A day off

On Fridays, I typically get a "day off" from the store and take the opportunity to get in a good run (or very long walk). Today I just wasn't feeling up to one of those...just wasn't feeling 100%, so putting on my running shoes and heading out wasn't something that was really appealing to me.

But, since there was a little crispness to the air, I had an itching to make home made bread...honey challah to be exact. My fingers were aching to do some kneading and I was craving some of that nice, fluffy sweet egg bread.

So, down stairs to the kitchen I went to collect the ingredients: eggs, honey, water, flour, oil, poppy seeds and yeast. Since I was in the mood for this activity, everything seemed to go smoothly...the yeast/water/honey mixture seem to bubble...the flour mixed in well and the kneaded dough was smooooooth...

Here is my kneaded ball of dough...ready to rest & rise for a couple of hours.

Once kneaded, the ball of dough got to rest and rise for a couple of hours until it was double its size. Then, I took that big boy and punched it down and kneaded a little more before dividing it up into 6 smaller balls. These balls were rolled out into long "snakes". I grouped 3 "snakes" together and braided them...creating 2 loves of braided honey challah.

A braided loaf with a egg white wash and a sprinkle of poppy seeds

Each loaf was brushed with an egg white wash and sprinkled with poppy seeds. Into a 325 degree oven they went for an hour or so until...

they were golden brown and the crust was crispy & sweet. YUM! And my house smells so good. Wish that I could add the smell of home made bread to my post!

Homemade bread, grilled beef ribs and fresh green beans...the perfect family dinner!

And to end my "day off" I even got in a few X's on LHN Monthly Sampler-March - finished the green grassy hill and got a start on on of the 4 leaf clovers.

Well, I did manage to get in a short walk. Bruno, our 11-year old puppy needed to get out and see if there were any new smells around the neighborhood.

When we got back, he was pooped...that is kind of how I have felt all day.

Well...until next time, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often

Lisa

Catching Up

Life has a way of moving, moving and moving. Always something to do, to drive to, to get ready for. Definitely keeps me hopping!

So, what has gone on in this household? Well...

There was homecoming, which my younger son went to the homecoming dance with a couple of his hockey teammates:

My son, Matthew, is the one in the middle.
Handsome young men, don't you think?

Girls going with girls and boys going with boys to the dance seems to be the going trend now-a-days. Too much pressure asking the other sex to the dance...better to go with your "buds" and meet up with your friends at the dance.

Then, as always, there is hockey. Last weekend we had game after game to attend as both my boys played. My younger son, Matthew, and his teammates won the championship of their division:

North American Bantam Tournament Series Champs!

My older son's team played a series of games...they have the season to go before any playoffs or championships.

With all of that going on, I have managed to put a few X's into LHN's Monthly Samplers - March. Here is a status snapshot for you:

"March"
Little House Needleworks

The little lambs on the grassy hill are so cute. There is one more on top of the hill I will need to stitch.

Anyway...that is a little update on life. Hope you all are doing well.

Until next time, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Sad and deep in thought

Pumpkin Heaven

As most of you have heard, the blogging-stitching community has lost a member today - dear Cathey. I was struck with sadness, when I went through my morning routine of checking my emails upon waking up and seeing my "...daily feed" from Bloglovin'. Three new posts in several blogs, all stated the same sad news.

I was amazed at my reaction...I sobbed...the tears flowed easily down my cheeks. My heart ached. Prayers of love were sent to Junior and his father.

I have never met Cathey. I have never spoken, emailed, or texted Cathey. But, yet, there was this connection I felt. After finding her blog many years ago and reading each and every post...all about her stitching projects, her pregnancy and her cancer. If felt like I knew her. She let us into her life and her thoughts.

There is something so wonderful about the internet - how it connects so many of us - near and far. Creating a community.Some days the world seems so big...and other days - very, very small.

So on this day, with a heavy heart - I send my thoughts and prayers to Cathey's family, to her friends and to the blogging community that we all belong to. May her memories live through all of us.

Until next time, my blogging friends...I wish you much love. Take care of yourselves.

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

OMG...where have I been and what have I been up to?

Wow! I can't believe that it is October already and that it has been almost 2 months since I have blogged. Things have been so crazy busy...but that is the story of my life, isn't it?

After getting back from the East coast, it was time to get ready to send the boys back to school - which started the end of August. Robert is a senior in high school now and Matthew a freshman. They both love the fact that they are attending the same school.

Left to Right: Matthew (freshman) and Robert (senior)

Once school got going...the hockey season really took off too. Two to three practices a week (x 2 because both boys play) and have both started traveling for tournaments. Matthew's team went to Vancouver the 2nd weekend in September and Robert's team went to Minnesota the weekend after. I got to travel with both.

In Vancouver, I found time to go for a nice run and these are the sights I found while running on a really neat running/biking path...

