PUMPKIN EVERYTHING!!

If you know me, you know I love pumpkin- everything! As soon as October hits, I am drinking all things pumpkin, all the smells in my house become pumpkin, and my favorite thing about Halloween is carving pumpkins. I am thankful this year that Starbucks made a pumpkin chai I lost a lot of money on that deal but if you got to watch me sip that delightful beverage and dance a little you know. When I love something, I am eating or drinking I start to dance I think my happy heart can’t help but show it.

We usually have a fall family tradition of going on the last caddy cruise to a family friend’s pumpkin patch and filling the car with pumpkins. I typically carve and try to beat my previous year’s record for how many pumpkins I can get to eat other pumpkins. We usually end up with a large selection of pumpkins to fill the caddy trunk at a friends and family discount.

This year was a bit different; it was sad at first, but life is forever changing. Last season my dad was in the hospital, but my son and I still did the caddy cruised and got the pumpkins we both agreed it was weird without Papa. My dad has since moved to a care home and I sold the beloved caddy (I don’t want to talk about it, still heartbroken) she was too much work for me to upkeep and too heartbreaking it was a love we shared. I admit looking over and not seeing my dad as my co-pilot broke my heart.

This year Halloween crept up on us and we found ourselves the night before rushing to buy and carve pumpkins; we didn’t get to the family friend’s place sorry! We did donate to a good cause and carve some pretty cool-looking pumpkins. I forgot to mention to my boyfriend I am competitive in creating the best pumpkin. I couldn’t find smaller pumpkins, so I had to change my carving idea, and I was a bit devastated. I was left last minute searching for what to do and I didn’t love it.

This year for Halloween my son went as my brother’s best friend who is a mechanic that he adores. Both scary and heartwarming. He said he wasn’t going to go out because his tradition is to go with his cousin who is away this year. He changed his mind last minute and came home with a huge haul of candy which I have been taxing heavily. If you parent tax, you know what I mean! I convinced Dan when he was little that he wouldn’t like Cheetos and that peanut butter cups were too spicy! I am that mom.

While I miss the old family fall traditions, I look forward to the new ones we are creating. While Dan was collecting candy I watched the second most bizarre movie of my life. My boyfriend’s tradition is to watch Rocky Horror Picture Show. I am trying to incorporate him into our family, so I appreciated he carved and shared laughs creating pumpkins. I stared at him with a confused look trying to understand why so many people enjoy this movie. I can’t wait to watch it next year. Does it ever make more sense? When do I stop singing the catchy songs? I did love that meatloaf is in the movie.

When I think of why I love the fall season it is because the sights with all the leaves changing beautiful colours delight my soul. Everywhere you look it is so pretty. The fall drives take my breath away. For 25 years my dad and I always took a caddy cruise to take in the colour changes. I will forever hold those memories close to my heart. This year while not planned for a fall cruise I ended up taking a fall tour caddy route in my Jetta while not as nice of a car the views were amazing. My boyfriend was my co-pilot who like my dad was telling me such rich history about where we were driving and as the old memories and new memories flooded me, I had such a full heart.

Halloween is still one of my favourite times, while I dislike being scared, I love pumpkin carving, eating mini candies, and making memories. As my doorbell rang each time with more kids, I ran to see what they were. I live in a small community on a dead-end street, so I appreciate those who put in the effort to stop by. You all made my night!

While the summer heat is what I crave the fall colours will forever be one of my favourtie sights. I look forward to fall and the traditions of October while they have changed, I am making the decision to put away my sad caddy tears and instead be thankful that I shared 25 years of fall cruises. To embrace the change and be thankful for those who come to carve pumpkins, sing songs, and eat cupcakes. I am thankful for the memories I have created and the ones still to come. This year while the tradition changed my heart was still full. We created such wonderful memories. You choose how to deal with the day. I could have skipped the fall traditions and just been sad trust me I kind of wanted to. I didn’t think it would be the same and I was right, it wasn’t the same, but it was everything I needed. I did my best and I made it the best it could be.

My son also learned the lesson that when tradition changes and when you are sad cousin isn’t here for Halloween you could sulk and have no fun or you could slap a costume together and go out with friends, start a new tradition, and get me my spicy peanut butter cups!

For a moment we wanted to skip I love that we both made it the best it could be. Do your best!