Autumn arrives tomorrow, and I couldn't be happier! I know I am not alone. The pumpkin spice latte following alone has proven this! Our family walk this morning held hints of Autumn's arrival: specks of coloring leaves, a slight chill in the breeze, and sweatshirt donning neighbors. It was nothing short of fabulous. I always hear people speak of their long list of autumn favorites, so I thought I'd share a few of mine, in no particular order.
Big mugs of warm yumminess. Be it tea, a latte, or plain old cup o' joe, I love early mornings on the couch, yet under a blanket, and warmed by my favorite mug! (I've been good-no more than a cup of anything caffeinated just a few times a week.) Don't get me wrong, I'll take one to go as well. In fact, check out this recipe for making your very own pumpkin spice syrup at home.
Crisp air. If Anne didn't get it right, surely Fitzgerald did.
"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." -F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
The native New Yorker in me loves a good, cold morning! Truly, they remind me of soccer practice as a kid. We'd bundle up in multiple layers and go run around the leaf-covered field. No matter how low the temperate dropped, I'd never wear pants. My father swore that real soccer players (code for European) don't wear pants when they play, so I was prohibited. Autumn also provides the best weather for hiking. Chad, the pup, and I did this quick hike over Labor Day Weekend. The crisp air, if for nothing else, makes the scarves, thick socks, mittens and boots all the more necessary. By the way, have you seen these boots? So romantic.
Pumpkins! The deliberation of picking the best one in the pumpkin patch can be rough, but its presence is always welcome in our home. In fact, Chad especially loves all things pumpkin, so we usually have quite the collection. I wish our mantel was a tad bit deeper so I could do something fun like this nicely decorated one.
Comfort food-chili, taco soup, baked potatoes, pumpkin pie, and the list goes on. Unfortunately, without moderation, my waistline would go on and on as well. Especially when I've been wanting to try to make these salted caramel apple hand pies! Maybe the consumption of comfort food inspires me to get out and appreciate the crisp air some more. :)
This autumn is especially anticipated as it ushers in Nora's (yes, we settled on Nora!) arrival. Our baby girl is growing strong and healthy and we are so eager to meet her! I imagine my feeling of having to get so many things (school plans, nursery, my mental state) "ready" before she makes her debut is a common one. For this reason, I'm thankful for the seven more weeks before the 40 milestone, but at the same time I want to rush those weeks along. Most importantly, there's comfort in knowing the more time she bides in my belly, the stronger and healthier she will be.
What are you looking forward to this season? Do share!
Ms Nederhand/Kim: It is so sweet to hear your thoughts. I just wanted to encourage you as you take the time through your last 7 weeks of pregnancy. Working as a speech-language pathologist this past year, has taught me how common prematurity is among children with speech impediments, cognitive delays, hearing loss, etc. What a joy to raise a HEALTHY child through all 40 weeks! It makes me excited for you!!! :)
ReplyDelete- Shannon