October... My FAVORITE Month!!!

Why you ask??? I will tell you! (In no particular order... cept for the last one. It's the best part for me this year!)

1) The tangible feeling in the air that fall is here. Everything smells and almost sounds different. It's when the temperature finally drops in Arizona. Ahhh sweet relief... Time to go outside and remember why we love to live in a place where you can fry an egg on the asphalt in the summer!

2) The food!!! First the pumpkin ice cream comes out (it's only available from September to December). Then the Cranberry Splash Sierra Mist comes out (available from September to January). Pomegranates! Who doesn't love that tangy winter fruit??? Then there's all the candy that people hand out all month and if you have younger siblings that still trick-or-treat you get to raid their bags when their not looking for everything covered in chocolate! October also means that November and December are soon to follow with all their yummy goodness too!

3) I love walking into the grocery store and having my eyes blinded by all the bright orange, green and purple. Halloween decorations are my second favorite ever! Christmas is always the best!!! Have you ever noticed the strange coincidence that occurs every year where complete strangers become so much friendlier when the first decorations go up that signify the beginning of the holidays? Oh they turn nasty by the week before Christmas when they realize they procrastinated their shopping too long AGAIN, but until then everyone grins at everyone else.

4) The prospect of seeing my family again in the coming months! Family parties on all 5 to 10 sides of the hedge (depending on the dates and times of said parties, and if we feel like driving all over Arizona for them).

5) Costumes and dressing up. Even if I don't want to dress up I love to go and see the extravagance of some peoples get ups. It's also a good excuse to find the most gaudy colors of makeup, the longest fake eyelashes and the weirdest wigs; then to see how much of the stuff you can attach to your head; and finally wear it out in public without feeling the need to be embarrassed or to go hide. Though I have to say it drives me nuts when people push the line as close as they can to being naked...

6) My baby is going to be here soon!!! I have my fingers crossed for October 22nd because that is when I am officially full term. But my due date is just 12 short (more than likely ridiculously long for me) days after October ends. Though with my luck I'll be induced the day before Thanksgiving... Oh and I have my first childbirthing class on the 1st! Woo-hoo! Preston gets to learn how to give me a back massage!