Link Love...

Hopefully, I'm back on routine with my blogging schedule. I'm not going to make any promises though. My life tends to get in the way and as I reflect on where I want to go in 2011, life should get in the way! I want to make, laugh and spend time with my family and lastly, push myself to take risks in areas that I tend to stray away from. Many of my links this week have provided me inspiration to reflect on those goals. enjoy!

Oh how I wish I was still teaching! This passage would be discussed over and over with my students. I placed it in everyone's room around here and just asked them to read it and reflect. I didn't get much action from it. But maybe it will stick with them.

This was is ingenious too. He just is the coolest guy. I wish to find my "digital park bench" this year.

And this one. Annie Lamott has always had a strong voice in my reading repertoire. She totally gets it in this short piece.

These are fantastic snowflakes! We tend to save our snowflake making and decorating for the months of January and February. They help to shake the winter doldrums.

And for this weekend...I think I may bake these and eat them all myself. Yum!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Making

The quiet of January allows me to start reflecting on unfinished projects and new projects that I want to start. I had huge goals to finish a pair of socks for both boys for Christmas. But, time, a nasty cold and other projects got in the way. This week I've been concentrating on finishing those socks for around the house. I know they will never wear them out, but it warms my heart when they put them on after they get home from school.

Besides knitting, I've been perusing my cookbooks and online cooking sites. I really want to make an effort to widen our food repertoire. My boys are not picky eaters, but tend to stick with meat, veggie and some sort of starch. I would love to use curry more, and convince them that eating just vegetables for dinner is an acceptable thing to do.

Yesterday, I made kale chips. Easy and simple. I wasn't sure of the reaction I would get, but was pleasantly surprised. Matt enjoyed them and swore he just wasn't' eating them to get more time on the xbox. Ryan never got a chance to try them, as the dog thought they were mighty good and had a great healthy snack while we weren't looking!

I think, I might explore this leafy green a bit more!

5 things...

Do you hear that? No? Listen really close...ah, it's the sound of silence. Everyone is back at school and work today. The house is clean, and there are cookies already baking in the oven. January is one of my favorite months. There is no unusual activity, just plain routine. We will ski a lot and play hockey on the weekends. The television watching has been cut, due to extreme viewing by all. Books will be read. Here's to your start to the week and year. Hope it's a smooth one.

1. The pond went through a January thaw. Now all we need is extreme cold with no snow and it will be perfect.

2. See those little lights. They are built into what look like bare branches. I love them. I keep them out all year.

3. My amaryllis are gorgeous! They are such a deep red. I ordered them from here, along with my paperwhites.

4. See I love them so much, I took another shot.

5. My favorite new Christmas decoration, given to my by a special friend. It was perfect on the top of our small tree.

Have a great week everyone!

2010

We hardly knew ya!

I missed my blog anniversary, yet again.

I always think it is New Year's Eve, but it's a few days before.

Thank you to all of you that stop and take a moment out of your day to come see what's up here at Upper Pond. Your comments and support make my day. My best to you and your families for a wonderful 2011!

Happy New Year!

5 things...

It's finally quiet here at Upper Pond. We celebrated our second Christmas today and are done with presents and eating. I don't want to cook for a long while. My boys may not see another cookie in their lunch until February, seeing as if that is how long it will get my baking mojo back.

We are busy enjoying the holiday week off of school. Skiing has been our favorite activity, followed by the new xBox and accompanying games. Not sure if books have been picked up as a go-to activity around here.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

1. It's called a Snow Angel...and believe me that name is pure deception. With seven shots of alcohol, it's the devil in disguise.

2. We are lucky to have grandparents close by. It helped make the celebration that much more special.

3. Buddy ate the gravy, which led to some gas, which led to Matt having fun. Poor Buddy.

On a sidenote: one of the most favorite things to happen on Christmas was catching Matt singing in church. I had to peek out of the corner of my eye to catch it. But he was there and it was good.

4. Ryan leaned over to me at church and told me how wonderful if all was (favorite thing #2). Maybe we should show up more often. We have, regrettably, fallen into the Lily and pointsettia club.

5. This was a transition year for us. We still honored many of our old Santa traditions, without much spirit. We are all trying to find our way in the new traditions. I think this might take a few years. Growing pains for all of us.

Merry Christmas!

Merry
Christmas!

Hoping to catch up with you all soon.

Enjoy your family and friends

and I will see you all in the New Year.

enjoy!

5 Things...Which I Love

It's almost here. Less than two weeks away. I had to take several deep breaths today, to remind myself that it always gets done. Still...crazy times. I have to admit, I don't miss the school parties at the elementary school. That just added a whole new level of craziness into the mix. Enjoy the last days of preparation!

1. The boys. They are having fun this holiday. Both boys are making extra special gifts to give, having decided that Christmas can be quite expensive and that their wallets are a bit empty. Both projects fit the boys' personality to at T.

2. Our tree. It's big and fat and there won't be a needle left by Christmas day. That's okay...it's beautiful. Oh, and a string of lights has already died on it.

3. Shopping. Believe it or not, I really enjoyed the whole process this year. I like what I bought everyone and each gift fits each individual perfectly!

4. The snow. It has fallen a lot this December. It's light and fluffy and easy to move. The bone chilling temperatures makes the snow sparkle and crunch. We have skied and sledded more than any other December that I can remember.

5. The lights. I love driving around looking at all the lights. We live in a town where most of the lights are white. But, it's fun to drive to different parts of the city and view the extravaganza! So fun, so bright and so creative!

Snow Day!

Lake Effect snow has set up over our part of the country. It has been snowing for 90+ hours. We have about three feet of snow in our yard. The weather forecast says more for tonight and a possibility of a Nor'easter for Sunday.

Bring it on!

5 things...

I'm here...just busy. Like we all are. The lake effect snow machine has settled right on top of our house (or so it seems) and we've been getting dumped on for the last few days. We still have school, and the roads are drivable, which is a good thing.

1. My camera charger has been missing for the last few days. Enjoy the Christmases of years'past.

2. Our tree is up, and mostly decorated. But there is much more to do. Hopefully, it will be finished tonight.

3. I'm slowly listening to more Christmas music. It's like chocolate...too much of a good thing, can be too much.

4. I loved this red coat. I know, a totally random thought. But, as I look at this picture, I remember all the great places I wore it while skiing. Memories made!

Check out the face on Matt...fast forward to today and it's still pretty much the same :)

5. Remember to have fun with your little ones. It's different this year.

Cobblestone: Fini!

Made with love for our fifteenth wedding anniversary.

Cobblestone is a great pattern. I love that there are only two underarm seams to stitch up.

The short rows are well thought out. However, I am not a short row fan. I don't know why, but they caused me hours of frustration, leading me to rip out the garter stitch yoke more than once. If you look closely (please don't) you will see where I just finally just let it go.

I love it and so does Andy.

Details:

Cobblestone by Jared Flood

Lamb's Pride Worsted

M-03 Grey Heather

size six needles

Happy Birthday!

Matt discovered a picture of me yesterday. It was taken when I was in college. At the ripe old age of nineteen. Nineteen! I had just pledged into my sorority and I was about a month away from meeting Andy. I had long hair, which was pulled back in barrettes and wore a turtleneck and sweater combo. I told Matt that his father knew me when I looked liked that. "Really?" was all I got out of him. I have to sorta agree with Matt...I needed a fashion make-over bad! But, all and all it worked for both of us and tonight, almost thirty years later we are celebrating Andy's last year in his forties!

Happy Birthday Andy! We are going to have one heck of a party next year!