Indian Summer

I know the term Indian Summer is not very politically correct, but you know, I don't really care. It's my favorite time. It's like fall with a splash of summer. It's when the leaves start changing. It's when it's cool and crisp in the morning and by lunchtime it's in the 70's and the sun is shining. To me, Indian Summer is perfect.

If I had more vacation time, I'd take this whole week off, because this week in the Chicagoland area, it's officially Indian Summer. I am, however, taking Friday off. What to do? Well, there's lots to do, but I am thinking we might head over to the arboretum. My MIL has a membership, which I will borrow from her. maybe we'll hit up a pumpkin patch too, we'll see how the day goes. Either way, I will be outside.

What comes with this time of year is tradition. I love fall traditions and I hope to expand on them in the coming years, now that I have a little guy to pass them along to. Since Paul and I brought our home 4 years ago, we've made it a tradition to decorate for Halloween. Each year we get something to add to the decor. We make it fun. We don't do anything over the top, but it's obvious to those who see our home that we love this holiday. Today Paul is on the hunt for inexpensive items to add this year. I am excited to see what he comes up with.

There's something special about this time of year in the Midwest. It's something many other regions don't experience. I feel it's important to keep traditions of fall in the Midwest alive and pass them on to my son. Like going to the pumpkin patch, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, apple picking, hot apple cider warming on the stove and filling the house with the sweet and spicy aroma, jumping in a pile of leaves, hanging out by a fire on a chilly night, carving pumpkins, roasting pumpkin seeds and scaring the bejesus out of children on Halloween... oh wait, I just ruined that picture I was creating, didn't I?

Here's to the start of a new season, my favorite season.