Fall Festivities

We’re experiencing an Indian Summer.  Warmth, leaves flooded with color, crisp cool nights, pumpkins, walks, it has been almost two full weeks of weather perfection.  All six of us are soaking it up and enjoying it.  Actually, that’s an understatement.  This fabulous weather and the fall season is our drug.  We are addicts, this weather and season is all we think about and want to experience. 

Over the last few years, pregnancy, little babies, naps and schedules, and exhaustion have ruled our lives.  Zane is almost a year, we are a complete family, and now going out is much less work and easier to do on a whim. 

My whim hit on Sunday.  Six years I have lived in the area.  Six years I have driven by this paved trail that seemed to be all around.  It crossed this road, and that road, and there it was again.  It looked appealing, while driving, then someone would cry and I would forget about it.  Violette isn’t napping anymore (this one is hard for me, my breaks have been seriously nonexistent) Zane has learned to go with the flow.  I spelled out my plan (we must spell quickly, Noelle usually catches most of it, short of talking to each other in a secret language, nighttime is the only time to plan without making them aware of it) Tom agreed and we loaded up to hit the trail.  We found an entrance onto this seemingly, glorious, paved path and unloaded the bulky double stroller. 

This trail/path is awesome.  The colors were vivid and spectacular.  The trees on both sides, bent to form a secret tunnel for us.  The others on the trail were few and zoomed quickly by on bikes, leaving us again to our own little paradise.  The kids carried Treasure bags, picking up leaves, caterpillars, berries, and whatever else they wanted to savor. 

I thought the children wouldn’t last very long.  Just the opposite occurred and they seemed completely enthralled with our adventure and didn’t want to head back.  We walked on and on, sometimes busting out in a full on run, racing each other, then little legs would tire and be hoisted onto Daddy’s or my shoulders.  Tom and I held hands, and watched our brood, admiring them and the surroundings.  It was just right.  A few hours of complete family bliss in a gorgeous place.

Continuing on with fall festivities on Monday, our playgroup met at a local pumpkin farm.  Max dominated the children’s maze, busting through the hay exit like he owned the place.  Violette was smitten with a decorative “teeny weeny tiny” pumpkin, and Zane couldn’t get enough of the pigs.  Another notch on our fall belt, success!