If We Were Having Coffee…Remembering 2016

Good morning! Welcome!

If we were having coffee…I would fill your cup and offer you an Entenmanns donut (one of our regional bakeries). We have the kind with the cinnamon crumble on top. We also have lots of left over Christmas cookies if you prefer. According to an Internet meme, “If you eat it in the morning with coffee then it’s breakfast.” That certainly works for me!

Before you arrived, I was sitting her contemplating the fact that this is the last Coffee Share and, indeed, the last morning of the year. Where oh where did 2016 go!? When my children were younger I kept a yearly Christmas book in which I pasted a family photo, a copy of the Christmas card we sent out, and then wrote in some of the highlights of the past year. When we unpacked the book a few weeks ago, Miss Dee was going through reading aloud each year’s events. It was fun to remember all the details of what went on. Somewhere around 2006, I dropped the ball and stopped filling out the pages. I wish I hadn’t because then maybe it would be easier to recall exactly how we spent our days in 2016! Mostly, it’s a blur.

Of course I recall the big events like Miss Dee’s high school graduation, Mr D turning 21, and the birth of two different nephew’s baby girls, but the little things have slipped away. I suppose I was busy, mostly, with the business of living, everyday things like laundry and paying bills and such.  I’m sure there were trials and problems to work out and days I just wanted to get through. But, there were also many, many days shared with loved ones, cheering on my kids, snuggling with my husband, days filled with excitement, anticipation and lots and lots of laughter.

That sounds just fine.

For 2017, I think I’ll just wish for more of the same.

Let me leave you with this thought though, a little mantra I posted on Christmas Eve last year. It’s a good way to start the day.  I think this year we might need it even more.

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Today I will be kind.

I will not judge,

or assume.

I will help when I can,

and learn from my mistakes.

I will appreciate the uniqueness of those around me,

and try each day to leave the world a little better than it was the day before.

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Happy New Year and thanks for stopping by.

The Weekly Coffee Share is brought to you courtesy of Diana at Part Time Monster. Click here for more coffee shares.

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If We Were Having Coffee….11/22/15

 This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share brought to you courtesy of Diana at Part Time Monster.  Be sure to stop by and check out the other participating blogs!

If we were having coffee….you might notice that I am getting a much later start than I do most Sunday mornings. That is because my sinuses decided to attack me first thing this morning and it has taken me this long (hot coffee followed by a long hot shower and a good dose of medicine) to feel human again!  Still, I am so glad you stopped by and I don’t at all mind a chance to chat and enjoy another cup of coffee. So please, tuck in and tell me about your week.  To go with our coffee (or your beverage of choice) we can enjoy some of my husband’s yummy baked goods or some left over birthday cake from my great-nephew’s 1st birthday celebration.

If we were having coffee…you might exclaim,”Oh! That must be the famous “Bubble Guppy themed party you have telling me about during my other Sunday visits!” That would be a correct assumption.  Miss D and I spent a crazy morning yesterday helping my sister and niece get things ready for the arrival of the 30 plus guests.  They did all the really hard work like the cleaning and cooking.  We just swooped in and brought it all together.  The seven children at the party really enjoyed the photo booth cut outs we made and the games were a big hit.  In typical one year old fashion, Squish decided to fall asleep just as the guests were arriving so he missed the beginning of his own party but we woke him in time for cake and gifts so he didn’t seem to mind!

I was very glad that it all worked out and my sister and niece seemed pleased with the results. The men in the family were just glad it was over so the women would stop obsessing over it! I was also very glad to get home! My introverted personality was ready for some peace and quiet.  Poor Hubby was hoping we could go see the new James Bond movie last night but I didn’t think I could handle all the noise and action after such a noisy action packed day!! Maybe next weekend.

If we were having coffee…I might mention that this week marked the one year anniversary of my mother’s passing.  As a result, I’ve spent more time than usual consciously taking note of all the little things in my life that can be traced back to her….saying of hers that now spill naturally from my lips, the way I prepare certain foods and the way I fold sheets, things I’ve taught my children about life and polite behavior.

Yesterday, at the birthday party, I noticed how much my oldest sister is starting to resemble our mom.  Another person even commented on it to me. I could see mom’s shadow in the way she stood,  many of the gestures she made, even her manner of speaking and the things she worries about. Mom’s last years were difficult at times and on days when she was making us particularly crazy, we would taunt each other about how someday we would probably be just like her. Back then it was said with foreboding, but I think now, if I told her how much she reminds me of Mom, she wouldn’t mind.  I know I don’t.

