Autumn Fun

Autumn, with its cooler temperatures, changing colors, and general feeling of nostalgia, is by far my favorite season. There is just something about it that seems to cause an increased desire for meditation and reflection, something about it that makes you want to hold hands and cuddle up with those you love, something about it that leaves you feeling warm and content inside. It truly is the forerunner for the upcoming Christmas season.

As well as eliciting a host of warm and fuzzy feelings, there are so many activities that make Autumn wonderful. I love pulling out the kids' new fall clothes, wrapping them up in sweaters, jackets, scarves and hats, and taking them on afternoon walks or bike rides. I love taking drives to see the fall foliage in all its beauty and splendor. I love fall camping, roasting marshmellows in our fire pit, and drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider. I love fall baking with freshly picked apples, pumpkin, and all of the autumn cinnamen and spices. And of course, I love the traditional fall outings we all seem to take each year---a journey through a corn maze, a family wagon/hay ride, picking pumpkins at the pumpkin patch. It just wouldn't be Autumn time without these simple activities, especially while there are little ones around. And so, of course we take them, and we post photos of them on our blogs.

Nick and the kids at the Apple Ridge Orchard Corn Maze.



Maddi, Spence, and Emma holding hands and leading the way through the maze while Nick and I casually followed behind also holding hands and proudly admiring our adorable posterity.



Nick and the kids at the Tweite Family Farm and Pumpkin Patch.



And, a new Fall activity, compliments of the great state of Minnesota. At first I was troubled by having an October snowfall; however, since it only lingered for a day or two and the temperatures came back up for the rest of the month, I decided it was not worth fretting over.