End of September

  Fall is officially here...and let me just say that if you don't make it to the mountains around here - it doesn't feel like fall AT ALL. Seriously though...I've been missing the mountains of North Georgia and Tennessee and all of their golden and red loveliness - and apple picking. I'm REALLY missing apple picking.
 I guess there are signs of fall...they just aren't as "prominent" as the ones in the east. I do have a little bug that wears warmer pjs now and likes to be wrapped up all snug as a...well...*bug.*

  And there are lots of indoor dances thanks to the rainier days - and costumes being put together for Halloween. Trinity saved up her cash for the last two months for this Belle loveliness. I tried really hard to convince her to buy something not as "generic" but then realized I was trying to manipulate my poor child into spending their money my way - that just won't do.

  Besides...i mean really. Who wouldn't want to be decked out in sequin rose loveliness during the cold of night in late October in COLORADO? I may dress up like a polar bear....
 Finn is going to be Yoda. The thought just cracks me up.

  The rainy afternoosn lately have been refreshing. I'm learning that a nice long rainy day here is a special occasion to be sure - doesn't happen much. Its fun to make tea and listen to music...Nora Jones or something sultry...and light candles just because.

  And just when I start thinking that the day might be a little too cloudy, happy faces and costume jacket wearing kids run through my yard, barefoot as always, giggling and reminding me that rain is something to be happy about, and the clouds are sometimes soothing and calming - not to be taken lightly. God brings all type of weather into our days...into our lives...and each serves some type of purpose.

  There's something so magical about light through raindrops - tiny crystal beads adorning rails and leaves and rose petals..and freckled noses (that's my favorite.)

  And there's something to be said about a man looking "snuggly." I definitely think there should be a season for that - I'm glad it's here.

  How do you love the thrift store goodness Zac found for the boys? Matching Columbia rain jackets...three dollars each. Score . I'm really loving the thrift stores around here.

  And another sign of fall....I grew a year older. And there are no pictures of me worth seeing - so you can just trust me when I tell you that I've found several wrinkles and about 29 new grey hairs. We had the traditional "pie" except this year it was a freshly baked apple and peach instead of a frozen Sara lee - thanks to living around Mama C and her delicious flaky crust recipe.

  Finn loved it - that boy can eat.

 And how do you love this piece of birthday loveliness given to me by my Zac? I drink at least two more cups of tea a day now just because of it's blueness. It makes me happy(and we spend a small fortune on tea around here with my three cups a day and Brady's 2 - some things you just have to have...and a nice variety of teas is one of them.)

 And tomorrow...I MIGHT write about Tristan's evaluation that was total flop and made me quite emotional AFTER the 2 hours of torturous games and obstacles they presented him with....but I'm still not up to writing about it (I bought french bread, brie, strawberries, chardonnay and a cherry cheese cake that night if it helps you even slightly imagine where my heart was at.) Lets just say for now....I won't be going back and I'm going to wait a few months before pursuing anything else for Koala. It was just the wrong thing at the wrong time - so I take that as a sign that it's...well, not for now. :)
 Have a happy weekend everyone...