Links I Love...

It's beginning to look like Fall around these parts.  The trees aren't as colorful this year as the lack of water has taken a toll on the them. It seems as if the leaves are just turning an ugly shade of brown and then dropping. In fact, I noticed the leaves dropping in August.  Unheard of around here!

The interwebs are slowly changing seasons too.  Halloween and comfort foods are starting to pop up all over the place.  The feel of hibernation is starting to set in.  It feels good to sleep under a couple of blankets and the early darkness helps to settle us into a good school routine.

Enjoy my favorites of the week and I hope you all have a great weekend.

 Hoping to find some late season sweet corn to make this yummy soup this weekend.

If I can find time, I'm making some of these.  How simple! I can picture wearing it with a jet black turtleneck.

Awesome idea!

Love this baby sweater.  On my list of go-to baby knits...for gifts...not for me!

Fashion week fever has hit yet again. I would have to say of all the designers that I've seen, Marc Jacobs was my favorite.  Loved everything I saw from him.

Making...

Remember these? Well, they have been finished for awhile.  Just got him to try them on for me.  I had all of three seconds to take pictures.  I have no details.  

 I lost the ball bands along the way.

 I'm just glad they are done.

 And yes, of course Ryan picked out his shag rug. 

 This here is the my Simplest Sweater.

Which now has been ripped out.

You know when you knit something and you just get that awful feeling that something is not right, yet you continue to knit on, hoping that feeling will go away.

It didn't. Everything was way too small.  I could have given it away, but I love the color.  I still have two balls of yarn left.  I'm going to go up a needle size and take my chances. 

Wish me luck!

5 things...

Well, hello!

I didn't think I would be away that long and I'm still not sure how often I will be back.  Life has been busy and we've all been settling into a routine now that school has started again.  I think the change in the weather, going to bed at a reasonable time and exercising for all has made for happier people in our home.

 1. We finished our summer in the Adirondacks.  This was our fourteenth summer at the same place and I would have to say our best.  The boys brought a friend along which kept the fighting at a minimum.  We all had a ton of fun and even I,had time to relax!

 2.  Both boys are in the high school now.  Yes, our eighth grade is included with the twelfth graders.  It  seems to work out okay.  Ryan is happy to be back in the same school as his brother.

 3.  I've been reading a lot more.  I need to update my sidebar.  If you are a member of Goodreads, you can find me over there.  

 4. Sports are back in our house.  Matt is running cross country and Ryan is just starting up hockey.  The cross country I enjoy-the hockey makes me break out in panic attacks.  It's not my favorite pastime anymore. 

5.  If you are still reading....thanks for sticking with me.  Hopefully, I will be here more times than not.  

Enjoy the week!

I had a birthday...

or in other words:

"This is what 50 (yikes) looks like."

I found myself approaching this birthday in a not so nice way. In fact I was really dreading it.  When I hit 20, 30 and 40 I was busy, busy.  In the midst of college, teaching and then parenting. And while I'm still in the midst of parenting, my kids don't need me as often as they did and I find myself with a lot of down time, hence, the wondering of what I want to do with the rest of my life, which leads me to gasp at the fact that I'm 50!

So, what I found myself doing over the last few months is reflecting on this great journey and thinking about where it will lead me next. 

So I thought:

When I was 10, I was a tween. Hoping to be the next Olga Korbet or Cathy Rigby.  

When I was 20 I had met my husband, who wouldn't become my husband for quite some time. I was too busy playing partying to be serious about anything. 

I remember turning 30 and still thinking that I wasn't ready to settle down.  Andy was back in my life and this time it was for good.

And then all of a sudden I was 40.  We had a great party in the Adirondacks.  All my favorite people were there...and I was sicker than a dog with the flu.  Matt and Ryan were only 5 and 3 and so excited.

I always thought I wanted a big bash for my 50th.  But as it grew closer I just wanted quiet. To celebrate with my favorite people.  My close friends took me out for a surprise dinner, my brother and sister-in-law came for a summer time visit and I quietly celebrated my day overlooking the mountains and the lake in the Adirondacks.

I'm not sure where I will travel this decade, but I do know that when I reach the other side I will have both boys out of school.  It will be an exciting time for our family. It will be a time where Andy and I will be back to just us. I'm looking forward to watching the boys grow and become young men with their own dreams. I'm looking forward to my independence and where it might lead me.

So 50, welcome and play nice.

I'll Be Back Soon....

I'm still basking in our last hurrah of the summer season.  I'll hurry back as I have so much to share!

See you soon!