so much.

Oh, this time of year is ... so much. So much beauty, so much change. So much to see, so much to balance. So much to look forward to, so much to get ready for. So much happiness, so much melancholy, so much sunshine, so much rain. Each season brings so much - we change our wardrobe, our activities, our day to day. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is...not so easy. So we tuck in, snuggle up, create traditions and rituals to help our passage to the next season go smoothly. To remind us, center us. We find comfort in remembering what it is that comes next, and soothe our bodies as they adjust to the light, the dark, the heat, the cold, the dry, the wet.







It's all so much. I love fall.


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early darkness.

Ahhh. We finally had a week of cooler sunny days and mild evenings with that lovely earlier darkness. While on the one hand early darkness means getting tired earlier in the evening, it also means we get to spend more time out in the dark.

My guys have always been early to bed early to rise. Even when we used to try to get them to stay up a little later when they were younger (delusional, I know) - thinking they might finally "sleep in" in the mornings - the more we realized they are just early risers (as they get older they manage to stay up a little later, but are still early birds!). That means that in the summer when it got dark later, they were often inside and sleepy before the darkest night. So early dark has meant they have been able to be outside with their friends/neighbors playing in the darkness. And playing outside in the dark means they have been finding things that glow and light up!



There have been glowing bikes and helmets and skateboards, hide and seek using light up sabers, flashlights and headlamps, and walks at night with many kids and parents to see all of the 'spooky' decorations around the block.


There has even been a glowing bath, and attempts at glowing hula hoops!


I have always liked the dark - cozying up earlier, feeling the pull of home, slowing down, the cycles of the seasons. But we are not quite ready to slow down - right now the dark is to explore, enjoying being out in the evenings before it gets so cold, being with friends, having fun!

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masters of disguise.

oh yeah.

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home again, home again...

Oh, what a weekend! We had a four day trip to Minneapolis and we are finally back, exhausted and happy to be home. The boys had a fantastic time, of course. We go every October and have our favorite spots to visit. Exploring a big city with the boys while my husband sits in a conference all day every day means ritual and tradition helps keep us all happy. We balance the crazy loud packed too much stimulation places the boys REALLY want to visit, with nature walks, parks and small neighborhood shops we ALL love returning to.



This trip the boys had a list, and we did it all. LEGO store, aquarium, amusement park rides...hotel pool, favorite restaurants...nature center and hike with new friends, natural toy & craft store, neighborhood parks, and a visit to the best kids bookstore (we think) on the planet. Oh, a bookstore with cats, lizards, spiders, chickens (and I mean chickens out walking around!), chinchillas, birds, ferrets and tons of books...what an amazing place.



We even managed to have enough energy left for a stop by IKEA on the way out of town for some things on our list. A whirlwind few days for sure, and this mama is happy to be home!

peace & quiet.

"Never be afraid to sit awhile and think."

~Lorraine Hansberry

heat wave.

I haven't been blogging much this week because while we have been inside a bit every day working on our projects, I haven't had much sit down at the computer time. In between our projects and crafts we have also been outside as much as possible, watching our world change colors and the plants do their end of the season thing, all under the bluest sky.


There is so much to see this time of year, and we feel like we must see it all, before the wind blows it all away, leaving cold and bare, and winter comes.


For the past few weeks we have been doing our daily walks later so we can wait for the morning chill to dissipate after the nice cold fall nights...but a heat wave descended on us a few days ago and threw us off, and we have been having a hard time switching to getting out EARLY for our walk before the heat and humidity hit.


It seems so odd to be out and about in a world full of combines, grain trucks, golds and oranges, falling leaves and fields of gold ... and hot tropical air?


But either way, we go out out OUT, and when it is too hot for them, the boys zoom as fast as they can to the end of the trail or path, sweating and red, ready to get something cold to drink and to get into the shade, not caring that if they just slow down it won't be so hot! ;)


I hear fall temps might be returning some time soon - can't wait. Hopefully in time for our short visit to Minnesota!

(crazy:: Madison set a record high Saturday of 85º, a full 23 degrees higher than normal for this time of year.)

twine.

While I like knitting, I lately have been trying to re-learn crochet. Crochet is something I grew up with - my grandmother was always knitting afghans or table runners, and I learned a lot from her. After many (many) years away from it though, I have been in need of practice, beginner patterns, and...more practice. A local blogger friend made some book recommendations not long ago for learning crochet and this week I picked them up from the library. Two of the books had patterns and samples using kitchen and/or butcher's twine. You probably have all seen this before, but it was new to me! Of course I had to go out and get some immediately. And I must say I have had a great time crocheting with it. I have been doing simple crochet squares for coasters, and I love how easy it is for me to see my stitches with the twine, how much more even my not-so-nimble-with-the-crochet-hook-yet stitches are, and how I am not worried about ruining it doing the crochet/tear out of learning. I also like that it looks very modern, clean, simple and stylish. Yes, twine.

I'm using the coasters to get my fingers going and everything figured out and even/straight, and then I want to try a pattern for folding baskets using thicker butcher's twine. Very cool!

feels like fall.

Ever since the autumn equinox we have had sunny, warmish weather. Every day has been lovely, but hasn't felt like autumn. Today was cool and crisp, windy and ever changing. It felt just like fall. We dug out some fleeces and hats, put on warm pants and long sleeves, and hit one of our favorite wooded parks. This time of year we want to be surrounded by trees - so we can listen to the wind in the leaves and see the amazing colors.


Of course the boys also love this park not only for the trees, but because some of the equipment is made of WOOD. A more natural looking tower - perfect for forts and ships and adventures. They LOVE that.


I love fall. I am not a warm weather person at all and look forward to the colder air. It was so nice to stand bundled up, even cold enough that the boys asked for gloves (um, haven't dug them out yet!).


As they played the clouds rolled in, the skies darkened, and the wind picked up. The boys ran for the warmth of the car, fingers numb, noses and cheeks red. We drove to a local bakery for some sweet treats and warm drinks. A wonderful fall afternoon.


Tonight it is going to be 32º - bye bye mosquitoes, and good night garden. Love it!

+++++

I take photos of the boys so often - and love seeing how much they change in my lens. Sometimes I am surprised by a shot, a face or look that makes one of them seem so different, so big. Today I took a photo of A when he was talking to his brother about something, and he had such a look. Yes, so different, so big. So amazing to watch, this big kid of mine.