Need a last minute costume idea? How about Mother Nature? I posted about it last year, but I think it is time to revisit that post.

Revisit here.

This year my kids are going as our dogs. My 2.5-year-old wanted to go as our lab and I am dressing the 1-year-old as our Malamute. Cute and easy.

Happy Halloween!

This was supposed to be a post showing off the lovely fall colors we get around here. There would be pictures of aspens in golds and oranges, bright red willows and mustardy cottonwoods. But then a big storm came in about a week ago and changed all that.

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Last October I wrote a post about family-friendly activities to celebrate fall. Pumpkin patches and corn mazes entertain and educate (see first hand where that snarky-looking Jack O' Lantern came from). Harvest festivals provide an opportunity for friends and family to gather and celebrate the change of seasons.

I love autumn: gold, red and yellow-hued leaves lining the river; seeing your breath when inhaling the morning and basking in warm afternoons; pulling sweaters and scarves from storage.

I can hardly sit here and write this when autumn is calling me to go outside and immerse myself in her, but you are worth it!

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which usually includes friends, family, gratitude and too much food. I don't even like most of the typical Thanksgiving foods and I still tend to overeat.

Growing up we celebrated Thanksgiving the same way as most Americans do, but as I got older we branched out and had a Greek-themed Thanksgiving feast one year and a Jamaican dinner another time.

The one thing that is consistently part of my Thanksgiving celebration is the long walk (or sometimes the long ski). After a big meal and a little time to digest we haul ourselves up off the couch, floor, bed or wherever we landed, and head out the door.

The walk usually starts slow, but gains momentum as everyone's blood gets moving and the crisp air spurs us on. We walk down to the river, through the park and up and down neighborhood streets. We notice pine needles on the ground, naked trees, and brown vegetation.

Conversation turns to the things we are grateful for, which often includes the wild lands and recreational opportunities we have. We admire and feel thankful for all the beauty around us.

This year, I encourage you to take a long walk after your big meal.

Happy Halloween!

Why not dress up as Mother Nature this year? This costume is perfect for nature lovers and last minute costume makers!

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We are deep into autumn now and closing in on Halloween and Samhain--the celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture and generally regarded as The Celtic New Year.

There are a lot of ways to get out and celebrate fall, but here are 3 things our family likes to do.

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