Goodbye Fall, Hello Christmas!

I know fall is actually still going on, but Christmas really deserves a season all its own, so I'm going to bid farewell to fall now as I'm pulling out the advent calendar and sorting through ornaments and decorations. It's crazy to think we moved just three months ago. We really hit the ground running when it comes to exploring this area and making it our home. There are just so many scenic day trip destinations beckoning us each weekend. With a short car or train ride we can be strolling the beach, or eating clam chowder in San Francisco, or on a farm picking apples, or hiking in a redwood forest. We've barely scratched the surface of exploration here, but the places I have seen make me fall more and more in love with this area. Fall is already such a gorgeous season, and then paired with all the beautiful places we've visited I'd rate this fall as my new favorite of all time. Here's a little look back at some of our best memories:

• Ez's second time on a horse. I'm pretty sure I'll remember his proud little smile forever.
• Half Moon Bay. Even though it was freezing cold I loved the rugged beauty that is completely different from the sunny Southern California beaches we're used to. 
• Ez and Declan's first real train ride. Not the kiddie kind, which Ez has done before. I had put that on our summer bucket list back when taking the train was more of a novelty than a convenient mode of transportation, but now it's a weekly occurrence for us and I love how easy the public transportation is here.
•  Stanford and Berkeley. You know how we love our college campus trips, and these two are some of the prettiest I've ever visited.
• Apple picking. This is definitely going to be a yearly tradition from now on. Especially because Ez continues to be obsessed with apples. We should really just have our own orchard, he eats that many.
• Davenport. This town is tiny, but it's so cute with it's one room jail. And you can't beat the views - rocky cliffs dropping down to crashing waves. 
• Labor Day in San Francisco. This has been my favorite city for a long time, so the fact that we actually live close enough to drop in for a visit is still surreal. I can't wait to check out the giant Christmas tree sometime this month.
• All things Halloween. Nothing motivates me to craft like the holidays, and pumpkin painting is one of Ez's favorite activities.
• Declan's first time trick or treating, and Ez's first time really trick or treating. Like actually saying the words and wanting to eat the candy. Good stuff.
• Not one, but two fall festivals. 
• A corn maze with the grandparents.
• Rainy day fun.
• Rose gardens. 
• Mickey's Halloween Party. 
• Thanksgiving.

It's been a great three months and I'm so excited to see what fun Christmas brings this year. Instead of doing a bucket list we're just gonna wing it this season. I have a mental list of things I'd like to do, but it's less pressure when it's not written down, and I have a feeling this season is going to book up fast anyway. Happy 1st day of December!