Winners!!!!!

Our family is off having a fun
day together so I will
not be here to post your comments
as they come in...
However, know that I will post
them and respond as soon as I
possibly can.

I will be watching my family
ride rollercoasters, and other
fun rides. I'll do this safely
from the sidelines.
No rides for me.
Thank you very much!

Not since that time I lost my
glasses on the first and only
rollercoaster I had ever ridden.
I then had to spend the day
without them. They were never
found! What a wretched day!

So...I watch. And Cheer!

Now, to the point of this post!
The give-a-way!

The first question was what
to put the names into.

All of my favorite baskets
are full of other things.

So, I chose this funky lettuce
bowl inherited from Warren's
Grandmother. I just think it
is so cool. Don't you?



Anyway...after writing all
of the names and folding
them carefully, I called
Chelsea to be my assistant.

She checked out the bowl.
No fraud or tricks here.



Nope, no trapdoors in the
bottom of that bowl!

A bit of a waitress feel
here. I think she could
have potential.



And then she drew the
names...


JD of Ribbon Challenged!



Joyce of the Flour Power Blog!



One of the first bloggers I met...
Miss Paula of Gathering of Friends


but we could not stop there.
I actually have a fourth book
that Chelsea and I read.
The corners are bent in spots
but the book is fine...so
why not give it away too??

This was just too much fun.

SO....


Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage and Inspirations

You are the bonus winner!


Thanks for entering.

Winners if you will e-mail me,(beckypfa (@) yahoo.com), your
snail mail info I can get
these books in the mail next week.

Enjoy!


♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Our Beautiful Moms!

What makes for a Beautiful Life?
Many things...check out just a few
at The Inspired Room!

Family is so important.

Warren and I are so blessed
to have our mothers living
on either side of us.

It can be challenging at times,
of course. Both are recent widows
and the grief is real and often
tangible. However, it is a journey
we as a family are walking through
together. We all agree we wouldn't
want them to be ANYWHERE else!

As I read blogs and see parents
moving closer to children and grandchildren
I give a little cheer!
Yay! Go for it.
Be there!
You have so much to offer.

My Mom took Jonathan out to
practice driving the other day.
We were ever so grateful since
there was a little incident
recently involving our car and
the garage door. Warren was
along for that little excursion
and has been a bit hesitant to
volunteer again.

We would likely have been even
more upset about the garage door
that now has to be replaced but
Mikey had already punched a hole in
it with a tire when his dirtbike kept going
after he had jumped off of it one
day....sigh!!!!!

But, nonetheless, this Grandma gets
huge kudos for "risking life and limb".
LOL


These photos were taken at Thanksgiving
2008. The Moms insisted on taking turns
with the camera. I would gladly have
stepped up and out of the picture...
We were at Georgia's for this Thanksgiving
Meal. We had certainly not planned
in advance for this photo opp!



From the time we were first married
back in the dark ages, our two families
have taken every opportunity to spend
as many holidays together as possible.

I always told the kids how blessed they
were to not be pulled to one side or the
other. They had Great Grandmas and their
four Grandparents. We knew it was a special
blessing!

This was a great foundation for the hard
times. When we would lose first my Dad,
then weeks later Georgia's Mother and then
finally Gene, after a difficult extended illness.

The Moms, as we affectionately call them,
were already friends.

Last year they went out west together.
It was supposed to be all of us...
but the economy and life became too
real for the five of us.
I was so glad that the Moms did it
anyway.





We laughed and laughed as they told us their
difficulties in starting this hybrid.
Apparently pushing a button was not
something that crossed their minds as
a way to start a car.


Yesterday, I accompanied these ladies to
a local Amish Greenhouse so they could
choose flowers to put out in front of
our church. While we were all in the
same few acres I wasn't right with them
but I heard their laughter...
riding on the breeze.

They went back to the church
and planted those flowers.
I haven't seen them yet but I know they
will be lovely. Both ladies love to plant
and care for flowers.

Last evening I walked outside and glanced
over to Georgia's sunporch. There at her
table sat my Mom. They were enjoying dinner
together. My heart was blessed. Honestly,
for more than one reason...they were eating
crabcakes and I was glad to not have been
invited...no crab for me!

