Jackson's wolf award

We've been working hard to finish up Jackson's Wolf award before he turned 9 and we just made it.

Here we are receiving his patch and the mom's pin (cool idea).

This boy LOVES cub scouts. I'm grateful for great leaders who help him along and for a Daddy who knows what he's doing to help us get done what needs to be done.

Waiting for the kids selfie

A couple times each week we pick up the kids from school. In order to get a good spot in line we have to be in line 30+ minutes early. This allows us a lot of time to read books together and even take a few selfies. 😎 Treasure these moments because they'll be gone all too soon.

Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Smoothie

I am a sucker for cookbooks. I love seeing what they put together and I love the beautiful imagery and graphic layouts they use to pull you in.

I was gifted a new cookbook this Christmas called Clean Eating Made Simple. I have tried a few of the recipes from this book and THIS is our favorite. I could have this everyday for breakfast and be a happy camper!!  Here it is.

Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Smoothie
Recipe from: Clean Eating Made Simple cookbook
Adapted by CKW

Ingredients:
1 large banana, frozen
1/3 c rolled oats (quick oats are fine)
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2/3 cup milk
3 T. natural peanut butter
1 splenda packet

Directions:

1. In a blender, combine all the ingredients. Blend until smooth
2. Pour into 2 glasses and serve.

*VARIATION: If you don't have a frozen banana you can use a fresh banana. After its all blended together add 2 cups of ice to thicken and chill your smoothie. (I prefer the frozen banana variation because I don't like the bits of ice in my smoothie. Too cold!)

NOTE: How to freeze a banana- peel your overripe bananas. Lay them on a plate and place in the freezer. Once they're frozen you may remove them from the plate and put them in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Now you're all set for your smoothie with frozen bananas!

Snow day science Fun

Snow day: Day 2, calls for some creative mom time. We enjoy doing science experiments and it's been too long.

Experiment #1:

This is the vinegar, baking soda and colors experiment.

They love watching them fizz up and react.

I love Levi's tongue of concentration look.

Experiment #2:

Pour some milk on a plate. Drop on some food coloring. Dip a cotton ball in dish soap and swirl with the contents on the plate. Watch the magic!

Experiment #3:

Secret messages with lemon juice. As the lemon juice dries, it turns brown and the message is revealed. taa daahhh!

March snowstorm

March 13-14, 2017

Every now and then we get one last hurrah of a snow storm in March. This year was one of those years. We got about 12-13" of snow over about 2 days. That's crazy, but we were happy to play in the snow one more time this season before we pack the snow gear away.

Our faithful daddy with his cool new hat out shoveling for us. That is HARD work!

That's a bunch of snow!

Wow! What a big snowdrift on our back patio!

One of our perfect snow angels. :)

These boys were LOVING this! 

They carved out some snow seats for their tooshes and are chilling. Looks like Levis is pooped from playing so hard and is taking a rest.

Thanks for the fun Mother Nature! We had a blast!

enough snow for sledding

Photo 1: We got a WHOLE bunch of snow and this is what our beautiful house looks like with it! Pretty beautiful & so lucky!

Photo 2: Alivia was sledding with her friend so the boys and I went out to play in ALL THIS SNOW!

Photo 3: We thought that the little hill in Pap's yard would be good for sledding...

Photo 4: Jackson, being the good big brother that he is, pulled and pushed Levi around on the sled.  Weeee!

Sadly, the snow was too deep and too powdery for sledding, at least in this location. It was exhausting work and didn't last very long, but we made some memories and went back to warm up with some cocoa.

This snow would be great for skiing or snowmobiling. I love that I had that growing up and hope to try skiing again soon. :)

anniversary weekend celebration

{March 10-12, 2017} 

They say it's "Better late, than never" and that's the truth. We celebrated our belated 15th Anniversary by spending a weekend @ the Omni Bedford Springs Hotel & Spa. It came highly recommended by a friend and it did NOT disappoint.

Photo 1: We had a crazy March snowstorm so it was very chilly out and snow-covered. The hotel itself is very expansive. It keeps going on and on! It has a lot of history (which is one of the reasons we loved it so much!).

Here's a snippet of why this is a "Historic Hotel of America".

Few properties can boast the historic significance of Omni Bedford Springs Resort, located in the Allegheny Mountains of south Pennsylvania. For more than 200 years, the eight mineral springs located on the resort's property served as an important gathering place. Eventually, the resort would be the site of many significant moments in American history, hosting a long list of celebrities, wealthy clientèle, corporate magnates and dignitaries from around the world. To date, the resort has hosted 13 U.S. presidents, seven of whom visited during their presidency.

THE BEDFORD SPRINGS

The Native Americans first used the mineral springs for their curative properties, and in the late 1700s, they shared the powers of the springs with a doctor named John Anderson. In 1796, Dr. Anderson purchased the 2,200-acre property on which the resort now stands. He built a home on the property and as word spread of these unique waters, visitors arrived from around the globe to experience them. He housed the guests in tents and offered custom prescriptions for guests based upon their needs.

