September. Maybe my favorite month of the whole year. My senses come alive with the wide open windows, the sights and smells of pumpkins and football practices and neighbors outside all evening long. We can hear so much from our very own yard - so many of my favorite things surround me in this place we get to call home - I can hear the UNI Panther marching band and the Cedar Falls Tiger marching band practicing - sometimes simultaneously. I can hear the horns sound every afternoon throughout outdoor UNI football practice. We can walk up the street and watch high school football practice. And we can walk up and down Hudson Rd to admire the view of the sun setting over the roof of the UNI-Dome. And all of these things - they all culminate in September and make me feel most content. The only negative is that September never lasts long enough.
And this past September was extra special. Because Kaitlyn was at such a fun age to show and teach all the things. (And the brand new completed kitchen helped, too).
We spent SO much time outside. We were so busy with so many places to be with both boys playing tackle football this year, but we loved every minute of it.
And speaking of football... more to come on this topic. But Brandon had his first tackle season, and our favorite nights were spent joining him at practice - many times three times a week. It's a family affair. Mom juggles three different supper times, big brother helps the coaching staff as an older and experienced player that's "been there," Daddy coaches, and Sissy never tired of being the littlest cheerleader on the sidelines. In fact, weeks after football season was over, Kaitlyn was still asking to go see the football players. ;) Like Mama, like daughter! (Dad's in trouble).
In this picture: Cody, Jaden, Jaden's principal (also Brandon's assistant coach), and Brandon as wide receiver split left.
In September, we always have a loaf of chocolate chip pumpkin bread on standby for an after-school snack. I love baking it almost as much as eating it because it makes the house smell SO good.
And our annual trip to pick our front porch pumpkins.
She found the ugliest one in the patch and was not impressed! ;)
Kaitlyn loved the tiniest pumpkins all Fall long and set out to decorate her "gingerbread" house with her baby pumpkins. :)
And whenever we could... our Friday night picnics at the river's edge. This past fall, Jaden spent several Friday nights at one of his football teammate's houses, and we started getting a feel for what it's like when we're short one older kid. But soaking up time with our two youngest ones was special, too.
We can survive winter and we can survive a pandemic. Because on the other side is more moments like this.
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