Georgia is well aware of my dislike for
anything "fishy".

Later they both came to our place and we
watched a comedy video that Mom brought
back from a recent trip to Tennessee
to see the Gaithers.
Oh, the stories from that weekend event!
Amazing. This trip involved my Dear Aunt
Naomi who reads this blog.
Aunt N. I heard about the cell phone and
a certain author....shame on you! Too funny!

Apparently my Aunt's cell phone went off as
the author of The Shack
was speaking. This prompted him to tell a
very amusing tale of a cell phone,
a wedding and an embarrassing moment.

So, we have enjoyed hearing about their
adventures, seeing them progress through
the hard times and love having them
"pop in because they are in the neighborhood".
That is what Mom said last night with giggles
as she stood in my kitchen for no real reason
after her dinner with Georgia.
Loved it!

Suffice it to say, we are very blessed.

To have Moms as friends.
To us.
And to each other.

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Hello!

Things are busy around here.

Chelsea and I just returned from
dropping Mikey at a landscaping
job. It will be a challenge for
him but I believe it is just the
right size for him to start on.

It is in the city so it is a
relatively confined space.
It was all I could do to pull myself
away because it looked like a
lot of fun!

Anyway, after dropping Mikey
off Chelsea and I stopped at
our Amish friend's house and
picked up five boxes of glassware
to make into candles.

There are orders for three
households included in the
five boxes. Funny thing is...
I was not going to make any more
candles this season.
I'm such a softie!

What can I say?

Then my sweet daughter and I
enjoyed breakfast at her favorite
breakfast spot in Quarryville on
our way home. She twists my
arm so well. It was great to
talk about our next four years of
school. Since she is entering the
high school years we needed to discuss
her general direction.

It is not a surprise to hear her say
she wants her primary focus to be
on writing. This is her passion.
She writes chapter after chapter
for fun. So, we will make a very
diligent effort to perfect her writing
skills and enter many writing contests,
submit things for publication and
attempt to build up a nice portfolio
over these next four years.

She will also become even more
proficient with multiple word
processing systems.
It is going to be so fun!

If you could have seen her face when
I told her that it was "her highschool"
and she gets to set the focus.

Of course, there was that moment when
she realized she still has to do math...
but hey, that is not so bad!

She will do a business/accounting
math track and will learn Excel
through and through.

I will learn it with her. I use it in
a very surface way but want to be able to
do more.

A huge plus to homeschooling.
Moms learn so very much!

Each of these things will benefit her greatly as she
moves into the next phase of her life.
It is so good to have the options of building
a program around her future interests.

I even think she will like the organization
of accounting. After all, she is
my little organizer.

So...that is about it up until now...
our day.

Unless you know of a remedy for getting
fluid out of one's ear canals.
I have tried everything recommended to
me so far with no success. It is about
to make me go mad! lol


♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Mikey's 2009 Roses

Thank You, Susan, for hosting this
each week. It is something I look
forward to....
For more Outdoor Wednesday Posts just click on
Susan's name in the sentence above.

Don't forget to sign up for the Book Give-a-way
on the sidebar. You have until Friday.
Remember there will be three winners....

Now, on to Outdoor Wednesday
and our Great News!!





It is just the beginning of the
Rose Season but everywhere
we go roses are blooming
with gusto.

Mikey's are no exception.





It was raining yesterday and the
water on the blooms was so pretty.





This yellow one is so old fashioned
looking.



And for those of you waiting for
this news....

MIKEY GOT THE INTERNSHIP!!!

He is officially the first
homeschool high school intern
at Longwood Gardens.

God is so good to him!

He is so excited!!!

Just a bit of Mommy Pride
here...just a bit.

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Georgia's White Clematis

When Warren's Mom, Georgia, bought
the house next door from my good
friend, Beverly, she moved a clematis
that was well established in the middle
of the yard. The move
was necessary since there were about
ten trees being cut down. This vine
would have been in the way.

I figured there was a decent chance
this flower would not survive the
move.

