I love making goals (okay, so they’re really lists, but goals sound so much nicer!) for myself to accomplish, which help me live more purposefully instead of just floating through life and randomly accomplishing things.
One of the three seasons I love setting goals for is fall (summer and Christmas are the other two). However, anytime I see those beautifully laid out “Fall Bucket Lists”, I feel defeated before I even begin. They can sometimes just be a compilation of more things/stuff/busyness than I have time for… or money for… or desire for. Instead of seeing the beauty of these days, my days become more of a challenge to be conquered than a moment to be enjoyed.
Instead, I’ve chosen to put together a list of activities that naturally fall into our ability to do and that we actually look forward to doing each and every fall. Some of these things can also be bundled together. Since we are in a season of life where the kids have functions taking us in every direction, this helps us with time. For example, we usually go to a local farm that has a corn maze, hayride, and pumpkin field.
Outdoors…
Go through a corn maze- What better way to celebrate fall than running through a corn maze? Bring plenty of water, some simple snacks or lunch, and work your way through. The laughs, the memories, and the exercise are a great way to bond as a family. Bonus: Take a photo of your kids in the corn maze to track their growth through photos.
Pick a pumpkin. Your local grocery store will have plenty of pumpkins available for you to choose from. If you are able to make it out to a farm, picking out a pumpkin adds to the aesthetic, and it makes for a great photo op.
Rake leaves– We live in Florida so we don’t get to rake leaves until January, but for those of you who live where the seasons match the Hallmark movies, wear your cute fall outfits, go outside, play in the leaves, take lots of pictures, and then rake those leaves!
Take a hay ride– Local farms that offer a fall farm experience usually have a hayride included. We love riding in the hay wagon after conquering the corn maze and taking a million pumpkin pictures.
When the weather gets cooler, intentionally go outside with the kids for at least 30 minutes a day. The fall brings a break from the summer heat and seems to draw us outside to enjoy the cool, crisp air of autumn. Embrace that time. Take your family outside for nature walks, spend some evenings gathered around the fire pit roasting marshmallows, enjoy a local high school football game, visit a local farm, enjoy a round of mini golf, or enjoy a fall festival.
Indoors…
Learn about the Pilgrims and make crafts that will help the kids remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving– I think this is one thing that I probably did the most with my kids, and we still do year after year. We have made hats that represent the Mayflower, tee pee snacks, Pilgrim napkin holders, and a toilet paper tube version of Squanto.
Bake a pumpkin pie or pumpkin muffins– Pumpkin Muffins are a staple in our home. We actually eat them all year round, but they definitely taste better in the fall. We use the pumpkin bread recipe from the Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook and use a muffin tin instead of a bread loaf pan. Remember to adjust the baking time if you convert from a loaf to the muffins.
Keep the “cookie jar” consistently filled with homemade cookies– The smell of something baking in the oven makes the season feel like fall, even down here is sunny Florida. Do you have a cookie recipe that you and your family absolutely love? Fall is the perfect time of the year to pop them in the oven and enjoy! Bonus: While you’re making the cookie dough, don’t forget to double or triple the recipe, form the dough into individual cookie dough balls, and freeze. Then when the busyness of Christmas comes up, your cookie dough is ready to go.
Don’t enjoy baking? No problem! Pillsbury makes amazing ready to bake doughs that you just have to take apart and pop into the oven.
Watch Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale as a family the night before Thanksgiving– This has been a tradition in our home since before the kids came along. Every year, we watch Squanto: A Warrior’s Tale the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, my husband makes popcorn, which matches up with the part in the movie where Squanto introduces the monks to popcorn, and we curl up on the couch together. Because the kids and I have read aloud Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims, Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember, they are able to point out the places in the movie where creative license was taken while enjoying the movie for what it is… entertainment.
The point is, if you choose to join the throngs of people ready to make this the “best fall ever”, keep your list doable and enjoyable for you and your family. And while you’re at it, add your favorite fall drink to the list.