In Minnesota, I got to hang-out and visit with my family. I love when the boys have tournaments in Minnesota for it gives me a great opportunity to catch up with my family.

In the back: my younger sister Jamie, Me in the middle and the middle sister Debbie
In the front: my mother and father

Me and my sister Debbie

Now back at home, I am back in the routine of working in our store(s) and driving the boys to the hockey rink while trying to fit in a good run/walk. We are also dealing with a small issue with our dog. Seems that he has a growth on his tail (poor puppy). First, diagnosis is not cancer...so we are trying some meds. But if the growth doesn't get smaller...we'll we will determine the action. He is 11 years old, so not sure how much we will do.

Bruno after getting groomed. He loves riding in the car and looking out the windows.

Or just laying down and relaxing.

So that is what I have basically been up to. I miss x-stitching and the needle is calling my name, but just haven't found the time to sit my @$$ down to stitch. Hopefully soon!

Take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

Home Sweet Home

Robert and I got back home Saturday evening. And boy, traveling from East coast to West coast was somewhat difficult to transition back into. Today is the first day that I feel like myself. I didn't have any problems going out east with the 3 hour difference, but for some reason coming back home I just felt spacey Sunday and Monday.

The trip with Robert was great. He is now ready to go to college tomorrow, if he could. Unfortunately, he needs to finish his senior year in high school as well as get working on the college applications and essays...lots of work ahead of him.

Something that really made the trip extra special, was the fact that we were able to visit with family. As I mentioned in a previous post, my cousin David lives out in Middlebury. He and his girl friend had Robert and I over for dinner on Thursday evening. It was really nice of them to have us over, especially since Robert didn't get off the ice until 8:30...so it was a late dinner. Throughout the evening, over Oysters and Kansas City burnt ends, David and his girl friend answered many of Robert's questions about being a college student at Middlebury as well as got some insight into the applications process. The next afternoon, after Robert's hockey camp was over, David met us at the campus and gave us a behind the scenes tour.

From left to right: my son Robert, my cousin David and me. We are standing outside one of the buildings on the Middlebury College Campus

Now home...we are in the "get ready for school to start" mode. My boys don't start until Aug. 28. Yesterday was the "check-in" day at the school, where you drop off all the contact information and pay for all those PE clothes and donate to all parent-teacher groups. Now, with all of that completed and both the boys have their official schedule, I can officially say:

I am a mother of TWO high school boys -

a FRESHMAN and a SENIOR!

Yikes!

Where did the time go!

They are looking forward to this year. It will be the first time in a long time that they both were in the same school.

Well...off to get everyone ready for hockey! Until next time, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

College visit out east - Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont

Hello from Middlebury, VT. Robert and I arrived in Middlebury Tuesday evening early enough to check into our hotel, grab a bite to eat and run to the grocery store to stock our room with water and snacks. As probably already mentioned in previous post, we will be here until Friday (tomorrow) for Robert is attending a college hockey camp here at Middlebury College. It has been very nice to unpack a little has stay in one place for a few days. Say that, here is what we were up to yesterday - Wednesday, August 14.

Since check in for the hockey camp didn't start until 10am, Robert decided to sleep in...but not me! I went out for a nice jog/walk to get a sense of the town and the campus. So off I went, in search of the college...

It didn't take too long to jog there, as the town of Middlebury is also the campus and the campus is basically the town (make sense?). Anyway, here are a few buildings around the campus. Many of these New England Division 3 schools tend to have the basic red brick buildings, with white columns and black shutters, but here are Middlebury there are more buildings build of a white stone as well as a few unique ones that I found.

All over the green grassy grounds of the campus, one will find hundreds of Adirondack chairs scattered throughout. Vermont is known for their handmade cedar Adirondack chairs, so I guess it makes sense that you would find them here. I can definitely see students sitting together in these chairs, deep in discussion, while overlooks some of the beautiful views the Middlebury campus offers.

One of the many Adirondack chairs scattered throughout the Middlebury Campus

One example of the beautiful view of the green mountains and the valley below.

Through the middle of the town of Middlebury, runs the Otter Creek...I ran across the bridge to the other side of the town and there was a farmer's market being set up yesterday morning in the parking lot of the Historic Marble Works Complex. 

And just a few other buildings and things that caught my eye as I was out yesterday on my jog/walk...I loved this old building with all the sunflowers growing around it...

 Ok...as I mentioned, aside from visiting Middlebury and learning about it's curriculum (which we still need to do), we did come here for the hockey camp. So, after getting back from my jog/walk, Robert and I headed over to the Middlebury Hockey Arena where we checked into the camp. His team started out with an on-ice practice, followed by conditioning and then later in the early evening his team scrimmaged with one of the other teams. The group of players attending the camp are divided up into 4 teams and they will scrimmage each other throughout the camp.

