Our weekend was a little off due to my work schedule- I had to work a 12 hour shift on Saturday, so we used Friday to catch a little family time. Molly hasn't had much interest in puzzles until recently, so we're finally getting to use some of those yard sale puzzles I've been hoarding! I always worry about her, although very verbal and seemingly bright, she struggles with her colors, refuses the potty most days and completely ignored puzzles until now. It's the most challenging part of parenting- is she learning enough? Am I doing enough to help her? My husband hates the idea of parenting books at this age, and insists on "using your instinct". Let's hope it's enough. Enough- what a word. Is it ever enough?!
And I definitely learned the best tip for getting a toddler to nap- crisp fall air! We went for a walk 2 hours before her earliest nap time, yet out she went. What a peaceful walk it was! I'm trying to enjoy every ounce of this fall weather, for this week's forecast showed the first snowflake! I'm just not quite ready. Not yet!
We live in Northwestern PA, and have close access to the largest free roaming Elk herd east of the Mississippi River. It wasn't until I met my husband that we started making the short drive to view them. The fall is probably one of the most exciting times to watch them, as the males show off their impressive antlers and follow closely to herds of females in efforts to mate. We have been fortunate thus far in our viewing efforts, and always seem to catch at least one male and a herd of females- often we even get to hear the boisterous bugle of the males. This was the first year Molly really understood what we were looking for, and although she repeatedly said "look, Mommy, a big deer!", I felt like she appreciated this trip. They're just fascinating creatures. But we weren't the only ones ready to see them- it was just packed with tourists and tripods and fancy cameras. So we left the largest herd (literally in someone's back yard), to catch the sunset. And wow, was it worth it. The whole drive. We were the only ones along this patch of the road, so we really got to soak up the last moments of the day and really talk. It felt good. We know we're onto a big transition with my job and even bigger plans with our family and eliminating our debt. It's sometimes daunting, because years can seem so far away. But this quiet, peaceful time really made us realize that it's just a glimpse of God's plan for us. And that is so inspiring.
Oh, and these cookies were packed along for our trip. I'm going to do a tutorial on the blog soon, because I think these need to be a part of your next trip. They're brown butter chocolate chip- and worth every calorie. I mean that.
And with the potential for the first snow comes time to check and harvest the soybeans. We picked some beans and moisture tested them this weekend, but apparently they're a little moist yet and need some more cold, dry weather to bring them to their optimum harvest state. Either way, it's always fun to visit the farm's crops. I can really appreciate the work my husband's family does this time of year. What a reward to pull those little soybean pods off each plant. Farming, while not for everyone, is really an under-appreciated occupation with some of the most rewarding outcomes. I'm so thankful to be a part of it.
It's going to be a colder week in PA, but we're ready for it ;)
Happy Monday!
Lisa
{Linking up at Annapolisandcompany.com}
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