Happy Birthdayt, Nichole!

Weren't you just a plain ol' three

Sitting upon my knobby knee

Then a teen on a silly spree

Throwing glitter at your mom and me

Locking us out and screaming loud

How could that not draw a crowd?

Building bonds with cousins three

Sleepovers, watching and playing  ~ Jumanji!!

Now you're turning twenty-three

Happy Birthday, to you, From ME!

Love Aunt Crickett

PS ~ Never lose sight of your younger years

They are what guide you through life.

PSS ~ I love this picture!

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Happy Birthday!

29. . . . . Hmmmm

You know what that means. . . .

One more year 'til the  3-0

I pray your day is as wonderful as you!

I pray for your success.

I love you!!!

Aunt Crickett

Figuring Out Fall

Fall is that season that has created a love/hate relationship with us humans.  She doesn't do it intentionally or spitefully.  It is just one of those things. It happens.

Me?  Me, I love Fall.  I love all her beauty and grace.  I have pondered my love affair with Fall for quite some time.  Why she intrigues me so. Why she makes me feel the way she does.  I think I have come to some kind of conclusion.  I think. 

There is something about a season that can transition from a sweltering, sticky day into a cool, breezy one.  And then back again.  She will tease you with her coolness.  She will delight you with her colors.  And she will toy with your nostalgic side with her smells. She seems to do all this so subtly and effortlessly but with a calculated purpose. 

Her breath of cool air is much welcomed after smoldering temperatures have left us drained.  Her breezes seem to ease the tension gently from our bodies.  We too, can breathe. Regroup. She gives us warm days into cool nights and cool days into cold nights.  She prepares us for Winter.
 
Her colors are always s sight to behold.  She may move in quickly to change the landscape to her liking ~ seemingly working in the dark of night, that we may awaken to suddenly see a new world out our windows.  Or she may take her time to nonchalantly add a splash here or a dab there, gently easing into her vibrant, flashy raiment.

She has the power through her ability to change the landscape to cause us to reflect into our past, ponder our present and wonder about our future. 

Her colors are but, as they say, as season.  Soon the wind will blow a fire-y rainfall of leaves across the ground.  Unlike the wet stuff, the leaves gently swirl, drift, lift and land where they please.  Their gentle, breezy ballet is mesmerizing, causing one to daydream, stop and stare or frolic in the midst of them. 

The smells that come with fall are like a favorite blanket that not only keeps you warm, but affords you a safe place to ponder your thoughts, snuggled in, smelling the warmth of the fabric, feeling the textures of the cloth, protecting you from yourself.  That. Is.  Fall.  Your mind settles in, triggered by the smells she sends through the air, across the ground, up from the chimneys, in the early mornings, and the late of nights.  Memories and hopes arise from smelling the wispy, swirling vapor from the chimneys, observing the textures of the leaves and foliage, breathing in their musky smell kissed by the morning sun or chilled by the evening dew. 

It would be a harsh awakening moving from Summer into Winter without Fall.  She transitions us whether we like it or not.  I personally love it. I love her. 

Fall.

Happy Birthday, Benjamin!

Happy 29th Birthday to my youngest!  He's knock, knock, knockin' on Thirty's Door!
It seems only yesterday he was born.  How can one tiny little baby grow into such a strapping young man in a matter of seconds?!  How?? 

Happy Birthday Ben, The Man, The Beast.

I love you!

Mom

Sarah Sponda

I am writing this to let you know I am always thinking of you and the situations placed in your path.
I pray for you and your family to be able to wrap your heads around what may seem a mountain at your door.  But pray, I do.  I hug you guys daily with my heart and my mind.  I cry with you and sometimes I cry for you.   I understand.  I do.

It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are standing in the middle of "darkness".  It is easy to become fearful of what lies ahead, where to place your next step.  We all know the light is at the end.  But what we don't know and what makes our journey stressful at times is what we will encounter in that tunnel and how we will handle it.   The good thing is. . . we don't always have to go through tunnels!  Sometimes we can walk on a bridge or dance in the rain or catch snowflakes on our tongues or just sit on a pier at the river and dangle our legs taking in all the good life has given us and anticipating the best that is yet to come.

