• Cloudless clear blue sky on my morning walk today
• Frost on all the pumpkins
• The brownish/orangey bush with the pretty tiny yellow flowers at the tip
• Jet plane with white trail heading for the heavens
• Small plane flying slowly at low elevation
• The skeleton face with blinking eyes in a neighbor’s front window
• Our beautiful neighborhood black cat who seems to strut more on these “approaching Halloween” days :)
• The volunteer fireman sign on a vehicle
• Clam chowder recipe from the Oregon coast…yummeeee
• So sweet…the baptism today of a future King of England

My health

The beautiful days the last few weeks that allowed me to work my gardening job

Plants that hang onto their colors till the bitter end

The smell of pine needles on the ground

The smell of lavender

My health insurance that allows my husband to continue with physical therapy

My sister who is always there to listen and give advice

Friends that call out of the blue for a coffee date just when I need a friend

Having the motivation to walk instead of watch TV

Reading other people’s lists

1. My grandma
2. Imagining her conjugating verbs in Latin as a young girl
3. Laughing with her over the phone
4. Hearing her say, “you’re still young” and realizing she’s right
5. She’s always right
6. So’s my grandpa, who can see through people like they’re made of glass
7. Their love, which is inspiring
8. My grandma’s knowledge about so many things
9. And her ability to take everything that comes with a positive attitude, which I think she got from her mom
10. Her smile

1.  All the kind help we’re getting in helping my Dad get set up with hospice

2.  He’s 96, and keeps saying no one should be allowed to live that long!

3.  I’ve been trying to convince him to live to 100, but he’s losing interest

4.  He has a magnet on his refrigerator that says, “I’m going to live to be 100”

5.  And he attached a little paper to it that says, “– to please Carol”

6.  When the hospice nurse came to get him registered on Friday morning

7.  He was very personable and amazing.

8.  I could tell she was falling in love with him (as most women do)

9.  He got up and started doing a little dance

10.  And she said, “you better watch out, or I will join you!”

11.  And he said, “please do!”

12.  So there was my Dad dancing with the hospice nurse on the very day he signed up to receive hospice services!

13.  He is not exactly terminal, and he will receive services in his apartment.

14.  My Paparoonio is beyond incredible!

1. Pumpkin-apple juice, freshly juiced
2. Sharing love
3. Our house is so warm from the new wood stove (still figuring it out) that it’s tshirt weather inside and chilly sweater autumn outside
4. One dog and two cats at the farm today who didn’t care a bit about being poked and prodded and pet by kids of all ages
5. Seeing my daughter change and grow
6. Planning fun things
7. Connecting
8. Pausing
9. Appreciating both sides
10. Now

• Joining my friends for a downtown scavenger hunt
• Collaborating for new ways to solve problems
• Writing letters
• Discovering a new vintage gallery + shop which is not only awesome but awesomely affordable
• Being over 2/3 finished with my goals for the year.. only two months to go before 25 new ones
• Computer commands in everyday life.  Can you refresh?  Why not restart?  No worries, everything is backed up, saved and ready for you to reboot
• The excitement of gearing up for Christmas at work (I work retail, please forgive)
• Considering all of my options
• Watching movies with my parents
• Rediscovering the magic in everything

“Let’s not be afraid of anything that can’t really hurt us.”-FLB

– Being able to spend most of the day with my twin daughters.  They are 19 months old and change and grow so much on a daily basis.  It is a lot of work, definitely the hardest job I have ever taken on, but well worth the efforts.

– Hearing the word “Daddy” several hundred times today.

– Random hugs.

– Appreciative wife.

– Loving and helpful parents.

1. Recognizing that a lack of gratitude is unhealthy. Sure I think of things here and there, but the act of taking the time to sit and make lists is incredibly important.

2. A surprise showing up in the mail…A book with no note telling me who it’s from! I’m pretty sure that I know, though!!! It brought smiles, tears, and a little bit of jumping up and down. :)

3. Playing games with Logan

4. Autumn in Ohio

5. Riding my bike…I’ve been riding so much lately, and I love it more than ever. <3

6. Logan and I rode to the bike shop today and had a speedometer/odometer put on, so I know how fast and how far I'm going.

7. There is a frost warning so we picked the last of the cayenne peppers and the bell peppers.

8. Last week we went apple picking and Logan and I canned applesauce and we're looking forward to doing another batch this week. I love spending time with him!

9. Accepting the fact that growing is sometimes painful…and being patient with myself and others.

10. The Beatles!!!

Frustrated beyond belief that my daughter is still sick. Just remember she is frustrated too and eventually it will be ok.

She is scared(so am I) so remember to be loving and patient and resist the urge to be impatient.

Pumpkin Patch at Church has been dumped on my hubby. No one is signed up to work and he is grouchy and grumbly at having to do it all. Just remember he has the right to feel put upon and your task is to make his life easier. October 31 can’t come soon enough.

Just remember how much you love Fall and look around and see the colors.

Just remember how much you love Halloween and smile at the video of your grandson singing.

Just remember those who loved you who would remind you to be calm because people are relying on you.Mom I miss you, sure could use a hug today.

Just remember that this is a small chapter in your life and it will pass.

Told someone that there is no sense overreacting to something you won’t remember next year. Try to remember that!

Just remember to laugh and to sing and to BREATHE!

1. This incredible life
2. Working it out
3. Getting away to think
4. The grotto
5. Long Sunday walk
6. Pumpkin picking
7. Apple cider
8. Brass candlestick
9. Breathing child
10. Love