Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Proud Mommy Moment

Indulge me, 
will you?
We have three amazing children.
Young people now, really.


The one I talk most about 
is the one I spend the most time
with....that girl of mine.
Chelsea.

Chelsea has gone through 
two years that have been the hardest
in her life and in ours.
Anorexia was the enemy.
It was awful!

There is no other way to put it.
Anorexia sneaks in and hijacks
relationships, lifestyles and happiness.
Well, it tries to do that.
Sometimes the people involved are
stubborn enough to resist.

We are pretty stubborn.

But even so
we endured a very hard and 
very stressful couple of years.

But, the one who had it the 
hardest was Chelsea.
She had to learn to eat again.
She had to learn to accept the body
that her DNA and Creator
provided her.

Chelsea had to learn to fill the 
emotional needs for love and acceptance
with her Heavenly Father.
To look outward and reach to minister to others.


She endured being let go from a job 
because they thought she was not 
outgoing and confident enough
to handle a Summer Ice Cream rush.

Can I insert here that upon 
receipt of her driver's license this 
was one of the first places she drove
by herself just to say hello
and show how strong and outgoing
she has become.

While I wanted to send a scathing 
letter to that former employer telling 
them what I thought of their heartless
treatment of my girl she said no.
A year later she handled it herself 
in a way that set it all right
and left her on good footing with that 
former manager.

What.a.girl!!

Chelsea has a wonderful employer and
managers at Sight and Sound Theater.
Interestingly they have her on one of the
busiest registers and tell her all the time 
that she does
a wonderful job.
They recently asked her to work
more hours and increased her pay.
Confidence problem?
Bad employee?
I don't think so.

I have a lot I could say...
but suffice it to say that yelling and 
screaming at teenagers does not build 
their confidence.
Her former employer could take lessons
from Sight and Sound!!

The formal treatment for Anorexia is done.
Chelsea has reached her healthy weight
and more importantly has had a change of 
thought processes.

Our girl is well.

But it was an internal and spiritual change.
One that she expressed so well on an 
application for YWAM.
Yes, that is in the works.
In a little over a year our little 
girl will, Lord willing, be on a plane
headed to Australia.
She will go to Descipleship Training School
there and then off to Cambodia or Thailand
for her mission trip.
Working with girls and women
who have been rescued from slavery.
She will be gone from here
at least 5 months.
Gulp!

God has lit a fire in the heart of our
Chelsea.  She is reading, studying and learning
so much about missions, the world
and its conditions.

The contrast to our lives of one year 
ago today is amazing.

I am so very thankful!
And....as I told Chelsea yesterday...
I wouldn't trade her for ANYONE!
Nope!
She is a gem.
Made by God to be just 
who she is.
With experiences that will shape
her future.
And which provide her with 
compassion and understanding
beyond her years.

As for me....
there are bottles of hair color that 
can restore that which I have lost.
LOL

I'll be forever thankful 
that we did not lose our daughter
physically to death,
or in relationship,
during these hard times.

Praise God for His 
grace and mercy
in our lives.

We are blessed!

Monday, January 30, 2012

Twitter Anyone?

As I mentioned in an earlier post
my friend, Nigel, is building a web site 
for Good Neighbors Candle Co.

He has decided that I should have a Twitter
account ticking away on the right hand side of
the header.

O.k.

That's probably fine.
I'm sure it is a great idea.

But, I'm going to have to learn about this
particular form of chatter.

Should be easy as I seem to think 
in short spurts anyway.

But what is up with those signs and symbols?
I have no idea of the proper way 
to use them. 
What if I accidentally say something
I didn't intend to?

It so totally 
could, and likely will, happen.

Bear with me.

If you are on Twitter
you can follow me.

As if you wanted more information and
details about my days.
Good grief!

But, here we go.

On to Twitter.
Maybe I'll be the next Ashton Kutcher
and have millions of followers....lol.
NOT.
But, hey if Nigel says it will help my 
web site...I'm there!
He's very sharp
about things such as these.
@beckypfa ~ signing off.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

I Need An Air Traffic Controller....

IN MY BRAIN!
(I left that wide open for
your jokes, didn't I?)
 
Yikees...there is way too much
going on in there.

I want to do this project 
and that thing over there.

