Happy Rautumn!

Autumn has always been my favorite season. The cooler weather, crispy leaves, slowed down pace, football games, and spectacular color all speak to me. Autumn has come to mean so much.

I've said it once, but I'll say it again-I was made for Autumn. I am most me in Autumn.

Autumns have been a whole new kind of wonderful since I started spending them with him. What was once simply Autumn, has become Rautumn, and I've fallen for this season all over again. This Rautumn we've spent our evenings at football games, walking around the neighborhood enjoying the leaves, driving through the beautiful mountains, carving pumpkins, and planning for our sweet baby boy. I've enjoyed it more than any other Autumn. I have a feeling though, that they are going to just keep getting better and better.

I'm so glad Heavenly Father gave me a world with Rautumns.

Rautumn Happenings

What this Autumn has looked like:

A tight election race, in which the Raus were VERY invested. Luckily this year election day came early and our guy won. Although we hate to see Josiah leave the White House, somebody had to take his place, and luckily the guy who won is a quality one. 

Crunchy leaves falling all over our beautiful garden. I didn't think the garden could get more beautiful, but it's kind of stunning the way the leaves fall around the bright flowers. Oh this season!

Beautiful red, orange and yellow patches of vibrate color scattered across our mountains. Oh the mountains in the fall-there are no words to do them justice.

What this Autumn has smelled like:

"Autumn Walk"-the best thing that has ever come out of Walmart

Also that fall smell mixture of fire, chill and leaves. Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about.

What this Autumn has tasted like:

Caramel Apple Cider Cookies.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.

Parmesan Fondue.

Potatoes.
and a whole lot of popcorn.

What this Autumn has sounded like:

A crazy amount of crickets outside our open windows

Taylor Swift's "Out of the Wood"-one of us loves to sing it at the top of lungs

Laughter. A lot of laughter.

What this Autumn has felt like:

My favorite season, spent with my favorite person has made me feel a new level of contentment, a new level of peace, and a new level of love for my husband, and of course, for Autumn.

Annual Corn Maze Adventures

The corn maze is an autumn tradition around here.

For the past six years (at least!) I've gone every year, and it probably wouldn't feel like autumn if I didn't go. 

So this year when Mom and Dad offered to take us, we were thrilled to join them (and their 50+ favorite single adults). We went through the maze, played a little ole fashioned tether ball, and even some corn bag toss! It was a perfect autumn evening.

A Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils (Part 2)

Last week I came home to find a dream of mine had come true. This was waiting for me:

A bouquet of newly sharpened pencils a la my favorite line of You've Got Mail. You know the one...

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to go buy school supplies. I'd send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address"

Oh that husband of mine. Isn't he dreamy?

Fall Fest

I've said it before, and I'll say it again-I was born for fall.

Autumn is when I feel most myself. Donned in sweaters and boots, with a slight chill in the air and a backdrop of mountain leaves sparking color like fire I am transformed to my best self. A woman quicker to smile, more confident and ready to take on the world. Something about this season, no, everything about this season just speaks to me-it's as if God created me specifically with the joys of Autumn in mind. I feel as if I am the ambassador for it, pleading the goodness it brings, the beauty that is found in a world of dying, crunchy leaves and protesting anything that attempts to get in it's way (I'm looking at you early Utah snowstorms...).

A little over the top? Perhaps that's just one of my more passionate sides that comes out during this beautiful season.

All of this is really just to say that when the Autumnal Equinox came calling this year, I was very prepared. Nate and I celebrated the occasion with our First (Annual) Rau Family Fall Festival. I was in my best form-printed menus and name cards lined our places at the table, decorations brightened our home, the Parmesan fondue was especially delicious and for some reason the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies were the best I'd ever had. Not just ever made, but ever had! In my entire life!

I'm telling you people-I really am at my peak in Autumn.

Autumn

Saturday was one of the most perfect fall days. 

And Nate and I decided we were going to make the very most of it. 

