Hello, my name is Heather and I'm a Fall-aholic.

Maybe it's because I love all things pumpkin, perhaps because I'm an "Autumn" and look great in the colors of the season, or even that Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday (no gifts to buy, and I love to cook...).

It doesn't matter. I'm addicted. I recognize my problem but refuse to change. In fact, I only shop with my favorite enabler.

"Stop me", I told her as I loaded my arms with a new pumpkin door mat and wreath at Target this weekend.

"Yeah, right" came the sympathetic reply.

Unfortunately, I live in a region where "fall" means that I can go hiking at ten in the morning and not completely melt, just get a nice tan. It's still going to break 100 degrees a few times this week.

So, I'm pushing the season a little. I dragged out the decorations, old and new and hung falling jelly "leaves" on the front window. I've indulged in Coffee Bean's new "Pumpkin Pie" Iced Blended (SO worth the caloric damage). I even got fall hair.

Yes, fall hair...I told you I had a problem.

The jury is still out...I happen to like my highlights, but I'm enjoying the change. I think I'm more enjoying the fact that between some recent (small!) weight loss, the new hair and the fun new specs (which I LOVE), that people I haven't seen in a while are doing a double take.

What do you think?

Happy Autumn!

The sisters at DJ Baby A's first birthday fete!

...mostly because I'm in one of those phases when I'm lucky to be able to go to the bathroom without feeling like I really should be using my time to better advantage.

Well, that and the fact that I have a lot I could whine about right now and I came to a rather startling realization last week during a radio interview that I did with my husband (AM radio is amazing that way, evidently they'll let anyone run their mouths on the air...).

People actually read my blog. Even people I'm not related to.

Let's face it, transparency has it's limits. While I want to share insights from my own struggles, the internet is rife with self-pity, and my prayer is that by writing I have the advantage of a physical filter, something often sadly missing in my verbal expression (I'm working on it.).

So, for those of you who are reading, thanks for being interested.

I'll try to keep the kvetching to a minimum.

 

This is the gal who designed my s-i-l's blog...she's awesome! Happy contest entering!


Autumn is my favorite time of the year, and it's just right around the corner. To celebrate the beginning of the season, I'm having a contest for 2 lucky people to win a totally free, completely customized blog design from Bluebird Blogs.Information on how to enter:- Send an email with your name and blog address to bluebirdblogs@gmail.com.- Entries will be accepted from 7:00pm EST on Thursday 9/14/06 until 11:59pm EST on Friday 9/22/06.*Bonus* - Mention this contest in a post on your blog and receive 5 extra entries into the drawing!The winner will be announced here on Saturday, September 23rd, 2006. Good luck to everyone!

Happy Birthday littlest nephew! 

I am SO loving our orthodontist right now.

My dear, dear, son (do you hear my teeth grinding right now?) managed to lose his new retainer during vacation.

It was less than a week old. In fact, he had it for all of four days when he performed the classic "wrap retainer in a napkin and leave on the side of the plate to be cleared away by the busboy and then forget about it for three or four hours" move. Did I mention that the retainer technically should have been home in it's case at the time, not in his mouth??

He was understandably devastated. First of all, he was risking the major Wrath of Mom. Secondly, the replacement cost of the retainer is $150...and he knew he was on the hook for every last cent of it--to be taken out in the labor of his parents' choice.

He spent Labor Day in repentant labor...hard labor helping his dad and a friend of the family rip out the old landscaping in our back yard and dismantle our rickety swing set in preparation for an upcoming remodel.

The next day he went to the orthodontist to have the mold taken for the new retainer. He walked in dejected but walked out beaming.

"Mom! Dr.Nett said that I don't have to pay for my retainer this time if I bring homemade chocolate-chip cookies in for the whole office! Mom, can I work for the cookie ingredients?"

I checked with the hygenist--yes, this was a legit deal. Of course, she reminded him of the terms of any future retainer offense.

"Mom, he says if I lose another retainer, then I have to pay for that one myself."

What cash-strapped mommy could say not to a deal like that--especially when I've been eyeing new literature units for this kid.

The promised cookies are cooling on the counter to take to this afternoon's appointment.

Hopefully they'll serve as a cheap (and sweet) lesson in extending grace to others for my son.

They did for me.

I love the tangents that our homeschool day can take.

Today, my first-grader and I were reading Bread and Jam for Frances, when she decided that she needed to have a "Frances" lunch.

That ended up meaning bread and jam (of course), milk--in a thermos jar--, peaches, and poached eggs.

Now, I haven't poached an egg in years, if ever. But out came the cookbook, and the older children joined in. We all ended up learning how to poach eggs, and my egg-hating son even ended up pulling a "Frances" and deciding that it was "really only scrambled eggs" that he didn't like that much...poached eggs were fine, thank you.

Fast forward to this afternoon as I'm driving the mom taxi to chess club and indoor soccer practice. Cued by an NPR recap, my son asked, "Mom, what exactly was United Flight 93?".

I found myself tearing up as I gave the best explanation I could. We talked about how the people aboard knew that they were going to die, and how brave they were to make sure others wouldn't die as well.

I don't know if a year from now, or even ten years from now, my children will remember the literature we read today, the piano pieces that they practiced, the history, the algebra, or the spelling. I do hope they remember poaching eggs and singing silly songs in the kitchen and sharing our hearts on what could have been yet another ho-hum shuttle to afternoon activities.

I know I will remember.

"How ya' doin'?", one of my sisters (the one with no kids) asked me yesterday.

"Well, we're more or less up to full speed," I replied, "throw in Bible study on Tuesday mornings and another set of Saturday soccer games and we'll be there."

"And??"

"And what? It's been like pulling teeth all week. My life? Well, I think most of the time I identify with Sisyphus of Greek mythology...or maybe the Little Dutch boy--the one plugging holes with his fingers? Mostly I just beat back chaos".

"Yeah, well, that's just because vacation is so much more fun than real life!".

She has a point.

Next week should be better. Not to tempt fate, but I'm not sure how it could be more discouraging. Throw in a mini-vacation to Florida for the little guy and I (my youngest nephew and youngest sister are both celebrating their birthdays), and things are looking up.

 

Yes, the parade license was included with the rental contract.