Coffee Talk

i had, well.....a lot of coffee while in new york. i drink coffee here at home but not so much. i've tried what i thought was every kind of coffee out there but to my surprise, grams had the Folgers Singles. No...i hadn't known about these prior. i looked in our local stores and they don't carry them here in naples.

The decaf she had in stock was literally making me fall to sleep. We'd do devotions....you cannot read the newspaper before devotions, it's against the rules. So each morn gram would get our hot water ready and my single pack of DECAF sleepy pills out. It was good but I need to be head on with my caffeine or i'm a no go.

as far as sugar.....you can see that i need to pour a ton. i'm not just saying 2 spoonfuls......I POUR the entire thing of sugar into my cup. it's just a necessity.

the only time i got my caffeine was when we went out....which was everyday so i was good to go! we went to a restaurant that was fairly new because it used to be an old mcdonalds and i ordered reg....with refills. we sat and looked at the menu for a while and i decided i wanted the philly cheese steak. grandma and aunt V take hours deciding what they want so they both said they wanted the same thing which made me laugh....because it's just funny how they won't order unless you basically tell them what to get! i literally tried to video tape these scenes. if you share your life with an elderly person...you know how much of a riot they are.

you see.....grandma has a sister in law who's name is aunt V. she's about ten years older than grams {93}. she's staying with grandma while gramps is recovering. to aunt V, grandma is Ardeth. her name is Jeanne. two minutes later she's Pearl. "Do you want me to get you some Tea, Ardeth?" "What's my Name?" Grandma is very patient with her and says it so nicely. But after awhile she gets pissed! and they bicker. Non stop.....and then they are hugging. Aunt V threatens to leave but she has no idea where her home is. Mind you, she can't drive so it's an all day asking where she belongs. Which broke my heart because I kept telling her that she belonged with us and she was home.

♥grams♥

the trip to the Valley was amazing! i had forgotten what small town feels like. Grandma and Aunt V have a friend who lives in Waverly. We took the back roads to see her and happily she was home. it melted my heart to see all these old ladies sitting in the living room chatting about when they were young! i want to live to be that old and visit some of my old girlfriends. and have tea decaf coffee.

this is one of the photos from the trip! i will share more along with the many moo-moo's, which BTW-gram thinks we have none here in FL.

that's the coffee talk for today! i think we'll do a coffee chat each Friday and let you link up?! maybe we'll bring it to FTLOB, eh!

what's your favorite coffee and moments?! please share! xoxo enjoy the weekend dolls.

Shoes

i thought these shoes were the prettiest thing at the art show!

turtles

we were walking home from getting M {before we went to New York} and these two LOVERS were on the RUN. seriously------CUTEST thing Ever! it was so funny because they were going far beyond the water and just dying to escape. i believe they were trying to mate, hannah believes they were brothers and sisters.

why are you bothering me?

i can't help but chase nature and disturb their adventure....in my defense- people with big trucks will run you over fella. let me save you...it's dangerous out here. we directed them back towards the water and they ran so fast into it...you would have loved it! oh wait....i'm uploading the video.....don't mind the kids dropping them on their heads....they are pretty protected, right?

what she wore

Bows and Pearls

meet Gertrude lovely friends.....isn't she gorge!?

she's wearing a striped top with an absolutely stunning cardigan from new look, the jeans from mango and a beautiful necklace from here.

she's such a doll. if you have yet to meet her....mosey on over! you'll love her. you can follow her sweet blog here, tweet with her and follow her on bloglovin.

to get featured on what she wore, simply email bloglove at aol dot com

Finding Myself

I have been racking my brain trying to figure out a great post to pass along for Vic to use. But lately I have just been drawing complete blank, no idea where I am going or what I am doing. So I decided to just jump in head first and see what happens. Maybe something meaningful will come from it, maybe something funny, who knows. Plus the last time that I wrote for her I did something horribly depressing and dramatic; I wanted to change that somehow this time.

So I sat and I thought about it, I straight up pondered. I thought to myself, “what makes me happy,” and I didn’t know how to answer that. Isn’t that strange? To not know what makes you happy. I mean I wanted something more than just my children, or my husband, etc. I wanted it to be something completely separate from them… something all to myself. But what was that?

The only thing that came to mind that was, currently, completely mine, and that was my blog. Amazing; depressing? I was on the fence lol.

