I'm really trying...

I’ve really been trying hard to get in the mood of Autumn and Halloween. It strikes me odd that it hasn’t come naturally for me this year, seeing as though I LIVE for this time of year.

Did you know that I love Halloween more than Christmas? (That's a totally separate post as to why, but know that it's true.) Every year I anticipate October 1st back in February. My Halloween decorations are up right smack dab on October 1st and I wish I could keep them up through Christmas. I live for "different" Halloween decorations, and go through my own "fads" as to what kind of decorations I want to use that year. We've got all kinds. Cheesy drugstore decorations? Classy Vintage Halloween? Or scary spooky Haunted House theme.

But this year it came and went without a blink of an eye. I could blame it on our circumstances, but I don't want to. Probably cuz I have high expectations that nothing could hinder my feelings for my favorite holiday. But alas, this year I have not felt the “fever” for it.

It might also be attributed to Germany's lack of celebration for Halloween (even though one huge town called Kaiserslautern is trying to get the holiday to catch on by holding a huge city-wide Halloween parade, costume contest and fair...I guess it has something to do with that town has the highest number of American residents...go figure).

It might also be the fact that the leaves haven't changed and it's not very brisk, all things that inspire me toward autumn.

I won't be decorating this year, seeing as we're in a little apartment and I don't want to buy a bunch of silly decorations from the Px, which is all they seem to have around here. But Brian said that since we'll be moving into a house around November 1, that I can put up all the autumn decorations through Thanksgiving and we can have a "Nightmare Before Christmas" Christmas. haha. He truly is the man of my own heart.

On a way more positive note, I have been extremely pleased that on October 1st, so many of my friends and bloggers posted about how much they love this time of year, AND how much Halloween holds a special place in their heart. I knew we were friends for a reason. :)

I am, however, trying. Those of you who posted about it sparked my determination to renew my belief in Autumn and Halloween again. So, here are just a few of the things I have done to enthuse myself:

-The girls and I went to the bookstore and I bought myself a Pumpkin Chai Latte (yes, with green tea, herbal, k? Don't judge). Boy, I was in heaven.

-I also leafed through about 10 autumn magazines, to no avail, but I found two Halloween magazines that I am in love with! PLEASE go out and buy the magazine called "Celebrate...Halloween" . She's the editor of Victoria Magazine, so of course it is going to be amazing. Oh my gosh. It's everything you want in a magazine. There are ideas that go beyond just making kids crafts (for instance, there's a section about an Edgar Allen Poe themed party), without all the advertisements. So, yes, I almost cried and had to put the magazine down for a moment because I couldn't breathe with excitement. I have to read it in increments.

-I bought an autumn plastic tablecloth and some paper plates and napkins (we're in an apartment, k? Don't judge!)

-I redecorated my blog (how do you like it?)

-My desktop background on my computer is currently adorned with the picture above.

-Our menu for the entire month of October is going to have at least one autumn item in it.

and lastly,

-I purposely had the kids go to the park in the afternoon yesterday, when it definitely would be brisk. It was serendipitous of us to have had the desire to welcome autumn that day because autumn had welcomed us by creating HUGE piles of leaves on the ground from the wind, for the first time this season, blowing around for a few hours.

As soon as we got there, the girls ran into the leaves and started crunching around. (Did I mention how much I love, love, love crunchy leaves?) They took Spencer to play in the leaves and he had a great time crunching around. No wonder I love these kids. They're children of my own heart.

We played and played and played in the brisk weather where happily Spencer found a new love for sliding down the slides...all by himself. We'd put him on the top and he would scoot himself to the edge and go zooming down. I didn't even know he had a dangerous side! And the higher we went, the louder he'd giggle. It was truly the perfect welcome to fall.

As were leaving, a huge gust of wind picked up a mountain of leaves and twisted them around in the air throwing them across the park. I replied to them, "Hello to you, too."

(I really wish I would have gotten pictures. Brian captured some on his phone but since it's a prepaid phone, we don't know how to get them off. If we do, I'll make another post.)