Late Night Thunderstorm

When I fell asleep I had no idea I would be woken up with loud crashing, an exciting light show of lots of lightning and just one wild thunderstorm. Wow, but it was loud and that rain was really coming down like crazy. I raced to the windows and got them shut, but hung out enjoying the sights…I love those thunderstorms. Some of you kind readers may perhaps be thinking I am a bit of a nut, but others have to enjoy these storms. If so, please do speak up and share your love of summer storms.

It reminded me of the thunderstorms when we were kids, at first they seemed scary. Being blessed with a Dad and Mom who turned those storms into fun! It sounds silly, and I don’t know how many parents told their kids this same story. It was started so early on with Autumn and me since we are the oldest of 6 girls…I so love the story. Even as a grownup I will always remember Dad and Mom telling us God decided furniture needed to be moved about in Heaven.

OK, that explained the crashes of thunder, right? Well, how did they explain the lightning to us? It was big, big night lights so everybody could see what and where they were moving the furniture of course! Why could we see it on earth both of us young Twinnies had to ask. That was explained as God thought it was nice to share the sights and sounds with his children here on earth. Wasn’t it nice he thought of all of us, and it was nothing to fear. It worked for Autumn and me, then our younger sisters and we thought it quite interesting as well as exciting.

I have heard other people who got told this story that our parents told, I have it on good authority that this story is still being told to the young kids. I have to say I love it, it saves so much stress on the fear factor! I sure wish everybody grew up with this thunderstorm story because sadly I have known friends who just shudder and shake over any thunderstorms. They hate the lightning the worst and jump out of their skins when the thunder starts. That just makes me sad, I don’t like the thoughts of anyone having fear or anxiety.

How about you kind readers? Do you like thunderstorms or do you just kind of deal with the whole thing until it all passes? I have to ask of course, because it’s what I tend to do…I ask a lot of questions! Autumn was curious to know about you kind readers thoughts on this subject, too. So, I’m not alone in my curiosity which is a nice thing as always…Inquiring twins just want to know! I enjoyed my thunderstorm of late last night while Autumn slept her way through it, go figure!

Memories of Hiking With Dad…

I woke up early, it was a beautiful sunshiny weekend day. My mind does its own thing and thoughts and memories just pop into my head at random. Maybe this happens to other people, too and if so you will know what I’m saying. Most of you kind readers know me, so you will go with the flow and continue reading, I hope!

Anyway, I was just remembering all the hikes and trips in the mountains with our Dad. Autumn and I were so blessed to have trips alone hiking and meandering the mountains and all with our Dad. We both miss him still so much, we lost him to evil cancer close to 9 years ago. That makes these wonderful memories just all the more precious. Having been born the oldest of 6 sisters, Autumn and I had a lot of hiking trips alone with just our Dad. Mom kind of stayed behind at our cabin, minding those little sisters.

As they got older, then we all hiked as a family…So many, many times! But, getting back to the Autumn and me, those hiking trips with Dad. We live only about 8-10 miles from where we usually hiked, so it was fun as well as being close to home. Dad was so patient when we had our first hike, pointing out all the interesting things on and off the trail. So many times we probably got on his nerves answering our wacky questions, but he never complained.

The stops for us Twinnies picking up little rocks that caught our eye, insisting the moss on rocks and trees needed investigating. But we walked and talked and so much joy and wonder as younger Twinnies we had! As we grew older we seemed to have gotten a pattern going, the hikes were fun and amazing, but the talking with Dad was just so awesome. He was a most special one, always ready to discuss just about anything and loving to share laughs, too.

Dad’s laugh, oh my goodness it was one of the most beautiful sounds ever! I remember it and can hear his laughter in my mind, talking it over with Autumn, Mom, our sisters and other family members…So can they! That makes me so happy, he had this contagious and most ear catching and pleasing laugh. It would just make you smile yourself and then join in laughing…Just so joyful, so full of love of life.

The hiking was just a wonderful memory that popped into my head on this fine spring morning. But I realize I am also writing lots of mine and Autumn’s love of our precious Dad. I think sometimes the tears we both have cried over remembering could fill more than a bucket, but that’s OK. Because ,never would we have ever missed one single hiking trip or one moment with our Dad. He was always so watchful and teaching us about good plants, bad plants, looking out for snakes, the balancing of your backpack and just so much more.