I was so wrong!

Yesterday something caught my eye
from the far side of Georgia's yard.

It was this.


This is wonderful because before
Gene passed away and Georgia sold
their home an hour away from here
she had the most beautiful purple
clematis on her lamp post. I know
she misses so many things from that
yard. How sweet that this flower
should be doing so well!













God knows us so well and shows
His love in very tangible ways.

To Georgia...it is through an
intricate flower.

Has He showed His love to You lately?

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Psst...Don't forget to enter for a chance
to win the Book Give-a-way
either at the original post from yesterday
or from the link on the sidebar. I will randomly
select three winners Friday at 9am.

Blue Monday Giveaway...

Some time ago I posted my 700th
post. Crazy, I know!

No surprise to my family who
knows how much I love to speak
and write.

However, I have been debating
what to do as a giveaway.

Now, I know.

I have three of these books,
Sisterchicks in Sombreros,
by Robin Jones Gunn.

Since the cover design features
blue so perfectly it will be a
great feature for Blue Monday with
Smiling Sally.



The term "Sisterchicks" is a bit reflective
of how I feel about all of you.
How fun it would be to enjoy a trip
to Mexico with all of my bloggy
friends...however...since that isn't going to
happen enjoy the book! lol

So...feel free to enter between now
and Friday Morning at 9am. I will
randomly draw three names and contact
the winners then.

There are three books, there will be
three winners.

If your profile does not allow
for contact information please be
sure to give me your email so I
can contact you if you win.

Have fun!

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

A Worthwhile Article

Yesterday I read an article
from the June 2009 Reader's Digest
that touched my heart.

I think you would love it too.

It is called Finding Gilbert and it
begins on page 164. This is the
story of an American Soldier
away from home in France,
at Omaha Beach during World War II
and a little boy he befriended there.
A lifetime connection was made
but the story the soldier's family
heard was not complete.

This is the story of the family
connection that just would not
go away over the years leading
to a wonderful reunion.

The story is told by Diane Covington,
daughter of the American Soldier
featured in this heartwarming tale.

Great Memorial Day reading.

Have a special weekend and Monday
with your family.

May we remember those who died in
the service of our country.

May we strive to preserve the freedoms
these men and women sacrificed for.

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Things to Do Today....

I've been pretty quiet this
week. Chelsea has really
stepped up and been a big
help.

She has been the primary person
to feed and care for the dogs,
done some laundry, more than
her usual share of the dishes,
and she planted flowers
yesterday.

However, since she can't drive she
has not gotten the groceries, gone
to the dairy, picked up the movie
we need for this evening, or gotten
the key copied that we must have done.

Therefore, I must spring into action
today.

I will take a quick trip to
the Amish Grocery.

As it is supposed to be sunny it will
be bright and cheery inside.
Without electric lights this store
relies greatly on skylights.

When necessary they will light the
kerosene lamps but daylight is the
preferred source of light to shop by.

The coolers are walk-in. Just
imagine walking into your forty
degree refrigerator.
The freezer is walk-in as well
and makes for a very shocking
experience at about zero.
All of this cold is
made possible by the biggest
generator system I have ever
seen or heard.

I like to look for cheese, sour cream,
butter, fruits, cereal, meat, and snack
type things at this store.

We will visit our local dairy.
The milk is as fresh as it gets
and buying from local farmers makes
me happy!

Our local Mennonite-owned dry goods
store will make a duplicate key for
us. They are one of the last hold
outs from the big box store.
From a huge selection of fabric to
hardware this is our first stop when
looking for that little something.

Our local video store is a confusing
place but it holds a special place
in my heart. When we first moved into
the community we opened an account there
at which time the owner showed us around
explaining that the VHS on the top shelf
is the new release...second shelf a three
day rental(on certain days it is five days)
...all of this in a really
wild floor plan.
But you know what?
If I can't find what I am looking for
the couple of employees
or the owner can find it in a heartbeat.
It blesses my heart to find a young man
with Down's Syndrome working there very
diligently and with full concentration.
Small town...service and smiles.
So...while we have a Netflix account,
which I love,
I will not stop using this local
store when it suits our needs.

