Doubtful No More

So I have to admit I was a little doubtful about how all the money we spent on new windows and siding could save us money. Sure I knew that we would be losing less heat in the winter and AC in the summer, but I imagined that we wouldn't notice much of a difference in the bills.

I WAS WRONG!

This summer was officially recorded as the hottest summer Philadelphia has ever seen (along with much of the East Coast), so we're really not being fair to compare it to the mild summer we had last year. However, despite a much hotter summer we've still saved over $160 in 4 months of electric bills!

David was right. These home renovations will pay for themselves in a few years!

New View

I've got a different view of the world since this past weekend, and it happens to be clearer.

I'd like to write that the change in perspective has occurred after growing emotionally in leaps and bounds... but it's really due to these new glasses.


It's been 7 1/2 years since I bought new frames. It definitely was time for a change!

4 Weeks

It's been 4 weeks since we brought Sophie into our home! It's incredible to look back at pictures and see how much she's grown since then. According to our scale at home (which may not be completely accurate) she weighed 15.5 pounds at 9 weeks, and she now weighs 24 pounds! She only occasionally has an accident in the house (in the kitchen, on our old ugly floors, in her "room" until she's housebroken), and usually the accidents happen when we aren't paying attention to her signals that she needs to go. Sophie's met more than 30 friends/family of ours, along with numerous adults and children during our trips to PetSmart and on walks around town... and she loves everybody that she meets. She's learned to enjoy riding in the car/truck. She's met/played with the dogs of 3 of our friends. She can be a bit rambunctious with other dogs, but she plays nicely. We've worked with her almost every day on training, and she knows a few commands. Here's a video of David training her this past Sunday:



If this is how far she's come in the first 4 weeks, it's exciting to think what she can learn in the next month!

A Walk in the Park

A wooded path at Longwood Gardens, PA

My good friend, Karen, drove up from her home in Maryland for a weekend visit. We spent Saturday walking around the 1,000+ acre Longwood Gardens. We talked, we soaked up the sunshine, we enjoyed the beauty around us, we learned more about nature, and we talked, and we talked, and we talked.

I felt my soul renewed by both my surroundings and my company.

Motorcycle Date

David and I went on a date this morning. We left Sophie at home for a few hours and went out on the motorcycle to a diner for breakfast... then toured around the south Jersey area on country roads.

The word that comes to mind is refreshing.

The smells of the country surrounded me... hay, fresh cut grass, nature. The sun kept me warm, the wind kept me cool. The roar of the Harley dimmed the other noises of the world...

... and I was alone with my thoughts and David.

Lessons From Sophie

Ok, I'll admit it... it's been a rough week getting used to Sophie! I've never had a puppy before and was only slightly prepared for the change we were making in our lifestyle. I'd read so many books before we brought her home, but somehow the challenge of it all didn't penetrate my brain.

But... things are getting better!

Some of the lessons I've learned since buying Sophie include:

* whining usually means she needs to go potty (in approximately 2.3 seconds)

* it is possible for her to go potty 3 times in 10 minutes

* to her, everything looks like a tempting chew toy (including my kitchen cabinets)

* there are no strangers, only friends she hasn't yet met

* mushrooms (growing beneath her favorite tree) can be a scary enough thing to cause her to bark

AND

* even though she can be frustrating, she brings laughter into every day!

It seems as though Sophie's goal in life is to become a lap dog.

NY Moments

This past weekend, after our trip to visit the Brackmans, David and I headed to NY state. It was a short visit to the area, but we packed a lot into the 20 hours that we were there.

Highlights of the trip included spending time with my brother, J, and his wife, Lori; the cool temperatures (what a big difference from the 90-100 degrees we've been experiencing in NJ!); visiting with my friend, Launa, and her family; and the puppy that we brought home with us!

Meet Sophie, our 9-week-old Boxer!

A Note on Friendship

The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

- Elizabeth Foley

Visiting the Brackmans

In a country where a lot of childhood friends grow up and move away from their home town, it's somewhat surprising that I've stayed in touch with a friend that I met when I was 10. Yes, time goes by when we don't talk on the phone and even more time goes by between visits. Life gets in the way, yet we always manage to pick up where we left off and continue sharing with each other from our hearts.

That's a pretty special friendship!

So David and I made the time to visit my friend, Carla, and her family, despite the 8-hour trip one way. And, despite the fact that our visit lasted less than 22 hours, it was well worth the journey!

Thank you Brackmans! We already are looking forward to our next visit!

David jumped on the trampoline during a rainstorm with Carla's boys...

... and made two new friends!

A sweet mother and son photo.

Carla and her husband, Jeff.

Girls Day to Lancaster

Regina, one of my friends from church, is currently hosting a girl named Teresa, who is visiting from Spain. Teresa is a chaperon for a group of teenage Spanish students who are living in the Wilmington, DE area for the month of July. Usually she will supervise the students for 3-4 group outings during the week, and spend her "days off" with Regina (while the students spend their days with their host families). Today was one of Teresa's off days, and Regina planned to take her to Lancaster County, PA. Long story short... another friend from church, Jaimy, and I took vacation from our jobs so we could join in the fun!

Regina set up an Amish tour for mid-morning. I wasn't at all sure what to expect, but this was a very unique excursion! We stayed in our vehicle and got a walkie-talkie from Kathy, the tour guide, to use between our vehicles. Then she spent the next 2 1/2 hours driving us around the Amish country, taking us to an Amish woodworking shop and an Amish home. We met two Amish families on our tour and saw lots of their beautiful craftmanship (in both woodworking and quilts).

After the tour and lunch we spent around 3 hours walking around Kitchen Kettle Village in the town of Intercourse. I don't particularly enjoy shopping, so I never would have imagined that I could spend that amount of time happily walking around shops! But there was a lot to see.

We went to The Canning Kitchen, where we were able to sample every sauce, dip, salsa, cheese spread, etc. that they sold. Yum! Regina and I spent quite a while in Dutchland Galleries and discovered we appreciate similar types of paintings. (Check out their website to view some of the paintings we saw! One of my favorite artists was J. Wayne Bystrom.) Then, at my suggestion, we effectively ruined our dinners by finishing the day with homemade ice cream from Lapp Valley Farms!

I'm thanking the Lord for the blessing of friendship. What an enjoyable girls day out!