Currently

 
loving this photo of my nearly 2-year-old niece, Zoey. (I'm slowly learning how to shoot with my Canon 5D Mark III!)

delighting in the colors of the fall leaves. 

enjoying family days spent at two pumpkin patches.

riding a train at Bishop's Pumpkin Farm in the animal car. Noah's favorite part?  Going through the tunnel.

cleaning out our kitchen junk drawer. 

touring an apple orchard in Auburn. 

drinking water...and more water. (After months of trying, I've nearly eliminated all soda from my diet.)

running on the treadmill 2-3 times a week.

considering creating a capsule wardrobe, either this fall or next spring.  

discovering how exhausting and gratifying it can be to care for two toddlers.
 
singing "Jingle Bells" during bath time last night.  (I know, I know, it's only October.  But I'm already excited for Christmas!)

snapping lots of photos with my iPhone and very few with my big camera. 

reading JoJo Moyes' The Girl You Left Behind. (I read Me Before You first and really enjoyed it.) I'm about 70% in, and I'm curious as to how Ms. Moyes is going to weave together all of the elements of the story as well as produce a satisfying ending.

praying more than I have in a long time. 

planning to spend this Sunday at Apple Hill, continuing on a tradition we started years ago, with our good friends, the Liotines. (Here's a look at past years: 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008.)  

editing photos from our trip to Oregon in July.  Yes, you read that right: July! I'm just a wee bit behind... 

struggling to go to bed any earlier than 11:30 pm most nights.  

looking forward to spending a weekend away with my husband at the end of the month. 

What's {currently} happening with you?

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Around Here

Reading Me Ra Koh's new book, Your Child in Pictures.
As I mentioned in this post, I met Me Ra Koh at the Click Blogger Retreat in October.  When I returned home from Texas last week, I was surprised to receive a package with Me Ra's new book inside.  Talk about exciting!  But wait, it gets even better.  When I opened the book, I discovered that Me Ra wrote a sweet message inside, just for me.  Thanks, Me Ra!

Watching Call the Midwife: Season One, which I borrowed from the Sacramento Library.

Writing an article about animal communication for my children's writing course.  Who knew that bees could dance?!   

Praying.
  
Celebrating winning a $100 Amex gift card!  I filled out a quick survey about the Click retreat, and voila, I won some money.  A big thanks to Todaysmama.com!  

Editing photographs from our trip to Texas.

Drafting another blog post about adoption.  

Loving the fall foliage.

Adjusting back to California time, coupled with Daylight Savings Time.  Early to bed, early to rise.

Administering twice daily insulin shots to Lucy, our nearly 10-year-old Lab.

Thinking about the holidays.

Counting my blessings. 

Right Now

Noah & Katie | September 2012 | Fort Worth, Texas

I am...

• Processing photos from our trip to Dallas.  (This is one of my favorite shots!)

• Harvesting vegetables from our garden.  (I'm surprised and excited that our plants are still producing!)

• Typing up two article outlines and one story outline for my writing class.

• Caring for Noah as he battles his first cold.  (Hyland's tiny cold tablets seem to be helping.)

• Writing in my new journal. 

• Flipping through The Poky Little Puppy (the board book edition) with Noah.

• Listening to music by Kari Jobe, a Christian singer I learned about while we were in Texas.  (Thanks, Preston, for the recommendation!)    

• Babyproofing our home, little by little. 

• Running on the treadmill, at the park, and around my parents' neighborhood.  

• Singing Noah's favorite song right now: The Wheels on the Bus.  Our bus has dogs and cats and even monkeys sometimes.  Noah laughs whenever I make the animal sounds, so I just keep adding more critters.       

• Sipping hot apple cider.

• Cleaning door handles, TV remotes, light switches, and toys with antibacterial wipes. 

• Enjoying play time with Brian and Noah.

• Browsing the internet for Halloween costume ideas.

• Reading Writer Mama, Writing Down the Bones, and Daring Greatly. 

• Embracing all that is fall.  

What's happening in your world right now? 

Apple Hill 2011

 














Last Sunday, we spent the day in Apple Hill with the Liotine family.

It was a beautiful fall day replete with...

eating,

shopping,

laughing,

rolling (down grassy hills),

running,

giggling,

feeding (farm animals),

enjoying,

shooting (photos that is),

chatting,

exploring,

smiling,

and savoring.

Here are my favorite shots from the day:

I can't wait to go back again next fall.

J