This past weekend we ventured into Fake Fall, i.e. where the temps are decidedly below average and you have to wear sweaters and eat comfort food. This week the temps should pop back up closer to 70, which sounds much more appropriate this time of year. Despite the chill in the air we managed to do a lot, while realizing that Gracie needs some help in her fall/winter wardrobe department. Notably she only has a few pairs of pants and a few long sleeved shirts. Jackets? I have jackets covered.
Saturday morning Gracie slept in and as soon as she woke up we hit up the Lincoln Park Farm Zoo for their member’s only morning. They had a lot of activities set up and Gracie got to feed a cow, pet a goat, paint with vegetables and flowers (veggies cut in half, dipped in paint and used to “stamp”) and visit the garden to take a look at pumpkins and peppers. She had a great time, although she wasn’t interested in the rules of the goat pen so we hustled in and out of there pretty quickly. She spent a long time painting and then playing in a corn bin before we left and wandered over to the nearby farmer’s market. It was a weird morning for the market, the weather had you looking for squash and pumpkins and root veggies while the offerings included lots of berries and stone fruit. We snagged what we could from each season- the last of the summer corn, some apple cider doughnuts, bell peppers and onions, blackberries and plums. The rest of the day we spent at home, watching football, playing, reading stories and generally enjoying the day. This is a photo that captures Gracie that night: too small slippers, jammies, reading a book in her patio chair on the fireplace hearth…..
Sunday morning I got up and out the door (after family pancakes) and went to spinning with my ClassPass. I was glad that I had a small portion of breakfast since the class was intense and then I made it home so we could take a quick trip the playground before B could head out for (arguably, frostbite) sailing practice while Gracie and I had a girls day. her vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds, I swear she adds a new word every day. Lately she has added tissue, sock, slipper, and horsey. Together we made red beans and rice (she tasted the ham and stirred some empty bowls), we watched football, we read stories. Or, rather, Gracie demanded I come sit next to her on her blanket and read stories. This is her “Why are you taking a picture, just sit down and read Mama!” face:
Although it was another dismal football weekend (seriously, the vast majority of cheered-for teams lost terribly on Saturday and Sunday) we had a family meal of red beans and rice (Gracie ate none of it despite loving all components…..) before calling it a weekend. All in all, not too shabby.
