Season of change.

    

We may not be able to control the forecast, but we most definitely control the menu.  When you combine summer's end with autumn's arrival~ magical moments are created in your very own kitchen.  Moments that entail late summer plum pudding cakes, and slow roasted tomatoes... banana fig bread and roasted red bell pepper pesto... savory pumpkin & goat cheese risotto stirred with a crisp glass of rosé in hand, and enjoyed with a deep dark glass of red.

Fall may not have made it's way outdoors, but right here, right now, within our four walls, it is happening.

Not only do we run the show when it comes to our daily menu, but we are also in full command of our daily calenders.  Just another way to set the tone, rather than letting the temperature tone set us.  To celebrate the arrival of a new season, to initiate change where needed, and to {intentionally} keep some things just as they are.  As much as I am ready to welcome the season of slouchy knits & black leggings... scented candles & cozy blankets... soups & stews & pies & warm beverages galore... there are a few elements that I am not quite ready to remove from the "schedule".  

As I plot out the calendar, or take on a new day... a new week- I'm making a concerted effort to embrace the renewing, invigorating, warm & welcoming essence of autumn, while holding on to a bit of the youthful spirit that summer exudes.  Many more seasonal meals be made... favorite old & new traditions to enjoy {especially this one :)}.
 

{Please join me in continuing the conversation over at Pink Moon Daily, to discuss this quintessential 'holding-onto-summer-while-embracing-autumn' tradition, as well as this "transitional" month, a little further...}

 

...on the "art" of pinning {& not *doing}.

 

image via 

 

Over the summer, I took a little break from "information-collecting" of any and all sorts- virtual pinning, magazine tearing/clipping/pinning, blog post 'bookmarking'...
 
Sure I was busy with the kids at home 24-7... vacations... Instagram... life away from the computer... But really- I was just tired of pinning images of "inspiration" up on those boards, without turning a single one into fruition.  Tired of clipping a craft idea that I had no intention or time to create- or bookmarking a recipe that I knew I couldn't eat (due to our temporary diet restrictions).  I couldn't possibly pin another item onto an already overly full board/plate/LIFE.
 
After our major spring purge, I realized that our cabinets & cupboards weren't the only areas that needed sorting, tossing, "refining."
 
Aside from summer's huge reward of spending more time with the kids, & road tripping our way to 'wine country'- it provided a time to take a much needed step away, to put an end to the madness of the piles and piles of magazines, the insane amount of emails [literally] flooding into my inbox each day...
 
To sort my way through the information, the inspiration, the aspiration- until I was left with almost nothing.  Which meant a lot of deleting.  A hell of a lot of unsubscribing.  A lot less sharing, committing, piling, stacking, saving, filing, PINNING... 
 
But as of Thursday, I was ready. 
  
Ready to dive in.  Into magazine reading... article clipping... meal-planning (I can't even begin to express how nice it has felt over the past few days to have a little order when it comes to our meals- to not stand aimlessly in my kitchen at 5:30- or later- each night and wonder WHAT IS FOR DINNER).  Into my long-lost love that is Pinterest.
 
It's funny how intrusive it can all become- all of the craft ideas, surefire cleaning techniques, the surefire parenting techniques, the "how-to" tutorials, the party-planning/picnic-throwing/meal-making ideas,- how overwhelming... how excessive...
 
Yet on the other hand, how incredibly stirring, useful, motivating, uplifting it can also be.
 
As long as there's a little doing action involved.
 
{When it comes to the 'food & recipe category,' I will say- there was plenty of doing going on this weekend.  Those [articles/pins/bookmarks] are usually the fastest to pile up after all.}
       

Monkey business.

My mom's husband sent me an email asking me to send a picture of Jacob in his "monkey suit."  I was about to scan the one of him {framed on our wall} as a little baby, wearing his [Halloween] "monkey suit" all the while, wondering what he wanted it for.                                                                                                                                      

 ...until ryan informed me otherwise. 

