Fall to Winter

We have been enjoying fall in the Midwest with the leaves turning colors which is something we never really experienced in the south. The geese have come back from Canada and they are so fun to watch. I love to hear them coming and then look out and see huge groups of them flying in formations. When we drive by the ponds they are filled with geese. I keep wanting to take pictures of them but I never have my camera available. So fall has been nice but I am afraid it's over. It might snow tonight and it's getting colder and colder so we are starting to get in winter mode.

I decided since it's dark so early and it's so cold outside that we need to take advantage of our basement to give the kids somewhere to go when they are couped up all winter. The kids and I were a little freaked out by basements last winter so we didn't use it too much. I'd send them down to ride their bikes and that would last 5 minutes and then they'd run upstairs freaked out by a noise like the sump pump or heater or water in the pipes. Now we are not so afraid and are learning to embrace the basement. This week we got some big rugs, really just carpet made into a rug, and some foamy mats and made the basement child friendly. We moved most of the toys down there (how do toys seem to multiply?) and the kids do gymnastics on the mats and our mirror from our bathroom we re-did is down there in an area that makes it like a dance studio. I got a card table with chairs for the kids to do arts and crafts since there is a sink down there. So far it has been a big hit with the kids. Cade loves it because Brett and I aren't on him to clean up his stuff. He can keep it messy (to a point). We are learning our ways in the north and how to survive winter!

Another change here has been the landscaping. We have plants that I never had in the south. Not to say that they don't grow there but I personally never had any hastas and daylillies, and cat tail or something like that. Apparently they all have to be cut back since they all pretty much turned brown last week after several night of hard freezes and frost. So, I got out there with my sheers and I scalped the heck out of them. I thought it looked weird as I was doing it, but I do things and then ask questions later. I looked back at pictures of the house before we moved in and I cut the cat tail or whatever way too short! I think they'll grow again, but it looks really ugly for now and until spring comes and things grow again. I am so not the gardener.

Anyway, winter is on its way and we are getting ready for it. Weather forecasts show we might have a white Thanksgiving which might be fun since I 've never even had a white Christmas.