57 Days

I am not counting but I have to face the facts.

High school graduations will be taking place across the country. Some earlier than others depending on where you live.  Our daughter has 57 days (only 57 days) until she graduates from high school. I know we are looking at it much differently than she is. To her, life is around the corner. College and all the opportunities that lie ahead of her. To me, she’ll be leaving home for college and life as I have known it for the last 17 ½ years, will never be the same. She is leaving home. She is leaving me. She’ll be hours from me, not just down the hallway in her room.  There is so much change ahead of me that I try not to think about it right now, even though I am planning. Planning for graduation night, planning her graduation party, planning for her move to college.

Her senior year has been a big year for her as well as me. I jumped at the chance to volunteer for Project Graduation (a night-long drug and alcohol-free celebration). A small group of mothers have planned and carried out numerous fund-raising events to raise money to provide a free, fun-filled night for all the seniors. Their last social event as high school seniors before they go their separate way in life. It has been a fun year but very busy for us; however, we reached our goal and are now planning gift giveaways for their last night together. Only 57 more days to get everything done.

We are so proud of our daughter. She has had another great year and she continues to impress us. She has maintained high grades (making the scholar list, 95 average and above) while taking several AP courses, working and participating in several clubs. She is the editor of the yearbook and has spent hours working on that. She is also on the track team again this year despite telling us she did not plan to join. We were glad the coach talked to her and she changed her mind. It is been a busy year for her but it is all coming to an end. 

The seniors will head to Boston in June for their senior trip.  It’s a quick 3-day trip jam packed with sight-seeing and fun activities! I hope her and her friends have a great time and enjoy this trip – last one of their school days.

It's that time of year - College Acceptance Day!

It’s her Senior year! So much going on sometimes I get dizzy. We are so proud of our daughter!

Last July, Olivia and I traveled to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) for a campus tour, baking demonstration and an admissions informational meeting. It was a hot July day and the campus was beautiful, small and inviting.  We had a long day with a lot of information to digest. We ended the day with Olivia applying before we left the demo. We handed her application in, free of charge, saving us a $50.00 application fee. Since it was early afternoon, we made arrangements to meet her friend once her class ended. While waiting, we browsed the campus store and found some items for Olivia. We met Josie who took us to a few of the kitchens to meet some of the chefs. We went into the bread kitchen, I wanted to roll my sleeves up and stay, and met the chef. We did not stay long as a class was in session. On to another kitchen and we met three chefs. One chef took us into the kitchen, working students all around us, as he talked to Olivia. Josie asked permission to let us try one of her desserts she had made and he said yes. He was thrilled that Olivia would be enrolling in the Baking and Pastry Arts program.  He said “I’ll see you in class.” What a nice welcome!

After our kitchen tours, Josie took us to her dorm room so Olivia could see her room which was different than the staged dorm room we saw during the tour. We thanked Josie, gave her a little thank you gift and headed for home.

School started and Olivia began her senior year – class of 2018!  On September 25, Olivia received a large envelope from the CIA congratulating her on her acceptance to the CIA!  The envelope looked like a cutting board and printed in one corner was “you made the cut”.  Clever! She was excited as we all were!  If you plan to go into a field like baking and want to eventually own your own business, you need to go to the best school and the CIA is the best!

Mail started coming on a regular basis and we filed our financial aid forms. Olivia started applying to numerous scholarships and I started making my lists.

Just a few weeks ago, we traveled to the CIA again for Acceptance Day! We attended several informational sessions hosted by various departments, enjoyed lunch and received a gift - a pasta cookbook - since we had already paid the acceptance fee. 

We will be taking her to college in September but Olivia and I will be making one more trip in July for a mandatory weekend at CIA.  She gets to sleep in a dorm and I’ll have to stay in a hotel.  She’s going to have a great time and it’s just the beginning.

A New Look

I haven't posted anything in so long. Life has been busy and time has gotten away from me. 

Lat fall, I stripped our main bathroom. I removed the wallpaper that had been up for over a decade. Yes I know, it certainly was time for a make-over.  Wallpaper was removed, walls were scrubbed, and the ceiling was washed as well. I painted the ceiling first, then the walls. I just loved the color! Amazing how a fresh coat of paint can make one happy. After two coats, then painting the trim, I decorated.

I also saved money by using coupons on the shower rod, shower curtain, pictures and wall shelf! It came together very nice as I admit, I am not a great interior designer. 

We all love the new look! Since these pictures were taken, the baseboard has been installed.  Sorry no pictures of that.

On the Farm

The animals are keeping us busy. About two weeks ago, on a Friday afternoon, I was home alone.  A rare occurrence.  Olivia was at a friends’ house, John was on his way home from an appointment, and I had 15 minutes before I had to pick Elliott up from practice. It was beautiful outside, so I grabbed my book and went out to sit on the front porch to read. Ruddie was laying on the grass enjoying the warmth from the sun.  As I read, I heard a snort. Then I heard a second snort and I jumped up and looked over my shoulder and there they were.  Our two pigs were walking across the yard like it was an everyday occurrence. By the time I put my book down and ran down the stairs, I had to get them out of my flower bed. I managed to get them around the corner of the house. 

They started to rut while Ruddie persistently tried to get under the belly of the larger pig. I had to get him out of the way so put him in his kennel. He is so good, all I had to do was say “let’s go” and he ran to his kennel.  As they flung sod around, I ran into the house to call John, tell him what was going on and find out how long it would be before he would arrive home.  I stood in our yard, watching them tear up our lawn while waiting for John to pull in the driveway.  When he finally arrived, he went over to the shed to get some feed. After all, it was dinner time.  In the meantime, I ran to the garage and grabbed an apple. The larger pig loved it. So I ran back to the garage and took two apples.  I held them in front of their snouts and lead them toward their “hog hotel”. They followed, taking their time until we were about three-quarters of the way along the lower pond.  They saw their shed and ran to it. John was there and together we got them through the opened fence.  Once inside, I held the fence in place while John went to get materials to repair the opening.

