Daylight Savings: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Every year since Claire was born, I would bemoan the "Time Change" every. single. time.  I would complain on Facebook and to anyone who would listen.  My child would never "sleep in" and would wake up at the exact same time as she did before. . now and hour earlier. Or bedtime and naptime would get all screwed up.  And I'd whine and post several comments about how ridiculous it all was.

This year, I thought about complaining again. I started my snarky status update, only to backtrack a bit.  I erased and started over.  And then gave up.  Because, to be honest, I've made my peace. This year, I decided to see it differently.  So for the first several weeks, the weeks I used to whine about, I get up at the same "time" I got up before. I got dressed. I made breakfast for my family. I'd read my Bible and I'd unload the dishwasher and start school with Claire.  For several days, she was done with her schoolwork around 9am because of this. 9AM!!!   I always wish I could be given more hours in the day to accomplish what I need to get done and, wouldn't ya know?  Every year, until my body and my children adjust to the new time, I get an extra hour in my day.

My mantra for our adoption journey has become, "Find joy in the journey. . ." and we really have.  Amazing friends, great conversations, unexpected blessings. So I decided to apply this mantra to more things.  Sometimes this is not always easy, but Paul admonishes us in 1 Thessalonians to "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  So here's my time change joy: a clean house, joyful schooltime and business work done.

It's the little things.

October 2014

Happy Fall! Between finishing up or homestudy and getting our profile book ready to present to birth families, we managed to throw in some October traditions with the girls. One of my FAVORITE things to do with the girls is gut the pumpkins and cook the seeds.  I have pictures of Claire pulling the seeds out of the pumpkin every year since she was 18 months old.  I search Pinterest for the best recipes and cook the seeds and eat them for the next few weeks.  The girls love them. 

17 months

2 years

3 years

4 years

Ashlyn 2 years

Sister love!

This year we used this recipe, which was different than normal years since I tend to do salty rather than sweet/cinnamon but it worked for us!

 Christian always get creative with his pumpkin carving.  This year we got a little bit busy but he was able to carve this for us!

Some doTERRA love this year!

Dance Class Costume Party
Claire's dance class had their little Halloween party.  The girls were ADORABLE.  Here they are learning their dance routine for Christmas. . . in their Halloween costumes.

Claire's dance class

A is for Apple Pie!!
Claire spent a unit on her school work on A and Apples.  To end our unit, we read How to Make and Apple Pie and See the World and, you guessed it, made an Apple Pie.  She had a blast, although, momma did the apple cutting, no worries :-)

Halloween Activities
Thursday, the girls had their Halloween/Costume party at their Mommy and Me preschool in Fullerton. I took this shot before we left.

Then we had a stop at Adam's Chiropractic in Brea.  Can I TELL you hope much we love this place and these people?   The girls got to Trick or Treat, first at the office.  Christian and I go once a week and we are SO BLESSED by them!

After the kids did some crafts, got candy from the Developmentally Disabled Adults who take classes in the same building as well as the office staff next door, they took this class picture (nevermind the annoying parent on the left who photobombed the class picture with her creepy "costume."  O_o)

My mom was able to rearrange her schedule and be there for the class.  The girls LOVED having gramma there!

That night, the girls Trick or Treated around the neighborhood. Christian's parents came over for dinner and it was a great night with family. The girls really got excited about seeing their neighborhood friends and filling their buckets. 

Next year's couple costume?  I'm thinking so. . . :-)