Well, the first day of fall was yesterday and next week, we will already say goodbye to this beautiful September. It seems like I say this every year, but this month in particular has been one of the prettiest Septembers I can remember. The mix of perfect upper-sixty degree days with those lingering upper-seventy degree days has created the perfect mix of all we have to anticipate for fall and all we have to hold to from our summer. I've always been a Midwest girl at heart and love these times of transition. There's always so much good to hold onto, yet so much new to look forward to at the same time. But these warm days, crisp mornings, and gorgeous sunsets remind me that there's just something special about fall.
I can feel the pace of life pick up as October lies around the corner, but I want to live in this September just a little bit longer. It's been one of the best. It's been filled with family and friends, good food and getaways, open windows and nights on the deck, and Friday night apple picking and Sunday football watching. It's been filled with all the good things that fall brings, with a little bit of summer in between.
A slew of pictures from our September...
208. Post supper walkabouts at one of the prettiest parks in town. It's just up the road from our house and with a lawn that's still a work-in-progress, we often seek refuse here. We throw rocks in the water, feed the geese, look for fish from the bridge, climb the swirly tree, and watch the sun set.
209. Cider donuts and Saturday morning dance parties.
210. Living in a college town. We spent UNI's first home game watching from the sweet seats, a suite view thanks to Brian and Angie. And Jennifer came from Des Moines to babysit the kids, so needless to say we were all a happy bunch.
211. Impromptu picnics at Lookout Park in the middle of our work week. I felt the deep need to just go and play, eat peanut butter and jelly out of plastic sacks, and go around the merry-go-round until we were dizzy. Nights like this are fuel for the rest of the week.
212. Spending Papa Curt's birthday at the kids' favorite playground. This is getting to be a beloved little ritual we do - order pizza right to the park, take turns chasing the kids up and down the slides, and all congregating on this tilt-a-seat for conversations about everything from politics to preschool to Tom Brady and the Patriots.
213. A perfect Sunday of a Bears' kickoff for the boys, a three hour nap for Mila, and an afternoon in the kitchen for me. I love that I can now have a direct line to the living room action from my island, and especially love when Cruz decides to sit across from me and color. This day, he practiced his letters while I chopped every vegetable in our fridge for a yummy beef stew.
214. Before bedtime hangs on the deck. It's become our other little sanctuary, a place to gather that seems a little bit out of the ordinary, offering a little spark at the end of our day. We do baths and jammies, then all grab a toy of choice and sit on quilts while the sun goes down. We listen to music, build block towers, and feel a little bit farther away from the reality of laundry, emails, and dishes that exist on the other side of that door.
215. A quick weekend getaway to see our dear friends in Pella and meet sweet little Drew. We had never been to Pella before and were so impressed with everything about this town. Nate and Kate are the absolute best host and hostess, and we picked up right where we left off. We spent a rainy Friday night over charcuterie and glasses of Pinot Noir, and enjoyed a gorgeous Saturday seeing some of the sights of this adorable town. We had a breakfast picnic with coffee and those famous Dutch letters, the kids put on dance parties on the amphitheater stage, and we grabbed lunch al fresco before giving the kids some time to show us their moves in the bounce house. Baby Drew is a dream and I loved every minute of catching up with his wonderful mama and doing family together for a couple of days.
I'm starting a petition for a bakery like this in Cedar Falls! Who's with me?!
216. A Sunday afternoon visiting our old neighborhood park. We had just a little bit of nostalgia as Cruz climbed familiar ladders and slid down familiar slides.
217. The kids and I spent the day with my parents on Sunday when Beau had to go out of town for most of the week for a work conference. Mila took her usual three-hour Sunday nap, Papa Curt watched football, and Grandma and Cruz colored while I baked up apple turnovers and wild rice soup. We then spent some time showing them around Hartman Reserve, where we got up close and personal with a friendly little deer that was definitely not afraid of us!
Mila's reaction to the deer...:)
218. Early mornings where the three of us found ourselves in the big bed. Beau was still gone and Mila woke up with a bad dream about 4:30 one morning. I brought her to our bed, and about a half hour later, Cruz meandered in to join us. I wouldn't want to make a habit of this, but it was pretty sweet to all wake up together on a morning without Daddy.
That's a wrap! Looking forward to one more September weekend for the books!
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