december 10

Illuminate

Last night was a first for us.  Finally, both boys had their concerts on the same night and I must say what a joy it was to attend.

Matt plays viola and Ryan plays trumpet.

I am amazed at what their teachers can accomplish in such a short time.  The band was loud, energetic and mood lifting!

The orchestra, having many fewer students played a piece that lasted twelve minutes! It was amazing!

The concert helped me settle my stresses a bit and certainly lifted my mood into a Christmas one!

So proud of both of the boys and the entire music program at our school!

december 8

Apothecary

It's Sunday night. By this time in the weekend I am done. Done shuttling boys around town. Done cleaning the house. Done helping my husband with chores that require the two of us. Done feeding everyone. Done making sure everyone gets along. Done dealing with moody teens. Done. Done. Done.

My book and glass of wine are waiting. 

Writing along with Write Alm this month.

december 7

Bauble

as from Merriam-Webster Dictionary

bau-ble  noun

:an inexpensive piece of jewelry

: a shiny ball that is hung on a Christmas tree for decoration

'tis the season!

-writing along with write alm this month

december 6

Wish Upon a Star

I first remember the stars having an impact on me when I was about ten years old. I was at summer Girl Scout camp and we were on an epic overnight bike trip. In actuality we probably just biked a few miles down the road and set up camp on the other side of  the  property. But to me, it felt like freedom. We took only our sleeping bags and food and drink for the night. After eating our dinner out of foil packets (anyone who has ever been a Scout knows the dinner) and then having melted chocolate and bananas in yet another foil packet, it was time for bed.

We rolled our sleeping bags out onto dewy grass and crawled in. It was at that point as I gazed upward that I was struck with the smallness that was me. For there above, was the Milky Way in all its glory, sparkling and begging me to tell it my wishes.

I have always lived where I can see the stars. In rural suburbia, the stars show as the sun sets over the horizon. It's commonplace and we take it for granted. 

When Matt was about three we woke him in the middle of the night to watch an historical meteor shower. We bundled him up and carried him to our backyard and just sat and watched. The "shooting stars" came fast and furious and created quite the show in the sky. To this day, I have never seen anything quite like it. Matt remembers it too, which I am glad.

Where we live the stars often keep us company as we do out daily nighttime activities: take the garbage to the road, walk the dog and guide us home after sports practice.

At the end of the summer we travel to the mountains for our annual end of summer trip. The stars have been witness to all of our secrets. They have watched over my husband and I as we introduced the boys to the mountain evenings, laying on the dock in our own sleeping bags watching the Milky Way hurl itself across the sky and to now, as they become their own selves and  sit around the campfire with summer friends creating new relationships.

Like generations before me, the stars have helped guide me. I reach to them to remind me of my smallness and to help with my burdens in life. And to this day, when I see that first twinkle in the sky, I am reminded of my ten year old self, laying under that open sky, telling the stars all my wishes.

Writing along with Write Alm this month

december 5

What Haunts Me

I should have studied

or read those ten chapters, probably should have stayed in

there's always another party.

Luke and Laura's wedding was beautiful

but it was replayed

and my stats class wasn't.

It was thirty years ago

and time moves on.

But that dream

that visits 

when I'm tired

or stressed, telling me that I missed the test

or better yet failed

keeps coming.

Please go away.

I have kids of my own. I get it 

and regret it.

But, man did I have fun.

Writing with write alm this month

december 4

Morning Ritual

5:15 am - alarm goes off, hit snooze.

5:24 am - alarm goes off again and think about pulling my butt out of bed.

5:30 - put my feet to the floor and step on either the cat or the dog, whomever claimed the dog bed...because God forbid they sleep downstairs.

5:30-5:40 - feed the dog and two cats and wait patiently for the coffee to finish.

5:40 -6:00 - Check all the important things on the iPad: email, Twitter, FB, Instagram, Pinterest.

6:05 - Start the process of waking up the 16 year old...it takes a whole hour for this one to get going.

6:15 Back into the 16 year old's room.

6:20 - He finally rolls out of bed.

6:20 - 6:45 - Yelling at said 16 year old every five minutes to either get in the shower, finish in the shower or get out of the bathroom! (I don't even want to know what he's doing in there for that long!)

6:45 - the 14 year old is still sleeping because this kid can mobilize within ten minutes.

6:50 -I'm making lunches and swearing by now because 16 year old isn't downstairs yet and he needs to leave by 7:10 to get to school early for math review (or substitute any other subject.)

6:55 -16 year old saunters downstairs and proceeds to pet the animals (really?!), like he has all the time in the world.

7:00 - 14 year old gets up and hits the shower. 16 year old begins to eat.
7:05 - 14 year old is out of the shower. 16 year old is still eating.
7:10 - 14 year old is downstairs and ready to go with breakfast in hand. 16 year old is upstairs brushing teeth and God knows what else.
7:11 -The 14 year old starts the car and scrapes the snow off.
7:15 - The 16 year old finally is in the car and they drive off...late again.
7:16 - I sit and drink my coffee and think only four more years of this.
and smile.

Writing along with other at writealm. this month.

december 3

mirror mirror

I wasn't sure if I wanted to be reflective about my age with this topic and then I saw this picture and realized that's exactly what I needed to write about.

