10 On The 10th: October 2024

I thought October 10th was going to be a regular, boring day of work and folding laundry but it actually turned out to be one of the more memorable experiences of my life. The Northern Lights were out and we saw an incredible show! However, ten (somewhat blurry) pictures of Northern Lights could be a bit much, so I am continuing with my original idea. On October 12 & 13, we took a very quick road trip to New York state to watch Willem compete in a disc golf tournament with his college team,

Besides watching disc golf, we also stopped at Panera once, Target twice, and Trader Joe's once. We had some fun shopping! I found Sharon McMahon's new book, The Small and the Mighty and Sam found some equally important turkey slippers! Hahahahaha!!!

The morning of the disc golf tournament was rainy but the fall colours were on full display.

Although Rachel is holding two umbrella here, it wasn't too bad and we stayed fairly dry, except for our feet.

The disc golf course was in a park ringed with woods so some baskets were in the woods and some were on a more open field, with some large trees as obstacles. We didn't quite know what to expect but we just followed Willem and his team from hole to hole, trying to stay out of the way. We got to talk with Willem way more than we expected to but also tried to respect his space and concentration.

It was actually so fun to see disc golf played well (as opposed to how we do it! Hahaha!) and also to be having a morning walk in the woods. Also, we really appreciated that Willem's college coach came and talked with us a few times, explaining what was going on and sharing in the excitement.

After the tournament with Willem!

After the disc golf tournament, we grabbed some Starbucks to warm up. Since we had done some shopping, we had to be in the US for at least 24 hours, and we were close to the Pennsylvania border, so we drove to Pennsylvania to eat lunch at Sheetz and so Dave could mail his US ballot. He could have mailed it from Canada but decided to mail it in the US since we were there anyways.

 

And that was our super fun, super short, trip to the US.

 

And for those of you who missed seeing my Northern Lights pictures on Instagram, here's a bonus picture just for you:

Share Our Lives: Sweet Tooth Cravings

I think I start every blog post this way these days but, phew, has it been a week! And yes, we just had our Thanksgiving long weekend here in Canada but I am so ready for this weekend. We have very few plans and I can't wait! This week has been extra busy because it's parent viewing at dance, and we've been supporting a friend who had surgery last week, so I've been going from thing to thing to thing all week. Which is why I'm only posting about my "sweet tooth cravings" with the "Share Our Lives" bloggers today. (I'm forcing myself to stay awake for an extra half hour on Thursday night to get this post done! I'm so tired.) Also, the "Share Our Lives" bloggers are Sarah, Dara, Joanne, Adrienne, and Jen. (Click on each name to go their blogs.)

As we were driving home from a quick road trip on Sunday, I was telling Dave how much I was struggling with this prompt. I couldn't think of what sweet things I crave. Dave commented, "You're just not a sweets eater" and it's true. However, I do drink a lot of sweet drinks throughout the day -- I start with my coffee-hot chocolate and I regularly have an afternoon Coke (regular Coke, none of the diet, Coke Zero for me). So I get a lot of sugar throughout the day (and we can discuss how unhealthy that is in a different blog post - hahaha!).

I really love my Coke mixed with lime juice to get it a little more tart and I always get my Starbucks drinks "half sweet" (or "two pumps" in the US). 

But when I do want something sweet, here is what I reach for:

1) Cookies -- specifically chocolate chip (preferably homemade) or Holly's Applesauce Jumbles (recipe here) around the holidays. I also like a good, regular Oreo (not the double stuffed ones though).

Rachel made green chocolate chip cookies for St Patrick's Day this year!

2) Ice cream -- I love going to our local ice cream shop (especially in the summer) or having milkshakes when we're visiting my parents.

 

3) Raspberry tartlets -- I love a good tart with raspberries!

4) Sweet pickles -- I really love sweet pickles. We buy a mix that also has cauliflower and baby onions and they're so good!!!

See, with my last "sweet craving" I'm veering off into salty ones too, and that's really my downfall -- chips, pickles, Cheetos -- I will reach for those over sweet pretty much anytime. As long as I don't have to drink them :)

I'm looking forward to reading all of your posts, hopefully this weekend. Maybe as I read them I'll realize I like sweets more than I claim too! What's your preference -- sweet or salty???

Currently: October 2024

It's the first Wednesday of the month and time for "Currently" with Jennifer at Overflowing With Thankfulness. This is the "Natasha hurt her back because she's old" edition of Currently, as you will see in my responses. I don't even know what I did but I can barely move. I think it was a combination of roller skating and having a nap on the couch. It's been over a week and I still can't move easily. So fun.

[loving]

I am "loving" that I have pain medication! I don't love that I have to take it but I'm thankful it's giving me some relief.

I am loving" how helpful the kids are being -- Rachel has greatly assisted with laundry and Sam has taken over salad making duties and extra dish doing.

I asked Dave to buy some sunflowers at the grocery store on Sunday and I am "loving" those! My house is feeling like Fall even if the weather isn't cooperating yet.

