Fall Ya’ll.

Hands down my most favorite time of year has arrived.  The boys kicked off the season with their birthdays.  Now over the next several months we get to celebrate the remaining two birthdays in our family alongside three major holidays.  I mean really, how could it not be the most exciting time of year?

One of our first efforts in making this new house feel like ours was to put up our newly purchased fall decorations.  Instantly there was a feeling of comfort and connection as we decorated the mantle.  It began to feel like our happy place.

Family sent care packages to the kiddos, since our moving truck was late to the party.  Boxes full of candy treats and warm clothes dawned in dinosaurs or glitter made these two munchkins thrilled.  Looking back on what I packed for myself and the kids, it is 100% clear it was August in SouthEast Texas.   I stocked us up on t-shirts and shorts, with a few pants.  No coats, maybe 2 pairs of socks.

Going to the pumpkin patch is a tradition Levi and I started long before even having kids. Something so simple and classic about riding the tractor on hay bales, loading up the perfect sized and color pumpkin to be weighed at the log cabin, pay ten times more than a grocery store, sip on hot cocoa or apple cider around a fire pit, and taking the obligatory staged pictures.

Then of course coming home to make the perfect jack-o-lantern and roast pumpkin seeds.

Fall/Harvest festivals are endless.  We made it a priority to stop unpacking and attend a few.  One venue set up a petting zoo, millions of crafts, and hot dogs.  Really all the high points in our kids opinion.

Claire’s school hosted an event in the gym with games run by the most precious grade school children.  These older kids engaged the little ones and encouraged them to bowl, ring toss, fish, cake walk with confidence.  It really was an uplifting display of the younger generation.

Levi began meeting the neighbors during the comings and goings of the day, I seemed to always be at work when he met them.  Nonetheless they filled him in to the awesome fact that we moved into the trick or treating mecca.  Last year apparently they each gave out around 300 pieces of candy.  Two of the houses on the block even give out full size candy bars.  I so remember being a kid and the “urban legend” of certain homes handing out full size candy bars and begging my parents to take us to that neighborhood to stock up!!

Henry, the biggest hulk fan I have ever met chose a Hulk costume and birthday party, and sister jumped on board the super hero route with Wonder Woman.  You better believe I didn’t get one single picture of them together that is not blurry.  Dang it.

This weekend was spent running errands, watching football, and playing hide and seek in the backyard in sweatshirts.  We are still a mess most days trying to figure out life.  But we are getting there and enjoying these simple moments of happiness.