Just Breathe
(This phrase always makes me think of Everafter, but I loved this poem too)

Wanna Bet
(makes me laugh every time I read it)

Just Imagine what they could have done with a little Final Net
(I just thought this was really interesting)

Simple Living Myth: Real Life is Real Simple
(good to remember)

Let’s Get Cozy
(for my autumn-lovers)

Reclaiming Conversation
(a great idea)

How Would You Like Your Obituary to Read?
(all I can say is AMEN!)

Last year we started a new tradition of decorating a seasonal table.  It was a lot of fun, and we have continued with it all through the year.

Something new I’ve started this year (nothing big, just new for us) is pulling all of our “seasonal” books off of the shelves and keeping them together in one place for quick and easy access.  This has also been a lot of fun, and I feel like it’s helped us not to miss out on reading certain books at the “appropriate” time.

Today I thought I’d share a few of our favorites for this time of year.

Apples, Apples is a cute board book all about a bear family going to pick apples, and the words are all rhyme-y, so of course it’s very exciting.

Why Do Leaves Change Color? is both interesting to read, and extremely educational.

A favorite that we still have my childhood copy of is It’s Thanksgiving by Jack Prelutsky.  Very fun.

If you haven’t ever read The Year at Maple Hill Farm, you are missing out!  It covers all the seasons, and it’s just really great.

Finally, we’ve all been getting to know Little Soup.  He’s a lot of fun and I think entertaining for boys and girls both, which is a plus.  For fall we have Little Soup’s Hayride and Little Soup’s Turkey. 

So, now you know what we’ve been reading. 

Do you have any favorite “fall books”?

When I uploaded pictures tonight, I found about ten images like this.  Miss E was playing with my camera a few days ago, and apparently she needed the perfect shot of her precious ballet slippers.

So, I don’t know if I’m the only one, but I often find myself thinking along these lines: ”Everything in my life would be perfect if it weren’t for just this one thing.”

Anybody else?

I think “I would have an amazing life, if only this wasn’t in the way.” 

Sometimes it’s just a fleeting thought.  Sometimes I dwell on it a little too much.  And sometimes it completely steals all my joy.

I was thinking along these lines the other day, when I had a little light-bulb moment.

All thanks to Miss E.

She’s the middle child.  She’s beautiful, sweet, funny, and just so wonderful.

BUT, she whines.

A LOT.

It’s not her fault.  I whine a little.  And her Auntie whines a lot, and though I hate to admit it, I can’t deny the reality that it appears to be genetic.

She is a total whiner.  Any time she doesn’t get what she wants. 

Anytime what she gets isn’t exactly how she wants it. 

And at least half of the rest of the time, for no reason at all. 

Her little voice takes that awful pinched tone and her words slur together into a completely uninteligible explosion that makes you want to plug your ears and “la la la” until it’s over.

It’s awful.

It makes hombre and I feel crazy.

And yet, we love her.  We love her more than we can even express. 

I’ll admit when we are faced with the whining in it’s fullest intensity, we wonder how we will survive.

Then we step back and remember that we love her.  She is beautiful.  She is sweet.  She is fun and silly and smart and healthy.  And she loves Jesus with all of her little heart.

And when we focus on the whining, all we’re really doing is missing out on this amazing little person.  She’s a gift, right there for us to enjoy, and we miss it by focusing on the one flaw.

I know none of us need a news flash that life isn’t perfect. 

But I needed a little reminder.  Stop resting your happiness on perfection.  And stop letting one flaw take your eyes off of the abundance of gifts right before your eyes. 

We all have our one thing that we’d like to push out of our way, so we can just enjoy our lives. 

But honestly, I’m tired of waiting. 

I want to enjoy my life today. 

I read this today, and it just seemed so fitting with the crazy winter weather we are having and all….

The author listed is “R.N.T.”  I’m not sure who that means, but it’s taken from the book The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life  by Hannah Whitall Smith.  Just so you know

Though the rain may fall and the wind be blowing,
And cold and chill is the wintry blast,
Though the cloudy sky is still cloudier growing,
And the dead leaves tell that summer has passed,
My face I hold to the stormy heaven,
My heart is calm as the summer sea,
Glad to recieve what my God has given,
What e’er it be.

When I feel the cold I can say, “He sends it,”
And His wind blows blessing I surely know,
For I’ve never a want but that He attends it,
And my heart beats warm, though the winds may blow.
The soft sweet summer was warm and glowing;
Bright were the blossoms on every bough;
I trusted Him when the roses were blowing,
I trust Him now.

Small were my faith should it weakly falter,
Now that the roses have ceased to blow;
Frail were the trust that now should alter,
Doubting His love when storm clouds grow.
If I trust Him once, I must trust Him ever,
And His way is best, though I stand or fall;
Through wind and storm He will leave me never,
He sends it all.

Why should my heart be faint and fearing?
Mighty He rules above the storm,
Even the wintry blast is cheering,
Showing His power to keep me warm.
Never a care on my heart is pressing,
Never a fear can disturb my breast,
Everything that He sends is blessing,
For He knows best.