At Upper Pond

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T10:32:00.002-05:00

I'm flipping my Friday link love to today. There are so many fun things out there to celebrate our love and I want to share some of my finds with you!

I miss the Valentine's Day party, with all the little notes and hearts. But, I'm glad my boys have missed out on what it has become. I traveled the aisles in Target the other day looking at bag after bag of candy and realized that Valentine's Day has become the new Halloween. My thought immediately turned to that of the teachers and hope that they say no to all the candy. I know I would!

Enjoy your day and know that you are all my Valentines!

Thanks for stopping in!

Check out Google today and go do something you love with your best buddy!

Haven't made a dessert yet for your loved ones. This one looks scrumptious!

Some food for thought.

Need a last minute craft...Here's one!

I'm off to find our army men and place these strategically around the house. Let's see if they notice!

hi!

2012-02-12T14:48:00.002-05:00

Just popping in to say hello!

It's been a laid back weekend.

I saw these on Pinterest today.

Here's the recipe.

I'm trying hard to take an inspiration that I get from Pinterest and put it into action.

So far it's just been food, but hopefully, I'll be sewing later in the week.

enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

5 things...

2012-02-06T16:11:00.002-05:00

Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that it's winter. Today's weather is something that we don't usually see until late March or early April. I discovered a primrose in my garden and the crocuses are almost ready to bloom. Normally, I'm shovelling snow off my garden in hopes that it will thaw out by the end of April.

Rumor has it that the local ski hill will close this week. Too many accidents and not cold enough to make snow. So far, I haven't skied once this season and by the looks of it I'm not going to.

So, it's on to a new week and some new thoughts....

1. We stayed home for the Superbowl this year....and I liked it that way. I made plenty of food, we could watch in our comfortable clothes and enjoy the commercials (although, I really didn't like any of them) without listening through the noise of a party! Perfect!

2. Matt has two more weeks of hockey! I really can't count this week as he is missing a few games due to a trip to Quebec with fellow French students.

3. I'm thinking it's going to feel strange not to have Matt around for the weekend.

4. I need some new recipes that my family might enjoy. If you have any ideas let me know in the comments. I'm feeling sorta stale with my old stand-bys.

5. Lastly, do you follow any celebrities on Twitter? I've been laughing at Katie Couric's and Steve Martin's tweets. Sometimes I wonder if Katie's are really hers or her PR person. Steve Martin's are definitely his. Such dry, witty humor.

Who do you follow?

enjoy your week everyone!

Link Love...

2012-02-04T19:34:00.001-05:00

Well, we made it through the first week. Ryan is doing great and so is the rest of the family. It has meant a bit of adjustment for Dad to step in and help with some morning responsibilities and that is always a good thing.

Needless to say, I didn't get much done this week. I'm always amazed at how little gets done when you have someone home "sick" from school. I always think I will have all this extra time because I'm staying home, yet the next thing I know, it's dinnertime.

I did have a bit of time on the computer and as always I found some fun links.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

I thought these were really cute. They would be great for gifts.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Are you decorated yet?

I keep coming back to this woman. I'm intrigued by her. I love her coat and especially her scarf. If I wore my scarf like that I would look disheveled. But this woman, oh no!

I leave you with this video. Tucan/Grace is a student in Matt's school, Her sister, Faith( sitting in front of the couch in the opening scene) is in Ryan's grade. It's sorta fun for our whole community.

5 things...

2012-01-31T07:55:00.000-05:00

Ah, yes! Another eventful weekend here at Upper Pond. Typical night at the ski hill quickly turned to a ride to the hospital, an overnight stay, and a return home with a cast on Ryan's leg. Poor kid broke his tibia and will be in a cast for eight weeks. Hockey is over and although I was wishing the season would end, this is not what I envisioned.

So, what have we learned in this life experience...(I'm so over lessons being learned!)

1. Don't wish away a hockey season, no matter how poorly it's going. You never know what will fill its place!

2. Thankful for a Pediatric Emergency Room. Ryan was kept away from all the Friday night visitors in the ER.

3. Also thankful for a Children's hospital in our city. All our needs were met and Ryan felt safe and comfortable in the small time that we were visiting.

4. I'm amazed at the resiliency of Ryan's body and his mind. He was up, working on his schoolwork yesterday and is eager to go back to school. He misses his friends, but also misses the learning. Go figure!

5. It was a perfect choice to have Matt and his friends come over to bake for French class on Sunday. It provided comic relief for all. I think I'm still cleaning up sugar from my kitchen!

enjoy the rest of the week everyone!

Link Love... and a little bit of making.

2012-01-27T14:32:00.002-05:00

Slog. That's the word that I think of when I think of this past week. It's been a long one! The next month will be long for all of us, but I see a very faint light at the end of the very long tunnel. We will need to make some tough decisions to hopefully make that light a bit clearer.

Anyway, here's to a good weekend and enjoy the links!

I saw this over on Pinterest this week, printed it out and have had it with me. It will come in handy as I forget all this stuff when taking pictures.

Love this video.

I'm putting some of my prints up for sale. What the heck? Who knows?

I made these today. The cookie part is just like the real thing, but I did something to the frosting. Now, do you call them, Black and White cookies or Half Moons? We are of the Half Moon family.

Maybe I should try a new outfit when taking pictures.

oh my!.

5 things...

2012-01-23T21:45:00.000-05:00

Five quick positive things because I probably could go negative really fast!

1. Ryan and I spent a lot of time together in the car this past weekend. We didn't talk a lot, but when we did it was good, deep conversation.

2. My husband is working on his health!

3. Ryan is reading a book...and it's for school...and he is enjoying it! (major positive!)

4. There are six hockey practices left!

5. I love to listen to my boys sing!

enjoy the week everyone!

We Interrupt this post...

2012-01-18T14:07:00.001-05:00

to bring you not much.

If you have been anywhere online today you have seen the mayhem of the SOPA and Protect IP Act.

Read up about it. It will affect you and your everyday dealings on the net.

If you haven't found an article to read, let me help.

Go here, here, over here and here.

I'll be back tomorrow to share the chocolate cake recipe that I just made. yum!

5 things...

2012-01-17T19:02:00.001-05:00

As I sit here wondering what to write, my weatherbug icon is beeping away. Today it was warm, rainy and slushy. Tomorrow is slated to be cold, windy and snowy. Maybe it's the weather that has everything off kilter around here. Moods swings are common, the animals are crazy and no one seems settled. It's as if we get in the mode of one weather pattern and then it switches on us and we are left scurrying after its remains.

In all of the everyday drama and daily life I'm still trying to remain calm, keep my sense of humor and to try to remember that in the grand scheme of it all, it's not going to ruin us.

1. Not only did my son get suspended from hockey last week (he has since been reinstated), my husband was asked to leave a game. In his defense, he was acting as a moderator and asking someone else to calm down. The guy wanted to fight him. Really? Have I told you that I'm over hockey for this year?

2. Ryan and I had date night on Sunday night. For those of you that have young ones and think they will have picky eaters forever, have no fear. Ryan's menu consisted of Thai calamari, Caesar salad and three lamb chops, mashed potatoes and veggies!

3. Downton Abbey is just plain wonderful.

4. Looking forward to dressing up at the beginning of February. A big, fancy affair. It will be fun!

5. Seems like a lot of us have reading more as a New Year's Resolution. I'm reading One Day at the moment. What are you reading?

enjoy the rest of the week!

ps: I just noticed that I used the clementine picture and Matt's desk last week in a post....oops sorry!

Link Love

2012-01-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

It finally snowed. And, we had a snow day yesterday. Double bonus! So now we have an extra long holiday weekend. Boys are happy about that!

I haven't done a link love in a long while. Enjoy!

I saw this awhile back and thought it would be fun to pretend. I'm a bit old for Prince William, but I could pretend for just a moment, couldn't I?

This is the best kids's party EVER! Wish I had thought of it when the boys were little.

Even though the holidays are over, I still want to make some of this scrub. Maybe as a gift to me!

What a great idea! I want a poster of all of mine.

A new to me blog . I think I'm in heaven.

enjoy the rest of the weekend!

Making...

2012-01-12T19:41:00.000-05:00

I decided to bake something other than cookies today.

Ina Garten was calling to me so I grabbed her Back to Basics cookbook.

Out popped her Honey Vanilla Pound Cake.

While it's not the best pound cake I've ever baked, it fit the bill for today.

It's heavy, dense and has a great sweetness.

I enjoyed it with a cup of tea, while dreaming of snow.

Enjoy the recipe.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

1/2 lb room temp. unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

Cream the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 mins. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla, and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup but do not combine. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined.

Pour into the pan, smooth the top.

Bake for 50 -60 minutes.

5 things...

2012-01-09T20:06:00.003-05:00

I have no idea how to start this post. Should I just lie and say my weekend was splendid? Ryan was away with his dad at a hockey tournament, so Matt and I must have had some good quality time together, right?

Wrong! We did have the quality time, but happy it was not.

I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Matt found himself in trouble this weekend. Big trouble. It's not life threatening,or police related, or something so bad that he can't dig himself out of. But for a kid that has never been in the Principal's office this is big for him

I wondered if I should write about it, but then decided to at least talk about the feelings we are going through as parents and child.

1. It's hockey related. Hormones racing and not one rational thought going through his mind. He was skating away from the trouble, when trouble came looking for him. The opposing skater was chirping in his ear as he skated away...until Matt could take no more.

2. He found himself suspended from all further play and practice. Tears and let down have followed. I'm glad to see that he is truly remorseful.

3. I have felt sick to my stomach all weekend. I have always known that my kids would make mistakes and as they grow older, those mistakes would be greater. But, when a big one comes, your heart breaks for him and all you can do is be supportive and let the chips fall where they may.

4. I'm thankful for my hockey parents who were very supportive. They know that Matt is an awesome kid and this was a fluke. They have spoken to Matt and me and have encouraged us to keep our chins up.

5. This has been a valuable lesson to Matt. A true life lesson, which I'm sure, he will tell his kids about someday. But right now, it's hard for him . The parenting is hard. And it just plain stinks.

Making...

