A Magical Scene Set in the Mind of AM~Erica

So anyway...

It's the eve of all hallow's eve. And I'm getting stoked!

Halloween really is MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY, and it also arrives during MY FAVORITE SEASON. Ahhhh...I do so love it all.

Last night was no exception on that reminder...

Around here, there has been some rain with some slightly thick & foggy air. There has been an ever-so-slight chill in the air...just so perfect for this time of year. And this scene got me thinking about a magical night of trick-or-treating a few years ago.

~~~~~~~~~~

It was a dark & stormy night...
OK, not really, but it was night much like I described before the beginning of this story...

As being the WIFE OF A PASTOR, especially in the United Methodist itinerarent system, your spouse gets appointed to a church somewhere within your state (usually). Therefore, you don't really have a say in where you end up for whatever stint is needed at that church. And there are the churches that have a parsonage for their pastor & family (parsonage - the house or living accommodations for the pastor & family thru the appointed church). Many times, it's really nice when a family finds out there is a house provided! It takes out the stress of having to find living accommodations fitting for the family. And, even though we are fully grateful for the accommodations, it can pose challenges. One of these things is where the parsonage is located. The family moves into where the house is located...it could be right next to the church, it could be in the middle of nowhere, it could be on a tiny side street, it could be in a charming neighborhood...you get the idea. This is good info to know for this story.

Several years ago, our family was appointed to a new church. This one was terrifying for me since it would be the first time living out of my comfort zone. We were sent across the state. Luckily we were blessed with the church's parsonage! It was kind of a big deal for us since it was my hubby's 1st major appointment! It was frightening & wonderful.

When we got moved into the house & got settled, we realized a few quirks:
1) the house, which was very close to the church, actually sits close to the end of a long side street with a tiny cul-de-sac at the end...so not much of a "neighborhood";
2) the few neighbors that were on the street with us weren't fond of the church & were not very good neighbors (except for 1).

Since my hubby & I had been together, we'd only lived in 1 place where we had a decent amount of trick-or-treaters. We lived in a neighborhood that did have several kiddos that were willing to go door-to-door begging for candy in crazy-adorable getups. When we had to end up moving to duplexes & townhomes, we lost that fun luxury. Which was sad for me. I love that part! I like putting up some decorations & seeing the creativity & variety of kids in costume. Heck...I love greeting them at the door blaring music & in some kind of getup, myself! So when we wouldn't even get 10 kids coming to the door, it was disheartening.

I looked forward to getting into a house...in a neighborhood! When we moved into that parsonage, I only saw that we were in a house that was surrounded by other houses. Imagine how sad I was when reality set in that there may not be too many kids & answering the door was probably out of the question. *sigh*

There is a family, at the church we were appointed to, that still holds a very special place in our hearts. They invited us over to a family gathering they were having. We were not used to anything like that, but discussed that the kids could go trick-or-treating in that neighborhood, there would be food, and we'd get to share our costumes...so after a lot of deliberation, we hesitantly decided we would go. And it was quite the deal!

I would like to take a moment to say that StL is quite the area to go trick-or-treating on Halloween! Neighbors/friends/families get together around a firepit in a driveway to hand out candy, there are spirits for adults to be treated with, there are parties, and there is an interesting culture of giving a trick (such as a Halloween joke) to get the treat. I thought it was interesting that my kiddos were sent home with a list of Halloween jokes (which I thought was just for kicks & giggles for the holiday), but come to find out...it was useful information.

We got to the gathering with our friends & their family. The food for the gathering was incredible! The amount of candy for costumed tykes was crazy. There was a firepit outside & a magician inside. And then we decided to wander the neighborhood to see what kind of candy loot the kiddos could collect...and off we headed with our friends & their kids...

Oh. My. Goodness.
The night had a creepy chill in the foggy air. The trees had left a warm-colored carpet of leaves along the sidewalks that rustled as we meandered over the tops of them. The moon shown brightly over the scene set. The decorations & firepit gatherings were incredible. The culture of asking for the trick (of a joke) took a bit to get used to. No matter...this was a Halloween set up straight off a Hollywood set!

I could feel it down to my very bones, in my heart, and an unexplainable tingle thru my body that told me that this...THIS...was the magic of Halloween I'd been searching for! This is what I longed for! This is the kind of Halloween I wanted.

After that, we just raided a neighboring neighborhood (yeah...I just said that) to take in the same kind of experience, minus the house gathering. However...no matter how great all of that was...I was merely a spectator of the event, not a participant. And that's what I missed.

As much gratefulness as I/we had for the church we were at & the home provided, imagine my crazy excitement when the new church we were appointed to, back on our home-side of the state, got a parsonage for us. And it is in a neighborhood with a lot of streets & houses & kiddos!

