A week of "Lasts"

As the rest of the U.S. prepares for autumn, mine is coming to an end. *sigh*

Fall in Alaska is just too shortly lived; like two weeks shortly lived… then it’s gone. Already the temps have dipped into the 30’s and 40’s, the air has thinned out, and the birch trees are almost naked- it’s the beginning of winter, baby! I’m now “preheating” my car before taking Krysta to school, bundling up tiny fingers and ears, and the random clicking of the heater is a common sound heard throughout our home.








As autumn is coming to a close, so is Elmendorf AFB’s Youth Football season. Krysta shook her red, white, and blue pom-poms and gave one last cheer to the Boys of Fall. It was the perfect day for giving a last hoorah to cheerleading. The air was cool and crisp, but we were graced with warmth from the sun’s rays. If this day could be any type of drink, it would’ve been a pumpkin spiced latte. Delish.












For the last dance of the season, Krysta got to be a flier. This was a BIG moment for her! And our hearts were spilling over with pride.








And speaking of pride, check out my future Top Gun. Isn’t he just the handsomest little thing you’ve ever layed eyes on? He has seriously stolen my heart. Swoon.



You can get this adorable Football Hat from CynsationalTreasure !



Thanks Tabetha, for the awesome bomber jacket! We LOVE it!



I’m going to close today with a few videos:






Enjoy your weekend... and those fresh fallen leaves!






~Em

Blessed, we are.

Do you want to know what makes my heart go thump, thump? This right here- a fresh fall day with my lovies, bundled in wool, surrounded in a mosaic of jewel-toned colors. This, this is my seventh heaven.














I’ve been patiently waiting all year for this, for autumn to arrive. And now, here it is, in all its glory. The pumpkins have ripened to the perfect shade of orange, the leaves have transitioned from green to gold, from amber to brown, and the geese have aligned themselves in a V-shape formation in their journey down south.















I want to tell you all the ways that the changing of the seasons excites me in one blabbering rushing line. I want to be swept off my feet by an array of colorful confetti leaves, to feel the crisp air rush through my hair, to be intoxicated by the smell of burnt cedar, to lay in a blanket of fallen leaves while looking up a piercing blue sky. These ARE my favorite of days and it’s even better when you add family into the mix. There’s not much that gets better than this. Not. much. at. all.












I’m reminded of something Nana told me when I first got married. She said, “When you think things can’t get any worse, it can. BUT, when you think things can’t get any better, it does.”

This is definitely one of those times when life keeps getting better and better.














In the prime of the fall season, I tend to reflect on the past year- the trials and tribulations, love and loss. We’ve been through a lot this year, more than past years it seems. We’ve grieved with the loss of loved ones passing and rejoiced with the birth of our second child. Through it all, the good and the bad, I can’t help but to feel blessed. Blessed to be living. Blessed to have loved ones close at heart, both physical and in spirit.









Over the past 8+ years that we’ve been married, my husband has changed so much, as have I. We’ve both changed, and grown together. And together we’ve made a little family. I’m the happiest girl in the world to be married to my best friend. He has always been my best friend- we’ve stood by each other, fought for each other, supported each other, loved each other. Now, together, we’re raising our two beautiful children who have the best parts from each of us.












Blessed, we are.

It's magic

The magic is beginning. Golden leaves are fluttering from the tops of birch trees onto the ground below, crisp air is rolling off of the mountain tops with the combined scent of cinnamon and fresh linen, and my red wool pea-coat is making another debut. *squeal*





It truly is a wonderful, home-bodying, family snuggling, heart-swelling, over-joyous, love spreading time of year. A time when all things materialized take the backburner and we bring forth what really matters- family.















During the Fall and Winter months, Ron and I tend to gravitate towards McGinley’s Irish Pub, in downtown Anchorage. So it was no surprise that we ended up there for lunch this week. We spent a lot of time talking and catching up and laughing over Baby Will, while eating hot homemade Sheppard’s Pie and real Reubens. It seriously warms our core and brings us to a temporarily slower pace of life.






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Here’s a clip of my girl waving around her red, white, and blue pom-poms.



My heart swells every time I seeing her loving life. She lives so carefree and so optimistic, with the world at her feet.















This guy is full of smiles these days. It’s so good to finally get a tiny break in the teething process. The dude already has four teeth!
I’m enjoying these moments when my guy’s face lights up and grins from ear to ear. Priceless.









And when these two get together, let’s just say we’re going to have our hands full. Already they’re pushing the limits with each other. It reminds me of my two younger brothers and I growing up. We would raise hell and aggravate one another to no end, just for kicks. We drove each other crazy, and it drove my mom even crazier.

I got a small taste of the near future last night:







In the spirit of turning an ordinary happens-to-everyone event into something that excites us to no end, is the losing of a tooth. Yes, Krysta Jean has lost yet another tooth, and since she takes such good care of her pearly whites, the Tooth Fairy graced her with $2 instead on the usual $1. She was pretty stoked about that!



Tooth Fairy pillow was mine as a child, now passed down to my Love for her to enjoy the magic.


We have alot of home-bodying planned for this weekend. I'm working on a fabulous painting of my lovies, Ron's going to finish staining my sewing/art table, Krysta is cheering at her last football game of the season, and we're all going to enjoy the fresh Autumn air.









Get out and enjoy this amazing color changing time of year.
Embrace it. Live it. See it. Do it.


Happy Friday,
Em