I was so happy to flip the calendar to October this morning! It’s one of my favorite months, with the promise of chilly evenings just right for warm sweaters and bonfires, sunny days that beckon you to hike along leaf-strewn paths, and dark nights made for curling up with a good book. We’ve made it through the hectic transition from summer to school and are settling into new routines.

Not that life has slowed down. This week we’ll be throwing a tween-ish birthday party for Lexie, complete with One Direction Bottle Cap necklaces and Pop-It Truth or Dare (directions for both to come if everything works out). We’re still deciding on Halloween costumes, and  then there’s Will’s birthday party to plan. He’s thinking about a Halloween theme this year, so there will be lots of fun ideas to pull together for that.

And it’s just about time to get out the Halloween decorations. Like our favorite dancing ghosts and spider wreath. We managed to grow three pumpkins this year and they’ve taken up residence with the mums on the front porch. I think they’re beautiful, and I’m thrilled by how fun it is to pick pumpkins out of our own garden. It makes me want to plant a bunch more next year.

Oh, and Tim and I will be celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary next week! No big plans underway, but maybe we can sneak out for some time alone to reminisce and reflect on our years together.

Do you decorate for Halloween beyond the usual pumpkins and mums? Do you have any fun DIY ideas to share?