Halloween and Beyond

Friday was insane.
It was the end to a busy week, Halloween to boot.  I somehow managed to get Felix down early so we could make Ainsley's 1:30 parade at school.  We bundled for the sub freezing winds and found our spot for the parade.  I almost missed my girl! Holding her class sign so proudly, wearing her kimono OUTSIDE of her winter coat.  Doing this Minnesota mama proud.  Then her spectacular class party with fruit treats and dancing with friends and her fun teacher.  It was almost too cute.  I loved every moment.

Then we walked the four blocks home, waited for Ian to come home early from work for tricks or treats.  It started to snow in earnest and the winds were howling.  It was beyond comical. I just laughed and laughed as we layered our little Mulans and our tiny Mu Shu (who's costume I somehow motivated to make at 10am that morning...I just had to).

The girls ran from house to house knowing just what to do.  Felix and I joined for just our block, then went home to hand out candy.  He was so excited each time he heard the knock knock and when the girls got home with Ian all three enjoyed handing out candy.

We had our block party that night regardless.  I ran over with a piping hot pot of pumpkin black bean chili, raspberry oatmeal bars and homemade macaroni cloaked in towels to keep it warm.  We huddled and ate with brave neighbors, sipping on hot toddies. It was kind of perfect actually.  I kept using the word "memorable" to describe the day.  That's exactly what it was!

Saturday was memorable too.  Ian drove us out west and I drove us home.  If you've been following you know I haven't driven on highways since a panic attack incident in March.  It was so scary to merge that first time but I knew I had to do it and knew I was ready and somehow I made it all the way home on the big bad 6 lane highway.  I was soaring for the rest of the day.  Which is probably why......

I spent all day today in pajamas.  Ian took the kids to the aquarium this morning and I watched two episodes of Gilmore girls and knit Felix a pair of mittens and baked a loaf of oatmeal bread.  They got home, they'd had a blast.  We ate the bread with soup for lunch and napped.  Ian took the girls ice skating.  Louise's first time!  Ainsley's second.  Louise worked up to skating on her own without the walker and Ainsley made a whole lap on her own with the big kids.  I'm so thankful for a husband who is almost completely my opposite at times.  Just as I'm happy to hunker down and make house my man is keen on getting out and entertaining out kids.  It's a good system we have.

I feel so unprepared for this week, mostly because I've had no time to think about what's to come.  We've started our thankfulness paper chain, starting thinking about the holidays to come, excited for a normal full week and the promise of fun holidays and family visits to come.  This is as good as it gets.  I am so fully aware of that.  It's a glorious place to be.

Happy November to you all!

Humpday Nuggets

Ahh Wednesday. It used to be one of my favorite days (remember nuggets a time ago?).  Now it's the day Ainsley gets out of school an hour early, the halfway point in a long busy week.  It's still good, just different.

For starters I now have NO alone time in the mornings, for the first time in years.  I'm re-learning how to do things with a tiny rambunctious toddler underfoot. It feels so long ago that I had one of those in the house, probably because Louise really wasn't a rambunctious toddler, so since Ainsley it's been about 4 years!

After getting some errands done Monday and Tuesday Felix and I used our time this morning indoors.  I did laundry, we baked muffins and roasted nuts, we danced.  He mimicked me while I did a few exercises.  We sang along to a new kids CD we were given at Oak Park's Halloween parade this past weekend.  It was a good morning.  It's been a good week.  Really all of fall has been great.  I kind of feel like I'm waiting for the ball to drop (or whatever that phrase is, you know what I mean!)

Halloween has gotten me in holiday mode.  Our house is all decorated, my mind is already spinning with plans for the holidays to come.  I feel excited but relaxed.  I wish I had all this knowledge and zen a few years ago with the kids!

We carved pumpkin this weekend, in our backyard!  I do like my cool fall days but those three sunny warm ones this weekend were wonderful.  We definitely took advantage.  I got wise and sprayed the pumpkins with some homemade bug spray this year and so far the squirrels haven't had one nibble!

I stayed up a bit late last night to finish this for Felix.

Just in time too!  His adorable purple Patagonia fleece is just this side of too small.  This knit was super simple but the basket weave border makes it look a bit more finished.  I love it.  He's so dang cute in it. (And it's real wool, it's WARM).

This past week I helped a neighbor friend make Elsa and Anna costume for her daughters and it's help to ignite my sewing a bit again.  I found some fun upholstery fabric while out last week and made two simple pillows and the one below, to cover the ones the kids have all put ruined.  The one below is pieced together with remnants of corduroy and a cashmere sweater I found at a thrift shop.  It's SO comfortable and snuggly.

I'm finally making that delicious squash soup for dinner tonight.  It's simmering on the stove as we speak and the house smells amazing.

I hate having to wake Felix up from his nap on Wednesdays to get Ainsley.  Poor third child.

Today we play with friends after school and I'm taking the girls to a Halloween story time at Ainsley's school tonight.  Tomorrow is Louise's Halloween party at school and gymnastics.  Friday is Ainsley's Halloween party and well, Halloween!

We hardly have any plans for the weekend and I'm glad.  Ian doesn't know this yet, but I'm secretly hoping to talk him into a run to IKEA this weekend to get a new bookcase for the girls' room (and probably at least 10 other things, lets be serious).  Or maybe we'll paint our bedroom?

I'm in a spruce up mode in our home right now and once the bug hits I try to go with it!

I hope you all are having a wonderful week!  Happy Halloween!

Food This Week (10/27)

Last week was a good eating week.  I made this apple strudel cheesecake with homemade caramel sauce extravaganza on Friday (because you know, we were looking for something to do so why not) and it's one of the best desserts I've ever made.  We still have some in the fridge.  Yum.
We ate too much yesterday and got take out last night so this week I'm mostly just using things up from the freezer, plus we have our awesome Halloween block party on Friday after trick or treating with chili and desserts so that's pretty much the only cooking I plan on doing.


Maple glazed pork tenderloin with potatoes and green beans

Two kinds of veggie burgers and sweet potato fries

leftover bolognese and salad and rolls

sloppy joes with corn and baked beans

spinach and bacon quiche

Pumpkin Black Bean chili, homemade mac and cheese, and oatmeal bars (for the block party)

I am very thankful for a stocked freezer this week, though I still managed to spend $90 on groceries.  It's amazing the amount of fresh produce, dairy, snacks etc. we go through in a week these days.
What's on your menu?

Gold and Magic

Lately, the world has had a gold tint.  The bright sun reflects the astonishing colors of leaves, the wind blows them down, the blue sky floats solidly above.  You can feel the magic.

I love fall.  I've said it before.  I can't help it.  It's so special because it's so fleeting.  It's THIS moment right now before the trees are bare, before the cold sets in for good, when the sun is still hot and the breezes cool, when the anticipation of all the celebrating in the months ahead is peaking each moment.  

It is this fall moment that is the best.

Hoping your falls are all golden and magical.