If there's one thing you should know about me, it's that I love fall with all my heart. Come June, I'm ready for changing leaves, cooler temperatures and dark tights.

Waiting for Mother Nature to catch up with me is just the hardest.

Earlier this month, I celebrated my birthday by shopping for fall clothes and decorating the house with pumpkins, autumn florals, lanterns and my favorite pumpkin-spice candles.

And my only gift request? Two loaves of my mom's pumpkin chocolate chip bread (recipe below). To give you an idea of just how amazing it is, Tyler and I have consumed three loaves in 21 days. Our version of a 21-day fix, maybe?

So to celebrate the first day of fall finally, here's a list of things I love about the season (in no particular order):

1. The return of plaid flannels / let's all agree they make anyone more huggable
2. The departure of mosquitoes / so long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu
3. All the cozy sweaters / the bigger and chunkier, the better
4. Leather jackets / can't wait to break in the one I just bought at Target
5. An overall darker wardrobe / I'll take something in each one of these colors, please
6. Floppy wool hats / my favorite fall accessory
7. Fall festivals / I'm hoping to make it to a few of these
8. The smells / currently loving coconut pumpkin pie from Scentsy
9. Picnicking at Peaks of Otter / the atmosphere and seclusion make it a perfect spot to get away
10. Gutting pumpkins / because there's only one way to the delicious seeds
11. My wedding anniversary / I'll be reliving the day via all the gorgeous photos from Ashley Lester Photography
12. Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks / it's not always on the menu, but order it anyway
13. Homemade apple butter / best paired with toast, cool mornings and a front porch swing
14. Apple cider donuts / see reason in the photo below
15. My mom's pumpkin chocolate chip bread / you'll thank me (probably with your mouth full)

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups canned pumpkin (15 oz. can)
• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin.
3. In a separate bowl, sift flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Add to egg mixture.
   
4. Using a mixer, blend until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Spray two loaf pans and split mixture evenly between them.
6. Bake 1 hour.

I believe your story — who you are as a family, a couple or an individual — should be front-and-center in your photos. To help tell that story, I encourage all my portrait-session clients to bring one or two meaningful items we can include in your photos. Even when these things become lost, torn or broken, your photos of them — and the stories they inspire — will live on.

9 Things to Include in Your Session That Can Tell a Story:

1 / love letters
2 / old event tickets
3 / family heirlooms
4 / old photographs
5 / a favorite book
6 / your child's favorite stuffed animal
7 / something you collect
8 / something that represents a passion or inside joke
9 / special trinkets