Growing up, my mom always kept track of how many trick-or-treaters would come by our house on our cul-de-sac. If I remember right, we could have anywhere from 20-40! If I could get something like that, it would be amazing. So, in my excitement for kids coming to the door of our new place, I got my tally paper ready...

It was a dark & stormy night...
OK, still not really, but on our first Halloween in the neighborhood, imagine how my mind was blown when I tallied up 80 trick-or-treaters!!! *happy dance*

So, as the weather, right now, reminds me of that Halloween magic, I look forward to the trick-or-treaters, the pumpkin luminaries we put out, the candy, playing the music, the dinner I plan on having for the family, dressing up, the kids dressing up, the tally marks & costumes of those who appear on our doorstep...

And I feel so blessed to be where we are at.

I'm stoked!!!! Are you?

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Celebrates the Fall of Isaac

So anyway...

The midwest had a brutal summer. We are technically still in a drought & desperately behind in moisture. And it has been so dry that the colors of autumn were being threatened.

That's where I draw the line, buddy!

I have brought up before how much I LOVE FALL. I can't say it enough. Ever. So the thought of having one of my favorite parts taken away is totally unacceptable.

There were so many people watering their lawns, and then there were limits set on that from different cities around the KC metro (and other areas) due to supply & demand. And we were trying so hard get our apples going.

Then there was a weather event at the end of July that looked to be changing things: Hurricane Isaac.

Now, don't get me wrong...Isaac was a meany-head when he got done swimming in the ocean. He did quite a bit of damage in the NOLA area (New Orleans). However, he worked on his journey northward...and sauntered into the midwest. The south was not so hospitable to their hostile guest...and that is understandable. The south needed Isaac to leave! But having him chill out & mosey on into our territory worked out really well. He behaved by the time he got here. He cooled down the 100 degree air & stayed for a good, long visit. I think I figured it was a calm, peaceful & delightful 31-hour stay.

We left the doors open to enjoy Isaac's visit. We rejoiced in the fact that we were catching up on major moisture we so desperately needed. I'm sure Isaac is very sorry for the tantrum he threw down south. But we enjoyed his visit here. He really helped us out! And we truly enjoyed him coming.

After that, the rest of August was much calmer. What should have been the "dog days of summer" being so hot & awful, it became much more mild than expected. But we were concerned about the damage that had already set in. There were leaves changing color & singeing even in July. We also believed that autumn would be much more muted in hues due to the drought.

As the new season of autumn came upon us, the weather became just as it needed to be. I have been loving wearing my scarves, boots, leg warmers & sweaters. And, also, my hubby & I have been noticing a change in color of the leaves. The hues seem to be deep, rich, and much more vibrant than the color was believed to be.

This. Makes. Me. Happy.

We owe Isaac so much. He's given our area the gift of a beautiful fall. We are still behind in ground liquid, but Isaac did more than you could possibly imagine. Hurricanes & their damage make me sad. Isaac learned his lesson by the time he got here & used his powers for good.

So we celebrate this "Fall of Isaac"! I'm sure many will join us in our sentiment.

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

** UPDATE**
Due to me not having my camera during most of October, I didn't get a lot of the beautiful color that came from the autumn leaves. However, we do have a little still in November. This is due to the long visit we had from Isaac back in the summer, as of today, November 7th, 2012:

Beautiful, right? Thanks, again, Isaac!

AM~Erica is Faking Fall

So anyway...

You should already know that fall is my favorite season. If not, you can learn how much I love it by reading & looking at my Pinterest boards & Facebook updates.

The midwest has gone thru a horrible drought this year. It's sad. Even though there hasn't had to be lawns to mow...the lawns are straw. And it's not looking good for vibrant color this autumn. That makes me so sad. Because I am more than ready for the upcoming season after all the miserable triple-digit temperature days we have been surviving.

It's now mid August. We are in the "dog days of summer", a time we usually brace for serious heat! But there has been a break in the major heat. This break has also brought on some beautiful morning lows of temps in the 60's. And with Pinterest pinners pinning beautiful autumn inspired pins (i.e. nature, fashion, recipes, Halloween & Thanksgiving, colors, etc.), it makes me crave it even more.

I have been enjoying mornings with the back door open, chilling (literally & figuritively) on the deck with my cup of hot coffee in the morning or a glass of wine in the cool evening, Glade autumn scent of maple pumpkin, cardigans, sweaters, and boots. It makes gazing upon our APPLE TREE even better!

(a view of some of our apples & "straw" from the deck thru other foliage - figured out they may be Golden Delicious)

I've been eating apple-y things, wanting pumpkin-y things, gawking over autumn-y fashion, enjoying the chill-y mornings (see what I did there?)...

My hubby has been delighting in this with me, too. It also makes us long for the fall season now is that it's preseason of NFL football. GO CHIEFS! We went & checked out Chiefs training camp while it was in St. Joe, MO, and we are going to take in one of the preseason games! Can't wait to partake in some famous KC tailgating! 