I have a couple of orders to fill,
stores to supply
and 
designs to complete.

I have a house that desperately 
needs my attention 
and 
responsibilities at the church that
I should, and want, to attend to.

People to visit.
Cards to send....
Friends to hang out with 
and places to see.

Getting these things done would
not be a problem if I could just 
focus on them one at a time.

There is not one thing on the list 
that I have no desire to do.
They are all worthy and will
bring much satisfaction at their
completion.

It is just about a plan....
and the execution of that plan.

Do you ever feel like this?
How do you make it happen?

I think for me it will take a list.
Writing it down so it can 
be quantified and put to a plan.

Otherwise I spin my wheels and do a 
bit here and bit there but never 
fully complete anything.

It doesn't help that Warren 
is in his very busy time at work
and is working all kinds of odd hours.

Completely throws me off
my routine.

Oh well!

In March the new show
at Sight and Sound Theater
will open and things will 
calm down for him again.

Jonah!
It will be soooo great!!
You'll just have to come and 
see it..........

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Kennett Square...as a Destination

Most of the time when I think
of Kennett Square
I think of 
Longwood Gardens.

That has been our reason 
to head that way.

However, 
on January 6th that changed.
Mom, Georgia, Chelsea and I 
went to the historic town of Kennett Square
to poke around and see what we could see.

It was a perfect day with clear blue
skies and weather that was definitely
more Springlike than Winter.


We began our tour at the most convenient
restroom facilities we could find....
The Public Library.
And as we were seeking information
about a Farmer's Market to be set up 
that afternoon it seemed the perfect
place to gather those tidbits as well.



Then we were on the hunt for a 
lunch location.
We decided to try a brand new restaurant.
A Mediterranean Bistro.

I enjoyed a sandwich with 
steak, olives and cheese.
It was scrumptious.
We were fascinated by the fact 
that we were never asked for a 
drink order. 
They simply serve water 
and that...is that!

After lunch we explored shops 
along the way.
What fun.
Everything from high end clothing stores
to jewelers line the way.

We poked into the most eclectic ones
we could find.
The General Store was certainly not 
what we were expecting.
It turns out the General Store is a compilation
of donations benefiting those with 
Traumatic Brain Injury.
The man who runs the store was a priest 
in Philadelphia who was attacked and 
has suffered a brain injury.
Nothing is priced...
it is all by donation.
He was our favorite "person of the day".
He offered us advice and information
on many of the places in his town.

He insisted we visit the French Bakery
while we were there.
He was so right....
it was the last place we visited that 
day and it was just perfect to 
seal a wonderful afternoon.
I enjoyed a puff pastry 
filled with a chocolate cream.
Delightful!!

I loved that while in the Bakery
we noticed that they serve soup from the Bistro
and other items from the neighboring shops.

You definitely get the sense of community 
in Kennett Square.
It is a town where they all work 
and play together.

Our favorite shop, 
by far, 
was Mrs. Robinson's Tea Shop.



An old fashioned store where tins
of teas line both walls front to back.
More than 150 varieties.
Full strength on the left 
and 
Decaf on the right.

In the middle sat a table with 
four pots of brewed tea for your
tasting pleasure.

We did test and enjoy.
Then we bought.
Of course.

This was the only shop that 
caused us to return for a second
visit on that day.
We decided that a gift for Mrs. Rabe
was in order in congratulations on their 
new Shop Owner Status.
She loves tea.
Sadly, in her preferred brand they only
had decaf....so he'll be reordering
and Deanna said it will be wonderful to 
have on hand for guests who are partial 
to decaf.

I had some time to sit and enjoy the 
view in this store dedicated to mushrooms
while Mom and Georgia went downstairs
to a consignment store.



You see, Chester County, is famous for its
mushroom production.
You only have to be a few miles into Chester
County before you smell it.
Not a very pleasant odor, 
I admit.
But unique to the mushrooms.
And so as you tour Kennett Square
you will find much about Mushrooms.

There was a small mushroom museum 
inside this shop....




The Farmer's Market ended up being a bit small
but the produce found there was gorgeous.

We were very happy campers.

We returned home tired 
but satisfied and vowing 
to do that trip again!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Chelsea Caught the Animals....

In waiting....


I can tell you that as calm as they appear
they would be up and thrilled if someone 
picked up a toy and offered to play!

