a bright & colorful autumn afternoon at Cleary Lake Park

One of my favorite things about Minnesota is Autumn (however short-lived they may be each year!) The vibrant colors of the fall leaves, the crisp, fresh air throughout the days, the sights of pumpkin patches and/or apple orchards every 10 miles (at least in the area we live) make the season such fun.

Fall has always been my favorite time of year, but with each passing year my love for it seems to grow and grow. The decorating of the home with pumpkins of all shapes, colors and sizes, bright & full mums on the doorstep, and the sprinkling of the harvest colors throughout the home makes the season even more festive. Downstairs in our basement sits a nice size collection of some of my favorite fall scented candles that I look forward to bringing out each year around this time. And of course the smells of homemade baked breads and goods this time of year puts a smile on my face without fail.

With all this fall fun around the home, comes exciting adventures outside as well. Throwing on our jackets to run over to the park or play in the leaves outside makes for great entertainment. Also, I love visiting parks and other scenic areas as the leaves are changing; Fall just doesn't seem the same without these little excursions. This past Saturday, our family ventured out to Cleary Lake Park to view some of the beautiful trees before nature comes and takes them away for winter.

Parker climbed up into his first tree (with daddy's help of course), played on the playground and enjoyed rolling down a nice size green hill over and over and over. :) We went on a little walk and even managed to snag a few pictures of the afternoon. Though it was for only an hour or so, that little colorful outing will be one of my favorite Autumn memories this year.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." Albert Camus

...these are the everyday moments that I cherish...

...Looks like we'll be patiently waiting a little longer for Baby Nolen to arrive. It still seems to be quite content hanging out in mama's tummy. :) Induction is scheduled for next Monday morning. In the meantime, we'll be enjoying a few more Fall adventures and embracing these last few days of "just the three of us".