the corn maze.

Last night, after getting some Chinese food at Panda Express I'd been craving all day, we went up to Cornbelly's with Erica and Wes for some corn maze fun! We started the corn maze and kept going around in circles, but eventually we got pretty lost, and climbed atop two lookout points! All the while, we laughed at the corn puns they had displayed, like "Don't get corn-fused!" 

We also played on some tire swings and the giant rocking chair (well, everyone but me... I'm getting more and more immobile), looked at the amazingly-carved pumpkins and watched a light show, smelt all of the delicious fried foods (Zac is dying to try a deep-fried snickers... one day...), and even played some tether ball, where Zac hit me right in the face with the ball. I ended up laughing my head off about that, and gave him a hard time the whole night.

I was so glad I put on layers, because it was so cold and windy. And with 5 layers of tops, 2 layers of pants, 2 pairs of socks under my rain boots, a hat, and some gloves, and slight waddling through the corn maze on top of that, it was pretty hilarious. I kept squeezing Zac's hand throughout the night to let him know to slow down. I don't walk so fast these days.

I'm so excited that fall is here! It's my favorite season, and I'm loving wearing boots and scarves every day. The leaves around our home are turning bright yellow and are scattering the roads, and I love it. I just want to drink hot chocolate and make cinnamon rolls and soup every day for the next few months. That would just be okay.

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snow in october.

When Zac and I woke up this morning, he peeked out of our bedroom blinds and said, "It snowed!" Our neighbors rooftops were frosted white and it was chilly getting out of bed. And when I finally got out the door for work, this is what I saw. The first snowfall of winter 2013! So I bundled up in a big, poofy scarf and 3 layers on top, and had to brush it off of my car before leaving.

A part of me didn't like it. Fall just came a couple of weeks ago, and it's only October! We still need to go buy pumpkins, dang it! Half of the trees here are still green, and we're going to a corn maze next week! But a small part of me kind of likes it, because snow means Christmas and hot cocoa and scarves and boots and Christmas records and cinnamon almonds and pretty lights on houses and trees. And that is my favorite, because there's something wonderful in the air. But I'd be okay if fall stayed around for another month or two.

Tonight we're going on a big shopping trip to get things we still need for the baby, my hospital bag, and freezer meals (that I still haven't started on). I think we'll catch a quick dinner somewhere and call it a date, because it is Friday! Our car seat was delivered a few days ago, and we have to install it soon. I'm waiting until we can clean out the car, though, because I like things to be clean. And I think I'll make cookies too, if I can find time tonight. I've been wanting some chewy ginger cookies or some chai spice cookies with pumpkin kisses. Maybe I can pull off making both. That would be ideal.

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we've been eating like kings lately.

Last weekend Zac took me on a fancy date to Goodwood, since we haven't been to a sit-down restaurant by ourselves for months and months. We don't eat out too often, and when we do, we go to places like Cafe Rio and Noodles and Co., because I hate paying tips. But since we hadn't been on a date for a while, and because we had no food in our house (we hadn't been grocery shopping for something like 4 weeks), we decided to treat ourselves to some good BBQ (ribs and chicken crispers!) and talk, because our baby is coming soon, and simple things like date nights will be so hard when it does.

Monday was a hard one for us, so after work, we drove up State Street to The Purple Turtle and ordered an entire tray of burgers, fries and tater tots, and a couple of drinks for dinner. It. was. so. much. food. But those tater tots have my heart, and I'll be back just for those. We laughed at the funny paintings of turtles on the wall, and ate until Zac had to practically lift me into and out of the car. It was a funny sight. This belly of mine is getting huge. It was the perfect way to cheer the both of us up.

The next day, on October 1st, to kick off my favorite season and favorite month, we had Erica and Wes over for some apple slices with homemade caramel sauce, pumpkin donuts, and apple cider. Zac had the genius idea of dipping his donut into the caramel sauce, and if that isn't my new favorite autumn treat, I don't know what is! Cripes, that was delicious! After our feast of desserts, we watched The Legend of Sleepy Hollow with Ichabod Crane. I like that movie. That Ichabod is a funny guy with a funny nose. I think we'll start doing this every October 1st.

