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Lorraine D. Hebler

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Cousins Camp ~ Part 3

By Lorraine

~ DAY 4 ~
John took a vacation day on Monday to join us at Sahara Sam’s Oasis Indoor/Outdoor Water Park.
This place is less than 15 minutes from home so we saved travel time and gas mileage plus we qualified for discount tickets using our AAA card.  No one was happier to officially be a senior than John that day as his ticket was FREE!  And, FREE makes him very happy 🙂

 After the girls had their early morning tea on the patio, we all met at the water park and it was off to cross the crocodile flats on swaying lily pads. 
Here Jared convinces his PopPop he will not get drenched along the Lazy River Congo Bongo.
Would you had believed that boy?!?
One of us preferred to stay alert and avoid most of the deluges 😉
 For the kids, getting waterlogged was the goal.
 Silas, the youngest stuck close by Jared who kindly accompanied him throughout the day.
 over and over and over they climbed the steps, hopped into their tubes and zoomed down the winding shoots to be deposited in a pool of water at the bottom
 There are four slides and the kids made use of them all. A 350-feet body slide, Snake Eyes for a single person tube or a double person tube and the Kilimanjaro that is family size.   
 Jared accompanied the girls many times 
And you didn’t think he would let me off the hook, did you?
That first curve was quite jolting so I prayed, relaxed (sort of) and looped and swirled to the bottom.
All of the colorful slides wind around the outside of the building.
We saved a bundle of money by bringing lunch.  There is NO food or drinks allowed to be brought into the park so I packed hoagies I made in the morning, orange slices, chips, cookies and drinks.  We headed to the parking lot to have our tailgate lunch.  Not very elegant but the kids devoured it all, even the ones who usually have small appetites!
After lunch, they wanted to return to the inside park.  Then they saw the awesome wave pool.
After watching some really amazing people on the FlowRider Surfing Simulator, Noah and Ryan wanted to give it a try.  We had to sign a special waiver before they could and we weren’t sure how they would do. We’d been watching a lot of people and it looked quite challenging.
I love their faces of determination as they rode the waves and managed to stay on their boards for the duration!
  It was hard to end the day.
“Just once more on the…. 
just once more?
We stayed to nearly closing.

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Brenna, Cousins Camp, Grandchildren, Jared, John, Keri, Lorrie, Noah, Ryan, shaela, Silas

Cousins Camp ~ Part 2

By Lorraine

~  DAY 3 ~
Sunday morning was spent at church with cousins Keri, Noah, Silas, Caleb, Cambrie, Chloe and baby Jet.
Afterward, the girls went with me to Aunt Erin’s Salon to learn some hair styling techniques. Ryan tagged along to hang out with his oldest cousin, Jared.

 Aunt Erin showed us great blow-drying and curling iron techniques, gave the girls goody bags and served amazing appetizers
Beee-U-T-ful girls 
Early evening, their request was for me to take “TRICKY PICS” of them.
And, here they are being “TRICKY”! 

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Brenna, Cousins Camp, Erin, Grandchildren, Jared, Keri, Ryan, shaela

Cousins Camp ~ Part 1

By Lorraine

We had an action packed July with grandkids and I know they are looking forward to seeing photos of our adventures together.  It will probably take me all of August just to recap July!
I guess I will start with this week and work backwards 😉

Cousins Camp

 
~ DAY 1 ~
 
Cousins Camp began by meeting at a halfway point (Clarks Summit, PA) to pick up our New York grandchildren.
We had lunch with their parents then piled the kids and luggage into our car for a week long adventure.
 

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren, Travel Tagged With: Abbey, Brenna, Cousins Camp, Grandchildren, John, Lorrie, Ryan, shaela

when brother is sick

By Lorraine

baby Jet has been sick for a bit unable to shake a fever, croupy, bronchial virus illness that sent him to the hospital for a couple of days.  He is home now with meds and should start to feel better soon.
 
Four of his siblings came to my house so Jets mom and dad could take care of him.
I should be running around, cleaning up and getting ready for our three up-state New York grandchildren coming down on Friday to spend the week. Instead, I am sharing some glimpses and moments of our time together…
 
Sick little brother
hospital stay
siblings at Mom-Moms
ready for play
 
trip to the playground
slip down the slide
twirling and dancing
places to hide
 
snooze with the pup
splash in the sink  
swishing those bubbles
drawing with pink
 
buckled in car seats
noodles to eat
bedtime stories
Incredibly sweet
 
library visit
more books to read
pieces in puzzles
tummies to feed
 
climb in the playhouse
French fries to munch
peeking from high spots
all during lunch
 
toys scattered about
sink full of mess
washer still running
house in distress
 
tickles and smooches
diapers to change
fingers need wiping
smells that are strange
 
snuggles at bedtime
piggies and toes
bath time all finished
soon they will doze
 
sleeping so sweetly
my eyes behold
blessings from heaven
 
worth more than gold
copyright 2014 by Lorraine @With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart
 
