreciates more! So, for her b-day I made her this puppy picture for her bedroom. (Which, if you noticed, is covered in periwinke harlequin diamonds on one wall! That took me 3 days to paint! ~But does look really cool!) Anyway, I wanted to make her something, and sewing is NOT my thing, so the stuffed animal was out! She also loves color, so I had these fun papers to use and created this adorable puppy for such a colorful girl! And, she loves it! Happy Birthday Birdie, I love you!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T09:57:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010! This is a photo of my New Year's Eve...we planned a party and invited a bunch of couples over, but the snow put the Kibosh on those plans! No one could make it! (some were coming pretty far). So we had a ton of food, some wine, and a Party of 5! So, we watched some movies, and Played Band Hero until it was time to toast with sparkling grape juice, and light fireworks! Looks like our party starts today instead when they get here!

Signs of Christmas

2009-12-29T20:51:00.003-05:00

Whew! Another Christmas has come and gone in the blink of an eye! Here a few pictures showing signs that Santa was here! (Oh and one where he really was!!) The fire department drives Santa around the neighborhoods a few days before Christmas...and the firemen usually run along side and pass out candy canes to the kids who line the streets watching for Jolly 'Ol St. Nick! This year it must have been too cold, because no candycanes! And, I was too late with my camera, this is the only pictre I took!

Our tree was a Blue Spruce (OUCH!) that Frannie picked out, and I have the scratches to prove I'll never get another one. (They are pretty tho!) Notice how none of our ornaments are within doggie reach?? A few casualties last year has made us a bit wiser! A few years ago, Steve got me a Belgian Waffle Maker as a gift, and every year since, we make Belgian Waffles on Christmas morning....this year, Frannie had strawberry and Jona and Steve had chocolate chip! I, of course, stayed classic with my butter and syrup...and Stephen had cereal!

For Frannie's birthday, instead of a birthday cake, she wanted to make reindeer cupcakes, and that is what she did! Aren't they so cute??

Finaly, I'm attaching 2 photos of what I made for Marks Paper Co. this month...little bag toppers for the cookies I gave away. I wanted to include the recipies with my gift, and this was the perfect way! If you haven't seen the Winterwrap designs, be sure to check them out!

GREAT Snow Pictures!

2009-12-22T20:25:00.003-05:00

So after all the snow fell (8 inches here), and we got the nighttime sledding in, I couldn't wait to get back out the next day and take some great shots with my zoom lens (Canon 70-200 L series)! These are taken by our house on the hill at the empty lot, and I was standing about 2/3 of the way down. Of course, being the photographer meant no sledding, which is a bummer for this adrenaline junkie...but these photos are well worth the sacrifice! Oh, and the last one is me on my favorite chair after sledding with hot chocolate in one hand (you can't see), and Tikicat on my lap, (I am always the lap du jour for that cat!). TFL!

Christmas Photos

2009-12-20T10:43:00.002-05:00

Having fun with Christmas Photos! Anytime I can get all 3 to pose for pictures is a miracle, but I managed to bribe them last weekend to get some good shots for our Christmas Cards. Everyone seems to prefer the boring shot with all 3 looking straight at the camera, so thats the one I used, but look at how cool the others look, when I added a little creativity with Photoshop! I LOVE them! I think my favorite of them is where they are all looking at eachother....and smiling! (a rarity here!) Enjoy!

Snow Day Part II

2009-12-19T22:30:00.002-05:00

As the snow piled up, we couldn't resist heading back out tonight for some special Night Sledding! It was seriously snowing, and having my gloves on made it hard to adjust my camera, so these pictures are a bit blurry (sorry!), and you can sort of see how much was coming down. We sled behind our house thru the woods on the same path every year. I took my boot picture at the top of the hill (at the back of my house), and turned around partway down, so you can see our trail. Dodging all the trees just adds to the rush! I cracked my head a few times over the years on some trees(which probably explains a lot!) So this year we got smart, and put hay bales in front of the usual perpetrators, but now when we hit it it sends us spiraling down the rest of the path! Talk about fun! At the very bottom is the creek, so we have to bail off before we go over the edge! (We could build a ramp stop, but bailing off is more fun!) Did I mention how much I love sledding?? After that we came in for even more hot chocolate and some yummy brownies!
Boy will we sleep good tonight!

