Ugh I just freaking love fall. One thing I really love about being a mom and being a SAHM is that I get to more fully partake in seasons and holidays. I can make bucket lists and plan fun day adventures and lay out outfits and make seasonal recipes. I mean, I could do that before, but I didn’t care as much and I was too busy. Having a kid makes you more aware of the passing of time. It makes seasonal activities more fun!

I also wonder if, as Reese gets older, it will make seasonal activities more mandatory? For example, I hate carving pumpkins. I’m scared of/bad with knives. There’s something about cleaning them out that makes me gag. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. It’s been nice to just ~not do it. But once she’s big enough, like, we’re gonna have to do it… right? That kind of sucks. Maybe I’ll hop on the trend of painting pumpkins and we’ll just do that instead. I wonder how many other holiday/seasonal traditions I’m going to hate but feel obligated to do with my kids.

But because we have Reese and because I’m not teaching I’ve been able to more fully appreciate fall this year. I’m extensively planning and brainstorming for family photos. I have my days free for beautiful, crisp canyon walks to enjoy the vibrant leaves. I went to a pumpkin patch! Which I would never do otherwise! I jumped in a corn pit! It was crazy!

We hit up Jaker’s Pumpkin Patch in Springville, which I’m sure you’ve heard about. If not – highly, HIGHLY recommend. It’s only $2 a person and includes a bunch of cute activities. Reese and her bestie Ruby loved the corn pit, animals, and baby maze. They had a pretty good variety of pumpkins and I brought home a few cute tiny ones for my porch.

I found corn in my shoes and Reese’s diaper for what felt like a week later, but it was worth it.

My best friend E snapped some pics of my outfit for me. No baby bump is getting in the way of my favorite plaid!

We also walked up the Provo River Trail last week and it was kind of perfect. Crisp but not chilly, leaves blowing across our path but plenty on the trees, colors ranging from green to yellow to orange to red to brown. I loved it. I remember thinking “If this week was all I had of fall, it would be enough.”

I also ate an entire bag of candy corn that week, so that’s part of it too. Fall, you are just the best. ILY.