Falling into It

I love decorating our house for the seasons. And fall is one of my favorites. I feel while I love the colors, tastes, smells and feel of fall, I also love that it is just the beginning of the holidays.  The fall decorations blend with Halloween and then Thanksgiving and then Christmas-oh my!!!I’ve been slowly decorating my house for the fall the past couple weeks, so I thought I’d share some photos.  I hope you find some inspiration!

               

                

Kitchen Table

We spend a lot of our time sitting around our kitchen table which is often enlightening but it can also be miserable with four children.  Never the less we do it as much as we can. 

When designing our kitchen several years ago I had imagined a large farm table where everyone would gather with big cushions and fluffy pillows.  But in reality the cushions and pillows would get trashed with the little ones so we settled with a practical bench that's easy to clean. I will hopefully someday have the decorators dream and make this a more comfortable space:)

I feel these days, people don’t gather together as much, and they certainly don’t spend time around kitchen tables. Everyone is just too busy with other things. Too often, meals are eaten separately or on the run. I wish everyone could just get back to the basics and what really matters most–time spent with loved ones around the kitchen table!  Our family does it and I highly recommend it.

Our simple but extremely functional kitchen table.

Our family gathering place.

Built-in benches give us storage for oversized kitchen items.

We love the benches for seating.  It's so fun to have a bunch of kids sqeezed on the bench having pizza.

Bin pulls give the drawers a farmhouse finish.

Let's Do This

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Well I did it!  Got the older kids off to school today and then I made it to the gym!!!  I’m getting back into a routine now that I am getting everyone on a schedule again.  I ran four miles on the treadmill and then I cooled down on the stair master for 10 minutes.  I would like to try to exercise 45 minutes to an hour each day-part of my “me” time that got pushed aside during the summer is beginning to return!! I am by no means “skinny”  but in the last year I have started to get active again-even did a half marathon back in May with a bunch of my neighborhood girlfriends who are also moms trying to get their bods back. I’ve had difficulty in the past finding the energy and time to commit to exercise but now I won’t go back to that feeling of lethargy and having to start over.  It’s always so hard to start over.  But once I did, I made a vow to keep it up no matter what!

Image courtesy of Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I feel that after a workout I’m in a better mood and it gets me thinking about what I have to accomplish that day.  We belong to a great fitness center where there is an awesome “Kids Club” where my little boys enjoy spending some time during my alone bit.  

If you have some time but not a health club membership there are other ways to get going on your journey to better health.  

*Start a kid swap with a friend.  You take her kids while she runs errands or whatever and she takes yours while you go for a run.

*Join a stroller workout group or form one of your own. Go on long walks or runs with the stroller-it always is much more motivating to do it with girlfriends. 

*Throw a workout dvd in during a nap time.

*Take the dog for a long walk

*Wear a pedometer

All of the little contributions to physical exercise add up and contribute positively to weight management, general well being and mood.

A New Start

As I woke up this morning thoughts of great possibility ran through my head.  How would I spend my day, my week, my year? 
Lunches are packed, uniforms washed and ready, supplies ready for my four children who are all walking four blocks down the street into the next chapter of their lives.  My daughter - 5th grade.  My oldest son - 3rd grade.  My middle son - Pre-Kindergarten. And my youngest son is off to “Two’s Preschool” for a couple of hours 3 days a week.  But to have them all going....going with backpacks on their backs means something.  It means that I am starting a new chapter as well.  A chapter of possibility!  The things I will do and accomplish this year are endless!!

I am going to continue to go to the gym and step up my exercise plan!  I’m going to keep up with the crazy amounts of laundry that a house of six produces!  I’m going to wash the sheets once a week!  I’m going to take a shower most days! I’m going to read a book!(I’ve never been much of a reader but I’m going to pick up a book and become one!) I’m going to have an organized trip to the grocery store where I buy items for my planned nightly dinners! I’m going to organize the kids clothes and get rid of things that are too small! This school year while my kids are away I will do all these things and also do something that has meaning.  Today is the day that I will begin to chronicle my life as a housewife and a mother to a daughter and 3 sons.  Today is the day that my life becomes words and pictures on a screen so that I can visualize where I want my life to go and what it has become.  Today is the day that I begin to share pieces of my life and the things that I love.