Is there any more nostalgic of a season than Fall? Every year when the season starts to turn I can’t help but be reminded of my childhood and all the happy memories that took place during this beautiful season…
Colorful trees; Piles of fallen leaves; Apple picking; Baking apple crumbles; Lazy afternoons; Thanksgiving; Pumpkin spice everything; Mugs of Homemade hot chocolate; Soup & grilled cheese dinners; Trips to the pumpkin patch; Carving Jac-o-lanterns; Spooky Halloweens; Foggy mornings; Firey sunsets; Crisp, cool air…
There are so many reasons why this is my favourite season. For me, Fall is a season of tradition – but also one with so many opportunities to try something new…
This week I was feeling almost overwhelmed with all the ideas and things I want to do this fall. So I decided to make myself a little bucket list
1. Go apple picking
Too cliche? Too basic? You know what – I don’t even care if it is, because Apple picking is one of my greatest joys.
There is nothing like filling up a basket with a variety of my favourite apples while scheming about what I will bake with all my loot.
Bring a friend, get some cute baskets – hell dress up in cute outfits if you want to – and make the most of the festivities! It’s always a guaranteed good time.
Especially because you can use those apples to bake something delicious…
2. Bake an Apple Spice something…
Just promise me one thing… if you do nothing else this fall, bake something using apples and spices. This might just be a non-negotiable because I’m not sure there is any better flavour combination in this world than apple and spice…
So take the apples that you got straight from the apple orchard, and make some delicious happen…
Keep it simple with homemade applesauce or Apple Bran Muffins or an apple crumble. Or keep it classic Apple pie.
Or how about some Apple Scones or maybe an Apple galette? Or take it to the next level and try making Apple Donuts or some Apple Cinnamon Buns or a pretty Apple spice cake…
I mean preferably you bake all of the above… because I mean you do have a few months with this season. So you know… make it count.
3. Take a drive somewhere new to enjoy all the beautiful fall colours…
Fall is my favourite time of year to take spur of the moment day trips. To just hop in the car and drive somewhere new and explore…
Here in BC the landscape lights up with vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows… it’s just so beautiful and I take every opportunity I can to get out and enjoy it while it lasts.
Taking a walk or a hike in the cool, crisp autumn air has got to be one of my all – time favourite things to do. So I plan on getting out to do this many a times this year.
4. Have a Friendsgiving
Last October my friends and I threw our very first Friendsgiving and it could not have been more lovely.
Sitting at that table, surrounded by people I love – everyone laughing, sharing the dishes that we had each prepared for the potluck… It was a special moment for me. I couldn’t help but feel so incredibly fortunate to be able to call these people “friends”.
I have many things to be grateful for – but one of the things I am most grateful for are the friendships I have in my life. I am very lucky to have each and every one of them in my life.
So taking a day to reflect on and celebrate those friendships was very special to me.
5. Visit a pumpkin patch with friends & have a jaco-lantern carving contest…
I mean, is there anything more nostalgic than visiting the pumpkin patch?
For me, just thinking about the pumpkin patch gives me a case of the warm and fuzzies. It reminds me of foggy afternoons spent out in the fields or orange with my parents and my brothers.
It reminds me of rubber boots, and fluffy sweaters to keep us dry and warm. It reminds me of my dad pulling us around in little wagons, listening as we pointed him in the direction of the biggest pumpkins our eyes could spot.
It reminds me of coming home to hot chocolates and couch snuggles and plotting how we wanted to carve our pumpkins for Halloween.
All such precious memories. So I can’t go a year without visiting the pumpkin patch.
This year my friends and I thought it might be fun to have a super extra jac-o-lantern carving contest. So that’s the plan, and I cannot wait to get wayyy too into it.
6. Take a foggy morning canoe ride with someone awesome…
Jer and I did this a couple weeks ago, and I think this might be one of my favourite ways to spend a morning… gliding across a lake of glassy water, with nothing but the comforting quiet of nature surrounding you, and good company to share it all with…
I’m not sure it gets much better than that.
Here’s our recipe for a guaranteed good time…
Grab your favourite person to early morning with. Find a beautiful lake to bring the canoe to. Paddle out to the middle of the lake. Make yourselves a couple of hot coffees. Sip on said coffees while you float around the lake aimlessly…
It’s some kind of feeling…
9. Have a campfire… and bring s’mores
Something I am dying to do this year is to gather a group of friends and head out to a lake for a good old fashioned bonfire & s’mores party.
I also feel like boozy hot chocolates a deck of cards are necessary additions to this scene…
Nothing like snuggling up in blankets around a warm fire and chatting face to face with friends. The world needs more of this…
8. Bake a Pumpkin something…
Would it even be Fall if I didn’t put this on my bucket list?
My personal goal for this year… Pumpkin Beer Pretzels… mmmkay yes.
But you don’t have to make pretzels. I don’t care what you bake… just do yourself a solid and put pumpkin spice in it. That flavour ombination of pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves… it just speaks for itself.
If you want something guaranteed easy & delicious. Give this Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Snack Cake a try. Just don’t blame me when you wanna eat the whole pan. You have been warned.
9. Have a scary movie night with friends
Embrace the coming of chilly, wet and darker fall evenings with a good old fashioned movie night!
I know we all wanna go into hibernation when the chilly weather hits, but there are still so many ways to spend time with friends indoors.
Pop some popcorn and roast up some pumpkin seeds and get in the Halloween spirit with a scary movie marathon. Or keep it PG and just watch Harry Potter… because that’s also super fun.
Also don’t forget to have a bowl of Halloween candy at the ready… Comfort food. That’s all I’m gonna say.
10. Host / attend a Halloween Party and go all out with your costume
Who says you’re too old to dress up? Not me. Do it uppppp!
I have to say I am personally way too excited for Halloween this year – mostly because Jer is down for a couples costume and we have wayyyy too many ideas. Can’t wait to show ya’ll what we decide on!
My friends and I are also currently thinking about a “Who done it” Murder Mystery Halloween theme party… What do you guys think? I think it would be a hoot and a half.
And let’s face it – Halloween parties present the perfect opportunity for child-like shenanigans. Embrace it.
Happy fall-ing!!!
Leave a Reply