instead of blogging I've been...

Photo by Colin

- introducing Veda to goats. (My sister has a GINORMOUS dog that Veda loves so I had a hunch she'd like the petting zoo. I was so right. She laughed her head off at the goats and donkeys.)

- working a bunch. (I'll have tons of new work to share soon.)

- fighting a bit of cold weather/gray day depression. (I have seasonal affective disorder and have been battling it a little already. I have plans on how to tackle it including: sky time every day... even when it's super cold, being in the moment... because each moment is okay, healthy things like cooking warm meals, yoga, self-care, etc. Wondering if moving back to the north was a mistake. Are there such things as mistakes?)

- making smores at Harvest parties.

- teaching kiddos that if you say "hotdog hotdog go away" to smoke while sitting fireside, the smoke leaves you alone (for a while until you have to say it again). The best part was hearing all these kids I didn't know chanting "hotdog hotdog go away!" repeatedly. It works!

- finally getting into a nice groove with Veda. Life is so much easier now than it was just a few months ago.

- cooking new vegetarian recipes for fall including sweet potato and black bean chili and Greek salad pasta toss. Yum!

- reading "Momma Zen", which I've been hesitant to read for some reason. But a third person recommended it to me and I finally broke down and got it. It's GREAT. Really great.

- apple picking at the orchard. So fun. Veda would help me pick apples off the tree and laugh at each one. She is truly a laughing Buddha.

- taking long naps in the afternoon all cuddled up with Veda... it is the sweetest, warmest, snuggliest, best time ever. I savor every second and feel so fortunate that I'm around for it.

- swimming lessons... which are kind of a joke with an 8 month old, but at least it gives us a scheduled activity and V loves the water and watching the other older kids swish around.

- dating again. My youngest sister, who goes to college right behind our house, has walked over two Fridays in a row to watch movies as Veda sleeps, allowing Colin and I to get out for dinner one time and a movie the next. It's so good to reconnect as people instead of just parents. (Thank you Britt!)

- Watching "Where the Wild Things Are" on opening night. I didn't care for the movie much, but it was pretty enough.

- going to sleep.