 

 {his orchestra 'picture day' was this past tuesday... i guess that $110- check was worth it after all :)}

Still just as adorable in my [humble] opinion.

   

Forging ahead.

image via

It rang off to a promising start.  A Friday evening with my [shopping] partner-in-crime (aka- Hailey)... shopping for not one but TWO upcoming birthday parties that she was to attend the following day... brand new pajamas... fun presents- those perfect presents that you secretly wish you could keep... All the while, the boys were back at home conjuring up a quintessential kick-off-to-the-weekend dinner~ pizzzza. Homemade pizza.  Pizza, wine, Family Ties.  Perfection.

The rest was sort of a blur.  

Too many tears.  Too many "come to jesus" talks.  Too many to-do's.  And too freakin' HOT. (I realize I just said that it wasn't "so bad after all."  Well, it got hotter.  And it is "so bad after all.")

After a weekend I'd pretty much chalk up as chaotic, I'm really hoping this little gem of wisdom rings true in the coming week.

Scratch that.  I'm willing this to come true in the coming week.  

First up:  a coffee date with a friend from high school this morning.  Not just any friend.  A friend that I haven't seen in 18 years!  Not to place too much into a coffee date or anything, but I've got a feeling this is JUST what I need to get out of this bubble I've "found" myself in as of late... to work my way into a new direction- a slightly (all I ask) less chaotic direction.  Yes, change is in the air.  I can feel it. 
 

The in-between.

The term "Indian summer" usually implies a second-wind (or wave I should say) of heat- high temperatures, sunny skies, dry conditions- making its way in just after the first frost.  Here in southern California- it takes on a bit of a new meaning... seeing that we don't really have a break from HEAT frost period- other then maybe a few fleeting moments of rain (as was the case the other day, when those glorious clouds rolled, the breeze set forth, the drizzle began... & then two minutes later- it was all over).  Fall can be tricky that way.  Each September, as the kids settle back into school, "fall" line-ups are everywhere in site- t.v. shows, clothing racks, magazine covers... it lures its way in, with its bright orange pumpkins, and golden acorn squash... its shorter days and longer nights- and even few [very, very] brief moments of "crisp" gracing the early morning air...  But when all is said and done, Summer is not even close to leaving the building.

In fact, for us- it's the season of "hot-getting-hotter"... the dog days of summer.  And it'll continue on right up until November... till that rain takes off its hat and decides to stay a while longer... longer than 2 minutes.

But hey, at least it's consistent, right?

And, who can complain about a "season" which offers endless culinary possibilities?  A season in which iced coffee can still be enjoyed on a late afternoon... an oven that houses both a pot of rich bolognese and a tart apple crisp.

Not I.  

HOTNESS aside, the "in-between" might not be so bad after all.

Please head over to Pink Moon Daily today, as we discuss the matter a bit further... beyond the garden gates.

{Wine} Country mode.

Okay, so maybe I wasn't as ready as I thought I was to jump back into writing, editing, formatting posts... 

Back-to-school nights were attended.  Paperwork has been sorted, filled out, turned in, filed away.  School isn't quite in full gear yet.  But the pace is picking up.  Fast.  And one thing is certain.  Fourth & ninth grade each carry with them a prettttty full load.  A load that calls us to BE READY... ready for lengthy papers & time-consuming projects, ready to tread new waters into world of arithmetic (as my dad still calls it), ready to immerse ourselves into work-mode, while fighting with all our might to squeeze in a little "play" (because, what's life, without play?}...

Well, that's what I've been doing.  Getting ready.  Which has not been very conducive to my blog-writing schedule I might add.  So here I am, sharing our annual wine-country adventure pics with you... bright & early on what is considered in the blog world to be a non-posting day.  But when jumping back on the wagon- even the blog-posting-wagon- ya gotta start somewhere, right?