I read once when someone asked, "Why me?", the appropriate question should be, "Why not me?" I feel God has chosen you because of your strength, your faithfulness, but mostly because of your willingness.  He knew who could carry the burden, who would pray without ceasing, and who would learn to lean unashamedly on Him.  You are the middle child for a reason. You are a fulcrum.  You are the pivot on which your siblings are balanced.  It is a big job with seemingly little rewards that you can see.  But the rewards are there ~ Every.  Single.  Day.  They are your little nuggets of hope and hugs and smiles.  *They are the family and friends God has strategically placed around and about you, near and far.  They give you heartfelt, but God honoring advice.  They love you.  They do. They stand on each side of you ~ holding you up during the battle you are fighting. They offer you rest when you get weary.  They may not always be there physically, but their hearts and prayers are.  You are "sandwiched" between those who love and care for you. 

Please do not feel you are walking this journey called Life alone. 
Please feel the love that flows your way.

I love you ~ more than you will ever know.

Mom-Mom

PS:  Some of my favorite verses/quotes:

"Fear is the devil's darkroom where he takes you to develop the negative."

Ps. 119:105 ~  "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

Exodus 17:11-12 ~  " 11. And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed and when he let down his hand Amalek prevailed. 12. But Moses hands were heavy and they (Aaron & Hur) took a stone and put it under him and he sat thereon:  and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands , the one on the one side and the one on the other side, and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun."
 *we battle daily, Sarah.  We need Aarons and Hurs in our lives to help us prevail. 

Happy Birthday, Bob!

Happy Birthday to the Tri-Wizard of Decades.

Stuck somewhere between John Lennon, Curly Howard and yourself!

Have a great day!

Love ya

Barb

Happy Birthday, Jenny!

Happy Birthday to my oldest.
It's funny how I remember bringing you home just yesterday.  And now look at you!
I can't seem to wrap my head around it at times. I just love this picture of you and Bob.
It is reminiscent of days gone by.

You've grown from just a wee thing

To be a  mom of five.

Being in your home is

Like living in a hive.

Your life is always buzzing

Your family on the move

But you seem to control it

And keep it in the groove

Rewards will come your way

When you're least expecting them

So keep on doing the best you can

And give your cares to Him.

You underestimate your worth.

As frustrating as that may be ~

Don't underestimate your value

And what it means to me.

I love you!

MOM

Happy Birthday, Joseph!

Happy Birthday, Joseph!

Hope your day was great and full of wonderful things!

Love you bushels!

Aunt Crickett

Happy Birthday, Greg!

Happy Birthday, Pappy!

Hope it was an incredible one!

Love you,

Crickett

Spray and Scary Things

Yesterday I re-brushed Itty Bitty's hair.  It was a hot mess, so her Mama asked me to re-do it before I sent her off to school.  I brushed it and pulled it up in a pony tail.  She has these little baby hairs that float around her face and are only cute for a minute before they become a full blown nuisance. I sent her up to grab the hair spray so I could tame her locks.  We make sure to cover eyes and her face when I spray.  When I was done I sent her back with the hair spray.  She came down and promptly asked me:

P:  "What happens if you get hair spray in your eyes?"
Me: "It would probably sting your eyes.  I think it has alcohol in it.  That's why we cover your eyes."
P:  "But what would happen?"
Me:  "Probably burn."
P:  "Would it make your eyes stick open?" 
Me:  (didn't see that coming).  "No, but it could make your eyelashes stiff, I suppose."


Itty Bitty's conversation on the 8th of August.

So it goes:
P:  " I cried yesterday."
Me:  "Why?"
P:   "Efan told me I would never see you again.  You got a new job."
Me:  Puzzeled
P:  "He said you got a job with the jury."
Me:  Thinking: "I knew this 'jury thing' was no good"

All because she wouldn't eat her dinner.  She's such a pokey little thing.
I told her she had to eat, otherwise she wouldn't grow up strong and pretty.

