Thirty Days Hath September

Thirty days hath September...and didn't they go by quickly?  This has felt like the fastest month this year.

September 1 - An after-dinner game of two kinds of football simultaneously

September 2 - The cutest birthday girl and her funfetti pancakes

September 3 - My grandmother sent me a box of flavored creamers last year because they don't sell them here.  I was unashamedly excited to bring out all the pumpkin spice related things this month.  [Note:  I think flavored coffee creamer would be a better import than Twinkies!]

September 4 - A last day of summer holidays still life - James disappeared behind the counter before I could snap the picture.

September 5 - First Day of School

September 8 - First Day of Homeschool (Ella changed the chalkboard.)

September 9 - An after-dinner Rainbow

September 10 - Bedtime

September 12 - Amazing Days

September 13 - Picking up friends from the station

September 14 - Houseguests in the Morning

September 15 - Showing friends around includes coffee stops, treats, and smiles.

September 16 - There were some mishaps along the way, but this day ended with smiles.

September 17 - When guests come, you have to give them a proper tea party.

September 18 - Last Day

September 19 - Bedtime Smiles

September 20 - First Time Listening (The end had us all on the edge of our seats, even the ones who have read it before many times.)

September 21 - Prettiest little store, prettiest red ivy

September 22 - Dawn's Early Light

September 23 - I'm always trying to capture her sparkly brown eyes.

September 24 - Sunday Morning Views

September 25 - Parking spot for school pick-up

September 27 - Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal for Church

September 28 - Taste of Home Treat

September 29 - Charity Shop Find

September 30 - Morning Birds, Fall Foliage

We're in party-planning mode today, greeting October with James's 8th birthday.  Excitement is pretty high.

Afternoon in Abriachan

Hello, friends!  Isn't it nice to be in September?  We've spent this week transitioning from that summer feeling to one of fall and routine.  Even our weather seemed to transition. Saturday was sunny and warm here, but on the first day of school it poured down rain for several hours straight, and by the time I picked the kids up there was a cool breeze blowing and a few leaves falling down from the trees in our neighborhood.  But I don't want to talk about autumn yet, I want to talk about SCOTLAND.

Taking our family vacation at the end of the summer as far north as we've ever traveled on the globe, I expected it to feel like autumn a little early.  In my head I made it a fall vacation, picturing mucky boots and rain jackets and a cozy fire at night.  But no.  We had sun almost every day, and it was absolutely gorgeous.  We were amazed and thankful.

The owner of our guest cottage where we were staying recommended the Abriachan Forest as a great place to take kids.  There was a wonderful playground and planked paths, and as the kids happily discovered, really cool tree houses.  There were not many people around, as I think Scotland's schools had already re-opened, and I was able to ride my bike through the trails, saving my injured foot a lot of steps.  The quiet of the forest, and the beautiful light coming through the trees made it such a quiet place of rest.

There was a trail that led to this loch where there was a bird-watching station, and the heather!  It was so gorgeous.  I also loved the little mushrooms all over the forest floor.

 

The days were so pleasant we spent several nights eating dinner outside.  This particular evening the herd of cows came pounding through the pasture around bedtime.

Look at that baby run.

Good-night, Skye.  She was the best dog, sitting still and patient beside the table while we ate, not scavenging until we were finished.