Here is how we did just that:

Free Waffle Love for breakfast

A trip to the petting zoo at the pumpkin patch

       

                      

Pumpkin picking

Pumpkin carving

and

Caramel Apple Cider cookie baking

(Ron Swanson and a "boo"-tiful jack-o-lantern)

It was a day that, in looking back upon it, was the very definition of Autumn, 

 and Autumn has always been my favorite.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

-Anne of Green Gables

Fall Favorites

Some of the very best parts of fall are back in full swing....

Football games....

Pumpkin bagels....

and

Rainy evenings full of fall reading...

I've been enjoying mine by wearing sweaters (my office is freezing!), escaping to Park City, and creating a fall bucket list. I hope yours has been as happy as mine so far!

PS. Look who I ran into at the game!

All I Want is a Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils..

"Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address."

Ever since I first heard this line I've had some crazy day dream fantasy about receiving a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils as grand gesture to usher in the season that I hold most dear and near to my heart. Call me Kathleen Kelly.

I just live for the fall. I come alive in the fall. I am most me in the fall.

And although it is technically still Summer in so many ways-the biggest that it is only August-it is fall in my heart.

I've watched You've Got Mail. I'm in an e-bay bidding war for a new Vera Bradley planner. I'm seeking out stationary and pencils. I'm eyeing my cardigans with eager anticipation. I'm craving pumpkin bagels. And today I started working my first ever grown up job-thus ending my summer, and summer as I've known it thus far in life.

So for me-it's Fall. And I must say that if one season had to come early this year-I'm sure glad it's this one.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a little Fall Bucket List to create. Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Four Autumns.

By very definition Autumn is  a time of dying. Each year we watch the gradual transition as the once deep green leaves, the leaves that were born of the Spring, housed chirping birds, provided much needed shade through the hot months of summer; we watch as they gradually change.

Die.



And fall.


Isn't it amazing though that without question we as a society all acknowledge that the most beautiful time during the entire life of these leaves is right before the fall-when in an almost defiant final act they burst forth in a vibrant array of color. As if their last act is to say-"I will not go quietly."

They get to do it their own way-the most beautiful way possible.

For me Autumn will always be associated with the change that dying brings. With the beauty that comes from doing it your own way. I fully believe that although the God of all orchestrates when each living thing is to die, the leaves just one example, by accepting his timing, death can become a bright, beautiful spectacle of color.

It's as if his gift to you for the good life lived, and for accepting all he gave is to become a result of the Autumn, a bright red leaf.

And so I love Autumn. I love it for its smells, tastes, colors and temperature. I love it for it's cozy welcoming, and for all that it prepares us for. I love it for all it's taught me, and for all it gives me. But mostly I love Autumn for its beauty.

To me Autumn is the beauty before the fall.

..............................................................

To the old man who falls no more, I still miss you every day. Thanks for teaching me to accept all we're given. You'll always be Autumn to me.

The Game That Wouldn't End

I'm not sure how to write about the game on Saturday.
But my goodness that night deserves a blog post.

I guess I'll start by writing about a soccer game I went to a few weeks ago. Where weirdly I found myself cheering for the girls in blue. Without thinking really I was wanting each attempt to be a goal and the girls to win. I was shocked by that feeling. As was my father, whom I believe used the word "disappointed".

It was a rough day for our relationship.

So, when football approached he for the first time, had to ask what color I would be wearing. Panic set in and literally for the weeks leading up to it I was in a constant internal state of conflict. Eventually I decided blue. It was my last year as a BYU coed and after all that this weird, quirky, odd, yet completely wonderful place has given me the least I could do is cheer them to victory.

However Friday I got a phone call from my Dad-asking me to wear red to dinner at the very least. "Dinner with the sports marketing people... won't be around to defend you.... please... I love you no matter who you cheer for... etc."

Well I'm a sucker for my old man, and really he very rarely asks me to do things for him. So on a deal I wore red to dinner, but my sweatshirt for the game was blue. We're really great at compromise.

We got to dinner and enjoyed a lovely meal, good company and real Diet Coke. (Utah-1 BYU-0). Mom had just gotten back from a trip to Seattle and I loved catching up with her, chatting with dad's colleagues and anticipating the game. On our way out to the game Dad stopped to ask someone a question, and in the process was upgraded to 4 box suite seats- "even though you have that BYU kid with you. Just keep your red on."

