fall is here!

Summer has finally gone - woohoo!  There are many reasons I love the fall - cooler weather, beautiful trees, great food, a restful feeling.  The fall is not actually restful.  There's so much stuff packed into it, but somehow as Mother Nature prepares to sleep for a while, that sense of calm seeps a bit (a little bit!) into my psyche. 

And so today I am thankful for the following fall blessings:

• homemade apple butter
• Halloween decorations
• long-sleeve shirts
• pumpkin baking
• soon-to-be changing leaves
• a school willing to address My Girl's difficulties, even when they don't seem that difficult in comparison to the challenges of some others
• a newly-sewn fall outfit for My Girl (very simple, but still handmade)
• lots more outside time
• the sweet excitement of My Boy in preschool
• soup
• a newly painted kitchen and bedroom (good-bye navy blue walls - blech!)
• the smell of cinnamon and spice
• fingers tingly from the cold
• visiting friend and homecoming plans
• hope

Here are a few pictures in honor of the new season:

And because he's just so cute:

May this new season bring you a measure of joy and peace!