23 Things to do in Autumn

Autumn this year, here in Minnesota, is flirting with us. The cooler temps have arrived, but due to the lack of rain, the colors are muted - browns and rusts and fewer vibrant oranges and yellows of years past. I've spent mornings with the sprinkler running trying to get the last bit of water in the parched ground before the white flakes fall and cover the earth. Autumn is more of my spring cleaning time than in the spring - by then I'm just ready to get outside. Now? I'm all about decluttering, cleaning, and prepping for winter. And, of course, enjoying the beauty right outside my kitchen window.

So what to do? Here are twenty-three things from my things to do in autumn list - if you don't have a season change choose ones like visit Ikea or wash the windows - and with those options go for Ikea. ;)

1. Jump in the Leaves.
2. Collect Leaves.
3. Visit Ikea {I'm doing that today so I added it}. This should always be on the list. ;)
4. Pick Apples.

5. Go on a hayride.
6. Visit a pumpkin patch.
7. Visit a pumpkin patch that launches pumpkins at targets.
8. Drink cider.
9. Clean the garage {yeah, this}.
10. Put the deck furniture away.

11. Visit a corn maze {don't cut through or run}.
12. Wash the windows.
13. Help others rake their yards.
14. Buy some candycorn just so you say you can say you did.
15. Switch out clothes {least favorite here}.
16. Clean up the yard.

17. Buy pumpkin spice creamer.
18. Go for a drive and instagram the colors.
19. Make pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. Twice.
20. Take new pics of everyone playing in the leaves.
21. Stock up on new candles - fall scents, only please.
22. Read a new book. Any suggestions?
23. Savor today, this gift of time, and look for snippets of joy.

Those are 23 Things from my Autumn To-Do List. I'm constantly adding more - as there are always more and more things to get done. Today? It's one of those decluttering and cleaning days with that fab trip to Ikea to pick up a new bookcase {can you ever have enough of those?}. And, of course, I'll be popping in for some coffee and taking some pics as well.

What are some of the things on your fall to-do list?

****
If you're looking for some reading - here are my posts from this week. Enjoy!

Dear Mom This is Why You Matter
Little Ways to Celebrate Today
7 Ways to Invest in Your Kids
Read This -> Save Lives. Do Not Drive Distracted
Why You Need to Slow Down and Embrace Today

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10 Fall Favorites. #fridayfaves

That's it.
I'm ready for Autumn.
I'm sorry summer, but I need a change.
Here are just 10 reasons
{with sweet last year fall pictures}
why fall is a favorite thing.

1- Apples

canning and cooking and drying
{and little boys eating apple after apple}

and just being with family

2 - games

inside while the leaves change outside

with family all around

3 - fresh produce

harvested and ready

{and waiting to be pickled}

the green beans that I canned as dilly beans

are already down one jar.

4 - Harvest Crafts

{I still love this owl}

and pumpkin drawings

and leaf gathering

oh, the possibilities.

5 - Pumpkins on the Steps

we always get nine pumpkins total

{I always go to a pumpkin patch where they're sold by weight}

and we line them up out on the front steps.
And one little one {Caleb} always chooses a striped pumpkin.

6 - Pumpkin Bars

with lots of cream cheese frosting

{And I mean lots}
I love that I can make these gluten free.

7- Gorgeous Colors

we're blessed here in Minnesota with 

extraordinary colors

which is good because after the vibrant colors
 we're stuck with the white of winter
 for month

after month

after month.

8 - Candles

burning throughout the day

{with a lovely spice scent}

sitting on the windowsill

warmth.

9 - Costumes

on little ones

who look so unbelievably adorable

and cute

and so, perfectly fall.

10 - Routine

can I just get an Amen for routine right now?

After today's constant crazy I don't know what to do so I'm going to fight with my brother 

I can tell you that I am ready for some solid routine.

{just look at that planner page from March}

Order. It's good.

Those? Those are some of my favorite I'm ready for Fall things.

I am grateful for the change in season. 

How about you?

Want to join Friday Favorite Things?

{it's a moment to step back, reflect, and be grateful for the good in the everyday}

This is week 77 of intentional gratitude.

#fridayfaves

Here's how:

1. Write your own post or link a favorite post from the week

2. Grab the button or link back here {thank you}

3. Add your link below and join the favorite things on Friday fun.

4. Take a minute to visit others who have linked and build community.

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10 Signs You're Looking {gasp} Forward to Fall

I love summer. I love the freedom, the lack of brimming to the rim schedule, and the break from the frenzy. That being said, I realized that there is a teeny part of me that is {gasp} looking forward to fall. I mean, sigh, I even had that nostalgic feeling when looking through those fall pictures of mine. Sigh. The colors..the cider..the crisp {and cool air}.