A little bit later she came to me and told me Efan (Mr. Beefy) was scared of the ghost of Jimmy Johnson.  I'm not sure where my mind may have traveled on this one. 
So it goes:

P:  "Efan's afraid of the Ghost of Jimmy Johnson."
Me:  Puzzled (again)
P:  "He said Jimmy Johnson wouldn't eat his dinner and he starved to death.  He died.  And Efan's afraid of him.  He has a sister, Jenny Johnson.  She didn't die.  She ate her food."
Me:  *in my head - alrighty then.
Me:  "Well, there you go.  Eat your food, lest you wind up like Jimmy Johnson."

Later at lunch I heard her making ghost sounds while she was eating. 

Mama said there'd be days like these.  Yep, she did.

Facebook Nonsense

Sometimes a post will pop up on FB that affords some kind of "scenario" ~ so to speak.  This one passed my itty bitty eyeballs yesterday.  Couldn't help myself.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Well, in this case, I have to agree.

Hope Elisabeth Vain

Yesterday ·

View on Instagram

Happy birthday to my favorite golfer, boy, person and just my favorite everything! Can't wait to celebrate 17 with you!!! 💕 p.s. Please don't hate me because of that pic

CommentShare

325Sarah Vain, Jennifer Vain and 3 others

Comments

Kristina Frischkorn Happy birthday Alan!! Hope you have fun celebrating

Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 5:52am

Hope Elisabeth Vain replied · 1 Reply

Barbara Walton Rease I think I like this guy. I think I do! Tell him "Happy Birthday" from the Eastern Shore!

Like · Reply · Yesterday at 8:21am

Hope Elisabeth Vain He says thank you and says he wants to meet you!!!

Like · Reply · Yesterday at 8:33am

Barbara Walton Rease Hope ~ Is he sure he's ready to get aboard the Crazy Train?! It's not for the weak of heart, or faint of mind. I's one continuous circle with no stops. We just grab people as we go around . . . and on occasion throw someone off. No refunds, return trips or destination changes. Let him be warned! :)

Like · Reply · 1 · Yesterday at 11:19am

Hope Elisabeth Vain Barbara Walton Rease I think he for sure I shall warn him about this! But we aren't that crazy

Like · Reply · Yesterday at 11:37am

Barbara Walton Rease Hope ~ says the girl who's dating a guy wearing a dress and a necklace in one pic and in another looks like he could drool on your face at any moment. I think he'll find the perfect seat on our train ~ right next to you. Don't be in denial! lol

Like · Reply · 6 hrs

Hope Elisabeth Vain Barbara Walton Rease that is true, that is true!

Like · Reply · 6 hrs

Barbara Walton Rease Hope ~ I love you! ! !

Like · Reply · 5 hrs

Hope Elisabeth Vain Barbara Walton Rease I love you and miss you very much

Like · Reply · 5 hrs

Barbara Walton Rease I miss you too! Summer was waaay too short. One week just doesn't cut it anymore, does it? Trying to figure out when I can sneak away for a visit. :)

Like · Reply · 3 hrs

Hope Elisabeth Vain Barbara Walton Rease if this doesn't convince you then idk what does, but you can meet the boy in the dress😉

Like · Reply · 3 hrs

Barbara Walton Rease Well, I think I'm convinced ~ now to work on plans!

Happy Birthday, Goldilocks!

I can't assemble the way I feel

To know you've turn twelve years old

Growing up is part of life

Many times, this, I'm told

But it's okay to carry on

The game of birthdays and such

It will never keep me from saying,

I love you  ~ Very Much.

Happy Birthday, Goldilocks!

Love you to the Moon and back

And a great big hug around the neck!

Love,

Mom-Mom

I Write Poetry. . . . .

I write poetry for myself
It's what I need to do
See. . .  I have trouble sometimes
Speaking words from me to you.

I write in lilting rhyme
To tell you how I feel
Make no mistake as you read
My feelings are . .  very real.

My heart may be heavy burdened
Or it may be light as air
I may write with anticipation
Or pen words without a care.

But no matter the circumstance
My words are written down
They come from a special place
And they utter not a sound.

In my head and heart they live
Uniting to "sing my song".
If I pen them quickly, you see
They'll live my whole life long.

But if I tarry, but just a bit
The words will whirl around 
And quickly the "winds" will carry them
Their passage wayward bound.

