Fall Bucket List

Hi friends!

Did you know that fall is my favorite season? I love all things pumpkin, the crisp cool air, crackling fires in the fireplace, hot apple cider and the sound of leaves crinkling and crunching under my booties. The vibrance of the trees and all of the colors they convey; the fire like burnt orange leaves are my favorite. Going apple picking, pumpkin pie and warm soups are also mandatory.

Since I love this season so very much, and we only have a few weeks before we decorate for Christmas, Hanukkah or both, I thought I would share my fall bucket list with you.

Hope it “leaves” you ready to enjoy this season as much as I do!

• Edwards Apple Orchard– Okay, there are so many apple orchards out there, but Edwards is by far my favorite. It is about an hour and a half outside of Chicago, but sooooo worth the drive. You pull in and you know you are someplace special. If you haven’t fallen for fall, you surely will. The hot cider, donuts and caramel apples are some of the best there are. Once you are ready to get your apple picking on, they have quite the variety. You take the tractor over to the apple trees and pick away! Sweet honeycrisp are my favorite! Yours?? Oh, still need a pumpkin? Go over to the pumpkin patch and pick one out. Then top off the day with some live music and the country store. It really is the best way to kick off fall!
• Dig out the sweaters– I love sweater weather! Every year I pull out my sweaters and purge a few that aren’t looking too fresh. Then I go and buy a couple (more than that, who am I kidding) to get me through the season. A few of my favorites this year, are this sweater which you see me wearing above. It is on sale + another 40% off. Here, here and here are a few others I love!
• Make your favorite soup– It’s Chili season! Amiright or amiright? I have been making soups and chilis since the end of September. Of course these recipes are perfect all year long, but there is something about a hot bowl of chili/soup around this time of year. I love to cozy up, watch a movie and eat up my soup. A couple of recipes we have been making on repeat are listed here and here. Do you have a favorite soup or chili recipe?
• Play in the leaves– I haven’t done this yet, hence my bucket list. But doesn’t playing in the leaves make you feel like a kid again?!
• Carve a pumpkin– With the pumpkin carving kits this has become almost too easy, which is why I say forgo the kits and do it old school. I guess it is a little more dangerous, me with a large knife, as I tend to be a bit clumsy. I love it though. Freehanding it and seeing how truly silly, scary or just plain ridiculous it turns out. That’s half the fun, ya know?
• Drink hot apple cider– Maybe by the fire, or out and about. It tends to be prefect anywhere during the fall season.
• Drink a pumpkin spice latte– Melony, they yell out. Why do they always spell my name with an “O”.  Ok, but seriously…who else waits for the day when the pumpkin spice latte hits Starbucks? I try to only have a couple during the season because they are SO bad for me.
• Burn all the pumpkin candles– Hello my name is Melanie and I am a candleholic. But for real you guys, I. LOVE. CANDLES. especially pumpkin spice and other like flavors. I think I have 3 burning as I type. Two in the living room and one near the kitchen. I have tried a lot of different candles and I always come back to these right here. 
• Decorate– If you know me, you know I am “extra” around the holidays. Decorating is a passion of mine. In fact, I have a post I did last year all about my fall mantel. Check it out right here. Heirloom pumpkins tend to be a staple in my fall decorations along with fresh flowers. I really love creating a beautiful and cozy space. Hopefully this will give you some inspiration.
• Watch Hocus Pocus– “I smell children”…hahahaha. Who doesn’t love this movie? I could watch it over and over and over. It is so nostalgic for me. Oh get this, Trent had never seen it. Don’t worry, I changed that. It seriously is one of the best Halloween movies of all time.
• Make apple pie/pumpkin pie– With all of the apples, what’s a girl to do? Make pie (and other treats) of course! Since I am gluten free, I had to get creative. I did find some amazing gluten free apple crisp recipes that I tried out. Here is my favorite. One tip…I turned on the broiler for about 60 seconds to brown the top a little more. It gave it the perfect crisp! I plan to make a GF apple pie for Thanksgiving. Wish me luck on the crust…
• Thanksgiving thanks– This is coming so fast it’s hard to believe. I love it though. Reflecting and sharing all I am thankful for. I have been keeping a gratitude journal and try to think of the little things in a day that I am most thankful for. It will be special to hear from others and to share with them how much they mean to me. Going around the table and sharing is one of my most special traditions. What are yours?

Y’all, what are your favorite fall activities? Spill it, pumpkin!

Also, shop my entire fall look right here! Grab the perfect fall sweater before it’s sold out.