  

In honor of our 15th anniversary, we took a little break from camping, and rented a home in Santa Rosa, conveniently perched right on top of a beautiful vineyard :).

front-porch view (dining table to the left; jacuzzi to the right, what more could you ask for of a front porch??)

slowing our pace to the country's liking (to our liking)

                            

morning coffee under the sun, beautiful friends & kindred-spirits (melissa graciously hosted a lunch for our family, & i not only got to meet her- as well as her daughter- for the first time, but also estelle & her daughter!!  i could have stayed & talked with those gals for hours... pure bliss), back-roads and back-stories, berry-picking, & berry-eating

                 

                           

hotspots - new & old

                       

when it comes to food, those northern folks get it right. every. single. time.

    

the girl and the fig, gundlach bundschu, boat house, petaluma creamery, acre coffee, el molino central, [below...] sonoma (valley of the moon) farmer's market, the french laundry garden, the jelly belly factory, frank family vineyards, gott's roadside (st. helena), willie bird turkeys

                   

 

brothers & sisters

  

the day you get free jelly belly samples is a happy day indeed

our evening stroll (forgetting entirely that all the while we were in someone's front yard)

favorite pastimes time with grandma & grandpa... picking oranges, 'in-the-kitchen', tastin' wine, sippin' [way too much] port [way too late in the evening].

   

mmmm... gelato

  

and my favorite part of all, time with the ones i love

 

until next time...

 

Fifteen years.

you've held my hand every single step of the way.

through newborns and screaming toddlers and migraines and morning sickness.  through interviews and promotions... funerals and weddings.  through deadlines and declines... terror and triumph.  sleepless nights and stormy days.  through first sips and last bites... endless car rides and delayed flights.  through captured dreams and weary quests.

through thick & thin.

{as 'eventful' as life may get...it never, ever goes unnoticed.  happy anniversay to us :).}   

Back in session.

                                          

hellllo!

i went on vacation, came back, and decided i wasn't quite ready to write anything down just yet... to edit photos, format posts, to think about anything other than savoring those last bits of summer.  those last few days in which the kids can just be kids... and i can just be Mom.  not a drill sergeant.  not a taxi driver.  not a schedule coordinator.

and when august 14th hit, we weren't fully ready (are we ever??), but we were as ready as we were ever going to be.  to step back into it.  into routine.  into schedules.  into paperwork, and homework.  into the [transitional] 4th grade.  into HIGH SCHOOL so help me god.

other than the 'my-son-is-now-in-HIGH-SCHOOL' part, it's all gone fairly smooth.  other than the mound of paperwork to be filled out... the [long] lists of supplies to be purchased, the "surprise!" $110- check to be filled out for an 'orchestra tux'... the $80- yearbook, the $60-  asb card, the school photos, the pta donations, the p.e. clothes.......... yep, it's all gone fairly smooth.

...with a big dose of overwhelming-ness mixed in.

in fact i was just sitting down to try and work my way out of this knot in the back of my neck (wine in hand), when i came across an article shared by the lovely (& i can truly attest to the "lovely" part now that i've met her in person... more on that later :)) melissa~ ‘Slow Parenting’: Why a Mom Is ‘Fed Up with Frenzy’.

i believe in 'slow parenting' with all my heart... but school's only been in session for 2 days, and already our mode has switched from calm & connected to rushed & frenzied. i was that parent who honked at the car stopped in the middle of the street (as opposed to pulling IN to the carpool line).  twice.  yes- twice in one day.  one at her school & one at his.  shameful, i know.  but true.  well, friday is here.  and clearly it is time to take a step back... & slooooooow down. {oh, & come up with "plan B" for tackling that high school pick-up line}

it feels good to be back :).

   

{thank you to my mom for gently reminding me that my blog has remained "dark" for a bit too long.  

& thanks melissa for the knocking that writer's block right out of the park}

         

Merriment.

