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Flash-backtime. To20-someoddyearsago,

when I was a teen cashierat Wilkes-Barre’s now-closed Sunshine Market,the one with the hugewindows overlooking anequally huge parking lot.On work days, I wantednothing more than todrive myself there, park atthe very back and strollinto work all leisurely likethe “cool kids,” theirbright orange smocksswinging loosely in onehand and their car keys inthe other.I had my license, after

all, and knew how todrive. What I did not havewas my own wheels. But Idid have two splendidparents, who, withoutprotest, transported me toand from work and every-where else a girl neededto get in life. Only now doI realize what a nuisancethatmust have been.But did I appreciate it?

Well … Let’s just saywhenever possible I’d buyoff my older sister, thefirst sibling with an actualcar, forking over $5 for the“privilege” of ferryingmyself to work in herMazda GLC. I pulled in$3.35 per hour, so you canimagine the priorities. Myparents thought me silly,of course, but stoppedshort of prohibiting thissisterly extortion. (Shedefended her exorbitantfees by citing loss of herown vehicular mobility.)If you want to be “cool”

badly enough …For me, the car was an

image thing, and I’d pay tomaintain an “image.” Godforbid, you know, any ofthe boys saw me gettingdropped off by my par-

ents. But when my sisterdenied me, I had nochoice but to board thefamily shuttle.“Dad,” I asked one day,

“Can you stop in front ofthe brick wall before thebig windows and just letme out there?”Moment of silence.“You bugger,” he said,

using a favorite term ofendearment.“It’s not that I’m asham-

ed of you,” I explained.Lucky for me, he justkindly obliged.But then did he get me

good. As I strolled intowork with nobody, pre-sumably, the wiser, sud-denly a horn started honk-ing, loudly, and I turnedto see Dad waving out theopen window and shout-ing, “See you at 10, Tawn(nickname). Love ya!Have a great night.”Solidly mortifying!Good old, bad old dad.Will parents stop at

nothing to ruin our lives?•••Well, if only he knew

how much I’d like thattime back now, would likehim back now …Flash forward.Kids today – I won’t say

what you think; I’m notthat old yet – they have itnice. Why? Mom and Dadas a species are cool again.Sure, they might have

been when I was young,but I was too stupid torealize it. Lucky are thekids, of any age, who seethis and take advantagenow.Truth is cool kids today

are proud to be seen inpublic with Mom andDad. They even notifytheir friends via Facebook!I see it among my grown

friends, too. They relishtime they can spend withone or both parents.As a grown-up now, too,

(technically anyway), I’monly too happy to makeup for lost time. My chauf-feur Dad has died, so Ican’t as easily publiclyshow how proud I am tobe his daughter anymore,but I can, will and do withmy mom, without anounce of embarrassment.Like so many women,

in fact, I ammy mom. Irealize it in so many wayseach passing day. When Ifile coupons in my parti-tioned plastic envelope.When I can’t bring myselfto wear jeans to church.When I find myself usinga host of familiar expres-sions, scolding the man inmy life, for example, in asentence that starts with,“Listen,Mister … ”(There’s a “Missy” coun-terpart, sure, but I was anangel compared with mytwo bold brothers anddidn’t hear that as much.)OK, I bend the truth

there. But here I do notprevaricate: My mom anddad were and are certi-fiably cool. Yours are, too.Read the stories inside,and see for yourself.All of us, the sooner we

realize how fabulous ourparents are, the better offwe’ll be. We may notalways show our gratitude(God knows I go off therails sometimes, and it’susually my patience-of-a-saint mom who pulls meback.) But if we’re lucky,time is still on our side.I’ll shush now. Have to

call Mom. Then maybe I’llhound heaven and seewhat’s up with Dad. I’dlike to make amends withthat bugger for a day ohso long ago.

Cool redefinedOPINIONS A N DRA S N Y D E R

Sandra Snyder is the TimesLeader’s features editor.

PROJECT EDITORSSandra SnyderLindsey Jones

WRITERSMary Therese BiebelSara PokornyRachel VanBlankenshipSheena DeLazio

OUR TEAMON THE COVER/TIMES LEADER FILE PHOTOS

Caught in randommoments, theselocal moms, dads and childrengraced Times Leader pages duringthe past few years.

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How can you turn “the four peo-ple on the planet that youloathed the most” into four of

your best friends? • Maybe you justhave to grow up. • And, if your Momand Dad stressed the importance ofsiblings, that helps. • Deborah J. Ken-dra of Rice Township grew up in a fam-ily of five children and admits they we-ren’t always perfect little angels.

“Every Sundaywewent to 7:30Mass as a fam-ily, and I would love to say that we sat still andquietly paid attention, but of course that wouldbe a lie,” she wrote in a recent essay. “We fidget-ed, pinched, kicked the kneeler andwhispered.”“Every Sunday, we went home and had to sit

on the couch with our arms around each other,as punishment. … How torturous it was to sitnext to the four people on the planet that youloathed the most, with your arms around them,no less.”As they sat on the couch together, the five

youngsters “squeezed, pinched and argued.”Still, their parents, Joe and Marie Moran of

Mother passes sense of loyalty to childrenBy MARY THERESE BIEBELmbiebel@timesleader.com

PETE G. WILCOX PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER

ABOVE: Deborah Kendra of Rice Township tries to impress upon her children – Zack, 19, Dallas,14, Noah, 8, and Kevin, 21 – the importance of remaining close as siblings.TOP: Deborah Kendra and her daughter Dallas, 14, are a close pair.

See BOND, Page 14

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DON CAREY PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER

ABOVE: Jane Ketchner,left, of Shavertown hasbeen teaching heryoungest daughter,Greta, and son, Thomas,such skills as how tochange a bicycle tire,which is the kind ofthing her father, FredTurner, taught her whenshe was growing up.

LEFT: Jane Ketchnerhelps her son, Thomas,reassemble a bike. De-scribing her parents as‘the greatest teachers Ihave ever had,’ Ketchnersaid she hopes to passalong similar lessons toher children.

Jane Ketchnerandher futurehusband,Richard,wereontheirfirst date, traveling along on the New Jersey Turnpike, whenthe car’s alternator belt broke. • They pulled into a service

center, where prices can be steep. • “Don’t have them fix it,” theyoung woman suggested to her date. “Just buy the belt.” • Whowould do the work? • She herself.

