Fall Bucket List 2018 (with a baby!)

Fall is hands down my favorite time of year. From cooler temps and colorful leaves, to bundling up in cozy sweaters and eating all the pumpkin things, I love it all and am giddy just thinking about it. Every year I keep a running checklist in my head of all the fall things I want to enjoy. Inevitably, life gets busy and the season is usually over before I get a chance to do any of them. So this year, I decided to actually write them down.

I don’t know about you, but if I don’t write something down, I’m almost guaranteed to forget about it. Out of sight, out of mind. If I keep things front and center where I can consistently lay eyes on them, I’m way more inclined  to actually do them. After I wrote down my bucket list, I sent it to the cutest Etsy shop, LL Design, where she turned it into the prettiest art print. I love that it will add a touch of fall decor to our kitchen + be a sweet keepsake to stick in Lively’s baby book.

Lively is 8 months old and I’m finding this is such a fun stage. She’s becoming more of her own person with a great interest in everything around her. I won’t be able to do all of these things with her, but there are quite a few that I’m really excited about and I think she’ll enjoy.

Even though these are fun and frivolous things, they matter and bring me joy so I want to be intentional about making them happen! In no particular order, here’s my list of fun things to do before November 23…

Plant fall flowers in the backyard – already checked this off the list. Planted some “Autumn Beauty” sunflower and “Persian Carpet” zinnias from seeds a few weeks ago in my little backyard flower garden. Hoping I’ll be able to enjoy these blooms October-November.
Bake paleo pumpkin bread – I’ve got a recipe for paleo pumpkin donuts that can be used as a bread or muffin recipe too.
Cultivate gratitude in my heart and home – Todd and I are going to start naming 10 things we are grateful for each night at dinner.
Decorate the front porch – love this one via Monika Hibbs. Always drawing inspiration from her gorgeous home.
Blend fall inspired smoothies – you know I love my morning smoothies! I’ve already stated dreaming up some new combos featuring pumpkin, butternut squash, fig, apples and lots of cinnamon.
Visit a pumpkin patch – we usually go to the one at Faith Presbyterian Church. It’s super cute!
Dress Lively up for her first Halloween – I’m thinking she would make a pretty cute strawberry, but I can’t find a costume I like. I’m not really a DIYer, but I might attempt one. I’m open to suggestions too!
Swoon over Lively in her Halloween costume – obviously. 🙂
Sip hot apple cider – this mulled apple cider recipe from Against All Grain looks delicious.
Carve a pumpkin and bake the seeds – I’m going to put the inner clean freak in me aside and let Lively play with the slimy/stringy inside as a fun sensory activity. I bet I’ll get some good pictures out of it. 🙂
Complete a Bible study – I just started Jen Wilkin’s Hebrews study. It’s free to download off her website and WOW – unlike any other study I’ve ever done. So good already.
Bake a pie from scratch – this paleo apple pie that’s also nut free and low in sugar looks perfect.
Invite friends over for soup or chili – Who wants to come over? I’ve got a yummy white chicken chili recipe I can make you. 🙂
Visit a B & B – I’ve been wanting to visit The Paxton in Thomasville, GA (just 30 minutes north of Tallahassee) for a while. It’s not really in the cards for us to stay there right now, but I would love to go for dinner or even to grab a cup of coffee and just soak in the beauty of the property and learn about the history.
Watch Hocus Pocus – thanks to Freeform this is usually on repeat the week of Halloween so it shouldn’t be too hard to catch a showing once or twice.
Eat an apple cider donut – would love to take my paleo pumpkin donut recipe and come up with an apple cider version. Stay tuned!
Walk through the corn maze at Aunt Louise’s Farm – Lively’s still too young for this to really be a must, but there’s a petting zoo and I think she’d enjoy checking out the animals.
Make an autumn flower arrangement – hopefully with the seeds I planted in the backyard.
Bring a fall treat to a neighbor – possibly the flower arrangement or maybe my paleo pumpkin donuts.
Update my gratitude list – every year on my birthday I write down a list (the number of years I am) of all the things I’m thankful for. I’d like to spend some time updating and meditating on all those things this fall.
Make apple butter from scratch – my family has a farm in Thomasville, GA and we get lots of pears this time of year so I’ve made pear butter from scratch before. It was loaded with sugar and wasn’t very healthy so I’d like to play around with a healthy version.
Have a Gilmore Girls marathon – anyone else get all the fall feels when they think of Stars Hollow? A day spent watching my fav mother/daughter duo sounds like heaven. #teamjess
Go on a hike – our friends gifted us one of those baby hiking carriers and we’ve been dying to use it. Tallahassee has some great trails so I’d love to go hiking once the weather cools down.
Make our guest room cozy – we’ve got lots of special friends and family visiting this fall so I’d love to be intentional about making this a more comfortable space for them to stay without spending a lot of money.
Send an “I’m so grateful for you!” card – this would make me feel so special to receive something like this out of the blue so I’d love to carve out some time to send a few of these.
Go to an FSU game – I’m married to a die-hard Florida State football fan so in years past we pretty much spent every weekend at the stadium. Now with a baby that’s not so easy, but I’d like to find at least one game we can go to.
Read a new book – I pre-ordered Annie Downs new book, Remember, God, and have already started listening to it on audio and it is amazing.
Teach Lively the Seminole chop – I mean, how cute is this?
Walk outside as much as possible – excited to breathe in that crisp autumn air!
Continually lift up thanksgiving and praise – Claiming this verse for this season -> “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” Colossians 2:6-7

I’d love to hear what’s on your fall bucket list?!