[looking forward to]

I am "looking forward to" when my back stops hurting -- hahaha! I take my body for granted until it conks out on me and then I regret not being more appreciative when it's working well.

I am "looking forward to" one of our favourite local events -- the Central Art Walk. It's happening this weekend and I'm really hoping I'll feel well enough to participate. Local artists (like within an eight block radius) open up their studios and you can visit them. That's where I got the mushrooms and pumpkin pictured above. The kids look forward to this every year. And so do I!

I am also "looking forward to" my friend's birthday party this weekend. She always throws the best birthday parties and I can't wait to celebrate her!!!

[wearing]

I am "wearing" layers. It's still seesawing between summer and fall here so it's all about layers right now

[reading]

This is embarrassing to admit but I'm "reading" Danielle Steel. Hahaha!!! We talked about something at book club last week which sent me down the Danielle Steel rabbit hole. She was the first "grown up" author I read so I'm reliving my high school reading memories.

[cooking]

I have been "cooking" nothing. Dave and the kids have been cooking all week because my back is so sore. I sit on a chair and assist as I can but it's very minimal. Dave is even packing the majority of my lunches right now.

Did I mention that "currently" life is all about my back right now?!?!?!? It's very frustrating and I'm also "looking forward to" when I feel a little more normal again. Hopefully that will be soon!

10 On The 10th: September 2024

There are a few things I want to write about which happened in September so hopefully I can slowly start to catch up on some of them. Before it gets too late, I do want to share my 10 pictures from September 10th. This day feels sooooo long ago, even though it was just three weeks ago today. Phew September -- you were a doozy!

Why is it so dark at 6:32am already?!??!

First cup of coffee-hot chocolate and my new lunch bag. I love avocados and this bag is so fun!

Hanging out a load of laundry before work. The early bird gets the dry laundry... or something like that :)

I love my walk to work along my favourite path.

Catching a glimpse of early fall colour from the fourth floor of my school.

I had to take a break on my walk home from CSA. The bags were heavy.

We saw hot air balloons on our way to get haircuts. They were so close to us.

A pita for supper and a blurry Sam getting his hair cut in the background.

That's a lot of hair to get cut off Dave! Hahahaha!!!

Silly selfies with Rachel while she was working on homework.

And that was our September 10th. It was a full day, but a good one.

Monthly Musings: Back To School: Routines, Recipes, And Fall Fashion

It's the last Thursday of the month and time to join Holly at Pink Lady and Patty at Good, Better, Best for their "Monthly Musings" link up.This is seriously one of my favourite link ups of the month -- even when they ask about fashion! Hahahaha!!!

1) What are your best tips for getting into a fall/back to school routine?

I don't know that I have one. I try to enforce earlier bedtimes because, in my opinion, many things can be cured with a good night's sleep. If things are falling apart, I declare that "it's bedtime" because I always think things will look better in the morning!

2) Please share your favourite fall recipes. Crowd/family pleasers welcome!

 I think my favourite fall recipe are soups or stews with carrots and sweet potatoes and butternut squash. All the orange vegetables :) We love "cream of carrot-cheddar soup" and "curried butternut squash and pear soup." Cream of carrot cheddar soup recipe found here and curried butternut squash pear soup recipe found here.

3) Favourite fall fashion staples?

My plaid shirts, my Converse, and my favourite Amazon sweater!

4) Favourite part of back to school this year?

How easy it was for our kids. We had no big transitions, the kids settled into their school routines pretty quickly, and they are generally more independent. I just feel like "back to school" has gone so smoothly compared to other years. (This is me speaking as a parent, by the way, not as a school secretary! That's a whole other ball of wax!)

5) Do you celebrate Homecoming where you are?

No, I really think "homecoming" is an American thing. I don't know anyone who celebrates it here in Canada.

6) Apple pie or apple cider?

I love apple cider, especially mixed up in my friend's "Hallowe'en Apple Cider" recipe with Jim Beam Red Stag and some other good things! Soooo good!!!

7) Do the leaves change colours where you live? If so, when?

Do they ever! I've seen a few smatterings of fall colour already but they will likely hit their peak in the next few weeks. Until then, enjoy these pictures from previous years.

 

8) Favourite fall sweet treat? Do you have any recipes to share?

I don't really have a favourite sweet treat for fall. Maybe the Coffee Crisp chocolate bars I steal from the kids on Hallowe'en. And to clarify, I steal from my own kids, not just random kids trick-or-treating on the street! Hahahahaha!!!

9) Hayride or bonfire?

I like the idea of a hayride but hay is so itchy so a bonfire would win out.

10) Movies that give you all the back to school feels?

I don't really watch movies, except for the Hallmark ones, so I don't have a great answer for this.

Our weather has been unseasonably hot these past couple of weeks but writing all these answers puts me in the mood for actual fall -- bring on apple cider, the leaves changing (and me exclaiming about "the fall colours" to my kids' complete annoyance), sweaters, my Converse, and cozy nights of reading under a blanket.

