The holiday season is upon us.  Starbucks has broken out their red cups, caramel Brulee latte is ready to make it’s debut (my favorite!), and it’s almost acceptable for me to blast Christmas music from every speaker I own.

Oh wait, there’s a holiday between Halloween and Christmas?

That’s right…Thanksgiving.  The forgotten holiday.  We prepare for Halloween like a vengeance in our family, particularly because October is a whole month of celebration.  Our little man’s birthday and my nephew’s birthday (same day, cool story); our wedding anniversary; the school fall festival; face painting around town; and Halloween night’s major block party all contribute to our feeling lost and deprived in the gap between Halloween and Christmas.

We visited the pumpkin patch the day before Halloween.  Since we live in a major city, the “real” pumpkin patch is an hour away…not complaining, really.  It’s nice to have little man out there with lots of land to run around and play.  Where would you get to play in giant bales of (smelly) hay in New Orleans?  Probably nowhere.  Thankfully.

Due to major rain headed our way, Halloween was moved to Friday throughout the city.  Kind of crazy, but it left us celebrating Halloween on Friday AND Saturday.  Little Man’s costume was a full-blown dinosaur masterpiece, which he wouldn’t really let me snap a photo of because, well, “Dinosaurs don’t take pictures.”  They also “don’t wear shoes” and “love chocolate milk.”  Who knew?  Apparently my 4 year old.

So after two days of Halloween celebratin’, pumpkin patchin’, and trick or treatin’…well, we were pooped.  And now, momma has a kid on a sugar high, adjusting to daylight savings time, and pumpkins of various sizes floating around my house with no where to live. Seems like a rough life for a pumpkin post-Halloween, eh?  I don’t even want to think about the poor jack-o-lanterns.  Sheesh.

So what comes after the pumpkin patch?

First, I’m going to give those pumpkins a few days of being “thankful” since that seems like

the theme around town.  Thankful they weren’t made into jack-o-lanterns.  Thankful they haven’t been made into pumpkin puree yet (oh, but it’s coming!).  Thankful they aren’t being left outside to rot.

Then, I’m going to plan out all of the delicious pumpkin-themed things I’m going to whip up before Thanksgiving.  You can check out some of the delightful things I have pinned in my “Call me Betty Crocker” board on Pinterest.  The pumpkin tiramisu is one of the things I’m most excited to try.

Then, I’m going to start getting excited about one of my favorite events of the year…Black Friday!  Yes, I am one of those people – the ones that go out on Thanksgiving night and shop ’til I literally drop.  It’s something I do with my husband’s side of the family, and while some may criticize the whole debacle, I actually credit the craziness to some of the best memories I’ve shared with people who, though they aren’t blood related, they are the family I’ve married into, and I love them. I wouldn’t knock them over for a deal, either.

So what comes after the pumpkin patch for you and your family?  Tell me in the comments below.

Till next time, ya’ll!