How do you like them apples?

Helloooooo! A pinch and a punch for the first day of this, my favourite month m’peeps

 

(Taken this morning on my run. The problem with Autumn is that my running becomes more like..jog 2 steps, take a picture…jog 3 more steps…take a picture. )

Ah October. You win.  Who doesn’t love this month? In the Northern hemisphere at least. I’m not sure if it’s as magical down south..but here…it’s  so full of colour and anticipation.  It’s spectacularly pretty in my part of the world right now and it is getting prettier every day. I savour every day of October and I think I will appreciate it this year more than any other knowing that it’s possible that it will be the last golden kissed October.

We leave one month from today! One month.  Everything is still so up in the air that it’s always possible that we will return but nothing is for sure. It’s surreal to be in such an unsure place. To look around my house and town and think, “I might never see this place again….or I might..in a few months”.  I’m amazed at how ok I am with living with this sort of uncertainty. Usually that sort of thing drives me crazy. I think I’m just using it to make the idea of saying goodbye a non-issue. “Hey I don’t really have to say goodbye because I’ll probably be back..like, super soon….”.  I feel quite clever to have turned the thing that used to be a major stress issue of mine into a coping mechanism. 

Anyway before I go on waxing lyrical about October let’s do a quick wrap up on September events..

Soccer, soccer, soccer, cross country, soccer soccer oh and to end September appropriately we went apple picking! How I love the apple picking excursion!

 

Amidst all the picking and chomping I took advantage of having them all in the same place to snap some natural portraits of my 6 favourite people in all the land. Aren’t they beautiful people?

I was driving to pick up Ella today and I was thinking about this kid and how much he makes me laugh.  He’s really smart and talented and athletic and hardworking and I’m so proud of him but I think I am proudest of how funny he is.  I was chuckling thinking about some of the things he said this week and it got me to thinking how much I really, really just like my kids.

This one makes me laugh helplessly too and I am addicted to watching him laugh. He has the most absolutely infectious giggle. It’s delicious.

And this sweet girl. I am so proud of her. She has been working so hard on her cross country and her soccer. She scored a goal on Wednesday and has hung in there with both sports all season as well as getting good grades at school.  Considering the huge change that is coming up at the end of the month she has been so calm and grounded. She is a good, good girl.

My little sunshine. He’s a fantastic little soccer player, a straight A student but his greatest accomplishment is his kind compassionate nature.  Happy, uncomplicated, generous and sweet.  I love him so.

This little lady is having such a ball at preschool.  She is flourishing. It’s so much fun to watch her little personality blossom.

And my main squeeze. I am not looking forward to being apart from him. Not one bit.  Please pray that it won’t be for long! If you think he is the best husband, you don’t know the half of it. He’s even better than he seems , and I am going to suffer terribly without him.

I just love watching them hanging out together. It’s my all time favourite thing.

If Ellabeth could choose, every day would be apple picking day..

 

This boy. I’m a fan.

  She was serious about consuming them as fresh from the tree as possible.

If you think this happened without some serious begging, pleading and bribing then you are naive. Pretty sure this is the series finale…sniff.

I have pictures of them on this bridge since they were teeny tiny. It’s so funny that they gravitate there every time we go, not sure what they are gazing at but it’s very cute.

She is so proud of her picking skills

Post picking sustenance. The boys all soberly donned these hats. I found it amusing.

 

This stick was very entertaining to several of my children. And nobody put their eye out. A raging success.

Benj caught a lot of air in this attempt. You will just have to trust me on that.

I love their friendship. PS: I can’t wait to see my brothers again.

The apple of her big sister’s eye…or something. Gracie is so long suffering.

  

Watching them laugh together is like chocolate covered in chocolate for my soul

 

Did I mention how much I’m going to miss him?

Here’s what is real. My family makes me mental on a near daily basis. They do so many annoying things.  When the house is quiet and I get a moment to myself I am delighted. But when I spend time with them outside like this, just us, doing simple things without distractions, that’s heaven for me. We just enjoy each other’s company so much.  I cherish those times and I am so grateful we have had them. I can’t wait for more of them.  I really love these people and when I take a step back from the craziness and chaos and silly annoyances of every day life I have to pinch myself that I’m lucky enough to have such amazing people to call my own.

Happy October everyone!

If you feel like picking your way through orchard trips of days gone by, I give you:  2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009

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