Autumn Out Here

While all ya'll may be fixin' to celebrate Thanksgiving next week, we Lone Star Canucks already got that out of the way last month.

We had a tableful of friends and family to help us celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. I made more food than we'd ever need including from scratch green bean casserole (which is more American than Canadian but I'm a dual citizen so I can get away with stuff like that). I made pumpkin pie even though I don't personally eat it because you can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. I Texand it up with some Blue Bell pumpkin pie ice cream which I personally found lovely. And we ended the meal with a western Canada favourite - Blueberry Tea. 

We're wearing pants again which is exciting. We've even had a few nights of freezing temperatures and cooler days so that making soups and chilis seem appropriate. But then this week's been back into the 70's and we've been grilling. We've had more fall colour this fall in the surrounding trees and it hangs around longer. We also got a bumper crop of pecans:)

Maybe it's living out in the country but the seasons seem to take on new meaning. For instance, it's currently the season of deer mating. Our neighborhood is infiltrated with deer and for most of the year we won't spot a buck - the girls rule. Then all of a sudden the bucks start wandering in like they own the place. The does go running because they are not impressed. It's like nature's soap opera. 

It's also the season of those little flying ladybug like bugs. Before that it was the season of little black beetles. And before that was the LONG season of lake gnats. It's serious carnage on the back porch and the front entrance. That's the trade off I guess to there being no snow and freezing temps to kill this stuff off. 

We carved what may be our last Halloween pumpkin this year. (insert tears) I'm pretty sure it's the best one yet! Aren't the three of them adorable? 

We also did a booth for our church at a local Trick or Treat event. I noticed that it was a free event and figured what more could you ask for in what is essentially an evangelism event? Granted there are very few things in life that are free and this was no exception. I assumed that we'd buy candy for a few hundred kids that might attend this event in a relatively small town. I was pretty surprised when I was told to prepare for 1000 kids. It turned out to be great! I had lots of helpers to bag candy, print off pamphlets, man the table, etc. 

We managed to make it to the Texas State Fair this year! I'm pretty sure I've never been to a state fair. I thought we were being smart by going on a Monday but it turned out to be Columbus Day and a day local students had off to go to the fair. It was like going on a weekend so that idea kinda backfired on us. We took the transit train in and soaked up the experience. Everyone knows you go to the fair for the food. We went. We ate. We left. It was odd because I somehow knew what a pineapple whip was and thoroughly enjoyed mine so I must have had one at some point in my life. I also think it's odd that they sell mattresses there. Who buys a mattress at the state fair? Oh wait, people like my parents do - haha. 

I think I may have already mentioned how awesome the homeschool community is around here. They had a fall teen party that I took Zanna to and it was precious.

They had a hay ride, apple bobbing, pie eating contest, marshmallow roasting for s'mores, and square dancing. It was a southern dream. 

I had another opportunity to head to the middle of Texas somewhere to a ranch for a pastors' wives retreat. Remember when I fed the cows last year? No cow's licking me this year but it was still memorable. 

It was still hotter than hades when we first arrived that night so we met indoors with the air on full blast. But overnight the wind changed and blew in a gift from God - cooler temps. We were able to spend the next day and a half outside on the deck whether it was to eat or study Philippians. 

We'll be venturing north next week to celebrate Thanksgiving Number Two. I'll have to root around the attic and find the Rubbermaid tub that stores our snow boots and down jackets for us to use for the week. We can't wait to see Will, my parents and my grandparents. There's so much to be thankful for!!