Well, If we were having coffee..I would tell you that I think I have used up my leisure time for this morning and I know you probably have much to accomplish this Sunday as well so I guess we should say our goodbyes.  I would thank you for stopping by and wish you a pleasant week, I hope you will stop by next Sunday so we can share our Thanksgiving experiences. Be well!!

 

 

If We Were Having Coffee- 10/25/15

Welcome! I’m so glad you could stop by. Coffee is on and we have fresh sticky buns today in honor of Hubby’s birthday. I’m sure he won’t mind if I share some with you. Sit and tell me about your week. Has it been thrilling or exhausting or a little of both?

If we were having coffee…I would tell you about the second grade girl at school who missed a day last week because she was on a magazine photo shoot. She told me all about it. Apparently all the child models went to a park by the water and she got to wear four different outfits and lunch was included. If you met this sweet little thing you wouldn’t be a bit surprised that she does some modeling. Her mom told me they are putting any money she makes away for her college education. It sure seems like she’s having fun with it.

If we were having coffee…I would tell you that we were having the family over today for Hubby’s birthday dinner. We’ll be hosting his mom, dad and step-mother, his brother along with his wife and two boys and a close family friend. All together there will be 12 for dinner. I’m planning on lasagna, salad and  crunchy garlic bread, nothing fancy but Hubby loves Italian food. For dessert, we are having a chocolate butterfinger cake purchased from the local bakery…I know what you’re thinking. A good wife would have baked a cake herself, but it’s better this way. Believe me. Baking is not my thing. Eating cake? That I’m pretty good at.

Hubby’s birthday present this year was a smart phone. For years he held on stubbornly to his flip phone then last year he traded up to a slide phone but lately he has been complaining about missing photo opportunities or not being able to find directions when he is on the road. He uses it a lot for work and various committees he sits on so we thought it was time to give him something more versatile. Of course my own phone is a dinosaur so the kids are going to have to help him learn to navigate his new toy. Should be fun to watch. What’s that saying about teaching old dogs new tricks?!

If we were having coffee…I would tell you we’ve decided not to have our Halloween party this year. Usually we have ten or twelve couples over for a costume party the Saturday before. We have food and adult beverages, play some highly competitive party games and usually have a lot of fun but it just wasn’t in the cards this year. Timing was bad for a lot of friends because the 31st actually falls on a Saturday this year. Even my sisters and their spouses who always come will be busy with their grandchildren. Just between you and me, I’m not all that disappointed. It will be fun just hanging out, handing out candy and enjoying all the clever costumes.  This neighborhood is hopping on Halloween. We usually go through about 10 bags of candy. Of course that’s not counting the stuff I eat while I’m waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive. 😊

Well, I am sure you have some plans for today and I guess I better go get my house ready for company. Thanks so much for stopping by and don’t forget to visit the other bloggers at the Weekend Coffee Share There is always something interesting going on there!

If We Were Having Coffee-10/11/15

If we were having coffee today you would notice that I am a little behind. It is more like lunch than breakfast and I have been busy busy all morning so I am happy to take a break. The weather has finally decided on Autumn here in NJ and I think it is safe to pack away the shorts and summer wear. That has been my goal so far today but let me tell you about the other things that happened this week…

If we were having coffee… I would tell you that we had an interesting assembly at school on Tuesday. It was called “The NED Show” and featured a very entertaining young woman who shared the importance of “Never giving up, Encouraging others and Doing your best. Get it? We often have programs like. Sometimes they are good and sometimes not so much. This one was exceptionally good. The added attraction was the nifty yo-yo tricks the speaker did while she was telling the story of Ned and how he learned an important lesson about doing what’s right. She was pretty darn talented! The kids were “OOOing” and “Ahhing” over and over. Of course at the end they were given the opportunity to purchase their own yo-yo. The proceeds are used to send “The NED Show” to another school so it’s like paying it forward.

By the end of the week many students had purchased a yo-yo and the principle had carved out a “Ned Zone” on the playground for yo-yo practice. Of course the mom in me sees this as an accident waiting to happen. I mean what is a yo-yo but a hard disc on a long string? Sooner or later someone is going to start swinging it around like a lasso and conk another kid on the in the head. I’ll keep you updated.

If we were having coffee…I would tell you what a fun day I had yesterday. An old friend from Virginia was in town and we spent the day window shopping  and having lunch at a sandwich shop uptown. My lunch was called the “Sinatra” (hey, we’re in Jersey). It consisted of roasted eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese on the most amazing foccia bread! I will definitely be going back there.

