I love fall

I love fall.....everything about it.....you can tell fall is coming when you fill a little chill in the air...it is cool, crisp and refreshing. After the chill comes the bountiful colors of leaves.....just a couple at first, and then whole trees are bursting with oranges, reds and yellows....you can hear the wind blow through the leaves and the corn as they begin to dry out.....you start to see pumpkins pop up here and there.....then you see whole patches of them for sale.....waiting on the excited little hands to come pick out just the right one. Looking out my kitchen window I love to see and hear the wind blow the leaves and cornfield....the sun kiss each leaf with their vibrant colors.....looking out my front door there are soon leaves covering my sidewalk and front porch....along with bales of straw by the porch and in the front yard.....gourds and pumpkins are snuggled here and there....peaking out through the fallen leaves and around the bales of straw..... Fall is a time to let your senses bask in all Gods glory and wonder......not only do you see and hear, but you can start to smell......the smell of leaves fills the air....then the smell of leaves burning, bonfires blazing and the first fires burning in the hearths......what a wonderous time!

We have several traditions we do each fall.....it usually starts with apple picking both at Apple Hill Orchard or Lynds Fruit Farm and now at our house with our 3 apple trees. This year we made apple butter and applesauce which both turned out way better than I could have imagined. There is something very gratifying about picking produce and turning it into something absolutely delicious! We also have bonfires each fall or weinee roast as our kids would say, which always includes smores. A trip to at least one pumpkin patch.....this year it was a new patch in northern Ohio called fall fixins....after a trip to Prairie Peddler we headed up north for an afternoon of playing in a hay maze, corn maze, and picking out pumpkins. Since these pumpkins were already picked we had to go to a "real" patch (yes Brit we know it is tradition to actually pick our pumpkins from a vine) so the next weekend we headed to Garden Gate in Lexington out to the pumpkin patch with a wagon, we ended up with several small pumpkins and 3 over 50 pounds! We had some snacks there and then off to Mohican for a hike through the leaves....we try to go at least once to see all the leaves there.....and a favorite family game is to see who can catch the most leaves as they fall from the trees before the hit the ground....this year no one caught a leaf! We also went to the Circleville Pumpkin show....just with the little girls this year, unfornately the older two wanted to spend the evening at football games and with friends, so we bundled up the little girls and headed south.....we had an enjoyable evening walking around sampling everything pumpkin from donuts to chili and letting Ashley ride the little ferris wheel. We also saw the huge pumpkins on display. This year we had the girls birthday parties at home....one party to celebrate Ashley turning 4 and Hailey turning 1....we did a princess fall party....complete with princess decorations. The little ones decorated mini pumpkins, frosted pumpkin cookies, made candy pumpkin necklaces and had a fun time with the pinata. Afterwards we had a hayride and then a bonfire. Out by the bonfire Hailey had her first birthday cake, a mini pumpkin shaped one, which she loved and had all over her! Ashley enjoyed her princess cake, a mini bundt cake with a polly pocket it in to look like a princess with a little dress....with sparkly sugar.

We went to Hallelujah Night at our church and also did Trick or Treat in town this year. Fall is quickly coming to an end.....cross country is over, football games are over and soon winter will be wrapping its icy fingers around everything in its path......leaving behind crystals of ice clinging to the trees, bushes, houses and cars......a magical wonderland waiting for little feet to run through dragging their sleds and wrapping their chubby little fingers around handfuls of snow to make snowmen and snowballs......we will miss you fall and look forward to your glorious return next year until then we will enjoy all the delights of each season.......

Fall

Fall is my favorite time of year. It just so happens that two of my little pumpkins, the youngest two, were born in the fall. Today we had a last "hooray" of the warmer fall weather, as it is suppose to turn cold tomorrow. After my husband got off work we headed to the park for a walk through the woods, which was beautiful with the sun peaking through the trees and touching the last bits of color that are clinging to the branches. We then had a cookout. After the cookout we played at the park, had a quick game of hide and seek and then roasted some marshmellows. During the marshmellow roast, a warm marshmellow fight did break out.....and some of us left a little stickier than others :)

Overall it was a great time and a wonderful way to enjoy an unexpected burst of warmth on the 6th day of November! Next time we grill out may be at a sledding party......