Memories...

Memory: The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events.
Reminiscence: The act or process of recollecting past experiences or events. An experience or event recollected. A narration of past experiences. Often used in the plural. An event that brings to mind a similar, former event.

What is in a memory? What memories do you have that are triggered by a sense? I have many memories triggered by the sense of smell. Like smelling the cool, crisp fall air; a hot sweet potato pie fresh from the oven; and one that triggers the memory of fall/winter is this: the smell of the dust burning off the coils on the heater. You may wonder why a smell as that would trigger a memory...oddly, it does. You have to realize that I lived in the South my whole life (Born in Georgia, Grew up in Florida, and now Raising a family in Texas) So we, Southerners, aren't avid heater users. This morning was the first time we have turned on the heat since last winter. I'm not sure of the temperature outside, but inside the house it was a chipper 64 degrees. A little too cold for the kids. When I turned on the heat this morning, it started almost instantly. The dust starting burning off the coils. It brought back the memories of my dad turning on the heater for the first time of the cold season. I, and all my siblings, loved this--it meant that on the cold mornings the first one of bed could sit in front of the heater and warm up. The key was being the first one out of your warm bed to sit on the floor in the living room in front of the wall heater. It always seemed like my brother, John, made it to the heater first. Aww! such sweet memories.

The Fall and Winter Seasons hold many memories for me (and I'm sure for others, too). I love cuddling up on the couch with a book--well, when you have kids...you don't get this chance very often. It is more: I love cuddling up on the couch with the kids watching a Movie. Another experience about the cool weather is starting the day with Hot Chocolate. I started this when I moved into my own apartment. I love Hot Chocolate with marshmallows. I tried to get Dakota to try some hot chocolate, but no, all he wanted were the marshmallows. So, Dakota had his marshmallows; and I had my Hot Chocolate...and shared a marshmallow with Lily Lu, of course!!

Not only do I love enjoying the warmth inside but also I love being outside in the cool, crisp air. We did just that yesterday. Jed has been trimming the brush away from along the back fence; so Myself and the kids played outside on the swing set. Dakota climbed in his "castle"; and Lily Lu played in the grass with the leaves. Dakota (as you see in the picture above) enjoyed saying, "Cheese!" for me while standing on the tree stump. Dakota is growing into a little man. And it is happening fast! I hope he doesn't start changing like the seasons.