Autumn and I are still good hikers to this day, because Dad taught us well. We always had the best of hiking boots, too because that really does matter and any of you that hike know what I’m saying! Anyway, it was a beautiful memory and I guess I just wanted to share it with you kind readers. Thank you for listening and please do share any thoughts or memories of hiking and backpacking if you would like. Autumn and I will be planning our first hike of the springtime together…I can hardly wait! I know for sure Dad will be watching from Heaven and keeping his eye on us, too. 🙂

Your Angel on Earth by Gabby

First I have to say, *I did not write this! It’s something that is beautiful to share though and it needs shared. How did this story come to be in my possession? That’s a very nice story in itself, about 15 or so years ago…Our Dad found it and made copies for all of us 6 daughters. I think that was such a beautiful thought and a loving thing to do, a living tribute to our Mom. That’s the way Dad was…He loved our Mom very much. Even though we honored and loved Mom, Dad wanted us all to have this special reminder. Since our Dad is in Heaven now, all I keep thinking is how proud he is of us 6 daughters. We all look after our Mom when she lets us, (She can be a bit stubborn) we all love her to pieces. It isn’t always easy for her and I despise evil cancer for taking our Dad away. Dad and Mom were joined at the soul, a feeling I understand all too well. One of the saddest things Mom said to me 8 years ago, after we lost both Dad and Dave (my husband). Mom said never did she ever think her and I would end up widows, losing them both to the same evil cancer & 40 days apart. I digressed a bit, but I wanted to get it all said. So, here is the beautiful story now to share with all of you kind readers. Some of you maybe already have read this story. To us it was magic because “La Famiglia e tutto”, that’s in Italian, in English it means “Family is Everything”. So please do enjoy this story and let Autumn and I know your thoughts if you would like to share. 🙂 The title is of course “Your Angel on Earth“. The author is unknown.

A child preparing to be born asked God, “They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?” God answered, “Among the many angels, I chose one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you.”
The child paused and again addressed God, “But tell me, here in Heaven, I don’t do anything else but sing and smile, that’s enough for me to be happy.” Your angel will sing to you and also smile for you everyday, and you will feel your angel’s love and be happy.” “Oh,” the child said “and how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don’t understand the language that men speak?” And then glancing at God the child asked, “What am I going to do when I want to talk to you?” God softly touched the child on the head and said, “Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray.” The child then asked.”I have heard that on earth there is evil. Who will protect me?” “Ah,” God answered, “your angel will defend you even if it means risking her own life.”

The child said to God, “But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore.” “Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way for you to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you,” God explained. At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard, and the child in a hurry asked softly, “God, if I am about to leave now, please tell me my angel’s name.” Sweetly God looked at the child and whispered, Your angel’s name is of no importance. You will simply call her MOM.”

Wooden Puzzle Boxes, Twin Memories… by Gabby

What is that title all about you may be wondering? I was admiring mine earlier and thought of this as a fun post idea. Well, I will be sharing this certain cherished possession each of the Twinnies has. It really is a wooden puzzle box. We love ours, they are still proudly on display in each of our homes. The puzzle boxes are in the shape of a butterfly. Not quite as complicated as some I have seen, but just awesome all the same.

Do all you kind readers know what a puzzle box is? I am sure you do, they are just so cute and have a few pieces that kind of unlock it so to speak. It’s a kind of magic thing, which of course caught both us Twinnies eyes from the very beginning. Dad and Mom must have gotten them when we were very young pre-teen or teenagers, all the sisters of ours has one, too. It became a tradition of sorts…I know, our family was so noted for those it seems! 🙂

The butterfly design we Twinnies both just loved at the time, so our Dad and Mom got us the same thing. Even if we were 13 or so at the time. I guess they wanted to be on the safe side. You know, kind of halting a dispute before it could happen. 😉 I remember when we got them we were just over the moon happy, they were so cool.

Another place to keep secret possessions, a treasured object in or just whatever we wanted to hide from the younger sisters! 😉 Which we did of course, those little sisters could get mighty nosy let me tell you. They tried to snoop into the puzzle boxes from time to time, but they never got close enough to crack the secret code. This is shameful to admit, but we hid them safely away when we weren’t in our room! We did that with anything we thought that little sisters could snoop into…They left us with no choice, again trust me on this.

