Why I Love Fall (also Photographic Evidence that I'm a Really Good Parent seasonally)

I love Fall because I don't have to shave my legs as often.

I love Fall because of three words: Pumpkin Spice Latte.

I love Fall because orange and brown and red look fabulous on me.  

I love Fall because I love college football.  

I love Fall because the air is crisp and I can finally wear a jacket.

I love Fall because it starts to get dark earlier and I can convince my kids it is bedtime an hour earlier.

But mainly, I love Fall because Fall weekends mean festivities.  It is pretty easy to be a good parent in the Fall.  Saturdays are full of free carnivals replete with snow cones and bounce houses.  Oh, and did I mention that I love Fall because of all the candy?  Cause I love candy, too.

So here...in no certain order, is photographic evidence for my children that I'm a fun parent (at least for one season) and that I love them (all the time, but sometimes Mommy just can't sit outside when it is 90 degrees outside or she will melt and she can't breathe in the Spring).

  Field Day of the Past.  You know, where there are roller coasters and pony rides, tractor pulls, and dump trucks full of corn.  And also where they have historical displays of things from days gone by--like wagons, tee-pees, and typewriters.

 

Miniature train displays at the NC Transportation Museum when we went to a Day out with Thomas.  Why we got no pics with the actual Thomas train detracts from my good parenting as I was too lazy to wait in the line when it was raining.  Also, I may have been stressed out from yelling at my husband for being unable to read my mind.  But clearly, I am a fun mom who takes her kids fun (and educational!) places.

The State Fair of Virginia.  I'm fairly certain that our 18 hours in 2 days visit to the State Fair qualifies us for some type of parenting award.  I mean, I didn't even let my shoes falling apart ruin our fun.  For realz, yo.

And then there was the weekend leading up to my surgery where I was a REALLY fun parent.  All of the following pics took place on the same weekend.  It's gonna blow your mind.

FRIDAY NIGHT:

3rd Annual cookout in our driveway for the Monacan High School Homecoming Parade.

 The Crowd:  The Perrys and their neighbors, us, and the Longs.

 The parade.  Yeah, at the end of our driveway.

The adorable candy catchers: from L-R: Nathan, Anna holding Emily, Abigail, Cooper, Gunner, Henry, Gracie, and Katherine.  (Katherine clearly is too cool for parades in her bucket seat.  We'll give it time.)

SATURDAY:

And because a weekend is not complete without two parades:

I give you the Midlothian Day Parade and Festival.

And because we're fools popular, we followed up the parade with a Monkey Joe's birthday party.

SUNDAY:

After church, we of course went to Chesterfield Berry Farm, where we picked pumpkins, panned for gems, played in more corn, rode the barrel train, shot paint guns, and played king of the mountain.

 (Because nothing says I'm a good parent quite like a 4 year old with a weapon.)

Are you tired yet?  

This weekend is perhaps why I was so looking forward to the time off my surgery afforded me.  Because nothing helps you nap quite like anesthesia...

Grace's birthday.  Outside our traditional Dunkin Donuts birthday breakfast.  

Opening her sit and spin.

Stoked about her scooter.  

The time we learned that Gracie is afraid of candles on cakes combined with people singing to her.  

So like any good parent, I took one for the team and ate the cake myself while letting the birthday girl eat as many Oreos as she wanted. 

And then this past weekend, we also had her Very Hungry Caterpillar birthday.  I'll post about that later.  I'm kinda overwhelmed by my parenting awesomeness.  And also, the two Thomas shows that I allowed Henry to watch while I did this post are over.  So I gotta get back to the actual parenting.