Feathering the Nest

My favorite time of year is quickly approaching. Hard to believe August is almost half over and the crisp air, changing leaves and sounds of football will soon be here. Autumn is the best season ever! At least in my eyes. There is nothing better than the sweet smells of pumpkin candles, the taste of smooth pumpkin pie and the coziness of pumpkin spice lattes. Admittedly, I already have Yankee Candle's Apple Pumpkin scenting up my house. I have about a hundred favorite things about this season, but one of my favorite things is movie traditions. I know a lot of people have Christmas movie traditions but there are fall/Halloween movie traditions too. Growing up I remember watching The Worst Witch with Tim Curry every year and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. Then along came Hocus Pocus and Corpse Bride. Now that I'm an adult I have to add in Practical Magic and You've Got Mail (not a traditional fall movie, but in my eyes it is). I also love watching ABC's 3...

Two weeks from today my son officially starts daycare.  I'm already a hot mess. He is over a year old, but for the last year his "daycare" has been Grandma. I think it's been the best daycare anyone could ask for. I know he gets good cuddles, kisses, hugs and lots of love with Grandma. I am so happy that he has had this time with her. I know it's built a special bond between the two of them. However, I know the time has come that Ray must experience a new kind of daycare. He needs to be with other kids. He needs new experiences, new challenges and new friends. He is so busy body all the time, I think the interaction with other kids and new toys will be exactly what he needs. However, I also know that the first week or so will be tough on my little guy. For starting out as a sociable bug, he has most recently turned into a spider monkey. He fiercely clings to me when someone tries to hold him. He has cried frantically when left at the YMCA daycare while momm...

Do you think you ever get too old to say you miss the whole back to school thing?  I'm now into my 30's and I still totally miss it. I love this time of year when all the stores put out the school supplies. The aisles are lined in crisp notebooks, the smell of new pencils lingers in the air and bright pops of color surround you with lunch boxes and backpacks.  I loved this time of year as a kid. I loved going shopping for my back to school threads. Picking out new clothes knowing I was getting ready to debut a new me for the year. I loved getting the list from school telling me all the supplies I had to purchase for the year. The best part was leaving the store with all those materials, but also walking out with a new super awesome trapper keeper, a sweet new backpack that clearly reflected my personality and about a thousand new pens. Although the night before the first day of school I could barely sleep because my stomach was full of butt...