A chocolaty toast to fall

 This morning I checked the weather before getting us dressed like I always do, and shrugged at the 23 degree (Celsius) expected high, figuring I should accept and enjoy what would probably the last above 20 day of the year.

 We pulled on our clothes (still pants because, come on, we do live in Alberta.) and I stepped outside to check how the temperature felt before our walk. To my surprise, I was met by a cool breeze and a perfectly familiar crispness to the air. I returned inside and pulled out our unused fuzzy sweaters, happy to be comforted by long sleeves and fluffy sweater linings. Mackynzie tucked her babies into their stroller and we headed out together for our morning walk.

 Mackynzie kept saying "Oh, mama it's just a beautiful day!" and as I breathed in that fresh air, I just smiled and told her how right she was.

 It must have been that big, beautiful harvest moon last night. I hope you all got the chance to soak it in wherever you are. It was stunning. I stared at the moon the whole way home from a family dinner in the city last night, and something in me just told me that not only was this moon marking a change of season, it was also marking a change in our lives. I felt that change when I woke up this morning too. It was in my very core. I can't say exactly what it is, but I think it's just a general time for our family to be moving along in our life. There are celebrations of many ahead, a new little soul joining our family, and a lot of first's and last's.

 I love fall so much. Not just fall, though. I think I love the fact that it's the beginning of my favorite times of year. The season itself is warm and inviting, and it just becomes more so as the weather grows colder and the snow begins to fall. To me, this shift means closeness. Overwhelming happiness and being extremely grateful for all the blessings we hold. It means the tightening of relationships, the making of new friendships, and a time filled with peaceful evenings with those we love.

 So, my friends, I'm raising my warm mug of peppermint hot cocoa to you. Cheers! I hope you are all feeling warm and blessed in your lives, and that you have a beautiful changing of seasons.

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We ended our day with warm cookies mackynzie and I baked,  and cold glasses of {almond} milk. Cookie grins all around.