I finished the day by heading  down to Alantic City with the family to see a show at the Borgata Hotel and Event Center. We went to see our favorite comedian Brian Regan. If you have never seen him, I suggest you Google him right this very minute! He is one of the funniest guys around and we can all use a few more laughs, right?! The tickets had been birthday presents for Mr D and Miss D but of course Hubby and I had to go along to supervise! 😉 It was a really good show. I’m pretty sure at some point Hubby had tears rolling down his face from laughing so hard! Afterwards, we had some delicious gelato and then headed home.

If we were having coffee…I would thank you so much for stopping by. I really enjoyed my break but I guess I better get back to work! See you next Sunday.

This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Sharebrought to you by Diana over at Part Time Monster Hop on over and check out some of the others post!

If We Were Having Coffee….9/27/15

This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share brought to you by Diana at Part Time Monster. Swing by and check it out!!

If we were having coffee…we would be sipping our piping hot brew while enjoying the wonderful autumn breeze that is coming across the porch. Leaves are scattered about us and I can hear the rustling of the trees above. Ahh.

I would tell you that Hubby is not enjoying the Fall as much as we are, though. Hubby is on a mission today! His mission (…should he choose to accept it) involves locating the area around our roof line that has been compromised by our friendly neighborhood squirrels. Said squirrels have been having 3AM parties above our heads for the past few nights and Hubby is out to put an end to their antics!! Watch out  critters! You are dealing with a man who seriously values a good nights sleep.

Unfortunately, this is not our first time doing battle with the squirrels and while I have nothing personal against them, (I enjoy watching them frolic around the yard and have even been known to chat with them occasionally) I really don’t want them hiding nuts in my eaves. Wow, that’s a weird phrase, but you know what I mean, right? Our roof line has some strange peaks and crevices and that is where they usually get in. Hubby has to locate the spot, which involves him standing on a ladder! This also involves me standing on the ground shouting at him to be careful. Then he has to seal up the spot with screening so they can’t get back in. Doesn’t that sound like a fun way to spend a Sunday?

If we were having coffee… I would tell you that Hubby and I did something fun this weekend too. Last night we went to see the new Mission Impossible movie (did anyone pick up on the reference in paragraph two? I was channeling my inner Ethan Hunt). I’m kind of a sucker for action or superhero films. The more out there, the better! I love the on-the-edge-of-your-seat don’t-breath-till-it’s-over thrill ride! This movie really didn’t disappoint. I grew up watching the Mission Impossibe series but I like Tim Cruise in the lead role and the cast he has around him are excellent. Plus ther is a really strong female role which I always appreciate. I saw in an interview that the cast (including Jeremy Renner, Hawkeye in the Avengers films) did a lot of their own stunts. Pretty amazing…and crazy! Glad I’m not married to any of them. I get anxious enough about Hubby up on that ladder!

Speaking of, I hear him out in the garage putting together his tools in order to do battle so I better go. Feel free to stay and finish your coffee…but you might want to move away from the roof line. Things might start flying!!!

Saving Grace

I’ve never been a very graceful person. As a little girl I had clunky red shoes that were meant to fix my pigeon toes. They weren’t very effective though because as soon as I was out of my mom’s sight, off they came! My knees were knobby and my balance only so-so. I always had bruises from walking into things and once I sprained my ankle just trying to kick a ball! I got used to it. Ironically, the name “Nancy” actually means “grace”! There were, however, two places growing up where I finally felt graceful. The secret, I discovered, was keeping  my feet off the ground…

The first place was in our pool or anywhere I could swim under water. I’d  zoom through the water doing front flips and back flips. I could twirl and do hand stands. Dad called me his little fish. I felt willowy and elegant and spent a lot of time pretending I was a mermaid princess. Of course, you know, that princesses are never, ever clumsy!

The other place was the one spot I thought I would never feel graceful. Gym class! Most of my grade school career had been spent trying to get out of gym class. I tended to catch balls with my face and when I ran, I tripped on nothing. Then in eighth grade we were introduced to gymnastics. Of course the floor routines (running and flipping) weren’t my thing and the balance beam was out for reasons that should be obvious but the uneven parallel bars….hmmm? They looked interesting! Hanging by my knees from the monkey bars was totally my thing and bar routines were kind of the same. 

The teacher taught us some basic moves and we practiced for weeks. Eventually the whole class was ready to put on a gymnastics show for our parents. Guess who was picked to do a routine on the unevens? I  flipped from the bottom bar and swung around the top one. I put one leg over and did another flip. I flew back and forth between bars, up and over and back down. My mother said later that she was scared to death I was going to fall on my head but I was in heaven! I felt so graceful and athletic, something I never felt when I had both feet on the ground!

