A New Beginning...

Just a few weeks ago I moved my youngest daughter into her first apartment on the campus of University of California Santa Cruz.  Wow...how can it be??? The little blondie who liked to run around naked with a plastic bucket on her head when she was little!  (I'm sure she will love that I have shared that here).

But really, two daughters now living away from home, one permanently and one in college.  My oldest decided to move back to Southern CA where she attended and graduated from college. I can't blame her for wanting to live by the ocean!

Such a change for my girls and I. In less than two weeks, the "little" one will turn 18, my oldest now 22.  That makes me a little old doesn't it??

It's not so bad...I can cook whatever I want...the house stays just as I've left it in the morning...I can come and go as I please.  Then there is the extreme quiet, and little bouts of loneliness for the old days, when the girls were young and it was just the three of us.  I do miss them. Terribly in fact.  But at the same time I am very proud of them and happy that they have spread their wings and left the nest.  As hard as it is, I know I have done my job by the sheer fact that they were ready to fly when it was time.  I worry about them all the time.  But I guess that's what "we" moms do.

For me....I've immersed myself in my new job and my creative passions...cooking, baking, crafting, creating.  I am in the middle of several projects, from cleaning out a messy teenager's bedroom, to sewing and decorating for Halloween.  So my weekends are packed with chores, projects, new recipes, and friends when I have time.  Making more time for fun will be my focus for the new year.  For now there are things to do (and make!).

Always in search of balance over here...some days doing it better than others.

Some things I've been  keeping busy with...

My homemade granola

In search of the "ultimate" Chocolate Chip Cookie  recipe..

Pumpkin Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting.

Halloween Decorating

One great thing about having your kids living away from home is how much you look forward to seeing each other when the holidays or visits come around...right now I am excited to see my youngest this weekend to celebrate her 18th birthday....it puts a whole new perspective on the mom/daughter relationship and definitely fosters an appreciation that wasn't always apparent ...if you know what I mean!!