It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Autumn is my favorite season. The weather has been wonderful the past few weeks- sunny, in the 70s, although yesterday was cold and rainy. We kick off this season with our family traditions, most of which we started only 2 -3 years ago. Soon after Labor Day, we like to go to the nearby amusement park. This was the first year our daughter was able to go on any of the rides. And boy, was she hooked. She rode the kiddy rides, like the boats, the toy horses, and the cars. At first, she was hesitant, but then she couldn't get enough. Our son was able to go on some of the big kid rides, like the Scrambler (or this amusement park's version of it). He totally enjoyed it. My husband and I get to go on some rides now that our son can go with us. A few weeks later, we went apple picking. Okay, this was the first year we did that as a family, but our son went last year with his class, so we decided to make it one of our traditions. This year was not a very good year for apples. This summer was pretty dry, so the apples were pretty scarce. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the weather and being away from the city. We were able to make an apple pie out of our findings. Overall, it was a "fruitful" outing -get it? FRUITful? Haha. I crack me up. Okay, maybe not. Last weekend, we went to a pumpkin patch. We've been going to this pumpkin patch for a couple of years now. It's great. They have barnyard animals, pony rides, hayrides, and of course, the pumpkin patch. The weather was warm, clear, and sunny, and we picked out some great pumpkins. Our little girl took her first pony ride, while her daddy walked along side of her. Our son took his first "solo" pony ride. Unfortunately, we forgot our cameras.

This time of year also gets me in the baking and cooking mood. Since I started residency, my husband has taken most of the responsibility for cooking dinner. This is the one time of year in recent years that I pitch in. It must be the cooler weather. Also, my schedule is a little less crazy.

I especially enjoy cooking and baking for the holidays. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. For me, it's about the food. I love to cook, bake, and eat. I also like the fact that everyone celebrates it. It is a family-centered holiday. You don't have to find a date or dress up for it. Growing up, I have memories of Thanksgiving as being the holiday when everyone got together to eat, and hang out for several days. The parents would play mah-jong and watch football all weekend, and the kids just played. It was less pressured than Halloween or Christmas. Halloween required costumes, while Christmas required dressing up and giving presents. And I don't like shopping for clothes or gifts. Hate it, in fact. But that's another topic for another time. Nonetheless, I like this time of the year because it marks the beginning of the holiday season.

So, I love the fall. As a kid, I always thought of it as a new beginning. I realize the springtime is the season for renewal, but for me, springtime was always very stressful. The fall is my own time for renewal, a time to get back outside, a time to enjoy favorite pastimes, a time to celebrate traditions, and a time to make memories with my family.