THE ORIGINAL HOTEL

As more and more guests came west to "take the waters," Dr. Anderson decided to build a hotel. The Stone Inn was built in 1806 from stone quarried atop the mountain located adjacent to The Springs and carried down the mountain by oxen. Guests making the trek to the hotel encountered a rugged journey. They often arrived by train in Cumberland, and then made the 21-mile trip through the Cumberland Valley to Bedford Springs.

HISTORIC FIRSTS FOR BEDFORD

Bedford Springs Resort is truly an American original. With its growing list of wealthy clientèle, it gained a reputation as a luxury destination and was proclaimed as the Most Popular Resort in the United States. Bedford Springs became home to one of the first golf courses in America, originally designed by Spencer Oldham (and later redesigned by A.W. Tillinghast and then the renowned Donald Ross). And in 1905, the resort opened one of the nation's first indoor pools – fed by the property's spring waters. With its alluring surroundings and high-profile guest list, Bedford Springs' role in history was already in the making.

NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK

In 1984, the resort was designated a National Historic Landmark and it closed its doors two years later. In 2004, the resort embarked upon an unprecedented restoration and expansion effort. Returned to its original splendor in 2007, Omni Bedford Springs Resort is the perfect blend of the past and the future.

KEY DATES 

2007    Omni Bedford Springs Resort is restored to its historic grandeur after a $120 million restoration. The new resort is the most modern of meeting places, featuring state-of-the-art technology and conveniences.

1998    Property purchased.

1986    The property closes.

1984    The resort is designated a National Historic Landmark

1975    Future U.S. President Ronald Reagan visits while governor of California.

1943 – 1945    Japanese diplomats captured in Germany during WWII are housed at the resort.

1941 – 1943    The U.S. Navy occupies the resort, using it as a training facility for radio operators.

1905    One of the first indoor pools in the nation is constructed at Bedford Springs, complete with a mineral water-fed swimming pool, solarium and hydrotherapy rooms.

1895    One of the first golf courses in America is laid out by Spencer Oldham at Bedford Springs.

1858    First transatlantic cable is received by President Buchanan in the lobby of the Bedford Springs Resort. He spent 40 summers in Bedford Springs.

1848    James K. Polk is the first sitting president to visit Bedford Springs. A total of 10 U.S. presidents will eventually be hosted by the resort, including visits by seven presidents during their time in office. These include Presidents Andrew Jackson, John Tyler, James K. Polk, Zachary Taylor, James Buchanan, James Garfield and William H. Taft.

1821    Future U.S. President James Buchanan makes the first of many visits to Bedford Springs, which will become his "summer White House" during his time in office.

1819    Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States, visits the resort for several weeks. The resort will host several other Presidents while not in office, including William Henry Harrison, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush and James Garfield.

1806    The Stone Inn, the first of the hotel's buildings, is constructed from stone located on a mountain across from the resort.

1802    Patients of Dr. Anderson experience the healing properties of the springs in new bathing facilities.

1796    Dr. John Anderson discovers the mineral springs of Bedford, long known by the Native Americans, and purchases the property.

Okay, enough about the history of this place, onto the rest of our trip. The resort was built as different buildings, but they were all restored and joined together in 2007 when it was all renovated.

Photo 2: This was our room, #107 in the Evitt House.

Photo 3: One of the things I loved about it are the historical furnishings and color schemes. What a pretty bed & bedposts. (Note: We had our own door onto the balcony, but it was too chilly to go and sit out. Oh, and the door was a little breezy, not well-sealed.)

Photo 4: Our bathroom. This picture does not do it justice. It also included a very nice tub/shower and a luxurious vanity which was fun to "get ready" with.

Photo 5: This was one of my desserts one night- Berries & cream cake. So pretty, and yummy.

Photo 6: Our first night we had dinner @ the Crystal Room (our favorite restaurant of the weekend). Josh got these cute little bacon-wrapped quail. They were delicious, but a little messy. I got Rockfish (really tender and melted in my mouth). I like to get weird things when its a special occasion like this. Helps me remember the event and try new things.

The next day we spent our morning in the Spa doing the Bedford Bath Ritual (shower & scrub, sauna, hot tub, cold tub, hot tub, cold tub, etc.). The Spa was really peaceful and relaxing. It was so beautiful- I love the old style they kept and restored. It helps you get a glimpse of what life might have looked like "in those days".

This place is so cool because you can just walk all over and see it's history- pictures and postcards from its "dog days of summer"- people dressing and walking around like Anne of Green Gable with beautiful flowing white dresses and big hair with big hats. We really enjoyed seeing the architecture so beautifully restored and updated. What a magnificent structure this was back in it's day and I'm so glad The Omni saw enough of it to buy it and restore it to its' grandeur.

Photo 7: This area is right off the lobby and holds the ballroom and a bunch of other large rooms for workshops, and group meetings.

 Photo 8: A look at the ballroom. These are definitely historic colors (not ones that I'd pick for today's decor) but they really suit this space.

 Photo 9: One last look back on our room with a balcony before we left. We had a great relaxing weekend together. It's so nice to get away and get back to just the two of us. I love spending time with my husband and I'm so glad I love him like crazy and really like him as a person. I really chose well and I'm so glad we could celebrate our 1st 15 years together in such a cool, historic place. We'll be back for sure!