Autumn Has Arrived, Among other Milestones

The sky in Autumn and Winter is as beautiful as it ever gets. During the day, the blue of it has always just pulled my eyes up to soak it in. The air seems more charged, it even smells better, and I am just filled with more energy all around! And the night sky is just amazing! I am going to make more time this year to star gaze with my children. I really enjoy it. Last Winter I spent hours out in my Cul-de-Sac craning my neck and accidentally walking up people's driveways, binoculars in hand, trying to find all the constellations pictured in my handy dandy Night Sky book. I don't know why I don't go camping more often, or do more out-doorsy type things, cause I really love being outside! Especially in the fall. I was sitting on the deck at a friend's house the other day and was able to see the tips of the trees across the lake and they looked like a page in a coloring book: the tops of the trees had been colored in browns, reds, golds and yellows, but the bottoms were still green. I love taking note of the changes in the seasons, it always feels like it's a brand new thing, like I'm turning the pages in a book and I'm so excited about what's going to happen next! And I love what's next! We have pumpkin patch trips planned, pumpkin carving, Halloween parties, lots of delicious comfort foods like pumpkin pie and pumpkin muffins, and then comes Thanksgiving with TONS more comfort food and family and the use of the video camera that we don't use at any other time! We have a fire place that we actually use and I just love how excited the boys get when we decide to light a fire and then we roast marshmallows and sit in the dark and watch the flames dancing, which is so cliche, but they do dance!

I'm just home from another evening out with the ladies. We dined and enjoyed each other's company in the restaurant, then out beneath the gorgeous starry sky, then tucked into warm cars because, thank you God, it is finally cool enough to feel a bit chilly, at least this evening! Tonight I got to wear the shawl I knit for myself in April and soon I'll get to wear my new socks. Ah, life is good. ;) Oh, and speaking of life being good, I have hit another milestone in parenting. Evan and I agreed that it was time for him to wean, and so we have done it! Tonight will be the fourth night in a row, and we are both just great! I am waking up earlier and just don't even know what to do with myself because I can't go back to sleep. The new energy is just shocking and I had heard this would happen, but just didn't believe it!! And this is a major thing for me, since I have been pregnant or nursing or BOTH for nine years and two months now! So, having more energy has proven to be true, I can't wait to see the extra weight start disappearing! Hehe! And one more little milestone: The 3 year old I've been referring to is suddenly VERY into playing Preschool games on a computer! He just learned this week how to manipulate the mouse and really enjoys Reader Rabbit and Zoboomafoo!