fall

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Our Pet Spider for This Fall Season

12 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

Being in this house for nearly 9 years now, I easily see how spiders are associated with Halloween and bunnies are associated with Easter.

It’s because all the spiders really do come out once the Fall begins and all the bunnies really do come out once the Spring begins… at our house at least.

For the past two weeks, we have made a habit of not using our back door leading to the deck, as we are honoring our pet spider who guards the doorway.

It’s a perfectly symbiotic relationship, as we provide each other safe places to live.

We are happy to let the spider eat the smaller bugs we don’t want in our house; if even it means I have to take the long way around on garbage day.

The spider is our current temporary pet. You keep me updated on whether it has made a new web for the day or whether it’s currently eating its lunch!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You’re Still Not Too Old to Enjoy Lucky Ladd Farms

12 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

For your entire life, we have been taking you to Lucky Ladd Farms each Fall season. This past weekend, we went as a family and both you and your sister had such a great time!

One new exhibit was what I am going to call the Bubble Machine. It was like an endless supply of snow… but bubbles instead.

While I do get sad sometimes, thinking about how the little boy version of you is long gone, I love being able to see you act like a kid again… as opposed to the teenager you will soon be!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Holly: You are the Perfect Picture of What Autumn is to Me

6 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

This past weekend our family visited Gentry Farm, as is our tradition. One of my favorite pictures I took while we were there is of you holding a pumpkin.

Once we got back to the house, I asked you what your favorite part of our visit was, and you said it was when you got to pick out a pumpkin.

You are the perfect picture of what autumn is me:

Getting to enjoy the beautiful colors outside with our family, after the mosquitos have all disappeared and before the bitter winter wind starts blowing.

You and I agree that Fall is the best season!

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Showing Your Sister How to Play at a Pumpkin Patch

10 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

It is our tradition as a family to visit one of the nearby pumpkin patches each Fall season. This year, with your sister being a 5 year-old girl, not a preschooler, it was clear she was interested in participating in more adventure than in previous years there.

You were sure to show her the way- and she was just as eager to follow you.

Whether it was going into the spooky house, jumping off the mountain of hay, and going down the huge tunnel slide together.

I loved being able to watch the two of you have fun together.

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on car reviews, fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Our Family’s 2017 “Pumpkin Spice” Lexus IS 350 for This Week

Autumn is here- and everyone knows it’s the best season of the year. The welcomed change in weather and accompanying outdoor activities are undoubtedly enhanced by making everything “pumpkin spice.” Because when anything is pumpkin spice, it is understood it is automatically better.

And if that’s the case, then our family’s mode of transportation this week has definitely been pumpkin spiced.  (Is that an official verb now? If not, I’m helping to legitimize it as one.)

Our family gets to drive a 2017 Lexus IS 350 this week; as we tackle some fun fall activities.

This weekend, my sister and her family will be driving up from Alabama to visit. We will all be heading to Gentry’s Farm & Pumpkin Patch, where there will be plenty of great activities for the total of 4 kids; including a hay ride and a corn maze.

Afterwards, we will be making our way to our son’s soccer game. This will make my sister’s family’s first time to be able to see him play.

The day I brought home the Lexus IS 350, the kids loved checking it out in the driveway. My wife exclaimed, “Whoa! This is a really sporty car!” My son declared, “I love it when your cars have windows in the ceiling!” As for our daughter, she was convinced she was actually driving; especially when she successfully turned on the hazard lights.

After the big reveal of the Lexus IS 350 to my family, it was time to take my son to soccer practice. While it almost felt wrong to take just a nice and shiny luxury car to a dusty soccer field, I reminded myself: Live this up- make the most of your pumpkin spice ride while you have it this week.

There is no doubt we will be making the most of my sister’s family’s visit to Spring Hill, Tennessee.

And during it all, my family of 4 will be able to travel in luxury, with our Lexus IS 350. I have noticed that with every vehicle we get to model here on my blog, my wife’s favorite feature is always the heated seats; and now just in time for the slight chill of autumn.

I suppose it goes without saying, I think there’s a pretty good chance that one of the upcoming activities in the Lexus IS 350 will be going out somewhere nice for coffee…

Pumpkin Spice, of course!