2012-01-04T17:09:00.000-05:00

I wish I had pictures of the two items that I made this holiday season. One item was a plain 1x1 ribbed hat for my brother. He lives in Dallas, so I can probably count on one hand how many times he's going to wear it. I made it with that brown and white alpaca/wool mix up in the picture. It's really soft and will do the job while he's out walking the dog.

Next up was the Gap cowl for my sister who lives in New York City. She's a nanny and requested a chunky scarf, that wasn't itchy, to wear at the playground with her charges.

I wasn't sure about this pattern as I knit it, but when it was all completed, I was sold. The best part was, she loved it! It was just what she wanted.

Still working on this hoodie, only in brown. Can you say boorrriiinnnggg?

Lastly, did you see this today? I want to make everything.

Happy New Year! and 5 things...

2012-01-02T21:47:00.001-05:00

Well, 2012 is upon us and if the last few days are any indication of what this year is going to be like I don't want it. We went to a family party to celebrate the New Year. It was great fun! I always like to celebrate with my favorite friends, However, the next day...January 1st was not so fun! Crabbiness settled in around here like it was here to stay, making me question if the night before was worth it.

Thankfully, we didn't have school today, so everyone was able to sleep in one last time and hopefully, catch up on some sleep.

So, between the fights and the crabbiness I did do a bit of thinking and here are a few things that I would like to accomplish this year.

1. Read more. Last year I fell short of my goal. Setting the same goal and trying again!

2. Knit more! Actually, I should say, finish the objects that have been started. I have one sweater, and two socks that are waiting for their mate. I also want to make a few scarves for some special friends. But first, I need to finish Ryan's brown hoodie.

3. Have patience...with everyone.

4. Eat less sugar and drink more water. The sugar one is going to be difficult for me.

5. Fine strength. Strength to be a good mom, wife and friend. Strength to deal with difficult times. Strength to say no when more is asked of me. Strength to look inside myself and find the person that I want to be.

Here's to a great week everyone!

Merry Christmas...

2011-12-23T19:16:00.001-05:00

Hello! Just stopping in to wish you all a wonderful holiday season!

Enjoy!

Taking a Break

2011-11-25T18:58:00.001-05:00

The world has been catching up with me these last few weeks. Two boys in three different hockey programs, the holiday season arriving too quickly and planning for a huge surprise.

Now that the boys are older we are transitioning into new and different holiday traditions,

I envision out holidays (I know I shouldn't type this, but here goes) a little more laid back and not as hectic.

I'm hoping to enjoy myself a bit more...we'll see.

But with that laid back attitude, I've decided to take a few things off my plate until January.

One of those things is this space.

I love it here and the people that it has connected me to, but I also need to get a few things done.

I will still be around and most certainly, I will be reading your blogs, but maybe not commenting.

I will still be at Flickr, Pinterest and of course at Twitter.

Until January, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and I will see you in

2012!

5 things

2011-11-15T09:02:00.001-05:00

Try as I might to post three days a week, I just can't seem to get here. I've been working hard to stick with a list each day and not to stray far from it. Cutting computer time is a major component of making the list work. Maybe if I add blogging as one of my things to do, I might make it here more often.

1. I painted my nails the other day. For some reason this fascinates my youngest.

2. No, this isn't "occupy upperpond." It's the boys' treehouse, built with their own hands. It looks a little shabby now that the leaves are down.

3. Another warm day for November. I'll take it!

4. Christmas shopping has started. Sticking to a list this year and trying to avoid trips to the mall.

5. The cross country dinner was held on Monday. Matt received his first Varsity letter. He was pretty excited about the whole event. I remember the first time I received mine. I was glad to see that they still hand them out. A wonderful tradition for any athlete.

enjoy your week everyone!

Making...

2011-11-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

"It was delicious, Mom!"

I made this as a tasty treat for the lunchboxes. It was a hands down success. I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did.

Milk Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

4 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup whole milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purposed flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3 oz. milk chocolate, chopped.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and flour a 9x593 inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl whisk tog. the eggs, sugar, butter, milk, and vanilla.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Melt the chocolate.

Stir flour mixture into the egg mixture until just combined. Transfer about 1/3 of the batter (a generous cup. to separate bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into the smaller amount of batter, mixing well.

Drop 1/4 cup of plain batter into the prepared pan and top with 2 Tbsp of the chocolate batter.

Repeat with remaining batter. Do not stir.

Bake in the center of the over until toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. About 65 minutes.

enjoy!

5 things...

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-05:00

Have you been to Habit this month? Good stuff is happening over there so be sure to check it out.

Holiday planning has started and I swear I will be organized this year...really, I will. I have too. My husband finally set the date for his surgery and it falls right at the beginning of December. No help from the big guy this year!

I've been picking up my camera again. I had no use for it in October and it sat on my counter like an ugly sore. Not sure where the inspiration went, but I'm glad it's back.

Hope your week is off to a good start.

1. I'm happy that the mornings are brighter. Makes for easier mornings around here.

2. The painting bug is going around. Hopefully, I will have pictures soon of my foyer.

3. Cross-country is over and Matt did an awesome job for his first visit to sectionals. Now if I can get him to cross-country camp this summer it will be a huge win!

4. The weather is still mild around here. I'm happy with it, but the boys are itching for snow so they can latch on their skis.

5. I'm sorry to hear that Joe Frazier and Andy Rooney passed away. Both remind me of my childhood.

Before cable, boxing was a huge family activity. I can remember gathering around the television watching the fights. Probably so not PC these days. And of course, who doesn't remember a Sunday night with Andy Rooney?

enjoy the rest of the week everyone!

Making...

2011-11-03T19:29:00.000-04:00

I finally made a hat.

Thank you for all the wonderful suggestions.

I started out making Habitat, but had to rip it out a few times and thought that it was a sure sign that it was not meant to be at this moment. I will come back to it...when it's quiet and peaceful...maybe January.

It's a design by Jared Flood.

The yarn is Cascade 220 heathers.

I think next time I might make it a bit smaller as it's a bit slouchy. I'm not one for slouchy.

Oh, and I've made this and this last week. Both were well received and will be made again.

What are you making?

5 things...

2011-10-31T06:48:00.000-04:00

After the snow last week, the sun came out and I went for a drive with my camera. We have wonderful ridges that over look the valleys that dot the landscape in our town. The sky was a robin's egg blue and the sun glistened off the newly fallen snow. The clashes in seasons were apparent as the lake was home to a beautiful cloud hovering right over it.

The snow has melted and we are back to Autumn, but it won't be long now before snow will be part of our everyday life.

To my Northeast friends-stay warm and I hope your lives return to normal soon.

1. If you look closely, you can see the sheep farmer taking pictures too.

2. Thinking about the holidays and how they will change this year. Trying to stay positive.

3. I'm reading Olive Kitteridge and loving it.

4. I have one who does not want to get up this morning and I feel things are going to turn for the worse here in a second.

5. Starting to think about paint colors for the family room. Dark cherry floors and woodwork is everywhere. Any suggestions?

Happy Halloween everyone. Hope you day is a happy and safe one!

5 things...

2011-10-26T12:58:00.000-04:00

I went to a wedding. This is big for us these days because we are of that age where all of our friends are married...or divorcing. If we get invited it's usually a work related thing and the young couple has been brought up right: invite the boss and his wife, hopefully they won't attend (we always do) and get a good present.

The other types of weddings are family weddings. But, to tell you the truth we are in a lull in that category also.

I digress though. We went and it was a blog wedding. Everywhere I looked there was evidence that the bride peruses the interwebs. I even went home to get my camera, it was that blog worthy.

I thought I had more pictures...but you'll get the point.

1. Everything was handmade! The bride is an artist and specializes in woodland creatures. Her illustrations are stunning. She made this wedding topper with rice paper and crystallized sugar. The theme of the wedding was Fantastic Mr. Fox. The couple are huge Wes Anderson fans and it showed throughout the wedding.

2. The border was drawn by the bride. The menu was typeset by the groom who is a graphic design artist.

3. See, I told you. How many times have I seen these flowers on the web. I still love them though.

4. This menu was amazing. All hand drawn by the bride. She has been working over two years on her wedding.

5. There was a Fantastic Mr. Fox photo booth, complete with bandit masks. These are Andy's aunts. I'm sure they wouldn't mind that I posted this picture. One is a blogger herself!

The wedding was held in the parents' backyard. If there were thirty people there, that was a lot. The whole ceremony was over in ten minutes. They played their favorite music...not the trumpet song.

As we were walking across the street to the American Legion for the wedding reception, Andy leaned over to me and said, "There's a lot to be said about simplicity." And, he was truly correct. Simple is better and it showed in this young couple.

A PSA....

2011-10-25T17:17:00.001-04:00

If you left a comment and don't see it, it's because I keep deleting them by accident.

I bought a new mouse and the wireless connection is not all that great.

I go to click on what I want and my cursor moves suddenly just as I click.

Presto! Something important vanishes!

I apologize and hope to get things back in working order soon.

Link Love

2011-10-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

Whoa, I've neglected this space for awhile. October is always busy around here and this year is no exception. November should see things calm down a bit...and the holidays will be here before you know it.

Enjoy the links and the weekend.

See you soon friends!

1. I'm saving this! I always have a difficult time packing for myself. Probably because I've helped three people before me and I just want it done!

2. Love. We used to have a table like this in the kitchen. Wish I had thought of the numbers and letters. But the boys added their own markings to it as the years went past.

3. I don't always enjoy her looks. But this one I like.

4. I just want to make these for my family!

5. My kind of looks!

6. How many of these have you read? I was a bit surprised by some of the choices.

7. Cute holiday gifts!

8. Yes please! Thank you very much!

9. Really? A dj at a baby shower?

10. Honey, I've got the perfect pants for you!

11. And of course, don't forget about Sick*!

Making...

2011-10-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

I'm currently making socks. Boring, stockinette, socks. Last week, I was on my way out the door to hockey practice and realized I needed something to keep me busy and away from all the hockey drama. I'm not even sure what kind of sock yarn it is, having lost it's ball band long ago.

So, I need your help. I want to make a cool hat for a special friend that helped me out this weekend while I was away in New York City. She had to watch Matt and his friend, and two others. But the real gift that she helped me with was to get Matt to his team bus by 5 AM. This woman deserves a whole sweater for having this thrown upon her.

She's a funky, down-to-earth sorta gal. I'm thinking berets are out and beanies are in.

