Pumpkin passion....

Every year with great celebration and tradition, I welcome the fall with the first Brach's candy pumpkin of the season. Ever since I was a child, a Brach's pumpkin meant that summer was coming to an end, and fall was on its way. This past Saturday, Betsy and I bought our first package.

Walking into Walgreens, I sent up a silent prayer that they would be there. Locating the candy aisle, I began scanning the vast array of confections, my eyes finally settling on them....bag upon bag of the treasured harvest mix. Tentatively, I reached out a hand, and let it slide along the gleeming packages of tri-colored cones and glowing orange spheres. Their plastic coverings like silk beneath my fingers. Thoughtfully, I made my selection, choosing a bag that was not too light, and not too heavy. Cautiously, almost reverantly, I raised the sweet prize to my nose, and inhaled deeply the familiar autumnal scent of corn syrup and Red Dye #7...."Oh yes," I smiled to myself, "life is sweet...."

I must be on some sort of pumpkin kick, as I made not only a pumpkin pie for dessert last night, but also a loaf of my famous pumpkin bread. As you can see in the picture, it made quite the nutritious breakfast. Yesterday while looking through wee ones pile of papers, there was an announcement that picture day was coming up on Tuesday. Being that we had no other warning, I assumed that they meant next Tuesday....wrong. Thank goodness I put her in one of my favorite tops today....although i would have preferred to have done her hair a bit fancier than her usual farm girl braids. Oh well....at our school they offer spring pictures which is kind of nice. That way if I'm not happy with the way these turn out, I know we have another chance later on in the year.

Betsy was elected president of her poetry club yesterday. She was quite excited about it. And her best friend Emily was elected vice president. WTG girls! Emily is Betsy's best friend....she is an absolute doll. I just love her! She is so easy going and has such a sweet spirit. I'm so glad they are friends. It's strange to watch your own kids, doing the same things you did at their age. They hang out in Betsy's room, try on clothes, makeup, listen to music.....it seems like just yesterday I was doing the same thing with my best friend.

Okay, I had better get up and do something....the wash isn't doing itself....