They just put in their time
on the couch.....
waiting for the fun to start!



Only in the winter would you find this.
Oliver is outdoors during the Spring, Summer and Fall 
months....coming in for warmth and comfort only
when it is cold and wet outside.

He happened onto a piece of my 
packing paper.
He can have it....
no putting that one in a box.

Take a lesson....
rest up.
Fun times are just around the corner!

Thanks, Chelsea...
for the photos!

Monday, January 23, 2012

Blue Monday - So Beautiful


Linking up with Smiling Sally
who has been so very faithful to 
Thanks, friend.
I miss being here.

I spend too much time on Etsy these days.
Peeking here and there.
Finding things to love.

Well, since I can't buy much of the things
I see and love I make them into Treasuries....
collections to visit and enjoy.

This is one I made with blue glass.

So delicate.
So many forms.
Each item is a link to a larger photo.
Look and try not to drool.

That blue and green plate is one
of my all time favorites...
but then I love the whale too
and think that Warren might need
that for his desk as he works
on the new show,
Jonah!

Enjoy.....

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Grandchillas Sprocket and Evo

 

Perhaps it is because 
so many of my friends have
become grandparents over the past 
year or two.
I find myself looking forward 
to the day
we have grandchildren of our own.

I don't wish for my children to become
parents until the time is right.
That is a given.

But, when Mikey used money received
at Christmas to purchase 
chichillas I found myself
calling them my Grandchillas.

I mean, 
I was in a store and saw their 
favorite treats....
raisins.

I told Warren
I had to get them for my Grandchillas.
It just slipped out.
He looked at me strangely
but a term was born.
I came home all excited and told
Mikey I had gotten the raisins.
He nearly burst my bubble by insisting
on reading the label to make sure 
they were safe for his babies.

What???
There are bad raisins?
Sold for human consumption???
Yep!
But mine passed the test.


Preparation for days ahead when 
the kiddos bring their kids over 
with gobs of instructions to not 
do all of those things that were 
safely done with them.

I remember going through that 
with our parents.
Dropping the kids off with car seats
and swim floaties.
Instructions about this and that.
Only to have them roll their eyes and 
tell us that they had parented us and we
had survived.  
Back in the day seat belts were for 
sissies....let alone car seats.
Thankfully the law was on our side
for this one! 
LOL

I mean...
Warren still has a scar on his
forehead from his 
wild unseatbelted days.
Scary, I tell ya.
How in the world did we survive????



So...
I am officially in training.
And I love my Grandchillas.
I can hold them, 
pet them....
feed them treats and
send them home.
To Mikey's room.

Where they keep him awake at 
night chewing on the cage door
or running on their wheel.

Sigh....
that is so sweet.

Hey Mikey!
Let me know when they run out
of sweets. 
I want to load them up!!!

Friday, January 20, 2012

So, That Was Cold

I have been blessed with the gift of 
a free web site design
by a college student who is using
Good Neighbors Candle Co
for his project.

What this means is that the process
will likely take about a year
and there will be lots of stops and starts
but I'm really ok with that.

My young friend is very creative,
invested in the project and thorough.

We met yesterday to take some photos,
buy the web space and work on text to be 
included on the site.

Not the best day to be outside shooting
video and still pictures.
Our fingers were stiff!
The candles flickered....
well, actually they more than flickered
because not only was it cold.
It was super windy too.






My friend is very capable with 
photo editors and will make these 
photos look great in editing.
He will potentially use them as part of the 
header with an actual flickering flame.
Think video loop.
I am now officially excited about the 
end result.

New candle options for you.....
Juice Glass Candles
$7.00 each.
These are soooo pretty.
You choose the scent and I put it
in the glass, leaving the wax white!




