Normally, I don't like to wish my life away...I don't spend too much time hoping that tomorrow will get here.  But, I was glad to close the door on September.  I have a whole big long post swirling around in my brain that I want to put down on virtual paper, but I'm not sure it will ever see the light of day, because, honestly, while in my brain the post sounds decent, I'm afraid when I see it in black and white it will sound nothing but whiny.  And I don't want to whine because in the grand scheme of things I have nothing to whine about.  So, for the sake of getting on with my life, let's just say that September was a really, really difficult month for no really big reason, just a lot of little reasons all piled up on top of each other, threatening to tumble down and crush my spirit.  Luckily, September was filled with many blessings, too, so I'm sure in retrospect, I'll be able to look back with fond memories on September, 2009.

With all that said, I am so glad to see October.  Generally, I love all the months of the year.  I drive Steve crazy because every time a new season rolls around I say, "Oh, this is my favorite season!  I love....(insert spring, summer, winter, fall here)!"  He always replies, "Didn't you just say that about (insert spring, summer, winter, fall here)?"  But, it's true...I love the beginning and the middle of all the seasons....I'm not so fond of the tail-end of the seasons...I think because I'm looking forward to the beginning of the next one (didn't I just say that I don't like to wish my life away....really, I don't...I still enjoy the end of the seasons, I just look happily forward to the next one).  But, October?  Well, October is my favorite month of the entire year.  I love it more than March, even though my birthday is in March and when I was a child, March meant the month that the daffidols would start to peek up from the ground, sometimes through the snow.  I love it even more than December, because as much as I love Christmas (and I love Christmas), December sometimes feels a bit bleak to me.  I love it more than May when summer really starts here in Florida and it's time for my babies to be home with me again.  As much as I love the other months of the year, October wins my heart hands down.

I wish I could explain why, but I can't....it's been this way since I was a child.  Always!  I know that part of it is Halloween.  I love Halloween....I loved trick or treating when I was a kid, I still love it now!  But, it's more than that....it's the way the air feels different in October.  I love the sights and the sounds and the smells that fall brings (even though we don't have much of a fall here...it's definitely enough of a change that you notice).  And,  of course, for the last seven years, October has been special because it's our anniversary.  Does it surprise you that I chose October for our wedding?  Well, it shouldn't   When I was a girl, I planned a Halloween wedding complete with orange bridesmaid dresses and flowers in pumpkins.  While I changed to a more traditional feel for my actual wedding, I kept the season! 

So, this year, I decided to celebrate my favorite month with two of my favorite little girls.  I'm trying to do something each day with the Gracie and Abigail to enjoy the season.  And somehow, the marketing gurus of the world are on board with me.  Halloween and fall stuff is everywhere!  And by everywhere, I mean everywhere.  I swear the Halloween section at Target is as big as the Christmas section is in December.  I'm sure that some people are not happy about this, and I probably shoudn't be, but I'd be lying if I said it doesn't tickle me to walk through the aises and see gummy eyeball ice cube molds and orange & black sprinkled Quaker Oat bars.  So, I picked up a couple of October-inspired magazines, full of crafts and fun food ideas and went to town scheduling all kinds of cool stuff for the girls and I to do.   I think Abigail is as excited as me....she is a lover of all things spooky and creepy and well, that girl just enjoys life.  Gracie, I'm not so sure about.  When I asked her last night if she was excited about going to the farmer's market today to check out their fall fruits and vegetables, she sighed deeply and said, "I think I just need to stay home and rest!"  Okay, then!

So, on the first day of October, the girls found these little guys waiting for them on the couch:




They each came with a card introducing themselves to the girls


 
This is Little Mummy - he likes spooky stuff and peanut butter and Abigail has lugged him with her everywhere....it was quite funny at the park yesterday when it was time to leave...she was running around going, "I need to get Little Mummy!  I need my Little Mummy!"  Since her enunciation still needs some work, it sounds very much like "I need my Little Mommy!"


And this one on the right is Pumpkin, Gracie's friend.  He likes candy and trick or treating.   





















Pumpkin has already had a grand adventure.....here he is making his first big trip....to school for show and tell.


We have so many fun things planned this month:  a trip to the Corn MaiZE, Trunk or Treating at our church, Halloween at the aviation musuem, fall parties at school, my new mom's Bible study, and in the middle of all of that, I have four photo sessions scheduled for the month (one of which will be my very first wedding!  ).  So, I'm not sure how much blogging I'll be able to do, but I'm going to try and post at least periodically about our crafts and treats....if for nothing else than to remember them for next year


Happy October!