The attendant was so surprisedwhen Richard Ketchner said hisgirlfriend was going to replace thebelt, “He came over and watched,”Ketchner remembered with alaugh.

The task wasn’t difficult at all,shesaid. Itwas justoneof themanythings her dad, Fred Turner, hadtaught her while she was growingup, said Ketchner, 48, a physicaltherapist from Shavertown.

While her mother, MargaretTurner, imparted such skills asbak-ing and decorating holiday cookies– and allowed her to tag alongwhen she did volunteer work – herdad introduced her to the realm oftraditionally masculine know-how.

“He never said that I was toosmall or too young or that I was agirl,” she remembered. “He let mehelp him, and I learned about a lotof different things.”

Nowadays Ketchner doesn’t doall the household repairs, she said,explainingherhusband,Richard, is“pretty handy, too.”

But if you asked her to build a

rabbit hutch, set up a tent, put aroof on a garage, change a sparkplug or split and stack wood, shecould.

Ofcourse,shecanfixa flat tireonacarorbicycle–andthat lastskill isone she’s passing along to her ownchildren.

“A little boy from the neighbor-hood comes over and knocks andsays, ‘Is Thomas there? My tire’sflat,” Ketchner said, explaining her13-year-old son is happy to help theyoungster.

Ketchner’s own bicycle exper-tise, by the way, extends beyondchanging flats.

Shecan takea “junkbicycle” thatsomeone else has thrown away andrefurbish it so it’s good to ride.

Describing her parents as “thegreatest teachers I have ever had,”Ketchner said, “I am grateful toGodthat I still havemyparentsandthat I continue to learn lessonsfrom them.”

She herself is a mother of four:Debra, 22; Mary, 20; Thomas, 13;and Greta, 12.

A new generationembraces the D-I-Y life

By MARY THERESE BIEBELmbiebel@timesleader.com

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Dunay Jewelers 428 Hazle Ave.Wilkes-Barre

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Tues., Wed., Fri. 9-5 • Thurs. 9-6 • Sat. 9-3Specializing in Jewelry and Watch Repair

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ADULT $14.99 CHILDREN (Ages 3-12) $8.99

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When Mary Ripski was about 5 yearsold, her father taught her a simpleeconomics lesson. The two of them

could take the trolley to downtown Wilkes-Barre. Or they could walk from their house onSouth Empire Street and use the trolley fare tobuy some Planters Peanuts.

Young Mary Lou, as her father called her, en-joyed the walk and the “redskin” peanuts. Shealso realized she was about to begin learningall sorts of new things, thanks to the world ofadventure her father was about to open.

“As we walked, he told methis terrific place looked like acastle but it was even better in-side. It helps you to go any-where, learn about many plac-es, people, things and ideas. Itwas the Osterhout Free Li-brary.”

“What a master teacher!”Ripski remembered fondly.

Ripski, 74, herself a retiredteacher and mother of fourwho now lives in Albrights-ville, said her father, the lateJohn Stanaitis, treasured edu-cation, perhaps because pain-ful circumstances had forcedhim to leave school early.

His own father died whenStanaitis was in third grade.He and his older brother,Mike, had to drop out and getjobs to help their widowedmother and six younger sib-lings.

“He was the third-oldest ofnine children,” Ripski said, ex-plaining the firstborn had diedat age 2.

Mike, who was a little olderthan John, was considered oldenough for the coal mines.John, at 8 or so, was tooyoung.

By MARY THERESE BIEBELmbiebel@timesleader.com

See LESSONS, Page 11

‘Master teacher’ taught daughter value of education DON CAREY PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER

ABOVE: Mary Ripski ofAlbrightsville has shared apassion for reading with herfather, the late John Stanai-tis, who introduced her tothe Osterhout Free Librarywhen she was about 5years old.

TOP LEFT: In this vintagephoto, Mary Ripski’s father,John Stanaitis, is standingat left with some other boyswho, like him, worked in adynamite factory.

BOTTOM LEFT: John Sta-naitis holds his daughter,Mary Stanaitis Ripski, andson, John Jr., in this familyphotograph.

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A Mother’s Day GiveawayA Mother’s Day Giveaway

The Times Leader

!!!!!!rrrrrrHHHHHHeeeeeeDDDDDDaaaaaazzzzzz LLLLLLeeeeeezzzzzzDo you know a mom who deserves to be dazzled?Enter her for a chance to win big this Mother’s Day!

One lucky grand prize mom will win a $500 jewelry shopping spree from:

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apphire Salon

26 additional moms will receive a $100 gift certificate from one of these sponsors:

The Times Leader DAZZLE HER Giveaway

Your name: __________________________________________ Phone number: ________________________

Mailing address: __________________________________________________________________________

Mother’s name: _________________________________ Mother’s phone number: ________________________

Mother’s mailing address: ___________________________________________________________________

Your e-mail: _______________________________ Mother’s e-mail: __________________________________

To enter, go to timesleader.com and click on “Dazzle Her: A Mother’s Day Giveaway” or return this form to The TimesLeader, Dazzle Her Contest, 15 N. Main St.,Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711. All entries must be received by Friday, April 29,2011 to qualify. Winners will be announced in The Times Leader on May 4, 2011.

No purchase is necessary to participate and there is no charge or fee for contest entry. Prizes cannot be exchangedfor cash and are nontransferable. Prizes cannot be refunded. Prize receipt is the sole responsibility of the winnerand the advertiser. Winners are solely responsible for any taxes that may be due as a result of the contest. All prizesmust be redeemed within six months of the day the winners are announced. Entries may be examined at our officeat 15 N. Main Street, Wilkes-Barre. The winners will be determined from all submissions received by Friday, April 29,2011. Winners names and associated prizes will be drawn at random. Odds of winning are dependent upon thenumber of entries received. Winner must be at least 18 years of age and a legal resident of the Commonwealth ofPennsylvania. Must present proper photo identification in order to redeem prizes. The Wilkes Barre PublishingCompany, Inc., and/or The Times Leader and/or any of their affiliates, subsidiaries, corporate officers or employeesare not responsible for supplying any of the prizes or guaranteeing any prize or service offered by any business and/or individual as part of the Dazzle Her contest. By participating in the Dazzle Her contest, each person authorizes theWilkes Barre Publishing Company, Inc., The Times Leader and/or any of their affiliates, subsidiaries and/orsubsequent owners and/or operators and/or assigns of any of them to use photographs, video, film and/or othergraphic representations of each contest entrant for any promotional purpose. Sponsors’ employees and theirimmediate family members are not eligible to enter.