And now that it's October, I can finally say that my baby will be born next month! And that just makes my head spin.

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little peeks of autumn this week.

This week has been a crazy one. On Monday, it felt like it should be Friday, and on Wednesday, I actually thought it was Friday, and I took a sick day on Tuesday, which completely threw my whole week off. I feel like this week my pregnancy brain has taken full effect, because I lose my thoughts more often than not. And now I'm wondering when this nesting thing is going to start (I had it for a short time a few weeks ago, but it's long gone now), because I had to force myself to clean out just about every nook and cranny of my apartment this week to get things organized for when the baby comes.

And now it's dark when we wake up for work in the morning, and the temperatures in the mornings have been as low as 45 degrees! Hello, fall! It's so nice to see you! And the leaves around here are just barely starting to change colors and fall off their trees, and my hands are drying up and cracking like they always do when the colder weather comes around.

In honor of my favorite season, we went out and bought some new fall decorations and fall soap (as is tradition) last week to put in our apartment, and now our home is ready for fall with pumpkins and orange leaves and a bowl of caramel apple taffy sitting on the desk. I love looking at everything set out and thinking, These decorations will be up when we bring our baby home. At the mall the other night, I told Zac "I've got 7 1/2 weeks left, and I'm 7 1/2 months along!" It's going by so quickly, and it blows my mind that I'll have a baby in my arms in about 7 or so weeks! We got a black and white striped blanket from Ikea last week, too, and Zac has claimed it as his, and says "it's like sleeping with a sweater covering your whole body!" So it's perfect. This season is perfect. 

So here are some peeks of autumn around our apartment. We're so ready for pumpkin donuts, Halloween movies, and that crisp, Autumn air during walks around the neighborhood. Ah, bring it on!



And happy 51st birthday to my mom, and happy 3 year anniversary of mine and Zac's very first kiss that took place on the front porch of my college apartment in building L! :)

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life lately: fall edition.

Lately, I've found that I've been taking more pictures of the outdoors than I have of people (namely myself and Zac). Thank you, Fall, for being so pretty this year! 

As much as I've loved Fall this year, the little signs of Winter have been really special, too. There's still snow on the ground from the snow storm last weekend, and it's making me hopeful about a white Christmas! 

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a little corn maze fun.

We met up with my family last night at Cornbelly's for some Autumn festivities for Family Home Evening! There was a sparkly horse to ride, camp fires to roast s'mores, mechanical chickens who sang songs, and the smell of deep-fried snickers and oreos. It was so much fun, especially since three-year-old Aiden and Brooke were there with us. 

Before it started to get dark and cold, we made our way through the corn maze. My dad took Aiden and Brooke through secret passageways, and we followed close behind. Because of the drought this year, I was taller than most of the corn stalks. I'm used to giant, towering corn mazes, so it was different.

We finished the night with a hayride and dinner. I love my family. See you on Monday, Cornbelly's!

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we've got pumpkins on our porch!

In honor of October and Halloween, Zac and I headed to the Vineyard Garden Center after work a couple of days ago and picked out some pumpkins for our little porch (because what would October be without pumpkins?!). I was searching for the perfect pumpkin to carve, and I think I found it! 

Just when we were about to leave, we saw these cute little baby pumpkins, and I had to have them. I find miniature versions of anything (shampoo bottles, candy bars, animals...) unbelievably cute, so Zac let me get two of these little pumpkins. 

On our way home, our pumpkins were rolling around in the back of the car like crazy. It was pretty funny to hear them roll every time we turned onto a new street.

I can't wait to carve these babies! And I think I'll start a new tradition this year and roast some pumpkin seeds to eat. I've never had them before, and I am intrigued! 

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