Welcome Fall!

(Updated to add--Diane, in response to your comment--and FYI anyone else thinking fall decorations--head to Michaels! A lot of their fall decorations are 40% off or more right now. I intertwined a berry garland and a leafy garland from Michael's in the bottom left picture of the first mosaic. The pumpkins in the mercury glass container came from the dollar store, the sparkly pumpkins and candleholders--my favorite--came from TJ Maxx. Think inexpensive and discount! :) The leaf wreath was pottery barn but bought on clearance after christmas--in Spokane friend, which is a great place for you to check out after the holidays. Oh! And my little arrangement behind the kids' picture was found at the Bombay Company after Christmas also in Spokane for $5--isn't that crazy? I always buy on sale after the holiday is over and put it away for next year and have fun unpacking the new treasures from the year before.).

I love fall.

I love the colors, the scents, the food, the crisp air, the warm clothes, the thick socks, the pumpkin patch, the pumpkin patch (yes I said it twice because I love it that much) pumpkin spice lattes, decorating my house, and the excitement of holidays right around the corner. As a child I loved the return to school, new school supplies, a new school year, back to school shopping. It was all great.

This year, it took me a bit to get excited about fall. As I saw the first leaves changing, which I always look forward to, and the first real fall-feeling rain, which yes, feels and smells different than summer rain (is that a pacific NW thing?) I wasn't excited.

Matthew was starting Kindergarten. A big change. Next year will be even bigger, but I'm not going there yet. And fall is the time of year when we lost 2 precious family members. My Dad and my Aunt Linda. I know fall will always hold some bitter-sweetness for me now. But at the same time, I remember Dad coming to visit after I had decorated my home for fall. He remarked how nice it looked. And as I put up my decorations this year I remembered that. And knew he'd tell me how pretty they were.

And it made me smile.

And while right now fall is associated with difficult memories, I am hopeful that as time passes, it will be a time that my loved ones are just more on my mind and celebrated more in my heart than usual.