SNOW DAY!!!

2009-12-19T15:34:00.003-05:00

Looks like we'll be having a white Christmas after all! Something Frannie wishes for year after disappointing year! So FINALLY her dreams may come true! With the forecast of over a foot, we'll be sure to have some residual on Friday! We couldn't wait to get started playing, even if the sledding wasn't optimal yet (still didn't stop us...I grabbed hold of one of the slick boards, took a running start and made it clear to the bottom of the hill, dodging all the picker bushes along the way! Unfortunately the double inflatable tube didn't survive the 4 neighborhood boys on it, who didn't dodge the pickers!)...but the snowball fights started almost immediately! Which of course I lost! (maybe a little bit on purpose!) After Perba managed to slosh around in the creek, and then roll down the hill, it was time to come in for some Keurig hot chocolate...mmmm-mmm. So who's up for round 2??

Cookie Day!

2009-12-10T07:42:00.003-05:00

I never claimed to be a great baker, however, I do make some pretty YUMMY cookies! Every year at Christmastime (why don't we make them more often??) I'll make Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle cookies. This year, I'm adding chocolate peanut butter melt-in-your-mouth cookes as well! mmmm-mmm! There is no secret ingredient, in fact, I'm usually amazed if we remember to put all the right ingredients in! But lemme tell ya, they are awesome! I couldn't have done it without my 3 fabulous assistants, either! We had lots of fun, and probably baked for 6 hours on Saturday! The end result is worth it! Maybe the secret ingredient was love!

MPCo

2009-12-02T21:56:00.003-05:00

Adding a few pieces I've completed for Stacy at Marks Paper Company. We are having the 12 creative days of Christmas, so I'll be making something else very soon! Our new line "Winterwrap" was just launched, and is beautiful! Way to go Stacy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T22:40:00.009-05:00

Thanksgivng at Gramma and Grampa Polacheck's is a tradition for many years...this year was no exception. We arrived just in time to enjoy a delicious meal (that I didn't have to cook, leading to everyone's enjoyment!), and of course, pumpkin pie after we were already stuffed! Feeling way too full of Triptophan, we then took to the streets to engage in a friendly game of '2 hand touch'....even Frannie got into it, and was (not unlike her mom) pretty competitive!

Once the Turkey Tireds passed, and the rest of the family sprinkled in, we hung out and laughed like mad into the wee hours of the night...which didn't help as we were set to start the usual Black Friday mission at 7am! (Tho Sue and Di were up at 5! You girls are nuts!) I guess I was successful, considering Karen cut me off from any more purchases, because I used up my baggage allotment in her trunk! LOL! Lunch at Red Robin's was delicious, and didn't I feel special, seeing as how they "specially made" my Chicken Caprese Burger! (After I told them why I ordered mozzarela sticks... to throw them on my sandwich!) Friday night we taught Di and Lee how to play Pitch, and of course Tom wouldn't leave until he won at Trumpet (the first time, actually)! The kids didn't mind...they all played together and it was another late night!

Saturday morning we got to see Joannie and her family, and seeing as how the pumpkin pie was all gone, it was then time to say our goodbyes and head for home! LOL

First Day of School

2009-09-07T17:14:00.002-04:00

First Day of School already! Seems like summer just got here! Anyway, here they are, all 3 of them...the 2nd grader, the 3rd grader, and yes, believe it or not, the 6th grader! WOW! Back to the grind...and yes, back to normal...the 2nd day of school, we already missed the bus! LOL Same as usual.

Congratulations Dan!

2009-09-07T16:30:00.003-04:00

One of my best friends from college got married in June! (here is a pic of me with him) He met this awesome girl who is the sweetest, fell in love, and they married this summer in Colorado. We weren't at the wedding, but went to a reception hosted by his mom, here in PA. It was fun to catch up and see other college friends and laugh so hard - just like always! Can't wait to come visit you both in CO! Best Wishes Dan, I am so happy for you!

