Almost Licensed.

Noah has been taking drivers ed this semester and is pretty pumped that he is almost at driving age. Although I'm not quite ready for him to get behind the wheel I feel he will be responsible when it comes to driving like his sisters but still...I am not quite ready. It will be nice to have another driver in the house though so let's see how this goes and how he does in class and in taking the test!  

Halloween 2025

 

Noah had been talking about going trick or treating with his friends recently and wasn't sure what to dress as. I told him to find something we already had in the house because why buy a costume when you'll most likely wear it once. Luckily I saved a few old costumes and this was a last minute costume Noah put together. I think he looked really classy and give him a 10/10 for creativity! He's also going to turn 16 in 8 days!! I am just so glad that he still has that inner child in him. I miss those days of taking him and his sisters trick or treating. Those days have gone but am glad that he had the desire to dress up and go with his friends. I hope that he will continue to go trick or treating until he's 18 because you're still a teen and a little kid at heart! 

Noah Lately...

As the years go by summers become shorter and I feel as if I hardly had enough time to spend with our only boy. He is the last kid at home and the older he gets he tends to go out with his friends more often and that's fine. I am just glad that he still enjoys hanging out with me and going places with us. I love the bond that we have with our boy. He'll be turning 16 in a couple of months and look forward to more adventures with him before he ages out!

Freshman Year In The Books!

 

School ended sooooooo late this year. Much later than last year! June 25th has come and gone and I am glad!! Noah has changed and grown quite a bit since school started last year. He grew three inches taller which makes him 5'7 and weighs a bit more than he did last year. I can't believe his freshman year has come and gone and that we are now summering. Here's hoping for a summer that doesn't go by too fast! 

Growing Up!!

 

I took these photos last September before school started and as I look at these pics I have to say that he surely has changed. His baby face seems to be vanishing year after year and I am not liking it one bit! He is about 5'3 in these photos weighing at least 120. He's so sweet and funny and has the cutest smile. He may be losing his baby features but in my eyes he will always be my baby! More pics below....

"Pieces of Evidence"

Noah finally received his third collaborated published book called "Pieces of Evidence." He wrote last spring in 8th grade and it took a while to get it printed and published. Noah loves creative writing and told me the night he received it that as much as he didn't mind writing with other authors he'd rather write on his own and publish his own book. Since starting freshman year he's gotten a bit busy and doesn't plan on doing any creative writing right now. His heart is set on school and scouts and his future perhaps architecture. I'm good with that! It was a chill evening announcing all the kids who wrote books. I'm just grateful he got to write for three years while  he was in middle school and that he got published! 

Noah is 15!!

My favorite, yet bittersweet time of the year is celebrating Noahs birthday. Every year I say this and it is such a cliche saying this but time does fly! He's 15 and getting taller every day. He's now an inch or two taller than me now. I had so much fun capturing random photos of him at our favorite spot in Central Park. I love that he still likes for me to take his picture (sometimes) that he's still into legos, transformers, sonic and shadow figurines, and playing Roblox. Although he says girls are pretty he's not into them right now. He says he is focusing on school and guitar and that's good because he is still young!! He's old school in a lot of ways by playing outside and also loves staying at home watching youtube videos. I am so lucky to have an amazing kid. Sure he can get a little annoying at times but it's very rare. I love that he still likes to snuggle and that he gives me a peck on the cheek when I drop him off at school and when he comes home from school. May those moments never end! Happy Birthday Noah! Love you more than ever!!

Pool Time!!

July has been brutally hot lately and it's a heat wave like this where I wish we owned a pool. Well, luckily we know people who have a pool because this past week has been brutally hot. We went to a friends pool at their complex and we also have been swimming at a nearby pool as well. On this day we had the whole pool to ourselves! It was so nice and we had fun. Noah continues to learn to be a strong swimmer but he has a long way to go! Nonetheless we have fun without pressuring him to be the best and as long as he completes his swim merit badge before turning 18 that is fine with us! Cheers to July and all the pool dates ahead!

