Autumn Skies and Pumpkin Candles

I don't know what the weather has been like where you live, but down here in Southern California it has been downright crazy.

Like skitsofrantic.

After the coolest, cloudiest summer I ever remember, we had a heat wave in October that brought the hottest day on record in these parts.  It was 115 at my house.

115!

I don't live in the dessert.  I live 15 minutes from the beach.  In fact, in Long Beach, the next town over, it was 111. 111 at a beach town.  In October.

It's crazy, I tell you.

After the heat, it gets rainy.  Then hot again.

I can't keep up.

And then yesterday was so cold and wet and dark it actually felt like winter.

I don't know what's next.  I figure we had better get going with some autumnal moments around here or we might miss autumn all together.

So yesterday I lit the pumpkin candle, we had cookies and hot cocoa around our cozy new kitchen table and watched the lightening light up the sky.

It was just right.

I couldn't imagine any other place I'd rather be than sharing that moment with my 3 babes around me.  Watching them discover the goodness of cookies dipped in cocoa (I personally hate that.  They get it from my mom)  Counting the time between lightening strikes and thunder claps.  And lighting up our dark afternoon with glowing candles.

A word on the candle.  I kind of hate cutesy candles.  Candles in the shape of a pine tree, a bunny rabbit, or a pumpkin--can't stand them.  I want a simple, plain candle.  I want to notice the candle light, not that it is shaped like a sea shell.
Know what I mean?  
Or am I the only candle Scrooge around here?
But when I saw this pumpkin candle at a garage sale or estate sale or somewhere, months ago, where it was really cheap, I knew I had to get it.
Because while I would hate it, my kids would love it.

There are times when personal taste must be sacrificed for the children.

It's a small thing for me.,

And it was a big thing for them.

Funny, isn't it?

I scored some major mom points with that pumpkin candle.

And somehow I think we'll now be having a pumpkin candle around the house every autumn.

Hope you  have a lovely fall day today.

I have high hopes of making my mom's famous pumpkin bread and adding chocolate chips to it.  And I have high hopes that I'll be bale to share the recipe with you.

Love from,

Greta