weekend in January

Rocket had a basketball game on Saturday.  it was close to home so he got to sleep later than normal.  It was a very intense game.  Rocket did not score, but he did rebound the ball a few times, definitely he was in the mix. The game went into overtime and Rocket's team won 30-28 in the last seconds.  My heart was pounding and I was nearly crying. 

this one of rocket's shots- you just cant see him

Rocket is behind number 35 (dark blue), going after the ball.

working on defense.

Saturday afternoon, the boy, the dog and I went for a walk.  it was 65 F (around 15 C).   Which is like 20 degrees above normal for us.  We had 11 days of rain, so getting outside was great.  Falco- this means it has rained every day since you have been gone.  Yep, I think our city is missing you.

Pablo was not cooperating, he does not like to walk if I have stopped.  Rocket was not having any of that bad behavior.

Me, in the woods.  breathing fresh air.  Of course, since it has been so warm, our allergies are starting to act up.  We need a deep freeze to kill off the allergens.

walking through the prairie area

back into the woods.

Saturday night, I started quilting this quilt top.  it will be my lap quilt once I finish it.  We like to sit on the couch with blankets or quilts.  Of course Pablo will claim this one eventually as he lays on everything that is mine. This is a quilt top I started in 2012. 

Some of the quilting.  I am trying to practice/learn free motion quilting.  It is not easy and definitely is going to take some more practice before it really looks good.

 

We have a busy week again.  Snow is due later this week, so I am going to try to get us outside the next few days.

 

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

changes

A busy holiday weekend here.  Saturday was a basketball game- a close, intense game!  Rocket's team won.  It was a hard fought game and we see this team again in 2 weeks, so the boys had better be practicing hard.

After we got home on Saturday, the room move began in earnest.  We started by moving all the clothes from the current room back to the room we each will be in.  I took down Falco's bed and we did some rearranging in Rocket's room.

 

 

Sunday, the final move began.  beds taken apart and moved, then set up in the other room.  Lots of cleaning- the dust bunnies are breeding.

 

 

My bathroom. 

My bed, back in my room.  Definitely, the bedspread no longer goes.  I think I found the perfect design.  Now to get the pattern and figure out how much fabric I still need to buy and cut.

Sunday night, Rocket had his first junior high social.  He looks so handsome and you can see his braces! After the social, Rocket spent the night at a friend's house because today is a holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) and there is no school.  I will pick him at lunch time, finish up work and then take him over to basketball practice. 

This is Rocket's room all set up.  I am hoping it stays this neat for the next few weeks- or at least he keeps it cleaned up.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Falco flys the coop

Our adventure has come to an end.  Falco has left to return to Austria after finishing his semester here in the US. I don't like it one bit.

 

First some other photos- Rocket under his finished quilt.  He is one happy camper.  I finished it on Saturday and he has been using it ever since.  He really likes it.

Tuesday, Rocket got new braces.  He refuses to smile so I can get a picture of them.  Right now he is a lot of pain.  But I have been told that the pain lasts for 3 days, which means I should expect 5-6 days of pain for Rocket.  The pain was so bad this morning, he asked me to make mashed potatoes for him because eating bacon and French toast (last meal with us for Falco) was too painful.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Falco reading Rocket the letter he wrote him.  Rocket is fake crying so he does actually cry.  I was crying when I read my letter. 

I forgot to get the last day of school picture last week with falco, so this is the last night in our house picture. 

It was raining, so it had to be on the porch.  Falco is happy to leave this crazy weather- one day cold and the next day warm.  he is looking forward to snow back home.

We had another AFS student stay with us last night so I could take him to the airport too.  He and Falco came in on the same flight, but did not know each other, and they are going home on the same flight.  They have become good friends over the last 5 months.  I hope they continue their friendship as they are only about an hour apart in Europe.  A does not live in Austria, but he lives close.

Falco got up with us this morning and then went to bus stop with us.  I think it was to spend a few more minutes with Rocket since he would be gone by the time Rocket gets home from school.

I took the boys to the airport and got to see them into security and then at the bottom of the escalator after they cleared security.  This is normally the viewing area for people waiting for arrivals, so I had the lounge to myself while I waited for them to come down. 

The barrier is between us- literally and figuratively.  Now he belongs to his natural family again and we will be memory- a good memory, but not the focus.  I am going to miss this young man something terrible.  He was a joy to host. I am not sure how we are going to make it through the next few days.

And they are off - down the hallway to the terminal to catch a flight to Chicago and then home to Austria.

Bon Voyage my son!  Love you and miss you.

