Happy Fall!

Today it is officially Fall.  Or Autumn.  Or Pre-Christmas.  However you want to phrase it.  And I love it.  This is such a great time of year.  I love the change in the seasons.  I love the colors.  I love the holidays.  And so does Maren.  She also loves to shave, I guess.

We took the kids hiking the other day.  It was a beautiful day, and the leaves were just barely starting to change on our mountain.

Since it is Fall, we are also harvesting our garden.  We had loads of beets this year, and so I made my husband very happy and pickled them.

If pickled beets sound absolutely repulsing to you, then you are not alone, my friend.  But, I love my husband, so there you have it.  Nine quarts of pickled beets.

Before it officially became Fall, we still had some baby hummingbirds in our carport.  This was actually family #2.  The first family came in June.  This little family showed up in August.  These babies could not figure out how to fly, and they kept falling out of the nest, which caused some serious stress to my children (and me, I must admit).  Many prayers were said for the safety of our little friends, and eventually they figured it out and flew away.  But not after I had to rescue them a couple of times.  This little gal was hanging out under the bike one day, so I let the kids have a turn holding her.  (Don't worry, I looked it up online and the mom can't smell, so it is fine.).

Isn't she so pretty, with her iridescent wings? 

Before it was Fall (OK, by one day), we went to a Family Reunion.

Before it was Fall (OK, by two days), Dustin took the boys on a Father/Son's Campout. 

And now that it is officially Fall, I am making pumpkin treats, and decorating with colorful leaves, and singing Halloween songs.  I love this time of year!