October

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. 

- Lucy Maud Montgomery

October was a month of adventure for us. We welcomed friends whenever possible, and we flew across the country to see another dear friend marry her beloved. Our trip to New Jersey was filled with, well, lots of praying Daniel would make it on flights (he was flying standby), entertaining our darling third wheel, and soaking in time with my college roommates. We are so lucky to get time with almost all of them (one of our honorary roommates lives many countries away). We've all changed, but stayed the same even more.

Then came our first snow of the year! It was heavy and wet, and Mlada refuses to wear gloves. We had 95% of the necessary snow gear... so really not too bad! 

In the proper Colorado way, the weather almost immediately became lovely again... at least lovely enough to go wandering out in the almost-melted snow in jammies.

Our reading and snuggling time has also ramped up in a perfectly wonderful way. Emílie's quilt gets pulled off the back of the couch a hundred times a day, and I love it. 

 Oh, and of course: dance parties. Mlada has been breaking out the moves. The time change and lack of light in our day puts us all in a mood at least a few times a day, so books and music are our go-to mood lifters. If all else fails, it's naptime or an episode of Little Bear.

We also said good-bye, or rather, see you as soon as physically possible, to one of our favorite families. As hard as it always is to see friends move away, they are going somewhere so wonderful that makes it a bit easier. 

We attempted the traditional pumpkin patch visit, but oh my, it was cold! We waited a bit too late in the month, our early freeze had destroyed most of the poor pumpkins, and the wind went right through these little sweeties. We came home with one lovely misshapen guy and a little one for each kiddo.

Anni had a two day "autumn intermission", so Daniel took the same days off to give us some extra family time. We made it to the zoo and it was really the best time I've had there in a long time! We explored some areas we hadn't been to, and with Mlada's newfound recognition of animals, it was just all joy. 

And finally, the month closed out with Halloween. Anni gets to dress up for school as anything they had studied, so she was autumn. The tattoos were probably a poor choice since we are still trying to scrub them off a week later, but it was such fun at the time!

Miss Mlada spent the day dressed up as her Aunt Tinie in one of  her namesake's shirts from her own toddlerhood, which was just fun.

The crowning jewel! Our little Moana (dressed for a chilly evening in Colorado rather than a tropical climate), a wee little elephant, and our very own Space Cadette Colette. 

And that. is that. Here's to the next month of adventure!

Pumpkin Patch 2015

Remember how I mentioned we like our traditions over here? Well last year, we somehow missed this one. I'm not sure why, because we're far busier and life is far crazier this year. Maybe missing last year reminded us how much we like our little traditions. Either way, this year, we came, we saw, we pumpkin patched.

The girls got a big kick out of finding "sister pumpkins" just like them. They also searched long and hard for their own perfect pumpkins.

Changin' Fast

I feel like we've been in a bit of a twilight zone for the past couple of weeks.  I mean, has it really been two weeks since our day at the corn maze?!  My brain can't seem to wrap itself around that fact.

Two weeks ago it was warm, fall-ey, and can I just mention that I think my husband is super handsome?

Mentioned.

Following Anni's little, erm, overflow on the way home from the corn maze, we didn't leave the house for nearly a week. 

And then, just as she stopped waking up in the middle of the night to share whatever we had attempted to satiate her "hungee" tummy with, I joined the club.

Pregnancy and stomach bugs are a strange, unhappy combination.  I would get sick if I didn't eat (pregnancy) and would definitely get sick if I did (stomach bug).  Luckily, a couple days of Anni getting to watch way more of the PBS app than she ever has, Daddy coming home early when he could, and me lying as still as I could, and we were kind of back in business.

Because, you know, two days after picking up the bug, I had my last wedding to shoot and an engagement the next.  I think I'm still recovering from that weekend... luckily my clients are amazing and I'm ever so grateful I get these chances to document their lives.

The following days were full of editing, mommying and more editing and then some extra toddler cuddles to make up for all of the working.  Knowing that this season of being able to concentrate so fully on our sweet, quirky, happy, little two-year-old is quickly coming to an end, I've been trying to take more time to breathe in those happy little moments of right now.

Recently, our "little" Nugget's personality is shining through loud and clear.  She spends nap time singing, usually her own made-up songs.  She loves to sit and read not only her own books, but mommy and daddy's as well (it works well for her that we just leave piles of our books on our nightstands). 

She gets me moving more than anything else could during this pregnancy.  As much as my mind does a little tired yelp when she so sweetly requests, "Mommy, dance wif me?" I know there isn't anything, anything at all, else that I should be doing at that moment.

Just shy of two weeks after that warm fall day in the corn stalks... we had our first big snow!  It actually started the evening I had safe environment training and I felt like a little kid who didn't listen to their mama when I walked out into several inches of snow and had to brush off my car in short sleeves.

Luckily, oatmeal cookies and homemade hot chocolate were on the menu when I reached home, so it all balanced out.  

I am definitely a fall/spring girl, but the cold is worth it to see Anni's pure excitement at the snow (especially that it was "in the twees").  When we first peeked outside to look at it yesterday morning, she informed me, "It's so booo-tiful mommy."  I've heard "I wuff the snow," more than once in the last two days... I think it's going to be a good winter (though I will quite, quite happily welcome fall and it's more temperate beauty back for a few more weeks with our warm spell next week).

One downside to our little winter storm has been that the moon is hidden by clouds in the evenings.  In the past week, Anni has added to our nighttime routine by requesting to go out on the porch after prayers.  She'll point out all that she sees (cars, trees, clouds, moon and lights) and then tell each of them good night before we head back in to bed.  The last night we could see the moon, she informed Daniel, "I want to hold the moon, Daddy."

 I am continually amazed, and humbled, by this sweet girl growing up before my eyes.  I am so grateful to have the chance to grow and learn with her.    

Have a beautiful weekend, my friends!