October Joys

This week's ABC Wednesday brings us to the letter O. And so this seems like a perfect opportunity to celebrate the happiness that is the month of October.

Now, I can't really say that I have a favorite month. Just about every month has something to love about it. (Plus, I'm really too overly analytical to have just one favorite of anything - books, movies, songs, food... I can never narrow it down to just one.) But I do tend to rank things. And October is definitely near the top of my list.

For one thing, October is usually when we finally get a break from the triple-digit temperatures. It still isn't cold here yet (not that it ever really gets cold in central Arizona) but our highs have actually been down in the 80s all week, which has been lovely.

And of course October is when the Halloween decorations come out. I've always loved Halloween, but now that I get to share it with my kids it's even more fun. They love to help decorate, and do holiday crafts and baking. (We actually have some more planned for this weekend, as a matter of fact, so be sure to tune in next week for more Halloween fun.)

October is also the only time that I indulge in silly cartoon cereal. I'm usually not big on the sugary cereals, but this is my one exception. They're a fun, once-a-year tradition. And I'm pretty sure you will find these in my pantry every October for the rest of my life.

And perhaps best of all (or worst, depending on your perspective) October is when we start finding pumpkin-flavored EVERYthing in the stores. I know it's not for everyone, but I for one love it. And I don't even have to be eating it - just the smell of pumpkin and spices makes me happy.

This is the latest pumpkin-flavored thing that I discovered this year. And yes, they're pretty tasty. (If you don't like pumpkin pie, I'd say give them a miss.) Otherwise... Yum!