Joy

Yesterday afternoon,  I took a time out.  It was very unlike me to do this, but afterwards I was so glad that I made that choice.  There is a battle that goes on in me every day with the opponents of "should do" and "must do".  This day, I chose to fight side by side of what I "should do", which was to sit with Michael.  I was driving home from lunch and Michael fell asleep.  He had played hard over the weekend and was exhausted.  I lifted him out of the car and carried him to my favorite spot to sit in the garden.  I rocked him and closed my own eyes, knowing that the alarm I set on my phone would wake us both up in an hour if I fell too fast asleep.  It was heavenly sitting there soaking up the autumn sun, not quite as hot as it was a month ago.  The aspens were giggling together in a slight breeze, and the mums that are blooming in the garden looked so happy.  I asked myself why I didn't do this more often?  It felt so good to sit and be still and quiet.  I'm so thankful that Mr. Should fought harder yesterday.  Often it is what I want to do, but sometimes the hollering voice of the "must dos" seems so much louder than the peaceful whisper of the "shoulds".  Priorities - choices that I have to make every day about what is most important.  Because I can feel time speeding up every minute, and the days that I can hold my baby on my lap for an hour will  soon disappear.  I am cherishing the moments I spent with him yesterday.  Ah... joy...

    

Fall

As I write, I can smell my pumpkin scented candle and hear the new Tinker Bell movie playing in the living room.  Every now and then I hear the kids talk with one another or giggle, reminding me that everyone is home.  The night isn't exciting, but it is cozy and welcoming, and quite ordinary.  I will take ordinary - in fact I prefer it.  Earlier, the cool breeze outside was blowing in through an open window in the bedroom.  We have FALL happening here, and if I had a nickel for every time someone has voiced "I LOVE FALL!" this past week, I would have stacks of Jefferson covered coins all over my messy counter.  Autumn in Colorado is so lovely you almost can't come up with the right words.  The changing leaves, the haze-covered mountains, the harvested fields walled in by neighboring houses.  It is perfect, it is ours.  I love the beach - I love the sand and the waves and the hot, hot sun.  But to really experience fall, I have to be home.  HOME - where we know that the tall aspen tree in the back yard turns red at the tippy top first; where my asters spread their lazy arms out over the driveway stretching out for what's left of the bees and afternoon sun; where the wide field behind our house cries out for a tractor to come bale it's produce; where the pumpkin vines curl up and over the fence on the south side of the house making us wait until the very last second to pick our favorite one.  We start the day in sweaters and end up in our shorts and tanks.  As much as I often crave being way down south at my favorite beach, these are the moments I am content to be home.  Because there's no place like it right now.

Thank you for coming to visit, dear FALL.  Feel free to hang out for a while! Come plan our costumes with us and make our piles of leaves along side us.  Teach us to slow down and cozy up; to hug more and sigh less; to embrace your candied corn, your early sun sets and your orange hued sunrises.  Your sounds and scents remind us to savor life.  We will cherish you until the snow falls and we have to say a temporary goodbye.  Until then... 

Picture time again!

A beautiful day to take some
beautiful pictures
of our beautiful family.

And we even had
FUN
taking the pictures!!!

I'm so happy that my family

goes along with my

yearly need to update our family photo.

It has turned in to a very fun and memorable

outing each year.

Special thanks to my dear Dad. 

You are the best photographer!!