 

I know we are going to see him again in September, but that is so far away.   I need to go have a cry and get Rocket off the bus.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Great Nieces in the house

We got a treat last night- my great nieces were brought over so we could meet them.  They were born on 26Dec, so they were 9 days old last night!  The mommas (Momma and Mommy) came for dinner too.  You will note the lack of pictures with the boys- they refused to hold the babies or really look at them.  BOYS!

 

here is Mam holding Harper- I am using their names since their mommas use their names on social media.  She is also known as peanut.

 

I am holding Hannah AKA Pumpkin.  She is so small.  Actually Harper is smaller but both are less than 5 pounds in weight.  I think that is like maybe 3 kgs.  Hannah is longer, so she is in newborn size clothes, while Harper is still in preemie size clothes.  The girls were born almost 3 weeks early.

Me and the mommas with Harper. 

both the girls.  I remember holding my niece when she was hours old, but don't remember her being this small.  I got really sad last night because I do not have memory of holding Rocket when he was this small.  Why I was sad I don't know, but I was.  I kept telling Mam I want a baby this small- but they grow and I know the next stage is not as fun as this stage- they slept most of the night. 

 

Mam with her great grand daughters (daughters of her grand daughter). 

 

random photo of the sunrise this morning.  yesterday it was 50 degrees F (15 C) and today it will not even be above freezing.  The high temp today will be 30 F which is -1 C.

 

Rocket got his last Christmas present- Lederhosen from Austria.  He was sort of excited, then Falco showed him the secret and they were really cool then.  Of course I will spare you the details and the demonstration from Falco (fully clothed) of how to use the secret- but let's just say I was blushing.  BOYS!

 

that's all for today- 7 more days (1 week) until I put Falco on a plane.  I am feeling weepy already.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb

Last week of the holidays

these pictures are in reverse order.   01Jan2017, we had a goodbye party for Falco, for his friends and the scouts.  His scoutmaster and his 2 boys came over- I was expecting at least 30-40 people.  We have lots of hot dogs, chips and cake left over.  I was so disappointed for Falco.  I invited the scouts, he invited the folks from cross country to come.  It was sad.  We missed Rocket's tournament game to stay home for the party.  I know things happen, but I just feel bad for Falco.  Thankfully, he has dinner out with some of the AFS kids this Saturday and the family goodbye party on Sunday.  I will probably take him out for dinner on Monday too.

This is Pablo's baby "Krumpus".  We are one week from Christmas and it is de-fluffed and ripped apart.  This dog loves to destroy his toys.

the boys being silly.  I am going to miss this, as much as I complain to the 2 of them to knock it off. There has been a ramp up of bickering with each other over the break.  I am thinking they needed less time together. 

Over the break, I finished quilting Rocket's Star Wars quilt.  this is the back of it.  the blue at the bottom is supposed to glow in the dark.  We'll see.

this is the front- a close up.  I like the quilting- it took forever though.  I could do about 6 rows in an hour.

this is the entire front on the dinning room floor.  I just need to get the binding on and it is done.  I was hoping to finish it over the break, but I think it will be by the end of the month- maybe before my birthday.

Rocket had a tournament on the 31st and 1st- it is actually still going on, games are on the weekend.  This was the game on the 31st- they WON!!! I missed the game on the 1st due to the party, and Rocket scored a basket. In the game below, he made a foul, so he is in the scorebook now (this is normally not a good thing, but in this case it means he was in getting into the middle of things, which is HUGE for him).  He also had a number of rebounds, but the ball would not go in the basket.  I am so proud of him.

I took the boys to the art museum on Thursday.  This is what Rocket thought of the museum.  Falco enjoyed it.

My silly teen.  He is such a gansta.  NOT!!!

We went to the main library on Monday and visited the maker space.  the library has all these cool machines to use- we made some stickers for our computers.  Mine are the butterflies, Falco has some Falco stickers, and Rocket choose the Hunger Games. 

We also did some 3D printing.  So cool.  We want to come down and do some laser cutting on wood next time. 

picking a design.

We are in the last week with Falco- HOW DID THAT HAPPEN.  He has told me that I am not allowed to cry.  I have told him he is not the boss of my emotions and I will cry if I want to.  He is not happy with that response as he does not want me to cry because then he will cry.  I will do my best not to upset him, but I am not sure it is going to work.  We are going to miss him something fierce.    If course, I am also looking forward to getting my bedroom back, much to Rocket's dismay.  He wants to keep the larger bedroom- HAHAHA.

 

I am not going to be sad until next week.

 

Love and hugs,

Deb