 

Last Sunday, John was up early to go to work.  After feeding Ruddie, he let him out. Ruddie barked, he seldom barks, so I got out of bed to tell John. I wasn’t sure if he heard the bark.  We both thought he might have found the bear in the field as we have one wandering the hillside.  We both went out on the back deck and John called for Ruddie.  He finally came but stopped half-way on the back hill, sat down and would not look at us.  John walked up to get him and said “Oh no”.  Thinking the worse, I said “what?”  He told me that Ruddie met a porcupine.  It was 3:47 am! John brought him into the house, I sat with him and talked to calm him down while John looked for a specific pair of pliers.  That seemed to take forever and then he wanted to take a picture of Ruddie (and he still would not look at John). 

We pulled 16 quills out of his face within a few minutes.  Ruddie got rather nasty near the end so John had to hold him alone to remove all the quills.  What an experience to go through. Let’s hope he learns from this and turns away if he ever encounters a porcupine again.   

Last weekend we had no adventures with the animals.  They must be content!

Improvements

Improvements

Home improvements to be honest keep us working.  We have a list of what we need to do and then I have a list of what I want for our home or yard.  Pinterest is a grand tool but I pin away, when I make time to log on, and there the ideas sit.

This year, we added two very comfy and beautiful chairs to our dining room. John wanted chairs we could sit, that were not in the family room. The distance would allow us to talk or read while others could watch television in the family room.

The buying experience, rather the material decision, was a challenge. We loved the chairs - England - made in the USA. Choosing a fabric - color, correct sized pattern, pattern or solid - but I kept going back to one pattern. After two trips to the store, John said, "you keep picking that pattern so let's go with that."  I agreed and then I questioned my choice. Would the colors and pattern work with our dining room and kitchen?  I always get so nervous about design. I know what I like and so far, it has created a homey, warm house. 

Well, the chairs were delivered a few months ago and I have to say, I still love them!  Obviously I did a fair job as my mother-in-law raved over them - pattern, style, etc. She was so impressed, she was going to go furniture shopping. 

So what do you think? (Not that it really matters....)

Here is a closeup of the pattern  - love the colors.

When I think of her

So many words come to mind when I think of her.  She is beautiful, thoughtful, intelligent, creative, determined as well as stubborn, a true and devoted friend, moody, and “a know-it-all” – she’s a teenager after all – what do we, her parents know?! We are proud of her and love her so very much. 

I remember when she was placed in my arms and how I felt when I looked at her precious face.  She was beautiful then and even more so today.  She still makes me catch my breath!  Sixteen years have flown by and I know we’ll be dropping her off at college in no time.

Turning sixteen was a big deal for her. A year of opportunities! She wanted to get her drivers’ permit on her birthday and her father took her in for the test. She passed it - aced it actually - and was so very excited.  She also applied for her first job and had an interview the week of her birthday. She created a resume, wrote a cover letter, and called individuals to see if they would be a reference for her.  She nailed the interview.  I was amazed and proud at how calm and confident she looked.  That was almost ten months ago and she has been driving a lot and she enjoys her job.  I am proud of her work ethic and the way she is managing her time. She is dedicated to working hard and she has received comments about her performance since the first day on the job. She tells me what people say and talks about the events she works at.  I am blessed that she has this wonderful opportunity to work at the university, work with professionals and college students and experience earning her own money.  She was thrilled with her first real paycheck and celebrated by shopping. She had a list of things she wanted to buy. She also bought Christmas gifts for her family.  She has planned to give herself a small allowance from each paycheck and save the rest for college.  She is a girl with a mission as she plans for college. 

School has kept her busy as she is taking four AP classes, is the editor of the yearbook, is a member of three clubs, plays flute and is in the band and she was on the track and field team this year!  She is a strong supporter of her close friends - she attended many home games to cheer them on earlier this school year.

She is finishing her junior year with regents exams this week and a presentation in French.  She went to prom just a few weeks ago with Pawel. He is an exchange student from Poland and he leaves soon. We’ll be dealing with a heart-broken daughter. Pawel is a nice young man and they have enjoyed getting to know each other. Perhaps a trip to Poland will be in our future.

A quick review of her year in pictures:

Spirit Week took place in September, here she is with her friend dressed for a 50's-themed day:

 

On November 10, she was inducted into the National Honor Society:

 

On January 21, she went to the Snowball dance - always a reason to shop for dresses!

And to finish the year she attended Prom on May 20:

At the Scholarship and Athletic Awards last week, Olivia was the recipient of two scholarships. One was for $120,000.00 over four years and the other one was for a total of $28,000.00. Unfortunately, they are for colleges that she won't attend because they do not offer the academic programs she is interested in. 

After a busy school year, she has a busy summer ahead of her. She will continue to work. She is taking a drivers’ education course offered at the high school from early July to August. She passed her road test in early May and has been taking the car to various places.  I have been praying a lot. She has rules to follow and has done well following them. She plans to take a summer course so she can take a business course next year.  Ambitious is what she is. Somehow this summer, we need to plan a trip to Rhode Island to visit the Johnson and Wales University as well as another trip to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY.

And once summer ends, my baby will start her senior year in September as she turns 17 years old.

Where has the time gone?