Autumn at home

We're smack dab in the middle of our favorite season, and boy, are B and I loving it! Fall is special to us for a number of reasons, probably the most important being: our first date was October 15, FIVE years ago! (If anyone is wondering what we did for the date, B planned a very season-appropriate activity - a corn maze/pumpkin patch!) Every time the season rolls around, we can't help but laugh and reminisce about those first few months of our relationship.

This has to be one of the most beautiful autumn seasons I can remember in quite a while. The colors literally take your breath away. I find myself driving a different route to the store, just so I can stay a little longer under the cover of neighborhood trees.

Isn't the Lord good to give us this exquisite beauty every year? He didn't have to. He could have ordained that we live in one season all year long. And if He had, we would have never known the difference. Yet He gives us a mosaic of beauty throughout each year. And I love how the seasons reflect our lives as Christians: there must always be periods of hardship/death (winter) but then He ALWAYS makes all things new (spring). He is so loving toward us.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of my attempts to bring the season inside our home!

We only have one tree in our front yard, but it's a big one. A storm blew in a couple of nights ago, and the tree decided to get busy (see below).

If you can believe it, this sea of leaves is only half of what our tree holds. The other half is still waiting to fall. Guess what Brian gets to do while I'm in Nashville this weekend?? As you can imagine, he's super excited.

My pumpkin collection minus our biggest one (stolen by pumpkin thieves) and two small ones (destroyed by squirrels). There is the cutest little fresh market stand down the street, and they sell every variety of pumpkin you can imagine at bargain prices! My favorite is the "fairy tale pumpkin," which is the medium-sized peach/green one. Just like Cinderella would have on her porch. :)

Our little white mums next to our new porch furniture. I found these chairs and table on clearance about a month ago when our local Smith & Hawken store closed. They were practically giving them away - aren't they cute?

My favorite wreath of acorns on our front door. I wish I could leave this up year-round!

Brian put this little sign in a basket of fall items that he gave me when we celebrated our one-year dating anniversary.

The fireplace mantel.

Dining room table.

Staple food around our house this time of year. We believe that the correct eating ratio is 1 candy corn to 4 peanuts.