Falling for Fall

Today's prompt: Fall Favorites. What do you love most about this season?

For those hopping over from Brave Love, welcome!

This prompt is a tad tricky for me.  Being born and raised in Arizona, then moving up to Nevada, this whole seasons thing is a vague, hazy concept.  Seasons are dictated by the weather: is it triple digits outside or not?  Trees don't change color and there's no white powder snow on the ground.  This is year six of living in Nevada and we had one snow day.  One.  However, that doesn't mean I don't get ridiculously excited about decorating for the seasons...even when the weather isn't cooperating.

Since I moved and started packing up my house mid April, I missed decorating for a few holidays.  I was itching to make our new home cute, but had to be practical and get the every day stuff out first.

However, once Labor Day weekend hit, I couldn't stand it any longer.  I got out my storage bin of fall items and got to work.  I switched out the place mats and center piece to a pumpkin filled with flowers.  I put white ceramic pumpkins on the TV stand and moved regular decorations out of the way, making room for fall ones.  A few weeks later, they're still up (meaning my furry helpers haven't readjusted my decor, which is a huge success!)

I love decorating for any season, but there are some things I love about fall.

Fall means I can wear boots with fuzzy socks and not worry about the state of my pedicure.  I throw on boots and a cardigan with a dress and tada, fall appropriate.

Fall means I can layer and enjoy my cardigans. (As a teacher, I think the love for cardigans is somehow engrained...like my love of post-its and Expo markers.) 

I love that fall means scarves on a nearly daily basis as an accessory piece or statement.

I love that fall means football.  Football means B helps me grade or cut out laminate on Sundays during commercials and half-time.

Fall means we can go for walks around the neighborhood in the evenings and eat dinner on the patio.

Fall means soups and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner.  Fall means easy soups in the crockpot and coming home to a wonderful aroma.

Fall means warm, earthy tones like forest green and maroon, which look great with my Irish heritage.  Fall is my best season, colors wise.

Fall means the occasional thunder storm and cuddling up on the couch, watching a movie and listening to the rain.

Fall means the back to school craziness and meeting a new bunch of fifth graders.  Mine this year are amazing.  After the difficulty of last year, I couldn't be more pleased with 27 happy students and their supportive families.

Fall means changes and getting ready for the holidays, which means family time with those I love most.

What are your favorite parts about fall?