Why, Hello, Fall!

And just like that it was fall…and just like that the temperatures returned to 90 degrees.  Oh, Texas.  I just adore fall.  Like a good many people, it is my favorite season.  I love the pumpkins – the leaves changing – the crispness in the air – the need for a warm drink and a scarf.  Ahh, fall.

So, Abi & I have a little tradition on the first day of fall.  We bake a pumpkin pie.  Oh right – I also love the food of fall.  It’s just delish and heart-warming.  I love doing this with Abi – from the past few years:

2009

2010

2011

And then this year…

 

We made a good ol’ mess (she can help me clean up a little bit now, though!) and just enjoyed one another.  It was a delight to see how Abi’s little heart appreciated tradition at this early age – I love that.  I hope those little things continue to take root in her.

May your falls be delightful and your pumpkin pies oh-so-tasty!

 

(enjoying the fruit of her labor…and Nate didn’t want to miss out…pretty indicative of life around here)

A little happy friday

Many years ago, a dear friend told me about a tradition that her family used to do (and she continues to do with her boys) involving ‘Friday Treats.’

(a delicious treat enjoyed with girlfriends…perfect for fall…out of this world pumpkin soufflé)

Oh goodness, do we love ‘Friday Morning Treats’ in the Wallace household.  This has evolved for us to breakfast (usually) someplace fun.  However, just concentrating on making our Friday(s) special has really made all of us see this day as  unique and we’ve anticipated Fridays with expectation (the good kind!).

(thanks, D for helping keep the tradition alive!)

With our current lot in life…this also involves D bringing us our Friday morning treat.  Because I’m not quite brave enough to sit in the coffee shop with all three of them.  You’re welcome, Dallas.  (and if I’m honest, I don’t have my act together to get all three of them out the door to head to breakfast – without breakfast being at 10 or some other child-inappropriate hour!)

 

(their creativity on a friday…a treat in its own right!)

May your Friday be filled with happiness!

Sanctification through Motherhood :: Calm & Crazy

Welcome to our playroom.  Or you may know it as the nursery.  Lots of things happen in this room.  Lots of crazy.  In fact, the crazy escalated in this room so much that the lovely little dollhouse has since been relocated to Abi & Nate’s room (even though I’m not a fan of toys in bedrooms, this was classified in my mind as a ‘peaceful toy’ and therefore allowed).

Oh goodness, these pictures are so normal.  Crazy.  Misplaced.  Messy.

Many-a-day they drive me insane.  And I’m not even the cleanest person in the world…but I just feel unraveled when a room looks like this.  And in our house…rooms look like this pretty quickly these days.

But I am reminded that I have been given an amazing gift.  I can tap into the source of eternal peace.  He waits to calm my heart.  His truths are separate, above my circumstances.  He invites me to dwell in peace and contentment despite of the seemingly abundant crazy.

He then gently reminds me that I will miss this crazy one day.  The house will soon be neat all the time with no little footsteps thundering down the halls or a crash radiating through the house as a box of toys is dumped out.

And then I see this…

This sweet little being sleeping away.  A calm in the crazy.  A great example to me.