The objects those little puzzle boxes have held is funny in reflecting on it. Right now, mine has my childhood or younger days tiny little birthstone ring. Imagine my surprise when I asked Autumn what was in hers. I am not kidding…Her very own little garnet birthstone ring! 🙂 Twinnie minds really do think quite alike it seems. What were the chances of both of us doing that? Well, it really does happen more often, the two of us doing or sharing the same thought and all. Kind of magic, too…No, kind readers I am not implying we Twinnies are magic! 😉 I had to share my thoughts on puzzle boxes today and do hope you enjoyed it. 🙂 Do any of you kind readers happen to have a wooden puzzle box? If so, would be wanting to share? It would be nice to hear about your own personal puzzle box. Because as always, sharing is just so awfully much fun! 🙂 🙂

Thoughts on Snow and Snowflakes… by Gabby

It’s the time of year…Snowflakes, as well as snow are on my mind. Well, living here in PA that’s winter times gift to us. Our gift last night was a few inches of snow, more is expected tonight into tomorrow. Isn’t that a nice way to look at snow and snowflakes in general? Call them blessings, gifts and embrace the whole snow concept…That’s what I have vowed to do. I was thinking about how each and every snowflake is different. Just like people, every snowflake is an individual. No twin snowflakes, what a disappoint that was to find out let me tell you! Isn’t that a rather amazing thought of no two snow flakes being alike? I think so, not that I have ever chance to analyze any snowflake. They really do melt when you have them in your hand, they land on you face and just disappear!

Thank goodness for those good facial creams, potions and lotions. I kind of think snowflakes are just a bit magicial. When Autumn and I were young we would stick out our tongues to catch a taste of a snowflake. I now, they don’t taste like much of anything. But when you’re young, you embrace these things. The twinnie and I would make up flavors the snowflakes tasted like…We had very good imaginations, what can I tell you? It was one of those wacky little games, asking each other “what does your snowflake taste like?”

Thankfully our parents knew we had just been gifted with those good imaginations. They always went along with the game, never correcting us, what a joy to have Dad and Mom. Other parents might have been stodgy and simply no fun…Making us stop the snowflake tasting game at once. You know, some parents would have done that…I feel sorry for those types. Stifling and stopping all the ponderings, wonderings and all of young minds.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on snowflakes…Do any of you kind readers have any snowflakes thoughts? If so, please share because…Sharing is always fun! 😉 🙂

Guess What Today Is? by Gabby

Yes, I know it’s Wednesday, January 18th! I thought I better say that before anyone was worrying about my memory. Or perhaps even my sanity for that matter, for asking such a question. I have my reasons and I will be happy to share them, too! Well, today is a holiday of sorts, kind of a nice one actually. It’s Winnie the Pooh Day, in honor of author A.A. Milne‘s birthday who was Winnie’s author.

I was again looking through unusual holidays and stumbled across this one. Of course it won’t be found on the calendar! What a really fun way to celebrate the author of the beloved Winnie the Pooh and all the friends writings. So many fun characters and the coolest place they lived, too… 100 Acre Wood. I remember Autumn and I loved hearing Winnie the Pooh stories when we were young. Good memories, growing up with those stories.Our Mom and Dad both started reading them to us at a young age.

How many of you kind readers love Winnie the Pooh? Is Winnie your favorite character? Does anyone have a favorite of the friends of Winnie? It’s a tough decision…They are all so cute and loved in their own way, aren’t they?Again, oh my goodness…I ask so many questions don’t I? I just can’t seem to help myself it seems!

The original characters…their are 8 of them in all, of course later Disney added some extras. I am sticking to the orginals for this writing, but feel free to choose any of your favorites!

It would be nice hearing, sharing really can be quite nice. We have Christopher Robin, Piglet (Pooh’s best buddy), Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and baby Roo. My personal favorite,I can’t decide because I love them all! The twinnie says the same thing, who would have thought, right? But who has to decide, we can love them all for all their own special and endearing qualities I say!

This was an interesting discovery… This unusual holiday of sorts, wasn’t it? Or did somebody already know? Do share…Everything! All your thoughts are always welcome…Who is with us twinnies, who loves this holiday? 🙂 🙂

The Tooth Fairy Knows Where You Live ~By Gabby Angel

This thought occured while talking to a friend who was telling me of her child’s first lost baby tooth. Always either a trauma or a time of bravery! Losing baby teeth when Autumn and I were young, always meant a visit from the tooth fairy. On it went with every little sister…Some of them were cute, funny, drama queen like, or long and drawn out or down right gutsy!

Twinnie and I were pretty brave about our loose baby teeth, we were in it for the money. 😉 I am kidding of course, I wouldn’t give us that much credit for bravery. The one who sticks in my mind is our youger sister S. She is 9 years younger than us twinnies and Sister #5 in the bunch of 6 of us sisters. Sorry, I am making us sound like a bunch of nuns, with all this sisters business. Nope, even though raised Catholic none of us made it to being a nun…Probably for the best, too. Oops, here I am digressing again…Makes you wonder what a chat with me would be like doesn’t it? The same goes for Autumn, we eventually get back on track though!

