Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Diving right in to FALL y'all!



I really couldn't even wait another day without posting about fall.  

We visited a cute little pumpkin patch while we were up in New York this past week.  We had the whole place to our selves. Nora thought it was great for about seven minutes.  Then she was over it. We were able to grab a few fun family photos and she picked out some cute tiny pumpkins.
Jeremy was a good sport about having to be the witch.


love


picking her pumpkin


pointing at the airplanes

with Lolo + Lola -  had to wear matching Yankees hats
Plus, I was able to sneak Jeremy away for a quiet little beach date.  Extra super bonus.

In related news I am struggling to come up with a cute and creative costume for Nora this year.  The days are counting down and I've got nothin'!  Fingers crossed I get struck by a creative lightning bolt ASAP.

For a little bit of nostalgic fun, here are some fall pictures from last year.  I can hardly believe how much she has changed. 
Nora last year at the pumpkin patch at Carter Mountain Orchard in Charlottesville, VA

seriously, those legs!!


      
80's jazz aerobics instructor - Halloween 2012
"and step, and step, and lift, and lift!"
Man.  How am I ever going to top the cuteness factor of that costume??

Now I am off to decorate the house with gourds and festive garlands!



The last of Summer

Whew.  What a whirlwind wind-down last few weeks of summer we have had.

We have made the last few weeks count with plenty of play dates and park dates.  A little trip up to New York (which honestly the weather had it feeling a lot more like fall-  eek!).  Plus, a quick trip down to Virginia Beach to visit our great friends and their sweet little Vivian.

It has been exciting to try to cram in all the last minute summer adventures. In years past I have been so anxious for the change of seasons that I usually skip right over and jump ahead to the next season.   I love fall and wearing sweaters and cozy socks.  I love the chill in the air and cuddling up with a nice quilt and a cup of coffee. I was always looking forward to what was coming next.  I decided this year I would make a conscious effort to suck every last drop out of the season, most importantly the day and the moment I was in.

No more wearing Uggs in 80 degree heat to try to force the feeling of Fall.

I chased down the Ice Cream truck in the neighborhood because Nora just had to experience that this summer. We ventured out to the beach just to feel the sand one more time. We wore our favorite summer outfits, just one last time.  We ate our favorite summer meal on a blanket outside. Nora will never be this age again.  Next summer she won't get to wear the same swimsuit or little sundress.  I am sad to see my baby grow older but I am so excited to see the big girl she is becoming.  I understand so much more and yet still so little about what it means to live in the moment. I am trying.

But today is October 1st- and you better believe I had a cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee wearing house slippers and wrapped in a quilt.  Despite it being 80 degrees outside.

I can't wait for the excitement of fall.  Jeremy's mom is in town this week and that means I can get all of my Halloween decorations up in one day!  Hooray for grandparents!

Now for a photo dump:


 
     
Momma + Mini at my Dad's wedding reception


                      



  I seriously will never get enough of those chubby legs.


         
last days of summer in our favorite dress!

That was the last of our summer in a nutshell.  We are moving on into fall and I am ready to embrace it with open arms.  Nora has thinned out so much over the past year that she will actually be able to wear a lot of the same clothes for fall and winter as she did last year!  I am excited for practical reasons but also for sentimental reasons as well.  Jeremy left for Afghanistan in mid-October last year.  He didn't get to see Nora in all of her clothes.  I am about 100% sure he doesn't care about what she wears (unless it has an Under Armour logo on it).  Emotionally, for me anyways, this makes it seem like there was less of a disconnect while he was away.  

Bring on the pumpkin flavors of fall!!