My gymnastic career ended with the semester. It’s just as well. I probably would have ended up hurting myself. The closest I get to feeling graceful these days is when I’m doing yoga. Years of practice has improved my balance and posture, (heck, I get crazy excited when I’m able to hold a pose on one foot!) but I’m still pretty clumsy. I don’t mind though because I figure I make up for it with small motor abilities. Drawing, painting, handwriting, Pick-Up-Sticks, Jenga, you name it. Plus I can untangle any knot you throw at me. It’s a fair trade. 😊

If We Were Having Coffee…8/30/15

The “Weekend Coffee Share” comes to you curtsey of  Part Time Monster .

Good morning! If we were having coffee today I would tell you that I am in a bit of a rush. We have friends from out of state visiting and we are planning an outing to the Brandywine Battlefield Park up in Pennsylvania. It looks like it will be quite a warm day so I’m thinking of packing some cold drink and maybe some fruit that  Mr D brought home from the farm market yesterday. I’ll get Miss Dee to take some photos and let you know all about our day later in the week.

I would quickly update you on  Jack’s health progress, or rather his lack of progress. He is still having trouble getting around and has been spending most days down stairs hiding. We have and appointment to go back to the vet tomorrow. I’m thinking maybe arthritis? Hopefully nothing too serious. 😕

If we were having coffee I would tell you that classes will be starting for Mr D this week. All the books for college are purchased and the new parking permit for his car. The hours at work will be cut back to make time for school but he managed to keep Friday’s class free when he set up his schedule. Apparently most of the professors don’t like having Friday classes. Neither do I! I’m wondering if I can work that perk into my schedule as well?

I hope you have a lovely, exciting week! Thanks for coming by. Here is the place to go if you want to check out the other Weekend Coffee Share posts.

First Ride

Well, Miss Dee passed her road test. She is now a licensed driver. (Yikes!!) As Hubby and I watched her back out of the drive yesterday in her snappy little yellow Beetle,  I distracted myself from having a full blown mom-panic attack by reminiscing about my first car…

It was the summer of 1981, I was a high school graduate working full-time still trying to decide if college was for me. My current mode of transportation was mom’s 1962 Dodge Dart, a car that I’m pretty sure was virtually indestructible. It was a five speed on the column and had really great pick up. My brother had learned to drive on it, then me but my mom was ready to have her car back so I started looking for my own.

I scoured the newspaper ads for a few weeks and finally found a car that looked promising. It was a 1973 Mercury Comet, dark green with a white vinyl roof. The woman who was selling it was an English teacher who only used it to drive to school and back so it had very few miles. Being an 18 year old girl, I based my decision solely on how the car looked.  It was pretty, so I loved it! My dad, however felt the need to check out the practical stuff. You know, was it leaking oil, how did the tires look, did the breaks work, silly stuff like that. I was so worried that my dad would find something wrong with the car and tell me not to buy it but it actually checked out ok. Yay!! Here is a photo of me and my baby…

Let’s not even talk about the hair, okay? (It was the 80’s 😳)If you notice, though, I’m holding a stack of library books so some things never change. The Comet cost me $900.00 which I borrowed from my Grandmother.  I paid her back $75.00 a month till it was paid off. Boy, I loved that car! I cleaned it and personalized it, making it my own. My little piece of adulthood! My independence!

How about you? Did you have a first car?

If we were having coffee…8/23/15

I can’t take credit for this post idea! The Weekend Coffee Chat come curtasey of  Part Time Monster. 
Happy Sunday morning everyone! I’ve noticed that some of the Weekend Coffee Chats are posted on Saturdays but my Saturdays are way too crazy! This is my day to sit with my coffee on the back porch and be lazy. I’m so glad you stopped by! I hope your week was both exciting and fulfilling.

If we were having coffee, I would start off by telling you that this Saturday began at 6:30am as I dragged myself out of bed to help Miss Dee’s tennis team set up for a yard sale. In a moment of weakness, I volunteered to have it here. This is an annual event for the team and helps raise money for uniforms and such. Our garage was packed with donations to put out and the customers showed up before we were even officially opened! It continued nonstop till we closed at noon. Lots of work but well worth it. The team raised over $700.00!!

