So very much to be thankful for…
Warm fires.
Full bellies.
Joyful laughter.
Tight hugs.
Soft candlelight.
Growing family.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Family
Except Another Grandmother
Mother Nature must’ve known
my joy of becoming a Grandma this week
Gifting our sweet baby girl with
a 73 degree mid-November day to come home to
For no one else
in the entire universe
Could understand the immense love
and immeasurable joy
Except perhaps…
another
Grandmother ❤
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
There are truly not enough letters in the alphabet
or words in the dictionary
to describe how I’m feeling!!
The Empty Nest
The Empty Nest
Today you stretch your wings
and show us how we taught you to fly.
Today you pack up all the things you have and need
to make your own life and home.
Today you say good-bye and I love you when you walk away,
but you don’t come back to stay.
Today you take my love with you
and know it will always be here.
Today you leave the nest.
and memories are sneaking out of my eyes and rolling down my cheeks.
Today and always, I am so very happy for you… so very proud…
but I can’t help feeling a little emptiness in the very core of my soul.
Today you begin creating your own nest
but please don’t forget you will always be a part of mine.
Wishing you the best… today and always
from my full momma’s heart..
and empty nest.
Cheers & Hugs NCM ❤
Love,
Mom
Krautfest 2016!
This past weekend was one of my favorites of the year! Time for the annual Brugnoli Family and Friends Krautfest Party!
Those of you who have been hanging around here awhile, might remember Krautfest 2015 or even Krautfest 2014.
The festivities kicked off this past Saturday in the beautiful Autumn weather at Conneaut Lake, PA with our dear “Oh Rob” welcoming guests and instructing newcomers on the sauerkraut-making process.
It starts with cutting…. 800 lbs of cabbage cutting!
The cut cabbage goes to the shredders, where experienced cutters teach newbies on equipment passed down through generations from grandparents…
and taught to new generations – where Moms teach sons…
and sisters show brothers….
and families do together.
It then gets measured,
and salted,
and pounded…
while friends and family chat,
and laugh,
and hug.
Old friends meet up after decades.
and new relationships bloom.
There is plenty of fun for kids of all ages!
From Jumbo Jenga…
to pick up sticks…
to lawn bowling,
and searching for bones and candy and money in hay.
There was pumpkin painting…
and t-shirt painting.
There was apple picking…
and apple pressing.
The kids loved learning how to turn apples into fresh apple juice!
and so did some of the parents and grandparents!
There was lots of food.
I made Grandma’s halupki – another Krautfest tradition served up next to hot dogs and kraut and homemade pierogies and cheesy polenta and fresh smoked ham and lots of other yummies.
There was an entire dining room table filled with desserts.
and of course plenty of wine.
There was tire swinging,
and bonfire-building.
There was Marty (hubby – on the left) and Martin.
There were quiet moments from afar,
and lots of singing and music after the sun went down and drew us indoors.
Even dogs of all sizes made friends!
Can you imagine a better time?
Thank you Joyce and Oh Rob! We love you! We ALL do!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Hot Air Balloon Themed Baby Shower
Oh what fun we had this past weekend celebrating the anticipation of the sweet baby girl we are awaiting with a Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower!
I made these miniature hot air balloons using super inexpensive 12″ white paper Chinese lanterns that I attached to quart-sized cardboard pulp berry baskets with wooden skewers and embellished with all the pink ribbon, yarn, sequins, buttons, lace, or pearls I had in my craft stash. I added a tiny battery operated tea light to each basket and hung and placed them all over the house.
It was such a collaborative effort of all the girls involved. Check out this amazing Aunt Squad surrounding the beautiful momma to be!
We had a hot air balloon cupcake cake,
Hot Air Balloon Cake Pops in a puffy white cloud,
and Hot Air Balloons, clouds and cherubic baby faced sugar cookies.
The favors were made using Eos Lip Balms to thank our guests for sharing their time and love with us.
A Hot Air Balloon banner with baby pictures of the mom and dad to be as babies themselves was a nostalgic trip down memory lane.
An Extra Large Basket Lady Pole Handle Wicker Storage Basket with pink and white balloons tied to it was filled to overflowing with children’s books guests brought in place of cards to start a wonderful library for baby.
The books were requested by a special insert in the invitation, and the overflowing abundance of new and extra special, well-loved books from people we love will be so cherished.
The time and love put into gifts blew us away. A very special Gram blessed Mom and Dad to be with this amazing handmade Hot Air Balloon quilt.
We also had a Hair Bow Boutique…
where guests were invited to create a hair bow (or two or three – like sweet Ella did) for baby.
And they surely blew us away with their talent and love.
Instead of a guest “book,” we had guests add their fingerprint and name to a hot air balloon watercolor painting that can hang in baby’s nursery as a sweet reminder of all who shared in her special party.
