Five Favorites: For Fall

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I totally love fall, as in am actively having a love affair with it. I love the 45 degree mornings and the fog in the valley. I love boots and big cozy sweaters and the fact that both of those things still at least kind of fit me in my super-pregnant state. I love apples (and apple picking) and pumpkins (and pumpkin picking) and baking and decorating with them both. Fall makes me go nuts with happiness, before my SAD makes me go nuts with bummed-out-ness all winter. This year will be a little different: before the fall is over, our family will add a new member. That makes me want to both fit everything in like mad, and slow up a little bit to savor the moment with just Hubs and Stenni, since we will no longer be a three-piece. Anyway before I get myself all teary-eyed, here area few of my favorite things for the season (PS, I'm linking up at Moxie Wife today!):

1. My Bearpaw Siren boots. My mom got them for me for Christmas last year, and they are warm and cuddly and lace up the back and I wear them even when it's not really appropriate. But now it is, so I don't have to feel odd being the only one around in fur-lined snow boots.
2. Caramel Apple Lattes. 'Tis the season, kiddos. I used to be like a once-a-year Starbucks patron (when the Gingerbread Lattes came out) but now I've upped it to two or three times a year. Yeah I know, I'm living on the edge.
3. That it's cool enough to bake in my house without blasting the A/C or the heat. I've been stalking Pinterest and all of my old cookbooks for awesome fall recipes.
4. Since the devastating fire last week in Seaside Heights and Seaside Park, I've been doing a little research. See, my family spent summers there as long as I can remember, and more recently, I've spent the occasional New Year's Eve and Palm Sunday there too. It feels like the place is my home, and when the fire started, I couldn't tear myself away from the news. Actually, my husband has had to put a moratorium on NJ news watching so I don't get myself super-upset. Instead I've been looking up pictures to remind me of what the place looked like as a kid, before a hurricane, a fire, and the cast of Jersey Shore came along to destroy it. I tried desperately to find a picture of the old  Log Flume, but there aren't too many to be had. What I did find was this: A collection of old Seaside Heights and Seaside Park postcards. Oh, and then there's this: From a little before my time, but still gorgeous to look at. It makes me smile at least. 
5. These Kirkland Signature (aka Costco brand) Cashew/Almond/Pumpkin Seed Clusters. OMG, they are terrific, and I can convince myself that they are healthy and that it's ok to eat half of the (2 lb.) bag.