2018 Fall Bucket List

You guys… it’s about that time: FALL!

I do my best to create a bucket list for my favorite season every year. Because of physical limitations on my husband due to a recent surgery on his foot, this year’s list a little less active than in years past. But I am no less excited for autumn.

Here are a few of the things I hope to get done between now and the end of November:

(1) Get back in the kitchen (for fun).

Due to that previously mentioned surgery, my husband, who is usually the chef in our home, has been mostly out of commission. That means that the responsibility of cooking many of our meals has fallen on me. Don’t get me wrong; I actually do enjoy cooking. But I’m not naturally good at it the way he is. I like to take my time and follow recipes that have been perfected by others. But school night dinners just don’t allow for that kind of leisurely attitude.

There’s no getting around that, but I have decided that I want to start the kind of cooking I enjoy again. Sure, that’s mostly baking, but I’m okay with that. Quick dinners are something we can’t get around right now. Weekends in the kitchen will be my choice. I’ll take my time and make what I want – like these blueberry muffins. Yum!

Feel free to leave delicious fall recipe links in the comments…but limit that pumpkin. Aside from pie at Thanksgiving, I don’t usually enjoy it.

(2) Find a farm day alternative.

Have I mentioned that my husband had foot surgery?

One of our favorite fall activities last year was a trip back to Alstede Farms to pick apples and select pumpkins for carving. Unfortunately, it looks like that’s not in the cards for us this year.

Am I going to let that make me whatever the fall version of Scrooge is? No way, José! I’m looking at it as just a reason to get creative and figure out another way to enjoy the season. So far, I’m coming up blank so far though. Any ideas? Could a drive-in movie count?

My only requirements is that it be fall-y, be outside if at all possible, and not require much (if any) walking. Tall order, I know. I’m pretty determined, though.

(3) Make some costumes.

Last year, when Miles said he wanted to be Chuck from Angry Birds, I thought I was in trouble. I looked at store-bought costumes, but the ones I liked were all either too expensive or not available in his size. I can’t say I’m super proud of the final product — which was little more than basics from Primary with black feathers hot glued to them, and a mask I found on Etsy. But it worked and he was happy with it, which is what matters most to me.

I bet you can picture my face when he told me who he wanted to be this year: one of these guys, the Koopalings.

Um, can we do Angry Birds again?

As if these characters weren’t wild enough, I was hoping to step up my game and join Miles with a coordinating costume. This should be good.

(4) Prep for Advent – for real this time.

This was something that was on my list for last year, but somehow just didn’t happen. We always get a little calendar with chocolates in it to count down to Christmas, but doesn’t it seem like that day deserves more?

At the very least, I’d like to come up with a checklist of holiday-y activities to get us in the Christmas spirit. It will likely include seasonal favorites like baking cookies and writing a letter to Santa, but I’d love to incorporate acts of kindness and service to the mix.

Do you have any favorite holiday traditions I should consider adding to my list? Twenty-four days is a lot of activities.

How about YOUR fall bucket list? Grab those sweaters, dust off the boots, and order that PSL from Starbucks (if you’re into that sort of thing – blech). Happy fall!