getting away

Now that autumn is here, life is busier. Good busy.

Bible study started, MOMS (like MOPS) is underway, and we’re finding our groove through routine (held loosely of course). I love the start of things, how Autumn gently encourages us back to routine. Day to day consistency.

But more than routine, I love that at our house, Autumn usually means a getaway weekend. We love Autumn. Have I mentioned that before? :) And we love getting away. Especially if that getaway includes a fireplace, view of a lake, a golf course, and fallen leaves.

Alex and I are lovers of going “up north.” We both grew up going “up north” on the weekends to our family’s cottage; or cabin/lake house depending on where you are from. “Up North” for our family meant driving 45 minutes north of our house to our cottage. We were there most summer weekends and into the fall. Some years we went year round. But for me, there’s something about getting away that makes the stresses of the new season just fade away.

We realized when we were dating that we both LOVE getting away. In fact, we’d rather spend our money getting away than remodeling our bathroom (which I DETEST by the way.) Every year since we’ve been dating (1st year we went with friends) we’ve headed “up north” to Brainerd, MN for a weekend in the fall. Some years we didn’t think we would get there, be able to afford it, or find the time, but every year somehow we’ve made it work. And we SO look forward to the time of just relaxing and leaving behind work and life.

Our favorite place to stay is Madden’s Resort. They always have fantastic fall specials that include meals & golf. But they also let us be a kid again: Friday night Bingo, fires with s’mores, and tandem bikes. We also have our favorites in the area as well, like Rafferty’s pizza and the Chocolate Ox. It’s almost as if we’re remembering our childhood when we go up there, embracing the season and forgetting reality. It’s like our fall school break all over again.

This year I was sure our looming bathroom remodel and new life with Elizabeth would make the trip unlikely. But just this week Alex surprised me and we booked a quick trip up there mid-week. This year we’re staying at Grand View Lodge in some pretty swanky cabins due to a great mid-week deal. I’m so excited to go and experience Autumn as quintessentially as we can. I keep staring at the cabin online making plans in my mind as to how we’ll spend our time. I’m envisioning coffee sipped at break of day with Elizabeth on the porch overlooking the lake, cozy nights with a book in front of the fire, sweatshirts and leaves all around. It’s sounding mighty inviting…

I can’t wait. For me, getting away is what makes Autumn one of my favorite times of year, because it usually means we’ll be going “up north.” And this year, we can share one of our favorite getaways with our daughter. I pray we’ll have so many more times to help her experience life by the lake with leaves all around.

What’s a favorite thing you look forward to doing in the Autumn? Do you go “up north?”

DIY Ruffle Lampshade

Elizabeth’s room is almost finished. Finally. So many projects were slated for completion in the last few weeks of my pregnancy and then BAM…my water breaks early. So it’s taken some time to get them done but we’re in the home stretch.
When we compiled a vision for her room so many little details were missing. The bigger key components were there, but little items like the lamp were awaiting discovery. Not wanting to spend a lot on a lamp…(they’re expensive!)…I kept my eye out at our local goodwill. Seriously, great lamp shopping there! And I came home one day with a vintage charmer that I fully expected to spray paint and be done. But then the charm won us over. Well, it won Alex over first. And then I was faced with the task of finding a shade. Again, why are these things so expensive! And of course, anything with a little style was even more $$$. So DIY it was. I found the shade at IKEA for $2 that fit the lamp and so I used that. It was pink. Then I searched and found a simple tutorial online for a ruffled lampshade and knew it was easy enough for even my novice sewing skills. (but you don’t really need to machine sew this)
So enough rambling…here’s how you ruffle:)

Cut fabric into any size strip…mine were around 2” wide.

You can either hand sew or machine sew a straight stitch down the middle of the fabric. When you have all strips sewn you are on to step 3.

You can either sew the edges down or leave them be. I left them because I didn’t mind the unfinished look. Then clean up the edges. Then to make the ruffle pull one of the threads from the straight stitch while slowly pulling on the fabric. You will need to keep pulling the fabric down in order to keep ruffling. You can make the ruffle as tight or loose as you like.

