currently: minneapolis 2.0 edition

 every september i like to write a post using the 'currently' prompts. sometimes the answers stay the same from year to year (maybe i should switch to a different time of year), but september is when i think of doing it after reading my archives. considering we have moved across the country since last september, it's fun to compare where my brain is at these days. 

right now i'm currently...

appreciating: that my kids are adjusting as well as they are to their new environment(s), especially their schools. it's only the 4th week, but they've settled in well to their new classes and surroundings. the social aspect is going to take more time, it seems. they are past the age where kids just play together because they are kids and they now have higher expectations for what constitutes a friend and making friends can feel awkward. the weather has been beautiful but i remember how short fall is in minnesota, so i will try to soak it up as much as possible before the cold and snow. our neighborhood is full of trees with leaves that are starting to turn. thatcher just started his new job this week and i'm grateful that he was able to land it and we are starting a new phase of life here. 

looking forward to: usually at this time of the year we would have booked some sort of airbnb cabin for a post-christmas getaway. the idea behind that was it was something fun to look forward to when we did not have family around for the holidays. this year we will have lots of family around and i think most airbnbs been booked up for months, so a cabin trip will wait. we want to get to the north shore with the kids eventually. i'm getting excited for halloween, thanksgiving, and christmas. decorating my new home and gathering with friends and family in the coming months. 

wearing: it still feels like summer here for the most part. i usually start the day off in pants and a short-sleeved shirt, but almost always get hot mid-day and switch into shorts. i'm excited to wear a some of my cold weather stuff again, like cozy sweaters. in my post last year, i mentioned i wanted a gray coatigan and i never got one, so i guess that can still be on the list. also, after many months of thinking barrel jeans/pants are the ugliest article of clothing ever, i'm starting to warm up to them. the subtle ones at least. this always happens to me with fashion trends. ha! 

reading: this is a sore subject for me at the moment. every year i have been increasing my number of books read and i was on track to read 60 books this year....and then we decided to move and it killed my progress. to give you an idea, i usually read 4-6 books per month and in the last two months i've read 4 books total. which is still a lot, just not where i want to be. but i'll get back into it as we get more settled. right now i'm reading 'something wilder' by christina lauren. i've read many of their books and i wouldn't say this one is a favorite, but it's decent. before that i read 'funny story' by emily henry, which i really enjoyed. i got a library card right away after we moved as that is my preferred place to get books.

watching: i always associate fall with 'call the midwife' because that's when netflix releases the new season. it just might be my favorite show of all time. every episode makes me smile or cry or both. another recent show i watched (with azalea) was 'the summer i turned pretty.' i read the first book years ago and watched the first two seasons on my own. azalea got caught up before the third season and she and i watched it together. it really is sort of a silly show (especially for a mom in her 40s), but it was so well done and kept both of us engrossed in the love story. i'm bummed it's done now, but there is talk of them making a movie. 

listening to: as soon as it turns to fall, i get the urge to listen to certain kinds of music: indie, acoustic, instrumental, etc. there are these "cozy jazz" and "cozy coffee shop" channels on youtube that i love to put on, especially when cooking dinner at night. i have never considered myself a 'swiftie' but i've been listening to a lot of taylor swift this month. her mellow songs are just the perfect background at this time of year. so maybe i am a swiftie in denial? thatcher and i have tickets to see one of our favorite bands of the last 15 years 'of monsters and men' in november. i can't wait! 

eating: i have to admit, i haven't dove into my usual comfort food recipes yet this season, but i want to. a roast with potatoes and carrots, ginger tumeric soup with chicken, stuffed pepper casserole. it's probably the warm weather, still getting settled, and the novelty of having a grill once again (we weren't allowed to have one in our last building). we've been doing a lot of burgers, hot dogs/brats, chicken, etc. i'm sure as it gets colder, we will cook inside more.