It’s Christmas week. Peace and joy should be filling the air. My plan for this column was to talk about sweet childhood Christmas memories. How, when I was six, my favorite gift was a homemade play kitchen that my mom frugally crafted out of a large cardboard box. It had an oven with a door that opened. Lovingly painted coils provided a stovetop for cooking. She even made cardboard knobs that I could turn. It was all my parents could afford; yet it’s one of the only presents that stands out in my memory. But as I reflect upon my past, my emotions overwhelm me once again. My mind goes to the …

As most of the country has been doing I’ve been watching the news non-stop since word of the Newtown, Conn., shootings spread last Friday. I’m not sure if it’s healthy for my emotional stability, but I can’t stop myself. As a parent, I can’t help but put myself in these parents’ shoes. A mass shooting in an elementary school is unfathomable. Yet, these moments aren’t meant to be understood. This is the dark part of life. This is not something we’re trained in as parents. How do we appropriately convey to our children what has happened? This is something that could happen anywhere. We need to …

In my opinion, the Christmas season is a beautiful time of year. I grew up in a strong Christian home where, when asked, we knew that Christmas was about Jesus’ birth. Whether or not it was exactly on Dec. 25 is debatable, but this is the day on which we celebrate. Yes, Santa made his appearance, and it was always terrific to get those fun toys and candy canes. But ultimately, it’s a religious holiday that holds strong meaning for many who share the Christian faith. It's a time of hope. But as I’ve broadened my relationships with people of different religious upbringings, and some with no …

Over the past decade, the “Elf on the Shelf” has become a tradition in many homes. According to online research, the Elf was born in 2005 when a mother and daughter decided to write a book. After being rejected by numerous publishing houses, the pair decided to self-publish the book – first printing 300 copies. By the end of 2010, more 1.5 million copies of “Elf on the Shelf” had been sold. The basic premise is that Santa sends his "Elf scouts" to families’ homes. Once the family reads "The Elf on the Shelf” book, it is directed to give the elf doll (which comes with the book) a name and …

Maybe we’re just lucky. To date, we’ve been fortunate to not deal with picky eating with our two sons. I’m not a picky eater, so during my pregnancies I continued to eat EVERYTHING. This allowed the tastes of these foods to transfer through the amniotic fluid to my growing sons in utero. Yep! According to an NPR report, a mom’s tastes have a direct impact on the growing child’s future preferences. Fascinating! When we were at the point of venturing into the world of baby food, I was adamant about starting with vegetables – green veggies to be specific. These were likely the least tasty, so I …

I’m so excited! Thanksgiving is a less than 24-hours away, and it feels like I’m seven years old again and Christmas is just days away. My siblings have come home! Happy, happy, joy, joy! As the only child in my family to remain planted in the Lehigh Valley, I’m the oddball. The holidays are a time of reunion and playing catch up, and I look forward to them more now than ever before. Although most of my relatives are still local, my brother and sister have taken their families to new homes in Charleston, S.C. and Asheville, N.C. As it turns out, I really miss them throughout the year! As an …

It’s that time of year when the cinnamon is sprinkled and the turkeys scramble. Who doesn’t love the comfort foods of Thanksgiving? There’s not one part of Thanksgiving dinner that I don’t like (well, with the exception of the gizzard!). A few of my favorites include buttery homemade whipped potatoes with turkey gravy, cranberry relish, creamed corn and, of course, spicy pumpkin pie topped with Cool Whip. But another wonderful tradition in the Holtzhafer household is a pre-Thanksgiving treat called a “Moravian Sugar Cake.” The Lehigh Valley is full of Moravian history, so I thought it might …

“Who can say where the road goes, where the day goes? Only time.” ~ Enya As I sit in the coziness of our Cabin 4 in Hills Creek State Park, listening to songs from my "Memorial" playlist, my heart is heavy. We’ve had this weekend trip planned for months, and it just so happened to fall during a time of terrible heartache for so many. I am so ridiculously blessed. I feel guilty for being here, for having warmth, shelter, food, friends and above all, my family. Who am I to deserve this goodness? Today I’m writing straight from the heart. As Superstorm Sandy hit us last week, I thought surely I’…

Editor's Note: This column was written before Hurricane Sandy rocked the Emmaus Patch. Do you think that the squirrels and other critters out there knew Sandy was coming before we did? From my office window I have a beautiful view of my side yard. In the spring, it’s filled with colorful blossoms on our pear, cherry, apple and peach trees. The woods are lush with fluorescence. In the summer, our raspberries climb the split rail fence as the garden comes to life with fresh vegetables. And this time of year is my favorite. Glorious colors literally create a picture perfect "window" as I sit at …

Fall is my most favorite time of the year! When I was first able to drive, I used to explore country roads and take in the amazing fall foliage that our area has to offer. That was back when gas was $1.28/gallon. (chuckle) Pennsylvania still remains as one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen, even after my travels across the United States. As much as I dislike the humidity in this part of the country, it sure does allow us to live in a lush environment full of color and sustenance. As fall settles upon us, the roadways become works of art. Bursts of gold and red, fluorescent orange and …