I would tell you that, after a post-yard sale nap, we popped open the sun roof on Miss Dee’s new Beetle and cruised over to my Father-in-law’s house for a picnic. He and his wife have a lovely house with a large wooded lot, perfect for picnics. Hubby’s dad is a world class grill master so the food was also excellent, especially the salmon. His lovely wife made a yummy peach pie with, of course, Jersey peaches! It was nice to catch up with Hubby’s step brother Kris, who came down from Long Island to visit. He drove the 4.5 hours with his two children (ages 4 and 1) and two dogs, one of which is a 93lb boxer in a small sedan! I told him he was the bravest man I knew! Kris said the high points were stopping at the rest stop because the 4 year old needed the bathroom, leaving the dogs, who tend to chew up stuff if they get upset, alone in the car and when the same child threw up a half hour before they made it to the house! He had intended to spend the night and drive back today but was thinking it might be easier to leave late last night so the kids and the dogs would sleep the whole way. Like I said, a very brave man!

If we were having coffee  I would tell you that our poor kitty Jack has developed a limp. We noticed that he was spending more time downstairs under my desk, which is where he goes when he feels guilty or needs to feel safe.  When he finally did ventured out for dinner (because Jack never misses a meal) he was favoring his right front paw. Watching him limp was heartbreaking😞. He didn’t cry when I felt his leg or paw so I didn’t think anything was broken. A trip to the vet confirmed this. He called it a “soft tissue injury” which is doc-speak for a sprain. We figured out that what might have happened is that Jack jumped up on the kitchen stool to steal some of his sisters food. Something he always tries to do, which is why it is kept up on the stool!! Since Jack is a “big boy” (doc-speak for 15lbs of cat), when he jumped down he may have landed wrong and hurt his foot. So now Jack is taking some anti-inflammatory medication, which by the way, he chomps right down without protest. We are hoping he feels better in a few days.

 Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing some coffee with me!  So how was your week?😊

If We Were Having Coffee 8/16/15…

I can’t take credit for this idea! This chatty “coffee” post comes curtesy of Part Time Monster. It’s such a great  way to round out the week that I decided to try it here. Hope you enjoy it!)

If we were having coffee I would tell you that our week has been a busy one! Hubby and I are in the grips of a “Yikes, the summer is wrapping up! We need to get all this crap done!” kind of mood. This is an annual thing around here and I know I can’t really complain since I am lucky enough to have all this time off in the first place! I would tell you that I hoped your week has been a little more calm and relaxing.

I would tell you that the craziness started Monday with Miss Dee having her senior portraits taken. We have a wonderful local photographer who came right to our house with a few hundred pounds of equipment and turned our living room into a photo studio. I admit I had to leave the room when she put on the cap and gown. I can’t get used to my little girl being so grown up!*

*warning: this site will contain large amounts of sentimental mush for the next ten months. Be prepared!

It was hard enough when Mr D did this all this two years ago. He’s my first born and now it’s my baby! (Sniff)  *see?

I would tell you that we had Miss Dee’s annual check-up this week. Student are required to have one each year in order participate in sports, in her case tennis. After filling out most of the paperwork at home including several release forms that prompted her to mutter “I’m not all that sure I want to play tennis anymore.”…we brought the final form for the doctor to complete. I was very happy to hear that the slight curve they had detected in her spine a few years ago seemed to have worked its way out. They said that might happen. The doctor also said she has probably reached her full height at 5’4″. Mr D topped out at 5’10”, the same as his dad but I know he was secretly hoping to follow in his grandfather and uncle’s footsteps. They are both 6’4″!

I would share that Hubby and I enjoyed a night out on Thursday with some dear friends. We have a small local winery  that sponsors music events throughout the summer and have been hoping to make one all summer. It was so relaxing sitting outside on the porch of the winery (you know how I feel about porches), sipping wine, listening to music and laughing with friends. Apparently New Jersey is making a name for itself in the wine business. I don’t know much about wine except that I like it, but we did enjoy a wonderful peach that was a bit  sweet but perfect for a summer evening.

I would tell you that we wrapped up our busy week by helping Miss Dee purchase a car. She may not have her license yet but she now owns a car (Yikes)! A friend’s brother-in-law was helping his daughter sell her 2000 Volkswagen Beetle since she is getting married and wanted something bigger. It is bright yellow and basically screamed Miss Dee’s name! Since she was using her savings to buy it we told her we could look into it. After doing some  research and having our mechanic check it out it did turn out to be a really good car. Yesterday Hubby braved the DMV and took care of the tags and registration and this morning he took it to have four new tires put on. Guess what I will be doing this afternoon? Anybody else want to come  ride around in a yellow Bug with a giddy 17 year old?

Well, I know you all have lots to do and to be honest, so do I. Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you have time for coffee next Sunday too! 😊