Knoebel's

2009-09-07T16:21:00.002-04:00

SO a wonderful thing happened this year! I had the VERY best day of my life! One evening my mom took the 2 little ones to the Reading Fair, and they actually went on rides and LOVED them! So much so, that the very next night they begged to go AGAIN! How could I resist that? Me, the roller coaster nut, FINALLY had kids who wanted to ride with me! So we went, and for 4 hours straight we went on ride after ride after ride! So, along came the last week of summer when I took the week off to play with the kids and do lots of fun stuff...so, can you guess what they wanted to do? That's right! RIDES! So I took them, and my mom to Knoebel's for the day! We has a blast! Here are a couple pictures of Miss Frannie (the Queen Ride Lover) showcasing her enjoyment! Looks like Disney plans are on the horizon after all!
TFL!

MPCo

2009-09-07T16:14:00.003-04:00

So, wow! Summer came and went, and here I am, with somegreat summer photos to post, but not before I show you some new work I did for Marks Paper Company...the BEST scrapbook paper (and more!) out there! Here is a card and layout using the most recent collection, English Garden. We showed at CKC in Valley Forge in July, and Stacy created the most FUN mini project for a make & take! The ways to use this paper are limitless, and after Stacy posts my newest Home Decor Project on the MPCo blog, I'll post here as well! SO much fun to make! I just LOVE this Company!
TFL!

Baseball 2009

2009-06-20T16:30:00.004-04:00

Has come to an end! It seemed like such a short season, and maybe that's good, because we were 2-10 and 1! Yikes! But Stephen had a great year, and refined his catching skills even more...he has a pretty good glove where that's concerned! Anyway, these are some shots from the season...and, in case you were wondering, he did get a haircut!

Last day of school!

2009-06-20T15:47:00.002-04:00

Well it was officially the last day of school on Wed June 10, and I was fortunate to have the afternoon off to play w/ the kids! We went strawberry picking, then mini golfing, and finished the afternoon with ice cream! mmmm-mmmm The strawberries were gone in no time! And boy were they delicious!

Marks Paper Company

2009-06-20T15:43:00.003-04:00

These are some creations for Stacy (Marks Paper Company) I made recently...She is the absolute BEST paper designer, and I'm proud to be part of her team, as well as her friend!

Changes...

2009-06-20T15:30:00.002-04:00

...are in the works....

I decided to change up my blog to be more personal, for others to see, and catch a glimpse of my life. Previously it was a platform to showcase my artwork, and represent the design teams I was on. Since going back to work, I backed down on all my obligations at the end of my terms, and freed up my plate to do things just for me. However, I certainly couldn't pass up Stacy, when she asked me to be part od Marks Paper Company. She knows me so well, and I love the products she creates! So, I will keep posting my creations for her, inbetween posting various photos of my life in action. Following is the posts I've chosen to leave up, some because they are life changing moments, and some, because I just like them...from now on, it will be mostly photos (because I LOVE photography) and whatever projects I create along the way. Thanks for looking!

Ketchup

2008-07-18T09:30:00.005-04:00

(thought that was funnier than Catch Up!)

So I just got back from the beach, and lemme tell you how wicked the waves were! I guess Bertha had some impact even where we were on the East Coast! It was wild, and sort of scary! I got knocked around like a rag doll and they even put a stop to the Boogie Boarding! It was something else! Something I don't want to see again any time soon!

So, onto some FANTASTIC news! I received my copies of Memory Makers, and lo and behold, there I was! "Best of the Rest", they called it! So I didn't win last year, but was selected as one that caught their eye! What an amazing feeling! Here is the actual mag, mine is the right page bottom left "do wishes come true?": (oh, and notice the smudge mark from all my dancing around in excitement when I saw it for the first time!)

But the good news doesn't stop there....Before I left for vacation, I entered a photo contest at Paper Trunk, and when I got back, found out I WON!!!! And, what I won was an IPOD SHUFFLE!!!! Thanks Paper Trunk! Here is the photo that I entered... the theme was GREEN........

So, where does that leave me now? Well, I have an open spot on my plate for something......so, I have ideas of what I am interested in trying for, but don't want to jinx myself, so I can't say where...but keep your fingers crossed.....and I will post new stuff very soon...I just did a bunch for Scrapfriends, and want to post them! So check back often! TFL!

having fun with Stickles...(and arrows)

2007-12-11T17:56:00.000-05:00

....here are 2 LOs where I went Stickle crazy! Well, the one more than the other, but who doesn't LOVE Stickles??!!! The Create Yourself is a transparency overlay, that I painted the back of, then used a white sharpie over the top to make the heading pop. I used the Stickles on the arrow. (The photo is a bit fuzzy, b/c I lost my daylight too soon today!! It must be going to rain!)

