Fall is here.

We still have some days of sunshine, but the gray days are starting to be more frequent and I can tell the days are already starting to get shorter.  When Emma wakes up between 6-7 its not light outside for another hour or so, which makes it hard for mama to wake up.

The grayness can be depressing, but I'm trying to embrace all things cozy and fall to enjoy it: slippers, tea, pumpkin/apple flavors, the fall leaves, sweaters, etc.  

Last night we had friends over to watch football, I made chili and the above Fall Sangria.  It was really amazing.  I really recommend it.  I mulled a portion of the wine with some mulling spices.  If you don't have mulling spices, I'm sure you could just do a cinnamon stick and it would be equally impressive.  

Did you know you can make your own brown sugar?  

For whatever reason brown sugar as we know it - the moist sugar that you bake with - is not a thing outside of the US.  At least they didn't have it in Kuwait and they don't sell it here either.  I can get it on the commissary, but driving 20 minutes one way to get it was out of the question today.  So I googled it.  For every 1 cup sugar, you need 1T mollasses - so easy!  Except if you don't have a food processor.  I proceeded to try to mix it with a spatula which proved difficult, but I was able to finish my recipe, so overall a success!  

Morning Brunch with friends

I came across this article recently that talks about the stay-at-home-parent being a luxury for the working spouse and I totally agree!  How nice to be able to go about your business and know that someone is at home dedicating themselves to the successful upbringing of your child(ren). Its nice to hear more and more people think like this.  Raising a kid is hard work!

Running after baby is hard!  Running after baby while pushing baby is even harder!  I'm slowly getting back in groove though and it feels good.  Especially with the cool fall air!  Last week I went running in Kerr Park in Wiesbaden.  Its such a pretty park that seems to just go on and on.  I felt very posh out with all the stylish people and their toy dogs.  I probably didn't look too posh though huffing behind my hummer of a stroller :)

Lately...

I've been pretty boring...

And that's quite ok :)

Its been 10 days since we've been back and we are both mentally and physically still coming down off of the trip.  Emma's sleep patterns, I believe, are still messed up from the turbulence of travel.  However, her habits change constantly, so who the heck knows.  We'll just say that the trip is to blame.  So I have had a lot of sleepless nights, which is the reason its taken us so long to bounce back.  

The week we got back I figuratively dove right into coaching swim team.  I did it for two days with Emma strapped to the front of me and about lost it.  It was so stressful getting us to the pool, getting her needs 100% met just before practice so that she was happy, fed, & clean, tending to 10 kids under the age of 10, and trying to coach with her on me in a hot natatorium - constantly moving/rocking so she didn't start fussing - trying to demonstrate and breakdown stroke technique with limited mobility because of the baby carrier.  It was quite ridiculous and I had a little meltdown after the second day and decided that it was just too much.  

I felt awful, but I told them I couldn't continue coaching for this season.  I had two moms then offer to watch her for me during practice - which would work in theory, but I felt like I had to stick to my original decision that it was too much, since "trying it" is what got me into the mess in the first place.  So I have mixed feelings - on one hand I'm a little relieved to not have it on my shoulders anymore but I'm also sad because I feel like I'm letting the kids in my lane down :(

So that's been my recent drama.  Other than that, our days mostly consist of napping, playing, some walking the dog, some running, some chores, and some coffee's/lunches with friends.  

It has all of a sudden become Fall.  I missed the beginning of the changing of the leaves while I was home.  The colors aren't as vibrant this year as they were last yer, but I'm also not exploring as much either.  The crisp weather is a welcome friend in my world.  I love breaking out my jeans and sweaters.  The sun has not yet begun its winter hibernation and its not yet cold enough for scarves or jackets - its perfect.

We have some trips planned for the not-so-distant-future that I'm super pumped about.  We head to Bruges, Belgium soon with friends from Oxford & Germany, then in November we're meeting friends in Garmisch, Germany in the German Alps, in February we're hopefully heading to Istanbul, then I've begin to plan a quick trip to northern Italy with my Mom in May.  Fun!

Jason and I are already starting to think about where else we want to see while we are here (Barcelona! Greece!) and penciling in when we think we can do those trips.  I think with my constant focus on Emma, the rest of our time here is going to fly by!