A simple game of “Guess the Baby Item in the Bag” had guests brainstorming
on what the heck starts with an “O” or “W” or “H”
while munching on fruit from a hot air balloon fruit tray (which we forgot to get a picture of – 😦 – sorry Jen!) – but looked a lot like this inspiration from Pinterest, as well as Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders and Chicken Salad with dried cranberries and walnuts in miniature croissants, veggie pizza, and Strawberry Spinach Salad.
and yep – we had that yummy Salted Caramel Apple Sangria too!
My heart is surely overflowing!
Balloons are now popped, and the house is back in order. Grandma is still glowing, though, as we await the arrival of this already abundantly loved baby girl.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS Thanks to BFF Jill for being event photographer for Grandma-to-be who was simply too overjoyed and excited to even think about snapping pics! What would I do without you!? ❤
Showers of Love
Showers of love
in pastel shades
of pink and ribbons
and braids.
Dreaming of cherubic
rosy red cheeks
and plump, chubby thighs
to pinch and kiss and squeeze.
Preparing for sweetness
for sugar and spice…
showers of love
my heart’s delight.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Two sweet boys… two years apart
Once upon a time… (isn’t that how all fairy tales begin?)
there was a young woman
whose dreams came true
when she was blessed with the gift
of two sweet boys
two years apart.
The young mom lived next
to another young mom
who had a boy and two girls
a few years older.
The one little girl
came to visit quite often.
She loved the other mom’s babies,
and the mom loved the little girl.
Her name was Stefanie,
but the boys could not say that,
so she became “Bunny”
forever and always.
Time and distance
have a way of dividing
people and lives
even those that are special.
But time and distance
can also be overcome
like it was this past weekend
for that mom and sweet “Bunny”
when the news of another
baby brought them together.
Some special relationships
are simply meant to be
like the mom who will now
soon be a grandmother
and the little girl who now
is the best momma to her own
two sweet boys
two years apart.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This post is dedicated and written in love to a very special young lady and mom, Stefanie (“Bunny”). Thank you for reaching out. Thank you for sharing your time and your heart and your little loves. You are my hero, sweet Momma. Keep doing it right! ❤
Rise, Shine, Kick Butt
This weekend, I:
- sipped coffee before the sun rose from a beautiful surprise mug I found in my mailbox filled with “hugs” from one of the sweetest girls in the world
- was an Assistant to an awesome DJ (that happens to be my first-born son), and took requests for songs I’ve never heard of, but danced in my seat to
- sewed something pink and soft and secret that I can’t wait to share
- sampled yummy wedding brunch food for one of the cutest couples in the universe
- enjoyed a Pittsburgh Steelers victory and Fantasy Football lead
- painted too many things that went in the trash while indulging in the Entertainment Network’s Red Carpet special for the Emmy’s
- received a surprise phone call from a sweet friend I haven’t talked to in a while
- watched the Emmy’s while sipping red wine
- felt extremely grateful.
Now it’s Monday.
Time to Rise, Shine, and Kick Butt!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
We’re So Excited!
Engagement Ring Watercolor
We’re so excited!
We are being blessed with another beautiful daughter-in-law!
Our son, Nick, proposed to his beautiful fiance, Liz, this past weekend.
So today’s little painting for #WorldWatercolorMonth is a diamond engagement ring.
It’s not nearly as beautiful as the real ring…
or the future bride-to-be…
or the smile on Nick’s face…
or the joy in my heart.
But it is a symbol
of a beautiful commitment
for a lifetime of love.
Nick and Liz Engagement
Nick created a beautiful “forever rose” from copper and metal as part of his engagement ring presentation.
And we enjoyed celebrating the happy couple – the new #McKinneytoBe this weekend!
Love you Nick and Liz! ❤
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Lake Park Bash 2016
Happy Fourth of July to the USA!
We are relaxing today after a fun-filled weekend
at the Second Annual Lake Park Bash
hosted by the the best ever “hood”
in Conneaut Lake, PA…
Look at this crew in their red, white, and blue
from Lake Park Way!
Whether by land or by sea…
a fun time was a guarantee!
A photo booth welcomed guests
and hosts alike.
Some of us were silly…
an others were very pretty.
Friends and family
and my most specialiast of all ladies. ❤
There were refreshing drinks
because the cutest mixologists/most generous hosts/sweetest family ever made sure!
There was food galore…
with lots of meat…
and of course there were also
plenty of treats!
To work play it off
there where games a plenty… Like Twister
and life-sized Kerplunk
and Jenga
and corn hole
and Bocci Ball to name a few.
There was also music
and young ones to make life bright.
All were winners
on a gorgeous Saturday.
And when the sun set
the bonfires lit and the sparklers twinkled
while fireworks glowed and banged and shined.
And then since one day was just not enough…
there were bloody marys and screwdrivers with the next morning’s coffee
and a shared breakfast of pancakes with blueberries and chocolate chips
and scrambled eggs and bacon and sausage.
The Lake Park Bash was a real holiday treat! Thanks to all that made it so sweet!
Hope you are enjoying –
wherever you are –
the special moments to cherish.
Reach for a star!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 