Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!, originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness Family.

Thank you for serving and defending our country! Thank you for the freedom! We remember you on this special day!!!

100 YEARS OF BOY SCOUTING FUN

Joey learning how to fold/unfold the American Flag with fellow Cub Scouts!  He was listening and following directions so intently!  He was so serious!!! It was really neat to see!  Thank you fellow leader and teacher!  You did a great job!!!

Joey participating in the Boy Scout Obstacle Course; after the thunderstorm!

We arrived to Camp Manatoc at 1:00 p.m.; celebrated 100 Years of Scouting, survived the thunderstorm and at 7:00 p.m. that evening we finally saw Luke!  He was as grumpy as he looked , tired and hungry!  He had a great time with his fellow scouts and leaders!  He couldnt stop talking about what they learned and accomplished!  He apologized for his "grumpiness." 

On the way home {EARLY} we took a little side trip through the valley. We past the Blue Heron nesting ground and saw this; it was so cool!  We promised Joey since he couldnt stay for the Boy Scout Retreat, Closing Ceremonies and Fireworks we would get ice cream at Friendly's!  By the time we got here (15 minutes down the road); he was happy and content!  I loved seeing the birds flying around and seeing Joey's expression and wonder!  It was a beautiful day with ALOT OF  BOYS in one place!  Camp Manatoc did an awesome job! 

Happy 100th Birthday, Scouting!

Happy Mothers Day!

Gift from the boys; an antique box and a framed picture. (Thank you, Mom for thinking of me)
Cherry Amaretto flavored coffee
Sunday School
Serving Blueberry Coffee Cake to my Jr./Sr. High Sunday School Class
Crime and Punishment Skits
Grace
Church
JC Kids Choir
Eyes of Love
A gift of a potted plant from L.
Opening a Mothers Day Card from my darling husband
Made the following collage on Picasa 3 for two homemade Mothers Day Cards
Surprise visit to Mom M.
Dinner with Mom B. with my brother, sister in law, sister, brother in law and my family
Spending time at Mom B's afterwards
Dairy Queen for a "craving" of a Hot Carmel Sundae on a special Sunday

It was a wonderful Mothers Day! I am blessed to be a mother of two wonderful boys!!! They give me such joy!!!

The Beginning of May

Today:

I love the smell: Fresh Cut Grass by Luke

I love the sound: Birds Chirping
I love the taste: Orange Flavored Cookies, Cherry/Almond Flavored Coffee and Fresh Mint Iced Tea
I love the sight:  Smiley Joe peeking in the back door window wearing his bicycling helmet.

I love the feel:  Of being home on Sundays, relaxing, windows open, cool air flowing in the windows & capturing the everyday.

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the Beauty of the Earth, originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness-Massaro Family.

EPH 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

They all had fun!!!

Luke anxiously awaiting to leave for Boy Scout Trip, originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness-Massaro Family.

These boys had fun. Luke turning, smiling. Brother holding his sister. One scout had a finger splint on ... preservered through the trip. Another scout had a chest cold; went on the shorter hike (with Paul). Good thing because; that is the hike that Paul sprained/fractured his foot. Met new friends. Traded warmth by the fire for new friendships. And, pizza at the end!!!

DH sprained ankle on the Minister Creek, PA camping trip

DH sprained ankle on the Minister Creek, PA camping trip
Originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness-Massaro Family

DH came home with this. He is so strong. Tolerates pain well. All of the boys had fun and this was the worst injury. I am glad he is home; safe and sound. I was happy he was able to go with L. but, more happy that they are home!

Our Home

Our Home
Originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness-Massaro Family

I am getting inspired to embark on a new, fun and exciting scrapbooking project called Week In The Life. You may go to http://www.aliedwards.com/ to learn more. Ive been waiting a long time for this to resurface again. My dear friend participated last year and loved it. She encouranged me to start; but, I said it wasnt the right time. I am seeing this as a new chance to capture the week with color, storytelling, routines and documenting my life. This picture was taken back in October, 2007. I love the colors. It is a past picture of our home; but, IT IS OK.  It will be the beginning ...

The Importance of Capturing Stories

Chris Brogan is giving away copies of Donald Miller's book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years....for posting about what Story means to you.

I have always been someone who likes to write.    I love paper. I love pens.  I have many of them.  I am always trying out new pens and tossing the old ones.  I love to journal!! I love every chance I get to be able write.  I have change my system of keeping track of my appointments on a blackberry to buying a Franklin Covey Calendar because I love to write in appointments.  I am someone that likes to write; even though I STRUGGLED with English all my life!  I met my husband due to this great struggle. That is a story in itself.

I love books. I love the stories. I love Biographies. I love Autobiographies. I love reading. 

I capture my everyday with taking pictures … to tell the story! I believe pictures captures everything.  At times, I don't journal because I like to think that I will remember those moments in time that existed in my everyday.  I must have 5 different journals going at the same time.  I have a gratitude journal *my favorite*; my chronological journal that I keep my thoughts, prayers, everyday happenings, venting, feelings in; I have my Spiritual Journal that I keep when I go on retreats for church or work, I have my blog that I keep to tell the stories of our life for people that live out of town/in town for that matter. 

I scrapbook … to tell the story! I am a scrapbooker.  Again. I love paper. I love the colors. I love the designs. I love the embellishments. I love the hobby. It is relaxing and a great stress reliever.  I scrapbook and journal to tell the story of my life to capture my husband and my two sons.

