September Journal

A pleasant round of everyday things

Good Monday morning to you my readers!

We have been enjoying this season of not quite summer and not quite fall here at The Parsonage. It has been nice and warm (sometimes downright hot!) and doesn’t feel like fall yet. But if you drive around and look at the leaves on the trees you would think it was fall.

We lately had some missionaries staying with us at the Parsonage. It’s such a blessing to have people in our home and hear their stories and journey. My husband grew up with missionaries in and out of his home, as his parents were a part of a relief ministry for missionaries coming in off the field. And I love to have people over and cook for them. It’s the perfect pairing of desires for us to host people, as long as they don’t mind the energy and noise of a house full of kids.

General Life

To celebrate for this month:

We don’t have any birthdays in the house this month. I always mean to celebrate the autumn equinox, but I never catch it. It’s always gone before I realize it’s here. We do a pretty good job marking the other season changes, so I don’t let this oversight bother me too much.

My husband and I attended a fundraiser event for a local minstry. It was a dressy dinner event, and I enjoyed dressing fancy and having a night out with him. It took place in an event barn with twinkle lights, surrounded by beautiful scenery. A lovely evening.

Something to let go of:

It bothers me a lot when people look at our lives from the outside and assume we never struggle with hard days or bad attitudes. It’s a completely unrealistic perspective, that there would be no friction or yelling in our home. Of course there is! Honestly, if there wasn’t, that would be pretty concerning. When people with different personalities reside in the same space, it is inevitable that there will be bad days, stormy attitudes, and such.

The best antidote to that is keeping a grateful heart. We truly have so many physical and spiritual blessings, that to choose not to see it would be willfully negligent. Choosing to see life with six kids (and all the mess and noise that comes with it) as a good thing, and choosing to act like I believe it, naturally brings a vivacity to daily life. From the outside it may look like we never struggle, but the struggles don’t get the last say. The overall narrative of life here at the Parsonage is truly good, even though it comes with mess and exhaustion.

Homeschooling

We have been at the books for six weeks already! I can’t believe how fast it all goes by. In my Sabbath scheduling, every seventh week is a break week, which I am very much looking forward to.

Canning

I forgot to take pictures of my preservation efforts this month. I got salsa and pizza sauce made early in the month. Also, pickled watermelon rind. I know that sounds like the weirdest thing, and I never would have heard of it, but it’s a favorite of my husband’s so I learned how to make it early in our marriage. Also, we scored a couple of bushels of sweet peppers at the produce auction this month, so my kids and I processed enough peppers to last us for a year or more. I freeze these rather than can. It’s so handy having sliced peppers ready to go for easy suppers during the week.

Gardening

I have loved the rhythm of deadheading my cosmos early in the morning and cutting a fresh bouquet. They have responded well and continue to bloom heavily all month. I need to find other flowers that respond so well to constant cutting and fill my flower beds with them. My morning glories never grew as bushy as I would like, and it’s hard to know if that was because of the heat, or if I need to plant more next year.

Reading

I hit my Goodreads challenge total of 80 book this month. That was unexpected. I truly feel like I haven’t read as much as usual, and yet, the numbers don’t lie.

The Well-Read Mom community I joined is reading Peace Like a River by Leif Enger this month. This is a reread for me, and I’ve already finished it. I love reading books in community and look forward to discussing this book with the other ladies in the group.

For Close Reads this month, we read Mrs. Palfrey At The Claremont by Elizabeth Taylor. Such a sad, sweet book. Even though I can’t say I loved it, I’m also happy to have read it and heard the discussion on loneliness and growing old that surrounded the book.

I abandoned a book this month too. This is something I can’t emphasize enough for people who want to read and get stuck on a book. Feel free to drop a book if it isn’t feeding you right then. Even if it’s a book you feel you ‘should’ read. A book might be good, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you in this season at this time. Put it away, no shame or guilt, and read something else.

Art

I made two art journal pages this month. Just keeping the flow going. I can’t say I loved either of these pages, but I always enjoy getting messy and trying new things. That’s what my journal is for.

I’m in the middle of a new large piece, so that’s exciting. Maybe next month I’ll have something to show for it.

Wrap-Up

I’m looking forward to next month! We have lots to celebrate, including our anniversary (20 years!) and my own birthday. A few short trips and fun things are coming too. Lots to plan for, lots to think about, and lots of memories to be made. Happy October to you all!