and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not;
and to believe in your own individuality.”
Henri-Frederic Amiel
Loving fall leaves, days filled with sunshine and rain, crisp days, apple cider, pots of chili, and the call of the indoors as the days grow shorter...
Love that I was able to go on an autumn walk with my little cousin Dawson and that he pointed out perfect leaves, skittering creatures and summed up our walk with, "Isn't this magnificent?"
After a quiet weekend alone at home I'm ready to tackle the week.
Awoke to rain, to dark, to chill. It is truly autumn and I am so thankful.
For the past several years I've thought about taking a class from Shimelle. I love her work and have seen many people's projects who've taken her classes.
So, with the rain, the dark, the desire to do something and to celebrate (my little word of the year) I decided to take the plunge and participate in Shimelle's True Stories class. Today was the first day (nothing like making an advanced decision - haha), I signed up this morning and started by reading the first prompt.
This is a journaling, telling your own stories class and I'm so excited. This is right up my alley. I love to journal and I love the idea of school so assignments are fun for me.
And if I wasn't positive that this would be a good experience before I watched the video and fell in love. Watch...it's short and inspiring!
I'm off to read the rest of the class materials. Maybe I'll share a bit later...
Have a wonderful Monday. May the rain shower you with love!
Even though temperatures are hitting the 70s (what the heck Washington?) autumn still reigns. Foggy mornings, beautiful autumn colors, chili on the stove...Yesterday I picked up a big pot filled with beautiful mums. I love opening my door and being greeted by a smile of flowers "Welcome to fall" they seem to shout!
“Don't be afraid to be amazing.”
—Andy Offutt Irwin
This school year my lovely cousin and I have started a tradition of going to Stampadoodle on Thursdays for a few hours to visit and create. It gives us a chance to catch up, decompress and is our true "day off" in the week. Moms don't always get days off so it is wonderful to spend a few hours, mid-week, to just stop and spend time on ourselves.
“The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.”
—Bertrand Russell
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
"Set out each day believing in your dreams. Know without a doubt you were made for amazing things." - Josh Hinds
As Archer set out on his first day of high school I thought of this quote that appeared in my in box awhile ago. Of course I told it to him and he rolled his eyes, but I hope, as I share these thoughts with him, that somehow they will sink in and he will go out there and continue to be the best Archer he can be.
And, because mom was more nervous about his "big" first day than the child, I treated myself to a few cups of love. Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin - ah, YUM! (coffee cup, muffin cup...therefore cups...yes?)
On the cup it says, "We don't just want to make your drink. We want to make your day." Well Starbucks you have (helped)! Thank you!
I thought you may like a few "cute" pictures for this almost-Friday!
Um...CUTE! I found these little witch duckies when I was in Bellevue. What happens sometimes is when you make orange hot chocolate and you look at the cute ducky sitting there just minding its own business is this. You think "now this ducky wants to swim in my orange hot chocolate" and the ducky says "take my picture." And you do because really if a rubber ducky talked to you you would probably do whatever it said. Which is how this cute picture came to be! And the little ducky's friends they sometimes get sad because they are too big to go swimming in orange hot chocolate, but mostly they are happy. And when you look at them you are happy because...really...look at those faces!
(tall, standing lamp is my oldest Halloween decoration. He was my mom's and was a fixture at Halloween - my mom's favorite holiday. The pumpkin bucket was mine when I was a child. It still has my name, in my mom's handwriting on the bottom -love that! The mugs are adorable and from Starbucks last year.)
And then...You wake up on a chilly, September morning only to notice a sweet kitty looking longingly at you from outside the back door. You open the door because "oh poor kitty has been outside all night with the big bad nighttime outside scariness" and the kitty runs in eats and curls up on a chair and falls fast asleep. Then your son thinks she is so cute that he tucks her in before he leaves for school with his favorite fuzzy blanket (because she isn't fuzzy enough) and she sleeps and sleeps and sleeps (and has been for the past 3+ hours). Sleep tight sweet kitten (who isn't a kitten anymore...but she is MY kitten so I can call her kitten if I want especially since she doesn't know her name...whatever!).
I've loved seeing autumn posts all over the blog-o-sphere. So inspiring! Autumn is my new year. New beginnings - I like to organize and rearrange and regroup at this time. My family loves that I start to cook and bake more - big pots of soup and chili, homemade applesauce, cookies and breads. I think I need to run out this morning and pick up some mums to make my porch look like the picture above (last year's golden glory!). At 8:44 a.m.(PST) take a moment to cheer the official beginning of autumn!
Last week Archer caught the girls (Ellie May & Jazz) soaking in the last bits of summer. They believe the chairs out back were put there for their comfort and really who am I to argue with these sweet faces? Let me tell you that they are not a bit happy about the onset of autumn. They don't feel quite the same about the changing of seasons as I do. Ellie May believes that water might make her melt (pretty tough for an outdoor cat) and Jazz is just confused by it all. Granted they have had a bit of rain this summer, however they never deal with it well.