The second LO is from the summer when my daughter fell in love with 5 toads in our yard, and named them all. This one I caught her giving kisses to, and knew exactly what my LO was going to be when I snapped the picture! Do you ever do that? In fact, the outcome is even better than what I envisioned! I just love it when that happens!! So, enjoy, and let's have a contest.....who has the MOST STICKLES (no doubles)??? I have 24! TFL!

2 new ones.....

2007-10-30T18:23:00.000-04:00

Taking a little time to myself this weekend, I was inspired to create these 2 LOs. I have to tell you how much I LOVE Ilford photo paper! I print from my computer, and it is already dry! Plus the colors are so vivid, and you get a true black!! Anyhow, yep, that is the new Sanctuary line, cool huh?... and the Fancy Pants felt...mmm-mmm...Yummy! And, how in love are we with October Afternoon??? TFL!!!

big girls don't cry

2007-10-04T10:31:00.001-04:00

A "transparent" LO I did for a contest that I didn't win, but LOVED this entry! It is a Hambly Transparency, with all kinds of doodads all over it! I cut the MME letter "I" to form the brackets (clever, right?) and altered my photo sepia, but kept her eyes BLUE! I love how that looks!

So, the title is appropriate, since she is crying b/c her brothers weren't following HER rules at tag! And, the more and more I hear that song by Fergie, I LOVE it! Once I figure out how the blog geniuses put music on theirs, I will too. Gotta consult my resources!!! Thanks for Looking!

Live. out loud

2007-09-15T16:03:00.000-04:00

I just did this after finding this picture on a roll of film I had developed last week. (Actually I still have about 17 rolls left to develop!) So the picture is 2 years old, but the LO is from today. Not quite what I envisioned, but I was glad to use that quote from Autum Leaves. I like that quote. And the way how she is looking at him, so perfect! I get giddy when things go together so well! Anyway, Thanks For Looking!!!

Close your eyes....

2007-09-08T21:23:00.000-04:00

....and Dream of Butterflies". This is a LO I wanted to do for so long, documenting my nighttime ritual with my daughter. I just LOVE that Eliza font (still!) from Quickutz..(how Old School, right?) anyway, The colors are so soft and dreamy, I think I might fall asleep too! TFL!

a favorite

2007-08-30T21:15:00.000-04:00

This is a LO I did for a recent "call" that wasn't a winner :( BUT nevertheless, it is still one of MY favorites!! I just love playing w/ Adobe and all the neat photo editing tricks! You can see the desaturation in this photo! I also snapped so many of her expression, I made them B&W and cropped them. Finally, the bird is actually a stamp, that I placed on the PP which had black fowers already on it. I just LOVE how perfectly placed it got! Kudos to those acrylic stamps!!

I couldn't stop time....

2007-08-29T15:57:00.001-04:00

although I tried!!! I stayed up soooo long the night before the first day of school! Not because I was scared for the kids, or afraid to be alone for the first time I became a SAHM 8 years ago. My husband nailed it...I was grieving a loss. A loss of kids, a loss of being needed, a loss of that part of my life. If you ask anyone, it should be a happy time. I now have hours to myself! For some reason, I wasn't happy about it. My BABY was starting Kindergarten. My BABY! When did this happen? I won't bore you with the "It was just yesterday when..." but you know what I mean. It's like I was standing still and the whole world spun so fast around me I couldn't see. I just wasn't ready to start a new chapter in my life yet. Not YET. But I have to. I certainly want my kids to become independent. I am proud of how well they have adjusted to the new school year. MY "grieving" only lasted a short bit, because when I saw THAT smile on my BABY's face as she stepped off the bus, I knew it was time. Time for her to go. Time for her to become her. The time is now, and I am ok. I am OK.

camping anyone?