Nostalgia in Blackwood - 10 Years Later....

It's been more than a minute since I've logged on here. Even though we have a month left of spring it feels as if it's already over. The smell of summer is in the air, and the temps have been warm lately but today it's nice and breezy. The blossoms in the spring are gorgeous but now they have fallen off the trees and have disappeared. Earlier this month I took a drive to my old hood with Noah and couldn't believe how fast time flew having raised this kid here. It's been 10 years since we've seen his childhood train. He loved coming here with his miniature Thomas the train figures pretending to be a conductor. I thought it was a train phase but he is now 14 and still has a love for trains. He was such a cutie. Still is.

Noah's Winter Concert.

Time certainly flies and Noah's 8th grade winter concert was last week. Luckily there will be one more concert this spring and then that's it. I believe that my time for attending choir concerts in the future are over because Noah mentioned not wanting to do in choir in high school. To be honest- it's okay and although I'll miss my kids singing in front of an audience it'll be nice to not attend so many events in the next few years. On top of all the other things that I know high school will give him including continuing Boy Scouts, choir is his least favorite thing to do. He'd like to play a sport in high school. Particularly golf (not tennis insert tear here) and continue to play his guitar but I'm not that mom that tells him to be involved in every single club! Oh no I am not! I want him to enjoy high school and not feel stressed out. I'm also getting up there in age and need my rest too! LOL! Don't we all no matter what age!

Snow Day At Normandy Beach.

I forgot how it felt to be cold or shall I write freaking freezing cold!! Like BRRRRRR! We hadn't had a good snow storm or any winter storm for almost two years! So this week has been a clear reminder that old man winter is definitely here! We had a snow day and a delay in school this week so Noah and I went for a drive to Normandy beach to see if there was any snow on the beach. When we arrived it was all gone and the snow turned into rain but we were lucky to have had a break in between the rain to get down and capture a few photos...in black and white. The day was dreary and was in a black and white picture taking mood. I personally loved how they came out. I sure do miss film and taking pictures with a camera but I shot these with my iPhone and I loved every minute of these freezing moments! And so did Noah! 

14.

Roblox, comic books, playing the guitar, action figures such as Naruto, venom, and Spiderman are among the many things this 14 year old continues to have interest in. And I love it! I love that he still plays with action figures. He even made a little video of Naruto & spidey fighting and it looks so cool. You can see it on my TikTok if you'd like. Although he's a homebody he also loves the city. He loves Cane's. That is his favorite place to eat. It used to be McDonalds but Cane's is his love language now. I can't believe our baby boy is not so baby anymore. He'll always be my baby but first, he will always be my buddy, my sidekick, my true love and major heartbeat! Happy 14th birthday to this kid who always says, "life is pretty good right now." 

 

Year 8!

A full week has passed since Noah began grade 8 and so far so good. I still can't believe our only boy is in his last year of middle school. This is insane and I can't seem to wrap my head around it. Just yesterday he was graduating kindergarten and next fall he will be in high school! I need to stop blinking!! I hope that he will make this year count and that he will enjoy and have fun with it. So far he enjoys his classes. French has become his favorite language and is happy to have had the same teacher for three years. He has gym last period which he loves because when winter hits at least the temps will somewhat go down in the middle of the day. He is taking advantage of recess because once your in high school they are gone! He has gotten better at packing lunches and appreciates the little things in life. All I want for this kid is to have a great school year. To do his best in his classes. To be a good influence. To To be kind to others and respect his teachers. The world is changing every second and its up to him to make the world better. With our help in being good examples he has an excellent chance of being one happy kid in spite of any obstacles that will come his way! 

Noah....

Noah... 

My only boy. He is so full of life and energy and has so much love to give. He deserves to live a long life without worrying.

