Today I sat down and planned out 12 things I want our family to do this autumn. A fall "bucket list" if you will. (Although the way that term has come to be used in blogland bugs my hubby to no end...since we aren't, you know, planning to die this fall....)
Why twelve things? I find it is too easy to let my good intentions for our family get out of control. So easily we can end up over-booked, over-spent and over-stressed....all in the name of family fun! So this year I've made a list of 3 things to bake/eat, 3 pictures to take, 3 places to go and 3 people to see. 12 things. That's it.
That's not to say we won't go more places and do more things...these are just the ones I want to make sure we don't miss out on.
What's on our fall to-do list?
3 things to bake/eat: Apple Crisp, Chicken Pot Pie, Maple Pecan Pumpkin Pie
3 pictures to take: Kids playing in the leaves, The kids holding pumpkins, A family photo (that I'm actually in!)
3 People to see: Have a harvest potluck with friends, Have people over for soup and board games, Make applesauce with my sister-in-law
3 Places to go: Apple picking at an apple orchard, On a nature walk, To the Farmer's Market
I've made the Fall to-do list I doodled up available as a free printable for you to use, if you'd like. It's blank, so you can print the form and write in your own 12 things. Just go to this google document, choose "download" from the file menu, and then print from your computer.
I'd love to know what kinds of things made your Fall Bucket List!
{This is day 2 in a 31 day series about Celebrating Fall. You can find the first post in the series, updated with a list of all the series posts as they are published, here}
What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI think I need one of these for every month! I always try and do too much!
ReplyDeleteOh, so THAT'S what "bucket list" means! I have been wondering about this one, yep, seeing it all over Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteSo it means "things to do before you kick the bucket"?
In that case, yes, ha ha ha so agree with Luke, then things like "summer bucket lists" are very silly :)).
But I guess expressions and words change meaning over time.
Can anyone explain to me what a "laundry list" means? Like a list where you write down all your 1,000 things that need to be done?
Ieva
Awe - I love this idea! We always make so many plans, and it seems we only do half the stuff we want to do. What a great idea, making it almost a to do list. I love to do lists! Because of unseasonably warm winter this year in March, our regular apple orchard's apples died, so no apple picking for us this year. But that doesn't mean I still can't make baked apples, apple sauce, and apple butter! Oh geeze, I just got hungry . . .
ReplyDeleteAre there apples *to* pick in your part of the province this fall? :) Neat idea!
ReplyDeleteThere are definitely LESS apples this year, but the pick-your-own apple orchards are still open for business.
DeleteI live in London, Ontario, and there are no pick your own apple orchards ready because of the frost. Apparently the local orchards are having apples brought in from Quebec and put for sale in baskets so that you can "pick your own apples" from the basket instead of the tree. I will still go to the orchards as most of them are family friendly with lots of things to do. Thanks for the 12 ideas!
DeleteI definitely agree that it's better to have a small list, and I have never been able to really make a bucket list. I do have a lot of life list GOALS, though. My favorite list is here: http://makingroomwithus.blogspot.com/2012/01/100-things-to-do-in-your-20s.html.
ReplyDeleteSuch a great idea! I love your ideas for Fall! I love your printable! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletehttp://mederomoments.blogspot.com
Recipe for the pie, PLEASE. My husband's parents are coming for Thanksgiving weekened - I've hosted lots of holidays for my family, but his is a whole other story!
ReplyDeleteI would print of that template because it is so pretty!!!
ReplyDeletethis is adorable!! I really need to do a family photo this fall!!
ReplyDeleteLove this list! Such a fun idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm due with my 4th on the 13th so we're keepin' it REALLY simple- take a pick of the belly before he arrives and make it to the pumpkin patch where I always take fall pics of the kids.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link to an amazing apple crisp recipe!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2009/11/perfect-apple-crisp.html
I have made it twice. Warm out of the oven with vanilla ice cream is AMAZING!!
Great idea!!! Pinterest will come in handy here. . .:) Thank you for sharing and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI love this idea! You broke the 12 items down into 4 easily manageable categories. I might have to steal this!
ReplyDeleteI am so going to have to do this. I am forever adding things to my plate and the get upset with myself when I don't get them done. I really like the idea of making a list of priorities and sticking to it. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhat a simple, yet fun way to make the most out of this amazing season! I always want to go apple picking every year, but never manage to... but this is my year!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite thing to eat after apple picking is Apple Pancakes. They are baked... not flipped in a skillet like regular pancakes. They are a childhood favorite and always expected after a day apple picking!!! (Problem is, we have 4 kids and I love them so much (the pancakes... well, the kids too.. you know what I mean) that I ALWAYS have to make 2 batches!!!)
ReplyDeleteAt one point I would have agreed with Luke about the use of bucket list, but since the days of this fall will be dead to us once we have lived them I have learned to think of a seasonal bucket list as a needed guide to some of my priorities. Never again will there be an October 1, 2012 where your kids will be the ages and temperaments that they where yesterday or the work project is exactly the same.
ReplyDeleteThe idea is great and all but what drew me to this post was the mug with whipped cream deliciousness overflowing from the top...what is that?!?!?!?
ReplyDeleteIt's coffee with cream and pumpkin pie spice in it, topped with whipped cream and more pumpkin pie spice... all for the sake of the photo, of course. ;)
DeleteYum! I'm 5 months pregnant so anything with whipped cream slathered on it looks AMAZING!
DeleteI would love a copy of your template. Such a good idea!
ReplyDeletehmvitry10@gmail.com
Heather,
DeleteJust click the link in the post above. You should be able to download and print the file. Let me know if you have any difficulties :)
I love your idea!
ReplyDeleteI really like this idea!
ReplyDelete3 things to eat/bake: dark chocolate and lavender torte, sage and onion bread, roast pork with crackling.
Places to go: continental market, beach, Botanic Gardens
Pictures to take: 1) little man with his 2 little friends 2) little man eating chocolate in the chocolate shop 3) little man having fun at the christmas market (it starts in November :)) )
Thanks for the list, I am definitely going to work on mine.
ReplyDeletemaple pecan pumpkin pie recipe pretty please? :D
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Hummm might have to do that for the holidays.
ReplyDeletegreat idea would lovethat pie recipe also!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! This is my favorite season and yet so many times I get so busy that I forget to actually enjoy this time of year. Love the idea of breaking it down into categories, makes sure that you get in a nice assortment of fall activities. Tonight when the kid gets home from school, we are going to sit down and make our list.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great idea!
Courtney
athomegirlfriend.blogspot.com
Your blog ROX first of all. And I hate housekeeping stuff, so I neeeeeed someone to help me and my partner know how this can be easier and maybe just a bit more fun. Second of all, this post is awesome because it's low-stress and gives you a to-do list that is all about FUN. You're really good at this. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the printable! :) And I love the idea of just doing 12, we made such a ridiculous list for our Summer list that it was almost impossible to complete them all. It made me feel as if I had failed my family in some ways for not completing even half of them. 12 is SO much more doable! :) Thanks for the idea! :)
ReplyDeleteI love how you're so intentional about planning out fun things. Just enough fun to keep things interesting without burning out. Although, seeing as fall is my favorite season, I find burnout to be an unrealistic possibility! ;)
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's girl scout troop loved this exercise. I really got them thinking about they love about fall and sharing family traditions. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletealso a great way to save the memories that your family shared each season through the years.
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog for a few months now, and seem to always refer to your "31 days" for ideas to things! For instance, Summer tends to be the season that rushes by for our family. So I am modifing this printable (some scrap paper and scotch tape) to make it "12 Things To-Do this Summer"!
ReplyDeleteGreat Idea!
Delete