Last weekend we took a quick trip down to PA to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday with the fam. It was a much needed weekend getaway for our family. It's been a long few months full of sickness and everyday life business, especially for Darin as he prepares for his comp exam next month. We needed some time away.
Darin still had work to do, so on Friday my mom and I took the kids out to a really fun playground where we met up with Philip and the little boy he watches. The kids just LOVED being outside as the weather is FINALLY warming up for us out here (and the leaves are finally coming in! Hallelujah!)
After getting home from the park we threw some streamers up and then got to cooking. We made a Strawberries and Cream Pie. We had just had this the previous week for Easter and Darin and I couldn't stop talking about how we wanted more. We did not complain one bit when my Dad chose it off the list of desserts I sent him that we could make for the big day. We also made his fave Beef & Veggie Pie with roasted broccoli/cauliflower for dinner. This is a special meal that his mom would make growing up.
Beef and Veggie Pie
1 Pkg. pie crust mix
or
Pillsbury unfold pie crust (found in the dairy case)
2 TBsp butter or margarine
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup hot water
1 envelope instant brown gravy mix
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. leaf savory, crumbled
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare pie crust mix. Chill 30 minutes. (or use Pillsbury crust). Saute onion, carrots and cabbage in butter or margarine, stirring often until tender. Remove to large bowl. Saute meat. Stir in water, brown gravy mix and seasonings. Add to veggies. Make bottom crust and place in pie pan. Spoon in meat/veggie mixture. Make and place top crust. Cut a few slits in crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Shae wrote a story that he gave kuhn-ta. It was called: Kuhn-Ta, Shae, and Beekle Love Ice Cream.
The kids also got him one of their recent favorite books called How to Babysit a Grandpa that they can read with him when they visit. Shae loves to talk about how he wants to babysit kuhn-ta some day. (Excuse the blur in these last two pics, my camera has been acting up on me).
Philip got him a new weed whacker head.
After the kids were down he opened his final present which me and my mom and siblings had been working on for a few weeks. Sixty letters/memories from friends and family. We ended up getting 32 letters in total from family members (extended and not) and friends that he has had over the years, and the rest we filled with memories. One of my favorite memory pages was about what we think of when we think of Dad in the kitchen. We all had some variation of the same thing: crazy, random foods mixed together. Sometimes good, sometimes not. How we learned not to ask what is FOR dinner, rather, what is IN dinner. Peas in everything. One time I remember a leftover casserole that he made that was Ramen noodles, meatloaf, and broccoli with cheese all over. Yum.
It was just so entertaining to hear him read through all the letters and memories, that then sparked other memories that he would share with us as well. It was really special to read through them all together.
I loved hearing about farting games that he played as a kid from his brother's letter and how at a camp out he didn't want to use store bought wood since he wanted to teach Scott about making fire from the nature surrounding them, and then went and pulled out dryer lint. His friend from MD, Mark, asked him, "Where in nature did you find that Bill?"
I loved the story from Sister Wiltfong about the first time she heard my dad play the accordion in church way back when. She was holding back giggles and thought an accordion in church would be sacrilegious, but said that the number brought her to tears.
My favorite FAVORITE memory was Anna's, when she remembered a time as a kid when her friend came over asking to play ponies with her. Anna didn't want to since she was "too cool" for that and left. When she came back outside my dad was sitting on the outside steps playing ponies with Anna's friend. I just LOVE that memory because it is SO my dad. He loves kids and he loves putting other's feelings/needs before his own. Such a sweet memory of something that he would easily do again tomorrow.
Darin and I got to sneak away on a date Saturday afternoon which was lovely. We went and saw La La Land at a $2 theater (something we lack in Ithaca), then went out to eat. Darin's adviser here at school is from the area and recommended this Vietnamese restaurant in Harrisburg to us. We had only had Vietnamese one time before this experience and it was not good. Everyone always raves about Pho. It just seems like it's one of those things I'm supposed to love, so we gave it another chance.
It was really good Pho, MUCH better than the other place we tried last year, but I've decided I'm just not a Pho girl and that is okay. It's just so brothy. Don't get me wrong, it's a good broth, but if I'm spending money on food I really don't want broth. Give me all the meat and rice and sauce! The noodle beef dish that we ordered was really good though.
After the date we met up with my parents and the kids at a middle school where they were doing the stake Road Show. The performances were pretty fun and the kids (especially Shae) just thought it was so cool to be at a show.
On Sunday, after church, we did a second Easter with my family. We had a nice Easter meal and my mom set up a great Easter egg hunt for the kids.
Better, brighter pictures from Philip :).
Before heading home we had to squeeze in a few more rounds of Sleeping Queens. Like I said in my last post, such a fun game.
Then back home we went. The kids were exhausted after a long, fun day and crashed a few minutes in to our trip. Shae with his feet up on the seat. Belén is finally at a point where she can sort of car sleep. Only for about 45 minutes max, but much better than last summer. Sweet sleepy babies.