(Ellie May, 9.5 years; Jazz aka Spazz 2 years)
What autumn and winter means for the humans in a cat house is cats who want to go outside soooooooo bad and when we open the door they will just look at us like we are nuts. They may venture out for a few minutes and need to come back in because it is wet and how dare we make them go outside in the wet! Sometimes they will even head for a different door with the hope that it won't be wet out that door...Poor kitties. Then, in an effort to amuse themselves they will run around our oh-so-big house playing chase...well...one will be playing chase and the other will just be mad. Oh the glory of living in a cat house.
It seems like the beginning of autumn starts at different times for different people. Cheryl looks at the opening of Bellewood Acres as a signal of the upcoming season. My cousin Lorinda sees September 1st on the calendar and it is autumn in her book - out come the decorations and yummy zucchini bread. Others celebrate the solstice on the 21st or count the 22nd as the first "official day."
Me? The beginning of autumn presents itself at one of my favorite hang-outs. Hmmmm....I wonder where that may be. When I see that sign "Pumpkin Spice is Here" my heart does a little leap for joy and I know without a doubt that autumn is around the corner...Just waiting with mild weather (which we have had plenty of actually), changing leaves, pumpkins, lovely scented candles and a change of decor.
I had my first Pumpkin Spice latte (grande, 2 pumps, non-fat, light whip, a little nutmeg please) with my cousin, Lorinda today. Delightful. (And you know what Pumpkin Spice means right? It means that Gingerbread is right around the corner! Yay!)
So, tell me...I would love to know...What signifies autumn to you? A date on the calendar, a trip to an apple orchard, pumpkin bread? Do you have any beginning of autumn traditions? Anything at all you would like to share at the beginning of this new season? Please share.
Just thinking about the things I'm thankful for - big and small. Of course safety, health, family, friends...etc...but "life is in the details" at least that is what I've been thinking about lately.
Thankful for Spaz, the kitten, who while a tad obnoxious is also cuddly and sweet at times and lets Archer carry her around like a rag doll.My darling son, who is a pre-teen, however is still lovely and kind. He thinks of the good in people, spreads joy, and has a positive outlook. (Remember this is an "in general" list...he is a boy by the way and isn't perfect. I know this and want to celebrate the good right now!) For cats that get along for the most part. They are healthy and only cause minor chaos. And for "the most wonderful time of the year" which I think is year round...but evidently some people think the sign is seasonal. I love each season, each time for specific reasons. Right now is precious. I love the approach of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Archer played lots of WOW! and watched The Santa Clause (the first time this season - many more times to come I am sure).
I made the Halloween cupcakes finally...Archer ate the cupcakes! (Last year we carved our pumpkin 2 weeks after Halloween!)
The napping room. Horton likes to lay on top of people to sleep. Eventually he falls off!
Archer veggin' while watching t.v.
Our Halloween cupcakes! Yum!
Archer has enjoyed many cupcakes this weekend!
While I was at the Treasury of Memories open house I picked up a kit to make the JOY frames. It comes with the frames and letters - just choose your own paper. I think the JOY will go on my hutch...not sure yet.
I also picked up this snowman vinyl and frame and added some cute snowflake paper! I love getting in the Christmas spirit. I spent about 20 minutes total on both project. Easy and cute!
Now it is Monday. It is very windy and will hopefully be a quiet day at home! And as it is Veteran's Day I just want to give a big thank you to all the veterans today and thank those who are currently serving in the armed forces. Thank you!
As Archer set out on his first day of high school I thought of this quote that appeared in my in box awhile ago. Of course I told it to him and he rolled his eyes, but I hope, as I share these thoughts with him, that somehow they will sink in and he will go out there and continue to be the best Archer he can be.
(tall, standing lamp is my oldest Halloween decoration. He was my mom's and was a fixture at Halloween - my mom's favorite holiday. The pumpkin bucket was mine when I was a child. It still has my name, in my mom's handwriting on the bottom -love that! The mugs are adorable and from Starbucks last year.)
Sleep tight sweet kitten (who isn't a kitten anymore...but she is MY kitten so I can call her kitten if I want especially since she doesn't know her name...whatever!).
Happy Autumn!
(Ellie May, 9.5 years; Jazz aka Spazz 2 years)
My darling son, who is a pre-teen, however is still lovely and kind. He thinks of the good in people, spreads joy, and has a positive outlook. (Remember this is an "in general" list...he is a boy by the way and isn't perfect. I know this and want to celebrate the good right now!)
For cats that get along for the most part. They are healthy and only cause minor chaos.
And for "the most wonderful time of the year" which I think is year round...but evidently some people think the sign is seasonal. I love each season, each time for specific reasons. Right now is precious. I love the approach of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The napping room. Horton likes to lay on top of people to sleep. Eventually he falls off!
Archer veggin' while watching t.v.
Our Halloween cupcakes! Yum!
Archer has enjoyed many cupcakes this weekend!
While I was at the Treasury of Memories open house I picked up a kit to make the JOY frames. It comes with the frames and letters - just choose your own paper. I think the JOY will go on my hutch...not sure yet.
I also picked up this snowman vinyl and frame and added some cute snowflake paper! I love getting in the Christmas spirit. I spent about 20 minutes total on both project. Easy and cute!
