My teenage sons!

Happy 2009 everybody! It's almost here a New Year of choices, adventures, growth and awareness. I think it's great being able to start "fresh." I guess we never really start "fresh" unless we LET GO of our old baggage. Easier said than done, for sure. Speaking of baggage we are about to start packing for a ski trip to Winter Park, Colorado. We've rented a small car, four wheel drive, but small. I'm going to attempt to evolve into a minimalist, great way to start the New Year. Wish me luck! 

If you took the time to check out my blog, I should take the time to update you on "The Pollack People." This blog thing is a new adventure for me as I attempt to become more computer savy without being dependent on Jacob who will be leaving our nest next year. I won't be able to scream up the stairs, "Help" and he'll come running to rescue his not-so- computer-skilled mama. The plan is, while I can still scream to him, I'm trying new things on the computer. We are all growing over here at the Pollack household. Rob can download music now and clean our computer system. If only he cleaned the house like he keeps the computer cleaned!

Let me get back to the official New Year Update.......keeping on track has never been my best feature. 

I'll go in birthday order, which happens to be oldest to youngest in our family.....how perfect is that?

Rob, as you can see in the family photo looks awesome! He is fit and happy.He is still a biker dude and had gotten Ben and Ethan to follow in his peddles. His practice has gotten much more efficient and that makes him so happy. One hospital works for my baby! Most Tuesday's he has off so we have had some fun time together. Speaking of fun time together, we bought a condo in downtown Knoxville. Rob loves it for work downtown and we love it for our time and family time. It has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, please consider visiting us and enjoying "The Love Shack." I'm off subject again....

Me..Cheri, I'm good. I got my hair cut, sorry about the hat thing, I do love fun hats! My sister Robyn and I donated our hair to Pantene and Locks of Love this Fall. Marcy cut our hair and helped us look years younger, forget about the wrinkles and things. Robyn was looking a little Jesus like and I was looking a little too back woodish. I always wanted to donate my hair, 8 inches, at 45, not bad. I hope they can enliven my aged hair when they make a wig. I keep busy doing my artwork, doing art projects with kids at the Knoxville Jewish Day School, and doing monthly creativity workshops at the Wellness Community. The Wellness Community is a wonderful organization that supports, educates and provides hope to cancer patients and their families. I hope none of us need their services, but I am proud to be a part of the wonderful programs they provide. I've started experimenting with lots of art techniques, clay (of course), mixed media, floor cloths, sculpi, story boxes, jewerly, etc., etc. I love spending Sunday mornings with my friend, Bonnie, we inspire each other and dream big thoughts. Is pendling my wares at a inner city flea market big thoughts? I do have some of my pottery for sale at a local gallery/art center. Let's just say, it doesn't fly off the shelves. It's all about the journey. I hope to keep updating you with goodies I've made and if you like something tell me.......I'd love to give it to you. I love sharing...... This year I plan on exploring pilates, I know I need to strengthen my core! I love doing yoga, fell off the wagon, but I'll be back! On most mornings you can find me in my PJ's riding my stationary bike to the ends of the earth and back. I can talk on the phone, my favorite!, knit, read and blow my nose all on my bike. I love starting the day with a good sweat and fun conversation. Helen and I inspire the heck out of each other, exhaust each other, we need to take naps after one of our "have you tried this" conversations. We wonder what it would be like if we were really neighbors. Thankfully, she is just a phone call away!

Jacob is a senior this year. He's applied to six colleges but we won't know his real choices until this March. That's a long time to wait, especially for his mama. Jacob is practical, patient, kind and funny. He has a way of putting people at ease and nothing and noone can speed him up. He has his own unique way of doing things and he's perfected his system. His room looks like  cock-pit of an airplane......lots of technology in a tight space. He loves his tight space and he makes it home. Some of his favorite things are his Mac, his frig when it has gatoraides loaded in it, his lizard and frog and his blue robe. I must of bought him that robe over 5 years ago, he finally grew into it! Jacob has an eye for photography and video technology.....he blows us away! He loves being behind the camera, his mama, of course loves to be infront of the lens! Jacob was the #1 Tennis Player on the high school team last year. He hasn't picked up a racket since but, we think he'll play again this Spring. He loves playing soccer, indoor and out, with his buddies. He's a master at hackie sack and plays frisbee football with his buds. Last summer, he hackie-sacked through Italy with his art teacher and friends from school. I hope that skill will work for him in college. When he does go to college, and he will, I sense his roomates will call him "Blue Robe Boy" and he will be just fine with that!

Ben is a freshman this year. He is growing like a weed and changing before our eyes! He spend most of middle school being an "angryish" teen but, I think he is softening. He is showing signs of morphing in a good way. I think he appreciated my help on his advanced English papers, we still go C's but, at least we got them together. I about cried when "we" got our first A! Ben is a blast to talk to on a good day. He knows everything about everything, he says he learns a lot from watching TV. He does a good job of that! Ben is proud to be his own person, he chooses not to use a cell phone, never to go to fast-food restaurants and always to have his UT hoody with him at school. He was a track star in middle school, loved the 800. We are hoping he'll join the team in High School and amazed that he's swimmming on the swim team this year. His friends, thankfully, encouraged him to join. He's gotten so much better, it's fun to watch. At the first meet he says to me, "Mom, do you have a string in your purse?" Of course, my answer is No but I did have yarn from my knitting. He say's great, I'll use it to tighten my bathing suit. Trust me, that didn't work and the entire meet I focused on him keeping his trunks on. He did, but he didn't swim his best......who would with that kind of stress? The next day I got him a new suit, two sizes too small and he looks great in it! 

Ethan is in 8th grade and is so ready for High School. He keeps us very busy managing his sports schedule and social life. He loves texting his friends, boys and girls! He loves a good conversation and always goes out of his way to say hi to people. He plays football, tennis, soccer, baseball and loves to go biking with his dad and friends. He says he wants to be a Florda Gator and if he keeps working the way he does, that dream can become a reality. Ethan is the complete package and makes the best out of every moment. He loves to stay busy and "always be in touch." He oozes with enthusiasm and is working on playing the drums. Our house just got really small......drums are loud. He plays his drums and I play my guitar, the Partridge Family better watch out!

Enough about us....really enough.......we'd love to hear from you! Do tell all your secrets. If you made it through this wordy update, thanks. If not, I don't blame you, I'm exhausted too.

Enjoy and Be Well!