Mother must be 18 or older to win.

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9MOMS & DADS

DON CAREY PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER

ABOVE: Thanks to long-agolessons from her grandfather,Jennifer Thomas-Washney,right, enjoys skating with herhusband, Robert, and 7-year-old daughter, Grace.

ABOVE LEFT: Robert wasthe one who taught Grace toskate, carrying on a familytradition.

ABOVE RIGHT: William Piku-tis, grandfather of JenniferThomas-Washney, taught herto skate.

For Christmas when she was5 years old, Jennifer Tho-mas-Washney received a

pair of double-bladed ice skatesand a promise from her GrandpopBill – William Pikutis, also knownas Gramps – that he would teachher how to use them.

When he fulfilled thatpromise – gliding around aneighborhood pond “like FredAstaire” and bringing a ther-mos of hot chocolate for apost-lesson snack – it becameone of the West Wyomingwoman’s most cherished me-mories.

“I remember donning mysnowsuit, scarf, hat, boots andred mittens. You could barelysee my blue eyes flashing with

excitement. Occasionally, astrand of white blond hairwould escape from my hat,and Grandpop would tuck itinside, hiding it from thecold,” Thomas-Washneywrote in an essay that pre-serves and celebrates the day.

“I grabbed my skates, andGramps taught me how to tiethem together and rest them

Skating with Gramps a treasured memoryBy MARY THERESE BIEBELmbiebel@timesleader.com

See LEGACY, Page 11

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Nevergiveup.That was the consistent message Tiffany

Crispell Walsh heard from her parents andgrandparentsduringher formative years.Of course, itwasn’t always easy.“When Iwas in elementary school Iwanted to join a

team that did dance routines at football games. I triedout multiple years, unsuccessfully,” said CrispellWalsh, 27, ofPittston.

“Every year I would practice forweeksand every time miss the cut by one per-son. And every time I came home andcried.Andevery timemymotherencour-agedme to ‘Get backupand try again.’ ”Her mom, Marilyn Crispell, did more

thangive advice.“She would actually videotape the

dance group and try to learn the routineherself andhelpme learn it.”Momanddaughterwouldrehearsethe

dance together, and eventually, CrispellWalshbecameaPlainsYankees strutter.When she sat on the bench through

mostof thesoftball season,andwhencol-lege courseswere difficult, andwhen thesearchfortrueloveprovedelusive–everytime life threw her a curve – the parentaladvice was consistent: “Get back up andtry again.”And it alwaysworked.The one-time benchwarmer practiced

diligently and became a starter for thehighschoolsoftball team.Shekeptstudy-ing and graduated from college. She re-mainedopentolove, foundaniceguyand

S. JOHN WILKIN/THE TIMES LEADER

Grandmother Marilyn Crispell and mom Tiffany Crispell Walsh read ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ to Madison Walsh, almost 2, in their Pittston home.

Daughter finds herself repeating her mother’s helful adviceBy MARY THERESE BIEBELmbiebel@timesleader.com

See PERSEVERANCE, Page 15

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What makes Ollie’s unique?High quality and tasty food at really good prices,

served in a casual, friendly atmosphere.

Dinners(All served with soup or salad, potato and vegetable)

Filet Mignon (8 oz.)............................................................... $14.75Prime Rib (12 oz.).................................................................. $15.35Delmonico Steak (12 oz.) ...................................................... $15.35London Broil.......................................................................... $11.45Broiled Seafood (shrimp, scallops, haddock) ........................ $13.25Stuffed Shrimp....................................................................... $13.15Broiled Salmon ...................................................................... $12.15Potato Crusted Haddock........................................................ $11.95Pecan Crusted Tilapia............................................................ $10.45Sauteed Chicken (Francaise, Scampi or Marsala) ................ $12.25Meatloaf ................................................................................. $9.95Roast Turkey Breast ............................................................... $10.75Yankee Pot Roast ................................................................... $10.75

Our steaks are USDA choice, hand cut on the premises.Our fish is fresh and our comfort food is homemade.

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At Lunch time we offer 8 Dinner Platters at Reduced Price of$8.35 ~ $8.75.

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DAY

“It was too dangerous towork in the mines, but heworked in a dynamite facto-ry,” Ripski marveled, add-ing the factory was in theWhite Haven area and shedoesn’t know what kind oftransportation was in-volved.Though he had to work

hard, Ripski said, she neverknew her father to be bitter.“He was the most posi-

tive, pleasant, optimisticperson I know, and he wasextremely intelligent,” shesaid.Stanaitis served in World

War I and II, worked as a po-lice officer and became a co-owner of Empire Oil Co. Inhis spare time, he taught hisdaughter how to paint thehouse, in a methodical andorganized fashion.“He’d say, ‘Mary Lou, this

is the way we’re going to dothis. Remember, a lazy manalways does his worktwice.”

But what Ripski remem-bers most strongly abouther father is the love of read-ing he passed on to her.In his later years, she

would send him copies ofthe same books she wasreading so they could dis-cuss them. “We both read‘Andersonville’ about thenotorious Civil War camp.We were both so heartbro-ken about the situations inthe prison,” she said.“My father was my big-

gest supporter when I said Iwanted to study mathemat-ics,” said Ripski, whoearned a scholarship towhat was then College Mi-sericordia.When themen atthe local tavern shared theiropinion that a girl should bestudying home economicsinstead, “He would explainto them women can do justasmany things asmen can.”Stanaitis was proud of his

daughter for becoming ateacher – she taught inWoodbridge, N.J., for manyyears – and shewas proud ofhim for educating himselfand passing on the zest forlearning.

LESSONSContinued from Page 7

on my shoulder. Our journey wasonly a block away from my houseon Phillips Street, but it seemedlonger.”Thomas-Washney grew up in the

Hanover section of Nanticoke, con-veniently close to a man-madepond on Front Street.“The pond was small, about 20

yards in length and 10 yards wide,”she wrote.“The untouched ice glistened in

the winter sunlight, like a mirror.Tufts of weeds peeked through theice, strategically placed, andserved as an obstacle course. Skin-ny trees became an appreciativeaudience.

