Simplify & savor the season

10.24.14- 

  Hello... friends!  

I hope you have been enjoying the fall season in your neck of the woods where ever you are.  I have throughly been taking it all in this year.  We have had a magnificent fall in Utah this year.  October has been so good to us!  If you follow me on Instagram you've seen that I just can't get enough of the beautiful fall colors, leaves & being outdoors this season.  

It truly has been a season to savor & do simple things that bring joy & laughter.  I wanted to share a few of the things I've delighted in lately. This is the perfect season to start collecting memories rather than things. 
{You know how I love to collect just about anything but moments are really what matter the most & make for the best collection} 

-Love this picture of Miss M, totally describes how I've been feeling later.  Breath it all in & enjoy!  Glad she asks me to snap pics of her all the time.  She comes up with the best photo shoot ideas!- 
The sound of playing in the leaves.  I can't remember a time that I've seen my girls have so much fun playing in the leaves with their friends, cousins & each other.  It has been a joy to grab the camera & snap pictures of them outside, enjoying the sunshine, blue skies & colorful leaves.  Glad that they have taken the time to play & have fun & given me the chance to enjoy it all right along with them.  

 Fall leaves.... is there anything more beautiful?  The mountains have been beautiful this year.  They almost look like a water color painting, brush strokes of orange, yellow & reds just brushed on everywhere.  This pile of leaves made my heart skip a beat last week. I was raking them up for my girls, neice & nephew to jump in & noticed it was in the shape of a heart. Of coarse dropped everything & took a pic.  Beautiful memory of a delightful day spent in my hometown. 

-I'm so grateful for a little shutterbug in our family who leaves me beautiful shots like this as surprises on my phone.  Thanks, Em- 

Last week my husband planned a little day road trip for us to go explore & find some beautiful fall leaves.  It was such a great day!  Nothing big, nothing grand just a car, map quest plans, sack lunch from Subway, oatmeal raisan cookies & perfect company to make for a wonderful day.  Hope this is the 1st of many leaf date drives in our future.  A perfect example of just savoring & enjoying to the fullest. Grateful for the time he planned & the memories made.

-We found the most charming wooden bridge by a tiny river & golden leaves.  It was beautiful.  Can't believe that a few miles away, lots of elevation gain we were in inches of snow & freezing. Brrrr.... not ready for winter just yet- 

Family time is truly the best time.  I love when we spend time as a family just doing nothing but it quickly turns into something & treasured memories.  This past week we have had lots of family time during fall break from school. A trip to Grandma's house, playing in the leaves, working as a family in our yard, taking a short hike to a lake in the beautiful woods by our home, hosting family get togethers in our home & enjoying lots of yummy food too.  None of these things took a lot of planning or time to accomplish but I'm so glad we took the time to do them.  Didn't turn them into a big thing to do but kept it small & simple to be able to relish in & throughly enjoy. 

-Walks around the block with Mr. Olly are the best.  Grateful for this furry guy & how he has helped us prioritize some quality family time morning & night- 

What I'm going to try {& sometimes it's hard} to keep in mind as the hustle & bustle of the holidays approach, is what's important. Remember that it's the simple things that really matter & memories made are the best gift of all.  Whether it's playing in leaves, going on walks, making snowballs, reading a book together, sitting around the fire, baking cookies or making pies it's the little things that bring the most joy. I know that sometimes I over look them or think that they have to be grander than they need to be. 

{Usually stressing myself out in the process too.}  

It's a hard lesson to learn.  I recently told a friend, I want to do everything but I'm learning that I just can't.  Sometimes that it's tough to say no to the things that I really, really want to do but it's better in the long run to simplify.  Planning on enjoying & savoring this year. 

Glad that I came across this book & planner by Connie Sokol, if you're local you might know her from her appearances on Studio 5, I always like when she is on.  She is full of energy, wisdom & always has great insight.  The little planner she has published is a great way to prioritize & think about what you want to accomplish heading into the holidays.  I know that it has made me think & had me start prioritizing just a bit so that I'm ready when all the business & craziness hits.  

Thanks to Connie I'm giving away ONE free copy of her book Simply & Savor that also includes the planner.  How awesome is that?  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To learn more about the author or if you can't wait for the giveaway & want to purchase your book now follow the links below.  

• Join Connie for her first "Virtual Book Club". Do you want to work personally with Connie to set goals, get feedback and read her book together? Email Connie at (http://conniesokol.com/about-connie/contact-connie/) and put BOOK CLUB in your message. She will be choosing 8 women to participate. 

• Don't want to wait for the giveaway? Purchase your copy of "Simplify and Savor the Season" right now. Click here.

• Purchase "Simplify and Savor the Season" any time during the month of October and receive a FREE Simplify and Savor Planner. The perfect way to keep your holidays on track.

Hope you find the time to savor & simplify, look for the little things & enjoy time truly with the things that matter most. 

{Something to think about!} 

{M}