Festive Fall

Ah, I m so in love with this season and everything that comes with it. I’m pumpkins obsessed, sprinkling them throughout the house and I can’t get enough of our cooler nights that feel so crisp after a hot summer. I’ve learned I need to pace myself in this season of life especially when we have so much going on. I very much dislike feeling rushed, but when fall rolls around it can feel like the perfect date you’ve been waiting for all week. The days leading up to it seem to feel a lifetime away, but when it finally arrives it slips through your fingers quicker than you can remember getting picked up.  That’s how fall is for me. My favorite season of the year. I’ve been waiting and now it’s here and I feel rushed, trying to cram everything I can into these short blissful months.

This October alone was quickly filled with birthday invites, church happenings and Halloween festivities. However, something is different about this year than our previous years. We decided to prioritize our family. Even though we may have a lot going on, it also means slowing down. We consciously decided back in the summer to fully enjoy more at home and less out and stop consuming ourselves with a bunch of stuff to make the season fun. We focus on spur of the moment fun like heading to the park with gorgeous weather that calls for hot cocoa afterwards. Having dinner picnic style on the living room floor while watching one of our favorite halloween movies, making apple cider donuts and having a sugar fight, or going on a scavenger hunt at the pumpkin patch and making a picture from the items we find. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, just enjoyable and most importantly, memorable.

Which brings me to one of my favorite quotes...

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

This is how I want to live my life, I want it to be full of these types of moments (that take my breath away) rather than panting, trying to catch my breath because I’m constantly being rushed. How awesome is it that we get to choose how we live. We can slow down, we can speed up, we can stay still.

This week was evident of us slowing down and it felt so good! We had a cold front move through that was enough for the furnace to kick on, flannel sheets were needed and all the cozy blankets were pulled out of the closets. Somehow we all managed to snuggle into our bed and having all our babies wiggle under the covers (without squishing for of the others) was so sweet and cozy! All the kids were also able to dress in sweatshirts and sweatpants and tights (oh my!) and embraced all the warm layers. We headed to the park and I just love these little swing shots I was able to capture from our slow + fun park & hot cocoa adventure.