Here Come The Holidays!

I am so glad fall is here! That means Halloween! My favorite holiday! I couldn't really tell you why its my favorite holiday. Maybe because it is usually the first time some of those wonderful fall foods find their way to the table: pumpkin, cider, squash. Figuring out costumes, dressing up in someone else for a day. I love getting out those boxes of decorations that I have been collecting over the years. This year's addition? A pair of skeleton flamingos for the lawn! I love laying out the newspaper and covering it with pumpkin guts and separating out some pumpkin seeds to roast in the oven. Passing out candy to the neighborhood kids. Watching scary movies and listening to spooky music.
I used to love looking at pictures of me and my brother on every halloween. Those old school plastic masks. My favorite? WonderWoman of course! There was an infamous Marilyn Monroe costume one year as well. Oh and the years that my mom sewed our costumes. There was an ingenious Little Mermaid costume and a california raisin. I really should dig them out one of these days. My mom sent me this adorable picture the other day of my first halloween.

It just made me think of how badly I want to share and create new traditions with my daughter. I want to make caramel corn with her. I want to carve a pumpkin with her. I want to see her face the first time she tries Warm Cider and that smell of cinnamon and allspice. I want to make paper mache ghosts or some other silly craft project. I want to see her dig her little hand into a dish of candy corn.
Then its on to Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is so connected to memories of my mom. It has always been so special to her and us as a family that I can't wait to share those things with Callie too. I can't wait for her to open the door to Grandma Tere's house and be bowled over with the warm sensation and that blast of fall flavors and smells. I want her to wake up on Thanksgiving and say "Its Thanksgiving, let's go to Grandma's house!"
Then its on to Christmas and all the insanity. Christmas is all about the Bunts, my husband's family. I can't wait to see Callie's face when one of her relatives dresses up like Santa Claus and puts her on his lap to ask her what she wants for Christmas. I am positively giddy with the prospect of these wonderful new memories and sensations that we will get to experience with her.