2007-08-05T11:54:00.000-04:00

Just got back from another fun camping trip! We left on Friday, and boy was it HOT!! I don't think we ever camped in Aug before! Lemme tell ya, between the heat, bugs, and cicadas buzzing, I almost came home! If it wasn't a trip for my hubby's birthday, I would have I think!!! However, we got to do such fun things together, and even took the puppy. We took a L-O-N-G walk around the lake, went swimming, watched a movie on a Lynx (put on by the Ranger), and played games together. All in all, it was fun as usual, but the conditions could have been better! We agreed to not camp in Aug again! hahaha

perfect pair

2007-07-31T14:48:00.000-04:00

Today my friend, Mimi, challenged me to update my blog! when I told her I hadn't done anything (except my Master's LOs--fingers crossed!) lately, she told me to post something older! I cringe at some of my older work, but, being a good sport, I obliged...SO, here ya go! A LO with some cool photo altering (I LOVE to do THAT!) of my hubby and daughter sticking tongues out at me!!!

altered scrap-o-dex

2007-07-24T21:57:00.000-04:00

So, check THIS out! This is my latest project for il2c! It's a Zsiage Scrap-O-Dex that i altered with the August supplies from i love 2 create. don't you just LOVE it? I want another one!!! It was so fun to do! Plus, the chipboard files are large (4x6) so it made altering easy!!! anyway, this is a project I'm going to put to use for sure! I made it into a "Date List" where I listed any important birthdays, holidays, etc that I need to remember, so I don't have to transpose them on my hanging calendar from year to year! TFL!

dear Stephen

2007-07-10T07:47:00.000-04:00

This is a recent LO featured my oldest son. I just love how it turned out...maybe b/c of the colors, maybe the picture...I'm not sure. This was my first attempt with Hambly...and I gotta say, I LIKE it!

Newest Addition...

2007-06-29T19:36:00.000-04:00

...to our family is finally here! We brought Perba home tonight...and aside from not wanting to eat, she is adjusting fine. The kids are over-excited, and loving every minute! What a cuddle bear she is! Soon, the kids will go to bed and I'll get my turn at holding her!!! Now the fun begins!!

I'm a "WHO"!

2007-06-24T19:09:00.000-04:00

I'm walking on air right now! I just saw I've made it to Scrapscene! The "Who's Who of scrapbooking"! They posted a butterfly I made last year for the il2c DT contest that I won! I made this LO with a butterfly I made from a transparency and alcohol inks. It is still a favorite creation of mine! You can see my Scrapscene debut here Thanks for looking! And, thanks Mimi, for your eternal support and push!

Cheetahs, & Tigers, & Peacocks, Oh MY!

2007-06-18T19:00:00.000-04:00

Another fun trip to the zoo today with the kids! This time we took my mom...and we stopped at the Reptile House first...just for her! LOL! Anyway, being members means no $$$ needed for parking or tickets, and we usually pack our lunches, so we can afford to spend a little on face painting! Last week it was a puppy and a zebra...today it was 2 tigers and a Cheetah Girl! In the first pic you see them looking oh so adorable, and just look at how quickly they turn on their mama! ACK! And finally you see 2 peacocks dispaying their beauty together! We even saw baby peacocks waddling along with their peahen mother. I just LOVE peacocks! They are just beautiful! Which reminds me, at a stamp show I attended in April I picked up a peacock feather stamp, that I need to make something with...I don't know what, I'll wait to see what inspires me, but I'm just dying to use it!!! It's so cool! If you want to send me some inspiration...go right ahead! I'd LOVE it!

perba puppy

2007-06-15T18:39:00.001-04:00

Here she is! Already so big! Just look at those paws! She is 6 weeks old tomorrow, so only 2 weeks left till we get her! ACK! Time to puppy proof! I've been hooked on watching Animal Planet's "It's Me or The Dog" show! I just love it how bad some of those doggies are! anyway, I'm sure Perba will be spoiled, but Steve will keep her in check!

puppy!!!!!

2007-06-02T22:42:00.000-04:00

Well, it's official! We picked out our puppy today! She is a Bernese Mountain Dog, shown here at 4 weeks. We cannot pick her up till she is 8 weeks, so that will be July 1st.

The litter of 8 gave us 4 females to pick from...but the breeder wanted the pink collared one, so we could pick from purple, yellow, or turquoise. So purple was the first one to come to us, tail-waggin' and all! Plus, we liked her markings the best! So purple it is!