Fragrance List:

 Amazingly Grace (Type)
Apple Cinnamon
Autumn Magic
Black Cherry Jellybean
Blackberry Jam
Butter Pecan Pie
Balsam
Bayberry
Blueberry Muffin
Birds of Paradise
Caramel Apple
Coconut
Cappuccino
Country Bumpkin
Country Apple
Cranberry Balsam
Cucumber Cantaloupe
Cucumber Mint
Clean Breeze (Type)
Cinnamon Buns
Candy Cane
Citrus Infusion
Citrus Strawberry
Cinnamon Stick
Chocolate Milk
Chocolate Raspberry Drizzle
Eucalyptus
Fresh Linen
French Vanilla
French Lavender
Grandma's Kitchen
Home for the Holidays
Honeysuckle
Hot Buttered Rum
Hydrangea Heaven
Hot Baked Apple Pie
Lilac
Mulberry Spice
Nantucket Briar (Type)
Orange Clove
Oceans
Orange Blossoms
Pearberry
Potpourri Spice
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Rose Hip and Tea
Strawberry Kiwi
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Spiced Cranberry
Spearmint
Tranquil Sleep
Tangerine
Victorian Rose
Wildflowers
Wisteria

Just email me (beckypfa  (at) yahoo.com) or go to Etsy if you'd like 
to have me make one of these for you.

Have a great day...
we are shopping today in expectation 
of snow overnight tonight and tomorrow.

The boys have a bunch of friends coming in 
for the weekend...so food is a priority.
LOL


Wednesday, January 18, 2012

A New Hobby

Soup.

More specifically
potato soup.

I've found that I love making
(and eating)
potato soup.

I made one on Sunday morning 
to share at our Fellowship Meal.
I used our favorite sausage from
a local grocery store.

Yum-my.

I would tell you my recipe 
if I had one.

I kind of like to make it up
as I go.
But I think the secret is 
the red pepper flakes
and that 
Musser's sausage.

Of course the butter, 
evaporated Milk,
2 percent milk,
Tarragon,
Oregano,
Cream of Chicken Soup,
chicken boullion,
Potatoes,
Onion Powder,
Garlic,
Corn Starch,
Salt,
and
Pepper
might have 
had something 
to do with it too.

I might have to make more today.
Mmmmm....yum.
Just perfect on a blustery day.

Monday, January 16, 2012

And Then She Passed!

 

We pulled up to the waiting area
so that Chelsea could take her driver's test.

We expected the very nice man
who had registered us.
Sure enough, 
there he came....
and got into the car in front of us.
Uh-oh!
Then came another man.
This one all bundled up against the 
cold and unsmiling.
He demanded our paperwork.
He got in the car and away they went.

To the parallel 
parking area.
This was the area most dreaded.
I, having been booted from the car, 
was shivering as I stood against 
the building.... watching.

You have to understand that 
this particular part of the test course is
 the stuff of legends around here.
In fact, on any given Sunday you can 
go to the testing area and find parents and 
prospective licensed drivers
circling the building in order to 
practice their parallel parking.

You get just one shot at it.
Touch that curb and it is over.
The waiting list is long and you'll have 
another month or more to wait 
before you can take the test again.

We had not come here to practice.
Not even once.
Warren had taken her out one evening
and they did some practicing in our area....
then she had set up a trash can and I'd 
parked the Buick at my mother's driveway 
where she had practiced a while one
day that week.

This was it...
I did not have high expectations for her 
to pass this part of the test.

So, I watched.
She backed in and parked that car
like a pro.

They moved on to the next part of the course.
Before long they returned.
The proctor (for lack of a better word at the moment)
got out of the car and passed me silently as he 
headed back to the building.
I got into the car and Chelsea looked at 
me with tears in her eyes.
She said, "I passed!".

I asked what we were to do 
next and she didn't know.
Now I began to get worried.
Wouldn't he have told her what to 
do next if she had passed?
I asked exactly what the man had said.
"You made it."
That was it.

We looked at each other.
What if he meant she had survived the 
test and not that she had passed?
We decided that the only thing to do was 
to go inside and ask.

So...that is exactly what we did.
The same kind man who had registered
us was back at the desk.
He seemed surprised that she didn't know 
if she had passed and asked for her permit.

Sure enough, neither the pass nor fail were
marked.  There were, however, some numbers
written there.
He began chuckling and mumbling something 
about no one being bullet proof then told us 
to sit down and stay there.

After a while a familiar figure came from the 
back and went to a spot behind a desk along 
a wall.  I asked Chelsea if that was the man who 
had given her the test.
She wasn't sure...since now he had no 
coat, hat and scarf.
He did not even glance in our direction.
After another "eternity" he gruffly called her name.
We tentatively went to his desk.
He held up her permit and requested that 
she confirm everything was correct on it.
She did.
He persisted...was she sure?
She was...but becoming more unsure all of the time.
He had her sign a paper.

