Ahhhh, October! One of my favorite months of the year.

As I went on my walk this morning with my dog Bear, I couldn’t help to take it all in. These hilly back roads here are just loaded with beauty from the mountains and the valley, to the deer out grazing the dewy morning fields. Their coats have gotten much darker the past few weeks. The trees were just starting to show their colors, and an acorn fell from high above me. I was walking through a beautiful line of trees, and after the acorn had fallen, it’s as though the leaves were falling from the sky — bright, vibrant colored ones. As the trees opened up more, there was a small pond down in the middle of a farm field. In the background was the mountains, but the fog still hadn’t lifted out of the valley yet. It was a picture-perfect sight!

“God, thank you for this beautiful morning, and this neighborhood I call home.”

I felt blessed. We don’t take the time in our busy lives to stop and smell the roses. There were two other things I noticed on my walk that I had never seen before! Now, I must drive past there thirty times a week, and I walk pretty often too. I couldn’t wrap my head around not noticing these things that I have been by probably thousands of times! We all have so many things on our minds and our plates. Life never seems to slow down. In fact, for me, it’s been busier than it’s ever been. But for those three miles, it was just my black lab and me. Listening to nothing but the crows’ caw, and taking in all the nature and beauty this world has to offer.

The leaves change and fall so fast, just like our life. In a blink of an eye we are grown, then have children of our own. They grow in a blink of an eye and will be off on their own someday. So for now, I am going to enjoy every minute with my children. Make memories. Love them. Cherish them. Be with my family and care for my friends, because they are what life is about. It is so important to take time out for the ones you love and care for. The seasons come and go, but families are forever. So stop, smell the roses, admire the brightly colored trees, and even a phone call saying “Hi, how have you been?” means more to someone than you think. Talk. Laugh. Love. Life is good.

Pumpkin Pie!? For breakfast! Yes! Enjoy this guilt-free pumpkin pie oatmeal for breakfast and enjoy the rich flavor of fall! This gluten-free and healthy choice breakfast will have you full till lunchtime!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
• 1 cup of dried oatmeal
• 1 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

Place the almond milk and oatmeal on medium stove heat till it boils. Stir occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, turn down heat and mix in all the rest of the ingredients. Stir well and cook on low till it comes to the consistency you like. Place a serving in a bowl, and top with pecans, some maple syrup, splash of milk, and a dash of pumpkin spice!