summer in to fall

the seasons are in full change here. in the black hills, where the most trees are, the autumnal change is a little more visibly evident; but it can be felt in the air no matter where you are. with this fall feeling in mind the boys and i started pulling out and putting up our halloween decorations. orange twinkle lights embrace the columns and two terra cotta pumpkins are squatting on our steps. i asked for a couple extra paper bags at the commissary today, we are going to make more decorations for the front door! i'm picturing spooky bats and grinning pumpkins. how i wish my artist husband was here to draw stencils for us but it looks like its all up to me.

along with the visible change there has been a major meteorological change too. more and more, sweaters have been becoming the normal outfit round here. even closed toed shoes have been making an appearance! last night after i put the boys to bed i stepped outside, to my surprise a thick mist hung in the air. the neighborhood looked like halloween town. needless to say, i'm loving it! got some great ideas for a halloween wreath in the check out line at the commissary today, thank you women's day. just need to get some supplies from the craft store but im feeling a little under the weather today. perhaps tomorrow. for now i'm going to sip my coffee and try and power up for the day. adieu!

do you collect rocks? have you ever found a heart shaped rock?

heart shaped rocks : i was thrilled when i found this post on apartment therapy. i dont have a heart shaped collection but i do collect rocks and i do have one little heart shaped rock. wondering if maybe i should narrow my focus on finding and collecting only heart shaped rocks. its like a love gift from nature!

todays direction and focus has been fostering closeness and human connection. so in that vein we attended the play group on our base. boys had fun playing with kids of all ages and i had a fabulous time sipping coffee and talking with the ladies that attended. i couldnt have asked for a better start to my facebook sabbatical or my pledge to renew intimate and real connections with people. i have been spreading the word among friends that im taking a break from facebook, not to worry, and to contact me through my blog, email, or phone. perhaps i will take up sending letters through the post. nothing beats a handwritten note in the mailbox, sure beats all the bills that seem to roll in everyday. feeling optimistic and upbeat today, so far so good!

decompressing

hasnt even been a full day since my declaration of freedom from facebook; definitely feeling the burn. i deleted the facebook app off my phone so the constant chiming of messages wouldnt drive me insane...or drive me to log on. i feel like i have come so far from real interactions with people. facebook is an easy means of communication but in ways its a cop out. no real work is required to foster or maintain a relationship. the news feed keeps you abreast of what everyone is doing or isnt doing. im hoping this facebook sabbatical will bring me closer to real friends as well as giving me more time with my family. im hoping this choice will be a gift to myself.

giving up facebook?

feeling burnt out by facebook. seems to have become a vehicle for gossip, manipulation, and cattiness. i think maybe a step back and a step away would do me some good, put a few things in perspective. with that idea being sent out into the cloud, i am going to ramp up my blogging and use this as my main mode of communication.

the seasons are changing and i think its time i changed my direction. maybe go inward? maybe minimize my internet/electronic use? i dont know where i will find my self 2 days from now but im hoping it will be a more patient and loving place. a happy me. counting down the days till you return my love!

Direction finding (DF) refers to the establishment of the direction from which a received signal was transmitted.

i think this short sentence best sums up what im currently doing and what i have been doing since you left me in april. one day in the near future my DF will lead me to the airport to bring you home. counting down the days and still trying to orient myself in the process.

school days

im writing this the eve before my eldests son's first day of school, well preschool. never having had a child in daycare or preschool im new to this whole thing but im totally excited. we got our outfit picked out and camera handy. backpack is by the backdoor with a spare outfit...just in case. early bedtime has been instituted, for him anyways. im still up poking around on the internet and generally wasting time. hmmm...maybe i should set the timer on the coffee machine just in case im a groggy mess. im most certainly not a morning person, fortunately for me we only have to get up early 2 days a week. wishing my husband could be here for this momentous occasion but i will take pictures galore to satisfy his spirit. we will be thinking of you daddy!

texas time.

direction: south...deep south. texas south. visted family in texas, very fun but a very long drive. we left south dakota on the 15th and after 20+ hours of driving we made it to killeen tx. on the drive down the boys and i visited buffalo bills cabin as well as monument rocks in kansas. stopped at least 4 public parks in the various towns we drove through. i decided not to take major highways so we could view the flora and fauna of the different states as we traveled. i must say, despite the long distance, this was the most beautiful and pleasant roadtrip i have ever undertaken. no traffic or busy highways, just parks, animals, and amazing landmarks, both man made and natural.

once we reached killeen we hiked, walked, swam, and camped all over the place. the heat certainly put a cramp on our style but we didnt let it hold us back from having fun. checked out cameron park zoo in waco and visited both the aquarium and jfk musuem in dallas. my dad flew into town on the 27th and the remainder of the trip was spent sightseeing with him. despite the heat, humidity, and cat sized cockroaches the texas trip was bananas!