So, I write in lilting rhyme
To tell you how I feel.
Make no mistake as you read
My feelings are  . . .  very real.

Happy Birthday, Kelly!

I'm not quite sure where the time has gone.

I  remember "walking" in the sun waiting for you to be born as if it were just yesterday.

And now here we are ~ standing this side the threshold of 40 short years.  Very short years.

Happy Birthday to my youngest girl.

I love you.

Love,

Mom

Happy Birthday, Erica!

Fifteen today, sixteen moving in

Make the time slow down

Soon you'll be driving everywhere

Before we can turn around!

Fifteen today, sixteen in just a year

My the time has flown

Before we can turn around

You'll be completely  grown!

Love you more than words can say

Miss you each and every day!

Love you to the moon and back

With kisses and hugs around the neck!

Mom-Mom

Happy Birthday McKenna!

Happy Birthday McKenna Leigh

Hope your birthday was sweet as could be

It's hard to believe you are eight years old

From day one our hearts you stole!

Love you to the Moon and back!

Aunt Crickett

Happy Birthday, Bekah Boo!

I was almost too late

To acknowledge this date

And wish Happy Birthday to you~

It's so hard to believe

But yet, so easy to see

Into such a young woman you grew!

So, Happy Birthday sweet girl

I wish  you the world

And all things happy and good and true!

Love you bushels and pecks

With hugs 'round the neck!

Aunt Crickett

Happy Birthday, Catie Bug!

 Happy Birthday, Catie Bug!

Here's  your wish with a

Great big hug!

You've reached a quarter century now
So stand up and take a cute
Little bow.

I hope your day is bright

and true ~ 'cause there's no

other Catie quite like you!

I love you Sunshine Girl!

XOXOXOXOXO's

Aunt Crickett

Good Gravy Marie

You've turned twenty-three

My how the time  ~ it has flown!

From dollies and dress-up

To a Mom who has three

Wonderful Babes of her own!

I'm anxious to see,

As you rock twenty-three

You prove how much you have grown!

I love you to infinity and beyond!

Love,

Mom-Mom

P. S. ~ my new favorite picture of you ~ ever!

Happy Birthday, Reasey Peacy!

It seems like only yesterday

You entered into our world

We welcomed home a sweet

Little Thing, 

A darling baby girl.

Fifteen years seem to fly by

As if  time was but a breeze

Next you'll be twenty-one 

Before we even sneeze!

Happy Birthday, Little Lady!

I love you to the Moon and back and then some!

Love

Mom-Mom

"Needy"

I had an epiphany this morning.

My Boy had said to me something along the lines of: "a girl being needy".

I pondered these words as I was throwing laundry into the dryer.

I realized ~ women in general are a needy lot.

We need:
To love, be loved and feel love
To be independent but dependent
Affirmation, support and acknowledgement
Appreciation
Freedom to be ourselves, but belong to someone
To be creative
To cry, laugh and be quiet. Sometimes all at once.
Company and quiet time ~ alone.  Sometimes at the same time.
Affection
To play and be serious
To ponder all that is and all that will be.
To be emotional without judgment
To be protective and protected
To be soft and firm at the same time
To fix what we think needs fixing

Therefore, we are needy.

I'm sure the list could go on and on.
If you are a woman and think none of these things apply to you, well, I'm sorry for your loss.

I know without a doubt we needed men so we could be women.  Without them,  we aren't.
God didn't make a mistake in making Adam first.  He made Adam in His image and realized, I think, He needed an emotions roller coaster to be his help mate. No need letting him go  through life's ride all by himself.  God then needed Adam to make us. We needed Adam to exist.  There's no shame in that!  We then wrapped all our emotional mumbo jumbo around the corner post God provided us with.  Men may not understand, but that's ok. They just need to realize and know that fact ~ 'cause let's face it ~ it's a bigger picture than they can see. 

Go ahead ~ be needy (not cling-y).  Need the things that make you who you are.  Own them. Don't settle for what the world is trying to impress on you.  Look within and you'll see you already have all that and then some.  So don't get your britches in a bunch, be the woman you want to be and be thankful for those men in this world because without them, we wouldn't be.  They are our corner post, not our whipping post.  We are their equal, not their superior.
 
