the start of autumn

monday started with hitting the snooze button at least 5 times before dragging my weary body out of bed. i was cozy there under a layer of goose down feathers and a soft blanket. the sun is out today and it promises to be a beautiful autumn day.

the leaves on the trees are slowly changing color and you can  definitely feel  autumn hanging back just a tad. before i know it christmas will sneak up on me just as she does every year and then i will start to unravel just a tiny bit...i'll stress over not getting the house decorated, presents bought and wrapped, christmas dinner...and just like every year, after weeks of preparing it will be over in a twitch, the house will look bare after the greenery and glitter is all packed away for another year and january will sweep in too fast and creep out slowly.  i don't know why january is such a hard month for me and she hangs on forever.
the days are cold, and long and at that point it feels as if spring will never show up, but she always does, eventually. some years she comes quicker than others.

this month  marks one year i  quit smoking...on bad days i'll still grab for one and after its lit and i take a few puffs, i wondered why i did it. it tastes awful and i hate the smell of stale smoke in my hair, on my hands, and clothes. i smoked for 30 years and it was not an easy thing to let go of, even though i knew it was better for my health. sometimes if im watching a movie, i still get a stab of jealousy if one of the actors is smoking, and then i want one too. i suppose i'll always have that feeling of wanting one. its an addiction.

this weekend was quiet. saturday i tagged along with Doug and did a engagement shoot, there was the river, twinkled lights on the trees,  ribs and white wine.
sunday was a visit with my mama while she got her oil changed, a quick trip to walgreens, and back home again followed by a night of "beauty and the Beast" marathon.

today marks the beginning of a new week. shooting today at a grand opening for a new restaurant in Moline, an oyster bar. i guess thats great if you like oysters but i can't imagine tipping a raw oyster and feeling it slid down the back of my throat...ack.

im in the middle of wrapping up 2 weddings and getting them done before my son's wedding in a week in a half. my baby is getting married...saying that still blows my mind.

hoping for a good week...
XOXO