Finally I told him that she still didn't know 
if she had passed the test.

Now it was his turn to look incredulous.
He said, "I told you that you made it.
What did you think that meant?"

I'm pretty sure Chuck is not an ogre.
But he surely enjoyed torturing my girl.
He asked her why she was so nervous.
It reminded me of my middle school gym
teacher who delighted in toughening up 
my tenderness.

While it may not have been as straightforward
as we would have liked it was definitely the 
desired result and one which we will not 
soon forget.


Calling her Daddy to tell him the good news.

Chelsea's first solo drive was 
to .....
Starbucks, of course!

Friday, January 13, 2012

Good Morning Friends.....

If I were Winnie the Pooh
I would tell you that it is a blustery day
here in the wood.

A steely gray sky
is actually very pretty against the green 
of the field across the street 
as the sun rises higher and 
brings light to the water tower
and hay rolls
visible from the picture window.

Today our Chelsea will find out 
if she can drive unsupervised.
Since we didn't get over to the test
area to practice parallel parking 
on the course we are unsure.
That gets most people the first time.

I have to say that Chelsea is a very 
good driver but I am still hesitant 
to want to send my youngest out 
there by herself.

So, I have placed the results
repeatedly in the Lord's hands.
Not that it really wasn't there in the 
first place...but for my sake
I just keep offering her up to Him.

He knows if she is ready yet.

Now I had better get ready.
We have to get some gas on our
way so that she doesn't run out
halfway through the test.
That would be embarrassing.

She would have to call out
for 
"Christopher Robin"
to get her out of a 
mess such as that.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

These Turned out So Well


Every day the number one search on 
my Etsy site is Baby Shower Favors.


I'm not stupid...
slow maybe, 
but not stupid
so I've been keeping my eye
out for ways to vary my baby shower
favor options....


Yesterday Mrs. Rabe and I were out 
shopping through some wholesale
shops...
We found these pottery pieces with bears!!
Cute.Teddy.Bears!!

I was smitten and so we piled them
into pie plates that happened to be 
sitting nearby to get them to the register.

I couldn't wait to get to making them 
up this morning.
These are baby powder scented
on a tea light pedestal.

Now available in my 
and soon to be in the 
brick and mortar store,
Cape Cod Crafters at 
Rockvale Square.

If you are on Pinterest
please feel free to 
"pin them".

Smile....................

Monday, January 9, 2012

Fab Fashions - And Really Good Friends

If you know me you'll
know that I am not a fashion queen.
Not even close.
Clothes and accessories are a blur
on the periphery of my existence.
I wear them so that I don't get 
arrested and or make others ill.

However, 
I have some dear friends with a 
great eye for fashion.
If you read the blog Creekside Cottage
you know them too.

The Rabes recently shocked everyone who knows
them by purchasing a store owned by another
gentleman  in our church.
This store is called Fab Fashion.

So, by that very name you know they 
must know something about fashion 
or this was a very, very bad idea.
(grinning)

Of course they know fashion.
Mrs. Rabe and Emma 
are quite into it, in fact.  

This is the store as it looked on Friday evening
when we visited.
It is pretty much as our friend Denny left it.
Wise on their part since he is 
very good at business and had quite 
a following.







I had fun with my camera....

Very artsy shots, don't you think?
LOL




Lindsay was behind the register...
rocking this adorable hat!
It is not for sale.
And I did promise you laughter in this new year.
We ran into some new friends at the shop
and had just a bit of fun.

These young men were great sports to model
what we dubbed "Murses" for us.
Aren't they precious?

 You will not see these guys 
carrying purses
again...it was purely for fun.
But these bags are adorable and comfy soft.

Thanks Bradley and Drew.
We had a great time hanging out with you!

I urge you to visit Fab Fashion if you are
in, or visit, the Lancaster area.
It is near Central Market in 
downtown Lancaster.  
Very soon you will be able to 
shop for all of these well priced items
online.  The web site is just about ready to 
be launched due to Lindsay's special 
abilities with a camera and the computer.
That girl rocks both!!

Rabe family....
we wish you success and joy
in your new venture.