Last weekend, my husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. Every October, I set a certain mental expectation of what it should be like. Flowers aren’t necessary, nor are chocolates or jewelry. But year after year, I have this hope that we will do something memorable. Something spontaneous. Something different. Something special. For our five-year anniversary, my hubby tried to surprise me with an overnight escape to Philadelphia. I was told I should pack a bag, dress to “go out” and be ready to leave by 5 p.m. It was our first getaway since our son was born. Very exciting indeed…

Last week I was driving behind a school bus as it delivered morning kindergarten students to their prospective bus stops. My windows were down, the sunroof was open, the sun was shining, and my heart warmed as I heard one father eagerly ask his daughter, “Did you get a gold star today?” as she jumped off the bus. She nodded her head with a beaming smile as he gave her a bear hug. Initially I thought it was so sweet, this dad genuinely inquiring about his youngster's morning at school. But then another thought occurred to me. When do we stop being graded on our daily behavior? Stars, smiley …

When you hear the word "bluegrass" what comes to mind? For me, it brings warmth, happiness, fun and a sense of goodness and security. I find it interesting that I have such a draw to this genre of music since I never really grew up listening to it. Some say I have an 'old soul.' After organizing our "1st Annual Bluegrass in the Park" festival in Emmaus this past weekend, someone asked me why I was so driven to make this happen. Why would a person of my age be inclined to this particular style of music? I simply love bluegrass. I had never really thought about the why or how. Whenever I hear …

Those who know me are fully aware of the fact that I can’t cook. I’m capable of grilling a cheese sandwich or flipping a pancake. I’ve even been known to make a killer homemade Cracker Barrel mac ‘n cheese dish. But that’s about the extent of my abilities. Wait, I discredit myself…I’m pretty good at monkey bread, too. Outside of that, my skills in the kitchen are shamelessly limited. When I was in search of a husband, “likes to cook” was at the top of my required skills list. Thankfully I found a man who actually loves to be creative in the kitchen. It’s gotten me through the past 13 years. …

This past week resulted in an unexpected turn of events that has forever changed my perspective of parenting and school. Things started off as normal, both kids rubbing their sleepy eyes as they headed off to school on Monday. It was our third week into the new school year, and I was finally feeling like we were back in the groove. My youngest had been denied the option of full-day kindergarten earlier this year, and I had come to accept and relish in the fact that I was going to treasure this last year with him. He was assigned to morning kindergarten, which meant he and I had the entire …

This seems to be a hot topic for many people this week, so I thought I’d chime in. Having grown up in East Penn School District, Wednesday’s 1:30 p.m. dismissal times seem only natural. It’s the way it’s always been. As a lifelong resident of the district, I never really asked why. But as a parent, now I also wonder. When I was a student, Wednesdays were my favorite day of the week. Naturally, it was a shorter school day, which meant less time sitting in the stuffy classroom. But it also meant there was a unique opportunity to visit with friends in the middle of the hectic school week. …

Many parents are singing praises and thanking the heavens that school has begun this week. “I can’t WAIT to send the kids back!” I’ve been hearing. “This was the longest, hottest summer EVER!” But, this time of year is always bittersweet for me. My husband is a teacher, so he, along with my two sons, head back to the classroom for another year of homework, tests and interesting school stories. I go back to my routine of packing snacks and lunches, checking homework and rushing around in the morning to make sure everyone has their library books and art smocks. I always look back at our summer …

I sometimes dream about the school bus tortures I witnessed and also fell victim to during my school years. If it sounds a bit dramatic, it’s because it WAS. Standing and waiting for the bus was torture enough. Share your school bus nightmares in the comments below. I can remember “Dress Up Wednesdays” when my mom insisted I wear a skirt and flats (as opposed to my typical jeans, flannel button-up and Converse high tops). I was a tomboy through and through, but she tried to make me a lady. On those days in particular, I can vividly recall the ice beneath my feet as I gingerly slid from my …

It’s official. I’m going to cry my eyes out on August 27. My youngest child will be climbing the steep stairs to the big yellow bus and heading off to kindergarten. For months, I was tormented by this decision. Should we send him now that he's five or would another year of preschool be better? Should we ask for full-day or half-day? Morning or afternoon? Decisions, decisions. What are your thoughts about the benefits of full-day vs. half-day kindergarten classes? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Back in the day, a child turned five (or close enough to it) and off they went to school…

People who don’t own a television always impress me. Right now it would be difficult to miss the exciting Olympic action or be on top of breaking national news. There’s got to be a balance. Through the years I’ve seen a direct correlation between our boys’ behavior and the amount of screen time they have. We purchased a Wii a couple of years ago with hopes that it would provide us with some indoor activity during the cold months. It did, but with it came an increase in aggressive and disobedient behavior.  After 20 minutes of play, when we told him time was up, our oldest would become red in …