Mikey works at a locally owned Garden
and Feed Store. What a blessing for
him to have this opportunity.
Getting to know the community while
learning about the things that he
will carry with him for life.

Today I will purchase
layers pellets for our four mature
chickens who are eating and laying
like crazy. When I do this I know
I am supporting the people who are
blessing our son's life.

It is so personal...this thing called...

Community...we live in it...support it...
and highly recommend you do the same where
you live. Visit your locally owned stores
whenever possible. These are your neighbors
with incentive to treat you well.

Its a Beautiful Life when you make connections.
Know the people who serve you.
It is good for everyone!

Just one of my pet causes...






Have a look at other beautiful life
posts by visiting Melissa at
The Inspired Room.
She is featuring a Outdoor living
space today. It is so pretty.
I haven't yet seen what other bloggers are
up to but I am sure it is worth the look.
So...leave me a note and then pop over, if
you have a few minutes.

Have a wonderful Friday!

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Trumpet and Friends

Our chicks are thriving!

What spunky little things
they are.

Since it has been very cold
overnights they are still
living in the garage with
a heat lamp, as needed.

However, it is fun to take
them out to a temporary
play yard for some good old
scratching and pecking!

Oh do they love this!

Check out how fluffy they
are getting to be.

Their little tails are like
cotton balls.




Their eyes are sharp and don't
miss a thing


Since the little play yard is
just chicken wire placed in a
circle the peeps must be watched
at all times. The number one
worry for chickens is predators.

Could be a bird or a dog.
Even our friendly foxes from
across the street.

Our larger chicken run that
these guys will move into has
a chicken wire roof and buried
fencing. You really have to
be careful or your chickens will
be the targets of some hungry creature.

We certainly wouldn't want that!

Chelsea has named this one Trumpet.


There is a tiny one who is so
very spunky! She is always
trying to break free. We
call her Thumbelina.

Don't be misled by that innocent
little face...

The others remain nameless.
As soon as they reveal their
little personalities I am sure
that will change.





Have a Happy Thursday!

♥♥Becky K.♥♥

Outdoor Blogger Meet

An Outdoor Wednesday Post hosted
by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.
Thank You, Susan!!
I do hope you'll stop by her blog
and see more great links having to
with anything outdoors.


I post so many photos from Longwood
Gardens that I should be on staff.
Some fellow bloggers had commented
that they would love to visit the
Gardens but hadn't been there in years.

I talked to Mrs. Rabe and Kelly about
organizing a meet.

They were in favor...and so it began.

Sadly, when the time drew closer Kelly
was unable to join us but now she can
...in a virtual way.

Others of you were with us in spirit,
which might have been nice for you
given the weather.



This was the sight that welcomed us.
We were driving through the clouds...
with a mist that was constant.

We wondered briefly how we might
recognize each other but...

It turned out to be no problem
since I have posted recent pictures of
Chelsea and Warren on my blog.

JD, Jim and Karen found us.

Mrs. Rabe, Lindsay, Emily, Rachel
and Kyle soon joined us and we were off!

Jim and Karen with their cameras at the ready...


We talked and laughed our way
through all of this beauty...




































The five bloggers present tried to pose
but it was so wet and we were so busy
getting to know each other that I don't
think we have one photo of all of us where
no one is talking.
Here you see
Mrs Rabe from Creekside Cottage.
My daughter Chelsea who writes Its About Friends.
I am in PINK.
JD from Ribbon Challenged.
Karen from Nittany Inspirations.



The guys complained at us just a bit
as they attempted to get a decent photo.
Sorry men!
Not going to happen!




Mrs. Rabe had to leave first.
This made Chelsea sad since
the girls are all such
dear friends.
But the idea of lunch
cheered her up.

It was at lunch that
Karen and I discovered that she
knows my brother and his wife.
She was at their wedding.
Small world!!!



It was delightful to meet these
wonderful people.
We are beginning talks about
another "meet" next year.

Hope that works out!

Thanks for checking out the
fun we enjoyed.

♥♥Becky K.♥♥