Fall Learning

I don't know if fall and learning are just forever locked together in my brain from years of being in school, but there's something about the colder days and longer nights that make me want to curl up in a comfy armchair and read all I can about days gone by.

In the winter, there's the craziness of the holidays and then the massive amounts of snow that usually come our way. It slows us all down, and for me, personally, zaps my energy, especially as the temperature gets lower and the wood stove burns warmer. I just want to eat all the bad things and sleep until the sun is at least out, which ain't gonna happen when sunrise is 7:13 and the bus comes at 7:45.

In the spring, come the first breeze that actually delights the senses and doesn't send me burrowing into the nearest dwelling, I find myself venturing, willingly, outdoors. There's no time for academia. Spring has sprung! The earth is pungent with heavenly smells- daffodils, lilacs, lily of the valley. I stay outside as much as I can because it feels like I've been freed from the prison of winter.

In the summer, there's definitely no time for studying. It's time to explore! I want to do all I can in the one time of the year that the weather rarely interferes, except the occasional rainy day. I want to be outside even more than I did in the spring, and the longer days allow for it. If I'm going to be learning anything history-related, I want to do it on foot- hikes, monuments, the like.

And now here we are, in autumn. My friend and I attended a history lecture a few weeks ago on a cool but sunny day, and I couldn't think of anything else I'd rather be doing. This is me. I'm a proud, self-proclaimed history geek! I am happy that I can further my education by attending lectures and visiting museums so close to me. I still am in awe of how many opportunities are right in my own backyard, if I look for them.

If I could go back in time, to my newly-college-graduated self, I would say: "Don't worry about not getting your Masters Degree. It's okay that you don't know the exact career you want right now. Your English degree will serve you well in any job you get down the line. Sometimes it takes a little while to find where your true passion lies."

I'm so glad I've found it. Now, you'll have to excuse me. I have the house to myself and a book told from the perspective of a daughter of a doctor in the late 1800s. It's calling my name.

Simple Things

I'm a married 32 year old mother of two and I drive a 10 year old Ford Focus. Getting from Point A to Point B, safely, is usually my one and only objective when I drive. But, one night, when I was returning home with the kids, I couldn't help but remember something my dad used to do for fun when I was growing up.

We have a long driveway. Once in a while, to get a squeal out of us, he would race up the driveway quickly in whatever car we were are all in, brake, and then pull into our small driveway faster than usual. Now, don't worry, this isn't 80 MPH we're talking about, probably just 10 MPH faster than the usual crawl up the driveway (my main assurance to you is that it's perfectly safe. I'm not being risky.)

Per my usual ways with the kids, I pretended our car was doing it on her own accord. Yes, her. Her name is Myrtle. I said: "Woah, Myrtle! Stop being so crazy! This isn't a racetrack. You're Myrtle, not Lightning McMyrtle!" and so on and so forth.

The kids were doubled over with laughter. I was laughing, too. They knew it was me, controlling the car, but they played along.

If that's not evidence of finding joy in the simple things, then I don't know what is.

Noticing

The other afternoon, I couldn't help but notice the blaze of orange reddish leaves against the dark grey of clouds rolling in. It was majestic.

As always, the swamps have been turning color first. While the green grass fades, the trees in the wet areas start showcasing their beautiful autumn shades. I have a few that I look for now every year. All these things I never noticed when I was working full-time. All these things I never noticed when I was sleep-deprived and just trying to take each day as it came.

I'm noticing now, and have been for a few years.

When I'm quarry walking, I spy a spray of light green ferns trying to stick out early autumn. I spy a small rippling stream of water, with tiny, yellow leaves leisurely floating around. I spy a single autumn leaf fallen on the ground. It's the contrast of autumn that I notice the most- the color against the darkening, greying backdrop of the rest of the world.

The busier I get, the more important it becomes to slow down and notice the things above. It calms my mind. There is just something to say about getting out of your own head for a minute or two.

There is just something about noticing the changing world around you, and choosing to take that minute to enjoy yourself and the display that mother nature has to offer us.

My Time

This past week, I have gotten a haircut, a pedicure and enjoyed a Café Mocha and chocolate croissant outside of a lovely eatery in Downtown Hamp with a friend. The most amazing part for me? Babysitter not required. I did these things in the few hours I have every week when both kids are in school.

I'm not going to pretend otherwise: I loved it.

I can respond to a text message before heading into a store without little feet kicking the back of my seat in protest. I can listen to NPR again, because I actually have the brain-space to do so. I can simultaneously s-l-o-w d-o-w-n, enjoy the moment, and also whip through stores if needed.