Any suggestions? What are your favorite hat patterns?

Enjoy the colors! I missed the blue sky and orange leaves this weekend, but was thankful I could wear shorts and tee-shirts while in the city.

This is the real color! No saturation or vibrance touch-ups at all!

I'm over at Sick* today

2011-10-04T09:21:00.002-04:00

I'm over here today....come take a look.

5 things

2011-10-03T19:23:00.001-04:00

I don't have a lot to say today. We are waiting to hear about hockey try-outs and we are all on pins and needles. Ryan was gracious enough to sit for five minutes and let me try different poses on him. Sometimes I get really lucky.

So..it's October and we are in the swing of things. Thinking about all sorts of things including:

1. Going on a fun trip this long weekend.

2. A new recipe that we tried and everyone ate.

3. Switching to red wine...because it's cold outside.

4. Loving watching crime shows with Matt.

5. trying to appreciate the little things and not get upset by the big (this is a hard one for me.)

Enjoy the week everyone.

Making...

2011-09-29T19:35:00.000-04:00

The last few days found me frantically knitting. My step-mom asked me to make a baby sweater for a shower that she was attending. Of course I said yes, and thought I had plenty of time...

oops, when they said October, they meant October 1st!

You probably are having a deja vu moment, thinking you've seen this sweater/dress/tunic before here at Upper Pond.

Well have no worries, you have and you aren't going crazy.

I made the exact same sweater before...here are the details.

The first time I made this I bought way too much yarn. Not sure what I was thinking. I still have yarn to make one more. Anyone having a baby girl?

Last time I made the 6 months size.

This time I made size one.

I highly recommend this little sweater dress. It is quick to knit and looks adorable on.

Plus, this little outfit lasts forever. It can start off as a dress and finish as a cute little top.

I'm off to knit some hats for charity...I'm done with baby knits for awhile!

5 things...

2011-09-27T14:59:00.005-04:00

We are finally settling down into a school routine. It was difficult at first and I'm still not on board with the time that they go to bed, but I guess they're too old to be put to bed at 7:30 anymore. I spend most of my afternoon carting kids around and that's okay. I once read an article about a mother that wouldn't let her youngest get her driver's license for the longest time, just so she would have kids in the car. I know that will probably be me too....sorry Ryan!

1. It seemed as if the trees turned overnight. They are lovely, even though it's all a blur somedays.

2. My husband has to have rotator cuff surgery. I mention this only because I want you to all feel sorry for me. Enough said.

3. I need to buy more mums.

4. Pumpkins are in short supply around here due to Hurricane Irene. All that rain that we received did not help the pumpkin crop.

5. It's been hot here the last few days. I was really pushing back at Fall, but now I think I'm ready. Bring on the cooler temperatures!

Have a great week everyone!

Making...

2011-09-21T19:37:00.000-04:00

...autumn!

Took a ride around the lake today to my favorite farm. I wish the sheep were a bit closer to the road, but they were in the back field. All except the few up front and they were cranky and did not want their picture taken!

The leaves are just starting to turn. In a few more weeks things will be ablaze!

My knitting isn't very exciting to show and I haven't made any wonderful treats that would inspire.

Instead, enjoy the pictures from my small spot in the world, it's a fabulous place to be this time of year.

5 things...

2011-09-19T19:41:00.001-04:00

Just a beautiful weekend in the Northeast! Crystal blue sky, temps in the high 60's and a nice breeze made for the picture perfect fall weekend.

Hope you were lucky enough to have wonderful weather like we did!

1. We haven't had a cross-country meet yet. It seems like we have been running a lot around here with no purpose. This weekend both boys finally get to test their abilities.

2. I have been thinking about opening a little shop for holiday time. Note cards with some of my favorite pictures and possibly a calendar. Thoughts?

3. I've been forcing myself to stay off the computer and get things done around the house. So far, so good!

4. Thinking about the boys' independence and letting them have a bit more rope...this one is a tough one.

5. Taking walks with my husband in the evening. A perfect way to end the day!

enjoy the week everyone!

Link love...

2011-09-16T10:48:00.000-04:00

Come see me!

I'm over here today.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Making

2011-09-14T15:09:00.000-04:00

I made a baby sweater.

It's purple, although it looks blue in the picture.

It's for a friend's first baby...a baby girl.

I highly recommend this pattern.

It's quick and easy.

Add it to your go-to baby items today.

All information is over at Ravelry.

Off to start another baby gift.....

Seems as if people are very fertile around here lately!

5 things...

2011-09-12T19:16:00.000-04:00

September always hits me like a ton of bricks. I love the month, but I usually get all emotional over the fact that the boys are older and they have more responsibility, which means more worrying on my part. But, it seems like they are off to a good start which makes me extremely happy.

So, what do I have planned for September....?

1. Cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. Can you believe I still have Tonka trucks and Brio trains in my playroom? Oh yeah, those are the toys of choice when their friends come to hang out...NOT!

2. If we are not using it, it's going to the Salvation Army...or to the shredder, or to the library...you get the idea.

3. I need to put my garden to bed, but usually, at this time of year, I really hate my garden. This year, with the heat and then the RAIN, I'm exceptionally bitter about the whole thing. Maybe, I'll just wait until Spring and just use a big rake to get rid of the weeds.

4. September marks the beginning of all my volunteer gigs. I'm seriously thinking it's time to get paid for my volunteer experience. I've started to peruse websites that might be helpful in this area.

5. More books are on my list for September. Just read

The Dirty Life: On Farming Food and Love

by Kristin Kimball,

a quick and interesting read about a woman that leaves her writing life in NYC to live and work on her organic farm.

So that's it for now!

enjoy the week everyone!

Link Love

2011-09-09T06:39:00.000-04:00

Our last week of summer was spent in the Adirondack Mountains. We've been making the trek northward (all of a hour and forty minute drive) for thirteen years. This year was different somehow. The boys just wanted to "hang-out" with the other kids that vacation in the same spot and I found myself wondering why we were there since we could do all of the same things at home. I think it may have been a transition year, yet I'm not sure how just yet. It felt good to step away from the computer for awhile and I did read two books so not all was lost.

We are still finding our way with school routines. Both boys are running cross-country and it seems funny not to have anyone home at the usual time.

So it's Friday and time for the weekend. Here are a few fun links I found as I made my way back to the computer.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

I keep forgetting to mention my friend's blog. She has an assortment of appetites in her household so mealtime can be tricky. Hop on over and say hello to Pamela and tell I sent you!

I would probably never make this myself, but I sure would like someone to make it for me! It looks delicious and inviting and oh, so healthy!

This lamp would totally not fit into the scheme of my house. But it's so cool for someone hip and a lot younger. Weekend project anyone?

Remember paint by numbers? Well,scroll down in this post and look at this awesome mural for a baby's room. Oh, if I could do it again!....and no, I will NOT do it again!

This is a new blog to me and she's pretty funny. I would love to have this pepper grinder on our table, but alas, I know my children too well and it would forever be in the sign for Love....hee.

Welcome Back!

2011-09-06T19:53:00.000-04:00

Then...

Ryan entering first grade...Matt entering third.

and now....

Ryan is a seventh grader, Matt is a ninth grader.

Happy first day of school to all in the Northeast!

(They are going to kill me if they see this!)

Link Love...

2011-08-26T06:50:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year again! One last week of fun in the place we've been traveling to for thirteen years. Looks like we may have a rainy start to the week, but the ending looks fabulous. Hoping all my east coast readers and friends stay safe.

See you all soon!

What a great and simple idea for spicing up a brown paper wrapping project. Might not work if you are in a hurry...which happens to me a lot!

I plan on making this as soon as the boys are back to school.

This coop makes me want to have chickens!

I have a lot of peaches sitting on my counter. Making these today. Will be eating them by the lake tomorrow.

Why did I find this at the end of the summer? A great activity for older kids!

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Making

2011-08-24T16:56:00.005-04:00

I bet you thought I wasn't a knitter anymore. It seems like forever since I last posted a project. So here is:

the Abby cardi

by:

Cecily Glowik MacDonald

All important details can be found over at Ravelry.

I love this Quince yarn. It's soft and lightweight. It is their sock yarn so just imagine how long it took to knit this little number up.

I will wear this sweater a lot this coming fall. It's perfect for that slight chill in the air kind of day.

However, if I were to do it again I would make a size up or maybe two. For once this pattern was true to size. A XS is really tiny (or maybe I've just grown and don't want to admit it) and would love to have it a bit more slouchy.

The arms are a bit tight too. A light tee is all that could be worn underneath.

The pattern was well written and easy to follow. I was worried I wasn't going to have enough yarn, so I made the arms 3/4 and probably could have knit the body a bit longer.

I also used the stockinette side whereas, the pattern called for reverse stockinette.

It sounds as if I don't like this sweater, but I really do. It will receive heavy rotation in the coming months as the cold settles in.

Now on to two baby sweaters...gift knitting is never ending!

5 things....

2011-08-22T06:50:00.004-04:00

Whoa, alittle more than two weeks and we will be back in the swing of things. We are about to have a taste of what's to come, as it is 7 AM as I write this and I need to go wake my oldest for cross-country practice, which is at 8AM. He is NOT going to be happy.

We are savoring every last drop of summer and will finish our last week in the Adirondacks. I'm thinking it will be a bittersweet ending for all this year. The weather, activities and yes, for the most part, behaviors have been wonderful. See, the bad stuff is already fading from memory.

So, five things....mmmm, what am I thinking about?

1. I finally found the small, vintage club chair that I've only been dreaming about. Perfect for a bedroom corner and in great shape.

2. The light is changing as well as are the morning smells. It's dark when I get up in the morning. This makes me a bit sad...summers fly by now. I hope my boys still think they last forever.

3. Trying to push the boys outside more. And in doing that, I've become more active. Yesterday it was a visit to the Art Park.

4. Thinking about projects that I want to attack once the boys are back in school. Both of their rooms are on the list. It's time to get rid of some stuff.

5. I've been reading a lot. Watch for an update in my sidebar. Or, find me at Goodreads. It feels good again to have my nose in a book.

enjoy your week everyone!

Off....

2011-08-18T09:01:00.002-04:00

to enjoy the day.

Painfully aware that this glorious weather won't last forever.