2400 minutes read.

each & every ripe fruit & vegetable- from the fridge... from the garden consumed.

final check-up complete as of 3:00 this afternoon... ALL clear to loosen up the diet a bit!  we've moved into "moderation mode"... conveniently *just in the nick of time to head into the food/wine mecca of california...  90 days without sugar, gluten, dairy, wine... yeah- you could say i'm pretty darn excited to reacquaint myself with a few culinary indulgences.

while i'm away for the next couple of weeks, i plan on the normal routine of going "dark" around here, but i couldn't turn the lights off without sharing this amazing granola that i made for the soon-to-be-hungry kids on the road.

...from a book that i recently ordered & have been dyin' to dig into ever since i made these [according to michelle] "numero uno" whole wheat chocolate chip cookies.  a book filled with seemingly delicious baking recipes that are both good & good for you (a combination that does not always exist within the realm of "healthy" baking).  75 recipes... 12 kinds of whole-grain flours.  cannot wait to bake my way through this one.

                                                                              

first up...

maple pecan granola from good to the grain, by kim boyce... "filled with chewy dried blueberries, shreds of coconut, and toasty pecans, this granola I grab by the handful."

 
i've tried many granolas, and this one tops the charts.  or as michelle would say, "numero uno".

...and with that, i'm off.  off to eat, drink, & be merry.  {in that order :)}

   

Pruning your garden... pruning your cabinets.

We're over at Pink Moon Daily today, with a basic how-to on tomato plant pruning.  A seemingly daunting, but actually quite easy {& highly necessary} gardening task.

As always, I'd love it if you visit us there- & even better, if you share your thoughts, tips, questions as they relate to pruning, gardening- or tomatoes in general... favorite tomato recipe??  We'd love to hear. 

By the way, have you been over to Pink Moon Daily lately?  It's good my friends.  When it comes to researching, testing, and scoping out toxin-free, safe, clean, smart products for our skin... our home, our garden, our bellies... Estelle is truly at our service.  She (along with the other contributors on our lovely little team), does the 'heavy-lifting' for us, and does not hesitate for a second when it comes to sharin' the bottom-line... in a down-to-earth, digestible manner.  

I admit, other than a few personal care products, and almost all of our home cleaning & garden tending products- I've got a long way to go in this regard.  But with the information, the tools, the tips, the product recs right there in front of me... making the switch to greener, cleaner living- one product at a time- is increasingly becoming a no-brainer.  Instead of asking, WHY??  I'm beginning to ask WHY NOT??
                                    
                                

{just a few examples of the aforementioned 'good stuff'...}

 

"the safely microwavable bag of pre-popped popcorn."

 

  {huge fans of this beloved snack, and this is a safe & convenient alternative to the 'movie theater/microwave crap' :).  we're taking a break from corn in our diet at the moment, but prior to that- we got out our trustee whirley pop on a nightly basis. popcorn n' wine... a magical combination.}

    

  

a tried & true, natural, chemical free deodorant that actually works.

             

  {melissa searched high & low for this one, and I can't wait to try it.}


AND... last but not least, a...
                                

{*click here to download this excellent guide. mine is downloaded, printed, and ready to be laminated.}

   
   

What did i tell ya??  She's there to serve us, that estelle... a clean-living heroin, in my book.

   

Let's picnic.

as of sunday, her birthday is officially over.  

happy to report, the party was a success.  we kept it sweet & simple this year... 'a backyard picnic.'

here's how it all went down.

...

                                    

an extremely excited party-lovin', birthday-lovin' 9 yr. old.

prepped & labeled sandwiches {took their order when they arrived}.

strawberry lemonade.

a slip 'n slide...

& a big ol' beach ball. 

{take-home} picnic baskets filled with 'the goods'.

an extremely sweet group of gals.

a good patch of grass, a few blankets, and lots of shade.

                                                   

a good-natured brother who played the role of "canvas" for the talented young artists.

 

collective "face" painting.

strawberry short{birthday}cake.

 

and of course, the handee-dandee blow-up pool :).

now, full-force ahead onto vacation planning, which will most definitely include many, many picnics.  the best part about summer, if you ask me.  food, sunshine, nature... swoon.