Happy HalloweenGivingMas! Today is October 1, one of my favorite days on the calendar. Not only does it kickoff my birthday month, but it begins the three-month blitz of holidays, excitement, family, delicious food, and magic.

But let me not get ahead of myself. Before we even think about November and December, let’s cherish and savor October. I love this month—and that love goes beyond the vanity I have for my own birthday 😉. Autumn beauty, spooky fun, football galore, and fall festivals all contribute to my affinity for the 10th month of the year. I even secretly like the stuff I DON’T LIKE about October.

As you could probably guess, my October admiration didn’t develop overnight. I have enjoyed this month since as long as I can remember. I thought the basis of this very short blog post could be a few nostalgic memories I have from my childhood that transpired in October…

– We would always get excited when my mom would read us scary books during October. I think this might be the genesis of how I became such a fan of scary movies. My mom would read us a plethora of spooky children’s stories and the book I remember most was about a scarecrow. At night, the scarecrow would come alive and roam around. When day returned, it would be back in its field.

– Speaking of scarecrows, my family actually made one! We called him Frank Farwell. How did we arrive at that name? The clothes he wore belonged to my grandpa (named Frank) and we allowed the school we attended, Farwell Elementary, to use him for its fall festival.

My siblings and me with the actual Frank Farwell!

– When I think of October and my childhood, I have many pleasant memories of birthday parties my parents threw me. Whether it was at Chuck E. Cheese or a classic home party, I can visualize my friends around me and feel the importance of being the center of attention. My absolute favorite birthday party, however, was when mom and dad rented a limousine for my friends and me to cruise around in.

Major throwback to when I had a limo at my birthday party. In this photo I am wearing the hate of the limousine driver.

– To harken back to the spooky theme I already touched on, my dad would always take my sister and me to a haunted house attraction. How we loved getting the crap scared out of us! Just like with the scary story books, these haunted house trips from early in my life paved the way for my current enjoyment of spooky stuff. Yep, I still try to visit a haunted house attraction every year.

Me at a haunted house in Myrtle Beach back in 2015. 

Okay everyone, the year is now ¾ of the way over. Make October and the ensuing two months the best they can be. Don’t Blink.