Susanne at Living to Tell the Story hosts this opportunity to pause and appreciate the good things of the week. It really helps to pause and reflect a bit before the week floats away into memory.
It’s hard to believe we’re at the end of September. It was a busy month for us–maybe that’s why it seemed to go by even more quickly than usual.
Here are some of the blessings of the last week.
1. Extended family visit. My step-father, two sisters, and nephew from TX flew in to spend a few days. We all drove to SC to spend a day with two more sisters, my niece, and great niece there. It was the first time in three years all five sisters were together. We only wished my brother and his wife in CT could’ve come and made it a full family reunion. I had hoped the TX family might see a bit of fall color here, because they don’t have that in TX. There wasn’t a lot here yet, but we saw a bit driving through the mountains to SC. The weather was great the whole week except for a bit of rain and fog on the way back from SC. I wrote more about the visit in my end-of-month post yesterday and shared some pictures. We had such a good time and miss them already.
2. A completed extended to-do list. I tend to want to do a full-scale spring cleaning before anyone comes to visit, but I’ve learned the hard way that, 1) I never get everything done I want to, and 2) I wear myself out if I try. I made a master cleaning list I keep in the computer and added to it this time. For the first time ever, I got every “cleaning for company” item crossed off! That doesn’t mean everything that could have been done was–there’s always more to do. But the most essential things were. A very few items got crossed off without being completed since I determined they weren’t needed. But that’s a legitimate way to deal with them, right? š
3. Pumpkins Spice Mini Donuts. I’m not big into pumpkin-flavored everything, but I really like getting these once a year.
4. Great American Cookie Company. I’m not at the mall often (probably a good thing), but I love this company’s peanut butter cookies when I’m there. I got some both at a mall in SC and then here in TN this week.
5. Cooler weather seems to have settled in for the season, and I love it.
How are things in your neck of the woods?
Stray Thoughts 
I haven’t tried the Pumpkin Spice mini donuts. Now, I will have to find them. haha! Have a blessed day!
I’m loving the cooler weather as well! I may actually get out and do some more walking. I’m all enthused about pumpkin spice at the beginning of the season but soon the interest wanes. Those donuts look wonderful, but I’ll probably have to pass. I’d probably eat the whole thing in one day! I’m so glad that the family visit went well. I’ll be stepping over to your blog to read more. I always have a to-do list that I begin every month. A few items always seem to migrate from one month to another. I’m glad you were able to scratch something off yours. Have a great weekend. See you soon!
I am going to have to look for those donuts. Our weather is cooler here too and it is wonderful. So glad you had a nice visit with your extended family. Have a good weekend. See you again soon!
In my neck of the woods, it is cooler and the leaves are just beginning to turn. Autumn is my favorite season here.
Your time with family sounds wonderful! You are most fortunate to have all those sisters. And the drive through the mountains sounds practically perfect.
Have a good weekend!
Definitely cooler here and autumnal. How lovely for you to get together with all your sisters. I’m envious having only brothers! I love crossing things off a to do list and yes perfectly ok to cross off things that don’t actually need doing lol. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Glad you had a good visit with most all of your family! And I love that you pared your cleaning list down to “cleaning for company.” We do learn a few things with our years of wisdom. š
I don’t eat those kinds of desserts but my husband would LOVE those donuts!!
yay for family time and “cleaning for company”. LOVE it.
oh and yes…I wonder if my Courtney knows your son f rom gaming!! š I’ll have to ask her…i know she has met many on some convention thing down in Austin Texas where she goes sometimes in June/early July.
I’m not a fan of pumpkin spice, probably because the cinnamon will make me kill over. My friend makes me my own pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving using all spice. Good for you, you got to check off everything on your cleaning for company list š
Hurray for cooler weather!
Congrats on conquering your cleaning list. Roomie has recently learned that hurrying just intensifies the stress for her, so she prioritizes the list and calls it a day.
Those family visits are so precious.