Out With The Old And In With The New

It's kind of a weird feeling when you realize that you are right on the cusp of one chapter closing in your life and another one beginning.  Lately it seems there has been so much going on in my life (hence the much needed "staycation") and it's sort of nice to be able to pause for a moment just to take it all in.

This weekend I traveled to my parents to pack up the home that I grew up in.  My parents have decided it's time to "out with the old and in with the new" so to speak and have sold their house and are building a new one.  This weekend was busy with packaging up items from the 18 years of my life that I spent in that house and moving it into storage while my parents' new house is being built.  It was oddly comforting to be sitting on the floor of my childhood bedroom with random pieces of my life scattered in front of me.  There were the Strawberry Shortcake and Grover dolls, some Nancy Drew books, my old high school and college notebooks (I've saved everything I've ever written) among other items.  It was sort of nice to have a reason to go through them, remembering bits and pieces from each item from various points in my life as they made their way to storage.  

My parents' move is sort of bittersweet.  Sweet because it makes them happy to get some new upgraded digs and bitter because, well it's sort of the end of an era.  This weekend I said good-bye to the house that I used to blow bubbles in front of and the house where my sister and I had rival forts out front (mine was better).  I said good-bye to the first kitchen that I ever cooked in and where my Dad and I would spent Sunday after Sunday, cooking up God only knows what for my Mom and sis.  I said good-bye to the place where I posed for pictures with my prom dates and the spot where I had my first kiss.  

Although it's hard for me to believe that part of my life is over, I've always been one to welcome change with open arms.  Change brings about a sense of newness and excitement.  There will be a new kitchen for me cook in when I visit my parents and a whole new set of memories just waiting to be made. 

In light of my current state of nostalgia, I thought I'd share some early shots that I found while moving.  I always thought that I got the cooking bug a little late.  Guess I somehow always had in it me.

My first apron..

Learning how to strain spaghetti...

And in light of the theme moving forward....it's time for the second leg of my "staycation" to begin.  What should I make?  Any suggestions?  I'm starting to get hungry and with me being away from my Small Boston Kitchen so long, I'm totally having some withdrawals....

Here's to change and the start of wonderful new memories!