“Grandpopbrought a ther-mos of hot choco-late. He said thatwe would havesome at the ENDof my lesson.”After he helped

her put on herskates, her grandfather demon-strated a graceful glide, then said itwas her turn.“He held me up, as I crept across

the ice. The silence of the woodswas replaced with the melodicsound of a child’s laughter. I fellseveral times. One fall really hurt,and I started to cry.“Each time I fell, Gramps helped

me up. ‘Jenny, try again!’ I wouldhear him say. I can still see him,brimming with pride, his face redfrom the racing wind.“Finally, we sipped on hot cocoa,

a chocolate reward for perseve-rance. Then we strolled across thestreet to Grammy Sophie’s housefor chicken soup that was waitingto chase away the chill …“I am grown and times have

changed even in the sleepy town ofNanticoke’s Hanover section. Theman-made pond was filled in tomake a playground, and the rail-road tracks are gone, replaced withgrass. My grandparents passedaway. I graduated to single-bladedskates, learned to spin, skate back-wards and even stop.“Life on the ice will continue to

be my grandfather’s legacy.”Today the writer, 46, is a wife

and mother who works for theAmerican Cancer Society.She’s busy creating new memo-

ries with her husband, Robert, anddaughter, Grace, who all enjoyskating.

LEGACYContinued from Page 9

“Each time I fell, Gramps helped me up. ‘Jenny, try

again!’ I would hear him say. I can still see him, brim-

ming with pride, his face red from the racing wind.”— Jennifer Thomas-Washney

Pikutis

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“The thing I learned most from my mother was how to cook. Shehas been teaching me since I was little and still is. I can cooksummer courses like grilled chicken Caesar salad. I also makewinter dishes like chicken soup. … I make desserts and appetizers,too. My favorite dessert is definitely blueberry pie. We pick theberries ourselves fresh in the summer. That makes it extra yummy.We also make jam. During hunting season, my dad takes me out fordeer. … I love making deer jerky. My favorite kind is peppered. It isreally hard to make but in the end, it is worth it.”

Lauren Austinsixth-grader at Bear Creek Community Charter School

It had been “a terrible day” at school, “and it was just meand my mom because my sister went home with herfriend. My mom said she laid out some ingredients to bakesugar cookies. … We cracked the eggs, melted the butter,and we mixed the cookie mix. When they came out of theoven, we decorated them with sprinkles. This made myterrible day at school a whole lot better. My mom taughtme to cook, and that makes me feel like a million bucks.”

Kaitlyn Metzfifth-grader at Wyoming Seminary Lower School in FortyFort

“My grandmothers are sweet assugarplums. … I love them sovery much and love everythingthat they have taught me, espe-cially how to make great food! Mygrandmothers are amazing cooks,and they are happy to share theirrecipes with me.”

Emily Simsfifth-grader at Wyoming SeminaryLower School in Forty Fort

“My grandmother onmy mother’s side ofthe family taught mehow to make goodeggnog. My grand-mother on my dad’sside taught me howto make spaghetti.”

Thomas EngleSt. Nicholas-St. Mary’sSchool, Wilkes-Barre

In a recent essay contest organized by the Family Service Association and The Times Leader, several area elementary-schoolers

Avery Krogulskiwhisked eggswith a plastic

fork. He threw someflour on his face, tangledup a big pile of home-made noodles, and thensat comfortably in his fa-ther Danny’s arms whilethe chicken for the chick-en parmigiana was drop-ped into the pan.Avery is not afraid to

get his hands dirty whenit comes to cooking. Infact, he’s not afraid to getthe entire kitchen dirty.Lucky for him, dad

Danny, a chef of presti-gious educational cre-dentials, welcomes theculinary assistance of a15-month-old.

Sure, his agemight limit whathe can actually do, but thatdoesn’t mean it’s too early tostart him on the path to becom-ing a great cook.“He absolutely loves it when

Danny holds him while hecooks,” said Missie Krogulski,24, Avery’s mom and Danny’swife. “Danny loves it, too. Hetalks to him like Julia Childwhen they cook together.”

Danny attended the CulinaryInstitute of America in NewYork and has loved to cook sincehe was young, due in large partto his mom, Diana Lee.“I have two brothers and a sis-

ter, but I always seemed tobe theone to hang around and helpmymom cook,” he said.One of his fondest memories

is “pork-chop night.”“My mom would have to buy

two value packs of pork chopsfor all of us,” Danny said. “We’dhave a smorgasbord of breadedand friedpork chops that I’d helpmake.”To this day, Danny still makes

his mom’s meatloaf and sweetpotatoes.Of course, Avery helps. Danny

can see he already has a star chefon his hands.“I think we’ve got a new cook-

ing show, ‘Cooking with Avery,How to Make the Biggest Messin the Kitchen,’ ” he joked.Perhaps thanks to the prolifer-

ation of cooking shows, cookingas a family affair ismore popularthanever, butplentyof area folks

Cooking together a tasty way to make memories

Danny, Missie and Avery Kro-gulski are like a three-compo-nent, well-oiled machine in thefamily kitchen. Avery’s favor-ite spot is in his father’s arms.Danny is a chef, and Avery ison track to become one.

By SARA POKORNYspokorny@timesleader.com

See FOOD, Page 20

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“In the summer, my grandmother asked me to squeeze some lemonsand oranges. I asked her what they were for, and she told me shewas making lemonade. I stuck around to see how she made it, andever since I have been making homemade lemonade every weekend.Then she taught me how to make scrambled eggs, meatballs, Eastercheese and burgers old-fashioned style. She taught me to make theburgers so well I actually entered a burger contest. I am gratefulthat my grandmother taught me to cook because now I can be a chefat a restaurant and teach my kids to cook the way she taught me.”

Paul Jasonsixth-grader at Wilkes-Barre Academy

“My maternal grama taught me how tocook. Let me tell you she is a greatcook! … She makes the best apple pie,cupcakes and other goodies. When wego up to her house on Easter, I can’twait for dessert. Boy, do I love herfood! When I make apple pie with her, Ieat the sugar apples, and sometimesthere aren’t any left.”

