Skylar is 18!

On September 30, we celebrated Skylar turning 18. As much as I would like to say I am proud that he has become such a great person in his 18 years, it's hard for me not to think of him as still my little boy needing me to help him put on his shoes and his coat. As a mom to an only child, it's hard to let go of those moments. He has made Jeff and me so proud. I don't think I could have asked for a better son. We have shared so much in life together. We have explored the state of Oregon from top to bottom, experienced some firsts together, and have done so much more than most mothers and sons do in a lifetime. He is my buddy and I get so emotional when talking about how much I love him. He had really changed my life for the better, and this week I took the time to right a letter to him. I posted it on Instagram, as well. The letter read:

a letter to my son:
18 years seems so long when thinking of the years in time, but thinking of it in age, it doesn't seem so long. time keeps on slipping away year after year and before we realized it, here we are—celebrating 18 times around the sun for you. over the years we celebrated milestones with you, and it seems most of them have come in recently like a large swell that i can't seem to get up on and stay balanced. your sixteenth birthday started to rock that little boy in you that i held onto so tightly. then came your first permit, your first drive, your high school years, the first time you really opened up to us, your first job, your first heartbreak, and even the first moment i saw you truly proud of yourself. all of the things i missed out on, and didn't get to experience in my life, i hope i've allowed you to explore and experience them all and grow at your own pace. i hope i've shown you through all of the negative you've seen in the world that life itself really is incredible, and love actually is all around us. skylar, deer, bean, baby tuesday, baby beaner, and all of the other names you've gained over the last 18 years, you are truly our gift to the world. and, anyone that pushes you aside, forgets about you, fails to acknowledge your achievements, or even ignores your views of life are doing a great disservice to themselves. because, my beautiful, intelligent, caring, one-of-a-kind, wonderful, little boy, we are the lucky ones. we are truly the lucky ones. and, 18 years ago today—you saved me. you saved my life, while giving you life—and because of that, we are definitely, irrevocably, the lucky ones.
happy eighteenth birthday, bean! i am so proud and honored you chose me to be your mom. i love you, mumu

Skylar's Instagram story post showed how we spent the day of his birthday, especially in the morning. Him and me spent pretty much the entire day doing all of his favorite things and going to his favorite places. We ended up leaving our phones in the car after our stop at Starbuck's and literally being present in the moment. It was such a great day and gave me a chance to pretend to be 18 again and just hanging out. 

End of September 2021 (1 Second Every Day)

Five Simple Things (October 1)

Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This Chocolate.

When I can't get Seely's Mints this is my next go-to minty chocolate treat. I could eat the entire bar in one sitting, it's that good! I like to break off a piece as a treat after a long day and it's the perfect mix of chocolate and mint. The company is women-owned and is based out of Seattle. You can check out all of their delicious chocolate treats here.

2. These Trees.

We dug out around the Hawthorne Trees this week and have plans to lay down some bark mulch later. The rain came in towards the end of us finishing, so we decided to hold off on the bark mulch for now. Still trying to figure out if we want to lay white marble stone similar to what's around the walkway, or actually do bark mulch...

3. These Samples.

I took advantage of the free sample offer Truvani had this week for their four plant-based protein powders. I also added the free samples of the protein bars they offer, as well. I enjoyed all of them and I love the fact that they are organic and offer organic ingredients that help keep us on track with our all organic diet. I am not sure I will be purchasing anymore of their products in the future, though. Although the protein powders and the protein bars were delicious, the protein sourcing they do for their products doesn't align with our dietary needs at this time. But, you can get this same offer here to try their protein powders, or try their full-sized protein bars here. 

4. This Moment.

This week we ate a lot of soups and watched a lot of movies. With the weather turning colder and the days getting shorter, soup and movie nights feel right. This particular time was tomato soup and Kindergarten Cop.

5. This Moth.

Little guy was hanging out on the stairs inside the house and before Eleven could get to it, we saved him and put him outside near the porch light. We think he is a version of the Underwing Moth, or possibly and Apple Moth/Light Froller Moth. 

Did you catch the Moon near Hyades this week (25), or  Pegasus near Pisces (28)?

Positive affirmations this week:

Although my Twitter is private now, I recently posted this reminder to everyone that follows me on there. I am grateful for the small amounts of progress I make every month, week, and even day. Each and every one of us are struggling with something that others can't see. As long as we can see the small progress and positive changes with bettering ourselves that's all that matters. No matter what anyone else says to you about your own struggles, know that your struggles are valid and your progress is a wonderful thing. 

Have a nice weekend.

Day Hike at Larwood Bridge

We've been to Larwood Bridge before during the summer months to swim in the water under the bridge. It's kind of a hidden gem in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. It's one of the many covered bridges in the area that are still maintained and travelable by car.