Fall used to be a beautiful time of transition between summer and winter.
It was good for me because I was always soooo sad to see summer end.
It's not like that here in CO.
We don't get all the beautiful changing leaf colors. We have yellow and brown.
It feels like we literally go from 80 degrees one day to 40 degrees the next.
In an effort to honor my mantra of this month and all that it stands for. I am going to focus on the positive things about this time of year here. So, here we go, 10 things I like about Fall in CO:
1. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate at Starbucks
2. Making soups. I made an amazing potato soup yesterday.
3. Baking. I love to bake and this time of year brings that joy back to me. It just isn't as much fun in summer. I have zucchini bread baking in my oven right now.
4. Hoodies. I love them. I love it when Rick wears them. It is so much more fun to cuddle in hoodies. I love when my kids wear them.
5. Cold blankets. I love to read a book under a cold blanket.
6. My anniversary. Tomorrow is our anniversary. Next weekend we have a getaway planned and I CANNOT WAIT!!
7. Apple orchards and pumpkin patches. I like to try to go to one of these every year. We'll see if it happens this year.
8. Hot, mulled apple cider
9. Lower utility bills. We aren't using the air conditioning and we stop watering the lawn. For a brief time, our utilities bill is lower.
10. All the TV shows I love start back. We have watched Survivor and Parenthood this week!!
Okay, so there you go. I am focusing on what I am thankful for, not dwelling on what irritates or frustrates me. Baby steps. Minute by minute, day by day.
A few random items:
1. When Laila thinks I am sad or upset, she will say to me, "It's okay, Mommy, God is always with you." Presh! I am loving some one-on-one time with her while Isaiah is at school.
2. Isaiah shares "words" from God with us. This is what he said to me yesterday, "Mom, do not cheat. Do not every give up. You will accomplish something, and you will get a prize and be with God forever." He is doing great in school. He needs it. I need it. I cannot meet all of his extrovert needs by myself. School is the perfect opportunity for him. Every day when I pick him up, he says, "Thank you so much for letting me go to school. I love school."
3. Lauren has started soccer. Her first game is tomorrow. She is VERY excited.
4. Abby is LOVING piano lessons and doing really well. She also wants to learn how to play guitar.
5. Cody is getting braces soon. He likes being a part of youth group, scouts, and the engineering club at school. He got a cell phone this week. BIG STUFF. He also loves riding his bike a lot.
6. Sam wants to begin doing some form of martial arts. I think he was inspired from watching Kung Fu Panda 2.
Speaking of Kung Fu Panda 2, we went to see it at the dollar theater on Labor Day. It was really good. It was about adoption, which I loved, and so funny. There was a quote in the movie that impacted me. So much so, that I wrote it down and wanted to share it. Po was struggling with learning about his adoption and trying to figure out who he was. This was said to him,
"You gotta let go of the past, because it doesn't matter.
The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now."
Wow! Good words. Words that I am embracing right now. I choose to embrace what is good!
I love your list! I wish you were here to help me bake some cinnamon rolls today. I just can't get motivated, and I need to make 3 batches of the Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls before tomorrow morning. Enjoy your anniversary weekend next week. :)
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure there are Jiu Jitsu or Judo opportunities in the Springs, I'll have to ask Jamie. He will have suggestions galore for you since that's his passion.
ReplyDeleteI love fall, too - because I love to bake and here in Virginia where we have heat AND humidity I stay out of the kitchen during the summer.
You inspire me to be more thoughtful, and to look for the fun and unique and awesome things that, in most people, generally go unnoticed.