Finding Fall

We've had the windows open for the last few days...the day time hours have been pleasant and the nights have been comfortably cool. Even now as I sit here typing, a gentle breeze with the essence of fall is drifting through the room. I love this time of year. The garden is producing its last offerings of the season, the warm, spice laced scents of the seasons are making their way into our house, and the apples are ripe for the picking.

One blessing of living at the foot of the Blue Ridge is that of the view. It is an amazing sight each year to see the leaves turn from their summery green to their hues of crimsons, golds, and ambers. I can't wait to take our annual drive on the parkway to view the sights. The fall brings a lot of other exciting things our way. Typically our home becomes a baking frenzy as apple pies, cobblers, sauces and breads are made. We'll see how this goes with a 4 month old in the house. G is not yet old enough to appreciate the tastes of fall...but give her time.

Another annual tradition we enjoy is a trip to a local orchard. This has become a tradition for our family and some close friends. We play in the pumpkin patch, taste their fruits of the season, and get lots of pictures to remember the day. We also over indulge in apple cider and homemade doughnuts. I can't wait! This year will mark a special time for us all. We'll both be enjoying this trip with our children. We've been blessed to have this couple in our lives for many years now and the majority of our major life events have coincided in some way. I still can't help but smile when I look back to how these friendships were formed. We thank God for what we are certain will be a life long friendship.

Tonight's 460 calorie dinner

This time of year also brings about several family reunions, cookouts, major yard sales and campfires. This weekend kicks off many of these events. Our calendar this time of year becomes full very quickly...it's as if we blink and every weekend consists of at least one type of outing.

One event that has been on the calendar for quite some time now is my upcoming Run for Mercy 5k. I had a goal of becoming better prepared for this race, considering I have not done one in about two years. Now my goal has become to simply finish. I can say that I'll be a little lighter when the race comes to pass. I've never been one to calorie count but since beginning to do this a couple weeks ago, I am now down 4 pounds. I know the weight would be coming off more quickly should I add in more exercise, but once again, I'm still working on balancing everything. I figure if I'm not up to running as much as I hoped, I'll at least not be carrying quite as many pounds.

I suppose I should take advantage of G's early bedtime tonight. There is a lot to do, and while I'd love to just sit with my feet up, I'll have a much happier weekend knowing that there are fewer things needing my attention.