Anyway the story of S. and the loose baby tooth, she was about 6 years old and that would make Autumn and me about 15 years old. Obviously by that age we were very helpful and sympathetic, which was a good thing in this instance. S. was wearing just a tiny bit on both Mom and Dad‘s patience and perhaps nerves with her several days of carrying on about this loose tooth. She was not being agreeable to any of their kind suggestions, S. was making it the main subject for all of us.I am sorry to report she was rather a drama queen, her cuteness made you forget that part. On it went, with the other two little sisters getting rather snippy to her and calling her a baby and other such things.

One day she came running to us twinnies for comforting after one incident. Sniffling and sad, she wanted Autumn or me to get her loose little baby tooth out. Oh my goodness, this was a first for us and I must admit I was rather unsettled. I didn’t want to do it, Autumn to the rescue she bravely volunteered! S.’s tooth was seriously hanging by a thread according to Autumn (she whispered this to me for reassurance). As S. had her little mouth opened Autumn quickly got the little baby tooth out in a flash! S. was surprised and very happy, it didn’t hurt she kept saying.

Then, she started on the tooth fairy and asked us 3 or 4 imes if the tooth fairy would visit, how did the tooth fairy know where she lived, she must have asked that one a half dozen times! If she put it under her pillow what if it fell on the floor or whatever, would the tooth fairy find it? And by the way, how much money was the tooth fairy going to leave her, by the way? So many questions…Such are the ways of little sisters and Autumn and I knew well! We came up with a little trinket box for her to put her tooth in and leave on her bedside stand. Mom and Dad were pleased with the help, happily tucking S. in for the night…After they answered her repititive question, that is.Does the tooth fairy really know where she lived? Thankfully they got her settled down and Yes indeed the tooth fairy did visit! 🙂 🙂

Fairy Tales and Memories.. by Gabby Angel

I was talking to Autumn about this fairy tale thing and we were sharing some of our thoughts and memories. We twinnies had our favorites, as did our four younger sisters. What kicked off the memory was seeing a set of the girl fairy tale books on sale. Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel…And the list goes on and on! We had so many to choose from and the twinnie and I read them all…

Our favorites? That’s hard to nail one down, I was partial to Cinderella…The glass slipper and the whole thing. How romantic, the prince saved her from that evil stepmother and sisters. They were all just shameful to her after all…I know it was pretend! Autumn’s favorite, she was torn between Snow White and Rapuzel and also The Princess and the Pea. I couldn’t get a straight answer out of her…Sometimes that’s how the twinnie is, what can I do with her?

We did have a good old laugh over a shared memory of two of our sisters fighting over the one part in Snow White. You all know what I’m going to say…I just have that feeling you all do. “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall… Who’s the fairiest of them all? Well, those two sisters had a nice sized hand held mirror each. They went around shoving those mirrors in us poor twinnies faces and asking the famous question. It was cute at first, but then got annoying, you know what I mean? It didn’t matter if they asked who was the fairest of them all, they turned the mirror back to themselves! So, of course they were the fairest of them all…The mirror said so! Then, they would break into the laugh like the Evil Queen…Those girls got that laugh mastered pretty well!

Autumn and I tried getting them interested in other fairy tales, so did our Mom and even our Dad. We were all getting weary of the hand held mirrors in our faces, yes they actually pulled it on Mom and Dad a few times! That was getting rather bold and gutsy, wasn’t it?

What finally ended the mirrors and the whole deal? Well, unfortunately one of the little sisters got a bit rowdy with the other one, insisting she was the fairest.Before we could stop them…Oops, a crash. They were acting like the mirrors were swords…Both of them hit the floor and broke! That was the last we heard about “Who was the fairest of them all!” 😉 🙂

Driving Lessons ~ by Gabby Angel

I was driving earlier today, nothing new there…Something I do everyday, right? Out of nowhere, I could have sworn I heard my Dad’s voice. I was approaching a stop sign when I believed I heard Dad’s voice. He said “remember to come to a complete stop.” I came to a complete stop and waited to see if I would hear Dad’s voice again…Nothing.

Some of you might think I was by chance on my cell phone…I wasn’t. I wouldn’t be chatting and driving, that is such a pet peeve of mine. It probably is to a lot of you, too. Not to mention illegal in most states and even using “hands free devices”, in my humble opinion it still isn’t safe. Here I am digressing as I so often do. Back to the subject, hearing Dad’s voice…It would have been an out of this world call. Autumn and my Dad is in Heaven, as some of you already know.We sadly lost him to cancer 8& 1/2 years ago.

