The Pumpkin Moon is Coming

I love Halloween. I think this is because I love pumpkins. Love, love, love pumpkins. They're beautiful in their many shapes, colors (mostly shades of orange, of course), and sizes. And they're tasty - I love all things pumpkin! Pumpkin pie, pumpkin soup, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin ravioli...if it's got pumpkin in it, I'll likely eat it. (As long as it's vegetarian, not budging on that one.)

Anyway, so I love Halloween and decided to get the decorations out today. I don't go crazy-over-the-top in decorating because I like simplicity in most things. But a strategically* placed pumpkin around the house does a lot for bringing big pumpkin smiles to all who pass. The witch is from our visit to the Black Forest in Germany last summer. A total cheap tourist item, but I couldn't resist. We'll bring her out every year and she'll remind us of the trip - good enough for me! "Pumpkin Moon" is one of my most favorite Halloween books and of course, I brought it out today. The leaf was picked up on Jackson's and my walk back from ECFE class today.

Let's stop for a moment to consider how beautiful today was:

• temps around 55 degrees (maybe 60ish in the sun)
• bright sunshine
• crunchy leaves all over the sidewalk
• light breeze - could be jacket weather but that sun is still warm...
• bright blue lake contrasting with green, green grass and trees positively on fire with fall color

The world was alive today! I think I'm enjoying fall even more this year since my latest career move as a SAHM requires me to go for many walks and to sit on the front stoop and watch the leaves fall from the trees. It's much different to just come home from work and find that they've fallen. Now I get to watch them fall. Maybe it's just so much better this year because it's Jackson's first time seeing all of this. I mean, leaves falling from trees. This is exciting stuff when you're just 8+ months old! (Tasha, I forgot to answer you before, but yes, Jack is a little over 8 months!)

Speaking of Jack, the artwork begins. Not his yet, but I can't wait for his crayon drawings and finger-painting masterpieces. I already have places in mind in the dining room to exhibit his fine work! No, today I'm showing you my artwork from class with Jackson. His contribution was to lay down and be traced (which he did beautifully, not one squirm!). Mine was to pick different affirmations from our handout and write them all over for him. Just a neat exercise, but I thought it turned out pretty well considering that I did it in ten minutes while holding the walking/crawling babies at bay from grabbing the markers. Some of my favorites:

"You can be interested in EVERYTHING."
"You can be interdependent and independent."
"We are connected and you are whole."

His outline may not seem that big in this little photo, but the paper is 36 inches. He's huge!

Happy Halloween-y!!
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*Strategy is required in the pumpkin placement due to the fact that the Boy is now crawling. So much for the jack-o-lantern candles on the coffee table!
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Video of the Boy crawling is coming. It's not exciting enough yet. He's still a turtle and is just barely getting that hand over hand thing going. Oftentimes, he's on two hands, one knee and one foot! Not exactly graceful yet. Though perhaps we'd have a better chance of getting video now while he's slow rather than waiting for later when we can't keep up with him? Hold on to your hats, you'll see it soon!