Then use a glue gun to attach the ruffle to your lamp shade.

Isn’t it gorgeous…and easy peasy!

a day to remember

The air was still that morning.

Crisp with the coming of autumn it enveloped us as we ventured off to class. Deb and I. And as we walked we chatted about everything and nothing, knowing a stop for coffee was inevitable. And into the corner Starbucks we walked, as if nothing had happened. For to us, nothing had.

And we were met with silence. Only the movements of the making of coffee filled the space. And in the silence a man on the radio conveyed the news. As if we had traveled back through time. Oblivious we walked in, chattering, ordering, sipping. And out we went, walking off to class. And when we arrived, the news met us. For me it was written on the chalkboard, scarce in white…class is canceled. Our teacher spoke…"the news, the towers, New York…” It was all a blur.

And we all in silence picked up our things and walked back out the door. It was the morning that history was being made. And when I arrived back home, us girls sat, mouths silenced, hands covering as we watched this history unfold. It was and is still horrific, saddening, unbelievable. And as we watched, we prayed silently for it to be over. That it was not reality. And yet, some of us knew people working in New York City. And the phones rang, mouths chattered, eyes wept.

And still today we remember vividly the accounts of the day the towers fell. Because it was horrific. Because it was history being made. Because we couldn’t tear our eyes from the television. Because it seemed so unreal. Because…

Every year I remember on this day the same as my mother remembers the day Kennedy was shot. The events, the images imprinted on my mind, the horror and sadness. The families that lost. That miss, that ache. And I’m reminded that life is a gift. Everyday is one to be held close. Everyone to be loved with all I have.

Today is not just a reminder of the day history was made, the day life altered, the changing of a skyline…it’s also a reminder to love, to give, to pour out for one another. Change the way we live.

And so we remember…the events and to love. Because there’s only one life we get to live, one chance, one go ahead at the day. Because we never know when it will be our last.

Make today count.

(If you have children that don’t know the account this book is great: Fireboat by Maira Kalman.)

Looking ahead

This cooler weather we’ve experience up here in the north has me longing to put on a scarf and jump in the leaves. And yet, tomorrow it could be balmy and warm…such is life up here. So as I wait for the day when the cooler weather is here to stay, I’ve got autumn on my mind. Every year we try to do some fun things to celebrate one of our favorite times of year and now that we have Elizabeth I think we’ll actually pull off more than usual. That might seem odd, but now it feels like we’re making family memories that are far more fun even with a 3 month old in tow.

So while some of these are rather idyllic and cliché, they really are some of our favorites and anyone with kids can I’m sure relate; we’ll probably only get to a few. Even so, the few we get to will be enjoyed wholeheartedly!

Without further ado, our fall bucket list…

And with that, I’m off to switch out our closets in hopes that cooler weather is here to stay. What are your favorite ways to enjoy autumn?

Behind the mind

C.S. Lewis just might be one of the most influential thinkers and writers out there. I’ve always wondered what influences and inspires those who influence and inspire us. Now I was given the chance to find out.

In the book From the Library of C.S. Lewis, the authors compiled multiple short selections of poetry, literature, and writings all of which inspired and influenced C.S. Lewis himself. As a Lewis and literature fan, I found the compilation intruiging and interesting. Although it’s written as a non-fiction treasury, I would expect that most would find it appealing as a reference book or casual read that gets picked up here or there. There are excerpts from Andrew Murray, George MacDonald, Saint Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Wordsworth, Aristotle; not to mention many more. This is a great read for anyone who is a Lewis fan and is interested in knowing more of what went into some of the best works of literature.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review.

the simple things

cause for abundant celebration

tiny baby toes

hot steaming coffee with a cookie or two

fresh flowers in bloom

celebrating today the simple things, because I believe…

How will you celebrate simplicity today?

on love

celebrating 6 years today…
I love this man of mine more than life itself

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace. 

I love thee to the level of everyday's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight. 
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right; 
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. 

I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith. 
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints,--I love thee with the breath, 
Smiles, tears, of all my life!--and, if God choose, 
I shall but love thee better after death.

-elizabeth barrett browning