{Day 1: Fall Nesting in Lovely Little Spaces}

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Aristotle

Today is day one of my month-long series "31 Days of Lovely Little Spaces". It's a blogging challenge from The Nester to write about one topic for the entire month of October. 

And as if that challenge weren't enough, I have also decided to participate in The Inspired Room's Fall Nesting Series (this one is weekly). 

Because the more we do something, the better we get. My simplified interpretation of the quote from Aristotle. 

I feel good about the writing part: I've given a lot of thought to the content. I've even figured out, more or less, the schedule of when I'll write/post/etc. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out some of the technical aspects of this blogging thing, such as creating an image to link up with. And, worse, I have misplaced the USB cord that connects my camera to the computer so I can download pics. 

But, that's part of living with gratitude, in my opinion. When you say "yes" to October, to autumn, to the changing seasons, you are saying "no" to something else (visits to Dairy Queen, swimming at the beach, and the long, carefree days & nights of summer). We're on Mother Nature's schedule. "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." --Lao Tzu

So, for day one, because I LOVE a list :) -- "The 20 Little Things I Love About Fall"

Bela, age 1!

  
1. Pumpkins. 
Especially my little pumpkin, who was born on the cusp of fall six years ago. But I also love the kind that we'll transform with carving knives after purchasing from one of the farmers nearby. 

2. Family Connections.
We'll probably buy our pumpkins this year from a wagon I've seen parked at a few different homes around the village. It has a sign on it that says the pumpkins are from the grandkids, which is so charming to think of a multi-generational family living in one small community.
 
3. Colors.
The red, yellow, and orange of the leaves on the trees takes my breath away. Not only does it make a beautiful vista to enjoy from the windows of our home, but I'm enjoying my 20-minute commute much more lately. I think of it as my very own color tour!

Griffin, age 5, at our first house

4/5/6.  Football.
It's a really good thing this makes my list of fall favorites. My big lovey is playing in four fantasy football teams this year. (!!) He's nice enough to turn the big TV over to the kids on Sundays, and he tells me all about his players and teams. Since we live near (and attended) a Big 10 university, Saturday afternoons are dominated by football watching. Go State! And, finally, we can see the Big Lights over the local high school football field from our backyard.


7. Salted Caramel Mochas from Starbucks. 
I love Starbucks--and coffee--just about any time of the year, but I tried this one on a whim the other day. A nice cup of hot coffee on a brisk day is quite a good treat!

8. Sweaters & Boots.
When the fall weather rolls in, I get to pull out my knits and zip up my boots. I bought my best pair of boots from Bass sometime before Griffin was born -- nearly ten years ago! 

9. Voting.
I really cannot stand politics, but I love having the opportunity to vote, and always take my kids along so they know it's part of their civic responsibility.

10. Nature Walks & Collecting.
Going for a nature walk with my munchkins is one of my favorite things to do. It's even more fun when we can pick up acorns, branches, berries, and other fun little bits of nature to bring home and decorate with. Scarier but also fun are the corn mazes. A really fantastic one is not far from our house!

11. Fallen Leaves.
Crunching through fallen leaves on more regular walks is a fall favorite, too. One of the bonuses of our newer-development-home is that we don't have to do much raking!

12. Fall flowers. 
The mums I bought last month are looking a little worse for wear (I'm really not a gardener), but there are so many other pretty flowers associated with this time of year. In fact, I just made a table display with a big, silk sunflower and some faux leaves.

13. Back to School.
By the time we change the calendar to October, all of the little kinks associated with back-to-school have worked themselves out. We're accustomed to our schedule and can focus on Scholastic book orders and the scent of Crayolas. 

14. Rugby shirts.
Just like I love my own fall fashions, getting the kids dressed for school is super fun! And I love that Griffin will not only wear rugby shirts but prefers them. Oh this kid!

15. A glass of wine and a good book.
Not that it happens often (in fact, almost never) but the idea of curling up on the couch on a cold, dark night with a brand new hardcover and a glass of red is pretty enticing.

Bela, age 3, at our small rental house

16. Harry Potter.
I don't know why the boy who lived should be so closely associated with the fall for me, but he is. For movie night this week, we watched The Sorcerer's Stone (new to us on Blue-ray) and yesterday Griffin and Bela took my broom out on the driveway to play quidditch--complete with Griff hacking up the golden snitch at the end.

17. Hearty Food.
Soups, and especially chili, are my favorite at this time of year. I also love a good dip with some chips while watching all that football.

18. Pumpkin Pie.
There are so many delicious little variations of pumpkin pie that I've made and enjoyed over the years--bars, tarts, and muffins. I can't wait to pull out my recipes!

19. Farm stands and farmer's markets.
Perennial favorites of mine, this is a great time of year for some produce. Unfortunately, our favorite orchard is closed for u-pick this year because the weather decimated their crop. But, we've still been able to enjoy Honey Crisps from the grocery store along with apple cider and cinnamon sugar donuts.

Griff & Bela last year at home

20. Trick-or-treating.
It's one of Griffin and Bela's favorite activities of the year and they plan and discuss what they'll be for a long time in advance.

Last year, Griffin was Naruto, a Japanese anime character, and Bela was the star clown from Jojo's Circus. 


I love handing out the candy (and eating the candy...) as well as decorating for Halloween. We've already got some pieces out. How about you??










This post didn't show a lot of photos of my decor, and I doubt there are any good organizing tips, but what I hoped to convey was what's most important about my house: the people I share it with. I hope you will check back tomorrow for more of "31 Days to Lovely Little Spaces!"