 

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Caleb, Cambrie, Chloe, Grandchildren, Jethro, Keri, poem

Ocean View

By Lorraine

A girl and her grandfather on a bench at the beach enjoying the ocean view. Memories, relationship and love between the generations. A girl and her grandfather on a bench at the beach enjoying the ocean view. Memories, relationship and love between the generations.
Continue Reading

Filed Under: Faith, Grandchildren Tagged With: Bible, Faith, Grandchildren, John, Keri, poem, Think On These Things

Racing to Catch Up! ( or should I say, hobbling)

By Lorraine

Have you ever fallen a little behind…

                           then further
                                           and further
                                                          and further behind…

That’s what has happened here on my blog.
 
So many activities and happenings there is barely time to think sometimes.  I tried to keep snapping pics as days went by but had little time to even take a look at them. This is some of the highlights of our past couple months.
 
If you aren’t a family member you will be terribly bored and may just want to come back another day when I share a short and sweet recipe.
 
But for the brave…

Continue Reading

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Grandchildren

Little Pigtails

By Lorraine

“Little girls are the nicest things that happen to people. They are born with a little bit of angelshine about them, and though it wears thin sometimes there is always enough left to lasso your heart.”
Alan Beck
{snatched this photo from my daughter’s fb because it totally melts my heart}

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Chloe, Grandchildren, Love, Quote

snapshot

By Lorraine

a quick snapshot of busy days and special moments
chubby toddler hands
French braids 
surprise 90th birthday party
kids and grandkids visiting
fun with cousins
 longtime friends
convo with pop-pop

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Brenna, Cambrie, Chloe, Friends, Grandchildren, Jethro, John, Keri, Noah, Ryan, shaela, Silas

A Day with Brenna

By Lorraine

Last month, I got a text from my daughter, Jill..
I couldn’t say no to a special request like that!

So, I asked my daughter, Jamie, if I could take little Cambrie for company during my drive up north.
The day before our trip, I picked up a very excited little girl.
That evening, a less than excited little girl decided she really needed her mom so I drove her back home.
Early the next morning, she changed her mind and so I drove back to her house and we got on the road together.
Because she drank all of her apple juice too quickly and we had to stop at the Allentown rest stop.
When she saw the sign there, she realized she needed Auntie Anne’s cinnamon pretzels for the rest of the journey.
While I spent the next day with Brenna, Aunt Jill took Cammie to Build*A*Bear and then out for lunch.
Brenna-Bean and I boarded the school bus, with lots of other 3rd graders, that drove us to Syracuse and the MoST (Museum of Science and Technology)
I have to say, this part of central New York did not get the memo that it is officially SPRING evident by the cold, the snow and the ice that I had to scrape from the car and drive through.
While visiting, Ryan showed me that he too, like his cousin, Jared has learned the algorithms and can solve the Rubik’s Cube
Before our homeward bound journey, Aunt Jill took us out for breakfast.
(and then she kindly followed me to a gas station and helped me fill my car tank, since this Jersey Girl has only pumped her own gasoline a few times e v e r!)
~Cambrie (hugging Build*A*Bear) and I made the 300+ mile drive home with NO stops~
and guess who cried because she didn’t want to go home
🙂
 Last night the phone rang and when I answered, this is what I saw…
Brenna and Shae! A face to face video phone call ~ so fun!

then a text
❤

Thank YOU, Brenna!  Mom-Mom loves you!

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Brenna, Cambrie, Grandchildren, Jill, Ryan, shaela

Strawberry Fruit Roll-ups Recipe

By Lorraine

Noah spent the weekend and since school was canceled for snow, he spent Monday here too.
After he and I shoveled the driveway, sidewalk and steps, and after warming up by the fireplace with hot chocolate, we set out to make a favorite childhood treat.
Abbey and her boyfriend, Ryan made beef jerky with a dehydrator he just bought and encouraged me to try something with it.  Happily, I bought a container of strawberries while shopping this week so we made fruit rolls, also know as fruit leather.  It takes few ingredients to make this chewy snack.  Puree some fruit, dry it out and roll it up.
 It is a great in-the-kitchen with kids project. Noah did it all.
He cut off the strawberry tops and piled the trimmed berries into the blender.
He added honey but I probably wouldn’t if the berries were in season.
He squeezed in the juice of half a fresh lime.
Then pulsed the blender (with just a few pauses while I pressed down the berries with a wooden spoon).
To prevent sticking, I lightly sprayed the dehydrator disk with PAM and wiped away any extra.
Noah poured the puree onto the disk and leveled it with a spatula.
Into the dehydrator for almost 6 hours (the wait was hard) for a healthy, easy to make snack that he loved.
Here is how Noah made
Strawberry Fruit Roll-ups
recipe source: NESCO  