And with the shooting that just happened this past week has given me even more reasons to worry about his safety. I somewhat trust that his school has things under control and a plan in case this happens but I pray every day and night for his safety. Even his older sisters. All schools whether it's a public/private school or college are at risk every day. No matter what age and what grade they're in. It truly is like fighting a war. I honestly don't know what else to write or say because this has been happening since Columbine shooting in 1999. My oldest was four years old when that happened and living in Utah at the time it happened scared the crap out of me. Especially being a couple of states away. All I know is that America needs to do something about this right now. It needs to stop. 

These kids deserve to go to school and to be safe inside. They deserve the right to be protected at all costs. They deserve to have a future. They deserve to live a life filled with hopes and dreams. To be happy. I want to watch my child grow up. For all of our children to grow up. 

We can do better. 

America can do better.

When will it end....

Forever Grateful For Falls!

Now that Halloween is over and the month of October has passed I can now focus on November that includes my son's upcoming birthday! Can't believe how quickly time flies and that he will be an official teenager next week! So thankful for a new month that helps us to refresh and regroup. In spite of living in a time where there is STILL so much turmoil and despair in the world there is also beauty and light and so much to be thankful for. Family, fall foliage, the simple joys of life that include going on a walk. Happy November everyone! Let's hope the weather stays in the 60's for awhile so that the colors of fall linger a little longer!

Noah's First Guitar Recital!

Noah had his first guitar recital last month and I'll tell ya that guitar recitals are a totally different dynamic compared to piano recitals and after listening to Noah play today have no regrets of his decision to quit piano to play guitar.

His hard work of practicing and taking lessons for the past six months paid off and he played the blues amazingly! I'm grateful to his teacher Dan who is literally our next door neighbor and taught him well! He has students that range in the ages between six and 60! Amazing! Never too late to learn! Everyone played so beautifully and I am one super proud mom to see how this turned out. It brings me such tremendous joy to see him enjoying the guitar and on his motive! You gotta have your kids play what they desire otherwise they will be miserable! You can watch him play the blues on my YouTube here.

Noah Lately: Before and After - Braces!

 

He didn’t want them but he needed them because of his small mouth that are crowding his teeth. He wishes he would have taken after me with having my teeth instead of his dad but oh well. Now he’s going to know how his sister felt when she had braces. But oh look how cute his smile is before and after he got his braces! And just like his sister, once these are off in 20 month (fingers crossed) his smile, teeth everything will look even more beautiful and awesome! Love, love this kid! #onlyboy

Back To In-Person School!

After a whole year of being remote these two have been back in school full-time and they couldn't be more happier. As am I! As much as I loved having them home they need to be back in school in person surrounded by their peers and teachers. They learn more, pay more attention, and won't get so bored. Noah got so bored toward the end of school last year that he literally would not pay attention. There were only four remote kids and about 15 kids in person so I totally felt that his teacher was not giving enough attention to the remote kids which is why Noah was soooo bored. Luckily he passed 5th grade and is now in middle school! 

Noah's First Scout Camp!

Time has certainly flown by these past few years especially for Noah. He had his very first scout camp trip last month and I am so proud of him for enduring the entire week while developing a bit of homesickness! I knew something like this would happen but he had a great time and by the time Thursday came around he was better and had a great time being around the kids his age learning new skills. Merit badges are the absolute best to gain but he didn't come home with any and that's okay. He's only 11 and next year he will learn more and become a better swimmer and hopefully bring home some badges! I can't believe my boy is almost as tall as I am! I will always remember the very first time he became a Cub Scout. And now he's a Boy Scout! Seriously though, where has the time gone?

Love Letter To New York City.

 

"The city still continues to surprise me every day. 

How you may ask?

A city like New York, where everything is moving all the time at this constant driving pace right?

It’s like a living organism breathing and changing, and overtime your relationship to it becomes like this incredible romance. At first it’s intoxicating, irresistible and then slowly it becomes comfortable and safe. You have this cellular connection to it, as if you’ve known each other forever. Like your oldest happiness, and sometimes you’re on the outs, and sometimes you’re making up. And every now and then you catch yourself in this transcendent moment where you think to yourself, “oh my God, I’m madly in love with you! And I always will be.” 

And I think that’s when it surprises me."