What's Up Wednesday: September 2024

September has been one of those months, where if my head wasn't attached to my shoulders, I would have left it in 27 different places. There have been many days when I come home from work late, am home for fifteen minutes, and then head out again for the evening. It's just this past week where I've enjoyed two nights in a row at home. I'm telling you, September is NUTS.

I really do love answering the What's Up Wednesday questions every month. I like how they help me reflect on the past month and I love having a monthly record of what we've been up to. I go back and re-read these posts often. The questions come from Shay at Mix and Match Mama and Sheaffer at Sheaffer Told Me Too.

image from here

 

What we're eating this week... We bought a bunch of fruit at Costco early in September, for a specific purpose, and then that purpose changed on us and we ended up having to eat all the fruit ourselves. And now we're a little addicted to Costco fruit -- blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries -- they're all purchases in a weekly Costco trip this month. We've also been eating a lot of raisins this month. Again, I don't know how this started but we've gone through a huge bag of them this month.

What I'm reminiscing about... I don't know what I've been reminiscing about. I've been too focused on keeping all the balls in the air in the present to spend time reminiscing this month. That's kind of sad, isn't it?

 

What I'm loving... My best friend, Janice, and I have been getting together weekly and I've been loving having a regular time with her. We make supper together, we go for a walk, and we just get to catch up on life. Janice is out of town for the next few weeks and I will miss our weekly evenings together until she gets back.

 

Another thing I've been loving is that we made a connection with someone who lives three minutes away from us and their daughter has a similar dance schedule to Rachel so we've started some carpooling!!! Yay! Yay! Yay for less driving!!!

What we've been up to... Well, the kids started school and that's been going well, thus far. With the start of school, my days got exponentially busier but I think I'm getting some space to breathe again. Or at least go to the bathroom on a semi-regular basis during the school day, so that's a good sign!

We've had "meet the teacher" night, "kick off to dance season" meetings, and all the other "start of the school year" things going on.

Rachel, Dave, and I checked out a roller skating popup in one of our public squares, randomly ran into friends from church, and went for ice cream this past weekend. That was really fun! 

It was Doors Open in our region this past weekend so Dave, Rachel, and I took the ION to tour the ION Maintenance Facility. That was really interesting! We got to see the control centre for the whole ION system, see where they perform nightly maintenance on the trains, and even sit in the drivers seat. I also discovered that to be an ION driver you just need a general license and five years of a clean driving record so I think I've found my next job! Hahaha!!!

This past weekend was LUMEN, one of our favourite nights of the year, in our uptown. This festival of light, art, and technology is always so amazing and this year did not disappoint!

What I'm dreading... I can't talk about the thing I'm actually dreading just yet but if you could say some extra prayers for me, I would really appreciate it. It's work related and that's all I can say about it right now.

What I'm working on... I'm working on all the start of school things -- getting forms out to families to be signed, trying to collect all the information I need to gather, doing the "start of year" training, and all the other things which come with the start of a new school year. And then, as a parent, I have to fill out all the forms, attend the "meet the teacher" nights, and ensure I've provided all the details the schools are asking for. I get to experience both sides of the coin and it's a lot!

What I'm excited about... We're actively working on trying to empower the kids to do more around the house. When it works well (Sam has cooked supper and done many rounds of dishes this month and Rachel has baked muffins, updated the family calendar, and cooked supper this month), I get really excited. When it doesn't work well, there is more frustration than excitement :)

 

 

What I'm watching/reading...We've gotten into a really lovely Sunday evening routine where we eat a simple dinner and watch a Hallmark movie, while I fold all the laundry which has accumulated throughout the week. Then on Monday nights, I put all the folded laundry on our bed and everyone puts it away. Rachel and I have been (mostly) enjoying the "Fall Into Love" Hallmark movies.

This night we had charcuterie for supper. It was delicious and Rachel mostly assembled it.

 

As for reading, I just finished People Love Dead Jews by Dara Horn for my book club last night. This was a very thought provoking book and now Dave is reading it.

 

What I'm listening to... For some reason, both kids are teaching themselves Italian with DuoLingo and then speaking to each other in Italian. So, randomly, I've been hearing a lot of Italian this month. This will come in handy if we ever go to Italy! Hahahahaha!

What I'm wearing... On one of our nights together, Janice gave me a cardigan she no longer likes. And it has a hood! I love it and have been wearing it a lot this month.

What I'm doing this weekend... We're going to synagogue services, Sam has a youth-mentor lunch at church, Rachel has dance, we'll be watching a Hallmark movie and folding laundry, I might bake buns -- it's going to be a (somewhat) relaxed weekend as we have no big plans, which is nice.

What I'm looking forward to next month... We have a couple of one night road trips planned which I'm really looking forward to. Also, we're getting some pretty fun neighbours at the end of the month!!! Yay!

So that's what's been up with us in September. I'm hoping October will be a little more chill and that I will feel more on top of things soon.