Keeping Warm and Quality Time

 Ah, the cooler weather, which I have a love/hate relationship with. While the skies are gorgeous and the rain is nice, the sunshine still wins. I'm always happy when the sun peaks through the clouds. I'd be happier without the clouds at all, but this is still nice. A part of me is looking forward to colder weathers ahead, but a part of me is dreading it. I've been prepared beauty and health wise, so I'm pretty sure I'll survive. We're both scheduled for our flu shots this month as well as our routine physicals. But besides that, it's nice being able to snuggle up with blankets and hot cider (and live with a lower electricity bill).

This is actually what we've been doing- keeping warm with hot cider and blankets. Since I pretty much got rid of my fall/winter wardrobe due to my smaller body size, I've been able to purchase sweaters and new clothes lately, which is definitely fun. I also purchased new workout clothes meant for the colder weather.

Meals around here have been more hearty and filling too. Gary and I made some really delicious butternut squash soup in the crock pot, and I also made some yummy potato soup. So, soups are a hit right now.

As for our schedules, they've been great. I'm not working nights anymore and I'm back to days (except Friday nights). Gary and I have made a schedule for ourselves in the evening, so we don't just sit at the computer or television after dinner and kind of zone out on entertainment and such. After dinner and catching up on a couple of shows together, we break off and do our own thing around 6. I spend an hour sewing/attempting to sew, and Gary will generally play a game or work on his game programming. Around 7, we play a card or board game together (or go out), then around 8 or 9, we sit outside on the patio and drink hot cider. In order to help with the colder weather, we purchased a tabletop patio heater from Target. It's SO WARM! We love it. It's our version of sitting around a fire pit (there is a flame, too). We spend the next hour or so just chatting.

Before putting it on an actual table

During our last camping trip, we realized the blessing of just spending quality time together without a screen in front of us. We always spent the evenings watching the stars and chatting away. Gary mentioned how nice it was and how we should do it more often, thus the reason we made this new schedule for ourselves. It's as if we're having a date night every night- no electronics. We still have our weekly nice dinner out somewhere, but this is amazing as well. It's also a nice way to get rid of the stresses of the day since we both work all day and come home around the same time. I encourage you married people to just take a night/evening without electronics- family and kids included- and just sit around and talk. Such a blessing.

Anyway, that's the update for now. Nothing big or special, but an update indeed. Now time to get back to those blankets. If I can get them back...