Our kids were on spring break last week but our New York kids are on break this week and spending the time here with us. That means lots of get-together’s and lots of photos 🙂
Spring Break
December Highlights
outside vignettes
inside
Our weekly Bible Study Community Group having a blast at our annual Christmas Dinner
The dearest folks that bring so much encouragement, wisdom, prayers and love to us and each other every week.
John’s Company Holiday Party.
Abbey is an employee here too, since July and someone took a photo of her and the co-founder/Executive Vice President because they are the youngest and the oldest employees.
Christmas Eve at Jamie’s playing “Don’t Eat Cashew!” game.
Enjoying the ambiance and Christmas Eve peacefulness of her warm home.
Christmas morning with Abbey
Watched (over and over) a heartwarming video of NY grandkids singing to us via cell phone video.
Erin, AJ and Jared & Jamie, Josh and family arrived late afternoon. They learned that Cashew was being extra mischievous and hid all of the Christmas presents. After dashing throughout the house, Keri was the first to find them in a large cabinet that recently housed our TV.
such fun
chilling after dinner
Look of fright on Chloe’s face as PopPop takes her photo.
She is a bit uncertain of him as were two other grandkids when they were babies.
Some little ones love guys and some prefer girls but they all come to love him when they get a little older.
Here he is trying to to divert her attention so she realizes he really is a nice PopPop
One of my favorite shots
The adults were still chatting in the dining room after dessert and I walked into the kitchen and noticed the kids playing with the trains and talking about the village houses and which are there favorite. Noah even remembered which ones were his NY cousins’ favorite.
It was so sweet to hear see them having a quiet moment at the end of some busy days.
Notice Caleb looking over the sofa arm 🙂
My Blessings
around the table
and Face Time with Jill and family in NY 🙂 
Subway Art
There are many great tutorials to make subway art. The one I made was time consuming and the lettering isn’t as precise as if the words were stenciled or vinyl.
But it has a humble, handmade look and was relatively inexpensive.
I had several ideas before settling on this method. I considered building the project on Photoshop and having it printed onto a canvas but didn’t want to pay the price for a large one and I was limited to the size.
I also thought about painting the lettering onto a canvas but decided to purchase a pine board that we cut to a 13-inch x 35-inch rectangle.
I printed out the words as a Word document in two different fonts.
Using a paper cutter, I cut around each word and, after sanding, priming and spray painting the board, I positioned them in a pleasing way.
Using a stylist (seen on the lower left in photo above), I traced over the outline of each of the letters.
This was the hardest part of the project as I found it took a lot of pressure to leave an indentation in the board.
Each word was painted with white acrylic paint that I thinned just a little with water, using a thin paintbrush.
I sanded the edges of the board and some areas on the face as well.
A coat of sealer and a light wash of brown antiquing paint and a final coat of sealer finished the project.
I debated whether to drill of hole on the back, add a sawtooth hanger or add a hook to the top for hanging. I had a brass hook that I had saved from an old lamp. I thought the brass was too bright so I spray painted it black and screwed to the top of the board.
That’s it!
Celebrating Grads
Saturday we had a party to celebrate Erin’s college graduation and Jared’s middle school graduation
Jared listened intently as Pop-Pop shared and prayed for our oldest grandson
Our first-born and slightly strong-willed daughter was a little apprehensive when her dad called her to his side and began to share her accomplishments. He reminded her of her first word, “I-will-do-it“, and how that trait along with her determination, perseverance and hard-work helped her to obtain her degree while maintaining a home, career and being a mom. This much-loved daughter has boundless energy, creativity and personality. She is talkative, bold and opinionated.
She weathered being the oldest child and gracefully forgave us of the many errors we made as parents.
(this Einstein art was a gift to Erin made by Abbey) 
So that Erin always remembers that others appreciate and admire her many gifts and talents,
I made this subway art for her.
~ Erin Lee ~
Some of the friends and family that celebrated with us
I saw the candy poster on facebook and copied the idea for Jared
Sunday afternoon we gathered again to celebrate the graduation of another sweet girl. Karli, (Top right photo between her brother and dad) is the daughter of my late cousin, Tammy.
Karli, and her younger brother and sister lost their mom in a car accident twelve years ago. She recently received her Doctorate of Pharmacy.
My cousin Karen (Karli’s aunt) was showing off her 1st grandbaby, Emma Katherine
♥
My cousin, Caroline (in the orange dress and Karen’s sister), has a daughter who is getting married in August. So we still have some more celebrations to come!
