Thursday, October 13, 2011

More Fall Things

We now have to stand to have our morning coffee on the deck.  The lawn furniture has been loaded up and stowed away.  Only two sand pails and two shovels are left in the sandbox.  All in preparation...like squirrels storing nuts.  Any day now, likely without much warning, we will wake up to a skiff of the white stuff.

With all the summer essentials removed from the deck, a marvelous, wide open stage was created.  And let me tell ya, big sister can put on a show...


Somehow, somewhere she learned how to hula-hoop.  I'm not talking about just giving it a good spin and letting go either.  She can hula-hoop for real.  She has the stance and the timing of her little bootie-shake down pat.  When she told me she could hula-hoop I gave my general "that's great, babe," comment.  Then after several, "watch me mom's" I looked and over to see her hips swaying with the rhythm of the hoop and I started counting the rotations...eleven, twelve...

You go sister!


And you can be sure that if big sister is performing, little sister is never far behind.  Watching closely.  Shouting, "me too, me too!"


I love how little sister looks at Callie like she hung the moon.  Callie can jump down three steps, reach things off the counter, cut with scissors, and get in and out of the bathtub by herself.  And not to mention Lexi just finished another round of sitting on the pool deck cheering for Callie during her swimming lessons. (Which she rocked again...lookout Crocodile.)


The other day I was putting laundry away in Callie's room.  Jon came in to ask something and we were having a conversation.  The girls were in the living room and we heard Callie call for mom.  Then dad.  Neither of us responded, thinking "oh she'll find us in here".  We could hear her check our bedroom, then the bathroom, the kitchen... but she never did check her own room. 

We heard her return to the living room and say to Lexi, "It's OK.  Mom and Dad just had to go somewhere.  Don't be scared.  Big sister is here.  I will take care of you.  Don't be scared.  Big sister is here."

My heart was melting at her compassion and love for her little sister... even if Lexi was completely oblivious to the fact that we had been out of site all of five minutes. 

I hope they always take care of each other.


Houston, we have a pony tail!


We've been spending as much time as possible outside these days.  We went out to rake the leaves in the backyard but ended up playing with them.  Throwing them. Rolling in them. Running through them.  Crunching them. Laying in them and looking up at the sky. Instead. 

And this was waiting for us inside...


...my first attempt at minestrone soup in the slow cooker.  Doesn't it just scream cozy fall day supper and make you want to light candles and wrap yourself in something wool.  It was delicious with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese on top.  I've had it for lunch every day this week.

We finally completed our work in progress.  What started out as a recycled wind chime from the craft tables at Culture Days ended up being a painted, glitter glued, rhinestoned leaf mobile.  The base is a melted vinyl record that was spray painted... how cool.  Callie is pumped.  She thinks we can change out the leaves for pumpkins, ghosts and goblins for Halloween.


Fall is in full swing around here. Leaves are all over the ground.  The air is cool and refreshing when you step out the door in the morning.  Soup is on. Fresh baked muffins on the cupboard. Costumes are on there way. 


What things make you cozy in the fall?

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