Here are ten signs that you might secretly be wishing for fall in the middle of July.

1. The annual put-away the winter clothes and bring out the summer clothes hasn't been completed and you are now content to just leave it the way it is.

2. You've stopped ordering iced drinks at Starbucks and have returned to your old stand by the vanilla latte - extra hot.

3. While shopping at Target {or Walmart} you sneak over to the Back to School Supplies and quietly add a pack of 25cent crayons to your cart and linger over the larger than life display of pens.

4. While looking at the weather you let out a cheer if the temperature actually drops below 90 degrees.

5. Summer cleaning, also known as lets remove the clutter, has taken over.

6. The cry of I'm bored in your home is now met with well I could pull out some math practice sheets for you to do and the kids actually agree that they want to do them.

7. Grilling has lost a bit of it's allure. A good hotdish {you all know I'm from minnesota} has now made it's way onto your weekly menu plan.

8. The catalogs that come pouring in, that when they started arriving in June were ignored, are now your go-to bedside reading material.

9. Your kids have asked when they can go to that really fun place with the pumpkins and corn and when you ask if it's the apple orchard they exclaim with glee that that is the place.

10. When mulling over highlight options for your hair the beachy blond highlight is being edged out by that cool shade of burgundy.

One thing that I could live without? Holiday decorations in the store. Could we at least wait until maybe, gasp, September? Are we in agreement?

But, for now, I will wander over with my cart in Target and stock up on those school supplies and come home and sit on my deck and drink my iced tea/lemonade and enjoy the freedom to read a book and watch the kids run in the sprinkler {Again} and sneak a glance at that curriculum catalog while enjoying the sun beating on my face.

Are you still content with summer? Or are you secretly like 10% looking forward to fall?

leaves, carrots, herbs, and busy days

1~ Sunday was quite the blustery day {isn't that a great word?} so I started the fall yard work. I mean clean up. It's just one of those things that you think you can get done in a couple hours, and then after four hours of work, it looked as if I barely even made a dent into the work. All I know is that my hands ache pretty bad now, but that I have several garden beds that are cleaned out for winter.

2~ Earlier in the week {or was it last week} the kids raked all those glorious leaves {which made their way to the compost site} into massive piles. Well, not impressive massive as if we had 56 year old maples in our yard, but impressive for our now, finally growing trees.

3~ Hannah caught Samuel working very hard to get those silver maple leaves into a pile. He had learned quite quickly that you need to get a nice pile and then you can run and jump into them.  Never fear, there will be many many more opportunities for Samuel to jump in leaves -- we've got some trees that haven't even turned yet. And yes, that means more yard work -- unless we get another blustery day and those leaves are blown away.

4~ While cleaning up my veggie garden bed I dug out these beautiful carrots. Yes, I know that they aren't long, and that is due to my incredibly hard clay soil that I'm blessed with. Over the years that we've lived here I've tilled it and worked in vermiculite and leaves in the fall. When I first grew carrots they ended up being maybe an inch around and quite fat. So the fact that they're almost 4 inches is quite the accomplishment. Seriously, I need a well done here.

5~ For a bit I worked side by side with Gracie. At first she wasn't too eager to spend some time in that impressive wind, but after a bit of working her mood shifted. We cut down some chamomile that was growing on the side yard. That is a hardy herb -- every year it grows larger and larger and spreads more and more.  In fact, I finally figured out it was chamomile by the scent that wafted around me as I cut it and put it in the yard bags. Tips on how to dry? For next year...

6~ That reminds me of a message that I heard several years ago talking about herbs and the fragrance that they give up -- and the question posed was, what's your fragrance? It stuck with me and I can't seem to work with herbs without pondering that very question.

7~ Side note, I think Little Tikes might want to consider me a spokesperson. I mean, come on, look at all of that plastic stuff in my yard. And the leaves the kids stuffed in the castle....

8~ And so, another Monday begins. Of course, I'm busy and the schedule is full. Ha haha -- when am I not ever busy? But, I try to not look as being busy as something to sigh about but rather something that I'm blessed to have on my plate. Even though I'm quite tired by the end of the day I'd much rather have days that are full and yes, sometimes a bit crazy. I'm blessed through it all.

