Here’s where fall has arrived here–taking the dog out in between my house and the neighbor’s house at 6:30 a.m.–before the sun rises when, if I close my eyes as the breeze sweeps in, I can imagine I’m in a Michigan apple orchard wearing the perfect cable knit sweater and not cowering in the one sliver of my yard where neighbors can’t see me in Brett’s Margaritaville t-shirt and my underwear.

I’m not complaining though because I’ve figured this out. While yes, there are some seasonal delights exclusive to location, the creative process of interpreting those delights is a delight itself as most creative processes are. So come fall, we create.

New games (an early morning round of toss-the-pumpkin)…

New rituals (coffee and news you can hold in your hand–news that isn’t pulled off social media!)…

New traditions (dress the dog like a human baby because he is a human baby).

We create cozy fall feelings with music and candles and cinnamon and clove scents, soup making, bread baking and huddling in bed at night to read stories of scarecrows that dance in moonlit fields and tiny mice that sip mugs of hot acorn coffee inside their tree stump homes.

We create excitement with lists we scrawl out on scraps of paper–lists of holiday ideas and recipes we want to try and items we need for the decorating idea we saw on Pinterest–lists we will likely lose before we need them, but it doesn’t really matter because there’s delight in the list making process.

We create wonder with twinkle lights, and memories with little check marks on our fall bucket list–the kitschy jack-o-lantern socks we bought that make us smile, the spooky stories we told on the moon walk, the cider and sugared donuts we made sure to have ready before Saturday morning because we wanted to check off that box.

We create adventure with spontaneous trips to explore our town…the food truck park we’ve been meaning to try…

…and a new fall pumpkin field that is not a church parking lot.

We create grace for ourselves when lists don’t get checked and kitchens don’t get cleaned and books don’t get read.

There is more time, more moments, more tomorrows, more opportunities, more delights, more creativity in store in the abundant heap of good that never runs out.

And when we trust that there is more, there’s less stress, less guilt, less trying to fit it all in.

Have a happy Wednesday full of delights to all of you!

In gushing about loving all the fall hues and wanting to give my dream job–coming up with names for makeup colors–a shot, I proposed an imaginary make-up line on Instagram yesterday, complete with a lipstick palette straight from my autumn dreams–Cabin in the Woods, S’more to Love and Port Wine After Dinner. I invited you all to come up with three colors in an imaginary makeup line based on your life and loves, and the result was 866 comments and an afternoon of pure entertainment reading your suggestions–from Honey, Can I Get Some Tonight? (a classic nude) to Mom! Where Are My Cleats?  (don’t know the color because can’t find the lipstick).

Inspired by your creative suggestions, I took the liberty to illustrate a complete line of make-up for moms.

Introducing Carline Cosmetics. Happy Friday!

Did I miss a color that must not be excluded? Do tell. 

This post is sponsored by Blue Apron.

My moods cycle through a consistent pattern throughout the year, beginning with a post-holiday funk in January, ending in a reflective grateful holiday fest at the end of the year and passing through all the feels in between. In September,  I crave the huddle–dinners around the table, family gatherings, cozy fall things and home, home, home. But last week, I was far from home, traveling for ten days straight, living out of a suitcase and eating whatever I could grab. The oasis in the distance was a family meal around my own table–ante up’d with candles and pumpkins and Nina Simone singing in the distance. But the last thing I wanted to do when I returned home was plan or shop for meals.

There’s an answer for that, one I know well.

Hello, beloved Blue Apron box that lands on my door step with everything inside to give me exactly what I want…a cozy night in my own home, cooking with Brett and a family meal around our table. The only thing that wasn’t in the box was the candles–and we had that under control. (Brett has learned my language–light the candles, dim the lights, play the music).

We’ve loved Blue Apron for a long time, but if you’re unfamiliar, here’s how it goes:

You choose a flexible meal plan (2-person, 4-person or the WW Freestyle plan) from Blue Apron and pick which chef-designed recipes you want to cook (16 to choose from each week). Blue Apron then delivers a refrigerated box to your door with all the fresh ingredients you need to make one of their delicious recipes.

There’s no commitment–you can skip or cancel the service at any time.

We made Pesto Chicken Pasta, a divine combination of roasted vegetables, lumaca rigata pasta, chicken, pesto and cheeses.

We love Blue Apron because it gets us cooking in the kitchen together–it’s an invitation for date night. And we love the creative recipes–combinations we would never think to make ourselves that often end up a repeated favorite.

And easy directions with pictures!

The finished dinner was delicious and just what I needed to restore the home vibe I was craving after all that travel.

Want to make it? You can find the recipe HERE.

The first 50 people to sign up will get $60 off over their first 3 weeks of Blue Apron! Click here. (Valid for first-time meal plan subscribers only. Cannot be combined with any other offer.)

Whether you’re an aspiring chef or brand new to cooking, Blue Apron will help you create delicious, chef-designed meals at home