Life - Always Changing - New Traditions

How was your Easter? Did you celebrate? At home with family, or was it just another day to you?

I am a big fan of family traditions...but I also like making new traditions.

We have always had large family dinners on holidays, but this year, my husband was having some health issues, we're updating (I'm painting every room) our home so we can sell it and move home, and allergy season has kicked in big time this year.  So I asked hubby "would you mind if we just went out to eat this year?"  What a great new tradition!!!!  I should have done it years ago.

Amanda and her crew came over so Owen could get his basket from Poppa and Gramma, Chuck's brother and wife surprised us with a visit, and it was so nice to be able to just make coffee and then join the conversations instead of being chained in the kitchen.  We should have done this years ago.

One this I did miss, and have missed since we've moved south, was our annual shopping trip to 

The Broadway Market in downtown Buffalo, NY.

No good respecting Polish cook would get their Easter sausage and butter lambs anywhere else.

That I miss, and family.

So how was your weekend?  Any new traditions started at your house?

Be blessed,

Debbi

5 Things I'll Miss When We Move

As some of you may already know, we are planning to sell our home here in sunny warm NC and move back to not as sunny and warm NY to be closer to family.  I have tried for 16 years to get everyone to move down here....but I've been outnumbered. lol

So here is my list of 5 things I'll miss about North Carolina.

5) Kill Devils Hill and The Outer Banks

I absolutely loved the trips we have taken to The Outer Banks.  Walking the beach, floating the waves, and the shops are such fun.  Plus you're not too far from the wild horses of Corolla and in the opposite direction is Roanoke where you'll find lots of fun places to explore like the aquarium and botanical gardens.

4) Blowing Rock.

Closer to home is Blowing Rock, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.  I can see the mountains from my front porch, but the trip up the mountain is so much fun.  The first stop is always at the rock....you'll get an amazing view if you are brave enough to walk out to the tip (I never have, lol).  Then into downtown to enjoy a great day of shopping and eating.

3) Emerald Hollow Mine

Right down the road from us is the little town of Hiddenite, home of the Emerald Hollow Mine.

It looks muddy, but it's a lot of fun, prospecting for gems.  

2) The NC Antique Trail

One of the things I love about the south is not only the lovely weather, but also the love of history.

Chuck and I always enjoyed jumping in the car and traveling the route to shop our favorite antique shops.

1) The Statesville Full Gospel Tabernacle

The place I will miss the most is my church.

It's not just our church..they are our family.

If you're in this area, and looking for a place to belong, to be loved, check us out.

So, what is your favorite spot in your neck of the woods?

Be blessed,

Debbi

Friday Family Night

I love Fridays, not just because it's the start of the weekend, but because we get to play.

I love playing games.  My siblings and I played games a lot growing up, especially board games on holidays, or snowed in the house days.  Which in Buffalo, were quite often. lol

This is a peek into our game cabinet.  As you can tell by the taped corners, we do have a few favorites.  And old ones.  I've also replaced quite a few over the years.

Aside from the tape around the Pictionary box, a favorite game of ours was..

Dark Tower.

As a young adult, we would get together, settle the kids down with toys, popcorn, and a movie, and all us parents would sit down to this amazing game.  It was so much fun, and back then, it was the height of tech savy, just like our...

Odyssey Game System

We played Jeopardy a lot, among others.  Most of the games we had for more than one player, which made them even more fun.

Today we play...

Wii.  Back when my kids were teenagers, we had a Nintendo, which seemed to cause so many arguments, and yelling "it's MY turn"..."I don't want to turn it off and (go to bed) (do my chores) (etc.), so when it broke, I secretly rejoiced.  About 10 years later, we broke down and bought a Wii when they first came out, BECAUSE the games required more than one person, and required people to interact.  Wii Sports and Mario Cart are by far our most played games.

I've searched for new games, but have yet to find anything really new that peaked my interest.

So, what is (or was) your favorite game?  

Be blessed,

Debbi