Tell tale signs of autumn

Pumpkin spice latte is back, but it just didn't taste the same. It's nippy and moist in Chicagoland and I'm still drinking coffee, but maybe not a 5$ calorie laden cup of spiced latte anymore. Maybe it's my affair with my favorite tea, but maybe I've out grown the pumpkin latte. I'm anxious to save money for the Thanksgiving trip to Europe/ Asia Minor, but you'd think I could justify how much I deserve a decent latte. I went on a date to a new mom/pop Italian place on Friday night for a few hours with a stop at the bookstore to put my hands on travel books for Bavaria and Cappadocia, but waited to buy my choices on Amazon today. I'm even saving money for the trip by reading a kids' mystery series from the library instead of buying them or renting movies to fill my entertainment budget.

The series, btw, is called The Roman Mysteries, and I love it! I found it by searching for juvenile Roman fiction at the library. I made the kids listen to one of the books on the drive back and forth from Iowa. I started reading another book in the series to them out loud, because the library doesn't have the audio for it. But now I've read ahead and am on the next book. I made the Daddy read some to the kids (he's the expert in Latin btw). The story discusses a time period that I'm very interested in about the early church. The sermon today at New Church started a series on The Acts of the Apostles, which of course, delves into my favorite part of the world apart from Central Texas and western Iowa, that is Turkiye.

So, the rain stopped and the temperature is dropped. I've added a blanket to the beds and pulled out the cold weather clothes. I'm busy ripping up the carpet in the living room as the dining room is finished. The wood flooring is available for pickup anytime I'm ready to go up there and pay for it. I've contacted some people who are experts with power nailers, but in the mean time I'm set to prep the floors with black paper and the insulation level with a staple nailer. Soon the 17 boxes of flooring with arrive to set for 3 days and be power nailed by someone. Pray. Yep, I'm not big on asking for help and locating day labor. I will wait on the Lord according to His plan, but in the meantime to prepared for whatever He delivers.

And, btw, home school my kids, be a soccer mom, a gymnast mom, a piano lesson mom AND an AWANA mom all at the same time.