PapEli

Home to PA for Thanksgiving

Steve, Elijah, and I are looking forward to heading home for Thanksgiving. I LOVE this time of the year. The week before Thanksgiving to the week after Christmas is my favorite time of the year, followed closely by the last day of the school year :) Except for the over-commercialization of the season, I love everything about it: the sights of white lights and winter-wonderland-like decorations, the smells of burning wood and fresh pine trees, the taste of food I don’t indulge in other times of the year, the hugs and kisses from an affectionate family, the sounds of a house full of family and Christmas music, the feelings of love and celebration, and so much more.

This year will be even better because Elijah is at the age where he understands more. The wonder of the season will be memorable indeed.

Even though only three hours (yes, mom… only three hours) separates us from our hometown of Berlin, PA, it’s always a bit of a cultural adjustment to leave northern Virginia and travel to PA. I happened to stumble across some humor from Jeff Foxworthy this weekend, and it helped to prepare me for the coming transition.

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Posted in Family, Featured, Our Story

Heros

My “Make-It-Yourself” Heros

I love the idea of being self-sufficient and resourceful. I’d love to learn to grow a garden someday and can or freeze food for the winter. I’d love to learn how to sew and make one of a kind clothing or crafts. I’d love to make my own soaps and breads and other daily staples. For now, I’m living vicariously through some friends. In some cases, I’ve started to try a few things.

My former neighbor, Barbara, started Simply Pure Products several years ago in response to her son’s eczema. She makes all sorts of things: lotions, soaps, face wash, shampoo, make up… you name it. Everything she makes is petroleum-free and all natural. I’ve been to her “factory” in her basement, and I am amazed by the whole operation.
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Posted in Balance, Featured, Our Story

PotatoHead

Training: The Art of Sacrifice

Have you ever put together Mr. Potato Head while cycling on the trainer? If you have a family, your training is not always textbook.

These past few weeks I have been training for the cycling leg of the Savageman Half Triathlon. Competing in the Savageman relay has become a tradition. In 2009, my friend and physical therapist, Kerri, had asked me to jump on a team with her. Little did I know that this team would continue year after year. I also have to admit, that this race had personal significance. The Savageman race is not only know for its crazy climbs, but also its support for melanoma research. Our family had been struck with melanoma. So, in some ways this race has been a method of coping with the emotional scars.
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Posted in Family, Featured, Our Story, Sacrifice

stalker

Don’t Lie, & Don’t Been a Stalker

I was driving down the road one summer day, and I caught the last part of a radio commercial for a free Anthony Robbins product that would reportedly help business owners to maximize results. I thought, “That sounds good. It’s free, we have a product launch coming up, and Steve will be so proud that I’ve taken initiative.” So, I called the 1-800 number. I was fully prepared to just give my e-mail address because, after all, the commercial stated that callers would simply need to provide an email address after a recording and life-saving information would be sent immediately. Well, that turned out to be a bold lie.
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Posted in Balance, Featured, Our Story

Achieving Balance

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”
-Thomas Merton

“I believe that being successful means having a balance of success stories across the many areas of your life. You can’t truly be considered successful in your business life if your home life is in shambles.”
-Zig Ziglar

For me, summer time is all about regaining a healthy balance in life. Apart from the fact that I’m a teacher and enjoy summers off, I think summer time itself brings a sense of freedom, balance, longer hours of sunlight, and more opportunities for exploration for most people. Summertime brought me the idea of creating The Other Side blog.

The Other Side is being created for a few reasons. First, I’ve had some down time this summer to enjoy reading blogs from friends and strangers who, in some cases, have become friends. I’ve enjoyed the insights and perspectives; I’ve learned a lot. I also love the idea of chronicling events to archive and reminisce about later.
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Posted in Balance, Our Story