Winter Pause

The weather has grown chilly...in the afternoons I want to wrap up in a blanket and read by the fireplace.  That's not always possible, but it is my secret wish...There are things I love and hate about the changing...I love the crisp puffs of breath, the crunchy leaves, the feeling of nesting.  I love the anticipation and excitement with the first dusting of snow.  But, I hate the shorter days...It makes me crave bed way too early, and then I just become way too lazy.

One of my favorite treats when the weather turns is a nice cup of herb tea.  I grew up on herbal tea and love it,  myself, but I can't get Ladybug to enjoy the experience with me..And tea drinking is an experience.  When I grasp that warm mug between my hands and inhale it's steamy goodness I feel all homey and warm inside.

The one thing I've find about herb tea drinking is that it creates a pause in our day.  As I take a pause to sip some warm tea, I also take a moment to reflect, and those moments create more moments of gratitude and who doesn't want to feel grateful...like ALL THE TIME.  So in honor of Thanksgiving and all that is grateful, sit back and have a warm cup of herb tea and just inhale...

These are the fixings for my favorite cup of tea...

What is your favorite drink to chase off the chill?

What I love most about Autumn

The change of seasons make me happy...I am a sensory person.  The colors, the smells, the sounds...everything about Autumn just appeals to me.  AND the weather has been unbelievable.  How can you beat 65 degrees during the day.

Football!  Two weeks after my back surgery I was able to go to my first BSU football game.  I missed two!  Had to give my tickets away...in fact, I watched one of their games from my hospital bed.  For a girl who didn't grow up playing sports, I sure do love to watch some BSU football...Ladybug and I wear matching blue and orange shoes...

I have enjoyed afternoons walking my dog...the sound of the leaves crunching beneath my boots, the smell of damp leaves, the golden sun warm on my skin...

I've been busy...probably much to busy for my own good.  I'm back to pleasing my daughter again.  Not that I haven't pleased her in the past, but there was a while there when I couldn't do anything.  So, I made her a Minion.  He was entered in a Pumpkin contest, but we didn't win.

Oh, and I went apple picking.  Don't you just love those beautiful pictures of the apple orchards and gathering apples.  It is an experience I tell ya.  But, I don't do apple picking quite like that, unfortunately...Walmart, is a different kind of an experience altogether.

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What do you love most about Autumn?

Fall Changes

You may have noticed some changes here on my blog.  We all do them every once in a while.  I was notified that the free layout I was using would be disappearing.  So, while I was reconfiguring my background, I inadvertently deleted all my widgets...Oops!  Yeah, I'm not a pro...I'm working on it...That's the thing about season changes and disappearing backgrounds, it makes me want to do some cleaning up around these here parts.  Freshen things up...do a little dusting off.  And try to recover my lost widgets, or at least rebuild them.

I even changed my blog name, then changed it back.  I can't decide...

Soup and Roll Days

As opposed to Rock and Roll Days, November, for me, is a time of Soup and Rolls.  Two very comforting and satisfying foods.  Enjoy some easy to make and highly delicious ideas for your own Soup and Rolls

Chicken Dump Soup

I had no recipe for this.  Just dumped in what I had, and it was delicious

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
Egg Noodles
Chicken broth
Water
frozen carrots
zucchini
onion
fresh rosemary
fresh basil
fresh garlic

Simmered and cooked together.

Cake Mix Dinner Rolls, These are a family favorite.  
Be ye therefore warned

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 pkgs (1/4 ounce/7 g each) yeast
1 package (18 1/4 ounces/517g) yellow or white cake mix
5 cups flour, approximately

1.  Pour the warm water into a large bowl, add the yeast and stir until dissolved.
2.  Blend in the cake mix.  Then mix in the flour until the dough is smooth. (use clean hands to mix and nead the dough.  Add more flour, if needed)
3.  Cover the bowl and put it in a warm place.  Let the dough rise for one hour, then punch it down.
4.  Spread the dough into a greased 10x15x1 " jelly-roll pan, cut the dough into squares, cover, and let rise until double in size.
5.  Bake at 350° F (175° C) for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown

2busy Unplugged

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Since I've had such a full month of blogging sharing information about my faith during my 31 Days of Faith series, I am going to be taking some time off.  It may be a week or a month.  I haven't quite decided what I can handle yet.  I will be unplugging from all social media to fully immerse myself in the beauty of the season, enjoying time with family and becoming more fully engaged in all I do.

