Fall - out of the city

I've realized that I miss "getting back to nature" in the fall. Although Chicago has definitely got it going on, it's during this season that I most miss Minnesota's towering trees and rolling fields, and Door County's cool lakes and beautiful rocks, and the beauty of leaves falling, stalks waving in the wind, bright sun on a crisp cool day - what autumn feels like out of the city.

We've found several ways to get outside this season, including feeding ducks and kicking up leaves at Gomper's Park, visiting Peterson Nature Center, and enjoying bike rides, walks, etc. in our neighborhood park. We've also had fun hanging out at our ward's Fall Festival (which was held on an 80 degree Saturday!), and heading out to get pumpkins, see animals, and take a wagon ride with Danielsons this weekend.

Maybe my favorite escape from the city happened a few weekends ago, on a crisp sunny fall day when we trekked out to Rockford's Rock Cut State Park for a hike, paddle boat ride, picnic lunch, and trip to the kid's museum in town. It reminded me of childhood locales we used to visit like Quarry Hill and Oxbow Park, and we had a wonderful day. Eva is a pretty good hiker too - especially when we meet dogs on the trails. :)

We are planning to head out there again this season... soon!

On the First Day After Having My Paper Turned in...

We enjoyed a beautiful Saturday! Warm, sunny, breezy - the perfect kind of day to not be in a basement office!

This morning Peter and Eva made Swedish pancakes and coffee for us all - yum. And I got to see a good friend from Florida visiting the city for mtngs for a Starbucks catch up. We danced a little, laughed a little, and cleaned up a little.





Then this afternoon we took our inaugural ride with the much anticipated.... bike trailer! Eva LOVES riding in it, and Peter said it was fairly easy to pull around. She even liked wearing the helmet. We made a stop at the playground with the big kid slide and the sandbox, two of Eva's favorites. We saw ducks in the river and lots of dogs on the path while we biked. When we got home we chatted with our neighbors and blew bubbles all over the deck.





Tonight I am going to go to bed at a normal time - which will make a record two nights in a row since I went to sleep at 10pm last night. Peter and I might watch tv together. Before that, Eva will watch some Dora, get her sand-caked feet washed in the tub, and I will read her books before putting her to sleep and kissing her sweaty little head. Insert sigh of happiness - here - .

I am feeling so very grateful for all the normal, everyday, ordinary yet extraordinary things today. What a perfect, relaxing, normal Saturday. :) Good job God.