Taking stock

Where did October go?  It's a new month.  Time to take stock!

Making :  lots of long lists (to do, knit, sew, travel, pack, purge…)
Cooking :  cold-weather meals like this and this, and also mini-muffins for my Mini-Muffins
Drinking :  cafe au lait with maple syrup
Reading:  Gone Girl (in two days!), Siblings Without Rivalry and Make It Stick
Wanting:  the sun to stay out and up for more hours
Looking:  through old photos and swooning over our babies' adorableness
Playing:  Mastermind with two awesome 4th graders
Deciding:  women need to ignore cultural messages full of "shoulds", guilt and shame
Wishing:  I could swap pre-winter for spring
Enjoying:  feeling stronger as a develop a better fitness routine
Waiting:  for the powers that be to give us some firm dates
Liking:  the smell of woodsmoke in the cool air
Wondering:  how my girls will approach some big changes ahead
Loving:  meeting up with friends
Pondering:  how to kickstart my creative juices again
Considering:  an upcoming writer's workshop
Watching:  the birds at Hubby's bird feeders 
Hoping:  the upcoming transition will go as smoothly as possible
Marvelling:  at how life turns out sometimes
Needing:  motivation to tackle some big projects in a short timeframe
Smelling:  the membrillo cake fresh from the oven
Wearing:  this dress with jeans or leggings and wool socks as often as I can get away with it
Following:  Aussie instagram feeds to get my sunshine and beach fixes
Noticing:  how much lighter and happier I feel on sunny days than grey ones
Knowing:  all I really need to do is commit and get started for these projects to take off
Thinking:  about what steps to take next
Admiring:  autumn colour in the sunshine
Sorting:  through too much stuff in the basement
Buying:  eggs (my chickens are giving me the finger)
Getting:  hungry
Bookmarking:  this cracker recipe for a delicious cheese board
Disliking:  the unending barrage of paperwork
Opening:  a new packet of my beloved Melbourne Breakfast Tea
Giggling:  while watching Death at a Funeral
Feeling:  stressed but trying to get past it
Snacking:  on more chocolate than is wise (but it's yummy)
Coveting:  a new DSLR camera
Wishing:  for a few more hours of sunshine
Helping:  first graders learn about Claude Monet
Hearing:  my daughter read aloud with increasing confidence

I was surprised at how much time this exercise took me, and even then, I notice some themes running through.  If you'd like to take stock, head over here to copy a list from Pip (thanks, Pip!).