Dear Justin....


Dear Justin,

I love you.  I happen to love the way you have married organic dark chocolate with organic peanut butter even more.  You deserve sainthood.  Seriously.  These little round cups of goodness are sent straight from heaven.  The very best reward for good behavior.
Go for a four mile run....earn a peanut butter cup.
Mop the kitchen floor...earn a peanut butter cup.
Find kid's missing library book...earn a peanut butter cup.
Be awesome...earn a peanut butter cup.  
So thank you for your great contribution to the human race.
You are a good man.

Sincerely,
 Me


And then it happened...



We were just trucking along through life...
eating our way to happy maybe once...or twice.

Birthing beautiful....and I do mean BEA-UUUU-TIFUL babies
seven in total between the three of us.

And then....there was the huffing and puffing when walking up the stairs...
things jiggling when you run to get the phone that have no business jiggling...
one arm stronger than the other because we lopsided carry babies in one arm and not the other.

So...for all the excuses...wow...we have SOOOOOOO many...
we have come to the phase of life where we are taking a stand...
we are getting our strong, keep up with life, selves back.

We've lasted all of two days so far...
wish us luck....


Fall's right of passage....


It's the last hoorah of summer around these parts....


the end of once upon a summer and the beginning of happily ever after fall...
the county fair.


We do it up right around here people...
there are so many kids involved in the local 4-H program that the public school doesn't even bother to start till after the county fair...


otherwise they have no students at school...
their all at the fair. 


I can't even begin to imagine how amazing a breeding ground for germs this experience is...


good thing cotton candy has so much sugar...it actually kills germs on contact instantly therefore making finger licking highly advisable.


Thank you sweet summer, you have been very good to us.  Now don't let the door hit you on your sun tanned buns as head out the door...

Power house...


How are you friends?
Has your coffee wore off yet this morning?
Do you need to consume another food group other than caffeine today?
Go HERE for food inspiration.
These little sweeties are no bake and will make a power house out of you yet today...
enjoy.

Shifted....


Do you feel your heart changing with the seasons...
I think I do.


Maybe it's just time passing.


Nothing stays the same.  Ever. 
We are always moving...
either forward...or backward...but always moving.


This time of year I feel the moving...
this year fall has felt like something of a lurch forward.
A second grader and newly minted kindergartener are now in the house.


My heart feels a little confused...unsettled by it all.  
I am so happy for a routine, a cleared out house a few afternoons a week.
But I have a SECOND grader and a KINDERGARTENER...
what next...
college?


It's like life just blew in and rustled everything from it's place,
swirled it around the room...and now I am waiting for it to find it's new home and settle back down in my heart.  


It just feels...different.  Not quite right.  
I'm afraid I need and extra dose of patients for everything and everyone while all settles into place.


It's just the season...I tell you it is...
it's watering the garden, still picking tomatoes and planting one last round of spinach...


all while buying long sleeve shirts and sitting in the pick up and drop off line at school.


In my heart I am ready for scarfs and pumpkins....


while I sit in shorts and edit pictures of summer vacation.


May there always be room in your heart for change...
for a shift...
for a re-settling of things.


You just never know when you may need one...
a shift...
an adjustment to things...
the seasons
your heart
one's attitude
perspective


May change be gentle on you...
may you be ready...
open...