What is it about Fall that makes you want to get creative and make stuff? To nest? I say fall, I guess it's officially Fall but geez it's still a little hot outside. I am having a hard time concentrating at work today because I can think of about 20 other things I'd rather be doing. A few, for example:

1. Try my grandmother's pumpkin bread recipe on my fridge.

2. Knit and or crochet. (I'm not sure of the exact difference, I know, I have a lot to learn) for a couple of reasons: 1) I think knitting seems less intimidating than my sewing machine. There are TONS of books on knitting at Border's. I just looked at them on my lunch hour. I want to make scarves, hats, socks, toys, blankets, anything. 2) Yesterday at my grandmother's house I found a vintage crocheted bag (soon to be my purse, oh yes, Jenny, Amy, be jealous) with some of my great grandmother Ruby's yarn and started crocheted pieces. It is very precious. I want to make use of the yarn she never used up and keep this skill in our family.

3. I need a bumper sticker that says "I'd rather be garage sale-ing" (you know, for items for potential projects or decorations, you never know what you'll find, it's the element of surprise that's so intoxicating!)

4. Work on Wilder and Gwyn's Halloween costumes. Two words: baby tutu. Can't wait, must find tulle. Currently trying to find inspiration for Wilder.

In other news...Gwyn is walking! She says "baby" and "bye bye"
There isn't much Wilder doesn't say now. He is getting more stubborn every day. He is wonderfully everything a two year old boy should be.

Thursday: The Week in Gratitude

Today I'm thankful for:

1. New days. I am thankful that Tuesday is over and Wednesday happened. I don't know who the evil woman was that possessed my body on Tuesday. I'm glad she's gone. Just a rough day all around. Seems like Wilder and I butted heads all day and I was irritated at EVERYTHING. Sometimes tiredness and hormones catch up I think. I'm ok now ;)

2. Friends. Really, what a joy to have like-minded friends to share this journey with!

3. Sibling Companionship. Wilder and Gwyn have really started entertaining each other. It's so fun to be in a different room and hear them laughing at each other. And to think we created that laughter! Well, God actually did...but you get the sentiment!

SIMPLY SUNDAYS

My friend Tasha had a fun idea for weekly blogging, I liked her ideas...if anyone would like to join in!

1. WHAT it Means to Be a Mom WEDNESDAYS: parenting happenings of the day/week

2. THANKFUL THURSDAYS: the week in gratitude

3. Who SAID it SATURDAYS: thought provoking, funny, or random quotes

4. SIMPLY SUNDAYS: the art of simple living

Today just being outside was a simple pleasure. I love fall days when the sun is warm and the breeze is cool. We sat outside on my parents deck for a long time after lunch today. We just watched the kids play and enjoyed the view. Mom even got her guitar out and played for a minute. This evening at home we went for a family walk in the neighborhood with both kiddos in the strollers. It was just fun being all together and enjoying the conversation with Blake.

I took some pics once we got home. Here is Gwyn standing on her own. Sometimes she'll take one step. No luck on getting a toothy grin. Can you believe she'll be 1 next month?

Follow Up

Thanks for all the info fellow bloggers! I've almost joined a CoOp a couple of times but haven't ever followed through. I don't know what I'm afraid of. Has anyone else (besides Dayna) tried one? Do you save money? Janet, do you take paid orders for your bread? (please)

Well I went to the Pearl Farmer's Market after work on Monday. Next week is the last week of the season. I decided I would spend $10 even though I could have spent a TON more, but that's what I had. I would have liked to have bought a loaf of bread for $5 and a jar of jam for $6. Almost twice as much as the grocery store but twice as good for you right?

For $10 I bought:
-Two tomatoes (little over a pound)
-Three porter peaches (one pound)
-One funny little white space ship-shaped squash
-One pound of fresh purple hull peas (mainly for Gwyn and Wilder). I really don't know what to do with these. I'll have to find some how-to online.
Some really tasty FREE wine samples from a Vineyard at Lake Eufala (can't think of the name right now). Counts right?

Sound reasonable?

It's just food right?

