Fall has finally arrived in Dallas

The weather has been cool on and off for the past couple of weeks (60 yesterday, 85 today), and I've noticed that some of the trees are finally beginning to have a slight bit of fall color. My favorite tree to see change is the Bradford Pear tree that seem to be so popular around our neighborhood. The colors range from a bright orange-ish red to a deep dark purple and it is breathtaking. We don't have any, but luckily our neighbors right across the street have two, so I am able to see them changing every time I look out my front window. :)

Autumn is truly my favorite season. I think my biggest reason for fall being my fave, aside from cooler weather, is the pumpkins. I love looking at pumpkins, eating anything pumpkin, hearing about pumpkins, carving pumpkins. You name it, I love it. I think Oliver is heading in my footsteps in that regard. I can remember last year at this time, we would drive past decorated houses at night and he would say "ooooh, spooky". It was so endearing. This year he is just as fascinated. Tigger from Winnie the Pooh calls ghosts spookables. Now, Oliver calls them that as well. Instead of ooooh, spooky, he now gets so excited and pleads "Mommy, can we drive by the spookables again?".

To start our fall out right, Oliver and I spent our morning at the Dallas Arboretum. Their pumpkin festival was truly amazing. There must have been thousands of pumpkins throughout the gardens both on display and for sell. It was so fun to share this experience with Oliver. We both loved it!

We have had so much rain lately that the summer plants are still in full bloom and are gorgeous.

Oliver loved this funny looking pumpkin/gourd?

There were some enormous pumpkins on display. Oliver wouldn't sit on one because they were wet, but you can get an idea of just how big they were and there were tons of them!

Check this out!

Oliver wouldn't go in here for me to take a picture of him because it stank. Really it did.

trying to lift this pumpkin

Oliver's first maze built from bales of hay

he had a great time, especially in the dead ends

The Arboretum still has their storybook playhouses until the end of the year. I didn't get a picture of him in this one last time. This is Eragon.

He really is not sad.

cheese, all day I kept on getting these huge cheesy grins...I love them!

a little break on some canon balls

once again, cheese under the Crepe Myrtles. :)