My chin can't possibly look that old and wrinkly can it?

I'm not sure, but some days I do feel the wrinkly, old, hormonal woman.

I feel as if this huge surprise is sneaking up on me fast...faster than I want it to.

Yeah, I know everyone says that 50 is the new 30...but man, some days I do feel 50 plus.

So I get up each day, look in the mirror, show thanks that I'm not too sore from the previous day's workout and think if 50 is the new 30 than I'll take it, 'cause it ain't that bad.

December prompts over at writealm

december is here....

I've been thinking about following the prompts from writealm this month.  Some days it might be writing, other days it might be just a picture.  Who knows where this will take me but I thought I would give it a try.

december 2 - slant of light

I woke this morning thinking that we only have a few more weeks of darkness and then the days will grow longer.  I enjoy the darkness of the mornings, a time that I keep all to myself.  I watch as the sun touches our home and gently wakes the animals, and then me, followed by my husband and finally the boys.  The light is low in the sky this time of year, but it tends to calm me.  It tells me to slow down, relax and just rest.

Soon our home will grow brighter, but for now, we enjoy the darkness and quiet.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation

I wish I had more to show.

But we've been busy

and the knitting mojo hasn't been seen this summer.

But, I did manage to knit two pairs of socks.

 Simple but warm.

They will keep my feet toasty when the snow starts to fly.

A simple 2 x 2 rib cuff

Regia 

Cross Over Color

colorway   04531

 Another simple sock with a funky purl stitch thrown in.

The color is most true with the middle picture

These are a bit chunkier.

It will be interesting to see how they wear.

Spud and Chloe fine

size 2 needles

I have no idea where I found the pattern....yet alone, what I did with it since I knit these.

If I find it, the details will be on Ravelry.

I actually have a sweater on the needles now.

It's knit in bulky yarn and will be done in no time......i hope.

The Last Days of Summer

Hello from Upper Pond! I can't believe the summer is winding down.  We have had fun, fun, fun!

Highlights included:

Baseball 

Learning to sail...and winning at it

Sleep away camp

Jobs

Hanging with friends and fishing

Driver's Ed

Driving the boat without a parent with them

And much quiet time for me as the boys are becoming quite independent!

Thinking of returning in the Fall. Not sure if it will be the same...I'm off to think about it some more.  Until then, those going back to school in the next few weeks, I hope it's a smooth transition. And to those that have a few more weeks left...soak it in for the daily grind will be here before we know it.

just popping in....

to say hi!

We've been busy.

Lots of skiing this winter.

Matt turned 16 and is learning to drive.

We went away to celebrate in Vermont.

Then we traveled to Florida for Spring break.

Ryan leaves for Florida in June...without us.  He's been invited by his best friend.

It will be strange but will be good for him.

Sleep-away camp for one this summer - the other will be working.

I miss this space and have been thinking about it.

Not sure what I want to do with it yet...or maybe just start somewhere new.

For now...just hello and I hope you are all doing well.

959 days...

I can't believe I've been gone from this space for so long. December always puts me into a frenzy and I never feel like I quite get to be where I want to be by Christmas.

But...I did do some thinking since I've been gone and decided that I'm not going to visit this space much more.  As the title says...959 days....that is how long I have until Matt heads off to college. I was quite shocked to see that it was under a thousand.  But wow! 959! I'm sure he would disagree, but I don't want to waste that time. It's fleeting and when I really think about what happens in those 959 days, I start to hyperventilate   Driving is right around the corner, proms, SAT's. AP tests, sports, college visits, college apps...etc...etc...etc.

I wanted to come back one last time to thank all of you that still visit here from time to time.  You have been faithful readers and have helped me through some highs and lows of my life.  I will never forget all the emails that I received when Andy was "retired" from his job and the support last year when Matt found himself in a pickle over a hockey incident.  You laughed with me as my boys have grown and helped me know that I was not alone in the rocky road of teenage hormones.  You've made me blush with compliments over my knitting and encouraged me to continue with my photography.

But most of all, I will never forget the friendships that I have made while in this space.  Some of you I've met in "real" life and others I still hope to meet.  Through those friendships, I've been supported in my parental decisions and I've been allowed to cry with you when times are difficult. 

So where does that leave me?  I'm certainly not going away from the computer.  I will be on Twitter, and Facebook. Pinterest and Instagram are my favorites. You can visit me over at Ravelry to see what I'm working on and I will leave my email up so you can contact me.  I promise, I will answer back.  Also, don't delete me quite yet from your blog readers.  You never know when I might pop back up with some interesting news!

Some of you know that I've finally held my breath and took that leap to start my own photography business. It's brand new and still in its infancy.  The support that I've had here in town has been great and I hope to line up some seniors for their school portraits.  This new chapter could only have happened had I not had this space. YOU...all of you, through your compliments and support encouraged me to embark on this next chapter of my life. 

Thank you to all of you for touching my life in such a wonderful way.

I want to wish you all a wonderful New Year!

2013 is going to be fabulous for all of us.  I just know it!

 Now, I've got to go.  There is only a few hours left and soon it will be only 958 days!

Time's a'wasting!

xoxo

jane

ps: remember, to take time to take pictures of you! your kids will thank you.