Fall is by far the best season

Everyone is posting about how they love fall so this isn't that special of a post but I can't help it. Fall has always been my favorite time of year. My reasons have changed since I got married and have children but my love for the season hasn't changed. Here are just a few of the things that makes it the best season of the year for me.

1-The beautiful colors. I love driving up the canyon, looking at maple moutain and even driving down main street in springville and center street in provo. It feels like Heavenly Father loves to decorate just as much as I do.

2-The smells. I don't know why but fall air smells different. At night especially. It has a crisp and almost smokey smell, almost like a fire is burning in the distant.

3-Of course canning and reaping the benefits of planting a garden no matter how small. This year has been awesome because our squash, beans and even corn have been so yummy from our garden. We have more cucumbers than we know what to do with and our tomatoes have taken thier time but I picked a few this morning. We have canned white grape juice concentrate, salsa, spaghetti sauce, beans, and I have yet to can peppers, jam, applesauce and pears. Our trees in our yard are so laden with fruit it has been so nice to have it fresh when we want it without having to go to grocery store.

4-The stores are always so fun with all thier decorations and smells. I really have a hard time because I want to buy tons of crafts and paint things. Plus it always puts me in the sewing mood.

5-I LOVE LOVE LOVE the cooler weather. I am a pretty hot person by nature and have a hard time in the summer with the heat. But the fall is so nice because I get to wear sweaters, jackets and sweatshirts without sweating. Plus i love pulling out the flannel and fleece pj bottoms.

6-I get so excited even thinking about the holidays coming. I love halloween and this year Tennis is old enough to enjoy the candy, walk door to door (even if he can't say "trick or treat"), and seeing all the cute little costumed kids coming to our door.

7-Hunting season. I am happy Chad gets to look forward to this every year even if he is gone more than I would like and he gets to go up the canyon and me and the kids don't. But when the kids are old enough we might spend a night up there with him. Plus Chad looks really good in camo.

8-Bringing out the fall colored decorations in the house. We don't have much but it is SO much fun decorating. It is stupid to say but I feel so good being able to make the home feel cozy and smell spicy.

9-Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins. I love them for eating, decorating, carving, anything you can think of when it comes to pumpkins.

Homecoming

Chad got back yesterday and yes he did kill a cow elk. He got it with one clean shot through the ribs. We love our mountain man. He took it to the meat locker yesterday afternoon and they said it was 191 lbs of nothing but meat. Seeing as they had to cut it up and leave the majority of the bones on the mountain. He left this morning to take the truck back up there and to hunt for a deer. He gets home tonight. We are so proud of him. Persistance pays off.

Life without Daddy around

Chad has been gone hunting this whole week. He left last Friday afternoon, came home late Saturday night and left again Sunday afternoon. We haven't seen him since. It has been really hard on us this time more than any other time he has been gone. I'm sure it has been missing us terribly also. He was able to go on the 50 miler which was a week long 3 weeks ago and it really felt like this week long crept up on us so quickly I really didn't have time mentally to prepare myself for it. Plus having two children instead of just one has made it seem so much harder not to have him here. Here are the top 10 things that I and Tennis seem to miss the most.

1. Having him around to talk to me. Don't get me wrong Tennis jibber jabber is fun but I really miss having adult conversations with him daily.
2. It is hard at night when he normally would be coming home because Tennis anticipates him arriving and gets wound up. Chad spends a lot of time playing with him when he gets home. Plus I am tired from the day so he is such a HUGE help with the kids even if he doesn't think he is.
3. He makes me and Tennis laugh. He gets the best belly laughs out of Tennis.
4. He helps me not to think to much on the hard things in life. He picks me up so much.
5. I really miss having him to sleep and snuggle with. It is so nice in the middle of the night if I wake up for one of thousands of reasons I scoot into him and it is easier to fall asleep.
6. Tennis and I both miss the kisses.
7. Chad sings a lot and I miss hearing him around the house singing.
8. Believe it or not I miss him riding me about stupid things like mating the socks. Him doing that kind of thing makes me work harder at being better.
9. I really miss the daily lunch time call that we have while he is at work.
10. I can't smell him in the house anymore. Normally I can smell his cologne in the bathroom from him in the morning or on the bed. But it has gone away now.

I hope and pray that he is able to get a kill so he can come home to us. We miss him so much. He is such a huge part of our lives. I feel like half of my head is gone not to mention my heart.

Tennis and Penny

Mommy and her little girl. I just love her so much. She is always so cuddly.

My pretty baby girl.
Tennis trying to teach Penny to count and budget her money. lol.

Tennis is becoming more and more aware of Penny and visa versa. It is so fun. He is constantly bringing things to her for her to play with. Like this change the other day. Granted they are choking hazards I stayed very very close.

Penny's blessing day

She was blessed in the same dress I was. It was so special. She is so beautiful. Thanks to all that participated in one of our most special days yet with her.