October was a big month for Miss Sadie Caroline....lots of firsts.
Sadie's first high chair!
We'd been putting off this purchase, and now we're wondering why we didn't get one sooner. This high chair has made a big difference in our lives. Meals are much more functional for us now that Sadie can sit contentedly in her own chair, play with her food, make a mess, and let mom and dad eat their meal together....at the same time!!! What a novel idea! One of my favorite times of day is early in the morning when Sadie and I get up together. I'll wear her in one of her carriers while I get coffee and breakfast made for myself, and then she'll sit quietly in her highchair while we enjoy a peaceful breakfast together. I'll read the paper and share parts of it that I think she might be interested in. What a nice way to start off the day...
Sadie's first trip to the circus!
My friend Danielle and I took our little girls to the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus on its last day in Denver. Going to the circus was one of my favorite things in the whole world when I was younger. I went every year, right up through high school when my cross-country team would go to the circus every fall. Even though Sadie is a little young to really know what was going on, I think she enjoyed all the people, bright colors, and flashing lights. And she loved seeing her friend Marisol!
Sadie's first pumpkin patch outing!
Another Ingersoll family tradition that we're so excited to be sharing with the next generation!
And of course the day wouldn't be complete without a big plate of homemade spaghetti at the Blue Parrot. Sadie was in meltdown mode when we pulled up to the restaurant (as were her tired parents), and we couldn't help thinking that stopping for lunch wasn't the best idea we'd ever had. But I figured we'd give it a shot. And all it took was some plain noodles to keep her happy for the entire meal! I don't think she ate many of them, but she sure had fun playing with them!
Sadie's first Halloween!
Granted, she was asleep by 6 p.m. when all the trick-or-treaters came knocking. But she was so happy to spend the afternoon with her Aunt Suzie and Uncle Jeff.
But, alas, screaming at the sky won't slow things down a bit. Time will just keep passing more and more quickly every day. So I'm left with doing my best to take a deep breath, enjoy every moment, and make time for the important stuff. And wow, is that tough. Some days I'm not sure I'm doing so well with that. But....I'm trying. My mantra for this fall season is
Well...these days, I feel as if I'm not doing so well at even one of those things, much less all of them. And it's unsettling to me. My priority is my family. Sadie and Brian are number one and I will sacrifice all of the other stuff in order to spend quality time with them. But, it's not quite that straightforward, is it?
So, what do I do about all this? I prioritize. I make a schedule. And I take lots of deep breaths.
Well, I finally took the plunge and bought myself a new mandolin. It's a 
That mandolin served me well....and has been all over the country with me. One of my favorite memories with it was my last night in Alaska, just before crossing the Alaska/Canada border. Rachel, Alan, and I camped out in a beautiful, remote spot. We sat around a campfire in the cool fall air, and I played that mandolin as some of the most amazing northern lights I'd ever seen danced overhead, bidding us goodbye.
Since Brian, Ryan and I have started playing together, I've found a renewed sense of excitement about my musical ambitions. I've been having so much fun making music in my living room with our good friends. I love that Sadie is growing up, just like I did, surrounded by live acoustic music in her home. 
This mandolin was an investment (
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