Happy Fall!

It's October!!  What???  I cannot believe how quickly September came and went and now it's already October, the month that my SON will be born :) That is one surreal thought...

Anyway, in my head I've blogged at least 3 times this week.  In reality however, it's been a few days.  I am in a stage with Ava, where I just cannot be on my computer for more than a few minutes when she's around.  For one thing, I don't want her to always feel like I'm a slave to my phone or to my computer, while she has to fend for herself.  But more than that, she CANNOT keep her little fingers off my keyboard and I don't have the patience to remain calm after I've told her "no touching" for the thousandth time!  So, blogging can only happen these days during nap time or bed time and lately, I've just had too much to do during both of those times.  But the posts I've written in my head...Oh how I wish you could read them!  Ha Ha!! I've "written" some good ones lately :) Too bad I'm the only one who thinks so!

Anyway, as Travis and I finish watching my Hawkeyes dominate Penn State tonight, I thought I would follow a fun post from my friend Heather, all about my favorite season...Fall!!  So, I know this is probably NOT worth the wait, but it's about all I can mindlessly handle :)

1.  Do you like Starbucks and are you a fan of their seasonal drinks??
Do I even have to tell you my answer??  YES!!  I like it a lot.  Their seasonal drinks are some of my favorite treats to ring in each season.  I do like the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but it's not necessarily my favorite one.  It's a little too sweet for me.  I probably love their Christmas drinks more.  In Minnesota, Caribou is probably just as popular as Starbucks, but hands down, I prefer Starbucks :)


2.  How do you decorate and prepare for Fall?
I LOVE to decorate for Fall!!  It's totally my favorite season and I love to have our house decked out.  I usually start by buying little pumpkins and gourds from a local nursery that I love to scatter everywhere.  I love the unusual looking ones with lots of bumps and long, twisty stems.  I also like the white ones and usually tie the stems with some curly raffia.  I have tons of fall decorations that I love to get out and I always have tons of fall candles that I like to burn everyday.  Because of the obvious this year, I am a little sad to say that I haven't decorated yet and I wasn't planning to.  I thought I'd save myself the hassle a little while ago, with all the pending chaos in store, but in the last few days I have totally changed my mind!  I'm DYING to do it now.  My only problem is that I can't do it myself.  I have to have Trav's help getting stuff down and keeping Ava entertained but so far, he's not on bored.  Normally, I wouldn't care and I'd just do it all myself, but physically, I just can't and shouldn't.  And really, I can't blame him.  We've re-organized the storage closet with our decorations 3 times in the last month and of course, my fall stuff is on the bottom.  Even I will admit, nothing about getting it out sounds fun.  So, we'll see...I've got bigger things I need his help with, so I suppose I'm finally learning to "pick my battles" :) Anybody want to come over and decorate for me??

3.  Will you participate in your college's Homecoming festivities?
No, unfortunately I have never done that.  I would like to maybe go to the football game someday with Trav, so he can see the campus in all its Homecoming glory or maybe take Ava to the parade, but we'd have to drive to Iowa to do that :) They did win their homecoming game today however, so way to go Panthers!!

4.  What is your favorite fall clothing item or accessory?
Hmmm...that's kind of a toss up between scarves or vests.  It gets cold in Minnesota during the fall months, so I LOVE to bring out my scarves to wear with sweaters or a sweatshirt, but EVERYONE wears a vest in Minnesota, I think because we're all delaying the time when we have to bring out the big coats :) I have a few down vests and fleece vests that I love, but I always seem to find at least one every year that I really, really want!!  Eddie Bauer, North Face, and Spider are my favorite brands for vests.

5.  What was your favorite Halloween costume as a kid?
That's a tough one...my Dad faithfully took us trick or treating, but my Mom never sugar coated the fact that she hated Halloween :) She wasn't the Mom at home, dreaming up elaborate costumes!! Ha Ha :) I remember one year, when I was probably in 2nd or 3rd grade and she rose to the occasion, making me a princess with a dress I loved and a foil covered wand!  I loved that costume and we still have the pictures of it.  My sister Stacie was a nurse that year and I think Jennie was a pink bunny??  It was a stellar year at our house :) I'm not harboring any bitter feelings about that by the way, I've probably inherited a little of my Mom's attitude towards Halloween!  I don't hate it, but I don't care that much about it.  I did dress up Ava last year and we'll dress Ava and Carter up again this year :)

6.  Do you like Halloween/Horror movies?  Which one is your favorite?
NO, NO, NO, NO and NO!!  I hate horror movies of any kind and the commercials/previews for them give me the creeps!  I would NEVER sit down and subject myself to any of them because I'd have nightmares for months!  Thankfully, Travis doesn't like horror movies either :)

7.  What is your favorite Fall activity?
As a whole, probably watching football!  We watch college football all day long on Saturdays and NFL games on Sundays.  I like to have College Game Day on in the morning and then we keep one game after another on all weekend long :) Of course we love to watch the Hawkeyes play and we're indoctrinating Ava at a young age to join us!  Travis is also a Dallas Cowboys fan, but we seem to catch all the Viking's games because everyone is crazy about them here :) Don't tell my parents!!  I did LOVE going to the apple orchard last year to pick apples and pumpkins and we do plan to make that an annual tradition with our kiddos.  We're trying to decide whether to go now with Ava or wait until Carter is born and then take both of them....

8.  What is your favorite Fall recipe?
Good question, I like so many!  The one thing I look forward to the most however, is probably having Apple Cider simmering on my stove.  Nothing says Fall more to me than apple cider.  I always buy a big gallon of it and then add my own spices.  I add pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and slices of oranges.  I love to put it on the stove in the morning on low and then drink it all day while it simmers and makes my house smell divine :)
9. What TV show are you most excited about this Fall?
The Office, because it's Steve Carrell's last year.  I'm sure it will be memorable and probably full of laughs!!  We also love watching NCIS Los Angeles right now and we just started The Event.  The verdict is still out on that one...

10.  When do you start Christmas shopping?
Never soon enough!  I should start now, but I haven't and probably won't.  I don't have big expectations this year for amazing shopping :) I'm thinking if we all make it to Christmas and we're still sane, then it will be a great year!!

11.  What do you miss the most about summer?
Ummm, I think going to the pool.  I love swimming in the summer and being outside everyday.  I don't miss the need for sunscreen all the time however, nor do I miss the need to wear shorts or a swimsuit!  I love summer, but I did not love being pregnant in the summer :)

12.  What movie coming out soon are you most excited about?
We're both excited about the movie, Secretariat, that starts on Friday (I think???).  It's such a great story and one that Travis has used many times over the years.  I'm sure it will be inspirational and probably a tear jerker :) Most of all, clean and wholesome.  Heaven knows we need more of that for entertainment options!

There you have it, 12 random facts about my love for Fall.  I would like to add, as excited as I am that Fall is here and so many of my favorite things are too, it all PALES in comparison to the thought that this year, Fall will bring our sweet son into our lives!  We'll never forget the Fall of 2010 for that reason!!

Carter, you will soon be my favorite answer when it comes to why I love Fall so much!  Just like your sister and your Dad are my favorite part of Spring :) October has never held so much promise as it does this year...