Halloween Approaches...

I've been scrapping some Halloween pictures lately, some from way back in 1980, and this one from 2007:

Going out trick-or-treating with Xander has certainly been an experience. When I was a kid, one parent took you out (until you were old enough to go by yourself) and the other stayed home to hand out candy. For us, trick-or-treating is a family affair. And the first year we went I was surprised to see how many families were out walking the streets together.


Of course, we don't have to worry about handing out candy. The Big Blue Barn is pretty far off the beaten track. Even as a kid, we didn't have that many visitors. And I like that we all go together. In fact, if Joe doesn't have Halloween off just in the natural course of things, he puts in for it at work. He doesn't want to miss it, which is so awesome.

I know that someday Xander will either be too old to go trick-or-treating, or he just won't want us tagging along. So I'm glad we get to have this family time together while we can. But you'll have to wait until Halloween to find out what we're dressing up as! :)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...Halloween!

Do you see this boy? This boy is a decorating maniac! I dragged out the Halloween decoration box on Monday, and Xander has been steadily deciding where to put our few bits of holiday decor.

He licked all the window clings to ensure their clinginess (blech!). He untangled our "garland" of plastic skeletons. He's tried to find good places to put everything, for maximum scary impact. (Nothing in his room, though, because he doesn't want to get "frightmares".) Here are a few of our favorite seasonal decoration items.

Autumn Days...Too Soon!

I suppose it was unavoidable - Autumn again! I'm a little resentful of the chilly temps, though they are great for sleeping. Summer just seemed to start so late this year, I think it should still be nice and warm out there. Of course, then I wouldn't get these pretty pictures! I just hope it's not a snowy Halloween!!

No Go At the Pumpkin Farm

We were supposed to go to the pumpkin farm today - our annual visit to Binghamton to visit with Anne & Keith. But for the first year ever, we got rained out. It's been steadily raining all day, and we just couldn't justify going out. It's so depressing!

But I will not be thwarted in my desire to have pictures of Xander with pumpkins. Maybe we couldn't get to the farm, but Anne has some nice pumpkins on her porch that filled in. Not quite what I had in mind, but no-one ever said I wasn't flexible!

Fall at the Farm

This is one of those pictures I'd been wanting to take since the leaves started turning. I drive past this farm every day on my way to work, and I just love everything about it - the white fences, the brown cows, the very cute Halloween milk jugs...it's just very quaint! Friday I saw my chance and grabbed it, pulling over on the side of the road and getting out to take pictures like some kind of downstate tourist. But who can argue with results?

Frosty Mornings

It's only the beginning of October, but already we've had two mornings of frost. Xander was excited the first day because he thought it was snow. And I'm hoping the early frosts don't mean that we'll be having early snow, because that will just make me way too sad. (You better pack warm clothes, Mom!!)

This frosty weather means that Xander has been bundling up more to wait for the bus. I've been making him wear the liner to his winter coat, and a hat. Might need to get some new gloves pretty soon too! I'm dreading winter mornings already!!

Autumn in New York

Well, it's that time of year again. The leaves are changing color and falling off the trees. T-shirts and sandals have been exchanged for long-sleeved shirts and socks. The air is chilly, the days blustery, and I've had to grudgingly turn my heat on. Out comes the crock pot for those cold-weather-only meals like chicken and biscuits, or pot roast. The BBQ will get one last run this month, then spend all winter indoors. Xander and I put up the Halloween decorations. It's official - it's Autumn.

I don't actually mind this time of year too much, except that I know what comes after and I'm DREADING that. Still, with everything so crisp and colorful, there's a lot to enjoy.