Fall

It has taken us a bit to feel the full effects of Fall, but slowly every week the temps fall a little more and little more.  Peak colors have come and gone in the matter of a week, and the trees are becoming bare.  It's nature's way of telling us that the snow might as well fall.

The kids are off to another school year and each of them are adjusting to their new routines well.

Alex: he participated in the Holmen Youth Tackle Football program for the second year, and it's amazing to see how much they mature in just a year with regards to sports.  I'll admit of all sports, unless I'm watching a Packer game, football is one of my least favorite sports to watch.  I'm sure it had a bit to do with the fact the weather rarely dipped below 60, so that is definitely my kind of football weather.  He's adjusted to middle school very well, and is actually quite talkative about his day, so that has been a warm welcome to hear about the social and academic scenes of school for him.  He's in full hunting swing as well, spending most weekends hunting with Jason and my dad.  Basketball started this past week, so he's already moved onto the next sport physically and mentally.

Laura: she is the only child at the Mindoro school (the others are in Melrose) this year, and she's enjoying her independence. A friend and co-worker of mine got Laura started out with knitting a few years ago, so in her quest to take her knitting to the next level she's joined a community beginner's knitting class.  Needless to say, she is the only 4th grader in the class, but it doesn't phase her at all and the instructor is a retired teacher who has really made her feel welcome.  For the class she has to pick a project, she's starting with a scarf but already has her next goal set to knit a hat once she works on her technique for a bit. I admire her tenacity and love supporting her in something that will be a life skill/hobby.

Ainslee:  my little, messy firecracker.  She literally goes with the wind, the week before school starts she wants nothing to do with it, once it starts-she couldn't imagine life without it.  She has a tendancy to be a bit. . . of a messy bessy.  I've reveled in the ability to pass all of Laura's clothes down to Ainslee, they were born in the same seasons, same build, etc.  But Ainslee isn't quite as 'careful' as Laura or Alex. . . so it didn't take long for her small wardrobe to quickly become all play clothes.  I rode summer out without buying anything for her knowing she'd probably ruin it anyways, but school time came and now with the cooler weather I had to finally break down and buy her some nice clothes.  It's been a process to say the least, with lots of reminders of being aware of her food, paint, dirt, etc.  She came home one day after wearing a brand new dress, and it was covered in stains. . . "We talked about this, what happened?"  YOU DIDN'T TELL ME WE WERE HAVING HAMBURGERS!  Was her response.  So while it's a work in progress, I know she's a 1st grader whose going to make messes. . and Alex and Laura's neatness are not your typical child characteristic, so I give her a little slack and giggle about the thoughts that go on in her head, that she has no problem voicing.

We're over a year in since our move, and a lot of people ask me where we are at.  I have to say that it feels really good to not be the new kids on the block the start of this school year, and have some sense of what to expect with regards to the school year, sports, etc.  Despite being pretty introverted, I have tried to immerse myself in the culture of the area as a means to become more familiar, and have a clear understanding of the resources around me.  It's taken about a year, but I've finally found a church that feels 'normal' to our family, and most like the church we came from and that makes me feel like the one thing that was missing in our transition is finally there.  The girls and I have made our own tradition of going to church, then trying out a new restaurant, visiting the local co-op, a park, or taking a hike.  The excess of coffee shops and farm to table restaurants in the area make it fun for when my mom is visiting, cause I know she's always up for trying something new.  And I love the abundant music scene here, every weekend there is some kind of musical festival or another and most of the events are kid friendly.  I would say that we've transitioned and we are embracing our new home.  That being said, I still miss my parents as much today as I did the day we moved.  Given our close relationship, I don't think that feeling will ever go away; they give me a love and emotional support that nobody else can.  That love and support just looks different at a distance, so part of the transition is getting used to what that looks like.  I am extremely blessed that while rarely do they come together, both of my parents come visit on a pretty regular basis during the school year, so not only do I get to enjoy them, but my kid's don't feel as though they are missing from the picture despite the distance and that's important to me.  My priorities have shifted since the move, I used to take pride in what the outside of our home looked like, but knowing that nobody really ever sees our house I don't fret over pulling weeds, and I've had to adjust to not being able to mow the lawn myself as the terrain is just too steep for me.  Mowing the lawn used to be my therapy, I've replaced that now with going to workout-whether that's an organized class or hitting a local hiking trail along the river.  You'll find that my house is pretty simple, I don't do a lot of decorating (much to my mom's dismay)-if my house is orderly and clean, that is enough for me.  I'm still very much a routine person but our move has made me re-prioritize my routine, and I've tried to focus on more of the moments vs. the to do list which makes me feel really content.  Content is good.