our mornings.

I love my mornings with my boy. After cuddling for a little while, we usually shake off sleep, put on the nearest clothing and step outside. It's still warm here in the afternoons, but the mornings here are chilly and quiet. Two days ago, we woke to fog filled air. Henry kept exclaiming, "WOW!" as we walked around. He danced in the fog, rolled in the dirt and told me about the noises he heard in the woods.

More and more my little baby is becoming the most fascinating kid. He is enthralled with nature, captured by it. I couldn't wish anything more perfect. We are so lucky to live here, to have so much space to explore and see.

Fall is different here. The leaves aren't all changing and we don't need our scarves just yet, but it has the same effect: magic.

on slowing down.

Right now, Hendo is down for his afternoon nap. I've just finished taking a blanket in from off the line and putting a casserole in the fridge for dinner tonight. My house is relatively clean and after writing this and picking up a few toys, I'm cracking open a Diet Coke and reading the book I've been renewing for the last two months, "The Guide to Simple Living" (which I've written about before).

My days have been more like this and less like the crazy pace I was used to. I'm slowing down, deliberately. I finished the documentary "No Impact Man" the other day. There is a scene in the middle of the movie, where Colin Beavan talks about how doing away with air conditioning forced his family outside. How, being without a TV forced them off of the couch. Suddenly, they had to be creative with their free time. In this scene, his daughter dunks her head in a park fountain, the joy in her face is undeniable. We're a couch culture, a comfort culture. And, there is definitely a place for vegging out every now and again, but, I would argue, it's not as good for our souls.

I realized how down I was, and so, I've been getting out more. I've been closing this computer screen and sitting on the floor with Henry more. Yesterday, Eric and I started tilling up ground for our fall garden. I've been staying up late by myself so I have time I need to breathe and rest. I've been saying "no" to engagements, not because I don't adore the people in my life, but because otherwise, I'd have a full schedule, and I don't want one. I've been praying a LOT more and forcing myself to challenge those parts of myself I don't like very much.

I've been slowing down, and for me? It's better this way.

the great outdoors

Henry's new obsession is "OUTSIDE". When he wakes up in the morning? He gets out of bed, and goes straight to the door. He then proceeds to push on it, bang on it, and attempt to open it. Finally, he resorts to coming to me and saying, "Ah? Ah?" Which, I've gathered to mean, "Hey, Mom. You look beautiful this morning. Could we please open this door and start an adventure?" He's such a sweetheart.

It's freezing now, but lately, we've been going outside right after breakfast. We jump into the wagon, round up the dogs and take off:

We then round our way through the trails on the property. My father-in-law has been lining all the trails with rocks, and installing bird feeders and houses. The property is starting to look like a park. It's really a slice of heaven here. Henry points to different things, asking me to tell him what he's looking at, "Well, Hen, that's coyote poop! That's a tree branch that could take out your eye!"

Henry is an explorer. He picks EVERYTHING UP. Sometimes, he lays out on the ground and scoops up the dirt beneath him. He is unafraid and a true BOY.

If I can be honest, I don't know what it is about myself that has been avoiding the outdoors. Maybe it's from living in the city the past few years? I used to be a camp lifeguard. I would drag kids half a mile through the woods to go canoeing on a little murky pond. But, lately, I've been a homebody, only going outside when it was necessary, or when food was involved. I think Henry's put an end to that old game.