Looking Back at October

For once this month felt pretty long and not so busy.  That's mainly due to the HORRIBLE case of hand/foot/mouth I got at the beginning of the month and I am still, kinda, recovering from.  I ran my half marathon on September 30th.  A week later I could barely walk and went 5 days without leaving my house.  It was bad.  I was telling Matt how I make these collages every month and how most of the pictures I took were of my hands and feet covered in spots, blistering, or starting to peel.  None of which anyone wants to see (my poor husband, he's been subjected to multiple viewings because I like few things more than showing him every paper cut or tiny bruise I've ever gotten, much less sores covering half my body).

What else I have to say about HFM: YES, it itches like crazy, despite all those mommy blogs claiming otherwise.  It felt like walking on shards of glass, all over my feet.  It made everything taste weird.  I had multiple people tell me it's the worst case they've ever seen in an adult (Matt and Luke were largely spared, although Matt did suffer through his fever while we were in Florida, but he also had about 5% the spots I did).  Short list of where I had spots: on my scalp, in my nose, on my tongue, inside my cheeks, on my lips, ALL OVER my palms, on the backs of my hands, elbows, knees, a few on my shins, and ALL OVER the bottom of my feet.

So, short version, be glad this post does not include any pictures of my diseased hands and feet.  I'm still scarred, literally.

1) My sweet boy picks me a lot of flowers, always appreciated, even if they are ones I planted and grew myself.
2) The beginnings of fall color!
3) Morning glories still going strong!
4) Homemade apple fritters, they are as delicious as they sound!
5) Fall  hike through the woods!  It was 70° and the views were fantastic!
6) More fall hiking.
7) It was either more fall foliage or my peeling feet...
8) I had BLUE morning glories bloom for the first time in 4 years, even though I plant them every year!  I was SO EXCITED when the first one popped up!
9) Fall color on a run!  Makes up for freezing the first mile or so!
10) Picking out our pumpkins for the squirrels to, inevitably, eat!
11) At least our back steps look fall festive...no pictures of the front for a reason...
12) Fall color on a neighborhood walk!
13) He gets to ride his bike, I get to take pictures, everyone is happy!
14) More color on the back steps!
15) Matt and Luke carving pumpkins while I took pictures...we were all happy with this arrangement.
16) Finished pumpkin!

1 year ago:  Dirt + Little Boys
2 years ago: Fall Home Tour, in a Lazy Blogger Way
3 years ago: My Current Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (still a favorite)
4 years ago: Grandma
5 years ago: UD, UC, Marshmallows, Christmas, and Adoption
6 years ago: Miami!

Books finished: 13 for the month, 165 for the year.
Things sewn: I sewed a pillow cover!  And have more planned for the holidays!
Miles ran: 25.37, less than 1/4 of what I ran the month before!  Yay for race training being over! (But boo to the HFM that kept me couch bound for the first half of the month...)
Currently watching:  We finished season 8 of The Office (which might be it's worst season...do NOT like all these new Sabre people), onto season 9 which I remember being much better, see how that holds up.  And Matt talked me into starting Stranger Things, I've watched two episodes, of the first season.  Deciding if I want to finish while Matt patiently waits to watch season 2 until I make up my mind...
Most read post this month: Running and RA and {12} Favorite Things from IKEA
Luke's current favorite song:  He told me the other day that he likes the Backstreet Boys.  My parenting job is complete.

Who else is excited it's now the REAL holiday season?!??!?