Fall and Firsts!

This is absolutely my favorite time of year!!!   FALL! 

Did you know we already passed the actual calendar first day of Autumn? Yep... it was a whole week ago. It's okay if you missed it, you can have a party now. Plus, we've only had a few crisp mornings, hence by reluctance to scream from my deck, or blog just yet.  But once I flip that calendar to October tomorrow, it's on!!!

This fall will be an entire new experience because I'm carrying a little one inside of me. Is it possible for me to pass my excitement on to my unborn child? Well... I plan to do everything in my power to make this munchkin love the most colorful, breathtaking, aromatic, and blissful time of year. Decorations will be put up this week, harvest candles will burn, and soon the hubs and I will make our annual Pumpkin run and carve!

Some great firsts I've experienced with this pregnancy include, but are not limited to:

1. First time eating Ramin Noodles as an adult
2. First time falling asleep at 8:30 on a Friday night when I had plenty of sleep the night before
3. First time finding great decaf coffee- TJs house blend, LOTH, and Fresh Market
4. First time I'm unable to suck in my little pooch around my waist
5. First time I've taken weeks at a time without exercising.
6. First time I've ever had people talk to and touch my stomach (even though I don't look pregnant).
7. First time I've had to keep food in my purse, car, and desk.
8. First time I've had fast food since I was a teenager.
9. First time I've not been able to stand salad or most anything that is colored green.
10. First time I've ever had a human being growing inside of me--- that's kind of huge.


Fall Food-  While my taste buds haven't quite turned to the "craving", and I have pretty much stuck to a pasta/rice only diet, I'm starting to expand a bit as I get into my second trimester. Here's a great fall recipe I made yesterday for some Football, Fall, and Friends:

Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
• 1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook beef until brown; drain. Stir in onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in beans, tomato juice, diced tomatoes and pumpkin puree. Season with pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and sugar. Simmer 1 hour.

It was SO yummy!  Happy Fall to All!!!!

~CubBuster