First Day of Fall...ALREADY?!

September
by Helen Hunt Jackson

The goldenrod is yellow;

The corn is turning brown;

The trees in apple orchards

With fruit are bending down.

The gentian's bluest fringes

Are curling in the sun;

In dusky pods the milkweed

Its hidden silk has spun.

The sedges flaunt their harvest

In every meadow-nook;

And asters by the brookside

Make asters in the brook.

From dewy lanes at morning

The grapes' sweet odors rise;

At noon the roads all flutter

With yellow butterflies.

By all these lovely tokens

September days are here,

With summer's best of weather,

And autumn's best of cheer.

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Well, happy first day of fall to you all. How has your day been? Mine has been a busy weekend, full of action.

Yesterday, we made plans to go pick up a gift for my niece Abby who is turning one on October 1oth. So, we packed up the kids, picked up some Timmy's. Seriously, as soon as we pull out from the drive thru, Carly throws up, and not just a bit...Apple chunks, yogurt and water. yup. On her skirt, the seat, the floor, the mats. You name the place, and there was puke. I have learned from past throw up incidents to be prepared. I handed Carly a gift bag, and she threw the rest up into that. We got the paper towels from the back of the van, along with the sanitized wipes. We got it cleaned up very quickly. Carly wore her underwear, and the skirt went into the back. We headed on our merry way. Now, we are getting a bit behind. We are getting closer to our destination, and Catie yells out a few times "I have to go pee pee, I have to go pee pee!!!!!!!" so, we pull into a Wendy's and Cliff takes here in. We, head out AGAIN. We made it to the place we needed to be. And then, we got home much easier. We rented a couple of videos for kids. We also 'winterized' the yard. Put the table umbrellas away, cleaned up the toys, moved plants around etc. So, that is done now too! We are ready for the change of seasons!

We worked some more on the garage. Our mission was to get the van into the garage this fall. So we worked as a family to get it done. We switched and swapped stuff around, and we purged some more.

Today, well. We stocked up the van with plastic bags, and more paper towel first. Then, we headed out on the first day of fall to get some fall mums in pots to put at the front of our home. And we were successful on our fall mission. They look gorgeous, a burst of fall colours to welcome in the fall. We had the last of the summer freezies from the freezer when we finished up the garage today! The sun was out all day. Crisp and beautiful fall air. We got the rest of the garage DONE!!! Just waiting for a rainy day to pull into the garage and be happy with all of the hard work we put into the organization. It has been a good day. Cliff cleaned out the vac filter, and cleaned up the treadmill for me. I cannot wait to get back on there this week! Yay.

We have one area left in the garage to work on, that would be seating/shoe storage/jacket storage for all of the kids. The closet inside the laundry room will just be for Cliff and I, and the garage wall will be for the six kids. I am hoping for six cubbies, with room for a basket for all of the seasonal gear, two hooks. One for a backpack, and one for a coat. Plus seating. If not that, then we have some good ideas, and hopefully all will work out! I just know with the Fall and Winter season ahead, we need to be prepared. And, too with the new baby arriving in under 10 weeks. We need to have everything done, and in place! No time like the present right!

So, the kids go fresh air, we got fresh air, and an organized garage. It feels so good. Ah, the little things in life that feel so good! Now, to tackle the rest of the house! No, it is not disorganized. Just a bit messy. It will be done quickly! Then, prepare for the school week.

I hope to get out to the Apple Barn with the kids to pick some apples and make some nice fall goodies too. I often think I don't like the fall, but when I look at the blue sky, the colourful leaves on the trees and on the ground. I wonder what I was thinking. I think it is the rain that does it, and knowing that in two weeks today I am another year older. Yup.