Longest Month

I believe October the longest month of the year. I realize there are 5 other months with 31 days. But somehow January, March, May, August and December never seem to drag the way October is. I've been trying to figure out why. Why I'm sitting here on October 21 feeling like this month should be almost over and realizing there are still a full 10 days remaining. I think it's a combination of factors.

1. The highlight day of October - Halloween - doesn't happen until the very last possible moment. This means we spend 30 full days getting ready for an event that basically lasts about 4 hours. Of course we do lots of fun prepartying - trips to the pumpkin patch, picking out costumes, hanging decorations, baking yummy apple and pumpkin goodies, and buying candy that we will inevitably consume in its entirety well before the big day and need to run out for replacements at the last minute. But all this anticipation just makes All Hallow's Eve seem that much farther away.
March has St. Patrick's Day to break up the month.
August - well, it's summer and those days always seem to fly by faster than we'd like.
December has Christmas placed strategically a full week before month end so that the month doesn't seem so darn long. Plus there is all that holiday cheer to go around keeping your spirits up. But mostly I think December flies by because it's crammed full of parties and shopping and way more things on the to-do list than could ever really be completed
January - I'll grant you that January is just painfully long as well.

2. Looking at my calendar, I realize that October has a FULL 5 weeks. And by full I mean weeks with at least 5 days of the month in them. So we had the first week of Oct 1-5, then Oct 6-12, 13-19, 20-26 and finally 27-31. Compare that to it's counterparts this year:
March: the first "week" of March is only March 1-2. That is followed by 4 full weeks and then lonely old March 31 participating as a a part of April really.
August: again, the first "week" is only days 1-3, not really a full week at all.
December: 4 full weeks (since December 1 is on a Monday), followed by a "week" of just the 29-31. And of course Dec 29-Jan 4 is really just a big holiday week.
January: the lone exception is too similar to October for its own good.

3. The anticipation of the holidays. October is when the weather really starts to turn to fall. September is still mostly summer. You aren't thinking about your plans for Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year's Eve. But once October rolls around you start to get that glaze in your eyes, dreaming (stressing?) about all of the big events coming before year-end. There is a sense of excitement and urgency to get to the big holidays - if only we can get through October first. And as things are apt to do when you want them to happen quickly, they drag slowly.

So now I have 10 more days to try to really enjoy autumn before the crisp weather turns cold, I start to really have to think about Christmas shopping, and have to start considering turning another year older. Take your time October, take your time.

Harvest Festival

As I mentioned earlier, we had a great time at the Harvest Festival this past weekend. It was pretty chilly and drizzly which felt like perfect fall weather for such an activity. I'm so glad it wasn't sunny and 75. That just doesn't seem like autumn to me and it would have taken away a bit of the mystique of the adventure.

Our day in pictures...

Enjoying a wagon ride


This field is HUGE! Where do I go first?


A straw maze just my size!


This is too easy!


Dad & Peter watched from the sidelines


Looking at the sheep


How is this the first time I am hearing about Pumpkin Pie with whipped cream?!?

Weekend Recap

We had a very full weekend.

Saturday I hit a consignment sale at a nearby church. I managed to get 24 items for $53 - not too bad. Especially considering that it included a snowsuit for Peter and a Christmas dress for Allison. Throw in a couple sleepers and a bunch of long sleeve shirts (for Allison) and onsies (for Peter) and it was quite the haul. It helped that I knew what brands I like and which ones work for my kids. I could cherry-pick those that I knew would continue to hold up well.

After that we immediately headed off to the Harvest Festival at the town Historical Museum. I wasn't sure what to expect but it was really fun. Free admission and you bought tickets for the activities. They had a wagon ride - which we took. Allison had a great time on the ride, liked seeing the horses pulling us and sitting on the haybales. Allison's best activity was a straw maze for the kids. She just zipped right through it. She didn't get scared (like some kids I saw) or confused. She just kept following the path and the kids in front of her. Well, she did run into the bales of straw around one turn but it didn't seem to phase her at all. We ate pumpkin pie and cookies and drank cider. We saw sheep and turkeys and cows and mules. Overall I would highly recommend this for future years. They had a pumpkin patch but we didn't buy any since we already have our 2nd round of pumpkins.

Allison went the the library with her dad in the afternoon. I think he was a little overwhelmed at how difficult it was to track her around AND try to pick out books.

Sunday involved multiple grocery store trips (well, the regular market & Sam's). I think the grocery store might be Allison's favorite place. She loves looking at everything and everyone. And she really enjoys going through the line with the cashier. She does best when she has a task to help with - like holding the coupon folder. She even helps with Peter. If he starts fussing, she'll reach back and rock his carseat.

Speaking of Peter - these two are becoming fast friends. He likes to smile at her. And she is starting to try to share with him. While he can't yet actually have the muffin she tries to share with him, it's a nice gesture anyway.

Allison's new achievements - saying "ni-ni" (night-night) and "pe-ba" (peek-a-boo), throwing her diaper away in the trash can, giving lots and lots of kisses to mommy, daddy and Peter, climbing down the stairs, brushing her teeth (well, brushing after we do), going through her bedtime routine (up stairs, climb on stool for teeth brushing), climb down and go to room for PJs) as soon as we say "time for bed".

Peter is "talking" more and more. Sometimes he just coos for minutes on end. He is definitely becoming more verbal and alert.

Welcome Autumn

We had a fun weekend. Friday night I made applesauce with a bunch of apples I had intended for pies but had let sit out too long so they were getting soft. We all got to enjoy applesauce all weekend. Allison is getting pretty good at using her spoon. But usually after about 10 bites she decides it's too much of a hassel and just tries to drink from the bowl like she's a Japanese child drinking soup.

On Saturday after Allison's ear check (all clear - no fluids) we went to the nursery and picked up some straw bales and pumpkins for the yard. We got them all set up and it looks great. Then Allison helped me rearrange the pictures in the living room. By help I, of course, mean that she would pick up pictures and move them around just as I was about to set them up again - fun times.


Saturday night I finally got around to making those pies. I was very excited to find a nice selection of apples at the supermarket including Jonathan & McIntosh. Now if I could just get them to import Northern Spies to Colorado I'd be a happy camper.

Sunday we got to go pick out more pumpkins because SOMEBODY STOLE OURS! I am not kidding. I highly suspect the teenage friends of our across the street neighbors. They were hanging around all day on Saturday and watched us put out the pumpkins. And our other neighbor saw some kids running away and laughing late on Saturday. He thought they were stealing his tools but nothing of his was taken. So now we have to bring in the pumpkins at night. What a pain!

Sunday we also delivered one of those pies to the new neighbors (not the ones with the teenagers!). They are a nice young newlywed couple with 2 dogs that Allison is enjoying getting to know. We really liked our old neighbors so hopefully these ones will be just as nice.

We did get some great pictures with the replacement pumpkins on Sunday.