Amanda CurcioSt. Nicholas-St. Mary’s School, Wilkes-Barre

“I love to spend time with my family. One of the things I love to do iswith my mom. My mom taught me how to bake. … The way I got in-terested is watching television shows. The shows I would watch are‘Cake Boss,’ ‘The Next Great Baker’ and ‘Ultimate Cake-Off.’ I got all thethings I needed and started right away. Ever since I made my firstcupcake, I can’t stop baking. I feel that my mom and I have come closerbecause of baking. Baking also helps me in school. … The measuringhelps me in math. … Spend more time with your family, get a little dirtyand have some sweets because it’s worth it in the end.”

Isabella Greerfifth-grader at Wilkes-Barre Academy

wrote of the fond food memories they already have and the lessons they learned from cooking with their parents or grandparents.

DON CAREY PHOTOS/THE TIMES LEADER

1. Fifteen-monthold Avery Krogul-ski is a doughroller in training,under the watchfuleye of his father,Danny.

2. Avery plays therole of sauce mas-ter during thechicken-parmigia-na prep phase.

3. Avery helpsprepare familymeals often. Hisfavorite helping-spot is from dadDanny’s arms.

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Mountain Top, were braveenough to rent a Winnebago andtake the whole crew to Yellow-stone National Park. They stayedin campgrounds along the way,and if they occasionally stoppedin a restaurant, the parents weresure to jokingly tell the waitressthey were “on our honeymoon.”

All kidding aside, their dad ex-plained to the children how heand their mother hoped the sib-lings’ relationship would evolve.

“One day your mother and Iwill be gone,” he said. “Hopefully,by that time you’ll be grown withlives of your own, but there aregoing to be times when you needsomeone to help you, and the on-ly people you’ll ever truly be ableto count on are your brother andsisters, and I’ve got to know thatthe five of you will be able tocount on each other, no matterwhat.”

“Yeah, right,” Kendra said. “Wewere kids, and he didn’t knowwhat he was talking about.”

Except, he was right.

Thirty years later, in 2006, Ken-dra herself was a mom of five chil-dren. One night around 11, whenher husband was working thirdshift and she was falling asleep,exhausted, she suddenly heard acommotion.

Daughter Dallas, then 9, had

had a seizure, her older brother,Zach, was carrying her, andsomeone had called 911.

“Children crying. Ambulancecoming. Talk calmly to my baby.Everything is happening in snap-shots,” Kendra wrote. “I turn andthere with uncombed hair, in her

pajamas, is my sister. Relief. I goto the hospital with my daughter,knowing that she (my sister) willtake care of everything else.”

“I’m gonna tear up,” Kendrasaid as she recalled the emergen-cy during an interview. “Just theemotion of the whole night.”

Indeed, the hospital staff didtake care of Dallas, and Kendra’ssister, Mary, who lived nearby,took care of everything else.

So now Kendra has a slightlyupdated version of her father’swords to pass along to her ownchildren:

“Friends may come and go inyour life, but family will show upin the middle of the night in theirpajamas, if you need them.”

BONDContinued from Page 3

PETE G. WILCOX/THE TIMES LEADER

Kendra’s three boys, Zack, 19, Noah, 8, and Kevin, 21, ham it up at home.

“Children crying.Ambulance coming.Talk calmly to mybaby. Everything ishappening in snap-shots. I turn andthere with un-combed hair, in herpajamas, is mysister. Relief.”

Deborah Kendra,recalling a night several years agowhere her sister came to her aid

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marriedhim.Just a fewmonthsago,CrispellWalshwas

watching her 1-year-old daughter, Madison,learn towalk.“She would get so frustrated when she’d

fall, just as I’msure Ididwhen Iwas learninghowtowalk,”CrispellWalshsaid.Suddenly,sheheardherselfencouragingherlittlegirlina familiarway: “Get back up. Put one foot infrontoftheother’causeyou’realmostthere.’”That’swhen it hit her.She was giving the same kind of advice

aboutpersevering that she’d alwaysheard.

Crispell Walsh said she benefits a greatdeal from living close to her parents. She’sgratefultoherfather,StephenCrispell, foralltheworkhe’sdoneremodelingherbasementand tohermother,Marilyn, forbeingagreatbabysitter.“She was a teacher and retired nine days

before my daughter was born,” CrispellWalshsaid.“WhenIsaid ‘You’regoingtobeaGrandma,’ she said, ‘That settles it.’ ”CrispellWalsh.whoworksasasecuritysu-

pervisor at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital,andherhusband,MichaelWalsh,areexpect-ing a son in May, and little Maddie, now al-most 2, seemsexcited about becoming abigsister.“I don’t know if she fully understands,”

Crispell Walsh said. “She points to my tum-myandsays, ‘Jack!’ ”

PERSEVERANCEContinued from Page 10

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FOR THE TIMES LEADER/SARA POKORNY

Months ago she had no idea she could make a cake like this, butthanks to the classes she took with her mom, Karen, Sara Po-korny now has the skills to pull this off.

Pretty cakes are now in reporter Sara Pokorny’s skill set aftershe and her mother took a class together locally at Michael’s inWilkes-Barre Township.

Here’s a cake mom Karen Pokorny made after taking a classwith her reporter daughter, Sara.

If my mom asked me to hang out with her 10 years ago, her request would have beenmet with an eye roll and a “seriously?” But at 25, I find myself looking for ways tospend time with her.

We’ve always been close, but as I’ve grown older I have started looking at her as afriend even more and have come to appreciate her company.

My mom, Karen, loves to dec-orate cakes, so we decided toenroll in classes at Michael’s inWilkes-Barre Township.

Every Wednesday for threemonths we got together to eatdinner before class, then spendthe next two hours with unin-terrupted, no-pressure time to-gether.

She sharpened her skills, andI surprised her with my new-found ones. (Most people in myfamily believe I’m in no way do-mestic).

We found more commonground as we simply enjoyedeach other’s company.

Michael’s has a variety of oth-er classes to offer, such as cro-cheting and jewelry making,but if those don’t pique your in-terest there are plenty of thingsto do with mom or dad that gobeyond dinner or a movie.

Why not take the time to dosomething you’ll both enjoywhile relaxing and learningnew things, perhaps about eachother?

Besides, we kind of owe ourparents for all the headaches we

caused when we were little.(Dad, I’m still sorry I drew allover the kitchen wall withcrayons that one time.)

