Flying High

It's late on a Sunday night and I should be in bed so that I don't have to drink five cups of coffee just to get going in the morning.  It was such a beautiful weekend and I don't want it to be over.  I'm always thinking this time of year... this might be our last nice day let's make the most of it.  So we did.  

The girls and I went on a scenic plane ride this weekend.  A first for all of us... taking off on the water and flying low enough to see grandma's house and  wave out the window.  What a way to spend a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.  

The whole time I was thinking, "This is kinda crazy.  Who just hops on a plane tied to a dock and goes for a afternoon cruise around the sky"?  The views were spectacular.  The trees were like green and yellow camouflage surrounding the sparkling blue water of the lake.

Callie rode shotgun with the pilot on this four seater plane.  A very cute pilot named Alex who barely looked old enough to drive a car never mind an air craft.  I watched Callie from my seat next to Lexi in the back.  She was very serious.  Every once in a while she would look back at me and a tight grin would cross her face telling me that she thought this was a pretty awesome day.

For a girl who likes to make memories,  I think this is one birthday gift that won't be forgotten.  I am so blessed.

Fast Time

Time is going to start to speed up.  Because when life gets busy time slips by at an unbelievable pace. And if September is any measure for the speed of time then we must not blink or it will be Christmas.   With the girls lessons starting up soon we've been savouring every moment of our after school time.  There is a small window between the end of the school day and supper time so we've been filling it with bike rides in the back yard and by stopping in at random parks on our way home.

I don't take my girls to this park very often because they go there regularly with the day care.  But I always make a point of stopping in the fall because the walking path is jaw-dropping when it's all decked out in it's fall colors.  I've always wanted to live on this street.  All the houses have a front view of wide open spaces, majestic, mature trees, and a little playground nestled in between.

I like to be busy... but not too busy.  I like the go, go, go of summer and I like the laid back autumn nights.  I love the hectic shopping, decorating, and planning for Christmas but I also like the do-nothing, TV watching January blahs.  A little bit city, a little bit country.  

This morning Callie told me she wants to be a firefighter because she loves to slide down poles. 

We're always working on balance.  Being careful not to over schedule so that time goes so fast that there isn't any room left for small things.  This weekend we are going to enjoy as many small things as possible before life speeds up next week.

*****
Where does the time go?  I bet the girls' papas would like to know.  Two papas and two birthdays this month.

Time goes fast.

Fall

Fall...it is here.  

And it is beautiful. 

My morning coffee wasn't on the deck but on the other side of the fence today.  Callie is a rockstar on her Tigger bike since the removal of the training wheels a couple of weeks ago.  And after just a few short weeks of Kindergarten, we are all beginning to adjust to her new school-girl status. Adjusting to letting go and holding on at the same time.  She is walking to school from day care.  I'm still holding on at the school end, watching for her coming up the path but Jon is no longer hiding on the side streets en route.  And I overheard her making her own playdate arrangements for the next time she is at her grandma's house.

But these new signs of independence seem to be countered equally with acts of needing us something fierce. When that school day is over, she is stuck to me like glue.  I hold her through the four o'clock meltdown because all her emotions are bubbling to the surface.  It is a long day when you are five.  When you are tired and hungry and she begs to go straight home and not have to stop at the store on the way.  She needs us to be in the same room as her.  She needs us to be outside with her.  She needs us to watch her do whatever she is doing.  She just needs us.

We went on an adventure to World Rock today.  We haven't been there for a while.  It was a perfectly beautiful day to admire the changing leaves and look for nature's treasures.  The warm sun and cool, fall air was a match made in heaven.  I always get the urge to want to start crafting or baking or painting something this time of year, wanting to get our nest all cozy for winter.  So I went to Pinterest to get some inspiration and began pinning away.  Then I got tired and overwhelmed with all the cool things people do and wondered if homemade toy bins from old pallets are really any better than the plastic bins we have now. 

So I didn't craft, bake or paint anything today.  But I did put on a cozy wool sweater and drink my coffee from a thermos cup.  I day dreamed about fall things and held on to my girls.  Filling them up so their buckets will be full come Monday morning.

And they filled my bucket too. All the way to the top.

A Time for Everything

There has been a lot of things happening lately.   Summer has ended.   Lexi is three. Work has begun. Callie started kindergarten. I lost my grandpa. It was uncle Terry's anniversary.   The leaves are falling. A little good-bye to summer and a song for grandpa... A Time for Everything
	To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
	a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
	a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
	a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
	a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
	a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
	a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
	a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Grandpa

And September brings sadness once again.  I told Callie that great-grandpa will be living in heaven from now on and she is full of questions that I don't have the answers to.  Questions like "How will he get to heaven?  Will he be alive in heaven?  Is anyone else in heaven?"  After I tell her I don't know the answers to her great questions... she makes up her own answers.

"I think grandpa will become invisible and fly with invisible wings or maybe he'll float to heaven because heaven is up high in the sky.  I think you are alive in heaven too.  Your eyes are open.  And remember mom, uncle Terry moved to heaven too.  So there is someone else there." Callie, age 5.

Grandpa, we are preparing to celebrate your life. And we will find comfort in the arms of the large loving family that you created.  We will be stronger together than we are apart.