“Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile.”
William Cullen Bryant
Fall doesn't last long in Colorado. Knowing this (last year I was QUITE disappointed that my favorite season flew by in about 4 weeks!) I decided to take advantage of this furiously fast flying sweet season and try to enjoy it to the fullest....as much as my time and wallet will allow me. My answer for inspiration....Pintrest, the grocery store, and the left side of my brain.
Now, don't call me super woman ( I mean...if you want....) because I haven't ALWAYS made everyday pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar sweet - by I've tried to do one semi special thing a day. It hasn't always happened, let's get real...this is life...but I made my goal this year to make the holidays truly special for my little family. Last year was pretty blah for me. I'm a holiday lover and I think I allowed lousy circumstances and high expectations to get in my way - and this year God has reminded me that my life's happiness totally depends on one thing - my attitude and trusting Him to give me the desires of my heart. So with that said - I begin charting our holiday season thus far :
We took a lovely trip to the mountains searching for oranges and yellows and reds. You will find some leaf changing in the city but definitely not as vibrant (too many buildings and not enough trees!) Our "leaf hunt day" was perfect in every way. The kids were champs even though they were basically in the car for five hours. We let them listen to their first ever Adventures In Odyssey (which I think I enjoyed more than the kids and even CRIED at one point ) while munching on some homemade gingersnaps (I think I ate eight of them...but who's counting?). We found a lovely spot to take a walk on a trail that had an old railroad track, very picturesque, and then we drove PAST our destination and kept going for another hour and a half just because. Apple cider on the way home and a sub sandwich and it was a DAY.
"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."
Emily Bronte
Fall Project number two - Pumpkin Painting! At the end of summer I had gone to Micheals with a friend and found some metallic Acrylic paints on clearance, all gorgeous fall colors - gold, silver, copper, and a pearly white. I had a pumpkin sitting on our porch the other day...trying to figure out what the kids could use these awesome paints on - anyways, the pumpkin was the perfect solution. I drew a line down the middle so that the kids could both paint a half. While painting we learned about the different pigments that turn leaves red, brown, yellow, and green. You Tube has been my friend this year. Homeschooling is so easy with Youtube. "Hey kids, let's color these leaves and watch a video on why they change colors." Click Play. Watch. Have a short discussion and question and answer and we call it a class. The best part? The lesson actually sticks with them. Success.
"If you hear a voice within' you saying 'You cannot paint' , then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."
- Vincent Van Gogh
Painting with those bright glittery colors was just so much fun we didn't get our fill with the pumpkin - so we also tried painting leaves. They turned out really really pretty.
Our homeschooling is going well - the kids really love learning at home and I'm able to give them individualized lessons which is ideal for kids with ASD. Zac and I just found a great church this last week and are so excited about our kids being able to make new friends, being able to learn to serve, and the awesome added bonus is that this church has an Awana's Program! The kids loved being part of a club and memorizing scripture and competing in games. It gives them an opportunity to be around other children each week, have goals and lessons to complete, and also gives them some kind of competitive outlet. Trinity loves competing. :) Brady did pretty well but the two hours of socializing was definitely all he could handle. He says he looks forward to going back though so that's something positive!
Another little bit of wonderfulness is that this fall we get milk delivered to our door each Wednesday morning...only a day old and more of the cream left in the milk then even the whole milk found in supermarkets (that was a really long sentence...my apologies). The eggs are two days old by the time they get to your door and the price is fair. I could maybe save three dollars a week buying them at the store...but waking up to fresh milk and eggs and coffee cream at 6 am? Priceless. I've always wanted to have a milkman...and now we do! What a perfectly fallish thing .... on a chilly morning, venturing outside in your winter jammies, opening up your white box and finding fresh dairy goodness. I thanked God - because for me finding out we could have dairy service was such an unexpected gift. God gives us fun little things...a falling golden leaf, a bird flying across the sky, the smell of coffee in the mornings - and milk on the doorstep - all lovely gifts and they are SO much more special if we remember to thank Him. Thankfullness makes everything magical.
Do you think the milkman liked our pumpkin?
And our latest project came out of pure desperation. I was sitting on the porch swing trying to soak in some sun and get over my hormonal gloominess, just thinking to myself "how in the world am I going to get through this afternoon with these kids without becoming some kind of witch." Trinity ran outside at that moment and I just thought "beauty." We needed to create something beautiful. Beauty to me is something organic and naturally perfect (a tree, a smooth stone, a creek flowing and bumping into rocks and sliding itself against the soft grassy banks) mixed with a bit of glitz (silver, gold, a simple chain or a vibrant color...a beautiful fabric.) I looked in the shed and opened up the box of Christmas supplies and found the most perfect disco ball glittery ornaments - and I had about 15 of them!
Trin and I "bedazzled" our trees in the backyard! If you can't have a Christmas tree INSIDE yet we might as well have one outside. The way the sun hits the glitter is just stunning and is sure to cheer you up on a gloomy grey day.
Mama Bear Grumps not totally solved...but being creative always helps!
Now to plan a sweet little girl's birthday (my squirrel is going to be six in ONE week from today) and then some type of Halloween party for my kids that doesn't include pounds of candy and witches and spooky things that belong in hell ---- we will see what we can come up with. :) Hopefully something fun AND lovely.
Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.
-- Hamilton Wright Mabie
