NEW THINGS.

Everything seems to be changing from what has been to what will;

from summer to fall, from outside to in, from free-time to "what's free time, again?"

The change from Summer to Fall is always a melancholy one for me,
but this time around, I'm welcoming every bit of it.

I won't bore you with what busies me at the moment, or rather, the list is too long to keep any sane person interested.

Today, for example, I slanged croissants from 7:30-3, I came home and got about 30 minutes of reading and sun-worshiping in
before my people came home, then I loved on my little girl and did two puzzles
before I tackled a sink full of dishes (sans dishwasher) and made dinner,
we showered together, did the whole bedtime dance,
then I registered for a social studies conference, put a load of laundry in, and here we are...

I said I wouldn't make a list, too. At least it isn't exhaustive.
You're welcome.

After the best six weeks of river-lounging, Hawaiian-vacationing, and garden-tending,

I am actually loving being back in the classroom, back in the real world.

➹my new hat.

A few other new things:

▲An author recently asked me to do a book review on one of his bilingual books.

As I am not bilingual myself I'll be gathering a few resources before I tackle this,

though I do feel that I have a pretty good understanding of the needs of children who are.

Stay tuned!

▲Ramona was rummaging through the refrigerator tonight as I was cooking dinner.

She apparently, desperately, needed a pickle.

I said, "Ramona, I don't think pickles go very well with stir-fry."

She said, without hesitation, "Relax mom, I only want one."

My three-year-old just told me to relax. 

That's precisely when you stop relaxing.

▲Not but twenty minutes after that last statement, she was banging her dinosaurs on the kitchen table.

I said, "Sweetie, please stop hitting the table."

Her reply, you ask? Oh the typical three-year-old response of:

"Our brain tells us to do stuff (moves her arms around really fast)

Look mama, my brain is telling me to do this. It isn't me."

Help me. I have nothing.

▲I went to buffalo exchange for the first time in awhile yesterday.

I sold a few old things and spent most of my time trying to corral my overly-tired child.

Somehow I still managed to find a few amazing fall pieces (that I didn't spend a dime on!) 

that I cannot wait for the weather to permit me to put on my body.

A vintage green felt hat a lot like this one, a chunky brown sweater, and a levi's jean jacket.
Let's do this, Fall!

▲My husband celebrated his 28th birthday on Thursday,

and likely sprouted another 28 grey hairs to add to his overall sex-appeal.

Unfortunately, I had a dermatologist appointment in the early morning (no cancer, woo!),
class from 12-2, and class again from 5:30-8:30.

Ramona was in preschool all day that day, so he went golfing with a friend,
and we had a midday date over German biers and pretzel sandwiches at Prost between classes.

I did, however, make this incredible carrot cake the night before with Ramona.

We all agreed that it really is the best carrot cake any of us have ever eaten.

(I made a few changes, as I always do. I cut the oil by about 1/4 cup, and replaced it with organic applesauce. 
I also used half brown sugar, half white sugar. 

I added a tablespoon vanilla, a few tablespoons of flax seed, and walnuts - no raisins.)

It's his favorite cake, and he loved it. 

I hope you're having a great weekend, friends!

▲▲▲