I think Mama deer knows too.

I'm here.....

2011-08-13T14:50:00.003-04:00

but busy!

Checking off all the things we want to get done before school starts again.

Yesterday we traveled to here. Pretty cool stuff!

Two restaurants need to be eaten at and some school clothes to be bought. Then we finish out the summer in the Adirondacks.

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer!

I made these for breakfast the other morning. One liked the other didn't. They are very egg-y. More like a popover than muffin. Fresh fruit would be a great on top!

Link Love...

2011-08-05T06:00:00.001-04:00

Friday already!

This week included:

worries about the boys,

worries about our nation

a new knitting project

and an old one almost done.

A trip away for the boys for the entire day-thinking I would have the day to myself

and then my husband came home.

It's not that I didn't want him home (really!),

I just had the day planned...for me.

oh well...

On to what spurred my interest this week!

Need a last minute invitation. Or, maybe just a few. Check out these cute invites. Now I need to have a party!

I am in love with this site. It just makes me smile. And with raising these two boys, I need all the smiles I can get!

I have two of the three bags on this page. Of course they're in blue! I knew if I kept something long enough it would become popular again! I'm officially old!

Sweetest tablecloth that I ever did see. So easy to do too!

This just brought back so many memories for me. We used to have a small table in our kitchen for the boys. It was always stocked with homemade playdough. I can still picture the boys, shirtless with it all over their hands, bodies and of course in their hair. For those of you with little ones...go make some right now! Ignore the mess, you will be longing for that mess faster than you can believe.

5 things...

2011-08-01T12:06:00.002-04:00

The dog days of summer have hit and I hear cries of "I'm bored" mostly everyday. I've had to limit screen and xbox time, but I think they are even getting tired of the technology.

August is one of my favorite months. I love the colors, the light and the approach of Autumn. Yes, it is the beginning of the end of summer vacation, but I know that by the end of August we will be ready for routine.

1. I am glad that Matt made a few honors courses, but I don't like hounding him to do his summer work to prepare for them.

2. The heat has fried my garden. I'm hoping that some of the new perennials will survive until next year. I'm relying on wildflowers by the side of the road and the farmer's market.

3. We had a small gathering for a group of women that live in town. There are thirteen of us that live here, all different ages, yet connected by the small, local sorority that we all belonged to while attending college up north. People change-the stories never do.

4. Blueberries are in and we went picking. I have about five quarts that I'm going to freeze or make into a pie...etc. I will go back this week.

5. My husband and I have started watching the show Damages. We have only watched two episodes, but we're hooked.

Enjoy the week everyone!

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Part Three

2011-07-28T15:23:00.003-04:00

Okay, so we had this awesome trip out to Wyoming. New adventures and risks for all of us. But, let it be known that this was not a trip without drama and meltdowns. Traveling with your family is hard. I never call it a vacation, because most times I'm dealing with the same stuff I deal with at home, only in a different location.

Some things I've learned over the years of traveling with the boys are below. Some are tried and true, some just work for our family and some are just plain bribes. What I did realize with this trip, is it is essential to travel with your kids. Be it to far away places or to the park in the next town; creating memories with your kids lasts a lifetime for all involved.

One thing we strive to do is keep them fed and rested. We plan breaks into our day and try to space out activities. Going with the knowledge of these planned breaks helps eliminate that need to do EVERYTHING in one day.

Now that the boys are older they have a say in what they would like to see and do. They help plan the adventures and we try to stick with that plan.

One of the boys has to know the schedule right to the minute. Not the way most of the world flies, but for his world it works. Straying of the day's activities can be a disaster so we try to stick to the routine.

When little and we had to go on long car trips, my husband would make a huge map with a countdown of miles. As we would pass landmarks or cities the boys could check off how far they had gone and see how much more they had to go.

Of course now, they bring there itouches etc...

but we still play car games too: I'm thinking of an animal is an all time favorite.

The boys have been traveling on planes since they were little. One of the things that we would do to help them focus and not kick the seat in front of them was to have little trinkets in our arsenal. Matchbox cars worked great along with Star War characters etc. Of course, eating on the plane was always a big hit too.

Again, now they have their books and i...whatever and that keeps them satisfied.

So, what were our mistakes on this trip?

Yellowstone in a day is not advisable(Remember that rule about planning and taking breaks?). Two hundred miles in a car in one day with a teenager and a preteen in the backseat does not make for a pleasant day. There are just so many bison, evergreen trees, geysers that a young man can look at before his brother looks better and it's time to start fooling around and then it goes downhill from there. At one point, I became my mom and threaten to come over the seat and take Christmas away.

The other mistake occurred the last day we were there. We were to hike Death Canyon, a major hike. We had already exhausted ourselves from all the activities during the week and we did not take notice of one boy getting anxious over the name of the hike. Add in changing the plan a bit and, bingo, we had the makings of a huge meltdown. Not one of our finer moments as I'm sure every animal in the Grand Tetons went running for Yellowstone.

I've come to realize that the bad memories fade and the good ones remain.

Proof is in the trip we made to Toronto when the boys were small. The whole, hot trip they were just horrible. There was a pool in the hotel and of course that's all they wanted to do. Why they would want to go walk around Toronto when it was that hot was beyond me? But anyway, we finally decided to give in, buy a movie in our room, and we locked ourselves in the bathroom. Me with a bottle of wine and Andy with a sixer. The boys, to this day remember that trip as an "awesome" weekend! Go figure!

So enjoy the link. It's the last time with the vacation photos, I promise.

And, I'm curious, what our some of your travel tips that you use when traveling with your family?

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Part Two

2011-07-26T06:56:00.003-04:00

One of the things about traveling is seeing things that you don't normally see in your own backyard. Where we live, we have 200+ acres of forever wild behind us. On any given day we can see deer, turkey, raccoons, fox, and an occasional misguided black bear.

The boys are use to animals in the wild and have been brought up to respect the animals' natural habitats.

That being said, it sure was cool seeing a mama moose and her calf.

And the elk roaming on the Wyoming plain were spectacular.

And when this Pronghorn deer popped out we were quite impressed!

But, the crowds and the traffic jams to see some of these animals saddened me. I felt, at times , that I was on a Disney World ride and that all the animals would be led back to the barn at dusk. People were careless, walking up close to the mama bison who were nursing their calves. Ah, people...mamas of any species get angry when they come near their young! Stand back!

Traffic jams ensued when a bull moose was grazing to close to a road. Rangers were forced into directing traffic, a job, I'm sure they did not like.

Right before we arrived in Wyoming, there was a terrible grizzly bear accident in Yellowstone. A man was attacked because the mama bear was protecting her cubs. Usually, in incidents like this the bear is found and destroyed. This one was not. The man was trying to get closer to take a picture. People, please leave that to the men and women who sit in the wild, at a safe distance, with their HUGE lenses and wait for the animals. It's not worth your life and the animals would appreciate the respect.

This elk was just hanging in the middle of the Old Faithful complex in Yellowstone. I couldn't believe that he wanted to be near all the people. Millions of acres and he was in an area about the size of a small living room. People were going nuts, pushing and shoving to get a good picture (not me though...I waited patiently). I think this lady actually enjoyed the people.

We were fortunate to come home just after dusk one evening and as we were driving up the hill to our rental house we were treated to several owls perched in different spots on the hill. Huge owls that had just begun their hunting for the evening. No pictures were taken, but the coolness factor of this sight will remain in my mind forever.

And you know what, I think, at times, that's the best way it should be.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Part One

2011-07-21T10:20:00.005-04:00

So what do I say about our epic trip out West? It was an adventure just getting there as we flew through Chicago (always a risk) while extreme thunderstorms were crossing the country. Plane delays and flying through bad weather does not make for a great start to a vacation. We finally arrived at 11:30 (1:30 east coast time) and proceeded straight to bed. Only to awaken to this:

We were very tired, but off we went to the Bungee trampoline, lunch and a hike. We continued the week with a new adventure everyday.

Hiking was one of our favorite things to do AND (I'm not going to sugarcoat it here) one of the least favorite things to do. Since this is Part One of our adventure I want to start with the good and not the ugly.

We went whitewater rafting, mountain biking and rock climbing. We reached the summit of a mountain, with the help of the tram at Jackson Hole, and saw huge wild animals. We went four-wheeling in the cool truck/jeep that we rented and my boys drove a car for the first time. Really, a car, with their uncle, in the middle of the Wyoming plains, with the Tetons overlooking. Me, I stood far away and watched.

We drove to Yellowstone one day to see Old Faithful and the Morning Glory Pool. Ryan confessed that the Morning Glory Pool was his favorite (he wrote a report on Old Faithful and the MGP this year for science) and that he was glad that he finally saw it. We traveled 2000 plus miles to see a hole!

We smelled new smells like the sage, growing wild...every place you looked. Wildflowers were blooming everywhere. New ones would open daily as it got warmer and warmer. On a side note: Jackson and the surrounding areas are experiencing a late summer as it snowed until the middle of June. The rivers and lakes are extremely high and cold. Wildflower fields are just coming into bloom.

We traveled home, a week later, tired and sore. We discovered new muscles that we didn't know existed and new things about ourselves: perseverance and patience being the top two.

Stay tune for Part Two....

I'll Be Back Soon....

2011-07-19T15:37:00.003-04:00

We went on vacation last week to Jackson Hole, Wyoming!

Had a grand time in the Tetons, with a quick trip to Yellowstone.

Still trying to process the whole trip and deciding on how to organize my thoughts about our adventures.

Until I figure that out, enjoy the picture of the mountainscape. If you haven't been to this area of the country, go-like now! It's truly amazing.

Making...memories

2011-07-06T14:24:00.002-04:00

I'm afraid the blogging is going to be a little hit or miss around here this summer. The boys are keeping me active (in the car) and I'm trying to stay away from the computer. I've already finished two books and have started to pack for a trip away. I hope you are enjoying your summer and I will try to pop in when I have a few interesting tidbits. I'm sure you don't need to know about me driving the boys to baseball yet again.

Fun times on the lake.

My man-child. It's funny that I use this term. The Jungle Book movie was on heavy rotation when the boys were little. I keep thinking of Matt walking into the village at the end because he's hot for the girl....sigh....I hate this growing up thing.

