Here’s Ben’s finished creation:

And here are some of his friends’ gingerbread people.

I don’t remember who made this one:

Or this one:

But here’s Beck with his decorated gingerbread:

Here’s Margot with hers:

And here’s Kate’s:

What?  Ahem.

It was a great party; we were happy to attend and to celebrate the whimsy and imagination of the winter holidays with our preschool friends.  Hope you’re all enjoying holiday parties that warm and inspire you, too.

Madeleine also joined the Co-op this year, as part of the Older 2s class.  She didn’t feel completely comfortable with me leaving today. She played outside, played with cars and playdough, but really spent most of her morning eating vanilla yogurt with new friends.

I’ve already been working hard for Co-op, serving as VP of Administration on the Board of Directors this year.  My main accomplishment so far is having successfully organized our community’s fall orientation for parents.  Nearly 70 families attended.  There was yummy food.  T-shirts were sold.  Tuition was collected.  Forms and handbooks were updated, copied and distributed.  Health and teaching staff talks were given, with slides, fulfilling part of our school’s state licensing requirements.  Folks were briefed about fundraising efforts coming up.  Whew.  I’m so happy and proud to have been trusted with the job of making it happen.

I’ll confess, though, that I’m looking forward to a little coasting time as a co-op board member now.  Organizing Orientation has been like a full-time job over the past couple of weeks, in addition to caring for the children and the house full time and doing a small amount of doula work.  As my good friend Holly turned fellow Co-opper observed, “It’s like you’re a project manager, only everyone’s a volunteer, so you can’t be a bitch.”  Indeed.

I’m hoping to do lots of cooking this fall, to spend more time in our garden and to go camping and hiking as a family, now that the temps are finally dropping.  I’m also hoping to attend a few more births before year’s end.  Aside from attending board meetings and parent coffees, my board member responsibilities won’t (in theory) ramp back up until the Spring, when the Co-op conducts its annual survey of participating families.

Fall is hands down my favorite time of year.  Have a happy one, dear readers.

Bastrop State Park, around 30 miles SE of our home, is burned.

One article I read today stated that 130,000 acres have burned across the state.  Hundreds have lost homes.

Yesterday a wildfire began less than a mile away from our house.  It was smoky, and ash was falling on our front lawn at one point.  Luckily the fire was extinguished before it could do much damage, and we did not need to evacuate our neighborhood.

I’ve never really had to think about what I would take with me, other than our persons, if there were some kind of disaster and we needed to leave quickly.  It’s unsettling.  Time to stop joking about that go bag, and actually pack one.

Surreal, this summer that Texas burns.

A dish of cedar elm leaves and twigs.  A few flowers from my patio rose.   A piece of meteorite that was gifted to Nathan by a co-worker.

The 4s and 5s classroom hosted a cakewalk, which Maddie “won.”

Some of the morning was spent simply enjoying the co-op grounds, gardens, and new playground.

The Telephone Company (think nerd rock for kids) opened for Staci Gray.

Ben said the barrel train was his favorite part of the fair.

The families in Ben’s class ran a pet rock-making table.  So, I was pretty much obligated to make one while I worked at the table.

Maddie, currently shoulder surfing, reminds me that there was a firetruck that I didn’t get a photo of.  There were also cascarones, music by Staci Gray, tacos from Taco Deli, hot dogs, and ice cream from Amy’s.  Ben and I visited the face painting booth, where I painted a lizard on his arm.  My favorite part of the morning, and Nathan’s too, was the drum circle.  I <3 Austin community; ours really brings it.

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes

• 2-3 lg sweet potatoes, washed and cut into 1-in cubes.  Leave the skins on!
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1-2 tsp salt, or to taste
• freshly ground black pepper

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Directions:

Toss potatoes with herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.  Place potatoes on a baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 min.  These would be great tossed with rosemary, too, but I didn’t have any.

Beginning this Friday, November 19, and lasting until February 19, Nathan and I will observe a Winter Retreat to deepen our practice of mindfulness.  Our retreat is inspired by the Winter Retreat of Wake Up Austin, and by extension inspired by the Winter Retreat practiced at Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village community in France.

Nathan is committing to meditating every day, to practicing three of Hanh’s mindfulness verses for daily living, to studying one of the Unified Buddhist Church’s Five Mindfulness Trainings, and to reading one of Hanh’s books.  I am committing to meditating every day, to reading one of Hanh’s books, to writing 100 words every day (online journaling counts), and to eating a vegetarian diet.

My intentions are to simplify inconsequentialities; to let go of hurrying and worrying for a while; to concentrate on being fully present with those around me; and to deepen only the practices that nurture me, thereby touching deeply the miracle of being alive.

Meditation, quiet contemplation, conscious waiting, listening…these feel natural to me during the darkest part of the year.  There is always enough to be happy, right now.  All of the conditions for happiness are within me.  I look forward to experiencing this introspective peace of the season during retreat.

Ben, having his face painted at a pumpkin patch yesterday morning.

He wore it to a pumpkin carving party hosted by one of his new preschool classmates, Zalie, yesterday evening,

and he received lots of compliments.