My cousin, Caroline (in the orange dress and Karen’s sister), has a daughter who is getting married in August. So we still have some more celebrations to come!
Whirlwind
As we get older, it seems we get busier and busier. Our days have been filled with weddings, showers, graduations, parties, birthdays and get-togethers. Nary a week goes by that we don’t have an opportunity to gather and celebrate life and milestones.
Our oldest grandson, Jared, graduated Thursday night from Middle School and is heading to high school in SeptemberContinue Reading
Toni and Joe
I knew this day would be a very special one because the two individuals joining hands and hearts together are very special. This was the day Toni and Joe exchange their vows to one another to be there for each other in all capacities for the rest of their lives.
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| Photo Source: Unknown from facebook |
Think on These Things #6 Springtime
Earlier this week I drove to my daughter, Erin’s home. It was early morning and because of the unusually warm temperature, there was a heavy fog that hadn’t yet burned off.
When I arrived I saw she had already planted her flower beds and applied mulch.
It looked beautiful in the misty veil and the friendly Pansy faces proclaimed
has sprung!
~✿✿✿~
Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair,
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!
~L.H. Bailey
~✿~
~✿~
Has God impressed on your heart something special this week?
Was there a Scripture verse, a song, a quote, a poem or an encouraging word that came your way and caused you to pause.
I’d love for you to share.
Here’s how:
Here’s how:
Please link directly to your post, NOT your blog.
Provide a link back in your post to this Think on These Things
or you can include the
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City Walks Philadelphia
It was a full day celebrating John’s Birthday earlier this week. He took a day from work and bright and early we headed to Chick-Fil-A then to the train station for a trip into Philly.
John picked card no. 48 from our City Walks Philadelphia, 50 Adventures on Foot, and we set out for Historic Society Hill.
With Family
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| Christmas Eve Candlelight Service |
Giving thanks to God for sending His Son for us
Christmas Eve Cousin time
The big kids
together
taking turns reading the Christmas Story before bed
Christmas Morning
Snuggle time
Jamie Josh and their children (with one on the way)
Keri Noah Silas Caleb Cambrie
Jill and Brad and their children, Ryan, Brenna and Shaela
Erin and Jared ~ Me and John
Silas Shaela Cambrie and Aunt Abbey
boys in hats & chocolate wand pretzels
Our Family
Crochet Wash Cloths & Scrubbies
Getting a gift for our oldest daughter is kind of hard. Gift cards are always welcomed but I like to include something personal. I worked up a set of crochet cotton wash cloths & scrubbies. I tied them up with a pretty plate and a bar of homemade soap to display in the bathroom. She love it!Continue Reading
Ocean City with Family
Jill and Brad are spending the week in Ocean City, as leaders for a Youth for Christ retreat.
There are 75 people part of the group so they are very busy.
There are 75 people part of the group so they are very busy.
John and I met Erin on the beach and were later joined by Jill, Brad and kids for a really beautiful day.
The weather had been not-so-nice for the previous few days, so on this gorgeous day, the beach was really packed.
Walking the boards, miniature golf with Ryan, Brenna and Shae, then pizza for dinner and finally Kohr’s Bros Custard. Perfect!
August means Fun!
Jill, Brad and kids arrived for their two week stay in New Jersey on Friday evening.
As you can see from all the photos, it has been busy fun at our house.
As you can see from all the photos, it has been busy fun at our house.
Grandchildren and Children
We had a great week with kids.
Jill and family are heading back to Central New York tomorrow.
How we enjoyed every minute they were here!
John and Brad worked really hard doing some
landscaping in the front yard on Wednesday.
After a long day and warm (80 degree) temps, Jamie and kids
joined us for Pizza and Cheesesteaks for dinner and
ice-cream cones for dessert.
It was a perfect evening to eat outside and play ball!
Baby Cambrie toddled about.
John took a second vacation day today and we headed to Philly
to see the Liberty Bell
and the Betsy Ross House
This evening, the little ones were left with a babysitter and we all met at Outback Steak House for a late dinner. It was so much fun!
It was hard getting pictures in the subdued light, but everyone was together
and
my heart was very happy!
Erin’s Chickens
Soft and Fluffy Baby Chicks
I wanted to get down to my daughter, Erin’s home to see the baby chicks when she first got them and they were soft yellow puff balls. They are a little older now but still kind of cute.
Not so easy getting pictures of these gangly, in between chick-and-chicken, future egg layers. They are living in a large rubbermaid container under lights until they are a bit older and ready to move outside and into their new chicken coop.