One of my pictures was used to help advertise a new magazine in our city. Might be a job opportunity.

Fireworks....at the neighbors. Oh yeah...I'm sure there were some in our neighborhood that were not happy. Oh well!

Nights with good friends.

enjoy the rest of the week everyone!

Link Love...

2011-07-02T18:13:00.003-04:00

It's a long holiday weekend here in the States and I'm in between activities at the moment. Fourth of July in our town is as close as you can get to a Norman Rockwell painting. Parades, ice cream socials, a movie in the park, an art festival, farmer's market and of course playing on the lake are all favorite activities of the weekend.

I've been having fun with Instagram on my iphone. Provides a bit of enjoyment when I'm shlepping the boys from one place to another.

Hope you are all doing something grand to celebrate our country's independence.

Not sure if I would ever want to make a beet cake. But this video sure makes me want to try!

Today the boys pushed me as far as I was about to go with their behavior...and at that moment i wanted the sweet girls that were sitting on the boat next to me. If I did have girls, I would do this with them.

You still have time if you need a decoration for the 4th!

Or, you could do something as sweet and as simple as this.

The name of this site says it all....and really a pool....in the living room?

enjoy the rest of the weekend! I'm off to our next activity!

Making

2011-06-29T19:02:00.003-04:00

New day-new chocolate chip cookie recipe!

Ryan has declared them excellent!

Matt won't stray from the Toll House recipe! He's a creature of habit, that kid.

Slice and bake cookies! Dough can be made ahead of time and frozen. Pop them out when you need them.

Delicious!

And then I did a study of cheese curls.

Not much else to do on a cold, gloomy, June day!

enjoy the cookies!

5 things...

2011-06-27T13:44:00.002-04:00

The sun is finally out today, although there are still more clouds than sun. The sky is a pretty robin's egg blue and the boys are down the street swimming in our neighbor's pond. We are trying to fall into a routine, having the same discussions over and over about having to do a few chores each day, no they can't play on the Xbox all day and the never-ending discussion about what time is a good time for bed.

1. I was finally able to weed today. Believe me there is plenty to do!

2. Smells of banana bread woke the boys this morning.

3. Looking at whitewater rafting trips and rock climbing excursions for our upcoming trip. I can do this...right?

4. Practicing patience each and everyday. By the time the summer is over I will be beyond expert status!

5. Taking mornings for myself. Reading, knitting, walking the dog and anything else. That does mean I still need to arise at 5:15 to get it all in!

Enjoy your week everyone!

Link Love...

2011-06-25T12:35:00.004-04:00

I haven't lifted my camera to my eye all week. It's been raining off and on and I think I might be growing webs between my toes. The boys are finally home on summer vacation. I now, officially have a freshman and a seventh grader. Let the fun times begin!

Its all about food links this week. If the weather ever turns, I might have a party and try some of these ideas. Hopefully, it is nice where you are and you can experiment with some of these goodies!

Enjoy everyone!

These are first up on my list! A cookie in a ramekin. What could be better!

Okay, dessert must be on my mind. If you are on a diet, keep going. Just looking at the picture is cause to gain ten pounds!

Need an appetizer for a picnic? These are perfect! Stop at your local farmers' market and pick up some spreadable feta...mmmmm.

Now that all the local produce is finally come in I so want to make this. Great for a summer's evening!

Having guests this summer? This looks fantastic for a brunch or light dinner. Get some more fresh feta. Perfection!

PS: Since it was raining, I popped my macro on and had fun with the last of the peonies that I cut from the garden. I wish you could smell them!

Making...chaos!

2011-06-22T08:02:00.003-04:00

Well hello! I feel like I've been stuck in the center of a tornado these past few weeks! Things constantly swirling around and me trying to grab hold of something for a bit of stability. Final exams, field trips, fundraisers, PTA obligations, baseball, social events have all filled our calendar. I think we are finally beginning to see the light at the end of this tunnel and once here, I will be thankful for a more relaxed routine. Matt finished last week and Ryan, finally, finishes tomorrow.

1. I don't think we have eaten a decent meal in weeks. We have been eating on the road to baseball a lot. Pizza has become a favorite friend. Fruit-unheard of. Last night I bought a huge assortment of cut up veggies and had that as my dinner while watching Matt play baseball.

2. We are planning our trip to Jackson Hole Wyoming. If anyone has ever been, any advice on activities, restaurants, hikes, etc...would be greatly appreciated.

3. One of my pictures is going to be published in a local magazine. I'll keep you posted.

4. Looking for some good summer reads. Any suggestions?

5. And lastly, I finished To Kill a Mockingbird a while back. This is one of two passages that really struck a chord. I believe this is what we all feel as parents.

"Heck," Atticus's back was turned. "If this thing's hushed up it'll be a simple denial to Jem of the way I've tried to raise him. Sometimes I think I'm a total failure as a parent, but I'm all they've got. Before Jem looks at anyone else he looks at me, and I've tried to live so I can look squarely back at him...if I connived at something like this, frankly I couldn't meet his eye, and the day I can't do that I'll know I've lost him. I don't want to lose him and Scout, because they're all I've got."

5 things...minus 4

2011-06-11T16:27:00.003-04:00

I'm going to take a break this week and maybe into next. I have six baseball games, one retirement dinner, one fundraiser, 6th grade field days, and Father's day: all in seven days.

I'll see you soon-if I make it.

Have a good week everyone!

Making

2011-06-08T15:16:00.004-04:00

What did you do today in the heat? Me? I decided to bake. I tend to do this when it's warm and I have to shut my doors and windows and turn on the A/C. Today it was individual Pineapple Upside-Down cake. Yummo!

The recipe can be found in the June edition of Food Network Magazine.

I like this recipe because it makes four. Just perfect for our family and no leftovers for me to snack on!

I may just have to put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side though.

Mini Upside-Down Cakes

Brush four 4-ounce ramekins with butter. Sprinkle brown sugar in the bottom of each and line with sliced pineapple. Whisk 1 egg, 1/4 cup buttermilk, 3 tablespoons melted butter and a dash of vanilla in a bowl, then stir in 1/2 cup flour, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt. Divide among the ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool, then unmold and top with confectioners' sugar.

5 things...

2011-06-06T08:34:00.003-04:00

Relaxing weekend of baseball and picnics. Friends come and go and I'm constantly going to the grocery store for more food. Another bread attempt and this time success. Lots of running around today. Silly errands-more baseball tonight. At least it won't be raining and I will be able to knit!

1. It's foggy here today. But, the weather forecast looks grand. Hot by Wednesday.

2. I have something special in the works with one of my pictures. I can't wait to show you all.

3. I love my alliums. I know there are haters out there of these "onions." But they bring my garden to life.

4. Ry enjoyed time with his good friend yesterday. Fishing, frog catching and of course a small fire.

5. Struggling with how to get my fourteen year old to understand the importance of studying for finals. First time through with so many exams. He has done so well all year, I don't want him to crash now.

enjoy the week everyone.

Link Love...

2011-06-03T06:33:00.005-04:00

Wow, I can't believe it's Friday already. The end of school is nearing which means, more studying for tests, projects due, concerts, field trips and on and on and on-which eventually leads to meltdowns of epic proportions because of all the mixed signals we are sending our children. Have fun, enjoy, but don't forget to study, study, study and by the way you need to sleep and eat and get outside and play too. It's tough being a kid these days!

1. I love older men in New York. I love to watch them, listen to them and dream about how they have lived their whole lives in one of the busiest cities in the world.

2. Looking for some summer fun for your kiddos. This camera is awesome! The price point is right too.

3. Summer craft project. Problem is, all my coffee comes in bags.

4.These are just really pretty. Oh, yes, I think I will try my hand at making these this summer.

5. My next time to NYC will lead me here. Just looks like a fun and happy place and oh, yes...I might pick up a pair of fabulous shoes. Just sayin'....

Making

2011-06-02T12:56:00.005-04:00

I made bread. Now, I know for some of you this is an everyday occurrence for you and your family. Me-not so much. I used to make it all the time when I was single (yeah...don't ask) and when the boys were young. Now that times are busier I find it hard to fit into my schedule.

But, a recent trip to the farmer's market, led us to a bread man. He had such good sourdough bread that I knew I needed to try again.

Everything was going perfectly until I needed to remove the plastic over the bread rising in the pan. I forgot to oil the plastic, and yes, the bread stuck to it and quickly deflated when I pulled it off.

I baked it anyway, knowing the outcome was going to be a brick.

It's still tasty, toasted with butter and jam.

Over the weekend, I will attempt this process again.

I'm sure to be fifty pounds heavier by the time I have this bread making thing mastered.

On an unrelated note. I'm waiting for this yarn to arrive to start this. So much for not buying any yarn for awhile!

Memorial Day 2011

2011-05-30T07:51:00.001-04:00

Take time to remember... and say thank you.

and it's official!

2011-05-28T08:30:00.005-04:00

Happy Birthday Ryan!

It's hard to believe that this is the last year in his "tweens." Next year I will have two teenagers in the house...oh dear Lord!

Ryan we couldn't be prouder of you!

Your hard work at school has rewarded you with great grades,

your dedication to your trumpet has led you to first chair,

your persistence at hockey and baseball has helped make you a great teammate and player,

leading you to the States in hockey and to kick butt on the baseball field.

You should be proud of your accomplishments this year, you've worked hard and your efforts have paid off!

Continue to be who you are-a great friend, kind, compassionate, loving caring, and spirited!

I am at awe at how you set your goals and strive to reach for them!

Continue to believe in yourself and you will be on to great things.

Enjoy your special day!

We love you tons!

Making...part 2

2011-05-26T07:57:00.010-04:00

Basic Green Hoodie

from

size 6 needles

(totally unblocked as he wanted to wear it today-you know the first day it's going to be in the 80's)

If you have a teenager in your home, you know that it's all about the hoodie. The correct way to wear a said hoodie is to pull the hood up over your head so you all but disappear into the sweater. I sometimes think it's a defense mechanism for our kids and this turbulent world. I'm probably totally off base on this one and it's just the cool way to wear a hoodie.

Matt picked the color. It's a long standing joke to his uncle and his green sweater. As Matt was putting the sweater on this morning, he said he felt like his Uncle Tim. Role models: oh how important they are! Who knew a basic green sweater that his uncle wears constantly would be so significant in Matt's life? (Tim, you know you can never get rid of that sweater....ever!)

