I know the song is about Christmas, but to me the most wonderful time of the year is approaching: Autumn!

I LOVE fall.  It’s my absolute favorite time of the year.  Even thinking about about it makes me all giddy inside.  (Seriously.) 

I’m a holdout though.  I refuse to put out decorations or start thinking about fall immediately after Labor Day.  To me, it has to feel like fall. 

Today there is a very slight chill in the air and that mysterious energy that comes when the seasons are just starting to change.  So in anticipation of the coming season I decided to list my favorite things about fall:

- No more constant sweating in the humidity of the ATL!

-Time for sweaters and cute fall clothes.

-College football and tailgating!  I love having season tickets with our friends because it’s built-in hang out time.  Go Jackets!

-Changing leaves.  Is there anything more beautiful than a forest that looks like its on fire because the leaves are such bright colors? Here is a picture I took last fall at Big Canoe.  Sigh. 

(You can see all the pictures I took there by clicking on the link to my Flickr pictures on the left and then the “Big Canoe” set.)

-Pumpkins!

-Carving pumpkins! (Even though I typically end up doing all the work.  Stephen gets bored after about 15 minutes.)

-Fall cooking: baking pumpkin bread, making pot roasts in the crock pot, the flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg, etc.

-Drinking spiced cider, hot chocolate, and this amazing pumpkin flavored coffee.

-Decorating the house with all my fall decorations.  I’m really sad I might not be able to do this this year since we just moved in and the house is a wreck.

-Halloween!  I love dressing up or even just seeing kids dressed up and excited.

-Fires (as in bon or in the fireplace).  One of my ultimate goals in life is to someday have an outdoor fireplace.  Like this one:

-The smell of burning leaves.

-The crunchy sound of walking on fallen leaves.

-Thanksgiving! (and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade)  My favorite holiday!

-Knowing that Christmas is right around the corner.

AND…

-My anniversary!  We got married November 4 and had total fall themed wedding.  And a DeLorean.

(Don’t worry, it was on a Friday night as to not interfere with college football.)

Here’s to a happy fall y’all!  :)