People talk about 'ringing in the New Year' and while I am totally behind that, I feel like ringing in the holiday season should be a thing. It is for us at least! Now that the weather has finally started to get a little chillier, the sunsets more orange and the darkness falling earlier, we are all on board for the full schedule of fun holiday related stuff.

On a rare day off, the four of us were able to head over to Lemos Farm for some Fall fun. Last year, we went later in the season and it was packed to the brim. Hoping to avoid that, we went on October first-which is apparently the day before everything gets crowded. When we pulled up, I wasn't even sure it was open bc of how empty it seemed. But sure enough, the gates were open and the rides were going! So we had run of the place and it was nice for the kids to run around freely. They got to do pony rides, train and hay rides, jumpy houses and a haunted house. In fact, it was so empty that they even left the lights on in the house at Addy's request haha. It was a fun filled day for us all.













My brother also had his 14th [yikes!] bday and so we had some fun doing pizookies, gifts and making more memories with him. I still feel so lucky to be around for these birthdays of his, since I was away at college for most of them when he was younger. He is a great Uncle, sarcastic teen, excellent artist, prodigy brother in law and one of my best friends. You don't choose your siblings, but if that was an option I would still choose him. So there's the feelings feature of this month haha.



We also were able to do some traditional pumpkin carving when we had some of my high school friends over for dinner. It was so much fun to be able to spend time with them-even Drea was able to be here via Skype, and the pumpkins all turned out so great. Addy looked forward to to it all day and was sad when it was time to end. She particularly loved playing in the pumpkin guts and having friends who were willing to read with her-she is a girl after my own heart that one. I see so much of myself in her, and so much Lester in our sweet and silly Isla. Isla loved running around from person to person, playing hard to get or sharing oranges with everyone. It was a fun night with lots of laughs and I'm glad we got to do it. We are excited to do it more often as everyone makes there way home at some point or another. Good times!

So this is how we've been ringing in the fall season-we still have so many more fun things coming up,   [particularly Addy's 3rd bday, Zack Brown concert, and of course Halloween festivities!] so I am sure we will be documenting all that later. Life is good!