Fall Time Down South

I just can't even begin with how much I love fall down south! The leaves in Auburn, Alabama are just beginning to change. The sights, the sounds, the smells of fall bring back old memories of when I grew up in North Carolina, and going up to watch the leaves change at my mountain house, and smelling the smell of crinkling leaves, pumpkin spice, and the taste of baked apples. Fall also reminds me of Halloweens and Thanksgiving holidays as a child in elementary school! These were two of my MOST favorite holidays, and I will always treasure the memories of baking with my grandmother, the holiday parties in the classrooms with all of my little friends, and the Halloween block party and excitement of trick or treating. I really look forward to the jars around my house filled with candy corn and Halloween decorated candy wrappers. Right now, I am burning pumpkin pie flavored candles just to remind me of my favorite smells of this season! I can't even contain my excitement either for Thanksgiving day. Each year, I treasure my family's tradition of waking up, going to the Turkey Trot Run in downtown Charlotte North Carolina, and then coming home to watch the remainder of the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade on tv. It is one of my most favorite things! After the parade, the entire extended family meets together at my aunt's house and we all feast over a gorgeous spread filled with every different kind of food you can imagine, and so many different twists on the traditional dishes such as green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. The best part, in my opinion, is the pumpkin and chocolate chip pecan pies my grandmother makes:) Pure delight! I save up for weeks to be able to really savor the tastes of this day every year! I look so forward to the day that I get to decorate my kindergarten classroom with the smells, pictures, decorations, and excitement of this fall and special holiday season. The colors, shapes, and liveliness of it all will truly enrich my classroom someday. I will look so forward to the afternoon when I get to share "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" with my classroom for their first time. It is a true classic, and brings back so many of my own memories- it will make me so happy to share it with them. I look forward to having my classroom parties and Halloween parades, and smiling at all of the creativity children put into their costumes each year. I understand how truly exciting Halloween is, and will make sure that the lesson plans for that day are lots of fun, and include as much halloween flair as they possibly can. The thing I realize every year, is how each year this season gets more savorable and fabulous for me! I look so forward to bringing all of my excitement of this time out to the classroom someday!

Rojo Images, shutterstock.com. (Photograph of slice of pumpkin pie and candy corns) 2010