I will still be posting at Pear Shaped Thoughts on November 5, 13, 21 and 29th....So not completely unplugged.  Please bear with me and stay tuned...So if I don't see you before December, may your November be filled with gratitude for

Family

Football

The beautiful smells of fall

and musical memories

31 Days of Faith {Weekends}

Emily at Chatting at the Sky does a series called for your weekend.  She is such a sweet, passionate writer.  May I say that for your weekend, I hope you enjoy the beauty of the changing season, warm pots of soup, mugs of cocoa to defrost the evening and may the Word of God fill your soul with faith, love and happiness.

31 Days of Faith {and a Fall Mantel}

I really love the change of seasons.  I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father first for the cooler weather and second for the opportunity to live in an area where I can watch and observe the changing and the colors.  It can truly be magnificent.

I try to capture the seasons in my decorating, but I'm not a huge decorator for the seasons.  It's just not me...I really dig simplicity.  I found this cute fall printable online and decided to add it to my sad display.  I think it totally enhances it.  You can get yours, too, here.

On a side note, I will be enjoying a blessed eleven days off of work due to a modified traditional school year calendar.  I have some major closet organizing on my agenda...

Changing Season

The afternoon sun has begun falling across my entryway with shadows.

The air has grown crisper. The days are shorter.  

Sweatshirts, jeans, fire pits, hot chocolate.

Football 

Autumn has arrived.

 

The Colors of Fall - a Photographic Essay

Laziness and Fall

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I know how I have mentioned before my love of running and yoga. It's what sustains me and makes me feel alive. Come fall, though, my body wants to hibernate and nest inside my comfy, cozy home while the sun sets earlier and earlier. I have become complacent with my exercise and thus a pesky 7 pounds have added back on to my mere 5'3" frame. 7 pounds people! I guess I need to start wearing this little guy again.  I love him!

It is ironic...I become stressed in the early fall when school starts, and I let things go. The VERY things that help keep me sane and clear and stress free. KT drug me back to the gym last week. Almost kicking and screaming, I might add. I didn't want to go...But, I am glad I did.

Once I get back into the habit, I crave it. My body and brain need it, and my blogging gets better and more frequent, too. 

Ta ta my peeps...I'm off to the gym °Ü°

Yesterday

Yesterday...Was a perfect day

for outlet mall shopping.

Ladybug and her find...

Me and my Jack Bauer bag...

Can't leave without treats from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Chocolate covered raisins, here I come...

Change is in the air...

I know we are well past the first day of fall.  I try to hang on to summer as long as possible.  I love the warm air on my skin and the sunny days.  I love the light glow of summer on my children's cheeks.  I wear capris and sandals until it is just too chilly to do it anymore, like today where it has gone from 90° to 50° in a day.  It is reminiscent of my former life in Colorado where it can snow one day and be 70° the next.  Mother Nature does like to keep us on our toes.  I think it's all a joke. 

I sense the crispness in the air in the evenings lately. The shadows are falling differently, I'm beginning to recognize the grass going dormant and the leaves starting to change color. I do love the beauty of each of the seasons. I love the colors and smells of fall. I love when everything is snow covered in winter. I do get excited for the change of season as now is the time to bring out different clothes, longer pants, boots, sweaters. Sometimes the change of seasons, particularly fall and winter, depresses me, though.  They bring with them shorter days (less sunlight) and cloudier days (less sunlight).  If you didn't get it, I like sunlight.  Without it, I tend to get blue.

Does anyone else get blue during the winter?  Any suggestions on how to survive the coming months without my beloved sunshine?

Don't you just love fall? I try to find something to love about every season. Fall is so beautiful with the rich oranges, reds, yellows, browns and just a hint of green. The smells are incredible, too. Farmers are burning their nearby fields and the smell reminds me of Halloween jack-o-lanterns. When the weather starts to change and those leaves begin to fall like rain, I want to curl up by the fireplace with a good book and a cup of hot chocolate. Alas, today is 75°! I can't complain about that! But, I will look out at my tree and think of a hot chocolate day soon to come.