Fall Is Here!!!

Today was the first day that it really felt like fall here in Birmingham. I love fall. No really, I LOVE fall. It is by far my favorite season. I have missed it so so so much during the past five years that we've lived in Florida. (In Florida, fall comes in December and lasts less than a week.) This morning I walked out on the deck to uncover the sandbox for Caleb and I thrilled at the cool, crisp air. Riley and Shannon (our Irish setters) were frisky as could be. They were running and wrestling and playing tug-of-war like I haven't seen them do all summer long. Caleb got a big kick out of it...he's used to dogs lethargic from the heat and he was bit awed by their energy.

We had a zoo date planned with a friend this morning, and I was even more excited that we'd be enjoying this gorgeous fall day outdoors. I dressed the boys in their fall clothes, which was also extremely fun for me. I LOVE seasons changing for a lot of reasons, but one of them is definitely because of new clothes (which used to be for me and are now for my little ones, which I enjoy just as much). I got so tired of putting shorts on Caleb through November & December last year! Anyway, we met Cathy and her daughter Tabitha at the zoo at 9:30 and spent a thoroughly enjoyable 3 hours together roaming from habitat to habitat. The animals were excited about the fall weather as well. Almost every animal was up and moving, some that I haven't ever seen move in our 5-6 trips to the zoo this summer. The tiger was pacing and roaring (or whatever you call a loud, open-mouthed tiger noise) against the glass wall. The lioness was circling the "pride rock" that the lion was sitting on. The red panda was munching on lettuce and climbing through the branches. The kangaroos were playing chase, hopping lightning-fast across their long habitat. The flamingos were flapping and squawking and strutting their stuff. Even one of the huge constrictor snake was uncoiling and moving through his cage...quite an alarming site, but incredible at the same time. And to top it all off, both Caleb and Ethan took a 2+ hour nap after we got home, allowing me to clean the bathrooms and take a nap myself!

It was a beautiful fall day...I expect the first of many. People here say that fall lasts a good three months in Birmingham and doesn't get cold until late December. We are going to be outside as much as possible for every bit of it!