I feel sanity slowly returning. For nine hours a week, I get to do "what I want", or, at the very least, what I need to get done, without interruption. It's priceless. This week I've decided to indulge myself and use this time for self-care. Not every week will be haircuts and pedicures and Mochas. I'm sure before long I'll be using these hours to clean my house, organize toys, change clothes in bureaus from summer to winter- all that kind of fun stuff.

But, this week? It's been wonderful. You should have seen the smile on my face when I picked Buddy up from preschool on Wednesday. What's that saying- happy mom, happy family? I know there is truth behind it.

But for now, you'll have to excuse me. It's a morning that both kids have school, and I'll be going into the woods to explore old Goshen roads with a friend. It's something I've wanted to do for years.

Now is my time.

Banana Applesauce Crescents

One of the first things I did when I started my weight loss journey over three years ago was to stop baking. Sweets, you see, are hard for me to resist. Some people can't say no to a potato chip. I won't even notice the potato chips if there's a platter of homemade brownies on the same table.

Mmm. Chocolate.

Eventually I realized I could still bake- especially if I made things that didn't overly tempt me (read: no chocolate). I came across a blog, Mostly Homemade Mom, and found a recipe that has been a huge hit in this house since the first day I made it: Banana Applesauce Crescents. Did I mention it only calls for 5 ingredients, most of which I always have on hand? This recipe is a keeper. I'll insert the recipe here, although you can also find it in the link above:

1 banana
1/2 cup natural unsweetened applesauce 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8oz can refrigerated crescent rolls (8 count)

Place banana in small bowl and mash with fork. Mix in applesauce, brown sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Unroll crescent triangles. Spread 1 - 2 tablespoons banana applesauce filling on triangle and roll up into a crescent shape (some filling will smoosh out, that's ok). Place filled crescents on cookie sheet at bake at 375 degrees for 11 - 13 minutes.

The kids love making these with me. Now that Rosie's getting off the bus every afternoon, I'm trying to always have a baked treat ready for her. It's something that my grandma did for me, that I am happy to be doing for my daughter now.

Did you have a favorite after-school snack when you were a kid?

Picnic Summer

It's been a summer of picnics.

Pretty much whenever we could, I would make our lunch, we would grab our picnic blanket, and the kids and I would find a place in the shade in the side yard.

So simple, yet delightful.

We talked about what we saw and heard. We guessed the color of the next car to drive by, and the clouds wafting above us became dinosaurs in tow trucks and mama ducks with ducklings in tow. The breeze lightly tickled the hairs on our head as we inhaled all of the beautiful scents of summer.

After eating, depending on the day, we would either grab some books (and maybe some brownies) and bring them back out to the blanket, or the kids would get in their swimsuits and start shrieking in the kiddie pool. When they chose the latter, I'd put my chair close to the edge so I could submerge my feet, but sometimes I brought that picnic blanket out into the sun and lied down, basking, smelling that warm blanket scent.

We're never too old for picnics. Food always tastes better outside. Summer picnics are something I hope to always continue.

New Routine

In January 2014, in this post about Rosie starting preschool, I wrote: One of my very good friends had assured me earlier: "The first day is the toughest drop-off but also the best pick-up."

As it turns out, the very same thing was true for the first day of Kindergarten, 1 year and 8 months later. It was so tough watching the bus drive away with my little girl inside, but I eagerly waited outside 8 hours later for her return. I loved seeing the small, sleepy smile as she got out off that bus. I hugged her eagerly and fought every urge to bombard her with questions.

She was quiet as we walked up the driveway, and, in that moment, I understood my daughter better than I ever had before. She needed quiet in order to recharge, just like I do. It had been a long day! Now was not the time to try to draw details out of her. I offered her a snack and let her veg in front of the TV. I dove into her backpack to see what she had come with (yes, I'm that parent.) Sure enough, there was a folder, with one side labelled "Keep at home" and the other labelled "Return to school." Clever! I liked this teacher already.

Buddy woke up from his nap and Steve came home from his first day of teaching this year. We brought some munchies outside and hung out as a family while Steve grilled. It might have been my imagination, but we all seemed to be a little nicer to one another. Maybe because after a summer of togetherness, we had, all four of us, spent some time away from each other that day.

At supper, I started asking Rosie some questions that I had learned from my best mom friend that she uses with her sons. "What was the happiest / saddest / most surprising part of your day?" You know what, it worked! It was like a game to her, and she started sharing things about what had happened. I do have to report that tonight I tried that tactic again tonight without success. It might not be an every day thing.

It's interesting around here getting used to this whole new routine. As the bus whisked Rosie away yet again this morning, I found myself slightly emotional, really realizing that this was going to happen every weekday. I know I've been lucky to be with her so much up until this point, but I am going to miss her.

I love that girl with every fiber of my being.