What I'm Looking Forward To...

Many years ago, my girlfriends and I were sitting in the beer gardens at the PNE (our local fair) when a guy approached us and struck up a conversation. I don't know how we got on the topic, but he blatantly said he didn't date red heads because they can't enjoy the summer. We all laughed hysterically because 1. It was an absurd comment and 2. I was presently sitting in the sun on an August day. But when I thought about it, I guess his point was partially true - I don't go in the sun much without a big floppy hat on, slathered in sunscreen, and adorning my best Audrey Hepburn over-sized sunglasses. I'm fair skinned - sue me!

Anyways, funny enough, this has always stuck with me and every summer around the time the PNE opens I think about that comment because it means that fall is just around the corner, and fall is my favorite time of year.

Fall/Winter means the birthdays of most of my favorite people: all 4 of my best friends (October, December, and February), my mom, my nephews (December and January), my aunt, and both my in-laws. It means my own birthday, a day I usually quite enjoy. Here are just a few things I'm looking forward to come September:

1. Hot chocolate and hot apple cider and warm banana bread and shortbread cookies
2. Special coffee drinks at Starbucks
3. Time with friends and family
4. Cozy sweaters and fuzzy scarves
5. Fires in our fireplace and blankets and cuddling
6. The sound of rain on the windows and maybe a thunderstorm
7. Christmas shopping
8. Decorating for Halloween and going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, giving out candy, getting take-out, and watching a Halloween movie
9. Meeting my new Piglet and Daniel and spending time with them and their mommas
10. Celebrating our first wedding anniversary with a trip somewhere fun
11. Becoming a Christmas nutcase: looking for new houses for my village, hunting down the perfect ornament, searching for the best craft fairs and events, decorating (Dec 1st), walking the streets and taking in the store windows full of cheer, organizing my cards
12. A fun project we're doing on December 14th
13. Taking my neice out for a girls day
14. Most of all - witnessing our baby grow inside my tummy, feeling movement, having firsts with the bump, planning for her/his future.

Yes, this fall is going to be magical. Last year from September to Christmas was the best of my life... but this year, we get new experiences and new memories as a soon-to-be family!