Fall is in the air. And I say the same thing every year; I forget how much I love this season. I am blessed to live in a place where I get to experience the changing season, because I do look forward to the new experiences, the rush of memories associated with each, and the excitement of what adventures are in store. I truly LOVE Halloween, too. And this time of year is the best because all the fun around Halloween rolls right into Thanksgiving fun, and then the Christmas season (which, of course, is the BEST!). It's only October 5th and we've already taken the boys to a pumpkin patch (granted, on a terrible day), and decorated for Halloween around the house (thanks, Nick!!), and have our costumes picked out (for the most part).
I really LOVE my part time schedule, and I am SO happy to have finished with End of Year activities at work, that just this past weekend was filled with fall. And the weather was ALL across the board. After the fun filled day at the pumpkin patch Friday, Saturday was spent making homemade apple sauce (which filled the house with yummy smells), a fire in the fireplace, homemade chicken noodle soup, and roasted smores in the fire with Uncle Bobby. It was in the 40s and rainy the whole day, and it was SO wonderful to put sweatshirts on, eat warm food, watch movies, and spend quality time together. And then Sunday was a new and different day all together. We had a great breakfast in the sunshine together, Nick and I played in the leaves together, and then got dressed up to go to a baptism and spend the entire day outside with tons of Matt's extended family. The day was BEAUTIFUL! It had to have been almost 80, the food was great, the company was great, and the kids were SO well behaved. Watching those boys laugh and play is music to my ears, and a great ending to the week.
It's never a bad time to count the blessings in my life, and I do have ONE more to be thankful for. We are expecting baby #3!!! I am 16 weeks now and due on March 20th. But who knows when the little one will actually arrive. And this time we are not finding out-- I cant believe it, but we decided before we even conceived that it will be a surprise, and frankly it is neat having a little secret that no one knows (not even me!). Pregnancy this time around was fairly similar to the last two, minus a little more nausea in the first trimester (and headaches this time around--something I am not used to getting regularly in general). Overall these days I am feeling pretty good, the cravings have subsided, but I am hungry A lot! The first trimester i was so tired and not feeling great, i hate a lot of crappy comfort foods, it's all the sounded good... things are a little better these days, although I go back to the doctor today and it is always scary stepping on the scale. It's been a great, and Nick has been SUCH a curious little person. He asks TONS and tons of questions about the baby; like what is the baby wearing inside the belly, and where does he get his clothes. He thinks it's a girl. And he asks if the baby is sleeping, and how the baby sleeps. Just yesterday he asks if the baby cries or talks does water go in his mouth. And where does the baby go to the bathroom. SMART QUESTIONS!!! Questions that warrant good answers. He is so inquisitive. AND SO helpful, he already wants to help and be part of everything. He makes me prouder than I ever imagined.
We still have lots to do on the home front before the baby comes, the biggest being purchasing a new vehicle that will fit 3 kids comfortably. Probably a minivan! And frankly, I cant wait! Then comes transitions, like moving Chris to a big boy bed (and sharing a room with Nick), looks at pre-school options next year, what will happen with work, lots to think about. But most of it is in God's hands, and I am pretty sure everything will work out. It always does.
Happy fall!
