(Fall)-ton

Alton in the fall! Here are some of the "autumn" things we've been doing lately:
Shopping in our long sleeves.

"Drinking coffee." (Some mornings, even Pooh Bear gets in on that act.)

Enjoying a crisp day's bike ride.

Starting a new session of swimming lessons. Big man with his backpack!

Cooking dinner together--this one we do all year round!

Fall also is slowly bringing about the end of our CSA. You might remember that earlier this summer we joined a local farm's community-supported agriculture share system, and each week we've been the recipients of bountiful produce and fresh things. We only have a month to go and are already lamenting the thought of the lackluster winter veggies awaiting us at the grocery store when our CSA experience is over. Red potatoes have been on offer for the past few weeks, so when we visited Brian and Alexa over Labor Day weekend at their home in Seattle, Alexa and I put our hands to making homemade potato gnocchi for the first time. We dressed it simply, with olive oil, fresh chopped parsley and basil, and pepper and sea salt. It was delicious!
And speaking of pasta, it was only recently that Alton enjoyed his first dinner of spaghetti and meatballs! I know, I know, you're thinking: "How is it that a kid spawned of a Sicilian-heritage mother and carb-loving father has never has spaghetti and meatballs?" Well, he's had pasta, he's had red sauce, he's had (homemade) meatballs...but I never cook spaghetti! Somehow when I'm in the pasta aisle, contemplating my choices, I always opt for easy-to-spear penne, or rigatoni, or even farfalle. Although my parents taught me to wind spaghetti around my fork from a young age (no cut-up spaghetti pieces allowed in our house), I am always so fearful of splattering sauce on my clothing from a wayward strand that I steer clear of anything in the long 'n thin pasta variety. But the idea of ALTON with sauce on his chin and strands of spaghetti hanging from his lips conjured up an image too cute to resist, so spaghetti it was!

And as you can see, he did not disappoint.

We had a nice visit last weekend from friends Kyle and Blaire, who were in town for Kyle to run a crazy three-mile mud obstacle course called the "Warrior Run." They hunkered down with the little guy to check out his tractors.

Andy noted that our pantry door was in need of repairs, so he took it off the hinges and removed the rack installed on the interior for spices and seasonings. He put the rack aside while he mended the door and Alton promptly commandeered it to make a Pooh Bear youth hostel.

It can't get more fun! (At least, it's important to landmark these fun times, because he is two years old, after all. His emotional M.O. is that of an eight-months-pregnant woman: giggles and chatting one minute, then inexplicable, tearful breakdowns over the placement of his shoes the next minute. Mommy drowned some sorrows in crackers and cheese with pepper jelly this afternoon. Thanks Peg and Bobbie.)