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.

5 things...

Still quiet, but I have picked up my camera this past week.

Please visit Habit this month to see so many wonderful photographers.

There is some good stuff over there.

Happy Thanksgiving

Grateful for all that I have in my life.

...

I seem to have lost my voice.

It's as if I go one step forward and at least three back.

I don't want to come here and complain about everything, yet I know if I do people will understand.

Instead, I'm quiet.

I'm knitting.

and reading.

and starting to think about making the holidays a special time.

The mornings have been cold but the days warmer than usual for this time of year.

I'm in the car....a lot, but not as much as I use to be since Ryan gave up hockey.

Which was a good decision.

I don't pick up my camera as near as often as I should.

But, I'm looking forward to photographing a young mom's twin boys.

They are two and they make me yearn for the time my guys were two.

So that's it for tonight.

I'm listening to a viola and a trumpet as I write this. 

So I guess things are good, if they are at least practicing.

Just popping in....

I'll be back soon. I will. I promise!

But for now, go check out Matt's photography over at Flickr. He's taking a photography class at school. It's great to see the world from the perspective of a sixteen year old young man.

Making...

What's that you say?

Did I hear you say that, "She actually knit something?"

Yep, I did.  

Well, to be exact, I finished this sweater way back in June.  All it needed was the button.

It sat in my knitting basket all summer just daring at me to make a decision on button placement.

I went back and forth and finally settled on the option below

Bottom line: I LOVE this sweater.

Specs:

Nuss by Cirilia Rose for Berroco

 This sweater was started over a year ago.

I had a difficult time with the first front panel and set it down to ponder my difficulties.

It sat for a long while as I pondered and knit other things.

 But then I got on a finishing spree and went to town on Nuss.  It's provided me with the right amount of attention that I did not get bored.

 The recommended yarn is Berocco Blackstone Tweed.

I had some Debbie Bliss Donegal Luxury Tweed sitting in my stash.

I swatched and it fit the bill.

 I had a hard time deciding on button placement. The original pattern calls for tiny buttons down the bodice.  Many of the sweaters that I looked at on Ravelry showed pulling when the buttons were attached.

My sister-in-law, Julie, helped me make my final decision   The button was found at an antique show/flea market this past summer.

This sweater will be worn a lot this winter.  It's has just the right amount of ease and the opening in front does not make for an overly warm sweater.

Just perfect!

PS: My photog was free and I had to go with the fact that my hair wasn't combed nor did I have any make-up on.  But, hey! I'm good with that. I'm just glad this sweater is finally finished!

5 things...

Yet again I've stayed away from this space for too long.  It's just that I thought with having teens I would have so much more time to do things for me, yet I find myself busier than ever. Along with that busyness, come the mother's worry of helping them along to good choices.  Some days it can be exhilarating and some days it's just plain exhausting. So what have we been up to:

 1. Second year of AP global social studies.  College level course given to sophomores and freshmen.  We are in round two of this hell.  We all hate this course for what it does to our family dynamics.  Matt's stuck with it because it's this or the water down version of the course.  No honors course to choose from.  

 2. Ryan gave up hockey this year. There are various reasons, but the main one is that he is just burned out at the age of thirteen.  I could get into the whole politics of the hockey program...but I won't, I want my Monday to be free of stress.

 3.  I'm struggling with time management.  It's been difficult as of late.  I think I have it all figured out and then something pops up and changes everything.  Having a hard time going with the flow.

 4.  I've started running again.  There is a young man on Matt's team that consistently comes in last every. single. cross country race.  Yet, when he crosses the finish line, he always has a smile on his face and he raises his hands in a salute.  It's inspiring to watch and gives me the motivation to plod on.

5. This is what I live with.

Enjoy your week everyone!

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.