Jen's Ink Pen!: Emily

Showing posts with label Emily. Show all posts

Saturday, January 9, 2016

For the love of coffee... And books!

There once was a time when we couldn't force her to read.

She loved being read to, but would not do it alone.

In the ninth grade, Emily read To Kill a Mockingbird, and A Walk to Remember and the first few chapters of Twilight so, I thought she might be on her way.

Soon afterward, however, she purchased her first iphone and then it was Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest that monopolized her reading list.

Things are different now. This morning we drove uptown to a very special coffee shop called Julia's Cafe and Books. It is the most fabulous little used bookstore. It calls to your sense of adventure and mystery. It causes you to want to read. It smells like coffee and books, and old things and leather. It is full of people searching the shelves or sitting and chatting with friends over a blueberry scone and Chai tea.

The books are priced so that you leave with many. Books selling in Barnes and Noble at full price are going for 3 for $10. Paperbacks for .99. It is incredible. The books are all donated and the profits support Habitat for Humanity, which is housed in the same building. When you finish reading the books, their hope is that you'll donate them back. What a lovely concept it is.

Emily walked around the shelves with her cinnamon something or another latte, looking up titles on her cell phone, searching by author and subject, and making a huge stack of possibilities. She stopped at 11 after eliminating a few more. She wanted them all. Some of them she chose for the content, and others she chose because they were "pretty"and "would look great on her bookshelves one day."

I am more practical when it comes to books. I buy what I think I will have time to read. After all, I can always return for more coffee and books.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Someone forgot how to sew!

Well, she forgot how to thread the sewing machine, making it super hard for her to sew!
What am I gonna do now?

I have had a sewing project on the dining room table for almost 3 months. It has been waiting there for Emily to finish. I have tried to withhold gas money. I have tried to bribe with gifts. I have gotten nowhere, and my kitchen windows are still bare.

She admitted that she had forgotten how to thread the machine. I thought back and remembered that I had videotaped her sewing last year. I thought it was the video where she was teaching me to thread the machine. Of course, as usual, I can never find what I need, when I need it...so the machine threading video was not to be found. I did find a few cute videos of her showing off her skills...the skills she has no more!

I'm hoping this will give her some inspiration!

Such a cutie with her southern accent and all!

And didn't she do a great job!
Now...on to the kitchen curtains...please!

Monday, January 20, 2014

Winter sports!

It was one of the coldest days of the year. Emily's friends were visiting and 2 of them had never seen snow! We headed to Blowing Rock, NC for a night of adventure.

By the time we were finished, all of Emily's friends had given up...so it was just us. Sweet family time on the slopes!

Earlier that week, we had been ice skating! We got on cushiony clothes and really warm socks. We wore scarves and gloves....and we looked like we knew exactly what we were doing. Haha!

We make the most of winter by enjoying winter sports.We really wish it would snow, just enough to go sledding. We are still hopeful!

If you have snow, send some our way!

Monday, January 6, 2014

A sweet reunion!

These sweet girls are so happy to be back together for a week of fun. They met this past summer when Emily was on Work Crew at Young Life's Trail West Family Camp! You can read more about it here and here! We really enjoyed having them and we are thankful that their families allowed them to spend a huge portion of their winter break with us!

Playing games with the family!