Our school year is drawing to a close and as I look at these pictures I find it hard to believe that we will have a freshman in our home. Eighth grade is in our high school, so he has conquered that fear. But, this is the real deal: working towards graduation. Things count now.

We will settle into our summer routine in about a month. And as we always do, there will be some rough days as he discovers he can't sit in front of the Xbox all day. But as a good friend said to me yesterday-we have just four more years and then they are gone-holy cow! Where has the time gone?

But inside this young man, I still see the little boy with the mischievous smile and his great sense of humor.

Enjoy your sweater Matt! It's made with much love!

Making

2011-05-25T10:21:00.003-04:00

It's done!

Waiting for Matt to get home for the modeling session.

That's only if the clouds clear out of here!

Stay tuned....

5 things...

2011-05-24T07:05:00.003-04:00

I'm not going to say anything about the rain. I think we can all agree that we've had enough. My heart goes out to the people of Joplin. I count my blessings that I live where I do and will remember these poor people as I start to complain about our long winters.

My prayers are with the victims and the people helping to get these people back on their feet.

1. It's birthday WEEK around here! Ry had his friends over on Saturday. I have never met someone who loves celebrating his birthday as much as my son. We have an action packed week in store!

2. The weather broke long enough that they were able to sit outside for breakfast. You know the usual, piles of pancakes, a pound of bacon, lots and lots of sausage and a half gallon of OJ!

3. Gone are the days of Laser Tag. Tastes have become more expensive. Japanese Steak House is the new thing to do!

4. You know, because they are twelve and fire fascinates them...

5. And lastly, I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird. I somehow was not assigned to read it in high school. My sister-in-law was reading it on our vacation and encouraged me to pick it up. Thanks Julie for the push. What a wonderful book.

enjoy the rest of the week!

Link Love...

2011-05-21T08:32:00.005-04:00

Holy Hannah-It's Saturday already! Not sure where the time goes. My poor lilacs are rotting before they even bloom due to all the rain. I've cut many and have them all over the house. It smells alittle lilac-y here at Upper Pond. Off to two baseball games and then a house full of twelve year olds for the night. Wish us luck!

1. Okay, I'm all for the DIY movement and all...but do people really have time to do this? Sweet idea and you can make cool colors. But this is an area that I might have to pass.

2. Found this site the other day and loved it. I'm always looking for creative ideas to liven up our menu around here!

3. You've probably have seen this picture a million times already....but I love it. We finally see Prince Charles as a dad and not some stuffy royal.

4. What would you take with you?

5. I stumbled upon this site awhile ago. They provide excellent articles and tutorials for all levels. They have given me a good kick in the butt to look at my photography in a different way.

enjoy the weekend everyone!

Making...

2011-05-18T20:10:00.003-04:00

Mom told me never to play with my food....but she didn't know how much fun it is with a camera in hand!

Hello~I made muffins~big deal! But I am knitting and should be done with this green hoodie thing by the end of the week. Check back soon for the finished project!

5 things...

2011-05-16T13:33:00.003-04:00

oh boy, is it a gloomy day here today. I just can't seem to find the energy to do anything (and believe me I have a lot to do!). I'm hoping that the rain will continue (don't hate me) and that both baseball games will be cancelled. I'm not looking forward to sitting in damp, 50 degree rainy weather. It's a spaghetti and meatball kind-of night and here's hoping we will all be able to just relax this evening.

Speaking of baseball, my five things all have to do with the sport of baseball. Things that I have been thinking about after attending a multitude of games.

1. To the coaches: Please when you are creaming the other team, because you stacked your own team, try to refrain from stealing the bases in the 6th inning. I'm thinking that your 22-6 win is pretty much a given and it really doesn't do any good to crush the souls of the ten and eleven year olds any further.

2. To the coaches (part 2): Yelling at the teenage umps, that attended a two hour class, is not going to teach anyone, anything. Coach, you end up looking like a jerk, the teen ump looks scared to death and the players are standing there picking dandelions. Take the time after the game to find the rule that you disagree with and talk respectfully to the teens. They will appreciate the time spent with them.

3. Parents: Please get to know the parents on your team before you start making fun of your own players. Ever hear the saying..."foot in mouth?" That pitcher on the mound is trying his best and his parents are scared to death for him (can you tell I'm a mom of a pitcher?). Really what good does it do to tell the whole bleacher section that our team sucks?

4. To the umps...please try to be forceful with these testosterone driven coaches. Take note of the jerks and get to know the good ones. And remember, when the game gets long-widen that strike zone so we can go home!

5. And lastly, dear mothers of 14 year old boys. Please don't talk about your son's cup size in the bleachers. I am sure they would be mortified to know that you are having this discussion and frankly, I really don't need to know either!

Enjoy your week everyone!

Link Love...

2011-05-14T15:24:00.003-04:00

Just a quick link today. I've been busy with stuff around the house and having Blogger down for a few days helped loads: no distractions.

I found this great little video while wasting time last night. It gives you a whole different view than what we saw on television.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

5 things...

2011-05-09T06:21:00.002-04:00

Wow...what a wonderful weekend. Two full days of sun! I got all my front gardens weeded and hosta divided so when the mulch arrives this week I will be ready!

Mother's Day was calm this year (thank goodness-I pretty much let them do what they wanted so I didn't have to get into it with any of them) which let me spend some time with my new camera! woot! Have a good week!

1. I find little tokens of where they have been during the previous days. Shoes, shorts, pants, dirty dishes...all provide me some aggravation, yet they are reminders that they are active and interesting young men.

2. I just finished reading The Book Thief (link on the sidebar). If you haven't read it, do so. I haven't become so involved in a book's characters in a long, long while.

3. What's with the lettuce coming up in my garden? Last year it didn't want to grow and quickly died. This year I have it re-emerging. My parsley also survived the harsh winter. Two nice surprises as I unearthed the gardens.

4. With the warmer weather means crazy schedules until June. Baseball is in full swing. I will be at a field: Monday, Tuesday,Wednesday and Saturday of this week. Not only do both boys play, Matt is now umping. This should be good...

5. The farmer's market started back up this weekend. So many new vendors and good food to buy. This week I bought homemade sourdough bread (which the boys enjoyed in two nights), fresh pasta and some creamy goat cheese. All were delicious!

enjoy your week everyone!

Link Love...

2011-05-06T09:43:00.003-04:00

It's another beautiful day here in my neck of the woods. It could be a bit warmer, but I'm just thankful it's not raining yet again! No big plans for Mother's Day and I like it that way. It's a tough day for my boys (I think I've said this before). The pressure to make good choices for an entire day just seems to backfire. Here's wishing you a wonderful weekend! I'll be carting my kids around and that's just the way I like it!

1.Love these! What a fun way to cheer up the house, or a party or just because. They look super easy to make too!

2. This photographer captured incredible pictures of the tornadoes in the South. Read her story here. My heart breaks for the victims.

3. I may have posted these before, but I think they are hysterical. My husband's fiftieth is fast approaching...mmmm.....

4. Love this collection. Especially the eyelet/lace dress.

5. I love photo booths. What a great idea for any party or celebration.

As you can see I was playing with Lightroom again. I love this little cemetery at the end of my road. It has all sorts of character. The farmer plants something new in this field each year and in the fall the oak tree turns a beautiful red/orange.

Making...

2011-05-04T15:30:00.003-04:00

absolutely nothing! Not one thing...oh wait, I did make chocolate chip cookies yesterday. And then I found some frozen pumpkin muffins way back in the freezer so I popped those in the oven. But, that's about it! I'm in a huge slump and really nothing is inspiring me. I see wonderful things being made and I'm just in awe. I'm going to chalk it up to the dreary weather and wishing I was still on vacation.

So instead of feeling sorry for myself, I will pull my butt off this chair and go re-evaluate my knitting. Hopefully, by next week I will have something...anything to show you!

Happy making!

5 things...in pictures

2011-05-02T12:45:00.003-04:00

It was a good weekend. The sun was out and the flowers decided to wake up!

I'm not sure what I can say about today's major news event. So I will remain quiet and reflect about my friends that lost good friends, work associates and family members nearly ten years ago. I'm sure the images of that day in September are hard to watch again today and only hope that they are all finding some comfort in whatever they do throughout today.

Enjoy my study of the fence.

Same fence-just viewed a bit differently in each shot.

enjoy your week!

Link Love...

2011-04-29T09:04:00.003-04:00

More vacation pictures today. A few are from our fishing expedition. I say a few because that's about all I took. The seas were a bit rougher this year and what started out as a nice six hour tour quickly turned into Pukefest 2011. Most of us got sick. At one point I turned to Ryan and told him to throw-up, it would make him feel better and then he could go on fishing. And, that's exactly what he did! The first mate was quite impressed with the fact that we stuck with it so long. We didn't catch as many keepable (we caught quite a few red snapper which weren't in season) fish but that's okay. Our whole impression of the Gulf was that it was pretty to look at but it's rebuilding after the spill. Not as many birds, hardly any crabs (the ones that we saw were dead) in the water and no shells on the beach.

I'm off to have another cup of coffee. Getting up early to watch the royal wedding got the best of me. Enjoy the links....many are wedding related in celebration of William and Kate!

1. I originally bookmarked this site for the votives that they hung over the bride and groom. What a beautiful and simple idea. But, then they had a short video at the end of the post with my all time favorite song. Well, if that didn't do me in! Then, I caught sight of the history of the bride and groom at the end. Have your tissues ready as you read. Best of luck to this couple, they deserve much happiness.

2. Love these DIY Sequin Heart Toppers! What a great and easy way to spice up a party table.

3. Who would have thought burlap and bling would go together. This is beautiful!

4. Kate's dress=spectacular! And her sister-equally as beautiful. Those commoners know a thing or two about fashion!

5. Lastly, I'm sure you've heard how the newlyweds wanted all gifts to go to charity. Here is their site. They are one class act!

enjoy the weekend everyone!

Making...Spring!

2011-04-27T14:02:00.003-04:00

It's way too nice to be inside in front of a computer. Plus, I have absolutely nothing to show in the the knitting/sewing/cooking department as I have been a bit lazy coming out of vacation mode. So, I will give you pictures of my garden finally awakening. I'm going back out to sit on the porch before the rain comes, yet again. Hope you are having a fabulous day!

