My name is Beth Schondelmeyer and I am a proud resident of Bucks County. I live here with my husband of 19 years, our three children, and very loud house.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My husband, Brad, and I have been married for 19 years. We met our senior year of high school at Council Rock North. It was just considered Council Rock High School back then. We have three beautiful children. Samuel, will be 16 this October, and currently attends Council Rock South HS. Our twins, Simon and Stella, are 13, and currently attend a Holland Middle School. Along with the five of us, are our four dogs, three fancy rats, one reticulated python, a salt and freshwater fish tank, 13 chickens and 4 turkeys. Our life is anything but mundane and boring…that’s for sure.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I have been a stay at home mom, or as I like to call it, a domestic engineer, for the past four years. 18 years prior to that I was a music teacher. I taught grades preschool through 12th grade at various school districts. I was also a marching in maneuvering tech, as well as an assistant marching band director at one of the high schools that I worked at. I loved being a music teacher, but nothing really beats waking up with your kids every morning and being at home when they get back from school. My job as a teacher was very challenging and I loved it very much, but working at home has proven to be even harder. I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community?
Steam Pub, in Southampton, is one of my favorites, hands down. The food is always fresh and I have never had a bad meal. I also enjoy having breakfast and lunch at Café Madison in Holland. So yummy!
Q: How long have you lived or worked in our community?
With the exception of moving to Langhorne right after my husband and I were newly married, I have been a resident of Holland for almost 40 years.
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met here in our community?
Honestly, the most interesting people in my community are my neighbors. It truly takes a village, and getting to know the people who live around you, makes being in a community that much more special. My neighbors come from all walks of life, range from newly married, to original homeowners when the development was put in. In fact, we have an older neighbor who lives next-door to us, and we adore him. We love his stories and we love hearing about how the neighborhood has changed over the years.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?
Internationally, I would travel to Greece. It seems like the most magical place. I bet the food is amazing and the people are wonderful! If I’m traveling stateside, I would love to travel out west, I’ve never been. California, Washington, Arizona all sound pretty incredible
Q: What is one of your favorite movies? TV shows?
My favorite movie, hands-down, is The Color Purple. No matter how many times I watch the movie, I always see some thing I’ve missed. It’s one of those movies that just never gets old no matter how many times you’ve watched it. As far as TV shows, I enjoy anything animal related, and I’m a sucker for a good fixer-upper TV show.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Don’t put anything out into the universe that you don’t want to get back tenfold. Karma is real.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
Traveling as much as possible. I don’t really have a bucket list, per se, but traveling is definitely high up on the list.
Q: What is your go to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?
I can’t say I have one band in particular, but I really love the music of the 40s 50s and 60s. My mother always had that playing on the radio, and it always brings back nostalgia and really gets me out of a funk.
Q: What current or former local business makes you the most nostalgic about our community?
Growing up there was a pharmacy located in the current Wawa shopping center. It was called Bowen‘s pharmacy, and the pharmacist, Mr. Bowen, always had lollipops for me and my brother every time we walked in to pick up medication or odds and ends that we needed. He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever known, and he was always sweet and compassionate.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I would love to have lunch with my elementary music teacher, Diana Weiss. I’ve never known Mrs. Weiss to be in a bad mood! If she was, she hid it very well. She also has the best laugh and the brightest smile that could light up a room whenever she walks in.
Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?
Although our community has grown by leaps and bounds, it seems like neighborhoods are their own little private entities. A really good neighborhood helps to develop a really good community. I know that at the drop of a hat I could ask a neighbor to come over and sit on the front porch just to chat, or knock on the neighbors door because I need a few eggs (well, not that we lack in eggs anymore!), or they could come over to our house or call if they need help with anything.
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?
By that time, all of our children will have graduated high school and hopefully gone on to pursue their careers. My husband and I haven’t decided if we’re going to stay here and fix up our house exactly as we want it, or, move and find our own adventure someplace else.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I was in a German polka band from the end of middle school to the beginning of high school. I would rehearse with them once a week, and I used to go to German festivals, and parades in Philadelphia. It was a wonderful time, and I learned a lot!
Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?
Paris, hands-down.
Q: Favorite month? favorite holiday? and best single day on the calendar?
My favorite month would be July. I realize it’s super hot, but my kids aren’t in school and I have them all to myself and the summer is fully ahead of us. My favorite holiday would have to be Thanksgiving and selfishly, my favorite day on the calendar, would be my birthday!
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
A quiet house! A noisy house! Getting every green light on the way to your destination! My kids all getting along at the same time! Spending time with my family and friends.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My husband and my children inspire me to do better.
Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?
The rain…before, during and after a storm. The Ocean.
Q: Finally, what 3 words or phrases come to mind when you think of the word HOME?
Home is where your crazy can relax! Don’t mind the mess, we just live here! This is our happy place!