I have discovered that blogging is my main source of “finding myself.” The number one way, that, I stay slightly tethered to the world and somehow feel heard. I find myself having days where I feel like I am screaming at the top of my lungs and nothing is coming out. A dream that often haunts me at night; I am running and shouting to warn someone, but nothing is exiting my lungs. Not one thought is heard, no one stirs to my distress. I keep finding more and more bloggers that feel the same. That blogging is a form of “validation” to them, and that is sooo important.

With all of these thoughts screaming through my head I guess I still didn’t write up a great post, but it certainly is a window into how I feel about all my readers. Somehow I am connected to each and every one of you, as I would have never met you had it not been for this medium I decided to express myself thru.


find out more about eschelle here on her blog

Classic Cafe

while in my home town, aunt lucy, myself and hannah beans took great grandma and aunt viola to this elvis loving cafe. it was great to see it still in business and how busy they were. the classic cafe's food was nothing to brag about but the decor and welcoming feeling was just admirable.

the old signs, menus, records hanging, elvis and marilyn monroe photos were interesting.

hannah liked bev the best....

this wasn't the food i had there but it was at another restaurant that had some good philly cheese steaks



The Red House

the girls have been fortunate enough to have two great grandma's and a great grandfather still alive. both on bryan's side. this is nana's house! they often get confused by just saying "NANA" because they call my mother nana also, so we call this Nana-------The Red House Nana.

this is the house we brought Mackenzie home to. We lived with his parents at the time. I remember the exact day my water broke.....we were sleeping on this side porch right above this flower and his mom took me to the doctors. Boy......does this house have some memories. It's been in his family for a very very very LONG time. Grandma still puts her wind chimes up and puts holiday decor in the windows. This is the house that started me on Tea.

♥

she carries old crafted things made by her children. it amazes me how much older people hold on to their belongings. they don't get rid of anything. in fact, many things have the dust to prove. she gave our girls these dolls she made a long time ago.....we still have them {of course}, i will be placing them in a spare bedroom on a bed when we move.

it was nice to spend time with the grandma's. i wish my nana was still here with us. she died at a very young age {i was only 8} but i remember getting into her closet and playing dress up with her pearls and high heels. she had pairs to match every outfit. the detail of my time spent with her was just like yesterday. although my girls don't know that great grandma, they have great grandparents....and that is something so special. xo

a late happy day

via

i hope you all enjoyed a beautiful day! we stayed in and watched movies. m took forever finding her easter basket....i guess the bunny did a pretty good job! we then went to wash the car and ate a mcdonalds dinner....i know, how horrible. but we flew in friday and were just too tired to do anything♥

Tip of the Day

hannah helping aunt v button her top! we're back and so glad to be home! our trip to new york was an experience all in itself. I have so much to share.....stay tuned! xoxo

What She Wore {Denim}

Sailing to NoWhere

Denim is coming back! It's a hot new trend. You can mix and match it with just about anything. I love the way Cait rolled the sleeves up on this top! I've been doing that a lot myself!

Belt: Primark

jeggings: Urban Outfitters

shoes: topshop

adding a scarf is always a must! and switching the bag is fabulous.

Bag - Mischa Barton

Jeans - Topshop

Jeggings have become my favorite pants to wear with boots! How about yourselves?

----------and that's what she wore-----------

to get more of Cait, simply follow her adorable blog here.



Awkward and Awesome

Hello sweet friends of the Freck!

I am Chrissy from Whimsical Poppysmic and I blog about everything

that comes to mind! Family, fun, hobbies, my thoughts, my crafts and my Etsy shop.

I am very honored to be over here today, thanks so much, Vic, I hope your visit is going well, and your family is doing just fine (I am sure they are happy to have you there with them!)!

I love doing awkward/ awesome posts and I know Vic loves reading them, so, this one's just for you love!

Awkward

• driving behind this guy leaving the gas station and noticing that he had forgotten to close the tank, so I try giving him a sign while standing next to him at the traffic light, and he shows me the finger...well, thanks a lot
• at the check-out at Michaels there is this huge sign that they were accepting cellphone coupon codes now, so this lady in front of me holds her phone toward the cashier and he's like, uh, sorry ma'am, we don't accept cellphone coupon codes and she's like, well then maybe you should better read your damn sign...haha
• at the park with my daughter and her girl-friend this boy comes up to me telling me my daughter threw sand at his hair (so I scold her...of course...) just to see the boy bothering the girls a few minutes later, kicking and trying to slap them and his dad just watching, so I shout at the boy to leave the girls alone, right now (I was sitting on a park bench and wasn't gonna get up, that's why I was shouting...) and then the dad reacted (of course) telling me not to shout at his boy...that's when I got up and and took care of the situation (all you need to know is, the boy and his dad left...haha)

