Falling into Autumn

As the seasons change and the weather becomes colder, I look forward to one of my favorite seasons. For some reason, maybe as a result of my mother, I love fall and all it has to offer. I enjoy everything pumpkin and think about one night a few years back when Joe, his sister Lori and I went on a search for pumpkin ice cream. Lori was the drive behind this adventure - she loves pumpkin too.

Fall is the perfect time of year for carving pumpkins, enjoying hayrides, sipping apple cider and sleeping with the windows open on those cool nights. But, before we know it, Autumn will be long gone and Winter will jump in forcefully with its snowstorms, heavy rains and cold winds. So, enjoy it while you can because as the first day of October comes, so does the beginning of the holiday season. As Halloween, one of my favorite holidays, approaches, I can't wait to start planning our annual costume party complete with a haunted house, a smokey cauldron (thanks to dry ice!) and lots of festive, themed treats. I already started buying new additions for our Halloween decorations - I just couldn't help myself.

To help you fall into a festive mood, here are a couple of photos of my niece, Olivia, and nephew, Joseph's, pumpkin carvings from last year. I can't wait to do it again in the next couple of weeks.

I had to include some fall foliage shots too because the trees are so colorful and pretty as the seasons change and the leaves fall.