If you’re looking for a fun newway to spend time with mom ordad, here are a few suggestions:

• The season of flea marketsand yard sales is just beginning.Not only can you walk awaywith great deals, but a sale isthe perfect place for someone,like myself, who might havejust moved into his or her ownplace and needs cheap décor, orsomeone like my mom, wholoves a good bargain and is pret-ty skilled at haggling.

Grab a newspaper on a Fridayand plan your attack on a roundof Saturday-morning yard sales,or hit up one of the many week-end flea markets in the area.The Discount Warehouse

Flea Market, 1950 WyomingAve., Exeter (7 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun-days) and the Sixth Street Ven-dorsOutlet , 231West Sixth St.,Wyoming (10 a.m.-2 p.m. Satur-days and 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sundays)are two good choices. The Gar-

den Drive-In, Route 11 in Hun-lock Creek, also is a great placeto stop by, especially on a niceday, because the entire market,open from 6 a.m. until 3 p.m.Sundays, is outside.

• Wine or beer sampling is atasty way to spend an intergen-erational day.

For those of us over 21, thereare plenty of great places in thearea to try wines and beersmade locally. At Bartolai Win-ery, on Route 92 and CoolidgeAvenue in Harding, for exam-ple, bands often play on theweekends, and wine and beerkits are available to take home,which can be a whole other en-deavor for parental bondingtime. Pavlick Hill Vineyard,3250 Route 118 in Dallas, andNimble Hill Vineyard & Win-ery, 426 Route 6 in Tunkhan-nock, are two other spots wortha visit. The well-known LionBrewery is right in Wilkes-Barre on North PennsylvaniaAvenue and runs tours as well.

Hanging with the parentals is easy, funBy SARA POKORNY

spokorny@timesleader.com

See BONDING, Page 17

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Large SelectionOf Sterling SilverJewelry

Steve Hydock DiamondsSteve Hydock DiamondsSterling Silver Beads That Fit Almost Every Bracelet

Remember Mother’s DayRemember Mother’s Day

150 SOUTH WYOMING AVENUE, KINGSTON, PA.(Across From Jack Willams Tire and Auto) 283-0651

AnniversaryRingsGemstone Ringsand BraceletsDiamondBraceletsHoopEarringsMother’sPendants

May 5 and May 21 are the nextdates to see the home of Lion-shead beer, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.on both days. The tour is only $2per person, plus tax.How can you beat that?

•This area is big on communi-ty, and plenty of volunteer oppor-tunities are available. Spend anafternoon at the St. Vincent De-Paul Soup Kitchen in Wilkes-Barre or take a couple of week-ends and help out with Habitatfor Humanity, which has homebases in Scranton and Wilkes-Barre.The valley also has the Amer-

ican Heart Association andAmerican Cancer Society inWilkes-Barre, United Way ofWyoming Valley and plenty ofother non-profits to choosefrom. Many of the organiza-tions have fundraising eventsthroughout the year that re-quire volunteers. Check web-sites such as www.volunteer-

match.org or www.servene-t.org to see what’s available.

• As we get older, many of uscome to appreciate a variety ofthings that have always been apart of our lives.Sometimes that includes the

very place in which we live.NortheasternPennsylvania is rifewith history and ways to learnabout it.Eckley Miners Village in

Weatherly is an original anthra-cite mining town that is now amuseum and open every day ofthe week. The Lackawanna CoalMine inScranton,whichoriginal-ly opened in 1860, puts you in amine car that descends 300 feetbelow ground. The FrederickStegmaier Mansion in Wilkes-Barre was once home to CharlesStegmaier, a famous beer brewerwhose creations can still betasted at the Lion Brewery today.The mansion has been re-

stored and offers Victorian au-thenticity for a trip back in time.Other local historical attractionsinclude the Nathan DenisonHouse in Forty Fort, the Swet-landHomestead inWyoming andthe Wyoming Monument.

SARA POKORNY/FOR THE TIMES LEADER

Button flowers adorn the top of the cake Sara Pokorny made dur-ing cake classes she took with her mom, Karen.

BONDINGContinued from Page 16

Michael’s has avariety of otherclasses to offer,such as crochet-ing and jewelrymaking, but ifthose don’t piqueyour interestthere are plentyof things to dowith mom or dadthat go beyonddinner or amovie.

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“When I startedsaying ‘like youknow’ or ‘like yousay’ ... I say it, mymother does, mysisters do and mygrandmother.”

Jillian Rosser, 22,Wapwallopen

Daughter of Lisa Rosser

“The first time I told my daughter‘Because I said so!’ ”

Kathleen Smith, Wilkes-Barre

“When I shouted at my kids, ‘You childrenleave me out of BREATH!!!’ ”

Katherine Kier, 42, West Wyoming,Mother of Phaedra and Thaddeus

“The first time I screamed, ‘Mary Eliza-beth Balut, what do you think you’re do-ing?!!!! … Then after the other two girlsjoined the family and I screamed, ‘ReginaMarie, Mary Elizabeth, Bridget Ann …whatever your name is … what do youthink you’re doing?’ ”

Donna Balut, Wilkes-Barre,Mother of Mary Beth, Bridget and Regina

“When I started tocall everyone a‘gypsy’ or when Istarted getting allOCD about how mybed was made!”

Sarah Daywood, 26,Pittston

Daughter of DeborahAndruscavage

“When I startedusing my handswhen I talk.”

Amy Kaspriskie, 25,Exeter

Daughter of GloriaKaspriskie

“When I caught myself vacuuming a room Ihad just vacuumed. The transformationhappens to all of us.”

Eileen Sweeney-Zamboni, “27 and holding. Or ageless.Timeless really.” Garner, N.C. (Wilkes-Barre native)

Mother of Laura and Madeline

Can you share with us an exactmoment when you realized you hadbecome your mother or father?

We put this question out into cyberspace via social networking:

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“When I first said‘If you don’t stopcrying I will giveyou something tocry about.’

Marlene Mangan, 39, BearCreek

Mother of Mariel

“When I yelled, ‘Don’t go upstairs swingingyour arms; take something up with you!’ ”

Jennifer Keller, 38, Lee ParkMother of Tyler, left, and Sydney

“When I caughtmyself peeling offlayers of price tagsto check out theoriginal price.”