Awesome

• Spring is definitely kind of here (in Chicago), it is still taking some time-outs here and there, but it is almost here to stay!
• seeing the daffodils and tulips coming out of the ground and starting to bloom and all those little leaves and buds on trees and bushes makes me smile - big time
• Modern Family is definitely awesome, so glad new episodes are on again - I really missed them!
• driving in a convertible with the sunshine in your face and the wind in your hair...ahhhh!
• looking forward to a sunny and fun-filled weekend with te family....can not wait
• Adele (she has been on my list forever, and will probably always be there)!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed reading my awkwards and awesomes! I have them on my blog every Thursday, so come on over if you like, I would love to have you!

Wishing you all a wonderful day! Thanks again, sweet Vic for having me!

Hugs,

a wedding story

Hey everyone! Rachel here, aka Blogging in PA from Cant Google Everything! I am so excited to share my wedding because I've never posted about it before! My wedding was almost 6 years ago, in a time before everyone had digital cameras. I literally had to take the pages out of my scrap book and scan them into my computer to get these photos! Old school style!

Our wedding was June 4, 2005 on the beautiful sandy beaches of Sarasota, Florida. All the wedding party was barefoot and the guys wore khaki pants and button up linen shirts! It was an overcast day, which turned out to be a hidden blessing because Florida in June is HOT!

I love this photo of me and my dad getting ready to walk down the isle!

Here we are right after the ceremony! A happily married couple! After this photo was taken, we held hands and ran away down the beach!

This is me with my mom and sister.

Our yummy wedding cake from Publix! Publix has the best cake and it turned out so good! I love the candy shells!

My sister and dad getting down with their bad selfs!

Finally, we are off to our honeymoon!

Thanks for checking out my wedding! Even though it feels like ages ago, it's still fun to relive the memories!

Why Hello Spring

Hey freckles and fudge lovelies!

So all this time while Vic has been bragging talking :) about the beautiful weather she gets there in her home state, I was getting pretty jealous (in a good way of course). You see, I live in Germany for most of the year...and not during the good weather part. This Texas girl does NOT do cold well, so every year we are overseas for the winter, I start to seriously long for the sun!

But this year was different. My husband is playing on a hockey team in southern Germany and the winters seem a bit milder, thank goodness. And because of the good hockey season the team has had, the hubs is in playoffs and I get to enjoy the absolutely gorgeous spring down here in Swabia.

After 3 years in Germany, this is our first real look at spring. And I am in heaven!

The grass is an amazing shade of green. 

Kind of makes you just want to run and run out in that open field.

Colorful flowers are popping up everywhere.

The white on the flowers is so beautiful. I can't wait for them to all start blooming!

The apple trees, which line every street and highway in this region, are so beautiful when blooming. 

And the goaties bask in the sun and try to steal my tanning spot.

Look, even they were smiling out in the sun today!

I should knock on wood before saying this, but it has been the most perfect weather you could imagine. Highs in the 70s, abundant sun and a warm gentle breeze.

Not saying any of this to make ya'll jealous :) But if you do ever want to come over to Germany, or Europe for that matter, do yourself a huge favor: skip the long lines and crowds that swarm the summer months and instead plan for a spring Euro trip instead.

And if you do travel to the Lake Constance area, make sure you tell them TexaGermaNadian sent you. Hey, a girl can hope to get a commission or two out of this boasting postcard of a write up! Lol.

Really, I hope spring is finally hitting everyone at this point, no matter where you are. There is something truly magical about the renewal of spring every year. After snow, cold winds and lack of sunshine, the earth springs back to life, and I feel like my soul is doing the same :)

You thought I was kidding about the goatie stealing tanning spot and eating my blanket, didn't you! :)

Just a Quick ELLO!

i will be in New York for a while...thank you for all of your featured posts.....they will be coming right up! Since I am unsure of how long we will be gone, I would love some more.....and I'm sure everyone else wouldn't mind meeting you! love you lots...xoxo

Almond Meltaways {courtesy: Branson}

The kind Branson from Reflection of Something is sharing this yummy recipe with us today. Enjoy!

