Hello October

  My morning started off at 6:45 am - Tristan's nose pressed against mine, sippy cup in hand...begging me to get up and get him a drink. Instead I turned over and handed him the Ipad...then got up at 7 as he was still watching PBS cartoons. Bad parenting? Nah. I pads are life savers.
 Then I was at it...making oatmeal and getting Brady dressed and ready for school. It was drizzling out and I thought we may have to drive to school this morning but just as we needed to leave, the rain stopped and it was a perfect time to get out the ol' boots and enjoy the cool weather. I collected leaves all the way home from the school...I'm sure I looked hilarious walking along the street, my hands full of gold and red leaves...I MAY have picked a few off a neighbors tree here and there....but you didn't hear that from me. I mean...leaves ARE free.

  Trinity and I had a lovely morning of school. I'm starting Bible Memory with her this week because I realized that I have never, ahem, made this part of her education these last few weeks. For me, that realization was a little sad. I mean, I keep her home for now so that I can train her up in the way I think God wants me too...and I know it is so important to hide His word in our hearts...and I totally haven't been teaching that to my squirrel. So, we started off with a verse on thankfulness and she was able to cut out pictures of things she loves - these varied from a rabbit, suede shoes, a picture of hair (because she says she's thankful for long hair) and a tea pot.

  Then we worked together framing the leaves I had found -such a simple craft and it cost a total of three dollars after my steal of a deal on this Target frame. :)

  And we put together an "appreciation of fall" cubby on our bookshelf. I ordered a little set of felted acorns off of etsy today - they will look so adorable scattered among the dried leaves. :) Have I mentioned that I love the fall? Brayden came home and told me that part of our house was really starting to look like a school - I'm going to take that as a compliment.

  While we were doing all this my Koala was jumping around the house pretending to be a super hero. He also enjoyed learning Trin's four new spelling words this morning - he can't spell them by himself yet but he is great at following along. Trin took a little photo shoot of me and Tristan snuggling.

  Isn't he so cuddly? He's one of my favorites.

  When we picked Brady up from school I took the kids to the grocery store on a "gluten free" shopping spree. Tristan has had eczema over the last couple of weeks and this morning it was really bad...all red and bumpy all over his back. He also takes....ahem...frequent trips to the restroom and I'm just wondering if there is a gluten intolerance there - he's always acted like he has a food allergy I've just never been able to pick out which.  Not only that, but Zac hasn't felt super great for quite sometime. He complains constantly of being bloated or his stomach just aching...he is also lethargic a lot and feels "fuzzy." So, I think we are going to try to cut out gluten for awhile - this is not good for me. I mean...it will be - but for now it feels a bit daunting. And on top of all of that...I've also read numerous books about how cutting out gluten is really good for children with autism. So...we're starting.

  And as a reward for my precious littles who were PERFECT in the grocery store - we bought our first jug of apple cider of the season (here's hoping that was gluten free??)

  And to finish off the day - a tray full of pumpkins waiting to have little faces painted on them...

  And one already adorable perfect pumpkin and all of his * buggish*  goodness.

  And a superhero running through my yard at dusk, loving the feel of his satiny cape trailing behind him in the breeze....

  And a princess in search of "Peter" who also seems to be the before mentioned super hero.

 And the most perfect little basket of fruit I ever did see - the basket was a gift from my mom, handmade by one of their Tarahumara friends. Isn't it perfect?

Happy Monday.