Life Is...
Life lately is...
*Enjoying fall! The best season of them all. We've been savoring Eloise's days off and I don't think twice about keeping Mimi home on those days (since their days off never seem to coincide...) so we can have family time. It's been a treat to have Nick take a couple hours off on the mornings the girls are off from school and we've been able to do our favorite fall activities. We are soaking in these years, which I believe to be the best years. The family years!
*School! Much of my time is now spent getting kids ready for and to/from school/the bus stop, and handling/attending all the school-related tasks and events. This fall is a little different with Eloise in kindergarten and Mimi in preschool five half-days. Instead of savoring a bit of quiet and free time (which no longer exist for me anyway), I instead find myself looking forward to the weekends and days off! When my kids were just a tiny bit younger I couldn't wait for kids in full-time school and now that I have it (with one), I can't wait for her to be home! Go figure, I can't be pleased. I've been enjoying getting involved in the elementary school in a few manageable ways, and we've been so pleased to see what a warm and wonderful community it is. Very grateful to live in our school district!
*Managing a few different contractors for a few small-ish scale house projects we have going on. The house has been on the backburner for the past 6 years so this is new, fun territory...but also a lot of moving parts to keep track of in my brain.
*Feeding people, always. Enjoying the return of cooler weather and the soups/chilis/heartier foods (although I still mostly have no appetite this pregnancy). I also have used my Instant Pot a few times now and although I was wary of it, I am loving it! If you have any favorite recipes you make in yours, I'd love to know!
*Giving up any thoughts of ever seeking gainful employment. And understanding why some moms of older kids never return to the workforce...there is sooooo much to do even when kids are at school! I would love to do something work-wise again one day, but that day is probably a lot farther off than I used to think it would be.
*Spending time with my little buddy and soaking in his last couple months of being "the baby." I love our mornings together!
*Christmas-prepping. Yes I said it. With a baby due December 11, and a track record of babies coming late, I want to be as prepared as possible before Thanksgiving. My list was made October 1 and I even bought my first present.
*Filling holes in kids' fall wardrobes. Each season it's a scramble to figure out who needs what, so I made myself a little list of what is needed each season so I don't have to reinvent the wheel. It's really streamlined this daunting (and expensive) process!
*Lastly but of course not least, prepping for our sweet little caboose baby in two short months! I have my list of to-dos (and another list for Nick) and my nesting urge kicked in last weekend—that feeling that every single thing needs to get done now!—so we will be busy as we await her arrival.
How is your fall? Thank you for checking in here! I miss this space!
