After a long and hot summer I welcome autumn with open arms!
The cooler weather has me wearing long sleeves and I even replaced my ratty old sweatpants, though, I haven't found a replacement for my equally (or more) ratty old black duster sweater so it will be worn for another season!
Back to school heralded some incredible changes in our world. Claire is in boarding and really learning wonderful lessons. Cole feels safe and he is fully engaged in the arts world. Chloé is coming into her own which is incredible since I always thought she was there already. Caden takes my breath away with his commitment to making an effort - he puts his hand up in class, he's made some buddies and he looks adorable in his uniform! We are only just settling into a routine.
With the arrival of autumn we are looking forward to:
- Football games for Caden. He is enjoying the cooler weather. He is a great football player, often in for the whole game - offence and defence.
- The absense of hockey!
- Chloé is starting back at her vocal lessons. This year she is also taking up piano. I can hear her practicing so I think this is a brilliant new skill for her to master.
- Cole is busy with vocal coaching, the start of dance classes, and his agent planning modeling and acting gigs. It's deja vu all over again :) Though the business has changed a ton since the mid-80s that's for sure!
- Homecoming at the kids' school which includes Claire singing with the band. She tells me she has a couple of solos, so that should be fun! I love her fearless sense of adventure and fun.
- Lots of home cooking and maybe even some adventures in baking are in the planning stages. So, so happy CZ has come up with these recipe templates!
- New television shows. We're looking forward to Elemenary, Nashville, Go On and Revolution.
- Old television shows. We can't wait to see what's been happening over on Glee, Once Upon A Time, Blue Bloods, Grimm, Revenge, Castle and The Good Wife. Hmm. I think we watch too much television!
- And some "can't find" television shows. Hart of Dixie, Homeland, Arrow and Boss.
- Still miss the ladies of GCB :( Bless their hearts!
- It looks like we'll be changing our Thanksgiving plans - we were going to go to the Maritimes - since the SATs have to be written that weekend.
- I'm hoping to meet up with a girlfriend for a photo walk of the Badlands up in Caledon (about an hour away) to see the changing of the leaves.
- The greatly anticipated Daring Greatly read along. What a fantastic book - I'm really enjoying this read through, with tons of underlines and notes in the margins. I'm really looking forward to this author-lead experience.
- I'm taking Claire to Minneapolis to see the incomparable Maya Angelou. We'll be joined by friends and I can't wait to share this evening with all of them.
- This will be my first time participating in BlissdomCanada. Scared. Excited. Mostly feeling like a fraudulent fish-out-of-water.
- Thunderstorms, a roaring fireplace, music on the stereo, a cup of tea, a good book and a big blanket set the stage for me to get comfortable atop the new leather couch. I hope to have a chance to do this - a lot!
- A trip for Claire's (20-12-2012) birthday is in the works and we're all really looking forward to something new and different.
- Project REAL Life might just be too much to handle, but it should be good :) Any chance to learn something new is never a waste.
- Regular "move more" has been introduced and with the cooler weather coming I'll be spending a lot of time at the YMCA - in and out of the pool.
- Sunday is movie day around here with my focus being on Cole recognizing good acting, directing and writing. As a result LOTS of classics are going to be watched and critiqued. Where in the world is Elwy Yost of Saturday Night at the Movies when I need him!?! Maybe I could find re-runs on line?
This autumn is very different from years past. No hockey. At all. I'll miss the excitement of the games, cheering in the stands, sharing coffee and conversation with friends and the rosey cheeks of my boys giving it hard all game. I will not miss the ridiculous and pointless politics, mean parents or my youngest being targeted on the ice every. single. game. Happily all of my kids - players and cheerers - are equally relieved not to be back at the rink for many of the same reasons, though it is far more personal for the boys.
The kids finally recognize that you can lose the pennant early in the season so they've all taken their studies very seriously. I anticipate only a few bumps in our routine through to the Christmas break in order to keep continuity and focus through the exam period. I think they're enjoying quiet evenings and the regular early bedtime routines. I know I do!
Happy autumn :)