Anyway, I continue driving to my destination and nothing out of the normal happened. I think it was a reminder of my learning to drive days, what a flashback of thoughts! I really and unfortunately did make Dad a nervous wreck when he had me out driving at 16 years old with my learner’s permit.

Autumn didn’t have the same effect on Dad…Why you ask? Well, I will spill the dirt on the twinnie! 😉 With her permission of course…Her boyfriend at the time was giving her driving lessons! I didn’t meet Dave until several months later or he could have taught me. Anyway, she did so well driving with Dad and he was calm as could be… Twinnie finally did fess up and told both Dad and Mom. Her secret motive, so she could take her drivers test and get her license right away…So not fair. 😦 I am kidding of course, I got mine a month or so later and it was fine with me. 🙂

With Dad taking me out driving a little over a handful of times…I heard quite a few “Come to a COMPLETE stop at the stop sign!” Poor Dad, he was gripping onto the armrest most of the while, too. Way too many stop signs I guess. He wasn’t yelling, being mean or anything…But oh my goodness, he was being tortured the whole time. There were some other things I wasn’t getting quite right, but let’s not get into those, OK? 😉 Finally after my 6th or 7th time out, Dad and I walked in the house and guess what? He tossed Mom the car keys and admited defeat with me…How embarassing. Oddly enough Mom really did very well with my driving lessons, and I got my license…Yay!

I did have to quiz Dad about who was going to be teaching the younger sisters who to drive. He looked troubled for a minute, but laughed and said “We have 4 years to worry about that.” The next sister to get her permit was L. and she was only 12 years old. I know it sticks in my head though, the stop sign thing and Dad’s warnings…So did I hear his voice today while driving? Maybe I did, maybe not…It doesn’t matter, right? I learned the stop sign thing very well, didn’t I? 🙂 😉

The Day the Feathers Flew ~ by Gabby Angel

I was finishing making my bed, fluffing up the pillows. When out of nowhere this hilarious memory just popped into my head. As always, my mind is a mystery even to me! It seems almost anything can kick up memories and thoughts. Have any of you ever had a pillow fight? Hopefully you all answered yes, they can be some real fun can’t they?

The memory that had me laughing was one of Autumn and I at a much younger age. Of course we are too mature now to think of such things. The time period this happened we were maybe ten years old. It was us twinnies and two younger sisters, who started it? Well, the younger sisters of course.

OK, I confess it was Autumn and I. We shared a bedroom the twinnie and I and we had just finished making our beds this particular morning. All nice and tidy they were, too. When in walked the two younger sisters, wanting to show us their dolls and how pretty they had fixed their hair. Well, we twinnies could be nice after all. We gave the little sisters compliments on a good job, and yes their dolls looked very pretty, too.

We were ready to send them on their way after a few minutes. That wasn’t going to happen, the little sisters had sat down on our beds. Oh no, they were settling in and this just wasn’t going to do. So, we tried nicely asking them to leave…that wasn’t working. Next thing Autumn and I knew those little sisters started jumping on our beds. This was forbidden in our house, by the way…One of the rules. Trying to be good big sisters, we told them to stop it or we would go fetch Dad or Mom. This made both of them giggle, that just struck Autumn and I the wrong way. So, what were we to do? Each of us picked up a pillow and gave a litter sister who was jumping on our bed a gentle little whack.

These girls were younger, wouldn’t you think they would just give up and retreat? No, that wasn’t happening, they each grabbed the remaining two pillows. Those little sisters turned on us! They were now giving us little whacks back and soon all pillows were flying wildly. You might have guessed, yes they were feather pillows! Before we knew it one of the pillows split open and feathers were now flying all over the place. We were all giggling up a storm, it was kind of funny to see. Feathers just floating here, there and everywhere. Did we think Dad and Mom wouldn’t hear all this commotion or what?

Dad and Mom came running up the steps and they weren’t laughing either. They looked at all of us, their 4 darling daughters and we all froze in place. We were all in some trouble, we got quite the lecture. Then we all had to pitch in cleaning up the feathers, not a fun job either I have to say. All the while Dad and Mom supervised, until every last feather was picked up. Autumn and I were in the most trouble, we were the oldest after all. We did confess we started in, we were also honest I need to add in our defense. Our punishment was the worst in our eyes. Spending the day being nice to the little sisters and hanging out with them the whole day. It was a Saturday, too and there went any plans we had!

The surprise was…We all got along, had a fun day actually. Little sisters could be nice to hang out with after all. It was the last pillow fight in our house, too I need to add! Hope this brought anyone reading this some childhood pillow fights of your own and maybe a smile or two.