Scenes from October 2024

Another month gone by! This time of year always feels very fleeting to me, which in turn, enhances the preciousness of fall, I think. The changing leaves are so beautiful to me, in part because I know it is only a few weeks of vibrant color before we inch closer to bare branches and the winter season ahead. And this year, with the anticipation of a (likely) December arrival for a new baby, the fall months have seemed to pass even more quickly so far.

We are in the midst of trying to enjoy the season and being very aware of a list of things we'd (ideally) like to accomplish before the baby arrives. Each weekend, we (mostly Nicholas!) is checking off a few things, and that feels so good. Apart from that, here are some things we've been up to over the past month:

We spent a unseasonably warm day walking around at a local park before dinner. Cooper especially enjoyed looking for snail shells (Nicholas enjoyed looking for snail shells at the very same park as a boy).

Nicholas has been hard at work cutting and splitting wood. There were dozens of hardwood (mostly cherry) logs on the edge of our property that we had been wanting to get cleared out, cut, and stacked before winter. Although we have a wood stove and a fire pit, we don't foresee needing nearly this quantity for a very long time, but now that it's closer to a burnable status, it can dry and cure. And I love seeing it all stacked out behind our home, tidy and useable (or at least only needing to be split before becoming useable). And I know Nicholas is relieved to have that task accomplished, as well.

Cooper and I made homemade apple cider donuts, half with cinnamon sugar and half with a maple glaze. The dough itself had apple cider in it, and they were absolutely delicious. I typically am not fussed about creating beautiful food – ideally, I want it to be nourishing and tasty (or at least a more wholesome treat), but it is satisfying to bake something that looks beautiful too.

Nicholas hung up a peg rail that we ordered months ago. And we love it! It's sturdy (made of solid maple) and beautiful and functional, hung near the door to our garage. And on a similar note of "making corners more useful," we rearranged the basement modular sectional a bit, freeing up a few of the seats from it. We put one in an empty corner of our bedroom, fulfilling my desire for a cozy corner in that room, and our desire to use (rather than just store) some of the couch pieces.

And as ever, I am trying to be a student of the seasonal light in our home. This is our first fall here, since we moved in very late November of last year, so it's neat to see the patterns of light through September and October with fresh eyes.

We've had lots of fika and slow mornings with coffee, while the boys play, and before we start homeschool for the day. I made sourdough cinnamon rolls, arguably one of our very favorite treats. Cooper and I have had some special one-on-one fikas, while his brother naps (Bear even attended one). And I am reaching for my handknit socks more for daytime wear! This pair in particular feels especially autumnal.

As a car game and a way to engage with the boys while we are driving to and from errands or parks or church, etc., I started asking them to look for "signs of fall," out their car windows. This could include cheery pumpkins on front steps, red, orange or yellow leaves on a tree, bright berries on a bush, you name it. And the term "signs of fall" became something Cooper really attached to. In recent weeks, he and I have done little walks to look for "signs of fall," or he will run up to me, breathless from being outside, and say, "Here mama! I found some signs of fall just for you," handing me berries and bright red leaves and all the most precious treasures of a five-year-old.

And this sweet new baby (and my belly) have been growing! I have had random bursts of nesting energy, which is helpful in tackling the to-do list. There are still freezer meals to prep, some more Christmas shopping to complete (hoping to have everything wrapped by early December, just in case), and some other household tasks left to do.

We have had some family time this month with a trip up to Minnesota, but more on that to come in a separate blog post! I took the boys on a little lunch date, with a stop at a local fiber/weaving/yarn shop. We've gone on golden hour family walks, the boys have snuggled one of my father-in-law's dogs, we've met friends at a park, we did our voting early, and we've had lots of smoothies and days spent playing legos, doing laundry, preparing food, and keeping our home.

October was a sweet month. I'm hoping for more restful days ahead, and as much as I adore the Christmas season, I want to savor and appreciate November for what it is as well – a month to slow down a bit, cozy up, continue to grow this sweet new life, and thank the Lord for His (many, many!) blessings in our life.