September + October --- Recap

September and October were fun months! We were blessed to be able to do many things together as a family ... or as a couple. Of course, kicking off the autumn season was decorating houses ...

We always go to our local fair for the county, and this year was extra fun because our niece was here to enjoy it with us! Of course, the only thing she could ride was the painted ponies, but she LOVED it!

Then Justin and I got to go to Florida to visit Justin's sister, brother-in-law, and their little girl, Lou (our niece from above). I had a Monday and Tuesday off of work for fall break, so we felt like we went back in time to summer when we showed up to the view of palm trees and sun!

Next came our Movie Night Under the Stars honoring Sarah. Movie showing: Jumanji. It was Aryl's first bonfire, so it was extra special! Cookies by A Cookie Occasion ... delicious.

Fall festivals, anyone? My sister-in-law and I got to go to one together (no mom), my mom and sister-in-law got to go to one together (no me), and I went to one on my own (no sister-in-law or mom). This year, our schedules have NOT lined up for all three of us to get to one together, but they are still enjoyable.

Towards the end of October, Justin and I got some time together to do some fall-themed things. I know J doesn't always enjoy doing things like that, so I was super grateful for him making the effort. We went to a pumpkin patch to pick out a few pumpkins for our stoop, ate a meal in town together, and finished off the evening with fall donuts from Zombie Donuts in Athens ... which we took to our parents' houses!

Macho was a jester last year for Halloween ... a spider the year before that ... so this year I got him a pair of dragon wings! He channeled his inner dragon by purring, attacking the curtain that was moving because of the air conditioning, and soaking up the extra attention he was getting. Halloween night, Justin and I had both sets of parents over for dinner and snacks. We had soup, fall munchies, and coffee while we waited for our little trick-or-treaters! My niece, Aryl, was a little chick with her "farmer" father and scarecrow mom. Such fun! We also had a "day after Halloween" bonfire (yes, I know this would technically be in November, but my brother and I dressed up as Hopper and Eleven from Stranger Things, so I had to include it) ...

The rest of these pictures from September and October were random visits, books I am/was reading, leaves, nights by the fire pit, etc. On to November ... yet another very fun month during the autumn season! Thanksgiving, here we come!