Another sign of the season change is the fact that school has begun. More of a routine is being set, and it's a weird one for me. Since Teen Girl & Teen Boy are BOTH in high school, it's very strange to not have to keep going in a cycle of get-a-kid-out-the-door-and-begin-the-next-kid thing. I have down time between the older 2 leaving & Lil Guy getting up.

We have been so busy this summer, even our vacation was all about going-going-going, that it is great to have those moments of just relaxing & enjoying. We don't get to do it very often, so this is a fabulous change of pace. And a needed one. It really does help us deal with the hustle & bustle better.

Last year was too busy. We were going in 8 directions at the same time, so it made us grumpy & resentful of the seasons. You know something is wrong if I don't put up fall decor in the summertime. And I didn't. We only put up one Christmas tree last year when I usually have about 5. One got thrown up last minute, and one got put up, but undecorated, a couple of days before Christmas. That one is still up. D'oh! But we didn't enjoy our favorite times of the year last year. It was awful.

This year...we have plans, hopes & aspirations of great seasons. The drought may have spoiled the vibrant colors for the year, but it hasn't dried out our vibrant spirit of how to handle this year. We are actually excited about making plans.

We are beautifully faking fall until it shows up. I can't wait to give it a warm & cozy welcome!

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica

AM~Erica Witnesses Apple Tree Homage

So anyway...

It's July. I know. And I'm not about wishing time away, really. My kids are growing so fast, it's almost unbelievable. However, I hate summer. I know it's one of the seasons & I love having seasons, and God created the seasons, but it's just TOO HOT!!! At least for me.

The midwest is really good for having seasons. Cuz we get SEASONS. Winter is what you'd imagine winter to be, spring is the same, as well as this nasty hotness of summer. We also get to revel in the fall season. Not sure if you can tell or not, but it's my favorite! I LOVE ME SOME AUTUMN!!

You know what I really love about Fall? ALL OF IT! I'm not kidding. The crops (pumpkin, apple, etc.), the weather, the color, the holidays, the sports (*ahem* Football). Ah...I can't wait.

The weather & weather conditions have been crazy all over the U.S. the past several months. A lot of rain in some areas, crazy fires in others, and then we have been having drought-like conditions here...so envious of those getting the rain. The several days of triple-digit temps is ridiculous. Luckily we are no where near the number of days this has happened like back in 1936. 50+ days of triple digits temps? NO THANK YOU!

Lately (the last few days), we have had a break from the 100+ temps & it's only been in the 90's. OK, still...YUCK! However, it has brought on low temps in the 60's & 70's. YEA! My kind of temps, people!

Just to hold a cup of hot coffee while standing on the deck feeling those low temps that I was wishing were the high temps. I love some crispness in the air. And we do have some leaves in the backyard that lends to the fall-like feel. OK...just a few, but I'll take what I can get. Then I can gaze upon our lone backyard tree that has become apple bearing...and that helps me focus on the upcoming fall season, too.

This tree is something interesting. We moved into this house 2 years ago. It was exciting that there were 2 trees side-by-side in the back corner of the yard. One of them was apple-bearing. And I cannot exaggerate that enough. I truly believe there were more apples than leaves on that tree. I was SO excited! It made me think of growing up at my grandmother's when she lived in her house with one big tree in the backyard, plus 3 apple trees. I loved those apple trees. They were easy to climb (so cool for an 80's prodigy kid), and they bore apples! One of the great memories from my childhood.

Oh, let's skip back to my backyard and the trees: people figured I would be making a lot of apple pies by the time September rolled around. But it wasn't to be. *sigh* about 2 weeks after we moved in, we had a big storm come thru. The trees were fine, just a few branches down. About a week later, another storm hit...and the roots of our very heavy apple tree were very shallow. That second storm took that tree...it tipped over. We lost the tree I was so excited about. I was so sad. But we had the other tree that now stood alone.

Last year, I noticed something about that tree...on the side that faced where the other tree once stood...a single apple grew. I was shocked to see this fruitless tree carrying an apple on a single branch.

Here it is, another year later...and here is that single tree that was fruitless 2 years ago:

Do you see what is on there? Those green polka dots are apples. They are everywhere on the tree!

Smack dab in the middle of this pic is where the single apple grew last year. Look at it now!

Look at how the fruit is growing. Abundantly!

I can't help but feel like this tree has taken on the legacy of the other tree. Like paying homage to a fallen friend. Weird? Maybe...but I keep saying my brain works in odd & interesting ways. And seeing this...*deep sigh* I can't help it.

Fall is coming, y'all. And there is beauty all around to show it. Like the homage of an apple tree.

Until then, I will deal with the icky heat & pray for rain. I got to stand outside in a light rain shower...and it was refreshing.

A hot mug of cider, the air being about 50-60 degrees, a crispness in the air & a snuggle by a fire would be quite refreshing, too...

Tick-tick...

Stay tuned...

God Bless, AM~Erica