Her official name will be:

Karma Purple Perba Sherpa Dog

or "Perba" for short! Obviously you can see where purple came in, as for the rest, well, it's a long story...but basically, it was Karma how we discovered this breed and breeder, and Perba is the name of a Sherpa from the Mt Everest show that totally rocked on that series, and since she's a mountain dog, Mt Everest...can you see it? Anyway, here she is, on Jonathan's lap, giving kisses already!!! It's gonna be a L-O-N-G 4 weeks!!!

every birdie welcome

2007-04-26T13:07:00.000-04:00

My latest altered item! I made this for a gift, and I just LOVE the way it turned out! This is one of several birdhouses I've altered with paper, and I just love them all! The sign says, "Room for Rent", "Cheep Rates", "Every Birdie Welcome"! Isn't that just adorable? so I posted this on ilove2create's website for a cybercraft weekend challenge this weekend (April 27-29). So check the link to the right and get busy doing some challenges! Prizes are awarded!!! I'll see you there!

My Baby lost her 1st Baby Tooth!

2007-04-04T15:36:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it! She's my baby! Lost a tooth! She's growing up! The last signs of childhood! Well, I'm exaggerating! But, she was so cool...she ran upstairs (I was creating) and said "Mommy, my tooth is really loose and I don't like the way it feels!" So she opened her mouth and it was bent over, barely hanging on! so, I told her to pull it out, or twist it, and she did! My oldest son is too chicken to do that! But there it came! And, right into the tooth fairy pouch and under her pillow for some $$$!!! {sigh}

Planet Earth

2007-04-04T12:16:00.000-04:00

I am hooked on the Discovery Channel. I love all the "reality" shows, and the {real} scientific ones are so fascinating! My husband, the scientist, always gets me hooked watching stuff he finds, that I might not normally put on, but since he's watching it, I might walk by, watch a few minutes, and can't tear myself away! He does it to me ALL THE TIME!!!

Anyway, Deadliest Catch started a new season last night...did you watch it? I missed it, and will need to find another showing of it, to add to my TiVo season pass...since I don't have my own reality show (tho sometimes I can hear the theme music playing in my head), this is what Steve and I saw on our 10 year anniv. getaway in NY. Do you know what it is? I will tell you this, it didn't move AT ALL! We got right underneath it, and took pix, and still had no idea what it was! A monkey perhaps, but in NY??? Nah. A porcupine? But in a tree??? Well, to spare you the suspense, you can find the answer here...hooray for wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine

altered triptych

2007-04-01T13:34:00.000-04:00

Finally I took a picture of this triptych I altered for my husband for our 10 year anniversary this past November. It was so much fun to make! After I gave it to him, I took it back so I could display it at Inspired Treasures for a few months!! (how mean was that??) Anyway, he now has it back, and keeps in on his dresser.

Why "Jadadog"?

2007-03-31T22:20:00.000-04:00

OK, why "Jada dog"? This has been my pen name since we owned our very first pup, a boxer, named Jada. Superdog Southpaw Jada to be exact. anyway, she was our Jadadog...what an awesome dog she was! Absolutely beautiful, and unbelievably trained! (tho she had boundless energy, and always wanted to play!!)

So, in 2005 she got Lyme Disease. We treated her with a course of antibiotics, and that was that. she seemed fine. What we didn't know was that she acquired Lyme Nephritis, where her kidneys continued to erode, and in October 2006 we lost her. It was so tragic for us, especially my oldest son, and husband. She was his running partner, his "buddy", his escape. I wanted to memorialize her somehow at Christmas, so I altered this canvas, to keep on our wall. When my husband opened it, it brought tears to his eyes. That was the Jada he remembered, and loved. Even tho she is now gone, I will remain Jadadog on here and my other frequented mb's,not because I can't move on, but because she'll always be a part of me.

This is how I Discovered my "Inner Artist"

2007-03-31T22:09:00.001-04:00

As I mentioned on my profile, I painted this freehand one day, because I wanted to install a window in our dining room! I saw the stone arch at a stencil shop I visited with my mom, and at lunch that day, sketched it from memory on a napkin. Afew days later, this was born! For a few weeks, I wasn't sure what to paint in the window, but as you know, I am in love with Hawaii, so I painted the view of Diamond Head we saw from our hotel balcony. The windowsill needed something more, and since I have absolutely no green thumb, I know I'll never have a real orchid, so I painted one! This mural amazed me. What I pictured in my head is exactly what you see. For the first time, I realized I'm not just crafty, I'm an artist.