Enjoying Fall

I’ve been home a handful of days now after our trip and am so enjoying the time to get caught up around the house as well as in my soul.  One of the things I’ve missed the most about being gone is not having as much time to sit in the Word every day.  I’m  enjoying soaking my soul each morning.  

I’m still in the process of sifting through the MANY photos we’ve taken over the last month and writing about our time with family and different events.  Stay tuned! 

For now, I feel the need to write briefly about how beautiful fall is right now.  I so enjoy this season.  Accompanied with the time to be home, making things cozy, and working around the house make it so much more enjoyable.  The last month has been busy – very busy.  So I’m relishing the time to slow now.  Surprisingly, I’m loving the time at home alone now during the day.  Crazy how fast our perspective can change!  Two months ago I was so sad with the kids gone all day.  I still miss them, but I see the value in having time to myself and it’s doing wonders for my heart and soul.  This introvert was a bit lost after 11 days with family so I’m loving the quiet right now.  

This past weekend after I returned home we had several opportunities to bond as a family.  The four of us were gone for a week together, then I stayed an additional 4 days while Kenny brought the kids home.  It was a bit of a reunion weekend for us – four days apart is a long time!  

One night we played Monopoly together; one of our family favorites.  The next day we volunteered with another family at a food bank in town packing boxes of food for those in need.  That night we built a fire after dinner and made s’mores for dessert.  The next day I painted Anna’s nails (purple with pink polka dots!) while we sang songs from Frozen and The Greatest Showman.  So fun.  That evening we all ate fun food for dinner while watching a Formula 1 race together.  Snuggling on the couch was the best part.  

While we were gone we had our first frost so the trees and flowers are dying away now.  Today the leaves are coming down like rain.  So beautiful.  The light streaming in the windows is so warming and pretty.  During the summer time I close all of our blinds when the sun hits the windows to keep the house cool.  In the fall, I leave them open to help warm the house and I love the afternoon light.  Yesterday I made a batch of cookies and afterwards left the oven door open slightly to let the heat warm the kitchen.  Several easy ways to reduce the time the furnace runs.  

How are you enjoying fall right now where you live?