Sunday, October 20, 2013

Fall Love



Fall has been really different here in Colorado than last year.  We've already had two snow falls  and since Illinois has had some amazing weather I've been pretty homesick for fall in the Midwest. In a way to make that sadness go away I've been focusing on all the things that I love about fall and enjoying those little treats to help me appreciate life.  One of those things was to hit up a pumpkin fest. After doing some research I quickly learned that pumpkin fests and apple orchards pretty much don't exist here.  But I did find one that seemed big enough and would help me as least get rid of that itch to see and smell fall and pumpkins. So we gave it a shot...and we made a great afternoon of it!

We walked through their huge pumpkin patch but didn't buy any pumpkins mostly because of the price and the fact that we're not going to be here to enjoy them. Then we ate some pretty delicious fall foods which included corn on the cob and my first ever funnel cake then walked around, people watching and checking out all the activities they had for kids (lots of fun stuff!). Then we went through the corn maze which I was bored with pretty much the second we walked in but was still fun to try to find our way out and again, with kids, I think it would be more fun. While it was windy, it was a nice fall day and was good to get out and enjoy fall the best way I think Colorado has to offer when it comes to pumpkin patches.

As for the treats of fall that I am so in love with, there are plenty! Hare just a few I've taken pics of the past few weeks.


 I've blogged about this before, this stuff is amazing... YUMMMM


 Love caramel apples, Love them!  And also love that Cooper had to get in this pic too.


Fall brings the best apples to the grocery store...Macintosh are extremely hard to find in Colorado but I have been able to find them..but then eat them too fast to remember to take a pic.  This was the biggest apple I've ever seen!  But it was delicious!


Apple cider, enough said.


Love fall nail colors!  I got  new Essie Cashmere Bathrobe which I love but looks a lot like the one above (smokin hot), but any excuse to buy a new nail color and I'm in! :)


 Afternoon fall walks with amazing sunsets


This pic doesn't capture how pretty the fall colors are at my favorite dog park but it's beautiful! 


I sent this pic to my mom and she said it looked more like summer but the temps were fall temps...but the sun made it so much warmer!  Love being able to walk outside all the time here! (Coops in the background running his heart out!)


pumpkin pie - mmmm


more pumpkin pie...and there was more and more and more after this!


pumpkin muffins every Saturday morning - deliciousness


more pumpkin pie but this time it's fully loaded!


pumpkin cookies that I made by accident the other day...they were good and a nice little treat.

I love all the leaves changing colors which I think have been even more colorful than last year!  Love fall and love all the extra treats fall brings!




Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Love

I so wanted to post this on my Facebook yesterday but decided I'd do a blog post instead.  I love my husband.  We definitely have our trials, we're both sinners, we are very very different people and don't agree on politics or college teams. (well I just hate the Hawkeyes...I don't really have a favorite team.) He is a morning and night person and I love my sleep (especially lately!)  He hates attention (and will hate that I am posting this) totally unlike me who would eat this up! There are so many things that try our marriage so by no means am I saying do we have the perfect marriage...but I really love and appreciate my husband!

Yesterday I woke up to my alarm to realize that Jason was still in bed so I very nicely woke him up to tell him his alarm never went off and he was oversleeping.  His very calm reply was, "I don't have to work today."  If those roles were reversed and he woke me (no matter if it was a good intention to make sure I was up on time for work) I'd most likely have been a lot less than nice in letting him know I should still be sleeping and that I didn't have to work!  Not Jason though, just nice and calm and then rolled over and cuddled with me.

After a little while but still before I got out of bed, he was out and showering like it was a normal day. (Again, could we be more opposite?!)  He said he had things to get done and no point in wasting his day. While I was at work I was hoping he'd get some R&R and just take it easy.  He works so darn hard every day of the week, he deserves a day off more than anyone I know!  Instead he took on the massive ongoing project of cleaning out of guest room and "zen room" (a tiny little add-on area that doesn't have a door so we've used as storage...and we've accumulated a lot of stuff over the past 18 months.) He worked on getting all of our unused furniture back downstairs and all the rooms cleaned almost completely out.  This included him changing out a huge desk for a small table and downsizing his desk and work space by about half...just so the baby has a room to call it's own. (the baby and Jason will be sharing a room as a nursery and office since Jason works from home.)  After he took all the furniture down and packed and moved many boxes he assembled the baby's crib.  As if that wasn't enough, he assembled the baby's dresser as well, then moved both those pieces into the space where we're storing it until much closer to our baby's due date. Amazing man. Truly amazing.