Have an excellent Monday. And if any of you happens to have an inside connection with Little Tikes let me know.....And if you haven't entered my giveaway for the awesome dishmat {yes, seriously, I just said that} click HERE to pop on over and add your name.

linking with my pal Carissa 

a little bit about the weekend in 8 notes

1} Here in Minnesota we never know what clothes to keep in the drawers in October. Do we keep out the flip-flops? To which, by the way, I told a friend of mine on facebook that I keep mine out all year just to spite the weather. You'll find me in my sandals in -29 degree days in January running {fast} to the mailbox. Or the shorts and jeans? Which to put away? And speaking of putting away -- the seasonal clothing exchange swap take a whole day make that a week  -- is one of my least favorite things to do. You will not see -- the annual clothing exchange -- on friday favorites. Ever.

I'm keeping these shoes out year round. :)

2} If I tweeted this I'd use the hashtag #minnesotaclothesconfusion or #inthemidstofthedreadedseasonalclothingswap

3} I did switch out some of my decor items to some of my more fall type stuff. I'm not really a knick-knack type of gal -- too many little kids -- so I enjoyed switching the two or three items. Total.

4} Any plant gurus out there? I've got this bush {dogwood, I believe} out on my front walk that is looking terrible. It's totally dying and I'm thinking I'm going to have to pull it up and replant. Such a bummer as it was once a glorious and beautiful bush. What would you plant in it's place? It's got to be Minnesota hardy.

5} We tried to go to church yesterday. While I was driving Brennan had a coughing spell so I realized that I might simply be pushing them to do stuff too soon. However, while driving Elijah quickly told me that we should turn right now, mamma. His reason? The local Dairy Queen was to our right. I see his agenda.

6} See that little maple with the red leaves? I found that maple growing in my garden two years ago. A volunteer, my dad calls it. Well, being the plant lover {and not wanting to spend a ton on new trees} I nurtured it for a year and then last year dug it up and planted it in the corner of my yard. Now, 15 months later it's grown almost a foot. Some day it will be a glorious tree -- wonder how old I'll be then?

7} Sometimes, I really like a Coke. Here in Minnesota we refer to it as pop. Some of you might call it soda. And other ones of you refer to all sweet carbonated beverages as Coke. Now, let me ask you do you order a Coca-cola Coke? And a Sprite Coke? I said pop in South Carolina and they looked at me rather strangely.

8} Samuel has decided he's had enough of the paparazzi. When either Hannah or I will pull out the camera he says, no pit-ure, no pit-ure. Then he'll smile - and then run away. :)

cute samuel playing with my retro bread box where he keeps his trains

I'm linking up with Carissa today. Trying to do something new, you know? I know, not really. I think I've only missed three since she started her most fabulous monday meme. How about you? Plans for your Monday?

dear summer

Dear Minnesotan summer,

I've loved you. The beautiful colors and the fresh produce and the thick thunderstorms rolling in at night. You've given me time to rest and think.

We've had our time at the lake -- a yearly thing -- that seems so long ago now. Such a glorious week of eating and playing cards and relaxing and fishing and doing nothing at all.

Summer, you're a celebration of friends and family. Laughter and holding hands. Icecream at nine. Dangling feet in the water off the dock.

But, dear summer, I'm starting to get ready for fall. I know, I know, how could that be? How could I want to give up the afternoons spent swinging and looking at the leaves swaying in the muggy breeze?

You see, summer what I love most about you is the lack of structure. The freedom. The days that blur together. The late soccer evenings and even {gasp} those pesky moquitoes to complain about.

But, now, I'm craving just a little bit more order in my house.

I'm  maybe a-little-bit-sort-of-ready for crisp breezes and eager kids wanting to learn.

I want to pull out those books and talk about the water cycle and how amazing it is that God created the world in just six days -- and then He rested. I'm ready to drill math facts.

And harvest apples. And go to the orchard. And hear the crunch of leaves underfoot.

Summer, I love you. You're a needed and craved after season in my life. I'll miss all the lovely colors of produce that you provide. Oh and the corn. I'll miss that fresh corn.  And of course, I'll miss those lazy hazy days of summer -- no wonder there's a song about you.

Don't worry. Come April and May I'll know I'll be counting the days until you come again.

Wait. I know I'll be counting those days in January. And summer, just so you know, your letter is much nicer than the letter I write to winter -- that letter is basically thanking it for finally leaving. I mean, because seriously -- look at the picture of winter. I am so not ready for that.

Ah, summer. Such a blessing. Seeing that picture of winter makes me want you to stay around some more. Lots more -- I'm sure I'll love winter when it comes. But, not yet. No. Not at all.

So summer, I'm going to live in joy these last couple weeks. Embracing the fabulous gifts you bring. The freedom and laughter and even the fun and excitement in planning for the fall. Summer you are joy.

And, between you and me, you just might be the best.

~me

{what would you write about summer?}