I LOVE FALL?

If you know me, you know how I cherish the heated days of a blue sky summer.

BUT, did you also know how much I love boots, coats and the arrival of Fall's fashion magazines? It feels like Christmas every time I open my mailbox these past couple weeks. The magazines are always super-sized and brimming with this season's must-haves. I get giddy at the prospect of putting on my boots and scarfs for a brisk fall day's romp. I'm pulling my beloved coats, parkas and cashmere from the closets and they're on-deck awaiting our first 50-degree afternoon. And since we'll be walking to pre-school this year, how better to get use of them?

To further add to the buzz I'm feeling is the excitement of school starting. New school clothes and craft projects covered in paste. Who can resist? Daughter is off to her first year of pre-school next week and I can't help but feel a mixture of delight and anxiety about her twice weekly morning program. And that's nothing for those mom's dealing with full time grade school. I'm thinking back to the newness of the start of each year and reminiscing...from school supplies, lunch boxes and teachers to new friends and field trips, you would think I was the one starting school.

This time of year also signals the start of the holidays which I am nuts for. With weekly birthday parties, holiday events and kids' classes, it's a terribly busy time of year, starting now. You can count on me being the first to have my tree up and carols playing. You might think I'm getting ahead of myself, after all, Christmas is nearly 4 months away. But if you have a schedule anything like mine, it pays to think ahead. My kids are already talking about what they want to be for Halloween (T minus 60 days) and my mother is already booking our Thanksgiving Day dinner plans (T minus 85 days). Squeeze in a couple out-of-town weekends and poof, it's over. It's no fun to have the holidays pass you by without getting the chance to actually sit and enjoy them.

So, although I am sad about our summer days being over, we had a great season and here's hoping for an amazing Autumn. Grab your pumpkin spice latte and settle in for the ride.