5 things....vacation style!

2011-04-25T08:34:00.004-04:00

We are back! I'm still tackling mountains of laundry and sweeping up sand from the laundry room floor but as I work I continue to think about the memories that we made in Florida. I think all the adults and kids agree that this was one of our best years yet. The boys are self-sufficient and the little girls that travel with us are growing up too. Less meltdowns make for very happy people.

If you have never been to the Panhandle, specifically here, put it on your list. It's a magical place worth visiting.

1. We had a photo contest. Two of us blog, many of us have flickr pages and we all have cameras. I felt like we were the paparazzi. There were cameras all over the place. At the end of the week, the slideshow was presented and prizes were awarded!

2. Last year we all agreed that we didn't ride our bikes enough. We changed that this year. Trail riding, quick trips to town and a long ride to breakfast were fun for all.

3. I am amazed at my sons and how they have grown to love this place. We were walking home one evening and Matt leaned over to me and declared that he only had four more years here and then off to college. Bittersweet moment for sure.

4. The mornings were overcast and not great for picture taking...but I did get out once. I decided to sleep a bit more in the mornings...a treat for me.

5. Wishing I was still walking the paths, but am also glad to be home.

Will show more vacations pictures in the coming week. Let me know if you get sick of seeing them!

Have a great week and now I'm off to do some more laundry!

5 things...

2011-04-11T17:43:00.002-04:00

1. I'm off to the beach in a few days

2. So I don't have time to play on the computer.

3. I need to pack

4. And finish knitting a sweater (but in all honesty, I think it's coming with me)

5. See you all in a couple of weeks. I'm going cold turkey with the computer. I promised the boys!

Link Love...

2011-04-08T15:13:00.004-04:00

I went bathing suit shopping today. Enough said...on with the links!

1. Kerstin and Liv are a mother/daughter team.. Their love of beads, crafting and just spending time together have prompted them to open their own etsy shop.The beaded bracelet above and the necklace below are made by Kerstin. Liv makes cute jewelery for young ladies (which I happen to have one of her originals too). They were kind enough to send me the necklace as a special gift after I admired it on their flicker page Go check them out. They are making great stuff!

2. Happy Birthday pancakes just make me smile.

3. What a determined young girl. I love the way she uses her hands to try to help herself.

4. A rooftop wedding in NYC. That would be a blast!

5. uh, no. Would you?

enjoy your weekend everyone!

5 things...

2011-04-05T09:06:00.004-04:00

Okay, I'm going to try to remain positive as I write this. Because, I just got up to get another cup of coffee and looked out my window. It's snowing so hard, I can't see the playset in the back. The yard is quickly being covered by more snow. The piles from the winter haven't even melted yet. So...let's go on!

1. One of my Lenten goals was to try to remain more positive. I'm trying and I see a vast difference around the house. It takes a lot from deep inside some days, but I'm trying to lead by example.

2. I'm also learning to love my lines a bit more. They are coming fast and furious now and I need to remind myself of all the fun and living that got me here. The top photo is "touched" up to soften the lines a bit. Again, more practice with Photoshop Elements.

3. This is totally untouched, without makeup and I'm wondering if I even combed my hair on this day. Not sure how much longer I can go with growing my hair out. It's the longest it has been since my early 20's.

4. We are into single digits on our countdown to vacation. Not sure how we will be able to wait much longer. Ryan is all packed and could leave tomorrow!

5. I've got to go hit the treadmill. If I'm going to eat all that yummy food on vacation, I've got to make room for it now!

Have a good day and I sure hope it's not snowing in your neck of the woods!

Making....

2011-03-30T20:02:00.002-04:00

I Made A Pie..., a photo by Upper Pond on Flickr.

This is about all I've made in the last week. I've been working on my crust and this one was pretty good.

Also, testing out the new buttons on flickr. Nice new feature to share your pictures to other social networks.

5 things...

2011-03-28T15:39:00.002-04:00

Typical Monday-getting things done. Five bags to the Salvation Army today. I finally got my husband to go through part of his closet. We have more to go, but I feel that we are on our way to clearing out the stuff that we don't need anymore.

1. Everyone was healthy this weekend!

2. But my husband woke up today with a cold. That's worse than having both boys home sick at the same time.

3. I have to keep looking up or I

4. see this. Man, it's taking a long time to melt this year.

5. My porch is patiently waiting for the table and chairs. For neighbors and new friends to come sit, chat and enjoy a glass of wine.

Link Love...

2011-03-25T11:01:00.004-04:00

No wonderful spring pictures to show you this week...the weather has slipped back into winter mode. Add two sick kids to the mix and my week was pretty much shot. Everyone is healthy again, but the weather still hasn't received the memo about Spring. Hopefully it's just buried on Mother Nature's desk and she will discover it soon.

Here are some great ways to make buttermilk or use a substitute when you discover your recipe needs it and you are halfway through the mixing of the ingredients. Not saying you've ever done this, but I can attest that I've been there once or twice.

I saw these the other day and reminisced about how I use to put cute little things into the boys' Easter baskets. Thought these were wonderful for little children.

This is on my list to make this Spring...I mean really, how hard can it be?

Got a cake to decorate? Love these. So happy and fun!

And oh, how I dream of doing this sometime soon.

Happy weekend everyone.

5 things...

2011-03-21T15:53:00.003-04:00

Here's to another week....another seven days closer to the beach. yippee!

1. We watched the moon on Saturday. It was big, but I think I'm partial to a late summer's moon. Maybe it's because we are usually still in the Adirondacks when it appears. There's nothing better than seeing it come up over the mountains and shine upon the lake.

2 We are loving the extra light in the evening.

3. The boys have been wearing shorts...thinking it's summer. Lot's of boys on the trampoline. It's fun having everyone around again.

4. Mud season has arrived in full force. The snow is slowly melting away leaving treasures on the lawn. Found the shovel that we were looking for and the lawn has been properly fertilized by our dog.

5. The stomach bug finally caught up with us here at Upper Pond. Word of advice for those of you that have younger children: when they want that uber cool shag carpet for their room- know that it's a b*&%th to clean after a midnight vomiting session. Just sayin'

Have a good week everyone!

Link Love...

2011-03-18T10:43:00.003-04:00

This week the PTA hosted a morning presentation discussing technology in the classroom. The teacher that presented is an outstanding teacher and did a great job with the parents that attended. One of the terms he used was "digital native" as he was describing our students. I've been thinking a lot about that term and what it means for my boys. This connected world is the only world they know. Sorta bittersweet if you think about it. Waiting is not in their vocabulary. Whatever they want is at the touch of a button. I often wonder, how to tap into that spirit and how to slow it down a bit too.

The here and now generation has a great amount of energy. I see it in my kids all the time. They dream something up and run to the Internet for research. BUT, if it can't be attained at that moment, the disappointment can be monumental. How do we teach our kids to be patient, resilient, calm and understanding? To know that at times they must wait, or maybe even fail.

This past week's events have caused me to pause and examine how different the world is now from when I grew up. I grew up with many of the same events my kids are experiencing: a war, recession, gas lines, fear of a nuclear episode, be it from enemies or a nuclear meltdown. But, there is one huge difference. I didn't have it in my face all. the. time. Sure I thought about it, discussed it with my friends, wore the silver POW/MIA bracelets, and did sheltering drills in school. And then I went my way, playing outside until my mom rang the bell to come home.

So, I think kids are resilient more than we think. In fact, I think they are probably numb from all the information that they know. My kids ask questions, know a whole lot more than I did at their age and still play outside. My thought is, are they so over saturated from the information that they don't even process the information anymore.

With this 24/7 connection, do we need to have them step away, so they can learn the idea of compassion and kindness-or is that being built into them as they see and hear of these events?

Forgive me for my ramblings. Just some things that I've been thinking about. I couldn't post links for fashion or food today. Today, I'm lucky to be a mom, daughter, wife, sister and friend to those around me.

I'll be keeping those in Japan in my thoughts as they recover and will continue thinking about my boys as they navigate through this ever-changing world.

Some places to donate for the Japan disaster.

Also, please remember that New Zealand and Haiti are still recovering from their disasters.

The American Red Cross

Shelter Box

Save the Children

Doctors without Borders

Making

2011-03-16T17:02:00.007-04:00

I bet you just want to run and get a tall glass of milk or a cup of coffee to dunk one of these beauties into it. They do look all nice and soft with just the right amount of chocolate to take care of that craving you've had all day.

But, really they look like this. A hard, gummy, chewy mess. Not sure what happened and I will probably be the one to eat them all, because, you know, they look different. This looked like a keeper of a recipe. In the magazine they looked divine. Just remember, that I was the one to tell you to just keep on going. Turn the page and be thankful that I saved you a few extra calories.

My day was good...really it was, except for the cookies above and not being able to get my camera to register the right green of the sweater that I'm making for Matt. It's green. Sorta, heathery, camo, forest green. It's boring to knit. But...he has asked repeatedly. It needs to be done in 29 days. Because that's when we go south and he wants to bring it with him. really? I don't question my fourteen year old anymore. His brain just isn't functioning correctly most days. So I knit on...and give you an artistic shot for your enjoyment.

Enjoy your making.

5 things...

2011-03-14T13:32:00.004-04:00

Whoa...another busy weekend. You would think we would have slowed down a bit since we were all done with hockey, but of course we didn't! We decided to do everything that we haven't done because of hockey. Add in a hour gone missing and the weekend was gone!

1. Even though hockey was over, we still went to two hockey games this weekend. It was great fun to see our high school boys' hockey team win the state title for small schools. All the younger hockey kids sat together and helped cheer on the team. Great fun and a great accomplishment for hockey in our area.

2. Grades are giving my oldest a bit of a run around. He's needing to hit the books a bit more than usual and that's proving difficult for him. He's never really had to work for his grades so this is new for him. Of course, it's all my fault (how? I have no idea, but it always is) so when I call him on it...oh boy, watch out.

3. We still have a lot of snow, evidenced in the picture above. I'm crabby about it.

4. I just finished watching Season One of Downton Abby. Oh my! So good. Can't wait for Season Two to hit Netflix.

5. I've been forcing myself to learn Photo Elements 9. Not g0nna lie, it's difficult. I have found many online videos to help and am slowly plodding my way through.