And so it was that for the evening my decisions were made for me(something I usually appreciate)-I would need to cheer for the U in a box, where it wouldn't be cold enough to justify a BYU sweater. I told my parents that this felt a lot like Satan's plan, no agency at all (Utah-1 BYU-1) and made my way up the elevator to the suite.

It was wonderful up there. There were unlimited cookies, food, and most importantly unlimited real Diet Coke (Utah-1,000 BYU-1).

As the game begun Mom, Megan and I enjoyed watching Dad, who was on the sidelines for awhile before being presented the game ball. We were so excited for him, and doted on him and the ball the whole rest of the game. We just kept saying "Imagine Dad as a little freshman sitting in the student section and look at him now-on the field at the rivalry game getting the game ball!!" No matter who I wanted to win I knew this was a real treat for my Ute loving Dad.

At half time we got free hot chocolate, popcorn, more unlimited Diet Coke and the bathrooms didn't even have lines. Really now that I've been spoiled by the suite I'm not sure how I'll cope from the stands. We spent the rest of half time trying to take pictures of Dad with the game ball and completely embarrassing him in the process.

The rest of the game was eventful. At half time the realization him me that we could be pushing midnight by the time ended. Then what would happen? I sent out a tweet wondering if BYU would have to forfeit if the game went past midnight, on the Sabbath. Especially after that wonderful CES fireside on not checking our religion at the door!

Well, I don't need to recap what happened at the end of the game. 3 chances to field goal, and 3 opportunities missed. It was tragic for my boys in blue. Although I'm convinced that Cecil or Tom must have been praying for the game to end-I'd hate to have to make the "play past midnight?" decision. Near the end of the 4th quarter my mom looked at me and said-"I just realized that you've probably felt guilty this entire game." The slight smile from me confirmed her suspicion.

And although I was completely conflicted about BYU and Utah and where and whom I loved most I was a little happy that Utah won so that my dad could do this:

Present the Deseret Duel trophy. And talk to Kyle. (I love Kyle!) And celebrate a victory right there on the field with the players, fans, students and city of Salt Lake. It was a big night for Dad.

And honestly that was what calmed my conflicted heart-Dad got to do a lot of really cool stuff at this game, and I could not have been happier for him. It's pretty rare that this guy gets to do what he wants (he has 3 daughters!) and even more rare that Dad gets any attention (he avoids it at all costs) so  it was pretty great to see him having a good time.

And loving me even though I looked like this:

Let it be stated though-that Dad does have a little soft spot in his heart for BYU. It's grown from a love of me, an opportunity to go to Notre Dame, Tom Holmoe's kindness, and their caffeine-free Diet Coke supply. In fact when he was down here the other day he even came up with a great idea for a new sweatshirt "My Daughter and My Money go to BYU". Creative right?

Thanks for loving me no matter who I cheer for Dad. You really are the best!

Past games here, here and here.

Here We Go Again

10 Things I'm Terribly Thankful for Today:

10-That Thursday was a "Nicole Day"
9-Unplanned shopping trips
8-Pay Day
7-Sleeping in Saturdays
6-Seeing friends you haven't seen in awhile
5-Getting a hair cut-I love when my hair gets a blow out and I don't have to do anything but read about Kim K's divorce
4-Long phone conversations with good friends
3-My job! I seriously have the greatest job.
2-Unexpected family chats complete with laughter and pumpkin cheesecake
1-Lunch with Megan Annie this week :)

Londontown

I love a city-



Where every bike has a basket,

Every school child a uniform,

And every building a story.



I love a city-



Where every day invites adventure,

Every step discovery,

And every shop window possiblity.



I love a city-



Where every clock chimes the hour,

Every falling leaf the season,

And every shadow the moment.



I love a city-



Where every day brings the rain,

Every resident an oyster,

And every woman a dog.



I love a city-



Where every person obtains a place,

Every language a speaker

And every God a worshiper.



I love a city-



Where every difference number the pebbles on the beach,

Every book the cracks on the pavement,

And every peaceful afternoon the pigions in the park.



Afterall,



I love a city-

Where every bike has a basket.