So I've started reading the book "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver. It's about food. It's pretty fascinating to me. I have to refrain myself from talking too much about it to my husband because I think he's annoyed by it, well he just doesn't find the subject matter as interesting. (That's what blogs are for right!) The book is a true story about a family that moves from Tuscon Arizona to a farm somewhere in West Virginia. Tuscon, in the dessert where NOTHING is grown locally. Their plan is for all their food to be grown by themselves or bought from somebody they know - for one year. No processed anything meaning no oranges from California or fish from the coast. Only whole, local food. The first chapter Barbara explains all her motives for the move and gives some history about agriculture in America.

So far what I've found to be though-provoking:
-It's amazing how much fossil fuel the food industry consumes. All the fuel to power the farm equipment (including all the things needed to spray pesticides) and all the fuel needed to ship produce across country.
-I never realized that 70% of farmland is corn or soybeans because they are processed and modified to make many other ingredients in our foods. Obviously things like High Fructose Corn Syrup but also a lot of the words you don't recognize on labels. While reading this I was eating some chocolate and ther it was - soybeans in my chocolate!
-How LITTLE we know about gardening and farming and how much we SHOULD know. Eventually we or our children will have to produce some or all of own food becaues the environment demands it. She gave some examples of city kids that thought potatoes grew on trees, that sort of thing.
-How bizarre it is that when we buy items from the grocery store we have no idea where they've come from.
-Organic is better you but also ALOT better for the environment.
-We should all try to shop at Farmer's Markets more often. Support local farmer's that are competing against commercialized industries.
- I long for a way of life that would allow for abundant gardening.

ANYWAY, the authour goes on about how wonderful local produce is and how extremely different and better it is from what you find in the grocery store. Last weekend while in Edmond I went to the Farmer's Market with my sister-in-law and bought some peaches. They were incredibly yummy, soft, sweet. Wilder practically ate two in a row. We bought some peaches from WalMart recently that didn't even seem real compared to the others. A foamy, grainy texture, really kind of fake in comparison.

How is it possible to really change the way we eat? Who has the time and money to eat local and whole food? I guess we just do the best we can. When I do have the chance to go to the farmer's market I usually am surprised how affordable they are. This week we got the new Kraft magazine in the mail. I have a love/hate relationship with this magazine. I love it because the recipes are easy and affordable but the meals always start to taste the same because there are bout 10 ingredients that are used in different combinations over and over again. Tonight's dinner consisited of canned tomatoes, stovetop, cheese, and chicken. Nothing fresh...well, we did have a little salad from lettuce that may have been in the fridge a little too long. I would have loved to go buy some fresh produce today at a market but we were out of cash really until I get payed again. The point here, it's not always easy to eat the way you want. It's not easy because I'm not organized enough! And I'm not the best at meal planning. Tongiht I also threw out a TON of leftovers from this past week. I usually think in my mind that we can't afford the healthier food I'd like to buy...but I waste so much, why not buy less higher quality food, wouldn't that amount to the same? Then the second thing that gets me is time. Stovetop is easy. I know there are quick ways to make healthy meals, I just need the right cookbook and a little more motivation!

Well this has turned out to be long. Don't really know if I've been very clear but it feels good to share! Read the book!

Next up, my review on "Bringing Up Boys" by James Dobson.

Meet Rib

Up until about a week ago Wilder never really showed too much interest in his many stuffed animals. For some reason, he has selected his green frog as his new buddy. I must admit, it's pretty cute. We've named him ribbit which has been shortened to Rib. Rib now eats with Wilder, sits on the little potty while Wilder sits on the big one, helps Wilder with chores, let's Wilder bury him in blankets then jump on him, rides toys, etc. Rarely have I seen him recently without Rib tucked under his arm. Yesterday when we were leaving Wilder was talking in the backseat and I realized he was asking for Rib. "Sorry honey, Ribs at home." It broke his little heart, luckily the crying didn't last long and he got over it quickly. I hope it doesn't get to the point that we need some extra Ribs around. I do know that Rib desperately needs a bath. Wilder got a haircut tonight - doesn't he look big!

In Gwyneth's world she is standing on her own quite a bit. I'm excited for her to walk soon. She's getting silly! She loves to throw herself around on the bed and bury her head into Wilder's stuffed animals. She has the cutest little grin (picture coming) where she wrinkles her nose and shows off her two partial front teeth. And she loves her momma.