Experiencing Fall

This is the first year since moving to California that I've truly felt like we got to experience fall.

Back in Mountain View we had a palm tree outside our town home, and it didn't exactly lose its fronds every November.  We have a yard now, and that yard is full of trees and consequently full of leaves.

Actually, to be honest, the yard is completely leaf-free at the moment since our gardeners just came...but it was a beautiful blanket of leaves all week.

Orelia and I managed to do a couple of photo shoots in the front yard bookending the first few rain days we have had all season.

As much as I'm enjoying the beautiful fall scenery, I'm not thrilled to find myself with a toddler during the rainy part of the year.  How exactly does one survive the day without a play ground visit to burn off steam?

The upside of having a few rainy days this week was that on Friday when the sun was out and it was frankly too warm for the cardigan I was wearing, Orelia and I basked in the sun and appreciated it for the first time in awhile.

Well, maybe she didn't exactly "bask in the sun" so much as  allow me to smear sunscreen on her face while she played in the sand.

We are grateful for our yard this year and for any opportunity for a photo shoot before a trip to the park.