PRINT RECIPE
1 pint container fresh strawberries, washed and stems removed
1 Tbs. honey (or Karo syrup), optional
squeeze of lime juice
Add the strawberries, honey and juice to the blender, Cover and pulse/blend until you have a smooth puree. If needed, stop the blender and smash the fruit to the bottom using a wooden spoon before proceeding.
Lightly spray the disk with PAM and wipe away any extra.  Pour the puree onto the disk and level with a spatula.
Place the disk onto the dehydrator; dry at 135 degrees until fruit feels leather-like and is pliable (4-8 hours). Leather is not dry if there are any sticky or soft places. Our leather took 6 hours.
Remove from dehydrator and roll in plastic wrap or parchment paper.  Cut into strips.
Store in a moisture/air tight container.
NOTE: I haven’t tried it but have read you can make fruit leather without a dehydrator.  Pour the puree onto a shallow baking  pan with a silicone pad; bake at the lowest oven temp (140-170) for 6-8 hours until dried.

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes, Sweet Treats Tagged With: Grandchildren, Noah

Oh, my Chloe Dear!

By Lorraine

The other night my phone sounded that a message came in.
It was from Chloe
Just as you guessed,  I have watched this sweet 25 second video over and over and over 
As promised, we met up with PopPop for our annual Shamrock Shake lunch
at playland
with Cambrie 
 hello, Chloe!
Aunt Abbey was able to stop in from work as well and give a hug to Jethro
Chloe’s newborn shamrock shake face
and last years sweet little face
This little leapling will be turning 2 in a few days ~ can you believe it?

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Abbey, Cambrie, Chloe, Grandchildren, Jethro, John, Lorrie

Jethro’s Turn…

By Lorraine

…to have his photo taken in PopPop’s christening outfit

I have photos of all but two grandchildren in this vintage romper as well as our youngest daughter, Abbey who is now 22 years old.  Somehow, I missed grandchildren, Keri and Noah and never thought of it when our older girls were babies. That makes me a little sad since it has now become a tradition.

 

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren, Vintage Tagged With: Abbey, Brenna, Caleb, Cambrie, Chloe, Grandchildren, Jared, Jethro, John, Ryan, shaela, Silas

Patchwork Christmas Stocking

By Lorraine

How to pattern for sewing a Patchwork Christmas Stocking easy enough for a beginner. Makes a sweet, personalized gift for kids and grandchildren.
Sharing a How-To for a patchwork Christmas Stocking is kind of scary for me because I am not great at sewing.  I have, however, made quite a few of these cheerful sacks through the years and Santa hasn’t left any empty, so I guess they are okay in his book.

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Filed Under: Crafts, More Crafts Tagged With: Caleb, Chloe, Christmas, Crafts, Grandchildren, Jethro, tutorial

Crochet Edge Baby Blanket

By Lorraine

Crochet edge baby blanket with a sweet border around a fleece fabric creating a cozy, snuggly lovey. Perfect baby shower gift or as a sofa throw.
It has been such a busy couple of weeks but I am finally getting to share my how-to for the Crochet Edge Baby Blanket made for a little guy due any moment now.Continue Reading

Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: Crochet, Grandchildren, tutorial

Infant Crochet Leg Warmers & Baby Beanie

By Lorraine

Crochet pattern infant baby boy leg warmers with matching beanie hat. Baby blanket with matching crochet edging.
Our Jamie is expecting a baby boy the end of this month and she asked me to make a pair of crochet leg warmers for him to wear home from the hospital. I gave some thought to the length of a infant newborn leg, the diameter of the thigh and ankle and came up with a tiny, cuffed pair to keep those little legs warm. Of course, there needs to be a matching beanie for his little noggin and a super soft blanket to swaddle him in.

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Filed Under: Crafts, Crochet Tagged With: Crochet, Grandchildren, Jethro, tutorial

counting my blessings

By Lorraine

 Since we don’t see these precious grands as often as our others, photos from Jill are greatly appreciated!
These were taken just as the kids were heading back to school.
Perfect weather, and a very dear friend visiting from Texas made for an extra special outside brunch to celebrate birthdays.
An Autumn Carnival was the theme for Grandparents Day at Keri and Noah’s school.
The weather was perfect for a full morning of activities with both sets of grandparents loving these two kiddos.
and a reminder why I really blog…
John called my attention recently to the kids at the computer.  I was so surprised to see them having fun perusing my blog and laughing at posts that include them. When they scroll to the bottom of each page they see the list of labels I add to each post making it easy for them to click and and go every post that is about them.
It truly warmed my heart to see this.
❤
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows
James 1:17

Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren Tagged With: Bible, birthday, Brenna, Cambrie, Friends, Grandchildren, Keri, Noah, Ryan, shaela, Think On These Things

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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