After Robert's game was over, we met up with my cousin - David - and his girlfriend who live here in Middlebury. Both of them are graduates from the college and decided to stay here in Middlebury. We enjoyed a late dinner at a place called American Flatbread. It was wonderful flatbread pizza, made with all things from Vermont.

Today...Thursday, August 15...after dropping off Robert at the camp, I again went out to explore Middlebury a little more as I went out for an 11 mile jog/walk. Today I came across their covered bridge...

 This covered bridge also crosses over Otter Creek...

My morning jog took me around the town and I ended up back at the campus and the athletic field, where I found the Middlebury Panther looking over it's domain...kind of reminded me of the Lion King.

Middlebury Panther looking over the athletic field - football field below - Green Mountains in the background

 From there I wondered around on the campus again and through Main Street and down by Frog Hallow Alley where my cousin David lives. Below is the little apartment complex, which is a historic build built in 1869. It was a boarding house...and he lives on the bottom floor (the part which is made of stone). Pretty neat, huh?

Tonight, cousin David and his girlfriend are making us dinner. Nice to travel and meet up with family, don't you think?

Well, time to sign off. I got to jump in the shower and get a start on my day. Until next time, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa

College Visit Day - Amherst and Williams

Boy...when my head hit the pillow last night, I was out like a light...and slept through my early (exercise) alarm; so thank goodness Robert set his for a 7:30am wake up...otherwise I think that I still would have been zzzzzzz-ing!

Anyway, we got up and got around, getting all of our things packed back up and departed for our first campus of the day: Amherst College in Amherst, Massachusetts.

 First up was the information session, which was lead by one of the Deans of Admissions (who worked within the New York and DC region) and an Amherst student. Robert and I learned all about their academic program. It is interesting to go from one school to the next and hear how much they are the same and how much they differ. At Amherst they had an "open curriculum" - which basically mean that there weren't any core requirements. To graduate, each student must complete 32 credits - 10 of which are focused in the subject they declare to major in - and complete the Freshman seminar. We also learned during this information session that Amherst College is part of a "5 University Consortium". In this area there are 5 universities/colleges: Smith, Mt. Holyoke, Amherst, UMass, Hampshire. Students from these schools are free to take classes at the other schools. Definitely it is a very interesting thought. You can be a part of a small college like Amherst...but still get the same feel of being a part of a college community of 30,000 students if you choose.

Anyway, we did have to duck out of the information session a little early because Robert was able to get a meeting with the Head Coach of the Amherst hockey team. We had a great meeting with the coach. We learned all about the Amherst hockey program, how players are chosen to be part of the team and how important academics are as a Amherst hockey player. We definitely learned a lot.

After the meeting with the coach, we decided to grab an early lunch before taking a tour of the Amherst campus. We found the perfect place...

RESTAURANT ROUTE 9 DINER

Inside it looked like a diner...

Counter seating...complete with the jukeboxes at the tables

With the grey rainy day, good ol' comfort food sounded good. And the Restaurant Route 9 had the perfect things...

Matzo Ball soup (definitely not my mothers...for the Matzo Balls were soft)
And homemade Challah with just a little cinnamon baked in the bread

Homemade chicken pot pie

With full, warm bellies, it was time to head back to Amherst for the campus tour...here are some of the buildings we saw...

Inside the science building, they have a Natural Science Museum - which we were able to step into for a few minutes.

Every campus tour give you a tour of one of the dormitories where freshman reside. Below is one of the freshman dorms on Amherst - this is the main common area. I thought that the wood work was fun looking and inviting. The rooms were really nice too.

After the tour was over, it was time to hit the road and drive up to Williams College which is in Williamstown, MA. The drive was beautiful - 2 line highway all the way...let's just say that Williamstown is in the middle of now where :)

Here are some sights of the Williams College Campus tour...

The house of the Williams' President

The Student Union

Inside of the Student Union

Freshman Dormitories

Well, that concludes the college tours for today. After we finished up at Williams, we - again - hit the road for a 2 hour drive north to Middlebury College. We arrived at our hotel around 7:30pm, which was perfect to totally unload the car, get unpacked, find a place to grab dinner and do a little grocery shopping to put some snacks and water in our room...for we will be staying here until Friday. At Middlebury, Robert will be attending a Hockey camp that will be run by the Middlebury hockey coaches. Not only with this give him an opportunity to meet the coaches, but it will also be a great opportunity to show the coaches what kind of hockey player he is. During this 3 day period, we will try to get in a tour of the campus as well.

And...while here, I will also be able to catch up with one of my cousins who I haven't seen in several years.

Anyway...time to hit the pillow. Until next time, take care and remember...

Live, Love, Laugh and Stitch Often!

Lisa