It's Autumn (definitely).

We're enjoying our first autumn in Oregon.  Compared to California, the season's change dramatically up here.  At the end of August we were floating the river in 90 degree heat but once September hit you could feel a change in the air - cooler mornings, mild afternoons, falling leaves.  We've had some rain already and autumn colors are starting to show in the foothills behind our house.  It's put me in the right frame of mind for my favorite time of year.  Jackson and I have been keeping our weekends very low key.  A typical Saturday involves sweat pants, a Pumpkin Spice Latte, Ohio State football, a good book and relaxing in the parlor.  Last week I felt a strong urge to bake with pumpkin.  The result was GF Pumpkin-Maple Granola Bars and Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Cookies with Vanilla Icing.  I must say, both turned out quite good.  Now I want to go crazy and bake every day with pumpkin but it's a bit unrealistic when 3/4ths of our house is GF and trying to avoid sugar.  I'm thinking for Thanksgiving I'm going to have to do a GF DF Pumpkin Roll.

The blueberry farm has wrapped for the year and I'm thankful I had the opportunity to work there for three months.  Now I really need a permanent job.  I had an interview to work at the local newspaper but they were unable to offer me enough hours.  So the search continues.  Please pray I can find something soon.  Soon.  Really soon.

In an effort to do something useful with all my free time, I now help out our pastor and his family a few days a week.  They home-school their five kids and, needless to say, have their hands full all the time.  I grocery shop, help the younger kids with school, clean house and do whatever.  Sometimes we bake and play board games - last week it was Horseopoly.  The kids are always wanting to show me their Wii games and it's really funny because I've played Wii like twice in my life and so I get on there and just get destroyed by these little kids haha.  But they love it so much it's really funny.

On September 1 we were officially covered under the health plan offered through DC Parks.  This was tremendous news as it was determined that neither of us had seen a dentist in 4-5 years simply because we could never afford it.  So on September 1 Jackson called and made us appointments and we saw the dentist for $10.  It was a happy day.  I have good teeth!