Where are you Great Pumpkin?!

October has always been my favorite month. I just love the fall. The colors, the spicy tang in the air that seems to herald the changing of the seasons. Crunching dried leaves as you enjoy a stroll through a crisp, sunny autum day.

To me the highlight of October is the inevitable visit to the pumpkin patch. I think I enjoy it more than the kids! The excitement of finding that one special pumpkin out of a sea of orange orbs is one of those pure moments that you hold onto throughout the coming winter months.

I was really looking forward to discovering what England had to offer in the way of pumpkin patches. Sigh! Just like Linus, it looks like I'll be left wanting this Halloween season. I have been informed that there is no such thing as a pumpkin patch here in the U.K. Drat! I'm not even sure you can buy a pumpkin from the grocery store here. Just one more thing to add to my ever expanding list of things I miss about the U.S.A.!

Mummy, I have the most brilliant idea!

We all wondered when it would happen. I suppose it's inevitable. It's only natural.

Aine and Emma are starting to pick up an English accent! At first I thought I was imagining it, but they are definitely starting to change their inflections and pronounciations. Aine seems to be picking it up more so than Emma. It cracks me up to hear them use the English vernacular in their conversations. "It was brilliant, mummy!" "Thank you ever so much." "I'm feeling very poorly!" "I'm absolutely shattered!"

It will be interesting to see how people react when we come back for a visit. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon. I miss home so much sometimes it's like a hole in my chest. I'm afraid that when we do come back, it will be hard to get back in the swing of things. People will have moved on or moved away. Don't forget about me, ok!?