Fall Bucket List

This year I was SO excited for Fall to finally arrive. Living in the South, sometimes Fall isn't exactly on time. Sometimes she comes stumbling in, leaves all a mess, with temperatures that go from 75 and sunny to 40 and frosty in one week. And yet, every year when I get into the swing of things at school I start pulling out the hats and scarves, opening the windows to let the breeze in, lighting my apple and pumpkin scented candles, start putting out pictures from past Fall seasons, and sipping on coffee spiced with pumpkin and cinnamon. There's just something about the transition to cold that begs us to slow down and savor the time before us. I like all the seasons, but I'm especially fond of Fall.

The season started off tragically with the loss of my grandfather; a man who did not have to call me granddaughter but loved me fiercely as such. He taught me so many things; things about nature and life and how the best things in life aren't really things. Our family is grieving and devastated at his sudden loss. It's been hard to enjoy my usual Fall traditions because they seem obsolete in the midst of my grief. Nevertheless, I've committed to enjoying my one wild and precious life.

We also lost Josh's sweet grandmother Memaw earlier this year as well. Although our hearts are learning to live with the grief, we are determined to make time for memories that matter and to create a culture of adventure and joy within our little family. If you've hung around us any amount of time, you know our son Daxon oozes a spirit of fun. His smile lights up his entire face and he finds joy in the simplest of gestures. He has been incredible medicine for our pain. With his irresistible desire for fun calling me out of my sadness, I created a Fall Bucket List for this season. This year's list was pretty much just in my head, but I anticipate it becoming a tradition and editing it as our family grows and changes throughout the years.

To celebrate Fall this year, we crossed of the following from our list:

• Decorate for Fall
• Go apple picking
• Make apple crisp & apple pie
• DIY Fall crafts
• Go to a football game
• Decorate for Halloween
• Visit a pumpkin patch
• Carve a pumpkin
• Make Dax's Halloween costume
• DIY Halloween crafts
• Watch Halloween movies
• Bake Halloween cookies
• Trick or Treat
• Decorate for Thanksgiving
• Drink apple cider
• DIY Thanksgiving crafts
• Make yummy treats for Thanksgiving
• Make s'mores with a fire in the fireplace

 Photographic Evidence:

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Click here for the recipe! I swapped pumpkin for sweet potatoes & pecans for cookie crumbles.

With only one thing left to cross off of our list, we are so excited for the Christmas season and a chance to teach Dax about Jesus & His birth! This year has certainly had its challenges, but it has also been chock full of sweet moments and God's comfort. I can't wait to share more snapshots of our holiday season and the fun memories we make as a family. 

Until then,

A