Danielle Smallcomb, 39,Takoma Park, Md. (Fairview

Township native)Daughter of Bernadine

Smallcomb

“When I went to yellat my stepdaughterand said everyname but hers.”Tammy Bergold Wenger, 40,

KingstonDaughter of Anne Bergold

“My kids will ask me, ‘How come you getto have Coca-Cola for dinner, Mom, and wecan’t?’ and I say, ‘Because I’m Mommy,that’s why.’ Or my kids will ask me to getthem a snack or drink while they arewatching TV, and I reply, ‘Are your legsbroken?’ ”

Molly Richardson, 39, Harleysville (Hunlock Creek native).Mother of Carly, Nora and Reese

“The moment I became a mother. The young wom-an who wanted to go skydiving was now gettingmore life insurance, purchasing a minivan andwanting to wear comfortable (a.k.a. sensible)shoes. I remember my mother always being up. Shewas the first one up in the morning and the lastone in bed. I, of course, loved to sleep in. WHAM …Guess what ? I am now the first one up and the lastone to bed. Cleaning the kitchen at 6 a.m. and fold-ing the laundry at 10 p.m. The circle of life, and Iwouldn’t change it for the world!”

Lisa Fronzoni Malcolm, 42, DallasMother of Marina, center, and daughter of Frances Fronzoni, at right

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Growing up, I was sur-rounded by wonder-ful cooks. My mother

and two grandmothers havetaught me everything I know.

Most of my childhood me-mories circle around Sundaydinners, first at my Nana’shouse for pasta, then at myGranny’s house for whatevershe whipped up for her largebrood of children and grand-children.

As I write this, it will be aboutthree weeks until I get married,and now I must prepare mealsI’ve learned from them for my fu-ture husband.

I’ve been using recipes given tome by my mother, in a handwrit-ten cookbook she gave me at mybridal shower.

As I paged through the recipes,several stood out – several I CAN-NOT WAIT to make, such as myGranny’s potato pancakes, andothers that brought back awe-some memories of helping mymom in the kitchen.

One of those was monkeybread.

As a tiny Sheena (and, somemight say I’m still tiny, just a bitolder) I remember rolling thedough for this recipe into balls,rolling it in the sugar-and-cinna-mon mixture and eagerly waitingfor it to come out of the oven.

I’m not all that sure why this iscalled monkey bread. I can only

assumebecausemonkeyspick lit-tle bugs off each other, and youare able to pull this bread apart toeat.

My future husband and I re-cently had a Stromboli Sunday,and I had a leftover loaf of frozenbread dough. Because that’sneeded for this recipe, I decidedto make it. As I did, I felt like alittle kid again, and the smell thatcame from the oven brought meright back to my mother’s kitch-en.

At the bottom of the recipe, mymother, Donna, wrote, “A quickdessert you’ll love.”

Little did she know, not only isthis quick to make, but it wasquickly eaten and the pancleaned just a few hours later.

I’m happy to share this recipe.The one thing my future hus-

band said could make it even bet-ter would have been a confection-er’s-sugar icing for dipping. Ithink that will be my tweak to therecipe I pass on to my children.

FOR THE TIMES LEADER/SHEENA DELAZIO

Monkey Bread is a sugary, sweet and simple dessert and a familytradition in the DeLazio household.

MONKEY BREADa sweet memorySHEENA DELAZIOsdelazio@timesleader.com

Ingredients:1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed1 cup sugar1/4 cup cinnamon1 stick butter, meltedMethod:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Mix sugar and cinnamon together.Rip off pieces of the thawed doughand roll in to 1-inch balls.Roll the dough balls into meltedbutter, and then into the sugar/cinnamon mixture.Place balls in pan and bake forabout 12 to 14 minutes.You can use a regular loaf pan or aBundt pan. I used a regular loaf-size pan.

MONKEY BREAD

have been engaged in the art offood as family legacy long beforeour television screens only ener-gized our interest.

Nancy Smith, 49, of PittstonTownship also learned to cookat a young age, but from hergrandmother, Josephine Alex-ander, also known as Onna.

“Every Good Friday shewould come to our house andmake Easter pizza,” Smith said.“She would tell me, ‘I want youhere when I make this becausewhen I’m gone you’re going tobe the one to take over.’ ”

Each year offered a lesson inEaster pizza that had to be fol-lowed down to every detail. Thepizza consists of ham, Muensterand American cheeses and al-most two dozen eggs. The ingre-dients are mixed together andpoured into a pan lined withdough, then covered with anoth-er layer of dough.“We used toweave the dough on the top,”Smith said. “I had to pay veryclose attention to everythingshe did to make it just a certainway so that it would come outright every time.”

She never took what hergrandmother said lightly.

“At my young age I thoughtmy grandmother would be

around forever. I would justsmile and nod, but I would al-ways stand there and watchclosely because, hey, you didn’tdare not listen to your grand-mother.”

Alexander died in 1995, and,sure enough, the Easter-pizzatradition fell to Smith.

“Every year, until this day, Ican feel her watching over mewhile I make the pizza,” Smithsaid. “It always comes out prettyclose to hers. I think she’d beproud.”

While Smith’s grandmothertaught her a step-by-step meth-od, Amy Alpaugh, 73, of Hugh-estown has almost never fol-

lowed a recipe thanks to hermother’s teachings.

“Everything is a pinch of this,a handful of that,” Alpaugh said.

Alpaugh’s mom, Faustina Ni-nassi, never once used a measur-ing cup or spoon. Alpaughlearned how to make bread, des-serts, sauce and various pastacreations, such as raviolis andcappellettis.

“I remember that the cappel-lettis looked like little hats,” shesaid. “They were very hard tomake. I would have five done atthe same time she had10 done.”

Not only does Alpaugh notuse measurements, she has nowritten recipe of any kind for ref-erence.

“Everything I do is from mem-ory,” she said.

One of Alpaugh’s most vividmemories is the way her motherwould roll dough.

“She could roll it out into aperfect circle,” she said. “Shecould pretty much roll it to how-ever she wanted. She used tomake that rolling pin sing.”

Alpaugh still has her mother’srolling pin, though she doesn’tuse it because of the wear andtear that comes with age.

Another tradition she holdson to is the way her motherdressed in the kitchen.

