Back to School, Football, Tailgating, the World Series and Halloween: It Doesn't Get Much Better Than That!

Just a few of the reasons I LOVE the fall. Today marks the first day of Stanford Football Tailgating for the McCarty family (we missed the first game last weekend), and we can't wait. IMO Stanford has one of the best tailgating experiences around. It's called "The Farm" but it's actually more like the woods--plenty of space to park beneath the giant trees and set up chairs, tables, whatever. Mom and Dad listen to music and drink a few adult beverages while the kids run around in the trees and toss the football around. Usually we have friends stop by which makes it even better. My two CPs Bella Andre and Jami Alden both went to Stanford undergrad so we've tried to make it a time to get the families together. A few friends from Law School are still around, too. I grew up tailgating with my family at Raiders games so maybe it's in the blood. :)

We've been Stanford Football season ticket holders for the past few years, and it has become one (if not the) favorite thing we do together as a family. September and October are probably the best weather months in California. Clear warm days and cold crisp nights--perfect! I have dreams each year about doing something more lavish with the food, but it's usually chips, dips, sandwiches, burritos or sushi and plenty of Coors Light. I do want one of those Margherita machines though . . .

So what about you . . . are you a tailgater? What is your favorite time of year? Do you have a favorite thing you do together as a family?

Mini-Break

Other than a last minute, late summer trip to Tahoe this summer, we pretty much stayed put. But this weekend we'll be taking a little "mini-break" and heading down to the world's happiest place, a.k.a. Disneyland.

If you'd told me before I had kids that I'd be going to Disneyland multiple times a year, I would have said, "You're nuts!" Sigh, what a difference a couple of little ones can make. We've been taking the kids to Disneyland since they were toddlers (my daughter was only 6 months!)--mostly because we were down there so much when my hubby was playing baseball. He mostly played for American League teams and Anaheim is a quick trip form Nor Cal. Most of the past 10 years we've been annual passholders. Not sure whether I should be proud of that or not? :)

The kids are ride fans so Disneyland (where you can go back and forth between the parks easily) is more enjoyable for them than Disneyworld (where everything is spread out). Both kids love the "thrill" rides: California Screamer, Grizzly Run, and Tower of Terror. I like those, too, but I think my favorite is Soarin' Over California.

As a funny aside: I'm deep into book #2 now with my "SEAL"/seafarer and I can't even tell you how many times I've wanted to use the rollercoaster analogy for all those wild rides on the boat, LOL.

So what about you...have a favorite amusement park? Ever been to Disney? Do you like roller-coasters?

Looking for Something to Read . . .

With the kids back at school (insert Monica doing a jig here), I'm looking to reward myself with a little reading time. Something that has seriously been lacking in the past few months.

I was pretty parsimonious this year at conference, and I've already managed to read through most of the books I picked up. I also did a little book clean out recently. I think my TBR pile is the lowest it's been in years. In part it's because I've started putting aside books that I'm not enjoying. It used to be that I read through the entire book no matter what. But my reading time is so limited nowadays, I've become much more cutthroat.

There are a couple of books I'm really looking forward to at the end of the month (new Lisa Kleypas and Liz Carlyle anyone?), but do you have any recommendations to tide me over until then? How about new authors?

I read historical (of course), suspense, and some contemporary (SEP, Rachel Gibson, Jennie Crusie, Christie Ridgeway... stuff like that). I don't read paranormal usually unless it's time travel.