Like I said, he is the hardest working man I know and will always give the shirt off his back to whoever needs it...in this case to myself and our baby. I am so appreciative of him and thankful that I was the one that God chose for him to marry and that Jason listened and loves me as much as he does.  So very thankful to have him as my husband and thankful our baby gets to have him as a dad.  Love you Jason and thanks again for all you did yesterday.

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Sunday Song - Your Grace Finds Me

Happy Sunday! My parents were lucky enough to go to a free Matt Redman concert a couple weeks ago. I was jealous they got to go but they had a blast and my dad was nice enough to send me a copy of Matt's latest CD. (Thanks Dad!) Today's Sunday Song is from his new CD and is about God's great grace. Oh how I need His grace so badly these days! I know it is no accident that how I'm feeling (lonely, homesick and tired all the time) is related to how little time I've been spending with God lately. I was on such a roll for a couple weeks doing my new Bible study but then one day skipped turned into two, turned into three, turned into a week and then some more days. This past week I finally got back into the routine of my morning prayer time which includes but it's such a work in progress. On those days when I fill myself up in the Word my days are completely different. Why do I make it so difficult and stray away for lengths of time? With that thought, His grace is so amazing and I am so thankful for how much He loves me and always welcomes me back with such loving arms.

Your Grace Finds Me -- Matt Redmam


It's there in the newborn cry
It's there in the light of every sunrise
It's there in the shadows of this light
Your great grace

It's there on the mountaintop
It's there in the everyday and the mundane
There in the sorrow and the dancing
Your great grace

Oh, such grace

From the creation to the cross
Then from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me
Yes, Your grace finds me

It's there on a wedding day
There in the weeping by the graveside
There in the very breath we breathe
Your great grace

Same for the rich and poor
Same for the saint and for the sinner
Enough for this whole wide world
Your great grace

Oh, such grace

From the creation to the cross
Then from the cross into eternity
Your grace finds me
Yes, Your grace finds me

There in the darkest night of the soul
There in the sweetest songs of victory
Your grace finds me
Yes, Your grace finds me

Your great grace
Oh, such grace
Your great grace
Oh, such grace

So I'm breathing in Your grace
And I'm breathing out Your praise
I'm breathing in Your grace
Forever I'll be
Breathing in Your grace
And I'm breathing out Your praise
I'm breathing in Your grace
Forever I'll be
Breathing in Your grace
And I'm breathing out Your praise
Breathing in Your grace
For our God, for our God

Yes, Your grace finds me
Yes, Your grace finds me

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Sunday Song - From the Inside Out

Happy Sunday! I love today's Sunday song because it reminds me to give my all to God and that He is always in control especially when I am not, which is always.  It's powerful to sing,

"My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out, Lord"

"From the Inside Out" -- by Hillsong United




Saturday, October 5, 2013

Colorado Bipolar Weather


Yesterday Colorado had it's first snowfall.  It probably made national news...I know all my Colorado friends had pics on their Facebook wall.  It is weird considering it was only October 4!  But I knew it wouldn't last long so held that thought in my head as I slushed into work with my little shoes without socks on. (why didn't I wear boots...I will not know?!  Oh and I quickly realized my winter coat already doesn't fit with my belly so I was sloshing through the snow with no socks and an open jacket...clearly not ready for this weird cold weather!)


Today we woke up with extremely chilly air but the sun was back out and the snow was gone!  It's now noon and I have the windows open and am enjoying the cooler temps with some of my favorite fall treats (that post is still to come.)  Love bipolar Colorado weather! When it's cold and gross I know it'll never last long!