I know, the originality of this blog post title is practically overwhelming. But the past couple weeks have been so full of the wonder of this season, that I really couldn’t help it. Here are some highlights.

Homeownership, especially when we have lived in apartments for so long, makes everything feel like a milestone. The First Birthday In The New House. The First Baby Shower. The First Time Grilling Out. The First Fire In The Fireplace (which hasn’t happened yet but I’m excited!). There have also been some rough milestones, as houses are so much work and expensive, but luckily the joyous ones offset it. James loves tending his yard, and the kids absolutely live to help him. They love raking, and though it would be much more effective without them, we want to cultivate helpers. I on the other hand, have been obsessing over my front porch mums and pumpkins.

I haven’t had my own stoop since the first year I lived in DC- 8 years ago. I was beyond thrilled to haul some massive pillowy mums and endearingly ugly pumpkins to adorn our stoop…. and then promptly started losing my mind when the squirrels ate them. I have tried vaseline and red pepper…. any tips to drive them away? Nevertheless, even if they look pretty bad (which Henry reminds me of daily), walking up to our cheery and colorful front steps makes my heart impossibly happy.

My sister-in-law and her family came to town this month and for one weekend, we had 6 kids ages 5 and under exploring DC with us. I cannot emphasize enough how crazy fun it was. Multiple the little people! It makes it so much better! Before they came I spent a day baking bread and cinnamon rolls. My granny used to do that before we came to town, pulling out bags of her perfect cinnamon rolls (unfrosted, not too sweet, with raisins) from the freezer every morning. It made me feel like I was extending the same welcoming and warm hospitality she always excelled at.

We initially didn’t think we would make it to Homestead Farms to pick apples, which is ok. But then at the last minute, we realized we had a free Saturday morning and set out with friends to bring home way too many apples.

Henry kept trying to bring home the bruised apples, excitedly explaining that we could “USE THEM TO MAKE BANANA BREAD!!!” which, to be fair, is what we do with other bruised fruit.

This girl has just figured out how to eat apples, and LOVES THEM, but like her brother before her, she likes to just suck at the pieces for a bit and then spit them out. Henry eventually grew out of it, but it means that we are in the peak mess stage of apple eating.

Trying to recreate this picture from last year…. with limited success.

These colors! I can’t get over it. DC still seems mostly green, but as soon as we started driving up River Road in Maryland, the colors were unbelievable.

Fall with these people is my absolute favorite.