Stories are so important. Pictures are so important.  A friend told me a story of a comment that was told to her.  He said that he didn't realize the effort that his spouse put into capturing the stories of their family in the photo albums until she recently passed away.  As the family was going through the albums; he suddenly realized the affects on “telling the stories” by putting photos into photo albums so meticulously.  My goal for this year is to capture the photos but, to tell the story as well.

What are your stories?

 

 

A Big Thank You to our Neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt Organizer

April 3, 2010 1:00 P.M.

We ALL had a great time hunting, watching, opening, searching, waiting, eating,

admiring, enjoying,

making lots of memories! 

P.S.  No, the last picture isnt Kaitlyn choking J.; its all drama!!  They are buddies.

Nachos & Chips.Homework.Piano Lessons

I am grateful to accomplish my list of things for work. 
I am grateful for Mexican Chips & Salsa.
I am grateful for Progress Book; to check homework assignments.
I am grateful for gifted piano teachers, Hot Tea, and Quiet Time at their homes while I wait, listen and read!
I am grateful for my job as a child of God, wife, and mother!
I am grateful for school teachers!

Love and Belonging

Source of Image:  http://aliedwards.typepad.com/

I am a child of God,

I am a wife, a mom, a daughter, daughter in law, a sister,

a sister in law, aunt, great-aunt, niece,

a cousin, a 2nd cousin, a church member, a friend, a co-worker, an Adult Day Director, a Hospice Volunteer Coordinator.

I believe in God and His goodness.  I believe in prayer. I believe that I have faith, hope and love. I believe that life is GOOD.

I believe in so many things...

I struggle with procrastination, saying I am wrong, asking for help, and saying no. (And many other things)

I am strong in my faith, my love for my family and friends.

I am strong that I will finish in time, I am strong in my compassion for older adults,

I am worthy of my faith, my trust in GOD, and ME!  

  

Crater:

Crater:
Originally uploaded by Love.Peace.Happiness-Massaro Family

The moon. Isnt it amazing? That every month we see a sliver of it, a quarter, 1/2, and finally a full moon. God made this. As I go through Holy Week; I would like to remember the BIG Things in life as well as the little things that he has made! I am so grateful. I need be more grateful, more aware, more humble and more myself! If I am not me; who am I?

I am reading the book; " One Simple Act" by Debbie Macomber and she has 4 Simple Acts of Gratitude:

1. Begin a Gratitude Journal (Check)
2. Practice praise.
3. Stay alet for those "God Nudges" and be grateful when you sense them.
4. Thank God in all circumstances.

Today I am grateful for rain. It brings growth. It brings spring flowers. It brings grateful hearts.

A Full Week

It was a full week.  It started off with piano lessons for J.  Homework.  Art Shows. Homework. Brotherly Love. Playing in the mud with friends and friends that are boots.  It ended with looking at the moon with a $ 150.00 Telescope that my husband found at a local Goodwill.  I must say it wasnt appreciated (BY ME) at the time of purchase; but boy, do I love it now ... look at the bright full moon on a beautiful spring night; the night before Palm Sunday.  It was a good week.  I am ready to start another week. 

Fruits of the Selfless Heart by Mother Theresa

The fruit of silence is prayer. The fruit of prayer is faith. The

fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is service. The fruit of

service is peace. Dona nobis pacem.

—Mother Teresa of Calcutta

 

I love quotes.  I love music. I love family. 

 

Today we went to Ashland to see Lauren sing. It was so good.  She is a music major at Ashland University.  They sang, "Walk Together, Children by  one my favorite composers,

Moses Hogan.  My all time favorite song by him is "Hear My Prayer."  It was a good day!

Signs of Spring

1. Making Cards, 2. Jellybean Creations, 3. Winter Ends ... Spring is coming!, 4. Spring Haircuts ... Flat Tops!, 5. Puppet Shows with Mark, 6. Cousins acting silly!, 7. Hazelnut Coffee & Chocolate Chip Cookies, 8. Fresh Baked Cookies, 9. Good Morning Sundays!, 10. Aluminum Masks, 11. Face full of excitement for School Plays, 12. 1500 Minute Club

A Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Day

It was a sweet day! 

Love:  Church, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner at home, Relaxing kind of Sundays, alittle bit of this, alittle bit of that, laundry, finishing cards for work, helping the boys finish homework

Peace:  Quiet mornings of drinking Hazelnut coffee before the boys got up, Prayer time during church, Listening to the J.C. Kids sing and taking an afternoon nap on Sundays

Happiness:  Making long, awaited Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies with the boys.

Gentleness

It was a gentle kind of day.  It was a good day!  It was a Monday.  It was good.  I had a GOOD DAY! 

Love:  My husband and boys. My husband's willingess to make a Chicken Pot Pie.

Peace:  Delivering a meal to a co-worker and staying to talk after work.

Happiness:  Attending my 2nd to the last Living Beyond Yourself: Fruits of the Spirit Bible Study by Beth Moore; I was tired and hungry; arrived 15 minutes late but I am glad I did!!

A Scrapbooking Night Out

Well, here it is early Saturday morning; another week has slipped by.  I would rate this week a 6.  It was a good week.  Some challenges along the way, challenges builds character; right?  But, it really ended well on Friday.  After a long week; three of my friends and I scrapbooked together. It was good.   It was hard to sacrifice a Friday night with my family; but, it really refreshed my attitude.  It was a free attitude adjustment.  It was good to be out, to vent  and to be with such dear, faithful friends.  And, I had my family right in front of my eyes the whole time; but, in pictures.  Scrapbooking at its finest; and for that, I am grateful!!