September 2024 So Far

September it’s always been my favorite month of the year. I loved going back to school and the weather finally starts to get cool and the leaves change. 

Beth’s birthday! She and Becky went blueberry and apple picking. We celebrated her with pie afterwards.





Fashion picture. I always say these are for Aunt Martha and Ally always complies.

Volleyball. Ally was finally cleared to play. And even though we and every other adult in her life would prefer she not play Ally is playing. She is the starting Libero and was named one of the team captains.

Her coach said it’s been great to see Ally step up into a leadership role on the team this season.

Ally started back coaching gymnastics, only on Saturday mornings during volleyball season.

She was exhausted afterwards.

Ally got a new computer! She really wanted to wait until college, but her old MacBook was dying a rapid death and so we all agreed it was time to replace it.

Ally set it up and got right to work. On a psychology project, a poster on the brain.

These two make it hard to work.





We finally finished the living room. Well I still need to straighten it up and get a side table but it’s pretty much done. And we like it.

Especially Becky because we got her a leather recliner that fits her and Cloey.

Another before school fashion check.

A flick or wild turkeys on the next block over blocked my drive to work.

More brain poster work. Ally spent hours hand drawing the various brain diagrams.

She is really proud of the finished project.

We got a new foster kitten! Meet Fiona.

Friday night Volleyball. 





Friday night post game, pizza, opening a Fab Fit Fun box with her pets while icing her ankle. This is Ally at 17.

Snuggles with Daisy ways make Ally smile.

And last but not least, we attended an Open House event at a college in RI that Ally is considering. It was a great event, we learned a lot about the school. Talked with professors, current students, saw a dorm room.

It’s a great option for Ally. 

This Open House is also the first of 4 we are attending over the next 5 weeks. Then we have 2 more schools to tour before we are done. Ally is working on her applications and keeping up with school work. She plans to get most of her applications submitted in early November.

Then it’s just wait and see where she will end up next year. And enjoy this final year together. 

Senior Year.

And so it starts. The beginning of the end. The start of the lasts. It’s crazy. But this week was the start of Ally’s senior year of high school. 14 first days of school (not counting preschool).

A flashback first:

Her first day of Junior Kindergarten. It was pouring rain that day…so she’s all dressed up to stay warm and dry. 

But today was sunny and perfect early September for the first day of classes.




Earlier this week she had school Registration Day and she came out in shorts but then realized it was chilly and went inside

To change into this.

It’s been an emotional week. We said goodbye to our kittens. They brought so much joy and lightness and purpose to our summer. 









Becky’s first day was yesterday. Can you see Cloey in the window?




Yesterday there was a senior class trip white water rafting. It’s an annual school tradition. Unfortunately Ally was not able to go rafting due to her concussion but she went with the class anyway and sat out the actual rafting. I asked for a proof of life photo. She posted this to Instagram.

She was also featured on the school’s social media with some classmates.

I’ll end this post with my only photo editing trick:

August 2024

It was a rough month. 

Ally started the month with volleyball camp. But on the morning of the first day she got hit in the head with a ball. Concussion. Her 3rd in 16 months. She was in rough shape for the first week post concussion. The second week she was a little better and attended a college application workshop at her high school. She saw a specialist who is following Ally closely to monitor how her brain heals.

The kitten brothers were still with us. And they provided lots of joy. 







Ally got a lash lift. It’s like a perm for eyelashes so they stay curled. 





Haircut! 

Becky made eclairs. 





But Becky’s knee continued to bother her. She had an MRI and her meniscus is torn, she has also a Baker’s cyst and osteoarthritis which is likely cause of it all. So Beth and I decided we should get Becky a recliner. 

We had a store credit in Becky’s name, so Beth became Becky so we could use the credit. It is spooky how much alike they can look. 

In searching for a recliner, we actually bought a new sectional!

Came home with this recliner. But we returned it. We decided it did not work in our space. 

It was a fun day shopping and adventuring with Beth and Ally.

The kittens are getting big.

The new sectional was delivered. We consigned our 2 couches and chair. So we are still looking for a chair/recliner and the right coffee table/ottoman situation. 

This is the before of the living room.


Cloey likes the new sectional

Ally got her nails done. And her hands were featured on the salon’s Instagram page. Forget to get an after. This is before.

Mommy and Ally selfie to round out the month.