Fall in Love with Autumn

Fall is by far my favorite season of the four. Although it technically began a few weeks back, it hasn't quite felt like it until now. If you aren't quite convinced as I am that autumn is the best time of the year, I've developed an excellent argument, er, Top 10 list to help you appreciate the best moments of fall.

10. Leaves Changing

Depending where you live, you may or may not get to experience the beauty of the changing leaves. The golden yellows, burnt oranges, and gorgeous reds that fill the trees are truly sights to see. Think of Colorado early October. Stunning. And there is something so calming and lovely about the branches shedding and each leaf gracefully falling to the ground. Then the wonderful crunch of the fallen leaves under your boots. Perfection.

9. Pumpkin Everything

Granted, companies have begun to take the pumpkin trend a bit far... Like why are pumpkin marshmallows even necessary? But I like to walk into the grocery store and see a big batch of pumpkins where the watermelons used to be. It gets me excited for pumpkin carving, pumpkin spice lattes, and of course, pumpkin pie. I like to see kids get excited to pick out the perfect pumpkin at the patch. I like to try every kind of delicious pumpkin pastry there might be... pumpkin logs, hello! And I like the one-of-a-kind orangey color of a pumpkin that reminds me of an autumn sunset.

8. October on Disney Channel

Every year, Halloween takes over Disney Channel and it's like the best trip down memory lane. This year they're calling it "Monstober" which is really lame, but that's beside the point. All of the best Disney Channel Original movies are the Halloween ones. I'm excited for The Little Vampire and Twitches, but more than that I'm excited for the greatest of them all. The Halloweentown series. That's right, I'm talkin' Halloweentown, Halloweentown II (Kalabar's Revenge), Halloweentown High, and Return to Halloweentown. Of course, the original is the best but you have to watch them all to get the most out of your Halloweentown experience. Use this link to view the full Monstober schedule: http://affiliate.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?aid=disn

7. Hot Drinks

Fall means it's finally cooling down and time to get the coffee mugs out of the back of the cupboard. I'm trading my frappacinos for lattes, and my iced tea for hot tea. Also some warm apple cider sounds ahhhmazing right about now. Or some piping hot coco (maybe that's what the pumpkin marshmallows are for). I am so excited to get cozy with a good book and a warm mug of spice tea.

6. Fall Weather

The weather this time of year is my favorite. It's still warm enough to relax outside, but cool enough not to be uncomfortable. There's usually a light breeze and a cool chill in the air. The sky gets a bit more clouded and overcast which is my favorite kind of sky. This is the time to be outdoors and camp or just sit under the stars and not freeze to death. This kind of weather matches my mood to a T. A bit gloomy, but in a way that makes me happy. Autumn is like a breath of fresh air.

5. Sweater Weather

Bring on the layers! I love fall because I can finally layer, accessorize, and style to the max. It's not quite cold enough to have to wear a big, bulky coat, but it is cold enough for hoodies and sweaters. I like to wear tights, hats, and boots. I like to wear actual clothes besides denim shorts and flip flops. Oh, and leggings! Fall means leggings and that's reason enough to love it. Fall also means boys in sweatshirts and knit beanies, which are so stinkin' cute. Fall fashion is just the best. Period.

4. Halloween

What other holiday do you get to pretend to be someone you're not and it's ok? Halloween is awesome. I love dressing up. I love costumes and over the top make-up. This is the one day of the year a girl can wear fishnets and it's somewhat acceptable. Little kids trick-or-treating is the cutest thing to witness. Hell, if I could get away with it I would be trick-or-treating too. Halloween parties are also really fun. These parties are usually the craziest only second to New Year's Eve. Halloween also means decorating which is almost as fun as dressing up. Haunted houses are exciting, unless of course they're not. Plus, candy. There's always something to do on Halloween and if all else fails, stay home, watch Beetlejuice and give out some candy.

3. Bonfires

Roasting marshmallows over a fire is so simple yet so wonderful. Good company is all you really need to enjoy a warm flame. The crackling and popping of burning wood and watching embers float up into the dark is so mesmerizing to me. Sitting round a bonfire with people you care for and a good drink in your hand is blissul. Add some graham crackers and chocolate into the mix and it's like a little taste of heaven. You'll want s'more and more.

2. Cuddling

OK. If you're single like me, you might hate this part of the season. Autumn is great for getting cozy with someone special. I'd love to warm up under a blanket and watch Monstober with the one I love. But what if you don't have anyone? Well I don't, but that hasn't stopped me. Cuddle with your best girl friend and try not to make it weird. Get a body pillow. I have little ones around constantly that absolutely love to be all up in my grill. So I put on cartoons and let them cozy up to me. Have a kid fall asleep on you and then try to tell me it doesn't warm your cold heart right up. Get a ton of blankets and stay in alone. It's not the end of the world. For those of you who have someone lovely to snuggle, good for you. Ignore all my previous advice and appreciate that you don't need a body pillow to fill the void.

1. Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday hands down. Before I get a bunch of backlash from all the Christmas freaks out there, hear me out. I know Christmas is like the greatest thing since Mary gave birth, but I'm sorry, Christmas day is just not my favorite (but a close second). I think Thanksgiving is the underdog of holidays. Often overlooked. But here's why I love it. Obviously it's awesome because you get to stuff your face with things covered in gravy until your stretchy pants don't stretch no more. However, I love it because my family gets to sit down and have a meal at the table together. This rarely happens nowadays, so Thanksgiving has become a big deal. Also, in the hours leading up to the meal you get to bond even more over all the food preparation and argue over the best way to cook the damn turkey. I love that. I love to smell the aroma that fills the house long before the food is done as well. It helps you appreciate and long-for that meal just a little bit more. So once it's finally time to eat, you're so thankful. And that's what it's really about, right? Giving thanks. I love that it's the one day of the year I get to hear my grandpa pray. The Lord's Prayer is said before each Thanksgiving meal. Even when he's not there, we call him and listen to it on speaker, heads bowed. Then we eat. My mom's Thanksgiving dinner would be my last meal request if I were on death row. It's just the absolute best. Then, to work off all those calories we just consumed, God gave us Black Friday. A lot of people think that Black Friday ruins Thanksgiving. I totally disagree. I see it as a way to keep the good times rolling. It's become a tradition of ours to head out after a slice of pumpkin pie for some great deals. We shop as a family and work together to help each other get everything we want. This includes laying hands on a toaster for an hour for my sister while she's on the other side of the store looking for Monster High dolls. Another reason why I love this is because it's also my favorite part about Christmas as well. Buying the presents. So you see, Thanksgiving is actually the segway into the Christmas season and the last celebration of fall. Thanksgiving lets you know... winter is coming.