The most wonderful time of the year!

Yes, Autumn....my favorite time of year! It starts with the kids returning to school and ends with Christmas, can't beat that!

I love this time of year with the leaves changing and the air getting cool. Its perfect outside weather. NY in the fall is beautiful:

I always feel really good in the fall, I'm totally a person whose mood is effected by weather. I feel all inspired to get things done and be creative. I've started a few things that I'm really excited about.

The first is my writing:

One of my dreams is to be a published author. For years I've been creating stories in my head, jotting titles and ideas down in notebooks and a couple years ago I even started to actually write a book. As much as I want it and love to write and create, I've always had a hard time keeping the creative juices flowing and really commiting to my writing. I've decided to quit that and make a conscious effort to really work on my writing at least once a week (really it should be more but lets start slow haha). Last week I got an idea for the story to go with a title I jotted down 2 years ago. Finally I have a direction to go with it and that got me so excited to write. I went to the library and spent several hours writing while the kids were at school. Not sure if its some slight form of Adult ADD or if its my Gemini roots but I always have found it hard to stick to the same project for too long...its too easy to write myself into corners or just hit a creative wall. But I think I've found the solution. Right now I have 3 different books started and still have a notebook full of other ideas. It's gonna take me who knows how long to finish one simple book (I'm so pathetic haha) but if I have multiple projects in the works at the same time I think there will always be something I can be creatively inclined to work on. Here's to me, with a little luck and a lot of hard work, finally getting published someday...what an awesome day that will be!

Another project I've undertaken is learning to cook:

For me, for my future hubby and my future kids I've really decided to make a good effort to cook and cook well. I'll never be some incredible chef but I've discovered that I really enjoy finding recipes that look good or fun to make and giving them a try. In that spirit I've decided to pick out 2 or 3 recipes each weekend to try out and see where it gets me. As I go along I buy the supplies and ingredients I need and slowly but surely my kitchen is become pretty well stocked. I've had some really big successes and some failures too but I'm having a lot of fun. I'll post some of my successes another day once I get a chance to upload the photos of them from my digital camera haha

Another thing that fall has brought me this year is a renewed love affair with my longtime magical boyfriend, Harry Potter:

I've loved Harry since the moment we met. I saw the Sorcerer's Stone movie and I was instantly (and quite surprisingly) hooked. I spent that summer reading the first four books and the next few years swimming in the Harry Potter fandom anxiously awaiting the final 3 books. In my time obsessed with Harry I attended 2 conventions, numerous wizard rock concerts, reading and rereading the books again and again, listening to fan podcasts discussing theory and theory and even convinced my mom to sew me a wizards robe and knit me a Hufflepuff scarf! (I also embarrassed the friends who refused come journey into these extreme lands of geekdom with me!) Yes, I was a total and complete dork but I proudly admit it because that dorky obsession with a series of books gave me some of the greatest friends and most wonderful memories I have. It is also what inspired me so much to try my own hand and writing fantasy books and planted the seed for my dream to be a published author.

When I started dating John in 2007 I became so caught up in it that a lot of my passions slipped away from me. I know that once things settled I would have found them again, but unfortunately there wasn't time for that because I got my heart broken and after that I had a hard time finding joy in much of anything. I've gone to Harry a few times but have never felt that same excited spark I used to feel. I thought a lot of it had to do with the fact that the books were all out and maybe that was part of it too. But I've started watching the movies, listening to the books on my ipod while I fold clothes and even listening to the podcasts that dissect the stories bit my tiny bit and once again I'm falling in love with Harry. People who haven't ever fallen in love with Harry won't understand any of this but those who have know exactly how magical it is and its making me very happy :)

Of course though, the thing making me the most happy is the real love of my life and hopefully very soon there will be more to say about that....for now I'll just say, I love you Phil XOXOXOX

And finally, my current obsession is actually completely Phil's fault....enter Farmville:

Farmville is a ridiculous Facebook game where you build a giant farm from just a few plots of land. Earning coins, ribbons, and levels as you plant, harvest, and tend to your animals. Its such a silly waste of time and it is completely addictive! Haha If you haven't been snatched up by the Farmville bug yet I suggest you stay far far away from it! If however you're already a victim then send me a neighbor request! I only need 13 more for the blue ribbon! LOL

That's all for now folks, hope everyone has a great day!

Love to all,
XOXOXOXOX