Hello Fall

Tis the season of hayrides, sweaters, football, & pumpkin picking.  Anyone that knows me knows that I am still sporting my flip-flops & sunglasses, holding on to every little piece of summer that I can still have.  I love the summer because my kids are off from school.  We have no daily schedule.  We are free to come and go as we please, often filling our days with picnic lunches, pool playdates, & fun adventures around our town.

I find fall brings us to a different routine.  Fall begins soon after school starts & our days differ greatly from the slow lazy days of summer.  We start mornings early with everyone getting ready for school.  Our days continue to stay busy with kids at different school and with different hours.  Playgroups start up, soccer & karate have begun, and we are quickly finding ourselves content, but busy with daily activities that fill our days up.  I have found that it’s important for our family to schedule some special annual outings that mark the season of fall as well as allow us to come together as a family to just spent time with one another.  One of our favorite trips to help kick off the start to fall is our annual trip to the pumpkin patch to bring home our family’s pumpkins for the year.

The kids particularly enjoy this fun outing because it allows them to be outside together, which is sometimes hard to do with school taking up much of their days.  I love watching them find a thrill in the hunt for the perfect pumpkin.  Looking for a big pumpkin, but still one small enough that they can carry.  I love watching the two little ones pile together in the wagon, with big brother pulling them along.  I love watching the kids so excited for small joys: riding the pumpkin train & spending part of their pumpkin patch trip, jumping in the dragon bounce house and going down the bouncy slide.  This little outing not only welcomes the spirit of fall, but embraces the time that we get to spend together again.

There is something else, that as moms especially, we realize that fall brings.  It not only means a new season of life, but also a new season of clothes.  Time to pack up the swimsuits & sundresses and it’s time to break out warm dresses & soft sweatshirts.  I am all about fun festive clothing & love the fun seasonal selections from Gymboree.  Once again, Gymboree is one of my go-to shops for clothes that are both cute, comfortable, & fun for kids to wear.  There is something for everyone at Gymboree and it has some great finds for fall this year.