One of the most requested cookies in our house it the Almond Meltaway. My husband can eat them by the dozen! I started off making them around Christmas, but I quickly realized that they are just too good to eat only once a year! Plus, mix in some pretty colored sugar, and you have a nice Easter cookie! They are so simple to make...

Ingredients

1 c. butter

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/4 c. flour

2 c. slivered almonds sent through the food processor

3 T. amaretto liquer (you can also use almond extract... you wouldn't use as much)

Lots of extra powdered sugar for rolling

Directions 

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add dry ingredients.
3. Stir in Amaretto.
4. Chill one hour.
5. Roll into balls and bake at 350 for 15 min.
6. Roll in powdered sugar once while warm and then again when cool. (Final step in my house: Watch your husband spread powdered sugar around the house trying to sneak cookies!)

Of course you will probably be left with a fair amount of Amaretto. Might I suggest a girls' night with some Amaretto Cherry Sours to solve that problem? Enjoy your cookies and cocktails.

To get more of Branson, Follow her on Twitter, her Blog and her photography site.

Sponsor Love with Melody Mae

meet melody-mae

she loves her BLACK coffee each and every morning, can't live without it!

her favorite color is green, any green will do but lately turquoise has her heart

via

an accessory she can't live without: her wedding ring! also the wedding band her father gave her mom. when he passed away, she snagged it and has been wearing ever since.

melody's most embarrassing moment:

I was in HS and was at a wrestling state tournament and this cute guy was in the stands ( my now hubs) we had went out a couple times...anyway he is at the top of the bleachers and I go up there to talk (FLIRT) with him...when I leave I go down a few bleachers and tripped and sprained my ankle!!!! I had to hobble out of the stadium and ice the ankle for hours!!!!

you can stalk visit melody-mae here at her blog,

Life's Little Adventures

hey there freckles and fudge clan:)


My name is Kerry and I’m a 27 year old stay at home, work at home (part-time) mom to a 16 month old boy named Niall.

As an only child who seriously had no clue about baby raising, it’s been quite an interesting adventure so far-- lots of laughing, even more crying, endless picture taking. But it’s also been a lot of unknowns. So I figured what better to talk about on this guest post…

Sometimes I let it get to me- the old “embrace your youth” shpeal. Did I do everything I wanted to do before I had a kid at 25? People often ask me “What about traveling, going out, and having time to yourself?” And I get it. Those are valid fears.


But if there’s anything I’ve learned in this crazy whirlwind as a first time mom, it’s that life’s little adventures are never far out of reach. Things that are hidden no more than a 10 minute walk or drive from your front step. I just never thought to really explore them before now.

A trip downtown that almost feels just like Europe

An evening watching the sunset with friends

A trendy frozen yogurt shop

I used to spend a lot of time staring at exotic island pictures taped to my cubicle wall and I suddenly realized, after having a baby, that there is so much to enjoy right in front of me.  If I spent too much time wishing I was somewhere else, I would miss out on the all the fun that my own cute little town had to offer.

You’re probably thinking “this poor girl is trying to reassure herself that a trip to the park is just as cool as a night out on the town.” Well, honestly, I needed to get out of the whole “going out” scene. I don’t like sleeping the day away, rocking a big beer gut, or trying to shout across my friends in a crowded bar. I did all of that for four years in college, and now it’s time for something different. Yes, travel and time to myself can be a challenge; there’s no denying that. I love going to far off countries and experiencing different cultures. And it would definitely be nice to jump at a spur of the moment dinner with the girls whenever I wanted. But when it’s all said and done, we still go on vacation every summer, I still venture out for lunch dates with my friends (Niall in tow), and I still take some much needed “me time” before Niall wakes up each morning.


Don’t get me wrong, I have my fair share of days where I’m shouting expletives into the atmosphere, kicking trains across the room in fits of rage, and hopelessly wondering how I’m supposed to handle a public temper tantrum without having one of my own. But I also know that you don’t have to hop on a plane to Bali to find yourself.


I can honestly say that I like this person I’ve become; I’m comfortable with this person; I know this person. In the last year and a half, I’ve learned that I am truly a kid at heart and I’ve found great happiness in life’s simplest pleasures:

A morning jog on the boardwalk

Trying my hand at things I’ve never attempted before

Snapping that perfect picture

The quiet of a snowy winter morning

…And knowing that life’s next little adventure is just around the bend :)

Enjoy your week!

Kerry

Nesting with Niall