*.*.* Falling for Autumn *.*.*

It's official, I am over summertime!  Only 33 more days 'til it is officially Fall!  I brought out my pumpkin scented Yankee candles, got a new fall-inspired runner for our dining room table and even a new wreath for the front door.  It's Fall in my house, dang-it!  Here are a few of my favorite things about the upcoming season:

* leaves changing colors (duh)
* the cool, crisp, non-humid air
* amazing sweaters and a great pair of jeans
* BOOTS!!!
* Watching a great college football game outside with great friends
* the dusty smell the first time you turn on the heater in the house
* Food- turkey, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows on the top, apple cider, tailgating food, etc
* Holidays- Halloween & Thanksgiving
* Putting up Christmas decorations after Thanksgiving (not before, people... that's just ridiculous).
* Fall festivals
* Scarecrows
* The smell of fires burning in fireplaces
* Picking out a pumpkin before halloween
* decorating!
* Seasonal coffee flavors
* the crunch of leaves beneath your feet as you walk down a sidewalk
* Being able to keep your windows open all day
* the smell of oranges, cloves & cinnamon

and last but certainly not least,

* quality time with family around the holidays!

Well, I guess we've still got a ways to go until it's actually Fall.  But, I couldn't help myself!  This year has flown by enough already so I know it will be here before we know it!  It's already starting to cool off a little up here.  The highs all next week are in the low 80s.  I just looked at the averages for September and the average high temperature for our town is 78 degrees!  I'm pretty excited about that!  However, I also have to think about this upcoming trip of mine!  So, in order to start preparing, I also looked at the averages for the month of September for Catania, Sicily, Salzburg, Austria and Frankfurt, Germany.  They are as follows:

Catania, Sicily: 84
Salzburg, Austria: 68
Frankfurt, Germany: 66

So, needless to say, I have to do a wide range of packing for this trip!  Definitely a swimsuit and shorts for Catania and a friggin' coat for the nights in Germany when it gets in the 40s!  Oh well.  I'm definitely NOT complaining.  I can't wait for this trip!

But anyway, other than longing for Autumn, all is well in the Jenkins household.  Christian got home last night from his four day trip across the country.  On this trip, they had to go to Jacksonville to pick up a load (more about what this load was in a second) and take it to Washington State.  Then, they flew to San Diego to "reposition" (whatever that means).  So, about that load they picked up.  It was a seal!  A real, live mammal... a seal!  Apparently, the Navy uses marine mammals to perform certain tasks so Christian and his crew went to pick up a 27-year-old seal in Jacksonville along with his four or five handlers and flew them out to Washington.  Crazy huh?  Who woulda thunk it.  He said they had to keep the back of the plane around 50 degrees so the people who were flying Space A (what Christian and I could do for a free flight somewhere) were freezing!  The handlers kept spraying the seal with water to keep him hydrated and Christian said he was just walking (waddling, etc) back and forth in his little cage.  I just think that is so neat!  haha  Enough about the seal....

Christian is home until Saturday afternoon when he leaves for Sicily.  So, we're trying to make the most of the couple days we have together before we're apart for about 23 days.  I've already told him that he has to take me out on a date tomorrow night!  haha

Well, Christian just called and needs me to bring something to him on base that he forgot here at home so now I'm off!  I hope everyone is having a great week and looking forward to a great weekend!

Love,

Chrissi