“My mother always wore akerchief on her head and anapron,” she said. “I do that tothis day. I feel like I’m walking inher footsteps.”

DON CAREY/TIMES LEADER STAFF PHOTO

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg mix? Avery Krogulski learns the chicken-parmigianaprocess from his father, Danny.

Avery Krogulski, in his fa-ther’s arms as usual, sprinklesthe all-important cheese onthe chicken parmigiana.

FOODContinued from Page 12

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It’s often said that we look to marry our mother or our father,figuratively speaking, of course. It’s a familiarity thing. We askedsome local engaged or recently married couples if they’ve discov-ered this is true in their own relationships.

ENGAGING

Dad - Ken Zekoski.Shannon: “I wanted to marry someone as strong, hardworking and family-oriented as my dad, and I definitely see those characteristics in Matt.”

Shannon and Matt Saporito, 24, Forty Fort

Dad – Millard Galat Jr., Mom – Anne Marie TigueChris: “Both Elizabeth and my mom are loving and caring people, alwayslooking out for others. They’re both strong women. When I was younger, myMom made sure I was always well dressed for whatever occasion we weregoing to. Elizabeth took over that job now. She OKs every outfit.”Elizabeth: “Both Chris and my dad are leaders in education and their commu-nities. It’s rare that a week goes by where neither of them have some type ofcommittee meeting or event to plan. They are both go-getters and love to keepbusy. I believe that their similar interest is one of the reasons that they getalong so well, but most important, I believe they get along so well becausethey both love me.”

Elizabeth Galat, 24, Nanticoke, and Chris Tigue, 34,Dunmore, to wed in June 2012

Dad - Gerald FalvoMom - Verna GoodSamantha: “My father always knows how to calm me down without realizinghe’s doing it, and Frank is the same way. They’re also both dedicated fatherswith a soft way of handling their children.”Frank: “My mother and Samantha both remember and hold on to everything,both good and bad. It’s right down to the smallest detail or date that mostpeople wouldn’t remember. It’s something that can sometimes drive me crazy,but I also really admire it.”

Samantha, 25, and Frank Good, 32, Pittston

Diane’s mom - Karen Vavrek, Exeter TownshipLee’s mom - Sherry Tracey, Hanover Township“I think when people say they marry someone who is similar to their parent itholds some form of validity. Take for example my loving husband, Lee Tracey.This gentle soul is 31 years young and likes to continuously let me know that hismother and I are alike all the time. He reminds me every time I take too longgetting out of a vehicle, or when I butter his bread for him because I think hemay not be capable of doing it on his own, which he gives me reason to think,due to him rolling his Lebanon bologna up and then biting it into snowflakes. Ithelps that this wonderful man I said “I do” to is a chef, because I get home-cooked meals just like my mother used to make for me when I was growing up.I suppose it should be noted that they’re both obsessed with ‘Ghost Hunters’ aswell.”

Diane, 25, and Lee Tracey, 31,Allentown (formerly of Harding)

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Features page designer andphotographer by hobby RachelVan Blankenship pays tribute

to the value of some good, old-fash-ioned mom time in a photo essay.

•••••How often do you see your par-

ents? Once a week? Twice amonth?

For my family, spread out across

Oklahoma, California and Idaho,seeing them more than once a year,if not once every two years, can bedownright impossible. So when theopportunity arose to drive fivehours to Washington, D.C., tospend an extended weekend withmy mom, I was there in, well, fourand a half hours.

You could say I got my sense of

exploration from my mom. Seeingthe old and the new, wanderingneighborhoods we had never heardof before, eating food we’d nevertried. And by the time it was over,after all the sights we couldsqueeze in were seen, my momsaid, “I wish I could spend ahundred hours in a coffee shopwith you.”

When anOklahomamom and aPennsylvaniadaughter meetin the heart ofthe nation

ONE: I thoroughly enjoy a Cherry Wheat beer from the District Chophouse & Brewery’s beer sampler. The Cherry Wheat, a seasonal beer, is brewed specifically for the Cher-

ry Blossom time of year in Washington, D.C. For dinner: homemade corn bread, sesame-encrusted calamari with an apricot ginger glaze, crab bisque and two orders of the

gorgonzola filet, paired with shiitake mushrooms and topped with gorgonzola and Worcestershire sauce. Mom and I shared; the second order was for my stepdad, Mark.

TWO:Mom, a.k.a. Debbie Aldridge, makes her third attempt at an iced-mocha mustache at Tryst in the Adam’s Morgan district. THREE: The Capitol city is hopping and full

of life as we take a nighttime stroll after dinner. FOUR: Even though the Cherry Blossom Festival was winding down, plenty of delicate buds could still be seen — like these

framing the Jefferson Monument.

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MOMS & DADS

ONE: At La Tasca, a lovely tapas restaurant in Alexandria, Va., what started as a quick bite to eat turned into a decadent feast. Pictured here is the Paella de Chorizo: mini-ature paella with diced chorizo sausage and an assortment of seasonal vegetables. TWO: Two mochaccinos share a window seat at Le Pain Quotidien in the Easter Marketdistrict of Washington, D.C. THREE: A fruit tart becomes an afternoon snack at Tryst in the Adam’s Morgan district. FOUR: Coffee, coffee and more coffee (it still counts ifit’s iced). Mom orders an iced mocha at Tryst. FIVE: Black-bean soup and homemade bread from Le Pain Quotidien creates a warm haven from the rain.

ONE: Spring’s in full bloom at the Smithsonian Castle building. During our time on the mall we saw the Washington Monument, the Holocaust Museum and witnessed an

honest-to-goodness political rally in front of the Capitol building. TWO: Next stop Adam’s Morgan, then Georgetown. Mom, a.k.a Debbie Aldridge, becomes the ultimate

tourist in the nation’s Capitol as she tries to find the closest metro stop. THREE: After four long days of touring the city, we take one last photo opp at a family friend’s

apartment in Arlington, Va. FOUR: Heels are not advised when traveling with us. Nor are they advised, as this mural states, at the ’Torpedo Factory.’ Formerly a WWII

Torpedo Factory, the space has been refurbished to accommodate artists and their studios. Buy, wander or ooh and ahh at the three stories of painters, photographers,

weavers, teachers and sculptors who make their artistic homes here. http://www.torpedofactory.org/

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HEROLD’S FARMMARKET

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