Happy week everyone!

Meet Astor

2011-03-09T17:21:00.005-05:00

The first time I saw Astor was on Leslie. Then Sarah knit her. I actually saw Sarah's on her in person back in the Fall and knew that I needed to knit her. Then, recently, Rosemary finished hers.

This is a sweater that I will wear a lot.

It's warm and comfortable and I like that it's a cardigan.

It will be perfect for the change in seasons...

Specs:

5 things...

2011-03-07T16:14:00.002-05:00

Wow! What an amazing, action packed weekend! The boys both had hockey tournaments to end their year. Matt's team went farther than they thought possible and lost in the semi-finals. Ryan's team fought hard in each and every game which also landed the team in the semi-finals. Unfortunatly, they lost in overtime 2-1. It was a great experience for both boys and memories were made which will last a lifetime.

1. We woke today, to find that Mother Nature has a very sick sense of humor. Approximately two feet of snow was dumped on us last night. My back is sore and I'm crabby. The sun came out this afternoon which helps a bit.

2. I spent the last four days with Matt. It was great fun and not one conflict occurred. We talked and laughed and ate every meal out. It was wonderful.

3. I'm thinking about paint colors for our family room. Maybe a grey or gold. It's hard to pick because I have dark cherry woodwork and floors. What's your favorite color? Suggestions?

4. I need to figure out what to have for dinner...but I'm procrastinating here in this space.

5. Maybe I'll go read for a bit and it might come to me.

Enjoy the week everyone.

Making

2011-03-03T17:11:00.003-05:00

Astor is drying! So pictures soon! I think we are going to be very best friends, yes indeed!

So what else have I been making? How about these sinfully delicious cupcakes. Found the recipe while looking for yet another chicken recipe. If you like chocolate and cream cheese, these are for you!

I started a sock a few weeks ago while at Ryan's games. I didn't have anything to do while waiting, so I walked over to the yarn shop, that was conveniently located a block away from the hockey rink and bought some needles and yarn. The colors definitely remind me of the the upcoming change in seasons. My hope is that I won't have to wear socks for too much longer!

And lastly, I want to share this great little ipod case that Rebecca made. She is the owner of the blog called Poshyarns. She ran a contest a month or so ago and I was the winner! I'm constantly losing my phone in my purse, so this will be just the thing to help me keep track of it. Thanks Rebecca for your sweetness and please go say hi to Rebecca. She creates the sweetest things for her family.

What are you all working on?

5 things....

2011-02-28T12:54:00.004-05:00

Well, hello. I took last week off along with the boys. Between having friends over, skiing, hockey and just plain hanging out it was tough to get to the computer. I also, did not feel the best. Just a cold, but enough of a bother to find it hard to concentrate on a screen. The boys are back to school and I'm on the mend, so all is good.

1. Last night I watched part of the Academy Awards. I think the best part was the red carpets shows that were on before the main event. I thought it was quite boring, as I guess I always do. Anyways, I turned it off way before it was over.

2. The weather has been fierce the past week. One day we have blinding blizzards, the next day we have a melt, and then again snow. I want to believe Spring is coming, but know that some of our worst weather is in March.

3. The pond is melting. We never did get to skate on it this winter. The snow came too early and then it just kept right on snowing...but I think you know that already :) I think this is the first year that we haven't skated. Someone asked the other day how old the boys were when we first laced skates onto their feet. We thought back and discovered Ryan was two years old when he first shuffled across the pond!

4. More cleaning out to do. I was reading a magazine the other day and thought that all the news was really old. I discovered I was reading a magazine from 2009! Really, I'm not a hoarder!

5. And what would a post be without a mention of hockey. Just four more practices and one more weekend of games. And, as always, it will be a bittersweet ending.

Happy week to you all!

Only One Thing to Say...

2011-02-21T16:31:00.002-05:00

we won!

We will be headed to States in two weeks. Sorta wish the season was over, but then again, when I look at this smile, I so change my mind!

He's Fourteen...

2011-02-19T06:00:00.003-05:00

and drives me crazy every. single. day. I have whiplash from the emotional roller coaster ride,

but I wouldn't want it any other way.

He's funny, smart, kind and compasionate.

His creativity astounds me.

He's constantly teaches us new things.

I could go on and tell you about how his room is messy and how he hates to brush his teeth. How he could sit in front of the television the entire day, if I let him...oh I could go on, but I won't because he's your typical teenager!

Happy Birthday Matt!

We love you!

Link Love...

2011-02-18T06:00:00.000-05:00

Starting today, we have another long weekend of hockey. Ryan's team is playing in sectionals. If they place first or second, we go here (pretty much the farthest north you can go in NYS) to compete in States. Wish us luck. We have a pretty good chance.

Enjoy the links!

1. This woman is phenomenal. I love her photography and I love her even more because she loves this yarn!

2. Matt had a box fort that he lived in when he was two. They have come a long way!

3. I've been thinking about this guy's question. One thing I do know, is that I need to learn more about light and how I can manipulate it with my camera.

4. Good to know info, just in case you are going to a rockin' concert this summer!

5. And this is my kind of outfit!

Making

2011-02-16T21:06:00.005-05:00

Still knitting on Astor....but this is what I really wanted to share.

I think I've shared my front porch to you all.

It's one of my favorite places to be once the weather warms up.

But I found this porch today in a magazine I picked up (see above...I've searched for the link but can't find it anywhere).

Look familiar? I so want to do this to my porch.

We have a back porch that is similar and a bit wider than our front. This whole concept is just what I've been searching for. I really covet that rug. The old mental juices are flowing, just like the sap in the maple trees. Now we just have to get rid of all that snow!

5 things...Valentine's Day Style

2011-02-14T10:16:00.005-05:00

(hearts made by the boys in 2007)

Happy Valentine's Day to all! Enjoy the day and enjoy the links!

1. A few food ideas to make today special. How about pink smoothies and heart shaped biscuits?

2. Heart shaped marshmallows for your hot chocolate?

3. You might want to make this yummy cake with these wonderful roses.

4. This card is beautiful.

5. And if you have a bit of time today...how about this fabric heart garland?

Have fun!

Link Love...

2011-02-11T08:37:00.003-05:00

Whew...made it to the weekend. It's been a long one around here. On the bright side (no pun intended), we have been enjoying the sun for the last three days. It's wicked cold outside, but I'll take it if it means a good dose of vitamin D.

Have a happy weekend everyone! I'll be shuffling back in forth to hockey rinks. Four more weekends of this...and then we are DONE!

1. My PSA(and no I was not sent this to me in the mail.) This stuff is amazing! I have been reading the research on giving Omega 3-6-9 to kids with attention difficulties. I asked my pediatrician about it and she supported me and encouraged me to give it to the boys. Every morning they take a good size tablespoon. I swear it settles Ryan. It's nature's form of Ritalin. We were using the Raspberry Swirl by the same brand, but the boys like this one better. They love the creamsicle taste and I never have a difficult time with them taking it. We still try to eat a good amount of fish, but sometimes that's difficult to do with our crazy schedules. This tends to be a good alternative.

2. As soon as the snow melts (my guess this might happen in July) I'm going to collect rocks. I love this idea.

2. Sweet gift for Valentine's Day or to make if you have some spare time on your hands.

4.This just scream warm weather! And so easy to do!

5. And lastly, if you haven't made your Valentine's Day cards yet, check out this site. A whole list of printables. Happy printing!

Making

2011-02-09T08:08:00.004-05:00

I've been making hats. Small, easy to carry to the hockey rink, hats. One I like, the other, well, not so much.

The infant hat is made from left-over sock yarn. This just happens to be sknitches syncopation yarn in mint mocha latte. Easy, peasy pattern...just like it says!

The other hat is Ida's Kitchen. Very hip and trendy. Just not on me and with the colors I chose. I might make this again for a young adult, with bright, fun colors.

I'm also going to leave this picture small. That way, you can't see the huge black circles under my eyes.

Currently, I've gone back to knitting Astor. I've got the back, two pocket linings and half a front completed. It's a quick knit and with a ton of hockey this weekend, I hope to finish it up soon!

5 things...

2011-02-07T20:03:00.005-05:00

After a busy weekend I'm glad we don't have hockey practice tonight. Between skiing, sleepovers, four hockey games, scary, snowy rides home and a Super Bowl party, I'm tired. Here's to a good week everyone. Don't forget to start making those Valentine's!

1. Whoa...we had an epic ride home Saturday night. One of those nights where the snowflakes were as big as baseballs and coming down fast. I could only see a mere foot in front of me. Thank goodness for the snowbanks. They were my guides to the road. Matt sat by me calmly texting away. He was kind enough to turn the volume off so he wouldn't bother me.

2. Aren't these quilts beautiful. I'm photographing them for a man that has suddenly taken an interest in late 18th century quilts. You should see the detail on them. And they are all hand stitched.

3. Hip hip hooray for my boys report cards. Totally awesome.

4. I'm enjoying lots of chai tea lately.

5. I had a helper.

enjoy your week!

Making

2011-02-03T20:29:00.003-05:00

I finished Ida's Kitchen. It's drying. I'll take pictures of it soon. I'm less than pleased. I think it might have been my color choices.

I started this hat, but now I feel I may not have enough leftover sock yarn. It's for Ryan's band teacher. Well not for him, his new baby boy. It's sorta bribery. For some reason he doesn't like Ryan. I guess Ryan can be a bit fidgety in band. Go figure!

I haven't bought any new books lately and two of my favorite friends helped to enable me this past week. I saw Sarah's beautiful quilt squares and was inspired. And then I saw Camilla's family hoodies and knew that was the pattern that I had been searching high and low for Matt's sweater. I have no idea when I might get to these projects, but I love the books and they will be waiting patiently for me when I'm ready.

5 things...in pictures

2011-01-31T19:21:00.002-05:00

I'm quiet today, busy reflecting. So I think I will just leave you with some of my favorite images from last week. The two baby pictures were taken a few summers ago. I experimented with Lightroom...again.

For some inspiration go read Camilla's post from today. It will give you a kick in the pants if you are in need of one.

See you back on Wednesday!