Autumn is Long Gone, but . . .

Autumn is my very very favorite time of year.  Every year that I get further into my grown up life, I fall more and more in love with this season.  I love the colors, I love the warm days and the crisp nights. I love picking out Halloween costumes and trick or treating around the neighborhood with sugared up kids.  I love reminiscing about welcoming our Graham into the world.  I love those last late season swim days coupled with breaking out sweaters for the first time. I love working in the yard with Grady and planting bulbs together. I love watching my big boys spread bark and plant trees together and just be boys together.  I just LOVE autumn.  So although it is the second week of the new year (and totally not autumn), I have got to do an autumn photo dump leaving the memories of my favorite time of year behind.

McCall & the McCall Jazz Festival featuring Emily Braden

Great times with to of my oldest and best friends. I don't see them often enough, but when we do the spark of old friendships makes for the BEST new memories.  Love them so much.

Come on!  Does it get prettier than this?!?!?

The men, braving the cold.

Now this was an impressive pumpkin lighting, all real, all lit at the same time.

Hidden Spring Farm Days

Grady talked to the old farmers who brought these tractors for about 10 minutes and told them everything he knows about John Deere's which is actually quite a bit.  

Deep in conversation... cutest boys ever.

Linder Farms

The corn pool is still a big hit!

. . .  the mini donuts are also still a big hit.

More tractor driving for our tractor loving boy.

Grady's first field trip!   

I am semi-obsessed with Grady's preschool and the talented teachers that love and teach these adorable kids every day.  The amazing Mrs. Sue and her team are just incredible and Grady is so lucky to under the guiding hands.

It was so fun to see Grady's confidence, chatting with the other kids, following Mrs. Sue through the corn maze, listening (mostly) to directions.  It was also fun to see the boys together.  How lucky are they to get to go to school together, at least for a couple of years!

You know Grady loved the huge jumping pad - he went at it for as long as they let him.  I couldn't resist posting this picture.  I wish I had a problem keeping my pants up.

Pumpkins galore!

 When Grady told me that he wanted to be a pumpkin, I have to admit I was a little disappointing.  I'd pictured him in more of a big-boy costume and thought of pumpkins as baby costumes, until I remembered the awesome blow up pumpkins my college roommates wore one year.  Lucky for us, they make them in child size.  Even luckier, Grady LOVED it.  It may not have been the most practical costume, but it sure was laughter inducing and memorable.

Trick or Treating

Other random scenes from fall