I {heart} fall

Today is one of those days that I feel like I'm going to burst because I just can't contain my love for fall. It's beautiful outside. It's in the mid-70's, the sun is shining bright, the sky is bluer than blue with not a single cloud in the sky, the trees are all showing off their brilliant colors... (I know - get off the computer and enjoy it, silly girl!) I drove past some horses today that were all facing a cluster of yellow trees with the mountains in the background. In my mind, they were enjoying the view as well.



I was in California last week and felt a little sad that I was missing a whole week of Colorado fall. Don't get me wrong, I love California, but there really isn't "fall" in Southern California. I imagined that I was leaving my crimson bushes and glowing yellow maples only to come home to stark, bare trees and a ground covered with dead brown leaves. Praise God that I was wrong!



I've been taking pictures non-stop (I suppose in my quest to stall fall as long as possible), and am posting just a sampling here. I don't claim to be a great photographer (or even a GOOD one), but this morning on my way home from Bible Study, I just thought to myself, "I'm so blessed to live here!" And then I thought, "God, you've let me live here my WHOLE LIFE!!!" I couldn't ask for more!



I've had to remind myself lately to enjoy fall and not stress out over it. My stress only comes from the fact that I feel like I'm going to miss the beauty if I don't take it all in properly. I feel like I can't open my eyes wide enough to see and appreciate it all. Fall is slipping away day by day and I'm afraid I'll miss it so much once it's gone for good. I don't mind that the colorful, crunchy leaves are replaced by beautiful snow, I just wish fall lasted longer. Maybe that's why I can appreciate it so much once it's here each year. The colors, the smells, the sights, the activities... I love it all.



These pictures are all from either my yard or my folks' yard. A lot of our leaves are bright yellow now and I haven't even taken pictures of them yet. And I feel like I need to add that I haven't altered these in any way - these colors are the real deal, folks!!!





I took these pictures on my way home from Bible Study today. You need to know that I didn't even get out of my car to take any of these. Nor did I take side roads - these are all from my regular everyday drive! I have such a simple lesson to teach my girls every day about the glory of God's creation. We live in a work of art! (And these pictures hardly do it justice!)


That's Long's Peak:



Those are the Flatirons waaaay in the distance off to the left. Imagine... a 20 minute drive and I'm next to them. That's what we're doing tomorrow: hiking around the Flatirons, per Emma's request. It took me all of a half second to say yes to her request! I can't wait.