End of epiphany.

I'll get off my soap box now. 

Happy Birthday, Donna!

Happy Birthday to the Middle Sister 

Do you feel like you're in the middle?

I hope your day is filled with

"Sunshine, lollipops and rainbows"

And "Brighter than a lucky penny"

I know that:
"Everything that's wonderful is sure to come your way"

Love you!

Crickett

Happy Birthday, Itty Bity!

I just want to know how we came from here:

to here:

in just six short years minutes!?!?!?

How is that even possible?

Happy Birthday my Itty Bitty girl

So glad God sent you into our world

You light up the days with those little baby blues

Just want you to know ~ how much I love you.

Love you to the Moon and back!

Mom-Mom

Happy Birthday, Izac!

Happy Birthday, Young Man!

Hope your birthday is as fun as you

I'm sure there's lots of things to do

Cake and ice cream, just to mention two

Happy, happy Birthday ~ to you!

Love you bushels and pecks

With hugs around the neck!

Aunt Crickett

Happy Birthday, Little Lady A!

Happy Birthday, Little Lady A!

I hope your birthday is a special day.

Five years old, how can this be?

Pretty soon you'll be ~ twenty-three?

(just kidding)

Enjoy your day Little Lady A ~

And catch this love I'm sending your way!

Love you to the Moon and back!

Love,

Mom-Mom

PS - You melt my heart 

Strawberry Fields and A Rainy May

Drippity-do-dah, Drippity-yay
My oh my, what a dreary day

Plenty of rainfall's
Been coming our way
Drippity-do-dah, drippity nay!

It. Has. Rained. The. Whole. Month. Of. May!  So it seems.
I am sick of it. Sick, sick, sick.

It has really put a damper on life outdoors around here.
The pool may never see the light of day is still closed.
The strawberry field is a mud pit full of green berries.
And I was in a quandary! I didn't pick last year because of all the rain.  And let me just say, I am still getting grief about it.  And not just from family members.  Pft. 

Goldilocks and I went picking last Sunday (one of very, very few sunny days).  We were there for what seemed like ages.  We came out with two buckets of berries.  It was a struggle just to get that!
I sent some home with Goldilocks for her effort and kept some.  Wouldn't you know I threw away a third of what was left!  Rotten little buggers!  Cut the rest up for strawberry short cake.

So I waited impatiently for more sunshine so I could go again.  This past Friday presented a good window of opportunity to do that.  So half may Aaron and Hur team (Lady Di) and I teamed up with TEN buckets and loads of enthusiasm.  Surely now there would be berries after two days of sunshine.  Surely.  Off to the field we went!  After what seemed like For. Ev. Er.  we walked out of there with TWO, yep, TWO buckets of berries between us. Some of them were, let's say, questionable as far as ripeness goes. The odds were not in our favor. 

I pondered for about a day as to what I should do with my bucket.  I spread them out on a cookie sheet hoping to deter the "rotten berry syndrome".  Worked pretty well I must say.  So, what to do with them?  I have an order for two strawberry pies for one of Ben's friends, plus I want one myself.
I have been getting stink-eye expectant looks and insulting subtle hints for jam.  You know you've created a monster you're appreciated when the recipients of your gifts give your jam jars back all nice and clean. (with a smile on their face) 'cause you know they want that jar back ~ filled again!  So needless to say, that one bucket of berries wasn't going to fill that tall order!  So.... I made an executive decision:

I washed all the berries.  This is about half of them.

They did finish ripening up nicely yesterday.

 I cut them up.

Got the cooking supplies ready.
See where this is going?

Threw the crushed up berries in the pot with the ingredients I needed.
Do you know yet?

And I made jam.

Eight small jars to start with.  I'm holding out hope against the odds that I can pick again and make more jam.  I am. 

There was enough berries left to make a couple pies, but not another batch of jam.  So it all worked out. 

I've been toying with the idea of charging for this stuff!  Wonder if the kidlings would go for it? 

Bahahahaha!  Who am I kidding?!  They would melt down into a puddle.

Put your name in the pot now.  That may be the only way you get jam this year!