Dear Blog,
This week seems fuller than usual. On the one hand, I feel overly stressed, and like I'm running to and fro to get it all in. On the other hand, it's only Tuesday and I've already accomplished a nice handful of tasks and have felt the joy of connecting with friends. I've also learned new things, which is priceless!
I'm looking forward to the rest of this busy week, but perhaps even more forward to Saturday, when I can hopefully stop and slow down, if only for a bit.
And, by the way, HAPPY OCTOBER!!!!!!!!!
Today I have read MANY blogs where the author states that October is also their FAVORITE month. Therefore, now I have PROOF that October IS the best month. CONGRATULATIONS OCTOBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! High five!
This is a picture of Willow just relaxing on the floor last night. I think this is where the term "catatonic" comes from. Around 5:00am this morning, she sat on top of my stomach kneading and purring very loudly. If I'm going to look on the bright-side, I guess this is one good reason to not be skinny. A knead-able stomach to make your cat feel happy!
I HAZ KNEADED. TOO MUCHES.
Yesterday morning we had a few extra minutes before school. Since the beginning of the school year, we've had a "no screens in the morning" rule. I just wanted to update, for those of you who might be following my Simplicity Parenting Posts. I can't get over how well this has worked, and how easily Noah has agreed to it! After he is dressed and eats, Noah usually reads or plays. This morning he was playing while I read him a book. He really seemed happy, and I enjoyed it too. Taking away screen time can be a bit intimidating, especially when you think your child might become upset, but I have to say, at least for our family, this new rule has been a win-win. I'm so glad that we did it.
Presenting the very first installment of the Knit & Crochet Club!!!!!!!!!!
My good friend's amazing, sweet, super TALENTED, little daughter "L." asked if we could all get together to knit and crochet sometime. I thought that was just a fabulous and thoughtful idea, and so our Knit & Crochet Club has been born!
Can you tell how excited I felt? I gathered together all of my projects (in the two clear bins) and all of my yarn and tools.
Little L. and her Mama came over, and we knitted and crocheted and laughed and talked. It was just wonderful. Here is the scarf that "L." made. The photo does not give it enough justice! She knit the whole thing herself, often without even needing to look as she went! WOW!
Then "L." added a cute rhinestone button to keep the scarf closed. Just adorable. Look at that proud smile. :)
I'd say that the Knit & Crochet Club was a success!
I have really not crocheted must in these past months and I miss it so. I need to start up again. I have to make it a priority!
Have I told you about Martha Stewart's One Pan Pasta recipe yet? It's life changing. I mean really life changing! And, it's magic. It makes it's own sauce, you just throw everything in ONE pan for nine minutes and you're done! It's healthy! It's delicious! It's fresh! I'm going crazy with exclamation points!!!!
This isn't my pretty picture below, because I forgot to snap a photo, but click on it to link to Martha's recipe. From now on, One Pan Pasta is my go-to quick dinner recipe. It's amazing!
Tonight Noah and I ate by candle light because IT IS FALL!!!! Which means..... AUTUMN SCENTED CANDLES!!!! Although, this particular candle is "Spice Cake", so technically, it's more Thanksgiving-ish than early-mid fall-ish and should not come out until November, but WHO CARES!?
By the way, I made THIS garlic roasted broccoli recipe tonight and it was so good. My new favorite broccoli cooking way!
After dinner I took a walk. Again. Here is some of what I saw along the way these past two days.......
I have to say two brief things first though.
1.) If I could do the same thing every single day, well, at least every weekday. If I could repeat the same routine over and over, and document it and save it, I'd be the happiest girl in the world.
For some reason, taking a walk each night and taking pictures of my walk and pictures of my daily latte', and doing it over and over and over.....makes me happy. If I could be a robot, I would.
I fear sometimes that I'm turning into Elijah Wood's character Jonathan from "Everything is Illuminated"...... I wonder at what point do you cease to be really part of life, if you're so busy trying to document it all?
It's a good movie though. You should watch it.
2.) Walking outside most evenings has made me appreciate the enormity and awe-inspiring nature of.......nature. I've always known it was awe-inspiring, but now, I notice completely majestic things, that I would have otherwise walked right by before without a glance. Like the shear variety of berries that have popped out recently on trees and bushes. All kind of little berries, and this is just one town! Or the way Oak leaves look, and how many thousands and thousands a single tree grows in a year. How the air smells different, not with each season, but with every changing week. It's all so interesting now!
2.5.) Sorry, one more thing, WHO AM I? Today I was out of the house in the morning, so I missed my morning treadmill exercise. I felt so sad to not workout, that I actually went through the effort mid-day to exercise and shower. I would have never wanted to sweat that much before! This is strange. And these walks, they're my favorite part of the day. I used to be exhausted after dinner, but now I book it outside to get my 30 minutes in, and it includes a big, annoying hill! I don't know what has exactly gotten into me, but this change is good.
Back to what I saw along the way..........
A Bunny.
Some fallen Crab Apples.
Some fallen Oak leaves.
Some bright colors.
A pretty fall evening with wildflowers.
A Chestnut!!!!
.
During my walk tonight, I was listening to my favorite beautiful, delicate Debussy song - Arabesque no. 1.
And this little boy comes running around the corner playing and chasing another little boy and screaming "Billy! Biiiiiiiiiiiillllllly! BBBBBBBBIIIIIIIILLLLLYYYYY!!!!!!!!"
Screaming at the top of his lungs, over and over and over. And I can't explain, but since he was running around, I had to listen to him screaming as loud as he could for about two minutes.
At first I felt bothered that he was screaming like that and interrupting my gorgeous music and beautiful walk, but then I started laughing because you know what? I realized that I am EXACTLY like the disturbed boy from that Gumby episode. You know the one where Gumby and Pokey land on a little planet? The one where the boy playing the piano exclaims.... "YOU RUINED MY ARPEGGIO!!!"
Heh. yeah.....that was a good one.
Start around 4:30.
xoxoxoxo,
Lauren
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