Thursday ramblings.

I feel like we're in a new phase now, with fall upon us. It isn't like last fall where we had a baby-baby in the house, that big lump of baby boy I carted around on my hip all day long and who stayed in one spot. Nope, I basically chase this toddler boy around all day, in a futile attempt to be one step ahead.

And then there's the weather. Three weeks ago we were boarding a plane for Colorado, and we'd been wearing shorts. Since our return to the North, we've been in layers, and spent last weekend doing the big winter clothes switch-out. Flip-flops out, boots and scarves in.

The weather is keeping us indoors more. Lots more. If it does happen to be a day that will "warm up," it's not going to do that til the afternoon, so our non-preschool mornings are often spent in jammies and going from one inside activity to the next. The fresh air is precious and we appreciate the outside time, because we know pretty soon we'll be in the dark and cold time of year. And how is it that kids get so excited about snow, no matter that it was only three weeks ago we were in shorts? There is no protest, no whining about needing more days of sunshine and late sunsets and bike riding. There's just, at seven a.m., ohmygoodnessitsnowed, lemmegetmybootsandgooutside!!

This week was our last Farmer's Market til June. We got carrots, sweeties, mini pumpkins three-for-a-dollar, and a strange but lovely bunch of flowers.

I'm starting in on Christmas card-making.

In a fit of fall-organizing madness, I cleaned off the biggest spanse of our kitchen counter, and have now declared it a clutter-free zone. Nothing but cooking allowed there.

Sometimes Fisher, all on his own, will just blurt out, I wuv you. Heart be still.

I finished two great, great reads: Too Many Cooks and Still Alice. I'm onto the last in the Twilight series. The next two on my to-read list are Benny and Shrimp, and The Slippery Year. I might then want to read September, October, and eventually November Real Simples.

No school for us today or tomorrow.

We have yet to pick apples or gather pumpkins. But the weather looks near 50 degrees this weekend!

Fisher has decided to add an a to most ee-sounding words. Teeth is now teeahth, please is now pleahs, keys are now keeahs.

When he says plug it in and brings me a plug, I think it's so cute that I almost want to let him.

He's working on his sixteenth tooth.

Alla has a major paper habit. Like, I'm thinking that if everyone could just get her a ream of [recycled] paper for Christmas, that would be great.

She brings me gifts, gift bags that she's filled with tons of artwork, which is to say that she's drawn one heart on each of thirteen papers, folded them up, taped them shut, and then presents it to me. Daily. How to cherish, and yet teach the value of quality over quantity?

All in all, I think we're starting to embrace fall. It would be slightly easier if we had warmer temperatures and could be outside to view the color.